Reflections of a Blogging Conference

Kidlit Blogging Conference, Chicago, IL

More registrations in the mail, discovered upon returning home from my annual college women's weekend in central Oregon! I have logged them in and have added names onto the list.

It made me think back to this time last summer when I finally decided, yup! we are headed to Chicago! I believe that weekend was an "aha" moment for me because of the fun I had and the knowledge gained. (Besides the fact that I bravely raised my hand and said YES to organizing this year's event. Thank you, Laini for signing on with me.)

Friday night was a blast as we piled into the hotel van and they took us to a great pizza joint.




Friday Night Fun Chicago Pizza Style

And what great topics! From the "how to's" of kidlit blogging, podcasting, a forum about the Cybils to meeting authors in a fun hour before the dinner hour. I loved the session presented by Mother Reader on how to get your blog noticed. Anne Levy addressed issues about reviewing which was very helpful.




Mark Blevis talking about podcasting. I wrote a grant and got podcasting equipment after this inspiring session.

Anne and Kelly, co-founders of the CYBILS Award

Esme Raji Codell hosted the author and illustrator hour.

So are you in? What topics do you want to see at this year's conference. Let me know!

You can email me the registration form and send the check via email if that helps you. I am looking forward to this year's event. I hope to see you.

Kidlit Conference Jeopardy

The answer is:
Sara Zarr, Story of a Girl
Kirby Larson, Hattie Big Sky
Alma Alexander, Worldweavers series
Laini Taylor, Faeries of Dreamdark: Blackbringer
Matt Holm, Babymouse
Anastasia Suen, Main Street School series
Adrienne Furness, Helping Homeschoolers in the Library
Carmen T. Bernier-Grand: Frida: Viva La Vida! Long Live Life!
Jen Robinson, “Growing Bookworms Newsletter”, guest blogger at PBS
Betsy Bird, School Library Journal book blog

“Who has registered for the Second Annual Kidlitosphere Conference, September 27, 2008?” is the question.


Will you be attending? Have you registered yet? Visit Kidlit08 for more details. If you register before August 1, 2008, you will receive a complimentary raffle ticket for the dinner raffle.

Top Ten Reasons to Visit Portland, Oregon

Top 10 Reasons to Visit Portland, Oregon

10. Voodoo Doughnuts where your can get married and eat your doughnut too.

9. We do not have sales tax.

8. Looking for leprechauns? They been seen at the “World’s Smallest Park”: Mill Ends Park (24 inches in size) on Naito Parkway.

7. Portland also has the largest forested city wilderness in the nation: Forest Park, 5, 000 acres in size.

6. Mt Tabor, an extinct volcano. Portland is one of two cities in the US with and extinct volcano within the city. The other one is in Bend, Oregon.

5. Portland is also known as “Beervana” for being the epicenter of micro brewing.

4. Cupcake Jones Nirvana! I will have some available at the conference.

3. Stumptown Coffee

2. Powell’s City of Books Plan to meet here on Friday night and then head to a local microbrewery for dinner

However, the Number One reason to visit Portland is:

THE SECOND ANNUAL KIDLITOSPHERE BLOGGING CONFERENCE:

“Bridging the Worlds of Books and Blogs”.

Great discussions about books and blogs! Great networking! Great fun!

For more information visit Kidlit 2008 or contact me at “macrush53 at yahoo dot com”.

You are Invited: Kidlit Portland 2008

It is time to think about attending the Second Annual Kidlitosphere Conference held in Portland, Oregon on Saturday, September 27, 2008.

What is it, you wonder. Just a chance to meet with both children’s authors, young adult authors and anyone who blogs about children/young adult literature. Last year we met in Chicago for a weekend of discussing books and blogs.

Laini and I are planning this year’s festivities and you can find all the information at the new Portland Kidlit blog.

Our first big question is who is definitely attending? This will help us decide the size of the meeting space. Please visit the new blog and chime in.

We are looking forward to seeing old friends and meeting new folks. Click over to the Portland Kidlit blog and let us know.

Here I Am and a Conference

I did not mean for three weeks to pass without contributing to this blog. I wish I could say that I have been on vacation somewhere exotic. But I have been here, busy with school and working on Entry Four (National Boards), and a conference.

My husband and I took a red eye to Chicago for the First Annual Kidlitosphere Conference (for authors, book industry, bloggers who love children's literature, elementary, middle, and young adult). We explored Chicago. Went to the Field Museum, saw the Darwin exhibit and Sue, the T-Rex. Then the heat, humidity, and traveling overnight caught up to us and we returned to our hotel. After a brief nap, we joined a group of twenty for some great Chicago pizza.

Saturday was a dizzying day. Our group grew to sixty. We spend our time together talking about blogging for children's books, the CYBILS award (I am one of the judges for the poetry nominations). I learned about pod casting, promoting my library blog, and ways to improve book reviews. It had to be one of the best conferences I ever attended.

It was also an opportunity to meet some great children's authors. Esme Raj Codell hosted a "Meet the Authors" time in the afternoon. Local author and illustrators were there as well as the ones attending the conference. You should check out some of these authors:

Sara Lewis Holmes

Robin Brande

Esme Raji Codell

Ellen Klages

PJ Haarsma

Amy Timberlake

Laini Taylor

Jim Di Bartolo

If you love children and young adult books then head to Jacketflap. It is a fabulous web resource to get the latest information.

We had a grand finale dinner. The location of the next conference was announced: Seattle. For some unknown reason, my hand shot up and these words came out of my mouth," If you have it in Portland, I will organize it."

So the conference will be in Portland next year. Laini Taylor and Jim Di Bartolo volunteered to assist. Meanwhile, my husband is thinking of all the sites in Portland that participants should visit.

Sunday, the day of the Chicago marathon, we were up at 4:30 AM to catch an early morning flight. It was a whirlwind weekend. I should have taken Monday as a sick day as I spent the week trying to catch up.

I will try not to let three weeks go by without writing on this blog. I didn't mean to not write. Most of my writing has been very technical of late.