Unveiling of The Queen of Water...

Hello everyone!



I've been in Michigan and Chicago this past week, having a fun time doing school and library visits, the IRA conference, and my agent's annual retreat... it's been a whirlwind! I'm dying to post pics of all these amazing events, but the little slot in my computer where the memory card goes is broken... it got drenched with tea (with lots of milk and honey) one disastrous morning a few months ago (hmm... now how did that happen?) Anyway, I'll be doing a bunch of posts about this trip when I get home next week, but in the meantime, I thought I'd give you this treat...



Isn't it beautiful!? This is more-or-less what the cover of The Queen of Water will look like when it comes out next spring (2011). A coupla little details will be changed, like the word order of the title). This is a photo of Maria Virginia that my friend Ken Burgess took of her! I'm so excited that she's on the cover. I love the rich, warm colors, and the shimmery gold of the beads and lace and her lips... and her expression is so tender and introspective.



Let's hope this is the final cover... there's always a chance it could change, depending on the whims of the giant bookstore chains.



Here's a description of the book:

Born in an Andean village in Ecuador, Virginia lives with her large family in a small, earthen-walled dwelling. In her village of indígenas, it's not uncommon to work in the fields all day, even as a child, or to be called a longa tonta--stupid Indian--by the ruling class of mestizos, or Spanish descendants. On the day Virginia is taken from her Andean village to be an unpaid servant to a mestizo couple, she has no idea what the next decade will hold for her.

Virginia, who has always dreamt of leaving her village, soon embraces the privileges of mestizo life. But as much as she wants to be part of her new family, she instead receives a tangled mixture of love and disdain. Beaten and taunted by her boss, she has to fight to hold onto her spirit and humor. Told that the sole purpose of indigenous girls is to serve, she teaches herself to read and write… and performs science experiments in secret.

But when her most cherished ally betrays her, can she gather the courage and wits to escape? And once free, will Virginia—now a teenager caught between cultures—find a place where she belongs?

In this poignant novel based on a true story, acclaimed author Laura Resau has collaborated with María Virginia Farinango to recount an indigenous girl's unforgettable journey to self-discovery that will speak to anyone who has ever struggled to find his or her place in the world. Virginia’s story will make you laugh and cry, and ultimately, fill you with hope.

I can't wait until the book is out in the world for you to read! Okay, I'm off to take a walk in this windy, sunny city right now... and then I'll be having dinner with my agent (Erin Murphy) and a bunch of her wonderful authors. Thanks for reading!



Cheers,

Laura

Colorado Book Award Finalists!

Hello everyone,

Hope this finds you well! I just got news from the Colorado Book Award committee... and am thrilled that THE INDIGO NOTEBOOK is one of three finalists for the Young Adult category! Yipee!


I was happy to see so many of my writer-friends on the finalist list. The other YA finalists are Amy Efaw (After) and Julie Anne Peters (Rage: A Love Story). Amy and Julie are such talented, warm people-- I'm so excited for them.




All three finalists in the Juvenile category are writing buddies of mine, too! Congrats to Teresa Funke for V is for Victory: Homefront Heroes and Karla Oceanak for her debut novel Artsy-Fartsy: an Aldo Zelnick Comic novel (these are both Ft Collins writers, too) and Claudia Mills for How Oliver Olsen Changed the World.





My good friend Denise Vega is a finalist in the Children's category with Grandmother, have the Angels Come? Congrats, Denise!!


And finally, my good friend Laura Pritchett is a finalist in the Non-Fiction category for the fabulous anthology she edited called Going Green: True Tales from Gleaners, Scavengers, and Dumpster Divers.


The awards ceremony will be in Aspen in June-- it'll be fun... I've never been to Aspen before (even though it's just a few hours from my home). And I'll be in great company... can't wait to hang out with my other finalist friends! Congrats to everyone!

Now I have to sneak out to my trailer and finish going over the copyedits for The Queen of Water. Usually, I try not to work on weekends, but I have to drop this off at the Fed-Ex place before one today... and the clock's ticking...

xo,
Laura