Library Events and News (Including a Book Sale!)

Hey Scribblers and Book Bandits!

Three things for Lake County library geeks:

• Tomorrow is the Fall book sale at the Lakeport Library, from 10-3pm. Paperbacks sell for $.50, hardcovers for $1.00. I've gotten all kinds of great books there--Catching Fire, Mansfield Park, several Harry Potters, Jane Eyre and others. Check it out, if you like books!

• Also, Jan Cook, one of the librarians, gave me permission to post her helpful library events calendar for November. I'll be posting these every month. Thank Jan when you see her at the book sale!

• And finally,  the library is putting together a newsletter. You can sign up for it here. Look for the "subscribe to our email list" logo on the right side of the page.

Enjoy!

End of Teen Summer Reading Program (Pictures!)

What a great year for the tween-teen program!

• 37 teens signed up. Although 38 signed up last year, this year's crop was much more active in the events.
• 33 teens attended 1 or more events, which is kind of incredible.
• 14 teens read 3 or more books. In order to get prizes, the teens needed to read at least 3 books.
• 145 books were reportedly read. (Wow!)

Here are some pictures Amy sent me of the final shebang (the Award Party):


Eating Pizza Om Nom

Awkward Moment when head librarian and teen winner
fight over the Kindle Fire grand prize.
OKAY, yes, I'm kidding.



Girl in front wearing Pikachu shirt: Fist bump.

How to Borrow eBooks and Audiobooks from the Library

Downloading ebooks* and audiobooks**  from the library is free and fairly simple.

*electronic books you can read on ereaders (a "Kindle" is an ereader). If you want to make sure your device is compatible, here's a list.

**recorded books you can listen to on mp3 players

This explanation will only apply if your system subscribes to "Overdrive." Lake, Mendocino and Sonoma County libraries subscribe to Overdrive, but not all other county libraries do. In order to find out if yours does, just go to this Overdrive website** and search for your library. If it does, your steps will line up with this explanation by Step Five*, assuming you have already taken care of Step One, which is to get a library card.

*I marked Step Five below.

**If you go to step five, you can see a picture of what the Overdrive Website looks like.

Let's Begin.

First, get a library card, if you don't have one.

Then Google "Lake County Library Catalogue" (Or "Mendocino County Library Catalogue," or "Sonoma County Library Catalogue") to find the county's library page. The Lake County page should look like this:



MC should look like this. SC should look like this.

Click "Search the Catalogue." All resulting pages should look like this.



Click "Downloads," the fifth option on the green searchbar.

(Step Five) This will bring you to the Overdrive Website:

 

Since the book cover photos change, I circled the "Downloadable Library" text in the photo below as an identifying marker:

On the top right hand corner of the page should be a link labeled "sign in." Click it.

Choose your county (it will give you the options of Lake, Mendocino or Sonoma). It will ask you for your library card number and pin. The pin is simply the last four digits of the phone number you gave the library to get your card.

Pick a book. If you search for a title, Overdrive will indicate which formats the book comes in: ebook, audiobook, both or neither. The site is fairly use-friendly, but if you have any difficulty navigating it, here's a great tutorial video.

For an ebook, you're nearly golden. After your select your book, click "Borrow." You will also need to select the format of the ebook. You can read it on your computer screen (as the tutorial video demonstrates), but I think the Kindle ebook format is the best. The latter will lead you to a webpage on Amazon where you simply click "Get Library Book" and indicate where it should be delivered (e. g. "Christy's Kindle").

To get an audiobook, you will need to download the "Overdrive Media Console" software, which is free and easy to use once you make it past your computer's protection software. (Some computer protection software can give you problems, but Overdrive has a wonderful help service to answer those and any other questions. I've used it several times on new computers.) Once you do that, you can download the book to your computer via the Console. Then you plug your ipod or mp3 player into your computer and transfer the book to it.

And no late fees! Audiobooks and ebooks automatically disappear when they are due.

I salute you on your bookish journey, Book Bandit.

Photo Attribution:
By Calebrw (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0) or GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html)], via Wikimedia Commons

Teen Library Events in July & August (+Pictures from June)

Our first teen meeting went really well! We made food collages in accordance with our theme "Reading is Delicious." Here are some crappy phone pictures for your viewing pleasure (because...I forgot my camera).

