What a week I’m having! It’s “Rachel Hartman Week” at Lytherus, as I’ve mentioned before, and today they’ve put up a conversation I had with Christopher Paolini, Lauren Zurchin, and Mike Macauley back in July at Comic-Con. Tune in tomorrow for a guest post from me!
In other news: Seraphina made the top ten on YALSA’s 2013 Best Fiction for Young Adults list. Thanks again, YALSA!
Our friend the Morris Award, flanked by Apollo, Athena, the frog, and the ‘mander.
So as most of you have probably already heard, Seraphina received the Morris Award for best YA debut novel yesterday. I feel so fortunate that I got to be there in person and hear it announced. I got to meet this year’s Morris committee, shake hands, have pictures taken (including one where we all wore fake moustaches! Librarians are sillier than is commonly supposed), and just feel so very loved and encouraged all around. I managed to give my speech without falling off the stage, and they gave me a standing ovation.
I have never had a standing ovation before in my life, and I was a pretty good belly-dancer back in the day.
Anyway, it was wonderful. I got to see a whole bunch of Random House people I met last spring, meet a few I missed when I was there, and meet the new publisher, Barbara Marcus, who’s been the energy and impetus behind the new edition of Seraphina that’s coming out (maybe sooner than expected! I’ll get a date for you). She was so kind and encouraging, and she reminded me of Hannah, my boss at Children’s Book World, which was great. I’m feeling all excited to get back to work now!
Hello, darlings! This afternoon I will be travelling to Seattle, Land of Librarians, to be present for the ALA Youth Media Awards announcement tomorrow morning, and to give a little Speech of Gratitude with the other Morris nominees a couple hours after that. I’m the only Morris nominee who will be there in person, I understand, which is too bad because I would have liked to meet the others. Ah well, another time.
Anyone interested in watching the award announcement live, here’s the link. The link to the link, really, not the webcast itself. The presentation is at 8am PST, and I’ll be up for it, win or lose, rain or shine.
Given that it’s Seattle, rain is quite likely.
In honour of the great Scottish poet, we’re having haggis tonight. My husband, always keen to try new foods, located a source of haggis, I bought one, and this afternoon I shall steam it.
I’m trying to decide whether to post pictures, or whether that would just disgust everyone. It is in an actual sheep’s paunch, yes.
My favourite part so far is the cooking instructions. It’s made by a company out in Maple Ridge, and it says right on the label: “Roanes cannot be responsible for the misuse of haggis.” So of course, I can’t stop thinking of ways to misuse it.
In any case, a good excuse for a little party, and for reading some good poetry. Here’s “To a Mouse“, which incidentally is said to have inspired Jethro Tull’s song “One Brown Mouse“. I love them both.
Apparently there’s a tradition of previous Morris Award winners interviewing the new nominees. I feel honoured to have been interviewed by the winner of the very first Morris Award, and fellow fantasy writer, the incomparable Elizabeth C. Bunce. It’s up at her blog. Go read and enjoy!
Also! Next week (1/28) is Rachel Hartman week at Lytherus.com! It’s mentioned down toward the bottom of this article about Christopher Paolini week (this week). Super exciting!
Hello darlings! I have an item of interest and another of good news, and the sun is shining, and… and… *whew!* okay, deep breath.
[Pause while the author breathes! You should breathe too, at some point.]
Firstly! I have an interview up at YALSA’s The Hub! We talk about my Morris Award nomination, music, dragons, and other good stuff. Thank you so much Jessica and YALSA for all the kind attention!
Nextly! I have been nominated for this year’s Golden Tentacle Kitschie Award. No, really, that’s a thing, and not just anything, but an AWESOME THING. The trophy is – get this – A TENTACLE. I know, right? I generally try to approach these nominations with philosophical equanimity, and it is such an honour to be short-listed. I’m trying not to get my hopes up too much, but, well. It’s hard.
Thirdly! I had lunch yesterday with Elizabeth May, author of upcoming urban fantasy The Falconer. It was super nice of her to cross a whole ocean just to have lunch with me, and I had a great time. The wonder of the internet, eh? We can have friends and colleagues all over the world.
My dog, in an effort to keep me humble and grounded, is whining to go out. She’s having digestive issues, which is just as glamorous as it sounds. That’s all for now, friends!
She’s cute even when she’s sick and whiny.
I had such a long, wonderful, life-affirming, idea-synthesizing blog post brewing in my brain all weekend. It’s not getting written up today, however. My ulnar nerve – the right one – has decided today would be a super nice day to start twinging ominously.
Nerve, dude, not cool. I have a lot of typing to do. A LOT OF TYPING.
Extracurricular typing is going to have to wait, therefore. Here’s an article on narration, however, that I found particularly inspired and inspiring. It was the springboard of all my thoughts. Read, enjoy, and I hope to get around to disquisition on the topic at some point.
Hello darlings! I know you all miss me terribly when I don’t report in very often, but it’s actually a good sign. It means I’m working very hard on the sequel – and we all want that, right?
While I’m occupied elsewhere, of course, news keeps accumulating. I have a few items of interest for you.
Annnnd… is that all? Probably. I could tell you how much I have left to revise on the sequel, but that might make you sad. Let it simply be said: I’m having FUN again, writing. I fell off that pony cart for a while, I admit, but I’m back, it’s good, and heck it’s nearly spring, right? OK, in Vancouver spring is virtually identical to winter, except the days get longer and there are flowers, but still. Longer days. I’ll take that.
Today is the release of the UK paperback edition of Seraphina! It’s a bit confusing, I realize, because I believe the original UK edition was available in both hardcover and paperback. But this edition is from Corgi Press, and has a different cover, the North American cover art without the border and with a new font.
Here’s how you celebrate in corgi language, as per the inimitable Pam Bliss: Yark! Yark!
And here’s a lovely review of the new paperback at Bookwitch.
Three cheers: Yark! Yark! Yark!
Rachel Hartman 