Short takes from teen book fest plus quarantine updates

(Post updated to reflect cancellation of Writefest Houston)

Diversity comes to the big (and biggish) screens

Stories for (but not limited to) young adult readers have long been fodder for movie and TV adaptations. Nothing against Little Women, but the recent North Texas Teen Book Festival hosted a range of more recent – and sometimes harder-edged – books taking their places on the big – and small – screens.

Angie Thomas (l) & Julie Murphy

Panelists Becky Albertalli (Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda), Max Brallier (Last Kids on Earth TV series), David Levithan (Every Day), Sarah Mlynoski (Upside Down Magic), Julie Murphy (Dumplin’), and Angie Thomas (The Hate U Give) joined moderator/podcaster Sara Roberts to talk about what it’s like to see their books come to life in a different medium – and whether they’ve brought new readers with them.

Responses ranged from Mlynoski (whose movie adaption is due this summer): “I don’t know yet but I learn people get a lot more into it.”

To Albertalli: “I’m not sure people knew it was a book,” of the Love, Simon, movie adaptation of her coming of age story, Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda. (Which didn’t keep festival teens from finding, and sporting copies of the original.)

To Murphy: “People tell me, ‘my dad’s seen your movie.’” (Dumplin’, based on the book of the same name). “Dad may not have turned into a reader,” Murphy said, “but I’m glad he’s getting the story.”

However, writers acknowledged that Hollywood can be slower to pounce on themes of diversity than publishers. Having movies about “a black girl (The Hate U Give), a gay boy (Love, Simon), and a fat girl (Dumplin’)” as Thomas noted, necessarily mean more traction for characters whose diversity mirrors that of increasing numbers of young readers.

“You have to ask the film people to make sure the world (on film) around your characters is just as diverse,” Murphy said.

When the session turned to Q&A, one young fan said, “I write, but about serious things and the problems of the world. But when I tell people, they say, you’re a kid, you should be writing about happy things, like ponies. What do you say to that?”

Authors bluntly favored the questioner, although not all responses were suitable for print. “I look forward to you signing a book for me one day.”

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Rick Riordan as patron saint of mythic adaptations

l-r, Marsick, Chokshi, Hernandez, Mbalia

It’s no secret that adaptations of classical myths are hot properties in literature for kids and teens. Middle-grade author Rick Riordan first primed the pump with his wildly irreverent takes on Greek divinities, but his Rick Riordan Presents imprint within Disney Publishing has expanded to feature a multitude of other cultural myths adapted to modern life. 

The Rick Riordan Presents! panel at the North Texas Teen Book Festival drew on books by Indian American writer Roshani Chokshi (Gilded Wolves series), Cuban Carlos Hernandez (Sal and Gabi Break the Universe) and African Kwame Mbalia (Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky). 

Rebecca Marsick opened the discussion with the observation, “All of your books involve other dimensions.”

“Every book is a thought experiment – what if this happens?” Hernandez said. The alternate dimension is this other possibility.”

“Portal fantasy and alternate dimensions are just cool ways to explain magic,” Mbalia said. “Things just are, and you’re free to explore the stories. We don’t have a lot of time to explain in books. We have to get to the meat.”

What, Marsick asked, did the writers’ personal cultures bring to their stories?

Or perhaps, Hernandez said, it was a matter of what they didn’t bring – the blanks he felt necessary to fill in. “One of the things I wasn’t seeing in the (Latinx) literature was the joy. It was beautiful, but it wasn’t happy. Things feel wild and magical all the time, even when we struggle.”

Chokshi also noted that a writer’s experience with myths may vary, citing differences between the stories she and her husband, from another part of the country, learned. “India is a big place (and) I’m not trying to represent an entire country in a book. What we have to do is celebrate these stories. Try to get the general strokes of the mythology and then let it live.”

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I still feel well nearly ten days after that North Texas Teen Book Festival, but the world of in-person literary events is narrowing as the CORV-19 pandemic spreads. Still, writers are resilient. North Texas WORDfest’s
“all-you-can-meet” festival of creative connection, originally scheduled for this Saturday, March 21, has morphed into a virtual festival from 7 p.m. Friday, March 20, through 4 p.m. Sunday, March 22. As of this writing (March 16), the only place I find to register for the limited number of online sites is at the WORD – Writing Organizations ‘Round Dallas Facebook page, which promised an updated schedule to come.

Sorry to report that Writefest Houston, originally scheduled for May 4-10, has been cancelled dur to the COVID-19 pandemic. Look for it to return in 2021. As of this writing, summer events are still scheduled – the June 13-14 DFW Writers Conference in Hurst, Texas, and the June 26-28 Agents & Editors Conference of the Writers League of Texas in Austin. I will post here as updated information is available.

