Well, the year and the decade are about to stumble to the end, and none too soon according to many folk. The economy is still shaky; the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars continue, consuming vast amounts of our financial and human resources, not to mention our emotions; nut cases manage to board airplanes packing undetected explosives; and a health care bill has finally taken shape after a protracted and divisive political battle. No wonder so many end of the year commentators seem exhausted and a wee bit grumpy.
And yet in the middle of all this darkness I’ve decided to launch my blog. Why, you might ask. In part to stay in touch with the outside world. I work away in a small, bursting at the seams office on the third floor of a big, old house in Maplewood, New Jersey, and often don’t communicate with colleagues and editors for days, even weeks at a time. But mostly I want to talk about the many facets of fashioning nonfiction for young people—the challenges and frustrations, the unexpected revelations and amazing highs the process can bring — and to create a dialogue with others who are involved and fascinated by it. And I want to celebrate the nonfiction world we inhabit (and anyone who’s read Phillip Hoose’s marvelous Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice knows there’s a lot to celebrate) . I have a decidedly “glass half full” outlook on life and think it’s important to enter the new year and decade with a positive, everything is possible head of steam. Besides, the Winter Solstice is already behind us and daylight is embracing us more and more every day. What’s not to celebrate?
Subscribe