Boston Book Event

Last week I traveled to Wellesley, Massachusetts and took part in a wonderful parent-child book event. Author Nichole Bernier was kind enough to open up her home to me and fellow middle-grade book authors Chris Abouzeid and Carol Cronin. It was an honor to read with Chris and Carol, and the kids were a fantastic audience. I also loved meeting authors Randy Susan Meyer and Kathy Crowley.

Here are some pictures from the event:





Thank you so much to Nichole and her family! It was so nice to meet so many amazing authors, who also happened to be spectacular people!

Until next time,

Riley

Back From Memphis and More Events

Hi all!

I've had a busy few weeks! Last Monday, March 7th, I spoke to two schools in Memphis, Tennessee: Immaculate Conception Cathedral School and St. Louis School. Both audiences were fantastic! I loved their enthusiasm and energy. A big thank you to both schools for having me!





On Wednesday, March 9th, I participated in World Read Aloud Day. I had the privilege of Skyping with three different classrooms: Katherine Soklovski's 5th grade class in Illinois, Karla Duff's 6th grade class in Oelwein, Iowa, and Shannon Miller's 6th grade class in Van Meter, Iowa. The students asked excellent questions about my books and about writing. I loved hearing about their favorite books and how much they love to read!

In other news, I will be traveling to Boston, Massachusetts on April 6th to take part in an event hosted by the fabulous author, Nichole Bernier, with authors Chris Abouzeid and Carol Newman Cronin. On April 12th and 13th I will be at Family Literacy Nights in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Stay tuned for more news!

Riley

The Wind Stone Release and Huntington Beach

Hi all,

The Wind Stone, Book Three of the The Reign of the Elements series, was released on Monday, 2/21! I think this is my favorite book of the series, so I'm very excited to share it with you! Check out my website for more information about the book here. Here is the cover:


On Tuesday, I traveled to Huntington Beach, California to speak at World Thinking Day 2011, put on by the Girl Scout Troops in Huntington Beach. The girls had put together tables dedicated to inspiring women from history. They were such a great audience and so enthusiastic about being empowered changemakers! A big thank you to Cadette Troop 262 for arranging for me to come. Here are some pictures from the event:






I will be traveling to Memphis on March 7th to speak at schools there and on March 9th I have three Skype chats with schools in the Midwest for World Read Aloud Day.

Until next time,

Riley

Denver School of Science and Technology and Other News

Hi Everybody,

I know it’s been awhile since I last posted, but a lot has happened recently. Throughout the fall, my literacy nonprofit, Breaking the Chain, gave thousands of books to dozens of classrooms and schools around the country. The Wind Stone: Book Three of The Reign of the Elements will be released in a few weeks by BookLight Press. I’m very excited!

The new year is shaping up to be a busy one with lots of speaking engagements lined up. Most recently, I spoke at Denver School of Science and Technology: Green Valley Ranch. The students and teachers were fantastic. They were enthusiastic, inquisitive, and motivated. The school is very committed to reading and has made each of the students commit to reading 5,000 pages during the school year. Here are some pictures from my visit there:





I have a busy few months ahead. In February, I will be speaking in Huntington Beach, California at World Thinking Day 2011. In March and April I will be traveling to Memphis and Boston for different author events.

Riley

Books to Classroom and Other News

Hi Everybody!

I took new books to a great classroom last Friday and I spoke to the class. They asked more questions about my writing and my nonprofit than any group of kids have every asked! They were great, and their teacher, Terri, was amazing! Here are some pictures:



In other news, I will be presenting at the Douglas County Libraries Writers Conference on October 2nd. Stay tuned for more updates!

Riley

Book Release and Other News

Hi Everybody,

So much has happened since I last posted here! Most importantly The Water Stone, the second book in The Reign of the Elements series, was released. Check it out on Amazon!


Also, on August 16th I’ll be participating in an event at Castlewood Library in Centennial, Colorado with authors Amy Efaw and Terri Clark. For more information look here.

I had a great author’s event last week at Koelbel Library. The kids and adults asked great questions and the librarians were amazing. Check out the great map they made of Mundaria.


