 |
|
 Enter to win one of three copies of Sideshow: Ten Original Tales of Freaks, Illusionists, and Other Matters Odd and Magical, edited by Deborah Noyes (Candlewick, July 14, 2009)! From the promotional copy:
Molly is a bearded girl who joins the circus, only to find that her former tormentor faces a far hairier plight. Tia claims that her lamented mom is a three-thousand-year-old mummy, but is it really an act? Cody sets out to foil a pop psychic, but the shocking result is not what he planned for. And Tiffany’s grandma sees something wild in her future, but is the girl prepared for the powerful shape it will take?
Whether the sideshow touts a two-headed rat or a turn-of-the-century American jargo, whether the subject discovers an odd kind of miracle or learns that the real freaks are outside the tent, these stories and graphic tales are by turns humorous and insightful, edgy and eerie, but always compulsively entertaining. Freaks, magicians, psychics, and the passing strange take center stage in ten original tales by top YA authors and graphic novelists.
Note: the collection includes my short story, "Cat Calls," which is set in the Tantalize/Eternal universe and features new characters!
Here's the whole list of contributors:
One copy will be reserved for a teacher, librarian and/or university professor of children's-YA literature, and the other two will go to any Cynsations readers! To enter, email me (scroll and click envelope) with your name and snail/street mail address and type "Sideshow" in the subject line. Deadline: July 31! Reminder: teachers, librarians, and professors should indicate themselves as such in their entries! Read a Cynsations interview with Deborah.  Enter to win one of five author-signed copies of The Day-Glo Brothers: The True Story of Bob and Joe Switzer's Bright Ideas and Brand-New Colors, illustrated by Tony Persiani (Charlesbridge, 2009)! From the promotional copy: Joe and Bob Switzer were very different brothers. Bob was a studious planner who wanted to grow up to be a doctor. Joe dreamed of making his fortune in show business and loved magic tricks and problem-solving. When an accident left Bob recovering in a darkened basement, the brothers began experimenting with ultraviolet light and fluorescent paints. Together they invented a whole new kind of color, one that glows with an extra-special intensity—Day-Glo.Three copies are reserved for teachers, librarians, and/or university professors of education, library science, and/or youth literature! (Please indicate title and affiliation). Two copies are reserved for any Cynsations readers! To enter, email me (scroll and click envelope) with your name and snail/street mail address and type "Day-Glo Brothers" in the subject line. Deadline: July 31! Reminder: teachers, librarians, and professors should indicate themselves as such in their entries! Read a Cynsations interview with Chris. Cynsations Giveaway Winners The winner of Lovestruck Summer by Melissa Walker (Harper, 2009) is Olivia in Connecticut. Brent in Maine won an ARC of Wake by Lisa McMann (Simon Pulse, 2008). Mary in Illinois won an ARC of Wondrous Strange by Lesley Livingston (HarperCollins, 2008). Kelly in California won an ARC of Deadly Little Secret by Laurie Faria Stolarz (Hyperion, 2008). Read Cynsations interviews with Lisa, Lesley, and Laurie. The winner of the Eternal T-shirt is Beth in Oklahoma. She chose the "I HEART My Guardian Angel" design in blue. Read a Cynsations interview with Gene Brenek on the Tantalize and Eternal designs. The Janni Lee Simner Prize Package included a bookplate-autographed copy of the new release, Bones of Faerie (Random House, 2009), and traditionally autographed copies of both Secret of the Three Treasures (Holiday House, 2006)(hard copy) and Gothic! Ten Original Dark Tales, edited by Deborah Noyes (Candlewick, 2006)(paperback). Note: Gothic includes Janni's short story "Stone Tower." The winner was Katie in Washington. Read a Cynsations interview with Janni. More News R.A. Nelson Books: official site of the author of Teach Me (Razorbill, 2005), Breathe My Name (Razorbill, 2007), and Days of Little Texas (Knopf, July 2009). Peek: "Before becoming a writer, I wanted to be an astronaut, an NBA star, a time traveler, a colonist on the N. American continent somewhere between the years 1589-1720, and a general all-around explorer." See also his blog, R.A. Nelson Books. Read a Cynsations interview with R.A. Nelson. Polite Communication from BookEnds, LLC - A Literary Agency. Peek: "It amazes me sometimes how often I'll have to call or email a single editor to get an answer to one question or how often I wonder if an editor has died and maybe, just maybe no one told me." Source: Nathan Bransford - Literary Agent. Number of times so far an author this year has, in all sincerity, asked if I knew whether his/her editor had died: twice. Should You Self-Publish? from J.A. Konrath at A Newbie's Guide to Publishing. Peek: "I would avoid print self-pubbing if you someday want a traditional book deal, because numbers follow you. If you get an ISBN, that number is trackable, and so are the sales associated with it." Source: Nathan Bransford - Literary Agent. Power of Writing Things Down by Kristi Holl at Writer's First Aid. Peek: "The days I keep track and write down what I accomplish are days when I write more and accomplish more." Working in Children's Books and the Recession of 2008-09 (January 2009/Revised June 2009) by Harold Underdown from The Purple Crayon Blog. Peek: "In spite of all their growth, sales of ebooks in 2008 amounted to about 1/3 of the sales of audiobooks—something over $100 million compared to something over $300 million." Read a Cynsations interview with Harold.  Reminder: the 2009 Annual Conference of the American Library Association will take place in Chicago from July 9 to July 15, 2009 at McCormick Place West. Highlights will include: "Nonfiction Book Blast: Booktalks for Reluctant Readers" from 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. July 12 at Convention Center Room W181. Peek: "Despite the emphasis on fiction for leisure reading in schools, many reluctant readers are often more drawn to reading nonfiction. Expand your nonfiction repertoire as 17 authors booktalk their latest work." Moderator: Sharon Mitchell, Library Media Specialist. Speakers: Lisa Rondinelli Albert; Mary Bowman-Kruhm; Laura Crawford; Jeri Chase Ferris; Kelly Milner Halls; Amy S. Hansen; Gwendolyn Hooks; Katherine L. House; Patricia K. Kummer; Suzanne Lieurance; JoAnn Early Macken; Carla Killough McClafferty; Wendie Old; April Pulley Sayre; Anastasia Suen; Christine Taylor-Butler; Rebecca Hogue Wojahn and Donald Wojahn. Delacorte authors offer crash course in writing for a young audience by Katherine Tanney from the Austin American-Statesman. Peek: "At BookPeople on June 13, the quintet known as the Delacorte Dames and Dude gave a panel discussion moderated by Sarah Bird. The DDD — Shana Burg, April Lurie, Varian Johnson, Jennifer Ziegler and Margo Rabb — write novels for the young adult market (all for the same publisher) and also meet monthly to share information and writerly support." VCFA Symposium on Good & Evil will be on July 18. Guests will be Deborah Noyes, Nancy Werlin, and editor Stephen Roxburgh. Nancy Werlin will lecture and read from Impossible (Dial, 2008) and Deborah Noyes will lecture and read from The Ghosts of Kerfol (Candlewick, 2008). "Other events will include a writing challenge, breakout groups, book signings, and a reception. All are welcome to join faculty, students, and alumni for this day-long conference." See more information. Read Cynsations interviews with Deborah, Nancy, and Stephen. Coincidence by Brian Yansky from Brian's Blog: Random thoughts on the art and craft of fiction writing. Peek: "Avoiding coincidence completely because you're trying to make your story 'real' sacrifices too many possibilities." See also Sheepdog and Writing. Read a Cynsations interview with Brian.  Fab YA Authors on Their Favorite Queer-Themed Books from Emily at BookKids (see parts three and four). Top 10 Ways to Fight Writer's Block by Stephanie Burgis from 2010: A Book Odyssey. Peek: " Julia Cameron is one of the best writers on creativity I know, and she suggests that every artist (of any type) should take time once a week to go out for an hour by themselves and do something that they find personally stimulating, whether that means visiting an art gallery or a stationery shop or a football game." Doctor! Doctor! from Helen Hemphill at Through the Tollbooth. Peek: "This week I want to talk about the role of the freelance editor, or book doctor. Is there a difference?" Note: the first in a week-long series that includes interviews with freelance editor Deborah Brodie and agents Emily van Beek of Pippin Properties and Erin Murphy of Erin Murphy Literary Agency. Note: congratulations to Helen on signing with Erin Murphy Literary Agency, and congratulations to Erin on signing with Helen! Pre-Editing (Or, My Thoughts on Hiring Freelance Developmental Editors Pre-Submission) by Moonrat at Editorial Ass. Peek: "My esteemed interlocutor, however, did not realize I was bragging! Instead, she said something that shook me from buttons to boots: 'Oh wow, you guys edit over there? That's nice--I always used to enjoy editing. We don't have time, so we can only really buy books that are pretty much ready for production.'" Crit Groups: Face to Face, or Online, Which is Best? by Kate Fall from Author2Author. Peek: "I have two crit groups: one in person and one online. Which is better? Well, it depends." Marvelous Marketer: Mary Kate Castellani (an associated editor at Walker Books for Young Readers) from Shelli at Market My Words: Rantings and ravings on how authors can better market their books to kids. Peek: "It's not essential that a writer has a web site at the time of acquisition, but it's always a bonus to be able to say that an author has already created a web site—especially because it's a tool we'd want them to have at their disposal in the future." Ask the Author from Melissa Stewart at I.N.K.: Interesting Nonfiction for Kids. The question from Melody is: "How closely do you need to connect with your subject matter to write about it? Do you need to be female to write about amazing women? An environmentalist to write about Rachel Carson? Do you lose all your credibility if you're writing about African-Americans and you're not African-American?" Responding authors are Susan E. Goodman, Gretchen Wolfe, and Rosalyn Schanzer. See also More Ask the Author from Melissa as AMD asks: "What advice do you have for writers interested in breaking into this field?" Includes answers from Barbara Kerley and Vicki Cobb.  Beyond the Book: Confetti Girl by Diana Lόpez by editor Alvina Ling at Blue Rose Girls. Peek: "As soon as I finished reading the first draft of Confetti Girl (Little, Brown, 2009), I knew I wanted to marry it. Sure, I wanted to work with the author to make the novel even better, but the great thing about marrying a novel as opposed to a person is that you truly can make changes (a person might not be as open to changing!)." Read a Cynsations interview with Diana. Finding My Character's Character by Jennifer Brown from Kidlit Central News. Peek: "Of all the pre-writing I do before starting a new big project, character sketching is one of the most important for me. I just can't sit down to write my character's story until I feel a really know who my character is. But I've found that filling out the same tried-and-true character questionnaire gets old..." Robin Hood - Bold Outlaw of Barnsdale and Sherwood: Allen W. Wright's educational site features articles on Robin Hood, including interviews with children's authors such as Jane Yolen, Theresa Tomlinson, and Michael Cadnum. Interview - Literary Agent Anna Webman from Suzette Saxton at QueryTracker.net. Peek: "Yes! I do absolutely think great YA can be done without being edgy." See also Ten Mistakes Writers Don’t See (But Can Easily Fix When They Do). Check out this sneak peek book trailer for My Papa Diego and Me / Mi papá Diego y yo by Guadalupe Rivera Marín and featuring artwork by her father, Diego Rivera, coming in Sept. 2009 from Children's Book Press. Note: trailer also features Dana Goldberg, executive editor of Children's Book Press; Susan McConnell, director of children's sales for PGW, and David Ouimet, national accounts director for PGW. KT the Magnificent: An Interview with Kathleen T. Horning: Kathleen T. Horning is is one of the most influential librarians you'll ever meet—and one of the kindest by Nina Lindsay from School Library Journal. Peek: "We estimated there were about 2,500 new books published for children that year—and of those, only 18 were by African-American authors and illustrators. We were so shocked by that number that we published it in the introduction to CCBC Choices for that year. That had a real impact..." Alex Flinn, Young Adult Author: a totally newly revamped website from the author of such recent books as Beastly (HarperCollins, 2007) and A Kiss in Time (HarperCollins, 2009). Read a Cynsations interview with Alex. 2k9 Celebrate Summer Giveaway: enter to win a prize package of 12 middle grade and YA novels from Class of 2K9. To enter, comment here by midnight July 14. Source: Megan Crewe.  NRT: Suzanne Crowley Interview + Contest by Lauren from Shooting Stars Mag. Peek: "I would say The Stolen One (Greenwillow, 2009) is a young adult historical romance with a bit of intrigue and mystery. The romance is not dominant as in a traditional romance. In fact, Kat has three love interests to choose from." Note: U.S. and Canadian readers may enter to win a copy of The Stolen One and a box of Godiva Chocolate by commenting by July 13. Read a Cynsations interview with Suzanne about the novel. "Beating the Jealous Bug" by Jan Fields from Writer's Support Room - Work Habits from the Institute of Children's Literature. Peek: "The first time the Jealous Bug bit me was when I saw writers who I knew had fewer years in their craft landing book contracts while my picture book was making it to acquisition meetings but no further. Part of me wanted to roar, 'Why not me?'" Journal Through the Summer by Kristi Holl from Writer's First Aid. Peek: "For a variety of reasons, writers often have difficulty writing during the summer. Your children may be out of school and underfoot, or you may have a house full of company. You may have trips and vacations planned." When to Query, that is the question... from Emily Marshall at Author2Author. Peek: "What is Querying Fever, you ask. if medical dictionaries (or even Urban Dictionary) were cool enough to recognize this disease, it would be described as 'the constant itch and desire to send query letters too early'." Meet Chris Eboch Interview with Haunted's Chris Eboch by Joni Sensel from The Spectacle. Peek: "I try to be an open-minded skeptic, and that comes through in the books. My message is: don't believe everything you are told, but don’t assume things can't be true. Investigate, and make decisions for yourself." "The Main Elements of Story: Plot, Character, Setting, and Theme" with National SCBWI Speaker Chris Eboch sponsored by Austin SCBWI is scheduled for Oct. 10. Registration information will be posted on the Austin SCBWI website this week. Attendees will receive a $10 discount when registering for the local January 2010 conference. Seating is limited. Registration opens July 6. Note: Austin SCBWI events often sell out. From the author site: Chris has a new series, Haunted, debuting August 2009 [from Simon & Schuster/Aladdin] with two books: The Ghost on the Stairs and The Riverboat Phantom. Highlights of the WeekThe Writer's League of Texas hosted is 2009 Agents Conference from June 26 to June 20 at the Austin Sheraton Hotel.  YA authors Varian Johnson and April Lurie chat with attendees after their panel. Read Cynsations interviews with Varian and April.  Greg and I didn't officially participate in this year's conference, but we stopped by to meet Julie Schoerke of JSK Communications and Keen Literary. Note: sorry, the light at the hotel was a bit funky. Read a Cynsations interview with Julie.  Julie first came onto our radar when she did an enormously successful publicity campaign for author Helen Hemphill (above). Read a Cynsations interview with Helen.  Austin YA author Jessica Lee Anderson and children's author Debbie Gonzales. Read Cynsations interviews with Jessica and Debbie.  Later, we went to dinner at Threadgill's South Austin with YA author Jennifer Ziegler, tween author Shana Burg, and Varian. Shana had brought a copy of the most recent Random House catalog. Read Cynsations interviews with Jennifer and Shana.  Varian shows off the page for his upcoming YA novel, Saving Maddie (Delacorte, 2010).  Jennifer shows off the page for her upcoming paperback release of How Not To Be Popular (Delacorte, 2010). In other news, I recently had the honor of judging the Ann Arbor District Library 2009 IT'S ALL WRITE! Short Story Contest for middle/high school students!  The contest is held in conjunction with the Ann Arbor Book Festival, and awards and publication "were made possible through a grant from the Friends of the Ann Arbor District Library. Judges also included Janet Lee Carey, John Coy, S.A. Harazin, Michael Harmon, Tanya Lee Stone, and Laura Wiess. Gary D. Schmidt was the awards ceremony speaker. Congratulations to the young writers! Thanks to contest coordinators Vicki Browne and Shirley Coleman!
Post A Comment | Add to Memories | Tell a Friend | Link
|
|
 Chris Barton on Chris Barton: "Of all the cities where I could have stumbled into the world of children's literature, I couldn't have done it in a better place than Austin, Texas.
"A native Texan who gravitated to Austin for college and have been here most of the time ever since, I'm surrounded by a freakishly talented local bunch of children's authors and illustrators. I'm glad they've let me hang around.
"I alternate between writing fiction and nonfiction -- when doing the former, I often long for the certainty and structure that come with established fact, and when doing the latter, I sometimes wish for the freedom to just make stuff up.
"As for established facts that may seem made up but are, indeed, true, I would like to add that the first concert I attended featured both The Oak Ridge Boys and the Commodores, I once interned for Sassy magazine, and I had the experience of losing two wheels while driving a moving truck down I-20 just west of Pelahatchie, Mississippi. You may proceed with your questions."
What led you to write for young readers?
Fire safety. When my older son was a toddler, I installed a smoke detector, and he asked me to tell him over and over the story of how I'd done that, complete with drill sounds and alarm sounds. One day, it hit me that if I could make him happy with that story, there were probably other stories I could tell, and more kids that I could share them with.
Up until then, I'd spent several years adrift as a writer, not knowing what I wanted to write or for which audience or in which medium. That smoke detector was a great investment.
Could you tell us about your path to publication? Any sprints or stumbles along the way?
I started writing stories for children around the end of 2000 and almost immediately began shopping these lousy manuscripts to agents. Obviously, I was impatient, but I've learned a whole lot about patience in the years since. Real life has intervened along the way in ways both positive and negative, both for me and for some of the people I've worked with--births, deaths, moves, layoffs.
Some of the more significant milestones have been joining the Austin chapter of SCBWI in 2001, selling The Day-Glo Brothers in 2004, starting my blog [Bartography] and signing with my agent in 2005, selling three books in the spring of 2007, and enjoying what's happening right now--at long last--with the publication of my first book.
Looking back on your apprenticeship, what was most helpful to you in developing your craft?
