As of this writing, the Cybils judging panels are nearly complete, with just Young Adult Fiction and Science Fiction/Fantasy still up in the air. Many of you have already gotten a "can't wait to work with you email" from an organizer. Many more have or are about to get a "thanks for playing" email instead. Which, by the way, made …
KidLit Con 2011
Yes, that is your Cybils Overlord with superstar author Scott Westerfeld. Note that he is not only totally hot but that he is touching me. I was touched by Scott Westerfeld. Me. I did indeed wash that shoulder, but only because I had visual proof right here that he touched me. Did I mention that Scott Westerfeld actually touched …
Meet Anne Levy, Cybils Overlord
Oh, I give up. I've called myself the Cybils Editor, Cybils Sherpa, Cybils Admin. It doesn't matter. Every year, more than 100 bloggers give up any semblence of free time to become my minion for several months. For the organizers, it's a full six months. So I may as well wear my "overlord" mantel with pride while I perfect my …
Meet Jackie Parker, Young Adult Fiction Organizer
1,091. That’s how many teen-written reviews Jackie read over the summer. Actually it's more, but we won't count the ones that were plagiarized. Of course, this was done in between Harry Potter parties, tie-dying, book bowls, copious amounts of slimy plaster, writing clubs, and making teenagers put petroleum jelly on their noses. Despite former panelist's opinions, she is not the Mistress of the …
Meet Sheila Ruth, Fantasy & Science Fiction Organizer
Sheila is an empty-nester this year and is looking to fill those long, lonely hours with Cybils goodies, er goodness. She has never taught Defense Against the Dark Arts, but she does have a lifelong love of fantasy and science fiction, kindled at a young age by writers such as Heinlein, Asimov, Clarke, Norton and Tolkien, and rekindled by Rowling. …
Meet Jen Robinson, Literacy Evangelist
Jen Robinson divides her time between running around after her daughter, Baby Bookworm, and running her company, FabTime. FabTime is a small software firm that does reporting for companies that make computer chips. Baby Bookworm is a small person who cackles gleefully as she pulls the bookmarks out of books. When her responsibilities to Baby Bookworm and FabTime allow, Jen …
Meet Liz Jones, Graphic Novels Organizer
Liz Jones has participated in the Cybils graphics group since she was knee high to a grasshopper, or at least, since about 2007. In this time, she has enjoyed blogging about the titles she reads at lizjonesbooks.livejournal.com, as well as spreading the word about the diversity and quality of graphics in her largely graphic-free locale by: 1)sharing them with her …
Meet Kerry Millar, Middle Grade Fiction Organizer
It wouldn't be Fall without a lot of freshly sharpened pencils, my requisite new pair of school shoes, plenty of apple cider, homemade pie on Sunday and the Cybils. If I had to choose between my prize-winning apple pie and the Cybils, I'm not sure I could. I love pie a whole lot. Therefore, I love the Cybils a whole …
Meet Gina Ruiz, DoDA, er, Nonfiction MG/YA Organizer
Gina's been with the Cybils in one capacity or another since it started and thinks its a most wondrous thing. Gina has spent four years as a graphic novel panelist, last year she dabbled in poetry and this year (gulp) she is teaching Defense of the Dark Arts – er, make that she's an organizer for the nonfiction MG/YA category. …
Judging Deadline
While the deadline to apply for judging for this Cybils season isn't until Thursday, it looks like we have nearly enough applicants in every category. A few genres, like Poetry and Nonfiction, have once again needed to recruit people to fill empty slots. Young Adult and Science Fiction/Fantasy usually have far too many candidates and the winnowing process is tough …