Ypulse Books Guest Post: Paula Chase Hyman, The Other Urban Fiction

Today's Ypulse Books Guest Post is from author Paula Chase Hyman. If you work in the children's or young adult book publishing space and would like to write a Guest Post, just email us.

The Other Urban Fiction by Paula Chase Hyman

The line "I'm not gay...not that there's anything wrong with that," Seinfeld circa nineteen ninety something comes to mind often these days. It's the sort of line you utter when you're trying to distance yourself from categorization without judging the category or in the case of the Seinfeld episode, a lifestyle.

"Hi, I'm Paula and I don't write urban lit...not that there's anything wrong with it."

I, in fact, write that "other" urban fiction. Yeah, I don't know what that means either because in reality I write 'burb fiction featuring African American characters. Confused?

So are readers.

Chalk it up to the necessary (?) evils of niche marketing.

I am African American therefore I write urban fiction, even if I sort of don't.

I'm not alone. Many Black authors writing contemporary fiction for teens find themselves reminding people that what they write is not urban/street lit just because they've featured an African American protagonist in a present day scenario.

The culprit here is the use of the word "urban" to describe everything-African American. I've never cared for the description, because urban, to me, has always meant city. So where does that leave those readers from the suburbs, small towns and rural USA?

I-n-v-i-s-i-b-l-e, that's where.

Urban once served as a beacon for African American consumers symbolizing that a product was culturally significant. Now (maybe it always has) it unfairly lumps literary choices together, making for mad confusion among librarians, teachers and parents looking for good reads for young African American readers.

Some see a cover with two sassy, sista-teens and go running for the nearest copy of Christopher Paul Curtis or Walter Dean Myers to hand to their young reader instead.

While others sit back, satisfied that a student who previously had no interest in reading, is now nose deep in a novel.

In our haste to categorize books we ignore the fact that teen readers, no matter the race, are as diverse in their reading tastes as adult readers. And we continue to market to African American readers as if all of them share the same exact taste in literature.

What I'd like to see is a broader promotional effort (hello, ALA?) dedicated to shining the light on the diversity among what's out there for young African American readers. Every summer, my library system hands out book marks for different YA genres listing the genre's most popular authors. But the African American book mark features only traditionally literary authors: Myers, Curtis, Rita Williams Garcia, Mildred Taylor et.al.

You'll find no L. Divine or Coe Booth listed.

Including more contemporary authors on such a bookmark is a start. But dare I suggest taking race out of the equation? Simply include books by African Americans within the existing promotions for other YA sub-genres.

Offer posters, special web pages and other material showcasing books by and for African American readers within the traditional niches of romance, sci-fi, fantasy, chick lit, horror, mystery etc... That would be more helpful. And, novel concept, would also expose the books to non-African American readers.

African American teen readers are definitely looking for stories that feature and include them, but ultimately they're looking for stories about romance, mystery, drama...you know, the normal stuff people pick up a book for. Directing them to a good story is where we start, though it's not necessarily where the marketing currently lies.

Until it does, I guess I'll continue to introduce myself like this:

"I'm Paula and I don't write urban lit...not that there's anything wrong with it."

About the Author: Paula Chase Hyman has written for Girls' Life, Sweet 16, and Baltimore Magazine among others. In addition to her background in corporate communications and public relations, she founded the Committed Black Women, a youth mentoring program for 14-17 year old girls and launched The Brown Bookshelf in 2007 to help increase awareness to those African American authors writing for children, flying under the radar of gatekeepers and parents.

Her Del Rio Bay series, helped launch Kensington Books YA line in 2007. It joins the growing number of popular fiction YA books targeted to multi-culti suburbanite teens. The five part series includes the '07 debut, So Not The Drama. Chase calls her brand of teen literature, Hip lit, a nod to the diversity spawned by the MTV-watching, 106th & Park-ing, pop culture hungry hip hop generation. The author lives outside of Annapolis, MD with her husband and two daughters. Visit her and learn more at:

Paula Chase Hyman
The Brown Bookshelf

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Books For Boys: 'Horrible Histories'

Of course the "Horrible Histories" books are great for everyone not JUST boys. Duh. But I want folks to know they're especially good for guys because, well, as we all know, it's a thing. Hooking boy readers can be difficult. At my school the third grade boys loooooooove these books. We can't keep them on the shelves. They trade them back and forth with one another at the circulation desk, checking them in and out faster than I can compute.

