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You are viewing the most recent posts from the 1564 blogs currently in the JacketFlap Blog Reader. These posts are sorted by date, with the most recent posts at the top of the page. There are hundreds of new posts here every day on a variety of topics related to children's publishing. We have provided a variety of ways for you to navigate through the blog posts. Click the dates in the calendar on the left to view blog posts from a particular date. Scroll down through the list of Recent Posts in the left column and click on a post title that sounds interesting. Click a tag in the right column to view posts about that topic. You can view all posts from a specific blog by clicking the Blog name in the right column, or you can click a "More Posts from this Blog" link in any individual post.
“It’s an interior room, behind two sets of thick doors, on the third floor of the Field Museum, inaccessible to the public. Because if there’s anything worse than flesh-eating beetles, it’s flesh-eating beetles circling a church group from Indiana.”
By:
Roger Sutton,
on 10/28/2014
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Read Roger - The Horn Book editor's rants and raves
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The Cabinet of Curiosities:
36 Tales Brief & Sinister
by Stefan Bachmann, Katherine Catmull, Claire Legrand,
and Emma Trevayne;
illus. by Alexander Jansson
Middle School Greenwillow 488 pp.
6/14 978-0-06-233105-2 $16.99
Four “curators” — Bachmann, Catmull, Legrand, and Trevayne — travel to lands peregrine and outré to fill their Cabinet of Curiosities museum, sending back grotesqueries and objects of wonder as well as the tales behind them — tales that often bend to the tenebrous and unearthly. The table of contents lists the Cabinet’s “rooms” and “drawers,” each with a theme (cake, luck, tricks, flowers) and four or five tales to explore. In “The Cake Made Out of Teeth” (“collected by” Legrand) a spoiled-rotten boy must finish an entire cake made in his image, despite the sensation of teeth chewing him up with every bite. “Lucky, Lucky Girl” (Catmull) stars a young woman whose good luck seems to depend on the very bad luck of the people around her. In “Plum Boy and the Dead Man” (Bachmann), a rich and opinionated lad has a conversation with a corpse hanging from a tree…and ends up unwillingly changing places with the victim. “The Book of Bones” (Trevayne) features Eleanor Entwhistle, a plucky girl whose courage halts the work of a grave-robbing sorcerer. The stories are remarkable both for their uniformly high quality and for their distinctness from one another; the abundant atmospherics, including occasional stark black-and-white illustrations, provide a unifying sense of dread. The framing device — the curators send letters from the field introducing their latest discoveries — adds depths of mystery, danger, and idiosyncrasy to a book already swimming in each.
From the September/October 2014 issue of The Horn Book Magazine.
The post Review of The Cabinet of Curiosities appeared first on The Horn Book.
The series, starring Black Swan’s Sarah Hay, “is described as a dark and gritty drama that unflinchingly explores the dysfunction and glamour of the ballet world.”
This is my third attempt at writing a review of Aprilly, by Jane Abbott. I’m not sure why writing about it is so daunting. It’s never going to be my favorite Jane Abbott book — there are structural issues, and a lot of what happens feels unearned. Also I found it hard to sympathize with the protagonist, and wished some of the other characters got more page time. But all of these things are things I’ve had time to think out. When I finished the book, I mostly just thought, “that was nice, but the romance was kind of creepy and unnecessary and Laughing Last was better.”
Anyway, I enjoyed it, but I doubt I’ll want to read it again. And if you want more information than that (you should) here’s a bit of a synopsis:
April Dangerfield is left penniless and homeless (I mean, approximately) after the death of her circus performer mother, and somehow ends up in a small town in Maine, where she finds a number of friends, including the usual crotchety spinster, and eventually acquires a family. And also a horse.
Jane Abbott falls flat for me sometimes, usually in the books everyone else seems to like best. I guess this is just one of those times.
Tagged:
1920s,
girls,
janeabbott,
maine
“Because LAO is fairly young, it’s unencumbered by a tradition. ‘But we are stewards of a great tradition. You get into dangerous territory if you try to chase the cool.'”
HarperCollins Publishers has launched a new global podcast network called “HarperCollins Presents.”
Here’s more from the press release: “Each week the HarperCollins Presents podcast series will feature an exchange of ideas from leading authors and creatives – from home-grown heroes to global stars. It will take listeners behind the scenes, explaining the mysteries of the creative process and inspiring fans to think differently.”
The podcasts can be downloaded from iTunes, SoundCloud, and Stitcher. Currently, fans can listen to episodes featuring Coraline author Neil Gaiman, Divergent author Veronica Roth, and Rooms author Lauren Oliver. The executives behind this series plans to create new content with filmmaker David Cronenberg, the Kay Scarpetta series author Patricia Cornwell, and the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series author Alexander McCall Smith.
