Monday 15 February 2010

Catching up

This is an in-betweeny sort of post. It's beeen a quiet week or two blogwise as I have been very busy with all sorts of things and I'm delighted to say that I Have Made Progress!
I've reached the end of the first draft of the new translation (Alcatraz Versus the Scrivener's Bones) and  that's the back of it broken, and a few more bones besides. I'm hoping to post more on the translating process à la Juliette one of these days.
I've also managed to squeeze a classic novel into picture-book format, yes the 32-page, 1000-word kind. I shall reveal all when the project is a bit nearer completion.
I've been to a most excellent workshop organised by Children's Books Ireland and the Ark and have learnt an awful lot. Again, you'll read more on this in the summer issue of Inis.
I have finally seen Avatar and confirmed that 3-D doesn't work for me. I have nothing against it, I just appear to have funny eyes...
I also finally sent out both my entry for the Kidlit contest and the manuscript for my Disaster David picture-book to a UK agent.
There's still plenty to do on all fronts, not to forget the intensive reading for the Bisto Book Award of which I am one of the judges. Meanwhile, I am in Paris for erm... research in erm... gastronomy and... erm French children's literature. A serious, educational trip. I shall communicate my findings in due course.

Friday 5 February 2010

An American (bookstore) in Paris

Well, that's good news, anyway. It seems that the emblematic American bookshop Brentano's is going to reopen shortly. The store, based in fancy-ish Avenue de l'Opéra in Paris, was forced to close back in June last year due to a phenomenal increase of its rent. A rescue has been staged, a rethink of the whole operation too, it seems, so the shop is ready to welcome English speakers (and Japanese tourists) once more. Ouf! as they say in Paris.

Wednesday 3 February 2010

Curiouser and curiouser

The Bookseller's annual Diagram Prize for the Oddest Book Title of the Year has released its Very Long List. Before the short-list is announced (19 February) and the public can vote, here are some of my favourites:
Collectible Spoons of the Third Reich
Crocheting Adventures with Hyperbolic Planes
How YOU Are Like Shampoo: For Job Seekers
I'm Not Hanging Noodles on Your Ears
Peek-a-poo: What's in Your Diaper?
The Great Dog Bottom Swap
The Master Cheesemakers of Wisconsin  
 
Last year's winner was The 2009-2014 World Outlook for 60-miligram Containers of Fromage Frais. And they say the title is everything!