My blogging initiative goes in fits and starts, but I swear someday soon I shall return to a regular schedule. Sort of. There have been many goings-ons (going-ons? goings-on?) here at Ye Olde Little Big Publisher. Last week I had to write catalogue copy for fifteen titles and the week before we just finished launching our Spring 2011 titles. (One of these days I will write a post on the daily happenings of an editorial assistant. Providing I have the time, that is.)
But more news! Cap’n Sweet Valley has just acquired another nonfiction title, which is a fairly substantive and serious examination of today’s twentysomethings (loosely called Generation Y or Millennials). It is tentatively called THE NEW ADULTHOOD (perfect, non?).
Last week I also participated in an auction, my very first as an acquiring editor! Alas, I didn’t get it, but the author is really awesome and I wish her the best. The entire process was extremely educational and I was immensely flattered that the agent chose to submit to me directly and even more gratified that Ye Olde Little Big Publisher let me participate in the auction. *sniffs* I feel so loved!
Other than that, not much has been happening. This past weekend I went camping with Bear and a friend on part of the Appalachia Trail in New Jersey, near Pennsylvania and by the Delaware Water Gap. We had gorgeous weather, hiked 10 miles, went swimming in a lake, and fell asleep under the stars. I also saw a family of bears! It was wonderful and I won’t lie I pretended to be Katniss hunting in District 12.
My verdict? I wouldn’t survive in District 12. The bugs alone would drive me to the safety of being indoors. I was practically eaten alive by bugs. This is one area where camping on the East Coast and camping in California differ: there are no bugs in California. I remember being able to hike in shorts! That’s not possible here.
Dear internet, I don’t believe I had adequately acquainted you with my mother. Like any mother-daughter pair, we’ve gone through some strife, but thankfully we managed to survive my melodramatic teenage years with our relationship intact and stronger than ever. It probably doesn’t hurt that the older I get, the more I realize we’re pretty much the same person. We even look like clones.
Like mother, like daughter.
Also, she is funny. And smart. And quite possibly a spy. (I’m not kidding about that. And no, I still don’t know to this day.)
All women become like their mothers. That is their tragedy. No man does, and that is his.
- Oscar Wilde
Stylish, snarky, vivacious, beautiful, and intelligent, I want to be this woman when I grow up. Some hilarious exchanges beneath the cut.
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So I tried to get a few rolls of film developed, but unfortunately none of the shots came out. I think something’s up with the Canon (who still has no name, poor thing) so I need to have her checked out. :(
Nothing much going down for this Photo Friday. Haven’t had much opportunity to shoot anything, as I’d been alternating back and forth between Argos and the Canon. This week’s theme is New York City (how unoriginal, but what can you do?).
W. 18th St.
Exposure 0.003 sec (1/320)
Aperture f/4.0
Focal Length 50 mm
ISO Speed 800
Exposure Bias -2 EV
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This seal does not want. I do not want either.
This is going to be one of those personal opinions posts that I’m sure will probably enrage a lot of people, but lately I’ve been getting a little frustrated with my reading, both for work and pleasure, so I’m going to make a very general, very broad statement.
I can’t stand books that have FEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEELINGS.
You know the sort, I’m sure. Books are about That Hot Guy! And This Ordinary Girl! Who Fall in Love! And it is Tormented and Be-Obstacled (me and Sarah Palin–who’s apparently the new Shakespeare–makin’ up words) with so much Conflict (internal or external) that I must know if they get together by the end!
Seriously, it’s gotten so bad lately that the instant any hint of FEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEELINGS crosses the page, I drop it like I’ve just been burned. And I have been burned. Figuratively.
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You might as well hang this sign by the YA section in bookstores these days.
This morning on Twitter, Cindy Pon directed me to a very interesting discussion at Enchanted Inkpot about “boy books” and “girl books” in YA and why there seems to be a discrepancy between boy-oriented fiction and girl-oriented fiction.
The dearth of boy books in YA is an on-going discussion, with question of “Why aren’t there more boy books?” arising again and again.
The thing is, there are a lot of boy-oriented books, but they’re not being bought in the same numbers as girl-oriented ones.
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