Naturally, I absolutely had to see what all the fuss was all about.

Originally from the UK, some of these books seem to be available through Scholastic. Whether and how they may be different, I don't know. Ours were donated to us and brought from England. There are activity books available as well, but the whole time I was reading my first "Horrible History," I was thinking how cool an animated series would be...like a British "School House Rock."

The titles are half the fun. Check these out: The Savage Stone Age, The Groovy Greeks, The Rotten Romans, The Cut-Throat Celts, The Smashing Saxons, The Stormin' Normans, The Angry Aztecs and The Terrible Tudors.

Readers can take quizzes like "Would you be a good Viking?", follow timelines separated by "The Good" and "The Bad," read about the typical day of a lowly servant, and try typical recipes, for example.

"Horrible Histories" are a blast to read. This weekend I devoured The Vile Victorians and The Vicious Vikings by Terry Deary (How can you NOT love those titles?). They are irreverent and silly but offer some really interesting information too. Imagine the History Channel meets Mad Magazine and has Monty Python over for dinner. As history would have it, there's also plenty of gross and nasty factoids that kids practically pee their pants over. I found them entirely entertaining and as someone who loves history, was pleased and surprised at how much I learned. (And, ahem, I'm an adult AND a girl.)

Nevertheless, the format is very kid and very boy friendly. Text and graphics are intermingled. Serious content and inappropriate jokes are alternated. There's funny stuff to look at and read aloud with friends but also some scary-but-true material that astonishes while forcing one to ponder the essence of the times being covered. Nice. It's the best kind of edutainment you can find -- something you could totally introduce to reluctant readers and serious history buffs alike.

Here's the big question though...what would you name us and our times?

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Ypulse Books: Asking The Right Questions

This isn't another Ypulse Books One Simple Question post, but I wish it was. I wish I could have been at one of the writers conferences Ally Carter talked about attending recently over the past few months in this post. I would have asked her our OSQ. Judging from her responses to some of these misguided quandaries, I really think she gets it.

Here's as example of a response to a question she wouldlike to have been asked:

"WRONG QUESTION: How much should I "lower" my writing when writing for teens? (Basically, how much do I dumb down my books?)

RIGHT QUESTION: Do teens have different attention spans, vocabulary capabilities, etc than adult readers?

Yes. It has been my experience that you should have different expectations of teen readers than adult readers: you should expect your teen readers to be smarter.

Now, I'm not saying that adults are dumb. But it's been my experience that teens have far more highly-calibrated BS-o-meters, and therefore make for far more discerning readers.

Adult readers might patiently wait four chapters for a story to start. Teens have things to do and places to be. If you want them to engage with your story you need to give them something good on every page.

And it even goes beyond pacing. If a character has a moment where she acts in a completely uncharacteristic way, your teen readers will notice it. If the entire plot of your novel could go away if the main character would make a perfectly logical phone call, then teen readers will point that out.

I don't know if it's a generational difference or simply something that happens between the ages of 13 and 30 as we start spending less time in classrooms and more time doing the same functions day after day, but that has certainly been my experience.

Teens are used to being challenged and tested and forced to think about things analytically, so do NOT write down to teens. Not if you want a career in YA literature."

I do think questions like this can be genuine and simply might not be phrased carefully, but I also think there are folks out there that just don't get it.

Are people really that naive and uninformed? When they "decided" to write for young adults did they do NO research or digging around to find that we are a community of passionate and serious readers and writers? There's so much out there to tell one so. Part of me is sad that they have misconceptions, but I'm also really angry at the sheer laziness her audiences seem to display. Jeez. It doesn't take much poking around "on the innerweb", as my three year old calls it, to find hundreds of sources on young adult literature and the people who hold it in high esteem. There are so many of us that talk about what the right questions are every day.

Also some of the daft questions Carter shared in her post (and she was far nicer and more diplomatic than I'm being) reminded me just how hot YA is, and made me think that some writers just want to be published. There I said it. There's a desperation I hear in these kinds of discussions. It's sort of like the ol', "I know. I'll write a YA novel. It will be easy. Less words." This is a common mistake people make when they attempt to write for younger children too, but I really thought people were coming around.

Ugh. I'm exasperated. I can't believe we're still talking about this. Nevertheless, her post seemed to right the wrong for the time being, and I really liked that she took the time to "rant."

