Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast

eisha: OMIGOD OMIGOD OMIGOD!!! I cannot believe we are ABOUT TO MEET PUNK FARM IN PERSON!!! Jules, how’s my hair? Do I have anything in my teeth?

Jules: You’re fine. I am, like, shaking, though, I’m so flippin’ nervous! God, what if I throw up? What if I throw up ON THE BAND???

eisha: You will not throw up. You can’t throw up, because then they’ll leave, and we won’t score this interview, and this interview is the coolest thing we’ve ever done on our little blog. Honestly, how many people can say they’ve interviewed a fictional farm animal band? With a TOTALLY HOT BASS PLAYER? This is my chance to… I mean, this could totally make our careers. Or whatever.

Dude, is this even happening? Maybe I’m dreaming it. Hey, pinch me?

Jules: . . .

eisha: OW!!! I didn’t say draw blood… Whoa, do you hear that? Geez, ever heard of a muffler, people?

Jules: (looking out the window) That’s their van! They’re here!! THEY’RE HERE!!!

Jules & eisha: (jumping up and down in that annoying fangirl way) SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Jules: Okayokayokay… be cool… breathe…

eisha: Here they come… Okay, we can handle this… We’re professionals… whew…

Okay.

You ready?

Jules: Oh yeah.

Let’s rock this interview.

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Below is the Robert’s Snow illustrator-and-snowflake feature schedule for Thursday, October 25 (scroll down after clicking “read the rest of this entry”).

Featured here is Anna Dewdney’s snowflake for this year’s auction, entitled “Llama Llama, and His Mama” (*). Dewdney is the author of Llama Llama Red Pajama (2005, Viking Juvenile), which is loved by many parents of young children who are learning to get themselves to sleep on their own (including Yours Truly. This book is a big hit in our household. And since my husband calls me a Northerner for saying “pajama” with the short “a” sound and not the “o” sound, he likes to chuckle when I have to do otherwise when reading this book aloud. The short “a” pajama doesn’t exactly rhyme with “llama.” But, as usual, I digress). She also wrote Grumpy Gloria last year, which I reviewed here at 7-Imp. And, apparently, a new llama title, Llama Llama Mad at Mama, was just released in September (Viking Juvenile). O yes! Must see. Must see.

Anna’s snowflake will be auctioned off in Auction 1 from November 19 to 23.

Reminder that in this below schedule, the illustrator’s name links to his/her website, but click on the blog to be taken to that blogger’s snowflake/illustrator feature:

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Hello, all, and thanks for joining us. We are privileged to be featuring an interview with Sheila Ruth, the Very Busy Blogger behind Wands and Worlds. She’s also the Organizer of the Fantasy/Science Fiction category and Henchwoman for Independent Publishing for the 2007 Cybil Awards.

If you’re new to Wands and Worlds, then know this: it is THE blog to read if you are a science fiction and/or fantasy fan. Seriously. The woman reads a lo-o-o-o-ot of YA and middle grade sci-fi and fantasy books, and she writes the kind of reviews that really tantalize the potential reader, while giving insightful and detailed commentary. Check out this review of The Sight by David Clement-Davies for an example. When asked about the blog’s title, Sheila told us:

I wanted a name that would convey both fantasy and science fiction, and I think “Wands and Worlds” does that, with wands representing fantasy and worlds representing science fiction. Plus, I like the alliteration. The name really just came to me fully-formed when I first proposed the idea of the site to my son.

There’s more: Wands and Worlds also has a Book News blog, a huge, searchable Directory of fantasy and science fiction books for children and teens, and a Fansite with various forums for sci-fi/fantasy readers.

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Below is the Robert’s Snow illustrator-and-snowflake feature schedule for Wednesday, October 24 (scroll down after clicking “read the rest of this entry”).