New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.
November is going to be a busy month, with a new book plus appearances in Amherst, MA, Northampton, MA, & Brooklyn, NY. So let's get to it.
NEW BOOK!
November 4th, 2014 will see the release of Elephant and Piggie's newest adventure, WAITING IS NOT EASY!
Gerald is careful. Piggie is not.Piggie cannot help smiling. Gerald can.Gerald worries so that Piggie does not have
“Unlike a painting or statue or piece of photography that can be auctioned off into private hands or toured from museum to museum, earthworks are beholden to the land. Weather constantly works against land-based creations, and public art budgets are forced to keep up with not only the effects of time, but the unpredictable elements.”
It's January 1950 and for most people, WWII has been over for five years. But not in the Howard household in Tacoma, Washington. It was only fours years ago that Annie Leigh's father, who had been MIA, returned from the war, and spent time in a convalescent hospital learning to adjust to his blindness. Now, he's home, but is starting to withdraw more and more, refusing any more help with his blindness, unlike Uncle Billy, who had also come home from the war with PTSD, and had gotten help for it. Now, the Howard Brothers are planing on starting a carpentry business together - one that won't require Annie's father to leave home.
On top of that, her mother, who seems to be extremely most self-absorbed and domineering, has started her own beauty salon, a long time dream finally realized, but a bone of contention between her and her husband. The family needs the money the salon will bring in, but it takes up a lot of her time, or maybe, Annie speculates, what takes up her mother's time is really the florist, Mr. Larry Capaldi, whose shop is downstairs from the salon and who frequently picks Mrs. Howard up and drops her off.
Into all this come Jon and Elizabeth VanderVelde, refugee twins from Holland who have come to Tacoma to live with their Aunt Dee and Uncle Hendrick. They live on the estate of a wealthy family, Aunt Dee is the cook and housekeeper and Uncle Henrick is their driver. Jon and Elizabeth immediately become friends with Annie Leigh, but they are also carrying their own emotional baggage, especially Jon. The twins spent the war living under Nazi occupation, and witnessed the terrible killing of their parents, to which Jon responded in ways that left him with his own nightmares and PTSD.
Luckily for Annie, her beloved Grandma Howard from Walla Walla comes for an extended stay and can offer Annie some support, advice and stability when needed. Meanwhile, Annie gets to know Jon better, and the two find they are attracted to each other, despite his black moods. But after he surprises her by telling her the truth about what happened on his family's farm towards the end of the war. Annie begins to question her feelings for Jon. But, Annie's biggest surprise come when her mother announces that she is pregnant, and Annie can't help but wonder who the real father is.
Yes, this coming of age story is packed with problems that Annie fears might collapse her world. But in the process of seeking solutions, Annie learns to appreciate what those who were directly involved in the war experienced. And in her attempt to find solutions and make everyone's world better again, she must learn to sometimes step back and let things unfold without her help.
A Less Than Perfect Peace has some nice elements to it and creates a very realistic sense of place and time, giving the reader an interesting window into the beginning of the Cold War, which is also a good metaphor for what was going on in the Howard family at the time. At times the story did drag, and it seemed like there were just too many different story threads, but it all works out in the end and it does mimic how real life happens.
When my mother suddenly lost the sight in one of her eyes, I saw how truly panicked she was about it, and the idea of losing sight in both eyes was a really scary thought for her. I could understand Mr. Howard's desire to stay in the safe confines of his home, where he knew his way around, and to be so resistant to admitting to himself that he is blind and therefore handicapped, even when there were programs and guide dogs to help him maneuver the world again. His character shows what a paralyzing emotion fear can sometimes be.
I should mention that this is a sequel to
Annie's War, which I haven't read yet, but enough background information is given by narrator Annie Leigh in
A Less Than Perfect Peace so that it is a nice stand alone novel and a novel that will certainly resonate with many young readers especially those who are or have family members stuggling with PTSD.
This book is recommended for readers age 11+
This book was borrowed from a friend
by Zachary Clemente
STRAY BULLETS: SUNSHINE & ROSES
A NEW PATH OF VIOLENCE
The cult classic begins a new story arc
about love and bad decisions
Award-winning creator David Lapham begins an all-new story arc in the cult classic series STRAY BULLETS with SUNSHINE & ROSES. The new story will center around violence, love, and the bad decisions made when characters find themselves in over their heads and ensnared in seedy, illegal dealings. The new arc launches onJanuary 21 and follows up the staggering return to form by Lapham in STRAY BULLETS: KILLERS.
