Cynsations will be on hiatus from now until sometime shortly after July 22 while I teach at the Vermont College of Fine Arts MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults summer 2009 residency in Montpelier.

I look forward to working with fellow faculty members Kathi Appelt, Marion Dane Bauer, Margaret Bechard, Alan Cumyn, Sharon Darrow, Sarah Ellis, Louise Hawes, Ellen Howard, Uma Krishnaswami, Jane Kurtz, Julie Larios, Martine Leavitt, Leda Schubert, Shelley Tanaka, Rita Williams-Garcia, and Tim Wynne-Jones.

Kathi is leading the picture book program.

The VCFA Symposium on Good & Evil will be July 18. Guests will be Deborah Noyes, Nancy Werlin, and editor Stephen Roxburgh. Nancy will lecture and read from Impossible (Dial, 2008), and Deborah will lecture and read from The Ghosts of Kerfol (Candlewick, 2008). “Other events will include a writing challenge, breakout groups, book signings, and a reception.

“All are welcome to join faculty, students, and alumni for this day-long conference.” Interested in attending? See more information.

The Alumni Mini-Residency will be July 17 to July 19. Organizers are Sarah Aronson and Mary Atkinson. About 60 alumni will return to campus for those three days for lectures, workshops, a master class with Patricia McCormick, and meetings with editors and agents.

Our graduate assistants will be Katie Mather, Cheryl Coupe, Debbie Gonzales, Stephanie Greene, Sharry Wright, Ann Jacobus Kordahl, and Nancy Bo Flood.