2/19 RADIO INTERVIEW: Poet Monica A. Hand - Author of me and Nina

Poet Monica A. Hand - Author of me and Nina 02/19 by DuEwa Frazier | Blog Talk Radio

2/10/12 NYC BOOK LAUNCH: me and Nina by Monica A. Hand

 

New York City Book Launch 

for me and Nina by Monica A. Hand

Friday, February 10, 2012

Time: 6:30pm until 9:30pm

Where:

Cave Canem 20 Jay Street, Suite 310-A Brooklyn, NY

Celebrate the launch of Cave Canem fellow Monica Hand's debut collection, me & Nina (Alice James Books, 2012), winner of the 2010 Kinereth Gensler Award and lauded by Elizabeth Alexander as a "moving, deeply satisfying, and unforgettable book."  Tara Thierry will be performing with Monica A Hand.

$5-10 suggested donation. Wheelchair accessible.

NEW CHILDREN'S BOOK: Ellen's Broom by Kelly Starling Lyons

Kelly Starling Lyons, author of One Million Men and Me (Just Us Books, Inc.) and Eddie's Ordeal (Just Us Books, Inc.) has a new book.  Read the below description and check out the book trailer!

Ellen's Broom by Kelly Starling Lyons

Hardcover Picture Book
Published by G.P. Putnam's Sons (Jan. 5, 2012)
Illustrated by Daniel Minter 

Ellen always knew the broom resting above the hearth was special. But after it’s announced in church that the marriages of former slaves will be registered, she hears more about why it matters so much. For her mama and papa, who could be sold away at a master's whim and whose union had no legal protection, jumping the broom was a way to show their commitment to being husband and wife. Now, as the whole family travels to the courthouse dressed in their best, Ellen carries the broom with them. With love, ingenuity and pride, she finds a way to celebrate her parents' right to be legally married and remember their past.

Spring Poetry Workshops with Cave Canem

 

Cave Canem Workshops in Brooklyn

Now accepting applications for our spring poetry workshops. Admission is free!

Poetry Conversations
with Kamilah Aisha Moon
Wednesdays, 6-8:30 pm
February 22, March 4 - April 18
Cave Canem / DUMBO, Brooklyn

An open-enrollment workshop for poets of color at the early-to-intermediate stage of their writing enterprise. Participants will experiment with new ways of approaching the page through in-class writing exercises and prompts.

Deadline to Apply: February 1
Details & Application Guidelines || Apply Online

Writing across Cultures
with John Murillo
Mondays, 6-9 pm
March 19 - April 9; April 23 - May 14
Cave Canem / DUMBO, Brooklyn
In this workshop, poets of color & Arab American poets will focus on content and worldview, reading across cultures in order to enact a paradigm shift that may open participants to new risks and realms in their writing.
Deadline to Apply: February 15
Details & Application Guidelines || Apply Online

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CAVE CANEM FOUNDATION, INC. • www.cavecanempoets.org • 718.858.0000
20 Jay Street, Suite 310-A, Brooklyn, NY 11201
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EVENT: 12/3 Wordsprouts Reading Series featuring DuEwa Frazier!

Saturday, December 3, 2011 at 6pm
The Park Slope Food Coop’s Wordsprouts Reading Series
Featuring Author & Poet, DuEwa Frazier
 
The Park Slope Food Coop Meeting Room
782 Union Street, Brooklyn 11215 (btw 6th and 7th Aves)
(718) 622-0560

Co-curators Paula Bernstein and Paola Corso
Free and open to the public

Join award nominated poet, author and educator DuEwa Frazier for an evening of poetry! DuEwa will read from her latest book, Ten Marbles and a Bag to Put Them In: Poems for Children and facilitate a poetry workshop for children. Books will be available for parents and educators. All children are welcome. The poetry activities are geared toward ages 4-11.

About the Author
DuEwa Frazier is a poet, performance artist, speaker, author, educator and cultural organizer. She earned the M.F.A. degree in Creative Writing at The New School and the M.Ed. degree in Curriculum and Teaching at Fordham University. DuEwa has taught both youth and adults in the areas of English, Creative Writing, GED preparation and Theater Arts. Her published books include Shedding Light From My Journeys, Stardust Tracks on a Road, Check the Rhyme: An Anthology of Female Poets & Emcees (nominated for the NAACP Image Award in 2007 for Outstanding Literary Work - Poetry), and Ten Marbles. She is known for her tireless and consistent efforts in promoting books, poetry and the arts. DuEwa is a literacy advocate who uses poetry as a powerful learning resource for children. Visit her website at www.duewaworld.com for more information.

