Wendelin Van Draanen

Wendelin Van Draanen visits with the next and final installment of her Edgar Allan Poe Award-winning Sammy Keyes teen mystery series. Joining her is Mark Huntley Parsons, who presents his debut young adult novel, Road Rash, about a teenage drummer who finds out what life is really like on tour with a rock band.

In Sammy Keyes and the Kiss Goodbye, Sammy doesn’t go looking for trouble, but she seems to find it everywhere. She’s forever sniffing out clues and chasing down bad guys—and driving her friends a little nuts. She’s gone up against thieves and counterfeiters and gangsters and blackmailers and murderers, and always stayed one step ahead. Until now. Last night, one of the bad guys caught up. Last night, someone followed Sammy up the fire escape and pushed her from the third story. Now she’s in the hospital, out cold. And her friends are left with the questions Sammy’s always been so good at answering: Why? How? But most of all…WHO? In this emotional conclusion to her beloved long-running series, Wendelin Van Draanen shows just how many lives one nosy girl can touch and pays tribute to a life well sleuthed.

In Road Rash, when 17-year-old Zach Ryan gets picked as the new drummer in a popular local band going on a long summer tour, he quickly learns about the challenges that come with life on the road. Playing in small venues, Bad Habit deals with a bar brawl and a manager who won't pay them, but the biggest problems come from within the band. Zach is a sympathetic "nice guy" narrator who is trying to be a responsible band member, despite being its newest and youngest addition. He's also good at expressing the thrill of creating music.

Places in the signing line are reserved for those who purchase a copy of one of the featured books from The King's English.

GET YOUR COPY NOW! Preorder your signed copy of the featured books today, by either calling the store at 801-484-9100 or ordering online. Please specify if you will be attending the event and if you want your book personalized. del.icio.us Facebook Google StumbleUpon Twitter Yahoo

Location: Street: 1511 South 1500 East City: Salt Lake City, Province: Utah Postal Code: 84105 Country: United States (added from IndieBound)… (more)

Authors Wendelin Van Draanen and Mark Huntley Parsons stop by Arcadia on their "He Said, She Said" book tour to discuss Sammy Keyes and the Kiss Goodbye and Road Rash - both terrific books for young adults.

Location: Street: 102 E Jefferson St Additional: City: Spring Green, Province: Wisconsin Postal Code: 53588 Country: United States (added from IndieBound)… (more)

Interested in knowing more about how the publishing industry works? Want a bit of inspiration from a pair of Random House authors who have juggled “Real Life” with the “Writing Life” for many years? Join us Tuesday, October 7, at 7:00 pm.

Discussion will address the writing process, dealing with agents, editors and publishers and the book-to-movie experience. Van Draanen is the author of over 30 books including Sammy Keyes mysteries, The Running Dream and Flipped, while Parsons is new to the YA genre with his debut book, Road Rash.

Location: Street: Auntie's Bookstore/ Mezz Additional: 402 W Main Ave City: Spokane, Province: Washington Postal Code: 99201-0214 Country: United States (added from IndieBound)… (more)

Mark Parsons and Wendelin Van Draanen are both authors. They’ve both been writing professionally for around twenty years, albeit in separate fields for much of that time. Now they both work in that loosely-defined yet increasingly popular field known as YA. (She’s the veteran of the kid-lit genre, having worked successfully in the Middle-Grade and Young Adult venue since she started writing, while he primarily wrote non-fiction—magazine articles and books—and is the new kid on the YA block.)

Additionally, they both share the same publisher—Knopf/Random House. And share the same office. And… the same life. Because Mark and Wendelin are married. And have been, for even longer than they’ve been writing.

“It took us a while to realize it—like around twenty years,” Van Draanen says with a laugh. “But by the time Mark started planning for the release of his debut novel, we finally figured out that what we do is kind of unique.”

“Right,” Parsons says. “I mean, we’ve shared an office for the past fifteen years, and we’re still married.” He pauses. “And it’s not a very big office.”

Consequently, their “He Said, She Said” tour isn’t the typical series of ‘read and sign’ events. “We’re talking about books, sure,” Parsons says, “but also about how our little ‘mutual aid pact’ helps both of us be more creative and productive.” Other topics include their writing processes, staying motivated, pursuing their dreams while working day jobs and raising a family, and the book-to-movie experience. (Van Draanen has had two books turned into film properties, including the Rob Reiner-directed Warner Bros. feature, “Flipped”.)

