Daniel Boone Regional Library

The Gateway Readers Award honors a young adult book as selected by high school students, while the Truman Readers Award is chosen by junior high students. Even though these awards are administered by the Missouri Association of School Librarians (MASL), it is the responsibility of Missouri teens to choose the actual winner.  Based on circulation figures throughout our library system, DBRLTeen predicts that the following books will be recognized as this year’s top titles:

Predicted Gateway Readers Award winners:

• First Place: “Ship Breaker” by Paolo Bacigalupi
• Second Place: “Rot and Ruin” by Jonathan Maberry
• Third Place: “Before I Fall” by Lauren Oliver

Predicted Truman Readers Award winners:

• First Place: “The Grimm Legacy” by Polly Shulman
• Second Place: “Virals” by Kathy Reichs
• Third Place: “Girl, Stolen” by April Henry

The actual award winners will be announced at the MASL Spring Conference in mid-April.  Subscribe to our email updates to have the results delivered directly to your inbox!

Spring Break is only days away and DBRLTeen has some suggestions for a fun-filled vacation. Whether you are flying to a sunny beach somewhere, road tripping with the family, or just chillin’ at home, there is plenty of time to reconnect with your favorite books and authors. Personally, I’m looking forward to spending my Spring Break lounging on the couch and reading “The Clockwork Princess” by Cassandra Clare. While away from school, you might consider…

• checking out some of the contending titles in our March Madness Teen Book Tournament. Submit your vote for a chance to win a Barnes & Noble gift card, or a free autographed copy of “Legend” by Marie Lu!
• gathering your art supplies and designing an entry for the library’s Summer Reading Bookmark Contest.
• submitting a book review for publishing at teens.dbrl.org.
•  perusing some of our most popular booklists like “Books for Dudes” and “Teens’ Top Ten Winners.”
• downloading some of our most most popular teen titles as an eBook or audiobook for your iPod Touch, iPhone, iPad, Android, Nook, Kindle, or other mobile device.

VOTE NOW through March 25 for the final two contending titles!

The competition is getting fierce in the March Madness Teen Book Tournament!  We’ve had some epic upsets and some crushing defeats. Even though “The Grimm Legacy” was knocked out in the second round, author Polly Shulman asked us to thank all her readers for their support. In an email she sent, Cassandra Clare seemed nervous about her book facing off against “Breaking Dawn“; however, “Clockwork Prince” defeated Stephenie Meyer’s book easily.  Literary goddess, Lois Lowry, even emailed to thank DBRLTeen for the good news of how well “The Giver” has been doing.   How will it all end up?  Stay tuned to teens.dbrl.org; and, as James Dashner encouraged on his Twitter feed, “Vote!”

March Madness Teen Book Tournament: Final 4

1. “Mockingjay” by Suzanne Collins
2. “Maze Runner” by James Dashner
3. “Divergent” by Veronica Roth
4. “Clockwork Prince” by Cassandra Clare

How the March Madness Teen Book Tournament Works:

Through a series of votes, we are narrowing the library’s list of the 32 most popular teen books to one grand champion. By supporting your favorite book, you’ll also be entered to win prizes like a gift card to Barnes & Noble, or a free autographed copy of “Legend” by Marie Lu! Prize winners will be announced on April 3 when we announce our book tournament champion.

• Round 1: Voting complete for the Sweet 16.
• Round 2: Voting complete for the Elite 8.
• Round 3: Voting complete for the Final 4.
• Round 4: VOTE NOW through March 25 for the final two contending titles.
• Round 5: Vote March 26-April 1 for the book tournament champion.
• April 3: The champion is announced!

Don’t forget to vote for your favorite two contending titles by Monday, March 25 at 5 p.m. You may vote online at teens.dbrl.org or pick up a paper ballot at one of our three branch locations. Limit one ballot per person, per round.  Winners from this round of competition will be announced next Tuesday, March 26.

Wii U Launch Party
Wednesday, April 3 › 6-8 p.m.
Columbia Public Library

Test drive the library’s new Wii U game console. Become a ghost hunter in “Luigi’s Ghost Mansion,” defeat evil aliens in your own “Metroid” spaceship, or team up with your friends to conquer Bowser in the new “Super Mario Bros.” We’ll also have snacks and a selection of the library’s newest teen fiction, music and DVDs for you to check out. Don’t have a library card? We’ll have library card applications on hand for your parent or guardian to sign. Ages 12 and older. Registration begins Tuesday, March 19. Call (573) 443-3161 to sign up!

