By: Anne Bustard,
on 12/30/2009
Tiger Woods, athlete
Dec. 30, 1975-
Tiger Woods by David R. Collins, illustrated by Larry Nolte (Pelican, 1999)
Tiger Woods, the gifted young African American golfer, faced prejudice with positive character and determination as a child and as an adult. He won his first U.S. Amateur Championship at the age of 19.
Visit the Tiger Woods Official Website to learn more about this great golfer.
By: Susan Beth Pfeffer,
on 11/20/2009
Well, the ARCs definitely exist. I was sent a package with five of them (and a good thing I kept two). That's the front and the back up above. One of the ones I kept is my very own copy.
In fact, when they arrived Tuesday night (my UPS guy comes after 6 PM, which makes every day suspensefilled), I read it from beginning to end. Have I mentioned how fabulous the ending is? I would relay to you my emotional response, but I don't want to spoiler anything.
The other three copies went (in case you were curious) to my friends Janet (to whom The Dead And The Gone is dedicated) and Christy (who was the first person to hear the fabulous ending) and my cousin Ellen. Copy number five I'll give to my mother, who seems to be insistent on getting one.
I've been promised a lot more than five copies, and my guess is the package was sent to me because I've been whining and kvetching about these ARCs for more than a month now. At some point, I'll either get the box(es) with more ARCs, which I will then send to the people whose names get pulled out of the Bolivian hat, or I'll really whine and kvetch. I would do so now, but everybody I'd be whining/kvetching to is at NCTE right now, handing out ARCs of This World We Live In to anyone who is interested (which could be no one, for all I know). I may do some whining/kvetching on Monday, but with Thanksgiving rapidly approaching, no one may be around to ignore me. Or maybe the UPS guy will bring the box(es) this evening. I live in constant hope.
Two other pieces of sort of news. I bought a printer today that can actually scan. The last one couldn't, even though it claimed it could, and then it stopped feeding paper, and it really got upset when I pounded it with my fists. The new one is black and chic and at least it scans. I'll find out if it prints some other time.
And Amazon has changed the date on when TW will be published. No more April 1. Now it's March 31. I see this as good news/bad news. The good news is I won't have to listen to any more April Fool's Day jokes. The bad news is the counter on the right side of the blog, which took me a long time to set up, is now officially wrong.
Hmm...Maybe I should pound on it. Worse comes to worst, it would just ignore me!
By: Laini Taylor,
on 11/20/2009
It's been an amazing week! I have so many thoughts and photos to organize, but I wanted to jump in here and apologize for the absence (I've tweeted a little, but forgot to say to check the sidebar for updates) and to follow up on that last post, wherein I was pinching myself with amazement that Arthur Levine was coordinating his tie to my hair for the National Book Awards ceremony!!! I mean, in what dreamland does that happen?
Apparently, in the same one that this happens . . .
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OH MY GOD!!!!! ARTHUR LEVINE DYED HIS BEARD PINK!!!!!!
hahahahahaha! How awesome is that????
Everything everything everything was completely amazing, and I WILL be back with more photos! In the meantime, huge congratulations to Phillip Hoose for his win, and to Claudette Colvin, who must be very gratified to have her tremendous story recognized in this way. And to my fellow nominees: it was so great to meet you all! And to the judges who selected my book for this honor -- Nancy Werlin, Coe Booth, Gene Yang, Carolyn Coman, and Kathi Appelt -- thank you from the bottom of my heart.
And now . . . back to playing catch-up (and in a few hours, getting H1N1 vaccines. Phleh.). If you've emailed me, please be patient. Though I was on the road with a new i-phone, I'm too spastic a one-thumb typer to have kept up with correspondence. I will get through the 500+ emails over the next couple of days :-)
And thank you so much for all the happy wishes. This has been an experience of a lifetime, and I love all of you here who were supporters of Lips Touch even before it had a shiny silver sticker on the cover. Mwah!
Oh, wait. Some linkies.
Winter Blog Blast Tour at Shelf Elf; interview with moi. Thanks, Kerry! I love your intro :-)
And Winter Blog Blast Tour interview with Jim at Seven Impossible Things; thank you Jules!
The Oregonian story on us from last Sunday. Thank you, Jeff Baker!
And the wonderful review of Lips Touch in the Cleveland Plain Dealer.
Wow, thanks Joyce. That makes finishing NaNoWriMo early even sweeter! Now, I just have to figure out which one of her amazing books to request. I absolutely love The Guardian. And Becca loves Waiting for June so much, I might need to replace it because she won't let our copy leave her room.
Here's a link to Joyce's most recent books:http://joycesweeney.net/novels.htm. But she made the generous offer to let me choose any of her books, even the vintage ones. Does anyone have a favorite that I should check into?
I'm sending lots of good and fast writing vibes to all my NaNoWriMo friends. Go, go, go...you can do it! I already miss the thrill of watching the words fly onto my computer--but I'm excited to dig into my first round of revisions.
I have one more tip for you: If you're not sure what should happen next, think of the worst thing that could possibly happen to your character. I heard the amazing Bruce Coville say this years ago at a conference, and it has always worked well for me. It definitely adds a lot of conflict and unexpected twists to my manuscripts.
I hope you all have a great weekend. :)
By: Justine Larbalestier,
on 11/20/2009
It’s day twenty and I’ve seen some talk on NaNoNoWriMo blogs of muses showing up or, more often, not. I’m sure for some of you muses are a very useful metaphor for your creative process. However, sitting on your arse waiting for them to show up? Frequently not a good approach to actual writing.
“Oh noes! My muse is not here! I cannot write! Instead I will play Left 4 Dead 2 until muse shows up.”
This method will leave you with kickarse zombie killing skills but will not be much chop when it comes to, you know, writing.
Now, I’m not a very spiritual or mystical person, so feel free to ignore me. But I can tell you that even my most mystical woo-woo writer friends do not sit around waiting for their muse to show up. They write when they’re feeling inspired. They write when they’re not. Depending on deadlines, they write when it’s a gorgeous day and they’d much rather be cycling, they write when they’re supposed to be at a movie with friends, they write when they haven’t had enough sleep, they write when they’re ill. They write because it is their job to do so.
One of the cool things about NaNoWriMo is that it gives you a taste of what it’s like to a professional writer. Of what it’s like to write day after day after day even when you don’t want to. What some of you may discover is that it’s not for you. That you truly cannot write without inspiration. That deadlines don’t galvanise you, they freeze you. In which case the life of a full-time pro writer is not for you.
