Monday, March 23, 2009

Tidbits and Will Power

This was cross-posted from Blue Rose Girls from this morning, so I've since gotten many more than two votes. Hurray!



First of all, I've only gotten two votes so far for my three name choices for my posts about the books I edit. Please help me out and vote for one of the following:

1. Beyond the Book
2. An Editor's Story
3. Every Book a Star

If you vote, I'll enter you into a drawing for a Little, Brown Book for Young Readers of your choice! Voting will end at 5 pm EST next Sunday, March 29th.

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Next Tuesday, March 31st, I will be on a panel at the New School on getting published, along with Ben Tomek, marketing associate, Reader’s Digest Children’s Publishing; and Anna Olswanger, literary agent, Liza Dawson Associates. It's only $5 (free for students, faculty, and alumni), so if you're in the NY area, come on out! More info here.


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A few weeks ago I listened to a Radio Lab podcast about will power. It described an experiment done in the 1960s where Dr. Walter Mischel tested the will power and ability to delay gratification of hundreds of preschoolers, offering them a marshmallow now, or two if they waited 15 minutes. Listen to it here.

There had been highlights of an adorable Oreo cookie version on the blog, but it seems to have disappeared, and I'm unable to find it online--if anyone can find it, please let me know! It was cute, although short. There are several reenactments online, here are a few of the better ones:



This one is good, although the video of the experiment is sandwiched between a preacher's sermon:



I wonder how I would have fared when I was four...

4 comments:

c.g.young said...

"Every Book a Star"
Jumps right off the page, it's says so much with so little. :)

Love the Blog Alvina,

-Clint

Anonymous said...

An Editor's Story
It's direct and simple, and what you're discussing.

Sherri Woodbridge said...

My vote: Beyond the Book

I read the first two comments and adding mine brings you to the fact that now you have three votes and are still in the same dilemma. However, here is my reasoning on the title, Beyond the Book.

'An Editor's Story' sounds more like something about you, the editor. At first glance, it appears it's going to be a blurb about you personally.

'Every Book A Star' is great, but not every book is a star. I've written things that I thought were star material only to see them from the reader's point of view and coming to realize that it truly wasn't star material!

I chose 'Beyond the Book' as the best choice because you are going beyond the story, which makes up the book, and giving your critique without straying from the boundaries of the book itself. I suppose there could be argument for this title as well, in that beyond could give the impression that you've finished with one thing and gone on to the next.

Put simply, my vote goes for 'Beyond the Book'! Good luck!

Sherri Woodbridge said...

I just read the other comments on 'Blue Rose Girls' re: this vote and I have to change my vote to the suggested, 'Behind the Book'. I think that fits best.

Uh oh... this could be getting more complicated! :)