What a year in books it has been!
Young adult novels in particular really shined (so many of them in pink that I’ve labeled one of my bookshelves the Malibu Barbie YA Fiction Collection).
Across the age ranges, humor was strong, and, hopefully, will finally receive some overdue critical recognition. What’s more, debut voices were among the brightest and best.
I’m leaving today to guest teach in conjunction with the Vermont College MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults, and I’m not sure how the Internet access will be there. So, in case I’m offline for the most of the next couple of weeks, everyone have a wonderful last half of July!
Please also note that Greg will be the Austin area Barnes and Noble Author of the Month for August 2005.
A Room On Lorelei Street by Mary E. Pearson (Henry Holt, 2005). Zoe, 17, has had it with her alcoholic mother and manipulative grandmother. She moves out of the house and rents a room on Lorelei Street in hopes of a new start. But ghosts, living and dead, swirl around Zoe, trying to tug her back,
Continue Reading Author Interview: Mary E. Pearson on A Room On Lorelei Street »
I have no idea how anyone who isn’t well read expects to write well.
Reading counts as writing time. It is also the best, most painless way to improve your craft.
From now on, I’m going to start opening conversations with beginners with “what children’s/YA books have you read lately?” I’m going to work the question more into speeches,
Dear Cynsational Readers,
As you may have noticed, I’ve turned on comments both for Cynsational and SpookyCyn.
So, don’t be a blurker (blog + lurker). Let me hear what you have to say.
According to my profile, I’ve written about 40,000 words, which is arguably novel-length.
Here’s a sampling of some of my favorite past posts,
Master storyteller Hans Christian Andersen was born on April 2, 1805–two hundred years ago today–in Odense, Denmark.
Books to look for include:
The Perfect Wizard: Hans Christian Anderen by Jane Yolen, illustrated by Dennis Nolan (Dutton, 2005)(Jane herself has been oft called “America’s Hans Christian Andersen”);
Hans Christian Andersen: A Celebration by Newbery Medal Winner Karen Hesse (Scholastic,
Looking For Uncle Louie On The Fourth Of July by Kathy Whitehead, illustrated by Pablo Torrecilla (Boyds Mills Press, 2005). Joe and his parents are among those at the parade celebrating the Fourth of July. It’s a wonderful, patriotic celebration, but where is Uncle Louie? And what would it be like to be part of the parade instead of just watching from the sidelines?
Greg and I had a great time at the first-ever Montgomery County Teen Book Festival in The Woodlands, Texas on Saturday.
It was a star-studded event featuring Lois Duncan as the keynote speaker along with National Book Award winner Kimberly Willis Holt, YA star Alex Flinn (whose Nothing To Lose was a recent BBYA and Quick Pick),
The ALA awards will be announced Monday, always exciting! In a world where I made the big decisions, these would be the winners (not predictions, my picks; and not inclusive of all of my 04 faves; see my site for more recommendations):
Quasicott*
Mystery At The Club Sandwich by Doug Cushman (Clarion,
Surf over to my other blog, spookycyn, to read two story behind the story interviews with Vivian Vande Velde on Companions of the Night and Being Dead.
Ever wonder what everybody else is reading? Check out what’s On My Night Table from Jacqueline Davies. I’m also fond of her On My Mind page,