Hi, Reader, I’d heard my author friends talk about going to school visits and book festivals. It all sounded so exciting. Definitely something I had been jazzed about doing one day when I'd finally be published. But then Measuring Up released in October 2020 during the first year of the pandemic. I did a panel for the NY ComicCon but it was virtual. I did a panel for the Texas Book Festival but it was virtual. I did many, many school visits but they were all virtual. You can imagine how very excited (and very nervous) I was to finally go on this whirlwind trip of multiple book festivals and school visits...In Person!! The SLAM festival and school visits in Tampa, FL and the BAM festival and school visits in West Palm Beach, FL all on the same week. Then off to Lewiston, ME for a school and a library visit. Capped off with the Sharjah Children's Reading Festival in Sharjah, UAE and a school visit to an international school in Dubai, UAE. They were just as amazing as I had imagined they would be. The organizers of each festival made me feel so special. Teachers, students, librarians and readers were so welcoming and so enthusiastic about Measuring Up. It was everything I could have hoped for as a pre-published author dreaming about sharing my books with readers. If you, too, are where I was as a pre-published author, hang in there. Persistence. Failing. Trying again. I wouldn’t be here without trying again and again. Also, community. I couldn’t have kept up the persistence needed without the support of my critique groups and friends in the kidlit community. All of us trying, failing, picking ourselves up, and trying again. If you don’t have that community, go find it whether in-person or virtually. Do it even if you fall more on the introvert side like I do. It makes ALL the difference. Okay, let's get on with the trip photos! |
Thanks to Seth Russo who arranged a tour of the House of Wisdom for myself and the other authors who were appearing at the first few days of the twelve day Sharjah Children's Reading Festival. Thanks so much for following me on my whirlwind trip and for allowing me to go back and revisit these fond memories. Before I wrap up, I want to say that I'm so thrilled and honored that Measuring Up is an Idaho Battle of the Books pick for the upcoming school year. If you know any Idaho schools, libraries, or indie book stores who would be interested in signed bookplates/bookmarks. And, of course, I'd be thrilled to do author visits. Please let them know to contact me through my website lilylamotte.com. I'm not sure when my next newsletter will be. If not before then definitely early 2024 for the release of my next middle grade graphic novel Unhappy Camper on April 23, 2024. One of the promotions I'm thinking of doing is a raffle giveaway of a few virtual author visits. So if you know of schools, libraries, indie bookstores, organizations, readers who might be interested, would you please let them know about signing up for my newsletter? Thanks so much! Have a wonderful rest of the summer! ~~Lily |
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Hi, Reader, Huge thanks to readers who came to my book release at Third Place Books on Tuesday. It was joyful to see so many faces and then hang out afterwards. Diana Ma is a wonderful conversation partner asking such good questions and bringing her own experiences to the dialogue. Now, I’m on my way to South Bay for my book events on Saturday with Hicklebee’s in San Jose, CA and then to Linden Tree in Los Altos, CA. Here’s the updated book events list with one correction and one add: Indie...
Hi, Reader, My new middle grade graphic novel UNHAPPY CAMPER releases today!! I wrote it during the first few months of 2020. Leaving the house every day to cross the driveway to enter my campervan, I worked on this story of two sisters, one who embraces her Taiwanese culture and one who realized very early on that to fit in is to reject her cultural heritage. Writing this story was my anchor. And, now Ann Xu who also illustrated MEASURING UP was kind enough to bring her brilliance to UNHAPPY...
Hi, Reader, Lucien and I had the most amazing whirlwind trip of a lifetime. It started out as a trip to the SLAM Festival in Tampa, FL. And, then the BAM Festival in West Palm Beach, FL asked me to go. Of course, I had to say yes. Then a school and library in Lewiston, ME asked for an author visit. We were driving from Florida to Montreal to visit my son, so of course, I had to say yes. Then the Sharjah Children's Reading Festival in the United Arab Emirates asked me. The UAE! So of course I...