Friday, October 17, 2008

Halloween Happy Hour! [Updated to add link]

(Okay, two weeks before Halloween, but you get the idea). Last night Cyn and I had the pleasure of hosting a Halloween social for members of the Austin youth literature community. The theme was "pizza and chianti." Pizza came from Rounder's Pizzeria. Guests brought bottles of their favorite red wine. We also got a vegetable platter, a fruit platter, and assorted Halloween candies from Central Market. Anne Bustard made some of her great sugar-butter cookies (in the shapes of scaredy cats and broken (winged) bats). And Shana Burg made some terrific caramel apples!

(Alison Dellenbaugh gives the haughty sneer of the leporine vampire, while Meredith Davis and I mug for the camera).

(Strange and spooky decorative items)
(At first, people seemed oddly reluctant to dig in)
(Ahh, finally!)

See other party posts and pics by Jo Whittemore, P.J. Hoover, Jenny Ziegler, and Cyn.

UPDATE: Also see Shana Burg's hilarious post on caramel apples!

Thursday, October 16, 2008

Random notes...

Congratulations to the National Book Award finalists: Laurie Halse Anderson, E. Lockhart, Judy Blundell, Tim Tharp, and Texas' own Kathi Appelt!

Kathi is a finalist for THE UNDERNEATH. Cyn has an interview with her today.

Cyn also has a post up about here about the Hill Country Book Festival we attended last weekend.

Thursday, October 02, 2008

University of Illinois Youth Literature Festival

So if you happen to be in the neighborhood of the University of Illinois (i.e., my undergraduate alma mater) on Saturday, stop in for the Youth Literature festival. Cynthia will be there, along with a host of other authors.

THE ADVENTUROUS DEEDS OF DEADWOOD JONES

THE ADVENTUROUS DEEDS OF DEADWOOD JONES, by Helen Hemphill (Front Street, November 2008)(ages 9-12): When freeman (from birth) Prometheus Jones wins a horse in a lottery, the scoundrels who traded him the ticket object. So Jones grabs his cousin Omer and they escape to the cattle trail, joining a drive that will take them north to South Dakota. Problem is, it's going in the wrong direction. Jones wants to get to Texas, to track down his father...Good with both a horse and a gun, Jones soon proves his worth on the cattle trail. But can he protect his cousin and make it down to Texas?

Evocative of old-time dime novels and based on a true story, DEADWOOD JONES is refreshing yet charmingly old-fashioned. A western for the modern audience, DEADWOOD JONES will please readers of all ages.
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