kelanoconnell.com

kelanoconnell.blogspot.com

Kelan O'Connell: December 2014

http://kelanoconnell.blogspot.com/2014_12_01_archive.html

Friday, December 5, 2014. Author/Blogger Cops Out, Re-Posts Old Humor Piece for the Holidays. Oh come on, it's funny. Relying on this piece every December is my new holiday tradition. OUR BIG FAT INFLATABLE CHRISTMAS. I'm fascinated by America's obsession with holiday yard art. Like everything else in America, it just keeps getting bigger, and true to our American way of life, it's not really getting any better—just bigger. Festive, depressive. Festive, depressive. Those holiday yard art fanatics who fre...

kelanoconnell.blogspot.com

Kelan O'Connell: November 2015

http://kelanoconnell.blogspot.com/2015_11_01_archive.html

Sunday, November 1, 2015. In the late 80's and early 90's, I lived in a lovely little one bedroom flat in San Francisco's Mission District. This is where I first experienced Dia de Muertos (aka Dia de los Muertos). More than anything, I love the idea of reaching across the great divide between living and dead, and doing so with joy and whimsey over the deep sorrow that our loved ones are no longer here with us. It's also the main reason I was drawn to and still make Cartoneria (Mexican paper mache).

kelanoconnell.blogspot.com

Kelan O'Connell: October 2014

http://kelanoconnell.blogspot.com/2014_10_01_archive.html

Saturday, October 25, 2014. It's been 2 weeks since the conference in Sacramento and I've finally managed to carve out some time to write about my experience attending this wonderful event. I know I'm late in reporting but perhaps my delayed post will help keep the positive energy flowing a bit longer. This year's KidLitCon organizers: Maureen Kearney, Tanita Davis, Jen Robinson,. Charlotte Taylor, Melissa Fox, Reshama Deshmukh, and Sarah Stevenson. My persistent cough has rendered me the person for whom...

kelanoconnell.blogspot.com

Kelan O'Connell: August 2015

http://kelanoconnell.blogspot.com/2015_08_01_archive.html

Monday, August 17, 2015. Crossings; with and without goodbye. Where the hell have I been? Off the social media grid that's for sure, entrenched in real life. At the end of May, my sweet dad fell ill and passed away a short time later. Ed was 90 and lived a very full life. Still, I can't help but wish for one more family gathering, one more backyard barbecue, one more time to clink my glass to his and hear him say, "Slainte.". Still, my dad hung on longer than we anticipated considering how very done his ...

kelanoconnell.blogspot.com

Kelan O'Connell: August 2014

http://kelanoconnell.blogspot.com/2014_08_01_archive.html

Monday, August 25, 2014. Introducing Diverse Book Tours. Long before the now famous. We Need Diverse Books. Movement, Guinevere and Libertad Thomas were a driving force in calling attention to the need for diversity in Children’s and YA literature. As bloggers, activists, writers, book reviewers, and promoters, they continue to keep the focus on this important issue. Joining forces with Sasha of So Bookishly,. These talented bloggers are transforming their passion into a new venture, Diverse Book Tours.

kelanoconnell.blogspot.com

Kelan O'Connell: June 2014

http://kelanoconnell.blogspot.com/2014_06_01_archive.html

Saturday, June 21, 2014. Thoughts from a Plain-Belly Sneetch. Thanks to the tenacity of Ellen Oh along with the entire #WeNeedDiverseBooks. Team and subsequent panel at BookCon, many agents, publishers, booksellers, and librarians came away from BEA 2014 with a new perspective on the market for diverse books. And while this is wonderful news, I've been pondering what this will mean for those of us who were out ahead of this movement and ultimately self-published, the ones without "stars upon thars.".

kelanoconnell.blogspot.com

Kelan O'Connell: February 2015

http://kelanoconnell.blogspot.com/2015_02_01_archive.html

Monday, February 9, 2015. Review of Bayou Magic. In 2015 I'll be adding my reviews of Diverse Children's and mostly YA books here, and I'm delighted to make Bayou Magic. By Jewell Parker Rhodes my first. Not having children or grandchildren of my own, I rarely read Middle Grade Fiction, but I snagged an ARC of Bayou Magic. At KidLitCon 2014 where the author was a presenter, and I’m so glad I did. There’s magic in these pages—it's a lovely story from a gifted storyteller. Maddy is the youngest of five.

kelanoconnell.blogspot.com

Kelan O'Connell: Staring at Trees

http://kelanoconnell.blogspot.com/2014/10/staring-at-trees.html

Sunday, October 5, 2014. West Sonoma County is the place I return to when in need of R&R. For me it's actually RR&R— that last one being Reboot. There is magic in these woods. I lived on the Russian River and in Sebastopol, CA from 2006-2010. I've always found peace and healing among the vineyards and redwoods, not to mention my beloved Sonoma Coast. We rented Ken and Cindy's lovely little cabin, Cloud 9, in the woods on Austin Creek near where our dear friends Gina and Lonnie live full time. Four days o...

kelanoconnell.blogspot.com

Kelan O'Connell: Review of Bayou Magic

http://kelanoconnell.blogspot.com/2015/02/review-of-bayou-magic.html

Monday, February 9, 2015. Review of Bayou Magic. In 2015 I'll be adding my reviews of Diverse Children's and mostly YA books here, and I'm delighted to make Bayou Magic. By Jewell Parker Rhodes my first. Not having children or grandchildren of my own, I rarely read Middle Grade Fiction, but I snagged an ARC of Bayou Magic. At KidLitCon 2014 where the author was a presenter, and I’m so glad I did. There’s magic in these pages—it's a lovely story from a gifted storyteller. Maddy is the youngest of five.