Some other kids showed up later, so I think we had about...10 total? Anyway, we decorated the Teen Space (middle of the library under the hanging posters) with the collages:

On June 19, a crazy group of 15(ish) teens and tweens decorated cupcakes. The library staff were very impressed and chose a winner that looked almost exactly like the one with the tongue in this picture from Martha Stewart's cupcake book. We also taught teens how to use piping bags and tips and how to make butterflies (pretzels dipped in chocolate and decorated). I forgot my camera (again), and my hands were too sticky to take phone photos, this time. But trust me. It was bomb. (Thanks to Bruno's for the wonderful cupcakes and frosting!)

Amy also taught a well-attended sourdough breadmaking class on Saturday, but I wasn't able to go, so I can't give you the juicy (floury?) details.

Here's the list of teen events in July and August. I don't have the times for you,* but you can always get a schedule at the library. This is just to whet your interest!

 

• On Saturday, July 6, teens and parents can meet Amy and me at the Steele Wineries Farmer’s Market (also near Rainbow Ag) for a cooking class. Following the class, we will tour a farm. We're going organic, folks.

• On Wednesday, July 10, we will have a "Chocolate Night" (early evening. Whatever). We'll make little chocolate mice and listen to an excerpt of a relevant teen book. Location: Lakeport Library.

 

• On Wednesday, July 17, Alethea Eason, author of several novels including the wonderfully imaginative Middle Grade novel, Hungry, is going to pay our teens a visit. A real author! And her book even fits the theme. Location: Lakeport Library.

• On Saturday, July 27, we're all going to visit the Community Garden. (This one is obviously not at the library. Amy has more info.*)

•  On Wednesday, July 31, Amy will show us how to make mini herb gardens and macramé slings to hang them in. Location: Lakeport Library.

•  On Saturday, Aug 3, we will meet with teens so they can plan their party (It's my party and I'll...) & turn everything in. Location: Lakeport Library.

•  And on Wednesday, Aug 7, we'll have our partaay!  We will raffle off the grand prize Kindle Fire (book reviews = tickets) and give out other prizes. Location: Lakeport Library.

*You can also call Amy at the library for more info about these teen events: 263-8817.

Teen Events in June at Lakeport Library

Serious Foodie Art.

Scribblers and Book Bandits,

Teen events only take place in the summer, so let's get busy! We have three events this June at the Lakeport Library. 6th graders-12th graders (incoming) can join the partaay.

1) Tomorrow night, Wednesday June 12th from 5-7PM, teens will be making a craft to fit this summer's theme, "Reading is Delicious!" Caution: get ready for some cool art. This is kind of a "meet and greet and be crafty all at once" thing. There'll even snacks!

2) The next Wednesday night (June 19th), again 5-7PM, teens can come learn how to easily and cheaply decorate cupcakes. We'll have a "guys" table and a "girls" table.

3) The following week on Saturday (June 19th, 2-4:30), teens will learn to make sourdough bread.

Sounds excellent, right?

And don't forget to turn in a book review at least once every week to have the best chance at getting the Kindle Fire at the end-of-summer raffle!

Teens, if you're looking for books to read, the Young Adult Library Services website has a ton of booklists to browse.

Photo Attribution
Giuseppe Arcimboldo [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Library Summer Reading Program 2013

No, I did not make these. Yes, I wish I had.



Hey Scribblers & Book Bandits!

The Children's and Teens' Summer Reading Programs begin tomorrow (June 1st, 2013) at all Lake County Libraries. The theme is "Reading is So Delicious!"

If you have a kid preschool-6th grade, you can come to the Lakeport Library from 10am-1pm to participate in "Super Sign-Up Saturday." Kids can do crafts while you sign them up for some fun this summer. You can register your child (or, as was my case last summer, the children you babysit!) at any time during the course of the program. 6th Graders may join the Teen program instead of the Children's, if they prefer.

The Teen program is going to be a blast this summer. I know because I've been helping plan it! We're taking field trips, doing crafts, decorating cupcakes and more. Teens who read three Young Adult level novels will win a prize and get a bookplate in a special book. If they write reviews, they are also entered into a grand prize drawing for a Kindle Fire. (Whoa! Where was this program when I was a teen?) C'mon teens, you know you want to join.

See you there tomorrow- I'll be volunteering at the front desk for the first time!

Have a good week, friends.

Photo Attribution
By aussiegall from sydney, Australia (30 Days of Gratitude- Day 15  Uploaded by russavia) [CC-BY-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Catching Fire Trailer & Library News

Scribblers and Book Bandits,

"Big News" alert: the Lakeport Reference Librarian, Susan Clayton, is retiring! We will sure miss her! Be sure to stop by the library on her last day, May 1st, and wish her a very merry retirement.

