Cynsations

Cynsational News & Giveaways

By Cynthia Leitich Smith
and Canada Reporter Lena Coakley

The nominees for Canada’s highest literary award, the Governor General’s Award (fondly called “the GGs”), were announced on Tuesday. Each GG winner receives $25,000 and a specially-bound copy of their book. Winners will be announced Nov. 13 and will be presented their awards on Nov. 28 by His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston, Governor General of Canada, at Rideau Hall, in Ottawa.

The full list (including the French language children’s literature text and illustration nominees) can be found on the Canada Council website.

Children’s Literature – Text

Seraphina by Rachel Hartman (Doubleday Canada)

Under the Moon by Deborah Kerbel (Dancing Cat)

The Reluctant Journal of Henry K. Larsen by Susin Nielsen (Tundra)

The Umbrella by Judd Palmer (Bayeux Arts)

The Grave Robber’s Apprentice by Allan Stratton (HarperCollins)

Children’s Literature – Illustration

Virginia Wolf, illustrated by Isabelle Arsenault (text by Kyo Maclear)(Kids Can)

Big City Bees, illustrated by Renné Benoit (text by Maggie de Vries)(Greystone )

House Held Up by Trees, illustrated by Jon Klassen (text by Ted Kooser)(Candlewick)

In the Bag! Margaret Knight Wraps it Up, illustrated by David Parkins (text by Monica Kulling)(Tundra)

Picture a Tree, illustrated by Barbara Reid (text by Barbara Reid)(North Winds)

Source: Cynsations Canada Reporter Lena Coakley

More News & Giveaways

So You’ve Got an Agent. Now What? A Short Checklist by Candy Gourlay from Notes from the Slushpile. Peek: “Be discreet. It’s not just you against the world now.” Note: better to be discreet all along.

The Do’s and Don’ts of Launching a Book by Dianne K. Salerni from Crowe’s Nest. Peek: “…connections you make talking to people (readers, store owners, other authors) are often more important than the signed books that walk out the door.”

To Change or Not to Change: That Is the Question by Kristi Holl from Writer’s First Aid. Peek: “What I found most interesting were the writers’ responses to the news that their manuscripts had flaws that needed work.”

Exploring the World of Children’s Writing: an eight-week online class, taught by Debby Dahl Edwardson from writers.com. Peek: “For those who have always dreamed of writing and publishing books for young people but have never tried, as well as for those who have already gotten a start and are ready to take the next step.” Start date:
Oct. 8.

28 Days Later Campaign Call For Submissions from The Brown Bookshelf. Peek: “Help us identify under-the-radar and vanguard African-American children’s book authors and illustrators we should consider profiling. Let us know who we should check out so we can give them the praise they’ve earned.”

10 Things Not to Do to Get a Book Deal and Beyond from Kim Curran. Peek: “Don’t waste time waiting. Get writing!” Source: Gwenda Bond.

Zest Books Launches Line of Memoirs for Teens by Wendy Werris from Publishers Weekly. Peek: “The origins of Dear Teen Me, whose 70 entries are all by middle-grade and YA authors and include letters written by Ellen Hopkins, Tom Angleberger, and Lauren Oliver, lie – rather unexpectedly
– in the two editors’ mutual love of late ’90s pop sensation Hanson.”

What’s Your Story, Joan Bauer? by Debbie Gonzales from ReaderKidZ. Peek: “The hardest part about writing a book, I think, is pushing through the first draft (especially the middle) and not giving up until it’s done. I have a sign in my office: NEVER, NEVER, NEVER give up.”

The Physical Attribute Thesaurus by Angela Ackerman from The Bookshelf Muse. Peek: “…will look at the bodies of our characters, part by part, and provide micro details that will help writers brainstorm ways to create memorable imagery for the reader to connect with.”

Cynsational Giveaways

The winner of a signed copy of Lupe Ruiz-Flores’ bilingual picture
book, Alicia’s Fruity Drinks/Las aguas frescas de Alicia; a small “Hope”
note pad; a Charlotte Bronte journal; and a business card holder was Julie in Texas, and the additional winners of the winners of Come August, Come Freedom by Gigi Amateau were David in Tennessee and Katharine in Virginia.

Check out new releases at eight YA novel giveaways at Adventures in YA & Children’s Publishing

This Week at Cynsations

More Personally

Last week, Greg Leitich Smith moderated a panel at the Austin Teen Book Festival, and so I was invited to the after party at Serrano’s. 

Keynoter Libba Bray with agent Barry Goldblatt.
Authors Guadalupe Garcia McCall & E.M. Kokie
Big-picture view of the party, which featured a Mexican food buffet.

Interview with Cynthia Leitich Smith from Little Miss Train Wreck. Chatting childhood aspirations, writing humor, the Tantalize series, and future books. Peek: “If I could say one thing to writers, it would be: put down your phone and plug into your surroundings.” See also Author Cynthia Leitich Smith’s Favorite Halloween Film.

Personal Links

Greg Leitich Smith

Cynsational Events

Digital Symposium II: The Nuts and Bolts of Success will take place from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 6 at St. Edward’s University, sponsored by Austin SCBWI. Peek: “…a hands-on technology workshop for illustrators and authors of all techie levels.”

Join Cynthia Leitich Smith at 3 p.m. Oct. 6 at Freeport Library, a branch of the Brazoria County Library System.

Cynthia Leitich Smith will speak about author PR on a panel at the monthly meeting of the Writers’ League of Texas at 7 p.m. Oct. 18 at BookPeople in Austin.

Greg Leitich Smith will be a featured author at Tweens Read Oct. 20 at Bobby Shaw Middle School, 1201 Houston Avenue, Pasadena, Texas and at the Texas Book Festival Oct. 27 and Oct. 28 at the state capitol building in Austin. See also Texas Book Festival 2012 Youth Literature Programming.

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