In STRAY BULLETS: SUNSHINE & ROSES, the Baltimore underworld is falling apart at the seams and blood has been spilt. Where and when things went to hell in a handbasket can be traced back to a time a few years earlier, when a man named Harry ran the city, Spanish Scott and Monster enforced the rules, and an insecure young man name Orson met a wild and crazy girl named Beth. The two together cooked up the boldest, most outlandish, and just about the stupidest plan ever devised—a plan to steal a whole lot of Harry’s money and drugs and exact a little revenge along the way.
“We were torn for a long time on whether to ever go back and tell this story, but the lure of getting Beth, Orson, and Nina together again was just too strong,” said Lapham. “They demanded it, really. It’s going to be off-the-hook nuts.”
STRAY BULLETS: SUNSHINE & ROSES #1 (Diamond Code NOV140580) arrives in stores this 1/21 and will be available for $3.50.
Film Critic Hulk writes in all caps. Hang in there for serious content below the Hulkiness of the writing. “SINCE HULK’S ENTIRE PHILOSOPHY OF FINDING THE NUANCE CAN’T BE EQUATED TO FINDING MERIT IN THE MERITLESS, IT INSTEAD HAS TO BE FOUND RIGHT HERE IN THE HUMANIZATION OF OUR DISAGREEMENT. BECAUSE BEING NUANCED ISN’T SOMETHING SIMPLE LIKE ‘ACKNOWLEDGING BOTH SIDES.'”
By: Vonna Carter,
on 10/28/2014
Blog:
VonnaCarter.com
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With NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) kicking off this weekend, there’s a lot of support opportunities for those of you (not me!) who are planning to tackle the challenge of writing a full 50K word novel in one month. I’ll cheer you on while I finish revisions on my current WIP. Meanwhile, there are plenty of other events going on this week. Please remember to check the sponsoring bookstore or organization’s website for full details.
October 28, Tuesday, 7:00 PM
Blue Willow Bookshop
Callista Gingrich, Children’s Author, with Newt Gingrich, Adult Nonfiction Author
In FROM SEA TO SHINING SEA, Callista Gingrich shares a new adventure into American history with Ellis the Elephant as he explores the untamed wilderness with Lewis and Clark! He learns about the Louisiana Purchase, the two explorers’ epic journey across the North American continent, and the amazing discoveries and innovation it sparked.
Appearing with Callista will be bestselling author Newt Gingrich with his new adult nonfiction title, BREAKOUT.
November 1, Saturday, 10:00 AM-Noon, & 1:30-4:30 PM
Writespace
Kathy Duval: Picture Book Workshop
PRICE: $ 85.00
Kathy Duval, author of TAKE ME TO YOUR BBQ (DISNEY/HYPERION) will present a picture book workshop: Make It Shine!: Polish Your Picture Book Manuscript to Its Full Potential.
A successful picture book is an art form combining lyrical language and dynamic images, each dependent on the other. To compete, your work must shine, as well as follow the conventions of today’s crowded market. This hands-on revision workshop will take a fresh look at your characters, setting, plot, and picture book language. Participants will complete exercises to polish their prose, as well as create a dummy to see how your text fits into a picture book format. Feedback in small groups will help you take your picture book to the next level.
November 1, Saturday, 9:00 AM-1:00 PM
Hilton Americas
Read3Zero 5th Anniversary Luncheon
Houston non-profit literacy organization, READ3Zero, will honor students nationwide at a memorable Luncheon and Book Signing event for this year’s winners of the I Write Short Stories For Kids By Kids contest and celebrate the organization’s 5th anniversary. The event will feature the works of 55 published student authors and illustrators. The Keynote speaker will be Neil Bush, chairman to the Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation, and the event will be emceed by Deborah Duncan of Great Day Houston. Click here for more details and to purchase tickets.
November 1, Saturday, 2:00 PM
Barbara Bush Library
CC Hunter, YA Author
Kickoff National Novel Writing Month with a talk by NYT bestseller C.C. Hunter!
November 2, Sunday, 11:00 AM-1:00 PM
Writespace
Novel Workshop: The Three Inciting Incidents
COST: $10
NOTE: Register in this workshop and when you attend on Nov. 2nd, you will receive your 10$ back in a 10$ coupon for another Writespace workshop!
In this two-hour course, novelist Matthew Salesses will give a craft lecture on “the three inciting incidents” to support National Novel Writing Month writers, as well as all Houston writers seeking to start new projects. After Matthew’s one-hour lecture, each writer will bring his/her novel concept to the table and get some help with development.
November 2, 16, 30, Sundays, 2:00-5:00 PM
Writespace
NaNoWriMo Write-Ins
Cost: Free
Come write with us and keep on-track with your word count goals!
November 3, Monday, 7:00 PM
Blue Willow Bookshop
Alexandra Bracken, YA Author
Alexandra Bracken will discuss and sign IN THE AFTERLIGHT, the finale in the DARKEST MINDS series for young adults.
