JUNGLE CROSSING by Sydney Salter

• Publication Season/Year: Fall/2009
• Publisher: Harcourt Children’s Books
• Release Date: September 28, 2009
• ISBN (hardcover): 978-0-15-206434-1
• ISBN (paperback): TBD

Thirteen-year-old Kat can think of dozens of good reasons not to go on a boring family vacation to hot, grungy Mexico. Number one: missing her friend Fiona’s mini-camp. If she’s not there, she’ll begin eighth grade as a social reject.

And it looks like she’s the odd girl out on vacation, too. When Kat’s parents arrange for her and her younger sister, Barb, to go on a teen adventure tour, Barb makes more friends than she does. The only person who will talk to Kat is Nando, a young Mayan guide (who happens to be quite a cutie). Each day as they travel to different Mayan ruins, Nando tells Kat and Barb another installment in the original legend of Muluc, a girl who lived in the time of the Ancient Maya. The dangerous, dramatic world in which Muluc lives is as full of rivalry, betrayal, jealousy, and sacrifice as Kat’s world at school. And as she makes new friends and discovers new treasures in Mexico, Kat begins to wonder: Is she willing to keep sacrificing her self in exchange for popularity?

Sydney Salter

The Author: Sydney Salter
Location: Layton, Utah

Sydney Salter’s fascination with Mayan culture started when she was six years old and climbed down a steep, dimly lit stone staircase to the elaborately carved tomb of King Pacal who had once ruled Palenque. Visiting Mayan ruins, walking through fragrant Mexican market places, watching women wash clothes in a river, and chasing lizards in the jungle ignited the spark in Sydney’s imagination that led to writing Jungle Crossing. Sydney now lives in Utah with her husband, two daughters, two cats, two dogs, and pair of tortoises. She loves reading, writing, cooking, and traveling—especially to Mexico where she can explore ancient Mayan ruins and swim in underground rivers. She is also the author of My Big Nose And Other Natural Disasters and the upcoming Swoon At Your Own Risk.

Author Visit Information

I love to travel for author visits whether it’s just a few miles across town or a few hundred across the country.

Example presentations and workshops

Author Q&A; In-depth book club or classroom discussion of My Big Nose And Other Natural Disasters or Jungle Crossing; Turning Real Life Into Fiction; The Writing Life; Writing Workshops (generating ideas, point-of-view, revision, etc). I am happy to create a presentation to meet your individual needs. I’m an SCBWI Regional Advisor so I also love to speak to writers. Skype visits available too.

$150 per presentation, plus out-of-state travel expenses.

Contact Information:

• Official web site: www.sydneysalter.com
• www.mybignose.blogspot.com
• http://www.facebook.com/sydney.salter.author

ROSIE AND SKATE by Beth Ann Bauman

• Publication Season/Year: Fall 2009
• Publisher: Wendy Lamb Books, Random House
• Release Date: August 11,  2009
• ISBN (hardcover): 978-0-385-73735-7
• ISBN (paperback): TBD                         

ROSIE AND SKATE is about two sisters, ages 15 and 16, in a New Jersey shore town.  When their dad, a “nice drunk,” lands himself in jail, they cope in different ways.  Skate and her boyfriend Perry are inseparable, until he goes off to Rutgers leaving her behind.  Rosie is drawn to a boy in her support group.  Within the embrace of their warmhearted community, the girls find hope for the future.

AN APPLE PIE FOR DINNER retold by Susan VanHecke, illustrated by Carol Baicker-McKee

• Publication Season/Year: Fall, 2009
• Publisher: Marshall Cavendish
• Release Date: August 20, 2009
• ISBN (hardcover): 978-0-7614-5452-6
• ISBN (paperback): TBD

An Apple Pie For Dinner is a whimsical retelling of an English folk tale in which kind old Granny Smith, in need of apples for a pie, makes a series of trades, bringing happiness to all she meets.  Together, Granny and her new friends make and share a delicious apple pie.  The book includes a step-by-step apple pie recipe for children.

