Giving Back, The Holiday Spirit, and Taking Time Off To Fill The Well

Sometimes the best presents are the ones you give.

Recently here in Los Angeles, the Kid Lit Drink Night Holiday Party was a big success. (Check out the great post about it - and photos from the evening - at my friend and fellow Kid Lit Drink Night organizer Rita Crayon Huang's blog.)

Over 120 revelers gathered to drink and network and eat cookies - there were agents, and writers, and illustrators, and librarians, and so many friends - ones we knew and ones we were just meeting!  And everyone who came brought some books to donate to needy kids.  Some people brought two books.  Some brought BAGS of books.  And ultimately we had a lot of wonderful books to donate!

Look at all the books donated!

The empty bookshelf at the LAUSD continuation high school main office, which is about to be filled with the three overflowing bags of YA titles we donated!  The teachers in 29 classrooms all over Los Angeles will get to choose books from the ones donated for their own classroom shelf of books.

Ms. Ward, the Principal of Knox Elementary School, was so grateful for the donation of FIVE full boxes of picture books, chapter books, and middle grade titles!  They have a library but no librarian, and now they have lots of new books for their students!

It really felt great making this happen, and my thanks to my fellow Kid Lit Drink Night organizers Rita Crayon Huang, Sara Wilson Etienne, Greg Pincus, Jill Corcoran and Jennifer Bosworth for making it such a success.

Also, Thank You to everyone who attended and brought books to donate - you also brought your holiday spirit, and it was wonderful to behold.


And in that Holiday Spirit, I'm going to be taking my annual two week break from blogging.  I'll be back fresh and renewed on Monday January 2nd, 2012.

If you're not sure what you're going to do for two whole weeks of no new blog posts here, I thought I'd take the liberty of sharing some great posts from 2011 that deserve another look.  Here they are, for your reprised enjoyment.

1.  LEARN SOMETHING NEW ABOUT YOURSELF AND OTHERS:  Check out the entire Gender 101 video series - there are 18 videos so far, and to watch them in order, you can find them listed on the right hand side of this blog.  And once you've watched them, consider how you feel about these parents raising their child without letting others know their child's gender.

2. OPEN YOUR HEART:  Watch this amazing video about Gay Marriage, and an actual gay wedding that happened on TV! And check out the true story of how a teenage skinhead and the homeless gay teen he beat nearly to death met decades later... and became friends who travel together to speak out about ending homophobia and anti-gay violence, about forgiveness, and hope.

3.  THINK:  Consider what our culture tells us about "Headless Fatties."  The humiliation of men wearing pink.  And what bathroom signs reveal about how our culture views gender. And see blatant homophobia for what it is, on TV shows like American Idol, and in the choices parents make about their children's Halloween costumes.

4. REALIZE THERE IS STILL MUCH WORK TO DO: From Transgender people being sterilized to how opponents of gay equality lie, and lie some more.

5. BE INSPIRED, AND REDEDICATE YOURSELF TO DOING THAT WORK:  See what a 14 year old is doing to get queer books into school all across the country, and eventually, internationally.  See the impact of a single teacher to change her students' views about prejudice forever.  Check out the stand a school picture photographer made, refusing to make bullies pretty on the outside, since they're not on the inside.  Read the blog of three queer teen athletes who are out to change the perception of gays in sports. Find out how to start a Gay-Straight Alliance in YOUR school.

6.  LAUGH:  Fighting prejudice with comedy is an art.  Check out what St. Peter says to an anti-gay marriage activist at the gates of Heaven. And George Takei's hysterical (and generous) response to Tennessee's proposed "Don't Say Gay" law.

7.  GET YOUR PRIDE ON:  With T-shirts, and a Katy Perry "Firework" video that makes me so happy.  And did you know that the more gay friendly a community is, the better it is for straight teens too? And watch some of my favorite "It Gets Better" Videos:  Kevin, a gay teen in Montana. Zach, a gay teen in Iowa, and if it's not too forward of me to suggest it, I'd be delighted if you'd take a look at my It Gets Better video, too.

8.  READ:  There are so many wonderful books posted and reviewed here!  The entire left hand column of this blog... So browse, and choose, and dive into some wonderful lesbian, gay, transgender, bisexual, questioning, queer and gender-non-conforming fiction and nonfiction!  I am beyond blown away by these books existing in our world of today, and think of how much it would have meant to me to find just one of them when I was a teen.  So read them.  You never know where a book might take you...

And if you don't want to miss great posts like these as we move forward into 2012, please consider signing up for my newsletter - it's one email every two weeks, with one line summaries and fast links to the latest posts, info on my school visits, and some inspiration that's currently resonating for me.

The inspiration resonating for me right now is from "The Artists Way," by Julia Cameron. 

"As artists, we must learn to be self-nourishing. We must become alert enough to consciously replenish our creative resources as we draw on them... I call this process filling the well."

I think those are wise words.  And after 50 weeks of daily posts Monday through Friday, I realize that I need these two weeks to fill my well.  And then I'll be back in the new year, artistic reservoirs full!

Until then, allow me to wish you and yours a Happy and Healthy Holiday Season.

Namaste,
Lee

Holiday Party edition of our Kid Lit Drink Night - Los Angeles (and photos from our Halloween Costume Bash!)

Join other writers, illustrators, agents, editors, bloggers, librarians, educators, and people who just love children's and teen literature at a Kid Lit Community Holiday Party!

