YA Lit Staff

Our Staff for 2007

Bev Kodak - Director - Bev has been attending Dragon*Con since 1995, and has been a staff volunteer since 1999. This is her fourth year as a director. She shares her love of books with a captive audience on a regular basis, as she is a middle school Language Arts teacher. She enjoys a good laugh, good company, fine conversation, and a good book. Combine all of those, and you have the Young Adult Lit track at Dragon*Con. She lives with her husband and daughter (age one and a half) in McDonough, Georgia.

Three Questions Answered
1. First Science fiction or fantasy book?A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle. I remember reading it and asking the librarian, "Are there any more books like this?"
2. Favorite book(s) of all time? Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien, anything by Lois McMaster Bujold or Ursula K. LeGuin, The Immortals by Tracy Hickman.
3. Why YA? I really like a good story, and I think some of the best writers out there are writing for young adults. Good YA books have good character development, tight plot lines, and serious themes. Teens just won't read a book if it's crap. Plus, I'm really just a big kid dressed in adult's clothing (...most of the time. I like costumes too).

Suzanne Chatham - Staff - Suzanne became involved with Dragon*Con a few years back as the YA panel began and has enjoyed every minute of the experience. (Thanks, Bev) Suzanne and her two children reside in the Augusta , GA area. She is a middle school music teacher and enjoys reading just about anything.

Three Questions Answered
1. First Science fiction or fantasy book? I have no idea! I remember reading a lot of ghost stories that evolved into fantasy and then into SciFi.
2. Favorite book(s) of all time? How about authors or series instead? There are too many books out there! (in no particular order) Pendragon, Harry Potter, Tamora Pierce, Robert Jordan, Christing Feehan, Diane Duane, Septimus Heap, C.S. Lewis, Anne McCaffery…
3. Why YA? While I enjoy reading adult fiction, YA holds a special place. YA lit is more open and innocent. The characters are intriguing and the plots expansive. There is a sense of newness and awareness in many YA novels or stories. YA authors are more willing to experiment and be creative, which I enjoy.

Lydia Watson - Staff - TThis will be Lydia's sixth year to attend the Con and fourth time as staff for the YA Lit track (yay!). She resides in Atlanta and is extremely glad that she discovered Dragon Con. She is currently pursuing a degree in Public Relations at Georgia State. Her fandom are Lord of the Rings, Buffy and Harry Potter. She enjoys reading everything from classic lit (Les Miserables!) to fantasy (Potter!). Some of her favorite authors she thinks everyone should read include Victor Hugo, Holly Black, Scott Westerfeld, Cassandra Clare and Justine Larbalestier.

Three Questions Answered
1. First Science fiction or fantasy book? As far as I can remember (I have read so many books, I don't remember them all) Narnia was my first fantasy book. Sci-Fi? No clue. Maybe the Invisible Man by HG Wells. Spooky!
2. Favorite book(s) of all time? Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
3. Why YA? Because there are a lot of really cool books in YA! I just haven't been very satisfied with my venture into "adult" books. YA offers a wide range of great fantasy and Sci-Fi books and seems a natural choice.

Karen Smith - Staff - Karen comes to sci-fi and fantasy from the academic side of the equation; with a BA in English, an MA in English Literature, and a Ph.D. in process in Victorian Literature, she has studied enough to know what she likes, and that in fact includes Harry Potter and Terry Pratchett right in there with Jane Austen and Oscar Wilde. This will be the ninth Dragon*Con she has attended and the seventh straight as a volunteer. Beyond being a Potter fan, a strict Pratchettarian, and a lover of Unfortunate Events, she embraces all things literary and YA--and doesn't see why they can't go together.

Three Questions Answered
1. First Science fiction or fantasy book? It's hard to say--I did start reading the Bible at an early age. After going through all the Greek and Norse myth books in my elementary library, I read L'Engle, ghost stories, the Narnia books, and just about anything I could get my hands on.
2. Favorite book(s) of all time? There is(are) no such animal(s). I am a rabid proponent of Pratchett's Discworld series, but it's like asking someone to choose their favorite cell. There are millions and millions of them, and they're all a part of you.
3. Why YA? So-called "kid's books" often have more heart and more soul and more truth than any "adult" novel, and if that weren't true...you wouldn't be reading this bio.

Heather Lauer - Staff - Heather (Lieran) is a reference librarian from the Sarasota area. She has a BA in English and a MLS in library science, each focusing on young adult and children's literature. She purports to be chaotic good and has two cats, both true neutral. Heather knits, crochets, reads extensively, plays WoW and D&D, and is proud to be both a Ravenclaw and a Gator. She has been a staffer with the YA Lit Track since its inception. Her primary fan interests are Harry Potter, Pullman's HDM, Dr. Who, Wizard of Oz, Whedonverse, Star Wars, Andre Norton, and of course Stephen Colbert. She was the last staffer to finish Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

Three Questions Answered 1. First Science fiction or fantasy book? My first exposure to Science Fiction was arguably Anne McCaffrey, Andre Norton, and C.S. Lewis - all occurring in the same time span.
2. Favorite book(s) of all time? Lieran's favorite books are Anne McCaffrey's Dragonflight and Pullman's The Golden Compass.
3. Why YA? Young adult books because new trends generally start there and because I specialize in YA literature. My current favorite author is Phillip Pullman.

Tara Smith - Staff - Tara has been coming to Dragon*Con for many, many years and this will be her fifth year on staff. She loves to read anything and everything, and also enjoys tv. Her real favorites are Harry Potter, the Jossverse, and Doctor Who.

Three Questions Answered
1. First science fiction or fantasy book? Too many, too early.
2. Favorite books of all time? Tithe by Holly Black, Tamora Pierce's Immortals series.
3. Why YA? YA is just so interesting and magical. As I get older I always find that it's the genre I turn to for a good read. Where else can you find books that change thousands of peoples' childhoods and lives in general?

Mary Moline - Staff - Mary started coming to dragon*con because of Buffy The Vampire Slayer but now she's pretty much all over the fandom. Along with her obvious love for YA Lit and all things Harry Potter, she is addicted to anything Joss Whedon touches, Lost, and Grey's Anatomy. She also has a nearly unhealthy love for the Food Network's show "Good Eats". Seriously... how could anyone not love a show that is that nerdy and factiod full?

Three Questions Answered
1. First Science fiction or fantasy book? A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle. My fifth grade teacher read it aloud to us and I remember just being entranced. I really should write her a thank you note.
2. Favorite book(s) of all time? Stargirl by Jerry Spinneli, The Divine Secrets of The Ya-Ya Sisterhood by Rebecca Wells, Hypocrite in a Poofy White Dress by Susan Jane Gilman, Idiot Girls Action Adventure Club by Laurie Notaro, Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister by Gregory Maguire, and The Sisterhood of The Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares.
3. Why YA? Because that's where we really are allowed to discover what we're all about. We as people are able to try out new things, to really get a feel for where we'd like to go in life. Some of the YA stories I've read have been as heartfelt as any adult fiction I've picked up.

Eleanor - Eleanor is the YA Lit mascot. Both of her parents are directors at Dragon*Con, so she doesn't get a choice whether to grow up geeky or not. Her current interests are Dora, Star Wars, and books. She was at Dragon*Con before she was hatched, so this is her third Dragon*Con. She is two-and-a-half.

"People find it far easier to forgive others
for being wrong than for being right."
JK Rowling, ...The Half Blood Prince