Povel?

Have you read a povel today?

I know, you're going "Huh? What the heck is a povel?"

I povel is simply a novel written in poetry form. Also known as novels in verse. Many of them are targeted to the YA audience. When I was first told about this form, I couldn't believe that something like it existed. I couldn't understand how anyone could write an entire novel in poetry. I did some research, and I was amazed as just how many novels written in verse are out there.

I am currently reading Bronx Masquerade by Nikki Grimes (not completely written in poetry) and "Make Lemonade" by Virginia Euwer Wolff. Another author that I heard was amazing was Sonya Sones. I've requested some of her books from the library. If you want to read something new, check this genre out!

I'm also strongly considering doing my thesis as a povel. Stay tuned for more.

Come See Me!

Special event at the Birmingham Bridge Tavern (29th and Sarah, Pittsburgh's Southside) November 30th at 8:00 PM-- it's Most Wanted Writer's Half-Aversary Event!

Yup, hard to believe that it's been six months already since myself, Courtney, Matt, Marissa, and Sarah rocked the house at Most Wanted Fine Arts' first ever literary event!

Come see me, Kate Homer, and Courtney Lora Lang read at 8PM Friday, November 30th!

If you can't make it, you could always go on Friday October 26th at 8PM to hear the following readers:

Stephanie Wielkopolan
Nathaniel Fuller
Jane Fishman

They're all great writers and people, too!

After the November event, the Most Wanted Writers will go on hiatus until February 29th. So, PLEASE COME!

Marc Brown, and a limo (no, not Marc Brown IN a limo)

This past Wednesday, my Writing Picture Books class took a field trip to Westminster College in New Wilmington, PA to hear Marc Brown speak. Marc Brown, if you don't know, is the highly successful author of the Arthur the Aardvark book series, which has turned into what must be a multi-million dollar coperation thanks to the PBS series and merchandising. Brown had a lot of important things to say about the state of early childhood literacy, which I could appreciate thanks to my position with AmeriCorps and Beginning With Books. I'm currently writing an article for the AmeriCorps newsletter based on Marc Brown's beliefs, which I may post here later.

My only disappointments about the reading were that he didn't give us time to ask questions and that it was so crowded that I couldn't wait in line for him to sign my brand new copy of Wild About Books. Wild About Books is a beautiful book about a lady who drives a bookmobile into a zoo. The animals eventually begin checking out books, then writing, and eventually they open their own branch of the library right there in the zoo!

And then there was the limo. We must be the only six people on earth who have ever shown up to see a children's book author in a limo. We're fairly sure Marc Brown doesn't even get limos. . . or if he does, they're certainly not for free with fully stocked bars. haha.