Just showing up. Showing up at my desk most days at 5 a.m. to write or do writing-related work, and spending most of my lunch hours the same way, and often my evenings, too. Showing up for critique group meetings, whether in person or online, so that my writing can benefit directly from what my partners have to say and indirectly from what I learn by considering their work. Showing up for conferences and workshops, in equal parts for what I learn about writing and publishing and for the camaraderie with the friends I make and catch up with there. And showing up at the library to swap out another stack of books.
 Congratulations on the publication of your debut book, The Day-Glo Brothers: The True Story of Bob and Joe Switzer's Bright Ideas and Brand-New Colors, illustrated by Tony Persiani (Charlesbridge, 2009)! Could you tell us about it?
Well, you know those fluorescent oranges and yellows and greens that you see every day on traffic cones, safety vests, highlighters, and so on?
Until about 70 years ago, those colors didn't even exist. The Day-Glo Brothers is the story of the guys who invented those colors while they were in their teens and 20s back during the Depression and World War II.
It all started with a magic act and an accident at the ketchup factory...
What was your initial inspiration for writing this book?
In August 1997, I saw The New York Times obituary for "Robert Switzer, Co-Inventor Of Day-Glo Paint." Up until that moment, I had never wondered where those fluorescent oranges, yellows, and greens came from, even though I had seen them my entire life. It hadn't occurred to me that those colors had been invented or that there had been a time when they didn't exist or that there was a particular name for the glow they give off: daylight fluorescence.
But once I read that obituary, I couldn't stop thinking about Day-Glo colors and their origins and the brothers who created them. The Switzers' story stuck with me.
And it's a good thing that it did, because at that time, I wasn't thinking about writing their story or any other story for young readers.
What was the timeline between spark and publication, and what were the major events along the way?
It occurred to me in the spring of 2001 that a picture book about the invention of Day-Glo colors, using those actual colors in the art, could be really, really cool. So, I got in touch with members of the Switzer family and began my research, and that fall, I began shopping a ridiculously long version of the manuscript around to publishing houses.
Robbie Mayes, then an editor at Farrar Straus & Giroux, helpfully suggested that it would be tough sledding for a 6,000-plus-word picture book, but even after I cut the length by about two-thirds, even after 23 submissions, I still couldn't find an editor who saw what I saw in this story.
Austin librarian extraordinaire Jeanette Larson could see it, though, and she put me in touch with Charlesbridge editor Yolanda Leroy (editor interview) in early 2004. Yolanda got it immediately. Charlesbridge bought the book that year.
And the single best thing that happened was art director Susan Sherman getting Tony Persiani to illustrate the book. Tony's style is perfect for the period when the story takes place, and for humorously balancing out a text that includes phrases like "uranine or anthracene," and for allowing the spot placement of those Day-Glo colors that do indeed look really, really cool.
What were the challenges (literary, research, psychological, and logistical) in bringing it to life?
There were four big ones.
First, Bob and Joe Switzer were true collaborators, but Bob lived a long life and recorded a lot of his recollections of their work while Joe died relatively young without documenting his contributions in a way that would have been helpful to folks like me. So, one challenge was making sure that the story I told didn't reflect that imbalance in the source material. My interviews with Joe's first wife and with Bob and Joe's younger brother helped me get a clear sense of who Joe was and what he had brought to the partnership.
Another problem was that I liked Bob and Joe so much and found them so fascinating that I wanted to include everything about them--that's how a picture book gets to be 6,200 words long. It took some doing to narrow my focus down to just the fascinating parts of their story that relate most directly to their development of Day-Glo colors.
Then there was the science--I had managed to stop the narrative cold, not once but twice, with explanations of how regular fluorescence and daylight fluorescence work. Yolanda and I whittled the main text down to what was absolutely essential and moved the more detailed explanations to the back of the book, and Charlesbridge put together a terrific online animation to reinforce that.
Finally, there was the use of color itself. In four-color printing, if your three non-black colors are daylight fluorescent orange, yellow and green, and those colors weren't invented until the latter part of the story, what do you show in the pages that come before?
The folks at Charlesbridge came up with a fantastic solution--start the story in black and white, and then start using those Day-Glo colors sparingly and at partial strength, and increase their strength and presence as the story moves toward its climax.
One of the best experiences I had with this project was sitting with Yolanda and Susan at the Charlesbridge office, with the pages for this book spread all over a big table as we plotted out, "Okay, we'll try 10% yellow here, and 25% orange here..."
What about children's nonfiction appeals to you?
The wide-openness of possible subjects. There's an endless supply of topics begging to be explored, and an audience that's intensely curious about specific parts of the real world that adults may take for granted.
I also like the challenge of distilling a subject down to what fits into a 32- or 48-page book--it's not a matter of just limiting the word count, but of framing a story in a way that makes sense, of both giving a sense of a complete take on a subject while sparking a reader's interest in seeking out more knowledge about it.
What advice do you have for those interested in writing a picture book biography?
Look at the things that you're already unusually interested in and ask yourself, who was a pioneer in that realm? Who was the best it? Who had a unique approach to it?
That's a person that you're already in a great position to write about.
Also, pick a person that you think can hold your interest for a long time--for eight years, even, because you never know...
What is it like, being a debut author in 2009?
It's satisfying. I'm sure it would have been satisfying for me to have debuted in 2005, or in 2007, but having waited and persevered for so long does make this whole experience a little sweeter, I think. And it's given me time to accumulate more friends and supporters in the world of children's books--editors, bloggers, librarians, other authors, parents of young readers--who are sharing in the excitement with me, and that's making for a fun time.
If you could go back and talk to yourself when you were beginning writer, what advice would you offer?
Be patient. Before you send a manuscript out there to make an impression on your behalf, take all the time you need to get it into great shape. And then cut it some more.
What do you do when you're not writing?
I've got two sons, ages 10 and 5, a wife who, among other things, is very active in Austin's impressive belly-dancing community, and five hens in my back yard--all of whom I enjoy spending time with.
I'm good for occasionally making a massive batch of chili or red beans and rice or Hopkins County Stew.
And ever since my younger son expressed his concern a few years ago that "all the musicians are dying" because of my fondness for performers who had long since unplugged from this mortal coil, I've been making a concerted effort to expand my musical tastes and keep current with recordings being made today by artists who are, in fact, not dead.
As a reader, so far what is your favorite children's/YA book of the year and why?
 Instead of a favorite individual book, how about my favorite cumulative output by one particular writer? Already this year, Jonah Winter has published picture book biographies of Sandy Koufax, Gertrude Stein, and Gilbert & Sullivan.
[You Never Heard of Sandy Koufax?, illustrated by Andre Carrilho (Random House, 2009); Gertrude is Gertrude is Gertrude, illustrated by Calef Brown (Atheneum, 2009); The Fabulous Feud of Gilbert & Sullivan, illustrated by Richard Egielski (Scholastic, 2009).]
What was that I was saying about the wide-openness of possible subjects?
What can your fans look forward to next?
My second book, the thoroughly un-non-fiction Shark Vs. Train, will be coming out from Little, Brown next April. My illustrator for that is Tom Lichtenheld (Duck! Rabbit! (Chronicle, 2009)), and Tom and I had so much fun collaborating on Shark Vs. Train that I almost hated to see that process come to an end. Almost.
 Anyway, just as many readers have wondered (I hope) what makes Day-Glo work, I'm sure that many others have wondered who would win in a competition between a shark and a train, and I'm glad that Tom and I have been able to shed some light on that.
Cynsational Notes
Don't miss the Charlesbridge supplemental online animation about Day-Glo! See also an interior illustration of the book.
Enter to win one of five author-signed copies of The Day-Glo Brothers: The True Story of Bob and Joe Switzer's Bright Ideas and Brand-New Colors, illustrated by Tony Persiani (Charlesbridge, 2009)! Three copies are reserved for teachers, librarians, and university professors of education, library science, and/or youth literature! (Please indicate title and affiliation). Two copies are reserved for any Cynsations readers! To enter, email me (scroll and click envelope) with your name and snail/street mail address and type "Day-Glo Brothers" in the subject line. Deadline: July 31!
Attention Central Texans: join Chris for his launch party at 1 p.m. July 11 at BookPeople in Austin!
7-Imp's 7 Kicks #121: Featuring Chris Barton and Tony Persiani from Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast. Peek: "I like to think that writing The Day-Glo Brothers—delving into this esoteric topic that I'd never given any thought to, getting more and more fascinated with the subject throughout the process, and then seeing the appeal the story has had for my editor, reviewers, and the kids down the street—makes up for a 20-year-old episode that still gnaws at me."
Post A Comment | Add to Memories | Tell a Friend | Link
|
|
 How do you define artistic success?
In the past, artistic success for me has been work that I am proud of and know that I have done my absolute best with.
But that has been an attitude fraught with dissatisfaction and frustration. There are more times than I like to admit that I look at my past work with twinges of regret.
While flaws due to talent, or rather lack of, are disheartening, they are in a way more acceptable than the ones that cause me to shake my head. If I had only been less distracted, had more time, I think to myself, that book would've have been so much better.
So, always, the goal has been to make a book that epitomizes the best I could possibly do. However, over the years, I have gotten a bit gentler with my ambitions.
I have realized that greatness is not perfection, and in many cases, it is the imperfections that make work great. That, perhaps, the achievement to be proud of is how well the work connects to people.
What makes work wonderful and great is its ability to touch a person, not its ability to impress them. But I also realize that you must still offer your best to do that.
So now, for me, artistic success is work that is the best I could do at the time and has true meaning to both me and the reader.
How do you define professional success?
The short answer to this is: the ability to pay my bills! And, really, that is something that I am most proud of. Even at art school, I had teachers tell me that "you can't make a living on children's books." Well, you can--and I am proof.
That has always been my number one goal, to be able to do what I love for a living; and doing that is a grand professional success for me.
This has always been something I've felt torn about--that sometimes children's book authors/illustrators seem to feel guilty or apologize for earning any money. I suppose it is because the books are for children and our work is seen as either fun or cute. Making books for children is a wonderful job, but it is a job; and we all deserve to be paid for the work we create, as well as be respected.
I'd love to have the admiration of my peers--bestseller lists and awards--of course. But "earning my keep" will always be the first gauge of success for me.
In your own words, could you tell us about your latest book?
 My latest book is the middle-grade novel Where the Mountain Meets the Moon (Little, Brown, 2009). It is an Asian-themed folktale-inspired fantasy where a brave young girl named Minli journeys to change her family's fortune, traveling farther than she ever imagined.
It's a fantasy crossed with Chinese folklore and is printed in full color (unusual for a novel). There are ten full-page illustrations scattered throughout the story [see sample image here] as well as two-color chapter headers.
This book means a lot to me, I think it is the best book I have written and illustrated so far.
It's definitely my best reviewed--so far it has gotten three stars (Kirkus, SLJ, Booklist) and a Parents' Choice Gold Award! I hope that is a good sign!
What can your fans look forward to next?
My next book will be Ling and Ting (Little, Brown, 2010). It is an early reader (which is a format I have been wanted to try for a while) about Chinese-American twins. It is almost the reverse theme of The Year of the Dog (Little, Brown, 2006); using twins, I am trying to show, how even when people look the same, they can be different.
After that, I have a picture book on the Moon Festival and a picture book set in Beijing.
In the meantime, I have starting preliminary drafts for a novel that may become Summer of the Pig to take place in between my past novels The Year of the Dog (Little, Brown, 2006) and the Year of the Rat (Little, Brown, 2008). That may or may not end up working out, but I will hope!
Cynsational Notes
Stop by Grace's launch party today at the official website for Where the Mountain Meets the Moon and at facebook!
Every month, one of Grace's original paintings goes on auction for charity at www.smallgrace.org.
Post A Comment | Add to Memories | Tell a Friend | Link
|
|
 Ammi-Joan Paquette is known as a bit of a globe-trotter. She spent much of her early years in France, then traveled throughout Europe and to Japan before settling down with her family just outside of Boston.
Her first published picture book is The Tiptoe Guide to Tracking Fairies, illustrated by Christa Unzner (Tanglewood Press, 2009).
She is also an associate agent with the Erin Murphy Literary Agency, where she represents all forms of children's and young adult projects. She only accepts queries via referral or from people she has met at conferences.
What led you to specialize in youth literature? Could you give us a snapshot of your career?
I'm definitely one of those people who has been scribbling stories ever since I can remember. What really started me writing seriously with an eye to get published, though, was when my mom passed away in 2003. She'd always loved writing and had talked about pursuing publication, but never seemed to get to that point where she was ready to take the plunge.
After her death, I started writing about her--words poured out of me, more emotion than
substance, very raw and stark, but so shockingly real. This was the kick-start that got my writing engine roaring again.
The other thing that inspired me to take my writing to the next level was the birth and growth of my daughters. They've been my inspiration, a source of ideas, the ones I measure everything against. They are my reason for doing what I do and a perpetual yardstick for checking my progress.
I can't say how many times I've been exchanging silliness with one of them and have had to stop and scribble down a picture book idea or how often one of our storytimes has sparked the plot for a new novel. I can't imagine what my writing would be without their inspiration!
Now that they are getting older, it's very satisfying to see their reactions to what I write. They're both my greatest encouragement and my toughest critics!
Could you tell us about your path to publication, any bumps or stumbles along the way?
Oh, yes. I've had bumps and stumbles galore. No easy, paved road for me!
On the other hand, I've been blessed to have enough small successes on the way to keep me striving for the bigger goals that always seem just out of reach.
The road to publication is long and winding, and while it's different for each person, I think at some point every writer has to just resolve to enjoy the ride, no matter how long or crazy the road gets.
I've definitely had my share of rejections, and one of the biggest things I'm still learning is to make every project really stand out. I must have rewritten every one of my manuscripts at least half a dozen times.
And then, just when I think it's really "there," I have to go back and rewrite it again. Trim, tighten, clarify. Every project is a work in progress, right up until it goes off to the printer.
I think that is what defines, in the end, the truly successful authors: they are willing to keep chipping away for as long as it takes until that project is right.
Congratulations on The Tiptoe Guide to Tracking Fairies (Tanglewood, 2009)! In your own words, could you tell us about the book?
This is a very special book to mark my debut as a children's author because it has a personal significance for me. It was inspired by a real event with my then five- and seven-year-old daughters. They were not big nature walkers, so I would often make up stories or activities to pass the time while we were out.
One day, I was inspired by this idea of going on a fairy-tracking adventure. We went for a walk in our nearby nature preserve, and I carried along a notepad where I scribbled down ideas of things we saw, and we spontaneously talked about all the "clues" we were seeing. That was when the idea for the book started to take root.
When I got home, I typed up my notes, which were the core of what would become The Tiptoe Guide to Tracking Fairies. It was fun to recently come across the photos I took on that first nature walk and to see many of the same scenes that are now illustrated in the book reflected in my pictures!
What was the timeline from spark to publication, and what were the major events along the way?
The original fairy-tracking adventure took place in the summer of 2004. I revised and rewrote the manuscript off and on throughout the next year, then began sending out a few submissions.
In the summer of 2005, I read an article about Tanglewood Press. Though they are a small publisher, they have a great, widespread distribution system, and their books are top-quality. I decided to give them a try. I sent my baby off and didn't hear anything for a long time.
About a year later, after nearly forgetting about this submission, I suddenly received a phone call: Was "Tracking Fairies" still available?
And so the process began. From there, it took many months to work out the contract details, and still longer for me to get it through my head that: Yes! This was real!
But now that I'm holding the wonderful finished product in my hands, I can truthfully say--it was the best journey I ever undertook.
What were challenges (literary, research, psychological, logistical) in bringing the book to life?
From the start this was a very conceptual book. At one session with my critique group, before hearing back from Tanglewood, we discussed my manuscript. There were a lot of differing opinions about it and suggested directions I could take to improve it.
One person felt I should add more detail and make it more of a "real field guide." Another person thought it would do best as a chapter book with more of a main character and specific events happening, and so on.
In the end, I decided to wait to hear back before taking any further action, and of course, the best revisions are ones you do hand-in-hand with your editor, because you know you're working toward a specific goal and that the person who shares your vision is also the one who is going to bring it to life as a Real Book. And in this case, my editor ended up loving it much as it was. But I was impressed by this experience to realize that any given book can be spun off in any number of ways and has the potential to become many different creations.
The magic comes in discovering what we truly want this story to be and coaxing that dream out of the words we are crafting.
When I spoke with my editor about revisions after signing the contract, she summarized her main points and then told me, "You know, what really hooked me was that line in your query letter where you talked about 'seeing the world through fairy-tinted glasses.'"
In the end, despite any lacks or needs in my manuscript, the core idea--a line in my query letter, no less!--had struck magic with her. She shared my vision of a book that would bring the natural world alive for children in a completely unique and magical way. All the rest was negotiable.
You also wear another hat--you're a new literary agent! How did this evolve?
Yes, this is a new venture for me, and I'm very excited about it!
I signed with my own agent, Erin Murphy, in 2008. I've always been the kind of person who accomplishes more when I have a lot of different things going on. I had been working a day job in educational publishing, and when my company got downsized early this year, I started thinking about other ways to fill my time.
Agenting was something I had long considered but without a viable plan of how I might actually do it. Through one thing and another, I started discussing the idea with Erin, and before I knew it, things were in motion.
It's now been about three months since I officially began working as an agent. I have a small core of fabulous clients, and a couple weeks ago, I was very excited to make my first sale, a three-book deal for a hilarious middle grade fantasy series. Look out for Elliot and the Goblin War by Jennifer Nielsen from Sourcebooks in 2010!
Why did you want to become an agent specifically?
To me, being an agent is like conducting a perpetual treasure hunt. My clients send me their wonderful manuscripts. My job is to look at all aspects of their projects and the market, follow the clues of concept, style and interest, and match each project up with the right editor who will fall madly in love.
It's exciting, it's busy, there's tons going on every second, and my to-do list changes every day. I absolutely adore it, and I'm so grateful to all the wonderful folks who have made my transition so smooth and easy!
What sort of manuscripts are you looking for?
At this point, I'm really interested in projects that go all across the board. There's no genre that I'm specifically closed to.
