Sunday - A Little of Everything

The School Library Journal Battle of the Books, begins on Monday.

The competition pits 16 of last year's best books for young people against each other. And we've gathered an impressive lineup of judges made up of some of your favorite authors, such as Karen Hesse, R.L. Stine, Karen Cushman, Pete Hautman, and Grace Lin, who'll read and eliminate books as they get closer to the grand prize winner. I am very excited. I've read 10 of the 16 books. Though not reading all of them didn't stop be from making first round guesses. I've also entered, Blogger Eric Carpenter's Battle of the Books bracket challenge a la March Madness style.

Edi has being doing a lot of great post about Women of Color in honor of Women's history month. I am glad Edi started with Sweethearts of Rhythm by Marilyn Nelson because it was the perfect ending for the post I wrote for Kidlit Celebrates Women's History Month. I really like how it turned out. Now I just need to come up with a title. It will go live on March 21st.

Check out Ari's great interview with author Neesha Meminger about her most recent novel Jazz in Love. It reads a bit like a conversation.

On Monday, I will be posting my review of The Pipers Son by Melina Marchetta. I love Marchetta and this newest one is no exception.

If you have never read this author you are seriously missing. Marchetta is ridiculously good and very gush worthy. I am beyond psyched to be posting an interview with the author on Tuesday.

On Sunday March 20th. 44 teen authors will be signing at Books of Wonder . I am not going to start listing names because there are too many great ones. So just check it out for yourselves.

Both Meminger and Marchetta will be at the event. If you had any intention of buying either one of their books or any of the other authors consider calling up Books of Wonder and getting a signed copy. An autographed book would make a great gift and they could send it directly. Sure Amazon can offer free shipping but will the book be autographed. No. Besides Brick and Mortar stores need the support. * You don't have to wait until the day of the event to purchase your book. You can phone your order in early so you don't forget.

If your a blogger spread the word about this event and highlight one or two authors you like. The more books an author sells at a signing the better it looks. And yes I know that seems "duh" obvious but its still very true. Its the one time publishers can truly track the sales. Going into any event, bookstores and publishers always do a rough estimate of how many books might be sold. After the event numbers are checked. It truly sucks for everyone if only a few books are sold. It would be nice if some of these authors sold more then what was expected.

Maybe I will get some good karma for mentioning this event and a few big spenders will come into the store I work at. As opposed to the people who sit all day and read for free. Some have the nerve to want to talk to me. Dude, I am not your friend. Actually, I hate you so much right now.

Sunday - A Little of Everything

On Monday, I nominated four titles for Nerds Heart YA including three I mentioned in a previous post. The other book I nominated was What Momma Left Me by Renee Watson. You until March 7th to nominate books for Nerds Heart YA

Congratulations to author Shaun Tan for winning an Oscar for best animated flim for The Lost Thing. If you've never read Tan your missing out, his work is ridiculosuly good.


Author Neesha Meminger stopped by The Book Smugglers this week.

My biggest inspirations and influences were feminist writers. But wait – let me go back a bit. When I was younger, I really loved the tikki-tikki-tembo story. It’s the first story I remember really loving. I heard it in the library when I was, maybe, in third grade. The librarian read it aloud to the class and I was absolutely immersed. Could be because the story was about a boy with a name no one could pronounce, a name that was long and weird and foreign (like mine), but I completely related to that boy in the story.

If you plan on buying Jazz in Love please don't buy a used copy. The author doesn't get any credit for that resale. Self publishing is hard enough without authors having to contend with people selling a book for a profit. Jazz in love is only $11.00 new. Yet some people are selling their copies for more then that.

Don't forget to stop by Kidlit Celebrates Women's History Month , to read the daily post by authors and bloggers.

So far my favorite post was by Colleen,

Since then I have read about many women involved in aviation; one of the most obscure (and interesting) was early 20th century parachutist Elizabeth Shepherd. "Dolly" was a waitress at the Alexandra Palace in London when she met balloonist Auguste Gaudron who was looking for a girl parachutist for his act. In 1904 being a parachutist meant rising in the balloon basket to at least 2,000 feet then dropping down over the side and hanging from a trapeze bar to which she was attached with a safety strap. When she was ready to let go (and Dolly liked to go quite high) she would let go of the bar, releasing the strap. At that point all of her weight would be placed on the ropes attaching her to the parachute which hung limp from the balloon. If all was right, the parachute would open and Dolly would fall slowly back down to the ground.

