How to use this Page

There are three main file types currently associated with eBooks:

• EPUB (.epub) – Short for “electronic publication,” this is the most popular open standard format for eBooks that allows DRM (digital rights management). It is also the format used with all the major retailers EXCEPT Amazon/Kindle. With EPUB, reflowable content ensures that text is displayed in the optimal manner for each eReader or smartphone device.

• Mobipocket (.mobi) – An eBook format that allows users to add a blank page at any point in the text for notes, bookmarks, corrections, and drawings.

• Kindle (.azw) – Amazon’s proprietary format is based on mobipocket, but it comes with its own DRM protections.

1) Once your book has been converted to ePub format, it’s too late to fix a typo! So proof your files for spelling, grammar, and syntax. Remember you are now your own editor! It is up to you to make sure the document you convert to an eBook is meticulously proofread. Even if you pay a company to do the converting for you, you still have to have it perfectly edited, so you might want to consider paying someone to edit your book prior to conversion.

2) Don’t use tabs or the space bar to format paragraphs and individual lines. While it may look the way you want it in a Word or text file, tabs and spaces wreak havoc when converted to eBook format. Use the “Format/Paragraph” menu or alignment buttons in the toolbar of your text-editing program if you want indents.

3) Use standard fonts such as Times New Roman or Courier New. Not all fonts are supported by the eBook format and eReaders. The standard text size is 12 point size font for body text and 14-18 point for chapter titles. Another reason to use Times New Roman: Any special symbols may not convert properly to ePub when using other fonts.

4) The publisher’s name and address, date of publication, copyright info, ISBN number, and other credits should be included on the first two pages of the document.

5) Don’t resize your images in Word or a text editor. All images must be in .png, .jpg, or .tif format, 72 dpi, and in RGB color mode. Do all image resizing outside of the document with image editing software, then reinsert them in your document.

6) If you pay a company to format your manuscript to an ebook, check to make sure of their specs. In general, you will need to resize large images to 300 pixels high if you would like them to display in-line with text. Cover and full-page images should 800-1,000 pixels high by 550-700 pixels wide. Logos or simple images should be 75-100 pixels high.

7) All images (except full-page images) should be set in-line with text. Do not wrap text around images.

8) Tables, sidebars, and inserts will not display properly in ePub format, so extract this type of content and list as ordinary text. Of course, you can always included them as images.

9) Do not include any elements that refer to page numbers other than your formatted Table of Contents. Pages in your document will not coincide with the “pages” on any given eReader.

Talk tomorrow,

Kathy

So you have a written and successfully gotten a publisher to offer you a contract. Now is the time to start thinking of how you plan to market your book. One of the first things that comes to mind are school visits, but you could use some help in figuring out how to maneuver that whole avenue. Well, I am going to point you to a great site – School Visits Experts. Once you visit them I am sure you will agree they share great information on there site. It was founded by Alexis O’Neill. You may already know Alexis, since she has been the SCBWI Regional Advisor in California for the last 18 years and has helped so many children’s writers and illustrators. I know everyone who reads the SCBWI Bulletin and everyone on the West Coast knows Alexis, but for those who live in other places, have a stack of SCBWI Bulletins waiting to be read, or haven’t read one of her books, this might be your first encounter with Alexis.

ALEXIS O’NEILL is the author of THE RECESS QUEEN(Scholastic), THE WORST BEST  FRIEND (Scholastic), LOUD EMILY (Simon & Schuster), ESTELA’S SWAP (Lee &  Low), THREE IRISH TALES (Kindle), and other award-winning picture books as well as a museum education consultant and an instructor for the UCLA Extension Writers’ Program. Her nonfiction works have been published in Spider, Cobblestone, Calliope, Faces, and Odyssey. Her newest book, THE KITE THAT BRIDGED TWO NATIONS: HOMAN WALSH  AND THE FIRST NIAGARA SUSPENSION BRIDGE (Calkins Creek Books, September  2013) will be launched this fall at Niagara Falls in both New York and Ontario, Canada. Alexis writes “The Truth About School Visits” column for the SCBWI Bulletin, offering advice to published authors and illustrators on the art and business of doing presentations. www.alexisoneill.com . www.SchoolVisitExperts.com .

She was also the recipient of the California Reading Association’s Dr. Marcus Foster Memorial Award 2010 for making significant and outstanding contributions to reading throughout California. www.californiareads.org

Thought I would share this book trailer for Alexis new book, since I’m always pointing out good trailer, so a little bit will wash off on you and help you down the road. Here is the book trailer for The Kite That Bridged Two Nations — coming September 2013!

Here’s Alexis:

Mistake #1. Opening weakly

Solution: Get attention! Invite the audience in immediately with a startling statement or image, a communal action (singing, chanting, clapping in rhythm) – anything that commands attention and shows the kids that the program is in your capable hands.

Mistake #2. Being unaware of audience reaction

Solution: Learn to “read” the room.  Are kids getting restless? Beginning to chat? Turning away from your presentation?  Time to switch up the content or pace and get them refocused.

Mistake #3. Speaking too softly, quickly or monotonously

Solution: Practice breathing, projecting, slowing the pace and speaking with lots of expression. Even if you think you have a voice like a foghorn, it will sound strained to those in the back of the multipurpose room.  Be sure to use a microphone. And don’t talk to the screen or easel – face your audience.

Mistake #4. Using visuals or props that are hard to see

Solution: Aim for the kids in the back of the room.  Make props oversize. Be sure everyone has a clear view of your props and the screen.

Mistake #5: Going overtime

Solution: Appoint a timekeeper to give you warnings at 10 minutes, 5 minutes and the end. Keep your eye on the clock so that you can adjust your pacing.

Mistake #6. Failing to create an ending with impact or with a call to action

Solution: If you like to incorporate a Q & A into your assembly, don’t end with it – place it just before the ending. Wrap up by sending the group out with one last anecdote, a summary of the points you made in your presentation or an appeal for them to do something (Be sure to read! Write! Start a book club!)

SchoolVisitExperts.com is a place for published and soon-to-be-published authors & illustrators to find and share advice on how to create and deliver quality programs for kids, teachers and librarians. This is the place to find guidance on

• Designing meaningful programs
• Managing the business side of school visits
• Getting hired
• Evaluating the impact of your program
• Working effectively with children, teachers, librarians, booksellers, and hosts

The ultimate purpose of SchoolVisitExperts.com is to help you deliver presentations that have a positive, meaningful and motivational benefit for students, teachers, librarians, educational specialists, administrators and parents, increase your visibility and assist you in your quest to secure engagements.

For Advice on how to start looking for a school visit, read this article from Alexis: http://schoolvisitexperts.com/?p=589

Talk tomorrow,

Kathy

Manelle graduated with a bachelor’s degree in illustration from Brigham Young University Idaho and has been working as an Illustrator since 2005.  She’s illustrated multiple books. Most recently, In the Garden, (spring 2012) In the Woods, (fall 2012) and At the Beach (spring 2013) for Peachtree Publishers.

Some of my other clients include: McGraw-Hill, Friend Magazine, The Empress Theatre, and Blooming Tree Press.

I work with watercolor, prismacolor pencil, pencil, Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign.

Manelle says, “My object in writing and illustrating books for children is: to recapture imagination, rekindle curiosity, and demonstrate the rewards of knowledge and virtue. Pretty good eh? I stole it from Walden Media. Regardless I am creating books and illustrations for children with this in mind. Hoping that others will have a chance to have fun, and learn from the products I create.”

Manelle has sent three panels that describe her process, thinking, and interview answers.

Have you always lived in Salt Lake Utah?

Basically, I did go to school in Idaho. I lived in West Yellowstone Montana one summer and I lived in Provo Utah for about a year after college.

How did you go to college to study illustration?

Well, yes, sort of, I went to college to study art. I thought I wanted to be a gallery artist but then I took an illustration class and the rest is history.

What types of classes did you take that really helped you to develop as an illustrator?

Like I said I took this one illustration class… It was intense and really hard. It seems like during the semester I was just exhausted the whole time but it really gave me the tools I needed to be able to draw the kinds of pictures I always wanted to draw. In the end I took that class three times, twice with the same teacher and once with another teacher. I learned so much in all of them.

What did you do after you graduated?

After I graduated I moved to Provo Utah and got a job doing layout for an educational publisher. I liked it there and I sometime I got to do small illustrations. It was fun learning more about Graphic design and layout there. I still use those skills all time.

What was the first thing you did that you got paid to do?

I think it was an illustration for the Friend magazine.

How long have you been illustrating?

Eight years

What materials did you start out using for your illustrations?

Watercolor and pen, and I also did a lot of digital painting at first.

Have those material changed over time?

Yes. I still use watercolor but now I use colored pencil and pencil more than pen. I just use the computer for prep work now, value studies and things like that. I stopped doing digital after I got a few jobs painting that way and realized I didn’t enjoy doing that as much. And sometimes l like to just try something completely different if I can. That is what Ruby and the Skateboard is, a fun style experiment.

Was the artwork for Don’t be Afraid a self-published book project?

No it was for a small Christian publisher. I think the first book job I got. I was pretty excited about it at the time.

How did you get involved with Familius?

It’s a long story. I’ll try to sum up. The Just In Time books were first being published by another publisher and they hired me. But before they were published the authors decided they wanted to go a different rout than that publisher was going so they pulled out. I had already done some sketches and things for them and I really, REALLY, wanted to do them. Luckily the authors, Cheri Earl and Carol Williams, live in Utah and I had met them at some SCBWI conferences, so the next time I saw one of them at a conference I told her how baldly I wanted to do those books. Later I emailed the sketches I had done and she liked them. She said she would suggest me as an illustrator if they found another publisher. Years later they found Familius and Familius hired me. So I think the moral of the story is be patient, and go to conferences, you never know what will happen.

Will there be other Just in Time books coming out?

Yes, 50 are planned, one for each state.

Can you tell us something about Familius?

They are new as of last year (2012). Christopher Robbins the publisher used to be CEO of Gibbs smith. So far they have been good to work with and we’ve enjoyed getting the Just In Time books ready for publication.

Will you be the illustrator for all of them?

That’s the plan.

Did you do any interior art for The Princess and the Pee or was it just the cover?

Yeah, I did an illustration for each chapter.

I see that you just wrote and illustration your own picture book and are selling it on Amazon for $.99. Was it easy to take the book dummy and turn it into an ebook?

It wasn’t too hard. But like I said I had a job doing layout and I took some deign classes in college. I don’t know that it would have been as easy if I didn’t know how to do that.  After the layout there is just some mechanical stuff to figure out that takes time but isn’t too hard. Julie Olsen has a nice blog post about how to do that. http://jujubeeillustrations.blogspot.com/2012/01/how-to-create-and-publish-ebook-picture.html

How hard is it to get people to notice your ebook?

I haven’t been good at it yet. Gradually I’m selling more and more and I’ve been trying things here and there to market them. Just learning stuff from people online and trying it. No giant success yet but I kind of enjoy the trying.

Do you plan to produce the book and self publish it, so kids can hold it in their hands?

Not at this point. Both of the ebooks I have out right now were just little things I did for fun and for practice telling stories. I think they will always just be ebooks.

What are your thoughts about the acceptance of buying a digital picture book?

I think people are accepting it more and more and that we all aren’t sure what a digital book is exactly. It’s all a process and I just want to be involved in the new fun. I don’t have programing skills or animation skills so my books are just pictures and text but there are so many more things they can be. I plan to keeping learning and telling better stories and just seeing what happens with digital picture books.  And having fun with them as they evolve.

Do you plan to write and illustrate another children’s picture book?

Of course. I think the reason illustration appealed to me in the first place was the chance to tell stories with my art. I plan on doing that until I die and still doing it in the after life. Why stop right? I have some fun manuscripts written and new ideas all the time, and as I said I feel like I’ve just been practicing so far. I plan on getting better at telling better stories.

Are you concentrating on becoming a children’s picture book illustrator?

Um… yes, and no. I like variety I love picture books but that is not all that I want to do. Mostly I just want to tell good stories.

How did you get involved with Peach Tree Publishers and the board book you illustrated for them?

They hired me after I sent sample postcards.

Who is Jeremy D. Miller and how did you work together on a wordless picture book?

Ha ha, good question. Jeremy is my husband and after I had the idea for Ruby and the Skateboard he helped me figure out everything that would happen to her. Then I drew it.