Because I am balancing my time as an agent with my own writing, however, I'm most concerned about keeping a very small and select list. So I find myself being particularly picky and only signing with a client if I feel utterly passionate about his or her work.
Believe it or not, this is one of the hardest parts of my job! I love books and stories, and I tend to see potential in many things I read. It's excruciatingly hard to turn some projects down.
This has been an interesting experience for me, being on the other side of the rejection letter and seeing that it is absolutely no easier from this angle.
More globally, what is your attitude/approach toward today's challenging economic market?
In this time, as in any, I firmly believe that great works rise. There is always a need for great literature, and while the challenges might multiply in this sort of economic climate, I think, if anything, it is just a call to all writers to keep crafting and produce your best work.
Write your passion, and it will find its own home.
Would you describe yourself as an "editorial agent," one who comments on manuscripts, or one who concentrates more exclusively on publishing issues?
I think it depends entirely on the project. I've worked with some of my clients quite extensively on their manuscripts. With others, I haven't found any changes necessary at all.
My goal is to have a manuscript that is complete, well-constructed, and able to snare the emotions of the readers. When a project does all those things, it's ready to fly out into the world.
What do you see as the ingredients for a "breakout" book in terms of commercial success, literary acclaim, and/or both?
I know "voice" is something that is frequently brought up for questions such as these, but I really don't know of any better answer. If there is one thing that makes a submission stand out from the rest for me, it's that elusive, larger-than-life quality that we define as "voice."
It's sometimes flowing and beautiful, sometimes quirky, sometimes biting and snarky, but always interesting, original, unique. It's a way of stringing words together that moves them beyond printed words: it puts a face behind the text. It paints a real character in your mind. It brings your words to life.
Beyond that, for commercial success, for literary acclaim--who can say? There are as many formulas and "right" ways of doing things as there are successful and critically-acclaimed writers in the world.
 For me the key, above all else, is to find your own magic. When you flip that switch that brings your work to life, it's like the difference in Pinocchio before and after the visit of the Blue Fairy. You just know that all of a sudden, you're no longer talking to a puppet but a real boy. That's magic--that's passion--that's voice.
Are you accepting unsolicited submissions? What is the best way for a prospective client to get in touch with you?
I really wish I could open my doors to all the wonderful submissions I know are out there--but for me, taking it slow is just a necessity.
I'm very happy to receive submissions from anyone I've met at a conference or referrals from friends of my existing clients or people I know. Beyond that, I'm closed to queries at this time.
Do you have any particular submissions preferences or pet peeves?
I've been surprised at how many people who attach sample chapters from novels send portions from within the text. Always, always send the first chapters in a project rather than some other part. When I get middle chapters, I don't even read them. How can I possibly hope to be interested, when I don't have any idea who the characters are, where they are, or what's going on?
My ideal query is succinct, professional, and has the first 10 pages or so pasted after it in the email. I also like to know what other projects you have completed or in the works, in addition to the one you are querying about.
How much contact will you have with your clients? Emails, phone calls, retreats, listservs?
The bulk of my communication takes place by email, but my clients are free to contact me by phone as needed, and I call them occasionally, too.
We have a listserv for the whole Erin Murphy Literary Agency client list, which is a great way to exchange information and get to know others in the agency. Recently, we have also begun to organize a yearly retreat.
What are your some of your favorite recent children's/YA books and why?
Oh, there are so many good ones!
 I loved the characters and their interactions in The Possibilities of Sainthood by Donna Freitas (FSG, 2008)(author interview). Jellico Road by Melina Marchetta (Harper Teen, 2008) drew me in with its structure and mystery. What I Saw and How I Lied by Judy Blundell (Scholastic, 2008) was dark and riveting. I couldn't put it down.
The voice and wacky premise of Antsy Does Time by Neal Shusterman (Dutton, 2008) kept me laughing to the last page. Audrey, Wait! by Robin Benway (Razorbill, 2008) was funny and sweet and a great read.
And the language in The Underneath by Kathi Appelt (Atheneum, 2008)(author interview) was beautiful and evocative and made me want to hold each word in my mind as long as possible.
What kind of relationship are you looking to build and why?
I'm looking for a close professional relationship of mutual respect and admiration. It's my privilege to already have signed some fabulously talented authors, and it's my goal to see each of them published with the right editor, in the right house, and holding their finished books.
I'm looking to be part of my authors' careers over the long-term, to be there when they have questions or need advice, anything I can do to help them be the best they can be. It's an honor to be in this position, and I'm loving every minute of it.
Cynsational Notes
Listen to an interview with Ammi-Joan from Suzanne Lieurance at Book Bites for Kids on Blog Talk Radio. Peek: "Children's author Ammi-Joan Paquette talks with host Suzanne Lieurance about her new book, The Tiptoe Guide to Tracking Fairies."
Read a Cynsations interview with Erin Murphy on Erin Murphy Literary Agency.
Post A Comment | Add to Memories | Tell a Friend | Link
|
|
 Sydney Salter is the debut author of My Big Nose and Other Natural Disasters (HM Harcourt/Graphia, 2009). From the promotional copy:
It's the end of junior year, and summer is about to begin. The Summer of Passion, to be exact, when Jory Michaels plans to explore all the possibilities of the future--and, with any luck, score a boyfriend in the process.
But Jory has a problem. A big problem. A curvy, honking, bumpy, problem in the form of her Super Schnozz, the one thing standing between Jory and happiness.
And now, with the Summer of Passion stretched before her like an open road, she's determined for Super Schnozz to disappear. Jory takes a job delivering wedding cakes to save up for a nose job at the end of the summer; she even keeps a book filled with magazine cutouts of perfect noses to show the doctor.
But nothing is ever easy for accident-prone Jory--and before she knows it, her Summer of Passion falls apart faster than the delivery van she crashes.
In her hilarious and heartbreaking debut novel, Sydney Salter delivers a story about broadening your horizons, accepting yourself, and finding love right under your nose.
When and where do you write? Why does that time and space work for you?
 Usually, I write at a table in my living room near my bookshelves with a view of my neighborhood. I love all the light and open space.
My workday follows my daughters' school day. That's the ideal.
The reality is that I’ve learned to write anywhere and everywhere.
Last summer I finished a draft of a novel, one chapter a day, by taking my daughters to the bookstore, buying them each a frappuccino, shooing them into the children's section, and asking them not to talk to me for an hour while I wrote in the café.
I have revised in airports and mall food courts. I have written chapters on ferry boats, numerous Starbucks locations, and in my car while waiting for my daughter to finish her guitar lesson.
I have discovered that sometimes a change in scenery—one in which I don't have to look at my dirty dishes while pouring a cup of tea—helps motivate me.
When I'm writing a first draft, I keep track of my daily word count as well as my writing location (just for fun).
How have you approached the task of promoting your debut book?
I don't really feel qualified to answer this question, but that's how most of book promotion has felt to me: absolutely daunting.
Realizing that I had a lot to learn about virtual marketing, I joined online debut author groups. The Class of 2k9 focuses on promoting books to booksellers, librarians, and teachers, but we've become a support group as well. The 2009 Debutantes offers support, but those authors also generously share their marketing savvy. Authors Now is a website that provides visibility for authors and information for the reading community.
I wish I'd gotten involved in online writing communities earlier. Sites like www.verlakay.com are a great networking resource for pre-published and published authors.
I've started blogging (www.mybignose.blogspot.com), but I'm struggling to find the time to post while keeping up with writing, revisions, and promotion.
I wish I'd developed the habit earlier; I might also have developed a larger blog following. And, of course, I'm also busy friending everyone on various social networking sites.
The personal networking I've done over the years has helped tremendously with book promotion. For years I've belonged to local writing groups, and I'm a Regional Advisor for the Society of Children’s Writers & Illustrators (Utah/So. Idaho).
Knowing that speaking is an important part of a writing career, I've always pushed myself out of my comfort zone to accept public speaking opportunities. I worked as a library storytime reader, taught writing at my daughter's school, spoke to local writing groups, and created conference workshops (sometimes researching topics I didn't know much about). Not only did these appearances help me become comfortable with speaking, I've made connections with people who are excited about my upcoming books.
I've found support from so many people. My family members have rallied, sending out email blasts to pre-order my books. My brother has given me pep-talks as well as contacted his friends who have media ties. My sister-in-law has used her teaching connections to help me get speaking engagements in my hometown. My husband is encouraging me to speak at an out-of-state SCBWI conference on his birthday. No one in my family is going to let me ignore book promotion!
Cynsational Notes
The New Voices Series is a celebration of debut authors of 2009. First-timers may also be featured in more traditional author interviews over the course of the year.
Post A Comment | Add to Memories | Tell a Friend | Link
|
|
Check out this book trailer for Fortune's Magic Farm, written by Suzanne Selfors (Little, Brown, 2009).
This past week's new releases of science fiction and fantasy for children and teenagers from Charolotte's Library.
Young Adult Speculative Fiction: Science Fiction and Fantasy from Booklists. Links to bibliographies compiled by librarians across the U.S.
Children's & YA Fantasy Novels highlighted by CynthiaLeitichSmith.com. A selection of recommendations and related resources, including links to author interviews. See also Gothic Fantasy & Suspense for Teens & Tweens. Note: it's really more like Gothic fantasy, suspense, urban fantasy, horror generally, and paranormal romance, but who's counting?
Harry Potter giveaway from Sheila Ruth at Wands and Worlds: Fantasy and science fiction for children and teens. Peek: "Now, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows will finally be released in paperback on July 7, and I've been given four copies of a Harry Potter prize pack to give away here!" Deadline: July 6. See more information.
Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America, Inc.: "SFWA is a non-profit organization of professional writers of science fiction, fantasy, and related genres. Esteemed past and present members include Isaac Asimov, Anne McCaffrey, Ray Bradbury, and Andre Norton."
 Why Does Cover Art Change? by Parker Peevyhouse from The Spectacle: Authors talk about writing speculative fiction for teens and pre-teens. Peek: "The original artwork for a book cover, however awesome it may be, is sometimes scrapped before the book hits stores. There are a number of reasons for this."
Take a peek at excerpts of A Kiss in Time by Alex Flinn and Hunger by Michael Grant, both 2009 releases at HarperTeen. Read a Cynsations interview with Alex about her new release.
Fantasy and Reality by Laurence Yep from the April 1978 issue of The Horn Book Magazine. Peek: "I don't mean to suggest that having a sense of reality is bad. The error lies in treating our sense of reality as absolute rather than relative. Or in assuming that our imagination is inferior to our sense of reality in dealing with our external world."
2 Comments | Post A Comment | Add to Memories | Tell a Friend | Link
|
|
 Q&A With Lee Bantle, Author of David Inside Out (Henry Holt, 2009) from BookKids. Peek: "The voters in California took away the right to gay marriage. In the military, saying you are gay brings on discharge proceedings. We can get married in Dubuque. But not in New York or LA. The world is mixed up. So is David." See also Fab YA Authors on their Favorite Queer-Themed Books (don't miss part two).
Borders Books Supports Gay-Themed Novels by Jeff Rivera at GalleyCat. Peek: "Levithan says surprisingly that 'there is not as much resistance in schools to having gay-themed novels in school libraries.'"
Beach Bag Books from the Horn Book Podcast. Peek: "Roger Sutton and Martha Parravano talk with Kitty Flynn about twelve great new books for summer." See also Preview: July/August 2009 Horn Book Magazine from The Horn Book. Peek: "Our annual ALA Awards issue honors the 2009 winners." Note: the most-read issue of the year includes the ALA winners' speeches. Here's information on subscriptions. Read a Cynsations interview with Roger.
Top 10 Biographies for Youth: 2009 by Ilene Cooper for Booklist. Peek: "This year's top 10 biographies for youth could have been comprised almost entirely of books about Abraham Lincoln and Charles Darwin, but we had to make room for some of the other excellent biographies that were reviewed in Booklist during the past 12 months."
 Congratulations to Texas author Bill Cochran and illustrator Steve Bjorkman on the release of My Parents Are Divorced, My Elbows Have Nicknames, and Other Facts About Me (HarperCollins, 2009)! Peek: "Ted's parents are divorced, but that's just one fact about him. The fact that he has named his elbows Clyde and Carl? Or that Ted walks around with soap in his hair and likes to squawk like a chicken on the phone? Now, that's definitely weird. As shown in this lighthearted yet heartfelt account, life with divorced parents isn't always easy, but above all Ted knows he's loved—and there's nothing weird about that at all." Read a Cynsations interview with Bill. Note: Steve was the illustrator for Santa Knows by Cynthia and Greg Leitich Smith (Dutton/Scholastic Book Club).
Beyond the Basics of Historical Fiction Picture Books by Verla Kay from Verla Kay's Blog. Peek: "Accuracy of all facts is vitally important because children believe what they read in books." Read a Cynsations interview with Verla Kay.
Sense of Place, Sense of Self compiled by Tessa Michaelson from the Cooperative Children's Book Center. Peek: "This bibliography explores fiction for older elementary through high school readers in which the modern-day setting plays a critical role."
The Time Gobbler by Kristi Holl at Writer's First Aid. Peek: "'A good rule of thumb is to spend one hour of Net time for every two hours spent writing. After all, you can't call yourself a writer if you don't write,'" quoting Some Writers Deserve To Starve! by Elaura Niles (Writer's Digest, 2005). See also The Downside of Goal-Setting.
 You Know You're a Debut Author When... by Joy Prebel at Class of 2K9: Debut Middle Grade and Young Adult Authors: Serving up Fresh Fiction. Peek: "You get so good at the Google-stalking thing that you feel a little frightened." A very cute post from a new voice I'm especially excited about. Joy is originally from Chicago and now makes her home in Texas. Learn more about Joy Prebel. Note: for what it's worth, my recommendation is always to focus on writing your next book. A remarkable amount of "noise" out there doesn't matter.
Former UMass professor Julius Lester's collection of photos to be exhibited in Southampton by Diane Lederman from Massachusetts Local News: Breaking News from Western Massachusetts. The exhibit will be at the Robert Floyd Gallery, 2 East St., Southampton through June 30. Hours are from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. June 27 to June 28 and by appointment. Peek: "When asked about his prolific output, Lester said, 'I look back, and I wonder myself.'" But, he said, 'I didn't socialize. I'm very disciplined.' When his children were young, he wrote when they played on the floor by his feet and later mostly at night." Source: Debbie Reese.
10 Ways Twitter Can Help Writers by Debbie Ridpath Ohi from MiG Writers. Peek: "One of the reasons I decided to take Twitter seriously was because I kept hearing about various editors and publishers who were Twittering. And they weren’t just posting promo items; they were also reading posts by other Twitterers and sometimes replying to them."
Post-Conference Follow-Up from Kristi Holl at Writer's First Aid. Peek: "How do you make good use of the notes and information gleaned at a writer’s workshop or conference?"
 Cover Stories: The Chosen One by Carol Lynch Williams from Melissa Walker. Peek: "I was in New York, visiting everyone at St Martin's Press, when my editor and Michael brought what they thought might be the cover for me to see." Read a Cynsations interview with Carol.
Children's Author Toni Buzzeo tours this week at A Patchwork of Books, Katie's Literature Lounge, The Children's Book Review, and Kid Lit. Read a Cynsations interview with Toni.
Why Write? by Carrie Jones at Through the Tollbooth. Peek: "Yet, I think one of the tools at becoming a better writer is understanding the why of why we write. It's not always a simple reason or easy to discover. It's not a set of reasons that applies to everyone." Note: first post in a week-long series. Read a Cynsations interview with Carrie.
Does Listening to an Audio Book Count as Reading? Vote at Nathan Bransford - Literary Agent. Read a Cynsations interview with Nathan.
Congratulations to Heather Brewer on the launch of Tenth Grade Bleeds (The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod, Book 3)(Dutton, 2009)! Peek: "High school can be so draining when you're half-human, half-vampire It's another sucky year at Bathory High for Vladimir Tod. The evil vampire D'Ablo is hunting for the ritual that could steal Vlad's powers. His best friend Henry doesn't want to be his drudge anymore. And as if all that weren't enough, it's getting harder for Vlad to resist feeding on the people around him. When months go by with no word from Uncle Otis and D'Ablo shows up demanding Vlad's father's journal, Vlad realizes that having a normal high school year is the least of his concerns. Vlad needs to act fast, and even his status as the Pravus won't save him this time..."
Projects, Patterns, and Personalities by editor Cheryl Klein at Brooklyn Arden. Peek: "I was looking over the list of my past and upcoming projects, and I realized that a very good chunk of them fit into at least one and sometimes more of these subject categories..." Source: Sara Lewis Holmes at Read, Write, Believe.
 Sequel Anxiety -- Can We Ever Give Readers What They Really Want? by Denise Vega from Teenreads.com Blog. Peek: "My readers love my book! My readers want more! But then the fear creeps in because we know that we can never replicate the experience the reader had, and that’s what they are looking for."
Truth, Interpretation, and the Goals of Nonfiction by Marc Aronson from Nonfiction Matters at School Library Journal. Peek: "Now there is a special challenge with young people. We have to train them in scholarship -- teach them how to separate fact and opinion, how to be creatively suspicious, how to dig deeper, how to find earlier ideas so you don't think you are inventing the new when you are merely repeating the known." Read a Cynsations interview with Marc.
You, Represented By You from Editorial Anonymous. Peek: "...you can submit the work your agent isn't interested in on your own."
What Backstory Can Do for Your Story by Jessica Morrell from Writer's Digest. Peek: "When deciding when and where to use backstory in your work, it can help to think about what you're trying to accomplish within a given scene. To do this, however, you need to understand the many functions of backstory." Source: Children's Book Biz News.
Marvelous Marketer: Tracy Marchini (Literary Assistant, Curtis Brown) from Shelli at Market My Words: Rantings and ravings on how authors can better market their books to kids. Peek: "Networking online is the same as networking in person, so whether you're online or offline, it's important to be a gracious host and an appreciative guest." Read a Cynsations interview with Tracy.
