Some favorite moments from the Simmons Summer Institute:
“Some books need to be spanked.” — Vicky Smith, Children’s Book Review Editor for Kirkus Reviews
“Cool and I have never met upon the high road of life.” — M.T. Anderson
It was like someone squirted lemon on my brain. — My paraphrasing of Blue Balliett, describing a moment of literary inspiration.
When I stand next to Kevin Henkes, I feel ashamed. If you cut open his brain, niceness would come out. What would come out if you cut open my brain? Centerfolds? — My paraphrasing of the very funny and accidentally sweet Jack Gantos. :o)
So, I just want to say that there was a moment in my speech on Friday when I tried to express how grateful I was to Cathie Mercier, Susan Bloom, and everyone else at Simmons College’s Center for the Study of Children’s Literature, for the education they gave me and the path they sent me shooting down. I bumbled a little bit, and then I began to cry; and looking out into the audience, I saw that I was not the only one crying; and suddenly, I realized how lucky I was. Because there I was at the front of a room full of MANY Simmons alums and students who understood exactly what I meant and why I was crying, and I had the honor of speaking for them all. I hope I said what they all would have wanted me to say.
I keep promising to blog more about the Simmons program, and really, I will, as soon as I have more time.
I’m just drowning in TASKS these days, so please forgive me if my blogging is all over the place. I have never been so busy in my life!
Speaking of thank yous, here are my acceptance remarks for the Mythopoeic Fantasy Award.
A nice piece of news: there’s going to be an adult paperback edition of Graceling in Germany, published by Piper. Not sure on timing.
Switching topics: SYTYCD fans, do you think there’s some way we could arrange for both Brandon and Ade to be champion? Because, how to choose between them? Didya see that number with them and Evan? Are they not spectacular? (Also, thank you, Nigel, for pointing out the disproportionate number of dances this year in which women play the part of helpless victims and men play the part of asshats. Really, I’m okay with that stopping at any time.)
Finally, the second addition to A Gallery of My Favorite Objects… This is the sword used in my School Library Journal profile last October, and let me just say, it was not easy to pack! (I ended up sticking it under the couch cushions before the movers wrapped up my couch.)
