readergirlz interview

I am so thrilled to bring you this interview. I found these gals one day on MySpace, liked what I saw and wanted to know more. Readergirlz has created online spaces for girls to come together, read, write, chat and be empowered. The divas - authors Lorie Ann Grover, Dia Calhoun, Janet Lee Carey, and Justina Chen Headley - maintain a MySpace page and group, a LiveJournal site, website. They want you to get involved in YouthNoise. They want you to chat with them about books, their books, your books, your Mom's books. They want you to GoEco. And they recommend listening to a little Coldplay and Dixie Chicks along the way. Please check them out and spread the word. The world can never have too many readergirlz!

1. How is readergirlz more than just a book club?

Justina Chen Headley: With the world in the state that it is right now, we believe that words just aren't enough anymore. That's why we pair every single one of our featured reads with a companion community service project. For instance, April's pick, ON POINTE, touched on the rampant eating disorders in the ballet community. So we featured a great program designed for teen girls to accept their bodies.

2. How did the divas befriend each other?

Justina Chen Headley: The community of young adult authors in the Northwest is incredibly tight, thanks to our local SCBWI chapter. So we all knew of one another from conferences, and we all admired each other's work.

3. What is one thing you hope girlz are taking away from being involved in readergirlz?

Lorie Ann Grover: Empowerment! We hope the girls leave with a sense of community, encouragement, maybe a new perspective, and another great YA title to read.

4. What happens when a diva's book is featured?

Lorie Ann Grover: All featured authors, whether readergirlz divas or not, are showcased at our website, http://www.readergirlz.com/. There an author interview is posted, as well as a playlist, book party ideas, discussion questions, and a community service project. At our MySpace site, www.myspace.com/readergirlz, the author’s book is featured along with companion reads. Related blogs and bulletins run throughout the month. At our MySpace group site, http://groups.myspace.com/readergirlz, the author chats through the threads with readergirlz about the book and corresponding issues. Live chats are also held. Our aim—to offer a rich author experience with teens everywhere—is fulfilled through these three great venues.

5. Your website highlights Community Outreach and Community Challenges. What role do these things play in readergirlz?

Janet Lee Carey: A well-written book invites readers into the character’s world. Readers leave the book with an intimate understanding into another person’s life. That empathy for others goes nowhere if there is no opportunity for outreach. For example, after reading the ugly spitting scene in NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH (and a few white lies) I was angry and wanted to do something about racial intolerance. Knowing other readers would feel that way too, the author, Justina Chen Headley introduced readers to (http://www.tolerance.org/) and (http://www.tolerance.org/teens/index.jsp) for great ideas on how to break down social barriers and stop bullying at their own High Schools. That’s only one example of how it works. We match the Outreach with each book so readers have the opportunity to act. It’s empowering to act on something you believe in and readergirlz is about empowerment.

6. Why a Manifesta?

Janet Lee Carey: The Oxford American Dictionary defines a manifesto as, “a public declaration of principles and policy”. Readergirlz stand by our principles with a bit of gutsy girl gusto, thus the Manifesta. You can see the entire Manifesta on our website (http://www.readergirlz.com/), but the basic Manifesta states that readergirlz is about celebrating strong girls in books who've got the guts to dream; is about reaching out to others based on what you've read (that’s why we tie-in the community service component); and is about inspiring girls to make history of their own. We believe readers who reach out can make a significant difference in the world.

7. What is one of your favorite readergirlz moments/experiences?

Dia Calhoun: After one of our readergirlz school panels—Celebrating Gutsy Girls in Life and Lit—where I talked about how I had come out to the world about my bipolar illness as a result of writing THE PHOENIX DANCE (our May pick), a teen girl came up to me and told me my story had given her the courage to share a secret she had been keeping. To have touched someone in such a way was an incredibly inspiring moment for me.

8. What's happening now at readergirlz?

Janet Lee Carey: This month we’re talking about my YA fantasy, DRAGON’S KEEP on our MySpace Group Site (http://groups.myspace.com/readergirlz). Also the June issue on the website (http://www.readergirlz.com/) has fun book party ideas, a playlist, an author interview, and lots of information for the June Outreach. We think every girl should be environmentally aware, so this month we’re challenging readergirlz to Go Eco. We’ve joined up with YouthNoise, linking to their great environmental pages like, (http://youthnoise.com/page.php?page_id=2309) and we have three fun Go Eco challenges for readergirlz to try out this summer. June’s going to be an active month for us.

9. What's next for readergirlz (next month, next year)?

Dia Calhoun: In July we are delighted to be featuring Melissa Schorr’s hilarious novel GOY CRAZY. In August comes Holly Black’s gritty urban fantasy, IRONSIDE. For our September pick, we have the National Book Award finalist for 2006, Patricia McCormick, author of SOLD. Thanks to our brilliant advisory council, the postergirlz for readergirlz (http://www.readergirlz.com/divas), for recommending this hard-hitting book. Next winter we will be featuring the fabulous Nikki Grimes with BRONX MASQUERADE.

10. I love how the divas select a song for the featured book, to set the mood. If readergirlz were a movie (no specific book), what might be on the soundtrack?

Justina Chen Headley: In the true readergirlz way, we polled our members. Here's what they told us:

Video by India Arie--this very well might be our theme song

On Her Mind by Duncan Sheik

For Wowser by Jessica Riddle

Fall Away by Velvet Chain

Sharada by Skye Sweetnam

Since U Been Gone by Kelly Clarkson

Teachin' Myself To Dream by Katy Rose

Who We Are by Hope Partlow

Rinse by Vanessa Carlton

(There's Gotta Be) More to Life by Lucy Woodward

All Will Be Forgotten by Holly Brook

Futures by Jimmy Eat World

Remember the Name by Fort Minor

and of course, the end track would have to be Respect by the one and only Aretha Franklin.

THANK YOU READERGIRLZ!