 The 2009 Annual Conference of the American Library Association will take place in Chicago from July 9 to July 15, 2009 at McCormick Place West. Highlights will include: "Nonfiction Book Blast: Booktalks for Reluctant Readers" from 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. July 12 at Convention Center Room W181. Peek: "Despite the emphasis on fiction for leisure reading in schools, many reluctant readers are often more drawn to reading nonfiction. Expand your nonfiction repertoire as 17 authors booktalk their latest work." Moderator: Sharon Mitchell, Library Media Specialist. Speakers: Lisa Rondinelli Albert; Mary Bowman-Kruhm; Laura Crawford; Jeri Chase Ferris; Kelly Milner Halls; Amy S. Hansen; Gwendolyn Hooks; Katherine L. House; Patricia K. Kummer; Suzanne Lieurance; JoAnn Early Macken; Carla Killough McClafferty; Wendie Old; April Pulley Sayre; Anastasia Suen; Christine Taylor-Butler; Rebecca Hogue Wojahn and Donald Wojahn.
Promotional Emails: Do's & Don'ts by Elizabeth Bluemle from Shelftalker: A Children's Bookseller's Blog. Peek: "Do not compare your own book to Harry Potter, The Wind in the Willows, Charlotte's Web, or any other published title, for that matter — especially to claim that it's that book's equal or better."
My Editor and Revision by Brian Yansky at Brian's Blog. Peek: "Even experienced writers, after they have rewritten and rewritten and rewritten a manuscript, will have an editor who makes, often, very good points about how to improve the manuscript. This makes me happy." See also My Fiction Is Stranger Than Truth. Read a Cynsations interview with Brian.
 Writing in the Woods: A Retreat for Writers of Children's and Young Adult Literature. Phyllis Root, Marsha Wilson Chall, and Jane Resh Thomas will be teaching a workshop from Oct. 19 to Oct. 25 at Good Earth Village in Spring Valley, Minnesota. Enrollment limited to 10. Application deadline: Aug. 19. See more information. Read a Cynsations interview with Phyllis.
Why New Novelists Are Kinda Old, or, Hey, Publishing is Slow by John Scalzi from Whatever: Someday Your Tears Will Turn to Diamonds. Peek: "Whenever I hear about a 'new' novelist, they turn out to be in their 30s. Why is that? It seems like you hear about new musicians and actors and other creative people in when they are in their 20s." Source: Children's Book Biz News. Note: The article is centered on the adult market but is still of interest. It used to be that children's-YA authors generally debuted in middle age, but younger writers are now regularly breaking in.
Episode 1: Teens "Speak" Up with Laurie Halse Anderson: a video from the Screening Room at YA Central from Penguin Group USA. Peek: "New York Times bestselling author Laurie Halse Anderson talks about the 10th anniversary of Speak, her latest book Wintergirls (Viking, 2009) and chats with teen readers from the Elisabeth Irwin High School in New York City in this episode of YA Central." See also episodes featuring John Green and Lauren Myracle. Source: Elizabeth O. Dulemba.
Announcing One Shot Southeast Asia from Colleen Mondor at Chasing Ray. Peek: "or those of you not familiar with the One Shot idea, a group of bloggers (and its open to everybody with a blog) all agree to read a book by an author from a certain region or a book set in that region and then blog about it on a specified day."
 Book Launch: The Gifted Series by Marilyn Kaye from Janet S. Fox at Through the Wardrobe. Peek: "Almost all my characters are based on an aspect of people I've known, and sometimes on aspects of myself. Then, I let them evolve in my imagination--they take on characteristics that just seem to emerge naturally from their personalities and situations." Read a Cynsations interview with Janet.
Writing Links from my main website. An extensive listing of links to interviews, articles, and other information about agents, book design & art direction, editors & publishers, education, illustration, promotion, publishing, and writing.
Highlight of the Week
I've already blogged about last Saturday's Austin SCBWI meeting with BookPeople events coordinators Mandy Brooks (in the BP T-shirt) and Alison Nihlean (in glasses). Here's just another peek at our speakers with RA Tim Crow. Note: you can find books--many autographed--by local Austin authors at the store. Look in the BookKids department, behind and to the side of the information desk. Or you can call toll-free 800.853.9757; autographed copies of my own Gothic fantasies are available.
More Personally
Fellow Austin author Shana Burg highlights Tantalize (Candlewick) at Walmart in Greenville, Mississippi. Check out part one and two of Shana's report on her recent trip to the Mississippi Delta, the setting for A Thousand Never Evers (Delacorte, 2008). Read a Cynsations interview with Shana.
 Congratulations to Horn Book editor Roger Sutton on the birth of his grandson, Miles Henkels Asch, and congratulations to Blooming Tree editor and children's author Madeline Smoot on the birth of her son, also named Miles! Read a Cynsations interview with Roger.
Everything I Know I Learned From Dungeons & Dragons by Brent Hartinger from TheTorchOnline.com. Peek: "Dungeons & Dragons isn't a dangerous, evil force in the world, nor is it just harmless fun; it's actually one of the most worthwhile activities ever created, and there is literally nothing better for turning a kid into a thoughtful, creative, passionate, open-minded adult." Note: I've never been a D&D player, but I've spent a lot of quality time in comic book shops with people who are. Read a Cynsations interview with Brent.
Giveaway Updates
 Enter to win a copy of Lovestruck Summer by Melissa Walker (Harper, 2009)! To enter, simply email me (scroll and click the envelope) with your snail mail address and include "Lovestruck Summer" in the subject line. To be entered twice, ask me any question about Cynsations or my main website. Deadline: June 30. Read an interview with Melissa by Emily at BookKids Recommends: From the Crazy Folks at Bookpeople. Note: the story is set in Austin.
 Enter to win a bookplate-autographed copy of the new release, Bones of Faerie (Random House, 2009), and traditionally autographed copies of both Secret of the Three Treasures (Holiday House, 2006)(hard copy) and Gothic! Ten Original Dark Tales, edited by Deborah Noyes (Candlewick, 2006)(paperback) from Cynsations. Note: Gothic includes Janni's short story "Stone Tower." To enter, email me (scroll and click envelope) with your name and snail/street mail address and type "Janni Lee Simner" in the subject line. Deadline: June 30! Read a Cynsations interview with Janni.
 Enter to win your choice of an Eternal T-shirt, hat, or mug from Cynsations! Note: various designs and colors are available. See all of the choices!
You may also win an ARC of one of three YA paranormal books: Deadly Little Secret by Laurie Faria Stolarz (Hyperion, 2008); Wake by Lisa McMann (Simon Pulse, 2008); or Wondrous Strange by Lesley Livingston (HarperCollins, 2008)!
Here's how to enter:
(1) visit this link: Eternal Book Trailer by Naomi Bates at YA Books and More. Watch the trailer!
(2) (a) Email me (scroll to click envelope); (b) Type "Eternal trailer giveaway" in the subject line; (c) Offer your cheers about the trailer! What do you love about it? What questions does it raise in your mind? (d) Indicate your preferred T-shirt style, size, and color; (e) Rank the ARCs in the order of preference. Note: if you already have one or more of the books, you can mention that too. You are also encouraged to share your cheers in a comment at this post on Naomi's blog, though this is not required to enter. It's just friendly.
Deadline: midnight central time June 30!
3 Comments | Post A Comment | Add to Memories | Tell a Friend | Link
|
|
 by Catherine Balkin
It has become apparent from recent conversations I've had with teachers, librarians, authors, and artists, that the economy is taking its toll on author appearances. Schools don't have as much money to spend on author visits and are trying to find ways to cut costs.
Authors and artists are also looking for ways to help them out, and some of you just don't want to travel anymore. The solution: online chats.
School Library Journal ran an article about online chats in their June 2009 issue, and I'd highly recommend it for the useful information it contained. Unlike this article, however, the School Library Journal piece was directed at schools interested in setting up virtual visits. This article is directed at you--the authors and artists trying to figure out the virtual world of online chats. So if you are an author and/or artist, here is what you need to know:
* First of all, your computer will need a camera (one embedded in your computer, or you can buy a fairly inexpensive webcam that connects via a USB; I think you can get one for only about $50). A webcam that connects via a USB has more flexibility. Moving your computer around to display your studio, for example, would be difficult; with a webcam it would be pretty easy. The same goes for those times when you want to show your audience your artwork, jackets, research materials, etc. In fact, the more lively you can make your presentation (that is, the more you can move the camera around to show your environment), the more likely you are to hold your audience's attention. Also, the more interactive you can make your program, the more you and your audience will get out of it and the more everyone will enjoy it. For this reason, you might want to consider a couple of Q&A sessions during the presentation and have lots of visual aids on hand.
* Secondly, your computer will also need a microphone and speakers (these are usually provided with the computer, but be sure to check that they are in good working order).
* Finally, you'll need an account with either iChat (mostly used with Macs) or Skype (mostly used with PCs); you might also want to check out Google Mail Video Chat.
Before you do an online chat with a school--or for any professional reason--you probably ought to consider doing at least one run-through with a family member or friend, and preferably more than one. If you do live author appearances, you're already a seasoned performer. But for online chats, rehearsing will not only help familiarize you with the technology, it will teach you what, if any, changes might be needed in your program.
This is new territory for all of us, but I have been getting a sense of what kind of fees the schools seem to be able to afford, and here is a very basic breakdown:
$500 – for 3 one-hour long chats over the course of a day
$350 – for 2 one-hour long chats over the course of a day
$175 – for 1 one-hour long chat
Keep in mind that chats can be very flexible. They don't all necessarily have to be done in one day. And they can be shorter than an hour. For instance, you could charge by 30 minute increments, or establish a set fee for a full day visit, but take bathroom breaks and lunch hours, as needed. The honorariums I'm providing are just to give you a jumping off point. Revise them however you wish to fit the demands of your everyday life and schedule.
To encourage book sales, you might also ask the school to send you bookplates to autograph well before the chat so the students will have an autographed book the day you meet them online.
At BalkinBuddies.com, we spend a good deal of time promoting author visits at library and educational conferences, online, and among our educational contacts. From time to time, I also give talks about author appearances as well as other subjects at various events. As some of you may know, I spent many years setting up author appearances at HarperCollins and, since leaving there in 2004, I have continued to do so through Balkin Buddies. My long experience in arranging visits has provided me with a large network of teachers and librarians. So if you are interested in having BalkinBuddies.com work to get you online chats, feel free to contact me at catherine@balkinbuddies.com, and I'll be happy to provide more information on how we work.
Online chats may not be for everyone. If you live on a mountain in Montana, for instance, it is probably impossible for you to use Skype or iChat. Or you might prefer the one-on-one contact with students that only a real life visit can provide.
But online chats can offer you closer contact with your fans than you think, plus you might meet students you might never have met because of lack of funding.
So before you say, "I'll never be able to figure out the technology for online visits," think it over. The technology isn't as hard as you think and the programs (Skype and iChat, at least) are free! And the rewards from reaching readers online--reluctant and avid alike--can be just as satisfying as reaching them in person, except without the traffic jams, flight delays, and fatigue from crossing time zones. With the recent inroads made in telecommunications technology, online chats may very well be the author appearances of the future.
Cynsational Notes
Catherine says of Balkin Buddies: "Our aim is to provide the best speaker who are also fabulous authors and illustrators." Author/illustrators represented include: Avi, Jennifer Armstrong, Alex Flinn, Bobbi Katz, M.E. Kerr, Mary Lankford, Anna Myers, Darcy Pattison, Elaine Scott, Neal Shusterman, Diane Stanley, Joyce Carol Thomas, Terry Trueman, and Lara M. Zeises.
You Are There: No budget for travel? Try video chat. by Eric Langhorst from School Library Journal. Peek: "First you'll need a webcam. While there are many to choose from, my personal favorite is the Logitech Quickcam for Notebooks ($40–50; Windows only). It’s small—about the size of a pack of gum—with a quality internal microphone that effectively picks up audio throughout a room."
1 Comment | Post A Comment | Add to Memories | Tell a Friend | Link
|
|
 You last visited Cynsations in January 2006 to discuss the release of Nothing But the Truth (and a few white lies)(Little, Brown, 2006). Do you have any more recent news to share on that novel or your other books?
I was so thrilled that Nothing But the Truth (and a few white lies) (Little, Brown, 2006) won the Asian Pacific American Award for Literature in 2007, and then it was listed as an ALA Popular Paperback.
How about any other new developments?
Girl Overboard (Little, Brown, 2008) is now available in paperback and was selected as a Junior Library Guild Premier Selection.
North of Beautiful has received three starred reviews. I'm super excited and touched by the reception the book is getting from reviewers, bloggers, and most of all readers.
Congratulations on the release of North of Beautiful (Little, Brown, 2009)! Could you tell us a little about the novel?
North of Beautiful is my very humble homage to my favorite poem, Maya Angelou's "Phenomenal Woman." (In fact, I made a video homage to that effect)[see below].
I've wanted to write an ode to true beauty for girls and women--this is it!
Meet Terra who is everyone's idea of a dream girl with her long, blonde hair and a body models would die for. Who notices any of that when there's a palm-sized birthmark on her face?
What was your initial inspiration for writing the book?
As a woman, writer, and mother, I've wanted to tackle our society's super-narrow definition of beauty. You know, a friend just mentioned Kate Winslet's weight loss and how sad it was since she looked like any other starlet now. It's true!
But how do you translate that sentiment into a novel? I wasn't sure what my entry point would or should be.
It wasn't until I was telling an acquaintance of mine what a great mothering job she was doing with her son: Mr. Cool and Popular at school...who was also born with a port wine stain on his cheek.
She stopped me mid-accolade and said, "That's because he's a boy."
With that one comment, the story was born and Terra sprang to life in my imagination like Athena from Zeus.
 What was the timeline between spark and each publication, and what were the major events along the way?
Each novel has taken progressively longer to write--from four months to 12 months to 18 months. For a while, I attributed the lengthening timeline to aging brain cells, but now I chalk it up to juggling multiple projects.
As working writers know, you're essentially writing one book, copy editing another, and then touring for the last. I took a small break after writing North of Beautiful since three novels in three years was a bit taxing for me, but now I've got two different novels going. The madness is beginning again!
What were the challenges (literary, research, psychological, and logistical) in bringing the book to life?
North of Beautiful required an insane amount of research. I knew nothing about cartography, and the more I immersed myself in the history of map-making, the culture of those adventurer-scientists who made maps in the past, the technology in today's mapping, I knew that I had found the framework for the story.
Then, of course, while I create collages for every book that I write, I'm not a trained artist. So I had to learn all about that world, too!
And finally, there was a ton of in situ research, entailing travel to China.
What do you want YA readers to take away from your story?
I consider my first three novels as a complete arc in teens getting comfortable with their own identity--accepting themselves, defining themselves, loving themselves. Think about it: we get judged for our outward appearances, whether it's racial identity, socioeconomics, or our physical appearance.
My stories--all three--are about moving beyond those initial, knee-jerk assessments, those damning and often inaccurate first impressions.
Instead, I ask readers to look deeper. The girl who struggles with where she fits in racially is the same girl who struggles with being accepted for who she is, not her last name. And aren't those the same girl who wants to be "normal"?
Do you have a vision for your career as an author or take it book-to-book or both?
I definitely have a vision for my career. I want to write books that matter, and at the same time, I want to empower my readers to use their words to create change that matters.
So I will always tie some kind of community service that helps teens to all of my work--whether it's a college scholarship, a challenge grant, or a video essay contest.
Of the ways you reach out to your readers, which do you think are most effective and why?
I think my community service work with teens is the most authentic expression of how much I adore, esteem, and respect this group of readers.
It's my hope that endeavors, such as my Find Beauty Challenge in honor of North of Beautiful, give teens a way to express themselves based on what they've read in my work. In this challenge, I'm asking people to tell the world in 90 seconds what True Beauty means to them. I'm donating $10 for every uploaded video (up to $1,000) to fund reconstructive surgery on kids with cleft lips in third world countries. Plus, the winning video essay gets in iPod Touch. The videos that have been made so far are phenomenal.
Do you work with a critique group, a partner, or exclusively with your editor?
I trade full or partial manuscripts with some very trusted writers, among them Janet Lee Carey, Lorie Ann Grover, and Holly Cupala. They are my first readers, and then I share my revised work with my agent, Steven Malk. Steve has such an incredible sense of what needs help in my manuscripts and he's not afraid to tell me. I love that. After I get his notes back, I revise again and only then does it go to my editor.
Alvina Ling, my editor, and Connie Hsu, her assistant editor, make a formidable, astute, and beautiful editing team. I trust and value them.
So far, what's your favorite YA novel of 2009 and why?
 I am absolutely besotted with Beth Kephart's books. I was supposed to speak with her on a panel at NCTE earlier this year, but personal circumstances prevented that from happening.
My amazing library marketer at Little, Brown Books sent me a copy of Beth's Undercover (HarperCollins, 2007), and I was profoundly moved by this writer's supple and lyrical language. She is an author who needs to be read much more widely.
Post A Comment | Add to Memories | Tell a Friend | Link
|
|
 Learn more about Phyllis Root. Watch for the upcoming launch of Phyllisroot.com. Read a previous Cynsations interview with Phyllis.
What do you love most about your creative life?
What I love most about my writing life is also what I struggle with most: the combination of freedom and discipline.
Most days I am free to write whatever I want to write, to play with story, with words with sounds, to make something, not out of nothing but of what I know and have lived and imagine. And the hard part of that is making myself sit down and do it.
I know I am a nicer person when I write. Whenever I find myself overly cranky, I realize it's because I haven't been writing lately. It doesn't matter whether I'm writing something I hope to publish someday or something that is just me mucking around with sound and story; it's the act of writing itself that makes me a better person to be around.
Often I will set myself daily exercises just to get going. My favorite for a long time was writing each day about how I love the world. Of course some days I don't love anything about the world or myself, and I write about that, too. Either way, it's a great exercise in observation and specific detail.
Once, during a writing retreat on an island, a fellow writer set us all the task of writing something that incorporated the injunction printed in the island's composting toilet: Resist the urge to level the pile.
I wrote about the seduction of piles of dirty laundry (which was also about being willing to write about the things we keep buried), and that piece is still one of my favorites.
