The new issue of failbetter has an interview with Alice McDermott.

Johanna Draper Carlson is wondering why DC advertises the new Minx line in the latest issue of Previews as less for teen girls and more for YA readers. To wit: Yet here, in material aimed at the direct market, the first paragraph only talks about “the new young adult graphic novel imprint� and “smart, sequential stories for the teen reader.�

Jenny D. has somehow managed to get me excited about both swimming and Victorian dressing room design. The woman really is the Sarah Vowell of the lit blogosphere (and I say that as a sick SV fan).

Writing for the Mag. of Fantasy & SF, Charles de Lint also loves Tim Powers' A Soul in a Bottle (scroll down to last review):

Powers is responsible for many of my favorite novels and stories, but I particularly loved this book. Not least because it reminded me why I love reading — more, that I do love reading. I haven't lost that joy; I'm just not finding enough books that do it for me.

But here was a book that utterly absorbed me. I wasn't distracted by showy writing (though the prose, in retrospect, is lovely) or the author parading his cleverness. Instead, I was given a lovely tale that wasn't afraid to tell a small, simple story with freshness and a great deal of heart.

As reported in many other places, the Cybils were awarded today. Jen Robinson has a good idea about how best to support the awards. All the winners are fine choices but I am still wishing Corbenic and Deogratias were among the winners. (I keep waiting for them to win something...am I the only one who loved these books last year? Scandalous!)

I am still accepting nominations for the YSRT awards - thanks to Cecil for dropping earlier today. Also, ARCs and review copies to New Orleans - you know the kids need them, so get your boxes going south!