Tag Archive for James Preller Shaken

“Listen Up, People!” I’m Interviewed on The “Kidlit Love” Podcast!

How much is too much Jimmy? I think we’re about to find out. Just STOMP THIS LINK and listen to as much as you can stand.

Wait, what?
I was asked by the effervescent Stephanie Affinito to participate in her Kidlit Love Podcast. Stephanie is a lot of amazing things — a professor, a podcaster, a yoga enthusiast, a notebook-hoarding fanatic, a mother, a sharer, a bookaholic, a woman on a mission — but what I most appreciate is that she’s a sensitive, thoughtful reader.
A book person.
That is, Stephanie is my kind of people. 
I’m so grateful for Stephanie’s enthusiastic support and so glad to see my powerful little book receive such a sweet, sympathetic response.
That link again? This. 

Spotted at NCTE

I had two friends send photos of SHAKEN, as displayed at NCTE.

Which was really kind of them. 

 

Kristy’s Concussion: A Scene from My New Novel, SHAKEN: Megan Rapinoe and a Knife

Here’s a paragraph and then a quick scene that takes place soon after Kristy suffers a concussion while playing soccer. It’s the “inciting event” that propels the novel forward.

 

Light breaks through the curtains, bringing with it a sharp pain to her forehead. Kristy imagines a jagged crack running from eyebrow to hairline. She can’t bear to call out her mother’s name. So she waits, eyes squeezed shut, pillow over her face, like an aphid on the underside of a leaf. A black dot of silence. She’ll be better soon. As good as new. Running the field and scoring goals. This is the worst of it. Yes, she tells Megan Rapinoe, who is staring back at Kristy from a soccer poster on the wall, this is the very worst. 

It was the first time Kristy was alone for the day in an empty house. No problem. She’d just take it slow, recover. 

That was the word, over and over, recover. 

“That’s your job now,” her father advised. “Just get better, a little bit better each day.” 

Sure. Okay. 

But how do you do that when your head feels like it’s covered with bubble wrap? When your brain doesn’t feel right? When it hurts to think? Every time Kristy turned her head, it took an extra second for her eyes to focus. For a moment, it’s just blur. 

Kristy padded softly downstairs, moved into the kitchen, slid two pieces of cinnamon raisin bread into the toaster. The room smelled like coffee and eggs and it turned her stomach. There were a few dishes in the sink and for some reason this unsettled her. But why? Who cares? She stood by the counter holding a knife. 

Time passed. She blinked. Looked down.

A knife was in her right hand.

There was a window above the sink overlooking the backyard. Trees, grass, the deck. Leaves beginning to change colors, drop down to the ground. No action at the bird feeder. It was empty, anyway. No seed. 

So this was what it was like to stay home on a school day. For two weeks straight. The big echoing house. The world of nothingness outside. A voice in her head asked, Is it empty, or full of nothing? 

Oh, how very zen. 

Kristy noticed that the faucet was running. She shut it off. 

Why was a knife in her right hand? 

The smell of cinnamon. And something else—a burnt, bitter aroma. Kristy remembered the toaster, the toast, the butter, and the reason for the knife. She wasn’t hungry anymore. Didn’t bother, even, to remove the blackened bread from the toaster. It could wait. It could all wait. She placed the butter knife on the counter and headed back upstairs. The bed beckoned. 

Tomorrow, she thought. Tomorrow will be better. 

PUB DAY in the ADKs: “Shaken” Now Available!

PUB DAY in the ADKs!
Yes, I’m on vacation with a place on Rainbow Lake for two full weeks. Amazing. 
Today this book sees the world, and here I am reminded that the rocks, the air, the water, and the trees don’t care.
It is only right that this is so.
I know I’ve been a lot lately with the publishing news. I promise, this is my last new book of 2024. Thank you to anyone who picks up Kristy’s story, who places it (cover out!) on a bookshelf, hands it to a young person (grades 4-8), reads it — while the world shrugs with benign indifference.
I think I’ll get out on the water today and count my blessings.

Good News: The 2nd Review for SHAKEN Is Pretty Fabulous, Too!

I’m happy with this new review for Shaken from the Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books (BCCB). Here’s a snip, minus the plot outline — Kristy, a 7th grade soccer star, suffers from the effects of a serious concussion — since BCCB asks authors not to post full reviews:



“Preller’s writing is rife with strong metaphors and powerfully realistic characters, making a surprisingly gripping story despite a relatively staid plot that focuses on a girl slowly learning a new way to be healthy. As Kristy works through the pressure that she’s put on herself (and the pressure coming from her parents and older teammates) to excel, she learns how to stand up for her own needs and how to identify which of her skills are good for her, like asking for help without apologies, and which aren’t, like disassociating through difficult times. When she finally returns to the soccer field, it’s alone, to do drills and test her love for the game, which feels even more triumphant than the early scenes in front of cheering fans.”

 

As a reminder, here’s a snippet from last week’s review from Kirkus:

 

“Preller’s careful pacing matches the fuzziness and slow healing of Kristy’s brain, introducing readers to the realities of the pain, loss, and feelings of isolation that dedicated athletes experience when they can no longer play. The somber tone of the story is lightened by the presence of two minor characters who bring levity and humor. Strong themes of healing (both physical and emotional), family, and friendship abound. An introspective and realistic coming-of-age story about rediscovering oneself. (Fiction. 9-13)



COMING on SEPTEMBER 10th!