The media and writer listservs/bulletin boards are abuzz with talk of product placement in novels for young readers. Much of the conversations focus on promotional tie-in opportunities versus the ethics of “stealth advertising” to kids. I’ve been mulling over another aspect, and I’m of two opinions on it.
First, I have a roof over my head,
Continue Reading “Fancy” Wal-Mart: Product Placement in Books for Young Readers »
Publisher Biography: “Amy Butler Greenfield has a passion for dusty archives, ancient maps, and wild adventures of bygone days. Born in Philadelphia, she grew up in the Adirondacks, and she studied imperial Spain, the ancient Americas, and Renaissance Europe as a Marshall Scholar at Oxford. She now lives with her husband near Boston, where she writes award-winning books about history and adventure for both children and adults.”
My web designer/master, Lisa Firke of Hit Those Keys, has updated my site to be current with Cynsations for May. New features include photos of my two youngest cats, Blizzard Bentley and Galileo “Leo” Galilei, on Sebastian’s page. See the cats and Sebastian’s picture book selections. Then don’t forget to surf to alpha Mercury Boo (who’ll you’ll notice doesn’t dain to mention the young cats at all) and check out his kitten lit recs.
D. Anne Love is the award-winning author of numerous novels for middle grade readers and young adults. Her books take readers from the world of itinerant puppeteers in medieval England to the gates of the Alamo and the windswept plains of the Dakotas, from a ranch in modern-day Texas to a South Carolina plantation at the start of the Civil War.
K.L. Going has launched online forums, hosted at her website at http://www.klgoing.com/forums/
Topics include: K.L.’s books; her latest news; books and reading generally; games, movies, TV, music; writing; and an opportunity to share your own website, MySpace, etc. (“brag about yourself here”).
“One of the things I like about it is that it’s a truly intergenerational forum,”
Bank Street has posted its recommended teen reads of 2005. Highlights include: All Rivers Flow to the Sea by Alison McGhee (Candlewick); Anyone But You by Lara Zeises (Delacorte, 2005)(author interview)(recommendation); Boy Girl Boy by Ron Koertge (Harcourt)(author interview);
Linda Sue Park is the winner of the 2002 Newbery Medal for A Single Shard (Clarion, 2001). Linda Sue’s titles include Seesaw Girl (Clarion, 1999), The Kite Fighters (Clarion, 2000), When My Name Was Keoko (Clarion, 2002). She also has published several picture books–The Firekeeper’s Son (Clarion,
Cheers to Lisa Firke (webmaster/designer interview) of Hit Those Keys: Creative Encouragement, Copywriting, Web Design on her own newly redesigned site. See my testimonial on Lisa’s sparkling genius, and check out what my site looked like before she worked her magic. Then see it now! If you’re in the market for a webmaster/designer,
Romiette and Julio by Sharon M. Draper (Atheneum, 1999)(Simon Pulse, 2006)(excerpt). In this retelling inspired by Shakespeare’s famed star-crossed lovers, Julio is the new kid, a Mexican-American who’s just fallen hard for an African American girl named Romiette. The bad news? A violent local gang, the Devildogs, wants the two separated permanently…or else.
Agent Query: the Internet’s Largest and Most Current Database of Literary Agents. Site also includes background about literary agents, submitting to agents, writing a query, scammers, publishing market information, and writer resources. Cyn Note: I’ve surfed this site and found quality information on respected agents. A handful of writers create books for adults and young readers, and they’ll need to look for agents who work well in both markets.