Alexandra Bracken is the New York Times bestselling author of THE DARKEST MINDS and NEVER FADE. Ruby can’t look back. Having suffered an unbearable loss, she and the kids who survived the government’s attack on Los Angeles travel north to regroup. Ruby tries to keep their highly dangerous prisoner in check, but with Clancy Gray, there’s no guarantee you’re fully in control, and everything comes with a price.
When the Children’s League disbands, Ruby becomes a leader and forms an unlikely allegiance with Liam’s brother, Cole, who has a volatile secret of his own. There are still thousands of other Psi kids suffering in government “rehabilitation camps” all over the country. Freeing them–revealing the government’s unspeakable abuses in the process–is the mission Ruby has claimed since her own escape from Thurmond, the worst camp in the country.
But not everyone is supportive of the plan Ruby and Cole craft to free the camps. As tensions rise, competing ideals threaten the mission to uncover the cause of IANN, the disease that killed most of America’s children and left Ruby and others with powers the government will kill to keep contained. With the fate of a generation in their hands, there is no room for error. One wrong move could be the spark that sets the world on fire.
November 4, Tuesday, 7:00 PM
Blue Willow Bookshop
The Roadside YA Tour
The Roadside YA tour hits Houston when authors Tessa Gratton, Julie Murphy and Natalie Parker discuss and sign their newest novels for young adults.
Tessa Graton will present THE STRANGE MAID: BOOK 2 OF THE UNITED STATES OF ASGARD. Signy Valborn was seven years old when she climbed the New World Tree and met Odin Alfather, who declared that if she could solve a single riddle, he would make her one of his Valkyrie. For ten years Signy has trained in the arts of war, politics, and leadership, never dreaming that a Greater Mountain Troll might hold the answer to the riddle, but that’s exactly what Ned the Spiritless promises her. A mysterious troll hunter who talks in riddles and ancient poetry, Ned is a hard man to trust. Unfortunately, Signy is running out of time. Accompanied by an outcast berserker named Soren Bearstar, she and Ned take off across the ice sheets of Canadia to hunt the mother of trolls and claim Signy’s destiny.
Julie Murphy will present SIDE EFFECTS MAY VARY. When sixteen-year-old Alice is diagnosed with leukemia, she vows to spend her final months righting wrongs. So she convinces her best friend to help her with a crazy bucket list that’s as much about revenge as it is about hope. But just when Alice’s scores are settled, she goes into remission, and now she must face the consequences of all she’s said and done.
Natalie Parker will present BEWARE THE WILD. The swamp in Sterling’s small Louisiana town proves to have a power over its inhabitants when her brother disappears and no one but Sterling even remembers that he existed. Now Sterling, with the help of brooding loner Heath, who’s had his own creepy experience with the swamp, must fight back and reclaim what–and who–the swamp has taken.
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By: James Gurney,
on 10/28/2014
Blog:
Gurney Journey
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The alt rock band OKGo, known for its innovative long-take videos, has released a new one called "I Won't Let You Down." A camera on a drone octocopter tracks the four band members as they move around on Honda motorized unicycles. The drone follows them outdoors and then moves aloft to show an array of Japanese schoolgirls dancing Busby-Berkeley-style with colorful umbrellas. (Direct link to video)
----
I haven't seen any behind-the-scenes video, but Billboard deconstructs the video here.
The Right Fight. Chris Lynch. 2014. Scholastic. 192 pages. [Source: Library]
I enjoyed Chris Lynch's The Right Fight. Roman, the protagonist, loves, loves, LOVES baseball. But he loves his country even more. That is why he enlisted even before America entered the war--the second world war. The book chronicles his early experiences in the war as a tank driver. Readers see him through training, war games, and going overseas, his various assignments and missions. (Most of the book sees him in North Africa). Readers experience it from his point of view and from a few letters as well. One sees how his fellow soldiers--the men in his tank specifically--form a family. One also sees the many (often-ugly) sides of war.
I enjoyed this one. I thought there was a good balance of action (war) and characterization. I liked getting to know Roman, his fiancee, his war buddies. © 2014 Becky Laney of
Becky's Book Reviews
Author J. Randy Taraborrelli has landed a deal to write a biography about Beyoncé Knowles. This project will be the the first comprehensive biographical profile on the Grammy Award-winning singer (pictured, via).
Grand Central Publishing, a division of the Hachette Book Group, will publish the not-yet-titled book in Fall 2015. President Jamie Raab negotiated the terms of the agreement with literary agent Mitch Douglas.