That does not mean you can’t still write. At all. There are many published writers, who write in their spare time, for whom it is not their main source of income. The majority of published writers are like that. And there are even more unpublished writers for whom the writing is the thing and getting published is not a goal. Many writers of fanfic have zero desire to turn pro.
Which leads me to revise my position: it’s perfectly fine to wait for your muse to show up if writing is not your job. But if you depend upon writing then you have to learn to make it a habit, a way of life, and not depend on totally unreliable muses and inspiration and the like.
Don’t forget to check out Scott’s NaNo writing tips.
By: meggin,
on 11/20/2009
NEW MOON!!! AHHHH!!!!
Ha, no, I didn’t go to New Moon last night at 12:01. I was doing what I’m always doing lately at 12:01AM: waiting for my Ambien to kick in and going, “Why don’t they have Say Yes To The Dress on On Demand?”
If you’re doing NaNoWriMo right now, you were probably doing the same thing at 12:01AM last night (unless you were actually working on your book. But I’m more of a 9-5er. Well, 10-6er, let’s be honest).
November is a cruel month to writers! We have so many deadlines, and no time to go to the movies…
…but there are so many awesome movies coming out!
I can’t see New Moon because I still haven’t seen Twilight (I know, I know…but unless it has giant explosions in it or it’s playing at Judy Blume’s husband’s independent theater, I wait to see everything on HBO or Starz. Because why else am I paying so much for these channels?)
But if the book fairies came and finished all my manuscripts overnight and I COULD go to the movies right now, I would be sure to see this new George Clooney romantic comedy about a man who goes around the country firing people, and then falls in love:
(Although if I find out he doesn’t get the girl at the end, I am totally not seeing this.)
And I would also go see the Fantastic Mr. Fox, starring George Clooney (is he in everything? Not that that’s a bad thing) and Meryl Streep as adorable little foxes (and Bill Murray as a badger).
(I have it on fairly good authority that this movie has a happy ending.)
And even though it looks hopelessly corny and no one I know would ever go see it with me in a million years, I would love to see the cheesefest that is The Blind Side starring Sandra Bullock.
(I KNOW this one ends happily, people, because it’s a true story: You can read about Michael Oher and the Tuohys, the couple who adopted him, here on Wikipedia!)
Plus, let’s face it, who doesn’t love Sandra Bullock? Even Janine Lindemulder, the adult-film star ex-wife of Sandra’s custom chopper-making husband, Jesse James (against whom Jesse is currently embroiled in a custody battle over their little daughter, Sunny) admits she just wants want to sit down and talk with Sandra.
Me too! Sandra, who does your hair?
Janine was recently released from jail for tax evasion, even though according to her website (what? Of course I read it!), Janine says JESSE is the one who ratted her out to the IRS after he left her for Sandra (while Janine was seven months pregnant with Sunny).
FYI, Janine’s current husband is a convicted felon with weapons, alcohol, and drug manufacturing charges…see photos of him here!
Here are some tips for Jesse, Janine, and Sandra during this hard time (from which I think we could all benefit):
1) Think twice about getting a tattoo on your face: It won’t wash off the way that poorly chosen eyeshadow from Walgreens did.
2) Don’t do a drug that is manufactured anywhere but in a lab that has ticker information on the New York Stock Exchange.
3) If you were in a high-grossing romantic comedy which co-starred Ryan Reynolds, and the mother of your husband’s child was in an adult film which co-starred Erik Estrada, you may just want to stay out of the ensuing custody battle altogether.
Advice we can all live by!
You know what? They should totally make a movie about this custody battle! I’d go see it.
Although personally, I’d wait until it came out on HBO. Unless they put some explosions or some fox puppets in it…which given the above details, might actually happen in real life.
You know I’ll keep you posted!
More later.
Much love,
Meg
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By: Alison Morris,
on 11/20/2009
In a word, NO. At least, not if you trust the opinions of the kids John Oliver read aloud to in a hilarious clip featured Wednesday on&nb... Read the rest of this post
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The events of the week that tried to derail me:
1. Monday ... Surprise visit – Mason Ridge Elementary Book Group. About a dozen kids stayed after school to discuss The Gollywhopper Games with the school’s literacy coach. And, yeah, there was me, an un-introduced person sitting next to her. The educator, who’s also my good friend, led the kids in discussion for about five minutes before she said, “If the author were here, what would you ask her?” After the first kid asked his question, my friend said, “Go ahead an ask *her*.” So much fun to see the looks on their faces.
2. Tuesday ... Numbing, toxic-yellow eye drops at my eye doctor appointment which always make me feel like napping.
3. Wednesday ... Taking inventory and restocking a clothes closet. Not mine. This is a project at an elementary school which serves families who can’t always the afford clothes (new socks, underwear, pants, shirts, coats) their kids need to stay in school.
4. Wednesday ... Inaugural enshrinement of athletes at the St. Louis Sports Hall of Fame. St. Louis has a rich sports history, and most of these inductees were in attendance: baseball’s Yogi Berra, Lou Brock, Bob Gibson, Stan Musial, Whitey Herzog, Red Schoendienst and Ozzie Smith; football’s Dan Dierdorf, Jackie Smith, Roger Wehrli and Larry Wilson; basketball’s Ed Macauley and Bob Pettit; bowling’s Dick Weber; golf’s Bob Goalby; tennis’s Jimmy Connors; soccer’s Harry Keough; hockey’s Bernie Federko and Red Berenson; broadcaster Jack Buck; and Olympian Jackie Joyner Kersee who brought her high school coach with her and made the night’s most heart-warming acceptance speech about how this one man changed her life which, in turn, has led her to help change the lives of other kids from her old neighborhood.
5. Thursday ... Free tickets for the matinee of In the Heights. Great musical. Fabulous choreography. So much energy.
I’m happy to report that despite this week of distractions, something that should have derailed me, I managed to stay on track and rework about 7000 words of this new book.
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By: Denise Johnson,
on 11/20/2009
"My book is free? Lock it up at once!"
—Lemony Snicket, regarding the new free online edition of THE BAD BEGINNING
For a limited time, you can read 100% of A Series of Unfortunate Events #1: The Bad Beginning for free online with Browse Inside!
View Lemony Snicket’s video response to this latest unfortunate event.
http://www.lemonysnicket.com/
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By: Kristi Holl,
on 11/20/2009
People often tell me that I’m very productive, so it was a shock recently to take a procrastination test and come out in the top 10% of pracrastinators!
It said I scored 80 out of 100 possible points and “when it comes to putting things off, you often do so even though you know you shouldn’t… Though you are likely incredibly productive just before a deadline, you might not get all your work done and there is a lot of unwanted stress.”