We’ve officially moved into the third round of our single elimination teen book tournament. So far, 24 books have been struck from the list to determine the Elite 8. Did Maggie Stiefvater make the cut with her book, “Shiver,” or did Kristin Cashore’s book, ”Graceling,” win? Who survived the last round: “The Book Thief” by Markus Zusak or “The Fault in Our Stars” by John Green?

March Madness Teen Book Tournament: Elite 8

1. “Mockingjay” by Suzanne Collins
2. “The Giver” by Lois Lowry
3. “Maze Runner” by James Dashner
4. “The Book Thief” by Markus Zusak
5. “Divergent” by Veronica Roth
6. “Inheritance” by Christopher Paolini
7. “Clockwork Prince” by Cassandra Clare
8. “Graceling” by Kristin Cashore

How the March Madness Teen Book Tournament Works:

Through a series of votes, we are narrowing the library’s list of the 32 most popular teen books to one grand champion. By supporting your favorite book, you’ll also be entered to win prizes like a gift card to Barnes & Noble, or a free autographed copy of “Legend” by Marie Lu! Prize winners will be announced on April 3 when we announce our book tournament champion.

• Round 1: Voting complete for the Sweet 16.
• Round 2: Voting complete for the Elite 8.
• Round 3: VOTE NOW through March 18 for the Final 4.
• Round 4: Vote March 19-25 for the final two contending titles.
• Round 5: Vote March 26-April 1 for the book tournament champion.
• April 3: The champion is announced!

Don’t forget to vote for your favorite four titles by Monday, March 18 at 5 p.m. You may vote online at teens.dbrl.org or pick up a paper ballot at one of our three branch locations. Limit one ballot per person, per round.  The Final Four will be announced next Tuesday, March 19.

As part of National Poetry Month in April, we invite Callaway County teens to submit their original poems with a chance to win an award and have their work displayed at the Callaway County Public Library, Central Bank and at teens.dbrl.org. Download an entry form or pick one up at the Callaway County Public Library. Entries due April 6. An awards ceremony will be held at 6 p.m. on Thursday, April 25 at the library. Co-sponsored by the Auxvasse Creative Arts Program.

Marcus Yallow, the tech-savvy protagonist of Cory Doctorow’s “Little Brother,” is back for more conspiracy-fueled action and intrigue in “Homeland“. Marcus, unemployed and broke, is given an encrypted USB stick by a former rival and told to make its contents public if anything should happen to her.  After witnessing her apparent kidnapping, he begins exploring the files on the stick and finds over 800,000 documents detailing all kinds of questionable, and sometimes illegal, actions taken by agents of the U.S. government. This presents a dilemma for Marcus, as releasing the documents could lose him his newly acquired job, and put him and his friends in danger. Things only get worse when someone else begins leaking the files and he is visited by a pair of goons who demand he destroys the information.

“Homeland” is a pretty engrossing read. It includes a good mixture of suspense and action while also asking some poignant questions about the relationship between a government and its citizens. What should the public be told and what should be kept secret? How far should a government go to maintain order? Doctorow can get caught up in describing cool pieces of technology, such as 3D printers and unmanned aerial vehicles, so if you like gadgets and techno-babble you will love these parts. If it’s not really your thing, this book is still worth it, you just need to get through these sections or skip them.

I highly recommend reading ”Homeland” and “Little Brother.” It  isn’t necessary to read “Little Brother” before “Homeland,” but it is helpful. Most of the characters first appeared in “Little Brother” and some of the events from that book are referenced in “Homeland.”

After an exciting two months of voting, DBRLTeen is proud to announce the Sweet 16 in our March Madness Teen Book Tournament. However, if you are just joining in the fun, here’s a little background to get you caught up.

Through a series of votes, we are narrowing the library’s list of the 32 most popular teen books to one grand champion. By supporting your favorite book, you’ll also be entered to win prizes like a gift card to Barnes & Noble, or a free autographed copy of “Legend” by Marie Lu!