Featured here is Ashley Bryan’s snowflake for this year’s auction, entitled “Snow-All” (*). This snowflake, according to the auction site, was inspired by Bryan’s illustrations from Christmas Gif’: An Anthology of Christmas Poems, Songs, and Stories Written By and About African-Americans, compiled by Charlemae Hill Rollins and originally published in 1963 but re-released by HarperColllins in 1993 with Bryan’s illustrations and a new introduction by Augusta Baker. This snowflake is a “lino block” print (a method of placing permanent designs on surfaces by carving a pattern on a wood or linoleum block, inking it, and transferring it to the material being decorated).

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First, the two links:

* * * Head on over to Anne Boles Levy’s Book Buds today, ’cause she’s posting a Q&A with none other than Jane Yolen for a cause she’s promoting. She’s Children’s Ambassador for the Winterthur Museum in Delaware and is hosting a contest for children to write their own ABC books. As Anne put it yesterday, it’s “not some measly, peasly bloggy giveaway, either, but one sponsored by a museum with a gala dinner thrown in.” Woot!

* * * Secondly, have you all seen Alkelda’s new Spinning Wheel series? I have to take a moment to point out how rockin’ it is. It’s a series of interviews she has begun — her own original series, that is — of children’s musicians. If you are someone who cares about good, doesn’t-make-you-want-to-gag, non-Barney-esque music for children, then it’s a great resource (as well as Warren Truitt’s Children’s Music That Rocks, a colleague of Betsy Bird’s at the New York Public Library). If you visit Saints and Spinners and look on the right of Alkelda’s blog’s template, you’ll see the musicians she’s interviewed so far (under “Spinning Wheel Interviews”). Today she interviews Eric Ode. Here’s the link. Enjoy!

At the Southern Festival of Books a couple weeks ago here in Nashville, I heard author/illustrator/novelist Rosemary Wells speak briefly. She said — and I quote this exactly — “process doesn’t exist. Any good writer will tell you that.”

What say you, authors? As someone who likes to talk to authors and author/illustrators about their writing process (though fellow Southerner Gwenda is the queen of this), I found that an interesting statement. But then, I’m not a writer. If you are, what do you think? Do tell. We Blog Nerds who love to read and read about writing would love to know.

Addendum: This was very much a parenthetical, quicky side comment as she was telling us that — after showing us slides of her space at home where she works as an artist (which was great) — she would talk about her novel. I didn’t hear her entire talk, so I missed some about the novel-writing. She might have delved into process — or the lack of it — there, though I believe she was planning on mostly talking about her Civil War research. Part of what makes this a good question for authors is the open-ended nature of it. I, in no way, mean to imply that Wells was being insensitive.

Also, here’s a great response for you, a glimpse into an author’s brain on the tricky nature of process.

Below is the Robert’s Snow illustrator-and-snowflake feature schedule for Tuesday, October 23.

Featured here is Yuyi Morales’ snowflake for this year’s auction, entitled “Little Night: See Me Shine” (*). This snowflake is based on one of Yuyi’s new picture books, Little Night (Roaring Brook Press; April 2007), which I raved about back in August here at 7-Imp (the illustrations are beautiful).

We will be featuring Yuyi and some of her illustrations on a Sunday kicks list at the end of November. We can’t wait to see what she sends us. We’re big ‘ol fans.

Yuyi’s snowflake will be auctioned off in Auction 1, which will begin accepting bids on Monday, November 19, at 9:00 a.m. Be sure to place your bid before the close of Auction 1 on Friday, November 23 at 5:00 p.m.

Apparently, you can twist this snowflake and watch Little Night herself glow. Wow. Just wow.

Reminder that in this below schedule, the illustrator’s name links to his/her website, but click on the blog to be taken to that blogger’s snowflake/illustrator feature: Read the rest of this entry �

{Note: Please see the post below this one for today’s Robert’s Snow schedule}

Hi there. It’s post number three here in our fledgling tri-review series, in which we discuss the merits and/or pitfalls of a new title with a blogger whom we have invited to come play with us (these things are way more like book discussions than traditional reviews, as you can tell by the length of these posts). We kicked the series off with a discussion of Cat Weatherill’s Snowbone with Betsy Bird, a.k.a. Fuse #8; continued with a discussion of Gabrielle Zevin’s Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac with Jen Robinson; and are currently enjoying a discussion of Mo Willems’ Elephant & Piggie beginning readers with none other than MotherReader (to be posted soon) . . .

