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The Class of 2k7 ezine is released quarterly and features information about the debut children’s and young adult authors of the Class as well as useful resources for booksellers, librarians, and educators. The editor of this quarter’s issue is Sara Zarr.
In early 2006, the year 2007 felt like forever away. It felt especially distant whenever I’d have to answer that same question at least three times a day: “So…when’s that book of yours coming out?” Or at the supermarket, when I’d find some vacuum-sealed and preservative-laden snack product with an expiration date that matched my book’s scheduled release.
As the editor for the first issue of the e-zine, I had the privilege of assembling our roster of 1st Quarter books and authors. It’s an impressively diverse list—on one end of the spectrum there’s Paula Jolin’s exploration of a seventeen-year-old girl’s conflicted relationship with Islamic fundamentalism. On the other end, we have Julie Bowe’s humorous novel about the ever-changing world of fourth grade best-friendship. Among these nine books you’ll find everything in between, including a dark fantasy epic, a family drama, multi-cultural stories, and more.
In order to provide accurate and easily accessible information to booksellers, librarians, and educators, the Class of 2k7 is utilizing several online resources: a website, a message board (a.k.a. the forum) and a blog. Each of these offers a way to access data on the class and on individual members; collectively, these online venues also highlight our personalities and provide methods of direct communication with us. To maximize accessibility, these three sites are also interlinked.
If I should ever be lucky enough to turn this writing gig into a full-time career, I will still work (at least part-time) at a library or bookstore. On the long road to selling my first novel, I’ve been employed at an independent bookstore, an outlet bookstore, a chain bookstore, and two public libraries. As an author, those jobs were both inspirational and educational.
Here are some of the major lessons I took away from each job:
