SEPTEMBER NEWS!

Fall Greetings from THE TEXAS SWEETHEARTS  & SCOUNDRELS!    seven authors & illustrators who write for kids and teens The Texas Sweethearts & Scoundrels are ready for fall! We're looking forward to cooler weather, new books, and all sorts of great events. We hope to see you out and about in the awesome state of Texas! Cover Reveal for Solstice!      P. J. Hoover is thrilled to reveal the cover for her debut young adult novel, Solstice (Tor Teen, June 2013).    "Solstice is one red-hot read-it intrigues, sizzles, and satisfies." -Cynthia Leitich Smith, New York Times bestselling author About Solstice: Piper's world is dying. Each day brings hotter temperatures and heat bubbles that threaten to destroy the earth. Amid this global heating crisis, Piper lives under the oppressive rule of her mother, who suffocates her even more than the weather does. Everything changes on her eighteenth birthday, when her mother is called away on a mysterious errand and Piper seizes her first opportunity for freedom. Piper discovers a universe she never knew existed-a sphere of gods and monsters-and realizes that her world is not the only one in crisis. While gods battle for control of the Underworld, Piper's life spirals out of control as she struggles to find the answer to the secret that has been kept from her since birth. For more information about P. J. or Solstice, please visit her website.

NEWS & EVENTS!    AUSTIN TEEN BOOK FESTIVALS!   Jessica Lee Anderson will be participating in the Austin Teen Book Fest ("Real Life Happens" panel) on September 29, 2012.  The festival is free and no registration is required!  See http://austinteenbookfestival.com/ for more information. On September 30, Jessica Lee Anderson will be moderating a Teen Book Fest: Up Close and Personal panel at The Book Spot in Round Rock:  http://www.facebook.com/events/402625873135039/ REGIONAL LIBRARIAN EVENTS! Look for the Texas Sweethearts & Scoundrels at your regional librarian event! REGION 20 - Friday, September 21, San Antonio, TX Please drop in to hear Don speak at the Region 20 librarian conference. Don will present Windows to the Past: Using Picture Books to teach Black History in the Classroom. In this session, Don will discuss how history has inspired his works, and he will offer tips for bringing Black History to life. Jeanette will present a reader's theater script based on Hummingbirds: Facts and Folklore from the Americas at the Region 20 Library Resource Roundup on September 21 in San Antonio. Jessica and P. J. will be on the YA panel at the Region 20 conference. Please stop by and say hello! REGION 4 - Thursday, October 4, 2012, Houston, TX SCHOOL VISITS!    Interested in an author visit? The Texas Sweethearts & Scoundrels would love to visit your school. We understand that library budgets are tight, so our honorariums are flexible and reasonable, and visits can often be combined with other trips to your area.     DON TATE   Author and illustrator Don would love to visit your school library. During school visits, he shares original artwork created for some of his books. He talks about the book making process, and what inspires his stories. And he draws! Lots of drawing! Contact him soon as his schedule is filling up. http://dontate.com/contact/   P. J. HOOVER Creating new worlds, mythology, and monsters is what P. J. Hoover loves to talk about the most. As a former Electrical Engineer, P. J. will share with students her transition to writing, inspirations for her books, and tips that will help even the most reluctant kids believe being a writer is possible. P. J. also partners with Jessica Lee Anderson for school visits. Contact P. J. at www.pjhoover.com/contact.php.  K. A. HOLT Spaceships, zombies and writing, oh my! K.A. Holt is thrilled to offer school visits for elementary and middle schools. Her presentations center around the writing and revision process, and are easily tailored to specific needs for specific grades. Kari enjoys letting students in on a few of her secrets - authors are just regular people, and just because you write about zombies and chupacabras doesn't mean you can't write poetry. Contact karianne@gmail.com for more information.   JEANETTE LARSON If you are planning author and special guest programs for the winter and spring, Jeanette can present the reader's theater program along with a program on the science of hummingbirds. She was recently a guest speaker at the Rockport (TX) Hummer Bird Celebration and gained a lot of new information on these fascinating birds that she can share with students. Contact Jeanette at jeanette@jeanettelarson.com.   JESSICA LEE ANDERSON Jessica Lee Anderson is a certified teacher and loves sharing her journey from struggling writer to published author. She is happy to customize any presentation. Jessica also pairs with P. J. Hoover to provide exciting, interactive programs. Contact her at jessicaleeanderson.com/contact.php.

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