Because I did forget it was out today until a friend e-mailed me–I wrote this week's Publishers Weekly feature package on self-help/recovery books. It was an interesting topic to report on, and I wouldn't be at all surprised if more publishers don't try reduced pricing like Atria is with Spencer Johnson's new book.
I decided–perhaps foolishly–to join in Maureen Johnson's Blog Every Day in April*. Ye olde Shaken & Stirred has been a bit cobweb-encrusted lately, and I've managed to slay the major cluster of attacking deadlines, so it seemed like a good time to be wooed away from the tiny noncommittal updates of twitter and back here a bit more often. I actually intend to do more Real Posts this month, as opposed to link round-ups.
That said, we've had a willy nilly kind of weekend and I can't think of a good topic I could manage to be enlightening–over even cogent–on. (I suppose if there is something you'd like me to post about or a question you have, you could leave it in the comments or send it via e-mail and I'll give it a shot sometime this month.) SO I'll just natter about the weekend, thus meeting the commitment but with minimal thinking required. Everyone wins.
Friday evening we drove up to Cincinnati, because the outrageously fabulous Cassie Clare was coming through on her City of Glass reading and signing tour (with Lisa McMann) and we don't get to see her that often. After her throngs of fans (see phone-grabbed photo below that does not begin to capture how many teens were in attendance) cleared out, we got to grab some Chinese food and have some quality time.
Highlights of the evening included: random very nice fan who asked if I was Holly Black (ha!); buying books (including Rita Williams-Garcia's Jumped, which I am so very excited about after hearing her read excerpts from it during my grad school residencies, and Shaun Tan's Tales from Outer Suburbia, which is GORGEOUS); explaining why there was such a crowd to the asocial freak at the bar (not really a highlight); and cheering the world domination of the Mortal Instruments series. But mostly it was just really nice to see Cassie.
Saturday we drove out to the farmlands and today we gamed and now big bad thunderstorms are swinging through. Busy busy, as I said, but not in a bad way. Oh, and I finished rereading Graceling. Such a great book. Happy sigh.
*Apparently those days at the beginning I didn't manage it don't count, because I hadn't signed up yet. I love an event with amnesty.
Forgot to post yesterday (and won't watch till later today):
Needs. Awakening within the Dollhouse, with large parts of their original personalities having returned, Echo, Sierra and Victor plan an escape.
Dollhouse Discussion (whoopsie) Read More »
The fabulous Mitali Perkins has a truly exceptional article at School Library Journal, "Straight Talk on Race: Challenging Stereotypes in Kids' Books." While it is, obviously, focused on work for children and young adults, it's worth a read for anyone writing for any audience. I'd extract a snippet, but, really, seriously, just go read the whole thing.
Updated: And some additional comments–and a challenge–at Mitali's blog.
And tonight we have:
Echoes. Echo goes undercover at a college to investigate a deadly virus outbreak.
Outbreak investigation, huh? I. Can't. Wait. (Of course, we have to watch the Basketball Werewolf Show first.)
Dollhouse Discussion Read More »
Just checked out the latest bracketology at the Tourney of Books from my corona-virus induced stint on the fainting couch. I'm kind of glad we're to be spared Frankie vs. The Bolano That Ate Contemporary Letters (assuming it survives its own zombie round match-up).
Wow, it has taken me a long time to write this comment. Let me put it this way: Frankie inspires so much passion because it is one of the few contemporary books that I can think of (admittedly, completely off-hand) that addresses the seemingly-small, but daily, ways in which women are expected to minimize their own strengths in order to please men. And, yes, it's a book about a fifteen-year-old girl, but as any former fifteen-year-olds can tell you, that is the time when these dynamics start to manifest in force. It's also when they're the most powerful. I mean, who is more slavishly devoted to gender roles than a high school sophomore? Except the editors of Cosmo and certain screenwriters? And that fifteen-year-old self is always lurking around somewhere, ready to rear his or her head again. Especially when it comes to love.
Lucy Knisley condenses the Twilight books into comic art. Oh, love this so much, especially in anticipation of watching the movie this weekend.
This is supposed to be the one where we all get completely on board, right?
I'm looking forward to it… ::ominous use of ellipses::
Dollhouse Discussion Read More »