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Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Okay, you tell me when you open for business. Capice?

So there I was being all proper on my main blog, The Year of Writing Dangerously, when I got wind of a firestorm, a brouhaha, an imbroglio even, going on in the blogosphere about something called the YA Mafia. You can get a good history lesson about the fracas here.

Seems as if there's the suspected "in-crowd" who eat virtual sushi and quaff virtual mimosas together--and then there's everyone else.

Well, hey. Just because middle grade's seen as the younger (less desirable?) sister of YA, doesn't mean we can't have a mafia too. Or so it went, through my brain. Which doesn't always deign to show up, I can tell you.

So I called dibs on the blog name. And whadda ya know, it popped up in my profile. And now I even have a follower.

Time to get serious, folks.

I spoke to old Don Vito Corleone @ mafia central. He said it would be a good idea for me to come up with some ideas about what to do with this blog. These were his exact words:

The Don, during our interview
"You know, Michael. Good name, by the way. One of my sons is Michael. You come over here so I can pinch your cheek. What, ya didn't shave? A man's always gotta shave. Look good. Dress nice. I don't care if those blog-types can't see you. You wanna tomato from my garden?"

You don't give the old man any lip. I told him that this blog would be open to all middle grade writers, unpublished or published, didn't matter. I'd kinda like to have the sort of organization they have on The Kill Zone (Corleone loved that name!), where each member of the team blogs on a specific day. Share the middle grade love, so to speak.

"Okay, Michael," he said. "You get down to business. Just make sure these are people you can trust. You know, once you open things up outside the famiglia..."

He bit into his tomato.

I told him I hoped to be up and running by May.

"Good month," he said.

So, if you're a middle grade writer in any shape or form, and would like to hang out, shoot me a line. Let's see if we can't start a firestorm of our own. Spread the word!

12 comments:

  1. Belle cose, Michele!
    Great things, Michael. Great things coming ahead.
    Now, if you need more Italian words, I'm your girl/woman. Dall'Italia. From Italy!
    Ciao da Port Orford.
    Goodbye from Port Orford.

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  2. Oh man! You're from Italy?! We are meant to blog together, rosaria. I will be asking you all sorts of things Italian, trust me!

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  3. Wow... Sometimes I feel I am barely hanging on for the ride. Proud, as usual, to be a fellow critique group member. Cheers!

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  4. Good luck!! And love the post, SO funny.

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  5. Of course I'll join Michael. Great idea!!

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  6. ooo this is exciting
    I'm just a groupie
    ..no wire..I promise

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  7. I write in that lesser stepchild that is in between MG and picture books (Think Ready Freddy or Junie B. Jones level) but I'd love to start a mafia with you anyway. I am going to kohls right now and buying a track suit.

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  8. Iz think you're funny. So Iz wants to follow ya. K? I'm in, firestorm and all, I write MG and picture books. Let's do this. Gotta thank MacNish for puttin' me onto youze.

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  9. hi mr michael! im not a mg writer. well i didnt ever do a mg story yet but im gonna some day. i write for more younger kids. but for sure im a mg reader cause im 11 years old and thats mostly the stuff i read. im not from italy and didnt ever go there and dont talk italian cept i can say how are you, good and wheres the bathroom. ha ha. is that enough for being in your mg mafioso?
    ...smiles and laughs from lenny

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  10. I'm not one of the Middle Grade club so I guess I'm never going to make it in the Mafia, even if I tried. But I wish you well with the new project. And if the Don has any influence in the adult fiction world you could tell him I'm a friend!

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  11. Michael, how did you become involved in this project? What are your goals?

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Youse got something to say? Well, say it then. (The Don and I will shoot you... a personal reply, that is. But if we can't find your e-mail, we'll just reply in the comment box.)