Kate's Book Blog

Recipe for a Cybils Finalist List

Posted on 2007.12.31 at 09:12
Current Mood:

excited

Middle Grade Fiction Delight
(serves an unlimited number of readers)

Take 7 panelists (must live in several different time zones for appropriate challenge level).
Add 75 middle grade fiction titles.

Allow many hours for reading.

Now stir in 601 email messages.
Pepper with impassioned pleas for personal favorites.
Add generous helping of humor.
Sprinkle in guidance from Liz, our beloved organizer goddess.
Shake vigorously.

Yields one list of finalists (though not necessarily a "short" shortlist).

And guess what?! We're DONE!!!! Finalists for Middle Grade Fiction will be posted at the Cybils page tomorrow! I'll also post the list here and probably crow about it some more because I'm so excited about how many great titles we read over the past few months, and I'm thrilled with our final list. I'll be posting more reviews, of finalists and of some of my personal favorites that didn't quite make the list, over the next couple weeks.

I loved serving as a Cybils panelist . It was an absolute joy to read so many great books, share them with my kids (my home kids and my school kids), and discuss them with brilliant, fun people like Little Willow, Erin, Sherry, Jocelyn, Amanda, and Kerry.

2007 was a very, very good year for middle grade fiction. Be sure to look for our list tomorrow!

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Comments:

kbaccellia at 2007-12-31 15:07 (UTC) (Link)

It was fun, wasn't it? We just finished our own list for the best fantasy/science fiction books of 2007. There were so many awesome books this year!

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kmessner at 2008-01-01 02:26 (UTC) (Link)

I can't WAIT to see the other lists!

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lurban at 2007-12-31 15:12 (UTC) (Link)

Congratulations!
I would love it if sometime in the future you would post about how the process effected you as a writer -- if at all.

I learned a lot about myself during deliberations for the Dorothy Canfield Fisher Award and I'm still feeling the impact of that day of debate . . .

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kmessner at 2008-01-01 02:27 (UTC) (Link)

I'll definitely blog about that, Linda. As a writer, I spent lots of time reading and thinking about what made me say, "Maybe a finalist" or "Definitely not" for each book. I also saw some trends that I found fascinating and learned so, so much about the writer I'd like to be.

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(Anonymous) at 2007-12-31 16:25 (UTC) (Link)

I love it! What a great description. You really captured the essence of the experience. Ours on F/SF was almost exactly the same, including the impassioned pleas for personal favorites. It was so much fun, and I'm sad it's over.

Sheila Ruth
Wands and Worlds

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kmessner at 2008-01-01 02:28 (UTC) (Link)

Thanks! I'm sad it's over, too, but today I started reading my first non-MG book in two months, so it's not all bad!

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mimagirl at 2007-12-31 17:24 (UTC) (Link)

Was it really 601?! Wow. :)

It was soooo much fun. What a fabulous experience!

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kmessner at 2008-01-01 02:28 (UTC) (Link)

Wasn't it great?! I loved working with you!

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mimagirl at 2008-01-01 08:48 (UTC) (Link)

Right back at you!

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slayground at 2008-01-01 02:12 (UTC) (Link)

So much fun. I was pleasantly surprised by some titles, and pleasantly surprised by our group's reactions to so many titles!

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kmessner at 2008-01-01 02:29 (UTC) (Link)

It was really a blast, and as a writer, I can't believe how much I learned from this process. I think everyone who wants to write MG fiction should read all the nominees!

I can't wait to see all of the lists tomorrow.

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slayground at 2008-01-01 02:31 (UTC) (Link)

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(Anonymous) at 2008-01-04 00:23 (UTC) (Link)

Yes, it was fun, wasn't it? Same time, same place, next year?

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(Anonymous) at 2008-01-04 00:25 (UTC) (Link)

Uh, that was Sherry, not spam :)

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kmessner at 2008-01-04 00:37 (UTC) (Link)

I'd never mistake you for spam, Sherry. Count me in for next year - this was an incredible experience, and I learned so much about writing, too.

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