Etc.

With Thanksgiving coming up tomorrow, it’s important to stop and acknowledge how amazing it is that we’re all brought here together by the love of children’s books, creativity, and making something lasting that will inspire and teach others.

Meanwhile, I leave you with two of my favorite web comics. The first is about a common writing error and, if you haven’t seen it, you might want to check your pulse as you could very well be a ghost. I present, the Alot. (I often have to physically restrain myself from sending this link to people who make this mistake to me in email.)

The other perfectly encapsulates the existential malaise of social networking and building platform. You can find this “it’s funny because it’s true” bit of wisdom here. (Speaking of which, I just wrote about platform a few weeks ago.)

I wish you all the blessings of time spent together with family and friends this holiday season. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a turkey to brine…

This Summer, non-profit organization LitWorld is bringing the power of story to hundreds of young people from Kenya to Harlem, and they need your help! LitWorld is calling out to the community to help by donating books and school supplies as they embark on two important summer missions:

KENYA:

On July 8, 2011, members of the LitWorld team are headed to Kenya to visit our partners at the Children of Kibera Foundation. LitWorld works very closely with the Children of Kibera Foundation’s Red Rose School, where we run programs such as the Girls Clubs for Literacy Project. The Red Rose School is a beacon of hope for the children of Kibera, and is a positive learning environment providing education for children who are HIV/AIDS orphans.

HARLEM:

Starting this summer, LitWorld will set up the Story Power Camp project, a summer reading enrichment program for the youth of the Children’s Village, Polo Grounds Community Center. The Story Power Camp aims to engage young people in reading and writing through fun, interactive activities, while encouraging each participant to boldly share their personal stories. The Children’s Village works in partnership with families to help society’s most vulnerable children so that they become educationally proficient, economically productive and socially responsible members of their communities.

To contribute, view their wishlist via Amazon here (donations are being accepted until 6/30/2011): http://tinyurl.com/litworlddrive

I’m in Utah and preparing for my keynote this morning. I will post Thursday or Friday with Workshop #2 instead.

Also, I have to address some of the comments. I was using the term “passive voice” in a different context other than subject/object stuff. However, “was” is a big signal for both definitions of the passive voice, the more technical that I linked to, and the more craft-and-writing-oriented one, where I mean that voice just lies flat on the page. This is also signified by “was” a lot of the time. Sorry for the confusion, none of that was originally articulated by me.

A lot of the time I take writing textbook terms and use them as a jumping-off point. This is one case. It made more sense in my head.

I’m admitting it. Only one day back in town between two long trips is just not enough time for me to blog. Catch you all on Monday. In the time you would’ve spent reading an entry today, go buy Bethanie’s book, BUGLETTE, THE MESSY SLEEPER!

Whew. I feel like the fierce storm that has struck New York City these past few days has been a great metaphor for January 2011. It’s surprising, it’s wonderful, it’s sort of a hassle, and at the end of it all, you just want to curl up in bed with a cup of hot (and maybe a little Irish) cocoa.

This is the last sort of general “housekeeping” post I’ll do for a while, I promise. Next week, I’ll have lots of thoughts on SCBWI NYC and Digital Book World coming up. For now, though, I can’t seem to put together a post to save my life in between all the running around, speaking, learning, and, well, you know, agenting on my plate.

First things first: Please register for my Writer’s Digest Webinar! It’s the same one I gave in the fall (kidlit market overview), but probably the last time I’ll do the same material, so don’t miss out! It’s February 3rd at 1 p.m. Eastern but you don’t have to be available at that time to participate (all registered students get a link to the webinar file after and can listen as many times as needed for a full year). I’m giving away a free critique to every student who participates! You can find out more and register by clicking here.

Next things next: For all you SCBWI NYC people… I’m having an informal “meet and greet” for any kidlit fans and aspiring writers to come say hello on Saturday, at 5 p.m. on the Lobby level of the Grand Hyatt, near the elevator bank. I’ll be sitting by the fountain, looking like myself. (I’ll also, I think, be going to the Kidlit Drinks Night tonight, though don’t hold me to that…)

Even next-er things next: I am going to be developing and launching a new idea in February, to do with digital books and apps. Watch out for that. I’m really excited, though I can’t say more right now.

Other things next: There is something not-so-great going on in my civilian life, which I’ll probably post about in a little while. But this is probably why I seem so distracted. (Don’t worry, it’s nothing personally serious and there’s no big announcement coming, but dedicated blog readers could probably guess.)

Last things last: there is something completely awesome going on in my agenting life, which I’ll probably post about as soon as I can. I love sharing stories like this!

I think that about covers it. Time to get ready and head out into the cold for SCBWI NYC! For all those writers and kidlit readers that are going this weekend, I hope to see you there and, as always, I hope you have a very fruitful conference!