Gina Ruiz is the only
surviving Nonfiction chair/organizer. Those who came before her
perished in the flames of the Dark Arts…well okay they didn’t PERISH,
they just kinda disappeared and didn’t wanna be a DADA person anymore (I
think). Gina’s survived because she’s too mean and wicked to let the
Dark Arts that is a Nonfiction panel nor its inferiority complex get to
her. This year, she and her cohort in the Dark Arts, Jennifer (with
the blessing of the Overlord and other powers that be) have decided to
split up the
categories in Nonfiction to be Young Adult Nonfiction and
Elementary/Middle Grade Nonfiction. She, like Jennifer thinks it makes
sense, but worries about panelists not wanting to sit on this fabulous
judging panel (which would be a HUGE mistake since Nonfiction is
terribly fun). *Glares in the general direction of all those bloggers
rushing pell mell towards Speculative Fiction (sorry Sheila).
Besides stirring up trouble in the Dark Arts, Gina writes a lot in a
non-kidlit genre, has had the temerity to apply for a PEN Fellowship,
has a story or two in an upcoming anthology due out in the Autumn and is
working on a novel that requires far more research than she wants to
talk about. She blogs about books, poetry, graphic novels and food – not
all in one place. Occasionally, she writes about phones and techy
stuff, but her first love is Children’s Literature, so the Cybils owns
her soul.
She’s been with the Cybils since it began and sings its glorious praises all
year long, especially on Twitter and Facebook, since in addition to her
DADA duties, she is also the Social Media person.