Another of my favorite pieces came out of writing about loving (or not loving) the world and is also about laundry, about each piece flapping its story on the line, the jeans frayed at the knees, the socks that don't match, the hole in the sheet.
Story is everywhere, and on my better days, I love looking for those stories.
When I am writing, I am not afraid. Writing keeps back the fear of never writing anything good again, never selling anything again, the fear of ending up living in my beater car and pushing my books out through the window at passersby. "Psst, hey mister, wanna buy a picture book? Cheap?"
And almost nothing is more satisfying than writing (and rewriting) my way into a story that is working, that feels right, feels satisfying, a story about which I could say for myself, as Big Momma says of her creation, "That's good. That's real good."
So far, what has been the highlight of your professional career?
 The highlight of my professional career so far has been the London book launch of Big Momma Makes the World (Candlewick, 2002), or, translated into British English, Big Mama Makes the World (Walker, 2002).
I had the chance to fly to London at the last minute to be part of the launch, and I took that chance and went.
Even the hotel I stayed in was right out of a story, all elegant old marble and wood with a fireplace, two bedrooms and bathrooms (with a phone in each), a living room, and a kitchen.
When I looked for soap to wash the dishes, there wasn't any because the maid who came in and washed them brought soap along with her.
The night of the launch, 300 parents and children had been invited to the London Planetarium, where a face painter painted faces (I got glittery stars painted on mine to match the stars on my dress), a juggler juggled bowling pins, and a balloon sculptor twisted swords and hats and animals out of balloons for the children.
Helen Oxenbury, Big Momma's fabulous artist, and I signed books during the festivities, and the juggler, as part of his act, frequently let his bowling pins bounce up off a drum, usually just at the moment when I had asked a child's name and the child's whispered answer was lost in the BOOM.
When the time came for the reading of the book, we all trooped into the planetarium itself. The lights went down. Helen's wonderful art was projected on the ceiling of the planetarium while a voice read the words of the story.
When Big Mama says, "Dark," all the lights went off, and gasps arose from the darkness.
Then the sky of the planetarium lit up all over with stars, and the gasps became one great "Ahhhhh."
At the end of the story, the London Gospel Choir came on stage and sang, and from the back of the planetarium, I watched all the balloon swords waving in time to the singing. Every moment was magical. And still is.
 One other moment stands out especially. That same year I drove out to Arizona to pick up my daughter, who was volunteering in a school there, and to do a school visit.
In each class I read Rattletrap Car (Candlewick, 2004), and as I always do, I invited anyone who wanted to join in on the Bing Bang Pop of the refrain.
Later, when I was helping my daughter pack, one of the younger children from the school opened the door of where she was staying, looking for her.
When he saw me, he grinned, shouted, "Bing Bang Pop," laughed, and ran out again.
It was one of the best critiques I've ever had.
Would you tell us about your latest book?
My latest book is Paula Bunyan, published by Farrar Strauss & Giroux with art by Kevin O'Malley (2009). It's a tall tale begun when my children were young and we were on an apple-picking outing. Wagons piled with bales of hay and pulled by tractors took the pickers out to the apple trees, the tractor driver calling out each kind of apple as we passed the rows where it grew.
As we bounced along on the bales of hay waiting to hear "Haralson," the only kind of apple we ever picked, I began to make up a story about Paula Bunyan, Paul's little sister.
"You should write that one down," my older daughter said. And so I did.
The story eventually made its way into Wesley Adams's hands at Farrar Straus & Giroux and came out this spring. One of the most exciting things that has happened since was that the book was reviewed by Jerry Griswold in The New York Times.
 I have also have two other books for young children out this spring, Toot Toot Zoom!, with art by Matthew Cordell, and Flip Flap Fly!, with art by David Walker, both published by Candlewick Press.
Toot Toot Zoom, about a trip over the mountains in a little red car in search of a friend, got its start on a wild drive over a mountain in Spain.
My younger daughter, who had been living in Spain, was driving and explained that even though the road was only one car wide and corkscrewed around, drivers simply honked their horns as they raced around blind curves to warn any oncoming cars.
So we tore up the mountain and down again, and at every curve she honked, toot toot, and zoomed ahead. We had only one close call and one stop for carsickness (mine).
I told the story to people so often after the trip that when my daughter said, "That’s beginning to sound like a book," I wrote (and rewrote and rewrote) the story, and now it is a book. I love the wild, madcap feeling of the art.
 Flip Flap Fly began when my older daughter left to study in South Africa. I was teaching in Vermont and couldn't be home to see her off. Feeling bereft, I scribbled down a simple little poem that began, "Fly!" said the Momma Bird, "way up high."
The poem grew into a story, and in revision, the baby bird and all the other baby animals became the ones to initiate the action. And the art is lovely--who knew snakes could look so tender?
All three books are very different, and I love them all.
I have a middle grade novel coming out with Front Street/Boyds Mills, tentatively called Lilly and the Scurrilous Pirates, with wonderful art by Rob Shepperson. The book was a very long time in the writing--each chapter is about the length of a picture book manuscript. I can imagine writing 700 or 800 words much more easily than I can imagine writing 25,000.
Pirates, buried treasure, homing seagulls, and shipwreck--the story was great fun to write, and I used a lot of my own experiences, including horrific seasickness and overwhelming anxiety about just about everything.
I also have a picture book with Candlewick coming out soon, called Creak! said the Bed with hilarious illustrations by Regan Dunnick.
It's been a spring rich in books, and I feel very blessed. Which doesn't mean I don't put my butt in chair and keep working on whatever the next story is. Because it makes me happy, I write.
Cynsational Notes
 Writing in the Woods: A Retreat for Writers of Children's and Young Adult Literature. Phyllis Root will join fellow authors Marsha Wilson Chall and Jane Resh Thomas in teaching a workshop from Oct. 19 to Oct. 25 at Good Earth Village in Spring Valley, Minnesota. Enrollment limited to 10. Application deadline: Aug. 19. See more information.
The Craft, Career & Cheer series features conversations with children's-YA book creators about positive aspects of their creative and professional lives.
1 Comment | Post A Comment | Add to Memories | Tell a Friend | Link
|
|
 Austin, TX -- BookPeople events coordinators Mandy Brooks (in the BP T-shirt) and Alison Nihlean (in glasses) led a wonderful and informative question-and-answer session about "Promotions & Events" Saturday at the Austin SCBWI meeting at the store.
Mandy's specialty is books published for children and young adults, and Alison's specialty is books published for adults.
Highlights
The store receives 1,000 to 1,200 requests for potential events and hosts 200 to 300 each year.
In deciding which events to select, considerations include: (a) a local connection; (b) the author's history; (c) the book's subject matter; (d) the quality of the book.
Fall--September through November--is the high season for events. If a book is coming out then, it's best to approach them well in advance. Note: due to the holiday shopping rush, most bookstores try not to schedule events in December.
Make an appointment. They're always happy to say a quick "hi" informally in the store. But if you're interested in getting on their schedule, write first and set up a meeting so that everyone involved has time to thoughtfully prepare.
[Cyn Note: Respect that booksellers are busy people].
An optimal time for launch parties is within the first two weeks of a book's release date, perhaps a week later so that there is an opportunity to create floor displays.
 Launch parties should be special and fun!
An example of a book with a lot of neat tie-in potential--light sticks, bright T-shirts, glowing punch--is The Day-Glo Brothers by debut author Chris Barton, which will launch at 1 p.m. July 11 at BookPeople.
Mandy also mentioned YA author Jennifer Zeigler's dress-up contest for the How Not To Be Popular (Delacorte, 2008) launch, Brian Anderson's amazing custom-made piñata for the Zack Proton graphic chapter book series (Aladdin) launch, and debut author Shana Burg's hiring of musicians from The Continental Club for the launch of A Thousand Never Evers (Delacorte, 2008).
They emphasized: "You want things that will make people stop, pause, and watch."
Another great idea--if the book is a good fit--is to partner with a local non-profit organization (to, say, raise money for an animal shelter or for cancer research).
Throughout the discussion, Alison and Mandy were entertaining and upbeat. It was clear how hard they work and how they make a special effort to both support local authors and offer the warmest possible welcome to those visiting from out of town.
Here's a peek behind the scenes at the meeting:
 YA author Jessica Lee Anderson and debut picture book author Chris Barton climb the stairs to the third-floor meeting room. Jessica's next release will be Border Crossing, coming this fall from Milkweed.
 Here, Austin SCBWI founder and VCFA MFA student Meredith Davis meets debut author Jacqueline Kelly, modeling her new release, The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate (Henry Holt, 2009).
 Author-illustrator Mark G. Mitchell says "howdy" to RA Tim Crow. Don't miss Mark's blog, How to Be a Children's Book Illustrator.
Authors Greg Leitich Smith and Jo Whittemore mug a "serious literary discussion" for the camera. This summer look for "The Wrath of Dawn," a short story that Greg and I co-authored, which will appear in Geektastic: Stories of the Nerd Herd, edited by Holly Black and Cecil Castellucci (Little, Brown, 2009). And if you're going to SCBWI Nationals this summer in Los Angeles, be sure to ask Jo to show you her new business card. It's the best author business card ever!
 Here's Brian Anderson AKA Piñata Boy with Jessica. Seriously, check out this photo gallery of his piñatas.
 And here's VCFA MFA graduate and illustrator Gene Brenek with Random House author-illustrator Emma Virjan. Some of you may remember Gene as the genius behind the Tantalize and Eternal T-shirts, available from CafePress. And if you haven't already, check out Emma's video of Nacho!
 Afterward, it's lunch at Waterloo Ice House with Greg, Meredith, Brian, VCFA MFA student and YA author Varian Johnson (who was showing off an early copy of his upcoming novel Saving Maddie (Delacorte, 2009)), Jo, Jessica, YA authors April Lurie and Margo Rabb, Tim, Emma, and Chris.
Cynsational Notes
Don't miss BookKids Recommends: From the Crazy Folks at BookPeople.
Any errors in my reporting are entirely my fault.
Highlights of the day also included meeting Catherine Stier, the San Antonio based author of If I Ran for President, illustrated by Lynne Avril (2007); If I Were President, illustrated by DyAnne DiSalvo-Ryan (2004); and Bugs in My Hair?! (2008), all published by Albert Whitman. Her 2009 book is Terrible Secrets of the Tell-All Club (Albert Whitman).
Post A Comment | Add to Memories | Tell a Friend | Link
|
|
 Enter to win a copy of Lovestruck Summer by Melissa Walker (Harper, 2009)! From the promotional copy:
This is the story of Quinn, an indie rock girl who came out to Austin, Texas for a music internship.
She also plans to spend long, lazy days in the sun at outdoor concerts--and to meet a hot musician or two. Instead, she's stuck rooming with her sorority brainwashed cousin, who now willingly goes by the name 'Party Penny.' Their personalities clash, big time.
But Sebastian, a gorgeous DJ, definitely makes up for it. Sebastian has it all: looks, charm, and great taste in music. So why can't Quinn keep her mind off Penny's friend cute, All-American Russ and his Texas twang?
One thing's certain: Quinn's in for a summer she'll never forget!
To enter, simply email me (scroll and click the envelope) with your snail mail address and include "Lovestruck Summer" in the subject line. To be entered twice, ask me any question about Cynsations or my main website. Deadline: June 30.
Read an interview with Melissa by Emily at BookKids Recommends: From the Crazy Folks at BookPeople. Peek:
"BP: Of course, we here at BookPeople love our hometown, but what made an East Coast gal like you choose Austin as the setting for a summer romance?
"MW: How could I NOT set a summer romance in a town with awesome live music, gorgeous bodies of water, sweat-trickling heat, smiling Texas boys, bridge-living bats and live music?! It was a given as soon as I stepped off the plane."
More News & Giveaways
Check out this trailer for David Small's graphic novel memoir, Stitches. Available Sept. 8 from W.W. Norton & Co. Source: A Fuse #8 Production.
Guest Column: The Kindle—Igniting the Book Business Amazon's Kindle has raised issues for book publishers, such as appropriate pricing options for e-books. By Peter Olson and Bharat N. Anand from Book Business. Peek: "E-book royalties per book should not be reduced in absolute dollar terms below p-book levels in order to provide the necessary incentive for creative energies that could otherwise be directed elsewhere (the current royalty schemes proposed by publishers would unfairly give authors only a percentage of net revenues)." Source: Nathan Bransford. Note to authors: Having a good agent is more important than ever. Don't be afraid to ask questions.
Characters by Brian Yansky from Brian's Blog. Peek: "Of course you will discover different levels of yearning as you work through drafts but knowing early what your character primarily yearns for can help you discover a lot." See also Brian on Writing Destinations. Read a Cynsations interview with Brian.
Books with Bite Trailer from MPL Teen Space (doesn't include this spring's releases, but still a comprehensive highlight of vampire-themed YA novels). Note: 10+ minutes.
The Nutcases by Kristi Holl at Writer's First Aid. Peek: "'Whether they appear as your overbearing mother, your manic boss, your needy friend, or your stubborn spouse,' says Cameron, 'the crazymakers in your life share certain destructive patterns that make them poisonous for any sustained creative work.'" See also Get Your Fear Shot.
Two Lakes and a Dairy Maid Parking Lot by Sarah Sullivan at Through the Tollbooth. Peek: "I'm going to talk about how the details of setting enhance a work of fiction." Note: first entry in a week-long series of posts; don't miss Sarah's interview with Fran Cannon Slayton, author of When the Whistle Blows (Philomel, 2009). See also an interview with Fran from Janet Fox at Through the Tollbooth.
Wondrous Read Contest: enter to win an autographed copy of Wondrous Strange by Lesley Livingston (HarperCollins, 2008) by commenting on Lee A. Verday's blog. Then sign up for "Get the Goods" on Jessica Verday's site, where everyone wins. Peek: "Want to keep up-to-date on the latest news about Jessica Verday and The Hollow (Simon Pulse, 2009)? Sign up here, and you'll get a Goodies package sent straight to your door!" Read a Cynsations interview with Lesley.
 Children's writer and Vermont College graduate Frances Lee Hall blogs about her recent trip back to the newly restored Angel Island Immigration Station on San Francisco Bay, the setting and inspiration for her middle grade historical novel manuscript, "Paper Son." Complete with video clips! See part one and two. Peek: "...a construction worker asked me to leave. How ironic that I was being kicked out of the immigration station, when my ancestors, including my father as a young boy, were held there for days, weeks or even months, almost 100 years ago."
A Tweet Treat? by Karen Springen from Publishers Weekly. Peek: "Are author-editor tweet-fests the marketing wave of the future? Perhaps. After all, the price is right. The Q & A was completely free to publicize, produce and to read. Mercado and Marino simply spread the word through Facebook, Twitter, blogs and message boards." Read a Cynsations interview with Nancy Mercado of Roaring Brook Press.
Vermont College of Fine Arts: a new, totally remodeled website. Learn more about the MFA program in Writing for Children and Young Adults. Read an interview with faculty chair Sharon Darrow about the program.
Marvelous Marketer: Jon Bard (Children's Book Insider/CBI clubhouse) from Shelli at Market My Words: Rantings and ravings on how authors can better market their books to kids. Peek: "Target niches that might have an affinity for your book. Let's say one of your main characters is a cheerleader. Go to the top online cheerleading sites, blogs & e-zines and offer to do interviews about your book." Read a Cynsations interview with Jon.
 Interview with E. Lockhart from Writer Musings: A place to ponder books, as well as how the words get on the page. Peek: "I wanted to write about pranks and urban exploration -- and I also wanted to write about the old boys' network, which still exists and is incredibly powerful, even in this supposedly post-feminist age." See below for an opportunity to win books by E. from Writers Musings. Read a Cynsations interview with E. Lockhart.
Social Networking for Authors and Illustrators: an online class from Susan Taylor Brown. Two upcoming sessions: June 22 to June 26 and July 13 to July 17. Cost $75. See more information. Read a Cynsations interview with Susan.
Manuscript Critiques by Tracy Marchini from My VerboCity. Peek: "Believe it or not, it's actually kind of intimidating to sit down with an author face-to-face and analyze their manuscript. You know that they've put their heart and soul into what they've just handed you." Read a Cynsations interview with Tracy.
Nonfiction Now: One Publisher's (Holiday House) View from Loreen Leddy at I.N.K. Interesting Nonfiction for Kids. Peek: "Publishers, authors and illustrators of nonfiction, and booksellers now need to explain to consumers that books can offer things that the World Wide Web does not." See also How to Find Your Way In to a Story by Tanya Lee Stone. Read a Cynsations interview with Tanya.
 Sideshow: Ten Original Tales of Freaks, lllusionists and Other Matters Odd and Magical: a recommendation from Charlotte at Charlotte's Library: Fantasy and Science Fiction Books for Children and Teenagers. Peek: "When the difference that lead to someone becoming a sideshow are combined with magic, mystery, and mayhem, there's a lot of room for great writers of fantastical fiction to make gripping and memorable stories. Which is what happens here." Note: Sideshow is edited by Deborah Noyes and will be released next month from Candlewick Press; the anthology includes my short story, "Cat Calls." Read a Cynsations interview with Deborah.
The New Literal Mind by Elizabeth Bluemle from ShelfTalker: A Children's Bookseller's Blog. Peek: "Whatever happened to imagination, metaphor, curiosity? To encountering the unexpected, or trying on new lives through the windows of a book?" Note: Of late, I've noticed this same trend in working with teenagers, too. See also Elizabeth on To Market, To Market, a discussion of which promotional materials are most useful for booksellers. Peek: "Use way more packaging than you need. Large boxes with few galleys and lots of pretty packing material come off as wasteful and needlessly expensive. In addition, a lot of fancy packaging gets banged up in the mail, so it often doesn't reach your booksellers in great condition."
A Writer at Home: Sharon Creech from Kimberly Willis Holt at A Pen and A Nest. Peek: "I work best with a view of trees (the lake is a bonus) and with my ‘stuff’ around me: favorite pens, pencils, paper, reference books, family photos, filing cabinets, computer (iMac), printer, and doo-dads (a few small shells, several miniature wood and stone turtles, a George Washington bust, a donkey, stone paperweights, etc.)" Read a Cynsations interview with Kimberly.
