10th Publication Anniversary of GOOD ENOUGH

10th Publication Anniversary of GOOD ENOUGH

February 5, 2018 marks the TENTH publication anniversary of my first YA novel GOOD ENOUGH (HarperCollins 2008).

Can you believe ten years have gone by?

To celebrate this special day, I recently recorded a fun tribute video about this novel and its musical influences from Mozart to the Violent Femmes. Go here to check it out – https://youtu.be/GuW8ZqEyxGU

I’m grateful this book is not only still in print after all these years, but also available in paperback AND was recently re-published by Houghton Mifflin’s “READ 180 UNIVERSAL” program. For more info on this program, go here: https://www.hmhco.com/products/read-180/pdfs/READ180_Universal_ContentOverview_Stage_C_0616_8802.pdf)

This book was also written long before diversity in children’s literature became a hot-button topic in the industry. I have always championed diversity and universal themes in #kidlit, along with Asian American issues. In fact, GOOD ENOUGH was selected as an Asian Pacific American Youth Literature Award Honor Book in 2009. I am proud that GOOD ENOUGH was a #WeNeedDiverseBooks #OwnVoices #AsianAmerican #kidlit book long before Twitter, social media and hashtags became popular. Ten years later, we STILL need more diverse books and diverse authors in #kidlit! So I encourage all diverse writers to KEEP WRITING. Tell your stories. We need to hear your voices. 🙂

And speaking of Good Enough, yes, I still play violin professionally. I’ve played recently with the Vicente Chamber Orchestra and the Southeast Symphony. (I also have a concert with the Southeast Symphony this March 11, 2018! Info here: https://www.southeastsymphony.com/march-11-scheherazade)

Me at a recent http://www.vicentechamberorchestra.com concert!

You can check out my fun violin videos on my Youtube channel! Follow me here: https://www.youtube.com/user/PaulaYoo (Added bonus – cat videos! LOL!)

Self-indulgent cat photo because well, I wanted to. 🙂 L-R: Beethoven, Charlotte, Oreo

As you may have noticed, I don’t blog as often these days due to my writing deadlines. But you can keep up with me on Instagram (http://instagram.com/paulayoo) and on Twitter @paulayoo along with my cat @oreothecatyoo

And of course, I’ll be hosting my annual National Picture Book Writing Week (AKA “NAPIBOWRIWEE”) writing event this May 1-7, 2018. So stay tuned for that here: http://napibowriwee.com

Thank you again to all the readers of GOOD ENOUGH – I am grateful for your kind words and support of my first YA novel. I’m honored by all the amazing teachers and librarians who have included GOOD ENOUGH in their English and Social Studies reading curriculums. I appreciate the support over the past decade for this modest little book which I wrote to make young people smile. Today, YOU make ME smile. 🙂

And as always, HAPPY WRITING! Until my next blog/news announcements, remember… WRITE LIKE YOU MEAN IT!

xoxo

Paula 🙂