Wednesday, May 21, 2008

Getting the ball rolling

Hi there! It's getting to be time to plan the 2008 Kidlit Bloggers Conference in Portland, Oregon. We hope that all who attended last year will return, and we hope to see new folks too. If you blog about children's books (or YA), or if you are a writer of children's books (or YA) who blogs -- we'd love to see you there.


Details
The date: Saturday, September 27, including banquet-style dinner that night
The place: We're making the final decision about the hotel as soon as we get an idea of attendance. If we can get as many folks as last year (or more), we're shooting for either the Embassy Suites or Sheraton near the airport in Portland. One of the great things about Portland is that the airport is only a few miles from downtown and is easily accessible by the MAX (light rail). (The hotels are also right by the new IKEA, by the way.) Sign up quick so we can move on the Embassy Suites -- it's a great spot, with good conference rooms, complimentary happy hour cocktails, good breakfast included, and a little brook that flows through the lobby!
The event: We'll need lots of feedback before we decide on the day's discussions. One thing we'd like to do is establish two separate "tracks" -- one for reviewer bloggers, and one for author bloggers, with the opportunity to mingle and learn from each other. We'll have two meeting rooms, so we can break out into two groups for parts of the day.
Friday night: We absolutely must convene at the famous and wonderful Powell's Books on Friday evening, and get together for dinner at the neighboring brewery after. We will try to set up a group author event for that night, depending on who's attending. We'll keep you posted as it develops.
Sunday brunch: Depending on interest, we can set up a last get-together on Sunday.

Portland is beautiful in September, and it's a really easy city to get around in without a car. If you bring a spouse or your family they'll be able to get downtown or to the zoo and Washington Park on the light rail. It's also only about a half hour drive from the airport to the fabulous Columbia River Gorge, famous for its waterfalls and amazing hikes and views:
(If you rent a car, there's a great loop drive up the Gorge and around Mount Hood, where you can see the hotel where The Shining was filmed. It'll also be apple and pear season in the orchard country there on the slopes of Mount Hood: beautiful.) The stunning Oregon coast is only an hour and a half drive west; I highly recommend an extra day to see it:

What we need to know now, so we can really plan, is: who's coming? We'll need a certain number of attendees to be able to afford the hotel facilities, so we can't really proceed until we get some yays and nays. So, if you are definitely planning to come, please sign into the comments below and let us know. The conference fee will be $50 and will cover the facility rental, coffee, and dinner on Saturday night. Hotel rates are still uncertain but are likely to be in the $109-$119 range, including breakfast.

More details coming soon, but for now, we'd just love to know if you think you can come!

(If you do sign in, leave your name as you'd like it to appear below, plus your blog link. Thanks!>

1. Jone MacCulloch
2. Laini Taylor
3. Anastasia Suen
4. Adrienne
5. Jen Robinson (Jen Robinson's Book Page)
6. Andrea (Just One More Book)
7. Mark (Just One More Book)
8. Jim Di Bartolo
9. Jackie Parker (Interactive Reader)
10. Anne Levy (Book Buds)
11. Kelly Herold (Big A little a)
12. Colleen Mondor (Chasing Ray)
13. Maureen (Confessions of a Bibliovore)
14. Lynn (the Imaginary Blog)
15. Alma Alexander
16. Betsy Bird (Fuse #8)
17. Kate Schafer (aka Daphne Unfeasible)
18. Liz B. (A Chair, A Fireplace & A Tea Cozy)
19. Elaine Magliaro (Wild Rose Reader)
20. Sarah Stevenson (aka A. Fortis) (Finding Wonderland)
21. Kelly Wilson (Wilson Writes)
22. Farida Dowler (aka Alkelda the Gleeful) (Saints and Spinners)
23. Pam Coughlin (MotherReader)
24. Camille (BookMoot)
25. Gregory K. (GottaBook)
26. Elise Murphy
27. Nancy Arruda (Bees Knees Reads)
28. Diane (Biblio addict)
29. Nancy (Booktalks Quick and Simple Blog)
30. April Henry
31. Cassie Richoux (Bookwyrm Chrysalis)
32. Michele Thornton (The Snarkmamas)
33. Kirby Larson
34. Kim Baker (Wagging Tales)
35. Katie (Pixie Palace)
36. Maureen McQuerry
37. Suzanna Leigh
38. Christine Fletcher
39. Beth Cummings
40. Lorie Ann Grover, rgz diva/author
41. Dia Calhoun, readergirlz diva blogger


Maybes
1. Gina Marysol Ruiz (Cuentesitos)
2. Mary Ann Librarygrl
3. Jess Jessmonster
4. Amanda Hubbard
5. Doret (The Happy Nappy Bookseller)

71 comments:

Jone said...

Great idea Laini to have this blog. I posted at both of my blogs.

Stasia D said...

