“Ode to a Departing Manuscript” a new song by author Kim Norman from her web site. Look for Jack of All Tails by Kim Norman, illustrated by David Clark (Dutton, 2007).

Congratulations to the winter 2007 graduates of the Vermont College MFA program in Writing for Children and Young Adults! Y’all are in my thoughts today. Wahoo!

Highlights of the January 2007 issue of The Edge of the Forest: a children’s literature monthly include: Judging the Cover by Allie of Bildungsroman/Slayground; Twentieth Century YA Style by Pamela Coughlan of MotherReader; Helping Children Choose Books Beyond Level by Franki Sibberson of A Year of Reading; and an interview with Alan Gratz by Eisha Prather and Julie Danielson of Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast. This month’s featured blogging writer is Lisa Yee. Read a Cynsations interview with Lisa.

In summer 2007, An Na and Jacqueline Woodson be teaching at Pine Manor College in its low residency MFA in Creative Writing program. Both are highly recommended. Read an interview with An Na.

Calling librarian bloggers from my home states of Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Michigan, Illinois, and Texas! Please drop me a note with your location and URL. Thanks!

Surfed by Spookycyn, lately? I’m taking more introspective, quirkier approach this year, often using books as a spinoff. Recent posts have touched on: Tantalize in book form; personal memories of Gerald Ford; Elvis’ birthday, the Congress Avenue bird die-off (“Mulder, something killed those birds!”), Leslie dress-up magnets; “Blood and Chocolate” movie trailer; sale of Castle Bran in Transylvania; and So Few of Me, the quest for balance in the writing life.

Thanks to Chicken Spaghetti for recommending my review of Sydney Taylor Award winner Julia’s Kitchen by Brenda A. Feber (FSG, 2006). Thanks also for the link from Six writers. One Story to the agent-related resources on my website.