Cynical optimism, or vice versa by Sara Ryan. Peek: "I'm not saying that the existence of events like Anti-Prom in New York, or Mr. and Ms. Junior Gay Pride here in Portland, means that violent bigots will vanish from the earth. (I do have that cynical side.) But having the events, and talking about them, and making sure everyone knows how incredibly cool they are — that’s one way to create change." Source: Gwenda Bond. Read a Cynsations interview with Sara.
 Take the Dare! Show You Care! from Cynthea Liu's launch party. Check out the auction, which includes newly listed editor critiques from Kristin Daly of Balzar & Bray/HarperCollins, Martha Mihalick of Greenwillow/HarperCollins, Andrea Welch of Beach Lane Books/Simon & Schuster, Andrew Karre of Carolrhoda, and freelance editor Stacy Whitman. Notes: see also additional opportunities to bid with more editors, agents, and authors; proceeds to benefit Tulakes Elementary, a Title I school in Oklahoma City. Read Cynsations interviews with Cynthea, Andrew, and Stacy.
GLBT Month - Alex Sanchez Guest Blog Part 2 from Book Chic. Peek: "Homophobia hurts everybody, not just gay kids." Here's part 1 for those who missed it. Note: read an excerpt of Alex's latest novel, Bait (Simon & Schuster, June 2009). Read a Cynsations interview with Alex.
Parenthetic Comma Phrases, Anyone? by Uma Krishnaswami at Writing with a Broken Tusk. Peek: "A writer to whom I pointed this out protested that editors want explanation, since books by "us" (i.e., writers of color) are often written for a diverse audience, all of whom may not be familiar with the culture in question. That's true enough, but we have so many rich and wonderful choices." Read a Cynsations interview with Uma.
Guest Blogger: Jean Reynolds, Some Observations on the History and Future of Informational Books, Part 1 and Part 2 from Vicki Cobb at I.N.K.: Interesting Nonfiction for Kids. Peek: "Jean Reynolds is a veteran children's nonfiction editor. She founded Millbrook Press and was its publisher for 15 years. It was sold to Lerner in 2006. She has also been Chair of the Children's Book Council and served on the Board of Governors of Higher Education in Connecticut."
Austin News & Events
Austin's Delacorte Dames & Dude Talk YA Literature by Donna Bowman Bratton at Simply Donna. Peek: "There are many challenges in writing for teens. [Jennifer] Ziegler points to the raw emotions teenagers have trouble dealing with. As she says, the emotional 'pendulum doesn't swing quite so far for adults. For that reason, YA novels often have deeper emotional content.'" See also True Friends: DDD Panel Discussion from Shana Burg and Delacorte Dames and Dude Discuss Details, Dreams, Duties, Divisions, and Dealing with Disrespect from Jennifer Ziegler and Things That Make Me Happy from Varian Johnson.
Here are some pics from the event. First up is Jennifer with Delacorte Dude Varian Johnson.
 And here's Varian, Jenny, and Shana with April Lurie, Margo Rabb, and moderator Sarah Bird. DDD devotees should also make sure to check out a gorgeous shot of the fab five at April Afloat.
"How To Have a Successful Book Event" led by BookPeople events coordinators, Alison Nihlean and Mandy Brooks will be at 11 a.m. June 20 at BookPeople in Austin. Peek: "It's a collaborative effort that when performed creatively and appropriately, fabulous events happen. They'll share success stories and not so success stories about their years as BookPeople's event organizers, then the floor will be open for questions." Note: sponsored by Austin SCBWI.
 Celebrate the Day-Glo Brothers with debut author Chris Barton at 1 p.m. July 11 at BookPeople in Austin. See Review of the Day: The Day-Glo Brothers by Chris Barton from Elizabeth Bird at A Fuse #8 Production. Peek: "When the book you hold in your hands is all about the discovery of a certain kind of color, it's very important to get the right design feel right from the start. Open this book."
The Day-Glo Brothers: The True Story of Bob and Joe Switzer's Bright Ideas and Brand-New Colors by Chris Barton, illustrated by Tony Persiani (Charlesbridge, 2009): a recommendation by Greg Leitich Smith. Peek: "...an amazing tale of perseverance, hard work, and how one's dreams can take one on different and unexpectedly satisfying paths."
Highlights of the Week
 Highlights included lunch at Z'Tejas Southwestern Grill on Sixth Street with College Station school librarian and children's author Debbie Leland. Debbie is a rare self-publishing success story. Her books include Aggie Goose Rhymes, The Jalapeño Man, The Firegator, The Little Prairie Hen, and Daddy's Love. The Little Prairie Hen won the 2005 Texas Golden Spur Award for Children's Literature, given annually by the Texas State Reading Association. Debbie is highly recommended for school visits and other events.
Sparkling debut author Kekla Magoon is also in town this week. We had breakfast at Juan in a Million on East Cesar Chavez St. Note: the restaurant was recently featured on "Man versus Food."
Kekla is the author of The Rock and The River (Aladdin/Simon & Schuster, 2009). In a starred review, Booklist says, "True to the young teen's viewpoint, this taut, eloquent first novel will make readers feel what it was like to be young, black and militant 40 years ago. ....an important title for YA American History classes."
 Kekla is offering joint school visit programs with Bethany Hegedus, author of Between Us Baxters (WestSide, 2009). Peek: "Our books span the civil rights era, from the time of segregation in the south to the emergence of black power movements in the urban north. Our interactive workshop can be tailored to the needs of your class, including historical themes, video clips, readers' theater, discussion, writing exercises, handouts, and follow-up classroom activities and teacher resource material." For information on rates, scheduling, etc. contact TwoBooksTwoAuthors@gmail.com.
More Personally
I'm busy revising Blessed, (Candlewick, 2011), which will crossover the casts of Tantalize (Candlewick, 2007) and Eternal (Candlewick, 2009), picking up where Tantalize leaves off.
 Around the kidlitosphere, Anastasia Suen re-runs an article I wrote a few years back, "How to Throw a Launch Book Party," which draws on my experience from the Tantalize (Candlewick, 2007) launch.
Giveaway Updates
Enter to win a bookplate-autographed copy of the new release, Bones of Faerie (Random House, 2009), and traditionally autographed copies of both Secret of the Three Treasures (Holiday House, 2006)(hard copy) and Gothic! Ten Original Dark Tales, edited by Deborah Noyes (Candlewick, 2006)(paperback) from Cynsations. Note: Gothic includes Janni's short story "Stone Tower."
To enter, email me (scroll and click envelope) with your name and snail/street mail address and type "Janni Lee Simner" in the subject line. Deadline: June 30! Read a Cynsations interview with Janni.
 Enter to win your choice of an Eternal T-shirt, hat, or mug from Cynsations! Note: various designs and colors are available. See all of the choices!
You may also win an ARC of one of three YA paranormal books: Deadly Little Secret by Laurie Faria Stolarz (Hyperion, 2008); Wake by Lisa McMann (Simon Pulse, 2008); or Wondrous Strange by Lesley Livingston (HarperCollins, 2008)!
Here's how to enter:
(1) visit this link: Eternal Book Trailer by Naomi Bates at YA Books and More. Watch the trailer!
(2) (a) Email me (scroll to click envelope); (b) Type "Eternal trailer giveaway" in the subject line; (c) Offer your cheers about the trailer! What do you love about it? What questions does it raise in your mind? (d) Indicate your preferred T-shirt style, size, and color; (e) Rank the ARCs in the order of preference. Note: if you already have one or more of the books, you can mention that too. You are also encouraged to share your cheers in a comment at this post on Naomi's blog, though this is not required to enter. It's just friendly.
Deadline: midnight central time June 30!
Winners of the signed Eternal bookmarks giveaway were Jennifer at the Natrona County Public Library in Casper, Wyoming and Deena at Brighton Memorial Library in Rochester, New York. Bonus sets went out this week to Kathy at the Defiance (Ohio) Public Library, Laini at Culpeper Public Library in Virginia, and Buffy at Creekview High School in Georgia.
Post A Comment | Add to Memories | Tell a Friend | Link
|
|
 From Debbie Gonzales
The Student Author Book Publishing Program, presented by author/educator Debbie Gonzales, is a unique, program-specific, in-school writing workshop in which students experience all stages of the publishing process and have their work published in a hard-bound book, just like a real author.
Here’s how it works. Debbie partners with teachers to decide upon the nature of the publication. Teachers have the flexibility to develop the genre focus, integrate the book project into a specific curriculum unit, or inspire students to brainstorm the theme of the class book.
At the onset of the project, Debbie comes to campus to present an age-appropriate, genre-specific Writer’s Workshop.
Over a period of time, the students' best writing samples and illustrations are collected and submitted to Debbie by the teacher.
Debbie then returns to campus for a scheduled One-On-One Manuscript Review with each of the student authors.
After final edits are made, illustrations are perfected, proofs are signed off, and the publication date is determined the manuscript is submitted to a real publisher.
Once the books are printed, students celebrate their accomplishment by participating in a Book Launch. Family and friends are encouraged to attend this grand event as the young authors read from their published work.
To schedule a consultation or request an informational brochure, email Debbie at dgonzales002@austin.rr.com or phone her at 512.416.6050.
Cynsational Notes
Read an author interview with Debbie Gonzales.
Post A Comment | Add to Memories | Tell a Friend | Link
|
|
 Debbie Gonzales is the first-time author of Birthday Skates, Charlie the Sleepy Bee, Kindness, Plunk! Dunk!, Raspberry Fizz, and Stormy, all to be published as part of the New Zealand's Gilt Edge Readers Series, which will be released in winter 2009.
The books in the Gilt Edge Readers Series offer research-based multifaceted reading instruction to all children learning to read. While the series offers teachers the opportunity to provide explicit instruction in decoding, the texts are written with natural language which supports vocabulary development, fluency practice, comprehension instruction, and--most importantly--a love of reading.
Was there one writing workshop or conference that led to an “ah-ha!” moment in your craft?
I've had many, many marvelous "ah-ha!" moments in this writing journey, but there are two particular experiences that have been life-altering.
The first happened in 2001, when I attended an annual creative writing conference sponsored by Florida International University. I will never forget the mixed emotions I felt while there--complete exhilaration and utter despair.
You see, I've always dreamed of being an author. As a child, I remember stroking an author's name printed on a book cover. Oh, how I wished that my name would be printed on a book like that. However, during that first FIU conference, I was shocked into awareness: making this author dream become a reality was going to be hard, hard work.
At the FIU conference, I met some excellent and highly prominent writers whom I now consider to be mentors and friends, people who have generously shared their support, criticism, and influence with me over the years: John Dufrense, Lynne Barrett, Brewster Robinson, Madeleine Blais, Denise Duhamel, and Connie Mae Fowler, to name a few.
 I continue to learn so very much from these folks. Simple, yet profound things. Good writers read. There is method to the madness of plotting. Approach the act of query submission with tenacity. The first page of a novel tells the entire story. Poetry is power.
Connie Mae Fowler taught me that, though the writing life can be grand, the real magic lies in privately honing the skills of the craft.
And Madeleine Blais told me that I was a writer worthy of pursuing a master's degree. Me? Wow.
I wrote two pieces under FIU's inspiration that mustered up a little recognition. I return to Florida and attend this conference every year, a homecoming of sorts. I love these people.
Madeleine's words changed the direction of my life. As a direct result of Maddie’s (and my beloved husband John’s) encouragement, I've gone on to earn an MFA from the Vermont College of Fine Arts in Writing for Children and Young Adults. Connie's words stayed with me throughout the two rigorous years of study, and I mean rigorous.
 First and foremost, I came to Vermont to hone my skills and to learn all that I could about the craft. That's where the magic lies, remember?
I literally sat at the feet of VCFA’s masterful faculty and absorbed all the wisdom I could from them. I was blessed with brilliant semester advisors who accepted no less than my very best: Jane Kurtz, Uma Krishnaswami, Rita Williams-Garcia, and Sarah Ellis. These excellent and highly-prominent authors have become my mentors and friends, as well.
I'm still quite active in the VCFA writing community, serving as a graduate assistant and participating in alumni activities. I love those people, too.
And now I live in awesome Austin, Texas, smack-dab in the middle of an amazing children’s writing community. Today my life is constant series of “ah-ha!” moments. Lucky, lucky me.
As a teacher-author, how do your two identities inform one another? What about teaching has been a blessing to your writing?
I would say that everything about being a teacher has blessed my writing. I have affectionately referred to my over thirty years in education as my "adventures in teaching."
I've worked with high-schoolers to preschoolers, wealthy and poor, brilliant and disadvantaged, and had a blast with it all. As a teacher, a person walks shoulder to shoulder with a child, privileged to witness all the angst and elation involved in simply being a kid. And talk about characters! There is a plethora of them just skulking down the hallway!
I am trained to teach with the Montessori Method of learning, which is solidly founded on observation of the child. It is a simple, yet highly complex way to teach. In a nutshell, Montessorians are trained to closely consider the physical, intellectual, and social needs of a student and then design an individualized course of study for them.
Isn't that what we do as writers when we create characters? Don’t we wait and watch, pondering just what direction the character will go? Then, don't we orchestrate settings and scenes that compliment or conflict with their character traits?
Years ago I worked with kids that were deemed "troubled" or "at-risk" at a marvelous place called Dallas Can Academy. There I taught gang members how to reduce fractions. I helped desperate unwed mothers study for their GED. And there I learned just how a little bit encouragement can ignite a soul. Yes, I gleaned gobs of goodies for my writing bag of tricks in that place.
My middle-grade novel manuscript "Alien All-Stars" was inspired by a student's response to writing prompt. In class, I dramatically described a dark and stormy night.
"You are all alone wearing your jammies," I said. "And behold! A spaceship lands right in the middle of your backyard! What happened next?"
One of my students, an extremely shy fourth grader, came up with an incredible tale, complete with back-story! He cast himself as the protagonist, and rightly so. Earlier in the day, the protagonist had clobbered a baseball so high in the sky that no one could find it. The alien had come to return the ball. From that moment on, the alien and the boy became best friends.
Though the plot line of my novel differs from my student’s clever story, the theme of true friendship resonates throughout.
The role of teacher has totally prepared me for the early-readers I've written for Giltedge. Nothing is more exciting to a teacher than the moment when a child discovers that they can read! All that laborious sounding out of letters and struggle to blend them together to form words has finally paid off.
As a teacher, you want to fan that flame of enthusiasm by offering them interesting books that both challenge and delight the reader. They need stories that are alive and engage them, stories that they'll return to time and time again.
The Montessori mantra for this sort of reading practice is "repetition equals mastery." Novice readers need characters that they can emotionally connect with, settings that are believable, and syntax that respects their need for well-written literature. That is just what the books in the Gilt Edge Readers Series do.
How did you go about identifying your editor?
Actually an excellent illustrator, Brandi Lyons, told me about New Zealand's Giltedge Publishing. She explained the book series's concept and thought I might be interested in working on the project. I sent Kate McFlinn an email. She asked for a story. After a few rewrites and edits, Plunk! Dunk!--a book about overcoming the fear of learning how to swim--was born. Since then I've written five more titles for Giltedge and have a few others in the works.
Yes, I have been completely impressed by the books in the Gilt Edge Readers series that Joy Allcock and Kate have edited. These ladies insist upon excellence. Their early readers possess essential literary elements--age-appropriate and compelling stories, a dynamic change in the protagonist's character, situations and settings that emotionally identifiable to the novice reader, as well as surprising plot twists.
Their teaching guides are academically sound, lively, and creative. They illustrate how to best instruct the skills of phonemic awareness, vocabulary, comprehension, and fluency. Techniques such as acting out plays or participating in reader's theatre are employed to assure learning how to read continues to be an entertaining process.
And the illustrations are superb! For instance, in my book Raspberry Fizz, illustrator Robin Kerr created a little red bird with a story line of its own. I can just imagine a young reader searching the page for that tiny feathered friend, delighting in its role in the story. The concept was Robin’s doing and I love it!
The way the series works is that an entire story is written around a particular sound. It is critical that the sound is repeated throughout the story in a non-didactic or redundant manner, that it almost invisible, thus allowing the story line to be the central focus.
 For example, the long ‘e’ sound is the focus of my book Charlie, the Sleepy Bee. There are number of confusing letter combinations that make the long ‘e’ sound. For example there is the ‘ie’ in Charlie, or ‘ee’ in bee, or even ‘e’ in regal. Yikes! This is like a very bad joke to a new reader. The reading rules keep changing! How can the beginner ever remember all of this?
The answer to that question is by practicing the act of reading. The solution to the problem of getting a novice reader to practice is to give them quality learning material that they willingly reread over and over again. The Gilt Edge Readers Series books do just that. I am proud to be a part of this important project.
Along with writing these early readers for Gilt Edge, I continue to write for the middle-grade audience. I have two newly completed novels that need a home, one is "Alien All-Stars," which I mentioned earlier, and the other is "Bear Mountain," a historical fiction action/nature story set in the Pacific Northwest. My current project is another middle-grade historical fiction piece entitled "Whistle Punk," set in a 1930's logging camp.
Post A Comment | Add to Memories | Tell a Friend | Link
 The Washington DCJCC is now accepting submissions for the 2009 Sugarman Award.
The Sugarman Award was established in 1994 by Joan Sugarman to help thank, encourage and inspire writers and illustrators of Jewish children's literature. Every other year a monetary award is presented for best Jewish children's book. The presentation to the winner will take place during the Hyman S. & Freda Bernstein Jewish Literary Festival at the Washington DC Jewish Community Center in Fall 2009.
