Hi Readers and Lovers of YA!
I don’t know what your book business is, but my bookcase speaks for itshelf: I impulsively buy books based off the season. The January/February months flood my shelves with romance novels (I’m picking you up,
Anna and the French Kiss
, by Stephanie Perkins!).
In the Spring, I spree on light-hearted adventures (think
Rebel Belle
by Rachel Hawkins). Summer is a vacation with contemporary journeys (i.e.,
Since You’ve Been Gone
by Morgan Matson). While Fall fills my mind with psychological thrillers, mysteries, and horror stories. In the months of September and October I will most likely be found huddled over a gripping ghostly tale in the early morning hours, lamplight the only thing keeping my nerves in check.
Overall, Autumn is the most engrossing season of reading for me. I’m anticipating checking out the recent release of aforementioned author Stephanie Perkins’ new thriller,
There’s Someone Inside Your House
, and I recommend the YA anthology of short horror stories,
Slasher Boys and Monster Girls
, written by your favorite YA authors and edited by April Genevieve Tucholke.
Happy reading, and stay warm!
M. Rae K., Tattered Cover Teen Advisory Board member from Colorado Academy
DON'T FORGET TO ENTER TO WIN
a copy of
The Chaos of Standing Still
-- the new YA story by JESSICA BRODY that takes place entirely in the Denver airport in a blizzard that shuts the airport down, complete with all of the airport's conspiracy theories, a girl dealing with grief, and of course some swoon-worthiness.
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Peanut Butter, Fangirling, Hogwarts House Sorting? A YA Author Afternoon to Remember
by Elise H., Tattered Cover Teen Advisory Board
Sunday, October 29 at Tattered Cover Aspen Grove in Littleton experienced a treat with the lovely authors E.K. Johnston, Ashley Poston, Melanie Crowder, and Katherine Locke, and moderator, Kaitlyn Patterson. A fun panel of young adult authors full of laughs and fun insider information on the authors and their books.
E.K. Johnston’s most recent book is
That Inevitable Victorian Thing
, A near-future sci-fi book. Inspired in the summer of 2013 by the new BBC series,
North and South
, and
Pacific Rim
, this book is the perfect novel to read when you’re feeling especially reminiscent about Royals-by-Lorde, or
The Log-Driver’s Waltz
, an old Canadian short which showed during Johnston’s childhood.
Ashley Poston discussed her most recent book,
Geekerella
, highlights what it is like to be a fan. This book can be perfectly paired with some of Star Kid’s music along with the last song from the cheesy
Very Potter Musical
. You can also check out the
Geekerella
playlist on Spotify or Ashley's next book,
Heart of Iron
,
similar to
Anastasia in Space
, but with more robots and hot sparkly aliens.
Katherine Locke’s new book,
The Girl with the Red Balloon
, gives readers a look at what it is like to be have a Jewish-American identity. In her “aggressively hopeful” story, a modern Jewish girl travels back in time to East Berlin to the time after World War II.
Melanie Crowder’s most recent YA book,
An Uninterrupted View of the Sky
, follows a boy in the late '90s in Bolivia. It tempts readers into thinking about the responsibilities of citizens and their governments.
Moderator and soon-to-be-published YA author, Kaitlyn Patterson, will be debuting
The Diminished
. In the words of E.K. Johnston, “It's a dark and twisted version of
The Parent Trap
, only the moon is broken, and it's not the parent's marriage.”
From writing advice to the authors' eerily connected love of author Justina Ireland, the afternoon was packed with casual banter, writing advice, peanut butter, book suggestions, fangirling, Hogwarts house sorting, and lots of humor. It was an amazing and fun experience that I would recommend to anyone wanting to hang out with authors and have a good time. (
See upcoming events and activities for readers of YA literature here
.
)
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Len and Kristen's son Charlie introduces Len at the 2017 Colorado Teen Book Con! See an article about TBC below.
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2017 Colorado Teen Book Con:
One of Tattered Cover’s
Biggest Events of the Year
By Kiana M., Tattered Cover Teen Advisory Board
On Saturday, November 4, Tattered Cover Book Store hosted one of their most highly anticipated events of the year: the 2017 Colorado Teen Book Con. At Littleton High School, from 8:30am to 5pm, teenaged readers and writers alike congregated together to discuss and appreciate the craft.
The event hosted over 20 YA authors—ranging from the likes of Jessica Brody to Brenna Yovanoff to Veronica Rossi—along with two keynote speakers that spoke at the beginning and end of the conference.
In the opening keynote, YA author of over 25 books and executive editor at Scholastic, David Levithan, spoke about the importance of LGBTQ+ diversity in contemporary literature with authors Billy Merrell and Bill Konigsberg. After the discussion, each of them read small excerpts from their books. “Our books illuminate the humanity of our characters and the paths that we can take,” said Levithan, “They emphasize queer sensibility and the power of discovering who you are.”
