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The 3rd Kidlitosphere Conference is fast approaching - it's October 17th in Washington D.C., and you can check the information about it here. The reduced hotel rate at the Sheraton ends on Wednesday, so now is really the time to make your reservations. And why should you go?
Because, if you are someone who blogs about children's literature, be you author, illustrator, editor, agent, librarian, parent, reviewer, fan, or whomever, you will be among your people - learning more than you expect, creating and cementing friendships and relationships that (at least for me) enrich life, and understanding how we collectively and individually can help ourselves and children's literature via what we do online. Plus there'll probably be cookies!
Not enough? Why not read what Betsy (aka Fuse#8), Jen, Colleen, Sarah, Pam (aka MotherReader), Jules and Eisha and Lee Wind have to say about the Conference (and why you should go).
If you're a parent, you know of The Reading Game and have probably been forced to play along. Unsure? Maybe this will ring a bell, "Well, we can't tear little Jacob away from the Harry Potter books. He's sooooo advanced. What is your child reading?" Ah, yes parental competition as practiced through one's children. At Booklights, I talk about the only way to win The Reading Game, along with ways to help your child and your child's teacher this school year. Head over and add your opinion. (And no, winning does not involve my trademark response of, "Oh, my girls are really into Balzac right now.")
My special articles at ForeWord are done, but my relationship with this wonderful review site continues as part of their blog network. I believe they are still tweaking the format, but they'll be pulling some blog posts over with a blog aggregrator and MotherReader will be among them. That is, until they realize how I really write.
We're continuing the last week push for registrations for Kidlitosphere Conference, but are keeping it fun with a meme for past conference attendees. It has started to make the rounds at Jen Robinson's Book Page and Finding Wonderland. Posts are on the schedule for Fuse#8, 7-Imp, and Lee Wind. You don't have to wait to be tagged to participate. In fact, I'd prefer that you not wait. Because while we are sure to have a flurry of posts after the conference that makes people wish they could have gone, what we need now is a flurry of posts about such conferences that makes people decide that they will go. The conference will likely be in the MidWest next year, so East Coasters especially won't want to miss this chance. Register now.
There are two more days to vote for the awards for Book Blogger Appreciation Week. In the Kidlit category you are on your own to choose among Jen Robinson Book Blog, Fuse#8, Seven Impossible Things, Maw Books, and Shelf Elf. I won't direct you there or in the YA Book Blog category.
But I will draw your attention to several kidlitosphere blogs that are showing up through the rest of the categories. Pop over and put in your vote for such blogs as Chasing Ray, I’m Here, I’m Queer, What Do I Read?, 100 Scope Notes, Semicolon, Becky’s Book Reviews, BookDads, The Story Siren, Collecting Children’s Books, Guys Lit Wire, Color Online, and me.
Oh, and the winner of The Hiccupotamus books from the MotherReader tour is Deliah. Hey there Deliah, enjoy your prize!
As folks return from their vacations, it’s time for a total reminder about the KidLitosphere Conference, taking place on October 17th, 2009, in Washington, DC. The conference is open to bloggers — and wannabe bloggers — in children’s and young adult literature — which includes YA/Kidlit authors, illustrators, editors, and publishers who blog or would like to blog.
The day starts with breakfast from 7:00 to 8:00 a.m, where you can catch up with old friends or meet new ones. The sessions go from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and will cover:
- The Blog Within: An Interview With Your Inner Blogger
- Building a Better Blog: Best Practices, Ideas, and Tips
- Split Reviewer/Author Sessions:
It’s All About the Book: Better Book Reviews
It’s Not About Your Book: Writing Ideas for Blogging Authors
- Split Reviewer/Author Sessions:
Social Networking for Fun (and Profit?)
- Authors, Publishers, Reviewers (and ARCs): A Panel Conversation
- Coming Together, Giving Back: Building Community, Literacy, and the Reading Message (KidLitosphere Central/PBS/RIF/Literacy)
There will also be a “Meet the Author” time during the day, where writers and illustrators can share their books. A fun dinner to mix and mingle is scheduled for 7:00 to 10:00 p.m. with the continuing party moving to the hotel bar. The registration fee for all of this — including the breakfast and dinner — is only $100. It’s a total bargain.
