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| National Book Award Finalist |
Six Key Points from the U.K. Study on Diversity in Publishing by Hannah Ehrlich from Lee & Low. Peek: “Diverse authors often felt that they were encouraged–or pushed–into the literary fiction genre. This means that authors of color are often at a commercial disadvantage, especially if they want to be full-time novelists.”
Recommended Children’s-YA Books and Related Resources for LGBTQ Youth by Lee Wind from I’m Here. I’m Queer. What the Hell Do I Read? Peek: “…the handful of books I brought to illustrate the power of books to spark conversations and be those mirrors and doors were….”
Planning a Novel: Character Arc in a Nutshell by Angela Ackerman from Writers Helping Writers. Peek: “Physical needs, safety and security, love and belonging, esteem and self-actualization are all part of what it is to be human.”
Finalists Unveiled for the National Book Awards from NPR. Note: see “Young People’s Literature.”
Nominees for the Forest of Reading Awards from the Ontario Library Association.
Writing the Cozy Mystery from Elizabeth S. Craig. Peek: “If you’re using guns, be accurate but move away from a lot of forensic detail…keeping it simple. In a cozy, the focus is on the puzzle itself.”
Put Your Setting to Work by C.C. Hunter from Adventures in YA Publishing. Peek: “…oftentimes the contrast between setting and character’s mood, or setting and character’s personality, can also be a useful tool.”
Audio Poetry by Sylvia Vardell from Poetry for Children. Peek: “I’m presenting along with the lovely Rose Brock on ‘Through the Looking and Listening Glass: How Audiobooks Channel Culture and Impact Literacy.’ My focus? Poetry, of course! So, here’s the scoop for those of you who can’t be there!”
This Week at Cynsations
- Jesse Gainer on Submissions for Tomás Rivera Mexican American Children’s Book Award
- New Voice: K.C. Maguire on Inside the Palisade
- Book Trailer: Keepers of the Labyrinth by Erin E. Moulton
- Laurie Wallmark on Ada Byron Lovelace and the Thinking Machine
Cynsational Giveaways
- Signed copy of Paper Hearts by Meg Wiviott (McElderry, 2015). Author sponsored. Eligibility: one U.S. only, one international.
- Three signed copies of Inside the Palisade by K.C. Magurie. Eligibility: international.
- Two signed copies of Ada Byron Lovelace and the Thinking Machine by Laurie Wallmark (Creston, 2015). Author sponsored. Eligibility: U.S. only.
Winners of signed ARCs of Brooke’s Not-So-Perfect Plan (Confidentially Yours, Book 1) and Vanessa’s Fashion Face-Off (Confidentially Yours, Book 2)(both HarperCollins, 2016) by Jo Whittemore were Cindy in Connecticut and Shannon in Florida.
More Personally
This week’s highlight was the Freedom Tour event, featuring author-illustrator Don Tate and authors Kelly Starling Lyons and Chris Barton, at the George Washington Carver Museum and Cultural Center in Austin.
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| Cake by Akiko White, celebrating Don’s book, Poet: The Remarkable Story of George Moses Horton (Peachtree, 2015) |
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| Authors, illustrators & librarians gather to celebrate! |
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| Local elementary students acted out readers’ theaters of three of the books. |
Looking for writing advice? My words are the Quote of the Week at The Little Crooked Cottage.
Reminder! Want to read something spooky? The electronic editions of Diabolical and Feral Curse (both Candlewick), are on sale this month for $1.99!
Another Reminder! I will be featured at the 20th Anniversary Texas Book Festival on Oct. 17 and Oct. 18 in Austin. I look forward to joining Ann Angel and Varian Johnson in discussing the anthology Things I’ll Never Say: Stories About Our Secret Selves (Candlewick, 2015).
Personal Links
#MoreWomen Video
$6,000: What It Costs to House a Homeless Family
What Mysteries Will the New X-Files Hold?
Freshmen Not Emotionally Ready for College
Goodbye “He” and “She” and Hello to “Ze”?
Diversity at New York Comic Con
Feeling Like an Old Geezer at the New Social Media Party
Horn Book Review of Patrick Ness’s The Rest of Us Just Live Here
Alaska Renames “Columbus Day” as “Indigenous Peoples’ Day)