Authors I Heard at ALAN

When I went to the ALAN Workshop early last week, I was lucky enough to hear a wonderful lineup of YA authors talking about their books and writing related to the theme of the workshop: Looking for the Real Me: The Search for Self in Young Adult Literature


I haven't had time to inventory the multitude of books I got yet (there are a lot!)...that will be coming in my IMM next weekend; but I did want to put the list of authors that I heard out here.  It was such a phenomenal experience at this year's ALAN Workshop and I was using twitter throughout the two days to share the nuggets of wisdom from the authors as I heard them - so I wouldn't forget!  You can check out all of my ALAN posts on my twitter page or the #alan10 hashtag stream to see my thoughts along with others who attended. Technology made it so easy to get thoughts out there right away before they were lost - and there was quite a bit of deep thinking going on and being shared by these fabulous authors!


The ALAN Workshop 2010 Author Line Up:
Day One: Carlos Eire, Darren Shan, David Levithan & Rachel Cohn, Rebecca Stead, Sarah Mlynowski, Sara Holbrook, Michael Salinger, Allan Wolf, Matt de la Pena, Jesica Warman, Sigmund Brouwer, Jewell Parker Rhodes, Lisa Yee, Art Corriveau, Laura Resau, Frank Beddor, PJ Haarsma, Megan Whalen Turner, Siobhan Vivian, Abby McDonald, Tricia Rayburn, Sneed B. Collard, IIII, Susan Campbell Bartoletti, Jeannette Ingold, Beth Kephart, Ned Vizzini, Han Nolan, Janette Rallison, Carolyn Mackler, Lauren Myracle, Cinda Williams Chima, Sarwat Chadda, Cindy Pon, Rita Williams-Garcia, Dana Reinhardt, Ellen Hopkins, Jane Springer, Jon Lewis, Kristin Cashore


Day Two: Ruta Sepetys, Laban Carrick Hill, Barry Deutsch, George O'Connor, David Macinnis Gill, Robin Wasserman, S.A. Bodeen, Ally Condie, Rene Saldana, Derrick Barnes, Brent Crawford, Martin Chatterton, Tom Angleberger, Robin Brande, A.S. King, Lisa McMann, Alyson Noel, Bill Konigsberg, Malinda Lo, Michael Cart, Holly Black, Carrie Ryan, Marlene Perez, Andrea Cremer, Hilary Wagner, Judy Blundell, Amy Gordon, Ally Carter, Heather Brewer, Melissa de la Cruz, Adam Rex, Lauren Oliver, James Lecesne, S.L. Rottman, Lisa Klein

ALAN Here I Come!

I'm super excited to be heading to the ALAN (Assembly on Literature for Adolescents of the NCTE) Workshop for the third year! 
My first year was in San Antonio and I met Rick Riordan, read Little Brother by Cory Doctorow, and discovered e lockheart and her fabulous book The Disreputable History of Frankie Landeau-Banks.  My second year was in Philly and that's where I got the amazing book Thirteen Reasons Why and an ARC of Linger and met and discovered my love of Maggie Stiefvater (she's hilariously awesome to listen to). 


This year it's in Orlando - and I can't wait to see what new YA authors/book discoveries I'll make. This workshop is always an invigorating and inspiring two days of listening to young adult authors talk about their books and the impact they have on adolescents in today's society. It focuses on what the new trends are in young adult literature and the motivations, inspirations, and processes of the authors who write them. I also get a box full of new books from the wonderful publishers who help sponsor the workshop. It's always fun to walk in the first morning and see a room full of adults (teachers, librarians, professors, etc.) tearing into boxes full of books and exclaiming over the contents. It's like Oprah's Favorite Things, but with YA books! I'll be posting a list when I can (probably after Thanksgiving), but that's where I'll be for the next few days...immersed in celebrating young adult literature.