The winner of the 2010 Newbery has probably just gotten that amazing call. The editor says, “We love this story and want to publish it.” The winner of the 2010 Caldecott has probably just put the finishing touches on the art for that book.

Delayed Recognition

There is a time lag between the time we produce a work of art and we receive recognition for that same work. For novels, it’s a couple years and for picturebooks, it can be much longer, as we wait for the illustrator to input his/her art.

This means that the winner of the 2010 Newbery is RIGHT NOW an award winning writer! Amazing! For the time period it took to write that novel, s/he has been an award winning writer. But they didn’t know it. The world didn’t know it. Instead, s/he must wait and wonder if anyone will notice his/her language, his/her characters, the heart s/he has poured into this story.

Somehow, s/he must survive the next two years. Make money somehow to pay the bills, survive the uncertainties of starting a new project, survive the uncertainties of the reviewers.

I think this is very, very sad. For two years, the award winner will agonize over his/her career. Needlessly.

So, to all of you who have gotten contracts in the last 6-12 months, I want to say, “Congratulations!” To me–you’re already an award winner!

I got back from Seattle at midnight Sunday, and got up the next morning early to attend the Arkansas Governor’s Arts Award banquet, where I was the recipient of the Individual Artist award for my work in children’s literature. Previous recipients are sculptors, painters and architects (E. Fay Jones), so it was amazing that they awarded this to someone who writes stories for children.

Here I am with my husband, Dwight, and my friend and fantastic author, Carla McClafferty, who nominated me for the award.

And here is the pottery, designed and made by an Arkansas potter, that was the award.

In the instructions from the arts council, they said that they didn’t expect any recipient to make a speech, just accept the award. So, I was startled when everyone in front of me made short acceptance remarks, most of which focused on doing art in Arkansas. When it was my turn, then, I managed to say something about how amazing it is to live and work in Arkansas–and yet, touch the world. In fact, El Buscador de Caminos (the Spanish translation of my novel, The Wayfinder) is still selling well in South America. And one of the best-selling versions of my picturebook, 19 Girls and Me, is the Arabic translation for an Egyptian publisher.

It is amazing that our words can literally reach out and touch the world.

by Darcy Pattison

I was surprised, but pleased to learn this week that I will be the 2007 recipient of the Arkansas Governor’s Arts Award for Individual Artist for my work as a children?s book author. Sponsored by the Arkansas Arts Council, the award will be presented on October 22, 2007 at the annual ArtLinks conference on the arts in Arkansas. To receive such an honor in my home state is overwhelming.

by Darcy Pattison

Why am I posting this image of an award which The Journey of Oliver K. Woodman won in 2003? I got home today and found a box from my publisher. Inside was this nicely framed certificate from the Bank Street College folks naming my book as “An Irma S. & James H. Black Honor Book for 2003″. There was a note: “This was found in an empty office–strange!–but we thought you may like to have it.” Better late than never, I suppose.

by Darcy Pattison The Science Fiction Writer’s of America held their 2007 Nebula Awards ceremony this weekend. The Andre Norton award (pdf file) is given to the best young adult science fiction or fantasy novel. This year’s nominees were:

• WINNER:
  Magic or Madness (Magic or Madness Trilogy) by Justine Larbalestier
• 
  Devilish by Maureen Johnson
• 
  The King of Attolia by Megan Whalen Turner
• 
  Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer
• 
  Peeps by Scott Westerfeld

by Darcy Pattison

A big congratulations to two friends. Dori Butler has won the 2006-7 Maryland Black Eyed Susan Children’s Book Award for the best novel for Grades 4-6. This children’s choice award goes to Trading Places with Tank Talbot. A great read, there’s a sequel and with a possibility of even more from Tank and his friends in the future.

Carla McClafferty is in Toronto this week at the International Reading Association conference accepting an award for the best non-fiction book in the Intermediate category for
Something Out of Nothing: Marie Curie and Radium by Carla Killough McClafferty. She’ll also travel to New York City in November to the National Council of Teachers of English conference to accept an Orbis Pictus Honor Award. I’m honored to be friends with Carla and Dori! Big congratulations to both! Buy their books!

by Darcy Pattison This week, the Mystery Writers Association announced the winners of the 2007 Edgars, the best mysteries of the year.

Best Young Adult Winner

Buried by Robin Merrow MacCready (Penguin YR - Dutton Children’s Books)

Other Nominees:

The Road of the Dead by Kevin Brooks (Scholastic - The Chicken House)

The Christopher Killer by Alane Ferguson (Penguin YR - Sleuth/Viking)

Crunch Time by Mariah Fredericks (Simon & Schuster - Richard Jackson Books/Atheneum)

The Night My Sister Went Missing by Carol Plum-Ucci (Harcourt Children’s Books)

Best Juvenile Winner

Room One: A Mystery or Two by Andrew Clements

(Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers)

Other Nominees:

Gilda Joyce: The Ladies of the Lake by Jennifer Allison (Penguin Young Readers - Sleuth/Dutton)

The Stolen Sapphire: A Samantha Mystery by Sarah Masters Buckey (American Girl Publishing)

The Bloodwater Mysteries: Snatched by Pete Hautman & Mary Logue (Penguin Young Readers - Sleuth/Putnam)

The Case of the Missing Marquess: An Enola Holmes Mystery by Nancy Springer (Penguin Young Readers - Philomel/Sleuth)

Has anyone read any of these? Do you agree with the choices?

by Darcy Pattison
A few updates on my books:
19 Girls and Me is nominated for the Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance Children?s Book Award. Searching for Oliver K. Woodman is on the 2007-8 Arkansas Diamond Book award reading list.
Oliver K. Woodman (from The Journey of Oliver K. Woodman) sightings:

• Oliver in Hawaii with a hula dancer. East Hill Elementary, Camillus, NY
• Oliver on the Hawaiian beach. East Hill Elementary, Camillus, NY
• Oliver?s travels from Farmersville School, Mt. Vernon, IN.
• Oliver visits Booneville, AR.
• Oliver looking for Peter Rabbit near Beatrix Potter?s house.
• Oliver making a phone call from a London phone booth.
• Oliver meets Flat Stanley in Mexico.

And here’s a link to a lesson plan for following Oliver?s travels using Google Earth.