Spring literary events start to flow in Texas

Yes, it’s still winter, but sap is rising in the trees, the days are getting longer, and so is the list of spring literary events across Texas! I’ll run a later post on contests, but here’s a sample of festivals and conferences to get your writing juices flowing.

Now – January 31: OK, I said no contests, but the Writers’ League of Texas Manuscript Contest is a biggie, with multiple categories, and first prize in each being FREE admission to the League’s 2019 Agents & Editors Conference, June 27-30, in Austin. Also, chances to meet one on one with a top literary agent in your genre and public recognition at the conference for winners and finalists. All participants also can opt to receive specific written feedback on their work. Fees are $55 for WLT members, $65 for nonmembers, or if you wish to opt out of feedback, $25 for members and $35 for nonmembers. See the site for details.

January 27-May 13: The Dallas Museum of Arts Arts & Letters Live programs run for their 28^th season, with dozens of acclaimed authors, performers and artists. See the site for events, locations and tickets.

February 6-11: Pitch Wars agent showcase isn’t in Texas, but aren’t you curious what the winners look like? Here’s a chance to pick your favs on Twitter from the comfort of your sofa! See the site for details.

February 15-17: Science fiction/fantasy convention ConDFW, Radisson Hotel Fort Worth Fossil Creek, 2540 Meacham Blvd., Fort Worth. ConDFW welcomes back guests of honor Charlaine Harris and Yoon Ha Lee. Harris’s bestselling novels have inspired the TV series True Blood and Midnight, Texas; as well as Hallmark movies. Lee’s books have garnered awards and recognition from Locus, Nebula, Hugo and Clarke awards. (By the way, he returns to North Texas for the North Texas Teen Book Festival later this spring.) Three-day registration is $40 for adults (plus online service charge) through January 31. Add $5 for at-door entry. Discounted registration is available for accompanied children, students, and military members. See the site for program details.

February 21: Couldn’t get enough Black Panther? Check out the Highland Park Literary Festival, whose keynote speaker Nnedi Okorafor wrote the book. Literally. An author of Africa-based science fiction and fantasy for children and adults, Okorafor wrote Black Panther: Long Live the King for Marvel comics, among other award-winning volumes. Hear her keynote address at 7 p.m., followed by a book signing at Highland Park High School, 4220 Emerson, Dallas. Free and open to the public. 

sap buckets: pixabay

March 18-April 24: Author DL Hammons’ WRiTE CLUB returns for its 8^th season. Yes, I’m sneaking in another contest, but partly because Hammons has already put out a request for judges (aka, slushpile readers) to winnow the expected 200-250 entries down to 30 for the readers’ favorite writing bouts. Please note that judges may not be WRiTE CLUB contestants. Interested? Check the site, and if you’re game, contact Hammons at writeclub2019@gmail.com. (And stay tuned for more on this fast and fun contest!)

March 22-23: North Texas Teen Book Festival, Irving Convention Center, 500 Las Colinas Blvd, Irving. Not just dozens but (and I love a chance to use this word) SCORES of middle grade and young adult authors make appearances. March 22 is Educator Day, March 23 is the free and free-for-all public festival day. Go, bring your kids (or your parents) and marvel at how enthusiastic young readers can be! Check the site for complete lists of authors (so far) and program details. 

March 23-24: WORDfest/WORDfield, Tarrant County College Northeast Campus, (Student Union Building), 838 Harwood Dr., Hurst. This year, WORDfest, that inspirational, informational gathering of writers from dozens of North Texas writing organizations will also include presenters from last October’s Writers in the Field event. Due to epic fall rains, many WITF presenters weren’t able to well, present. So they’ll return at the combined WORDfest/WORDfield event. It’s all free but register to reserve a place. And check out the site for extra for-fee goodies!

March 26: Authors LIVE! returns for its spring season with Gretchen Rubins’ Outer Order/Inner Calm, 7 p.m., in Wesley Hall of the Highland Park United Methodist Church, 3300 E. Mockingbird, Dallas. Free, or register for a meet-the-author preview (including signed book copy) for $30. See the site for details.

May 27-June 2: Writefest, the week-long festival presented by the Houston Writers’ Guild and Writespace, returns with workshops, panels, agents and editors, and more. Much is still in progress, including costs and sites of the May 27-30 workshops. Weekend festival and book fair will be at the Anderson-Clarke Center, Rice Glasscock School of Continuing Education, 6100 Main St., Houston. Check the site for upcoming information.