Oh, I wish I wish. I think 2008 will be a year to miss for me. :(
Good luck with everything, and if you need help from afar, please let me know!

Anonymous said...

I'll be there!

:-) Anastasia

Anonymous said...

Unless something catastrophic happens to me financially in the next month or so, I'm planning to be there!

Jenny Schwartzberg said...

Sigh. I wish I could come but the exhibit I'm curating opens that very day: Artifacts of Childhood: 700 Years of Children's Books, at the Newberry Library in Chicago. It will be up until January 17th, 2009 so come visit Chicago at some point and see it.

Hopefully I'll get to the next one!

Jenny

Jen Robinson said...

I will definitely be there. And, if the option is available (it was last year) I would like to bring a guest for the dinner (I know we paid an extra fee for that last year).

Thanks so much for organizing, Laini and Jone! I think it's going to be great. I will link to this on my blog.

Andrea Beaty said...

Ooooh! I want to attend so much, but it's looking less and less likely as my year shapes up. If it's okay, I'll keep my toe in the water as a "hopeful-but not likely" attendee.
Thanks for organizing. It sounds like fun.

And Jenny - your exhibit sounds wonderful. I can't wait to come see it!
Andrea B

Andrea -- Just One More Book!! Podcast said...

Mark and I will be there!

WooHoo!! Thanks so much for organizing!

Jackie Parker said...

I'll be there!

Jone said...

It is looking even more fabulous!

Bkbuds said...

I will do my darndest to be there. Count me in.

-Anne Levy
Book Buds & Cybils

Liz B said...

I really really want to go.

Let me look at my budget...

Kelly said...

Great blog, guys!!

I'm going to do my darndest to be there. Count me in!

Kelly said...

Ah, I said the same thing Anne did! Without reading, I swear...

Colleen said...

I'm there - it's an easy trip down from SEA for me!

Colleen Mondor

Bibliovore said...

Okay, I'm in!

Maureen

Lynn E. Hazen said...

Sounds great. I'm nearly sure I'll be there.
(Children's & YA author, blogger, interviewer, & reviewer at The Imaginary Blog)
http://lynnhazenimaginaryblog.blogspot.com

Anonymous said...

I'll be there (with hubby in tow) -I had to miss the first one but this one is close enough to me that it would be unforgivable if I managed not to get to it!

Alma Alexander
www.AlmaAlexander.com

Wendie O said...

I can't wait for an East Coast one. Some day?

-wendie Old, librarian, writer, blogger, Oh My

Jen Robinson said...

I think next year is slated for the East Coast, Wendie. The exact location will depend on who steps up to organize...

Unknown said...

I am in. Mark me down and start hiding the silverware.

ktbuffy said...

Would love to come up, if you'll welcome an agent blogger!

Kate (aka Daphne Unfeasible)
www.ktliterary.com/daphne.html

Liz B said...

I've put in for vacation to go. As Adrienne says, barring some financial setback, I'm in.

Elaine Magliaro said...

I'm pretty sure that I'll be coming to Portland for the conference. Thanks for setting up this blog!

Wild Rose Reader
http://wildrosereader.blogspot.com

Sarah Stevenson said...

I really, really want to go...barring any unforeseen events, I'll be there! Thanks for setting it up. I love Portland.

Sarah Stevenson (aka a. fortis, Finding Wonderland and Readers' Rants)
http://writingya.blogspot.com

kittenpie said...

Oh, crumb. This sounds beyond awesome, but I will be busy in September and toatlly unable to make it. Gah! Perhaps next year, especially if it goes East Coast, which is closer to Toronto!

Tricia said...

Drat! I'll be at a conference that weekend. I'll miss you all!

Kelly said...

I'd like to come - I'm a newbie - and would like to sign up - how do I do that on the list?

Kelly Wilson (http://wilsonwrites.com/blog/)

Saints and Spinners said...

Farida Dowler (a.k.a. "Alkelda the Gleeful"): http://saintsandspinners.blogspot.com

Yes!

Saints and Spinners said...

P.S. Jone, please let me know if you'd like me to use my guitar and flannel board in some official capacity!

Elizabeth O Dulemba said...

I'm on the wrong side of the continent too - maybe next year.
*sigh*
e

MotherReader said...

Well, it's the same weekend as both the National Book Festival and the fall Girl Scout camping trip, but I'm coming. Can't miss my blogger face-time.

Jone said...

Yay, Mother Reader, Yay!

Camille said...

I'm going to plan on it and just try to make it so.

Camille @ BookMoot
http://www.bookmoot.com/

Greg Pincus said...

I fully expect to be there, too!

Elise Murphy said...

I'd love to come.

Nancy Arruda said...

I plan to attend and can't wait to meet some of you amazing bloggers! Plus I love Portland : )
Nancy Arruda
http://beeskneesbooks.blogspot.com/

Diane P said...