NEW CHILDRENS BOOK: A Storm Called Katrina

 A Storm Called Katrina by Myron Uhlberg tells the story of 10-year old Louis Daniel through his personal account of how his family survived Hurricane Katrina.  This is a great story to share with all children. Teachers will be able to use it in the classroom to discuss tragedy, the affect natural disasters have on people, and how children can become resilient even when facing difficulties.  Adults who were directly affected by Katrina, may be inspired to document their stories and help children do the same.  The events of Hurricane Katrina have so many angles that can be studied and discussed.  It's nice to see a children's book that brings a troubling part of history to light, in a way that children can access and understand.

Read the New York Times review of A Storm...



Chatting with Danette Vigilante!

Author Feature: Danette Vigilante

The Trouble with Half a Moon by Danette Vigilante

DF: Your first book about a teen girl named Dellie titled The Trouble with Half a Moon, has received great reviews. What inspired you to write this story? What has been the response from your teen readers?

DV: As a kid, my heart had been broken by a little boy who was very similar to Corey, the neglected boy from Trouble. I carried that little boy around with me all these years and though I didn’t know exactly what I was writing when I finally sat down to write The Trouble with Half a Moon, I knew I wanted to give that little boy a chance for a good life. I realized right away that I needed someone brave enough to step up and help Corey and that’s where Dellie came in. Not only is she courageous but she was able to reach beyond her own hard times in order to help save him.

The response from my teen readers has been goose bump inducing! The greatest thing I’ve heard from several students was that before reading my book, they didn’t have an interest in reading for pleasure (one even said she thought reading was for nerds!) but now that has all changed. I think back to when I was a kid struggling with reading and then one day, I stumbled upon Judy Blume’s books and BAM! Everything changed for me. I couldn’t get enough reading in. It thrills me beyond belief that it’s possible that maybe, just maybe, I’ve done the same for someone else.

DF: Your forthcoming book, Saving Baby Doe (2012, G.P. Putnam’s Sons) has a teen boy, Lionel as the protagonist. What was it like as a female author, writing from a male voice? What resources, internal or external helped you to envision and create Lionel?

DV: Writing from a male voice was a challenge. I have two girls which meant that I had to listen more closely to my nephews or to groups of boys hanging out at places like the mall— all while trying not to be too creepy!

As far as envisioning Lionel, I was lucky. For the longest time, there seemed to be this tall for his age, rounded cheek, kid hanging around in my head. Yes, I do realize how crazy that sounds but I was not about to argue. After all, he (Lionel) had waited patiently.

DF: What life experiences do you draw upon as a writer? Do your own children “show up” in any way in your stories?

DV: I grew up in the Red Hook Houses in Brooklyn. It was a scary time and I witnessed some things a kid shouldn’t be exposed to. But still, I wouldn’t change where I grew up for anything. Those apartments, hallways and people (especially the people) run through my veins and make me who I am.

Growing up in a housing project had many negative things attached to it. Starting Junior High School began my understanding that I was from the “other side of the tracks” (or in my case, the highway). I soon learned that people from outside the projects had this preconceived notion of what we were like, or I should say, what we were supposed to be like.

Naturally, when I started to write, I found myself back in my housing project, only now I had the opportunity to show the world that all kinds of people live there. People who work and care about the world, people who love their families and people who want the very best for themselves and for their children.

So far, I haven’t had my children show up in my writing. Maybe when they’re older and out of the house … revenge will be mine! Sorry, did I say that out loud?

 

DF: Living in New York City is every writer’s dream. How does being a lifelong resident of NYC influence your work?

DV: I think living in New York City is the best place to people watch! What better way to pick up bits and pieces for characters, by watching the many different people who live here or are just passing through?

 

DF: Any tips for aspiring children’s writers seeking to be published?

DV: Yes, I think it is very important for you to read. Reading and writing truly do go hand in hand. I think of reading like a vitamin. It’ll help your writing to stay healthy and in the game.

Also, NEVER GIVE UP. But, that doesn’t mean you should keep trying to get in the door using the same key over and over again. No matter how painful, you have to be willing to listen to what others have to say about your work. This is especially true if you’ve gotten a rejection from an editor or an agent and they took the time to write you a note regarding what they felt wasn’t working in your manuscript. If you’re lucky enough to have this happen, be happy! You’ve just gotten free advice from a professional.

Read your work over with those words in mind to see if they ring true. This happened to me with TROUBLE just before Putnam picked it up. It was like having the map to a treasure chest I had spent years searching for.

One other thing, read your work aloud. You’ll be amazed at how much you catch this way.

For more information on Danette and her books, visit her website and blog.  Connect with Danette on Facebook.