David Maybury | Blog

This half-post has been rattling around my head for the last few months – jotted on paper and in half finished emails… bear with me as I figure it out:

There is always talk of who/what the next BIG THING in kids books will be. RL Stine. JK Rowling. Stephanie Meyer. There have been plenty – and that search continues (the buzz of Bologna – the ‘book of the fair’ and BEA included).

The Asian Festival of Children’s Content in Singapore last month saw the same idea being passed around – could the next BIG THING come from Asia? Why not? Half the world lives there, the literacy rate and wealth is growing exponentially and there is a dearth of storytelling that has yet to be (really) adapted to mass market fiction. (Neil Gaiman is already working on a book based around Monkey)

Some of the largest brands in television/gaming/toys – a majority share originated in Asia (Pokémon, Mario Bros, Hello Kitty) With even a small shift in co-operation between publishers, agents, translations/rights sales and marketing (and of course authors/illustrators) Asia could become one of the largest creators of story and mass fiction.

While the hunt for global fiction domination is interesting… Asian publishers (due to funding stipulations) have usually focussed on heritage and retelling classics stories, using traditional storytelling. If Asia is to become a world publishing competitor it will need to focus on fiction about life in modern Asia. And that shift has started as Sex, drugs, rock and roll begin to, slowly, appear in fiction. All the things some Asian governments shy away from… but teenagers don’t.

There is plenty of English titles migrating into Asian markets – but very few translations are making it out into English. A change in this would be another factor that could speed the level of competition. Things aren’t looking great for graphic translations either – manga has been a consistent output in translation and art from Asia, unfortunately the appetite in the US has slowed – 20% drop in manga sales last year alongside DC Comics’ closure of Minx and CMX (manga imprints).

I prefaced the post with the warning – its not a fully formed thought/opinion – just something that is niggling at the back of my head. Any thoughts?

Plans are afoot to see Random House Children’s Books stepping onto the silver screen – and with Jacqueline Wilson, Philip Pullman, Terry Pratchett and Quentin Blake on the books why not?!

Random House Children’s Screen Entertainment (RHCSE) is trying to raise $100 million to develop cartoons, live action movies, video games, toys and television series based on Random House Children’s Books properties.

Gory details are here.

Puffin UK is to emulate the success of their trans-Atlantic cousins with the launch of the Razorbill imprint.

Focussing on bestselling teenage fiction, Razorbill UK will launch later this year with three debut authors (including Jan Han’s The Summer I Turned Pretty) and aims to fulfill retail demand for follow-up novels to the Twilight success.

Razorbill US has has some success with Jay Asher’s Thirteen Reason Why and Richelle Mead’s Vampire Academy.

(The bookseller has plenty more about the launch)

Somewhere in the tangle of last week I managed to miss out on the Irish Pen event, New Kids on the Block. A night with agents, publishers and authors including – Svetlana (of Author Rights Agency fame), Siobhan Parkinson, (children’s editor at Little Island, New Island’s imprint for children and teens), and Paddy O’Doherty (children’s editor at Puffin Ireland).

Luckily, a roving reporter (aka Sarah Webb) was on hand to record all the details (Sarah was one organisers of the night). There has been the promise of a full write up of the night but to tide ye all over she has put up some of the important tid bits.

Go and have a read. G’wan.

To celebrate the launch of Judi Curtin’s Alice to the Rescue, O’Brien press have launched a mini-site for everyone’s favourite duo – Alice and Megan.

The site got me thinking of other recent sites, like The Moorehawke Trilogy, Amy Green or the Demon’s Lexicon and the purpose of a mini-site.

In the wake of Paths to Publications I’ve started to think about the best ways to publicise a book on/offline.

All four of the writers mentioned have large web presences already – why not just incorporate the publicity into the author sites? (An aliceandmegan.com address with a redirect to Judi’s site for instance?) Surely readers would prefer to read the author’s blog/comments more than just the publicity for the new book?

There is plenty about all of this on the web already – Marlene Stringer for starters.

“Promotion is not only about the book, it is about the author. It is about branding.”

Or Thad McIlroy’s ‘what makes a great author wesbite?‘ Then there’s the Nick Cave’s of the world, producing iPhone app ebooks with music composed and preformed for the book by the Bad Seeds…

In coming years we may look back on Bunny Munro as the book with which digital publishing came of age. An e-book which harnesses the power of what digital books can do by combining colour, moving images, social networking and audio to make something that is, arguably, in some ways a new medium.

