Friday Round Up: Awards, Snubs, and Passion for the Picture Book

Ah, this Monday started out cold and grey and I had the best of intentions to meet with fellow Austin authors at Mozart's, a local coffee haunt, to watch the webcast of the ALA awards. Alas, I was in my sick bed--where I write to you now--battling a cold that I just can't kick and it is still grey and gloomy outside. Yes, it is January but to be this chilly in Austin (20s) is something rare indeed. And, that's what award season offers us. The rare and rewarded. Does it matter that the Today show booted the big winners for Snooki? (Heck, yes. Read a post citing the letter SCBWI Executive Director Lin Oliver sent to the good folks over at Today.) Does it matter not many of us predicted the big winners--unlike last year? (I personally like when this happens! It's like Christmas morning when the committee honors a book I haven't yet heard of for the big win. "Oh, I have a treat in store.")

And, rare treats the two debut winners of the Newbery and Caldecott are. Look to Elizabeth Bluemle at the PW Shelftalker as she quotes some little-known-facts (Maebelle is making note!) about the Newbery via Peter Sieruta’s post, Sleeping with the Newbery, on his blog, Collecting Children’s Books.

I was thrilled to see Hunger Mountain contributor G. Neri get a Printz Honor for his book,  Yummy: The Last Days of a Southside Shortie illustrated by Randy Duburke and that Rita Williams Garcia recieved the Newbery Honor and the Coretta Scott King Award for her triumphant One Crazy Summer.    (For G. Neri's Hunger Mountain offerings check out this essay on how to hook urban readers and this short story  that inspired the novel Surf Mules, and this nonfiction piece on Chief Wahoo McDaniel.)

And I pumped my fists when I heard that WestSide listmates Cheryl Rainfeld with Scars was the #1 YALSA Quick Pick for Reluctant Readers and that Hope In Patience by Beth Fehlbaum made the list too. (If you missed my recent interview with Beth Fehlbaum on the Inside the Writers Studio series, go here and here.) 

I have not met Newbery winner Clare Vanderpool but we do share something in common. The same hard working, talented, eagle-eyed editor Michelle Poploff. I loved dashing off a quick note to Michelle to let her know the Delacorte Dames and Dudes here in Austin were thrilled.

Not To Be Missed Awesome Austin Events:

The first Austin SCBWI meeting of 2011 kicks off with a sweetheart of a speaker, author Jessica Lee Anderson on Sat, Jan 15, 2011, 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM at BookPeople

Thursday January 20th, I will be moderating the WLT Third Thursday series at 7pm at BookPeople, with these authors in attendance. We will be discussing Inspiration (and Perspiration)

Jennifer Ziegler

Brian Yansky

Stephen Harrigan

Panelists:
Jennifer Ziegler is an Austin-based writer of YA fiction. Her novel How Not to Be Popular (Delacorte/Random House, 2008) was selected for the Lone Star Booklist and the International Reading Association’s Young Adults’ Choices list. Her next novel, Sass and Serendipity (Delacorte/Random House, 2011), gives Jane Austen a small-town Texas spin.

Brian Yansky is the author of the novels Alien Invasion & Other Inconveniences, Wonders of the World, and the award winning My Road Trip to the Pretty Girl Capital of the World. He teaches writing at Austin Community College and has an MFA in Writing from Vermont College.
Stephen Harrigan is the author of eight books of fiction and non-fiction, including the novels Challenger Park and The Gates of the Alamo. He is also a longtime writer for Texas Monthly and other magazines and an award-winning screenwriter who has written many movies for television. In May, Alfred A. Knopf will publish his latest novel, Remember Ben Clayton.

Also, that evening we will be honoring the WLT Book Awards. Drum roll and the winners are:

Writers' League of Texas Book Award

2010 Awards Sponsored by University Co-op

The Writers' League of Texas Book Awards recognize outstanding published books each year in five categories, Nonfiction, Fiction, Poetry & Literary Prose, Children's books (long works) and Children's books (short works).

Poetry Winner Quiver Susan B.A. Somers-Willett	Finalists Modiglian’s Muse by Jacqueline Kolosov The Ocean Liner’s Wake by Ellen Wehle Self Portrait with Crayon by Allison Benis White
NonfictionWinner Molly Ivins: A Rebel Life Bill Minutaglio and W. Michael Smith	Finalists Wilderness Warrior by Douglas Brinkley Lit by Mary Karr
Children’sWinner Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice Phillip Hoose	Finalists The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly All the World by Liz Garton Scanlon
FictionWinner Homicide Survivors Picnic and Other Stories Lorraine Lopez	Finalists Black Water Rising by Attica Locke That Demon Life b

If you'd like to enter the WLT Book Awards or enter the manuscript contests, check out the information here:
http://www.writersleague.org/contests/manuscript.html

http://www.writersleague.org/pdfs/2011%20Book%20Awards%20Guidelines.pdf

Book Bash!
Mari Mancusi  with Night School (Berkley)and Cynthia Leitich Smith with Blessed (Candlewick) are launching their latest books at 2 p.m. Jan. 29 at BookPeople.