What types of things do you do to get your work seen by publishing professionals?

Postcard mailings, and a website are the main things. Conferences are great also. You never know what is going to happen. I have heard of people getting jobs from twitter but that hasn’t happened to me yet.

Do you have an agent? If so, who and how long have the represented you?  If not, would you like one?

I don’t have one. I would like one but I want them to be the right one so I keep dragging my feet. I’ve submitted to some before and got some offers but they never felt right. I’ve also gotten a lot (and I mean a lot) of rejections. That was a couple years ago though so maybe I’ll try again soon. But not having an agent has been good for learning. I feel like I know my way around contracts and I’m getting better at taking better jobs. It’s hard asking for more money or changes in contracts. When I have to do stuff like that It’s always nerve racking but I like the feeling of accomplishment at doing something hard even if I don’t get what I want. And of course I’m getting better at it the more I do it.

I see you have used your artwork to make t-shirts, cards, ipad, iphone covers, etc.  Can you tell us a little bit about this?

Yeah, I just use the website society6 which is a service where I upload my art and they print on demand. If someone buys something of mine I get a percentage. I think they have good quality from what I’ve seen. It’s been a fun little side thing.

Do you ever use two different materials in one illustration?

Yes. Right now almost all of my color illustrations are a combination of watercolor and colored pencils. Some of my pencil stuff has a grayscale digital under painting. Doing that helps me save time.  Ruby and the Skateboard is ink and digital.

Have you seen your style change since you first started illustrating?

Yes. Although I don’t know how I can explain it in detail.

Have you gotten any work through networking?

Yes. I would say the just in time books are a good example of that.

Have you published any illustration in magazines or newspapers?

Yes. I’ve done a couple jobs for the Friend Magazine, and some other stuff here and there. I’ve also done illustrations for text books and thing like that.

Do you do any art exhibits to help get noticed?

Not usually but sometimes if the opportunity arises.

Are you open to doing illustrations for self-published picture book authors?

No.

Do you ever use Photoshop?

Yes. I use it for value and color studies and all kinds of other stuff. I used to do a lot of my paintings with it but now I just do paintings with Photoshop for fun when I’m doing experiments and the like.

Do you own a graphic tablet? If so, how do you use it?

Yes. I use it  for painting in Photoshop mostly.

How much time do you spend illustrating?

As much as I can I suppose and sometimes more. I just finished the second book for Just in Time. We had a really tight deadline with it and I spent every waking hour illustrating.

Is there anything in your studio, other than paint and brushes that you couldn’t live without?

I suppose I would prefer not ever live without the salt lake county library system. They provide most excellent recorded books for me to listen to while I’m illustrating (It’s not technically in my studio but the books are).

Any picture books on the horizon?

Not right now.  I have some manuscripts I’ve been working on but it remains to be seen if I will turn them into ebooks or try to publish traditionally. Right now I’m just really busy with Just In Time.

What are your career goals?

Be amazing and keep getting better.  I did have the goal to illustrate cover and interiors for beginning chapter and middle grade books. That’s what Just in Time is and they will keep me busy for a long time.  So I met that goal and haven’t made any new ones yet. I suppose my goal would be to not mess them up. I have some personal projects in mind to do while I’m working on those as well.

What are you working on now?

I just finished the second, Just In time and will probably start on the third soon.

Are there any painting tips (materials, paper, etc.) you can share that work well for you? Technique tips?

Every painting needs an awesome composition and the right values.

Any words of wisdom you can share with the illustrators who are trying to develop their career?

Keep moving forward. I still think I’m in development stage but when I look back I can see that I have made progress. It has been slow going but the work is starting to pay off. I just had to be persistent and I have to keep being persistent and believe it’s gonna be great.

Thank you Manelle for sharing you process and journey with us. We look forward to hearing more success stories from you. Please make sure you let us know.

If you would like to visit Manelle you can go to her website: www.manelleoliphant.com And please take a minute to leave a comment here for Manelle. It would be  much appreciated. Thanks!

Talk tomorrow,

Kathy

Alan Kingsberg was asked to be part of the New Jersey SCBWI Conference, because we a few of our member are studying with him in NYC.  The views of what they are learning from him and how he has helped improve their middle grade books are fabulous. So if you can see you book as a TV show or just want to enhance your book with more visual scenes, then you should consider signing up for this intensive workshop. Here is the description:

This intensive workshop is designed to teach children’s book authors and illustrators How To Break Into TV Writing. Topics will include: How to adapt your book or story for TV; how to structure a TV script that sells; how to build a writing portfolio to get an agent or a job; story telling for books vs. TV, and how to start writing a pilot script or improve the one you’re writing. This class is designed to teach you how to break into a growing and lucrative market with your existing talents and creative skills. The class is suited for beginners and experienced writers. Whether your goal is to turn your book into a successful TV series, get staffed on an existing TV show, or simply explore a new creative arena, this workshop will help you move forward. Clips will be screened from iCarly, Victorious, 30 Rock, News Room and Seinfeld.

In 1999, Alan Kingsberg created the popular TV writing workshop at Columbia University’s Graduate Film School.  He’s been teaching TV Writing and Advanced TV Writing to Columbia MFA students for over a decade. His students’ TV scripts have won many national contests, including the Humanitas Award and multiple first place prizes at the highly competitive film festivals.

Alan’s students have written for 30 ROCK, WEEDS, NEW GIRL, LAW AND ORDER, SMASH, LAST MAN STANDING, VEGAS, CONAN O’BRIEN, and CALIFORNICATION.

Alan has written for numerous network and cable shows including NBC’s “Law and Order: Criminal Intent” and Nickeloden’s “Are You Afraid of the Dark?”  He has been a show runner on five animated TV series including the hits “Winx Club”, “Pokemon” and “Cubix”.  As a show runner he produced or wrote over 220 half hour episodes.

Email Alan

TESTIMONIALS

“Alan is a phenomenal teacher, who taught me everything about TV writing, from story structure to dialogue.  In his class, I wrote and revised the scripts that launched my career in the industry.”  –– Vanessa Reisen, Supervising Producer, WEEDS, CALIFORNICATION.

“The script I wrote in Alan’s class won first prize at the Austin Film Festival, secured me an agent, and got me my first feature screenwriting job at Fox Searchlight Films.” – Martina Broner, Writer/Producer.

“Alan inspires you to write.  He is straightforward and clear.  When you take his class, you’ll end up writing a spec script for a TV show.  He is the real deal.”  – Beth Einhorn, Writer: THE TONIGHT SHOW.

“The Scrubs Spec I wrote in Alan’s class won the Humanitas award ($10,000).  Alan’s class prepared me to work successfully in the industry.”  Chris Carlson, Editorial Director, SPIKE TV.

Conference Link: www.regonline.com/njscbwi2013conference

Talk tomorrow,

Kathy

When her Mom framed the rooster she drew in kindergarten, Susan Eaddy decided that she wanted to be an artist. She has been building on those basic skills learned at age 5 and never lost her love for “ClayThings”.

When she grew up, she worked as an Art Director in educational book publishing for 8 years. She illustrated over 80 educational books and covers in many different media, and won awards for her paper sculpture. She became the Art Director at RCA Records Nashville, receiving a Grammy Award Nomination for the art direction of the “Los Super Seven” CD package.

Susan Eaddy After 7 years she left RCA to open ClayThings Illustration. Today, she works entirely in polymer and modeling clay, and has appropriated every kitchen tool in the house for her art.Her ClayThings appear in magazines, books, catalogs, advertising, greeting cards, wallpaper, kitchen textiles & other licensed products. She lives in Nashville, Tennessee with her husband & Mr. FuzzBoy the fat cat. She is a long-standing member of the SCBWI and is the Illustrator Coordinator for the Midsouth Region.

Here is Susan explaining her process:

I usually use plasticine or modeling clay, which never hardens. It is oil based and melty in the summer, hard as a rock in the winter, so I use ice in the summer and a heating pad in the winter.

I use needle tools, knives, onion bags, buttons, screen, rubber stamps, canvas and plastic texture sheets or ANYTHING for texture, garlic press and /or a clay extruder for hair and grass, pasta roller to roll flat sheets of clay, and food processor for mixing large quantities of a particular color.

Here are the steps:

1. Create a tight sketch.
2. Begin to fill in my background first, using the smush method with thumbs and fingers.
3. Build individual critters or leaves or people, one at a time and layer them into place.
4. Photograph the finished artwork in my studio with a professional camera.
5. Put the raw digital file into my computer, import to photoshop for final clean up. tweaking and preparation to final size for my clients.
6. Upload to an FTP site for clients.

Here are a few videos that show the illustrations coming to life.

Next:

Here’s the video:

Some of Susan’s Book Covers:

Have you always lived in Tennesse?

No, I grew up in FL, but have been in TN now most of my life.

Did you ever take any art lessons?

Yes, My parents always encouraged me, and I took art lessons in 6^th grade one night a week. When I was in high school, I wrangled my schedule so that I had 4 hours of art every day in my senior year.

What was the first art related thing you got paid for?

I won a contest sponsored by Phillip Pickens Realty in the 7^th grade. Their office was in an old house across the street from the school and they wanted students to paint their office/house. I won $25 and they got to keep the painting.

How did you did the job as art director at an educational publishing house? Which one was it?

When I found that I was moving to Nashville after college, I researched the publishers there and discovered Incentive Publications. Their artwork and covers had a beautiful trade book look to them, so I made a general pest of myself until they hired me first for free lance, then as in- house illustrator and finally as AD.

When and what happened to make you decide you wanted to add children’s book illustrator to your resume?

When I was in fifth grade, my mother gave me a workbook of poetry with space for illustration. I LOVED that book and decided that I wanted to combine my 2 favorite things, art and reading, and hoped that one day I could be an illustrator.

Did you take any classes on doing clay illustration?

No, when I was AD at incentive, I was able to illustrate the projects that interested me and free- lance out the rest. So during that time I experimented with every sort of medium, including clay. I had found my love.

What types of things do you do think helped develop your clay work?

My interest in layering, and cut paper, plus I like getting my hands dirty. And probably the biggest thing is that I like NOT knowing what I am doing, so the process is constant discovery. I am driven by my curiosity in how the piece will turn out, as I figure out how to solve each problem as it comes along.

Have the materials you use changed over the years?

Well, I used to use plasticine exclusively, but now I do use some Sculpey as well.

Have you ever tried to write and illustrate a children’s book?

Yes! I have a drawer full!

I see that you have done a lot of clay illustration for Ladybug Magazine. How did that happen?

I had sent postcards to them for years. Once I even got a postcard back saying thanks but no thanks, my style was not a good fit. Wah! I was crushed, but I continued to send them postcards. Then one day, Sue Beck called and gave me a chance. ( she was not the one who had turned me down) Yay! And now I have done quite a few for Carus with LadyBug, Spider, Click and Babybug.

What types of things do you do to get your work seen by publishing professionals?

I send promotional postcards, maintain a presence on childrensillustrators.com and go to SCBWI conferences.

Do you have an agent? If so, who and how long have the represented you?  If not, would you like one?

I have been working with Karen Grencik from Red Fox Literary since Fall of 2012. She just sold Poppy’s Best Paper to Charlesbridge, my first PB as author! The clay was not a good fit for this ms, and the fabulous french illustrator Rosalinde Bonnet will be doing the illustrations.

I would love to have a real 3-D sculpture like what you do hanging on my wall. Have you ever thought about using a permanent clay material to create lasting 3-D pictures to sell?

Yes, I do use Sculpey from time to time and it works as a wall hanging in a shadow box, since it can be baked. It has a different look and feel from the plasticine & I usually paint the clay instead of mixing colors. My Sculpey pieces are smaller, and it is a bit trickier to work with, I think.

Do you ever do any paintings?

No, not anymore…I used too, when I was AD at both Incentive and RCA. I did paintings for book covers and magazine ads. I love to draw and I went through a period of time a couple of years ago where I revisited using watercolor. But I found that I missed the clay too much! and I felt I was spreading myself too thin.

How many picture books have you published?

Papa Fish’s Lullaby, First look at Trucks, First Look at Aircraft, and First Look at Rescue vehicles.

I see that Papa’s Fish’s Lullaby was published by Cooper Square Publishing. Could you tell us a little bit about this publisher and how you landed the contract to illustrate the book?

