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FREEBIE: Everyone who e-mails me tomorrow, or phones in a question for ME and leaves their name and e-mail address, will receive a link to me reading one of my stories, PLUS the fun illustrations.

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Author and freelance editor Margot Finke writes midgrade adventure fiction and rhyming picture books. For many years she's lived in Oregon with her husband and family. Her 6 books series of rhyming picture books are fun and educational. They bring kids closer to many of the neat animals in the US and Australia. Excerpts and illustrations from these books can be viewed on her BOOKS page, along with instructions on how to BUY and great reviews.
"Musings," her monthly column for children's writers, can be read in The Purple Crayon and the SCBWI NewsWorthy magazine. Her Website offers help to upcoming writers, and her Critique Service can help you iron out plot and character problems.

In this tour, Margot is promoting her latest picture book, Rattlesnake Jam. I had the chance of reviewing this book recently, and all I can tell you is that it's disgustingly delicious! Read my review HERE.

Hi, Margot! Thanks for stopping by my blog today. Why don't you start by telling us 5 unusual things about yourself?

I was born in the land Down Under
I am scared of driving
I love speaking to large audiences - no fear at all!!
With a name like "Finke" I had to develop a good sense of humor
I don't have a belly button.

You write because...

To not write is unthinkable. I think some people get double dibbs on the writing gene. I know I did. When an idea or a character takes over your every waking hour, and a big chunk of your dreams, it means that sooner or later, you have to put everything else on hold, and put those thoughts into words, sentences, paragraphs and chapters. Soon, a book is born! Although all these Book Tours, and promoting the books I have already written, makes writing time very scarce. Once you have several books published, the rush is on to sell, sell, sell!!


If you weren't an author, what would you be?

I would be a master gardener with my own nursery. We have an acre of landscaped gardens, and I often regret that these days I don't have the energy or time to work on both.

Tell us about Rattlesnake Jam.

I wrote Rattlesnake Jam for boys and reluctant readers. My son was a reluctant reader, and I soon realized that if you want boys to really enjoy reading, you have to give them what their macho brains long for. Cut the frills, girly stuff, and the cute descriptions, and bring on the fat frogs, wild relatives, and use powerful words that paint vivid pictures in their heads. With boys, action and the YUCK factor rules!

Most Moms are nervous nellies about snakes. However, once they see how Gran, Pa, and that pot of rattlesnake jam captures their reluctant reader's imagination , they order up. Hey! Gran does promise her jam cures everything from gout to wheeze. It's not a big stretch to add
"reluctant readers" to the list of cures - now is it?

How do you handle your muse when she refuses to help you?

My Muse knows her place, mate, fairdinkum!! When I call, she comes. Well. . . most of the time.
Lack of ideas is not my problem - it's lack of TIME that often has me beat.

What would you say to those people who think picture books are easy to write?

I'd tell them that picture book writing is like being a great parent: It looks easy until you try doing it yourself. Throw a few words together on three or four pages, get a friend to draw cute pictures, and send it off to a publisher - all done over one weekend - right? Like good parenting, it's what you DON"T know about it that will ruin your chances of success.

Leave us with some words of wisdom....

You've got to be kidding, mate. Wisdom is a rare commodity. And I suspect that age is not the only necessary component. How about this: Do good. Be Good. And know your limits. And if you are lucky enough to have double-dipped on the writing gene, stick with it until your talent is well honed, and you are published.

Thanks, Margot!

Margot will be giving away a prize at the end of the tour. To be eligible, just leave a comment on her BLOG.

To win a print copy of my children's book, CRASH, just leave a comment here. I'll announce the winner on June 15th.

To see the full Bounding for Books Blog Tour schedule, click HERE.

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If you’ve always wanted to learn the tricks to writing a marketable picture book, join The Children’s Writers’ Coaching Club right now so you can attend this afternoon’s teleclass with children’s author Margot Finke.

Margot will present a teleclass for members of the CWCC this afternoon at 4:00 central time (that’s 2:00 pacific, and 5:00 eastern) called:

WHEN WRITING PICTURE BOOKS, FOCUS AND STRUCTURE COUNT.

Club members are asked to complete a short writing exercise prior to the teleclass today.

Find out more about the CWCC and how you can join right now!