How the March Madness Teen Book Tournament Works:

• Round 1: Voting complete.
• Round 2: VOTE NOW through March 11 for the Elite 8.
• Round 3: Vote March 12-18 for the Final 4.
• Round 4: Vote March 19-25 for the final two contending titles.
• Round 5: Vote March 26-April 1 for the book tournament champion.
• April 3: The champion is announced!

This year’s Sweet 16 leans heavily toward dystopian novels, but there is a good mix of fantasy, romance, and contemporary fiction. Don’t forget to vote for your favorite eight titles  by Monday, March 11 at 5 p.m. The winners from this round of competition will be announced next Tuesday, March 12.

March Madness Teen Book Tournament: Sweet 16

1. “Mockingjay” by Suzanne Collins
2. “The Giver” by Lois Lowry
3. “Maze Runner” by James Dashner
4. “The Book Thief” by Markus Zusak
5. “Divergent” by Veronica Roth
6. “Inheritance” by Christopher Paolini
7. “Shiver” by Maggie Stiefvater
8. “Breaking Dawn” by Stephenie Meyer
9. “Clockwork Prince” by Cassandra Clare
10. “Graceling” by Kristin Cashore
11. “Hate List” by Jennifer Brown
12. “Before I Fall” by Lauren Oliver
13. “The Fault in Our Stars” by John Green
14. “Heist Society” by Ally Carter
15. “The Grimm Legacy” by Polly Shulman
16. “Dark Life” by Kat Falls

Help us get ready for Summer Reading by designing an original bookmark based on the teen theme, “Beneath the Surface.” Winners’ artwork from each library branch will appear on bookmarks to be distributed late spring through summer. Please design two-dimensional artwork, using crayons, markers or any other illustration tool or medium. Photography is also acceptable, as long as it is your own! Download an entry form or pick one up at your nearest library branch. Ages 12-18.  Entry deadline is Saturday, March 30. 

Reviewer: Audrey B.

Why you liked this book: I liked this book because it was kind of a break from a lot of YA fiction as in it wasn’t COMPLETELY centered around romance. Throughout the book Roger kind of holds back on his feelings. He acts very mysterious for about the first half of the book, but that added to the story. So did the tension between Amy, her mom, and her brother. I liked Amy a lot because she was very vulnerable which made her really awkward around Roger. At the end of the book, Roger and Amy… Ha, you thought I would actually tell you! That’s funny. I’m going to make you read the book. No question.

Three words that describe this book: amazing, romantic, and tense.

You might pick this book up if… you like a book that’s not completely centered around romance, or if you like road trips. Also, “Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour” is a Gateway Award Nominee. Be sure to check out the other titles on this list of must-reads.

The Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) publishes a list of the year’s best books, audiobooks, films and graphic novels for teens. The “Best of the Best” is a great place to start when looking for your next great book to read or movie to watch.

• Best Fiction for Young Adults
• Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers
• Amazing Audiobooks
• Great Graphic Novels
• Fab Films

YALSA has also created the “Teen Book Finder” app available for iPhone or iPad so you can get book recommendations on-the-go!

Be sure to register online by Friday, March 8 if you plan to take the April 13 ACT exam. If you would like to know more about testing costs, locations, and resources to help you prepare, check out our online guide, SAT/ACT Prep. Also, don’t forget to subscribe to our blog updates for regular email reminders of upcoming SAT and ACT registration deadlines!

Reviewer: Kelly T.

Why you liked this book: This book is amazing! Piper is a strong character because she is deaf and able to overcome all the problems that get thrown in her face. I love that there are all these references to American Sign Language which many people don’t seem to know about. I think that everyone needs to read this book!

Three words that describe this book: heartfelt, astounding, and beautiful.

You might pick this book up if… you liked “The Vinyl Princess” by Yvonne Prinz or “Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist” by Rachel Cohen and David Levithan. If you are looking for another great read, you should also check out the rest of this year’s Gateway Award nominees.

The Daniel Boone Regional Library has an action-packed spring line-up for area teens. Vote for your favorite young adult novel in the March Madness Teen Book Tournament. Showcase your artistry by designing a bookmark for our teen summer reading program. Have fun by creating your favorite Star Wars characters out of origami. Challenge your friends to a game of “Super Mario Bros” with the library’s new Wii U. To receive email reminders of these and other teen programs, sign up for our blog updates!