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Something seems to be missing? Sad to report, the weekend-long, lollapalooza Dallas Book Festival is no more, due to lack of sponsorship. However, stay tuned for smaller events in conjunction with the Dallas Institute of Humanities and Culture and Friends of the Dallas Library.

Get hopping: nothing hare-brained about April lit events

I’ve been writing about North Texas spring literary events at this blog since – February! What a sprig it’s been. It’s one of my favorite seasons, and the happenings (hoppenings?) just keep coming. Here’s the latest:

April 1: After the hallelujahs and chocolate bunnies, buckle down and polish your best 500 words for the last chance to enter WRiTE CLUB’s 2018 contest! It’s free, the prizes are great, but perhaps best is the chance to get immediate feedback from real live readers. See the site for details.

April 7: Dallas Book Festival, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., at the Dallas Library’s Central Branch, 1515 Young St., Dallas. It features more than 100 local, regional and national authors, including bestselling Jesse Andrews (Me and Earl and the Dying Girl), Hillary Jordan (Mudbound), Lisa Wingate (Before We Were Yours), and lots, lots more. 

Additional events at the festival include writing workshops, children’s activities, and music and dance performances. Free, but of course there will be books for sale! 

The book festival is again being held in conjunction with the Dallas Festival of Ideas. This year’s theme is “The Connected City.” It’s also free, but with limited space, so please register for either morning or afternoon sessions. Can’t make it in person? Tune in to Facebook to watch the main events live.

image: pixabay

April 7: North Texas Book Festival is a chance to hang out with, and sample books by favorite Texas authors, 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. at the Patterson-Appleton Art Center, 400 E. Hickory St., in Denton, Texas. Or stretch the fun with an 8 a.m. chuck wagon breakfast with North Texas children’s book author/illustrator duo Janet Sever Hull and Vicki Killion Guess. See the site for details and registration.

April 15: The deadline for discounted registration for Writers in the Field, a hands-on research experience for writers this coming October 13-14, featuring 13 acres of demonstrations, exhibits and displays in Mansfield, Texas. See the Writers in the Field site for prices and details. Use code “WORDfestBFF” by April 15 and save 10 percent. (You say you’ll be too busy doing income tax to register for this deal? Good news – when Tax Day falls on a Saturday, Sunday or holiday – like this year – you have until the next business day to file!)

April 20-21: North Texas Teen Book Festival, Irving Convention Center, 500 W. Las Colinas Blvd., Irving, Texas. Wait – did I miswrite that date? Isn’t the convention only a single day? No! The all-day (and free!) blast is April 21. But this year, teens can also opt for lunch with four favorite YA authors on April 20.

The lunch event is $50, which includes meal, Q&A session and book signings. Then hang on for the 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Saturday, April 21, event. As always, books available for sale and signing, lunch concessions on site – or bring your own to eat outside. See the site  for details. 

April 28: The Writers Guild of Texas spring workshop features Bram Stoker Award-nominated author Annie Neugebauer to walk us through using our query pitches to troubleshoot problems in our novels. At the Richardson Civic Center, 411 W. Arapaho Rd., Richardson, Texas.

I blogged last summer about Neugebauer’s query pitch genius at last year’s DFW Writer’s Conference. Here’s another chance to spend a whole morning with her. See the WGT site for registration and additional details. Cost is $25 for members, $35 for nonmembers registering by April 25. The cost goes up $5 for registration at the door – if seating is available.

April 30-May 6: This year, the Houston Writers’ Guild joins Writespace for its Writefest mega literary festival. OK, so Houston isn’t exactly a northerly outpost. But with a week’s worth of writing workshops, agent meet-and-greets (and more than 20 agents and publishers to pitch to), and more – it’s worth the trek south.

Get the full week, including lunch with keynote speaker Justin Cronin (The Passage trilogy) for $525 through April 29 ($595 at the door), a three-day weekend pass for $250 through May 3 ($375 at the door), or single-day Friday or Saturday sessions (May 4-5). Pitch sessions available at all options for additional $50. See the Writefest site for details and registration.

Spring into a new season of Texas lit events

Yes, the groundhog has spoken – six more weeks of winter! But the venerable rodent’s forecast can’t halt the flow of literary events in Texas, pushing through the cold like early spring flowers. Even more than a month before the official start of spring, the landscape is full of possibilities like these:

February 10 – 11: North Texas Comic Book Festival, in the Irving Convention Center, 500 Las Colinas Blvd. W., Irving. Free tickets for kids ages 11 and under. For adults, 1-day tickets $20, 2-day $30. See the site for details.

