Cybils Finalists Flyer Now Available

Yep, we’ve got a flyer for you already! This printable PDF has an overview of the Cybils contest on the front side and a list of every single finalist in every category on the back, so you can easily share our results so far with fellow readers, librarians, and so on. Of course, we’ll be sharing an updated version of …

Download and Print Your 2011 Cybils Flyer!

Hey, it's me, Sarah, aka Aquafortis at Finding Wonderland. I'm back as your blog editor for this year's Cybils contest–I had to take a break last year because I had a novel eligible in the YA category, but since my next book isn't out until 2013, I happily accepted the invitation to return as blog editor in the meantime. You …

Welcome, Scottsdale Business + Life

If you're coming here from Scottsdale Business + Life magazine, welcome aboard! I'm grateful to editor Elizabeth Hughes for her flattering profile of me. (See page 22.) Please feel free to learn more about us, whether you're visiting us for business or pleasure. As for our regular readers … squeee! I've been profiled in a magazine. Enjoy!

RIFfing with Cybils

I'm a big fan of Reading is Fundamental, and not just because I've met leader Carol Rasco and she's as amazing as you'd expect. She's one part missionary, one part Southern Belle and about 50 parts Energizer Bunny. RIF puts books in the hands of kids who really need them, kids like me when I was wee. I have some …

Teens and Literature, circa 1964

I've been lucky enough to work with writing coach extraordinaire Bruce McAllister. But before he became the go-to guy for struggling writers, he was a precocious teen who thought he knew everything. Or at least, more than his English teacher, who kept force-feeding him exercises in finding symbolism in works of Lit-rah-toor. He decided to ask the Great Authors himself …

NPR gives us a mention

Many thanks to Apps organizer Mary Ann Scheuer for mentioning us during her interview with NPR's "Here & Now." The show also links to us on their site. If you're coming from NPR, welcome! Browse last year's finalists and winners and this year's nominations (listed by genre in the sidebar). Join us Jan. 1st for this year's announcement of finalists. …

No such thing as a free hobby

A disturbing article about William Morrow's not-so-nice letter to bloggers. Basically, they imposed new restrictions on their review copies and initially demanded the books be reviewed within one month. They later retracted the deadline, but the memo still says it's a blogger's "job" to review the books they send. Not hobby, labor of love or avocation. Job. Note our own …

BEA Librarian blog love

Many thanks to Julie Jurgens, this year's pick to be librarian blogger for Book Expo America. She's done a really fun write-up of Cybils, including her own insights from judging last year. Julie will join us again in January to judge teen Science Fiction & Fantasy. Welcome back, Julie!

SLJ finds us APPealing

It's a pun, get it? Our APP award is APPealing. Hahaha! Oh, never mind. School Library Journal gives us a nice shout-out. Here's the link.

Latte & NPR

I hope everyone's having a wonderful summer and getting ready for the next Cybils season. We'll be losing Sarah Stevenson as our editor, but for good reason. She's out promoting her novel, "The Latte Rebellion." It's getting some great buzz out there, including this interview on NPR. Check it out.