March Madness Teen Book Tournament

March Madness is approaching, but why should basketball fans have all the fun? At your library or online at teens.dbrl.org, you can help us name a Mid-Missouri teen book champion. Each Tuesday in March we will be narrowing our pool of the 16 most popular teen books to a single champion. Vote March 5-11 for the Elite 8; vote March 12-18 for the Final 4; vote March 19-25 for the final two contending titles; and vote March 26-April 1 for the book tournament champion. We’ll announce the winner on April 3! Don’t forget that by supporting your favorite book, you’ll also be entered to win prizes like a gift card to Barnes & Noble, or a free autographed copy of “Legend” by Marie Lu.

Design a Bookmark Contest

Help us get ready for Summer Reading by designing an original bookmark based on the teen theme, ”Beneath the Surface.” Winners’ artwork from each library branch will appear on bookmarks to be distributed late spring through summer. Please design two-dimensional artwork, using crayons, markers or any other illustration tool or medium. Photography is also acceptable, as long as it is your own! Download an entry form at teens.dbrl.org after March 1, or pick one up at your nearest library branch. Ages 12-18. Entry deadline is Saturday, March 30.

Callaway County Youth Poetry Contest

As part of National Poetry Month in April, we invite Callaway County teens to submit their original poems with a chance to win an award and have their work displayed at the Callaway County Public Library, Central Bank and at teens.dbrl.org. Get contest rules and entry forms after March 1 at the library, bookmobile or at teens.dbrl.org. Entries due April 6. An awards ceremony will be held at 6 p.m. on Thursday, April 25 at the library. Co-sponsored by the Auxvasse Creative Arts Program.

Star Wars Origami

If you’ve read the “Origami Yoda” series by Tom Angleberger or are just a Star Wars fan, join us to learn to fold origami Yoda, Darth Vader and other Star Wars figures.

Callaway County
Public Library
Sat., Apr. 27,
2 p.m. SoBoCo Public Library
Tues., Apr. 30, 3:30 p.m.

To register, please call
(573) 657-7378
after April 16. Columbia
Public Library
Tues., May 7,
5:30 p.m. Wii U Lauch Party/Teen Game Night

Test drive the library’s new Wii U game console. Become a ghost hunter in “Luigi’s Ghost Mansion,” defeat evil aliens in your own “Metroid” spaceship, or team up with your friends to conquer Bowser in the new “Super Mario Bros.” We’ll also have snacks and a selection of the library’s newest teen fiction, music and DVDs for you to check out.

Columbia Public Library
Wed., Apr. 3, 6 p.m.

To register, please call
(573) 443-3161
after Tuesday, March 19. SoBoCo Public Library
Fri., Apr. 19, 6:30 p.m.

To register, please call
(573) 657-7378
after Friday, April 5. Columbia Public Library
Wed., May 1, 6 p.m.

To register, please call
(573) 443-3161
after Tuesday, April 23

2012 Missouri Poetry Out Loud Champion Cameron Locke

Poetry Out Loud Competition
Wednesday, February 20, 10 a.m.
Columbia Public Library

Area high school students will be competing for a spot in the Missouri state championship at this recitation competition. Missouri’s winner progresses to the national Poetry Out Loud championship held in Washington, D.C. Come observe and encourage the students as they perform their poems. This program of the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation is coordinated locally by the City of Columbia Office of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the Missouri Arts Council. For more information, go to www.poetryoutloud.org.

March Madness Teen Book Tournament

VOTE NOW through February 24 for the Sweet 16!

Daniel Boone Regional Library has received over 50 ballots in our March Madness Teen Book Tournament! Through a series of votes, we are narrowing our list of the 32 most popular teen books to one grand champion. Voting for the Sweet 16 will end on Sunday, February 24. We’ll take a few days to tabulate the results and then announce those titles that will advance in our single elimination bracket on Tuesday, March 5.

Which titles will be among the Sweet 16?  “Mockingjay” by Suzanne Collins? “Rot & Ruin” by Jonathan Maberry? “The Fault in Our Stars” by John Green? Voice your opinion by voting today! Don’t forget that by supporting your favorite book, you’ll also be entered to win prizes like a gift card to Barnes & Noble, or a free autographed copy of “Legend” by Marie Lu.

