Exquisitely bizarre
I did a blog tour as part of the forest born release. Here are some of the interviews:
I've mentioned before my affection for the Cybil Awards, given out by the children's and YA book bloggers. As national and newpaper review space is diminishing, I think book blogs will get more and more powerful in reviews and book recommendations. We'll see review quotes on book jackets from well known bloggers instead of the likes of Kirkus (which is apparently closing up shop! Ah, Kirkus, who will zing us with that final line now?).
As you may know, I'm one of a couple dozen writers and illustrators taking part in the Exquisite Corpse Adventure. This is an online book told in installments, each chapter written by a new author. The Library of Congress and National Children's Book and Literacy Alliance partnered to use this story as a way to draw people to read.gov, a fabulous website with so much stuff for readers, kids and adults, teachers, librarians, parents, etc. They posted Episode 7 this week, by yours truly. This was so fun and really challenging to write. They're not calling it a "book" so much as a "game." And it turns out when a bunch of children's authors get together to play this kind of a game, things get really bizarre.
I'll be writing a second episode sometime next year, with the final episode written by whoever will be the new Ambassador of Children's Literature. I've read a few episodes ahead, and M.T. Anderson's made me both laugh out loud and tear up. I'm being absolutely literal. Laugh and cry. This man...what can I say about this man? Is "genius" too trite? How in the midst of this big stew of a story could he write a few pages so lovely and funny and perfect? Astounding.
Merry Christmas this week, and I hope you all feel snuggly and content. Even you Aussies. I know it's summer, but it's never a bad time of year to feel snuggly.