Thanks you to Page Princess Blog for a Five Star (Crown) review of The Field!
“I loved this story of discovery. Eric is examining his place in the world, his beliefs, and his emotional connection to friends and his girlfriend. This story has strong messages of unified spiritualism and green energy. Eric and Renee’s star-gazing date was a perfect example of a romantic and sweet alternative to the common.”
When you are writing you always wonder if you are getting the character’s point of view right. Apparently I nailed it on Eric’s teen boy point of view. A male librarian reviewer recently told me that he though I was a man when he was reading The Field and this reviewer agrees that I got it right, too. 🙂
“Richardson did a terrific job of portraying this young male, and it really felt like I was inside a teenage boy’s head for the entire story (which was a little scary at times!). I’d highly recommend this book to any male young adult reader, and all the parents wondering about just WHAT is going on in their child’s head. It was a great read.”
The Novel Publicity Blog Tour for The Field is underway! This reviewer really ‘got’ that the novel is both a realistic tale of the struggles of a teenaged soccer player with making the team and dealing with the real issue of his friend’s spiral into drinking, and also a science fiction/metaphysical tale.
“I really liked this very different YA read, that I would also consider a NA [New Adult] crossover due to the weighty nature of scientific/metaphysical storylines. Yes, this book also deals with “normal” teen subjects: dating (no sex); drinking; families in transition: sports; school, etc…. but it was the unusual metaphysical elements of “The Universal Field” that a large part of the story revolved around.
I would recommend this book to YA readers who want something out of the ordinary, who question how the universe works, are interested in science and science fiction and who are open to new ideas.”
Here are just a few of the cool things happening at the ALAN (Assembly of Literature for Adolescents at the NCTE) Conference in Boston.
1. Hanging out with teachers of english – my people! There are literally stacks of books on the ballroom tables and people giddy with anticipation to read them.
2. Listening to REALLY well known and well respected authors talk about writing, books and how powerful they can be in the lives of young people. Here are a few of those who were here. I was sitting toward the back of the room, so I took pictures of them on the big screen – sorry about the quality.
Chris Crutcher – Note the title of his presentation – “Can We be Fucking Real?”
I say YES! Not only can kids take it, but they need to hear it AND they can spot a phony a mile away.
Rainbow Rowell, author of Eleanor & Park and Fangirl
Bill Konigsberg, author of Openly Straight
3. Seeing THE FIELD on the “New Teen Fantasy and Adventure ” Shelf at the Barnes & Noble in Boston – facing out!!!.
4. Fantastic sign outside the restrooms. ALAN wholeheartedly supports the LGBTQ community!
Tomorrow it will be my turn up on stage. Can’t wait!
It was a fun way to spend Saturday morning – a book signing at 4 Kids Books & Toys with other Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators published authors.
I shared a table with Angie Karcher, Where the River Grins, and Laurie Gray, Maybe I Will, Summer Santuary and Just Myrto (Spring, 2014)
Illustrator and author Kristi Valiant with her picture book “Penguin Cha-Cha”
Mike Mullin -always up for a joke – author of Ashfall, Ashen Winter and Sunrise (Spring 2014)
Julia Karr – XVI and Truth, and Alina Klein – Rape Girl
We also heard from Besty Bird, YA and children’s librarian at the New York Public Library, about trends in the industry. She is so in the know and had so much to share! Follow her blog at Fuse 8 Production to find out what’s going on in the world of YA and children’s literature.
The Young Adult Library Services Assn has teen reviewers make recommendations on YA novels. THE FIELD just received a top ten recommendation! Whoo Hoo!
“It was a really good book and if you really like soccer I recommend this book, its hard to put down. Really good book!!!” ~ Tyler, YALSA Top Ten Teen Reviewer
Last weekend my husband and I took advantage of the glorious Fall weather to go on a three hour hike in the Morgan Monroe Forest. The colors were wonderful and the hills were challenging. I’m still sore three days later, but it was worth it!
There were ravines and caves.
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Ponds that reflected the impossible blue of the sky.
Lots of moss – on the trees, on the rocks and covering the ground next to the trail. And then my favorite – fungus!
Could this be any more intricate and beautiful?
And science geek that I am, I even looked up the name of the tree with three pronged leaves that covered the forest floor – the Sassafrass tree!
![220px-Sassafras7[1]](https://i0.wp.com/tracyrichardsonauthor.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/220px-sassafras71.jpg)
I absolutely love Fall!
I just finished this tunic that I designed. Every stripe is a different yarn and a different stitch. I actually copied it from a skirt pattern that I saw in a knitting store that I loved, except I didn’t really want a knitted skirt.
It was a lot of fun to make and I love the colors. It’s meant to be oversized and worn with a tank underneath. Now I’m circling back to a black winter sweater that I had lots of trouble with and just had to set aside. Hopefully I’ll get that done before Thanksgiving! So many projects!
It’s been a while since I shared some of the creative pursuits that I do other than writing. I don’t always have time to do a full blown craft or art project, so I do a lot of knitting because it’s portable. Also, I tend to like textile projects for colors, textures and patterns. Here’s a baby sweater that I made for my soon-to-be-born goddaughter, Lilianna.
It’s so freaking cute (if I do say so myself!) that I want one for myself!!! I’m almost finished with a sweater that I’m making for myself that I also designed. Hopefully I can share pictures next week!
I am slightly suspicsious of ‘people who don’t read.’ Especially when they admit to it freely. It seems almost shameful; something that you would want to hide. But people often tell me – “Oh, I don’t read” – when I mention what I am currently reading. The first time it happened was when I asked the mother of one of my daughter’s friends in elementary school if she wanted to join my book group. She said “It sounds like fun, but I really don’t read.” I was frankly stunned speechless. It seemed almost paramount to admitting that she didn’t brush her teeth.
More recently, a friend told me that the last book she read was “Fifty Shades of Grey” (over a year ago) and that she’d only read that because of the hype. ?!?!? I want to be clear that these are nice, seemingly normal people, but they have a dark and dirty secret. Actually, no, it’s not a secret because they freely admit to it.
I am really sad for ‘people who don’t read’ because of everything that they are missing. I absolutely LOVE to read!! The best think about having an e-reader is that I am never without a book. My bookshelves are literally overflowing with books, but I’ve been know to get panicky if I finish a book and don’t have something at hand to read next. I am currently reading four books simultaneously. One hardcover, one on my iPad and two audio books. If I am driving and listening to an audiobook and am in a really good part, I’ve been known to sit in the parking lot of my destination and even be late for an appointment so I can listen to the story, And that is really the crux of why I love reading. It’s the magic of story.
Story can take you places and make you feel things you’ve never felt before. It can open you up to new thoughts and ideas. It can challenge you and also take away the cares of the day. Although I admit to being a yarn snob (read some of my craft blogs) I’m not a reading snob. I’ve read my share of bodice rippers and People magazines in addition to “To Kill a Mockingbird” and “A Farewell to Arms” and enjoyed them all for different reasons. So it doesn’t always have to be fiction, but it’s my favorite.
My current book group is small, but composed of avid readers. In my last group, some of the members wanted to take the summers off from reading because they wouldn’t have time….isn’t that when we are supposed to have more time? We just finished “The Orphan Train” by Christina Baker Kline. It’s a wonderful tear-jerker which also provided information on a part of US history that I wasn’t aware of. I listened to it on audiobook and if you’ve never listened to an audiobook, I highly recommend it. The readers are talented performers who use different voices for all the characters adding another dimension to the story. I’d love to hear what you’re reading. I may have to add your recommendation to the pile of books waiting under my bedside table to be opened and enjoyed.
