Last night I sat glued to my cell phone and the computer and vicariously shared in the excitement of attending the New Zealand Post Children’s Book Awards.
Melinda Szymanik, who blogged about being in the room so eloquently today, was my secret weapon.
Melinda texted me the winners and Johanna Knox and I got them onto our WCBA blog in close to real time. As each text from Melinda came in I cheered the winners.
The text announcing Fleur Beale’s win had me jumping up and down with excitement.
Fleur is the great heroine of Children’s Writing in New Zealand. Since 2005 she has been a finalist every year. Her work has consistently made the top five in all the big awards for children’s writing here in NZ but she has never won until Last Night!
Absolutely Well Deserved – A Long Time Coming and Oh So Sweet! Congratulations Fleur!
So what do I have for you this week...
Gabriela Pereira has blogged beautifully about why writers need writer friends...and for me Fleur has been every one of the main points listed here.
Business Insider has a great post about the four hour work day...and I know that Fleur in her new writing studio does this which is why she is a winner...
YA Highway has a great reference post about the differences between MG and YA . Fleur writes both and she is very good at both...
Around about now Fleur is probably reaching for a stick to beat me over the head so I’ll stop....
(Gotcha, Fleur xx).
Seth Godin and Michael Stackpole have been busy rattling cages this week.
Seth has written an interesting and very thought provoking post on the future of libraries. I’ve passed it on to my librarian friends and hopefully they are still speaking to me. What do you think the library of the future will look like...I think there are some positives here for librarians....
Michael Stackpole has a post looking at House Slaves vs Spartacus....This is an examination of writers who are traditionally published and Independently published. Michael is in both camps but which one is better...?
If you are looking at epublishing here is a nifty roundup of the best conversion tools around.
If you like contests this one is a doozy.
The wonderful PJ Hoover has a great contest happening on her blog to celebrate the ebook launch of Solstice.
I referred you to P J Hoover last week when I mentioned that P J’s Agent was bringing out Solstice and she was being interviewed on The Spectacle blog about this new move in publishing. P J has a 20 book giveaway happening...Go and Check It Out!
Janice Hardy has written a wonderful clear description of the difference between Show and Tell. This is one of those posts you bookmark and refer to again and again.
Over on Craicerplus (My Amplify Page) I have links to articles on
Children’s Writing and Cross Promotion
Boys Don’t Read -Except They Do
Why Writers Drink (warning content, hic)
To Finish,
Kristen Lamb has a great post on why Rock Stars and Writers are the same- Yes we really do work!
Access your inner rock star, people!
For all the finalists at the NZ Post Children’s Book Awards and for all those cheering them on...
The pen is mightier than the sword...
and The Solstice ebook trailer By P J Hoover
Enjoy,
maureen
Enjoy,
maureen
Pic is the cover of Fierce September by Fleur Beale. NZ Post Children’s Book Awards -Young Adult Winner 2011.