A Friends of the Library Booksale is coming up on May 4th, from 10AM-3PM (Friends' members can come a half hour early, at 9:30). Paperbacks $.50, Hardcovers $1.00. I love these booksales because they help build my summer stockpile!

And, by the way, thanks for supporting Rock the Drop last week! Amy's book was a hit. One person picked it up the day before "Rock the Drop" as we were taking a picture to put on the blog the next day. That person read it and brought it back for the actual "rock the drop" day. Then, another person picked it up to read and pass on to her daughter. Success!

Next week we'll have a writing post, BUT THIS WEEK we have exciting news from the Hunger Games front: the trailer for "Catching Fire," the second movie. Enjoy!



Photo Attribution
By Jesus Solana from Madrid, Spain [CC-BY-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Library News and Upcoming Literary Events

The biggest news (officially announced here) is the Middletown Library's grand opening, which took place yesterday, so hurry over there today to check out the goods! 21256 Washington St. (in Middletown, obv.).

Recently I got off my figurative lazy butt (I am still on my physical lazy butt, healing from a stress fracture. Thank you to my dear friends who've been praying!) and checked out the Lake County Arts Council page for upcoming literary events. Holy cow, there are tons of things going on. Here, I listed mostly writing events, but there are also other poetry, art, cinema and theater events going on. If you want to know more, check it out here.

A 2 Day Writing Retreat with Clive Matson will take place  at the Lake County Arts Council Gallery, 235 Main St in Lakeport on April 20 4-6pm-April 21 10am-5pm. It will be put on by Poets and Writer's, Inc through a grant from the James Irvine Foundation. Clive Matson writes poetry, short stories, essays and plays. He has led writing workshops for twenty-five years, holds an MFA in poetry from Columbia University, and teaches at UC Berkeley. This is the big time, Scribblers!

Apparently there is also an ongoing writing group at the Lower Lake Historic Schoolhouse Museum for writers of all levels and genres. The best thing: it's free. I attended a similar group once at the Arts Council in Lakeport, and some great writers took part in the group critiques. If you're looking for a crit group, these meetings in Lower Lake might be just the thing for you. They run from 1-3 or 4 pm on the 2nd Wednesday of each month.

And, finally, the 6th Annual Mendocino Lit Fest at Mendocino College (1000 Hensley Creek Road, Ukiah CA.) is coming up on April 20th from 10am-4pm. This festival hosts writing contests, author readings and other celebrations of the written word. Last time I went, I got to attend a writing workshop by Jodi Gehrman, a Young Adult fiction author and my first writing instructor.  This is always a good time.

On May 2nd, there will be a free Writing Workshop at the Main Street Gallery in Lakeport from 6:30-8:30. Lake County's form Poet Laureate, Mary McMillan will be there.

The Fifth Annual Lake Renaissance Festival is coming up! How cool, right? It's on Memorial Day weekend, May 25th-26th at The Tuscan Village, a winery: 16175 Main. St. Lower Lake.

I hope you get to attend some of these exciting events, friends!

Works Cited:

Cook, Jan. "Lake County Library's Calendar of Events for April 2013." 12 April 2013. Web.

"Grand Opening Announced." County of Lake California: Library. 12 April 2013. Web.
<http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Lake_County_CA__Library.htm>

"Shortcuts to the Near Future." Lake County Arts Council. 12 April 2013. Web.

Photo Attribution:
By Stefan Doering (Own work) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Aromatherapy and Wildflowers @ the Library, & Book News

     Book Bandits and Library Lubbers,
     I've got a library post for you today! I know I promised a writing post today, but two library events and some exciting book news came up. Let's start with the free library events! (P.S. They're always free. Field trip!)
     The first is called “Aromatherapy and the Immune System.” On Feb. 20th,  experienced aroma therapists Theresa LeGarie and Susan Walker will speak about essential oils supporting the immune system. If you come, you can check out the aromas of various essential oils and ask questions.  Come by at 6:00 p.m.
     At our second event, master gardener Barbara Haddon will present a free slideshow program on local wildflowers. She says that the area around Lake County abounds with wildflowers all year long, and that this program will assist people in identifying and appreciating the diversity, abundance, and beauty of California's wildflowers. This event will take place on Mar. 2nd at 2:00 p.m.
     Both events will take place at the Lakeport Library, 1425 N. High St. For more information about either event, contact Amy Patton, the library’s coordinator of adult programs at 263-8817 ext. 17105 or email Amy.Patton@LakeCountyCA.gov
     Or ask me! :)
     Just FYI, the Lakeport Library is open Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Wednesday noon to 8 p.m. The phone number is 263-8817. The library can be found on the internet at http://library.co.lake.ca.us and at Facebook at Facebbok.com/LakeCountyLibrary.
     Now for some other book news!
     If you are "into" book awards, here is a cool article about the newest ones: Printz, Newberry and Caldecott medals. For the full list of Printz winners (Young Adult novels) and pictures of the covers, you can look at the YALSA award page! Congrats to the authors.
     I've talked of a certain Nathan Bransford many times in the past, as he has been a huge part of my free writing edjumacation. He has a trilogy of children's books out now, and you can check them out here! They look wonderful and I will certainly be reading them.
     Before I go, let me apologize for the weird formatting on this post. Erglbergl.