The event will include author talks, Q&A, book raffle, surprise giveaways, devilish desserts, demonic drinks & signing.
Wear red and black if you’re on the side of Evil or blue and black if you’re on the side of Good.

Bonus points (and possible prize) to anyone who dresses up as a vampire, shape shifter, vampire slayer, angel or fairy!


And check out the incredible Blessed book trailer!

Upcoming in Hunger Mountain

I put out the call and those passionate about the picture book are responding. If you'd like to submit a 250 word quote (or less) to be considered for a special feature in the upcoming issue of Hunger Mountain, see here for details. This am my inbox found an email from Jane Yolen, whose work for all ages I adore but I am oh so fond of Owl Moon.

Inside the Writer's Studio with Jacqueline Kelly, author of The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate

Welcome once again to Inside the Writer’s Studio. Today we have with us esteemed-author Jacqueline Kelly whose Newbery Honor novel The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate (Henry Holt, 2009) is being released in paperback. 

 The accolades for Calpurnia are incredible:

 “Callie’s transformation into an adult and her unexpected bravery make for an exciting and enjoyable read. Kelly’s rich images and setting, believable relationships and a touch of magic take this story far.”—Publishers Weekly, Starred Review

“Readers will finish this witty, deftly crafted debut novel rooting for "Callie Vee" and wishing they knew what kind of adult she would become.”—Kirkus, Starred Review

“Interwoven with the scientific theme are threads of daily life in a large family—the bonds with siblings, the conversations overheard, the unspoken understandings and misunderstandings—all told with wry humor and a sharp eye for details that bring the characters and the setting to life. The eye-catching jacket art, which silhouettes Callie and images from nature against a yellow background, is true to the period and the story. Many readers will hope for a sequel to this engaging, satisfying first novel.”—Booklist, Starred Review

And those of you not in Texas may be surprised to learn that Jacqueline Kelly and Caplurnia are a Writers’ League of Texas Agent Conference success story! I’ve had the pleasure of meeting Jackie, as we call her, and she is warm, witty and has the bluest blue eyes. Her essence breathes books and it is a pleasure to have her here today.

Now, on to the interview…

How do you stay inspired to face the dreaded blank page? Is it something you dread? Look forward to? Share a bit about your writing process.

When I started out, I did indeed dread the blank page, but I forced myself to write anyway.  I kept a record of how long I wrote, and noted it on my calendar.  Some days it was only 10 minutes—not very much, but at least it was something.  I noticed that the more I wrote, the less scary the blank page became.  I was able to spend longer and longer at it, and now I can sit and write for several hours at a time.   I suppose it’s like any other exercise:  you have to flex the muscle to see improvement.  I no longer fear the blankness. 

Name a writer whose work and/or career you admire. And why do you admire them?

I admire Kenneth Grahame, who wrote The Wind in the Willows.   This book meant so much to me as a child that I have just spent a year writing my version of a sequel, The Willows Redux, which will come out in spring of 2012.  Grahame also wrote The Golden Age and Dream Days, two lovely books that perfectly capture an idyllic childhood spent exploring the woods and meadows and river bank.   These works were immensely popular a hundred years ago.  The Willows continues to be popular, although not to the extent it once was.  It’s a shame, because it’s the best example of what my publisher calls “comfort literature,” the best sort of book to read when you’re tired or ill or blue.  

What do you feel is your strength as a craftsperson? How do you turn your weaknesses into strengths?

I think I’m pretty good at writing light humor, but only when I don’t mean to.  Whenever I deliberately set out to write something funny, it falls dead on the page, legs stiff in the air. 

I am keen on examining structure. A favorite quote of mine goes something like this: “We only look at a poorly formed story and call it formula. Structure is the art that conceals itself.” How important is structure to you and what are some techniques that help you build a story?

Structure completely baffles me.  When you figure it out, will you please let me know?  Seriously.

Writers love books; we love reading. What book do you turn to over and over again and why do you love it?

I love Catch-22 by Joseph Heller.   Poignant, hilarious, chaotic, devastating.  It teems with life, and senseless death.  Kids, this book is not for you.  Wait until you’re in college. 

Which literary character, yours or another author’s, do you most relate to? And why?

Calpurnia Tate.  Because she is 70% me, 20% my mother, and 10% my friends. 

Do you have a favorite craft book? If so, what is it? And what is your favorite take away?

The Art of Fiction, by John Gardner.  This is a dense and rather difficult book that contains everything you need to know about writing.  Not the craft book to start with, but definitely the one to finish with.  I am still picking my way through it. 

Inspired by the Actor’s Studio, what sound do you love? What sound do you hate?

Love the hot bubbling sound of frying chicken, but doesn’t everyone?

Hate the sound of nails on a blackboard, but doesn’t everyone?

In ode to Maebelle, the main character in my new book Truth with a Capital T, who keeps a book of little known facts about just about everything, please share a wacky piece of trivia that has stuck with you or please share a little known fact about YOU.

The original Alice in Alice in Wonderland  had short, dark hair.  How about that? 

Thanks, Jackie! Alice with short dark hair—wonder when she turned Disneyfied? And congrats on all the accolades for The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate and the many more readers that will discover her in paperback.