Top 8 of '08, with Guest Blogger Marsha Skrypuch

Only a couple of days left in the year, and it's time to take stock. What better way to do that than to gather together one's friends and listen to a few stories?

This is the first of a series of posts authored by guest writers who are just as crazy about blogging as I am. I've asked them to give me their 'Top 8 of '08', and then left open the category for each to explore. To start things up we have author Marsha Skrypuch.

To define Marsha as an author (not one, but TWO novels published in 2008: DAUGHTER OF WAR and CALL ME ARAM) is kinda like defining a tornado as a 'little dust-up'. She is an inventor, a librarian, a speaker, a listserv manager, a decorated Ukrainian hero, the co-founder of Author's Booking Service and the author of many books for young people. But she will always be, first and foremost, a passionate advocate of good writers and writing.

I first met Marsha many years ago in her role as section leader of the KidCrit and Writing For Young People sections of the CompuServe Books & Writers' Forum, and we have been friends ever since. Fitting, then, that Marsha has chosen to highlight her Top 8 up and coming writers. Here is the opening of Marsha's blog post on the subject. To read her choices in their entirety, click HERE.

Following the lead of my dear friend kc dyer, here is my top 8 of 08. She told me it could be any favourite 8s, but this is a year of many extraordinary new writers, and here are 8 of them:

ONE:

The hands down most promising new writer of 2008 is kidcrit's own Hélène Boudreau! Speak about an over-achiever! Having her first book published in 2008 wasn't enough for her. I've lost count, but I think she had four! Three were with Crabtree Publishing and one is her first novel, Acadian Star, published by Nimbus. Congratulations, my dear!!!

Read on...


Thanks for starting things off for us, Marsha. Stay tuned for more Top 8's of '08!

~kc