I wanted to mutter “stupid test,” but I was aware that certain bad writing habits (dare I call it procrastination?) were affecting the quality of my work. Oh, I got the writing done, but too often lately the quality was less than it could be because I delayed starting. I was submitting writing that was less than my best because it was hurried.
I think I had deluded myself into thinking there was no problem because I was busy all the time. I am never late with student lessons, and usually early. I am never late for my M-W-F blogs or paid critiques. I don’t even procrastinate on writing nonfiction books. Just fiction. Just the “pulling words out of thin air and making up people and whole worlds” kind of writing.
Why is getting started so hard? In a recent magazine article on procrastination in Children’s Writer, the following quote struck me as true–of me, anyway:
“In many cases, we procrastinate because we are anxious about the work at hand. It seems too difficult or onerous. ‘The hardest part of any task is the first five minutes. It’s like cold water. It’s just getting in that’s the hard part. Once you’re in, the water feels great,’ says Steel [a university professor who studies procrastination]. ‘Usually after procrastinating, once people finally get around to the task, they say, ‘I don’t know why I thought this would be so much worse than it was.’”
That struck me as true, so this week I’ve been starting my NaNoWriMo writing by setting a timer for just five minutes. Then I write furiously for five minutes, with permission to quit if I hate it at the end of five minutes. Have I stopped yet when the timer went off? No. I’m on a roll by then, and it wasn’t nearly as hard as I’d made it in my mind.
Why do we do this to ourselves over and over? It feels silly to have to “trick” my muse with a kitchen timer. But hey, it works, so I’ll probably keep doing it until I find something that works better!
What about you? What tricks do YOU use to get started?
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I attend a Writers conference every year. This particular year I was 
attending a conference for only one reason. After all, I quit writing that year. I no longer claimed to be a writer. But yet, I longed to be there. So, I had a heart to heart talk with God before the conference explaining to Him that I would attend on one condition – That He speak to me (in my good ear) and tell me whether I was to write or not.
I gathered a couple of old manuscripts to submit for critiques and I was on my way. Mid-conference I rocked back and forth in a rocking chair on the porch of my hotel over-looking a swamp, complaining to God that I hadn’t heard anything yet. I had no further inkling as to what His will was for me. While I continued whining to God, I heard a scratching noise. I kept griping and ignoring the scratching noise until I could ignore it no further. I stopped my bellyaching long enough to find the culprit. It was a squirrel. While I’ve seen my share of squirrels in my life, this particular squirrel captured my attention.
I noticed he was working on a nut. He was scratching and nibbling his way through the shell to get to the juicy nut. I noticed when a person walked by, 
the squirrel scurried to a branch further up the tree then continued working on his nut. He was consistent. He was persistent. He was determined and focused. I realized he wasn’t going to let anybody take the nut away from him and that he would undoubtedly obtain that juicy prize - unless he threw down his nut and quit.
At that point, I got it. That is exactly what I had done. I had thrown down my nut and quit. I realized God had placed the gift of writing in my hands and I needed to be consistent, persistent, determined and focused. I would miss out on all God had in store for me if I quit. I vowed right then to stay persistent in my writing and never throw down my God-given nut again.
That week, I won the award for the best children’s submission. Later, I received contracts and writing opportunities that I never would have dreamt possible.
While God does not speak through squirrels all the time, I believe He is present at Christian Writer’s Conferences and longs to make Himself heard. He speaks in ways that will reach us and in ways that we’ll understand. So, come to the conference with an open heart, expecting to Hear from Him and anxious to see what prized nuts he has in store for you!
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged: God, inspiration, stepping out in faith, Write2Ignite, write2ignite conference, writing for children
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By: Sean Ashby,
on 11/20/2009
“Writing for children is as easy as describing the history of the Byzantium in three words.”—Mo Willems
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By: Robin Constantine,
on 11/20/2009
You know you have one. Admit it.
A manuscript that’s sitting somewhere untouched with dust so thick you could etch your name in it. Maybe you shelved your picture book because the gaggle of geese which deftly honked out the meaning of life in iambic pentameter just didn’t fit the market. Or your YA characters dressed flashy, talked trashy but didn’t do much of anything else. For whatever reason you shelved your piece, it’s there, either waiting to be discovered post mortem or dying the slow death of manuscripts that just don’t work.
Enter Cynthea Liu and her Revision 9-1-1 Workshop.
When I found out Cynthea was giving a workshop in my area, I jumped at the chance to attend. So many conferences solely focus on networking and subbing your work that craft often gets overlooked. This was an opportunity to focus on revision for four delicious hours. I dusted off my beloved manuscript, the one that I shelved because it was “too quiet” (still wondering if in editorspeak it simply meant – it stinks!) and went, coffee in hand, to find out how I could revive it.
Cynthea began by having us go through our manuscripts and circling –ing words. Using too many -ing words can give your work an “echo” and make YOU, the writer too obtrusive. I have to admit I was a bit surprised at how many –ing words my ailing manuscript had.
Hmmm…really, I sent it out this way!!??
She also touched upon characters – and how to make the generic “Hot Guy” or “Soccer Mom” leap off the page. One word - specificity. (say that ten times fast, I dare you) Surely my manuscript didn’t suffer from that…oh, wait, eek! It did. While I know I saw my characters having depth and being unique, a quick read of my first ten pages didn’t exemplify that. How could I make my protagonist’s version of what was going on different than any other funeral scene? Seeing the world through her own unique filter is how and while I know that’s what I always try to do when I sit down to write, looking back over my work with an objective eye – really helped hit that lesson home.
There are far too many other tips to list in one blog post, so I’ll leave you with my favorite. One – which I suffer from a little bit more than I’d like to admit – is if you’re working on a scene and you feel like it’s something you could see on television, CHANGE IT. Turn it on its head – do we first meet “hot guy” leaning up against a locker? How can you make it different? Maybe hot guy rides a bicycle to school because he’s a budding environmentalist. Or we first meet him barfing up his lunch behind the bleachers. Anywhere but the locker.
I have to say, when I first left the workshop I felt a little bummed – very caught up in the “I really sent this out like this?” blues. Then something great happened. I got a vision of how the opening scene could work better, how my character could come to life – how I could turn my story on its head and work on it again to make it a truly unique. I’m once again psyched to work on it. So thanks Cynthea!
Cynthea Liu is so generous with her writing expertise and loves to talk shop! For more great tips you can visit her website.