And here are some points from Ally Carter on public relations. I liked these too. Although, I would add... #10. Contact Ypulse Books. :)

Posted by alli

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Guest Blogger: Be All That You Can Be

We're looking for Guest Bloggers. Please contact me if you've got something to say about YA books and/or the publishing industry. In the past, we've had librarians, publishers, teachers, and even young readers contribute. I'm open to new ideas but for now here are some hot topics on which we'd love to hear your op/ed take.

- Gender: Where should our energy lie? Identifying "boy books," or books that work particularly well for both sexes?

- Working with young adults, is it ever okay to censor? What and When?

- Is YA literature racier today than in generations past?

- Audience: Have adult YA lovers missed the point? Are teens getting lost in YA's growing adult fan base?

- Series. What gives? Why are they so much more attractive to publishers than stand-alone titles?

- Fanfiction. Anything. (I don't know much.)

Librarians and teachers: Maybe you have a new literature-based programming project or interesting news story. Awesome. That would be welcome as well. Let us know.

Posted by alli

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The Year Ahead

I'm back from my long journey to Maine, refreshed and so happy to be home. We're planning on bringing a lot of new things to YPulse Books this year and I for one, am very excited.

Because I've spent most of my life in school of some sort, I've always been a fall person. I think of the new year as being September, not January 1st. Well, I'm going back to school again, and I'm feeling very New Year's resolution-y. I'm back librarian-ing at a school here in San Francisco, and I think it will really keep me on my toes as to what is new and exciting in the YA scene. I'm told we've got some awesome rock-star readers so I'm planning on using them as a sounding board and a good source of inspiration and insight. There's nothing better than day-to-day contact with youth to stay in the ever changing teen loop.

Also, this summer I had a lot of time to think about new features I might like to bring to Ypulse Books. I was able to digest our discussion at the Books pre-conference, and I really tried to reach for what I'd like to read about if I were a regular Ypulse Books visitor. Here's what I came up with:

AudioFiles
There are some major audiobook enthusiasts out there, and in light of my new commute, I plan on highlighting whatever audiobook I'm enjoying from month to month. I'm hoping I'll discover some new things about the different ways we process the stories we are "told".

Who Do You Love?
Think Sundance's Iconoclast Series. Think author to author interviews. Authors: which of your peers do you worship and love? Who would you most like to talk to about the process of writing and the love of reading great books. This will be a great way to explore the artist's POV but also build community.

* If you are an author that is interested in interviewing another author please let me know. I might be able to help facilitate contact or simply give you a sense for how I've conducted interviews in the past.

One Single Question
We'll introduce authors and their work and ask them to answer one simple question. This will give authors a chance to tell us who they are in their words and address the common inquiry: Why YA?

"As an artist, what inspires and motivates you most in your role as a writer for Young Adults?"

One question, many answers. I can't wait to see the broad range.

Guest Blogger Series
Like the popular guest blogger feature at Ypulse, we hope to open up the lines of communication in a way that will let other bloggers, folks in the field and our regular readers contribute here, online, at Ypulse Books.

* If you'd like to be a guest blogger, pitch me an idea for a post! From time to time I will be putting ideas out there to which folks can respond.

Note: Another change is that we'll be posting Mondays and Wednesdays from now on. We thought our readers would appreciate starting their week with the latest news and having another hit mid-week. Aren't we all just a little pre-occupied on Fridays anyways?

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What's Love Got To Do With It: Edward and Bella

I've been thinking about this a lot. So far I have been a big fan of the "Twilight Series" by Stephenie Meyer and I really enjoyed reading the first two books. I loved Twilight, thought New Moon was a little ridiculous but went with it anyways and figured the next one would be be better. I just started Eclipse and am about half way through it. I don't think I'm going to finish it. I don't think I can do it anymore. It finally crossed some kind of line that I didn't even realize I had drawn. Up until now I've found the books so fun, I've been willing to overlook some of the more glaring, 'things-that-make-you-go-hmmmm', aspects.

I know there's been a lot of controversy and criticism about the sexless eroticism in the series. The whole concept of Bella's virginity essentially equally her soul worries more than a few of my feminist friends, but I'm not even going to touch that. I do however want to address the fact that our friend Bella is a poster-child for domestic, or in her case, dating abuse.