Actually Papa Fish was published by Northwords Books for Young Readers, but about 6 months after its release, the company was sold to Cooper Square. Again, I had been sending out postcards to my list for years… and I was contacted by the AD who was working with Northwords. She said,” I have had your postcard on my bulletin Board for the last year and a half, just waiting for the right project!”

Is the illustration of the mouse holding the monkey’s hand coming out of the library an illustration from a book?

That was an illustration for Babybug Magazine. Quiet Mouse. And I was thrilled to find out that it won the SCBWI Magazine Merit Honor award for 2012.

First Look at Aircraft is a board book published by Soundprints. How many illustrations do you have to do for a board book?

These books are unusual because they are published in conjunction with the Smithsonian and they wanted a realistic component in addition to the clay artwork. So in each there are 5 clay pictures and 5 photographs. It was so interesting, because I had to have all of my clay aircraft, trucks and rescue vehicles approved by a museum curator at the Smithsonian!

How did you get hired by Soundprints to do those books?

I had exhibited my work at a licensing show in NYC called Surtex. Someone from the Smithsonian stopped by my booth and was especially attracted to my clay trucks. She told me that they partner with Soundprints for some of their children’s books and that she would mention my work to the Publisher. So in May, I sent follow-up emails to both Smithsonian and Soundprints, (never getting a response) and in August I sent a mock- up of a truck board book to Sound Prints. I heard nothing. But then in February I received an email saying that they wanted to do a series of books with me. Yay!

Why is the Smithsonian (Smithsonian First Looks) on one of the books. Did they buy the publisher? You have illustrated a few book with Studio Mouse. How did you find each other?

I am not sure exactly how it works. It is a dual copyright between the Publisher (Trudy Corporation) and the Smithsonian on all 3 books.  Soundprints, and Studio Mouse are imprints of the Trudy Corporation. However, I think the Trudy Corp has now been bought and is operating as Palm Kids!

When you add a new layer of clay to an illustration, do you have to do anything to help adhere it in place?

With plasticine the smush method works every time. When I am using Sculpey, I use Sculpey Bake & Bond, before I bake.

Have you gotten any work through networking?

I met Karen Grencik of Red Fox literary through SCBWI at the LA conference.

Do you do any art exhibits to help get noticed?

No, since my work cannot be hung, I don’t do galleries. But I did have a booth at Surtex for 5 years where I displayed large prints of my work.

How long does it take to do an illustration?

It is a three-part process. The first part is research. I want to make sure that my animals and/or characters and settings are accurate. I go to the library and search the Internet, gathering materials to educate myself about whatever I am illustrating. For Papa Fish’s Lullaby it took me six weeks of solid research before I even put pencil to paper.

Next I do rough sketches and then tight drawings of the pages. It takes anywhere from one to three days to get the drawing and composition to my satisfaction. Then it takes me another day or so to work out the color scheme.

By the time I start working in clay, most of the hardest work is over! The actual clay work on Papa Fish took as little as three days for some spreads and as much as six days for others. The final size of each original is 11×17 inches.

Do you ever use Photoshop?

Yes. I could not do my job without it.

Do you own a graphic tablet? If so, how do you use it?

Yes. A Wacom. I am just more comfortable with a pen than a mouse and I use it exclusively when doing Photoshop work.

This is cool. It is a kid’s activity (app) on Ladybug Magazine’s Website for fun. Check it out. http://www.ladybugmagkids.com/activities/artscrafts/make-your-own-starry-night

How much time do you spend working on your clay illustrations?

I spend as much time, actually MORE time, researching, drawing, figuring out composition and palette as I spend doing the clay. By the time I get to the clay, most of the problem solving is done and I can PLAY!

I noticed that you have a studio set up in your attic. Do you try to work in a cooler place in the summer?

No, it’s a small house and I’m lucky to have a dedicated space. And the clay is not very transportable. I have all of my tools and mountains of clay at my fingertips in my studio. It’s easier to bring in ice than it is to take over another part of the house. (much to my husband’s relief)

What is the most important tool that you use?

Oooohhh do I have to choose only one? If that is the case it would be an exacto knife, but if I get more it would be the needle tools, knife, garlic press and a tiny flat blade for scooping.

Do you take pictures or do any research before you start a project?

 Oh yes, I lOVE to research!! I have to watch myself, because I can so easily get carried away in the fascination of learning new stuff! I do take photos and I love using the iPad as an easy way to access my research photos.

As Illustrator Coordinator, what types of things have you done with the Mid-South SCBWI chapter members?

We have a monthly Illustrator Meeting in Nashville. We sometimes pay a model, sometimes we just bring in work on which we want feedback. If someone has been to a distant conference (LA, NY) they bring back notes to share. We trade tips and moral support and I am ALWAYS enriched by our gatherings. Sometimes, in addition, we gather to sketch in a graveyard or hear a lecture at the Frist Art Museum. We currently have an SCBWI Illustrator Showcase in the Main Library in Nashville, we’ve had an Illustrator Day with the fabulous Laurent Linn. I maintain a public Midsouth Illustrator’s Blog and encourage members to post their works in progress. We also have a private PictureBook critique blog. We’ve just created a video guide to Putting Together Your Portfolio. I serve on the Midsouth Fall Conference Committeee & oversee all Illustration related matters such as our Illustrator Intensive, Portfolio Showcase, Illustrator Contest, and all Illustrator breakouts ( as well as other fun tasks).

I see that you attend the Bolgna Children’s Book Fair in 2012. Since most of us only dream about attending, could you tell us a little bit about it. Did it help to promote your work?

I had ALWAYS wanted to see what the Bologna Book Fair was about. When I discovered that my work had been chosen to be part of an SCBWI Portfolio I decided that now was as good a time as any. And by staying in monasteries, I was able to travel on a shoestring. While I did not get any direct foreign rights deals there, I met fabulous, fascinating people of great talent, and attended seminars on cutting edge issues in childrens’ publishing. One of the BEST parts for me, was meeting and getting to know the International Team. My contact with them led to school visits in Hong Kong earlier this year. There is a project in the works with Julie Hedlund, whom I also met in Bologna. In 2014 three of us Southern ICs plan to travel to Bologna.( Elizabeth Dulemba and Bonnie Adamson) I’m not sure what to expect, but one NEVER knows where things will lead.

You can see Susan’s sketch book journal at: http://claythings-susaneaddy.blogspot.com/

Any exciting projects on the horizon?

We’re still working out all the details so I can’t reveal specifics, but if all goes forward I will be illustrating one of Julie Hedlund’s delightful picture books.

What are your career goals?

To write and illustrate and have my books published and in the hands of kids!

What are you working on now?

I’m writing a PB right now. The Midnight Brownie  is in at least its 500^th draft ;o) and I am doing clay sketches for it as I write. I’m also finishing up my journal from a recent trip to China and working on a new iMovie short with my clay critters.

Are there any clay tips.(Example: Something you love – the best place to buy – a new product that you’ve tried – A how to tip, materials etc.) you can share that work well for you? Technique tips?

Well, I do stalk the Micheal’s website for coupons and buy quantities of both Plasticine(modeling clay)and Sculpey and fun looking texture sheets or rubber stamps when they have 40 % off. If using Sculpey with a texture sheet lightly dust it with powder first so it doesn’t stick. They have some great books on working with Polymer clay  too. Go there and browse!

Any words of wisdom you can share with the illustrators who are trying to develop their career?

I know that you hear this a lot, but perseverance is key. In these days of American Idol and instant celebrity stories you may expect quick success and allow yourself to become discouraged. Quick success IS the exception, wonderful if it happens, but it isn’t the norm. If you love children’s books just keep at it, and surround yourself with other people who love it as much as you do. And try to surround yourself with people who are better than you and LEARN from them. And I know this is going to sound like an ad, but truly, the SCBWI conferences are invaluable for career development, networking and inspiration. Being surrounded by hundreds of people who are passionate about what YOU love??? It doesn’t get much better than that.

If you would like to visit Susan, you can find her at: www.susaneaddy.com. If you have a few minutes, please take the time to leave a comment for Susan. Thanks!

Thank you Susan. I loved seeing your process videos. You make me want to try my hand at clay. Looks like a bunch of fun. Please remember to keep us informed of all your future successes. We’d love to hear about them.

Talk tomorrow,

Kathy

Back in April I had two posts Titled What is a Story Architect’s at Paper Lantern, followed by an article from their writing toolbox about building chapters. Today I bring you another terrific article from Paper Lantern’s Toolbox. You know the information has to be good, when Lexa Hillyer and Lauren Oliver are the ones behind the scenes.

Here are the two links, in case you missed them in April.

http://kathytemean.wordpress.com/2013/04/22/what-is-a-story-architect/
http://kathytemean.wordpress.com/2013/04/23/building-chapters-tips/

In life, most of us avoid conflict. We want to get along and we want everything to go smoothly. However we also know that other people’s conflicts are fantastically interesting. We watch shows called “Desperate Housewives, not “Happy Functional Women.”

This doesn’t make us sadists… it makes us story-lovers. We don’t go to brunch on Sunday to hear about how calm everyone’s Saturday night was—we go to find out about scandals, secrets, surprises, and spectacles. Conflict requires action, and inspires triumph.

Pin this over your desk: NO PAIN, NO GAIN. Both in life and in narrative.

As a fiction-writer, CONFLICT IS YOUR BEST FRIEND. Does this mean your characters should always be throwing half-finished martinis on each other’s dresses, staging battles, or balling their fists and shouting to the heavens? No, of course not.

The whole notion of conflict is to give characters an issue to resolve, aka, to give them a trajectory, a goal, a forward motion of some kind.

CONFLICT => TENSION => ENERGY => DIRECTION => NARRATIVE.

Why is this such a big deal? Too often, our early drafts of novels are boring !!!!

Ever secretly worry that your story is only interesting to YOU? Well conflict is your cure. As readers, we’re compulsive about conflict—we love it, and the more we get, the more we hungrily read along. “How the heck is she going to get out of this one?!” we exclaim, eagerly flipping the pages.

Though of course there are always exceptions to a rule, most people would prefer to read a completely unoriginal story with great narrative drive than read a fantastically inventive, beautifully written book with no direction or point. How do you ensure your novel is the conflict-filled, compulsively readable kind?

First, examine your novel chapter by chapter. How many beats make things harder for the main character? More specifically, does it get more difficult for the character to achieve her established goal? If not, try out PLL’s five tried and true conflict tricks:

 1) ADD STRANGE FRUIT TO FRUITLESS SEARCHES. First draft: Character A asks around for information but comes up with no answers. Change to: Character A does a search and comes up with utterly surprising results that set her on a new course.

(Throw in a curveball that even YOU weren’t expecting!) For instance, a girl searches files for information on her adoptive family. She discovers—gasp—her parents were part of a magical circus. OR she discovers—gasp—her parents are the parents of the boy she loves. She’s in love with her own brother! As you can see, these reveals can pull the plot in extremely different directions

2) ESCAPE ISN’T SO EASY. First draft: Character A narrowly escapes harm. Change to: Character A gets injured, captured, or forced down an unexpected path.

-How can this lead to new plot potential? How will the character get better, what will the injury require him to do next or prevent him from being able to do next? How will he break out of captivity or what will he learn from being held? Where will the unexpected route lead him? Who will he run into there

3) HOLD GRUDGES! First draft: Two characters argue, but come to reconcile their views or agree to disagree. Change to: two characters argue. The disagreement becomes explosive, leading to violence, a drastic measure, or swearing allegiance to a third party.

-How can this open new possibilities for the story? Force the characters to work through the conflict by making more mistakes and truly grappling through the book rather than resolving quickly and cleanly.

4) WE LIKE BIG BUTS AND WE CANNOT LIE. When in doubt, insert a BUT. She tried to sneak in undetected, BUT… She planned to kill him, BUT… She asked him to the dance, BUT.

5) MAKE MISTAKES. Are all the character’s difficulties coming from external forces (bad timing, storms, coincidences, society, other characters’ evil machinations/ villainy) or internal forces/ character-agency (making mistakes, overreacting, wanting something too much, essentially making a dangerous, risky or bad choice)?

-When in doubt, try to use more character-agency to create hurdles. The most interesting problems to solve are the ones we’ve in some way created ourselves!

-A few storms and bad guys are often necessary for good story-telling too, though.

So go ahead, awaken the Inner Demon/Diva/Desperate housewife. Don’t worry—you’ll get to save your characters in the end… Just don’t let them off the hook before then!

