Jennifer Anne Kogler

So, perhaps New Jersey has a bad rap, but I’ve got to tell you, I spent the week there and it is bee-u-tee-full.  Now, obviously, having spent four years there for college, I may be biased, but I think I’m speaking the truth.

It was a Mendham Monday for me (and by that, I mean that I started out in Mendham Township Middle School).  I met the enlightened Melanie Smith there, who I learned more from in a few short hours than I thought possible.

On Tuesday and Wednesday, I went back to one of my favorite stops from my last tour, Crossroads North & South – which is two campuses and one middle school.  At North, I was greeted by the lovely and amazing Kim Zito, who had baked up a storm.  I had my first whoopie pie and it’s safe to say it’s love.  Then I was on to South, and I had another excellent day, compliments of Rita Nannini, who has had about as interesting a professional career as anyone I’ve met on the road thus far.

On Thursday, I was back in Princeton at John Witherspoon Middle School, hosted by the charming Stephen Dunbar and then finally I ended my week at Millburn.  While at Millburn Middle School, I had a sandwich dressed with tomatoes that were actually grown in librarian Amy Ipp’s garden and, let me tell you, they were pretty unbelievable.  Amy and Arlene in the library were so enthusiastic and the lunch group of students I ate with had me in stitches.  In fact, I got this evil eye from an ebullient student named Asena.  It is from Turkey and it’s supposed to ward off danger.

Let’s hope it works.  I also got a very strong recommendation to read Battle Royale by Koushun Takami (at least, I hope I’m remembering the name right), which I will do post haste.  I’ve never quite heard a student talk about a book before in such a sparkling manner.

Anyhow, in sum, the garden state did not disappoint and I hope to be back there soon!

I have been a delinquent blog poster for the week . . . I had a good excuse, I promise.  Because I attended a wedding last weekend, I didn’t have a chance to play catch up like I normally do.   But I would be remiss if I didn’t relate the wonderful time I had in Chicago a couple weeks ago.

I kicked off my time at Caruso Middle School in Deerfield, IL.  There I got some excellent book recommendations thanks to the encyclopedic knowledge of Sheila Shifrin.  I was then on to Shepard Middle School, also in Deerfield (and the first school I’ve visited named after an astronaut).  At the end of my day there, I saw something I haven’t seen before.  While the terrific Karen Davis was sneaking me in to the gym to snap a photo of the huge Spartan on the wall (yes, I’m still on a mascot kick), I witnessed the kids playing some strange combination of volleyball (there were high nets) and tennis (there were also tennis racquets) with a ball that was slightly smaller than a volleyball.  Anyone have any idea what it was I saw?

I should also mention that I went to the legendary bookstore in Naperville, Anderson’s, where I was greeted by Jan, Anderson’s event organizer extraordinaire.

On Wednesday, I met a wonderful librarian, Carolyn Lorence, and some hilarious teachers at Edgewood, and though it’s a long story, the phrase “chili cook off” will now always make me laugh.  I also had a website hacking issue that turned into a teachable moment thanks to Carolyn.  Then it was off to Wood Oaks, where I ate too much pizza and managed to embarrass the lovely and phenomenal Gay Lynn Cronin by wishing her a happy birthday during my presentation.

I couldn’t have asked for a nicer end to my week, though, at Burr Ridge’s Gower Middle School.  Along with my first meal in a sunken dining room (a meal that was, by all accounts, delicious ), I met Kymberli Mulford, who was gracious and hilarious.  Also, I received this fragrant candle, compliments of Stephanie Gose.

It makes me hungry every time I smell it.  I’m afraid it’s only a matter of time before I break down and take a bite.

An update from last week in NJ coming soon!

JAK

Hello!

So, after a quiet Labor Day, I spent the remainder of  last week in the Atlanta area.  Last time I was in Atlanta on a book tour, I participated in my first (and, so far) only tornado drill.  This time, there was a destructive tornado just north of us and a big road closure due to a gas leak.  All this made me begin to wonder if I was unlucky for Atlanta.  But my school visits in Georgia could not have gone better, so I’m hoping it’s not me.

I started off the week at Webb Bridge Road and met some delightful students in the Media Center.  On Wednesday, I was then off to speak to the entire 7^th grade at Taylor Road.  I visited my dear friends at Hopewell on Thursday (where said tornado drill occurred several years ago) and finished up the week at Crabapple Middle School.

Those of you who have read The Death Catchers know the fictional town in the book is named Crabapple.  So when I found out there was an ACTUAL Crabapple Middle School, there was no way I wasn’t going to visit.  And it did not disappoint.  I spoke to the entire school in the gym and it was an incredible morning.

