One of the very best things that blogging has brought to me is conversations with other book lovers.  And the most intense discussions I’ve had about books and exposure to the breadth of great books published in a year have come through serving as Cybils judge.  Now in their 11^th year, the Cybils Awards  pick the best in a wide variety of categories in children’s and young adult fiction.  I’ve served as a judge on the round one panel for the Middle Grade Speculative Fiction for the past two years, and it has been a great experience.  Why do I mention this?  Because the awards cannot exist without judges, and you too (if you are a book blogger) could apply to serve as a judge! 

More information on the Cybils website – applications are open through September 14.

The Cybils are organized by the Kidlitosphere, which also organizes Kidlitcon .  I went for the first time last year and am getting ready to go this year in Wichita.  It is such a great small conference where I got to talk to almost everyone who came, including sitting down to lunch with authors right after their sessions.  This year, I’ll be part of panel discussion on blogging middle grade with Charlotte of Charlotte’s Library and Casie Hermansson of Parental Guidance Ratings.  Check out the whole Kidlitcon program( put together by Charlotte)!  And I hope to see you in Wichita!