And there is always Bubble Cow’s outlook – that publisher’s blogs are just pants anyway.

Readers/writers don’t really want to read about the books publishers are selling. We want to read something informative/educational/amusing/controversial. We want to connect and feel part of the process.

Singapore is synonymous with comics – most of the English manga I have, Full Metal Alchemist for starters, come from Chuang Yi (a Singapore publisher). I just never knew how much of it consumed the city. Singapore is alive with pictures – the train/buses are filled with people reading comics. Posters cover the city with opportunities and courses for artists, illustrators and animators. And the first shopping centre I walked into had the Association of Comic Artists giving workshops to three dozen kids on how to draw, use tablets and write comics. (There was also a small class painting crocs – a bit closer to my own artistic level.)

I got to chat to a few of the artists on tour and got a brief, comprehensive, idea of Singapore’s graphics world. And I was ordered to visit a bookshop – not just any bookshop though – Kinokuniya (the biggest bookshop in South East Asia). It is vast – and packed to the rafters with books, primarily in English but with sections for Malay, Hokkien, Hindustani, Mandarin and Cantonese all thrown in for good measure. (This has been my favourite part about Singapore – it is a huge melting pot of ideas and languages and it influences everything from buildings to food to publishing.)

I picked up a copy of Adeline Foo’s Amos Lee while I was flitting about euphorically – Amos Lee is a Singaporean version of Diary or a Wimpy Kid and loved it. Adeline was kind enough to meet me a few days later to talk books, life, Twilight and food. (The food is good in Singapore. So, so good.)

(More soon – promise!)

I’m not exactly at the desk these days but Mercier Press managed to find me long enough to let me know about something exciting. They’ve come up with a decent competition for illustrators looking for a break, namely the chance to clinch a €5,000 publishing deal.

They’re printing a new edition of Patricia Lynch’s Tales of Irish Enchantment and are seeking submissions from potential illustrators to work on the book. There’s €5,000 up for grabs as well as your name on the cover…

Deadline for entries is June 14 – and all ye need to submit are two full colour illustrations and send ‘em via their website. Be warned though, the winner will have to complete up to 70 more images within seven months of winning the competition.

Good Luck!

So I can’t read a word of Mandarin and my Cantonese is woeful but it hasn’t stopped me from heading into as many bookshops as I could find in Beijing and talking to booksellers, publishers and a writer or two. I’m not sure what I was expecting…but it wasn’t RL Stine.

Admittedly Stine is an old favourite so I was very glad to see his Goosebump stuff in every bookshop. Of course he wasn’t alone – Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight series is here too, though shelved with the adult fiction and bestsellers.

Outside of those two though there doesn’t seem to be much available – at least not in Beijing. The bookshops have huge amounts of floor space dedicated to children’s books, all of it given over to prescribed school books. (Some of which was probably fiction and I just couldn’t tell)

Reading for kids is evolving in China – mostly around multi-media – as books are being released in bundles with DVDs or VCDs. It is limited to younger audiences, there has been little or no move yet by Chinese publishers to try them on other markets, though they are watching to see how successful the markets are.

One Chinese author Rao Xueman has been very open about the importance of authors adapting to new media – and says that young readers have become less satisfied with reading word by word. Pictures, music and video are all important parts of the sales package now.

That said, the production values of Rao’s videos are great and they don’t come cheap – Roa has the circulation figures to compensate her publisher (Sandglass is up around 1.8 million copies).

Maybe Shanghai will have more to say.

The staff at Eason's take their costumes very, very seriously

The kids, their tastes are a-changing. Well not really, the Goosebump and Point Horror series were huge favourite a few years ago. But with the return of the vampire and Meyer’s Twilight series holding the top five slots in the Irish Book Charts for three weeks in January – publishers, writers and booksellers are looking for their darkside.

And today (it being Friday 13 and all) Eason’s are celebrating the macarbe – their the store on O’Connell Street, Dublin, has been overrun by a Skeleton Detective and a hoard of Vampirates, (Derek Landy and Justin Somper). Head on over – the staff may be in hiding, the books may be on fire and odd insignia might even be scrawled on the tiles but don’t be afraid… we all like a good scare once in a while. Right?