If you are attending the New Jersey SCBWI Conference this weekend, make sure you look for both Lexa and Lauren. They will be there. Since I will be there too, I will report back next week hoping to share some of the information so no one feels left out.

Talk tomorrow,

Kathy

If you have decided to self- publish, there are lots of things you need to know and consider. Don’t think you get to wiggle out of doing your homework and making a plan on the steps you need to take and things you need to consider.

The biggest mistake writer’s make, is thinking their story is ready after they have finished writing their book. Whether you go the traditional route or want to self-publish, it is always a mistake to run out and seek someone to publish your book after the first draft. You should pat yourself on the back, because you have accomplished something that eludes many writers and you have a right to be excited and proud, but 99% of the time it is not ready for publication. You have just taken step one of the publication process.

So many self-published books could have made money for the author, if only they could take control of that excitement of finishing that first draft.  Even if it is your fourth draft and is the best book ever written, don’t mess it up by accepting a bad contract. There are companies who try to act like real publishers, who will take anybody and any book and offer a contract. The author is elated and jumps at the offer. Don’t do That!

I am convinced these companies do not give any thought as to the quality of the content. Sometimes I wonder if they even take the time to read the books submitted. They offer production, distribution, press release, and design and artwork, but it is all so inferior that even if the first draft of the book was well written and unique, it ends up being so ugly and made from such poor quality paper that no one, other than friends and family would purchase the book. Then they throw on an extremely high price, like $25 for a picture book, which further dooms the sale of the book.

These pretend publishers realize everyone has friends and family and will get those sales and occasionally they might get someone who really promotes their book and sells more than 50 copies.  For all their work these motivated authors end up making maybe a total of $150. When if they had taken their time, did their homework, and made the right choices, they could have put out a good book that people actually read and would have made money for them.

There are so many things to consider and now so many forms of publishing your book. At the beginning of the year, I promised to start including self-publishing in my post. Next week, I will start pointing out steps you need to take, places to consider, and what they bring to the table, new formats and how to make that happen, and how to get your book seen and distributed.

Hope you’ll stop back.

Talk tomorrow,

Kathy

Here are the four winning first pages critiqued by Sr. Editor Jenne Abramowitz from Scholastic:

Raise and Release (contemporary fiction – coming-of-age) by Betty Vanderwielen

“Dad! A raccoon!”

The shoulder belt bit into Lance’s chest as his dad slammed on the brakes. Lance barely registered the car’s swerve, the final jerky stop, his dad’s arm thrust out toward him. His eyes stayed on the grayish-brown creature launched to the side of the road. And something spiraling off into the underbrush, something it had been carrying in its mouth.

Lance held his breath as the raccoon landed and lay still. He watched it push itself upright, stagger, fall, force itself up again, stumble into the woods.

“Are you all right?” his dad’s voice broke through.

“She’s hurt,” Lance said, pulling the seat belt release with one hand, reaching for the door handle with the other.

His dad pulled him back into the seat. “What do you think you’re doing?”

“She’s not dead. But she’s hurt. We have to help her!”

“Don’t be stupid, Lance. You never approach an injured animal. That raccoon would claw your eyes out if you tried to touch it.”

“But, Dad, it’s our fault.”

“My fault!” His dad released Lance’s arm. “It’s not like I tried to hit it. The thing had no business on the road. Put your seat belt back on.”

“She had something in her mouth. A baby I think. It got thrown over there, in that brushy section.” Lance pointed, but his dad’s head was turned the opposite direction looking for oncoming traffic. “Let me go see, Dad. A baby can’t survive without its mother.”

“It’s not a baby. Probably just something it caught for food,” his father answered without turning around. “A deer mouse maybe.”

“But what if it’s a baby raccoon? On Animal Channel they showed a mother raccoon carrying a baby in her mouth like that.”

Jenne’s Response to: Raise and Release by Betty Vanderwielen

Immediately, I can sense the tension between Lance and his father. It’s clear they have very different values when it comes to animal welfare, and I’m guessing this is going to be a cause for major conflict over the course of this manuscript. And it’s also clear that Lance’s father is more deeply engaged with his own inner thoughts than he is with his son’s beliefs or feelings. When Lance wants to take responsibility for this accident, his father immediately reacts in a defensive, aggressive manner. I suspect this book will explore this relationship and how it affects Lance’s choices, which could make for a really interesting emotional narrative.

I do wonder, though, about where this first page initially drops the reader. It can always be exciting to begin a story in the center of the action. But sometimes this doesn’t allow readers to get to know characters well enough before asking them to care about what’s important to them. In this first page, we immediately meet Lance who wants to help the raccoon and her baby and his father who just wants to get out of the situation, and they’re depicted in fairly black and white terms. Lance is on the side of good and right, and his father, who goes as far as calling his son stupid is clearly not. I would have liked to see a bit of non-raccoon-related interaction between Lance and his father before the accident to help show how the dynamics between them are oriented in general rather than just on the topic of animals, and to give the reader a more nuanced sense of each of them so that we are introduced to them as layered three-dimensional characters rather than simpler archetypes.

Additionally, at times the characters narrate action which might be more naturally conveyed to the reader through description. For example, when Lance explains that he thought he saw a baby raccoon thrown into the brush, he’s overly explaining an event that his father may have seen. If the reader were shown Lance observing this instead, the information would be conveyed in a more believable way.

The Art of Being Remmy

(An illustrated, middle grade novel of about 40,000 words)

By Mary Zisk

Miss Krasner, the art teacher, stood so close to my desk, I could smell her lily-of-the-valley perfume mixed with a whiff of cigarette smoke. While she shuffled through my drawings, I watched the red nails on her fingers dance and I bit my lip.

All the eyes of my third grade class were on me, except for my best friend, Debbie, who was busy drawing hearts on a pink piece of paper with a magenta crayon.

Miss Krasner crossed her arms, narrowed her dark Cleopatra-lined eyes, and puckered her lips.

“My, my,” she said and broke into a wide smile. “You’re a regular little Rembrandt, aren’t you?”

Rembrandt? A famous artist?

My pal, Billy, grinned and winked at me.

With a pat on my shoulder, Miss Krasner leaned down and whispered, “I think you have a special spark, Rosella. Don’t lose it.”

A spark. I had a spark.

Miss Krasner didn’t know then that her declaration would lead to my nickname, Remmy. The important thing was that she had stamped me with her seal of approval. I was an Artist with a capital A. It was my dream and then I knew it was also my destiny. Nothing could stop me.

Until last year.

Seventh grade.

1963.

Jenne’s Response to: The Art of Being Remmy by Mary Zisk

There are so many wonderful details in this first page. With her lily and cigarette smell and her dancing red nails, we definitely get a visual image of what the kind of woman Miss Krasner the art teacher is. I do wonder though about the voice of this character. The compliment she pays Rosella has a bit of arch humor to it, and comes off a bit sarcastically to me. Which both made me question what I’d previously thought of this character and also of how I’m supposed to interpret Rosella’s artistic ability. Is she actually talented? Or is she so bad in art class that she’s given an ironic nickname? Details like the smile and the pat on the back the teacher gives Rosella answer these questions, but I’m still left with a conflicted picture of this character. And since she’s being used to set-up reader expectations for how Rosella sees herself, I wonder if it might make more sense to be clearer about all of the details that show us who she is.

I quite like the tone of the writing in this first page. It’s intimate and personal, a bit wistful and full of hints about what’s to come. The last few lines on this page are a great set-up for the drama to come as Rosella aka Remmy’s story unfolds. But the timeline of this piece does confuse me a bit. This initial scene takes place when the character is in third grade and quickly jumps to an allusion to what’s happened later in seventh grade, from the point of view of after events have transpired, all of this transpiring in the past. Which is a lot to sort out. I wonder if it might be clearer to simply begin with the events of seventh grade in 1963 to streamline the reader’s understanding of the setting.

All-in-all, I’d definitely keep reading this manuscript.

MAG-NIF-I-CENT by Betty H. Matthews

It was sunrise in the garden. Willie the caterpillar munched, and crunched and slurped his way across a

crisp hibiscus leaf. He looked up and found himself surrounded by a crowd of BIG eyes. Then he heard a crowd of BIG voices.

They ooh-ed and aah-ed, “It’s outstanding…exquisite in every way.”

The loudest BIG voice gasped, “It is truly magnificent!”

Willie peeked up. It was an orange hibiscus blossom.  Must be nice to be mag-ni-fi-cent…whatever that means,thought Willie.

His friend, Pete, wiggled over.

“Pete, do you know what mag-nif-i-cent means?”

“I don’t have a flea’s idea,” said Pete. “Ask Mrs. Quail.  She knows lots of words.”

Willie wiggled down to the tomato plants.  “Mrs. Quail, I need your help to figure out what mag-nif-i-cent means.”

“Well,” said Mrs. Quail, “it has to do with art.  Look up.  Do you see all of the colors in the morning sky?”

“Yep, I sure do,” said Willie.

“It’s a masterpiece,” said Mrs. Quail. “It’s magnificent.  That’s the perfect word.”

“But I can’t paint a picture like that.  What can I do to be mag-nif-i-cent?”

“Might ask Sylvia Hen. Too-da-loo!”

Willie wiggled to the hen house. “Good morning, Mrs. Hen.”

“Hi, little feller. Whatcha need?”

“I’m looking for MY mag-nif-i-cent. Do you know where to look?

Mrs. Hen looked down at her nest. “I ‘jest’ might be able to help you.”

He heard a little cracking sound and then a whole little chick stepped right out of that shell.

Sylvia Hen clucked and cooed, “My, oh my! Hal-le-lu-jah! If this ain’t magnificent, I don’t know what is.”

Jenne’s Response to: MAG-NIF-I-CENT by Betty H. Matthews

The genre of this first page wasn’t labeled, but based on the young tone, lovely restraint in description, and the well-balanced structure, I’m going to assume this is a picture book manuscript. One of my favorite things about this page is the occasional specificity of language (“Too-da-loo!”)  in dialogue that really brings the characters to life. Sylvia Hen’s southern mothering is an especially nice touch. I do find myself wishing Willie’s voice had that same specificity of language. He’s a bit less fleshed out than many of the other characters we meet here.

I find the premise of this manuscript both sweet and a bit confusing. On the one hand, Willie is going to collect lots of examples of things that can be considered magnificent, and I can already see in Mrs. Quail’s description of art and Sylvia Hen’s brand-new chickadees, that these examples will be charmingly varied in their depictions of big, bold conceptual ideas and small, personal moments. On the other hand, the premise is nestled in Willie’s exploration of what the word “magnificent” means, when it seems clear he already at least knows it’s something wonderful. He doesn’t question what “exquisite” or “outstanding” mean, he recognizes oohs and ahs, and concedes that it must be nice to be magnificent. Which tells me this book is really more about him finding the magnificent in the world around him and in himself than it is an exploration of unfamiliar vocabulary. I think the premise would be more effectively set up if that were clearer for the reader.

Words Can Hurt by Janice Milusich  -  middle grade

The house was dark, but from her room Talia could see the glow of the kitchen light, when she looked down the hallway.  Her stomach knotted. Dad would be home soon.

Mom shuffled a deck of cards. They slapped the kitchen table as she dealt them: king, queen, jack, ten—solitaire. Mom played it every night while she waited.

Dog-earing the page of the book she’d been reading, Talia tucked The Secret Garden under her pillow, and clicked off her light.  Closing her eyes, she pictured a garden full of sweet roses, honeysuckle…  Raising her snub freckled nose, she could almost smell their sweetness.

BAM!  The front door shuddered. Talia snatched at her covers. She shoved her arms to her side and straightened her legs.

Mom turned on the light and crossed the hall.  Talia’s eyes followed her, until she couldn’t see her anymore.

“Why was it locked?” asked Dad.

Mom trailed him across the living room. “Why’re you so late?” She sounded tired.

 “Late—?  Late for what? ” Dad was ready for a fight.  He stopped in the hallway.

Through her lashes Talia saw his back was turned.  Tall, his body all squares and

rectangles, he towered over Mom.  He turned toward Talia’s room. Her leg twitched—that was all it took.

“Talia Maria Keens, come out to the kitchen.”

The only time Dad said all three of her names together was when she’d done something wrong, or he thought she had.

“Talia, I said come out here.”

