Two our our 2009 Debs, Cindy Pon and Malinda Lo have put together a Diversity in YA book tour, possibly coming to a city near you starting May 7th!
Where, you ask? Well, in these cities here:
San Francisco | May 7, 2011 at 3 p.m.
— Focus on Asian American YA with Cindy Pon, Gene Luen Yang, and J.A. Yang
San Francisco Public Library (Main Library)
Latino-Hispanic Room
100 Larkin St.
San Francisco, CA 94102
Austin | May 9, 2011 at 7:30 p.m.
— With Bethany Hegedus, Guadalupe Garcia McCall, Cindy Pon, Dia Reeves, and Jo Whittemore, and moderated by Varian Johnson
BookPeople
603 N. Lamar
Austin TX 78703
Chicago | May 10, 2011 from 5:30-6:45 p.m.
— With Claudia Guadalupe Martinez, Nnedi Okorafor, and Cindy Pon
Barbara’s Books
1218 South Halsted Street
Chicago, IL 60607
Boston | May 12, 2011 at 7 p.m.
— With Holly Black, Sarah Rees Brennan, Deva Fagan, Cindy Pon, and Francisco X. Stork, and moderated by Roger Sutton
Cambridge Public Library (Main Library)
Lecture Hall
449 Broadway
Cambridge, MA 02138
New York | May 13, 2011 at 6:30 p.m.
— Focus on LGBT YA with Cris Beam, David Levithan, and Jacqueline Woodson
The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community Center
208 West 13th Street
New York, NY 10011
New York | May 14, 2011 at 1 p.m.
— With Matt de la Peña, Kekla Magoon, Neesha Meminger, Cindy Pon, Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich, Rita Williams-Garcia, and Jacqueline Woodson, and moderated by Cheryl Klein
Books of Wonder
18 West 18th Street
New York, NY 10011
Want to hear more? Check out Malinda’s vlog:
Even if you can’t make the tour, check out the vlog. How else are you going to learn about the Chinese Twilight?
Bad Writing is a documentary about a wannabe poet who sets off on a quest for answers about bad writing, good writing, and the process in between. What he learns from some leading figures in the literary world will inspire anyone who has ever dreamt of creating art. Featuring interviews with David Sedaris, Margaret Atwood, George Saunders, Steve Almond and Nick Flynn.
The ability to go to war with one’s own awfulness requires a special kind of moxie. I believe that many people have the talent to write. But very few have the courage to rewrite. Even fewer have the courage to rewrite fail, and live to do the whole thing again. And even this gets it wrong. It makes it sound like all of this is some sort of choice.
This topic fascinates me. I so want to see this documentary. I did a lot of reading on talent last year: Outliers, The Talent Code, Talent is Overrated. Seriously, if it had “talent” in the title, I was there. I also reflected on my on rate of failure (epic), in particular, during the last year. I have some definite opinions on writing, talent, success, failure and all the rest. If I can get them into coherent form, I’ll post them here.
(Side note: I used the new link helper in WordPress. Why it only found some books and not others, I don’t know. But there you have it.)
1. Favorite childhood book?
I’m not sure how to define “childhood” re: reading. Do I answer The Lonely Doll? The Secret Seven? Trixie Belden? The Chronicles of Narnia? Jane Eyre, which I (first) read when I was twelve or so. See? This list is endless.
2. What are you reading right now?
Insatiable by Meg Cabot (audio book in the car)
The Road Home by Ellen Emerson White (on the nightstand)
3. What books do you have on request at the library?
7. Do you prefer to read one book at a time, or several at once?
I usually have two going at a time, one in the car and one for elsewhere.
8. Have your reading habits changed since starting a blog?
No, they’ve changed since I started writing. I read a little less (a girl needs time to write after all) and I read more carefully, not to mention slowly.
9. Least favorite book you read this year (so far?)
Probably one (or two/three) books I judged for the Rita. And because I judged them for the Rita, I can’t tell you what they are. (You’re consumed with curiosity, aren’t you?)
Yes, I tend toward those that promise to make me smarter or a better writer. It’s a never-ending quest, really.
26. Favorite cookbook?
Bwhahahaha. That’s all I’m going to say.
27. Most inspirational book you’ve read this year (fiction or non-fiction)?
Nonfiction: Ignore Everybody: and 39 Other Keys to Creativity was short and fun, with some good advice. I like a book with attitude. Outliers also had some interesting information. (See #25 where I’m trying to be smarter and a better writer.)
Fiction: See favorite books.
28. Favorite reading snack?
Tea.
29. Name a case in which hype ruined your reading experience.
Ruined? Maybe When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead, which I enjoyed very much and think it deserves all the awards it has received. But by the time I read it, I was expecting it to also clean my house and make me coffee in the morning.
30. How often do you agree with critics about a book?
Meh. Totally depends. Many times I wonder if we’ve read the same book.