I know. It seems absurd. We are talking about vampires, predators by nature, right? But they can feel emotional and physical pain according to Meyer's series. They have long-term relationships. They marry. It makes sense that they are also capable of our darker motivations in matters of the heart. No doubt, they can be controlling and that is of course at the center of all abuse--the engine that drives the power-and-control cycle of violence. That and fear.

And Edward is controlling. As much as I love him, I really think he needs some teen-dating, healthy-vampire-boyfriend-counseling. It all hit me last night as I was reading yet again about his protective ways. I began to see the forest through the trees. Things like: how he doesn't "allow" her to do certain things like visit old friends. How Bella won't be able to see her family for years after she's changed, and even after that there will be constraints. We are made to believe that these precautions are all part of his concern for her safety. His condescension, lies and even manipulation of events like their trip to see Bella's mother is all under the guise of safety and...alas love.

Let's not forget that he watches her every night while she sleeps and can read her mind!

I worked in a battered women shelter for many years and I've heard this story almost verbatim on hotline calls hundreds of times. (Yes, I've even heard, "I think he/she reads my mind.") It's a slippery slope. Everyone wants to feel special. Everyone wants to feel like their love is unique, one-of a kind. Teenage girls are especially susceptible to this kind of 'Romeo and Juliet' romantic notion. The drama, the angst, the thrill of feeling misunderstood...together is timeless, but it gets dangerous when it starts to become suffocating. Abusers regularly alienate their partners from friends and family slowly but surely as they exert more and more control. The balance of power shifts subtly, but before long, victims have lost everything -- their identity, independence and their self esteem. This is my fear for Bella.

Tell me, does Edward change his ways? Should I keep reading? I do believe in rehabilitation.

One thing we used to say to people in our trainings is that domestic violence crosses all class, religious and ethnic boundaries...I think we need to include the supernatural.

Posted by alli

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Two Things About 'The Hunger Games' (And Then I'll Move On...I Promise.)

In Suzanne Collins' fictional nation of Panem, children between the ages of 12-18 are chosen every year to participate in "The Hunger Games" -- a fight till the death broadcast on live television. The pageant was created to keep the citizens in line and prevent them from revolting against a fascist regime that is starving its people. Heroine Katniss volunteers to be her district's tribute so that her beloved younger sister will be spared. A skilled hunter and archer, Katniss holds her own and proves to be a formidable opponent in the games.

As I cleared my kitchen table tonight all I could think of was Katniss and all of her friends and family.... starving! I'm not being dramatic, I swear. I scraped the leftovers into Tupperware and composted what to them would be a feast: Pork chops, lima beans, summer squash and peas. My son barely touched anything and I couldn't finish such a huge chop stuffed with almond apple stuffing--it was too rich. My husband was on his second beer as I wolfed down a few remaining fancy chocolate whoppers that I had gotten earlier in the day at a nearby cafe. Later, when I retired for the night in my big comfy reading chair with a cup of tea, I felt down right gluttonous.

Is it me or did The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins make you think differently about eating? I know that this astonishing dystopic tale of survival and friendship is more than just a food show, but it did make me think about consumption, waste and, quite honestly, starvation. I know that hunger can also be emotional and spiritual, and I think that is what Collins is ultimately trying to get at. But reading this story got me feeling both grateful and really sad about what it must be like to lack such a basic need. Reading The Hunger Games gave me a very visceral experience of what it might be like to constantly be thinking of food -- to have daily anxiety about it. I am always amazed when an author can transport you into a frame of mind that is not yours -- take you out of your comfort zone. Honestly, it really got in my head and wouldn't leave.

That isn't all that's remarkable about The Hunger Games. However appalling the games are, they provide a thrilling ride of outdoor action, adventure and even romance. I loved it. I couldn't put it down. I found it absolutely enthralling -- a non-stop page-turner. As obscene as it may sound, the stakes being as high as they were made it even more exciting. Whoa, wait a minute. Is that part of the point? Might we readers somehow have something in common with the blood-lusty, Ancient Roman-like, gladiator audiences Collins is so clearly criticizing?

Pretty clever.

Frankly, I felt a little guilty for loving it so much. It caused me to really think about my own attraction to train wrecks and what I will watch, given the opportunity. Collins pointed out that the citizens of the districts are forced to watch "The Hunger Games" and while they are disgusted by the contest, they celebrate the winners, place bets and find themselves involved participants regardless. Sounds like me reading Us Weekly.

