Meetig the Newcomers to the ALAN Workshop: Introducing Breeana Shields

10/21/2019

I hope you enjoyed browsing through the authors who will be giving solo speeches and participating in conversation at the ALAN Workshop that I posted last Wednesday. I know everyone is excited about seeing old favorites. At the same time, it is fascinating to put a face to the author of a book that you have found through a friend, on a library shelf, or through an Amazon suggestion.

I still think my favorite part of the ALAN Workshop is finding those new authors. Even if they have a few books under their belt, I love when I finally discover a whole new set of books to read. This is the case with Breeana Shields. Page Street Kids publisher put her name on the list and I found a new author to explore. If you are a fan of fantasy fiction, you are in for a treat.

Breeana has already published a companion set of fantasy novels--Poison's Kiss and Poison's Cage. (You just have to love a book that has a tag line that should Love is Lethal.) I loved reading about these two novels and they are on my list!

But....

Breeana will be talking about her newest book--The Bone Charmer. I believe she has developed an intriguing premise and I have a ton of questions. If we are really lucky, she might give us some insight into The Bone Charmer's sequel, The Bone Thief. Fortunately, the cover for this book has already been revealed.

Poison Kisses, bone collections, snakes, and skeletons all suggest that perhaps these are books that might add to your Halloween holiday. What could possibly go wrong in these fantasy worlds? Don't fret, they are all just an order away.

An Interview with Breeana Shields

Until next week!

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Dr. Steve Bickmore
Creator and Curator

Dr. Bickmore is a Professor of English Education at UNLV. He is a scholar of Young Adult Literature and past editor of The ALAN Review and a past president of ALAN. He is a available for speaking engagements at schools, conferences, book festivals, and parent organizations. More information can be found on the Contact page and the About page.

Co-Edited Books

Meet
Evangile Dufitumukiza!

Evangile is a native of Kigali, Rwanda. He is a college student that Steve meet while working in Rwanda as a missionary. In fact, Evangile was one of the first people who translated his English into Kinyarwanda.

Steve recruited him to help promote Dr. Bickmore's YA Wednesday on Facebook, Twitter, and other social media while Steve is doing his mission work.

He helps Dr. Bickmore promote his academic books and sometimes send out emails in his behalf.

You will notice that while he speaks fluent English, it often does look like an "American" version of English. That is because it isn't. His English is heavily influence by British English and different versions of Eastern and Central African English that is prominent in his home country of Rwanda.

Welcome Evangile into the YA Wednesday community as he learns about Young Adult Literature and all of the wild slang of American English vs the slang and language of the English he has mastered in his beautiful country of Rwanda.

While in Rwanda, Steve has learned that it is a poor English speaker who can only master one dialect and/or set of idioms in this complicated language.

Blogs to Follow

Stay tuned for information regarding the Summit on the Research and Teaching of Young Adult Literature!