Right now, my nonprofit organization, Breaking the Chain, is buying books for all of the classrooms in three high-need elementary schools in the Denver area. I’m looking forward to delivering those in the fall! I’m currently putting together my speaking schedule for the school year, so I’ll keep you updated.

Riley

Summit Middle School

Hi Everybody!

On Monday I visited Summit Middle School in Colorado Springs. The kids were great and I really enjoyed talking to them. Also, check out my guest interview with several other authors at Wastepaper Prose every Thursday for the next few months.

Here are some pictures from Summit Middle School:




I'll be back soon!

Riley

Florida Pitt Waller School

Hi all!

Today I spoke to the sixth-graders at Florida Pitt Waller School. The kids were great and have big dreams! I have high hopes that they will achieve them!

Here are some pictures. Click on them to enlarge:








Check back soon!

Until next time,

Riley

Denver Venture, Lewis Palmer, and Virtual Book Fair

Hi All,

Long post, but bear with me! First off, last week I spoke at the Denver Venture School and Lewis Palmer Middle School about my books and Breaking the Chain, my nonprofit for literacy. Both groups were great! Here's pictures from Lewis Palmer Middle School:


Also, I will be participating in a Virtual Book Fair on 2/26, 2/27, 2/28 with the group of authors listed below. The site for the fair is http://www.virtualbookfair.net.

Be sure to visit our other participating authors/illustrators involved in this year's fair! Purchase signed copies, get give-a-ways and more!

Tara Michener- author of the "Who I Am Series" that promotes self-esteem & diversity in kids. "Who I Am Not What I Am" Meet Janelle, A fun girl who discovers the secret to happiness is loving herself for who she is, not for fitting into what others want her to be. 100% Real-What does it mean to be real? Meet Zoey who wonders the same thing after her classmates question her about being adopted. With the help of a close friend in Janelle and her parents she discovers that she has more in common with her family than she thought. www.taramichener.com

JD Holiday-Janoose The Goose likes life in the barnyard very much. She is visiting her cousin, Molly duck and her baby, DeeDee. Her vacation is over and Janoose must go home because there are no job openings on the farm. When her flight arrives home she learns that the fox has begun a crime spree. Janoose is the only one who can stop him. ww.jdswritersblog.blogspot.com

Adra Young-The Everyday Living of Children and Teens Monologues (Volume I and II)
This series is in a class by itself. These books address multifaceted issues that kids are faced with. Parents may utilize these books to address sensitive subject matters and establish stronger bonds and communication with their kids. These books have been acknowledged for creating an acting guide that addressees appropriate socialization skills. www.ardannyl.me

Grace Hatton-The Guys The Roses & The Regrets; the Girl to Girl Dating Guide Written by a teenage girl for teenage girls this book offers practical tips and real life stories that will help teenage girls and young women navigate the crazy world of dating, relationships and break ups. This book is an Amazon Best Seller! www.gracehatton.wordpress.com

Colleen Murray Fisher-The One and Only Bernadette P. This book promotes appreciating who you are, as well as accepting others. Does liking peanut butter and pickle sandwiches, or painting with your toes, or even havining an imaginary friendmake a person strange? that's what kids say about Bernadette. But when Bernadette meets her new neighbor, Sofie she realizes that her uniqueness is nothing strange at all. www.collenmurrayfisherbooks.com

Dawn Stephens-The Little Pot Soon after a potter forms a new pot and declares that he has important plans for his creation, the little pot begins to wonder what its purpose will be. Will it be used to hold important documents? Great riches? Beautiful flowers? As various expectations prove wrong the little pot is cautioned to see...The little pot is a simple profound story about inevitable reversals. www.DawnStephensBooks.com

Dan Bodenstein-The Tale of Eartha the Sea Turtle Based on the true story of a loggerhead sea turtle names Eartha, this enchanted tale tells the story of a young sea turtle who finds help in the last place that she expected. Through colorful imagery it helps kids to help injured animals... www.seaturtlestory.com

Patty O'Brien Novak-Engineering The ABC's Imagine a world without cars and computers, or toys and televisions, or movies and microwaves...then imagine a world without engineers. This book answers questions about how everyday things work and how engineering relates to so many parts of a child's daily life www.pattyobriennovak.com

I hope you'll check it out!