Enjoy this delightful trailer of Margot Finke’s newest picture book, Rattlesnake Jam.

Childrens Writers Coaching Club, Cwcc, Margot Finke, Rattlesnake Jam, writing picture books

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WIN a free, autographed copy of Margot Finke’s new book, Rattlesnake Jam, + a coloring sheet and a puzzle.

Encourage reluctant readers!

e-Mail her [email protected] the story of how you handled YOUR encounter with a rattler.

The best story WINS!!

Entries close June 30th - so HURRY!

Learn more about Margot Finke and her wonderful books for children at www.margotfinke.com.

book giveaway, Margot Finke, Rattlesnake Jam

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Margot Finke, Picture Books, rattlesnake, Rattlesnake Jam

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Children's author Margot Finke writes midgrade adventure fiction and rhyming picture books. Her six series of rhyming picture books are fun and educational, and bring kids closer to the many animals in the US and Australia. "Musings," her monthly column for children's writers, can be read in The Purple Crayon and the SCBWI NewsWorthy magazine. She's also a freelance editor, offering a Critique Service to writers. A native of Australia, Finke now resides in Oregon.

Why don’t you begin by telling us a little about yourself?

I’m an Aussie who has lived in Oregon with my husband and family for many years. Three kids all grown and now doing well on their own.

When did you decide you wanted to become an author?

The idea grew on me. I have always scribbled. When we came to the US my kids were small, and I didn’t want them to forget their Down-under roots. Every night I told them a story, off the top of my head, about a different Aussie critter. I did the same at schools when I became a Teacher’s Aid. Some kids complained that didn’t always tell the same story the same way – little rascals had better memories than I. A teacher friend said, “For goodness sake write the stories down. Then you’ll remember the endings!” I did, and the rest, as they say, is history.

I bought a computer, joined a few wonderful online writing lists, and proceeded to learn the craft of writing for kids from the basement UP.

Do you have another job besides writing?

Not any more. Since my husband retired, I have the luxury of spending more time writing. He has taken over our huge garden and the cooking – does a terrific job of both, too. Unfortunately, he does not do windows, laundry or dusting. Guess you can’t have everything.

Were you an avid reader as a child? What type of books did you enjoy reading?

Oh yes. I read everything with print on it – including jam jar labels. I became so immersed in Tale of two Cities one Saturday afternoon, on the train home, that I went three stops past my own. I had to walk five miles home in over 100-degree heat. WHEW!
I would read in bed under the covers, with the help of a flashlight. I was always is trouble for sneaking off to read up in the huge mango tree in our back yard, chores completely forgotten.

Tell us a bit about your latest book, and what inspired you to write such a story.

Rattlesnake Jam is just published. The idea popped into my head late one night, as I tossed sleepless in bed. The longer I thought about the fun combo of Gran, Pa and rattlers, the more verses I wrote in my head. It is a romp of a rhyming picture book, featuring crazy old Gran and Pa, rattlesnakes, and how to cook them. Gran is determined to have them made into her cure every ailment known to man jam, while Pa yearns for rattlesnake pie or fritters – just once.

How did you come up with the wacky idea of snake jam?

The name, “Rattlesnake Jam,” seemed perfect. For me, it holds all the unlikely, wild and wooly elements that make up Gran, Pa, and their love of rattlers.

The illustrations are grossly funny. Who came up with the physical traits for Gran? You or your illustrator?

Kevin Scott Collier came up with all their grossly funny charms, plus the wonderful rattlesnakes. I think my characters, plus the rhyming verses that bring them to life, appealed to the hidden kid in Kevin. Originally, Kevin sent me a sample drawing of Gran and Pa, and I knew we were on the same crazy wavelength. He has imagination, energy, and talent by the cartload. His “Rattlesnake Jam” illustrations are brilliant.

How would you describe your creative process while writing this book? Was it stream-of-consciousness writing, or did you first write an outline?

As often happens to me with rhyming stories, the plot, rhyme and meter, simply flowed out of me. Then I put it aside for a week or two. After that, it was a process of tweaking here and there, to make sure the meter was smooth, the rhyme integrated with the wild and wacky doings of Gran and Pa, and everything worked to move the action along.

Did your book require a lot of research?