We have tour of the Library of Congress scheduled for 1:00 p.m. on Friday afternoon and a tour of the children's section at 3:00. On Friday evening, we’ll gather for dinner near the hotel around 6:00 p.m. Sunday’s expedition may involve a local DC bookstore,
Politics and Prose. We're still working on the details.
Rooms are currently on hold at the
Sheraton Crystal City Hotel for the amazing rate of $109 a night. They will only be held until September 16th, and if our block is filled before then, that low rate may not be available.
It should be noted that the hotel is a mile from National Airport and free shuttle service is available. A Metro Station is on the same block, allowing travel to Washington in minutes. In fact, downtown DC is only two miles away. The hotel is right next to the Crystal City Shops and a few blocks from the upscale Fashion Center at Pentagon City. If you want more information about the hotel, visit the website of the
Sheraton Crystal City Hotel.
The registration form is available at
KidLitosphere Central. There are a limited number of spaces available, so please sign up soon. Here are some of the bloggers who will be coming to the conference:
And authors and publishers including:
Suppose you’ve written a Young Adult or children’s book that is being published this fall and are looking for promotion opportunities. You may plan on doing a few signings, and are hoping people will come. You’re probably talking about the upcoming release on your blog, but you’re not sure anyone is reading it. Your publisher is sending out copies or press releases to journals, newspapers, and bloggers, but you don’t know how your book will stand out in the many books that come out each season.
What’s an author to do?
Well, if you’re an author living on the East Coast, you should be signing up for the KidLitosphere Conference on October 17th in Washington, DC. With the $100 registration fee, you’ll spend the day on Saturday learning how to improve your blog — or start a blog — in ways that can help your book. You’ll bring along a few copies to show off at the Meet the Author session, where you’ll tell a bunch of Kidlit/YA book bloggers about your latest title. You’ll spend the dinner (paid for with the registration) socializing with these book bloggers and other authors. Some may call it networking. Perhaps on Sunday you can go arrange a book signing, particularly if you contact the organizer, who is looking for some committed authors to do such a thing. And maybe with a signing, your publisher might pay for some or all of your expenses.
If you live in New York City, you can take the bus to save money with a round-trip bus ride on Washington Deluxe costing only $40. (I’ve taken it three times, and loved it.) Sharing a room with an author friend would put you at $110 for both nights at the Sheraton Crystal City Hotel, or come with family and make a mini-vacation. If you’re here Friday afternoon, you can join the group for a free tour of the Library of Congress, or you can visit any of the Smithsonian museums on your own, also free. Of course, if you live near Washington, DC, you don’t even have the hotel expenses.
So, what are you waiting for? Register now for the KidLitosphere Conference.
Problem solved.
I thought I had already written about the Third Annual Kidlitosphere Conference, or "KidLitCon" as people are starting to call it. Then, I realized that I'd had it as part of a post in draft form that I never published. MotherReader is organizing it this year. The conference will be in Washington, D.C. on October 17.I grew up in the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan area and also lived there for two
Today I'm guest blogging over at Foreword, talking about library summer programs, reading lists, and prizes. Come by to talk about what your library does to promote reading in the summer. Share your thoughts on prizes as incentives for encouraging reading or trinkets that devalue the book experience. Or somewhere in between. How about reading lists? Does your area have required reading for summer or lists of suggested books? Head to Foreword and unload your Summer Reading angst.
Today I'm also deciding what blog posts to submit for consideration for Book Bloggers Appreciation Week. It's been very interesting going back over this calendar year of posts while thinking about what writing best defines me and my blog. Honestly, I've learned so much in forcing myself to select my favorites and get a good sampling of what I write. It's was a great exercise in seeing what direction I've been taking, what books are driving my best writing, what features are filling my pages.
I realized how few book reviews I've been doing lately. Now, part of this was a conscious choice. I was feeling overwhelmed with keeping up with the books, and rather than let myself burn out, I backed off for a while. But I think I backed off from reviews more than I thought I was, which surprised me.
I stumbled on posts that I thought were great to find that they had no or few comments, making me question if I know what my readership is looking for. If I know what I'mlooking for. And yes, along the way, I also cracked myself up with my own little bits of funny or whole posts.