“People are curious about how all this works,” Van Draanen says. “And we’re happy to answer questions and share what we know.” She laughs. “Although, as with any time you get a married couple discussing something, you should probably expect arguments!”

Books featured on the California couple’s “He Said, She Said” tour will include Van Draanen’s best-selling Sammy Keyes mystery series, as well as a selection of her popular stand-alone novels including The Running Dream and Flipped. Parsons will discuss and sign Road Rash, his new band-on-the-road YA adventure.

Location: Street: 617 2nd St City: Davis, Province: California Postal Code: 95616-4620 Country: United States (added from IndieBound)… (more)

He Said, She Said YA Tour: Wendelin van Draanen and Mark Huntley Parsons

Wednesday, September 17, 7:00 p.m. Sammy Keyes and the Kiss Goodbye #18 Road Rash

Have you watched the movie Flipped? Have you read the Sammy Keyes series? Do you like mysteries? Are you a drummer? Do you work with your partner and want to strangle them? If you said yes to any of these questions, then you must come and hear Wendelin van Draanen, the author of over 30 novels for young readers, with the next installment of her Edgar Allan Poe Award-winning Sammy Keyes mystery series.

Joining her is her husband, Mark Huntley Parsons, with his debut novel about a teenage drummer who finds out what life is really like on tour with a rock band. This writing couple will discuss their books, the writing process, and how they've managed to share the same office for 20 years without bloodshed! It's going to be a blast!

Location: Street: 1010 El Camino Real City: Menlo Park, Province: California Postal Code: 94025-4349 Country: United States (added from IndieBound)… (more)

Bookworks premiers a new Sammy Keyes mystery book club with teh first of the series, Sammy Keyes and the Hotel Thief, by Wendelin Van Draanen. Free and opepn to the public. More info: kids@bkwrks.com. Book club purchases receive 10% off.

Location: Street: 4022 Rio Grande Blvd NW City: Albuquerque, Province: New Mexico Postal Code: 87107-3157 Country: United States (added from IndieBound)… (more)

Kids get 15% off selections! Sign up with a bookseller at the store or by calling 970.926.7323. This month's selections are: Sammy Keyes and the Hotel Thief by Wendelin Van Draanen Sammy Keyes and the Skeleton Man by Wendelin Van Draanen

Location: Street: 295 Main Street C101 City: Edwards, Province: Colorado Postal Code: 81632-7932 Country: United States (added from IndieBound)… (more)

It’s the “He Said, She Said” Author Road Show featuring... Wendelin Van Draanen and Mark Huntley Parsons See the trailer for Road Rash here. MARK PARSONS has been a drummer since 7th grade when he saved $100 from his paper route to buy a used drumset, and he's been pounding away ever since. He's a long-standing contributor for Modern Drummer magazine, and has written non-fiction books on audio and music-related topics. Books have always been a part of Wendelin Van Draanen's life. Her first book was published in 1997, and since then her titles have won many awards. Now in its sixteenth installment, the Sammy Keyes Mysteries have been nominated for the Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best Children’s Mystery five times, with Sammy Keyes and the Hotel Thief bringing home the statue. Additionally, she has won the Christopher medal for Shredderman: Secret identity, the California Young Reader Medal for Flipped, and the Schneider Family Book Award for The Running Dream. Her books have been translated into many foreign languages, Shredderman became a Nickelodeon made-for-TV movie, and Flipped was released as a feature film, directed by Rob Reiner. She lives in California with her husband and two sons. Her hobbies include the “Three R’s”: Reading, Running and Rock ’n’ Roll. Copies of the authors' books will be available for purchase and signing at the event. If you would like a signed copy but cannot attend the event just let us know!