Cash Bar 

(pay as you order),

Cookies 

(bring and share),

Books for needy kids 

(donate unwrapped books, picture-books through YA, and feel all holiday-festive!)

Sat. December 3, 2011 

from 5p.m. - 8p.m. 

at The Wellesbourne  
10929 W. Pico Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90064
(Across the street from the Landmark Theater and the Westside Pavilion Mall)

Your Picture Books through Middle Grade Novels will be donated to Knox Elementary School in South Central Los Angeles. They're a new school, and even though they don't have a librarian, their Principal, Ms. Ward, is a huge advocate of reading and has teachers take their students to the library to check out the books. They're incredible excited at the prospect of more and new books for their kids! New and gently used books are fine, ARCs are fine, and donating more than one book is better than fine!

Your Young Adult books will be donated to needy youth as well, and we'll announce the details of that as soon as we can.

***UPDATE SATURDAY DEC 3 - THE DAY OF THE PARTY!***

I got confirmation from Janet Seary, the principal of Central High School/Tri-C, that they would love to accept our YA book donations. They are a continuation school serving at risk youth, and they have 29 classrooms all across the LA school district. There is no main library for these 600-800 students, but each classroom tries to have some books for their teens. The teachers will choose which ones they want for their classrooms from the donations brought.

I'm very excited that we now have two very worthy schools to accept all the books that get donated during our holiday party!

And there's also a YA On the same day, you can also attend Carol M. Tanzman's book launch party for Dancergirl,  a young adult thriller published by Harlequin Teen. Carol's book launch is happening from 4 to 6 PM this Saturday at the Curve Line Space Gallery/Frame Store at 1577 Colorado Blvd. in Eagle Rock. Lots of people are planning to attend both. We actually extended the time of the Holiday Party so everyone could!

This event will feature live performances, Brooklyn Treats by Eagle Rock Bakery, book sales by Skylight Books, and, of course, Carol and her new book, Dancergirl!

***

It's going to be an amazing time.  Just check out how much fun we had at the Halloween Costume event!

This is my writing group: Sara Wilson Etienne (as Harriet The Spy), Rita Crayon Huang (as Bunnicula) and myself (as the artwork from "The Dot")

Check out more of the amazing costumes from the party:

Kid Lit people are the best.  Thanks to Rita Crayon Huang for the great photographs.  Kid Lit Drink Night - Los Angeles is always so much fun, and we hope you join us for our (and your) Holiday party!

You can RSVP (and see who else is planning on attending) at the party facebook page here, or in comments on this blog.

Namaste,
Lee

Los Angeles Kid Lit Drink Night - Take Two! Come Join Us During the SCBWI Summer Conference, Sunday Aug 7, 2011 from 6-8pm

Our first Los Angeles Kid Lit Drink Night was a HUGE success with over 50 folks attending! Now we're doing it again, and Jill Corcoran, Greg Pincus, Rita Crayon Huang, Sara Wilson Etienne and myself hope you'll join us for the second ever Los Angeles Kid Lit Drink night!




Who?: Writers, Illustrators, Agents, Editors, Art Directors, (spouses and partners welcome...) anyone and everyone in the world of children's literature. And while it's in L.A., it's not just for us locals - no matter where you're from, you're welcome!

What?: Meet up for drinks and food and hanging out. (It's a pay-as-you-order event, very informal, and so much fun!)



When?: Sunday evening right after the SCBWI conference day's events have concluded. (Some folks will get there around 6pm, others closer to 7, depending on who's autograph you're trying to get at the giant autograph party...)

Where?: Across the street from the conference hotel, we'll be meeting up at Pink Taco in the Century City Mall, on the patio.




Why?: Because hanging out with our tribe ROCKS!

Hope to see you there!
Namaste,
Lee

Announcing... The First-Ever Kid Lit Drink Night - Los Angeles!

Inspired by the Kid Lit Drink Night cooked up by author/blogger/librarian Betsy Bird and editor/author Cheryl Klein in New York City, Los Angeles whips up our own version of the drop-by-for-drinks-and-food (you buy your own) and great conversation with cool people in the Children's Literature Industry Evening!

Calling all Children's Literature:

Writers

Illustrators

Editors

Agents

Designers

Art Directors

Publishers

Librarians

Booksellers

Bookbuyers

and

Aficionados passionate about creating creative content for children and teens!

join us tomorrow, Saturday June 18, from 6-8pm

at

Pink Taco at the Century City Mall, outdoor patio
10250 Santa Monica Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90067

It's an event masterminded by myself, poet/author/blogger Greg Pincus, writer/photographer Rita Crayon Huang, debut author (whose amazing book "Harbinger" is coming out February of 2012) Sara Wilson Etienne and literary agent/poet Jill Corcoran! We hope you join us and further invite you to spread the word and invite your L.A.-based Kid Lit World friends.

And if you're on facebook, you can let us know you're joining in the fun!

Also, note that The SECOND Kid Lit Drink Night - Los Angeles! Will be held on Sunday August 7th in the same location, right after the day's events conclude across the street at the 40th anniversary SCBWI Summer Conference! (We're thinking it will be from 6-8pm as well.) By the way, have you registered yet? Today's the last day to get the early registration discount!

So hopefully, if you're coming into town for #LA11SCBWI, you can join us locals for Kid Lit Drink Night-L.A. as well!

Hope to see you there,
Namaste,
Lee

p.s. - the photo is by Rita Crayon Huang, and is of a group of kid lit folks at pink taco!