Until next time,

Riley

KIPP Sunshine Peak Academy and Other News

Hi All!

I apologize for the lack of posting of late. Things have been busy, as usual :) - I've been in full writing mode working on the second book of my YA trilogy, as well as dealing with the commitments of my nonprofit, Breaking the Chain (and of course, schoolwork).

On Friday, February 12th, I visited KIPP Sunshine Peak Academy in Denver, Colorado, and spoke to four different classes of six graders there. KIPP is a great school and the kids were so interested and engaging! I loved being able to talk to them and to hopefully inspire them to do great things! Here are some pictures of the event:

I also have some more events coming up - I will be speaking at Denver Venture School on Wednesday, 2/17, Lewis Palmer Middle School on Friday, 2/19, and Kent Denver School, 3/1.

In other news, Breaking the Chain, my nonprofit for literacy, is launching a new program called Bookin'It. We're putting books into classrooms and in the hands of elementary and middle school students. KIPP was a recipient of our book donations, but we currently have 20 classrooms requesting books. There is an incredible need! It costs only $250 to "adopt a classroom" and provide them with the books that they need. If you can help or would like to learn more, please visit out website at www.linkbylink.org. Anything helps!

Until next time,

Riley

Chicago and Indianapolis and Other News

Hi Everybody!

I know I haven't posted for a while, but I was busy on a two week trip to Chicago and Indianapolis speaking at schools. It was an incredible trip - I gave 14 speeches and spoke to approximately 2,500 kids about my book, reading, and reaching out to help each other. It was great to see the kids get so excited about not only reading and writing, but about doing good in the world. Here are a few pictures from the trip:

With students at Attea Middle School in Glenview, Illinois

Speaking to students at Countryside Montessori in Northbrook, Illinois

Signing books at St. Pius X in Indianapolis, Indiana

At Amore Pizzeria in Zionsville, Indiana talking with a teen library group

I have several videos of speeches that I gave at schools and I will post them as soon as I can. You can also view a list of all the schools I visited on the trip at my website here. In the mean time, I've also had several interviews since I got back from my trip.

I had a live interview on Fox 31's Everyday on Thursday, the 17th. You can watch the video here.

I also taped a segment with Fox31's MartinoTV which will air on Christmas Day.

Today, I participated in a live blog chat with Indiependent Books. You visit their website and buy and autographed copy of The Fire Stone here.

I'll post again soon, but for now, happy holidays to all!

Check back soon,

Riley

Interviews, Fan Videos, Reviews, and More

Hi all!

Now that I have digested my Thanksgiving dinner, I am finally able to write a blog post. First off, here's a link to my appearance on Cyrus Webb's radio show Conversations LIVE! Thanks so much to Cyrus for having me!

Also, a faithful fan posted this video on YouTube of her review of The Fire Stone. It's excellent! Thanks so much for that!



Also, check out Chris Brett's blog The Pirate's Bounty. He has posted a review of The Fire Stone and is also doing a giveaway of the book. Thanks so much, Chris!

I did a guest review on Books For Kids Reviews on Going Bovine by Libba Bray. You can read it here.

Monday, 11/30, I leave for Chicago and then go on to Indianapolis to speak to a number of schools in both cities. You can see a complete list of all schools here.

Check back soon for updates on all of the events!

Riley

Cherry Hills Village Elmentary School Book Fair, Blogs, News, and Appearances

Hi all!

I have a lot to report in this post! Last week, I signed books at the Cherry Hills Village Elementary School book fair. I sold 110 books in four hours! Here's a picture from the event:


Also, I’ve been featured on a few blogs. Here’s an interview I did with Shelli Cornelison at her blog Shelli’s Soliloquy and Tara Michener at her blog Whoaminotwhatiam. I was also featured on Feed Your Good Dog. Thanks to Shelli, Tara, and FYGD for the support!

I was also featured in a brief news story by 9News. You can view it here. I was interviewed yesterday by Fox31 here in Colorado for their Martino Show and I will be interviewed live on Fox31's Everyday Show at 4:00 mountain time on December 17th.