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Afterwards, the attendees had the opportunity to engage in three of the four panels that the event had to offer. In the first panel, “Love and Loss,” authors Jessica Brody, Renee Collins, Katie Cotugno, Bill Konigsberg, Emmy Laybourne, and Sandhya Menon discussed their experiences with writing books that revolve around themes of love, loss, and adversity.
In the second panel, “Off The Beaten Path,” authors Brenna Yovanoff, Amalie Howard, Shaun David Hutchinson, Denise Vega, and Kiersten White explored how their novels strayed from the traditional genres and how they were able to write while charting through new territory.
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In the third panel, “Have Your Gut Wrenched,” authors Melanie Crowder, Donna Cooner, Ashlee Cowles, Brigid Kemmerer, Billy Merrell, and Jeff Zentner tackled the significance of being able to emotionally connect with readers through writing. “Our lives are stories that we write, and our bodies are a container of our memories,” said Zentner on the message he wanted to convey in his book,
Goodbye Days
, “Some memories glow more brightly than others because every person we meet takes a different part of our story.” “All of our books have a focus on hope,” said Cowles, continuing, “But, the nature of hope is that everything isn’t fixed, and there are still loose ends.”
In the fourth panel, “On An Adventure,” authors Scott Bergstrom, S. J. Kincaid, Scott Reintgen, Veronica Rossi, and Emily Suvada went into the world-building and realism that the genre of adventure demands. “The best day is when you can forget that you’re writing—success is when you can remove yourself from the process,” said Rossi on what writing feels like to her. “The adage ‘write what you know’ always comes after the rule ‘write what you love,’” said Bergstrom on the complexities in writing adventure.
In between panels, there were food trucks outside for attendees to grab lunch. There were also two special sessions taking place: “The Publishing Process for Aspiring Writers” and “Behind the Scenes: How Your Favorite Authors Went From Laptop to Bookstore with THREE Literary Agents” that required pre-registration.
In “The Publishing Process for Aspiring Writers,” keynote speakers David Levithan and Maggie Stiefvater walked through the writing and editing process they use. They took questions and gave key advice. “When I first started, I used to try on the voices of authors that I admired,” said Leviathan, “Through this process, I was able to find my own voice by exploring with different styles and genres. You see what works and what doesn’t work for you—your mistakes become what leads you to success.” “When you paint, you have to block out the big shapes and hone in on the layers,” said Stiefvater on writing without turning back, “When you write your first draft, it’s the same thing.”
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After the panels, #1
New York Times
bestselling author Maggie Stiefvater closed the 2017 Colorado Teen Book Con with her keynote speech. She touched on when she started writing her book
All The Crooked Saints
, why she started writing it, and what it was about through a series of funny and unusual anecdotes from her personal life. Laughter radiated in the auditorium throughout her presentation, and by its end there wasn’t a single person in the whole audience without a smile on their face. And this was all before she ended with playing her bagpipes on stage!
The 2017 Colorado Teen Book Con was such a rare and astounding experience to partake in. It gave teens the opportunity to surround themselves with people that inspire, innovate, and create every single day. It bonded a diverse group of people together through their one common love and passion: reading and writing. Denver is truly lucky to be home to an event like this.
If you were unable to come, make sure to look out for next year’s Colorado Teen Book Con, an event that you don’t want to miss.
A huge thanks goes to all of Tattered Cover’s staff and volunteers that worked tremendously hard to make this event possible.
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TODAY: Tuesday, November 7, 7:00 pm, Aspen Grove
Laura Hopper will discuss and sign her debut novel
I Never
($17.99 Houghton Mifflin), inspired by Judy Blume's classic
Forever
. Janey King's priorities used to be clear: track, school, friends, and family. But when Janey learns that her parents are getting divorced, her world starts to shift. Back at school, Luke Hallstrom pursues Janey, and she realizes that she has two new priorities to consider: love and sex.
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Saturday, November 25, 2:00 pm, Aspen Grove
In celebration of Indies First Day, Jessica Brody, the local author of
A Week of Mondays
and
Addie Bell's Shortcut to Growing Up
, will discuss and sign her young adult novel
The Chaos of Standing Still
($17.99 Simon Pulse). Over the course of one chaotic night stranded at the Denver airport, Ryn confronts her shattered past thanks to the charm of romance, the uniqueness of strangers, and the magic of ordinary places.
Want to win an ARC of
The Chaos of Standing Still
? See below for more info!
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Tuesday, November 28, 7:00 pm, Aspen Grove
Mindy McGinnis, award-winning author of
The Female of the Species
and
A Madness So Discreet
, will discuss and sign her new young adult mystery
This Darkness Mine
($17.99 Katherine Tegen Books).
