(c) Scott DuBar
Celebrating the Virginia Festival of the Book
Twenty- one years ago, I was elated to hear of Charlottesville's inauguration of the Virginia Festival of the Book. I decided to attend a daytime event, a luncheon with Judith Viorst, author of Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day. How I enjoyed myself, even though I had to hurry back to a baby sitter that was charging by the hour. Every year since, I've looked forward to March with its promise of spring and the arrival of the VABook.
Over the years, I've collected some truly interesting VABook experiences, like the time I was telling an agent how much I enjoyed her presentation. (It was a very small Society of Book Writers and Illustrators event in a coffee shop and no one else was around, so I had her undivided attention.) She asked me what I wrote and I couldn't remember. Or the time I sat crisscross on the floor, squeezed next to a (now award-winning) author and we whispered to each other the entire time. (We should have been paying better attention to the presentation!)
Then there was the time my first page was being read aloud to a packed room, and both the audience and panelists responded so favorably that afterward I spun the page into an entire middle-grade yarn (and just last year got an agent with it, too!) But one of my most memorable VABook experiences was when I heard Rita Dove reading her poem about biracial violinist George Bridgetower. And when Boyd Tinsley of the Dave Matthews Band played his violin--WHAT MAGNIFICENCE THAT!
I've laughed. I've listened. I've learned A LOT about writing and the world of publishing from the wide variety of presenters that the VABook brings to this part of Central Virginia.
To celebrate this year's VABook, I decided to host a KidLit C'Ville Blog Party, in which during the duration of the VABook, March 16-20, I will be interviewing ten published children's book writers and illustrators who call Charlottesville home. They are KidLit pros across the genres, creators of children literature from picture books to young adult tomes of the highest caliber. It's no wonder they've been VABook presenters over the years.
I hope you will stop by each day and say "Hey!" to these lovely ladies and gents who ooze joy and enthusiasm for all things KidLit!
Over the years, I've collected some truly interesting VABook experiences, like the time I was telling an agent how much I enjoyed her presentation. (It was a very small Society of Book Writers and Illustrators event in a coffee shop and no one else was around, so I had her undivided attention.) She asked me what I wrote and I couldn't remember. Or the time I sat crisscross on the floor, squeezed next to a (now award-winning) author and we whispered to each other the entire time. (We should have been paying better attention to the presentation!)
Then there was the time my first page was being read aloud to a packed room, and both the audience and panelists responded so favorably that afterward I spun the page into an entire middle-grade yarn (and just last year got an agent with it, too!) But one of my most memorable VABook experiences was when I heard Rita Dove reading her poem about biracial violinist George Bridgetower. And when Boyd Tinsley of the Dave Matthews Band played his violin--WHAT MAGNIFICENCE THAT!
I've laughed. I've listened. I've learned A LOT about writing and the world of publishing from the wide variety of presenters that the VABook brings to this part of Central Virginia.
To celebrate this year's VABook, I decided to host a KidLit C'Ville Blog Party, in which during the duration of the VABook, March 16-20, I will be interviewing ten published children's book writers and illustrators who call Charlottesville home. They are KidLit pros across the genres, creators of children literature from picture books to young adult tomes of the highest caliber. It's no wonder they've been VABook presenters over the years.
I hope you will stop by each day and say "Hey!" to these lovely ladies and gents who ooze joy and enthusiasm for all things KidLit!
Illustrative sketches of Downtown Charlottesville featured during this KidLit C'Ville Blog Party are used with permission of Scott DuBar, graphic designer and illustrator, of Scott DuBar Illustration. Accompanying author-photos with a photo credit of Jen Fariello are used with permission of award-winning Jen Fariello Photography.