Who can participate?

March Madness is open to all teens ages 12-18 who live in either Boone or Callaway County, Missouri.

How It Works:

• Round 1: VOTE NOW through February 24 for the Sweet 16.
• Round 2: Vote March 5-11 for the Elite 8.
• Round 3: Vote March 12-18 for the Final 4.
• Round 4: Vote March 19-25 for the final two contending titles.
• Round 5: Vote March 26-April 1 for the book tournament champion.
• April 3: The champion is announced!

When I think of the word “impostor,” I generally picture someone who is up to no good, typically a criminal that needs to conceal his identity in order to trick others or avoid capture.  However, it turns out that there are very good reasons for a person to pretend to be someone her or she is not.  In “Can I See Your I.D.?: True Stories of False Identities“, Chris Barton profiles ten impostors with a wide variety of motivations.

You will certainly find several scoundrels in the pages of this book, including the legendary Frank Abagnale.  These are the people who use false identities for fun, profit or just because it is in their nature. But there are also those who impersonated others to avoid dire situations, such as the young Jewish man who pretended to be a member of the Hitler Youth to avoid death or Ellen Craft, who impersonated a slave owner so she and her husband could escape to freedom.  They are all really intriguing stories and I highly recommend giving this book a try.  The author also summarizes his three keys to pulling off a false identity, although I don’t encourage trying it.

The profiles are pretty brief and the book is a quick read at around 120 pages, so if you would like to do some further reading, here are a few titles that expand on a few of the stories:

• “Catch Me If You Can” by Frank Abagnale (made into a major motion picture)
• “Black Like Me” by John Howard Griffin
• “She Went to the Field: Women Soldiers of the Civil War” by Bonnie Tsui

Teen Game Night
Friday, February 22 › 6:30-8:30 p.m.
Southern Boone County Public Library

Challenge your friends to a video game or board game tournament. We’ll have various games available, or challenge your creative side by making something with Shrinky Dinks. Refreshments provided. Please enter through the back door. Ages 12 and older. To register, please call (573) 657-7378 after Friday, February 8.

As an area teen looking for help applying for college, the best place for you to start is with your high school guidance counselor. Planning for college begins your junior year and your guidance counselor can help you set goals and meet the many required deadlines. Below is a list of links to area high school guidance departments. You’ll find a plethora of contacts and web resources to help you fund your education.

FAFSA Frenzy
This program is sponsored by the Missouri Department of Higher Education and its goal is to assist students and families in completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). As mentioned in an earlier post, this is the mandatory application used by all colleges and universities in determining your eligibility for grants, loans, work-study, and scholarships.

Review the dates and times for this free event which will be hosted at Fulton High School, Hickman High School, and the Columbia Career Center. And don’t forget to bring:

• Your parents’ and your 2012 W-2 forms
• Copies of your parents’ and your 2012 tax forms, if they are ready. If you or your parents have not yet filed your 2012 returns before you attend a FAFSA Frenzy event, be sure to bring any statements of interest earned in 2012, any 1099 forms, and any other forms required to complete your taxes.
• Student PIN and parent PIN. You may apply for your PINs at www.pin.ed.gov before attending the FAFSA Frenzy.

Hickman High School Guidance Department
Learn about the A+ program, local scholarships, and helpful testing info.

Rockbridge High School Guidance Department
This site lists information related to the A+ Program, college visit opportunities, post-secondary information, and scholarships.

Fulton High School Guidance Department
This site provides senior scholarship information, financial aid and college links, as well as a list of educational opportunities and other events.

Hallsville High School Guidance Center
Learn more about available scholarships, financial aid, and career options.

Every January the American Library Association hosts its annual Youth Media Awards Press Conference. At this time, authors of children’s and young adult literature are recognized for the amazing works they have published in the last year. We as YA lit lovers consider this the Academy Awards of teen books. And this year’s winners are…

Michael L. Printz Award for excellence in literature written for young adults.

• Award Winner: “In Darkness” by Nick Lake
• Honor Book: “Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe” by Benjamin Alire Sáenz
• Honor Book: “Code Name Verity” by Elizabeth Wein
• Honor Book: “Dodger” by Terry Pratchett
• Honor Book: “The White Bicycle” by Beverley Brenna

William C. Morris Award for a debut book published by a first-time author writing for teens.