I would love to come and I live locally.

Gina Ruiz said...

I wish I wish I wish! I will try. I've been wanting to go to Portland since I knew what Powells Books was. This makes even more desirable.

Gina - Cuentecitos - http://cuentesitos.blogspot.com

PS Who's going to BEA I am - Lets meet!

Vivian Mahoney said...

This sounds so fun! I won't be able to come, but I'll be there in spirit!

Booktalker said...

Sounds like lots of fun. I would love to come and if airfare is not totally crazy, I'll plan on coming.

Booktalks Quick and Simple blog http://booktalker.blogspot.com

Nancy

Mary Ann said...

Depends on gas prices :::sigh::: but I'd love to be there so I will make an honest effort. Blog is Libr*fiti @ http://librarygrl.wordpress.com

April Henry said...

I would love to come. I'm an author who blogs about writing and about books - and I write a young adult round up column for the Oregonian.

aprilhenry.livejournal.com

Jess said...

I'm interested (and already in Portland) but it will depend on my schedule come September - put me down as tentative.

Jess @ Garish & Tweed (jessmonster.wordpress.com)

Cassie said...

Since I'm local, I have no real choice but to be there ^_^
Cassie Richoux - Bookwyrm Chrysalis - http://.yafantasy.com

Michele Thornton said...

Count me in!
Michele Thornton (http://snarkmamas.blogspot.com/)

Anonymous said...

Sounds great- sign me up! I'm a blogging newbie, but what better way to get pointers, no? :o)

-Kim Baker
http://waggingtales.wordpress.com/

Unknown said...

I'm going to have to miss it again. *sad* Portland is just too far away for me, and that weekend I'll be exhibiting at the Baltimore Book Festival, anyway. Maybe next year we can have the conference on the East Coast.

Katie said...

I'm probably a yes. I'll need to find someone to share a room with, but I should be able to make it! - Katie Zenke (Pixiepalace)

Katie said...

*sigh* It's late and I forgot the full blog link. Sorry! http://www.pixiepalace.com

Anonymous said...

I'm a definitely maybe.

Amanda Hubbard
http://mandywriter.livejournal.com

Doret said...

You can put me down as a maybe. Leaning towards I really want to go.
Doret http://thehappynappybookseller.blogspot.com/

Maureen McQuerry said...

I plan to come.
Maureen McQuerry

http://www.maureenmcquerry.com

suzanna leigh said...

I'm a new blogger, and plan to come!

Christine Fletcher said...

I'll be there! I'm a YA author and Portland local.

http://christinefletcherbooks.com/blog.html

Kelley B said...

While I can't join you this year (wedding and honeymoon the following month) I loved hearing about it last year and hope to hear all the goodies this year too and of course, attend finally next year! Hope those who can't make it will still have a chance to feel connected via this blog! Looking forward to it all!

provato events said...

Michele Kophs
I plan on attending.

Barefoot Blogger said...

I would love to come - I'm just beginning, and would love to learn from some pros! Count me in...

Beth Cummings
thebarefootblogger.com

readergirlz said...

I'm attending! Woohoo! Can't wait to meet everyone!

~Lorie Ann Grover, rgz diva/author
www.myspace.com/readergirlz

Dia Calhoun said...

What a fantastic idea. I'm coming. What fun it will be.
Dia Calhoun
readergirlz diva blogger

kidlit 08 said...

Love how the list is growing. We have our first donated signed book, A La Carte by Tanita Davis. This will be one of the fabulous door prizes at the dinner.

Noodle said...

Okay, I'm a solid maybe. Still searching airfares.

Deb Lund said...

Yes! Can't wait!
So much to learn from you all...
Deb

http://www.deblund.com

Barbara Shoup said...

I loved last year's conference and hope to attend this year!
www.barbarashoup.com
barbarashoup.blogspot.com

Matt Holm said...

Since I live approximately 5 minutes from this hotel, I guess I'll have to attend!

Matt Holm

http://www.matthewholm.net

Anonymous said...

Very cool. I live only an hour away, so I'm definitely interested. I recently sold my first book, a YA to Simon and Schuster, and I blog both at my own site (http://www.scottwilliamcarter.com) and I also run the First Book Blog (http://thefirstbook.wordpress.com).
--Scott William Carter

Nancy Coffelt said...

I'm definitely planning on coming!

-Nancy Coffelt
www.nancycoffelt.com

lkmadigan said...

Hi,

I will be there.

:-)

Lisa

http://lkmadigan.livejournal.com

SCBWI said...

Could I still register for the event?

thanks,
Alice

holly cupala said...

I'm coming!!

Holly Cupala, rgz/author

Kimbra Kasch said...

I'm so excited to be coming.

Can't wait to meet everyone. Stop by and say, "Hi".

www.kimkasch.blogspot.com