Award Guidelines
1. Books published in the United States for use by children (3-16 years of age), between Oct. 1, 2008 and Oct. 1, 2009. Self-published books are not eligible. 2. An applicant must live in the United States. Applicants need not identify as Jewish. 3. Submissions may include picture books, fiction, and nonfiction. 4. Books should present a Judaic perspective or include Jewish characters, worthy of emulation and reflecting our Jewish heritage in an honest and meaningful way. 5. The writing must accurately reflect Jewish concepts, trends, traditions, experiences, characters, settings, conflicts, and current mores, either in America or elsewhere and be done with integrity, style and quality creating living characters or delineating accurate concepts understandable by a child reader. If you would like to submit a book for consideration, please send three copies of each book, a $25 entry fee, and the completed entry form to: Sugarman Award Attn: Margalit Rosenthal DCJCC 1529 16th Street NW Washington, DC 20036 Note: All submissions must be received no later than Aug. 1, 2009. For additional guidelines and to download an entry form, visit the official website. About The Washington DCJCC
The Washington DCJCC works to preserve and strengthen Jewish identity, heritage, tradition and values through a wide variety of social, cultural, recreational and educational programs and services. The 16th Street J is committed to welcoming everyone in the community; membership and all activities are open to all. The Washington DCJCC is a beneficiary agency of the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington and a designated agency of the United Way.
Post A Comment | Add to Memories | Tell a Friend | Link
|
|
 Danielle Joseph is the first-time author of Shrinking Violet (MTV/Pocket Books, 2009). From the promotional copy:
High school senior Teresa Adams is so painfully shy that she dreads speaking to anyone in the hallways or getting called on in class.
But in the privacy of her bedroom with her iPod in hand, she rocks out—doing mock broadcasts for Miami’s hottest FM radio station, which happens to be owned by her stepfather. When a slot opens up at The SLAM, Tere surprises herself by blossoming behind the mike into confident, sexy Sweet T—and to everyone’s shock, she’s a hit! Even Gavin, the only guy in school who she dares to talk to, raves about the mysterious DJ’s awesome taste in music.
But when The SLAM announces a songwriting contest—and a prom date with Sweet T is the grand prize—Sweet T’s dream could turn into Tere’s worst nightmare...
Could you tell us the story of "the call" or "the email" when you found out that your book had sold? How did you react? How did you celebrate?
Like many writers, I dreamed of getting "the call" for a few years. Would I be home when my agent called? If not, would she try my cell? Would it come when my kids were in the middle of an argument or would they be quietly playing and then the sound of the glorious phone would break the silence?
When I actually got an offer on Shrinking Violet I couldn't have been farther away from my home in Florida. I was visiting my sick grandmother in Cape Town, South Africa. I randomly checked my email one day, and there it was. But since I had been waiting for the actual call for so long, I decided to phone my agent the next day.
So basically, I was the one that made "the call," and it was a wonderful feeling! I celebrated by going to the beach with my family, and my sons made me a "book cake" in the sand!
And the best thing was that my grandmother, an avid reader, lived long enough to hear that my book would be coming out the following year.
As a contemporary fiction writer, how did you find the voice of your first person protagonist? Did you do character exercises? Did you make an effort to listen to how young people talk? Did you simply free your inner kid or adolescent? And, if it seemed to come by magic, how would you suggest others tap into that power in their own writing?
In college, I studied creative writing and immediately felt at home in my children's writing class. I just started writing in the voice of a teen without really giving it much thought. It felt very natural to me.
I am the oldest of five siblings (my youngest sister is now a senior in high school), so I really haven't totally left that world yet. I like to watch teen movies, listen to a lot of the same music as my youngest sister, and have not graduated to "old lady" clothing yet! I have many memories from my teen years, and we go through so much as adolescents that I'm constantly pulling stories and situations out of that "memory box."
For people that are trying to find their "teen voice" I would suggest that they talk and listen to teens—go to high schools, the mall, even listen to how they interact with each other at Starbucks or other local hangouts. Writers can also watch TV shows that feature teen characters, read teen magazines, and of course, read a lot of YA!
The biggest mistake people make is forcing teen lingo on their character, but what makes an authentic teen voice is not only what you say, but how you say it.
Teens have different fears, goals, and ways of going about things than adults do, and that is what a writer has to tap into in order to make a believable teen character.
Cynsational Notes
The New Voices Series is a celebration of debut authors of 2009. First-timers may also be featured in more traditional author interviews over the course of the year.
Post A Comment | Add to Memories | Tell a Friend | Link
|
|
 Learn more about Richard Uhlig.
What first inspired you to write for YA readers?
I wasn't inspired to write for YA readers because I didn't know the genre existed. About five years ago, at a dinner party here in New York, I met Rachel Cohn and Patty McCormick, two big time YA authors, who explained to me just what YA was.
At first I thought: Oh no, Sweet Valley High.
But Rachel convinced me that YA was infinitely more sophisticated and edgy than that.
When I told her I had written an unpublished novel about an eighteen-year-old boy and his first love, a novel that wasn't selling, she urged me to market it as YA.
I suggested this to my agent, she agreed, and within a few weeks, we had two offers from major houses.
I received a deal to write another YA novel, so I started reading YA books--and loved them! I found them to be more engaging than a lot of contemporary adult literary fiction, certainly less pretentious.
Let's face it, adolescence is a dramatic time of life: you're trying to make sense of your changing body and your forming identity while being forced to make major life decisions. You're not quite an adult, yet you're no longer a child, and everything is just so darn over-the-top (first love, first break up, make-it-or-break it tests). Let's not even get into how lonely those years can be.
Could you tell us about your path to publication?
I come from the world of film. I grew up on movies and television, not books, and attended film school. But something about the film-making process didn't entirely work for me at that time in my life, finding I enjoyed being alone rather than waiting around on a set for hours while lights were being set up. I've never been much of a joiner, and working on film is a very collaborative experience.
Consequently, I went into screenwriting. I quickly learned the only way to write is to force yourself to sit down and do it, that there are no short cuts, no easy outs.
Screenwriting taught me story structure, plot and suspense. After two of my films were made, I found I wanted to try my hand at a novel, chiefly because I was frustrated with the ways my movies turned out.
I was fortunate to sell the first novel I wrote, but again, I'd been writing screenplays for almost ten years. That said, my first novel was rejected by agents everywhere. But I listened to their comments (when I could get them) and kept rewriting the book.
I'm a tenacious guy. I think you have to be to make it as a writer. Eventually, I hooked an agent who sold the book.
Could you tell us about Boy Minus Girl (Random House, 2008)?
It's very loosely based on an uncle of mine who came to visit my family for a short while when I was in high school. He, in fact, dated waitresses from the topless bar he owned. He was larger than life, a real character.
I was also bullied in junior high and had read a book on how to seduce women.
Those elements were the springboard for the story. I just took it from there and ran with it.
What was the timeline between spark and each publication, and what were the major events along the way?
It's different with each novel and screenplay. For my first novel, it was about three years. For my second novel, it was less than a year.
The easiest part for me is coming up with story ideas, but where it gets tough is when I set out to write the first fifty pages. Usually, I can fire off the first few chapters pretty effortlessly, setting up the characters, their wants and their problems.
Invariably I run out of steam and am forced to roll up my sleeves and slug through it, word by painful word. Sometimes the story just won't catch fire, and that's when I have to go back to those first chapters and rework them, and that can take months.
But once I get it right, once the characters' motivations are clear to me, and I know what sort of story I want to write, then the rest usually unfolds at a steady clip, and the process becomes fun again.
What are the challenges in bringing the book to life?
First, staying motivated and focused. Whenever I'm in the midst of writing a book, I always get the itch to write something else, something that seems like a lot more fun, a lot more dramatic than what I'm presently writing.
But over time I've learned to jot down these ideas, toss them in my desk drawer, and forget about them until I'm finished with the current project. Otherwise, I'll never finish a book or a screenplay. "Completion" is the name of the game.
Secondly, once the book is done, I have to force myself to pound the pavement to market it. That means either following up on every lead I have for an agent, or, if I have an agent, to stay in constant contact and make recommendations.
This I struggle with. I'd rather write the thing and let it find its home, but that doesn't happen very often. Writing is only half of the equation.
The book is set in the central time zone and in the second half of the 20th century. So why Kansas? Why the 1980s?
I grew up in small town Kansas in the 1980s, that's when I was a teenager, and I draw on that time and place because I know it so well.
Secondly, I presently live in New York City, a place that is the antithesis of rural Kansas, and that offers me a certain perspective, a certain distance, on my hometown. There's something about the prairie and the uninterrupted horizon that just makes me want to write. Perhaps characters seem larger than life in such a desolate place.
I was struck by your successful mix of comedy and more serious themes. What advice do you have for those interested in writing a story with some humor in it?
Let the humor come from the characters! Never force them to say or do things that they wouldn't do. In other words, don't go for a joke for the joke's sake.
Do you work with a critique group, a partner, or exclusively with your editor? Why does that work for you?
I belonged to a writing group for a few months, but it fizzled because everyone was too busy with other things. I typically write alone. My first editor is my dad, a writer himself with a great sense of what makes a story work, followed by my wife, who is the least sentimental, least phony person I know, then it's on to my agent, who is painfully honest, and finally the book editor and or/producer. That's more than enough critiques for me!
How do you balance your work as writer with the responsibilities of being an author?
I don't do a very good job of balancing it, to be honest. On my first book, I put together a book tour in the region where the novel was set, and I sold several hundred books. I was on TV, had several newspaper articles written.
However, I prefer to write. I'd really rather work on something new than to talk about something I wrote months ago.
Is there anything you would like to add?
If some kid from Kansas, who grew up watching "The Munsters" and "Leave It To Beaver," can write and sell novels, you can too.
1 Comment | Post A Comment | Add to Memories | Tell a Friend | Link
|
|
 Learn about Lorie Ann Grover.
Could you describe the best experience you've had working with an editor?
I have worked with amazing editors from Margarget K. McElderry, Little Simon, and Scholastic. However, the one who I hold first in my heart is Emma Dryden.
Emma found me in a slush pile back in 1999. She coaxed me out and told me that the picture book I had written really was meant to be a novel. Through revision after revision, she helped me layer my story like I was building up a sculpture on a wire armature.
I can actually remember her saying, "And now it’s time to name the main character, Lorie Ann."
Emma believed in my words and helped them to fly. Our first work together was Loose Threads (McElderry, 2002). I was writing about the death of my grandmother from breast cancer as Emma was recovering from her own mother's passing.
Then we moved onto On Pointe (McElderry, 2004), where she danced with me from one end of the novel to the other, even though she was never a ballet dancer herself.
Finally, we completed Hold Me Tight (McElderry, 2005), my most difficult novel where she ended up acting as a therapist in some measure as I faced ugly scenes from my past and tried to make sense of them. She was patient through my fears and tears and stood alongside me through the journey.
When Emma advanced at Simon & Schuster and I began to market my work outside of Margaret K. McElderry books, she remained my friend who celebrated each of my successes and supported my work with readergirlz. Her first response to our online book community as she stood by my side at our booth for our pre-launch at Midwinter ALA 2007 was: "This is smart. Very smart."
Emma Dryden is an editor who asked me question after question to make my work the best I could possibly make it. I count her my mentor and friend.
Why is your agent the right agent for you?
Oh, my agent! My agent that Emma Dryden recommended I pursue because I needed "someone who could be tender with my sensitive nature." Ha! Me, sensitive?
I've discovered it is true, and Elizabeth Harding at Curtis Brown, Ltd. is my dream agent for my sensitive self.
 Oh, to have an agent who tells you, "Work on whichever novel you'd like next. Follow your passion."
And one who says, "Let me call and find out for you. They've had long enough to consider this."
She said, "Sure, send me your board books."
I said, "But I have about thirty dummies."
Her response: "Send them all."
Wow!
Elizabeth is in my corner with me. And how wonderful is that? After ten years of working alone, I have someone by my side. It's as if I've teamed up with the biggest, toughest kid in the playground, who gets me a turn on the swing, or I'm walking down the high school hall with the most beautiful, popular girl as my bestie. And she is a beauty inside and out.
I've counted every day that Elizabeth has represented me as a blessing. And our relationship has only begun!
In your own words, could you tell us about your latest book?
I have three novels I'm hoping to place in the very near future. The first is about my experience living in South Korea in the 1980s. The second is my venture into prose. It is a fantasy concerning self worth and religious persecution. The third is a novel in verse about a horrible accident. I hope to announce sales of these and a few board books soon, soon, soon!
Cynsational Notes
The Craft, Career & Cheer series features conversations with children's-YA book creators about positive aspects of their creative and professional lives.
1 Comment | Post A Comment | Add to Memories | Tell a Friend | Link
|
|
 Enter to win your choice of an Eternal T-shirt, hat, or mug from CafePress! Note: various designs and colors are available.
You may also win an ARC of one of three YA paranormal books: Deadly Little Secret by Laurie Faria Stolarz (Hyperion, 2008); Wake by Lisa McMann (Simon Pulse, 2008); or Wondrous Strange by Lesley Livingston (HarperCollins, 2008)!
Here's how to enter:
(1) visit this link: Eternal Book Trailer by Naomi Bates at YA Books and More. Watch the trailer!
(2) (a) Email me (scroll to click envelope); (b) Type "Eternal trailer giveaway" in the subject line; (c) Offer your cheers about the trailer! What do you love about it? What questions does it raise in your mind? (d) Indicate your preferred T-shirt style, size, and color; (e) Rank the ARCs in the order of preference. Note: if you already have one or more of the books, you can mention that too.
Note: You are also encouraged to share your cheers in a comment at this post on Naomi's blog, though this is not required to enter. It's just friendly.
Deadline: midnight central time June 30!
 Just for fun, see also How I create digital book trailers by Naomi. See also an interview with artist Gene Brenek on the various Eternal tie-in designs. Read author interviews with Laurie, Lisa, and Lesley.
Do you want to win a copy of the novel Eternal (Candlewick, 2009)? If so, check out the June giveaway at Writer Musings: A place to ponder books, as well as how the words get on the page.
More News & Giveaways
Visit author-illustrator David Macaulay's studio and see/hear him talk about his process. Source: Mark Mitchell. Note: see Mark's comments for more information.
Multicultural Literacy Events from papertigers. A listing of events around the world. Source: Children's Book Biz News.
10 Ways Not To Get An Agent by Tracy Marchini from My VerboCity. Peek: "Send multiple revisions of partials. (This makes us feel like you aren't taking enough time to read and revise before you're sending out material.)" See also When Should You Revise? Read a Cynsations interview with Tracy.
Revision Checklist from Nathan Bransford - Literary Agent. Peek: "Do your main characters emerge from the book irrevocably changed?" See also This is a Blog from Nathan Bransford - Literary Agent. Peek: "I have to be honest that it's mildly alarming how many queries I receive that misuse the word 'blog.' I've seen everything from 'the webpostings on your Blogsite' to 'your blogspot on your website.' People are personalizing, which is great, but... word people should not be misusing words." Read a Cynsations interview with Nathan.
 Jessica Verday: the author's site has been gorgeously redesigned. Her debut novel, The Hollow, will be available from Simon Pulse in September 2009.
How to Fire Your Agent from Rachelle Gardner: Literary Agent. Peek: "I think the mature way of handling a situation like this is to say, 'This isn't working for me. Can something be changed?'" Source: Nathan Bransford.
Ten Writing Tips by Verla Kay - Part Two and Part Three. Peek: "If you believe in yourself, if you are writing and learning your craft and the business of writing for children, if you are working hard to become a published author, then never give up." Note: Part One for those who missed it. Read a Cynsations interview with Verla.
Firebrand Started A Blog. Should You? from Stacia Decker at Firebrand Literary Blog. Peek: "Get a feel for the time commitment and your inclinations by substitute teaching for blogger friends on vacation or contributing posts to others’ sites." See also Submission Etiquette and Taking Your Time from Chris Richman. Peek: "If I request revisions, I’m not going to forget a project in two, three, or even six months. If it takes a writer that long to get to the changes, that just makes me assume they’re taking the revisions seriously." Note: Firebrand Literary is "a full-service literary agency specializing in books for young readers." Read an interview with Michael Stearns of Firebrand Literary.
Craft Issue: Plot Points (Or, How to Twist Your Character) by Janet Fox at Through the Wardrobe. Peek: "Make sure that at the end of Act I the action of the story spins your character into a new, increasingly tense situation." Read a Cynsations interview with Janet Fox.
Two Minutes, Not Two Pages by Helen Hemphill at Through the Tollbooth. Peek: "The crazy schedule of 2009 has made me master of the writing snippet, which I will now name the Summer Snippet." Read a Cynsations interview with Helen.
 Featuring Duane Smith and Janet Halfmann from Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast. Peek: "'When I found out how he had stolen a Confederate gunboat and ran it past several forts in Charleston Harbor, I knew that this was a great adventure story that kids would love.'"
People may be able to taste words by Victoria Gill, Science reporter, BBC News. Peek: "...according to Charles Spence, a professor of experimental psychology at Oxford University, we are all 'synaesthetes' up to a point." Source: Gwenda Bond.
Lightning, Lightning Bugs, Twain, Madness of Art from Brian Yansky at Brian's Blog. Peek: "Maybe it happens, maybe it doesn't, but if you're never out in that rain, you will never be struck by lightning." See also Thank you, Mr. Twain and Wrath. Note: one of the best, brainiest new writer blogs on the Web; highly recommended! Read a Cynsations interview with Brian.
The First Annual Complete Your Draft Contest brought to you by Les Trois Graces in association with Tuesday Night Chatters. Deadline: June 30; see prizes.
A Very Geektastic BEA from Alivina Ling at Blue Rose Girls. Peek: "what could be more geeky than a bowling party?" Note: Wish I could've been there! Greg and I contributed a short story, "The Wrath of Dawn," to Geektastic: Stories of the Nerd Herd, edited by Holly Black and Cecil Castellucci (Little, Brown, 2009).
 Congratulations to Austin's own Liz Garton Scanlon, who's been chosen as a featured author at the Texas Book Festival! Look for her upcoming picture book, All the World, illustrated by Marla Frazee, this September from Beach Lane Books/Simon & Schuster. Read a Cynsations interview with Liz.
The Unschedule from Kristi Holl at Writer's First Aid. Peek: "I have a five-hour critique to do today. Always in the past, I did the five hours non-stop, then crashed with a bad neck ache and headache. Today I've scheduled it in small chunks with rewards interspersed frequently. I also have a phone call with a friend at noon on the schedule."
