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Comings & Goings: Three Book Festival in 8 Days
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I’ll be driving around, working on weekends, and showing up at various upcoming book festivals. If you can make it, yes, please, by all means stop by my table and say hello.
I’ll be signing books and eager to talk about school visits. Or if you wish, just write to me at: Jamespreller@aol.com and we can begin the conversation that way.
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1) SEPTEMBER 30th, 2023
CHAPPAQUA CHILDREN’S BOOK FESTIVAL
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This one is bananas. Something like 180 authors & illustrators, possibly the biggest children’s book festival in the States? Who is going to be there? Everybody.
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2) OCTOBER 1st, 2023
MAPLEWOOD SOUTH ORANGE BOOK FESTIVAL
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This is a new one for me, which is exciting and slightly anxiety provoking. I’m hoping for smaller, quieter, cozier. I’m hoping to see area teachers and librarians and maybe we can begin talking about school visits.
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3) OCTOBER 7th, 2023
WARWICK CHILDREN’S BOOK FESTIVAL
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Ah, sweet Warwick. A lovely town and a nice day in the park. If you’ve never visited Warwick, NY, here’s a good excuse. Please say hello. Here are some of the titles that *might* be there . . .
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THANK YOU!
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If You Write It, They Might Come!
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Life offers us these little gifts, small moments. I was invited by librarian Thea Schoep to the Claverack Free Library for a cozy Saturday program centered around my Choose-Your-Own-Adventure book, Fairy House. And almost magically, the most delightful young people appeared: wide eyed, engaged, eager. Which is funny, because that’s the very idea of the book. If you build it, they might come. Or perhaps in this case, If you write it. Thea and the staff at Claverack gathered together materials and, after a brief talk about writing and books — about making things — we built our own fairy houses together.
There’s something wonderful about great gobs of glue in the hands of a 4-year-old. It does the heart good. I’m grateful for the support, for the invitation, for the work, for the people, young and old. Thank you, Thea!
Category: Fairy House /
Booking Zoom Visits, Too!
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I just booked another Zoom visit — 30 minutes, Q & A — with a class of 6th graders who all read Bystander over the summer. Books come and go, faster than ever these days, so I am especially grateful to the teachers who still find it valuable to share this book with students. I think of this one as a “talking book,” a springboard for conversations that are very probably more meaningful than any of the printed words that came from me. Anyway: feeling thankful for that. 
The prequel/sequel, stand-alone companion book, Upstander, is now available in paperback. Mary’s older brother suffers from a substance use disorder (SUD), and for some that might make this title for a slightly more mature audience. I believe it’s such an important issue — lives are being lost every day — I wanted to find a way to address it in a thoughtful, compassionate way.Contact me directly at jamespreller@aol.com and I’ll be happy to respond to your query to create a visit that works for your specific needs. My fees are very affordable.
Please note that I’ve done book-centered visits for a range of titles: Jigsaw Jones, Exit 13, The Big Idea Gang, The Courage Test, and more.