Update: Almost as if they knew about the darkside launch, Harper Collins announced their plans to publish new books by Darren Shan. A stand-alone fantasy quest novel, a four-book vampire series, plus seven manga titles based on Shan’s best-selling Saga of Darren Shan series.

Fiona McCann collecting her award from an escaped Yeti - picture by the talented glasseyalley.com

I’m only crawling out from under my dark shadowy rock now following the debauched and thumb breaking madness* of the Blog Awards.

Damien and everyone involved put an incredible night together, bolstered by the diverse and always welcoming 400+ of Irish bloggers. Congrats to the winners – all listed here – and a special nod to Fiona, Raptureponies, Kate, beaut.ie, Sweary and the queen of bloggers Suzy. It was great to meet so many friends, to make some new ones, and of course to receive the highest honour -  giving away Ciara during the proceedings.

Right – so down to business…

David Walliams – the celebrity Kids book champion (along with Harry Hill) gives a candid interview, covered in the Independent UK.

I managed to miss Amanda Craig’s ‘best of what is out there so far this year’ list in the Times UK a few weeks ago – well worth a read.

Nicolette Jones reviews Chris Wormell’s Ferocious Wild Beasts

Impressively skilful in the way its pictures make the creatures realistic as animals, yet human in their attitudes and expressions, this tale is both delightful and suspenseful and has a punch line that will encourage children not so much to disobey their mothers as to respond without prejudice to the people and creatures they meet.

And sticking with the Times UK, it carries det

ails on the Oxford Literary Festival – including 33 events for young readers with appearances by Philip Ardagh, Francesca Simon, Malorie Blackman and David Almond.

And in the Guardian – deep breath now -

Alison Flood looks at Waterstone’s 12 ‘new voices’ for 2009.

Philip Pullman presents an audio slideshow discussing Manet’s A Bar at the Folies-Bergère.

Siri Hustvedt visits artist Annette Messager’s first show large show case in the UK – in the Hayward Gallery, London until May 25.

Lucy Mangan continues her Book Corner series – this time The Wombles by Elizabeth Beresford

When does that receptive little corner of our minds start to harden and grow impermeable to such simple common sense and make us into the people Great-Uncle Bulgaria will never understand, “Not even if I live to be three hundred”?

Meg Rosoff reads Morris Gleitzman’s Then “the latest in that shadowy sub-genre of children’s books, the Holocaust novel.”

Gleitzman offers his characters consolation in the form of love, but does not allow them (or us) to believe that love trumps evil. The average 10-year-old will leave this book sadder and wiser about the race of men – but, like the very best children’s books, Then should be read by adults as well.

The bright star of Christopher Nolan gets the send of any Whitbread winner would be proud off in the Independent, Guardian and Irish Times.

And finally – elsewhere on the web – Eoin Purcell poses a question. Authonomy: Good Or Bad?

*The ‘auld thumb is not in fact broken… just sprained. What can I say? I’m a man – we need to exagerate these things.

In sticking with a favourite recurring theme – namely what books are coming soon – I spotted two on Bookbrunch that are definitely worth mentioning.

Cora Harrison is set to continue her stint at Macmillan with I was Jane Austen’s Best Friend – based on the story of Austen’s friend Jenny Cooper. Cora’s most recent book with Macmillan was the second Burren mystery – Michaelmas Tribute. I was Jane Austen’s Best Friend should be on the shelves early next year.

Elsewhere, HarperCollins are to release US based Janice Hardy’s young adult book, The Pain Merchants, the first of a fantasy trilogy. The first novel will be out later this year, October to be more specific.

Plenty more listed online – have a look see. And if ye fancy writing your own, have a read of the latest in scientific research about what “compels readers to form more vivid identification in literature“. (via Boing Boing)

I managed to miss the piece in the Times UK about their Children’s Fiction Competition but Emerging Writer spotted it. Tying in with yesterday’s blather about editors – I thought it was pretty interesting to read Barry Cunningham’s comments about the shortlist:

Threads by Sophia Bennett

Funny, serious and absorbing. The lives of a group of friends who love fashion and style become entwined with a young, brilliantly talented African refugee with a painful background.

Marshes of Magdalen by Victoria Suzuki

A colony on another planet runs into trouble from the survivors of the previous failed expedition and the intelligent life forms already there. Physically gripping and exciting, with very real teenagers at its heart.

