Apologies and a winner!

1. There is no inspiration today. This is mainly because I am full of overwhelmedness and not inspiration. It is also because I decided that while you could write me an awesome YA about this, the Google searchers it would bring would not be Two of a Kind customers. Much like those who come here daily searching for "scurvid curs."

2. My personal state of unmotivated couchpotatoness aside, the judges have read and conferred and have decided the winner of the Worst First Line of a Picture Book Ever contest. It was hard, but in the end, we had to go with one that was:
a. clearly from a picture book and nothing longer,
b. both inappropriate for children and hard for them to read,
& c. made Thor snork.

Thus, our winner is the fabulous and hilarious Ruth McNally Barshaw, whose terrible picture book will begin thusly:

If you ever fought with your sister, lied about something, picked your nose or wet your pants, you will eventually discover the ugly truth: Parents divorce mostly because of their kids.

Ruth is the author of the lovely Ellie McDoodle books, which you should check out. She also has a great sketch journal of kidlit authors and illustrators over at her site, which is much fun. I once gave a talk with Ruth and spent the whole time the third person was talking watching Ruth sketch and wondering what she'd make of me. Also, she gave a drawing workshop for kids here in Ann Arbor last summer and now Tinkerbell loves her too. So, all in all, a good woman.

Ruth will have her choice from amongst several prizes, including a "Books! I need more books!" pin, a pocket reading journal, and the aforementioned autographed copy of Magic Johnson's autobiography. Ruth, email me to discuss. And thank you all for coming to Jacqui's Room.