After meeting a mysterious boy who seems to know her and learning she absorbed her twin in the womb, Sasha is a
rmed with the knowledge that her heart might not be hers alone. Now she must decide what she's willing to do and who she's willing to hurt to take it back.
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Tattered Cover's
YA Bestseller List
October 2017
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8.
Solo
by Kwame Alexander
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How many books have you read so far this year?
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Write a
Book Review!
Have you ever walked through a bookstore and seen little cards sticking out of shelves with book reviews? Have those reviews ever made you want to buy a book?
Those cards are called shelf talkers, and we're looking for teens to write shelf talkers for their favorite books. Your friends and family -- and a lot of total strangers -- can see your reviews on the shelves at Tattered Cover. How cool is that?
To write reviews, send an email to
Kristen Gilligan with "Teen Book Review" in the subject line.
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Teen Writing
Group
Teens come together to share and critique writing, often with a nationally published young adult author as a mentor and participant. An incredible opportunity for aspiring teen writers! Free and open exclusively to teens.
Meets that last Sunday of each month. This is free and open exclusively to teens. Email
Kristen to RSVP.
* Sunday, November 26, 2:00 pm, Aspen Grove
* Sunday, December 31, 2:00 pm, Aspen Grove.
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Teen Advisory Board
This is a group of book-loving teens who meet every month or so to plan and produce programming for anyone excited about YA literature.
Board members have the opportunity to use their creativity, social media skills, and enthusiasm for books to help with all aspects of event promotion, planning, and execution; introduce (and hang out with) authors at events; write book blurbs; give book talks; get FREE advanced reading copies; and even help select authors who come to the store for events or visit schools.
It's fun, rewarding, and a great resumé builder. Currently, we meet at our Aspen Grove and now our Colfax locations. For more info, read our
TAB Info & Application
. To sign up for the TAB, email
Kristen Gilligan
. (And tell your bookish friends!)
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Upcoming TAB Meetings
TAB @ Aspen Grove
Tuesday, November 7, 7:00 - 8:30 pm, Events Area
TAB @ Colfax Avenue
Thursday, November 8, 7:00 - 8:30 pm, Orchestra Pit
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Author Visits
in Schools
They're FREE!
I mean, who doesn't love a school assembly? Seriously though, Tattered Cover can bring an author into your school to speak to smaller groups of English or writing classes, or a full school-wide assembly.
The best part is that's there no cost to the school. If this sounds interesting, just connect us with your school librarian or principal.
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Listen:
It's a great way to enjoy a book!
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Download the free Libro.fm app, buy an audiobook and get stuff done. Listen while you workout, fold laundry, go on a road trip. Libro.fm has just about every title you could want. It's easy and convenient!
Check out the Harry Potter audiobooks...
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Kids these days with all this literature - Colorado...
Young adult fiction is one of the most diverse and vibrant areas of fiction, with stories, characters and perspectives that run the gamut from the fantastic and dystopian to the painfully realistic and political. And as an author of young adult ...
Read more
lakewoodsentinel.com
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Signed copies on shelves now!
by Maggie Stiefvater
"Soria Rule Number 1: Don't interact with the pilgrims. Bicho Raro Colorado is a miraculous place. People come from all over to be blessed with miracles. The only problem is that the miracles cause the darkness inside you to become tangible, so that the person burdened with it must find a way to beat it. The Sorias are the ones to preform these miracles. But if they help the pilgrims beat their darkness, they fall victim to their own, and Soria darkness is especially hard to beat. So when one Soria falls victim to his own darkness, the Sorias think that all hope is lost. But hope is not something that gives up so easily. I loved this book because of its new take on the magic of miracles and the power of family. This book is great for YA readers who are looking for something new to read."
—
Lexie J., Tattered Cover Teen Advisory Board
"Set in our own backyard,
All the Crooked Saints
tells the tale of the Soria family and their miraculous gifts-- literally! For as long as anyone can remember, pilgrims have traveled to the Soria ranch in hopes of receiving a miracle from the Saint of Bicho Raro. But after young cousin and current Saint of Bicho Raro, Daniel, breaks the cardinal rule of miracle granting, Daniel and his cousins Beatriz and Joaquin must come to grips with the darker side of holy. Chalk full of Stiefvater's infamously colorful characters and wild storytelling,
All the Crooked Saints
is a YA must read."
—
Hattie P. Tattered Cover Teen Advisory Board
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On shelves now!
by Emily Suvada
"Welcome to a world where people can synthetically change their DNA, changing how they look, making them stronger or giving them access to virtual reality. However, for the last two years a virus has swept over the world, called Hydra, forcing most of humanity into Cartaxus bunkers or fighting for survival on the surface. Catarina has survived the last few years on the surface avoiding Cartaxus bunkers as her father warned her never to go there after he was taken two years ago. But when Cartaxus comes looking for her and secrets her father covered up shake her world, Catarina is left making choices she never would have imagined. Emily Suvada creates an amazingly complex world with hauntingly realistic stories of what happens when science goes too far. One of the most unique and thrilling dystopians I've ever read, a must read for anyone who ever wonders about the extent of human genetics or anyone that wants an outstanding, different, heart pounding and mind bending new book to read."