And now – if you leave a comment, you will be entered in a drawing to win Cynthea’s YA novel The Great Call Of China. You have until Sunday to leave your comment. It will be random so don’t worry about being witty, just join in the conversation!
So what are some of your favorite tips when handling revision? And how do you feel about it – love it or hate it!
By: April Henry,
on 11/20/2009
Normally I would say paying an agent to look at your work is a very bad idea. But not in this case. During the first two weeks of December, Irene Goodman, who represents some top authors, is auctioning off on ebay half-page critiques of partial manuscripts consisting of fifty pages and a synopsis.
There will be a link on her web site, http://www.irenegoodman.com, directly to the eBay page. The top twenty-five bidders will be contacted and asked to send their work ASAP, so be sure your fifty pages and synopsis are ready to go as soon as you get the word. She will give the best critiques she can and they will be done by her personally (not farmed out). All critiques will be conducted in the second half of December as soon as the auction is over. If she finds anything she loves, she may wish to follow up with an offer of representation. All proceeds will go to either the Foundation Fighting Blindness or the Deafness Research Foundation, two causes that are important to her because they affect her son. Ebay will have a mechanism set up so that all money will go directly to the foundations, not to Irene.
On the company’s Web site, it says Irene is particularly interested in “historical fiction with a hook, female-driven thrillers, and popular or narrative non-fiction.”
By: stephhale,
on 11/20/2009
I don't know about you but I'm counting down the hours til Thanksgiving. I'm on a diet (all holidays are excluded from diets, FYI) so I've been dreaming about it for a while. I think most people look forward to digging into a juicy, golden turkey, but I'm curious about your favorite sides. 
By: Cynthia Leitich Smith,
on 11/20/2009
Anita Silvey's latest book is Everything I Need to Know I Learned from a Children’s Book: Life Lessons from Notable People from All Walks of Life (Roaring Brook, 2009).
So far, what’s the most fun you’ve ever had working on a book? Why?
I know that many authors suffer from the "my newest baby is my favorite baby" syndrome. Certainly, that defines my state of mind at the moment.
From beginning to end, Everything I Need to Know I Learned from a Children’s Book provided more happiness and excitement for me than any book I have worked on.
The moment Lauren Wohl of Roaring Brook Press suggested the title, I felt a chill running down my spine. She had just summed up in one phrase the work of my lifetime.
Early in my career, I started asking anyone I met (at cocktail parties, dinners, even in cabs and elevators) about the books they read as a child. A universal ice breaker, this question often elicited smiles and fond memories.
However, for my "new baby," I talked to people that I would not ordinarily meet -- about 110 leaders of society in a variety of fields such as science, arts, politics, sports, or journalism.
To them I posed a more serious question: “What children’s book changed your life in a profound way?”
As I conducted interviews with Pete Seeger, Andrew Wyeth, Steve Forbes, Julianne Moore, Peter Lynch, and Kirk Douglas, I realized that I possess far too little faith in the power of children's books.
What these icons read as children shaped them as adults – in amazing ways. Some recalled a character with fondness; some became attracted to a location or country because of a book. Some have remembered a single line from a book for decades. Many chose careers because of a children’s book. Many found a personal, social, or political philosophy that has sustained them for decades.
What was the most important thing you learned in your research?
Not only do those who write children’s books affect young people, but those who put books in children’s hands have just as much influence. Most of my contributors link a particular book to the person who shared it with them.
Everything I Need to Know I Learned from a Children’s Book is, in fact, dedicated to those who find daily inspiration on Cynsations: "For my colleagues: the women and men who have created, published, taught about, promoted and championed children’s books over the years. They have made it possible for our children to find the right book at the right time."
What has been the highlight of your professional career and how do you define success?
I've always felt that my best moment professionally is the one I am living--right here, right now. Success, for me or any other writer, lies in perseverance, in staying the course.
So I am thrilled to be headed out on book tour to talk about the importance of children’s books and the many ways in which books shape young readers.
Thank you for letting me “natter on” about the new baby.
Cynsational Notes
The Craft, Career & Cheer series features conversations with children's-YA book creators about positive aspects of their creative and professional lives.
By: Stephanie Kuehnert,
on 11/20/2009
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Last fall, sixteen-year-old Camelia fell for Ben, a new boy at school who had a very mysterious gift – psychometry, the ability to sense the future through touch. But just as Camelia and Ben's romance began to heat up, he abruptly left town. Brokenhearted, Camelia has spent the last few months studying everything she can about psychometry and experiencing strange brushes with premonition. Camelia wonders if Ben's abilities have somehow been transferred to her.
Laurie Faria Stolarz is the author of several popular young adult novels, including Deadly Little Secret, Deadly Little Lies, Project 17, Bleed, and the bestselling BLUE IS FOR NIGHTMARES series, which has sold over 500,000 copies worldwide. Stolarz's titles have been part of the Quick Pick for Reluctant Readers list, the Top Ten Teen Pick list, and YALSA's Popular Paperback list, all through the American Library Association. Born and raised in Salem, Massachusetts, Stolarz attended Merrimack College and received an MFA in creative writing from Emerson College in Boston. For more information, visit Laurie's website at www.lauriestolarz.com
By: Anastasia Suen,
on 11/20/2009
asuen1: Blog of the Week: Jean Little Library http://ow.ly/Cjev #kidlit #literacy #cybils
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By: inquiry@deborahwiles.com,
on 11/20/2009
These young gentlemen are part of Club Bili, a boys-only reading club in two middle schools in the D.C. area (Alexandria, Va.). They were guests of the Children's Book Guild of D.C. yesterday, where they told their stories about how "real men read." Charming doesn't begin to describe these guys. They made us laugh with delight and hope.
Read the article in the link above to see how Club Bili works. See if it doesn't make you smile. We met and listened to the dynamic reading resource teachers behind this program, Jodie Peters and Rob Murphy, who, I am convinced, never sleep. If you want to know more about Club Bili, or about how to start one in your school/community, drop me a line and I can send you contact information.
Yesterday contained two phone meetings with my editor, a Book Guild luncheon meeting, time with two writer friends, and a bookseller/librarian (really, more friends) dinner, then a drive back to Frederick through the rainy dark.
My trip is over. I fly home in a few hours. This week marks the mid-point of an experiment:
-- After literally years of road-warrior travel, get off the road and stay home for almost a year. Pat nervous system into place, gather routines, settle into new-home Atlanta.
-- About six months into being home, give yourself a work week away and see how that feels.
-- Then go home to Hotlanta and stay there a few more months before the Big Travels next spring.