Photo Attribution:

By Glade Jacobsen (Glade Jacobsen) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
Works Cited
Cook, Jan. "Wildflower Program at Library." Press Release. 15 Feb. 2013. Feb. 2013.
Cook, Jan. "Library Program on Aromatherapy." Press Release. 5 Feb. 2013. 15 Feb. 2013.

Christmas Gifts @ the Library

     Do you need gifts for book or candy lovers? Good news: the library can help. The first option is for those who want to make their gift for family or friends.
     "As part of Lakeport Library’s December theme, 'Gifts from the Kitchen' the library will present a 'Microwave Candy Class'" on Dec. 15 at 2:00 p.m. The library is located at 1425 N. High Street. "Amy Patton will demonstrate how to make rocky road, fudge, toffee, caramels, peanut brittle and other types of candy in the microwave. The class is free and no library card is required to attend. Patton’s volunteer tasters have tested and approved these recipes. For more information contact Patton at 263-8817 ext 17105" (Cook); or you could email Amy at Amy.Patton (at) LakeCountyCA (dot) gov. Children are welcomed.
     I got to taste that candy. Mmmm! Doesn't that class sound awesome? I made favors for a Christmas party using Amy's fudge ideas. Worked great!
     If candy is not your loved one's favorite giftie, the library offers another way to help.
     The Friends of Library is selling gift bags of books at the Lakeport branch. They're perfect gifts for friends and family members who enjoy reading in genres like mysteries, fiction, historical novels, romance, health, and animal nature books. You can design the gift bags to their specific tastes. The Friends will gift wrapped a book bag with clear cellophane, and nicely decorate it. The gift bags are $25.00, and the Friends need a week to complete your order. They've set up some samples at the library which, unfortunately, I didn't think to snap pictures of. Dur.
     The other cool thing about this gift idea is that you are also supporting the library. Double-Yes! Get a beautified armload of books for your loved one AND support the library.

Works Cited & Photo Credit
Bennet, Jo. "Lake County Friends of the Library Press Release." 4 Dec. 2012. Email.
Blairsnow. "Gift ideas for men - wrapping paper example." Wikimedia Commons. June 2011. 7 Dec. 2012. Online Photo.
Cook, Jan. "Lake County Library Press Release." 1 Dec. 2012. Email.

Goodies: Contest, Addendum, and Library Schedule!

Hey Scribblers and Book Bandits, We've got another "goodies" post, today.

     First of all, a contest! If you're sending out submissions to agents or magazines, it's always nice to have a list of places to send your stories. If you're checking out the market for children's books, you're in luck! Mary Kole of Kidlit.com is giving away a free copy of Children's Writer's and Illustrator's Market in a contest. Check it out here, second post down.
     Next, the addendum. Last week, I shared my opinion about whether college is necessary for writers. College is not the only venue to become a writer. After mulling over the post for another week, I thought I'd better add something. While a degree of any level in Creative Writing is not necessary, it's not a bad idea to get a taste of college--like an Associate's Degree. It's so much more work than high school. Even a few classes can teach you basic skills like research, study skills, critical thinking, and coherent writing. It's not even that expensive, if you go through a community college. I did! ;) Anyway, that's my two cents.
     I thought I'd throw in a little update about the Lascoux Flash Fiction contest I entered a few weeks back, since I  posted about it on the blog. I didn't win, but it was a great experience, and I learned something through it. First of all, if you didn't get to join this one, I encourage you to join the next! I post about every contest I hear of. Lascaux will be holding another contest in a few months. What I learned: I recommend entering all the free contests you can, until you start winning, or until you've gotten something published. Don't worry so much about the ones with entry fees. It's not worth your money, when you could just submit a piece to the magazine for free!
     Here is the promised schedule of events related to the library.

