Storm within the eye

You might, in a perfect world, have noticed that I've seemed lax in my blogging duties lately. There are three reasons for this:

1. Nancy hasn't had a whole lot of book-related activities lately.
2. The busy holidays have provided a distraction.
3. I have, in fact, been lax. But fear not -- the latter situation has been addressed in my 2010 resolutions.

In the midst of this lull, Nancy has been writing up a storm. Well, writing and revising, if you'd prefer to characterize it that way. Her latest work in progress is coming together as we speak, and it won't be long at all before she has a final (with an asterisk) draft.

Nancy judging breakthrough novel finalists

Nancy will be serving as a judge for young adult titles in the 2010 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Awards. She'll be one of the panel of experts offering up critiques of the three finalists.

That's an honor for her, and an opportunity for you, if you're an aspiring young-or-otherwise YA novelist who's ready and waiting to be discovered. Hit the website, get entered, and cross your fingers...

National Book Award video is up

Of course, the award wasn't about her, but I just love Nancy's presentation speech. If you haven't heard or seen it, the video of the presentation and of Phillip Hoose's acceptance of the National Book Award for Young People's Literature is available here on Vimeo. Oh, by the way, Hoose and Claudette Colvin are worth watching, too...

Conversation with Nancy at Boston College

The Foundation for Children's Books will be sponsoring A Conversation with Nancy Werlin next Tuesday, December 1, as part of their Author/Illustrator Series. The proceedings kick off at 7:30 p.m. at Vanderslice Hall on the Boston College campus, with Karen Kosko moderating. The event includes book signings and sales from the Children's Book Shop. Click on the link above for more info, and get yourself registered!

Tune in to National Book Awards on Saturday

The taping of the 60th National Book Awards will be broadcast on C-Span Book TV this Saturday, November 21, at 9 p.m. EST.

Make yourself comfortable before Gore Vidal starts talking -- he'll be a while. Fortunately, Nancy gets across her point and her passion in a scant two minutes. Vidal's and Dave Eggers' awards will come first, then Nancy will be up third to deliver the Young People's Literature Award to 2009 winner Phillip Hoose. So your patience will pay off...

National Book Awards!

Nancy and I are in New York and getting ready before cabbing over to Cipriani's for the National Book Awards. Nancy, of course, will be delivering the award for Young People's Literature, which she is greatly looking forward to. One writer is going to be very happy, and I imagine the other four finalists will have pretty special evenings as well.

My role is to show up and eat, accompany Nancy to the party afterwards, and generally be arm candy. Which I might pull off, if disguised in formal wear. I'm anticipating a good night...

Massachusetts Book Awards honor for Impossible

On Wednesday we'll wander into Boston, where Nancy will be receiving a Children's/Young Adult Honor for Impossible at the 9th Annual Massachusetts Book Awards. Nice for her to be recognized in our own backyard.