Meet four local authors of young adult novels, Kim Derting, Megan Bostic, Helen Landalf and Jennifer Shaw Wolf, who show by example that you don’t have to live in New York to be published by a major publishing house. In a panel presentation the writers will talk about their debut novels, writing process, and path to publication. The authors will also take questions, and books will be available t for purchase and signing. The presentation takes place from 6:30 to 8 p.m. on Friday, January 11 at the Olympia Timberland Library.
The authors and their books
Kimberly Derting –”The Body Finder” series (HarperTeen) and “The Pledge” trilogy (Margaret K. McElderry)
The Body Finder Series: “The Body Finder”; “Desires of the Dead”; “The Last Echo” and “Dead Silence” (Coming April 16)
Violet strained to see into the lake below. She had never seen anything like it, and she knew that the spectrum of light was defying its very nature by behaving in that way. It could be only one thing. There was something dead down there. The novels in the suspenseful series revolve around Violet’s ability to hear the echoes that the murdered dead leave behind in the world, and the imprints that attach to their killers.
The Pledge Trilogy: “The Pledge” and “The Essence” (Publication date, January 1, 2013)
In a dystopian kingdom where the classes are separated by the languages they speak, and speaking the language of a member of a higher class is a capital crime, Charlaina “Charlie” Hart has a secret gift that is revealed when she meets a mysterious young man named Max—she has always been able to understand the languages of all classes.
Kimberly Derting fell in love with writing when she casually signed up for Journalism as her seventh grade elective. She lives in the Pacific Northwest, which she says is the ideal place to be writing anything dark or creepy. Her website is www.kimberlyderting.com.
Megan Bostic – “Never Eighteen” (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)
“I had the dream again. The one where I’m running. I don’t know what from or where to, but I’m scared, terrified really…” Austin Parker is never going to see his eighteenth birthday. But in the short time he has left there’s one thing he can do: He can try to help the people he loves live, even though he never will. It’s probably hopeless. But he has to try.
Megan Bostic thrives on challenges and has recorded her path to publication in a humorous, yet personal video series, “Chronicles of an Aspiring Writer”, viewable at www.youtube.com/user/itlnbos. Bostic is an avid blogger, a Vine Reviewer for Amazon, and a member of numerous online writing forums. She lives in Tacoma. Her website is www.meganbosticbooks.com.
Helen Landalf – “FLYAWAY” (Harcourt / Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)
Stevie Calhoun is 15 and knows how to take care of herself. Her mom has disappeared for days at a time before. So why is Aunt Mindy making such a big deal of it now? Mom will return and promise to never see Drake and his meth again. With a mix of humor and heartbreak, “Flyaway” is a contemporary novel that takes a frank, hopeful look at victims of addiction and their right to a safe and heartening future.
Helen Landalf is also the author of two picture books, including the award-winning “The Secret Night World of Cats,” which was illustrated by her autistic brother, Mark Rimland, as well as five nonfiction books. She lives in Seattle. Her website is www.helenlandalf.com.
Jennifer Shaw Wolf – “Breaking Beautiful” (Walker Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing)
Allie can’t remember the night Trip died. She knows they were driving on the cliff road. That Trip lost control. That she woke up later broken and bruised. That somehow, she survived. Allie lost everything, including her memory of the event. As their small town mourns his death, Allie is afraid to remember because doing so means delving into what she’s kept hidden for so long: the horrible reality of their abusive relationship.
Jennifer Shaw Wolf always wanted to be a writer. She wrote her first book for her little brother, sewed the pages together and had one of her friends illustrate it. Her new book, “Shard of Glass” will be published by Walker in 2013. Wolf grew up on a farm in Idaho and now lives in Lacey. Her website is www.jennifershawwolf.com
The Olympia Timberland Library is located at 313 8th Avenue SE, Olympia. For more information, contact the library at (360) 352-0595 or visit www.TRL.org.