There is so much that is dark and upsetting in this book that sometimes the only thing that makes it bearable is the main characters and their ability to rebel in small but powerful ways. Of course, there's danger in being subversive, and I imagine that will be the main focus of the following books. Needless to say I worship it, found it almost flawless, and can't wait to get my hungry hands on Book 2.

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Age Banning... I Mean, Banding

There's been a lot of talk about the issue of age-banding in the UK recently. The Guardian has posted a few opinion pieces from various folks in the world of children's literature including Phillip Pullman. But we've been having our say on this side of the pond too. Check out the discussion at A Chair, A Fireplace, & A Tea Cozy, for example. Here's my two cents:

When I worked at ReadBoston, teachers used to ask me to "level" their books all the time. I understand their requests were probably from lack of confidence not competence, and that they saw me as the expert, but it used to frustrate me to no end. I used to do workshops where I would emphasize the importance of knowing their students and their unique needs, likes and dislikes. I preached how essential reading the books in their classroom libraries was -- getting to know the literature. In my opinion, age-banding is an excuse not to do these things. It also suggests that there is a one size fits all (age) way to approach readers -- that a particular book is appropriate for say, every 5 year old, or every second grader.

Mostly I'm opposed to leveling books because I think it shuts down exploration. With young children, one of the ways they advance as readers is challenging themselves with a book that is a little beyond their ability or present skill set. At the same time, it's equally important for readers to revisit favorites that are below their reading level for enjoyment or comfort. Parents used to call me in a panic to say, "My child really wants me to read her an ABC board book that we grew out of last year! What do I do?" Um. Key words here: really-wants-me-to-read-to-her.... I know that concerns are different with adolescents and teens because of the issue of controversial content, but generally I believe these principles hold true with more mature readers as well. I agree with blogger Anne Giles, that children know what they need and generally have a grasp on what is appropriate for them. Developmentally they accept what they're ready for, and don't accept what they're not capable of understanding.

Furthermore, as teachers and librarians, we are responsible for making a wide variety of titles and genres accessible and helping readers find good fits. Age-banding makes it really difficult to do this. A label that tells a reader: "Don't open me. You're too young" or worse, "You better be able to get this. It's age-appropriate," usurps our training, our experience, our opinions and authority. Frankly, we have much better ways and language for advising readers.

It seems to me that when we do things like label, level and categorize, we exclude readers instead of including them. We head intrigue off at the pass and make assumptions about people's abilities and interests. I can't help recall some of the new studies we've heard about recently that discuss various drops in reading interest among such and such age group, or since this year or that year, or in reading for pleasure, or among boys. Generally I debate these facts as being too simplistic across the board, but if there is any truth in our nation's lack of enthusiasm about reading, maybe we should be looking at some of our antiseptic and prescribed notions around books -- especially those for our burgeoning readers.

Posted by alli

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Steampunk'd

When I first heard steampunk referenced online, doing Ypulse Books stuff no doubt, I was a little taken aback. I fancy myself as knowing a fair amount about music, especially anything through the 1990's. I thought, "I've never heard of "steampunk." Do I know any steampunk bands? Hmmmm, don't think I read about them in Greil Marcus's Lipstick Traces. How did I miss this? Duh. I quickly discovered that steampunk is a subgenre in fantasy and sci-fi literature. And for the record, I was completely aware of it, I just didn't know that's what "the kids" are calling it these days.

Although it's often lumped together with cyberpunk, (Which surprisingly, I totally know and get) it has its own landscape and characteristics. Usually set in a time where steam is the primary source of power, most steampunk is set in the Victorian Age. It makes sense that many consider Jules Vern and HG Wells the grandfathers of steampunk, let alone science fiction.

Here's how it's described in a blurb for the anthology Steampunk by Ann and Jeff VanderMeer (out in June):

Steampunk is Victorian elegance and modern technology: steam-driven robots, souped-up stagecoaches, and space-faring dirigibles fueled by gaslight romance, mad scientists, and oh-so-trim waistcoats. It's The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, 10,000 Leagues Under the Sea, The Wizard of Oz, and The Golden Compass.

Hey. I've read all of those titles!

