2011/2012 Feature Book of the Week #2 Invisible Lines by Mary Amato

FEATURED BOOK OF THE WEEK
INVISIBLE LINES BY MARY AMATO

Trevor is just plain funny, and he’s lucky, he is. Because this year he needs a sense of humor. Moving to Hedley Gardens is hard enough. The move to a fancy new school is even harder—all the kids from “Deadly Gardens” seem to be in the same classes and keep to themselves, but somehow Trevor’s ended up in an advanced science class with kids who seem to have everything and know everything, including how to please their strange new teacher.

But Trevor has plans. This is going to be his year. And he is going to do whatever it takes to make it at this new school. He may not have what these other kids have, but no one is better at juggling in soccer, and his drawing is so good that he’s called the Graffiti Guy.

Xander, a star in the classroom and on the soccer field, has other plans for Trevor. He doesn’t like anyone trespassing on his turf and sabotages Trevor at every opportunity. Who is going to believe Trevor over the school star? Is there any way that Trevor can achieve his goals against a guy who is as good at bullying as he is at everything else he does? (PUBLISHER'S SUMMARY FROM GOOD READS)

GUEST POST FROM MARY AMATO

I am intrigued by the idea for a Battle of the Books and am excited to know that my book, Invisible Lines, is part of it. Often, I write because I am haunted by a character. It is as if the character is real, a person outside of my imagination, who is asking me to write his or her story. My main character for this story, Trevor Musgrove, haunted me for years before I finally wrote his story. While I am writing, I carry the characters in my head everywhere I go. I am almost constantly thinking about them. When I'm finished with all the writing and the many revisions and the book is finally in production, it is always a relief. I'll think about how exhausting it was and decide to take a break. But almost immediately, a new character will begin to haunt me and I find myself pulling out my little notebook and beginning the scribble down that new character's voice. To see my process and all my drafts, watch my video, Writing Invisible Lines: http://www.maryamato.com/new-3-minute-video-on-the-writing-process. Cheers...and remember to "rise above it." --Mary Amato

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Mary Amato is an award-winning children’s book author, poet, playwright, and songwriter. Her books have been translated into foreign languages, optioned for television, produced onstage, and has won the children’s choice awards in several states.

I always wanted to be a writer, but it took me a long time to believe that I could actually become one. I started writing at the age of seven when my mother handed me a little spiral notebook and told me to keep a journal of our trip to California. I liked the fact that I could record something in my journal and then read it later. My favorite book as a child was Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh because Harriet was a terrific journal keeper.

I love to write. Not all writers enjoy writing, believe it or not. I especially love to write books for children. I think that’s because I needed books when I was a kid. I turned to books when I was lonely or sad or confused or bored. It is extremely fun to think that kids are reading my books.

I love to play music and write songs. I perform in the Maryland-Washington, D.C. area. I was a dancer and choreographer for many years and still work from time to time in the theater. Currently, I collaborate on ballets with my sister who was my inspiration to dance and is a ballet teacher and choreographer. I was also the co-founder of Firefly Shadow Theater, designed and made many puppets, and directed many shows.

In graduate school, I studied fiction writing and poetry at Johns Hopkins University in Washington, DC. As an undergraduate, I studied special education and dance at Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana. (Retrieved from author's website)

I want to thank Mary Amato for the lovely post and for graciously agreeing to participate in this week's Feature Book of the Week.