And this week we’re happy to have Roger Sutton, Horn Book editor and blogger, with us to discuss Perry Moore’s new novel, Hero. We’d like to thank Roger for joining us to discuss the new book.

{Note: Beware — Plot spoilers included below}.

Jules: Hero, the first novel by film producer, screenplay writer, and director Perry Moore and just released last month, is “the coming of age story of the world’s first gay superhero,” as the publisher (Hyperion) likes to put it. (And I have to quickly share Fuse’s thoughts on the matter in her post about Moore’s September book release party, because it made me laugh out loud: “And though I didn’t know it before I read the book, I LOVE gay teen superheroes! They’re the bestest superheroes out there”).

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Below is the Robert’s Snow illustrator-and-snowflake feature schedule for Monday, October 22.

I’ve decided to stop featuring older snowflakes at these daily-schedule posts (even though it was a delight to do so) and instead feature some of the 2007 snowflakes which were not snagged by a blogger for a feature in this Blogging for a Cure effort. (As a reminder, when I announced in September the call to bloggers to feature the snowflake-making illustrators and their snowy creations, some artists had not yet submitted their snowflakes to Dana-Farber. So, in order to get this Blogging for a Cure effort organized as quickly as possible, I worked off just that first list of illustrators — and bloggers are highlighting illustrators whose snowflakes Dana-Farber had already received at that time. Therefore — and unfortunately — not all the participating artists will be featured).

But I can at least show you some of the other new snowflakes which will not be featured by participating bloggers. Read the rest of this entry �

{Note: Please see the post below this one for today’s Robert’s Snow schedule}

Jules: It’s almost Halloween, and here’s a festive illustration for you all from Leslie McGuirk’s new title, Tucker’s Spooky Halloween. This one’s about a very determined and rather risk-taking dog who wants to scare the pants off you already this Halloween instead of being dressed up all cutesy-like, as his devoted owner would have it. My wee daughters are drawn to this book like they are drawn to their safety scissors and cutting up the closest piece of paper they can find into tiny, miniscule, barely-perceptible bits of paper that are then strewn all over the kitchen floor and that are infuriatingly difficult to find and then they start over with the next available piece of paper in their vicinity and . . . wait. Where was I? Yes, they really like this book.

Here’s what Leslie had to say about the book:

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Here is the Robert’s Snow illustrator-and-snowflake feature schedule for Sunday, October 21. Featured here is Peter McCarty’s 2005 snowflake, “Blue Mood,” rendered in ink. Here’s a note-from-the-artist that went with the snowflake: “I have been known for a soft style. I enjoyed doing the snowflake because it helped me to open up a bit. I would love to make books in the future that are like this. Thank you.”

I love it. Love it. LOVE IT. Yes, I’m yelling.

In this below schedule, the illustrator’s name links to his/her website, but click on the blog to be taken to that blogger’s snowflake/illustrator feature:

* Matthew Cordell, featured by “LindaBudz” at Just Like the Nut

* Maxwell Eaton III, featured by Darla at Books and Other Thoughts

* Roz Fulcher, featured by Sheri Goad at Goading the Pen

* Susie Jin, featured by Stephanie Ruble at sruble’s world

* Susan Mitchell, featured by “MsMac” at Check It Out

Did you see yesterday’s features? Which snowflake has “a dash of Antonio Banderas”? Hmmm, you’ll have to read them all to find out (but here’s a hint). And which snowflake has a lift-the-flap feature (oh people, it’s so flippin’ puddin’ cute and charming and clever that I almost can’t stand it) and its illustrator explains to you how in Japan paper artists are treated like sports heroes? Hmmm again, you’ll have to read them all to find out (but, okay, here’s another easy hint). All the features were fun to read, and thanks again to all participating bloggers.

As I say every single day in case you’ve missed it, don’t forget this new page here at 7-Imp, updated daily, which lists all the illustrator features thus far in one spot, and it’s turning into a handy-dandy, way-cool illustrator resource for us Picture Book Nerds.