February 11: Arts & Letters Live continues, with Paul Auster, bestselling author of 1234, in conversation with Will Evans of Deep Vellum Publishing, 7 p.m., at the Dallas Museum of Art, 1717 N. Harwood in Dallas. Tickets for the public, $40, with discounts for DMA members, Friends of Deep Vellum, Wild Detectives, and the Writer’s Garret, and free for students and educators. The series continues through June 20. See the DMA’s site for details and tickets.

February 12 - ?: WRiTE Club returns! It’s the writing contest that’s also a spectator sport as readers vote for their favorite 500-word entries from authors hiding behind the safety of anonymity. Official unveiling of details on the 12^th, at the site of ringmaster DL Hammons.

February 16-18: ConDFW XVII banishes the late-winter blues with its lineup of science fiction/fantasy panels, author signings and hijinks – including appearances by author guest of honor Charlaine Harris (The Southern Vampire series). Adult 3-day memberships $45, 1-day $30. Children’s memberships $20 and $15, respectively. Discounts available with valid military, educator or student ID. At the Radisson Hotel Fort Worth Fossil Creek. See the site for details.

February 20: Clements Center Evening Lecture Series showcases The Gulf: The Making of an American Sea, by Jack Davis. Reception 5:30 p.m., lecture and signing 6 p.m., in the Hughes-Trigg Ballroom East, 3140 Dyer St., on the SMU campus. Free. The lecture series concludes April 11. For information and registration, see the site. (Thanks to book club member Julia Carpenter for this tip!)

image: pixabay

February 22: Highland Park Literary Festival welcomes Pulitzer Prize-winning author Adam Johnson (The Orphan Master’s Son) as keynote speaker, 7 p.m., with signing from 8 – 8:45 p.m. At the Highland Park High School, 4220 Emerson, Dallas. Free and open to the public.

March 8: Authors LIVE! presents author Mark Weinberg’s Movie Nights with the Reagans, at 7 p.m. at Highland Park United Methodist Church, 3300 Mockingbird Lane, Dallas. Free, or choose a 6 p.m. pre-lecture reception and signing for $30 (includes copy of the book). See the site for details or to register for reception. The Authors LIVE! series is presented in partnership with the Highland Park Library and Friends of SMU Libraries.

March 24: WORDfest, billed as an “all-you-can-meet festival of creative connection” makes its second annual appearance from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. in the Student Union building of Tarrant County College’s Northeast Campus at 828 Harwood Rd. in Hurst. More than 30 North Texas writers’ organizations will be on hand to distribute information about their specialties, including fiction, nonfiction, screenwriting, poetry, and indie publishing. Lunch and snacks available for purchase from the student union cafeteria, but otherwise everything is free. However, WORD (Writing Organizations ‘Round Dallas) appreciates an RSVP at its site.

April 7: Save the date for the Dallas Book Festival, Dallas Central Library, 1515 Young St., Dallas. More details to come, but this year’s festival will feature more than 100 local, regional and national authors, with writing workshops, children’s activities, and live performances. Once again, in connection with the Dallas Festival of Ideas. Free.

April 7: Meet still more authors at the North Texas Book Festival in the Patterson-Appleton Art Center, 400 E. Hickory St., in Denton. Free to the public.

April 20-21: North Texas Teen Book Festival in the Irving Convention Center, 500 Las Colinas Blvd. W., Irving. So far, it’s registered dozens of middle-grade and young-adult authors. Panels, book sales, signings, and more. Free. On-site parking available for $8, or take DART to the convention center stop.

April 30- May 6: Writefest is a weeklong, megafestival collaboration of the Houston Writers Guild and Writespace Houston. Included are literary agents, acquisition editors from traditional publishers, panels, workshops, and a keynote address by mega author, Justin Cronin (The Passage trilogy). Tickets are available at the full event pass, 3-day pass, Friday only and Saturday only levels. Early bird pricing starts February 15. For details and locations, check out the site.

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Other good and worthy stuff: Writers In the Field, which hosts a fall weekend of hands-on experience for writers with stuff like herbs, historical artifacts, potions, weapons, and more would love for you to buy a gift ticket for a local writer who might not otherwise be able to attend. Buy a $45 weekend pass at the WITF site using the promo code GIFT, and receive (besides a warm, fuzzy feeling and possible tax deduction) a real-time conversation about your own work in progress from author/instructor Tex Thompson. Give, send 5,000 words of your writing (any genre or format, including outline, synopsis, query or whatever) to tex@thetexfiles.com. See the WITF site for details.