• The Vineyard Run for Literacy (5K, 10K, & 5K Walk) is a great fundraiser. I may be running in it this year. Too bad it's during church, though! Hate that. Sun. October 14: 8:00 am registration, 9:00 am run. Steele Wines. Hwy. 29 & Thomas Drive., Finley. Register online at rdysetgo.com. Call 263-7633 for more info. All ages allowed.
• Literacy tutor training. Learn to teach adults to read. This actually isn't a "library" event, technically. I just know about it through the library. It's a great way to improve our community. Wed.10/17, 10,24,10/31.12:30—4:30 pm. The 3classes will be at Mendo. College in Lakeport. 1005 Parallel Dr., Lakeport. Wednesdays Oct. 17, 24, & 31. 263-7633. Adults Only.
• Beginning Your Family History Search. Jan Cook presents a program on starting genealogy. This is a family event. Sat. 10/27 9:00 am at the Lakeport library (Ooooh, look, you get in early! The library won't technically be open, but they'll let us special...genealogists? in early!) Call 263-8817 for more info. Jan Cook asks that you call or sign up at the library ahead of time, if possible, so they'll know how many handouts to make.
• “Proper Victorian Dress” Archaeologist Barbara White demonstrates Victorian clothing. If you're into Victorian era reading--Austen, Bronte sisters, etc.--you'll enjoy learning about the clothing of the period. I sure will! Family fun. This one is at the Lakeport library, Sat. 10/27 2:00 pm. Same day as Geneology class. Call 263-8817 for more info.

And one last thing: I'm asking you a favor. Could you tell me what information you like/appreciate the most from my blog?
     -library news
     -contest news
     -writing tips
     -book reviews.
     -workshops and classes
     -anything else!
I would appreciate hearing from you in the comments section below. Thanks a lot, friends!

FYI: Next week, there won'd be a blog post because I'll be swamped in finals. See you in two!

Photo Credit:
Tcc8. "Inside Pike Place Market." Wikimediacommons. 4 Feb. 2012. 4 Oct. <2012.http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Seattle_marketplace.jpg>

Your Library, Ebook, and YA Novel Newscast 9/21/12

Hey everyone!
Next week I'll have a nice, long, detailed post for you (which I know because I've written the first draft already), but this week we have a load of news.
Some library news! One library worker will be teaching a class on how to use the new ebooks. Even though I don't have an ereader, I think I may go anyway :) You can also get the ebooks on smartphones. That class will be on Wednesday, October 3rd, at 6PM.
The library will also be hosting a free demonstration on Jams and Jellies on Wednesday, September 26th at 6PM.
I read several blogs to keep up on book news, and I just found another great review of my FAVORITE Young Adult book of the year: The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater. If you'd like to read said review, here 'tis.
And some cool YA book news: the Teens' Top Ten voting has officially ended. The results will be in by October 14th! I can't wait!!! As usual, the announcement coincides with Teen Read Week, another YALSA (Young Adult Library Services) initiative. Tell the young adults in your life! The ten winners are not only the most popular YA books in the USA, they are often the most intelligent, original, or literary, as well. It's a great program.
Do you want to make your mark on YA book history? You can be involved in the process of nominating a book for the Printz Award. Isn't that neat? You don't even have to be a YALSA member. Everybody's doing it. Just kidding. But seriously.
Have a great week, Book Bandits and Scribblers!

Original (unedited) Photo Credit: Corso, Stefano. International newspaper, Rome May 2005.jpg. Wikimedia Commons. 15 May 2005. 21 Sept. 2012.

eBooks and Pizza Dough at the Library?!

    

     We've got a quick post today, folks--school calls my name. Loudly. Tapping its foot and threatening bad marks. However, you'll want to hear this news!
     Yesterday, September 6, 2012, the Lake County Library welcomed over 1,000 to the friendly catalogue...Yay! For! Us! Through Overdrive, the same program that provides audio books, we patrons can now choose from over 1,000 eBooks. They are compatible with Kindles, Nooks, I-pads and other electronic readers. You can check it out here, at the Lake County Library page. If you want to read more about it online through the Record Bee, you can do that here.
     MEN and WOMEN: do you want to know how to make pizza dough (regular and gluten free), hamburger and hot dog buns? You can learn in a free class on Saturday, Sept 8th (tomorrow) from 2-4PM at the Lakeport Library. This class is especially aimed towards men, because several specifically requested it. So, men, don't be shy! (However, women, I'm still going, so you can come too! :)
     Hope to see you there, friends!


Photo Information: Martouf. "Light and shadow on an Irex iLiad ebook reader. Electronic paper. Electrophoretic display." Wikimmedia Commons. Accessed 7 September 2012.