Cynsational Author Tip: you don't own the rights to everything published about your book! Try to keep review/recommendation quotes short (under 50 words) and link to the main source.
Introducing the New Teenreads.com Blog! from Marisa Emralino, Editorial Coordinator for Teenreads.com. Peek: "Teenreads decided to launch this new blog, as a way to bring you--our readers--even more book and author news on a more frequent basis, in addition to our regular monthly updates. But, what makes this feature stand out is that we're asking authors to help bring this content to you directly." See Tim Wynne-Jones on The Uninvited (Candlewick, 2009).
Going Online to Get Published by Cyn Balog. Peek: "The first thing I did was start reading agent blogs. I then started up my own LiveJournal, and began friending as many writers for Young Adults I could find."
 Michael Cart on libraries, and "What is YA? from Margo Rabb at Books, Chocolates, Sundries. Peek: "'I'm not even sure how welcome it is now,' I said, 'since I’ve had three different YA authors tell me they thought my book wasn’t YA. Because of the short story structure or because it’s such an interior novel'." Read a Cynsations interview with Margo.
It Was, Like, All Dark and Stormy Teenage readers are gravitating toward even grimmer fiction; suicide notes and death matches by Katie Roiphe from The Wall Street Journal. Peek: "Unsettling as it is, there is a certain amount of comfort to be gleaned from the new disaster fiction; it makes its readers feel less alone." Source: YA Books and More.
Five questions for Gene Luen Yang (and other nifty stuff) from Notes from the Horn Book. Peek: "Books are about communication. And books communicating through images, even sequential images, aren't something new trying to substitute for the tried and true."
Interview with Susan C. Griffith on the Jane Addams Children's Book Awards by Aline Pereira from papertigers. Peek: "For fifty-six years, the Jane Addams Children’s Book Award(JACBA) has been given to children’s books that most effectively and engagingly invite children to think deeply about issues related to peace, social justice, world community and racial and gender equality." Source: Children's Book Biz News.
Check out the book trailer for Surf Mules by G. Neri (G.P. Putnam, 2009)!
The Book So Bright You Gotta Wear Shades from Blue Yonder Ranch. Peek: "Chris has generously offered to share an autographed copy of The Day Glo Brothers (Charlesbridge, 2009) with one of our readers. For your chance to win this book all you have to do is leave a comment on this post telling us what your big dreams were as a child." Deadline: June 14 p.m.
Enter to Win a Copy of Shadowed Summer by Saundra Mitchell from Kristina Springer. Deadline: midnight CST June 12. Learn more about Shadowed Summer (Delacorte, 2009).
First Draft Tips from Lisa Schroeder at Author2Author. Peek: "Don't get too caught up in details. Details are easy to add in later." Read a Cynsations interview with Lisa.
"How To Have a Successful Book Event" led by BookPeople events coordinators, Alison Nihlean and Mandy Brooks will be at 11 a.m. June 20 at BookPeople in Austin. Peek: "It's a collaborative effort that when performed creatively and appropriately, fabulous events happen. They'll share success stories and not so success stories about their years as BookPeople's event organizers, then the floor will be open for questions." Note: sponsored by Austin SCBWI.
Real-space Event & Online Giveaway
 Double the Pleasure! Double the Fun! Double the Mysteries! Come join author Jill Santopolo for the publication party in celebration of her second Alec Flint Mystery, The Ransom Note Blues (Scholastic, 2009) and celebrate the paperback publication of The Nina, the Pinta, and the Vanishing Treasure (Scholastic, 2008)! The event will be at 6 p.m. June 23 at Books of Wonder (18 W. 18th St. NYC). Learn more about the series and RSVP to Jill Santopolo (see "contact" at top bar)!
The first two people to e-mail jill@jillsantopolo.com with their mailing address, saying that they read this message on Cynsations and correctly cracking and answering the coded question below will receive a free copy of The Ransom Note Blues. (Hint: The key to Alec and Gina's code can be found at www.jillsantopolo.com). Here's the coded question that needs to be cracked and answered: Dszg xzmwb rh Trmz vzgrmt lm gsv xlevi lu Gsv Izmhln Mlgv Yofvh?
Read a Cynsations interview with Jill.
Giveaway Updates
Enter to win a bookplate-autographed copy of the new release, Bones of Faerie (Random House, 2009), and traditionally autographed copies of both Secret of the Three Treasures (Holiday House, 2006)(hard copy) and Gothic! Ten Original Dark Tales, edited by Deborah Noyes (Candlewick, 2006)(paperback). Note: Gothic includes Janni's short story "Stone Tower." To enter, email me (scroll and click envelope) with your name and snail/street mail address and type "Janni Lee Simner" in the subject line. Deadline: June 30! Read a Cynsations interview with Janni.
Breaking News as of June 12: Janni has upgraded this giveaway so that all three books will now be autographed!
 Tabitha Olson at has announced her June book giveaway at Writer Musings: A place to ponder books, as well as how the words get on the page. The featured books are: The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart (Hyperion, 2008); How to Be Bad by E. Lockhart, Lauren Myracle, and Sarah Mlynowski (HarperCollins, 2008); Tantalize by Cynthia Leitich Smith (Candlewick, 2007); and Eternal by Cynthia Leitich Smith (Candlewick, 2009). To enter, leave a comment at this post. See also information on extra entries. Note: Tabitha will "randomly draw four names" June 27.
 Don't miss the "autographed gimmies," including signed Eternal bookmarks from Cynthea Liu's Paris Pan Takes the Dare online launch party! While you're there, enter to win a copy of Jingle Dancer by Cynthia Leitich Smith, illustrated by Cornelius Van Wright and Ying-Hwa Hu (Morrow/HarperCollins, 2000)! See all the giveaway books. Note: Cynthea also is auctioning off prize packages, virtual visits, and critiques with authors, editors, and agents to benefit a Title 1 school in Oklahoma City. Check it out!
Winners of the signed Eternal bookmarks giveaway were Jennifer at the Natrona County Public Library in Casper, Wyoming and Deena at Brighton Memorial Library in Rochester, New York. Thank you to all who entered!
Event Reminder
 The "Everything You Wanted to Know about Young Adult Fiction But Were Too Afraid To Ask" panel discussion will feature the Delacorte Dames and Dudes, five authors of tween-young adult (YA) novels at 1 p.m. June 13 at BookPeople. They are all published by Delacorte Press (Random House), and they all live in Austin! Delacorte Dames are April Lurie, author of The Latent Powers of Dylan Fontaine (2008), Jennifer Ziegler, How Not to Be Popular (2008), Margo Rabb, Cures for Heartbreak (2007), and Shana Burg, A Thousand Never Evers (2008). The lone Delacorte Dude is Varian Johnson, whose novel Saving Maddie is forthcoming in 2010. More Personally Highlights of the week included Sunday brunch at Hyde Park Bar & Grill with author Varsha Bajaj and her family! Varsha is a dear pal and the author of How Many Kisses Do You Want Tonight? illustrated by Ivan Bates (Little, Brown, 2004). From the promotional copy: "'How many kisses do you want tonight?' the animals ask, snuggling critters tight. This adorable counting bedtime book celebrates the special ritual of goodnight kisses. Children and baby animals request from one to a million kisses from their parents when they settle in for the night. The simple, rhyming text makes for a perfect read aloud." School Library Journal said, "Sure to be an instant sleepy-time favorite!" Look for a new picture book from Varsha in the near future! Details to come! Thank you to Youth Services Librarian Nicki Stohr and everyone at the Schertz Public Library in Schertz, Texas for your hospitality on Tuesday afternoon. It was a pleasure visiting with you!  Thank you to Pat Anderson, Vickie, and everyone at Texas Overlooked Books for your hospitality at the Texas Authors & Illustrators margarita reception at the annual conference of the Texas Association of School Library Administrators, held Tuesday night in the presidential suite at the Radisson Austin North! See Pat and Melissa Ritchie in the first photo below. Note: Texas authors in attendance included Austin's YA rising star Jennifer Ziegler; you can see her farther below with her fellow DDDs (and in person at BookPeople on Saturday!). For those of you who live for such things, I have it on good authority that this was the suite Elvis stayed in when he last performed in Austin. I know you're excited! I was. Note: I think it was a Hilton back then.  Here's a bright smile from Anastasia Suen, the author of 114 books for children! Anastasia is based in Plano. She's also an active blogger in the kidlitosphere.  The author (and performance artist) in the wheat-colored jacket is San Antonio-based Dr. Carmen Tafolla. Carmen's most recent release is What Can You Do with a Paleta? illustrated by Magaly Morales (Tricycle, 2009).  Here's Austin's own author-illustrator Keith Graves, hiding behind one of my all-time favorite picture books, Frank Was a Monster Who Wanted to Dance (Chronicle, 2006)(paper edition).  Cynthia Leitich Smith on Summer Reading from Teenreads.com Blog. Peek: "Back then, I loved any books that had to do with magic, especially those about putting on a magic show. I wanted to be a magician when I grew up."
2 Comments | Post A Comment | Add to Memories | Tell a Friend | Link
|
|
 Cynthea Liu is the author of Paris Pan Takes the Dare (G. P. Putnam's Sons, June 11, 2009). From the promotional copy:
Twelve-year-old Paris Pan's life is a mess. She's just moved to a tiny town in Nowheresville, Oklahoma; her family life is a comical disaster; her new friends are more like frenemies; and the boy she has a crush on is a dork.
Things couldn't possibly get worse, until she discovers that a girl mysteriously died years ago while taking a seventh-grade rite of passage--the Dare--right near Paris's new house. So when Paris starts hearing strange noises coming from the creepy run-down shed in her backyard, she thinks they could be a message from the ghost of a girl. But while she has no plans to make contact with the great beyond, her two new friends have other thoughts.
Everyone who's anyone takes the Dare, and now it's Paris's turn.
How did you discover and get to know your protagonist?
Interestingly enough, Paris Pan's voice wasn't difficult to create. She sounds a lot like me! (Yes, I often talk like a twelve-year-old.) I figured out Paris's story by sitting down in front of my laptop on a cold November day. I waited for the first scene to pop into my mind and started writing. The scene was a girl on the first day at a new school in a teeny Oklahoma town.
As I got further into it, I knew Paris would make some friends with a whole lot of trouble in store for her, that trouble being the Dare. I then found I was injecting tons of my own childhood experiences into the manuscript. All the moving I did as a kid. The constant feeling that I never had money despite the fact that my parents worked so hard to make it. And of course, those quirky family dynamics!
How have you approached the task of promoting your debut book?
I try to keep a strong Internet presence. Not because I feel I have to. Because I like to and I have been, long before my agent sold my first book. Sure, at times, it can be overwhelming, but there is nothing like being able to connect with other writers who get it.
With my books out now, there are even more people to connect with--teachers, parents, librarians, booksellers, book reviewers...and the kids!
Though it seems to me for a middle grade novels like Paris Pan, reaching out to adults (versus kids) makes more sense since many 10-year-olds aren't surfing the Internet to buy books off Amazon or Indiebound. They're still doing super-cool stuff. Like moving around. Outside. Hopefully! So if they find me online, they've already read my book and want to tell me so.
 I've also broadened my scope online to include more writers. It's lonely being just me and Snoop (see photo) out there.
I built AuthorsNow! to help children's book enthusiasts like book reviewers, librarians, and teachers learn about all kinds of debut books for children and teens.
For Paris Pan specifically, I'm throwing a launch party online called "Take the Dare: Show You Care." For me, launch parties are not about selling books; they're about celebrating.
And I'm celebrating big along with many fabulous author friends for a great cause-- all royalties for launch party sales of Paris Pan will go toward a Title I school [Tulakes Elementary in Oklahoma City], and I can't wait to present a school-in-need with a nice check.
Offline, I am making a concerted effort to do school visits, and I am equally excited about a huge essay contest I'm holding for my readers.
It's their chance to get published, win some cold hard cash, and make their teachers, librarians, and parents all proud and happy at the same time.
What advice do you have for your fellow debut authors?
Do what you can do. What you want to do. All this stuff? I don't think it will make or break your book. Sure, there are always exceptions where one thing you did led to the next thing and the next. But there are so many factors that go into how a book will perform in the marketplace and not all of them are under your control. In fact, most of it is not under your control!
So again, do what you're comfortable with. What you want.
Know that the hard work is already finished--you wrote the book. Now write the next one!
Cynsational Notes
Surf over to The Paris Pan Takes a Dare Launch Party! Enter to win giveaways, bid on auction items, and so much more!
Giveaways include autographed books, posters, and T-shirts, including an autographed copy of Jingle Dancer by Cynthia Leitich Smith, illustrated by Cornelius Van Wright and Ying-Hwa Hu (Morrow, 2000). Note: there are 18 giveaway books--from picture books to YA novels!
Auction items include query letter, synopsis and manuscript critiques by authors, agents, and editors as well as prize packs, virtual author visits, and audio books! Donors include: authors Esther Hershenhorn, Saundra Mitchell, Susan Taylor Brown, Brenda Ferber, Maggie Stiefvater, Lindsey Leavitt, Jay Asher, and Bruce Hale as well as agent Jennifer Rofe of Andrea Brown Literary Agency and editor Karen Chaplin of Puffin/Speak. Note: many more offerings, including more in various categories from some of the folks listed here; see the whole list.
The New Voices Series is a celebration of debut authors of 2009. First-timers may also be featured in more traditional author interviews over the course of the year.
Post A Comment | Add to Memories | Tell a Friend | Link
|
|
|
|
|
![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small}
Enter to win one of three copies of Sideshow: Ten Original Tales of Freaks, Illusionists, and Other Matters Odd and Magical, edited by Deborah Noyes (Candlewick, July 14, 2009)! From the promotional copy:
Enter to win one of five author-signed copies of The Day-Glo Brothers: The True Story of Bob and Joe Switzer's Bright Ideas and Brand-New Colors, illustrated by Tony Persiani (Charlesbridge, 2009)! From the promotional copy:
The winner of Lovestruck Summer by Melissa Walker (Harper, 2009) is Olivia in Connecticut.
R.A. Nelson Books: official site of the author of Teach Me (Razorbill, 2005), Breathe My Name (Razorbill, 2007), and Days of Little Texas (Knopf, July 2009). Peek: "Before becoming a writer, I wanted to be an astronaut, an NBA star, a time traveler, a colonist on the N. American continent somewhere between the years 1589-1720, and a general all-around explorer." See also his blog, R.A. Nelson Books. Read a Cynsations interview with R.A. Nelson.
Reminder: the 2009 Annual Conference of the American Library Association will take place in Chicago from July 9 to July 15, 2009 at McCormick Place West. Highlights will include: "Nonfiction Book Blast: Booktalks for Reluctant Readers" from 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. July 12 at Convention Center Room W181. Peek: "Despite the emphasis on fiction for leisure reading in schools, many reluctant readers are often more drawn to reading nonfiction. Expand your nonfiction repertoire as 17 authors booktalk their latest work." Moderator: Sharon Mitchell, Library Media Specialist. Speakers: Lisa Rondinelli Albert; Mary Bowman-Kruhm; Laura Crawford; Jeri Chase Ferris; Kelly Milner Halls; Amy S. Hansen; Gwendolyn Hooks; Katherine L. House; Patricia K. Kummer; Suzanne Lieurance; JoAnn Early Macken; Carla Killough McClafferty; Wendie Old; April Pulley Sayre; Anastasia Suen; Christine Taylor-Butler; Rebecca Hogue Wojahn and Donald Wojahn.
Fab YA Authors on Their Favorite Queer-Themed Books from Emily at BookKids (see parts three and four).
Beyond the Book: Confetti Girl by Diana Lόpez by editor Alvina Ling at Blue Rose Girls. Peek: "As soon as I finished reading the first draft of Confetti Girl (Little, Brown, 2009), I knew I wanted to marry it. Sure, I wanted to work with the author to make the novel even better, but the great thing about marrying a novel as opposed to a person is that you truly can make changes (a person might not be as open to changing!)." Read a Cynsations interview with Diana.
NRT: Suzanne Crowley Interview + Contest by Lauren from Shooting Stars Mag. Peek: "I would say The Stolen One (Greenwillow, 2009) is a young adult historical romance with a bit of intrigue and mystery. The romance is not dominant as in a traditional romance. In fact, Kat has three love interests to choose from." Note: U.S. and Canadian readers may enter to win a copy of The Stolen One and a box of Godiva Chocolate by commenting by July 13. Read a Cynsations interview with Suzanne about the novel.
Interview with Haunted's Chris Eboch by Joni Sensel from The Spectacle. Peek: "I try to be an open-minded skeptic, and that comes through in the books. My message is: don't believe everything you are told, but don’t assume things can't be true. Investigate, and make decisions for yourself."
YA authors Varian Johnson and April Lurie chat with attendees after their panel. Read Cynsations interviews with Varian and April.
Greg and I didn't officially participate in this year's conference, but we stopped by to meet Julie Schoerke of JSK Communications and Keen Literary. Note: sorry, the light at the hotel was a bit funky. Read a Cynsations interview with Julie.
Julie first came onto our radar when she did an enormously successful publicity campaign for author Helen Hemphill (above). Read a Cynsations interview with Helen.
Austin YA author Jessica Lee Anderson and children's author Debbie Gonzales. Read Cynsations interviews with Jessica and Debbie.
Later, we went to dinner at Threadgill's South Austin with YA author Jennifer Ziegler, tween author Shana Burg, and Varian. Shana had brought a copy of the most recent Random House catalog. Read Cynsations interviews with Jennifer and Shana.
Varian shows off the page for his upcoming YA novel, Saving Maddie (Delacorte, 2010).
Jennifer shows off the page for her upcoming paperback release of How Not To Be Popular (Delacorte, 2010).
The contest is held in conjunction with the Ann Arbor Book Festival, and awards and publication "were made possible through a grant from the Friends of the Ann Arbor District Library. Judges also included Janet Lee Carey, John Coy, S.A. Harazin, Michael Harmon, Tanya Lee Stone, and Laura Wiess. Gary D. Schmidt was the awards ceremony speaker.
