NCTE – Karen Cushman

What? A fantasy?

Karen Cushman — Thu, 05 Dec 2013 13:30:00 +0000

Yes, I have gone public. In my NCTE talk, I announced that I am writing a fantasy, working title Song of the Wise Woman’s Daughter. I trepidatiously read a few passages aloud and no rotten fruit was thrown so I am encouraged. My fantasy has no vampires or zombies. No one dies. The world is not destroyed or even in much danger because the kind of book I like is the kind that celebrates love, embraces compassion, honors intelligence, and ends with hope. G.K.Chesterton said that fairy tales are more than true: not because they tell us that dragons exist, but because they tell us that dragons can be beaten. And, may I add, even without magic.

NCTE in Boston, Day Two

Karen Cushman — Sat, 30 Nov 2013 14:43:35 +0000

I signed books at the Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (HMH) booth, including one for the students at Millard Fillmore School. You can see Millard himself hanging out behind us.

Afterwards I celebrated with my panel folks: Kirby Larson and Barbara O’Connor and (pictured, left) our panel moderators, Miriam Martinez of UT San Antonio, and Nancy Roser of UT Austin. Miriam and Nancy did an amazing job of turning our vague mutterings about “place” and “world building” from a couple of years ago into Thursday’s multi-media panel. Thank you.

Then followed a dinner given by HMH with a number of teachers, writers, and professors. At right are Dinah Stevenson, who has been my beloved editor for 20 years, and David Wiesner, the picture book king. We were at dinner for 5 (!) hours and enjoyed every minute.

NCTE in Boston, Day One

Karen Cushman — Tue, 26 Nov 2013 11:30:17 +0000

Our panel, “Constructing and Inhabiting Story Worlds,” drew a room full of fabulous, interested teachers.

Barbara O’Connor spoke after me, and she was, as always, splendid.

And so was Kirby Larson, who gave us a taste of her brand new book, Duke.

I Can See Canada from My House

Karen Cushman — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 10:03:41 +0000

Actually from Kirby Larson‘s house. Actually from Kirby Larson’s beach house. Phil and I spent Friday there watching the sun set and enjoying the company of Kirby and her husband Neil, Nancy Roser of the University of Texas, and Miriam Martinez, also of that institution. We were cooking up a panel for the NCTE 2012 conference. Something to do with world building in fiction and poetry. Watch this space for updates. Now I will sit and stare at this photo and remember how we counted the stars.