The Alien Online - Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror News, Reviews, Articles and more...
Katherine Roberts drops The Alien Online an update on her current writing projects...
The Mausoleum Murder, the latest title in 'The Seven Fabulous Wonders' series, has just been published.
J K Rowling is to launch the 2004 World Book Day Online Festival with a Live Chat between 10:00 and 11:00 on Thursday March 4th.
Other children's authors and illustrators with slots in the online schedule are
Kes Gray & Nick Sharratt
Debi Gliori
Jamila Gavin
Jacqueline Wilson
Benjamin Zephaniah
Jackie Kay
Guardian Unlimited | Arts features | 'Me? I thought, OBE me? Up yours, I thought'
Benjamin Zephaniah, on his reasons for turning down an OBE. If you read nothing else today, read this. Have Your Say on ACHUKACHAT, in the 'React to news..." discussion.
"I woke up on the morning of November 13 wondering how the government could be overthrown and what could replace it, and then I noticed a letter from the prime minister's office. It said: "The prime minister has asked me to inform you, in strict confidence, that he has in mind, on the occasion of the forthcoming list of New Year's honours to submit your name to the Queen with a recommendation that Her Majesty may be graciously pleased to approve that you be appointed an officer of the Order of the British Empire."
Me? I thought, OBE me? Up yours, I thought... ..."
Longish feature about P B (Philip Kerr) and his enormous children's book deal:
'Richard Scrivener, publisher of Scholastic UK, said: "PB Kerr is tremendously talented. We believe he has created an exceptional series, which will have a compelling attraction for millions of children."...'
Something about Jamila Gavin's The Blood Stone (ST Children's Book of the Week - see below) fills me with dread. I have enjoyed most of what Gavin has published so far, particularly 'The Surya Trilogy' (so, yes, I can find room for trilogies when there's a point to them - where, by the way, are the trilogies in adult fiction?), and I have not yet read The Blood Stone - indeed, with the various deadlines that I have to meet beforehand, it is unlikely that I shall have read the book by the time that the author is In Conversation with Nick Tucker at the Royal Overseas League, an event I was, until earlier this evening, looking forward to.
This sense of dread has a threefold manifestation.
Firstly, on reading the book's 1.5 page Acknowledgements I could not help asking myself, 'Who [WHO] is the audience being addressed here?' when Gavin says, amongst much else in similar vein, 'I must thank Dilawar Chetsingh in Delhi, whose many comments and suggestions have undoubtedly enhanced this book... ..."? Certainly not any child, or even young adult.
Secondly, the same page-and-a-half of Acknowledgements gives thanks to "my nephew, Justin Neville-Kaushall, for his wonderful poem which concludes the book." I suppose I shouldn't have submitted to the obvious temptation - read this nephew's poem, without reading the whole of the novel first. But I did. I have. The midpoint of the poem, I'm afraid, says it all: 'Too many words without music destroys/Sings Orpheus'
And the third cause of dread? After reading the poem, the book fell open at a random page towards the end of the novel (p392). I read the sentence "They swallowed her up as briefly as the blink of an eye, until the brilliant sunshine exposed her just as briefly in the gaps in between." I reread the opening half of that sentence. 'As briefly as the blink of an eye...' has an awkwardness about it which I cannot remember experiencing before in Gavin's writing.
These may in the end be three small things... Three small things to weigh against the impact of a powerfully told story. I will find out in due course.
The Observer | Review | A hit from a myth
David Almond feature:
David Almond:
'Everybody's searching for the big crossover book at the moment [from children's writing to adult fiction] but I feel that you can actually go further by moving the other way. I know I'm writing better now than I ever did for adults because I'm writing for an audience who know that they don't know everything.'
This highly recommended website: lets you search paintings and buildings by keywords.
Have a quick look then arrange to go back when you have at least a full hour to spare.
Crazy about critters - short Jan Brett feature & interview
"Brett, 53, is one of the best-known author/illustrators of children's books today. She's written and illustrated a dozen books, and done the drawings for a dozen more. Several of her books have been on the New York Times best seller list... ..."