With some new insight under my belt, I'm more excited than ever for the KidLitosphere Conference.. I can't wait to talk to other bloggers in person and with more than 140 characters. I always come away energized and ready to try new things, and I'd highly suggest the conference to anyone in children's or Young Adult literature who blogs or would like to learn about blogging. More information and the registration are available at KidLitosphere Central.
I admit being a bit curious about BlogHer09, wondering if I could find some useful information for my blog and for the book blogging community. Not having a track there — as far as I know — I would have probably thrown my lot in with the mommy bloggers. I mean, I’m a mom and I write a blog. Seems like a natural fit.
As it turns out, I would have found myself at sessions where one person in the audience thought writing pay-for-post reviews was wrong. And that would have been scary. Marketing Mommy also notes of that session:
The women in the room were afraid to post negative reviews. Even posting constructive criticism was avoided. They were terrified of pissing off the PR folks and stopping the flow of goodies. And besides, writing a product review or hosting a giveaway was hard work. They deserved to be compensated for their work on behalf of brands. An interesting argument, but if you’re turning yourself into a freelance copywriter, isn’t it a little unfair to your readers to post as just another regular, trustworthy mom? I am an advertising copywriter, but I’d never recommend shampoo to a friend without mentioning I work on the account.
Yikes. See, when I wrote about
increased scrutiny for bloggers it wasn’t because I think getting a review copy is wrong, or will even be questioned. It’s because without an awareness of one’s self and blog and community, there can be a slippery slope to commercialization, entitlement, and exploitation. What’s going on in the mommy blog community concerns me, not because it’s a direct correlation but because it’s a warning. I’ve been following
Notes from the Trenches for years because I like her writing and her perspective. Her thoughts:
I didn’t come home with bags and bags of swag. Not that I wouldn’t have liked a couple of the things that were being given away. But there was no way that I was going to associate myself with people who had such a feeling of entitlement and complete disregard for other people, not to mention behaving in a completely unprofessional manner. A little tip here… if you want to be treated as a professional, you have to behave like one. I didn’t go there with the intention of getting free stuff. I went to sit in on panels, to maybe learn a few things, to catch up with old friends, to become re-inspired to hone my writing skills and be a better writer.
Let’s reflect on that last part. Here, I’ll make it easy for you:
I went to sit in on panels, to maybe learn a few things, to catch up with old friends, to become re-inspired to hone my writing skills and be a better writer.
Too bad that she isn’t a KidLit/YA blogger, because that is exactly what we’re offering at the
KidLitosphere Conference. I’ve gone twice, and each time was amazing. Not because of star power — though finding Eric Kimmel in the audience was pretty cool — but because of building our skills. Not because of swag — though I brought home a few books — but because of inspiration. Not because of parties — though I had a nice time at the bar — but because of connections with the people in our community.
The session are not firm yet, but will include such things as getting to the heart of your blogging mission; building your blog a bit better; writing better book reviews; revealing yourself online; engaging in social media; navigating the nuances of publisher/author/blogger relationships; giving back to the community and literacy causes. The breakfast on Saturday morning and the dinner Saturday night are wonderful opportunities to meet the people you’ve only known online. There will be optional outings for Friday and Sunday, along with the many unscheduled meetings among friends.
You’ll be seeing more about the conference in the coming days and weeks, including the actual registration form. Some of the sessions still need leaders/speakers/panelists, so please contact me if you are interested in taking on one of those roles. You can, however, already book the
hotel room for an incredible rate of $109 a night. With the registration fee itself coming in at around $100 — including breakfast and dinner on Saturday — the price for learning, community, collaboration, and friendship can’t be beat.
Ahhhhhhhh. So much better now. How couldn’t I be when this is my beach? Though that picture was taken Thursday morning, and not on the actual holiday weekend, it’s still pretty rare to get a beachfront as quiet as that in the summer, no? We always go to a beach separate from the downtown strip, and because parking is so limited, we don’t have a lot of company. Except for the dolphins, who love to troll along the shoreline just out of swimming reach. I know, I’m rubbing it in.