Susan holds a BFA degree in film and television production from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts and has worked in the fields of music publicity, promotion, and advertising. She is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, which awarded her a research grant for her work-in-progress, The Girl In The Box, an historical novel based on the true story of a young slave’s escape to freedom on the Underground Railroad.

ROCK 'N' ROLL SOLDIER: A MEMOIR by Dean Ellis Kohler with Susan VanHecke

• Publication Season/Year: Fall, 2009
• Publisher: HarperTeen
• Release Date: September 1, 2009
• ISBN (hardcover): 978-0-061242-55-7
• ISBN (paperback): TBD

In 1966, teen guitar prodigy Dean Kohler landed a record deal and his draft notice the same week. Rather than give up his rock star dreams, Dean improvised some instruments and equipment, taught a few fellow soldiers to play, and formed his own touring rock band right there in the combat zone – all without missing a single patrol.  What started as a lark ultimately became a lifeline for Dean and the band, as well as the hundreds of combat-weary troops they played for in increasingly dangerous terrain.

Rock ‘N’ Roll Soldier is their true story.

Susan holds a BFA degree in film and television production from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts and has worked in the fields of music publicity, promotion, and advertising. She is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, which awarded her a research grant for her work-in-progress, The Girl In The Box, an historical novel based on the true story of a young slave’s escape to freedom on the Underground Railroad.

ANOTHER FAUST by Daniel and Dina Nayeri

• Publication Season/Year: Fall 2009
• Publisher: Candlewick Press
• Release Date: August 25, 2009
• ISBN (hardcover): 978-0-763637-07-1
• ISBN (paperback): TBD

One night, in cities all across Europe, five children vanish – only to appear, years later, at an exclusive New York party with a strange and elegant governess. Rumor and mystery follow the Faust teenagers to the city’s most prestigious high school, where they soar to suspicious heights with the help of their benefactor’s extraordinary “gifts.” At once chilling and wickedly satirical, this contemporary re-imagining of the Faustian bargain is a compelling tale of ambition, consequences, and ultimate redemption.

Promo Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VasnMEOIcXE

DREAMING ANASTASIA by Joy Preble

• Publication Season/Year: Fall, 2009
• Publisher: Sourcebooks
• Release Date: September 1, 2009
• ISBN (hardcover): TBD
• ISBN (paperback): 978-1402218170

Sixteen year old Anne thinks her life is pretty ordinary – until she smacks into handsome, mysterious, and okay, annoying Ethan on her way to chemistry class. Now Anne has powers she doesn’t understand, a history altering mission she may not want, and a growing attraction to this blue-eyed stranger. And Ethan – who at eighteen made some choices he’s starting to regret – realizes that Anne is the girl from whom he’s been searching – for a very, very long time. Stir in doomed Russian Grand Duchess Anastasia – who is definitely not quite as dead as the history books say – and Baba Yaga, the legendary witch from Russian folklore, and you’ve got DREAMING ANASTASIA, a contemporary YA fantasy that alternates between the voices of Anne, Ethan, and Anastasia as Anne and Ethan join forces to battle the bad guys and save Anastasia. Only problem is – no one’s quite sure who’s really bad and who’s good. And everyone has some secrets.

The Shifter by Janice Hardy

• Publication Season/Year: Fall, 2009
• Publisher: Balzer & Bray
• Release Date: October 6, 2009
• ISBN (hardcover): 978-0-06-174704-5
• ISBN (paperback): TBD

Nya is an orphan, struggling for survival in a city ravaged by war. She’s also a Taker – someone who can heal injuries by drawing that pain into her own body. But unlike her sister Tali and other Takers, Nya can’t push the pain into pynvium, an enchanted metal used to store it. All she can do is shift it from person to person — a dangerous skill she must conceal or risk being used as a human weapon.