New CD release from British Museum National Sound Archive...
From the collection of the Sound Archive and new recordings made specially, this latest audio CD features ten favourite children's writers reading extracts from their own books. Spanning 25 years of the great tradition of children's writing in Britain, their work reflects changing fashions and themes and yet shares a common bond where the text comes alive on the page and stimulates the imagination of the reader. This CD gives an added dimension, as it features the actual voices of authors themselves and their interpretation of the written words. A booklet is included which explains the history and background to each extract.
The Spoken Word - Children's Writers ?9.95
Catalogue details
10 tracks, lasting 72 minutes
booklet giving full details of recordings
writers include A.A. Milne, J.R.R. Tolkien, Roald Dahl, Michael Bond, Penelope Lively, Raymond Briggs, Michael Morpurgo, Jacqueline Wilson, Philip Pullman and Anne Fine
Philip Pullman Profile - Sunday Times
You won't see this on the weblink, but in the print edition the accompanying cartoon makes Pullman look like the late Lord Longford.
Neil Gaiman and Dave McKean in London
S Clayton Moore has filed a 3-page report on Gaiman & McKean's recent London events...
Guardian Unlimited Books | By genre | Nina's wars
Detailed, biographical feature
Highly recommended resource...
John J. Miller on Dr. Seuss on National Review Online
"The Good Dr.
The liberal who wrote a great conservative book."
a political look at Dr Seuss
Ron Koertge / News - Norridge News
"I only do four things well," he acknowledged wryly. "I bet on the horses, swim at the Y, treat my wife nicely and write."
Feature about Ron Koertge, author of Stoner & Spaz
"Children's author Judy Blume, calling herself "65 going on 12," happily recalls being 10 years old and regularly bouncing a ball against a brick wall of her family's home... ..."
CBS News | Genie With An Attitude | November 21, 2003?02:02:31
"Jonathan Stroud stands before his young bookstore audience with colored markers and big pad of paper. He wants to know what they think a traditional magician looks like... ..."
Telegraph | Arts | Prize double will settle author's score with creditors
"J K Rowling's fifth book, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, is an unexpected omission from the children's shortlist. Bloomsbury, her publishers, said yesterday that the all-conquering author had asked them not to enter the book and that she no longer wished to be considered for any prizes... ..."
"The children's author Philip Pullman couldn't resist a pop at The Lord of the Rings at the launch yesterday of the British Library's spoken-word CD of bedtime stories. Tolkien, he said, wrote "a good yarn, but that's it. It has nothing interesting to say about the human condition."
Guardian Unlimited Books | By genre | Tales of the inspirational
Rachel Billington shares ideas on how to turn children on to great literature
A neglect you wouldn't read about - www.smh.com.au
Australian article about literacy includes this snippet from Paul Jennings:
The Reading Bug - And How You Can Help Your Child To Catch It by Paul Jennings pre-order (published UK Spring '04)
"Whole language also has influential boosters, including Paul Jennings, a former teacher and bestselling Australian children's author. In his new book, The Reading Bug, he tells parents phonics should be the "last strategy to be employed, not the first".
Instead of sounding out, Jennings writes that children should guess at words they can't read. In one chapter he says the child who reads the sentence, "I use soap to wash my face" as "I use soap to clean my face", is reading better than the child who reads, "I use soap to watch my face."
"It is unpleasant to be corrected," he says..."
The Sun Newspaper Online - UK's biggest selling newspaper
"Harry Potter?s creator has told of her magic moment appearing in The Simpsons... ..."
"NEW YORK, Nov. 17 /PRNewswire/ -- Scholastic US and Scholastic UK announced today that the company has acquired the worldwide English language publishing rights for the first three novels of P.B. Kerr's planned book series, Children of the Lamp, in a seven-figure deal... ..."
P. B. Kerr is Philip Kerr, author of adult thrillers and mysteries.
Contra Costa Times | 11/16/2003 | Adult readers flock to new crop of children's books
"a bumper crop of new books that appeal to both children and adults are shelved among the "Baby-Sitters Club" series and "The Cat in the Hat."... ..."
