Today is the last day to get in on the Cybils action. Despite my efforts to fade to the background — my thought was to let other people get involved in my place — it looks like I’m getting to be involved again, just as I’ve been since 200…6.
I just updated my alumni listing and I need to start putting this stuff on my résumé.
People, it is killing me not to be going to Kidlitcon. KILLING ME. I mean, plenary sessions on “niceness” in reviewing. The Goddess of YA. Maureen Freakin’ Johnson. LEILA FREAKIN’ ROY.
Le sigh. I will miss all of you. *sob*
I absolutely adore The Atlantic’s YA For Grownups, which is such a fun series. This week they’re reading Lois Lowry’s The Giver. Remember how you felt, when you first read that ambiguous ending…? I love to know that the book still has an impact just the same today. WHAM – both women write they were stressed and had to go find something else to do.
Oh, the power of a good book.
This has been a busy, busy week. Usually my sister, 16, texts me incessantly — this week’s texts to her have been met with, “Homework, ttyl.” Ah, school daze. This morning I read an article about an inflammatory paper a 13-year-old girl wrote on Frederick Douglass, slavery, and education for her junior high English class in Rochester, NY. (Douglass is buried in Rochester, and they Take Him Seriously there.) As Adrienne says, things have gotten a bit shouty, which is a shame, since some good points about the responsibilities students have toward themselves were raised, as well as the responsibility they have to challenge teachers to take them to a deeper level of education. Teachers, we give you props – you have a hard job, and so many of you do it well with limited resources. Students who don’t avail themselves of everything that is offered have only themselves to blame – but a good student knows this. Some food for thought, there, in this complicated situation.
Speaking of complications, the CBC Diversity blog has made plans for a second episode of “It’s Complicated,”, the conversational pieces on ethnicity in publishing. On Monday they’ll be talking to industry professional about… book covers. Oh, how we love us some cover-chat, and I’m looking forward to the commentary.
Panelists include YA author Coe Booth, Laurent Linn, Art Director at Simon & Schuster Children’s, Felicia Frazier, Senior VP and Director of Sales at Penguin Young Readers Group, Elizabeth Bluemle, Owner of Flying Pig Bookstore, and Joseph Monti, Agent at Barry Goldblatt Literary.
Speaking of covers, AF’s editor recently told her he’s trying to avoid being responsible for any “dead girl” YA novels — man, we’re so glad. Mayhap after this conversation, other editors will follow suit…
The deadline for the 2012 Hunger Mountain Creative Non-Fiction Prize is September 10th. As someone who writes beautifully and evocatively about real-life scenarios, Y2, I’m looking at you on this one.
Oh, my gosh, we missed a good deal the other day. I would not leave that on the lawn for long.
Thanks for pointing out the Atlantic's series! I hadn't been aware of it. I wish they'd put the occasional article on the topic in their magazine…but the print mag is so ultra-serious, it's hard to envision. (Not that I don't read their print mag!)
Anyway, I look forward to reading that cover chat. I feel really fortunate that I get input on my covers and that I have an editor who's so up-to-date on the diversity conversation.