Archive for June 2010

I updated my theme again. I strive for consistency, and am only consistently inconsistent. My hand-made theme wasn’t working well since WP upgraded to 3.0, so I’m using their own twentyten until further notice, which will come after the fact. This is kinda what I wanted all along, actually… but it didn’t exist back in the restoration period. I am enjoying some of the new features.

In other, less cryptic words, I changed the way things look around here yet again. Hope you like it. I can’t promise I won’t change it again, but the content will always be here! That I can promise. If you’re new here, the links you want are up above. There’s more about me and my books and all kinds of fun extras to accompany my books, including resources about Liberia and about snakes to accompany Mamba Point.

“Twin Cities Live” on Channel 5 in the Twin Cities featured a few recommended books for boys to read over the summer, including Mudville. Here it is. The woman from the Midwest Booksellers Association does a great book talk.

The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, aka “The Bulletin” (for obvious reasons) reviewed Mamba Point and says things like, “the kaseng plotline is fully engrossing,” and “the cast of secondary characters is generously developed,” and “the setting is vividly drawn.” Actually those are all from the same sentence. They write long sentences in Urbana Champaign.

Now for the big news for you: I have two more copies of Mamba Point that you can get through GoodReads.com. I won’t say you’ll “win” a copy because it is expected (but not required) that you proceed to write a review on GoodReads.com, though of course that review can be anywhere from “really, supper amazing” to “worst book ever,” and the book is yours to keep. Also, these books will not be personalized or signed. Also also, you’ll have to register on GoodReads, but it’s a free and fun site for readers, so it’s worth the trouble. Here’s the giveaway.

There’s still a lively poetry challenge over on my blog. You just have to write a specialized haiku called a “paiku” for a chance to win a pika beanie baby. What’s the difference between a haiku and a paiku? Click on over to see.

Contest is now closed, but you are still encouraged to write a paiku!

And now I’ve added a like-it-to-win-it drawing on the Facebook page for Mamba Point. Just like the post to be eligible to win a copy of the book! You might even get a copy before it’s officially released.

This has been awarded, but you can still do this:

If you aren’t on Facebook, remember that I’ll also be giving copies to people who draw snakes for the gallery.

There will be one more chance to win a copy of the book, but you have to wait until July 13.

The June issue of Booklist (published by the American Library Association) has good things to say about Mamba Point, such as “Scaletta has created an appealing, well-written protagonist whose everyday and extraordinary experiences… change his life in unexpected, positive ways,” and “with lively, sometimes droll touches and a well-constructed 1980s setting, the engaging, first-person narrative and array of diversely drawn characters further enliven the novel.” Thank you, Booklist.