http://kidsread.tv/http://kidsread.tv/http://kidsread.tv/domains/kidsread_tv/images/user/header_logo_kidsread.gif2005 KidsRead - The Children's Author Video News Network - Interviews, Readings, And Book Reports, All Rights Reserved. http://kidsread.tv/index.cfm?module=news#506Mon, 09 Aug 2010 5:23:00 AM EDTIn an interview with Heidi MacDonald, editor-in-chief of The Beat, at the 2009 NY Comic Con, Lily Renee told the story of how, after two years as a Jewish war refugee in England, separated from her parents, she came to America, became a top fashion model in New York City, and went on to become the first woman in the world of comic book artists with a job at Fiction House ( click here to see samples of her comic book cover art), the famed comic book house during the 1940's golden age of comics. Recently featured in Newsweek, Renee recalled how she overcame male hazing and discrimination to get her own comic strips, including Senorita Rio, Jane Martin, and The Lost World and went on to describe getting by on pennies, the editorial and artistic influences and collaborations of her career in comics, as well as the story of how her career in comics ended somewhat abruptly. Renee wrapped with questions from the audience regarding her recent media coverage and sexism and pay scales in the workplace; her fans, detractors and comic book realities then and now; her love for drawing characters, costumes, and movement; her fondestmemories of people and events in her unique comics career from 1943-1949; her later ventures as a jewelry designer and playwright; and her appreciation of the recognition she is now receiving over 60 years after her comics career ended.http://kidsread.tv/index.cfm?module=news#506http://kidsread.tv/index.cfm?module=news#502Wed, 14 Jul 2010 2:09:00 AM EDTAppearing at the annual Children's Booksellers breakfast at BookExpo America 2010 with an introduction by Sarah, Duchess Of York, Ferguson, bestselling author Mitali Perkins took the several hundred booksellers, editors, and fellow authors in attendance on a virtual trip around the world. Recalling her family's move from Kolkata (Calcutta, India) to Queens, New York, and discovering her love for books at an early age, Perkins then recounted the conflicts and challenges she faced when her family was transplanted once again, this time to an all-white community in suburban California, where she continued to find her identity through books and developed an unsinkable desire to be a writer. Perkins wrapped her presentation with pictures and descriptions of her quest to return to her grandfather's lost home in Burma (Myanmar), where she was inspired to write her latest bestseller for young adults, Bamboo People (Charlesbridge Publishing; July, 2010).http://kidsread.tv/index.cfm?module=news#502http://kidsread.tv/index.cfm?module=news#500Fri, 09 Jul 2010 11:31:00 AM EDTWith cameras clicking away, perhaps hoping to catch 'Fergie' in a less than flattering pose, Sarah Duchess Of York Ferguson took the stage at BookExpo America 2010 and gracefully introduced Canadian blogger (Boing Boing), journalist (Popular Science and Wired), and award-winning, bestselling novelist for young adults Cory Doctorow, who began his presentation with a detailed review of his family background and development as writer from childhood, including his favorite books, movies, and a hat tip to his favorite contemporary writer Daniel Pinkwater. Reflecting on Pinkwater's definition of adolescence as a dangerous period in life where kids take bold risks untempered by experience or advance knowledge of the consequences, Doctorow introduced his new novel for young adults, For The Win (Tor; May, 2010), about a near-future, brutal world of video gamers. Doctorow then pointed out that adolescent readers are different from adult readers in that adolescents who criticize a book are not judging the book so much as searching for identity with the book and it's characters. Using his bestseller Little Brother as an example, Doctorow called for looser copyright laws to allow readers to turn books into more personal experiences through digital re-mixing of storylines, which brought a big cheer from the booksellers in the audience, and closed by giving thanks to his two year old daughter and expressing his hope that his work inspires kids.http://kidsread.tv/index.cfm?module=news#500http://kidsread.tv/index.cfm?module=news#501Fri, 09 Jul 2010 11:32:00 AM EDTSwarmed by photographers on the heels of another 'Fergie' media moment, Sarah, Duchess of York, Ferguson took the stage as master of ceremonies for the annual children's book breakfast at BEA 2020, brushing off the unwanted attention with a sly with, to extol the virtues of the three C's in parent-child relationships: communication, compromise, and compassion. Ferguson then highlighted the problem of schoolyard bullying as one area parents need to be concerned about and rolled out her four-book series of Helping Hand Books (Sterling; May, 2010) on the topics of children learning to deal with strangers, bullying, a new baby in the family, and the first day of school, before introducing her fellow authors on the breakfast panel--Cory Doctorow, Mitali Perkins, and Richard Peck. Stay tuned...http://kidsread.tv/index.cfm?module=news#501http://kidsread.tv/index.cfm?module=news#498Sun, 