Ruta Sepetys Rocks Books and Books . . .

Last week, I had the great pleasure of hearing author Ruta Sepetys give a talk at Books & Books.

Hubby and I drove two hours through rush hour traffic on a weeknight to be there.

Why?

A little more than a year ago, Steve Watkins, Julia Durango and I judged the Golden Kite Awards.  We read through 450 books . . .

And ultimately chose Ruta's Between Shades of Gray as the winner of the Golden Kite Award. 

Not to be confused with that masterpiece of literature, Fifty Shades of Gray.  Even though Ruta's book does start with:  They took me in my nightgown.

Here's a blurb about the book:  Fifteen-year-old Lina Vilkas is arrested by the Soviet secret police and deported to Siberia with her mother and younger brother. Lina fights for her life, vowing that if she survives she will honor her family and the thousands like hers by burying her complete story in a jar on Lithuanian soil. Lina’s writings chronicle her experience, her struggle to accept help from a kind Soviet guard she’s supposed to hate, and retain her dignity without losing faith in mankind.

Between Shades of Gray has been published in 41 countries.

So, when Ruta's follow up, Out of the Easy, came out, I had to get it.

And when I found out Ruta would be at Books & Books at the beginning of her 10-week tour, I had to get there.

She was worth the trip!

Ruta gave the best author/book talk I've heard at a bookstore.  Her stories were fascinating, funny and harrowing.  They involved American idol, being in a prison camp and spending a day with a mafia boss.  Her personality is warm and genuine.  And she stayed until every last question was answered and every book signed.

I'm an even bigger fan now!

Donna & Ruta Sepetys at Books and Books

Ruta's tour will take her to many places in the United States, London, Paris, several locations in Lithuania and she will be speaking to the European Parliament! 

Here's her touring schedule.  If you get a chance to see Ruta speak, don't miss it!

Being a Golden Kite Award Judge

The e-mail asking me to be a Golden Kite Award judge included this sentence:  "This year we expect approximately 200- 300 books in the Fiction category."

I felt honored to be asked.

Then I thought:  200-300 books!!!

Who could I talk to who has read lots of books?  Hmm.  Author and book reviewer Sue Corbett.  Sue generously suggested how I might organize so many books.  Then she said these seven words:  "For what it's worth, I'd say yes!"

I said YES!

Then I spent the early part of the summer giving away my own books.  I emptied a floor to ceiling bookcase to hold the expected Golden Kite books.

Then I waited for the avalanche of books to arrive.

And waited.

About a dozen books came in.  I read them.  Then a dozen more.   I read them, too.

The deadline to receive books was in December, so by early November I was sure there would be fewer than 200 books to go through.  I can definitely do this, I thought.

Then the books came.

And came . . .

I realized I had to stop reading any other books.  In fact, the people who work at our local public library asked my husband, "I haven't seen Donna in here.  Is she okay?"


I was okay.  Just a little booked up . . .

Buddha sits atop the pile of books to be read.

It became clear I not only needed to stop reading other books, I needed to stop writing them.  That was hard.  No writing.  Just reading.

And reading . . . 

Be careful what you wish for . . .

This process gave me an appreciation for what editors and agents do all day, every day.  My only requirement when I opened a book was that it demanded that I keep reading.  If it did, I kept reading.  If not, well . . .

It helped to know I wasn't alone in this Herculean task.

One of the greatest parts of this experience was working with the other judges in the fiction category -- Julia Durango and Steve Watkins, each of whom have won the Golden Kite Fiction Award for their books.  

I can't say enough good things about these talented, thoughtful, hard-working, fun people.  We'd send e-mails to encourage each other through the process.   And sometimes, I'd get an e-mail like this: "Did you get the Random House books?  Mine arrived today!!!"

Living in South Florida, I always got the books a day later than the other judges, so I appreciated the heads up about what would land on my doorstep.  We judges had thought we were nearly done reading when the 70 plus Random House books arrived . . .

Here's our oldest son schlepping in the boxes before his shift at Best Buy.

That floor to ceiling bookshelf quickly filled, and books began piling up everywhere.  Our kids would show their friends when they came over.  I would show my friends.  It was fun to watch their eyes bulge as they looked at the sheer volume of books.

I kept reading.

Eventually, the pile of completed books far outnumbered the to-be-read pile.

 
Julia, Steve and I worked hard to select the winners -- sharing our top three books with each other and working from there.  We've each been on the receiving end of that wonderful phone call -- them for winning the Golden Kite Fiction Awards, me for winning the Sid Fleischman Humor Award -- and we were so excited for the winning and honor book recipients to receive those magical phone calls. 

We wished we could give out several awards.  But we had to make hard choices.  Ultimately, we were proud to send in our selections.

Congratulations to the Golden Kite Fiction Award winner -- Ruta Sepetys for her gripping novel, Between Shades of Gray.  And congratulations to Trent Reedy for winning the Golden Kite Fiction Honor Award for sensitively portraying a young girl in war-torn Afghanistan in his deeply touching novel, Words in the Dust.  We are thrilled for all Golden Kite and Sid Fleischman Award winners!

So, it's over.  Except for the books.  About  450 in all.  

I kept some for my home library . . .

I gave several to delighted young friends.

And I was able to donate about 400 brand new books to the Palm Beach County School system.  That felt good -- not just being able to see our floor again, but knowing good books will get into the hands of kids who need them.  Thanks, Janeen Pelser, for picking them up!

Thanks Sue Corbett for encouraging me to say, "Yes!"  Thanks Julia Durango and Steve Watkins for sharing this amazing experience with me.  Couldn't have asked for two better cohorts.  Thanks to my family for putting up with all the books and all the reading.  And thanks SCBWI for honoring me with this request and for the wonderful, wonderful work you do!