31. How do you feel about giving bad/negative reviews?
I don’t. Give them, that is. I do read books that simply aren’t for me, since I try to read widely (I think that’s important as a writer.) And I do analyze why a book didn’t work for me, but I generally keep those conclusions to myself.
32. If you could read in a foreign language, which language would you chose?
I’d love to get back up to speed and read in Russian.
33. Most intimidating book you’ve ever read?
Anna Karenina–in Russian.
34. Most intimidating book you’re too nervous to begin?
All those big fat historical nonfiction books I have.
35. Favorite Poet?
Pushkin.
36. How many books do you usually have checked out of the library at any given time?
A handful.
37. How often have you returned book to the library unread?
For audio books if I cannot stand actor’s voice, I hit eject and back it goes. Commuting is bad enough. Commuting with someone whose voice grates on you? No thanks.
38. Favorite fictional character?
Elizabeth Bennet
39. Favorite fictional villain?
Um, I can’t think of one. Maybe because I tend to think villain = moustache-twirling bad guy, and I like books with antagonists who: 1) are often redeemed, 2) relatable and human, if tragically flawed.
40. Books I’m most likely to bring on vacation?
Whatever is next in the queue.
41. The longest I’ve gone without reading.
I don’t know. I’m drawing a blank on this one. Probably when I was deployed to the Gulf, during that window of time when things were happening. I don’t think I read then.
42. Name a book that you could/would not finish.
Le Divorce. I got bored. I actually put it down at the 3/4 mark, right before the murder. That’s how much I didn’t care.
43. What distracts you easily when you’re reading?
Kids’ TV programs. Oy.
44. Favorite film adaptation of a novel?
The A&E version of Pride and Prejudice. Really, how can you not love this:
On a related note, I also think that Bridget Jones’s Diary is a better movie than book (especially the last act, structure-wise).
45. Most disappointing film adaptation?
I’m sure there are many, but I often avoid movies made from books I love. My son would probably say The Lightning Thief.
46. The most money I’ve ever spent in the bookstore at one time?
A lot, especially around the holidays.
47. How often do you skim a book before reading it?
Not often. Plus, it’s really hard to skim an audio book.
48. What would cause you to stop reading a book half-way through?
Boredom.
49. Do you like to keep your books organized?
Since they’re not organized, I’m going with: no.
50. Do you prefer to keep books or give them away once you’ve read them?
I do have books that are keepers, but I also like giving them away, especially if someone really wants a book.
51. Are there any books you’ve been avoiding?
Like doubling back the way I came when I see them on the street … oh, wait. No. I don’t think I have. Except those exceptionally long historical nonfiction ones, that is.
52. Name a book that made you angry.
The Dark Side by Jane Mayer (Actually, I think this was an excellent book, it’s the subject matter that made me angry.)
53. A book you didn’t expect to like but did?
The Adoration of Jenna Fox. Interestingly enough, this one wasn’t working for me until the last fourth or so. I’m glad I listened to this one on audio, otherwise I might not have hung in there with it, but I’m glad I did.
54. A book that you expected to like but didn’t?
The last in a YA trilogy I was reading. I really wanted to like it, but it felt off to me from the first chapters. I finally hit eject and went to read a spoiler-y review and realized I’d figured everything (pretty much) without having to read the last book. Sigh.
55. Favorite guilt-free, pleasure reading?
YA and now middle grade. I’ve been reading a lot in the Aladdin imprint of Simon and Schuster (market research). These are sweet, fun, fast-paced books and I’ve really enjoyed them.
Over at The Epic Rat, which is an epic name for a blog, comes this epic review of The Geek Girl’s Guide to Cheerleading. I think this may actually be one of my favorite reviews of all time. I’m still grinning about it.
And speaking of epic, this is a pretty epic visual poem, presented by Radiolab and NPR:
All you Nerd Fighters have probably seen this one already, but I have to post because it’s, you know, epic. John Green on Looking for Alaska at My High School:
Great blog post by literary agent Nathan Bransford on the television show Lost and the High Narrative Price of WTF. And if that title doesn’t tempt you, I don’t know what will. Good message for writers–good message for all of us.
In Nerd News: Remember Windows 3.1? Or maybe you’ve never even seen Windows 3.1 (!). Why not take a stroll down virtual memory lane with the Windows 3.1 online emulator. Prepare yourself for a visual shock, and while you’re there, you can even play Mine Sweeper. (Go on, click through. You know you want to.)
And what post would be complete without a YouTube video. From the fine, fine people who brought us Do You Wanna Date My Avator comes this new music video:
Summertime, and the writing is easy,
Verbs are jumping, and the word count is high
Your agent is quick, and editor forgiving
So, hush, little writer, don’t you cry.
Yes, Darcy and I have been busy writing. Will anything come of that? You’ll have to stay tuned … it’s kind of like a cliffhanger, isn’t it?
Writing Wrongs 