Actually, I had a surreal moment of recognition when my eyes met a sixth grade girl who had glasses similar to my sixth-grade self:  If you had told me as a sixth grader that I’d be talking at a school-wide assembly as an adult, I would have probably have crumpled into a pool of nerves and nausea.

Of course, I wouldn’t have realized then that getting up on stage also allows me to meet so many enthusiastic, bright, wonderful students with such interesting perspectives – which is certainly more than enough to keep me going!

Anyhow, huge and hearty thanks to Nan Brown (who provided me with an endless supply of sweet tea), Karen White (whose book display was as impressive as it was efficiently assembled), Janice Etscovitz (the best lunch date around) and Beth Miller (who’s Animoto trailer for the book was truly amazing).

I will leave you with this, my favorite mascot picture of the week.  I know I’ve said before, and I’ll say it again:  There’s no husky quite like a giant stuffed husky.  Or something like that. -JAK

Hello! I’m back in Los Angeles for a few days before I head East for a wedding, and I’m adjusting to it not being 110 degrees every day.  I grew used to the heat — it does make for wonderful night swimming weather, after all.

Anyhow, I had a wonderful time in the Phoenix area. I have to thank Diana Rasmussen, Kathleen Bohling, Peggy Newendyke, and Stephanie Merrill for hosting me at their schools!  I was greeted by bulletin board displays, interviewed on Stapley’s student news channel, and spoke in an orchestra room lined with cellos.  I ended my week at the fantastic Payne Jr. High, where they have a fabulously run book club and writing club.  Many of the teachers and staff members were wearing hand-crafted “Welcome Jennifer Anne Kogler” stickers.  See?

It was awesome.  And don’t worry, I’ll try not to let all the attention go to my head.

Because I was staying with my very hip friends, the McGraws, in the Phoenix area (a lot hipper than I am, I assure you), I got a good sense of how many great spots there are to grab a bite to eat there.   My favorite was probably The Parlor, which was a beauty parlor turned pizza parlor (including the original beauty parlor chairs).

Speaking of hip, I also did a little fashion shopping on Friday at Payne Junior High. An 8th grader makes amazing accessories out of duct tape–bows, wallets, you name it.  I am now the proud owner of one myself. Check it out:

There were many different colors, but I felt like hot pink was the right choice.  Am I right?

-JAK

So, I was surprised, delighted and thrilled when a bundle of thank you notes was hand delivered to me from West Lake Middle School in North Carolina on Friday.  And, seriously, it was a really thick bundle.  It was maybe the thickest bundle I’ve ever received.  And it also got me to thinking about thank you notes.  I finally had time to go through them and reading them all taught me a few things.  Actually, here are five of those things.

1. Although you may think that writing a thank you note in different colored highlighters is a bad idea, it’s actually an amazing idea.  Please see the picture below for further proof of this.

2. Writing something along the lines of “you will probably never read this, but thanks for visiting anyway” is both a hilarious way to end a thank you note and will crack up the person you’re writing to, should they actually read it.  And, yes, Hayden, I did read your letter.  I read all of them.  They were wonderful.

3. Drawings really jazz up a letter.  There were some pretty excellent ones in the notes I got.  Like this one:

I wish I could draw this well.

4. Complimenting a person’s wardrobe is an excellent way to end a letter in a P.S.  I now know, for instance, that my sparkly white Tom’s were a hit with the 6^th grade.  Which is a very good thing to know.

5. I have the best job in the world.  Getting to talk to students is not only rewarding (especially when I get to chat with all those aspiring writers out there) but it also reminds me how lucky I am to be writing books that people are reading.

So thanks for the thanks.  But, honestly, the pleasure was all mine.  More from Phoenix later in the week!

I am back from my week in North Carolina and, boy, it was a great one!  Thanks to the incredible teachers/media specialists who welcomed me into their fantastic schools:  Belinda Talley, Kristen Ziller, Jessica Grant, Kelli Jones and Diane Ruby.  They were all wonderful.   I got some fantastic questions and met some impressive aspiring writers.

Those of you following me on twitter probably already know that I’ve recently become fascinated by school mascots.  Perhaps it’s because my own middle school mascot was a little odd – a man in plaid playing bagpipes (we were the Highlanders).  They were all excellent this week, including the abstract Lufkin Road Lightning.  The most impressive mascot costume this week, though, had to be Salem’s Sammie the Spartan.  Personally, I loved the giant head.  Check it out:

 I loved it so much that Sammie the Spartan earned a spot as my new twitter avatar (and thanks eight-bit me, you were great while you lasted).