Hypothesis: This experiment will change my life. I will come to the travel so rested, mentally and physically, that it will feel just fine to leave home for a week and do my job.
Conclusion: It has. I did. It did.
I worked a twelve-hour day yesterday, much of it play time, too, although I have learned to call it all work when away from home, as it requires a mindset of "you are on the road, and on the clock. You have X minutes to spend here, and must be ever-mindful of the next event, the next travel, and the next conversation. Hold your shoulders back. Sit up straight." etc.
The good news is (and this was part of my hypothesis)... a little balance works wonders. I am tired, but it's that good tired that one feels after good work. Hooray!
The quick catch up:
1. Two editor meetings yesterday, and some light at the end of the novel tunnel. My work is cut out for me this weekend. We'll talk.
2. I'm back on facebook, and twitter. I'm experimenting again in my never-ending quest to understand social networking better and not freak out about it as I do. On my schedule page (on my website), I direct young readers to my facebook fan page (remember that?) where they can write me, and they do. This is in an effort to cut down on snail mail, as I'm so very bad at responding via snail mail. But I'm killer on my facebook fan page. Ha!
2. Song permissions for book one of the Sixties Trilogy have overwhelmed the permissions budget, so I have spent time this past week away from book two and back in Franny's world in book one, re-working the scrapbooks. I think, in the end, we're going to have even stronger scrapbooks. Who knew?
3. Regarding book one of the Sixties Trilogy: We need a new title. I have buried the lead here, I know, so if you have read this far... well... maybe you can feel my pain. :> More on this from home as well. (We do have a new official title as of yesterday, and I think it's better than than ever, but for heaven's sake!!) Soon I will have a cover to show you.
Safe travels to everyone today, wherever you go. Happy Weekend!
By: Cynthia Leitich Smith,
on 11/20/2009
Author Round-up: Writing Around The Holidays by Tina Ferraro from YA Fresh. Peek from Sydney Salter: "I exchange knowing glances with the other café regulars and I buckle down and write as fast as I can for an hour or two while sipping a peppermint mocha."
Native American Spirituality in Children's Books by Debby Dahl Edwardson from Through the Tollbooth. Peek: "The question you, as a non-Native writer, should ask yourself is this: why don’t Native writers put overt references to Native religion, spirituality and worship in their books? Take a minute to think about it. This is important." Read a Cynsations interview with Debby.
Craft Issue #9: Desire by Janet S. Fox from Through the Wardrobe. Peek: "Drag the word out, now, breathy and low: d-e-s-i-r-e. There you go." Read a Cynsations interview with Janet.
Preparing for The Call by Tabitha Olson at Writer Musings. Peek: "The Call, with an offer of representation. Sometimes agents will send an email ahead of time, asking to schedule a phone call, and others will just call out of the blue. I experienced both, and my planning-oriented brain much preferred the scheduled phone call. Because you just can’t get your brain oriented properly for a spontaneous phone call."
When Characters Take Over by Brian Yansky from Brian's Blog. Peek: "Maybe it is just finding the place, the altered state, which allows you to access that part of the brain that makes intuitive leaps. Or maybe you’re connecting to a higher power, any higher power." Read a Cynsations interview with Brian.
ReadMe: The Dog Who Loved Tortillas: an interview with Benjamin Alire Sáenz from Spanglish Baby. Peek: "I'm especially concerned that we're losing boys. Reading has become a girl thing. That's a silly concept. We need to do a better job. We need a new motto: Real men read books."
Marvelous Marketer: Kaylan Adair (Assoc. Editor at Candlewick Press) from Shelli at Market My Words. Peek: "If an author has an online presence that I feel is lacking (maybe they have a blog they only update every few months) or inappropriate (perhaps the content of their website or blog isn't appropriate for their book audience), I'll discuss ways in which they can more effectively or appropriately manage their online presence."
An Interview with Elizabeth O. Dulemba by Greg Pincus at The Happy Accident. Peek: "When I discovered iPhone Picture Book Apps, I thought it was a fantastic new way to share stories and could be a nice complement to physical books." Read a Cynsations guest post on marketing by Elizabeth.
Keeping Your Audience in Mind, Just Like Darwin Did by Deborah Heiligman from I.N.K. Interesting Nonfiction for Kids. Peek: "He worked very hard to make his argument airtight. And he wrote it in a tone that would not offend."
Top 10 Religion Books for Youth: 2009 by Illene Cooper from Booklist Online. Read a Cynsations interview with Micol and David Ostow on So Punk Rock (And Other Ways to Disappoint Your Mother)(Flux, 2009).
How to Make a Storyboard: An Illustrated Tutorial from "Writing with Pictures: How to Write and Illustrate Children's Books" by Uri Shulevitz from Mighty Art Demos and Tutorials. Peek: "The storyboard gives you a bird's eye view of the whole book: it shows all the pages of the book, greatly reduced, on a single sheet of paper."
Border Crossing by Jessica Lee Anderson (Milkweed, 2009): a recommendation by Greg Leitich Smith. Peek: "...a fascinating and disturbing novel of Manz's descent into hallucinatory paranoia and suspicion...." See also: Border Crossing by Jessica Lee Anderson: a recommendation by Jeff Rivera at GalleyCat. Peek: "Will Manz be able to tell what is real and what is imagined before the summer is over, or will it be too late?" Read a Cynsations interview with Jessica and P.J. Hoover.
WBBT: Writing with Jacqueline Kelly by Vivian from HipWriterMama. Peek: "Callie is a combination of me and my mother. We both hate to cook, sew, and do any kind of housework. It must be genetic. I also need to add that my mother is very funny, and not at all like the mother in the novel." Read a Cynsations interview with Jacqueline.
The Winter Blog Blast Tour continues today, with several outstanding interviews. The whole series is highly recommended! Just to highlight a few faves to date, don't miss Mary E. Pearson, Laurie Faria Stolarz, and Laini Taylor.
Because my kid needs my shoulders, or why I don't quit writing by Pam Bachorz. Peek: "This book made me a real-life superhero in my son’s eyes. A superhero whose cape he can borrow." Read a Cynsations interview with Pam. Note: one of best links of the week, hanky alert!
Lions and tigers and bears, oh my!: How to Heighten Suspense from Gail Carson Levine. Peek: "Separation from the problem. Suppose your main character, Lucy, has an enemy, and suppose Lucy has to go on a class wilderness week. What is the enemy doing while she's away? What’s going to greet her on her return?" Source: Debbie Ridpath Ohi. Read a Cynsations interview with Gail.
Eight Hanukkah Books: One for Each Day by Bianca Schulze from The Children's Book Review. Note: picture book recommendations.
