Cupcakes for Japan

Last weekend in New York my sister and I saw this (she's a much better photographer than I am, and if she sends me HER pictures, they will replace this!).

In case you can't read the sign:


I loved this! Sometimes I think that children now don't have as much fun as they did when I was a child, with all their activities and pressures -- but as one mother said, those prepare them for life as it is now. It's true, too, that some kids thrive on scheduled lives.

But this kind of thing -- and (to site just one of many examples) how NICE I've seen kids be to kids with disabilities -- makes me think that many children now are just plain NICER than I was at their age. It would never have occurred to me or any of my friends to do anything for victims of an earthquake! It gives me hope.

It also got me thinking about charity and promotion -- what would YOU think of our doing some on this blog? My mixed thoughts: it IS nice to do something to help Japan or for that matter any group or cause that needs help. But is it better to do it without linking it -- however indirectly -- to products (even if those products are something else I believe in -books?) and the promotion of authors/artists? We as a group might raise more money than any of us could donate or raise individually. So I have come down on the side of doing something for the charity on the blog even though part of me does think it's in bad taste: what does good taste matter if we raise even $5 more for someone who needs it. BUt what do you think? Should we just keep it separate from our blog (what we have always decided to do up to now)? Would it offend or bore or annoy any of you?

Lastly, thank you, Jill and Julie, for your great advice about writing on the go! I'm following it already and it's working.

Disappearing Desmond Activity kit

Some of you may remember that this summer I was working on a Master of Disguise Activity page for Disappearing Desmond. The activity kit is now complete! You can download it for free here.

Curious City Doings did a fabulous job of putting together fun, inclusive activities for use at schools, libraries, and at home. Shy and outgoing kids alike will get to know eachother and play with disguises like these:



If you use any of the activities I'd love to see pictures!

Growns up and growns up!

As reported by Publisher's Weekly two weeks ago, we've had two promotions at Little, Brown Books for Young Readers (LBYR) recently. Connie Hsu and Kate Sullivan were both promoted to Associate Editor. Hurray!!! Extremely well deserved. Kate is the editor of the Morris Award and Lambda Literary Award finalist Ash by Malinda Lo, as well as the upcoming The Duff by Kody Keplinger. She had been assisting the Poppy imprint for over four years, and will now move over to LBYR to develop a fiction list, focusing on YA novels.

And as faithful readers of this blog probably know, Connie has been my assistant (first as Editorial Assistant, then as Assistant Editor) for over four years (read her Beyond the Book post about her first acquisition, Happyface, here), and she is absolutely fabulous. She has been invaluable in her editorial contribution to virtually all of my titles, especially Where the Mountain Meets the Moon, Curious Garden, Wabi Sabi, and Shark vs. Train. Aside from Happyface, which, incidentally, has three starred reviews and is on its third printing, her second acquisition The Adventures of Nanny Piggins by Rachel Spratt is a hilarious, delightfully wicked Middle Grade adventure pubbing next week, and it also just received a starred review! So, you see, it's confirmed. Connie is a star. Connie will be focusing on picture books and novelty books in her new role, as well as selected Middle Grade and Young Adult fiction. She especially loves illustrated novels.

I don't mean this to be patronizing at all, but I couldn't help but think of that scene from the movie Swingers, "My little baby's alls growns up." Connie herself has been joking that she's a "grown up" now. I remember feeling the same way when I became Associate Editor.

For those of you not in publishing, just know that the promotion from Editorial Assistant to Assistant Editor is huge, because you go from "Assistant" as the noun to "Editor" as the noun. But the promotion from Assistant Editor to Associate Editor is really the most important jump, because the word "assistant" is completely gone now. You are no longer anyone's assistant. You are now an editor.

And with that comes some separation anxiety, admittedly. Especially on my part. But I'm very lucky to have a wonderful new Editorial Assistant, Bethany Strout, who comes to us from Writers House. I'm excited to have her on my team. We just discovered that Bethany coincidentally grew up in the town next to New Hartford, NY where Grace grew up, and where I lived for three years. She used to go to the same mall, even. Hurray for Sangertown Square! What a small world.

Here's to exciting new beginnings and chapters! I'm looking forward to seeing what kind of lists Connie and Kate both develop. And perhaps in a few years we'll be reading a guest "Beyond the Book" post from Bethany talking about her first acquisition!

Congratulations all!

Making a press release

I've been busy brainstorming ideas for ways to get the word out about What Can You Do with an Old Red Shoe?, my craft book that comes out next spring. I'm no marketing genius so I've been reading up on the subject and putting together my take on a press release (still a rough draft). What do you think?

Random things

I was going to make several short posts today since I seem to have a little to say about a lot of things... but instead I will put it all in one long rambling post!

First off, this past Sunday was the Greater Boston Jewish Coalition for Literacy's 10th anniversary celebration at the Boston Public Library (in the old, fancy part of the library- we were in a room just outside the fountain below!).



Linda and I were 2 of the 10 guest authors who gave brief presentations to kids and grown-ups in attendance, here is me talking to the kids:



But the coolest part was watching what the other authors did with their presentations, as I'm always interested in how different authors present themselves, and engage an audience. Below is Linda doing a drawing exercise which the kids LOVED. The best part of her presentation though was when she showed us a book that she had disassembled and turned into a puppet! Linda is a very accomplished puppeteer and performer... so it was the perfect mixing of talents. Wish I got a good shot of it!



On a completely different note (remember I said this was going to be rambling)...

I just discovered that Miranda July (performance artist extraordinaire) has just come out with a book of short stories! I haven't read it yet, but she made the coolest web site ever for her book:

www.noonebelongsheremorethanyou.com

The site is simple and funny and unassuming, just like her persona (she starred in her own move ME AND YOU AND EVERYONE WE KNOW a couple years ago). I especially love her suggestion that you wear the color of her book when you read it. Genius! And a great example of how book promotion does not have to be boring or cheesy or feel like "selling out."

Gives me some great ideas for ways to spruce up my own site. A wise artist recently told me 'don't be afraid to copy, because you never really can. Things always come out differently at your own hand. When something inspires you run with it...'