Fusenews: In Which We Discuss Blogger Blurbs, Neil Gaiman on My Couch, and Frogs That Should Not Be

• First up, the SCBWI Golden Kite Awards for 2007 have been announced!  Cynsations had the full list here.  I could list them all but because I’m feeling prickly and self-absorbed, I am ONLY going to mention a couple of the books.  HA HA!

• Jules at 7-Imp has sharp little eyes that can spot details quicker n’ lightning.  When she got her copy of The Dead and Gone by Susan Beth Pfeffer, something caught her eye.  "I just noticed this weekend, after getting an ARC of The Dead & the Gone (Harcourt), that there is a review excerpt on the back from *bookshelves of doom*. And it’s *above* the *Publishers Weekly* and *Booklist* excerpts. Hubba wha? How cool is that? A blog review — AND a blog review above two print reviews."  First, I think Jules gets extra points for using the term "Hubba wha?" because it sounds reeeeeal similar to a phrase used in an Emmet Otter Jugband Christmas outtake I know of.  And second, I used to have an ARC of The Dead and Gone but then I loaned it to a cute kid who was desperate to read it, and I never glanced at the review.  So double kudos, Leila!  Blurb accomplished.  Now let’s get you on the old dust jacket.

• I got this tidbit in the old e-mail and I’m passing it on to you.  Many of you may know Michael Stearns as the man who was BRILLIANT enough to bring Fly By Night to America two years ago.  Well, this just came in via Harper Collins.

"I am writing with the bittersweet news that Michael Stearns will be leaving us soon to embark on a new career as an agent.  He will be partnering with agent Nadia Cornier, and while we will miss him greatly as a member of the Harper editorial team, I have no doubt that we will still be working with him on the terrific projects he will surely be representing.  In the meantime, I will be working hard on finding a replacement for Michael, and Brenda Bowen will be taking over his role as our director of foreign acquisitions immediately following the Bologna Book Fair. His last day with us will be April 11."

• What’s your mom-in-law do for fun?  Does she crochet?  Bowl?  Garden?  Mine helps save libraries in her spare time.  Way to go, mom-in-law!!!

• Y’all heard about Titlepage.tv?  Pretty good idea.  Basically it’s an Internet web show that attempts to be a "21st century version of the Algonquin Round Table."  Aim high, dudes.  The first episode came out and the reviews were not so much with the hot but we’re talking first episodes here.  Ever seen some of my first blog posts?  T’ain’t pretty.  In the meantime, Titlepage.tv may start bringing in children’s literature.. uh… literati.  Sara Lewis Holmes wonders whether or not the CBC (listed as "support" on the blog once) is connected in some way.  Probably not since they’ve now changed "support" to "Sites We Like" instead.  We shall keep our eyes peeled and wait to see whether or not they delve into children’s literature at any given date.

• Do graphic novels scare you?  Do you want them to?  Sorry sorry… I get off-topic easily these days.  Well Comic Con is coming to town ("town" = NYC) and everyone’s gearing up.  I’ll be speaking on a panel apparently, though I’m a little hazy on the whole when and where aspects.  I’m just a hazy kind of gal.  One day I’ll hire a personal assistant to lead me around by a chain around my neck from function to function with a carefully printed and laminated set of index cards for each day.  Until that glorious moment arrives, I am on my own.  Comic-Con shall prove to be particularly exciting this year since I will be having an artist sleeping on my futon and an inker on my sofa.  Fun!  Neil Gaiman will be there too, so that’s notable.  At Comic Con, that is.  Not my couch.  Out of the blue two people sent me different graphic novel links so take a peek.  The Jeff Weigel penned What Is It? from the SCBWI-Illinois publication The Prairie Wind covers some GN basics for those of you who still associate comics with Little Huey and Casper the Friendly Ghost (not that there’s anything wrong with Harvey comics, persay, BUT…).  That came via Kate Hannigan.  Then, not five minutes after I get this piece, John Shableski sends me a link to The Graphic Novel Guy, talking up the same topic but with a look at last November’s NCTE Conference.

• And hey, while we’re still on topic, you know how there isn’t an official children’s comic award out there?  Not really?  Well act now and you can nominate your favorite comics for the Kids Comic Con Comics Awards.  It’s more Quills-ish than anything else, but beggers can’t be choosers.  Check out the full list of categories and the downloadable nomination form here.  Entries have to be in by the 15th, though, so get a move on, little doggies.

• You know what name I find cool?  Check this out: Claus von Zastrow.  Pretty awesome, no?  Turns out, this particular name happens to have an owner and this particular owner runs the Public School Insights blog.  Better still, he’s done a couple interviews with fellas in the field that you might take a gander at.  One was conducted with our lord National Ambassador, may his reign be a thousand years, Jon Scieszka.  Another is with that sweet fella and Abenaki writer Joseph Bruchac.

• It’s YA but what the heck.  I love me my BoingBoing.  Y’all might have heard that Cory Doctorow (BoingBoing’s daddy) wrote a teen novel called Little Brother.  Fine fine.  What’s cool though is how he’s planning on sending out his ARCs. "Since this book is intended for high-school-age kids, my publisher has agreed to send 200 advance review copies of the book to school newspaper reviewers, along with the same press-kit that gets sent to "real" papers like the New York Times and the Washington Post . . . If you edit or write for your school paper (or if you have kids or friends that do) and you’re interested in receiving a copy, send an email to torpublicity@tor.com with the subject line ‘DON’T TRUST ANYONE OVER 25’ — and include your contact info, high school/newspaper, and mailing address."

• And I’ll just end here with an image I found on BoingBoing the other day and found oddly disturbing.  Moreso than I would have thought had you just described it to me.  Worth1000 had a Muppet photoshopping contest.  This was one of the results.  It’s something about the muscled arm.  Kermit should never have muscles.

Golden Kite Award Winners:
Picture Book Text:   PIERRE IN LOVE by Sara Pennypacker, illustrated by Petra Mathers – I never got a chance to review this one last year, and that’s a pity.  Aside from my love of Ms. Pennypacker (I LOVE YOU, MS. PENNYPACKER should be a picture book title, by the way) is the fact that it’s just a great little story.  Plus it features a rat with a soul patch.  Nice.

Picture Book Illustration:  LITTLE NIGHT, Illustrated and written by Yuyi Morales – To which we say, but of course.  Who else could have possibly have won it?
 
Golden Kite Honor Recipients:
Fiction:     EMMA-JEAN LAZARUS FELL OUT OF A TREE by Lauren Tarshis – Aw, see?  That’s sweet.  I know this book had a lot of fans last year.  This should make ’em happy.

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