The Sunday Herald publishes an exclusive article
BY J K ROWLING
writing in her role as Patron of the MS Society Scotland. (Rowling's own mother died from the disease.)
"I cannot give [my mother] my time any more, but I see being patron of the MS Society as my continuing tribute to her, to all she did for me and my sister Di, and to how much we loved her. I know she would have cared deeply that nothing much has improved for people with MS in over a deca de. It now remains to be seen whether the people in Scotland with the power to change that situation care enough to make the difference."
Telegraph | News | Giles Gordon, top literary agent, dies fortnight after fall
Giles Gordon, the noted Scottish literary agent, has died having never regained consciousness after falling on the stairs at his Edinburgh home on October 31st.
As far as ACHUKA is aware, Gordon, whose first wife (from whom he was divorced) happened to be a children's book illustrator, moved exclusively in the world of adult literature (although see extract below for J K Rowling connection). But we used to hear a good deal about him via the late Martin Seymour-Smith, one of Gordon's clients.
See also:
The Scotsman [News story]
The Scotsman - Feature
"On one occasion he wrote that JK Rowling shopped at the same delicatessen as he, only to be berated by the manager for chasing her away, a result he regarded as highly amusing. The phenomenon of JK Rowling grew under his nose but he insisted he was relieved she had never approached him in case he would have rejected her manuscript and regretted it ever after..."
Jasper Rees investigates the increasing appeal of children's books for an adult readership in a piece titled 'We're all reading children's books' in the Daily Telegraph. I haven't found an online link to this piece yet. If someone does before me, please post it as a Comment.
Although rather pedestrian in tone, this is one of the better, more balanced and common-sensical pieces on the subject. It includes soundbites from various authors (Almond, Burgess, Stroud, Haddon) and from Susan Jenvey, editorial director at Faber&Faber.
"Perhaps it all comes down," Rees concludes towards the end of his piece, "to the fact that, in a culture where everything is up for grabs, publishing is simply learning to live by the rules established by other media and other art forms. Just as in theatre and film adults will consume fare aimed at a younger audience, so publishing seems to be a lone voice in the wilderness trying to stop children growing up too quickly."
For the 'Just as... so...' construction in that last sentence, read 'Whereas...' for a better understanding of the point Rees is making.
Guardian Unlimited Books | By genre | Joking apart
Susan Hill celebrates the poetry of Charles Causley - Cornishman and friend - who died this month...
Recommended - includes several first-hand anecdotes...
Bloomsbury held a drinks party to celebrate publication of The Wolves In The Walls on Thursday November 13th. Gaiman is appearing at an even hosted by Jonathan Ross today (Friday) and at the IBBY conference Saturday.
Gaiman and FT reviewer Jill Slotover
Illustrator Dave McKean
Neil Gaiman's other peregrinations in Great Britain and Europe are described on his own blog, (one of) the best author's online journals ACHUKA knows - it was there we got the link to the Graphic Novels article below.
However, Gaiman, about to start writing a new full-length novel, confided last night that he is on the point of curtailing his online entries in the interests of fictional creativity.
http://www.neilgaiman.com/journal/journal.asp
"Yesterday (Nov. 12), Madonna and merchandising company Signatures Network Inc. announced a deal to develop dolls, apparel, accessories, cosmetics, stationery, room decor and back-to-school products aimed at the "pre-tween" readers, aged 7 to 12, who made Madonna's book a hit. The "Roses" products begin rolling out in early 2004... ..."
David Almond called his Patrick Hardy lecture 'The Echoing Darkness' (delivered in London this evening), after a line from a Seamus Heaney poem. The author had placed a velvet bag on the lectern at the start of his talk, the purpose of which was only revealed towards the end, when he took from it sundry objects (a scone template, a pair of goggles...) to illustrate the involuntary power of the imagination.
A controversial book has been returned to the Baldwin High School classroom, but will not be used as required curricular material.
