Sure is spring-like around here. This No Blogging thing is intensely peaceful, but I thought I’d break in with a few things that’ve been piling up. First, the Horn Book Magazine asked me what’s the strangest children’s book I’ve ever read… so I wrote them a little piece about Moomins. If you can’t get your… Read more »
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A Bit More Simmons Stuff
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… Read more »
Still Not Quite Moved In
I’m taking a moment away from the boxy madness to point out the profile Publishers Weekly did of Fire this week. The online version is here. The focus of the piece is something that’s close to my heart — the wonderful way that Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (Graceling‘s publisher) and Penguin (Fire‘s publisher) are working together… Read more »
Explaining Graceling, Fire, Bitterblue, prequels, sequels, companion books, and all the others ways I’m confusing people :o)
Starting with newsy bits of newsy news: Graceling is on the 2009 Amelia Bloomer List (Recommended Feminist Literature for Birth through 18). What an awesome list to be on. Thank you! It’s also on the Locus Magazine 2008 Recommended Reading List, in the First Novels category. In case you’re interested, the February issue of the… Read more »
A Few of My Favorite Things (In No Particular Order)
Over-the-knee socks. This comment from Cordelia after she saw the stuffed chicken Mom was roasting for Christmas: “Yeah, I hope that when I die, someone sticks an onion up my ass.” Three-year-old cousins-once-removed who want to sit in your lap. Soft, silky cats who let you rub their ginger-brown tummies. This sign, spotted at a… Read more »
Wordlessly Watching She Waits by the Window and Wonders at the Empty Space Inside
(Except that I know the reason for the empty space inside — I need a snack. Crosby, Stills, & Nash, btw, in case you didn’t go to a liberal arts school in New England and hear the song “Helplessly Hoping” sung a million time a cappella. ^_^) So, I am in a bit of a… Read more »