The Psychic Squad by Shar Ros-Elman

Children with psychic abilities are singled out for special training. The question of whether they are to be used for good or evil is mixed in with their relationships to each other.

Charlie Squires Goes Elsewhere by Justine Windsor

Amusing fantasy romp for younger readers. A young boy follows his mother through a painting to an alternative world of mild peril, but strong adventures.

Chasing the River by Anne Giraud

A beautifully written African odyssey. A young refugee from a massacre travels through a devastatingly beautiful landscape and battles with danger, betrayal and impoverishment. Hope, resourcefulness and courage beat in his breast.

Head over to the Times site to find out more about the competition – and to read extracts of all the shortlist.

Last week Bookbrunch asked a few UK editors what they were looking for in 2009. It makes for interesting, and contradictory, reading.

In times such as we face this year, escapism becomes even more important and will fuel the need for high entertainment – action, humour, riveting interest – in both fiction and non-fiction. – Roland Philipps, from John Murray.

And it has gotten me thinking about what is to come in children’s lists, more specifically Irish lists. Last week Puffin came out guns blazing with a list that would make anyone shed a tear of envy; and Simon and Schuster have some big titles coming through in the first 6 months. (Have a read of what’s to come) While Waterstones are begging publishers for more ebook releases – with competitive prices.

O’Brien Press have the Secret of Kells franchise releases – with a picture book and novel – as well as a new Judi Curtin book, Linda Moller’s The Great Pig Escape, James Allison’s Demon from the Deep End and Celine Kiernan’s next installment Crowded Shadows.

Mercier have two great books on the horizon – Damsel, Susan Connolly’s debut, and Kieran Crowley’s excellent and thrilling Colm And The Lazarus Key. On top of the new releases Mercier have picked up Anvil Press and the Children’s Press so there should be some really great reappearances – all available on the Mercier site soon.

So… what are Irish editors, agents and companies looking for in 2009?

P-p-p-plenty happening in the UK papers over the weekend, not so much in the Irish press though. In other news… the blanket of snow this morning made it harder than usual to get up. We still managed to throw a few snowballs before being desk bound.

The Sunday Tribune covers Suzanne Collins’ new YA book The Hunger Games.

Peter Murphy gets more of a look-see in the Tribune and the Irish Independent.

And across the pond, the Times UK had a pretty busy weekend – Amanda Craig goes to the dogs with a review of Emily Gravett’s Dogs and Dogger by Shirley Hughes.

Nicolette Jones, in the Sunday Times, reads the excellent Siobhan Dowd’s new book Solace of the Road.

In the Guardian Mal Peet reads Ally Kennen’s Bedlam

One of the many things I like about Ally Kennen’s novels is that they are built around big, centralising metaphors but she doesn’t overcrank them, nor resolve them. At the heart of Bedlam is the image of asylum, sanctuary. However, like our government’s policy on asylum, it’s a shambles. Kennen powerfully suggests that the real place of safety is within the generous hearts of the young.

And if all that wasn’t enough reading for ye – Declan has worked out a new fitness regime for everyone. 39 steps to getting published. A sure fire way to the top.

Polly Curtis reports on new research from ChildWise into children’s digital habits. The report surveys 1,800 children at 92 schools in England – and there is plenty of interesting statics coming from the annual figures released… …84% said they read for pleasure in 2006, 80% in 2007 and 74% this year.

Rosemary Duff, ChildWise’s research director:

It’s so clear that a lot of children are fluent communicators but not in a conventional way. They aren’t readers, they are reliant on spellchecks. They are a generation abandoning print and paper, and the whole integration of technology and the way they glide from one to the other is seamless. They will be surfing the net, talking to a friend and downloading a track simultaneously. 38% of nine- to 14-year-old girls take a games console to bed at night. That is the age group of girls who used to be the most avid readers. Now they have a media hub in their rooms.

There’s nothing new in the statistics but Duff’s response speaks volumes – I’m not convinced that a generation reliant on spellchecking aren’t going to want to read books. Brace yerselves for the sweeping, generalised statements about how publishing could adapt:

The next step for writers should be crossing media – building an online presence and developing projects for books and reading on screen alongside interactive elements – a twitter account for a character, a simple java game for mobiles, a DS sampler with video/sound – the ideas are endless. Next year it’d be great if Duff’s comments read: “surfing the net, talking to a friend, downloading a track and reading a character feed simultaneously”.

