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.

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.

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!