What stands out to me is the enthusiasm fans have for the level of invention and style steampunk involves. I say invention because it's different from the slick technology we've grown to expect in modern sci-fi . Steampunk seems to have an affinity with gadgets, inventions and things that look more like smart junk than anything we'd see in something like "Space Odyssey." In this Wired article, we visit the Steampunk Workshop where enthusiasts can learn about artist/inventor Jake von Slatt's various steampunk projects -- from kerosene lamps to typewriter-y computer keyboards. In New York the performance troupe The James Gang employ a steampunk aesthetic in their neo-vaudevillian, magic act complete with a dove named Showtime, and a gramophone with a crank and velvet turntable. (NYTimes, reg. required)

The theatrical elements of this literacy-inspired phenomenon make me wonder if steampunk is the new Goth? Will young adults embrace steampunk in the same way they've embraced vampires? How willing will new young fans be to read the classics? Like all good trends, I think it will mostly remain on the fringes among the purists, but its stylistic influence will bleed into mainstream fashion and culture with most people having no idea where it came from.

In the meantime, I'm going out to get my goggles today.

Posted by alli

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'I Want My BTV!'

In my coverage here at Ypulse Books, I'm often sent, or find, videos related to books. Sometimes they're trailers for movies adapted from books, sometimes they're trailers for the books themselves. I've seen super-polished pieces and others that have a more amateur feeling, perhaps the winning entry in a user generated contest. I have mixed feelings about book trailers; If I've read the book, I often don't want to see another's visual interpretation. But if I haven't read the book, and especially if I don't think I will, I generally like to view it. Often they pique my interest and occasionally compel me to buy and read the book.

Recently I discovered BookVideos.tv which was created by the folks at TurnHere. It's a site where you can see videos that are mostly author related. They're done tastefully and I think they offer a different kind of insight than simply just telling you what the books are about. They're not just trailers nor are they simply digital jacket flaps. They present the author as an artist, and I think are compelling in and of themselves. I spent an hour and a half watching videos on books I would normally have no interest in just because I found the video interesting. And yes, there are titles I would completely look for at the library or bookstore as a result. Take Pharmakon, by Dirk Wittenborn for example. Not only did the video remind me of an "act" from "This American Life," it was a total teaser. I absolutely wanted to hear more.

Here are two observations I had while viewing videos at BookVideos.tv. Harried librarians could really use this as an additional tool in their readers advisory role. We like to help others find books they'll enjoy, but we just can't read everything! It's nice to know a book even if you haven't read it. I'm not suggesting videos be used as a substitute, "Haven't read the book, but I saw the video." -- just that they can serve as yet one more access point.

Another population that I could see really digging this venue is young adults. I really enjoyed the Sarah Dessen video where she strolls through her home town in North Carolina describing various sources of inspiration for her YA novel Lock and Key. I think teens who like her books will too. This is an example of something that could be supplemental to the book itself or motivation to read something new. It also gives readers a feeling of connectedness to both the work and the writer.

I spoke with Morgan Brown, TurnHere's director of marketing, about BookVideos.tv and got an introduction to making a book video, start to finish. TurnHere has an in-house producer and an entire network of film makers all over the country. They can be commissioned to make a book video as the projects come up. Publishers choose the authors and titles they want to feature and TurnHere handles the production doling out the work where it seems most appropriate and handling the post production as well. While the author profiles are all collected at Bookvideos.tv, once approved by the publisher, they are also distributed to all of the other likely online locations: YouTube, Myspace, Facebook, and even books store sites like Barnes & Nobel and Powell's. I would be interested in knowing more about how publishers choose authors and how involved they are in the direction of the videos.

Brown says that they strive to create an "intimate profile" of the authors they spotlight. They want readers to have an "authentic experience" that is about "content versus pitch." Yes, they want to promote the book, and they are mindful of sales, but the product itself is about reflecting the community or readers, book lovers and authors. The ability to keep the videos looking fresh and "real" is intentional as well. They all seem to have a simple, elegant POV documentary feeling -- just a couple of minutes of the authors sharing something about themselves: their characters, their process, their books.

Okay, so I know book videos have been around for a while, but I guess I just like the idea of having them in one spot. It's worthwhile to me to be able to expect quality from the piece even if it's just in very short form, too. I'd like to see RSS feeds available that viewers might access by favorite category. And of course, I'd loooooove to see more young adult authors. BookVideos.tv is really in its' "first inning" Mr. Brown said, and he promised there is much more to come.

I'm staying tuned.

Posted by alli

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