I swam in the ocean, flipped through magazines, and played with my three-year-old niece. I went to the aquarium, saw the fireworks, and ate at IHOP. I watched DVDs, took naps, and ate doughnuts. I bought a new bathing suit that I like, and the experience wasn’t even that painful.
I didn’t read a book while on vacation, though the ridiculously long return drive gave me the chance to read two of them. I didn’t spend any time worrying, or for that matter thinking too much at all. I read email via Bill’s iPhone, but didn’t try to write back with my terrible texting skills.
But now I can respond by telling you how much those comments and emails meant to me. Your supportive words and sympathetic sentiments gave me strength and energy from this community that I love.
The first night back in my home, my head felt clearer than it has in a while. The suggestions for conference sessions began to gel, including a fresh new idea of my own. I put out some thoughts to the listserv. I updated the page on KidLitosphere Central. I wrote to some contacts.
Unfortunately, I chose to get inspired as everyone is either on vacation for the holiday week or heading to the ALA conference. Bad timing. But you’ll be hearing more about the KidLitosphere Conference in the next few weeks, and I hope you make plans to attend. I mean, c’mon — the registration fee is low, the hotel rate is good, Washington, DC, is lovely, and the company is amazing. You can’t go wrong.
For weeks now I’ve had a lump in my throat like the kind you get when you’re about to cry. But this one would come at seemingly random times — as I was washing the dishes, sitting by the pool, trying to fall asleep. In those breaks from my hectic life, I’d be forced to remember, “Oh yeah, I’m losing my job at the end of June.”
It would fit my ironic existence that I moved to an exempt job — no, fought for the reduced-hours position — and then that category of job was slated for elimination for the first time in twenty years. This isn’t the fault of My Fair County, but of my own unlucky choices. I’ve known since October when the economy tanked that my position would be cut. Since February I’ve been sure that there wouldn’t be another position for me to take since all jobs were frozen. Since April’s budget decision, it’s been a matter of time.
Through this school year of waiting, I’ve been pretty much okay. My salary is helpful for future savings, but not absolutely necessary. For months I’ve looked at the end of my job as a sabbatical where I could finally take a break, enjoy my family, write the book, and focus on KidLitosphere business. But today is my last day of work, and all I can feel is the loss.
It doesn’t help that I had found the perfect branch. It was built a year ago, and features huge windows overlooking the trees, thousands of freshly ordered books, and that new library smell. The library is fairly quiet, but my programs were always full. My position put me low on status, but my opinions were respected. The staff was wonderful, the five-minute commute amazing, and the pace perfect. And while I love the idea of not working in the summer, I’ll deeply miss the chance to give kids great books when they finally have time to ask me for suggestions.
Also, it’s hitting me that however much I’ve talked about going back to the library when jobs open up, it may not happen. The current staffing norm for new employees wouldn’t allow me to take a job unless I’d work every weekend. I’ve grown too attached to my branch to really consider another. Even the idea that jobs will open up is optimistic when an article in today’s paper shows the county will probably face an additional seven percent budget loss in this fiscal year. I’m realizing that I may not be able to go back.
Of course, there’s also the possibility that my situation will change. Maybe my writing will find a publishing home. Maybe I’ll contract out my services for a newsletter or expand my involvement in PBS or coordinate conferences for cash. Maybe my recycled jewelry hobby can turn a little profit in the holiday season. Maybe I can devote the time to my talented daughters who have missed opportunities with my mixed-up schedule. I may not want to go back.
Right now it doesn’t matter if I am not able to go back or don’t want to go back or even if eventually I can go back. Today it’s about losing something. A job, certainly, but also a refuge from a busy home life and an identity of what I do. It almost makes me cry, and it’s the almost that’s leaving the lump in my throat. I’m ready to lose that lump too.
Tomorrow I’m heading to the beach with my girls to see family and sit by the shore. I need to clear my head in the ocean breeze and let the salty sea absorb any tears. I need to have fun and sunshine. I need to reflect and regroup. I’ll read email, but otherwise will be offline for the week. That’s what I’m going to do for me.
