I’ve had the honor and immense pleasure of skating with many of the speed skaters that will be competing in the 2010 Winter Olympics. There aren’t many sports in which an amateur can train right alongside the best of the best, but speedskating is one of them. I’ve gotten to know a bunch of them, […]
The American Library Association has just released the 2010 list of literary award winners for the most prestigious awards that children’s books can receive. The John Newbery Medal for most outstanding contribution to children’s literature goes to When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead and published by Wendy Lamb Books. The Randolph Caldecott Medal for […]
USA Today has released its list of best-selling books for 2009. I’m happy to say that I’ve read most of top ten at least, which I’ve listed below, and many others are on my to-read list. It’s no surprise that numbers one through four are New Moon, Eclipse, Twilight, and Breaking Dawn, in that order, […]
Wow, it feels great to reach a goal. I’d hoped to finish a revision on a work in progress by the end of 2009, and I did it! I feel the piece is much stronger now than before and I’m really very pleased with it. Now to move on to a Young Adult project that […]
This is so cool. My husband’s children’s book, Welcome to Monster Isle, is now offered digitally on astorybeforebed.com. This is a great site with a super mission. Anyone with a webcam can record him- or herself reading a book and send the link to loved ones, say a grandchild or family living stateside. There are […]
Children’s and young adult books have been a bright spot for publishing even through the recession, showing growth where other categories have floundered. Naturally, publishers want their customers to enthusiastically buy their products. To do that, the publishers need to know what their customers want. A new survey put out by TeenReads and The Book […]
Look at her go! This is video of my daughter Antonia skating her personal best in the 500 meters — and opening the Olympic Qualifiers at the Pettit. Big events like these often have several young people forerunning, ie, skating a distance while the officials check the clocks. Toni skated with fellow Badger Club Member […]
I’ve been reading Karen Hesse’s work lately. She’s an American author out of the East Coast whose well known for her page-turning historical fiction. I’d recommend reading Out of the Dust, written in free verse in the voice of a young girl who lives through the Dust Bowl of the Great Depression. It won the […]
I am so excited to announce that one of my daughters will be taking part in the U.S. Speedskating Olympic Trials coming up at the Pettit National Ice Center! No, Antonia is not competing for a place on America’s Team — yet 🙂 — but she’ll be skating two distances as part of the clock […]