There's a recent article at the School Library Journal called The Civil War: Beyond the Battlefield. Several titles are recommend. I was very disappointed that A Wish After Midnight by Zetta Elliott wasn't one of them. Even more so when I noticed there was a section called Looking Backward: History, Crafts, and Time Travel . In A Wish After Midnight, 15 yr old Genna loves to make wishes, one wish transports are back to civil war era Brooklyn.

I know its an irrational thought but I couldn't help but wonder if only I did a little more for A Wish After Midnight, the right person would've heard about it and it would've been included.

I recently finished and loved Learning to Swim by Sara J. Henry. I picked it up because of the cover by the second chapter, I wanted to hug the book. It was my kind of mystery. I even left a fan gush comment on the author's blog. Something I don't do often. read an excerpt

One YA novel I am really looking forward to reviewing when it gets closer to the release date is Huntress by Malinda Lo. It was so good. I loved it. For once a story lives up to its beautiful. cover.

Jazz in Love - Neesha Meminger

Jazz in Love by Neesha Meminger
17 yr old Jasbir (Jazz) is very good student and in her schools, Future Stars and Leaders program. When Jazz's mom learns through the Indian community grapevine that she was hugging a boy in public, Jazz's parents begin to play matchmaker. They want to find a parent approved boyfriend who will of course be Indian, preferably with Punjab roots.

This sounds more serious then it really is. Don't get me wrong I like serious but sometimes it nice to read something fun that's hard to put down with just the right amount of substance. That's exactly what Meminger's give us with Jazz in Love.

Jazz doesn't want to go on blind dates arranged by her parents but she has no choice. In the process Jazz meets Gurmit (Mit). He trust Jazz to keep his secret, he also likes boys.

Tyler R. a new student from Trinidad catches Jazz's eye. Jazz's parents would not approve, that doesn't stop her. When Jazz realizes Tyler R. is bad news she still can't stay away.

Jazz is a very likable and well drawn character. I loved her voice. She likes romance novels. This one my favorite things about Jazz because its so unexpected.

I walked up the stairs to my room, and stuck my head out to listen to my dad's snoring for a minute before pulling out my latest romance novel. If my parents ever got a glimpse of one of those book covers- ample -bosom cleavage and hard bronzed pecs galore- they would immediately book me a one way ticket to India to straighten me out. No, thank you. Romance novels got smuggled into my house with secret-agent, espionage-level security.

I love that Jazz's parents have blue collar jobs. South Asian parents are usually portrayed as working professionals. There are South Asian doctors and lawyers and some work 9 - 5 jobs. Its very nice to see another reality reflected.

As with her debut, Shine, Coconut Moon, Meminger doesn't create stereotypical immigrant parents that are disconnected from their teens need to fit it. Nor are Jazz's parents overly strict. The author goes one step further and giving us Auntie Kinder, a very close cool family friend. Jazz can talk to Auntie Kinder about almost anything. To show her thanks, Jazz decides to get Auntie Kinder back together with her first love. Who just so happens to be a very popular celebrity doctor in England. Jazz's "I love Lucy" scheme was a lot of fun to watch.

Meminger found a beautiful balance with Jazz in Love. She keeps its light yet still manages to incorporate themes worth discussing from what's Indian enough to asserting independence. Many readers will be able to relate to Jazz, her worries are universal.

What she'd said about it taking courage to be okay with being different made sense. I knew about being different. I was FSL- different, even among the different. But did it take courage to just keep doing what you were told, without asking any questions? Did it take a different kind of courage to not love the person you loved, and do what was considered appropriate - as Auntie Kinder had done? Or to pretend you were something you weren't - like Mit was doing

As I trudged up the stairs to my bedroom, I wondered what turned some girls into Kamaljit Purewals and others into girls like me - ones who started doing things that got them into a whole heap of crap. I wondered if Auntie Kinder had been a girl like me. And my mom- had see been a Kamal or a getting in deep doodoo for breaking the rules Jazz?

