Blogosphere Buzz
Speaking of my blogmates, you can read an interview with our own April, posted by Heidi Estrin, on The Association of Jewish Libraries Blog. April will be speaking at the 2010 Association of Jewish Libraries Convention in Seattle and will also be an honored guest at the Tuesday night gala, where she will receive the 2010 Sydney Taylor Book Award for her picture book New Year at the Pier: A Rosh Hashanah Story. Congratulations, April! We're so proud of you!
I've barely had a moment to think about writing as a reader, although I heartily recommend it. I’ll have to address that topic some other time. Today is my husband’s birthday. (Happy birthday, dear Gene!) Our younger son graduated from high school last night. (Congratulations, Billy! Whoopee!) I just completed two conference speaking proposals. With help from my brilliant writing group, I’ve been working on a major revision of an old picture book manuscript that I just couldn't give up on. After eleven years and more versions than I can keep track of, I think I finally have one that’s ready to submit. Cross your fingers!
Out and About
I leave Sunday to spend a week in Madison, Wisconsin, teaching a weeklong course called “The Building Blocks of Children’s Literature” for the Write by the Lake Writers Workshop and Retreat at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Saturday, June 19, the day after I come home, I’ll be at the Southeast Wisconsin Festival of Books. From 11:00 – 11:50 a.m., I’ll be on a panel in the Library North Lounge with Ann Angel and Lisa Albert called "Up Close and Personal: Biographies for Teens." Autographing follows near the bookstore. From 2:30 – about 3:45 p.m., I’ll be at the SCBWI-Wisconsin table near the library. Then from 4:00 – 4:50 p.m., I’ll be on a panel in the Library South Lounge with Janet Piehl and Carol Schwartz called "Best Friends: Words and Pictures in Children’s Books." Autographing follows near the bookstore. Please stop by if you'll be in the neighborhood!
The following Tuesday, my summer semester begins. Yikes! My pile of books to read includes many I’ll be dipping into for the two courses I’m teaching at Mount Mary College, Advanced Workshop in Poetry and Workshop in Technical Communication and Design. Right now, I’m taking my time with Firekeeper: Selected Poems by Pattiann Rogers. I met her recently at a workshop at Woodland Pattern Book Center in Milwaukee, and I devoured The Dream of the Marsh Wren: Writing as Reciprocal Creation, a book Ron Koertge recommended many years ago when I was a student at Vermont College. I’m so glad I finally found it. For my future enjoyment, I’ve got these to haul along to Madison (unless I finish them before I leave):
Time You Let Me In: 25 poets under 25 selected by Naomi Shihab Nye
Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver
Word after Word after Word by Patricia MacLachlan
Split by Swati Avasthi
Tricks by Ellen Hopkins
Guardian of the Dead by Karen Healey
I can't wait to dive in!
JoAnn Early Macken
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8 comments:
Yes, we sure are proud of our April!
And JoAnn, what a packed scheduled! Happy travels and happy teaching.
Have fun in WI!
Ha! I just noticed what I wrote: "I've barely had a moment to think about writing as a reader. . . ." Of course, I meant reading as a writer, but the other option works, too. (I haven't thought much about either!)
Thanks for the good wishes, Marti & Brimful!
Wowee Kazowee, JoAnn!
Here's a poem for you:
Remember.
To.
Breathe.
Thank you, April! I need that one. Often!
I love Madison! The workshop sounds like fun! You'll be busy!!!
Thank you, Toby ~
: ^ }
Congrats to Billy, JoAnn! The last time I saw his picture, he was six years old. :)
Good luck with all the teaching excitement. Thanks for the excellent advice, April. Advice poems -- new genre?
Toby, I also like "writing as a reader."
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