One of the many great things about visiting schools is that I usually learn all about the particular schools.  Every school I visited this week was a year-round school and, by the end of the week, I was spouting off lingo like a local (i.e.  ”when do you track out?”).   Every school has four tracks and each student in any particular track rotates, or “tracks out,” by taking a three week break after being in school for nine weeks.  So every kid gets several breaks, spread throughout the whole year.  The students I spoke to all seemed to really like the year-round school system (who knew?) and had a lot of strong opinions about which track was the best (hint: it was usually their own).  It may sound a little complicated, and if you’re a parent with multiple kids in different tracks it certainly sounds like it could be, but the kids I heard from said they are learning more–or at least forgetting less .

Speaking of tracking out, I also need to thank the kids who were tracked out and either came in just to hear me speak, or  to volunteer their time to help to make the events go as smoothly as they did.

I did explore the Raleigh area and loved driving through the beautiful college campuses in the area — North Carolina, North Carolina State and Duke.  I also had a fantastic lunch at Mama Dips in Chapel Hill.  That place has amazing chicken and biscuits that I would recommend to anyone who likes food that is both delicious and filling.

Finally, if you ever find yourself in the Raleigh area and you like books, you owe it to yourself to seek out Quail Ridge Books.  It’s a fantastic independent bookstore with a delightful staff dedicated to helping you find exactly what you’re looking for.  They were so helpful to me.  Needless to say, by the end of the week, I was sad to be leaving NC.

Until next time,

Jennie

I am busy having a great time in North Carolina and will post a full update at the end of the week, but I had a few things I wanted to pass along.

My guest blog on Inkpop is up!

http://www.inkpop.com/blog/2011/08/15/notes-author-write-what-you-know

And, it’s still not too late to enter Inkpop’s contest on dreams to win a free copy of THE SIREN’S CRY:

http://www.inkpop.com/node/524646

Happy trails,

Jennie

The great people over at Inkpop have posted a writing contest revolving around “dreams,” based on The Siren’s Cry.  And guess what?  I’m going to be a judge.  Having judged very few things in my life, I’m pretty pumped.  So enter away if you feel so inclined:

http://www.inkpop.com/node/524646

Also, starting next week, I’ll be out on the road, so look for a constant stream of updates soon.

Until then,

JAK

One of my friends made an interesting point the other day.  We were talking, generally, about email and its role as the dominant modern form of communication (nerd alert!).  My friend made the point that the P.S. at the end of an email is pointless and should eventually become obsolete because, in the age of computers and cursors, you can just insert the text where it needs to go — there is no need to put anything as a postscript at all.  These days, people rarely write longhand or use typewriters, both of which made it impossible to stick afterthoughts into a letter.

Though my friend makes a compelling and heady point, as a stylistic flourish, I firmly believe the postscript still has some use.  For instance, when writing an angry email, there’s something about finishing it off with P.S. Insert insulting one-liner here. Or, when writing a sunny letter, writing P.S. I miss you at the end conveys a sentiment putting it in the body of the letter itself doesn’t.

Could both these things, as my friend has pointed out, be inserted into an email fairly easily?  Sure.  But there’s something about the postscript’s ability to control what kind of taste is left in the reader’s mouth that I think still gives it meaning.  Even if it’s not technically “written after” (which wikipedia tells me is what the Latin post scriptum means).  I certainly have adjusted or written portions of an email after I added a postscript.  And I don’t know about you, but I still receive emails with P.S. at the bottom.  Which is comforting in a way.  Because even though we may not write letters (or postcards) as often to one another, certain things will never change.

Warmly,

JAK

P.S. I may not know what I’m talking about.

I spent this past Sunday afternoon listening to a friend sing in the Bay Choral Guild’s spring concert, “A Festival of Masses.” In short, I loved it — what a great way to spend an afternoon.

Basically, the choir presented three different examples from three different centuries, using the basic choral texts usually heard in a typical Mass.   Now, I know very very little about all this (part of the reason, I suppose, I enjoyed it so much), but what was remarkable to me was how, though the words were the same, each example built on the last, creating an entirely new, different and interesting whole.  Anyone who follows me on twitter (www.twitter.com/!/jenniferkogler) may already know I’m a big fan of remixes, especially Girl Talk, and I guess what struck me was that people were doing this kind of thing as early as the 1500s and beyond (in CHURCH no less).

Oh, and I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the most interesting part of the info included in the program. The Bay Choral Guild ended with a benediction by Urmas Sisask — sort of a modern counterpoint to the three Masses before it — and, let me tell you, this guy Sisask is living the dream. According to the program, he lives in a small Estonian village, in the tower of an old castle. The tower is an observatory-planetarium, music studio, and a concert hall all-in-one.

So what has all this made me realize, you ask?  This: People-living-in-castles is not just a thing of the distant past and remixing is not just a thing of the present and future.

Yours,
Jennie