27 Jun 2010 11:07:00 AM EDTDC Comics Senior Story Editor Ian Sattler took the stage at the first ever C2E2 convention to introduce his Green Lantern creative team, led by Geoff Johns and Pete Tomasi, who unveiled the characters of Brightest Day, this year's DC universe sequel to last year's blockbuster series Darkest Night. First in line, writer James Robinson reviewed Justice League Of America #44 (Brightest Day), which features the Green Lantern character Jade; next writer Gail Simone introduced the new storyline for Hawk in her Birds Of Prey (Brightest Day #1) series; then the newest member of the Green Lantern team, writer JT Krull presented Green Arrow/Black Canary #6, scheduled for release in November, 2010; Geoff Johns pitched his recently published New York Times bestseller The Flash: Rebirth; and illustrator/cover artist David Finch talked about his Aquaman covers and characters.http://kidsread.tv/index.cfm?module=news#498http://kidsread.tv/index.cfm?module=news#495Sun, 06 Jun 2010 4:42:00 AM EDTSarah Duchess of York Ferguson wasn't the only children's book author at this year's BookExpo America (BEA). While the Duchess of York headlined a booksellers breakfast and received massive media coverage, nearly 22,000 book industry professionals mingled with famous and emerging authors, often standing on long lines for a one-on-one meeting and autograph of their favorite authors. Some of the famous children's authors we found inscribing countless copies of their books to fans included star of the stage and New York Times bestselling author (with illustrator Liz Murphy) Bernadette Peters autographing her new book and CD Stella Is A Star! (Blue Apple Books; April, 2010); multiple award-winning adult and young adult novelist Jennifer Donnelly signing her forthcoming crossover novel for young adults, Revolution (Delacorte Books for Young Readers; October, 2010); bestselling author/illustrator of the beloved Max and Ruby books, which have been made into an animated TV series, Rosemary Wells autographing her soon-to-be-released memoir/novel, My Havanna (Candlewick; October, 2010); Michelle Knudsen signing her New York Times bestseller Library Lion; and emerging new star in the large galaxy of children's book authors Lauren Kate autographing her third novel, due out this fall, Torment (Delacorte Books for Young Readers; September, 2010). Stay tuned for the Fergie tapes and other events from BEA 2010.http://kidsread.tv/index.cfm?module=news#495http://kidsread.tv/index.cfm?module=news#492Fri, 21 May 2010 10:14:00 AM EDTThe annual migration of book people to BookExpo America every year, bringing over 1,000 authors, including one of the largest gatherings of children's authors in the U.S., together with booksellers, publishers, and distributors from all over the world to talk about books of all kinds and all formats, begins next week, May 24-28. And this year, for the first time, the organizers of BookExpo America have expanded the annual 2-3 day book trade event to a week long book fest, open to the public, called NY Book Week, consisting of readings, interviews, author presentations and book signings at various bookstores, auditoriums, and libraries around New York City. Among the authors that will be in town for the week's events are Laurie Halse Anderson, who will be promoting her forthcoming tween novel, Forge (Atheneum; October, 2010);Libba Bray and her young adult novel, Going Bovine due out in paperback this fall (Delacorte Books; September, 2010); awarding winningKate DiCamillo signing her new pre-school story Bink and Gollie (Candlewick Press; September, 2010); and the prolific Holly Blackwith a number of new titles out this spring, summer and fall, including the recently released White Cat (Margaret McElderry; May, 2010). And keep your eyes out for Sandra Boynton, Youme Landowne, Matthew Reinhart, Adam Rex, R.L. Stine, Adriana Trigiani, and Garry B. Trudeau among many hundreds more faces in the crowds. http://kidsread.tv/index.cfm?module=news#492http://kidsread.tv/index.cfm?module=news#487Tue, 27 Apr 2010 10:09:00 AM EDTThe 2009 New York Comic Con brought together past and present DC Comics writers and illustrators Geoff Johns, Marvin Wolf, Joe Staton, and Len Wein to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the 'birth' of the Green Lantern himself, Hal Jordan. Panel moderator and DC Comics editor Robert Greenberger first asked each of the panelists about 'first impressions' of the mythic hero Hal Jordan, and why they thought America has had such a love affair, spanning fifty years of the Silver Age of comics, and seemingly growing stronger every year, with the Hal Jordan character and story lines. Writer Geoff Johns, whose newest graphic novel Absolute Green Lantern: Rebirth (DC Comics; April, 2010) has just landed on bookshelves, and illustrator Joe Staton reflect on writing and drawing the Hal Jordan Green Lantern character, and writer Len Wein and Staton reminisced on their favorite Green Lantern characters, which brought them to Hal Jordan's first and unrequited love Carol Ferris, and the strong women characters of lawyers and air pilots featured in the Green Lantern series. Writers Marvin Wolfman and Geoff Johns explored the dual earthbound and outerspace universe of