CSI Teen Library Event

    
     Book Bandits, it's your day.
     Actually, if you're a teen BB, yesterday was your day. The library hosted a Crime Scene Investigation (CSI) program for teens. Two employees of the Sheriff's department (a Detective and a Tech with a very complicated official-sounding title) came and showed us what REALLY happens at a crime scene, and how crimes are solved.
     Below, we see some of the teens who attended:

They look bored because we haven't started yet...and because I hassled them
by taking pictures :)

     First, the sheriffs gave a fascinating lecture on the point of CSIs, and passed around several examples of finger print lifts. We got to see real evidence from real cases!  Next, the CSIs set up a "crime scene" for the teens to work in.

This was the entrance to the "crime scene." Notice the yellow sign on the
window. What a clever detective! He told us he's given several classes before.
No wonder they did such a great job!

  

Notice the small paper scraps on the bottom left. That's the
"broken window glass." Here, the teens are solving the
crime.

     Next, we all filed into the "lab" and lifted fingerprints off of several bottles and cans. We actually got to use real equipment!

I felt very lucky to be allowed to join the fingerprinting action, even though I'm not a teen anymore. It looks like I'm picking my nose, but really I'm being told that my face mask is upside down...so it's just as embarrassing! ;)

     These are the two awesome CSIs who showed us all the goods!

                        

     We owe them a huuuuuuuge thank you for coming to the library and teaching some basic nabbing techniques.

     If this looks awesome to you, know that it was just one of many teen events going on this summer. You can always come for the next event, which will be July 28th from 2PM-4PM. We'll be learning how to make solar ovens, and cooking s'mores! This is a handy tool for camping trips. Come have fun and learn with us!

     We're also hosting a photo contest. The winner will recieve a digital camera, and every participant gets their photos displayed at our fancy wrap-up party! Sound cool? For more information about other Teen events going on this summer, check out this post, or stop by the library any time and pick up an info packet. It's not too late to join!

     Hope your summer is going great, Book Bandits!

Library Summer Reading Program

     Ahoy, Library Lovers! Have you ever heard of Super Sign-Up Saturday? It's the first day of sign-ups for both the Young Adult Summer Reading Program and the Children's Summer Reading Program, and it's tomorrow! Sunday, June 9th. Teens going into 6th-12th grade can sign up for the teens program at the Lakeport Library. Children of pres-school-6th grade can sign up for the children's program. 6th graders get to choose which they'd be more comfortable attending. Super Sign-Up Saturday events will be going on for both the teens and children from 10AM-1PM (yes, there are prizes).
     This post is mostly about the teen program because that's what I'm involved in, but the Children's program has been running for years--it's a definite favorite! This year's teen theme is "Own the Night."
      What events will we be having this summer? A photography class (this Tues June 13th @ 6:30PM ), a night-photography contest to win a digital camera, a night field trip to the observatory (Wed. Aug. 1st from 8-10PM), a steam-punk craft (Sat. June 23rd from 2-4PM), and a fancy wrap-up party celebrating the teens (Wed. Aug 8th from 6-7:30PM). At this party, we'll also have a cupcake decorating class! (Can you guess who pushed for that idea?). There are other events going on for teens, also, and they will be happening all summer, so get your teens to the library on, or even after Super Sign-Up Saturday to sign-up of or just for more info. There are prizes for everyone who signs up, as well as prizes for teens who read 3 or more books at the Young Adult level of reading. A drawing will be held for another digital camera, as well; any teen can enter the drawing by signing up for the program and turning in short book reviews. The best way to try to win is to put in a review a week.
     The Library also hosts monthly events and displays for people of any age.
     If you want more information about either program, call the Lakeport Library at (707)263-8817, check out their website here, or visit at 1425 N. High St. Lakeport, CA 95453.
     Next week on the blog, we'll have a special guest blogger: Teresa Loesch, a Creative Writing Major at San Francisco State University, will be writing on a very important part of writing craft. Several of her plays have been chosen out of large pools of contenders, and performed at Mendocino College. You can also check out her blog, http://freekindle-ing.tumblr.com/. She reviews free kindle ebooks and short stories.  And, you know, she's just a rad person to know. Come back and Enjoy!

Upcoming Library Events: Interior Designing Class & Book Sale

    
     Have I got goodies for YOU today! I'll explain at the end why this week's post is early. Let's start with the good stuff!

