Weekly Round Up--For Those of Us Not at BEA

The temps in Austin climbed to 105 earlier this week. Yikes, it was hot. But, over at the Writing Barn we can now stay cool as we check on the daily progress. The french doors have arrived and the AC had long been installed. We cooled the place down last night and took a couple of new pics. 

instructor apartment/guest bedroom

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kitchen with loft area above. Stove gets installed today.

 

 

Instructor/guest bathroom

 

 

 

 

French doors with inner blinds.

By next week, we have some of the furniture in (my comfy love seat and overstuffed chair from my apartment) and the books in the bookshelves--should the cement floor get painted this weekend in the main area of the barn. There still will be a screened porch to come where the horse stalls were but much, much progress has been made!

In the Wider World

Another week has come and gone and with it some good news: BEA is winding down in NYC, a  Dear Teen Me post from Cynthia Leitich Smith (geektastic!), the blog tour of The Grand Plan to Fix Everything by Uma Krishnaswami--and some sad--the death of author/librarian Bridget Zinn. I never met Bridget Zinn but I know those who have. A group of Austin authors were writing yesterday and Jenny Moss shared a picture of Bridget holding a beautiful colorful umbrella. She looked like a thirty-something on her way to school for the first day. When I got home the PW Children's Bookshelf had arrived in my inbox and I read a tribute to Bridget by her agent and friend, Michael Sterns. If you haven't already, read it--hug someone you love--and countdown the days until Bridget's novel Poison is released.  

Bridget and her writing group--with colorful umbrella.

Weekly Round Up--May Flowers Style

Everyone in Austin has been sneezing--why? It's a year round allergy capital! Did I know this before I moved here? Nope. But although the eyes have been runny, itchy--the throat scratchy--and the head a bit cloudier than usual I wouldn't change the springtime in Austin for any reason.

Not Earth Mother--but yours truly, celebrating a new crop of wildflowers that sprung up after a big rain.

The barn is getting transformed daily into The Writing Barn--a place where writers will write, teachers will teach, and visiting lecturers will lecture.

The kitchen area, under the barn loft,

The loft area.

The floor to ceiling bookshelves. I can stand inside one of the boxes.

Writing wise, I've been tinkering and playing with a new picture book. I have high hopes to dig into a YA WIP when I can fully concentrate on those worlds. Teaching wihttp://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=2374640939810788060se, I am working with a bright and capable YA writer and have a few other prospective students waiting in the wings. So despite the itchy eyes--all is well!

Goings on in Awesome Austin

If you missed Chris Barton's book release party for Can I See Your I.D.--don't miss him at the Round Rock, La Fronteria B&N where he will be signing all three of his books tomorrow afternoon from 2-4.

The Diversity in YA Tour's Austin stop was wonderful. Thanks for coming out and thanks for all the books bought after the celebratory conversation.

The Diversity in YA Panel shows off our writing guns.

If you missed the must read post of the week--don't. Head on over to Cynsations and read an interview with Egmont USA publisher Elizabeth Law and talented funny man Allen Zadoff. If you leave a comment, you may win a partial critique from Elizabeth Law! Go comment--now!

Outside Awesome Austin

Sarah Sullivan's new picture book Passing The Music Down was featured in last Sunday's New York Times Book Review. 


Today, Trent Reedy (VCFA grad and former soldier) will be appearing on The Today Show alongside his editor Cheryl Klein, as Trent's novel Words in the Dust has been picked for Al Rocker's Today Show Book Club. Congrats, Trent! (I will try to post a clip after he appears from you tube or from the Today Show.)

Tada! And here's The Today Show clip!
http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/26184891/vp/43108547#43108547





Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!