And So It Goes: Rereading Vonnegut, and a quote on semicolons
Monday, November 2nd, 2009 Posted in Family, Greatest Hits, Interviews & Appreciations, Readings | No Comments »Listen: I've been on a little Vonnegut kick lately, and it's been a happy time. I just reread Breakfast of Champions, and I'm halfway into Cat's Cradle, after tearing through this one, published posthumously: While I've got you -- as my father ...
What Is a Book for Boys? One Suggestion: “Patrick and Ted” by Geoffrey Hayes
Monday, October 26th, 2009 Posted in Along Came Spider, Greatest Hits, Interviews & Appreciations, the writing process | 8 Comments »I've been dwelling lately on the concept of "books for boys." It's a huge topic, one that I can't possibly address in a single blog entry. I mean, yes, we're all aware of the gender gap in reading, that many ...
James Preller Interviews . . . Carmen Deedy, author of “14 Cows for America”
Sunday, October 18th, 2009 Posted in Interviews & Appreciations | 1 Comment »I was happy when I came across the book, 14 Cows for America, written by a long-lost friend, author and storyteller Carmen Deedy. We've since exchanged a few emails, caught up on our lives (to the extent that's possible), and ...
James Preller Interviews . . . Lewis Buzbee (finally, it’s over!)
Thursday, October 8th, 2009 Posted in Interviews & Appreciations | 2 Comments »Well, it's been a wonderful week and I've really enjoyed having Lewis Buzbee as my co-host, trailing after me like a lost puppy . . . Believe me, if I had any idea he'd act like this, I never would have ...
James Preller Interviews . . . Lewis Buzbee: Part Two!
Tuesday, October 6th, 2009 Posted in Interviews & Appreciations | 4 Comments »I'm back for Part Deux of our chat with my lovely and talented co-host this week, author Patty Duke Lewis Buzbee. (To catch up with Part One, click here.) As a nod to tradition, let's open the show with a brief ...
James Preller Interviews . . . Lewis Buzbee, Author of “The Yellow-Lighted Bookshop.”
Sunday, October 4th, 2009 Posted in Greatest Hits, Interviews & Appreciations | 2 Comments »As a kid, I used to come home from St. Frances De Chantal Elementary in the late 60's and early 70's to find my grandmother sitting in front of the television, sipping brandy, watching the soaps. She especially loved "The ...
Hills Gleam Dimly: Karla Kuskin (1932 - 2009)
Sunday, September 13th, 2009 Posted in Interviews & Appreciations | No Comments »"I put it down and I begin to understand it better." -- Karla Kuskin. Karla Kuskin died in late August, 2009. I was away on vacation at the time, off the grid, not even looking at newspapers, so I missed it. ...
Loudon Wainwright III, “History,” Revisited: Music Video Friday
Thursday, August 27th, 2009 Posted in Interviews & Appreciations, Music | No Comments »Hopefully this will keep you entertained while I'm away for a week . . . hiking, sitting by fires, kayaking, reading, playing with my kids, reconnecting with Lisa, writing on a yellow legal pad by Rainbow Lake in the Adirondacks, ...
James Preller Interviews . . . Travis, of 100 Scope Notes!
Monday, July 6th, 2009 Posted in Around the Web, Interviews & Appreciations | 8 Comments »I've enjoyed doing this semi-organized, possibly-ongoing series of interviews, especially when it comes to meeting important voices in the kidlitosphere. I hope you agree that it's nice to get to know the people behind some of our more frequently-visited blogs. ...
An Interview, a Few Links, and Song
Friday, June 19th, 2009 Posted in Interviews & Appreciations, Music, the writing process | 1 Comment »Let's take it around the horn: 1) I recently answered a few questions from the good folks at the pithily named blog, Books We Love from the Park Ridge Public Library Children's Staff. Here's a taste of the goodness you'll find there: Do ...