Free Interior Design Class @ Library

     Do ever wonder how to color your walls/accessories/appliances/shelving so they look cooridnated?Thinking about summer renovations, maybe? On Wednesday, May 9th, the library will be hosting a FREE class on how to color your house! And I don't mean with crayons! Interior designer Robert Boccabella will lead the class. I know my decorating skills are--erm--less than "great," so I'm excited to hear from the expert. This class will start at 6PM and run until 7:30PM.

Book Sale @ Library

     Paperbacks for $.50, Hardcovers for $1.00! And they have good stuff--at previous sales, I've found Mansfield Park by Jane Austen, Water For Elephants by Sara Gruen, ALL the Harry Potters and tons of other great reads. I've used several for gifts, too, because they *looked* brand new. All for a dollar or under. This sale will happen on Saturday May 19th, FROM 10am-4pm, put on by the Friends of the Library (<3 them! seriously!). Come support our library by practically stealing great books, with a happy conscience!

Why The Post is Early This Week

     Keviste and I are heading out to see a wedding (a sort-of wedding, actually--lovely couple--Congrats Kyle and Hope Forti!) and stay a few days in Monterey and Carmel. So. Early post!

     Next week will be special. On top of the long-promised writing tip, I will be posting one of my favorite essays from class last semester. It's a creative non-fiction essay (so, a story based on a memory, with a thesis weaved in) in which I contemplate the meaning of judgment.
     See you then, friends!

Teens' Top Ten Competition

     A certain competition is gearing up for the annual excitement: Teens' Top Ten!     Do you want to know what teens are reading these days? No, no don't cringe! We got Twilight out of our system way back in 2009 (at least, according to Teens' Top Ten standards). Yeah--we're all new-fangled. If you are a teen, or a parent who wants to find books for your teen, this may be of interest to you.
     So, what is Teens' Top Ten? It's a popularity contest for Young Adult novels (once in a while, adult fiction wins as well). The winners are compiled onto a yearly "best of" list. Now, this is very different from your typical high school popularity contests, or "best hair" contests. It's about the favorite books of America's teenagers. The point is to find what teens like to read, and show them how to find more of it. It's to show teens that reading is fun. Here's how it works:
     In APRIL (Is it really April already? Goodness). YALSA (Young Adult Library Services Association) releases a list of 25 books most popular books of the year, as nominated by teen readers. Then the real reading happens. Teens across the country look at this list. Many times, they will have read at least one book on the list; the other listed books interest them simply by proximate association. Through word of mouth, these books spread across the teen (and, *ahem* adult) populations. In August and September, teens between the ages of 12 &18 vote on their two favorites. YALSA announces the Top Ten winners during Teen Read Week, which is Oct. 14-20th this year. To check out the list of present nominees, past winners, and other information, click here. Short synopses of each nominee are provided as well. I recommend reading these --they're very helpful! YALSA is a very liberal organization. Some of the books reflect interesting opinions, at times. Living and learning in this world necessitate extra care! I'll post about these books as I read them, if you care for my opinion.That's my naggy warning for the week!
     As many of you probably know, I volunteer at the library. I work on teen programs with Amy Patton, one of those lovely librarians. For the last two years, our library has hosted announcement parties for the TTT winners. It's one of my favorite events! Cookies, soda and best books. Can a party get any better than that? Here's last year's announcement video for TTT! (P.S. The sound does not immediately turn on. Click the megaphone symbol).


     Usually, not all of them are my taste, but I always love others. And you know what rocks this year? The Scorpio Races, the book I raved about on last week's post, is one of the nominated titles! I SO wish I could vote! But any teens reading this right now can get in on the action. See if your favorite reads are favorites across America. Some past TTT winners that I loved: Just Listen by Sarah Dessen, Fire by Kirsten Cashore, Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson and Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins (c'mon, you knew The Hunger Games would make the cut! :)
     Next Week I'll be posting about a free library event on Interior Design! Be excited. It's going to be rad. I know it's been awhile since I've posted a writing tip. There's been so much going on, I haven't had space! Soon though. Promise.
     Have a great week, Scribblers and Book Bandits!

The British, er, the Regulars, er, the Regulations Are Coming!

