- A very incomplete selection of links, as I’m still wayyyy behind on ye olde feedreader and even though there’s a couple of substantial(ish) posts I’d like to make, I’m not caught up enough for that yet either.
- Margo Rabb’s NYT essay about how publishing as YA (when the book is cross-over and could go either YA/adult) can get you some pitiable looks in certain quarters of the literary universe is very good, I think, although I know there have already been some impassioned responses in agreement and disagreement with some of the points raised. It seems to me this is a piece written for a general readership, who may or may not care about YA, and who might–just might–be more likely to visit that section of the bookstore as a result of reading it. I definitely didn’t read it as whining, but as a thoughtful consideration of her own experience and an elegant rebuttal to naysayers. Like Justine, I’ve rarely encountered these attitudes directly (though I have encountered them occasionally), but I still have no doubt that they exist since people love erecting borders around things and declaring them ghettos. There are still plenty of people who look askance at children’s literature as literature, and who do not in any way believe that writing for young people is as important (or can be as important) as writing for adults. I’m not one of them, of course, and I do think we’re seeing this change as YA continues to be a home for an ever-increasing number of astoundingly excellent books. Oh, and it’s worth mentioning that Margo has an excellent blog where this discussion continues, and she’s posting outtakes that didn’t make the final piece.
- As someone who is also now in the midst of trying to complete that all-important creative thesis (aka The Novel) and get it approved, I send cheering thoughts in Carolyn’s general direction. Nice paragraph. (Why does ‘nice paragraph’ strike me as vaguely dirty? Must catch up on sleep.)
- Niall has all the relevant (and some just plain maddening) links related to the great Helix blow-up. Nothing like watching a jerk prove that he’s an even bigger jerk than you could ever have imagined. I understand the term professionalism played a large part in the early stages of this fiasco, which is almost too shocking to be believed.
- Save Bat Segundo!