According to the press release, Taraborrelli conducted exclusive interviews with people who share important personal and professional relationships with the diva. In the past, he has written biographies on music icons including Michael Jackson, Diana Ross, and Madonna.
New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.
By: Andrew Karre,
on 10/28/2014
Blog:
Carolrhoda Books Blog
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The trilogy, completed.
The brilliant Laura Rinne designed each of these jackets, and she rose to the occasion each time John delivered a new manuscript. The Conformity will hit NetGalley soon, if you can’t stand the waiting.
The Sunday that has just passed was a great day; I got to see the first ever Ruff Life character Rover. I hadn't seen Rover for a long time, but as soon as I walked in my friend's house, her beloved Golden Retriever, who I spent so many years walking when he was younger, struggled up on his back legs and came over for a hug, stroke and a kiss.
He's an old dog now and not able to get around very well. He certainly couldn't get up to some of the crazy things he used to, but my eyes lit up as soon as I saw him. We had spent many hours walking the fields of Rothley and Mountsorrel when my daughter attended Primary school. Rover used to live at my house during the week and go back to my friend's on weekends. This suited everyone as both my friends worked during the day.
Rover and I used to love our time together outdoors; we would meet up with other dog owners and the dogs would run off and play. I miss those days. But life changed when my daughter went to high school and my friends' began a family of their own. I changed my job to work during the day, instead of at night, and my daughter, whose school was located close to where Rover lived, would walk him during her lunch hour.
He became a great inspiration for me, especially his unique and funny character traits that I've included in the books. He's always been my canine hero, who is always affectionate and funny and he has made a terrific main character (Max) for the Ruff Life series of children's spy action books.
Whenever I pick up the books, especially the first one 'It's A Ruff Life', I am reminded of just how unique Rover is, and so really the biggest dedication for the success of the book series and everything else that is exciting and about to happen at Ruff Life goes ultimately to my beautiful four legged friend Rover.
B R Tracey
Since we’re coming up on All Hallow’s Eve, we thought it would be fun to discuss our favorite ghostly reads. It’s been fun to look over our choices and see just how varied the genre is. There are so many possibilities with a ghost story–creepy, sad, vengeful or harbinging–and we’ve hit just about all of them. So which are our favorites? Peyton’s Favorite Ghostly Read I don’t read a lot of ghost stories because it is ridiculously easy to scare me with the supernatural. I was the child who cried when her friends brought out the ouja board at sleepovers. So, my favorite ghost story is one I stumbled upon and loved, rather than something I actively went looking for. (Spoilers Ahead!) The Burn for Burn series by Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian was what I thought was an entertaining, high school revenge story. We follow three girls... Read more »
The post Discussion: Ghostly Reading Recs + Giveaway appeared first on The Midnight Garden.
One more scene from one of the plays I'm working on. Actually, I see this more as a film script but we'll see where it goes as it progresses. Quite pleased so far.
STORM WARNING - SCENE II
LEONARD What is this? Move away and let us pass CONDUCTOR
Please don’t create problems LEONARD
All we wanna do is stretch our legs. Nothing more and for whatever reason, you won’t let us CONDUCTOR
That won’t be possible LEONARD
This is absolutely ridiculous. You can't force us to stay here without a good reason. I’m going to walk, like it or not MARY
Me too! CONDUCTOR
(bending over and speaking softly) I strongly advise you to stay put. Take my advice LEONARD
Sorry pal – you gotta provide more information than vague hints and warnings CONDUCTOR
Don’t ask me any more questions that I can’t answer. Look - stay put and I’ll see what I can do MARY
My knees are really painful. Can I at least stand up and take a few steps? CONDUCTOR
A few steps but no long walks MARY
Promise LEONARD
I got news for you, bud. I ain’t got any intention of staying put. You’re really over-reacting to a simple request of taking a small walk through the train CONDUCTOR
You didn't hear it from me but rumor has it that a passenger has died MARY
What does this have to do with us? These things happen all the time. We promise we’ll stay away from wherever they’re keeping his body CONDUCTOR
Could be just a rumor but even if it was true, I wouldn’t be allowed to say. Company rules and all that
LEONARD You do realize you make no sense whatsoever. Why even mention it to us?
CONDUCTOR
Like I said, can't really share any information...
LEONARD
Why all the mystery?
CONDUCTOR
Look - I was told that we'll be delayed in Timmersville. That's all I can tell you right now.
(CONDUCTOR hurries off) LEONARD
Weird. The guy was really nervous. Kept wiping the top of his lip. If it was a heart attack or normal causes, he wouldn’t bother telling us
MARY
Trying out your detective skills, are we?
LEONARD
(staring out of the window)
That’s what you get from hanging out with reporters. Kind’a rubs off on a person. Well…well… police are getting on now... This is more than a heart attack for sure.