Jenne’s Response to: Words Can Hurt by Janice Milusich

The tone of this first page is dark and ominous and does a really effective job of drawing the reader in. There are so many fabulous descriptions, from the cards “slapping” the table to the front door “shuddering,” that all fit together to create this really tense scene. I’m wondering what  the history of this family is, and what is going on with Talia’s father to make her and her mother both anticipate his anger so severely. And I’m also wondering what specific incident is driving the confrontation that brewing here. Because of the details chosen to introduce us to Talia (her observant, thoughtful voice and the fact that’s she’s reading a classic novel), she comes across as a quiet, well-behaved girl. So the possibility of wrong-doing, even if only in her father’s eyes, really piques my interest and makes me want to find out more.

The one element that’s not quite working for me here is the way the author’s tried to convey physical descriptions of Talia. The mentions of her “snub freckled nose” and the way she looks up through her lashes feel a bit forced into the scene to help show the reader what she looks like. But I’m not sure these details are necessary in this first moment, and might be better served by introducing them at a more natural point in the story that focuses on self-reflection rather than anxiety directed outward at her family.

I want to thank Jenne for sharing her expertise with us.  It is greatly appreciated. Remember you have a chance to meet Jenne at the New Jersey SCBWI Conference in June.

Talk tomorrow,

Kathy

I have been saying for years that teen books provide great reads and fit into my life style so much better, because they are a quick literary fix. They remind me of buying a delicious gourmet frozen dinner – Pop it in the Microwave and voila you are happy and fed.  They are shorter, faster-paced, and designed to appeal to discriminating readers.

Apparently, I am not the only one who feels this way, because many of the readers buying books aimed at the teen market are no longer teenagers. But the numbers are more dramatic than we may have guessed. According to the Bowker study, 55 percent of customers who buy young adult books are 18 or older. In fact, the largest group of readers purchasing titles labeled “young adult” are actually 30 to 44 years old – not the target demographic for the books.

The teen readers genre, which is officially slated for readers 12 to 17, has crossed age lines over the past decade as series like “Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling,” “Twilight by Stephenie Meyer,” and Suzanne Collins’ dystopian trilogy “Hunger Game”s have appealed to adults as well as the younger readers at which they were aimed.

Just look at the first 9 months of Amazon’s “best of the month” picks. It included a young adult title in its “Top 10 list” four times – not on a separate “young readers” list but as part of its overall survey of best titles available. “Every Day” by David Levithan was selected in September, while “Shadow and Bone” by Leigh Burdago made the June list. “The Fault in Our Stars” by John Green cracked the January list and “Daughter of Smoke and Bone” by Laini Taylor made it to the September roll call.

This leads us to publishers who now have coined the phrase “New Adult”. The School Library Journal has a good article with links to a number of sites that discuss how they see “New Adult” fitting into the market. http://blogs.slj.com/teacozy/2012/12/28/what-is-new-adult

New market research shows that 55 percent of those buying books labeled ‘young adult’ are in fact 18 and over, a trend that’s increasing, so it is something you definitely should be aware of if you write for teens. Five years ago, editors wouldn’t even look at a book that had an eighteen year old on their way to college or making their way out in the adult world – more proof that things are changing and with that more opportunities for writers.

10 books to read after the ‘Hunger Games’ trilogy

Talk tomorrow,

Kathy

Katie McDee was raised in the sun-filled, salty-fresh air of Southern California and is lucky enough to still live and work there. Katie’s interests include movies that don’t stink, delicious eateries, and discovering new places. Her free time is spent playing ultimate frisbee and capturing her friends’ most embarrassing moments in her sketchbook.

Katie’s artistic talent and creativity has always been a part of her life. Whether it was hand-made cards or Super Market art contests, as a child she was always drawing. In high school she not only starred in musicals but also designed the Tshirts and posters. Although she excelled in many areas of school, art and music were always her favorite.

Today she works as a traditional and digital illustrator for the children’s market. Past projects have included books, magazines, video games, board games, T-shirts, greeting cards and packaging.  With a BFA in Illustration from CSU Long Beach, and years of freelance experience, Katie has the knowledge and experience of working with art directors, designers, and other creative professionals.

Her clients have included:  Oxford University Press, Capstone Publishing, Highlights High Five, Pearson Education, Lakeshore Learning Materials, Friend Magazine, Pockets Magazine, The Los Angeles Times, Bionic Games, Appy Entertainment, The Topps Company, and San Diego Gas & Electric (Sempra Energy).

Here is Katie explaining her process:

Thumbnail: When I start figuring out the composition of a piece I always draw small. Really small. I scratch out a bunch of little thumbnails and once I have one I like I scan it and enlarge it in Photoshop.

Sketch: Sometimes I’ll draw over the blown-up thumbnail in Photoshop or move pieces around, But usually I just print it out and trace over it with tracing paper and a BiC mechanical pencil.

Color rough: I like to do a quick color rough in Photoshop.

Blocking in: Once I’ve scanned in the final sketch and received approval, I place the sketch in Illustrator with opacity scaled back to 50%. I lock that layer and start blocking the shapes in layers. I usually have background and foreground layers with others as needed.

Blocked in: After everything is blocked in with Illustrator, I export each layer as PSDs and put it all back together in Photoshop.

Final: In Photoshop I use even more layers to shade and highlight and bring in texture overlays. And voila!

How did you end up going to CSU Long Beach to get your BFA in illustration?

I actually started out at CSULB as a music major. I thought I was going to be a choral director. It wasn’t more than a couple months before I realized that my talents were better suited for visual art. So I switched majors and focused on illustration. Lucky for me I married a high school choral director so now I’ve got the best of both worlds.

What types of classes did you take that really helped you to develop as an illustrator?

All of the illustration, composition and design classes were my favorites but every art class I’ve taken was invaluable, from watercolor to screen printing. But my illustration skills have developed most through freelancing. There’s nothing like learning on the job.

Did they help connect you to companies that could give you work?

No, I don’t think I’ve had any work come from classes, though keeping in contact with some classmates through social media sites and email has.

Did you start out using watercolors for your illustrations?

Yes, in college I painted everything in watercolor (unless I had to use some other media). And my very first paid jobs were created in watercolor. I still love traditionally painting illustrations for clients and my own personal work.

What was the first thing you did that you got paid to do?

I can’t remember exactly. It was either a caricatured family portrait or a gigantic mural depicting castles, gnomes and fairies. But those were private commissions. My first freelance gig was a series of paperback reader books for Lakeshore Learning Materials.

How long have you been illustrating?

7 years professionally. 31 years doodling

What types of things do you do to get your work seen by publishing professionals?

My work is showcased online on my website/blog and a couple illustrator sites like childrensillustrators.com. I’ve contacted art directors directly and sent mailers in the past but usually contract work comes through my online presence and word of mouth.

Have you ever tried to write and illustrate a children’s book?

Yes, there have been a few attempts. I’ve learned a lot since and plan to dust some of them off and give ‘em a complete overhaul one of these days.

Do you have an agent? If so, who and how long have the represented you?  If not, would you like one?

I do not have an agent or art rep. I’ve considered it many times and I’d like to have a good working relationship with one. But I’m waiting for the right fit.

Do you want to concentrate on being a children’s picture book illustrator?

That would be so great. Ultimately I’d love to just spend my time working on picture books exclusively. Though I’d probably miss the diversity and fun of illustrating for games and magazines.

Have you made a picture book dummy to show art directors, editors, and reps.?

No, not yet.

Do you ever use two different materials in one illustration?

Yes. Pencil sketches, painted textures and photoshop. Ink and watercolor. Sometimes even cut paper.

How did  you find the companies where you have done commercial illustration, games, etc.?

I have friends in high places, haha. No but really, most of the time they find me online or through word of mouth.

Do you attend the SCBWI Conference in LA? 

If so, how do you prepare for attending something like that? I attended one year, I think it was in 2009. I participated in the portfolio showcase so there was months of drawing, designing, and printing a portfolio and postcards to show off. It was a lot of fun and I met some amazing people that I’m now blessed to call my friends.

Have you seen your style change since you first started illustrating?

Oh, definitely. Though I was looking through old sketches the other day and noticed I still draw umbrellas and shoes the same way.

Have you gotten any work through networking?

Yes! Thank you blogging and Facebook.

I see you have had your illustration published in quite a few magazines.  How many magazines have published your work?

Six, so far. I hope to double that in the next year. I love illustrating for magazines.

How did the LA Times find  you to illustrate a story for the ‘Kids’ Reading Room’ section of the newspaper?

I think I called the Art Director. Never underestimate the power of the ‘cold call’.

Are you open to doing illustrations for self-published picture book authors?

I have in the past. Unfortunately, I don’t take on self-publishing authors now because they don’t have a budget I can pay bills with. It’s a sad reality, especially when their book ideas sound so fun.

What made you go digital?  Is Photoshop your software of choice?

When I started freelancing for companies, it was all digital, all the time. There were many late nights figuring out Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop as deadlines sped towards me. Now I can’t live without my computer. I enjoy the crisp look and edit ability of Illustrator and the fun challenge of rendering an illustration to look painted with Photoshop. While I still love painting with watercolor and gouache, the computer affords me and my clients much-needed versatility. And there’s nothing better than ‘command Z’, am I right?!

Do you have any tips that would help other digital artists?

Get a bigger scanner and printer. The biggest you can afford. And a Wacom tablet. It’ll save your arm.

Do you own a graphic tablet? If so, how do you use it?

Me and my Wacom Intuos 3 are best buddies. I don’t even use a mouse. My mouse is dead to me.

How much time do you spend illustrating?

Depending on the circumstances (deadlines or family commitments) I can spend as little as 5 hours to as much as 12 hours a day working.

Do you have a studio set up in your house?

My family insisted I take one of the bedrooms as my studio instead of a guest room. Sorry visitors but it’s mine and I love it!

Is there anything in your studio, other than paint and brushes, and your computer that you couldn’t live without?

My drafting table is 7 feet wide. I am spoiled.

Any picture books on the horizon?

I’m about to start working on an early reader book with Oxford Univ Press.

What are your career goals?

My goals include more book, magazine and licensing work. I think pairing up with an agent or rep may be my next step. I’d also like to set up an online shop to sell some of my random paintings and creations. My ultimate goal is to spend my days writing and illustrating my own books and board games.

What are you working on now?

Right now I’m working on some spot illustrations, early reader book(s), some educational activities/games and 2 magazine illustrations.

Are there any watercolor painting tips (materials, paper, etc.) you can share that work well for you? Technique tips?

Why stretch watercolor paper when you can use illustration board? I like Crescent. Sometimes I print out a copy of my sketch and paint a color rough right on it. Hmm, what else? I used to ink with a croquil pen but now I use Microns. They’re waterproof and come in multiple sizes and colors.

Any words of wisdom you can share with the illustrators who are trying to develop their career?

Here’s my 2 cents. And that may be all it’s worth to you, but… Try something new. Get out of your comfort zone. I see many people who are only willing to work in one way or for one type of publishing. You will grow as an artist and more doors may open for you if you say yes to something different. Tackle that App, comic book, or board game design rather than sitting around waiting for your big break in picture book publishing (or whatever it is you so desperately desire).

Katie, it was pleasure getting to know you through your illustrations and this interview. I am sure we will be seeing a lot more from you. Please let me know when you have new successes and send in new illustration that I can use during the month. That way we can stay connected.

You can see more of Katie at the following sites: www.katiemcdee.com  www.katiemcdee.blogspot.com  www.childrensillustrators.com/illustrator.cgi/katiemcdee 

Please take a minute to leave Katie a comment about her work.  It is much appreciated.

Talk tomorrow,

Kathy

Chuck Sambuchino who writes the Guide to Literary Agents Blog from Writer’s Digest had another good post and is sponsoring a book give-a-way of Kathy Leonard Czepiel, author of A VIOLET SEASON
(Simon & Schuster), named one of the best books of 2012 by Kirkus Reviews.

She is the recipient of a 2012 creative writing fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts, and her short fiction has appeared in Cimarron Review, Indiana Review, CALYX, Confrontation, Brain Child, and elsewhere.

Czepiel teaches writing at Quinnipiac University in Connecticut, where she lives with her husband and two daughters. Learn more about Czepiel
and her work at her website.