—
Kayla R., Tattered Cover Teen Advisory Board
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On shelves now!
by Sandhya Menon
"Dimple Shah and Rishi Patel could not be more different. Dimple is rebellious and refuses to conform to her parents standards on what she should be. Rishi is a dutiful son to his parents and fine with whatever they throw his way. So when their parents both agree to send them both to Insomnia Con to hopefully hit it off, Rishi thinks, why not? But Dimple isn't having it. And when they are assigned to the same team, things get interesting. But love has the funniest way of showing itself in the most unexpected places, whether you want it there or not. Sandhya Menon does a sensational job in
When Dimple Met Rishi
. This book was absolutely fantastic and perfect for fans of
The Sun is Also a Star
."
—
Lexie J., Tattered Cover Teen Advisory Board member
"
At a coding competition in San Francisco, fate could be at work … or more likely their parents. Dimple wants nothing to do with Rishi, the boy her parents decide should be her groom in an arranged marriage. As the two bond over building an app for the competition and shared experiences in San Francisco and their everyday lives, the characters fall in love with each other and the reader falls in love with the novel. A sweet rom-com with heart and humor throughout,
When Dimple Met Rishi
is a story to remember."
—
Arden H., TC Teen Advisory Board
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ARC Giveaway: November 2017
HOW TO ENTER
Email
Kristen
with "ARC Giveaway" in the subject line expressing your interest in being entered into the random drawing to win the Advanced Reader's Copy (ARC).
THE RULES
You agree not to sell the ARC. You agree to not quote from the ARC. You must be able to pick up the book at one of our
Denver Metro locations
(Colfax, LoDo, Aspen Grove)
.
ABOUT THE BOOK
The Chaos of Standing Still
is
Set entirely in our very own Denver International Airport in a blizzard!! Over the course of one chaotic night stranded at the Denver airport, Ryn confronts her shattered past thanks to the charm of romance, the uniqueness of strangers, and the magic of ordinary places in this stunning novel from the author of
Boys of Summer
.
Ryn has one unread text message on her phone. And it's been there for almost a year. She hasn't tried to read it. She can't. She won't. Because that one message is the last thing her best friend ever said to her before she died. But as Ryn finds herself trapped in the Denver International Airport on New Year's Eve thanks to a never-ending blizzard on the one-year anniversary of her best friend's death, fate literally runs into her. And his name is Xander.
When the two accidentally swap phones, Ryn and Xander are thrust into the chaos of an unforgettable all-night adventure, filled with charming and mysterious strangers, a secret New Year's Eve bash, and a possible Illuminati conspiracy hidden within the Denver airport. But as the bizarre night continues, all Ryn can think about is that one unread text message. It follows her wherever she goes, because Ryn can't get her brilliantly wild and free-spirited best friend out of her head. Ryn can't move on. But tonight, for the first time ever, she's trying. And maybe that's a start. As moving as it is funny, The Chaos of Standing Still is a heartwarming story about the earth-shattering challenges life throws at us--and the unexpected strangers who help us along the way.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jessica Brody knew from a young age that she wanted to be a writer. She started self “publishing” her own books when she was seven years old, binding the pages together with cardboard, wallpaper samples, and electrical tape. After graduating from Smith College in 2001 where she double majored in Economics and French and minored in Japanese, Jessica later went on to work for MGM Studios as a Manager of Acquisitions and Business Development. In May of 2005, Jessica quit her job to follow her dream of becoming a published author.
Since then, Jessica has sold over twelve novels for teens, tweens, and adults including
52 Reasons to Hate My Father
,
The Karma Club
,
My Life Undecided
, and the three books in the
Unremembered trilogy
, the first of which is currently in
development as a major motion picture
by the producers of
The Vampire Academy, Zero Dark Thirty, Life of Pi,
and
Slumdog Millionaire
. In 2016, she will release two new contemporary novels,
A Week of Mondays
(August) and
Boys of Summer
(April), and in 2017, her debut middle grade novel entitled,
Addie Bell’s Shortcut to Growing Up
,
will hit bookstore shelves. Jessica also writes books for the Descendants:
School of Secrets
series, based on the hit Disney Channel Original movie,
Descendants
! Jessica’s books are published and translated in over twenty foreign countries.
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~
Bringing People & Books Together Since 1971
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Colfax Avenue, 303-322-7727
Historic LoDo, 303-436-1070
Aspen Grove, 303-470-7050
Visit our Union Station and airport stores.
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