Buzzing on Broadway

To launch his sophomore novel, My Life, the Theater, and Other Tragedies (Egmont USA, May), author Allen Zadoff is holding a contest that asks readers to submit creative photos of themselves with the book in theatrical locations (the novel focuses on a high school’s, well, drama-filled production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream). Zadoff will be posting the photos on his Web site and several Broadway luminaries have already gotten in on the act: Tony nominee Bobby Cannavale, currently starring in The Motherf**ker with the Hat, is seen here with the book, and other participating stars include Frances McDormand, Liev Schreiber, and American Idol’s Haley Reinhart. The contest runs through July 25; the winner who submits the “most creative, distinctive, or impressive” photo wins a Skype chat with Zadoff for his or her school, class, or theater group.

A Night to Remember

Debut author Cat Patrick celebrated the launch of her YA novel Forgotten (Little, Brown, June) last Thursday with a dinner with local librarians and booksellers from the Seattle area. Forgotten is the story of teenage London Lane, whose memory is erased every evening but can “remember” future events. Patrick (front row, second from r.) is seen here with booksellers from Third Place Books, Liberty Bay Books, and Barnes & Noble, and a librarian from Sno-Isle Regional Library. Paramount picked up film rights to Forgotten in February, with Hailee Steinfeld (True Grit) signed to star as London.

Bonjour, American Author

Houghton Mifflin hosted a party for writer Joe Schreiber last Thursday—where else?—in New York City, the setting of his first YA novel, Au Revoir, Crazy European Chick (Oct.). In the novel, Perry’s prom night takes some wild turns when the Lithuanian exchange student he’s forced to escort turns out to have another plan in mind, leading to assassinations, car chases, and general mayhem. Seen here, getting into the spirit of things with squirt guns, are (l. to r.) Schreiber; his editor, Margaret Raymo; his agent, Phyllis Westberg of Harold Ober Associates; and Jack Martin of the New York Public Library.

History in the Making

This past weekend, the Historical Novel Society held its fourth annual North American conference in San Diego. While they were in town for the event, four YA authors dropped by the Yellow Book Road bookstore last Friday to discuss their books, answer audience questions, and sign books. Seated here, l. to r., in front of some young fans, are Janet Fox (Forgiven; Penguin/Speak, June), Jame Richards (Three Rivers Rising; Knopf, 2010); Dori Jones Yang (Daughter of Xanadu; Delacorte, Jan.), and Irene Latham (Leaving Gee’s Bend; Putnam, 2010).