When I get back, I’ll be getting KidLitosphere Central updated as it suffered from my Three Months of Busyness. I want those of you going to ALA to feel good about promoting it as a way to access our thriving community. I’ll also be pouring my energy into the sessions and registration for the KidLitosphere Conference. If you already know you’re coming, I’d encourage you to make reservations at the Sheraton in Crystal City. I can basically tell you that the conference fee will be about $100 and will include the conference sessions, along with breakfast and the nice dinner on Saturday, October 17th. I’ll be working on pulling together the sessions and presenters, but last year’s conference will give you an idea of what to expect. I’m thinking about a Library of Congress field trip on that Friday, for those who’d be interested. I’m looking at Politics and Prose for something on Sunday. Both of those outings are optional. Honestly, the specific sessions and field trips are almost irrelevant, as you should come to the conference if you are looking for an opportunity to meet/reconnect/network with the kidlitosphere bloggers/authors/publishers you know online while using some of the time to learn/collaborate/discuss issues.
Why am I giving you a preview of that conference information when I just said that I’m going to tackle it next week? Well, for two reasons. First, I want to end this post on a positive, forward-thinking note. Second, I know you, my blogging friends, may want to do something to help me feel better and nothing would be more helpful than getting the ball rolling for the conference. So mark your calendar, make reservations, and let me know you’re coming. One door closes, another opens.
Sometimes my posts seem but a faint echo of the clamor all over the Kidlitosphere... but hey, for the sake of posterity, I'll chime in anyway.
First, the second annual Kidlitosphere Conference has come and gone. For a taste of what you (and I) missed, check out the numerous wrap-ups by attendees.
Second, nominations are now open for the third annual Cybil Awards. This is your chance to nominate your favorite books of 2008 for these blogger-run children's and YA literature awards. Jen Robinson explains in further detail. Nominations are only open until October 15, so make sure your favorites get on the list for consideration!
And for something completely different: I love the Chicago Tribune's online historical photo galleries. Hundreds of fascinating photos, some idyllic, some brutal, evoke eras past in the Windy City.
The current feature is Stroll the White City, photos from the Chicago World's Fair a whopping 115 years ago. What a spectacle! It's pretty much impossible to imagine Chicago putting on such an extravagant show ever again—all the beautiful (temporary) buildings, the amazing artifacts from all over the world, the throngs of people! Then again, there's that whole 2016 Olympic bid.
This morning our hamster escaped, my cat is in trouble with the law, I deeply needed Second Breakfast at 10:30 a.m. and it was Oreos. What a perfect time to write about the Second Annual Kidlitosphere Conference.
I started my day at 5:00 a.m. on Friday, September 25th, to make my 7:20 flight to Portland. Summing up that day, I almost missed my connection, dozed and read through a long flight, had lunch, stole a roll from the hotel’s buffet, and took a nap. For all intents and purposes (anyone else ever thought that phrase was “for all intensive purposes”?) my conference experience started at 5:00 p.m. in the hotel lobby when Sara Zarr saved me from my aimless wandering by saying hello.
After I congratulated her on her awesomeness, we chatted about travel and wondered how we’d know our people when they arrived. We shouldn’t have worried, as Laini’s legendary pink hair showed us the way to the bloggers and authors gathering by the bar. Conference organizer Jone was there as well, and our group begin to pull in the attendees by some sort of literary force.
In this pre-downtown excursion, I met Maureen from Confessions of a Bibliovore, Anastasia Suen, and author Alma Alexander. It wasn’t long before the dynamic duo of Jackie Parker and Colleen Mondor hit the scene and actually recognized me from my rarely posted photos. We hit it off immediately, and kindred spirit feeling was quickly confirmed on the ride to Powell’s City of Books where we discussed Portland, politics, and Dr. Horrible.
Powell’s was overwhelming, but it was fun seeing my peeps all around. We left as a group to get dinner only to find a bit of a wait. I used my time wisely, meeting Lee Wind and Suzanne Young. But when I saw that Bridget Zinn, Adrienne, Farida, Betsy, and Mark Blevis were already there and up for a table, the opportunist — the very hungry opportunist — in me latched on to that group without another thought.
Betsy Bird entertained us with stories as Mark and I munched down our elk burgers. (High in protein, low on fat!) I heard about Adrienne and Farida’s Fabulous Day in Portland. A possible Newbery contender was revealed, while Bridget talked about the recent book she Did Not Like. (I totally stole this picture from Laini.)
