Posts on kidlitosphere conference

Sometimes my posts seem but a faint echo of the clamor all over the Kidlitosphere... but hey, for the sake of posterity, I'll chime in anyway.

First, the second annual Kidlitosphere Conference has come and gone. For a taste of what you (and I) missed, check out the numerous wrap-ups by attendees.

Second, nominations are now open for the third annual Cybil Awards. This is your chance to nominate your favorite books of 2008 for these blogger-run children's and YA literature awards. Jen Robinson explains in further detail. Nominations are only open until October 15, so make sure your favorites get on the list for consideration!

And for something completely different: I love the Chicago Tribune's online historical photo galleries. Hundreds of fascinating photos, some idyllic, some brutal, evoke eras past in the Windy City.

The current feature is Stroll the White City, photos from the Chicago World's Fair a whopping 115 years ago. What a spectacle! It's pretty much impossible to imagine Chicago putting on such an extravagant show ever again—all the beautiful (temporary) buildings, the amazing artifacts from all over the world, the throngs of people! Then again, there's that whole 2016 Olympic bid.

The Kidlitosphere 2008 Conference in Portland, Oregon, should be kicking off any moment now. Knowing how much fun it was last year, I'm envious. On the other hand, I've got a glorious, free weekend ahead. I'm looking forward to all you bloggers' reports when it's over!

MsMac and Laini Taylor are ramping up the planning for the 2nd Annual KidLit Bloggers Conference! The location: Portland, Oregon. The date: Saturday, September 27. The fee: if it's anything like last year, ridiculously affordable.

I went to last year's conference, which was organized by Robin Brande, more or less on a whim. It was held ten miles from my home, and it was, as I mentioned, ridiculously affordable. At the time, I didn't have a public blog about anything, much less children's literature, though I was a reader of quite a few blogs. (I heard about the conference through Fuse #8.)

I hadn't been sure what to expect, but here's what I got: a friendly, enthusiastic group of bloggers passionate about children's and YA literature and eager to share their knowledge and ideas about blogging in general and the "kidlitosphere" in particular. It was a very inspiring and informational day. I met a lot of really cool people and learned about way more blogs than I could ever keep up with.

In short, it was an experience I'd recommend to anyone who blogs about children's and YA lit or would like to. That includes authors.

I don't think I'll be making it this year, even though I know it will be great and I'd love to revisit Portland. There's just a bit too much going on. I'm hoping to make it to SCBWI Wisconsin's fall retreat, and I'll probably end up at the Illinois Library Association conference. That'll do me in for conferences this fall. But I'll be sad to miss it. It truly was a wonderful and inspiring experience. It inspired me to start this blog, after all!