Your Chance to Chat With Authors

This summer New York Public Library (NYPL) is throwing a free online party, featuring live discussions with four major-league authors. "The party is open—NYC, USA, the world!," says Web Editorial Coordinator Catherine Jones. Thanks to NYPL's many children's publishing connections and an $18,000 Library Services and Technology Act grant, the library recruited well-known authors Sharon G. Flake, Chris Crutcher, Christopher Paul Curtis, and Sharon Creech to take part in its online chat series.

The idea, Jones says, "is not just connecting people to books and ideas, but encouraging them to find their own voice—and use it." While this will be Flake's first large online chat group, says Jones, the other three writers are experienced chatters. Here's the online schedule (all times are Eastern Daylight Time):

Thursday, July 18, 2 p.m.
Sharon G. Flake

Wednesday, July 24, 2 p.m.
Chris Crutcher

Wednesday, August 7, 2 p.m.
Christopher Paul Curtis

Wednesday, August 14, 2 p.m.
Sharon Creech

To take part in the live discussion, simply go to summerreading.nypl.org, the home page of NYPL's "Splish Splash Read" summer reading site.