Teen Author Fest, Books of Wonder and Another Visit to Boston

March 19th-March 26th

Sure wish I could have experienced some of these events first hand! 

Courtney and Faking Normal were honored to be a part of 2014's Teen Author Fest in NYC (March 19-22), a brain child of author/editor David Levithan. She also took part in a panel of authors who visited an area middle school and the  mega signing on March 23rd at Books of Wonder in NYC. Then on to the Boston area with authors  A.C. Gaughan, Tiffani Schmidt and Victoria Schwab.

Courtney had an opportunity to panel and sign her books and meet old and new friends.

TAF sent authors into many NYC schools during the week. Court was on a panel who visited Castle Middle School. 

Courtney was part of the mega signing at NYC's Books of Wonder!

Adam was able to come, and he brought many friends from Circle on the Square Theatre to buy books!

On Sunday night Courtney and some of her author friends traveled back to the Boston area to Brookline Booksmith where she participated on a panel/book signing. 

Leah Cypess, A.C. Gaughan, Tiffani Schmidt, Victoria Schwab and Courtney C. Stevens.

Our cousin, Helen, who lives in the area came. What a pleasure to see a familiar face among so many strangers!

The following night, this panel of authors spoke and signed books at Wellesley Book Store in another area of Boston.

 

Helen returned with her family and brought Court a specially designed handbag from her boutique, Helen's Handbags!

Home again on March 26th after a busy, fun, productive and exhausting week!

March Madness! 3-29-14

Nope, this time I'm not talking about the wacky winter and "spring" we've had - as in the effects of the polar vortex and snow and snow and snow - it is a generally held opinion around here that Mother Nature has bi-polar disorder and is off her meds!

But NO. March Madness is all about NCAA basketball, basketball and MORE basketball.

And in the state of Kentucky, basketball starts with a capital UK. As in the University of Kentucky. Or alternately, it might (for SOME people, not me) start with a capital U and L, as in the University of Louisville. These two schools represent the last TWO NCAA Championships! Let me also plug my graduate school Alma Mater, Murray State University. It is riding high in the post-season as well, climbing the brackets of the CollegeInsider Invitational Tournament (CIT). At the time of this post, the news media claims that the state of KY is the only state with three colleges still in post-season play!

UK had a fairly frustrating season (for dyed-in-the-wool Kentuckians, a Big Blue Nation that EXPECTS GREATNESS EVERY TIME, ALL THE TIME from THEIR Wildcats), beginning as the pre-season Number One pick and ending with a number 8 seed for the tournament (ranking between 28th and 32nd). U of L, which began with a pre-season ranking of Number Nine, their highest to date, ended as a number 4 seed for the tourney (ranking between 12th and 16th).  Both teams had winning seasons, but depending on your perspective perhaps, did not living up to their "expected" potentials. That may be more of a statement on the value of pre-season rankings than an actual prediction on the potential of either team. Be that as it may. Add the "coach factor" (Louisville's Petino used to coach the UK Wildcats and now coaches the Louisville Cardinals) to the mix, and you have the makings of a great instate rivalry.

There are always upsets within the seedings in any tournament. The 2014 NCAA Tournament has certainly seen its share of them. Including UK. The Wildcats beat Kansas St (they were a number 9 seed so it could have gone either way), but then they beat Wichita State who was seeded number one! Now THAT was an upset! A great game with some UK frustration and then last minute scrambling and excitement and a close, heart-thumping win.

And just like that, there is light at the other end of the bracket tunnel for the few fair-weather UK fans!

So. Last night. Your late-night TV entertainment! UK vs. U of L.

It started off predictably with UK struggling and eventually ending up 13 points behind. Then ... another case of "last minute scrambling and excitement and a close, heart thumping win!" UK, on the 22nd anniversary of that infamous loss on a last second basket by Duke's He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named, had to endure the Slo-Mo arch of U of L's three-pointer attempt at the buzzer ... but it bounced off the rim and the Big Blue Nation collectively screamed across cyber-space for another Wildcat win!

What's next? Oh, man, it feels like THAT one last night should have been the championship game. But on Sunday, the Wildcats must persevere. They meet Michigan, a number 2 seed, to determine which team goes to The Final Four.

I'm assured that one of my friends will be wearing his lucky pants. I've got my fingers crossed. We'll all hold our heads right and prime our hope and eat our munchies and chew our Tums ... and not even try to contain our excitement or temper our trash-talkin'.

I'll try to squelch any doubt and the little voice in my head that quotes Coach Cal, "They're still freshmen!"

 GO, UK! Let's keep that NCAA Championship in KENTUCKY!

P.S. updated post to come after April 7th!

Page By Page Courtney C. Stevens "Faking Normal"

Another book event, another signing in TN!

On March 27th, 2014, Courtney was invited to speak at the Maury County (Columbia, TN) Public Library. There was a small crowd - certainly not the huge one that came to The Grille in Mt. Pleasant (also in Maury County) - but a nice number for a second event located very close to The Grille. It was an opportunity for Courtney to discuss Faking Normal and to answer questions about the purpose of the book and what inspired her. There were teens and there were "middlers" and there were seniors there, a nice following, which I found interesting. Faking Normal is a YA book, written to target teens who are 14 and up. But it has found a substantial adult market. The questions were insightful and interesting. Courtney's talk about getting past pain and finding hope on the other side resonated with a senior member of the audience. He said he needed to hear her message and that he knew he was supposed to be there! It is so amazing and special when an author's work and words are affirmed, we we're allowed to glimpse the effect of our purpose.

This library is the main county library, not the smaller branch in Mt. Pleasant that I loved from childhood, but it is rich in history and has a wonderful following. Including a resident "ghost" who claims the Director's desk as her own! Though the "modern" building was built in the early 60's, those in the know wisely preserved the original neon sign!

It is always great to run into (unexpectedly) old friends.

Our family had before and after "eats" at Puckett's on the square in Columbia. It is conveniently located by The Old Curiosity Book Store, who sponsored book sales at the nearby library.  Check out the bookstore, a wonderful "bookish" atmosphere in which to browse and buy your favorite books! Go "local" when you can!

Prior to the panel at the MCPL, Courtney was the guest on the library's cable show, Page By Page. The show, whose purpose is to promote literacy, airs on a local cable channel several times a week (check the Maury County Public Library's Facebook page) and is posted on YouTube, as below. Enjoy!