As an added bonus, Chuck posted five of Kathy’s tips on writing the first draft of your novel. So read and learn, then visit Chuck to leave a comment and maybe win a copy of Kathy Leonard Czepiel’s award winning YA Fantasy Novel.

1. Make an outline. Then be willing to leave it behind. Writing an outline forces me to think through some big questions before I begin. But I follow it the way I travel with my husband sans kids: “Hey, Honey, look at this weird little mountain on the map. Wanna check it out?” And pretty soon the story has taken a turn. Sometimes the side trip changes everything, and I revise my outline. Sometimes it’s a dead end. Then I have my outline to get me back on track.

(Learn how to start your novel.)

2. Think of your first draft as the clay, not the sculpture. Imagine that what you are doing is digging up clay, just a hunk of stuff from which you’ll create something later. Much of it will be messy and unrefined, but that’s not your problem now. Your job is simply to get from the beginning to the end. Keep digging! When it’s time to write a second draft, you will have your raw material.

3. Every time you think about how pedestrian and clumsy and downright awful your first draft is, remind yourself that no one else has to read it. I don’t show my first draft to anyone. I already know it needs a lot more work, and I even know what some of that work will be, so asking someone else to read it would be pointless (and embarrassing). If you don’t know what your first draft needs, then by all means, ask for help. But if you decide not to show it to anyone, it may be best not to tell anyone about it either. Otherwise, your well-meaning friends will keep asking you how it’s going, and you will have to distract them with beer or chocolate or witty conversation on another topic (my personal favorite).

4. Don’t let a lack of research slow you down. I write historical fiction, so I do a lot of research, but I only do a little bit to get started. When I began drafting my debut novel, A Violet Season, I needed to know that violets were grown in the Hudson Valley beginning in the early 1890s, and that wet nurses had become somewhat obsolete by the turn of the century, when infant formula was invented. As for the details—how to pick violets, how much wet nurses were paid—in my first draft, I made them up! If I’d been concerned about research too soon, all those trips to the library (and the violet farm, and the Lower East Side of New York City, and so on) might have prevented me from ever finishing that first draft. Instead, I use CAPS in my first drafts to indicate where details need to be filled in later.

(Read author interviews with debut novelists.)

5. Set a deadline. A Violet Season was written over four summers—each summer, another draft. This was a crazy schedule, I know, but in some ways it was perfect. There was a clear end to the summers (sadly), and to my drafts. If you don’t have a deadline, you run the risk of one draft spilling into the next, and you may never feel a sense of closure or accomplishment. This is really important in a business in which we often work alone and without recognition. When you finish your draft, celebrate! Then start the next one.

GIVEAWAY: Kathy is excited to give away a free copy of her novel to a random commenter. Comment within 2 weeks; winners must live in Canada/US to receive the book by mail. You can win a blog contest even if you’ve won before. (Please note that comments may take a little while to appear; this is normal).

Deadline for leaving a comment ends on March 20th, so don’t delay.

Talk tomorrow,

Kathy

Ask anyone who’s been in a writers critique group, and you will hear that there is no better way to hone your craft.  Ideally, a critique group gets you where you want to go as a children’s writer.  But what if you can’t find a group to go to?

Start one of your own.  I know, it’s a little scary.  But it’s worth it.  (Trust me:  I’ve been in critique groups since 1995. All that critiquing helped me reach some major publishing milestones!)  So here goes, a few pointers from my own experience:

GET THE WORD OUT.

The best way to let like-minded writers know that you’re starting a group is to contact the SCBWI critique group coordinator listed on your regional chapter’s website and/or newsletter. This chapter volunteer collects names of ‘critique seekers’, and sorts them according to geographic location.  If there is not a group in your area open to new members, he or she shares your contact information with interested writers who live and work in the same area so you can network on your own.  Another route is to contact local community education programs and universities offering ‘writing for children’ courses, and ask the instructors to make an announcement to students about your intention to start a critique group.

GATHER ESSENTIAL FACTS ABOUT POTENTIAL MEMBERS.

Start a file with everyone’s email, phone number, address, websites. Ask basic questions: what genres and for which readerships do you write? When can you meet—mornings, afternoons, or evenings—and which days of the week?  How often do you want to have meetings:  once a month, twice a month or weekly?  Where are you located and how far are you willing to travel for the meetings?  Do you want to read/critique manuscripts at the meetings or outside of the meetings?  Do you want to share marketing information at the meetings or focus only on the craft inside of the critique group?  Answers to these questions will assist you in structuring the group for maximum mutual benefit, and get things off to a strong start.

FIND YOUR MEETING SPACE. 

This is a matter of choice and luck.  The first place to look for free meeting space is your local library.  Most have a community room for small groups, and if there is room, you may be able to schedule the space up to a year at a time.  Other options include bookstores, coffee houses, and members’ homes.  As long as the venue is comfortable, relatively quiet and convenient to all members, your location will work well.

SET YOUR FIRST MEETING.

Set the date, gather members and get going.  The agenda for a first meeting should be to discuss and set ground rules, and to simply get to know one another a bit.  Sample work might be read to the group so others can get an idea of your writing ‘personality’, but no real critiques should be done at this first gathering.  You might hand out tips on critiquing the work of others, and a checklist of literary elements to look for in a manuscript.  There’s a lot of information about the critique process on various websites, as well as entire books on the subject. Two excellent books are: HOW TO START AND RUN A WRITERS’ CRITIQUE GROUP by Carol J. Amato; and THE WRITING GROUP BOOK:  CREATING AND SUSTAINING A SUCCESSFUL WRITING GROUP by Lisa Rosenthal.

KEEP IT GOING.  Encourage each writer to take their work up a notch with upbeat yet honest comments. Listen with patience and respect.  Motivate one another.  Commiserate and celebrate together.  Keep up the good work.

Submitted by

Dianne Ochiltree, www.ochiltreebooks.com

Author of MOLLY, BY GOLLY! The Legend of Molly Williams, America’s First Female Firefighter, 2012 Bronze Medal winner, Children’s Literature, Florida Book Awards

Talk tomorrow,

Kathy

This is by no means the only things you can use to format and convert your manuscript to an e-book, it is just to give you an idea of the some of the things out in the market you can use. The Kindle, the Nook and the iTunes Bookstore (which services both the iPhone and iPad) now stand out as the most common targets for e-books. This has helped the e-book boom has helped consolidate formats a bit, but there still isn’t a single gold-standard editing product that guides users through the whole workflow and helps them check their results.

You probably will want to format your e-book for a varity of readers –  it helps to support as many of devices as possible. The Kindle, for instance, is notorious for not supporting ePub format files.

So here is a little information about the most common e-book formats and their drawbacks, so you can decide what to use to format your manuscript and create an ebook.

HTML:

If you are looking for only one fromat, HTML is more or less it. For one, it’s ubiquitous; almost every text-processing program can generate or read HTML. It also supports many features e-books will use: hyperlinks, font control, section headings, images, etc. Downside not everyone knows HTML.

But if you’re starting with a Microsoft Word or Open Document Format document, your best bet is to export it directly from the source application into HTML. Word users should do a “Save as…” using the “Web Page, Filtered” option, which strips out most of Word’s generated left over junk (cruft).

Exporting to HTML from your source program helps preserve the most crucial formatting and usually preserves sections and chapters: outline headers are turned into h1/h2/h3 tags, which most conversion programs correctly recognize. Some are even able to auto-generate tables of contents from those tags. Word typically does a good job generating TOCs without problems.

Microsoft Word (DOC or DOCX)

If you’re dealing with an original manuscript, odds are it’s probably going to be in Microsoft Word format. Almost every device on the face of the Earth can read or write Word documents. And the format has native support for most everything you could think of: formulas, chaptering, footnotes, indexes — anything that might show up in an e-book.

Word documents are best as a starting point for an intermediate conversion format, most likely HTML, rather than a format that can be converted directly into an e-book. In fact, most e-book conversion programs don’t accept Word natively as a source document type. They may accept Word’s sibling format, RTF, but that is already at least one stage of conversion away from the original and increases the chance that certain features might not make it through the conversion process. For example, RTF does support features like sections and footnotes, but the Calibre e-book creation suite, for one, doesn’t process them correctly.

OpenDocument (ODF)

OpenDocument is the format used by OpenOffice.org. Microsoft Word also supports ODF as one of it’s formats. it reads and writes.) Third-party OpenOffice offers extensions that let you export directly to e-pub formats. There are also a number of standalone applications, such as ODFToEPub. If you’re already used to creating your documents in ODF, your path to creating a finished e-book may be  shortened, slightly.

ePub:

An open, non-proprietary format. Uses XHTML as the basis for its document format. ePub is widely supported as an output format by various e-book production applications. iTunes only accepts ePub as a source format, so it couldn’t hurt to render a copy of your product as ePub no matter what other formats you use.  Books that require PDF-style page fidelity won’t work well in ePub.

Mobi and Kindle:

After Amazon bought Mobit, it made it into the basis for the Kindle reader’s own e-book format. Mobi supports digital rights management, but unencrypted Mobi documents can be read on the Kindle without issues.

PDF

PDFs can be read as-is in the majority of e-book readers, including the Kindle. It is best used when you want to maintain absolute fidelity to page layout — images, typefaces, etc. But this is the very feature that makes PDFs a problem in some scenarios. Other e-book formats are designed to work independently of any particular device resolution, so pages reflow automatically for each device. This is one of the reasons the Kindle didn’t make use of page numbers at first, since the page numbering for a particular book depends on what device or screen size you are using.

PDFs reproduce the formatting of the original page, no matter what the size of the destination device, so a PDF formatted at a certain size may be readable on a large display, but look cramped on a Kindle or Nook. If you plan to use PDFs, you may want to consider exporting your document with different page sizes for people using e-readers with small screens.

Calibre:

http://calibre-ebook.com/  Calibre is a free and open-source application marketed as a personal e-book management solution. It can be used as an e-book conversion utility.  It is powerful and may be the best place to start, especially if you want to distill output for multiple e-book formats. The program can accept ODF, RTF, ePub, Mobi, PDF and HTML. Calibre can also reformat documents unwrapping plain text that has too many line breaks or insert chapter breaks by looking for certain text structures (such as a line break, the word “Chapter” and then a number).

It doesn’t support DOC or DOCX documents, so anything coming from Word, so you will have to save it in another format first.  Serdar Yegulalp, a computer techology author says, ”Saving in either ODF or HTML from Word seemed to do the best job of preserving formatting and features, including things like monospaced formatting for code examples. Doesn’t process footnotes correctly.”

Sigil:

http://code.google.com/p/sigil/ Sigil is a multi-platform EPUB ebook editor – free open source. It’s an editor that exports to e-books (has a built-in document editor) it includes various tools for collating and assembling a finished e-book (such as a table-of-contents editor). Sigil’s main drawback is how it handles importing – only accepts HTML, plain text or existing ePub files as input documents.

Jutoh:

http://www.jutoh.com/ Accepts OPL files and has slightly more robust editing options. The cost is $39.

Adobes In Design is a full blown publishing solution, but it requires a lot more work and knowledge to generate a finished product than a simple conversion utility. Second is the price tag: It starts at $699.

TIP: Include a Table of Contents

An e-book that isn’t properly chaptered is difficult to navigate. Going to an arbitrary point in a book is not as easy as it should be. The Kindle, for instance, has no touch screen, so jumping around in a book without a table of contents is a chore.

If you have gone through the process of formatting and converting your own ebook, we loved to hear what you chose.

Talk tomorrow,

Kathy

This Good Friday Illustration was sent in by MaryJo Scott, a freelance illustrator and mother of three. Besides filling journals with sketches and words, she moonlights as an open mic storyteller and poet. Growing up the youngest of six and working in my parents’ coffee/gift shop, has given me an unending supply of humorous and poignant stories. My favorite things are walking out of a library with an armful of books, hiking, gardening, visiting with my chickens (the girls and one talkative rooster) and looking for salamanders under rocks with my kids. http://maryjoscott.carbonmade.com

Leading off the critiques for March is the only one who used the picture prompt. I want to thank everyone for submitting their first pages and thank Janine for taking time out of her busy schedule to critique the four pages and help so many writers in the process.

HE LOVES ME NOT  By Lauri C. Meyers – YA 

       “He loves me. He loves me not. He loves me.” Rose said plucking the lily’s purple petals.

“You’re doing it all wrong,” a voice spoke behind her. Rose turned to see a beautiful stranger approaching. Almost too lovely for real life, and certainly too gorgeous for Corning.

