Interview with L.K. Madigan

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Welcome to the continuing series of interviews with the authors who are on’ the 2010 Morris Award Shortlist. Today we have L.K. Madigan, author of Flash Burnout.

From the Morris Award Committee description: “Blake’s life is way too complicated. He’s a sophomore in high school with a girlfriend and a friend who is a girl. One of them loves him. One of them needs him. Can he please them both?”

YALSA Blog:’ ‘ Congratulations on Flash Burnout being on the Morris Award shortlist! Where were you when you found out you’d been shortlisted for the Morris Award? And who was the first person you told?

L.K. Madigan: I’m going to let Blake answer this:

“My author was at work. Her editor called with the news, and she screamed. Actually, it wasn’t really a scream. It was more like an ejaculation. Heh.”flashburnout_web Read More →

Interview with Amy Huntley

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Welcome to the continuing series of interviews with the authors who are on’ the 2010 Morris Award Shortlist. Today we have Amy Huntley, author of’ The Everafter.

theeverafter_webThe Morris Award Committee on The Everafter: “Maddy is a ghost, surrounded by things she lost when she was alive. By touching these objects, she relives the episodes in her life where she lost them. Even though Maddy’s dead, she explores the lessons these objects hold — and why are they still important.”

YALSA Blog: Congratulations on The Everafter being on the Morris Award shortlist!’ Where were you when you found out you’d been shortlisted for the Morris Award? And who was the first person you told?

Amy Huntley: My editor called early in the day and left a message saying she had good news about The Everafter, so I hurried home from school to find out what it could possibly be. I truly had no idea that it would be this!’  I checked my email while trying to call my editor and she had sent an email about the subject in case we had trouble connecting.’  So I was actually sitting on my couch, looking at my laptop screen at the time I learned that I had been shortlisted. Then my phone call to my editor went through and we talked about it. I was ecstatic—on top of surprised! I felt incredibly honored to have been chosen as a Finalist for this award.’  My husband was the first person I told about the news. Followed by…my agent, parents and sister and…the whole rest of the world!’  Read More →

Interview With Malinda Lo

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Get ready for some bookish fun! The six authors of the five’ books’ on the 2010 Morris Award shortlist have all agreed to be interviewed at the YALSA blog. Once a week, there will be an interview here, leading up to the Big Day: January’ 18, when the’ ‘ Morris Award will be awarded at ALA’s Midwinter Youth Media Awards.

The Morris Award Interview Series starts with Malinda Lo,’ the author of Ash.

Ash by Malinda Lo

Ash by Malinda Lo

The Morris Award Committee on Ash: “Consumed with grief after the’ death of her father, Ash’s only escape from her harsh life and cruel stepmother comes from re-reading the fairy tales that her mother once told her and hoping against hope that the fairies will appear to her. When the fairy Sidhean appears, Ash hopes that he will steal her away to his enchanted world; but when she meets the King’s Huntress, Kaisa, she realizes that staying in her own realm can also lead to beauty, romance, and perhaps even love.”

YALSA Blog: Congratulations on being on the shortlist for the Morris Award! Where were you when you found out you’d been shortlisted for the Morris Award? And who was the first person you told?

Malinda Lo:’ I was at home, about to take my dog for a walk, when the phone rang. I’m so glad I answered it! I was totally shocked when I heard. I think my first words were, “No way!” The first person I told was my partner, Amy. Read More →

The YALSA Update: Shortlists, Midwinter Registration & More

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Promote the Morris Award shortlist @ your library‘® The Morris shortlist is out! You can promote it to teens in your library with a downloadable bookmark (PDF) that allows you to put each book’s location at your library and customize the back with your logo and contact information. Congrats to this year’s five nominees!

Nonfiction Award shortlist next week Watch YALSA’s website and this blog to see the shortlist for YALSA’s 2010 Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults Award! The shortlist will be announced next week. This new award honors the best fiction written for young adults in a Nov. 1 – Oct. 31 publishing year. Learn more at www.ala.org/yalsa/nonfiction.

Register for YALSA’s Midwinter events Even though today is the last day to receive the advanced registration discount, prices won’t change for either of YALSA’s pre-Midwinter ticketed events:’  Libraries 3.0: Teen Edition and Games, Gadgets and Gurus. You don’t need to register for Midwinter to attend either one.’  Details and how to register for them after the jump (you can read about everything we have planned for Midwinter Meeting, including a free program and reception honoring the 2010 Morris and Nonfiction Award honorees, at the YALSA Midwinter Wiki).

Read on for details on YALSA’s pre-Midwinter events, the Young Adult Literature Symposium Stipend, Teen Tech Week registration, and YALSA’s winter online courses.

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YALSA announces Morris Shortlist

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YALSA today announced the five titles for the 2010 Morris Award shortlist. YALSA will name the Morris Award winner at the Youth Media Awards in Boston at ALA’s Midwinter Meeting on Jan. 18. YALSA will also honor the winning title, as well as Morris shortlist titles and YALSA Nonfiction Award winners at a reception on Monday, Jan. 18 from 8-10 p.m. at Westin Copley Place Essex Center South.

Congratulations to this year’s finalists:

  • “Ash” by Malinda Lo, by published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
  • “Beautiful Creatures” by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl, published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
  • “The Everafter” by Amy Huntley, published by Balzer + Bray, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers
  • “Flash Burnout” by L.K. Madigan, published by Houghton Mifflin/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
  • “hold still” by Nina LaCour, published by Dutton Children’s Books, a Division of Penguin Young Readers Group

The William C. Morris Award honors a book written for teens by a previously unpublished author. More information on the finalists and the award can be found at www.ala.org/morris.

Members of the 2010 William C. Morris Award are: Chair Judy Nelson, Pierce County Library System, Tacoma, Wash.; Jeana Actkinson, Bridgeport (Texas) High School; Dr. Joni Richards Bodart, School of Library and Information Science-San Jose (Calif.) State University; Susan Fichtelberg, Public Library of Woodbridge, N.J.; Angela Frederick, Nashville (Tenn.) Public Library; Clio Hathaway, Martin Memorial Library, York, Pa.; Melanie Koss, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, Ill.; Anne Leon, Alvin Sherman Library-Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.; Gail Zachariah, Keene (N.H.) Public Library; David Durante, administrative assistant, Pierce County Library System, Graham, Wash.; and Booklist Consultant, Ilene Cooper, Chicago.

The YALSA Update: Help Wanted, TTW Mini Grants & More!

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Blog Manager Needed! YALSA is looking for a member to become manager of the YALSA Blog. The Member Manager will be responsible for the content and look of the blog, and will work closely to recruit and oversee designated bloggers. Check out the job requirements, and be sure to apply to Beth Yoke, YALSA Executive Director, by Dec. 31.

$$ for Teen Tech Week Through funding from Verizon Communications, YALSA is granting up to 20 mini grants worth $500 each for innovative Teen Tech Week celebrations.’  Read the rules and apply using this form by Jan. 19, 2009. Winners will be notified the week of Feb. 9.

Winter Online Courses Start the new year with continuing education from YALSA! We’re offering three online courses starting in February: Booktalks Quick and Simple, taught by Nancy Keane; Boys and Books, taught by Jenine Lillian; and Power Programming for Teens, taught by Amy Alessio. See course descriptions and register on the YALSA online courses web page.

See more YALSA News — including Midwinter news and early details on our member drive — after the jump!

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