Jazz is surrounded by well developed characters including best friends Cindy and Jeevan (Jeeves). The secondary characters add wonderful dimension. The various storylines tie in smoothly and are well thought out.

I have my fingers crossed this isn't the last time we see Jazz and her friends. I want to know if Jazz and Jeeves relationship will change. I want to know about Mit's relationship. Jazz in Love doesn't have loose ends, Meminger simply wrote it in such a way that I can't help but want more.

Meminger couldn't find a house for Jazz in Love to call home. So she decided to self publish (lucky us).

Jazz in love can be purchased at amazon and several other places online

I don't normally do a disclaimer but since Meminger sent me the book for review and I am mentioned in the acknowledments its kind of mandatory. For anyone who can't trust my review because of this disclaimer, no worries, I completely understand but please check out the google preview via powells. For those who know I would never lead you astray. Thank you, please enjoy the preview. as well. Feel free to share it with friends and strangers.

Meminger Takes Control (Jazz in Love)

Neesha Meminger's debut YA novel, Shine Coconut Moon, came out in 2009. Smithsonian named it a Notable Book for Children in 2009. I really liked Shine Coconut Moon. Sometimes when I finish a novel by a debut author, I will think to myself "That was nice, maybe I'll try them again" There was no maybe with Meminger. It was never a matter of if but when.

Thankfully Meminger took control - when is now.

Her second YA novel Jazz in Love, official release date was Monday. Shine Coconut Moon was published by McElderry Books an imprint of Simon & Schuster. Meminger self published Jazz in Love. Self publishing isn't new. Though I think most authors would prefer to be published and supported by a house.

Unfortunately that is not always an option for authors of color. Even if their first novel is well received. With the low number of YA authors of color being published, I know I should be pro self publishing but I am still very wary. Some books are rejected for a reason.

I will always be one of those people, that has doubts about self published authors.* However, I will never question an author after they've already established what they can do. I knew what Neesha Meminger could do. Jazz in Love being self published was secondary. All I cared about was the story. I am not the only one to feel that way.


Lyn Miller- Lachmann @ Readergirlz
For her second novel, Meminger has chosen to join the growing indie publishing movement, and the impressive quality of writing and design that characterizes Jazz in Love bodes well for authors with unique stories who choose to go with small presses or strike out on their own.

Marjoleinbookblog
Jazz in Love is a breathtaking short read about a girl who wants to follow her own pad, with parents that want her to follow theirs. I loved Neesha's first novel Shine, Coconut Moon, so I was excited to hear she had a new novel coming up. I thought this book was amazing and fun to read. Jazz is just the perfect narrator of the book and you just immediately like her. And she has just the best friends in Pammi and Cindy. A fun new YA between cultures, just read it!

The Rejectionist
But, like Neesha's first YA novel Shine, Coconut Moon, Jazz in Love also tells a universal story about finding your own way in the world. Anyone who knows what it's like to have a totally different vision for your own life than your parents' idea of what's best, or who's felt way too strongly about someone way too sketchy, will see something of themselves in Jazz. Wisecracking, huge-hearted Jazz is as fabulous a protagonist as they come, and it's impossible to come away from this stellar sophomore novel without being head over heels in love with her yourself.

Since the author sent me an advanced reader copy, and was kind enough to mention me in her acknowledgements. I thought I'd be one of the first bloggers to post a review. Nope, my forthcoming review will not even be the fourth or the fifth. Everyone forgets to put their reviews on amazon. I thought I had a good chance at that. Nope, Jill beat me to it.

With every new review I think crap, someone is going to say what I was going to say. Or touch upon simliar points. That has yet to happen .

Jazz in Love is a wonderful story. It's nice to see it get postive reviews early. In case you missed it, I did say the author mentions me in the acknowledgements.

Though this is not for that. I will always do a little extra for authors I believe in that decide to take a chance and self publish. It can't be an easy decision to make. I hope this post will encourage a few people to give Jazz in Love (only $11.00) a chance.

Even with all this extra blogger love, Jazz in Love did not get to skip the review queue. It had to wait its turn. I will posting my review sometime this week.

Edi interviews the author @ Crazy Quilts

Google preview via Powells books

*I may have doubts but I am always willing to give a self published book a chance.