After a failed attempt to visit Voodoo Donut, it was back to the hotel and a drink with Jen Robinson, Gregory K. (and brother), Jackie, Colleen, Suzanne, and my New Best Friend Lee. (I mean, everybody’s new best friend. The most likable guy ever.) It’s very possible more people were involved as I have no evidence either way, and the lack of sleep was getting to my brain.
Now, conference day. Panel discussion on bridging books and blogs. Blah, blah, blah.1 Hold it! That’s Eric Kimmel! Talk to him! Talk to him!!! Duo panel about blog tours. Blah, blah, Funny stuff. Blah, blah.2 Stepped out to take some deep breaths before...
MY session on building a bigger blog. Once I started talking, I felt comfortable and it seemed to go very well. It was packed, especially since we had to move to a smaller room, but I liked the cozier feeling. I got good feedback from the attendees and it was well received. I’d like to make the handout available later. Maybe here, or on the conference site.
Next was the Cybils session, and then I lunched with those folks — Jen, Jackie, Colleen, Anastasia, and Sarah. This was my first time meeting Sarah Stevenson, and she was so nice. It’s like her super power. We talked a lot of Cybils and promotion stuff, making it a working lunch. Then it was off to hear Laini and Jen talk about the author and book reviewer perspective on blogging. Good stuff. Gregory K. gave a knockout presentation on promotion and using social networking sites. I skipped the last session about author blogs to refresh and regroup.
The last official conference activity was a time to meet the authors, and I did my best to meet them all. I chatted with Sara Ryan and Sara Zarr. I got books from Barbara Shoup, Christine Fletcher, Matt Holm (signed Babymouse book, so my kids will love me!), Clare Bell, Lisa Schroeder, Emily Wing Smith, and Deb Lund. I chatted with many, many more people and took cards, postcards (the prettiest from Dana Arnim, whom I actually tracked down to get her lovely card), and pins.
Afterwards, it was non-stop socializing through drinks and dinner. I finally caught up with Kirby Larson and browsed her new book. Love-ly! We talked about her next book, which will also be a picture book, and her next, next book, which will be a another hysterical... I mean historical novel.
Dinner was great with a cool crew, including the duo that rocked the blog tour discussion panel — Colleen and Jackie. The next table over was blitzing through the raffle, but I did win a couple of items with my tickets. After two wins, I passed on the rest of them to Mark Blevis and the Readergirlz so they could share the joy of winning. (Actually, I gave them to Lee who gave them to the Readergirlz, but I still deserve credit.)
After dinner, it was yet more socializing at the hotel bar. I fit in a catch-up session with Betsy Bird and her fanged sock puppet. I think the puppets were some sort of club — or cult. I could have stayed up until dawn, but my my voice started to go about midnight. So I took that as a hint, left the die-hard party folk, and headed for bed.
Sunday was breakfast with Lee and Maureen, and our tearful (okay, not really) goodbyes. Jone took me on a field trip to Multnomah Falls and we used the car ride to talk conference stuff, since I’ll be taking the show to D.C. next year. Once back in Portland, I hooked up with Jackie, Colleen, Lori, Holly, and Dia to finally get to Voodoo Donuts. After lunchtime, I was on my own in Portland, where I explored the street festival/art show at length, checked out the waterfront, and made another trip to Powell’s. At 5:00 p.m. I was D-O-N-E. But I still had hours to go until my flight, and even more hours until I hit Virginia again. I cruised through that period on my last bit of steam, got home, and slept like a baby.
Now things are back to normal — by which I mean the chaos of the the hamster, the cat, and the breakfast Oreos. But you know what? The hamster was quickly caught, the cat is under house arrest, and the Oreos actually were the perfect choice. It’s all good.
(OMG, I don’t know when I have ever written a post with more links or more pictures or that took this long to put together. Whew. I’m worn out. You should know that I’m getting all these links from the Portland Kidlit site where attendees are linking to their posts. Go there to read about other folks’ experiences.)
Omigod, I am so tired. I had the choice of either leaving early this morning or late tonight, so I went with the red-eye back to DC. I’m not regretting the decision, as I had a wonderful day first at some waterfall that I am too lazy to look up and then in downtown Portland where I hung out with blogfriends and shopped at a street festival. But right now, I totally want to be home already. Like, now.