Edited from this source

    
     Breaking news! We'll finish up the YA mini-series next week. Library news has precedence.
In a previous post, I wrote about how California has entirely stopped funding its libraries. We all knew cuts would be made to the budget. Temporary funding from the county saved the Lake County branches from losing staff and other other things right away.
     Which was AWESOME of them, by the way! So grateful.
     However, that wasn't meant to be forever. Changes have arrived.
     These changes sucked the new book budget dry, as we know. Patrons and the "Friends of the Library" have valiantly donated lots of new reads. Well done on that front, everyone!
     Here's the next the big change:
     I actually think this was a smart change. If you've ever ordered a book from a different library, maybe you've wondered how the books are delivered to you free of charge. The state used to pay the delivery fee. Post-budget cuts, the county has been covering delivery costs. Now they're trying to minimize the number of trips made to deliver the books. Let's use a hypothetical to explain how this works.
     Say I order the book Cupcakes 'n More, and three libraries own a copy: Upper Lake, Sonoma County Library, and Fort Bragg Library. Upper Lake is one of four Lake County Library branches (including Lakeport, Middletown, and Redbud). In order to save money, the delivery system will now automatically sign me up for the Upper Lake copy. Pre-budget cuts, a copy would be randomly chosen based on availability.
     The pros of the new way: it saves money this way, because the book has a shorter distance to travel. The book(s) stays local.
     The cons of the new way: if four other members of the Lake County Library system requested Cupcakes 'n More before me, I have to wait for them to finish with it. They're each allowed 3 weeks to read the book. Add travel time, and I could be waiting 11 weeks or more (or less) for my book. What if I ordered the book for a party in 3 weeks? Well, that's just too bad!
     My Conclusion: Altogether, I think it's a smart way to save money; it's just unfortunate that the wait times could be longer.
     As always, go love your library! Have a good week, and we'll discuss the last YA topic next Friday: "Are all YA books poorly written?"

Love Your Library! & Reading Tip

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     It's hard to overstate the importance of libraries to writers and readers alike. The library is a mine of inspiration and a free bookstore. Free novels, yes, but also free manuals, free information. Also, free movies, music and classes!
     It's love month at the Lake County Library! Show them some love. Make an extra trip, say an extra thank you, donate an extra dollar!
     Okay, on with today's tip. You've probably heard this before, but I'm going to say it again because it's so important.
     I KNOW you've heard that reading is equally as important as writing for the creative mind.
     Some people say, "Read in your vein," or, "Read what you write." While that is important, I think it's far more important to read anything and everything. Seriously. If you write Sci-Fi, go read a western (I met someone once who was writing a western sci-fi novel)! Do you write Young Adult novels? Go find a popular adult pick and devour it, for a change of pace.
     Because I write for young adults, I read a lot of fiction for that age level. It's often a struggle for me to pull myself out of my comfort zone (Dessen, Collins, Cashore, etc). I need to, though!
It's good for us writers and readers; it opens our minds to new possibilities! By possibilities, I mean new content, new styles, new endings, etc. So!

                             Christy Dares You (#1):
     Go to a new section in the library and pick up a book you usually wouldn't. Read it through to the end. Maybe you'll like it! And even if you didn't, you did learn something. What not to write. :D

Significant Detail, and Cinnamon Rolls

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     A couple weeks ago, I posted on The Importance of Clarity in writing. Another way to give your writing impact is to use good significant detail. Here's a great quote from the famous "little book of style."

"The Greatest writers...are effective largely because they deal in particulars and report details that matter. Their words call up pictures." -William Strunk Jr., The Elements of Style.

    The above quote tells a very important message: good writers report only the significant details, the ones that will give the reader a picture in their minds. They should also suggest some truth the subject. That's what makes them significant. This way, the images pack more powerful punches. People will understand exactly what we mean.

     Lets aim to call up pictures with our words. When I describe something in my writing, I have to be careful not to just list things about it. Here's an example:

The original: "He still grins confidently, but a blush creeps over his cheeks."

     We get that the subject is embarrassed. Alright, that's fine.

The revised version: "He still grins, but his face tinges pink slightly, like my favorite flavor of jolly rancher--watermelon."

     Which example creates a clearer picture? This detail is significant as well, because it suggests that the narrator likes the image. It gives us a picture and interiority. In the first example, the writing doesn't convey that.
     I hope the quote and my examples shed some light on what I mean!

    

    Also, the bread-making class at the library was fantastic. Thirty-eight adults and teens learned how to make three different kinds of bread from our lovely teacher Amy!

White bread to knead. We also made a wheat bread to knead and a kneadless wheat bread.

     Five kids whacked some dough around during the class. It looked way more fun than playing DS Giga-Cool, or whatever.

38 Adults and Teens (4 teen boys!), & 5 Kiddos

      Aaaaaand, the grand finale: the cinnamon rolls I made from the bread dough!

They were so good,  we ate some before I got to take the picture!

      Have a great week, Scribblers and Book Bandits!

Works Cited



Strunk Jr., William, E. B. White, and Roger Angell. The Elements of Style. 4th ed. Massachusetts:

            Longeman, 2000. Print.