• Award Winner: “Seraphina” by Rachel Hartman
• Honor Book: “Wonder Show” by Hannah Barnaby
• Honor Book: “Love and Other Perishable Items” by Laura Buzo
• Honor Book: “After the Snow” by S. D. Crockett
• Honor Book: “The Miseducation of Cameron Post” by Emily M. Danforth

YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults honors the best nonfiction book published for young adults.

• Award Winner: “Bomb: The Race to Build-and Steal-the World’s Most Dangerous Weapon” by Steve Sheinkin
• Honor Book: “Steve Jobs: The Man Who Thought Different” by Karen Blumenthal
• Honor Book: “Moonbird: A Year on the Wind with the Great Survivor B95” by Phillip Hoose
• Honor Book: “Titanic: Voices From the Disaster” by Deborah Hopkinson
• Honor Book: “We’ve Got a Job: The 1963 Birmingham Children’s March” by Cynthia Levinson

Alex Award Winners are the 10 best adult books that appeal to teen audiences.

• “Caring Is Creepy” by David Zimmerman
• “Girlchild” by Tupelo Hassman
• “Juvenile in Justice” by Richard Ross
• “Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore” by Robin Sloan
• “My Friend Dahmer” by Derf Backderf
• “One Shot at Forever” by Chris Ballard
• “Pure” by Julianna Baggott
• “The Round House” by Louise Erdrich
• “Tell the Wolves I’m Home” by Carol Rifka Brunt
• “Where’d You Go, Bernadette?” by Maria Semple

Odyssey Award for best audiobook produced for children and/or young adult.

• Award Winner: “The Fault in Our Stars” written by John Green and narrated by Kate Rudd
• Honor Book: “Artemis Fowl: The Last Guardian” written by Eoin Colfer and narrated by Nathaniel Parker
• Honor Book: “Ghost Knight” written by Cornelia Funke and narrated by Elliot Hill
• Honor Book: “Monstrous Beauty” written by Elizabeth Fama and narrated by Katherine Kellgren

Pura Belpré (Author) Award honors a Latino writer whose children’s books best portray, affirm and celebrate the Latino cultural experience:

• Award Winner: “Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe” by Benjamin Alire Sáenz
• Honor Book: “The Revolution of Evelyn Serrano” by Sonia Manzano

Stonewall Children’s and Young Adult Literature Award is given annually to children’s and young adult books of exceptional merit relating to the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered experience.

• Award Winner: “Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe” by Benjamin Alire Sáenz
• Honor Book: “Drama” by Raina Telgemeier
• Honor Book: “Gone, Gone, Gone” by Hannah Moskowitz
• Honor Book: “October Mourning: A Song for Matthew Shepard” by Lesléa Newman
• Honor Book: “Sparks: The Epic, Completely True Blue, (Almost) Holy Quest of Debbie” by S. J. Adams

Schneider Family Book Award for books that embody an artistic expression of the disability experience.

• Middle School Award Winner: “A Dog Called Homeless” by Sarah Lean
• High School Award Winner: “Somebody, Please Tell Me Who I Am” by Harry Mazer and Peter Lerangis

Mildred L. Batchelder Award for an outstanding children’s book originally published in a language other than English in a country other than the United States.

• Award Winner: “My Family for the War” by Anne C. Voorhoeve, translated by Tammi Reichel. Originally published in Germany in 2007 as “Liverpool Street.”
• Honor Book: “A Game for Swallows: To Die, to Leave, to Return” written and illustrated by Zeina Abirached, translated by Edward Gauvin
• Honor Book: “Son of a Gun” written and translated by Anne de Graaf

Margaret A. Edwards Award honors an author, as well as a specific body of his or her work, for significant and lasting contribution to young adult literature. Tamora Pierce is the 2013 Edwards Award winner. Pierce was born in rural Western Pennsylvania in 1954. She knew from a young age she liked stories and writing, and in 1983, she published her first series, Song of the Lioness. She continues to write and even record her own audiobooks. She currently lives with her husband (spouse-creature) and a myriad of animals in Syracuse, New York.