Wordcraft – Dallas summer reading club: read, win, repeat

I signed up for the Dallas Mayor’s Summer Reading Club and thought – hmmm, this looks different. Where last year’s adult version of the club offered drawings for cool prizes, the 2016 version promised to reward me immediately. Just for signing up. Wow, I thought. Maybe I’ll get a bookmark. (I can always use bookmarks.) And the library site promised weekly prizes as well. Hmmm again.

The big prize drawings still looked good. So did the grand prizes. But actual prizes in hand every week just for posting about reading? How many bookmarks could even I use? So I waited a couple of weeks to check them out.

They were better than bookmarks! (Again, nothing against bookmarks, but. . . ) I got to pick a free book off a cart just for signing up. And the current week’s prize? A free pass to the Nasher Sculpture Center for an adult (or adult and kid). My family loves the Nasher! Even the kids love its cool outdoor sculpture garden. But face it, except for a couple of free days each month, it costs. (And on the free days, boy, is it crowded!)

I was obviously losing major goodies by not dropping by the library every week to pick up the free loot.

Adults can win prizes by logging books read and posting a brief review online, by completing a “learning track” online and exploring new hobbies and topics, or by sharing book reviews on Twitter or Facebook using @dallaslibrary #SummerReading and entering weekly drawings for tickets to Alamo Drafthouse. (Add that to my must-do list!)

I’m going on and on about the grownup stuff because, a) it’s fun and b) one glimpse of an adult reading for his/her own pleasure tells a kid more about the joys of reading than hours of nagging would do.

But really, this is way too good a deal for us grownups to keep to ourselves. So sign up any children in your household as well. Children up to age 5 can earn their own weekly prizes by reading (or being read to) at least 3 hours a week. (Download the reading log sheet to keep track.)

Children ages 6-12 need to read 5 hours weekly to get a weekly incentive prize. Children up to age 12 who log 40 hours by July 30 are also eligible for grand prize drawings, held after the reading club’s conclusion August 4.

Teens who log 4 or more books earn the weekly incentive prize plus a free book. And teens who read 8 books by July 30 will be entered for grand prize drawings. Check out the site for grand prize drawings for all ages.

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Wouldn’t you know, Half Price Books  is striking back with its own Feed Your Brain summer reading program as well. Children in grades up to eighth who log 300 or more minutes (use the downloadable log) can claim Bookworm Bucks (a $5 coupon) good at any HPB store. Logs are due no later than September 1.

High schoolers can read any of HPB’s recommended titles for teens, or books of your choice, write a short review and go to Half Price's site to claim the Bookworm Bucks.

Happy tales to you!

Wordcraft – Summer reading clubs – not just for kids!

Was there ever any feeling as wonderful to a child as leaving your classroom behind on the last day of school? And then, two days later, the realization arrived that there were only so many lightning bugs you could chase, only so many places to ride your bike or skate, only so many hours your mom was willing to let you spend shriveling up like a prune in the neighborhood pool.

But even in the bad old days before the Internet or video games, when there was nothing on TV except reruns, my sister and I, and later my daughter, never had to worry about being bored as long as the local library was open for our free-range reading. Summers in Texas are long and hot. You need some really cool books to see you through.

Now, like a remembered glass of cold lemonade, like that first icy dip of a toe in the swimming pool, the joy of summer reading is back. And it’s bigger and better, with prizes, even free books. And it’s not just for kids anymore.

I signed up for the Dallas Mayor’s Summer Reading Club online the first day it opened, finished the first book on my list (timed to coincide with the club’s June 6 opening) and posted my first review. Those of us over 18, which I admit to, have to write a brief online review. If that sounds too much like school, don’t worry. Give them the title of the book, the author’s name, and a brief description of why you liked it. You won’t be graded on the review. Instead, you get chances to participate in two drawings for really grownup prizes – tickets for symphonies, film fests, theater; gift certificates and weekend hotel stays (where you and your beloved will, no doubt, share a few good books).

Not sure what to read? The Dallas Public library staff has posted reviews of a few of their five-star recommendations to get you started. Sign up at Mayor’s Summer Reading Club.

Oh, and your kids? OK, don’t keep all the fun for yourself. Sign up kids up to age 18, have them read (almost) anything – books, e-books, audio books, or magazines, for 30 minutes each day for a week, and they’ll receive kid-friendly prizes. Children too young to read can still qualify by being read to.

