I’ve known this for a couple of months now, but it felt kind of like a dream, so I didn’t want to spoil it by announcing it. And also I was afraid they had made a mistake and that they would uninvite me.
But I’ve been invited by organizers Marilyn Singer and Barbara Genco to participate in the Poetry Blast at ALA in July! And Clarion is going to send me! For several years, I’ve been hearing about this event (see Sylvia Vardell’s post about last year’s Blast here) and wishing I could attend it. And now I’m actually going to be reading my poems in it! Ack!
Check out the amazing group of poets who will be performing. I will be the newbie, excited and a little terrified to be sharing the stage with this group! (Thank goodness I’m going first, so that I will be able to breathe, relax, and listen to them read once I’m done.)
Here’s a copy of the program below–anybody else going to ALA? I’d love to try to see some of my online friends in person!
ALSC POETRY BLAST 2009
Monday, July 13th 5:30–7:30 p.m.
Chicago Hilton, Continental C
Chicago, Illinois
Hosted by Barbara Genco & Marilyn Singer
Featuring, in presentation order:
Laura Purdie Salas
David Harrison
Carmen T. Bernier-Grand
Joyce Carol Thomas
Susan Marie Swanson
Jon Scieszka
Bobbi Katz
Rebecca Kai Dotlich
Hope Anita Smith
Joyce Sidman
Marilyn Singer
Sponsored by: Clarion Books/Houghton Miffllin Harcourt; Disney-Hyperion Books for Children; Harper Collins Children’s Books; Henry Holt Books for Young Readers; Houghton Mifflin Books for Children/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt; Marshall Cavendish Children’s Books; Simon & Schuster Children’s Books; Sterling Children’s Books; Wordsong/Boyds Mills Press.
Program subject to change.