Sic Transit Me

Excuses, Excuses / By /

I am — hopefully, weather permitting — headed home from Vermont today, arriving somewhere this side of midnight. I should be back here sometime tomorrow, but it could be Thursday. Play nice.

While more than ready to go home at this point, I have to say that this has been the best residency of my MFA program yet, and so I am taking lots of things home with me to think about and attempt. Eighteen or so amazing lectures will do that. Conversations in the hallway and in workshop and over dinner will do it too. I’m sure I’ll have slightly more mixed feelings when I’m writing out the student loan payment checks in years to come, but for the moment I’m convinced this is the best investment I’ve ever made. I will admit to feeling some dread of the critical thesis semester before coming to Montpelier, even to a feeling of burnout… and yet, all that’s gone, and I’m left only with the desire to do the work. That is something akin to magic.

And it’s all because of the amazing faculty and students in this program. I can’t recommend it highly enough.

More coherent thoughts when I’m resettled. Maybe.

Sic Transit Me Read More »

Spit Take

31 Comments / Scientifiction / By /

From John Clute’s review of Greg Frost’s Shadowbridge* (which I absolutely can’t wait to read; I adored Fitcher’s Brides):

The second section of Shadowbridge is a thoroughly routine Young Adult novella, a hugely distended tale within the network of tales that makes up the book, 90 pages long, as benumbing for an adult to read as almost any story written for the Young Adult market, whose products are about as close to genuine fiction as megachurches are to monasteries where silence is observed.

Wha, huh? You cannot imagine how funny this is after spending nine days attending about 16 lectures discussing the complexities of writing children’s and YA literature…

*See some excerpts from the generally glowing reviews it’s getting at his site.

Spit Take Read More »

Sunday Hangovers

5 Comments / Hangovers / By /

Sunday Hangovers Read More »

Thursday Hangovers

1 Comment / Hangovers / By /

Thursday Hangovers Read More »

More Lists

1 Comment / Children's Lit Fabulosity / By /

And now the Best Books for Young Adults and Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers lists are out (I include the full names for those of you who aren’t rabid children’s fiction readers — you in particular may find some books you’ll adore on these). Haven’t had a chance to look at them yet, but congratulations to those whose books made the cut, as always.

I haven’t been keeping up with everything while I’m away, so haven’t actually seen the carping Justine’s talking about (not surprised though — and all women in the Printz category, now there’s a change!). But: what she said! I’d also say that these books are NOT particularly obscure. I’d read three out of five of them, which is relatively unusual for any awards list. I was absolutely jumping in my seat when I heard the winners. These are wonderful books, absolutely wonderful. If you hadn’t heard about them before, well, be glad it didn’t stay that way!

And a big thanks to Colleen for pointing me toward The White Darkness with her piece in the summer Journal of Mythic Arts.

More Lists Read More »

Future Books

7 Comments / Books, Children's Lit Fabulosity / By /

Colleen had the idea of putting up our lists of books we’re looking forward to today. Because I am away and already in the overdrive exhaustion that a residency induces, this list will be nowhere near complete. I’ve forgotten things. Even more: I know there are tons of books coming out this year I would be looking forward to if I knew about them. I haven’t been through any of the stack of catalogs on the corner of my desk, so… And I’m largely blanking on children’s books, mostly because several of the adult authors I obsessively read seem to have books this year. See below:

  • Justine Larbalestier’s The Ultimate Fairy Book – Okay, so mostly I just want to read it again, because it was so amazing. Also, J has done so much revision, I’m excited to read the final version. This is SUCH a lovely book; you will all love it. (Not on Amazon yet, I don’t believe, but here’s the blog entry I’m taking the pub date from.)
  • Karen Joy Fowler’s Wit’s End – I don’t think I need to explain this one.
  • Jeff Ford”s The Shadow Year – Ditto.
  • Jincy Willett’s The Writing Class – Everything about this looks wonderful, including the fabulous cover. It doesn’t get much better than Jincy Willett.
  • Samantha Hunt’s The Invention of Everything Else – I adored The Seas.
  • Ysabeau Wilce’s Flora Redux (compleat (sub)title not available) – No Amazon link yet, but I believe it’s out in spring? I can’t WAIT.
  • Jenny Davidson’s The Explosionist – Like Colleen, I’m unbelievably excited about this one. Jenny has the best taste in YA since, well, ever, and that can be nothing but a good sign. Plus, with a title like that, you really can’t go wrong.

I know I’m going to think of a dozen titles as soon as I post this, but must dash. Anyone know when the second volume of Octavian Nothing’s due out? Anyone (I’m looking at you Mr. McLaren) have any others to suggest?

Future Books Read More »

YAY!

Books / By /

For all the ALA awards (and honors!). Seriously, I can’t remember the last time I was this happy with award results.

The Horn Book has a good round-up with links to the relevant reviews, etc. (Dreamquake gets an honor! The White Darkness wins! Does Laura Amy Schlitz winning the Newbery for Good Masters mean more people will discover the wonderful A Drowned Maiden’s Hair: A Melodrama? Book as silent film! And I just read Repossessed–but can say no more because it’s a Cybils finalist! So very, very pleased with these results.)

And now I must sleep. It’s snowing here.

YAY! Read More »

Vermonting

MFA Rock / By /

  My Room 
  Originally uploaded by gwenda

Only one day into the rez, and I’ve already changed my thesis topic (don’t fret, for many, many of your excellent book suggestions will still be applicable) and listened to the fabulous Jane Yolen talk about revision.

I am safely at the B&B, as you can tell by the flowered wallpaper. But, scary bunny aside, that is the same painting my grandmother had a print of on her wall when I was a kid (#8), by Fragonard, and that makes me happy.

Vermonting Read More »

Scroll to Top