Valerie O. Patterson was raised in the Florida panhandle where the Gulf of Mexico inspired a love of blue and a fascination with the horizon and what lies beyond. Valerie graduated in May 2008 with an MFA in Children's Literature from Hollins University, where she twice received the Shirley Henn Award for Creative Scholarship. She has also received a Work-in-Progress grant from the Society of Children's Bookwriters and Illustrators (SCBWI). In addition to SCBWI, she is a member of Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, the Women's National Book Association, and the Authors Guild. She lives in the Washington, DC area with her husband. Her novel, The Other Side of Blue, is available in paperback March 2011.
Selected Reviews of Valerie O. Patterson's Books
The Other Side of Blue
Valerie O. Patterson
A year after her father's death, fifteen-year-old Cyan's grief is still raw. Her artist mother has brought them to summer once again on the island of Curaçao in the Caribbean, where her father drowned. The setting suits Cyan just fine, since she is still searching for answers to the mystery surrounding his death. It seems implausible that, with so much time passed, she would be able to learn anything new. But wealthy island youth Mayur Bandas has alluded to knowing something about her father's end, and Cyan is determined to find out what that is. At the same time, she is expected to host thirteen-year-old Kammi, the daughter of her mother's fiancé. The girls have nothing in common. Kammi is slender; Cyan is chronically hungry. Kammi aspires to paint, like Cyan's mother; Cyan does not want to be like her mother at all. The only thing they seem to have in common is a sense of loss caused by their parents. Kammi's role here is as a contrast to Cyan, and she serves to enable readers to see the many depths of Cyan's emotion. Patterson's first novel is a slowly-paced, evocative study in grief. So often we think that carrying on after loss involves putting one foot in front of the other. That seems to be about Cyan's limit throughout much of this novel. Readers will find, though, that those steps add up--somehow carrying Cyan to the point of healing. Readers will be compelled by these wrought family relations, and the mystery will keep them moving forward. A beautiful novel. 2009, Clarion/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, $16.00. Ages 12 up. Reviewer: Heidi Hauser Green (Children's Literature).
Costs: Honorariums begin at $100 depending on length of visit and distance from author. Travel, lodging, and meal expenses may apply for out-of-town travel.
- First Line, First Page, First Chapter: Now What? A workshop on beginnings for new writers
- What's So Important About Voice Anyway? A combined talk/workshop on finding your voice
- Revision is Not a Scary Monster and Other Tales. Tips on revising...and learning to love it
To learn more about Valerie O. Patterson and her publications please visit www.valerieopatterson.com.
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