“I can show you the correct way, but,” the stranger paused, her eyes gleaming, “you should only try if you’re certain of his love. Though, you wouldn’t be pulling petals if you were sure.”

“I know he loves me deeply. I was merely,” Rose selected her words, “reassuring myself.”

“Delightful. Then you are indeed ready for the test. Escort me to the water.” Though Rose was not in the habit of following strangers, she easily slid her arm in the woman’s elbow when offered.  This woman felt safe, or at least irresistible.

“Water flows all around the world, across the land, down the mountains, into the sky, and through every living thing. Water courses through you right now.  If anyone knew the truth, it would be the water.”  The stranger brushed Rose’s cheek with her supple fingers. The words sounded as true as anything she had ever learned. Certainly, water did know more than anyone.

“Though my pastor says,” Rose attempted to collect the letters floating around her head into the words she heard every Sunday, but the truth was strong. The stranger’s smile dazzled.

“To ask the water, you must be in the water.” Rose didn’t remove her slippers or raise her gown as though entering a carriage, but rather waltzed right into the lake.

“Now say your words. He loves me. He loves me not. He loves me.”

“He loves me. He loves me not.  He loves me. He loves me not,”  Rose chanted.

The water rippled around her, and bubbles began to pop around her fingertips. Then the water tugged her under. She didn’t struggle as the liquid filled her mouth; she just let go knowing the answer to the question.

“It seems he loves you not.”  The stranger walked away from the water.

Here is Janine’s critique for HE LOVES ME NOT by Lauri C. Meyers:

I like how this story opens with a familiar action that immediately tells us something about the main character and creates anticipation for both Rose and the reader–will her love be reciprocated? Then the introduction of the stranger with a better solution follows immediately, breaking our expectations and adding a layer of intrigue. I love the description of the stranger as “Almost too lovely for real life, and certainly too gorgeous for Corning” because it tells us not only about the stranger but also about the setting and, in contrast, presumably, about Rose. The description could also allude to some magical or paranormal ability, which the following paragraphs lead me to believe she possesses. Was that intended? If so, I love the use of simple language to work on so many levels.

While Rose’s interactions with the woman seem strange, I’m willing to believe because the author hangs a lantern on it by saying Rose wouldn’t normally follow strangers but this woman feels irresistible. I do wonder, however what it was Rose was saying about her pastor and why she can’t recall it in the woman’s presence. Has the woman (literally or metaphorically) cast a spell on her? This may be explained in the following pages, and in that case, it’s fine to leave the reader wondering at this point. It seems that Rose has some misgivings about the woman’s proposal, but yet they never fully arise, and for some reason, I’m picturing her as Alice following the White Rabbit down the hole, which I really like. The line that I am hung up on, though, is that “the truth was strong”. I don’t know what that means, and maybe that should be made more clear.

When Rose enters the water and chants, I like the images of the water rippling and the bubbles popping around her. Again, there’s something beautiful and mystical about this description. After that I’m not quite sure what actually happens. Does the current pull her under? Is it some supernatural force? And does she come back up?

There’s a wonderfully enchanting mood set in this piece, and I would definitely keep reading to find out what happens. I do feel a bit disconnected from the two characters, though. If Rose (or the mysterious woman) is the main character, how can we learn more about her? And if neither of them is the protagonist, how are they connected to the protagonist in a way that it sets the stage for the rest of the story?

It would also be beneficial to check for common spelling and grammar errors, which can distract readers. Overall, an engaging first page.
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YA Novel  BABY  by Kathleen Elken

            “Ain’t no way to come into this world.”

That’s what most people say about me bein born in a Port Authority toilet bowl.  That ain’t how I feel about it though.  Givin birth to me in that dirty, ol’ pot was the second best thing my Mama ever done for me.  The best thing was her leavin me there.  Nobody, not nobody should be with someone who don’t love ‘em.  Least that’s what Nell always said, and she be the one who found me.

Hittin that cold water must a been like the slap most babies get ‘cause Nell said I was bawlin like a banshee when she opened that stall door.  She stuck her hands right in and scooped me out.  Used a ribbon from the flowers she was carryin to cut my cord.  Then she wrapped me tight in her coat and held me close.  Back and forth, back and forth she rocked, waitin on that other lady to bring back help.

Those transit cops, they said I was so blue, so cold, I’d never make it.
“Hush!” Nell said to them.  “Go find this baby girl’s Mama!”

And they did.  Just followed her blood trail out a that bathroom.  Past those statue people, down those steps, all the way past Hudson News, right up to the Greyhound Ticket Counter.  Mama was just gettin off line, grippin a ticket to Pittsburgh.  She must a used up her whole life savins ‘cause they don’t find no other money on her.

It was good the cops had a hold a her by the arms since her knees buckled right then and there.  They ended up takin both a us down to St. Vincent’s.  We was in that hospital a week, and every day the nurses ask her don’t she want to see me.  But she never did…

Here is Janine’s critique for BABY by Kathleen Elken

What’s most intriguing to me about this main character is not her dramatic birth but her unique perspective on it. I think most readers can agree being abandoned in a public toilet is “no way to come into this world”, but the main character holds no grudges and wants no sympathy, finding herself lucky to have at least been given a chance at a life with someone who loved her, which presumably she found in Nell. Immediately, I’m drawn to like this character who sees her own bad fate in the best possible light.

I love the imagery in this first page, from the baby hitting the water like a slap, to the transit cops following the trail of blood “past those statue people…”, to the mother gripping a bus ticket to Pittsburgh. The voice is compelling, and I’d definitely want to keep reading.

As I’ve noted, the story about the main character’s birth is interesting and sweeps me along, and it certainly tells us a lot about the character. However, at the end of this page, I have very little idea what the novel is about. I assume the main character is now a young adult and I wonder what’s going on with this character at present. Perhaps this first page is actually back story that could be worked in later once we’re better grounded in the plot? Or maybe one paragraph could come before the first line to set up why this information is important for us to know right away?

One general thing to keep in mind here is the dialect. While I enjoy the element it adds to the narrator’s voice, I think the level of dialect may be a little intense for some readers. I found it distracting that in some sentences there were multiple words in dialect. It might sound more natural if less dialect were used to greater effect; for example, adding the “g” back in at the end of words ending in “ing” but keeping more impactful expressions like “ol’ pot”.

The first page has great writing and a strong protagonist.
__________________________________________________________________________________________

Picture Book   Ants in My Pants by Linda Bozzo

Amy Sue whirled into Room 13 waving a note. “This is from my mom.”
She bounced up and down on her left foot. Then she bounced up and down on her right foot.

Dear Mrs. Diaz,
Amy Sue can’t stay still today. I hope you’ll know what to do.
Mrs. Jitters

Amy Sue plopped down in her desk. Her toes tapped. Tappity, tap, tap. Her hands clapped. Clappity, clap, clap.
The class could not help but notice.

Amy Sue pulled out her book and tried to read. But her backside grew fidgety. Her desk shook. Smack! Amy Sue’s crayons crashed to the floor.

“Amy Sue, why can’t you stay still today?” asked Mrs. Diaz.

“I’ve got ants in my pants and I don’t know what to do.”

“Oh, my!” said Mrs. Diaz. “Be a dear and give this to Mrs. Water and ask her for new crayons.”

Amy Sue zigzagged to the art room. She dashed from one side of the room to the other before she dropped the note on Mrs. Water’s desk.

Dear Mrs. Waters,
Amy Sue needs a new box of crayons. By the way, she can’t stay still today. Can you help?
Mrs. Diaz

“Amy Sue, why can’t you stay still?”

“I have ants in my pants and I don’t know what to do.”

Here is Janine’s critique of ANTS IN MY PANTS by Linda Bozzo:

This story has the potential to be a really fun read aloud. I love the verbs here: whirled, bounced, plopped, tapped, clapped, shook, crashed, zigzagged, dashed… I can see Amy Sue moving and I think young readers would be drawn in by her actions (and perhaps able to relate in not being able to control their fidgets). I would definitely keep reading to find out what else those ants will make Amy do and how she’ll get rid of them.

As engaging as the narration was, I was a little less enthralled with the notes and the dialog, and I found they pulled me away from Amy’s motion that was otherwise propelling the story forward. I wonder if those interactions couldn’t be summed up in the narration? Taking this a step further, as written now, the grownups are trying to solve Amy’s problem, when it might be more interesting to see the main character search for her own solutions. How does she try to control the “ants in her pants” and what other trouble does she cause enroute to succeed?

This is a strong first page. I think if you continue developing the main character and the action, it could be even stronger. Again, I’d read further to find out what happens here.
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MG Novel  FOURTEEN AND FEELING LIKE POLLYWOG POO by Doris Stone    

As I opened the screen door I sensed tension. Something was wrong, but what?   Dad sat at the kitchen table- normal.   He had a cup of coffee- normal.  His head was down like he was reading or deep in thought- normal.  I dropped my backpack onto the floor with a thud. He didn’t look up – UNUSUAL!

“Guess who aced her Algebra test?”  I said, trying to sound cheerful. But for some reason, it felt like cockroaches were gnawing on the insides of my stomach.

“Jilly,” Dad said letting out a mournful sigh.  The tone in his voice stopped me in my tracks.

“Huh?” I said slipping into the chair across from him.  He sucked in a deep breath and whispered. “I have to go.”  His blue eyes looked faded, lifeless and his face taunt. “I got my orders. I’ve been called up.”

For a moment, I couldn’t comprehend what he was talking about.  But then it was clear.  Dad was going to war and I was going to live with Aunt Karen. A sick feeling coiled around me like the tentacles of a massive squid.  My chest hurt. Every bit of life was being squeezed out of me.  It was a panicky feeling I knew all too well.

Dad stood up and walked to the kitchen window. “This isn’t what I planned.”   He looked over the driveway- staring blankly as if somehow- someway the answer to our problems could be found, written in the asphalt.  A few seconds later he walked over, put his hand on my shoulder and said “We’ll be all right. We’ve been through worse.  You and me kid, we always make it through.” But his voice sounded weak.

I needed it strong. What could I say?  No problem.  Everything will be fine.  I don’t mind changing schools again.  Keppler and Cruze will be fine without me. I really wanted to make him feel better.  I wanted to say, everything will be all right. But damn it! Things were different this time.

Here is Janine’s critique for FOURTEEN AND FEELING LIKE POLLYWOG POO by Doris Stone:

I’m torn about this first paragraph. I like what it tells us about Jilly’s relationship with her father: they’re close enough that she can immediately sense her father’s tension, even if she doesn’t know how she knows. It rings true to me that she takes stock of the situation

to try and figure out what’s different. However, the mental checklist format feels a bit unnatural as she would make those observations more quickly and running through it that way gives a bit of a detective feel, which doesn’t seem to fit with the scene that follows.

The author uses great metaphors to show how the main character’s feeling, such as, “A sick feeling coiled around me like the tentacles of a massive squid.” With such a strong sentence, I don’t know if the next two sentences are necessary because they essentially say the same thing but less effectively. I also feel the father’s emotion when he stares out the window and speaks reassuring words in a weak voice. I would be careful to keep the girl’s voice age-appropriate, though. It seems out of character for a young girl to observe “His blue eyes looked faded, lifeless and his face taunt”. What does the father do to show his feelings? What subtle things would the character more likely notice, like in the above example? It also felt out of voice to me later when the character says “damn it” in a way that seems too adult. Most of the things Jilly does, says, and feels seem believable and age appropriate, so I wouldn’t want to pull the reader away from her story with these more adult lines.

I’m intrigued that apparently the father has been deployed (or at least transferred) before but this time things are different. I want to know more about that. What’s different? And just who are Kepler and Cruze? I like that these facts are dropped in, and I’d want to keep reading to find out the answers. However, there are some details I feel need to be filled in sooner. I’m unsure how many times Jilly’s father has been deployed; Jilly doesn’t comprehend what her father means at first, but then she says she knows the feeling all too well and that she’s changed schools before. These statements seem to contradict each other. Additionally, I wonder what worse things the father and daughter have been through before? And has Jilly lived with Aunt Karen in the past or was there a mother (or someone else) in the picture before? When too many of these questions creep in without any answers, I start feeling like I’m observing a private conversation, and I want to be more in the loop so I can feel fully invested in the characters.

