Tastes like Can

Posted on February 23, 2010 by madelynruth@yahoo.com

I’ve been working on my blog a lot this week, but you won’t see the results until March, when I start bringing you interviews with some friends who have new books. This week, all I’m bringing you is a brief review of a generic product. (I did this in my old blog some, never consistently. But at least I’m consistent about being inconsistent.)

Product: Safeway’s Diced Tomatoes.
Verdict: Splurge on name brand. Maybe I got a bad batch, but these tasted like can. Can, can, can. The meatballs didn’t stand a chance.

Posted in generic product review | 3 Comments

Musical welcome

Posted on February 18, 2010 by madelynruth@yahoo.com

If you read my old blog, you know I like to give warm, musical welcomes to new books. Today I’m welcoming Kathy Erskine’s novel Quaking as it comes out in its paperback edition! (That counts as new, right?)

Follow me over to the time-machine that is youtube to watch Elvis Costello singing (What’s So Funny About) Peace Love and Understanding. With Nick Lowe (who actually wrote the song). In Japan! I think it speaks to the underlying theme in Kathy’s novel. Plus, it’s Elvis. And Nick!

I’m also including a link to the chords for the song, just in case you’d like to strum along.

Posted in kidlit, music | 1 Comment

Ask Madge

Posted on February 16, 2010 by madelynruth@yahoo.com

Dear Madge,

I have a friend who’s not a writer or editor. She is, however, very opinionated and she wants to look at my manuscript, which is with my real editor and is in its final edits before publication. At this point I just don’t think I can take another opinion but she won’t take “no” for an answer. What should I tell her?

Cri-ticked Read on!

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Top chapter books

Posted on February 10, 2010 by madelynruth@yahoo.com

The polls are long closed at Fuse # 8 for the Best 100 Chapter Books, but we can still debate as Elizabeth Bird dishes out the results, which she is doing gradually in the most thorough, thoughtful way imaginable, with lots of cover photos of various incarnations of the books you love. To vote in her poll, you had to send in your top 10. Then she applied her own points system, something even I can understand, though it involves actual math.

Read on!

Posted in Uncategorized | 3 Comments

of voice and vocabulary

Posted on February 7, 2010 by madelynruth@yahoo.com

Look at the following words: Caustic, mullion, duffer, magistrate, minions, populace, portcullis, abhorrence, vizards, corselet, casquet, flagon, halberds, thumbscrew, phosphorescence, imminent, podgy, capricious, audacious, debonair, avidity, antimacassar.

Now guess which book I plucked these from?

(I’d turn this into a trivia game, but I don’t have the readership for a trivia game yet so you’ll find the answer if you just…

Read on!

Posted in kidlit, writing | 2 Comments