Twitter is gaining a huge following from publishers and others of a wordy interest. If yer an interweb fiend then it is a far more interesting place than my blog, sometimes. Okay, most of the time.

Thanks to a tweet from abigailrieley, yes that Abigail Reilly, I found out just how big and interesting it has become.

High Spot inc have a list of 188, American-centric, publishing related twitter profiles. Publishers, agents, bookstores, publicity agencies and reviewers have all taken to the 140 character craze. Then there are the writers who are up there – including Neil Gaiman, Diane Duane, Warren Ellis, Alex Milway John Cleese, Stephen Fry, John Scalzi, Alan Carr, Dani Jones and so many more that I’m sure I’m forgetting…

Just beware of the Banana Goo Fingers.

There is a lot to look forward to this year, despite the bleak economic outlook. Irish children’s publishing has especially got plenty to look forward to – including three new imprints.  So here’s a very glimpse of what 2009 has to offer:

Jonathan Stroud has already hit the shelves with Heroes of the Valley alongside Anna Godbersen’s Rumours.

David Almond’s award winning Skellig will be making an appearance on the small screen in April – with Tim Roth playing the fallen angel and Bill Milner (the famous Son of Rambow) playing Michael.

Popeye will be ripped off by dozens of imitations after the 70th anniversary of Elzie Segar’s death.

The much maligned and delayed Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince will make it’s way onto the silver screen.

Dave Eggers has transformed Maurice Sendak’s classic Where the Wild Things Are into a film with Spike Jonze, and a new novel, The Wild Things.

Mercier Press will launch Susan Connolly’s Damsel and Walker Books are teetering on the edge of teen-hysteria with Sarah Webb’s Amy Green, teen agony queen.

There’ll be more violence and public health hazardry with books from Patrick Ness and Derek Landy.

Shirley Hughes has a graphic novel for adults on its way, Bye Bye Birdie.

Simon and Schuster unleash the next big thing with Sarah Rees Brennan’s The Demon Lexicon. (S&S have other coups up their sleeve for 2009 with the release of Andy Mulligan’s Ribblestrop and Michelle Harrison’s The 13 Treasures)

Eoin Colfer’s And Another Thing, the new The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, hits the shelves – and propel him into literary super-stardom.

And then there is Watchmen to look forward to. Need I say more?

Two links of note this morning from the US – first from the School Library Journal – where Gail Giles gives her opinion on why boys read, or don’t read, as the case may be.

Giles’ premise runs that, above a certain age boys become more influenced by male role models. Follow the hypothesis through and Giles suggests that the number of men working in teaching and in libraries needs to increased in order to encourage young male readers. Not a bad idea and it could work… but…

Somewhere in the middle, Giles slips into a strange Utopian fantasy with this ditty:

Whenever a male enters your home, before you offer him a cup of coffee, make him read to your son. If there’s a live-in male at hand, make sure your son sees him reading books on a regular basis. If you can swing it, get some of the neighborhood men to start a book club. And if you really want to please the reading gods, persuade the local guys to launch a father-and-son book club. – Gail Giles, School Library Journal.

Elsewhere, namely USA Today, Sharon Jayson has an interesting feature on how US teenagers use their mobile phone. A report, commissioned by CosmoGirl.com and the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy, has some interesting statistics – though much of it has already been established as a reality in Ireland and the UK (the heaviest mobile telecoms users in the world).

The statistic that 93% of 18-24 year old US teens use mobile phones there is an easily targeted market for books. With the advent of larger screens that are easier to read and more adaptable to personal preferences – publishers could easily develop campaigns to publish or promote books through the devices. An MMS animation or short YouTube video distributed through a mobile could generate some incredible hype.

Remember Nokia’s The Game campaign about 6 years ago? A brilliant interactive online/mobile phone puzzle game that led users to virtual clues and eventually to a prize. That could be adapted easy enough – for the right book that is.

What would Christmas be without Harry Potter? Like the coca-cola Santa tune and the Pennys/Primark radio ad, Harry Potter has become synonymous with Christmas in our house. The movie release has been put on the long finger this year so The Tales of Beedle the Bard is the festive choice.

