Jane Yolen's Blog, page 36

September 24, 2009:

I began the day with breakfast at a local bakery (I just, alas, had tea) with my wonderful editor from Walker UK, and we ranted about the state of publishing in both Britain and America for a couple of hours, as well as talked about possible new projects together. As I walked back to my hosts' house–with two fresh baked loaves of bread for them–I thought about the possibilities of those new projects. So of course, as is my wont, I immediately sat down and emailed the editor a bunch of stuff, ...

September 23, 2009:

Hard sleeping night as I knew I was leaving on an early train to London. But of course I made it on time, and from Edinburgh on I was in first class. These trains now have wi-fi and eletcricity so you don't run out of batteries. I did email and then worked on CURSES for the four and a half hours into the capital. Strange to be writing while the landscape whips on by: small woodlands of beech and alder, stone houses, stone fences like the spines of dragons climbing up hills, allotments with...

September 22, 2009:

So I got to the doctor's office at the new hospital. Turns out there IS an emergency room hidden away and not lit well, and no signage. But now I know. . .

There were hundreds of people mulling round. It was the big opening day party. So while the sick folk sat huddled together in waiting rooms, in the great front entry hall were speeches, laughter, applause. Very strange.

The doctor, a lovely young woman named Gilly Thompson, took one look at my foot and said, "Tsk, tsk, tsk."  Not exactly...

September 21, 2009:

Hardly any writing done, as I was hosting an al fresco luncheon for Elizabeth Wein (YA fantasy author) and her husband Tim, with Debby and Bob. Tim works for a vidoe games company and was very gracious with advice for Bob, and then we all talked fantasy books and writing and crabbed about publishing. Much fun, though outside the gale winds were blowing.

Did some further stuff on EXCEPT THE QUEEN since Midori's changes came to me with all the notes showing! But that was all the writing I got...

September 20, 2009:

First two R.I.P.  notices, both of astonishing members of the children's books community. And both dead of esophageal cancer within the last couple of days.

Bernie Fuchs, an amazing painter and illustrator with whom I had the honor of doing one book–RAISING YODER'S BARN– dead at 74. Known for his meticulous drawing and use of light. I met him one time, I believe, with his wife at some conference, it might have been this year's BEA. We had a small correspondence and he was charming and...