Today I’m excited to let you all know that I’ve been selected as a first round judge for Nerds Heart YA 2011(!) For those of you who aren’t familiar with Nerds Heart YA, it’s a bracket style competition started by Renay in 2009 to showcase excellent YA titles from the past year that have gotten less publicity in the blogosphere.

The focus of NHYA continues to be about diversity and the lists this year will consist of books that:

• Were published in 2010
• Have received minimum press on blogs
• Feature characters, or are penned by authors, who fall within the following categories:
  

  • Person(s) of Color (POC)
  • GLBT
  • Disability
  • Mental Illness
  • Religious Lifestyle
  • Lower Socioeconomic Status
  • Plus-size

Go here for more info on criteria and to nominate your favorite under-the-radar books of 2010. Nominations are open until March 7th.