the Green Lanterns exemplified in the 2009 smash hit, Blackest Night. Len Wein wrapped the panel discussion with the backstory of how the character John Stewart briefly took over for Hal Jordan and was revealed by journalist Tammy Young to be the new Green Lantern. Stay tuned for more Green Lantern news from the recent first annual C2E2 in Chicago, where Geoff Johns and his team unveil the follow-up to Blackest Night, this year's smash hit--Brightest Day. http://kidsread.tv/index.cfm?module=news#487http://kidsread.tv/index.cfm?module=news#483Fri, 09 Apr 2010 4:42:00 AM EDTThe Scottish playwright and today's master of the universe of comic book writers Grant Morrison shocked and awed his fans with his graphic autobiography introducing him at the 2008 New York Comic Con. The DC Comics writer of the controversial 2009 movie tie-in Batman R.I.P., soon to be re-released in paperback (June, 2010), in which Batman meets an untimely end, and the newly released Batman and Robin Return (April, 2010), in which Batman comes back from the future in a new Batman and Robin series in 2010. Before the crowd had even settled down, Morrison opened the panel for an hour of questions from the audience, beginning with speculation on the likelihood of the end of the world in 2012; the coincidence of being in New York at the same time as Pope Benedict XVI; what's next after the hit Final Crisis series; his Katmandu experience; a joke about two nuns and a donkey in Arkham Asylum, the punch line of which he could not remember; writers that influenced him the most, including The Beatles and The Buzzcocks; and the status of his script for Pop Magic and other projects. Formerly a rocker with a group called The Mixers in the 1980's, Grant took a question on his favorite music and bands, followed by rapid-fire questions on Batman (R.I.P.); how he balances the influences of theory and plot; the parallels between superheroes and his own life; his interest in Batman gothics; his continuing work on Superman, The Invisibles, and The New Gods series, as well as Frankenstein, 52, and Final Crisis. Morrison tirelessly worked the audience for more questions, recalling his favorite superhero from childhood--The Flash ; why he wrote Seven Soldiers; who his favorite writers were when he was a young adult; comments on where the Batman and Robin series goes after Batman (R.I.P.); what he was thinking when he wrote The Filth, featuring the character Anders Klimax; where he's going with other future projects and ideas, including what's up with Seaguy; his reflections on the relationship of superheroes and reality or 2D vs. 3D worlds; and comments on a scene from the movie Renegade before the marathon Q & A ran out of time. http://kidsread.tv/index.cfm?module=news#483http://kidsread.tv/index.cfm?module=news#481Sat, 27 Mar 2010 7:50:00 AM ESTThree of the most talented, multiple award-winning, New York Times bestselling novelists emerging in the sci-fi and fantasy worlds today, with an introduction by Del Rey Books editor Chris Schluep came together at the 2009 BookExpo America book trade convention to talk about their craft, their influences, and their visions of the future. New York Times bestselling author John Ringo, whose work comes out in rapid-fire succession this year, including the launch of his new Troy Rising series, Live Free Or Die (Baen; February, 2010), the paperback release of Citizen (Baen; May, 2010), and Eye of the Storm (Baen; May, 2010), as well as at least three other titles this year at last count, decried the artificial distinctions in the sci-fi genre, calling his own work 'science and military' or military sci-fi. New York Times bestselling, award-winning author China Mieville introduced his newest book The City & the City (Del Rey Books; April, 2010) compared Jules Verne and H.G. Wells to distinguish different forms of sci-fi as being based on either 'realistic' (Verne) or 'impossible' (Wells) ideas, with his own work being in the Verne camp. Look for Mieville's next release, Kraken, also from Del Rey Books in June, 2010. On the other hand, award-winning, bestselling author and publisher Kelly Link, whose newest book, Pretty Monsters, originally released by Viking Juvenile in October of 2008, will soon be released in paperback (Speak; June, 2010), drew no bright line between sci-fi and fantasy. Next, Mieville pointed to Joan Aiken and Charlotte Bronte as among his biggest influences, while Kelly Link recalled reading Angela Carter and fairy tales for inspiration, and John Ringo cited Tom Clancy, Isaac Asimov, Robert Heinlein for their influences on his work. Ringo, Mieville, and Link then discussed the impact and opportunities of e-publishing formats. Saying she was more focused on editing and publishing than writing, Link described her future projects, and Ringo rattled off a brief laundry list of future books he's working on before calling for an end to Digital Rights Management (DRM). Link, Mieville, and Ringo then had an animated discussion on the hottest topic in publishing today--e-arcs, re-mixes, and money that publishers are leaving on the table by not moving forward on new publishing models. Link closed the panel presentation with her thoughts on fantastic lit and the short story form.http://kidsread.tv/index.cfm?module=news#481