Not a lot - just enough to make sure that rattler details were accurate. Rattlesnake Jam is all wacky fun. However, my other picture books, a series of fun stories about animals from the US and Australia, was another matter. These were written in rhyme, yet they have educational content. My research for these 6 books was more in-depth.

What type of writer are you—the one who experiences before writing, like Hemingway, or the one who mostly daydreams and fantasizes?

Hmmm. . . I guess I’m the sort of writer who gets crazy ideas, and then weaves them into rhyming stories, or maybe non-rhyming stories. Several of my mid-grades are definitely in the wild side: A ghost mystery, with my Mother in the title role, and two Aussie outback adventures for boys, with lots of aboriginal Dreamtime doings.

Agatha Christie got her best ideas while eating green apples in the bathtub. Steven Spielberg says he gets his best ideas while driving on the highway. When do you get your best ideas and why do you think this is?

I have Down-under Syndrome. As soon as my head hits the pillow at night, my bran leaps into action. Rhymes, characters, and plots for books, beg me to go put them in a computer file, so they won’t become lost in my sleep cycle. Why this happens is an absolute mystery. Having spent half my live as an Aussie, at the bottom of the globe, maybe my brain still hasn’t adjusted to the time change? “Sleep Deprivation” is the name of my muse.

Do you get along with your muse? What do you do to placate her when she refuses to inspire you?

I must confess that my muse sticks around - a LOT. She loves to see me tiptoe downstairs to my computer at 2 AM, and pound out the words she generates in me. I really love the huge BUZZ a new rhyme or plot idea pumps through me: even in the early AM. However at 2 PM, when my eyelids droop known near my chin, I have a crazed urge to e-mail that #$% Muse, and give her a piece of my (yaw) mind.

From the moment you conceived the idea for the story, to the published book, how long did it take?

About six months.

Describe your working environment.

My writing den is our old family room: just off the kitchen. I started with a small table that had a much larger piece on marine plywood on top, so all my writing gear would fit on it. Later, dear husband put together a large U shaped desk, with cubbies, drawers, and lots of top shelves – pure heaven! Here, my computer reigns supreme. There’s a cozy wood fire, plus a comfortable sofa and chairs. Two windows onto the back gardens, and GroLux lights over wall shelves, for when I bring in tender plants to winter over.

Do you write non-stop until you have a first draft, or do you edit as you move along?

Tweak as I go along.

They say authors have immensely fragile egos… How would you handle negative criticism or a negative review?

I have had negative critiques that gave me a queasy stomach, plus a yen to bop someone on the nose. Fortunately, I resisted this urge. On second thoughts, the offending critique often proved right. So far, reviews for all of my books have been good to terrific. I would HATE a bad review. If we had a basement, I would probably lock myself down there and sulk.

As a writer, what scares you the most?

Never getting another book published.

When writing, what themes do you feel passionate about?

The theme of whatever book I am writing at the moment.

When it comes to writing, are you an early bird, or a night owl?

Night Owl.

Do you have an agent? How was your experience in searching for one?

No agent yet. So far, my agent search is a bust. It’s a toss up what’s the hardest – finding the right publisher, or finding the right agent. At the moment, I am going it alone.

Do you have any unusual writing quirks?

Only the fact that I write for a living – LIVING? ?? This is a living? Thank God for my supportive husband, and my many wonderful clients needing professional critiques.

Technically speaking, what do you have to struggle the most when writing? How do you tackle it?

My first page is always the hardest. I rework and rewrite that sucker umpteen times.

How was your experience in looking for a publisher? What words of advice would you offer those novice authors who are in search of one?

Research to find a publisher. Visit their website and check out their current book list – does your book fit their list? Check their submission guidelines with care. Gather publishing information and editor news from sources like The Purple Crayon, The yearly
CWIM (Children’s Writers and Illustrator’s Market), and news that flows through the online lists you are on.

What type of book promotion seems to work the best for you?

I am still learning the promotional ropes. Press Releases. My Blog, friend’s Blogs, interviews, and newspaper, TV, and radio interviews. School visits have proved a great income source, even when book sales are poor. I contact those whose business or themes fit with my book, and ask for reciprocal links, or even a book sales slot on their website, blog or store. Local stores. I am considering a Blog Tour. I look for new ways to promote my books every day.