I haven’t landed my hands on a copy, yet, but reviews started to appear in newspapers on Thursday:

The pared-down language is tinged with antiquity but never patronises. Her gift for finding the perfect name, and the unexpected twist is undimmed. – Amanda Craig, Times UK

Features in the Guardian and Independent UK have a look at the launches up and down the UK while Nicolette Jones over at Book Brunch bemoans the decision by booksellers not to sell the book at cover price:

I wish the book trade would – belatedly, and for once – sell this volume at the cover price of £6.99. It is £3.49 at Tescos, Waterstone’s, on Amazon, and at W H Smith, though from 3-8 December it is only 99p at Smiths IF you spend another £15 (including on stationery or gifts). At  Borders it is £5.29 online, though on launch night it was £4.99 and while stocks lasted came with two free books, Jonathan Stroud’s The Amulet of Samarkand and Justin Somper’s Demons of the Ocean – each the first in a series, and thereby properly encouraging future sales. On the whole, though, such an opportunity has been thrown away over the years by the discounting of the Harry Potter books.

And a note for the more charitable of ye – the net proceeds from the sale of the book will go to charity , The Children’s High Level Group (CHLG), which campaigns for the rights of eastern European children.

I hope that The Tales of Beedle the Bard will not only be a welcome Christmas present to Harry Potter fans, but an opportunity to give these abandoned children a voice – JK Rowling.

After the Children’s Books Forum last week – and the ensuing comments – Conor Kostick mentioned he never had a chance to discuss other models that would ‘allow for a sustained relationship with Irish publishers’. The microphone is now certainly turned on and Conor has the floor: (this is a long post – but well worth reading)

(more…)

Book Brunch report this morning that Candlewick in the US have agreed a partnership with Templar – the people behind the ‘-ology‘ books (Pirateology, Dragonology, Spyology) and Varmints. Candlewick will be publishing 8 new titles from Templar’s catalogue after Christmas and a further 12 later in the year.

This kind of partnership could be another interesting mechanism of cross contamination for Irish publishers to stimulate sales for new, and old, talent. Something to watch.

Fresh faced from the New Media Conference (notes from that tomorrow I hope) I found a string of emails with interesting bits and pieces when I got back home:

Achockablog never misses Andrea Deakin’s Newsletter – the next issue is up for enjoyment. And stolen borrowed from the pages of Andrea’s newsletter: The NYT’s Children’s Books Special issue. And within it’s pages -the Best Illustrated Children’s Books 2008.

And Eoin Purcell appears on theBookseller.com with an interesting look at the state of play for Irish publishing.

Of the top 50 fiction titles only four were published by native Irish publishers, seven of the top 50 were from Irish-based arms of foreign publishing concerns and the rest were published by foreign publishers.

More events tonight – the launch of PJ Lynch’s new book – The Gift of the Magi – and if you haven’t seen it yet… go visit PJ’s online Retrospective Exhibition, with prints from his books for sale.

The interwebs most famous blogging agent, Kristin, is off conferencing in New York. Her notes from the world of publishing and what they are looking for:

Looking for contemporary stories with a paranormal element. Contemporary main story with just a touch of paranormal.

Voice and character driven fiction (isn’t that what all editors want?)

A family-oriented story with complicated relationship between main character and parents or main character and siblings etc.

Gritty fiction

Novels where the reader watches as the main female protagonist making bad choices or learning to survive

Quirky funny, outcasts, dark but weirdly funny

MG fantasy

Literary voices in YA or MG, well-crafted stories

More Meg Cabot-type stuff

Hip or hot topics

MG or YA with boy protagonists

Children’s Books Ireland (CBI) and the Irish Book Publishers’ Association (CLÉ) – more acronyms than you can shake a stick at - have organised a panel discussion to look at Irish children’s book publishing on November 27.

Publishing guru Seamus Cashman will chair the panel, joined by who-be-whatsits: Seosamh Ó Murchú (An Gúm), Michael O’Brien (The O’Brien Press), Eoin Purcell (Mercier Press), Conor Kostick (author and former chairperson of the Irish Writer’s Union) and Mary Esther Judy (Dubray Books, Galway).

It will be a unique chance to hear the views and opinions from some very interesting people on and off the panel- I’m sure there will be plenty of others from the publishing world in the audience with comments, questions and plenty of debate.