Location: Street: Subterranean Books Additional: 6275 Delmar Blvd City: Saint Louis, Province: Missouri Postal Code: 63130-4716 Country: United States (added from IndieBound)… (more)

What: Wendelin Van Draanen and Mark Parsons will discuss and sign their books for kids from elementary school through high school. When: Monday, April 14, 5:00 pm Where: Blue Willow Bookshop, 14532 Memorial Drive, Houston, TX 77079 Admission: In order to go through the signing line and meet Wendelin Van Draanen and Mark Parsons for book personalization, please purchase one of their books from Blue Willow Bookshop. At the time of your purchase, we will issue a signing line ticket that indicates your place in line. Your book and signing line ticket can be picked up at the event. About the Author: Wendelin Van Draanen has written more than thirty novels for young readers and teens. She is the author of the long running Edgar-winning SAMMY KEYES series, and two four-book series for younger readers (SHREDDERMAN and THE GECKO & STICKY). Additionally, she has written several stand-alone novels, including The Running Dream and FLIPPED. Mark Parsons has published primarily non-fiction, penning over a hundred articles for national magazines as well as a pair of non-fiction books. His debut novel, Road Rash, is a YA adventure. Books: The latest book in the SAMMY KEYES series is KILLER CRUISE. Sammy knew that getting to know her new rockstar dad on a cruise would be a little uncomfortable. . . . But when the heiress to a perfume empire disappears from the ship, it turns out everyone's in for a rocky ride. This book is a classic locked-room whodunit—Sammy Keyes style. Wendelin’s latest book for teens is the Schneider Award-winning The Running Dream. In it, Jessica thinks her life is over when she loses a leg in a car accident. She's not comforted by the news that she'll be able to walk with the help of a prosthetic leg. As she struggles to cope with crutches and a first cyborg-like prosthetic, Jessica feels oddly both in the spotlight and invisible. Mark’s debut novel for teens is Road Rash, a story about Zach, a 17-year old high school boy who gets to spend a summer as part of a band. Drawing from Parsons’s many years of experience as a rock drummer, this story explores what life on the road is really like, the relationships, the adventures, and – most of all—the music. Ordering: A limited number of autographed copies of Wendelin’s and Mark’s books will be available for purchase after the event. If you cannot attend the event, and would like a personalized copy of one of their books, please call us before the event at (281) 497-8675. If you can't attend the event or need a copy shipped to you, you may call the store or add the appropriate book to your cart on our website. Payment type must be "CreditCard." In the order notes, add personalization details. To place an international order, please email orders@bluewillowbookshop.com to obtain shipping details and to have items shipped to you. Staff will respond within 24-48 hours. Attachment Size PRESS-PHOTO-He-Said-She-Said-Tour-thumb.png 18.83 KB

Location: Street: 14532 Memorial Dr City: Houston, Province: Texas Postal Code: 77079 Country: United States (added from IndieBound)… (more)

Saturday, Apr 12 at 7PM

BookPeople Presents

Young Adult Authors Wendelin Van Draanen & MARK PARSONS

on the He Said, She Said Tour! Husband and wife Young Adult author team Wendelen Van Draanen and Mark Parsons are hitting the road and we're happy to announce they're making a stop at BookPeople! Wendelin will talk to us about her latest book, Sammy Keyes and the Killer Cruise. Mark Parsons will share his new novel, Road Rash. It's going to be a blast! Join us for the fun!

Wendelin Van Draanen has written more than thirty novels for young readers and teens. She is the author of the long running Edgar-winning Sammy Keyes series, and two four-book series for younger readers (Shredderman and The Gecko & Sticky). Additionally she has written several stand-alone novels, including The Running Dream, Swear to Howdy, and Flipped (named a Top 100 Children’s Novel for the 21st Century by SLJ and became a Warner Brothers feature film).

Mark Parsons has published primarily non-fiction, penning over a hundred articles for national magazines as well as a pair of non-fiction books. His debut novel, Road Rash, is a YA adventure about a high school boy who goes on the road with a band. It draws from Parsons’s many years of experience as a rock drummer.

This writing couple from California will discuss their books, the writing process, and how they’ve managed to share the same office for twenty years without bloodshed.

Wendelin was a classroom teacher for many years, Mark an instructor at a Fortune 500 company. They have two sons, two dogs, and two wild imaginations. In order to have anything signed at a BookPeople event, a copy of the event book must be purchased from BookPeople. If you purchase your book from BookPeople in advance of the event, please save your receipt and present it at the event.

Thank you for supporting Wendelin Van Draanen, Mark Parsons & your local independent bookstore!

Location: Street: 603 N Lamar Blvd City: Austin, Province: Texas Postal Code: 78703-5413 Country: United States (added from IndieBound)… (more)