MARY
Maybe you’re right. Hmmm...wonder where Mr. Crazy Man got to.
LEONARD
We're never gonna find out anything sitting here. Don't know about you but I feel like stretching my legs
MARY
My old knees are stiff. A little walk works wonders
LEONARD
And if we happen to overhear something...
MARY
Right...
By
Cynthia Leitich Smithfor
CynsationsYosemite’s Songster: One Coyote’s Story, by
Ginger Wadsworth, illustrated by
Daniel San Souci (Yosemite Conservancy, 2013). From the promotional copy:
A sudden rockslide in Yosemite Valley in California’s Sierra Nevada separates Coyote from her mate. Readers journey throughout the valley observing its many famous landmarks on four paws with Coyote. You’ll explore both the natural world and the human world with one’s nose leading the way. Who or what inspired you to write this story?Illustrator
Dan San Souci and I have known each other for years; we’re both part of the San Francisco Bay area community of children’s book authors and artists.
At an informal party, Dan and I chatted about writing a book together, specifically about a coyote in Yosemite National Park. Dan, along with his brother, Bob, had already written several books for the park, including their
Two Bear Cubs, a Miwok Legend from California's Yosemite.
I had published
John Muir, Wilderness Protector (Lerner),
Camping with the President (Calkins Creek), about the 1903 Yosemite camping trip with President Theodore Roosevelt and naturalist John Muir, plus
Giant Sequoia Trees (Lerner).
I’ve visited Yosemite National Park my entire life as well as many other parts of the Sierra Nevada. In fact, I try to explore the park every year. Dan is just as familiar as I am with this amazing natural wonder.
We both agree that working in California’s Yosemite National Park, doing research in the library there or hiking the trails with a camera, binoculars, or art supplies, is almost like cheating. To be allowed to work in this gorgeous setting is a gift.
Besides, who wouldn’t want to work with Dan San Souci? His art is breathtaking! I said “yes,” and the rest is history!
How did you come up with a story line?During one of my stays in the park, I took a nature walk with Ranger Shelton Johnson. We crossed Stoneman Meadow on one of the protective, wooden boardwalks.
We were a multicultural group and didn’t need to communicate with one another when Ranger Johnson pointed out famous rock formations or falls, or had us cross arms across chests to bang gently against one another to demonstrate how glaciers are formed.
At one time, when most of the group was looking up, I was peering into the meadow. A pair of pointed ears was moving through the grasses. Every so often, a coyote leaped high to pounce on something. It was “mousing” – hunting for an afternoon snack of field mice.
And so my story was born . . . of this wild dog that shares the park with us . . . and vice versa, yet we seldom notice one because we’re so caught up in taking pictures of granite walls and waterfalls. I’m just as guilty as the next person!
I set my story in the Yosemite Valley because that is where most first-time visitors come. They seldom step beyond the valley in their typical one-day explore. There are many iconic spots in the valley—the wedding chapel, the Merced River, Half Dome, the Ahwahnee Hotel, Bridalveil Fall, and more—and I wanted to include as many as sites possible.
I am familiar with Dan’s work, and I hoped that my story would offer him a smorgasbord of possible images. After seeing his first images, I was “blown away” by what he captured with his watercolors. I recognized almost spot he painted!
What was your biggest challenge in writing this book?The book is published by the Yosemite Conservancy, a nonprofit organization devoted to educating visitors about the world that is Yosemite National Park. I could not anthropomorphize the coyote in any way, and I had to be scientifically accurate. I also had to be willing to make changes to reflect the philosophy that the Park Service wants to portray. That meant that the manuscript (and Dan’s art) was reviewed for accuracy by the National Park Service staff.
For example, coyotes are natural scavengers, and in the park they occasionally eat human food. I’ve seen them raid overflowing garbage cans, so I mentioned that in the text.
The staff works hard, with signs and handouts, to remind visitors that coyotes, bears, and all other wild animals should find and eat their natural food. After my reviewers asked me to revise that section, I took out the raiding of garbage cans. I even corrected the name of a pine tree I’d misidentified, and I’m most grateful that other eyes looked for errors.
Would you tell us about winning the Spur Award?Last spring I stayed in the Anza-Borrego Desert in Southern California, where I own a one-room cabin in an isolated canyon. It’s a perfect spot for this writer to concoct stories, photograph passing coyotes, or even go out and howl with them on a warm desert evening.
I have a well, electricity, and my cell phone sometimes works. Someone from the
Western Writers of America called me to say that
Yosemite’s Songster: One Coyote’s Story earned the 2014 Spur Award in Storytelling, the best illustrated children’s book. I was to receive a Spur Award for the text, Dan San Souci for the art, and the Yosemite Conservancy for being the publisher.