We All Fall Down by Robert Cormier
Education Guardian, the paper's Tuesday supplement, which used to carry two children's book selections by Lindsey Fraser on the back pages, has been redesigned.
This week there is just one book, on a 'Critic's Choice' page (p13), alongside a CD-Rom review and multiple website selections.
The book review is still by Lindsey Fraser.
Her choice is Eyes Wide Open by Jan Mark
"These stories deserve, and will reward, a wide readership."
Salon.com Life | Queer lit for the gay teen
"More and more young-adult novels are featuring well-adjusted characters who are "out" -- and aren't tortured about it..."
In this Salon article (you'll need to be a subscriber or get a free day pass to read the full piece), Sarah Wildman focuses on a new YA novel by David Levithan (of Malcolm In The Middle fame): Boy Meets Boy
commercialappeal.com - Memphis, TN: Lifestyle
"Robert Sabuda's obsession with popup books began one day when he was 7 and full of fear about a dental appointment..."
'Sabuda's newest book is a popup version of Lewis Carroll's classic Alice's Adventures in Wonderland... ... Critics have raved about the book, with Publisher's Weekly saying that "readers will be astonished by every tableau in this popup extravaganza." '
You can now filter entries by Category (see the right-hand panel).
The categorisation of entries will be increasingly fine-tuned to facilitate searching and browsing. Those of you only interested in review citations, for example, will be able to go straight to the Reviews category (although, at this time, only more recent entries have been accurately categorised).
If there is a category that anyone would find particularly useful, let us know via a Comment.
ACHUKA Correspondents will be given direct posting rights, so that there will be no need for a separate News page on the main site. Andrea Deakin, our Canadian correspondent, already has posting privileges, so look for Canadian news here from now on, using the Canada category filter.
Telegraph | News | Author vicar gives up job after heart scare
"I love my work but it was taking its toll. Coupled to that I had just buried a 40-year-old woman, who was supposedly as fit as a fiddle..."
You Ask The Questions - The Independent
Only just come across this You Ask The Questions feature from The Indepndent, Nov 6th. A few interesting responses, though there's been so much Pullman coverage recently, most of it is familiar.
Scotsman.com News - Latest News - Children's Author in Court on Sex Charges
"William Mayne, 75, appeared at Teesside Crown Court to face 15 charges relating to eight alleged female victims... ..."
The Seattle Times: Northwest Life: S?s's latest biography delves into life of Darwin
With his newest biography of Charles Darwin, The Tree of Life, the acclaimed author/illustrator found new information constantly surfacing about his subject, despite the 121 years since the naturalist's death.
Move over Harry Potter - NOV 8, 2003
"WHEN news broke of British author Louisa Young's landmark six-figure publishing deal for a trilogy of children's books in February, the British media turned into a circus.... ..."
Telegraph | Arts | The art of darkness
"In a new short story Philip Pullman has returned to the fantastical world of the award-winning His Dark Materials. He talks to Amanda Mitchison about God, the universe, and what has happened to his famous shed... ..."
Long, detailed feature. Recommended.
Simon & Schuster have announced major acquisitions, including two trilogies from Susan Price and Paul Magrs.
Read the Press Release [Extended Entry] then go to ACHUKACHAT and contribute your vote to our Trilogies Poll.
GazetteNET.com | Living ? DiTerlizzi spins wonderful, widening web
Feature about Tony DiTerlizzi, co-author of The SPiderwick Chronicles...
Latest title: Lucinda's Secret
Telegraph | Travel | Doing it by the book
Bernice Davison reveals her holiday passion - rummaging for secondhand titles:
"I met Viz comic founder Chris Donald in the back rooms of the shop, searching for Nancy Drew for another customer; he's an occasional part-timer. "I like old children's books. We all go back to the books of our childhood; they're very calming," he said, and went on with his search... ..."
Educating China's "little emperors"
"Disney started out in China in 1994 with Mandarin versions of Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck comic books. A year later, it introduced children's books. Today, with more than 10 million comics and 2.7 million books sold, it's moving full speed into educational products.... "
