Listen to the Library Loft podcasts with news, programs, and commentary created by and for teens. Subscribe to our podcast feed, or listen at the iTunes music store (power search for title "Libraryloft").

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Our Latest Podcast

Author Cynthia Leitich Smith began her career by drawing on her Native American heritage to write books for kids and short stories for teenagers Now, she's also writing the kind of novels she loves most to read, Gothic fantasies. Her debut YA, Tantalize (Candlewick, 2007), has been chosen as a featured title for the National Book Festival, Texas Book Festival, and Kansas Book Festival. The Bloomsbury Review cheers "Cynthia Leitich Smith is the Anne Rice for teen readers," and Borders has selected Tantalize as an Original Voice title. Download MP3 | Request book from Library Related Websites: http://www.cynthialeitichsmith.com/index.html http://cynthialeitichsmith.blogspot.com/ http://cynleitichsmith.livejournal.com/ http://www.myspace.com/cynthialeitichsmith http://spookycyn.blogspot.com/

Podcast Archive

	Brent Hartinger is an author and playwright. His books focus on issues such as GLBTQ (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, and Questioning) and foster-families. Pick Brent's brain a bit further by visiting his website. Dream Quest Brent's latest book is called Dreamquest, book one in a series called Tales of Slumberia. It is his first fantasy. It's very unlike anything he's written before (which is one of the things he likes best about it!). Download MP3 | Request book from Library Brent Hartinger talks about his latest book, SPLIT SCREEN: ATTACK OF THE SOUL-SUCKING BRAIN ZOMBIES/BRIDE OF THE SOUL-SUCKING BRAIN ZOMBIES Download MP3 | Request book from library | Visit Brent's Web site Geography Club Author Brent Hartinger speaks about how he came to write his book Geography Club. Download MP3 | Request book from Library The Last Chance Texaco Author Brent Hartinger speaks about his book The Last Chance Texaco. Download MP3 | Request book from Library
	Carla Sarratt is the author of Freshman Focus which she started writing during her last year as a high school English teacher. Freshman Focus takes place at Carter G. Woodson High School in Charlotte, NC, and features four different kids as they navigate their way through school. As a high school teacher, Carla was the student council advisor and was often seen at football and basketball games cheering the teams on to victory. She was often dismayed to hear her students tell her that they did not like to read and that reading was boring. Check out what she has to say about Freshman Focus and its characters. You can also find out some of her favorite books and movies about high school. Tears of a Tiger, anyone? Download MP3 | Request book from Library | Carla's Website | Carla's MySpace
	Pete Hautman is the author of many books including Mr. Was, Invisible, Godless, and Rash. But he was not always an author. After college he worked various jobs for which he was ill-suited, including sign painter, graphic artist, marketing executive, pineapple slicer, etc. Check out what he has to say about the topics covered in his 2006 release, Rash. Download MP3 | Request Rash from the Library
	Anastasia Goodstein writes the blog YPulse and Totally Wired, the companion site to her book coming out March 2007 by the same title. Send her an email at: "anastasia at ypulse dot com". Download MP3 | Request Totally Wired from the Library
	Tracie Vaughn Zimmer has been writing poetry since she was ten. She used to teach language arts to middle school students now she writes full time and pretends she's a rock star with guitar hero when nobody is looking. Drop her an email at: "tracievzimmer at yahoo.com" She'll write back as soon as she gets FREEBIRD down.” Download MP3 Request Reaching for Sun from library Request Sketches from a Spy Tree from Library Visit Tracie Vaughn Zimmer's Web site
	Jessica Ekstrom is a writer and sophomore at Cannon School in Concord. Her poem, The Power of a Voice, was published in Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul: The Real Deal Challenges in June 2006. Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul: The Real Deal Challenges Jessica Ekstrom speaks about getting her poem published and what it is like to be a writer. Download MP3 | Request book from library
	TWIST AND SHOUT is a production from the Children’s Theatre of Charlotte. It is based on Relationship Violence Prevention and addresses physical, emotional and sexual abuse among teenagers. Introduction to Twist and Shout Download MP3 Listen to the Charlotte area teen actors talk about their experience being a part of this play: Arianna | Brandon | Chris | Lindsay | Erica | Marquese | Meredith Domestic Violence Interview Listen to Karen Parker Thompson from United Family Services speak on dating violence among teenagers. Download MP3
Scavenger Hunts Ready for a little fun? Download these mp3’s to your ipod or mp3 player (or print out the pdf) and head over to the following Charlotte public libraries:
	ImaginOn: The Joe & Joan Martin Center 300 East Seventh Street SEE MAP Download MP3 | Download pdf
	Myers Park Branch 1361 Queens Road SEE MAP Download MP3 | Download pdf
	Patrick Jones Patrick Jones is many things; librarian, author, father, wrestling fan. In this podcast, Patrick speaks on the themes of his books, Nailed and Things Change. These books focus on teen issues such as violence and sex, bullying, and being an outsider. Also, get the skinny on his newest book set for release in April 2007! Download MP3 | Request from Library: Nailed | Things Change
	April Parker is a local author, from Randleman, North Carolina. This is her first book. She is working on a second book about famous female pirates. Watching the Innocent: A Tale from the Andover Witch Trials April Parker speaks on her historical fiction book about the Salem Witch Trials in the village of Andover. Download MP3 | Request book from Library
	Ringtones Your friends in The Loft @ ImaginOn were interviewed by robots. The bots wanted to better understand cell phones and all the noises emitted from them. Check it out. Download MP3