The Irrepressible Writer from Carol Grannick. Peek: "We all have to face negativity in our lives, but I love helping other writers use the time they have in the most productive ways they’re able, without feeling dragged down because of unnecessary and irrational negativity."
Congratulations to the Parent's Choice Award Winners! Special cheers to fellow Austinite Liz Garton Scanlon, author of All the World, illustrated by Marla Frazee (Beach Lane, 2009) and fellow VCFA faculty member Tim Wynne-Jones, author of The Uninvited (Candlewick, 2009)!
Interview with P.J. Hoover by Gretchen McNeil at The Enchanted Inkpot. Peek: "For The Forgotten Worlds trilogy, I took a spark from one of my favorite 'Star Trek' episodes, 'Who Mourns For Adonis.' This was the episode where the Enterprise found Apollo on a planet, and he tried to make them worship him." Read a Cynsations interview with P.J. and Jessica Lee Anderson.
Booklover of the Week presents...Cathy Berner & Becky Lee from Kay Cassidy. Peek: "This week, I’m delighted to welcome not one but two great indie booksellers from Blue Willow Bookshop in Houston, Texas!"
Young Adult Science Fiction: A Reading Guide: a bibliography from Megan Crewe at Tor.com. See also Megan's YA fantasy guide.
The Big Read: an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts to restore reading to the center of American culture by providing citizens with the opportunity to read and discuss a single book within their communities. The initiative includes innovative reading programs in selected cities and towns, comprehensive resources for discussing classic literature, and an extensive website providing comprehensive information on authors and their works. Maximum award: varies. Eligibility: literary organizations, libraries, and community organizations across the country. Deadline: Feb. 2, 2010. Source: PEN Weekly NewsBlast.
Writing Cliches by Carrie Jones from Through the Tollbooth. Peek: "It happens to all of us. It stalks us until our brains and fingers are weak and then it sneaks its way onto our pages, taunting us, daring us to notice, and so often we, poor overworked writers that we are? We are oblivious." Note: the first post in a week-long series. Read a Cynsations interview with Carrie.
Interview with Suzanna Hermans of Oblong Books & Music from Juliette Dominguez at The Enchanted Inkpot. Peek: "When I was first starting out, I was terrified when people would ask me for recommendations - it puts you on the spot and what if you can't think of anything to recommend? Once I learned to have confidence in myself and my opinions, I became much more comfortable with it. Now I love giving recommendations."
Congratulations to Phillip Hoose on Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice (Melanie Kroupa Books, 2009). See video below. Source: Cynthia Lord.
Take a sneak peek at the Class of 2k10. Source: Denise Jaden.
Prairie Writer's Day
Thank you to author Sara F. Shacter and everyone at SCBWI-Illinois for your hospitality at the Fifth Annual Prairie Writer's Day: "Brick by Brick: The Architecture of Our Stories"!
Fellow faculty included agent Michael Stearns of Upstart Crow Literary Agency and editors Stacy Cantor of Walker, Nick Eliopulos of Random House, Alisha Niehaus of Dial, and Yolanda LeRoy of Charlesbridge. Read a Cynsations interview with Yolanda.
Here's Stacy again! Take note, Austinites! Stacy will be joining us for the upcoming Austin SCBWI conference in January. Register now before it sells out!
Author Kimberly Pauley author of Sucks to Be Me: The All-True Confessions of Mina Hamilton, Teen Vampire (Maybe)(Mirrorstone, 2008). Read a Cynsations interview with Kimberly.
Author Cynthea Liu. Read a Cynsations interview with Cynthea. Check out her website--Writing for Children and Teens!
Huge thanks to author Sara F. Shacter, who is a fabulous public speaker! Learn about Sara's book, Heading to the Wedding (Red Rock, 2006)!
Author, speaker, and writing coach Esther Hershenhorn. Read a Cynsations interview with Esther.
Over Chicago deep dish pizza at Uno's Chicago Grill, Greg chats with Michael and Alisha. Don't miss Greg's report on the conference.
More Personally
Howdy to Ms. Deignan's Dover Street School second graders and Ms. Craft's eighth graders! Thank you for your questions about Jingle Dancer (Morrow, 2000) and Eternal (Candlewick, 2009), respectively! It was lovely corresponding with you!
Four Vampire Books Read This Weekend: Vamped by Lucienne Diver, How to Be a Vampire by Amy Gray, Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey, and Eternal by Cynthia Leitich Smith: a recommendation/review wrap-up from The Sassy Librarian. Peek: "I was impressed by how different this book was to Tantalize - sometimes you like an author but their narrative voice is very similar between books (and that's okay) but Smith has the ability to really embody her characters and I'm appreciative."
Thanks to Jo Ann Hernandez at BronzeWord Latino Authors for featuring the Native American Youth Literature Widget on her blog this month! The support is appreciated.
Even More Personally
Congratulations to my alma mater, The University of Michigan Law School! According to Law Quadrangle, The William W. Cook Legal Research Library "was selected as one of the top 100 buildings, bridges, monuments, and memorials in a recent American Institute of Architects' public poll--ahead of Radio City Music Hall, Penn Station, and Fenway Park." Pictured above is the Reading Room.
Cynsational Giveaways
In celebration of the Winter Blog Blast Tour, I'm offering a signed copy of any of my books (winner's choice) to one of the folks who thoughtfully comments at my WBBT interview and then emails me to let me know (so I have your contact information). Deadline: midnight CST Nov. 22. See: WBBT: Writing the True with Cynthia Leitich Smith: an interview by Vivian Lee Mahoney at HipWriterMama. Note: Check out my deep thoughts on my publishing background, writing across formats, Native youth literature, writing cross-culturally, girl power & Gothics, true love, and a myriad of other topics. Thanks to readergirlz for the shout out!
Enter to win one of two author-signed copies of Soap Soap Soap Jabón Jabón Jabón by Elizabeth O. Dulemba (Raven Tree, 2009), one of three author-signed copies of My Father's House by Kathi Appelt, illustrated by Raul Colón (Viking, 2007), an author-bookplate-signed copy of Operation Redwood by S. Terrell French (Amulet, 2009) and a contributor-signed copy of Immortal: Love Stories with Bite, edited by P.C. Cast (BenBella, Oct. 2009)!
To enter, email me (scroll and click envelope) with your name and snail/street mail address and type "Soap Soap Soap Jabón Jabón Jabón" and/or "My Father's House" and/or "Operation Redwood" and/or "Immortal" in the subject line (Facebook, JacketFlap, MySpace, and Twitter readers are welcome to just privately message me with the name in the header; I'll contact you if you win). Deadline: midnight CST Nov. 30.