I’ve been a member for many years, and this past June, I attended the Western Writers of America’s annual conference in Sacramento, California. Belinda Lantz from the Yosemite Conservancy and Nicole Geiger, my editor, joined me at the WWA banquet where I received my Spur Award.
I spoke about the honor of receiving this award that has an actual spur mounted on the plaque. I was thrilled with the award’s description of “the best storytelling for children in a 3,000 word book.”
After all, isn’t that what each of us strives for every single day?
It was my second Spur Award. Ten years ago, I earned one for
Words West: Voices of Young Pioneers (Clarion) in the category of juvenile nonfiction. I dedicated my 2014 Spur Award to the memory of my father,
Hal G. Evarts, Jr., a founding member of Western Writers of America, and a prolific author of books about the west.
In fact I am the third generation of writers of the west. I never met my grandfather, Hal G. Evarts, Sr.,who wrote books that first appeared in serial format in many of the “big slicks,” magazines including the
Saturday Evening Post, Colliers, and The Red Book.
My Spur Awards hang in my office, over an original painting by Dan San Souci from
Yosemite’s Songster: One Coyote’s Story. It’s a stunning night image of a coyote howling at Half Dome.
What’s next?Yosemite’s Songster: One Coyote’s Story has been approved for a second printing! In the meantime Dan and I are under contract to write a second book for the Yosemite Conservancy. Think Sierra black bears that live in around Yosemite National Park. It’s due out in the fall of 2016. I’ve been doing research this summer; Dan will step in once the text is accepted. We have lots of ideas for future park-themed books.
What else would you like to share? |
Nicholas and Willa via Paws to Read at Orinda Library (A). Photo by Michelle Bea, posted with permission. |
I have two Golden Retrievers, Scout, and Willa. My third dog, Oreo, is a young, miniature poodle mix. Most of the time, Willa, Scout, and Oreo join me in my office, lying under my desk while I write.
Willa and Scout are trained therapy dogs. I take them into libraries and schools where elementary-aged children read to dogs as part of national program called R.E.A.D. Our local name is “Paws to Read.”
Oreo and I are in dog school every Wednesday night. We’ll see if he can settle down and earn his therapy dog certificate.
Helping children improve their reading, courtesy of my dogs, is a perfect extension of my writer’s hat.
Cynsational Notes |
Photo by Bill Wadsworth |
Ginger Wadsworth is the award-winning author of over 25 nonfiction books for young readers.
Biography subjects are John Muir, Rachel Carson, Benjamin Banneker, Cesar Chavez, Julia Morgan, Annie Oakley, Laura Ingalls Wilder, and others; books with western American history themes including
Words West: Voices of Young Pioneers (Clarion); and natural histories titles about the desert, rivers, sequoias, and spiders that include
Up, Up, and Away (Charlesbridge).
Her most recent books are
Camping With the President (Calkins Creek);
First Girl Scout: The Life of Juliette Gordon Low (Clarion); and
Yosemite’s Songster: One Coyote’s Story (Yosemite Conservancy).
She lives in Northern California with her family.
So here’s my problem. I can’t be faithful. I’m not monogamous. When it comes to fiction, I just can’t do it. It would be simpler if I could be. But both as a reader and a writer, I’m drawn to many different genres: literary, fantasy, realism, mystery, sci-fi. To make matters worse I like serious novels that also have some kind of humor in them. I’m most excited by fiction that blends many of these genres and elements.
I’m a mess.
I was on a panel at a writing conference recently and one of my fellow-panelists said that the problem with genre bending/blending was expectation. An editor on the panel agreed. His point: The audience has certain expectations for a genre and if those expectations aren’t met they’re not going to like the novel.
The panelist said that it was like going to a soft-drink machine and pressing Coke and getting a Dr. Pepper. I absolutely see how that would be disappointing, even maddening. I don’t care for Dr. Pepper. Sorry DP fans.
And I do get what he means about expectation, but many of the writers I love have convinced readers to know them well enough to know that their fiction won’t fit neatly into a genre label. A few examples would be Neil Gaiman, Kelly Link, Kurt Vonnegut, Stephen King, Chris Moore—or they wander into new territory and later everyone says they’re writing in a new genre-- like Gabriel Garcia Marquez and magical realism.
I like realism as a writer and a reader. I’m a fan of John Green and Pete Hautman (who writes in many genres) and Rainbow Rowell and Francisco Stork—to name a few. But I also like fantasy—The Golden Compass, Elsewhere, Harry Potter, and many, many others.
These two genres, when done well, really get me excited as a reader.