What is the best writing advice you’ve ever received?

Learn the craft of writing and stick with it.

Do you have a website/blog where readers may learn more about you and your work?

Yes, I do: Margot Finke’s World of Writing for Children; “Rattlesnake Jam”; “Gran’s Kitchen – Rattlesnake Recipes to make Mom faint; Rattlesnake POLL – have you eaten rattlesnake? When, where, and why?

Do you have another book on the works? Would you like to tell readers about your current or future projects?

All are mid grades almost ready to go out and earn their keep:

Survival by Walkabout – 2 boy’s have adventures in the Aussie outback. The aboriginal Dreamtime plays a big part in this.

Taconi and Claude – Double Trouble – Aboriginal boy and his cockatoo have fun and dangerous times on an outback cattle station. The Dreamtime looms.

The Revenge of Thelma Hill – ghost mystery. A skeleton in the basement, and a ghost who wants someone to PAY!

Down-under Calling – a reluctant grandson is hooked by his grandmother’s letters from Australia. A mix of both their daily lives, plus letters back and forth between a grandmother and a grandson.

Anything else you’d like to say about yourself or your work?

A huge “thank you” to Mayra Calvani, for thinking up these awesome questions. She really made me stop and think.

Thanks, Margot! It was a pleasure to have you here!

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The Ezra Jack Keats Awards. Heard of them? Here's a description:

The Ezra Jack Keats Book Award was established in 1985 to recognize and encourage authors and illustrators new to the field of children's books. Many previous winners of the award have gone on to distinguished careers creating books beloved by parents, children, librarians and teachers across the country.

All clear? Good. I mean, until I started working for the New York Public Library system I hadn't really heard of them either. Then everyone involved ended up in my Story Hour Room. Yes, this past Thursday we at the Donnell Central Children's Room found ourselves hosting the award ceremony for the 2007 Ezra Jack Keats Award winners. I was given a job: Buzz around everyone and snap photos for posterity. Okey-doke. Trouble is, there's a reason I never went into photography as a profession. I was a Fine Arts double major in both English and Photography in college. That was before I realized that when it comes to composing shots, I'm lamentable. Basically it all boils down to the fact that I'm too self-conscious to snap photographs of folks I don't know. It gives me a jim jams. It's why I can't act or be hypnotised either. Can't explain it. Anywho, after taking surreptitious snaps of people I already vaguely knew (I think I probably took 45 pictures in varying angles of super nice guy Angus Killick) I gave up the whole enterprise and started chatting things up with people like Heather Scott. And Heather would have won the Hot Shoes of Children's Literature Award for this particular kidlit gathering, had I only thought to take a snapshot of her feet with my own camera and not the library's. Lackaday.

The winners of the award, I should probably mention, were as follows:

Brooklyn based Kristen Balouch will receive the New Illustrator Award for her book, Mystery Bottle (Hyperion, 2006), a heartwarming story about a young boy and his grandfather separated by the distance of their countries and united by a mysterious bottle.

The 2007 New Writer Award will go to first-time children’s book writer Kelly Cunnane for For You Are A Kenyan Child (Atheneum, 2006), illustrated by previous Keats Book Award winner Ana Juan, which recounts a day in the life of a young boy growing up a small Kenyan village. Kelly Cunnane lived in Africa for many years but now resides in Beals, Maine.

Ms. Cunnane left a lovely note for Pooh in the guestbook.

But who should be in attendance other than special guest star Michael Buckley! Yes! Author of the Sisters Grimm books (we have the art currently on display, by the way) and all around nice fella. We chatted about possible movie deals, which I will keep mute about. Authors get all touchy when you start yammering on about who's buying what when the actual "buying" part hasn't actually taken place. We discussed the total number of books he might write (could be 6, could be 9). I complimented him on having books that resemble the Lemony Snicket stories but that hold up so much better after multiple readings (well done, Abrams). He's a swell fella. He's also going to talk with some of our local schoolkids at some point here, so that should be fun. I may just have to do his book with my homeschooler bookgroup soon. And say, did you ever notice that the Sisters Grimm books have their own theme song? Howzabout that?

Anywho, lovely evening. Good stuff. Now if I can just finagle some pics out of the Office of Children's Services . . . .

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