Read a Cynsations interview with S. Terrell French. See also a PDF excerpt of Immortal which highlights my short story, "Haunted Love." The story is set in the same universe as Tantalize (Candlewick, 2007, 2008) and Eternal (Candlewick, 2009) and features new characters.
The winner of The Twelve Days of Christmas in Texas by Janie Bynum (Sterling, 2009) giveaway was Jane from Oregon. Congratulations, Jane!
Cynsations Correction
Blessing's Bead: An Interview with Debby Edwardson by Carol Brendler at Jacket Knack.
Note: this link was incorrectly attributed on Nov. 16 to Carol's fellow blog team member Julie Larios. It has been corrected at all three Cynsations URLs. My apologies for the error.
Carol is the author of Winnie Finn, Worm Farmer, illustrated by Ard Hoyt (FSG, 2009). From the promotional copy:
Winnie Finn is crazy about earthworms and knows everything about them. When spring arrives in Quincy County, all she can think about is the county fair coming up. This year, she would like nothing more than to win a prize for her worms so that she might buy a shiny new wagon for transporting them around. Trouble is, there’s no prize at the fair for worms...
Bright, energetic illustrations accompany this jaunty tale about a young girl’s creativity that will inspire readers of all interests— but especially those with a love for something wiggly.
School Library Journal said: "Winnie’s spunky, good-natured heart anchors a gentle and entertaining read."
Kirkus Reviews said: "Hoyt's sprightly cartoons add just the right amount of humorous action to Winnie’s worm-farming tasks, while Winnie's winning personality allows readers to learn a bit about the positive aspects of worm composting. An author's note includes directions for creating a worm farm and sources."
Learn more about Carol Brendler.
Cynsational Events
Destination Publication: An Awesome Austin Conference for Writers and Illustrators is scheduled for Jan. 30 and sponsored by Austin SCBWI. Keynote speakers are Newbery Honor author Kirby Larson and Caldecott Honor author-illustrator Marla Frazee, who will also offer an illustrator breakout and portfolio reviews. Presentations and critiques will be offered by editor Cheryl Klein of Arthur A. Levine/Scholastic, author-editor Lisa Graff of FSG, agent Andrea Cascardi of Transatlantic Literary, agent Mark McVeigh of The McVeigh Agency, and agent Nathan Bransford of Curtis Brown, Ltd. Advanced critique break-out sessions will be led by editor Stacy Cantor of Bloomsbury. In addition, Cheryl and author Sara Lewis Holmes will speak on the editor-and-author relationship, and Marla and author Liz Garton Scanlon will speak on the illustrator-and-author relationship. Note: Sara and Liz also will be offering manuscript critiques. Illustrator Patrice Barton will offer portfolio reviews. Additional authors on the speaker-and-critique faculty include Jessica Lee Anderson, Chris Barton, Shana Burg, P.J. Hoover, Jacqueline Kelly, Philip Yates, Jennifer Ziegler. See registration form, information packet, and conference schedule (all PDF files)!
2010 Houston-SCBWI Conference is scheduled for Feb. 20, 2010, at the Merrell Center in Katy. Registration is now open. The faculty includes author Cynthia Leitich Smith, assistant editor Ruta Rimas of Balzer & Bray/HarperCollins, creative director Patrick Collins of Henry Holt, senior editor Alexandra Cooper of Simon & Schuster, senior editor Lisa Ann Sandell of Scholastic, and agent Sara Crowe of Harvey Klinger, Inc.
By: Anastasia Suen,
on 11/20/2009
By: Cynthia Leitich Smith,
on 11/20/2009
Writing Cliches by Carrie Jones from Through the Tollbooth. Peek: "It happens to all of us. It stalks us until our brains and fingers are weak and then it sneaks its way onto our pages, taunting us, daring us to notice, and so often we, poor overworked writers that we are? We are oblivious." Note: the first post in a week-long series. Read a Cynsations interview with Carrie.
Preparing for The Call by Tabitha Olson at Writer Musings. Peek: "The Call, with an offer of representation. Sometimes agents will send an email ahead of time, asking to schedule a phone call, and others will just call out of the blue. I experienced both, and my planning-oriented brain much preferred the scheduled phone call. Because you just can’t get your brain oriented properly for a spontaneous phone call."
When Characters Take Over by Brian Yansky from Brian's Blog. Peek: "Maybe it is just finding the place, the altered state, which allows you to access that part of the brain that makes intuitive leaps. Or maybe you’re connecting to a higher power, any higher power." Read a Cynsations interview with Brian.
Marvelous Marketer: Kaylan Adair (Assoc. Editor at Candlewick Press) from Shelli at Market My Words. Peek: "If an author has an online presence that I feel is lacking (maybe they have a blog they only update every few months) or inappropriate (perhaps the content of their website or blog isn't appropriate for their book audience), I'll discuss ways in which they can more effectively or appropriately manage their online presence."
The Winter Blog Blast Tour continues today, with several outstanding interviews. The whole series is highly recommended! Just to highlight a few faves to date, don't miss Mary E. Pearson, Laurie Faria Stolarz, and Laini Taylor.Because my kid needs my shoulders, or why I don't quit writing by Pam Bachorz. Peek: "This book made me a real-life superhero in my son’s eyes. A superhero whose cape he can borrow." Read a Cynsations interview with Pam. Note: one of best links of the week, handy alert!
Lions and tigers and bears, oh my!: How to Heighten Suspense from Gail Carson Levine. Peek: "Separation from the problem. Suppose your main character, Lucy, has an enemy, and suppose Lucy has to go on a class wilderness week. What is the enemy doing while she's away? What’s going to greet her on her return?" Source: Debbie Ridpath Ohi. Read a Cynsations interview with Gail.
The Irrepressible Writer from Carol Grannick. Peek: "We all have to face negativity in our lives, but I love helping other writers use the time they have in the most productive ways they’re able, without feeling dragged down because of unnecessary and irrational negativity."
Congratulations to the Parent's Choice Award Winners! Special cheers to fellow VCFA faculty member Tim Wynne-Jones, author of The Uninvited (Candlewick, 2009)!Interview with P.J. Hoover by Gretchen McNeil at The Enchanted Inkpot. Peek: "For The Forgotten Worlds trilogy, I took a spark from one of my favorite 'Star Trek' episodes, 'Who Mourns For Adonis.' This was the episode where the Enterprise found Apollo on a planet, and he tried to make them worship him." Read a Cynsations interview with P.J. and Jessica Lee Anderson.