They also excite me as a writer but I don’t want to have to choose. I don’t want to write one or the other. I want to write realism and I want to write fantasy. Both at the same time. I’m telling people I write fantastical realism (which I’m pretty sure isn’t a real literary term but if I say it with confidence maybe I won’t get called on it) to try to describe what I do in Utopia, Iowa—my novel coming out early next year. There are magical creatures in that novel and people who have gifts that are magical. But the day to day of the novel has many ordinary moments. My main character has pretty normal teenager problems: girl problems, school problems, parent problems. He has a dream of becoming a writer for movies and it both scares and exhilarates him. He also happens to see ghosts.
This is what excites me as a writer. This mix.
To make matters worse and add yet another element: I like to write characters who find humor in our sad, strange, funny world. So that’s another thing that excites me when I write fiction. Writing with a sense of humor about the strange and sometimes serious aspects of our world. There are many writers who have this particular problem: Gaiman, Prachett, Green and, of course, Mr. Dickens and Ms. Austen. Many more. I love reading fiction that has this element, which, I suppose, is one of the reasons I love writing it.
Maybe all I’m saying in all this is that as both a writer and a reader the books that most excite me are the ones that surprise me in some way.
I think you have to write what excites you. Anything less—even if it will be easier to sell because it fits more neatly into a category—will be less. The reader will notice. And, more importantly, you won’t have nearly as much fun.
My Conference pear tree has been over productive again this year. Too much fruit for one person and as I did last year, I let my lovely neighbours gather as many as they wished. Still the tree hung heavy with fruit. So I have picked my own small share. The split ones to eat now -
The perfect ones to store for a few weeks.
There are apples too - sour cookers of an unknown variety.
This is the trouble with fruit - I don't have the inclination or time to do anything with them and yet I hate waste. The birds will gorge on any windfalls though and in my garden I have a couple of very plump blackbirds who have done very well out of my lethargy.
I actually found myself more drawn to the spoiled fruit still clinging to the tree.
Such rich colours and close up, a fascinating surface; quite beautiful in its own right.
This is the problem with living in the country, where everyone has fruit trees and a glut of produce. However, I am bravely chomping my way through several pears a day and they are, without doubt, very sweet and tender. Everything will be eaten, one way or another.
I wanted to let you all know that I'll be out of the office today. I have an appointment to have my ta-ta's checked.
October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, not that I probably need to tell you that, and coincidentally it's also the month for my annual mammogram. This is not normally something I'd share with my readers, but it's important. Really important.
If you're not getting exams or doing exams please add it to what I'm sure is already a very busy list of things you need to do. Make sure your mother, your daughter, your best friend, your wife, and your neighbor are getting them. Ask them. And men, this isn't just a woman's disease. Ask your doctor about breast cancer too.
We can save lives by getting an exam. Let's do it.
Quote of the day: "Eat, drink and be scary." - unknown
Today's featured book:
Title: The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything
Author: Linda Williams
Illustrator: Megan Lloyd
Let's peek inside shall we?
About the book:
One dark and windy autumn night a brave little old lady was walking back to her cottage when she heard a clomping noise behind her. What could possibly be making that sound? She discovers an old pair of shoes has been following her, "Clomp, clomp." She turns to them and says, "I'm not afraid of you, " but she walks a little faster. As her journey continues she is confronted by other spooky things: a pair of pants, (wiggle, wiggle), a floating shirt (shake, shake), a top hat (nod, nod), a pair of white gloves (clap, clap), and finally a pumpkin head (boo, boo). She turns to each one and loudly declares she is not afraid but each time she steps up her pace to get back to her home little faster. Once inside she closes the door and collapses in her rocking chair and rocks and rocks so thankful to have made it home and to safety. The next morning she wakes up to a great surprise outside her window.
I loved this book. This little old woman inspires you to face your fears, to keep on trucking and never, ever give up. I love how the suspense builds up on each page and invites the reader to accompany her on her frightening walk home. The illustrations are colourful, expressive and detailed, which I liked a lot. I highly recommend this book to be added to your Hallowe'en collection.
About the author:
Linda Williams is the director of a child development center. The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything is her first book for children.
About the illustrator:
Megan Lloyd has illustrated more than forty books for children, including The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything by Linda Williams, Thanksgiving at the Tappletons' by Eileen Spinelli, and The Mixed-Up Rooster by Pamela Duncan Edwards. She lives with her husband on a farm in Pennsylvania, where she raises sheep, chickens, and cows. Some of the rabbits from her vegetable garden have even been kind enough to allow Ms. Lloyd to sketch them as models for this book.
Book Review Rating: 9 (close to perfection!)
Read on and read always! Count down to Hallowe'en is on!
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The KILLERS arc was fantastic…some of the best “Stray Bullets” work David Lapham has done. I hope this series has a long life ahead of it.