Holly Thompson’s THE LANGUAGE INSIDE was published yesterday! Congrats Holly!

Here it is folks, the cover of my upcoming verse novel AUDACIOUS. Personally, I LOVE it. What do you think? Everyone who shares, adds it on Goodreads and comments will be entered into a draw to win a copy. The first ten commenters will get a bookmark.

So I’m dealing with an aching back and a lapsed deadline and things have kind of gotten away from me. Thus I haven’t done a verse novel round up in way too long and so much has been happening.

The big news, for me at least, is I GOT MY COVER DESIGN from my publisher and holy living crap I love it! I’m going to reveal it right here on the blog (and elsewhere) next week, but here’s a little tease:

Yes, it’s pink and black and it has my name on it. You guys, it’s AWESOME!

So, onto other stuff; here’s what’s been happening in the world of verse novels:

VerseNovels.com has a competitor! Novels in Verse hosted by Richelle Steinmetz already has some great content about verse novels. Bring it, Rikki!

Here’s a list of movies based on poems or novels in verse.

MY BOOK OF LIFE BY ANGEL was a finalist in the LA Times Book Prize.

The good news? Holly Thompson is teaching a course on Verse Novel. The bad news (for me): it’s in Japan. But lucky for anyone who lives around that part of the world.

It’s great to see verse novels getting some attention from academics. Here’s a paper presented by Linda Weste at Ohio State’s Porject Narrative.

RUNAWAYS by Sherryl Clark was just released! Here’s an excerpt. And there’s a review with another excerpt at Alpha Reader.

THE SUNLIT ZONE by Lisa Jacobson was reviewed at Text Journal

LOVE & LEFTOVERS was reviewed at Writing Whimsy

Clear Eyes Full Shelves did a whole week about verse novels. The highlight was this Podcast.

Caroline Starr Rose announced her new book deal, a middle grade novel in verse called BLUE BIRDS

This PDF from Terry Farrish offers a reading list, quotes and activities for exploring diversity in verse novels.

OUT OF THIS PLACE by Emma Cameron is reviewed by Ivy Book Bindings

The Hiding Spot  and Alexa Loves Books review YOUR OWN,SYLVIA by Stephanie Hemphill.

Earlier this month I posted a bit about four recent/upcoming verse novels with great boy appeal covers. I  included a little poll on which cover was the favorite and am thrilled to report that Tim Sinclair’s RUN was the clear winner. Go Tim!

I also promised to giveaway a copy of NIX MINUS ONE by Jill McLean. The winner of that giveaway is: Joli! Get in touch with your postal address Joli and NIX MINUS ONE will be wining its way to you in no time.

Finally, in the interests of further male readership of verse novels, I have begun to compile a list on Goodreads. Go and check it out, vote, comment and share!

So much happening in verse this month with National Poetry Month. Here are some highlights:

Here’s a reading list brochure on Teen Novels in Verse for use in libraries. What can I say? Libraries+Verse Novels=♥

BLUE BIRDS, a new verse novel by Caroline Starr Rose has sold to GP Putnam!

Steven Herrick’s POOKIE ALEERA IS NOT MY BOYFRIEND has been shortlisted for the Children’s Book Council of Australia Book of the Year.

Lisa Schroeder says Happy National Poetry Month

Sarah Tregay talks about her verse novel writing process

Clear Eyes Full Shelves talks Verse Novels in their latest podcast

Here’s a Hornbook guide to novels in verse.

Alexa Loves Books reviews ODETTE’S SECRETS by Maryanne McDonald

Books for Your Kids reviews GONE FISHING by Tamera Will Wissinger

Maree’s Musings reviews WAITING by Carol Lynch Williams

These week VerseNovels.com welcomes Tamera Will Wissinger, the author of GONE FISHING to guest post about reasons to write in verse.

Since GONE FISHING: A Novel In Verse arrived last month, I’ve been greeted with a wonderful flurry of interest in the book. Thankfully, readers are intrigued by the story and how it’s told. One of the questions I’ve heard a number of times is this: “Why write a verse novel instead of regular prose?” My initial answer has been simply: “Poetry is the way the story came out.” And while that’s true – my story did arrive one poem at a time – I’ve started to think about this question more deeply and I decided that it deserves a more thorough response.

Here are four of the best reasons that I can think of to write stories in verse for children and young adults (more than one may apply to any given poetry novel):

For Young Adults

The subject matter is shocking or extremely demanding and the economy of a poetry text may make the story more palatable. In My Book of Life by Angel by Martine Leavitt, Angel as MC is in a horrible situation. Mainly using free verse, Leavitt doesn’t gloss over the circumstances with verse, but allows us to absorb what’s happening without being hit over the head.

For Middle Grade/Intermediate/Young Adults

The subject matter has taxing aspects, and a story element may lend itself to the techniques and structure choices that a poetry novel requires. In May B. by Caroline Star Rose, May is thrust into an extremely bleak situation. It is winter, she is snowed in and on her own. The first person verse novel format – with spare, crisp free verse – echoes May’s meager surroundings and the isolation that she feels.

For Middle Grade/Intermediate/Young Adults

The subject matter may or may not be difficult, but it is directly related to poetry or writing (the main character may be journaling), so the verse novel format draws attention to poetry writing and/or reading. In Shakespeare Bats Cleanup by Ron Koertge, Kevin (aka Shakespeare) starts out with an illness that sidelines him from playing baseball so he begins to journal in poems.

For Younger Readers/Middle Grade

For the youngest readers, regardless of the degree of subject difficulty for the child’s age, stories in poetry offer an inviting way to engage children in the story and in the poetry itself. In Emma Dilemma: Big Sister Poems by Kristine O’Connell George, big sister Jess narrates the off and on conflict she has with little sister Emma through a variety of short poems that leave room for illustrations. (FYI: this is where I feel that GONE FISHING fits in.)

Could these stories have been told another way? Yes, certainly they could have been. The real question is: If these stories had been told any other way, would they resonate in the same way with readers? We’ll never really know, but it’s intriguing to think about.

There are quite possibly other really good reasons to write a novel in verse for children and young adults – what have I overlooked?

I’m kind of excited about this. Ellen Hopkins’s covers are so iconic, especially the Crank Trilogy. Check them out:

I mean, stunning, right? But today I discovered the trilogy is being re-launched with new covers, and in a trim paperback edition:

In the past I’ve been disappointed by cover redesigns. Recently there have been a couple that I felt were vastly inferior to the original. But this cover rethink really works for me. I love how they’ve kept the same color scheme. I like the taglines. And of course it’s entirely appropriate that Ellen Hopkins join the ranks of authors whose names are at least as big as their titles. I think this redesign maintains the character of the originals while updating them and making them feel very current and modern. Initially I was a little shocked at this new look, but the more I study it, the more it works for me. This is everything a cover redesign should be.

The new look trilogy comes out this August.