Find out more about National Book Month, sponsored by the National Book Foundation (which also sponsors the National Book Awards).
Category: General
Jane Peddicord
I had the distinct pleasure of lunching at Katz’s today with new Austin author Jane Peddicord, who has picture books under contract with Charlesbridge and Harcourt. She was fun and friendly, and full of questions about the author’s life. (Also another recovering lawyer).
More personally, Stephanie sent me the most gorgeous scarf–knitted herself.
Julie Lake
The lovely Julie Lake is taking over as the Austin SCBWI regional advisor. She’s the author of Galveston’s Summer of the Storm, and I’m one of her biggest fans.
Knopf Delacorte Dell Fall 2004
Received the Knopf, Delacorte, Dell Young Readers Group Catalog today and found many titles to read, including:
The People Could Fly: The Picture Book by the late Virginia Hamilton, illustrated by Leo and Diane Dillon; 0-375-82405-7; Tio Jose And The Singing Trees by first time author David Gonzales, illustrated by Stacey Schuett;
On Cyn’s Mind
This past week’s episode of “Dateline,” “How Safe Are Your Favorite Restaurants?”, rated the top ten moderately priced family chain restaurants for health code violations. They measured critical violations, which are the kind of things like cross-contamination, food temperature, and vermin (ew!), which can send you to the hospital.
The upshot is that Denny’s is the best,
Idiot Speak
Tried reading a book last night and found myself distracted by all the “idiot speak.”
“Idiot speak” is when the characters say things to each other that they all already know. It’s a transparent vehicle for the author to offer backstory. Seamless integration is the much better, though more difficult, way to go.
I hasten to add that I’m not the person who named “I.S.”
Hope Vestergaard
Hope Vestergaard‘s site has been redesigned, and it’s adorable. One of my fave author sites on the ‘net.
Robert’s Snow: Buy A Snowflake And Beat Cancer
Own a piece of art by your favorite children’s book illustrator and help fight cancer at the same time! How? By participating in Robert’s Snow: for Cancer’s Cure (www.robertssnow.com) , a unique fundraiser for cancer research. Over 100 children’s book illustrators have made original works of art – on snowflakes – to be auctioned online from Oct.
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June Franklin Naylor Award
The Daughters of the Republic of Texas Library Committee announced the establishment of the June Franklin Naylor Award for the Best Book for Children on Texas History. Beginning with books published in 2004, the award will be given annually to the author/illustrator of the most distinguished book for children and young adults, grades K-12, that accurately portrays the history of Texas,
Author Events
It’s September so all of my wonderful event coordinators are sending contracts to follow up on dates they scheduled last year.
I’m excited about talking to librarians, teachers, and young readers.
This fall is clearly way overbooked, though; something to keep in mind as invitations for next fall start rolling in. I’m going to have to really work for writing time.