One fateful morning, Nya’s secret is exposed to a pain merchant eager to use her ability for his sinister purposes. At first, she refuses, but when Tali mysteriously disappears, Nya must decide how far she’s willing to go to save her sister.

THE OTHER SIDE OF BLUE by Valerie O. Patterson Copyright for Flipflops: Getty Beach and Background: Jupiter Images

• Publisher: Clarion
• Publication Season/Year: Fall 2009
• Release Date: October 19, 2009
• ISBN (hardcover): 978-0-547-24436-5
• ISBN (paperback): TBD

Fifteen-year-old Cyan, named after the color blue by her artist mother, feels blue in all its shades, when she returns to the Caribbean one year after the loss of her father, drowned in an inexplicable boating accident.  Expected to play host to a potential stepsister, Cyan’s past and future seem colored by mystery.  Did her mother drive her father away?  If he killed himself, why didn’t he leave her a note to help her understand?  And what is she to make of the ice bucket and shattered champagne glasses found on board, or the promises of information from the local rich-boy? As the gulf between her mother and herself grows, Cyan must explore the depths of the color blue-the blue of sadness, the ocean, the horizon, and herself-in this story of love, betrayal, and, ultimately, hope.

FIONA FINKELSTEIN, BIG-TIME BALLERINA! by Shawn K. Stout

• Publication Season/Year: Fall, 2009
• Publisher: Aladdin
• Release Date: September 8, 2009
• ISBN (hardcover): TBD
• ISBN (paperback): TBD

Nine-year-old Fiona Finkelstein has a chance to become a Big-Time Ballerina-to dance on a real stage with a real curtain!–and the only thing standing in her way is a flat out awful case of stage fright. With a mom who’s a soap opera actress, a father who’s a TV meteorologist, and a little brother who thinks he’s a superhero, Fiona’s family seems to be full of natural performers. But Fiona can’t figure out why she didn’t get their cool-as-a-creamsicle genes. FIONA FINKELSTEIN, BIG-TIME BALLERINA! is illustrated by Angela Martini and is published by Aladdin, an imprint of Simon & Schuster.

AS YOU WISH by Jackson Pearce

• Publisher: Harper Teen
• Publication Season/Year: Fall 2009
• Release Date: September 1, 2009
• ISBN (hardcover): 9780061661525
• ISBN (paperback): 9780061661532

Seven months ago, Viola’s boyfriend told her he was gay-moments before she was going to lose her virginity to him. Heartbroken, Viola has resigned herself to near invisibility, until she inadvertently summons a young jinn out of his world, Caliban, and into her own. Here he will remain until she makes three wishes.

Jinn is anxious to get back to Caliban, but Viola is terrified of wishing, afraid her wishes will be manipulated into curses. Jinn knows that should she wait too long, the Ifrit, guardians of earthbound jinn, will press her to wish by hurting those around her.As they spend time together, Jinn can’t deny that he’s slowly falling in love with Viola, blurring the lines between master and servant. It’s only after Viola makes her first wish-for a popular boy to love her-that she realizes the feelings are mutual.

With every wish Jinn’s time with her diminishes, but the longer she waits to wish the greater danger she’s in from the Ifrit. Together, Viola, Jinn, and Viola’s ex-boyfriend try to outwit the Ifrit while dealing with their own romantic complexities and the alcohol-laced high school social scene.

GONE FROM THESE WOODS by Donny Bailey Seagraves

• Publication Season/Year: Fall 2009
• Publisher: Delacorte Press
• Release Date: August 25, 2009
• ISBN (hardcover): 978-0-385-73629-9
• ISBN (paperback): TBD

Eleven-year-old Daniel Sartain didn’t want to go hunting with Uncle Clay that cold November morning. But he went. Now he feels like a monstrous villain in one of his comic books as he tries to cope with the guilt after accidentally killing his beloved uncle. Mom tries to hold the family together with her comfort and love. Mrs. Hardy, Daniel’s guidance counselor at school, offers a sanctuary in her office as she tries to help Daniel survive after losing his role model and best friend in the world. At the same time, Daniel’s alcoholic father, Clay’s older brother, makes a tragic situation worse. The memory of that cold morning in the North Georgia woods – and most of all the hurt – will stay with Daniel forever. But somehow, he must find a way to go on . . . for Uncle Clay . . . and most of all, for himself.