Not in Dallas? My grandsons are entered in the summer reading club at their home library in Richardson, Texas. Or check your own local town’s library for possibilities.

Local bookstores would love to encourage children to read also. Currently in progress is the Barnes & Noble summer reading club. Read any eight books, record them in a journal available online or in the flier at your local B&N store, and choose a free book from the age-appropriate lists for readers from grades 1-6.

Half Price Books strikes back with its Feed Your Brain summer reading program that lets children from preschool age through high school earn $5 HPB Bookworm Bucks monthly. Eighth graders and younger qualify with 15 minutes of reading (or being read to) daily in June and July. High schoolers can earn Bookworm Bucks by reading a book each month in June and July and writing a short review.

Ready, set, read!

Wordcraft -- Make a dash for summer literary events

This year has been full of literary conferences, contests, workshops and readings, and they don’t slow down just because it’s summer. I’m including a few events I mentioned in my new year’s post in January that are still to come this summer. The emphasis is on events in North Texas, but some conferences in other parts of Texas are too good to miss.

Now through July 18: Arts and Letters at the Dallas Museum of Art. Authors still to come include Diana Gabaldon and Daniel Silva. At the DMA, 1717 N. Harwood unless otherwise noted. See the list of events and purchase tickets at www.dallasmuseumofart.org/programs/arts-letters-live/.

Now through October 27: Authors LIVE! Season of visiting authors at Highland Park United Methodist Church, 3300 Mockingbird Lane, Dallas. Author readings and discussions free. Or add $30 for a signed book and reception with the author. Still to come, Steve Berry this Thursday, May 29, at 7 p.m. Free. Add author’s reception at 6 p.m. with signed book for $30, RSVP required by Tuesday for reception. Books will be available for sale afterward as well. To RSVP for reception, and for more information, see www.hpumc.org/authorslive/.

June 4 - July 30: Rejebian Summer Series of book reviews, Wednesdays at 7 p.m. in June through July, at Highland Park UMC, 3300 Mockingbird Lane, Dallas. Some reviews overlap events in Authors LIVE! Speakers are free, or schedule a dinner reservation at 5:30 p.m. for $12. For information and dinner reservations, see www.hpumc.org/rejebian/.

June 7 - August 2: Dallas Mayor’s Summer Reading Club, with weekly prizes for readers of all ages. The Club opens June 7 with storytelling, performances and interactive entertainment. Free. Register at any of Dallas’ 29 branches, or online at
www.dallaslibrary.org/.

June 27 – 29: Writers League of Texas Agents & Editors Conference, Hyatt Regency Austin, 208 Barton Springs Road, Austin, Texas. Registration for nonmembers is $459 through June 10, $489 for later registrations. More than 20 literary agents, plus workshops on craft and publishing information. See www.writersleague.org for more information and registration.

July 11-13: LexiCon 2014, Hilton Garden Inn, 3110 Colorado
Blvd., Texas. Motivational and craft workshops, and authors’ book fair. Cost is $100 through June 1, $125 after. See www.lexi-conwritersconference.org/.

July 18-20: The Mayborn Literary Nonfiction Conference, Hilton DFW Lakes Executive Conference Center, 1800 Highway 26 East, in Grapevine, Texas. Cost is $425. Registration closes when full, or by July 1, 2014. Additional fees for contest entries in personal essay, reported narrative and book manuscript, and for sessions with literary agents. Entries for writing contests are due June 13. For registration and details, see
www.themayborn.com/.

July 23-26: Romance Writers of America’s national convention, San Antonio Marriott Rivercenter & Marriott Riverwalk, San Antonio, Texas. Registration is currently sold out, but you may email conference@rwa.org to be placed on a waitlist. For more information see www.rwa.org/.

July 25-27: ArmadilloCon 36 Literary Science Fiction Conference, Omni Southpark, 4140 Governors Row, Austin, Texas. Lots of artists and authors, including this year’s guest of honor, award winning science fiction author Ian McDonald. I especially go for the writing workshop. Conference membership is $35 through June 15, $45 after, with additional $70 for the workshop. Please note that short story entries for the workshop are due June 15. For registration and additional information, see www.armadillocon.org/.

(Next Monday--yes, in the interests of education for my fellow authors, I will finally share agent/author Donald Maass’s critique of my query letter from this month’s DFW Writers’ Conference)