Booklover of the Week presents...Cathy Berner & Becky Lee from Kay Cassidy. Peek: "This week, I’m delighted to welcome not one but two great indie booksellers from Blue Willow Bookshop in Houston, Texas!"
Young Adult Science Fiction: A Reading Guide: a bibliography from Megan Crewe at Tor.com. See also Megan's YA fantasy guide.
Take a sneak peek at the Class of 2k10. Source: Denise Jaden.
Prairie Writer's Day
Thank you to author Sara F. Shacter and everyone at SCBWI-Illinois for your hospitality at the Fifth Annual Prairie Writer's Day: "Brick by Brick: The Architecture of Our Stories"! Fellow faculty included agent Michael Stearns of Upstart Crow Literary Agency and editors Stacy Cantor of Walker, Nick Eliopulos of Random House, Alisha Niehaus of Dial, and Yolanda LeRoy of Charlesbridge. Read a Cynsations interview with Yolanda.Here's Stacy again! Take note, Austinites! Stacy will be joining us for the upcoming Austin SCBWI conference in January. Register now before it sells out!
Author Kimberly Pauley author of Sucks to Be Me: The All-True Confessions of Mina Hamilton, Teen Vampire (Maybe)(Mirrorstone, 2008). Read a Cynsations interview with Kimberly.
Author Cynthea Liu. Read a Cynsations interview with Cynthea. Check out her website--Writing for Children and Teens!
Huge thanks to author Sara F. Shacter, who is a fabulous public speaker! Learn about Sara's book, Heading to the Wedding (Red Rock, 2006)!Author, speaker, and writing coach Esther Hershenhorn. Read a Cynsations interview with Esther.Over Chicago deep dish pizza at Uno's Chicago Grill, Greg chats with Michael and Alisha. Don't miss Greg's report on the conference.
More Personally
Howdy to Ms. Craft's eighth graders! Thank you for your questions about Eternal (Candlewick, 2009), respectively! It was lovely corresponding with you!Four Vampire Books Read This Weekend: Vamped by Lucienne Diver, How to Be a Vampire by Amy Gray, Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey, and Eternal by Cynthia Leitich Smith: a recommendation/review wrap-up from The Sassy Librarian. Peek: "I was impressed by how different this book was to Tantalize - sometimes you like an author but their narrative voice is very similar between books (and that's okay) but Smith has the ability to really embody her characters and I'm appreciative."
Even More PersonallyCongratulations to my alma mater, The University of Michigan Law School! According to Law Quadrangle, The William W. Cook Legal Research Library "was selected as one of the top 100 buildings, bridges, monuments, and memorials in a recent American Institute of Architects' public poll--ahead of Radio City Music Hall, Penn Station, and Fenway Park." Pictured above is the Reading Room.
Spooky Giveaways
In celebration of the Winter Blog Blast Tour, I'm offering a signed copy of any of my books (winner's choice) to one of the folks who thoughtfully comments at my WBBT interview and then emails me to let me know (so I have your contact information). Deadline: midnight CST Nov. 22. See: WBBT: Writing the True with Cynthia Leitich Smith: an interview by Vivian Lee Mahoney at HipWriterMama. Note: Check out my deep thoughts on my publishing background, writing across formats, Native youth literature, writing cross-culturally, girl power & Gothics, true love, and a myriad of other topics. Thanks to readergirlz for the shout out!
Enter to win a contributor-signed copy of Immortal: Love Stories with Bite, edited by P.C. Cast (BenBella, Oct. 2009)!
To enter, email me (scroll and click envelope) with your name and snail/street mail address and type "Immortal" in the subject line (Facebook, JacketFlap, MySpace, and Twitter readers are welcome to just privately message me with the name in the header; I'll contact you if you win). Deadline: midnight CST Nov. 30.
See also a PDF excerpt of Immortal which highlights my short story, "Haunted Love." The story is set in the same universe as Tantalize (Candlewick, 2007, 2008) and Eternal (Candlewick, 2009) and features new characters.
Spooky EventsDestination Publication: An Awesome Austin Conference for Writers and Illustrators is scheduled for Jan. 30 and sponsored by Austin SCBWI. Keynote speakers are Newbery Honor author Kirby Larson and Caldecott Honor author-illustrator Marla Frazee, who will also offer an illustrator breakout and portfolio reviews. Presentations and critiques will be offered by editor Cheryl Klein of Arthur A. Levine/Scholastic, author-editor Lisa Graff of FSG, agent Andrea Cascardi of Transatlantic Literary, agent Mark McVeigh of The McVeigh Agency, and agent Nathan Bransford of Curtis Brown, Ltd. Advanced critique break-out sessions will be led by editor Stacy Cantor of Bloomsbury. In addition, Cheryl and author Sara Lewis Holmes will speak on the editor-and-author relationship, and Marla and author Liz Garton Scanlon will speak on the illustrator-and-author relationship. Note: Sara and Liz also will be offering manuscript critiques. Illustrator Patrice Barton will offer portfolio reviews. Additional authors on the speaker-and-critique faculty include Jessica Lee Anderson, Chris Barton, Shana Burg, P.J. Hoover, Jacqueline Kelly, Philip Yates, Jennifer Ziegler. See registration form, information packet, and conference schedule (all PDF files)!
2010 Houston-SCBWI Conference is scheduled for Feb. 20, 2010, at the Merrell Center in Katy. Registration is now open. The faculty includes author Cynthia Leitich Smith, assistant editor Ruta Rimas of Balzer & Bray/HarperCollins, creative director Patrick Collins of Henry Holt, senior editor Alexandra Cooper of Simon & Schuster, senior editor Lisa Ann Sandell of Scholastic, and agent Sara Crowe of Harvey Klinger, Inc.
By: Karen Strong,
on 11/20/2009
When the National Book Award announced the 2009 finalists for Young People’s Literature, one of the books caught my attention.
Lips Touch Three Times had been on my TBR list for awhile. I had seen it in stores but never cracked it open. I knew the author, Laini Taylor, from her trademark pink hair and from reading her Grow Wings blog.
So this week I started reading the book, which is a collection of short stories about girls experiencing their first kiss with a supernatural twist.
I’ve finished reading “Goblin Fruit,” the first of the short stories, and I enjoyed it very much. I love the way the author mixed the goblin folklore with present-day elements. I’m sure that I will enjoy the other two stories as well.
So although it didn’t win the National Book Award, the recognition will introduce this fabulous writer to a broader audience.
You can also check out the National Book Award interview with the author.
