Cookie Craziness and Why Slappy Could Never be Gay

• Wanna meet Shaun Tan?  Dude, I totally have the hook-up.  From our press release:  On Saturday, October 27, the NYPL "Children’s and Young Adult Literature Cafe" held its first meeting at the Donnell Library Center. This meeting was a smashing success, with over 40 attendees from all over the city (including writers, publishers, public librarians, school librarians and teachers). We’re hoping to continue this dynamic trend, so please don’t forget to mark your calendars for: Saturday, November 10 at 2pm Special Guest: Shaun Tan, author of The Arrival Program: Mr. Tan will present his stunning new work/graphic novel, The Arrival . Mr. Tan lives in Australia, so this a rare opportunity to meet a rising star in the field of children’s and young adult literature. Refreshments will be served and goodies will be given away (just like last time)!

• I’m a little ashamed that I didn’t link to this already. It’s the Kirkus picks for 2007.  I’m sure The Arrival is on there somewhere.  I’ll need to look at my print copy to figure out which section, though.
  

• Yesterday was a Read All the Editorial Blogs You Can day.  From Chad Beckerman, the real way to get your art noticed and NOT by handing it to him on the street. "As I suggested before, get your work online. I love looking at new sites. We all waste time in the morning on the Internet. So why not have me looking at your site over a tasty sausage and egg sandwich?" From Cheryl Klein we get editor humor. "Q: How many art directors does it take to screw in a light bulb? A: Does it HAVE to be a light bulb?" She has more. Alvina Ling pointed me to this link where the girl is CLEARLY turning clockwise. Unfortunately I don’t think I’ll be able to ask anyone if she’s turning counter-clockwise since every person I know is right-brained anyway.

• In the authorial world, Sara Varon talks about how to promote one’s book. Suggestion: Make cookies out of the characters. Scary good cookies.

• I get a lot of offers to link to a lot of sites. And when I saw an e-mail sporting the title 17 Way to Get Free Books, my initial reaction was, "Uh . . . no, dude." Actually it’s a pretty good list. For one thing, it’s not trying to sell you anything, and for another it lists a variety of different sources on the web that are useful when trying to find both physical and electronic children’s books in all their myriad forms. I tip my hat to you, Frugal Panda.

• Now, I like me my humor. And I like me my Onion. So honestly, I feel like the world’s biggest wet blanket for pointing out the problem in the recent Onion article, R.L. Stine Reveals Slappy From Night of the Living Dummy Was Gay.  But Slappy can’t be gay, since he falls in love with a female doll in Night of the Living Dummy II.  Doesn’t anyone do any fact checking at The Onion these days? God, I’m a nerd.

• And finally, here are two BB-Blog links that just struck me as sheer unequivocal delights.  The old-timer respect stick (as opposed to the respect schtick, arr arr) and the way to get a city skyline even if you live in rural Burr Oak, Michigan.

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