The conference was wonderful, and I will write more about it later. This quickie post is just to say that I was excited to meet new authors, to see some blogging friends again, and to make new blogger best friends forever. (Oh BFFs, you know who you are.) But mostly I’m writing to whine that I’ve got a long flight ahead of me and that I’m still, still in Portland.
Kidlit08 was faboo. I'll have more to say this week, as right now I gotta type and fly, but I just wanted to say what a blast it was and how grateful I am to Jone and Laini for all their work.
There will, I suspect, be a lot of posts about the conference, and to find them you can head here.
My brother popped in and live-blogged my session. (thanks, bro!). That post is on his blog. It's remarkably thorough, considering how fast I talk! Also thanks to Jon, we've gotten a fresh copy of the Book Promotion Wiki up for all to read, use, and add to. Come on by!
My first impression of this year vs. last year is that the community continues to grow (and be populated by wonderful people) and that we're all still learning our way to some extent or another. The potential reach and upside and options for bloggers, individually and collectively, truly is astounding.
More later, but I gotta book!
Here it is, the preliminary R.S.V.P. list for the Portland Kidlit Conference. Last year, I really wanted to go to the First Annual Kidlosphere Conference and couldn't go. This year, I can go. I'll bring my guitar, too.
I love Portland, Oregon. It's three hours from Seattle, and I don't get there nearly enough. Portland is the home of Powells Books, Captain Bogg and Salty and a beautiful
MsMac and Laini Taylor are ramping up the planning for the 2nd Annual KidLit Bloggers Conference! The location: Portland, Oregon. The date: Saturday, September 27. The fee: if it's anything like last year, ridiculously affordable.
I went to last year's conference, which was organized by Robin Brande, more or less on a whim. It was held ten miles from my home, and it was, as I mentioned, ridiculously affordable. At the time, I didn't have a public blog about anything, much less children's literature, though I was a reader of quite a few blogs. (I heard about the conference through Fuse #8.)
I hadn't been sure what to expect, but here's what I got: a friendly, enthusiastic group of bloggers passionate about children's and YA literature and eager to share their knowledge and ideas about blogging in general and the "kidlitosphere" in particular. It was a very inspiring and informational day. I met a lot of really cool people and learned about way more blogs than I could ever keep up with.
In short, it was an experience I'd recommend to anyone who blogs about children's and YA lit or would like to. That includes authors.
I don't think I'll be making it this year, even though I know it will be great and I'd love to revisit Portland. There's just a bit too much going on. I'm hoping to make it to SCBWI Wisconsin's fall retreat, and I'll probably end up at the Illinois Library Association conference. That'll do me in for conferences this fall. But I'll be sad to miss it. It truly was a wonderful and inspiring experience. It inspired me to start this blog, after all!
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Gillian Riley, the author of The Oxford Companion to Italian Food(TOCTIF) is a food historian and former typographer. In TOCTIF Riley has created an A-Z guide to one of the world’s best-loved cuisines (and this blogger’s personal favorite!) Her book covers all aspects of history and culture of Italian gastronomy, from dishes, ingredients, and delicacies to cooking methods and implements, and regional specialties. In the post below Riley writes about the joys of embracing an Italian Christmas, even if you add only one dish to your family traditions.
Carol Field, in her entry in the Oxford Companion to Italian Food describes how a reverence for tradition and robust enjoyment of copious feasting make for two days of celebratory Christmas meals in a month rich in festive occasions. There are so many regional Italian customs and recipes that it would be rash to attempt a typical Italian Christmas menu, but we can plunder Carol’s contribution for ideas to mitigate or enhance the sometimes tyrannical conventions of a British or North American Christmas. (more…)
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I wish you would reschedule the conference so I can go too. This was on the list of things to go to and it's close to NYC. I have another commitment at the Rutger's conference on the same day. :(
Have fun and blog about it :)
Yeah, the Rugers timing is unfortunate, and there's a regional SCBWI event elsewhere, but no weekend would be perfect. Pity, though, as it would be great to see you....
And I will blog about it!