Thursday, September 20, 2012

Banana Peelin' with Kathryn Fitzmaurice

I am so lucky. Lucky, lucky, lucky. In celebration of my first year writing for children, this month has been nothing short of amazing with the authors of my favorite books on the blog. Today, my luck continues with the warm and generous, Kathryn Fitzmaurice, author of The Year the Swallows Came Early and A Diamond in the Desert.

 I fell in love with the characters in The Year the Swallows Came Early on page one and therefore was extremely excited when Kathryn agreed to share her experiences with us. I was even more excited to receive my very own copy of A Diamond in the Desert in the mail, (Still glowing. Thank you, Kathryn!) Not surprisingly, I ADORED it. And I now anxiously  await the release of her third novel, Destiny Rewritten. This woman has talent! (And she is SO nice, which is just icing on the cake!)

Additionally, on this glorious September day, Kathryn and I have a two-for-one deal going on. If you ever get that nagging feeling, like you  can never really get enough of Bananabeth, Kathryn has actually interviewed me over on her blog! So if you want,  you can just flip-flop between us. Kathryn, Elizabeth. Elizabeth, Kathryn. I suddenly have the urge to sing... It's raining blogs! Hallelujah! ...Oh yeahhhhhh....Heeeee...

Eh hem.

 I feel just so honored to have her on the blog today. Please welcome the lovely, Kathryn Fitzmaurice!


Thank you, Elizabeth, for asking me to participate in your banana peelin series.  I am delighted to be included and could share many different moments where I was caught off guard, but one in particular stands out. 

 
In August of 2009, after my first middle grade novel, THE YEAR THE SWALLOWS CAME EARLY, was released, I received an email from my wonderful editor at HarperCollins informing me that the book had been nominated by SCIBA (Southern California Independent Booksellers Association) for their annual book awards.  I was so excited to be included in the nominations along with Michael Grant for his book entitled, HUNGER, and DJ MacHale, for his book entitled, PENDRAGON BOOK 10.  The awards ceremony was to be held the last weekend in October, on the exact same day as a Society of Children’s Book Writer’s and Illustrators conference in Ventura, CA, where I was scheduled to speak as a spotlight presenter.  As a spotlight presenter, I was to give a ten-minute speech about my road to publication, my personal experiences about writing, etc. etc. There were four authors giving spotlight speeches, all fit neatly in between editors and agents.  

 

Just so you know, and for those not familiar with southern California freeways, to get to Ventura from my home in Monarch Beach is at least a two-hour drive (without traffic).  Then to drive back down to Los Angeles after my speech was another one and a half hours (again, without traffic).  I had committed to giving the speech months before I knew about the awards ceremony, and was looking forward to being a part of the conference, so I did what any writer would do: I left at five am to get to Ventura before the traffic hit, gave my ten minute speech, (a PowerPoint, entitled Dear Ghost of Eleanor Robinson, about the influence my grandmother, an author of science fiction novels, had on me), and then at lunch time, I left in order to have enough time to arrive in Los Angeles for the awards ceremony. 

 

I checked into the hotel so I could change my clothes and waited for my amazing agent, Jennifer Rofe, to knock on my door so we could attend together.  When she arrived, we decided to have a quick drink at the bar, (I had water, of course), and we got to talking about this and that, when I realized we were a bit late.  So we immediately rushed to the ceremony only to walk in AS IT WAS STARTING!  Someone (I think a woman) was welcoming everyone at the podium, talking into a microphone, there was applause, and then everything sort of stalled in my mind.  I was SO COMPLETELY and TOTALLY EMBARRASSED.  I had to thread my way through the huge crowd, through tables with fifteen people seated at each one, as everyone in the room watched (at least if felt like everyone).  When I finally found my seat, which seemed to take several minutes, I settled in and waited, listening to the other awards being named.  When the award for the middle grade book came up, Michael Grant was chosen as the winner.  I remember Jennifer turned and gave me sort of a sad face, but deep inside, although I was disappointed, I was really okay.  I got to sit back and listen to his very funny speech, (Michael Grant is a funny guy), and the whole time I kept thinking what an honor it was to be nominated, even though for those few minutes as I walked into that huge room with what felt like hundreds of people watching me find my seat, I completely wanted to disappear!



Kathryn is so incredibly kind and generous, she has agreed to give away a signed copy of The Year the Swallows Came Early ! Please leave a comment below indicating you are interested. The winner will be chosen through random.org and will be announced next week!

31 comments:

  1. I think Jen Rofe is awesome and I can so imagine being in an enthralling conversation with her and letting the time slip away, Kathryn.

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    1. Joanna, that is exactly what happened! :)

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    2. I love those people you can just get lost in conversation with! Thanks so much for your post Joanna!