So if you haven’t already – book your place!

The longlists for the 2009 Carnegie and Kate Greenaway awards have been announced – the lists are pretty long, thus the name, but plenty of deserving books up for awards. There have been so many great books out this year – the longlists are certainly proof of that!

The shortlist won’t be announced until 24 April 2009 – loads of time to get reading! No excuse.

Congratulations to Inkheart and Carbags, and everyone, who read at last nights Children’s Theatre Festival’s New Writer Slam. (Thanks to the Flip Flop organisers – especially Valerie – and to Sarah Webb, Conor Kostick and all round funny woman, Aislinn O’Loughlin too) Had a great night, including the midnight snacking in Eddie Rockets afterwards.

And there is still loads happening – including the launch of Siobhán Parkinson’s new book Dialann Sár-Runda Amy Ní Chonchúir in Pearse Street library in Dublin this morning. And then later today the launch of Conor Kostick’s Move tonight at 6 in the Stephens Green Shopping Centre (Dublin).

I’ve really little to moan about. I’m just back from the Aspects literature festival and a day or so in Belfast so I’m only catching up on what the web has been up to since Thursday. While I find something interesting to blog about have a look at these:

> Julia Eccleshare talks about Patrick Ness and winning the Guardian Prize… (You heard about that, right?)

> Eoin Purcell is going back through the archives and revisiting old favourites. (Gmail IM is great sometimes)

> The crew at Just One More Book have a really interesting discussion on independent/self-published books.

> The Bookwitch ponders who the Queen of Teen will be… (The Queen of Teen has a very pink website – the opposite of a yorkie bar)

> Eve Harvey has a look at Siobhan Dowd’s Bog Child and Kate Thompson’s Creature of the Night on Vulpes Libris. (And Chicklish have an interview with the Kate up to boot – spoiling us.)

> Amanda Craig has a look at Phillipa Pearce’s A Finder’s Magic and Edward Ardizzone’s Johnny’s Bad Day over at the Times UK.

And to make Monday that little bit easier why not check out Chicklish’s interview with Meg Cabot, as part of their ‘Meg Cabot Week‘.

Enjoy!

A few quick clippings from the papers over the last few days:

> Deirdre Falvey has a look at children’s festivals throughout October – no mention of the Book Festival though which is really odd… (irishtimes.com)
> Frank Cotrell Boyce looks at Terry Pratchett’s new book – Nation (guardian.co.uk)
> Adele Geras enjoys Eva Ibbotson’s The Dragonfly Pool (guardian.co.uk)
> UK children’s minister, Ed Balls, is against age-branding on books (guardian.co.uk)
> Amanda Craig looks at three books featuring well-known heroes as children (times.co.uk)
> I’m sure I linked to this already but: Philip Pullman’s Essential Reading List (times.co.uk)
> Stephanie Meyer’s new book has been put on indefinite hold after a draft was leaked online (times.co.uk)
> Star of MTV’s reality show The Hills Lauren Conrad is working on a young adult fiction series (rte.ie)
> UTV’s new sitcom, No Heroics, following the everyday lives of British superheroes kicks off next Thursday (Guardian.co.uk)

Right, back to nursing a hangover. Ugh.

JK Rowling has won her law suit against the publication of the Lexicon (an encyclopedia of the Harry Potter world). As a fan I am disappointed by the outcome – I found one of the most interesting aspects of Harry Potter was the explosion of fan fiction that surrounded it and Rowling’s support of that. However, there is a growing part of me that thinks as a writer that this makes sense:

I went to court to uphold the right of authors everywhere to protect their own original work – JK Rowling.

More about the lawsuit and the outcome on the Guardian.

I’m off galavanting in Sligo today and with long trips across country comes long hours of trawling through newspapers. A couple of highlights from 4 hours of sitting on a bus:

> Anthony Horowitz appears in the Irish Indepdent – interesting read and good interview by Julia Moloney.

> Alan Garner encourages the habtit of reading outside your age bracket in the Times (UK) – comes ahead of the The Children’s Writers and Illustrators Group Conference next week.

> Louise Tucker investigates the phenomenon of boys reading Shakespeare as a graphic novel but not in text on the Guardian Blog.

Mobile broadband… it even works on a bus trekking through the middle of nowhere in west coast Ireland.