THE SECRETS OF THE CHEESE SYNDICATE by Donna St. Cyr

• Publication Season/Year: Fall, 2009
• Publisher: CBAY Books
• Release Date: August 4, 2009
• ISBN (paperback):  978-1-933767-10-9

Robert Montasio didn’t think his day could get any worse until his sister drinks a bizarre soda that causes her to start shrinking.  Robert’s only hope is a mysterious organization known as the Secret Cheese Syndicate.  Unfortunately, they can’t help without a special cheese that has been lost for years.  Now, with a tiny little sister in his pocket, Robert has to travel the world to find the Mystic Cheese of Eliki and, perhaps, discover secrets from his family’s past.

Author Visit Information

I am available for school and conference presentations.

Example presentations and workshops

• From Idea to Book: Takes students through the writing and publishing process, including story.
• Be an Author: From brainstorming to revisions, students will create a story and mock up a picture book dummy. 90 minutes. Elementary/Middle
• Storytelling 101: Interactive storytelling with audience participation. 35 minutes Preschool/Lower Elementary
• Research and Writing: Using a pathfinder, students learn to brainstorm through a selected topic and design a research project. 90 minutes. Middle School.
• Faculty Presentation: Literature in the Curriculum: Collaborative planning and integration of literature across subject areas -presentation with examples of thematic unit ideas and activities. 45 minutes
• Faculty Presentation: Research, Writing and the Internet: Focuses on how to create a successful writing project that avoids the pitfalls of plagiarism, undocumented sources, and dysfunctional writing. 45 minutes

FINDING LINCOLN by Ann Malaspina

• Publication Season/Year: Fall 2009
• Publisher: Albert Whitman & Company
• Release Date: September 1, 2009
• ISBN (hardcover): TBD
• ISBN (paperback): TBD

Louis needs to find a book about President Lincoln for a class report, but the main library is open to whites only. He searches in the small library in the church basement for African Americans, but he can’t find any books about presidents.  His parents tell him to be patient.  Some day soon, he’ll be allowed to borrow books from the main library, but Louis refuses to wait.

CANDOR by Pam Bachorz

• Publication Season/Year: Fall 2009
• Publisher: Egmont USA
• Release Date: September 22, 2009
• ISBN (hardcover): 978-1-606840-12-2
• ISBN (paperback): TBD

In a town where his father brainwashes everyone, Oscar Banks has found a way to secretly fight the subliminal Messages. But when he falls in love, he must choose whether to let Nia be lost to brainwashing or to sacrifice himself.

THE HOLLOW by Jessica Verday

• Publication Season/Year: Fall 2009
• Publisher: Simon Pulse
• Release Date: October 6, 2009
• ISBN (hardcover): 978-1-4169-7893-0
• ISBN (paperback): TBD

When Abbey’s best friend, Kristen, vanishes at the bridge near Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, everyone else is all too quick to accept that Kristen is dead…and rumors fly that her death was no accident. Abbey has never felt so desperately alone. Then she meets Caspian, a gorgeous and mysterious stranger who shows up out of nowhere at Kristen’s funeral and keeps reappearing in Abbey’s life. Caspian clearly has secrets of his own, but he’s the only person who makes Abbey feel normal again…but also special.

Just when Abbey starts to feel that she might survive all this, she learns a secret that makes her question everything she thought she knew about her best friend. How could Kristen have kept silent about so much? And could this secret have led to her death? As Abbey struggles to understand Kristen’s betrayal, she uncovers a frightening truth that nearly unravels her – one that will challenge her emerging love for Caspian as well as her own sanity.