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  2. Sounds like I have some new books to check out :) Thanks so much for sharing your story, Kathryn. I would love to win a signed copy of The Year The Swallows Came Early!

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    1. Oh, Kim! And you won't be sorry! They are WONDERFUL! You are in for the drawing! Thanks so much for your comment!

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  3. Thank you, Kathryn, for sharing your banana peel moment -- after all that careful planning! After listening to Jen Rofe in WriteOnCon, I, too, can understand getting into conversation and time just disappearing.

    I would love to win a copy of The Year the Swallows Came Early!

    And now to read the interview with Bananabeth!

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    1. I got her interview up a few minutes late this morning, so please go back and read it if you have time!

      K

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    2. Yay Beth! You are in for the drawing! Thanks so much for your comments here and over on Kathryn's blog!

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  4. I am on a middle grade reading binge right now, so am happy to add these books to my pile! Thanks, lovely ladies, for sharing another great banana-peel moment!

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    1. Isn't middle grade just the best? Well, the books anyway. And Kathryn's books are SO GREAT! Especially for us Californians Amy. So much history. =) Thanks for your comment! And I am entering you into the drawing even though you didn't say so because I am just assuming. =)

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  5. I would love to win it, too! I'm like Amy...such a middle grade reading binge! I read the first few chapters online...at your website maybe? I can't remember where it was available, but I LOVED it and can't wait to read both your books, winner or not!

    Thanks, Elizabeth!

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    1. Yay Higgie! That just came out. The Higgie thing. It has a nice ring to it. Like I told Amy, middle grade is my favorite. It's complex and sweet and wonderful! Just like Kathryn's books! You are officially entered into the drawing!

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  6. I'm always in the market for a good middle-grade read. Please put my name in the hat. And thanks for the interesting interview and for running the giveaway.

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    1. Now if I remember Rosi, are you into historical books? Kathryn's books have a lot of great California history. Either way, they are wonderful and your name is in the hat! Thanks for your comment!

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  7. Great banana peel post as always, Elizabeth! Thanks for sharing your banana peel moment, Kathryn! Since speaking to grownups in any situation fills me with terror, I can only imagine how it must have felt threading your way through those tables and feeling the eyes on you! I would love to win your book!

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    1. Isn't it different, speaking in front of adults? What is with that? I feel the same way Susanna. You are entered into the drawing!!! Thanks for your comment! I hope your electricity is back...from one coffee drinker to another!

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  8. Appreciate the share, Kathryn! Oh those watchful eyes. THE YEAR THE SWALLOWS CAME EARLY would be a welcome addtion to my book collection.

    Off to enjoy the other half of the two-for-one deal of the day!

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  9. I'm getting back into middle grade again, and loving it. Thanks for sharing your banana peel moment!

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    1. Isn't middle grade fabulous?! It's so refreshing! Thanks so much for your comment PJ. I will enter you in for the contest!

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  10. Congratulations on your first year, Elizabeth, from one Elizabeth to another. ;)

    Kathryn, what a wonderful story! I'm heading out to the bookstore right now to look at your books. At the last conference I went to, my crit. editor suggested I change my picture book into a middle grade novel. Scared the pants right off me! Can't wait to read yours. Thanks for the chance to win your book!

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    1. Yay! Thank you Elizabeth! =)

      Middle grade, huh? Have fun with it! Kathryn's books will be great for your research if you decide to take that path! Thanks for your comment!

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  11. Kathryn, thanks for sharing your slip with us! I am adding your book to my "Want to Read" list!

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  12. Oh Kathryn, I would be mortified too! Thanks for your banana moment.

    Elizabeth - No need to enter me in the drawing, I already have a signed copy. :) It's one of my favorites!

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    1. Isn't it wonderful?! So now that you've finished your own novel Jennifer, can I reserve you in advance for your banana peel moment for the blog??!!! Good luck with it and keep us all posted! =)

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    2. thank you, Jennifer. You are always so supportive of authors!

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  13. Thanks, again, Elizabeth, and I just this very second noticed my first novel, which is listed on your top ten middle grade and YA books and I have to say, it made me put my hand over my heart and sigh.

    xox-K

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    1. No...THANK YOU! =) This has been wonderful. I truly loved that first novel of yours. I think it had a bit of everything I love. It made me nostalgic for my childhood because of the setting, when I used to eat in San Juan to eat and go on field trips. It also has a female character with an untraditional family structure, which is a characterisitc I always seem to gravitate towards. And it also had wonderful supporting characters that were Latino and touched on issues of immigration, which is something I am extremely passionate about being a former ELD teacher. So that hand over the heart part that you mentioned above is exactly how I felt when I read your book! Thanks so much for your contribution to the blog and for allowing me to appear on yours. What an amazing experience. =)

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