On November 24th, I will be on Cyrus Webb’s Conversations LIVE! Radio at 8:00 eastern time. You can listen to it live here.

And now, the most action-packed part of the post! I will be touring Chicago and Indianapolis for the first two weeks of December to speak to kids at schools. Here’s the schedule:

12/1 – Central Elementary School
Wilmette, IL
12/2 – The Skokie School
Winnetka, IL
12/2 – Lake Forest Country Day School
Lake Forest, IL
12/3 – Wilmette Junior High
Wilmette, IL
12/3 – Attea Middle School
Glenview, IL
12/4 – School of St. Mary
Lake Forest, IL
12/8 – St. Thomas Aquinas School
Indianapolis, IN
12/8 – Westlane Middle School
Indianapolis, IN
12/9 – St. Pius X School
Indianapolis, IN

This evening from 7:00-8:30, I'll be talking to the Teen Creative Writing Group at Koelbel Library in Centennial, Colorado. I'll post about it afterward, so check back soon!

Riley

Cherry Hills Village Elementary School Visit

Hello!

Yesterday, I spoke to classes at Cherry Hills Village Elementary School in Colorado. I spoke to seven different groups, each around twenty-five minutes long - whew! I had a really fun time and the kids were great!

Here are some pictures:


My next appearance is at the Teen Writing Group at Koelbel Library. More information here.

Check back soon!

Riley

Book Review - The Demon King, and Other News

Hi everybody!

It’s been a while since I last posted, so first I thought I’d list the most memorable events from the past couple of weeks:

1) I'm now on Facebook - become a fan of The Fire Stone here! (and follow me on Twitter)
2) It snowed 18 inches in Denver and melted two days later (typical Denver)
3) I finished the first book of my next series! (it's an urban fantasy trilogy, but that's all I can say about it...!)
4) I also read The Demon King by Cinda Williams Chima. Here's the review:

The Demon King is an exciting and highly enjoyable read. In the fantasy world of the Seven Realms, transformed streetlord Han Allister is struggling to feed his mother and sister and stay out of the gang-life he abandoned. When hunting with his friends Dancer, Han comes across a group of wizards and takes a strange amulet away from them. Later, he discovers that it once belonged to the Demon King, the evil wizard who nearly destroyed the world thousands of years ago. With the amulet comes bad luck Han’s life changes from complicated to chaotic.

Meanwhile, Princess Raisa ana’Marianna is confronting her own set of problems. Her mother, the queen, is being heavily influenced by Gavan Bayar, the High Wizard who advises her. Raisa feels trapped in her own kingdom and begins to notice trouble brewing that no one else seems to notice.

Both Han and Raisa are strong, free-spirited characters. The secondary characters in the book are also engaging and it is easy to sympathize with all of them. The overlap of Han and Raisa’s lives is particularly interesting because the reader witnesses it through two points of view. I really enjoyed reading this book and found that in addition to the connection the reader has with the characters, the plot was intriguing and mysterious. I highly recommend The Demon King.

In other news, I’ll be speaking at Cherry Hills Village Elementary School here in Denver tomorrow morning and I will be signing books at their book fair next week. On November 19th, I will also be at the Koelbel Library Teen Writing group. More information on that here.

Also, my book should be on the Amazon Kindle soon, so watch out for that!

I will post pictures from tomorrow if I can.

Check back in soon!

Riley

Prairie Winds Elementary School Visit

Hi Everybody!

Yesterday, I visited Prairie Winds Elementary School in Monument, Colorado and spoke to the third, fourth, and fifth grade classes. I had a great time! The kids were great listeners and asked some really thoughtful questions. There were some avid readers there and a lot of kids seemed really interested in writing, which is great to see!

Here's some pictures from the event:


Thank you to everyone at Prairie Winds, especially the Hapkes and Tiffany Brown! I had such a great time!

At the moment, my next event will be at the Cherry Hills Village Elementary School in Cherry Hills Village, Colorado. Right now it looks like I will be speaking to the kids and signing books at the book fair the week of November 9th, but I'll post more on that as we get closer.

Riley