As a note, the fourth paragraph should be split into two so you don’t have two characters speaking in one paragraph. Another great first page that would keep me reading!

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Remember you can meet Janine Hauber from the Sheldon  Fogelman Agency at the New Jersey SCBWI Conference in June. For more details, or to register go to: www.regonline.com/njscbwi2013conference This is a great opportunity to get to know Janine. Thanks again Janine. It is very appreciated!

Talk tomorrow,

Kathy

Here are the four winning first page submissions sent in for Editor Karen Chaplin’s review.  If you want to read Karen’s bio and likes and dislikes, you can use this link: http://wp.me/pss2W-5JV

First winner is Janet Wellington:

THE LOOPERS CLUB/Janet Wellington/Middle Grade series

While Dad writes down his carefully numbered goodbye-list on the notepad next to the phone, I pick up Aunt Jess’ latest postcard off the kitchen counter. On the front is a picture of Stonehenge at sunset, and on the back she’s written: Count your blessings not your troubles. Right.

“You can’t leave.” I add Aunt Jess’s postcard to the others on the refrigerator door while Dad finishes his note. He likes to leave detailed lists of instructions when he goes on his secret Navy spy gigs. I stare at him with a particular glare I’m perfecting. I figure it’s something useful to have in your intimidation tool box, handy when things aren’t exactly going the way you want them to. Which, for me, is about every other minute.

“How long are you going for this time?” I ask. Length of deployment is usually the main topic when he leaves. That, and Mom.

“I wrote down your Aunt Jess’ new cell number. She’s in L.A. for a while, so, she’s pretty close, only a couple hours away.”

Just in case. He never says it out loud, though.

“But we just got here.” Which is true. Every wall in our cozy beach cottage glimmers white and there’s that new paint smell no matter where I am in the house.

“Everything’s going to be fine,” he says. “You’ll be fine. Besides, aren’t you happy to be in San Diego?”

Right. He thinks I can handle everything. Which I mostly do. But that’s not the point. And, actually, I’ve already concluded being here is just my regular life with better weather.

“Her meds are working…” He looks at me, then looks away.

I nod even though he’s doesn’t see me. I have to agree with that point. Mom does seem, well, almost normal. Still, much too soon to know if it’s going to last. Besides, truthfully, normal isn’t an option for her. Much as I’d like it to be. Much as I dream it should be.

Here’s Karen:

THE LOOPERS CLUB/Janet Wellington/Middle Grade series

This is a strong first page, filled with wonderful little details and phrases (like “Count your blessings not your troubles” and “Just in case”) that really come together to form a complete picture. We know that the main character’s father is going on some sort of mission, and the main character is being left along with a mentally unstable mom. I love the line of dialogue “Her meds are working…” because up until that point, we don’t know that the mom is in the picture, let along unstable. With this one short line of dialogue, we get so much information! And I’m very curious to read more, because we also get the sense that there is a history of the mom causing problems for the dad and the main character.

One concern I have is the tone of the story—that is, this has more of a YA feel than middle-grade. I don’t know if it’s because the topic of a mentally unstable mom lends itself more to a YA story, or if the main character just sounds a bit older. And this could resolve itself on the second page/going forward. But I’d watch out for tone throughout. Also, we don’t know if the main character is a boy or a girl. Perhaps add in a name (“Everything’s going to be fine, INSERT NAME HERE,”) to clarify. And I’m curious to see how this will become a series.

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Darlene Beck Jacobson      CRAZY                           YA novel

“Necessity never made a good bargain.”  Benjamin Franklin – Poor Richard’s Almanac 1733

            What did I want?  I wanted to be left alone.

I once saw this documentary on PBS about a guy who lived all alone in the wilderness of Alaska for thirty years doing everything himself, right down to building his house and fireplace, growing his food and hunting and fishing for the rest.  He’d get a bush plane visit twice a year for basic provisions and mail, but other than that, he was on his own.  He made the film of his life in the wilderness.

I couldn’t even begin to imagine what that might be like.  Alone.  No parents breathing down my neck about grades, chores, getting a summer job or asking too many personal questions.  No kid sister and her goofy friends following me around and sending me annoying text messages.  No girlfriend to cut my heart open with a dull knife and walk away laughing with the captain of the lacrosse team.  What would I give to live by myself, with no one to hassle me?

I’d give up video games for a year.  No cell phone for a month.  No computer for a…week?   Okay, two weeks.  No green food forever.  That last one was actually not a hardship since I hated the sight – and taste – of green vegetables. Anyway, I think I could tough it out for a few weeks even if it meant sacrificing a few conveniences.

After the crazy school year I had working my ass off to make the Honor Roll, looking for part time work, and trying to keep Ellie Jaspers happy, I just wanted to be left alone.

Ellie and I met last summer at the pool club and hit it off right away.  We’d spent last summer swimming, flirting and hanging out nearly every day at poolside.  Her family had just moved to town and she didn’t have many friends yet, so it was a no brainer for us to be together.

Here’s Karen:

Darlene Beck Jacobson      CRAZY                              YA novel

The first thing I noticed about this page is that it seems to start three times. That is, you have the first line, a quote from Ben Franklin. Then you have a question/answer line. So we know right off the bat that the main character wants to be alone. And then you have this great description of a PBS documentary. I really love this; it draws the reader right in and makes us want to immediately understand how this documentary relates to the main character. And since this is the strongest start, I’m thinking this may be the best way to begin. The other two lines seem almost like false starts.

I would also scale back a bit on some of the exposition about being alone. Paragraph three, “I’d give up video games…” seems a little unnecessary. And I wonder if paragraph two—the fact that he has a sister that annoys him, he’s an honor roll student, and had a girlfriend that broke up with him, etc., could be conveyed in a different way. Maybe try to continue the documentary lead-in in some way. Explain how that spoke to him, how he envisioned himself living alone in the wilderness—not so much in the way that he would live without all the things (like computers and phones) but what he would get out of it, why it would make him happy (maybe even why it would help him to forget about Ellie?).

I definitely want to continue reading, to find out why the reader so desperately wants to be alone, what happened to him that was so traumatic that he wants to be by himself, what this girl did to him that ruined his life. Overall, this is a nice start!

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BETTER LIVES by Eric Steinberg  Genre: YA sci fi

When Gil and Lew came to my dorm room with the idea of stealing the physics final, I normally wouldn’t have considered such a dumbass move. It wasn’t that I had any moral objections to cheating or stealing. An “A” in one class, even Jeffrey Taylor’s, just wasn’t worth the risk of being kicked out of prep school. But these were special circumstances. I had opportunity, thanks to Gil and Lew. I had motive, thanks to a shitty semester with Mr. Taylor. And I had an ace-in-the-hole, thanks to hooking up with pretty, but already-getting-on-my-nerves, fifteen year-old Heather in Mr. Taylor’s classroom.
By the time I reached our physics teacher’s small Cape Cod, the no-longer-falling snow had become a problem. Not only was I leaving footprints in the fresh powder, but the annoying white stuff also clung to the branches. Sweetening the already cloying charm of Maple Street’s tidy cottages, it made me want to puke.

After stealing the broom from next door’s porch, I slipped to the back of Mr. Taylor’s house. Gil was waiting for me.
“Door’s locked.” His breath was visible in the cold.
“I’ll open it,” I said.

Gil gave me a classic Gilbert and Lewis dull look. The two of them might as well have been brothers, both with Nordic good looks, several inches over six feet…and not too bright.
“I’ll open it,” I repeated, handing him the broom. I took out my tension wrench and wide-tipped pick.
Gil’s jaw went slack. “I’ve seen this shit on TV, Marc. You’re going to pick it?”
“Yeah, if you shut up and let me concentrate for a minute.”
The doorknob turned loosely in my hand. Broken, so, I’d only the deadbolt to deal with.

Here’s Karen:

BETTER LIVES by Eric Steinberg  Genre: YA sci fi

This is really fundamentally an action-filled first scene, so I’d want this to open with dialogue rather than three paragraphs of exposition. Let’s jump right into the scene, see what the main character, Marc, is doing, follow him along.

You have some very nice description—of the snow, of how cold it is, of how Marc is going to pick a broken lock. You’re painting a strong picture. But I’d also want to see a little more about Marc’s motive for breaking into the teacher’s home. For example, why would hooking up with Heather lead to him stealing a test? I’m not quite making the connection there.  Also, it’s mentioned (above) that this is YA sci-fi, and I’m curious about that, since I’m not getting a sense of a sci-fi element from the first page. (Perhaps that comes in after they break in the house?)

I think, with tweaking this to start with the dialogue, this is a strong first page.

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Genre: Contemporary Middle Grade Novel – Wendy Greenly

The rest of the world is asleep.

I know some doctors and police and other people work at night, and they’re out there somewhere, but sitting on my bed, holding my flashlight, I feel like no one else is awake. This is my favorite time of day. Night.

I rule the night, as much as any ten-year old boy can without fangs or claws or any other cool creature-of-the-night superpowers.  As long as I’m quiet, I have the house to myself. Sometimes I watch TV, sometimes I play computer games, but either way I have to turn the volume down so low I can’t really enjoy the crashes and explosions.

When I need to be quiet, I read books and a bunch of stuff online. So far this year I’ve taught myself Klingon and Esperanto, so I’ll be ready in case earth is invaded by space aliens.

Some nights the best entertainment comes from real-life silent movies I watch from my bedroom window. Like tonight, the lady next door is bathing her cat in the kitchen sink. Or trying to. Every time the lady pries one of the cat’s legs off the faucet and puts it in the water, the cat pulls back and wedges itself between the faucet and the wall. Just as I get really into it, betting which will give up first, the cat leaps over the lady’s head and disappears into the darkness. The lights click off. Show’s over.

I get up to stretch my legs. On my way down the hall I stick my head in my brother Webster’s room. He’s asleep, curled up next to his favorite stuffed toy, a long squishy python he named Skeezer. Webster is only five-years-old and he still sleeps four or five hours a night. I can barely remember what that was like.

I zigzag my way downstairs, dodging the squeaky floorboards by memory, heading toward the kitchen. It’ll be breakfast in a couple hours but I’m hungry. Now.

Here’s Karen:

Genre: Contemporary Middle Grade Novel – Wendy Greenly

Nice first sentence! It really elicits a question for the reader—if everyone is asleep, then what is the narrator doing awake? Going on to the next few paragraphs, though, I get a bit lost and don’t quite know where this is going. While you have some strong images here (I particularly like the “real-life silent movies” and “dodging the squeaky floorboards by memory”), I’m wondering if these next few paragraphs are necessary. Do readers need to know everything he does at night? Perhaps condense this information in favor of moving more quickly to the mention of the brother.

I love this introduction of Webster. What strikes me is that he’s “only” five and he “still” sleeps “four to five hours a night.” This is intriguing and gives the reader something to really think about. Something is definitely “off” with these brothers, and I do want to find out what that is! Why doesn’t the main character sleep? And why is his brother able to? And why, at the very end, does the main character need to eat…”Now.” The way this is phrased seems like it is very important, and perhaps it ties in with his lack of sleeping.

All in all, I would definitely read on to find out just what, exactly, is going on.

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Thanks Karen for taking the time to share your expertise with us.  It is really appreciated. I hope it helps the writers out there and helps you receive better submissions.

Talk tomorrow,

Kaathy

What’s The Next Big Thing? Ultimately, No One Knows

So, what’s hot right now? Which manuscripts are selling faster? What would you love to see? Editors and agents hear these questions at every writer’s conference, and I wouldn’t be surprised if after a while these start to get a little tedious.

Many times when I heard these questions tossed at an editor during the conference, they toss this answer back, “what have you got?”

I mean, I can understand. If a writer is to slave away for years on a manuscript, wouldn’t it make sense to maximize her chances of success by working on something that has a better chance of getting accepted? Wouldn’t it make sense to work on something… popular?

But remember, we aren’t sewing dresses here, baking cookies or making toys.

Writing is an art, and arts wouldn’t be arts if everything was this neat and tidy. Art doesn’t always make sense. And is that such a bad thing?

If you’ve been a part of this business long enough, whether as a writer, an agent, or an editor, you learn quickly, that in our industry, there are no guarantees.

Frustrating?

I’d say, exciting!

Think of the possibilities. Look to your heart for answers. Be brave.

When J.K. Rowling first had a vision of a boy with glasses on that train she was stuck in, do you think she wasted her energy worrying about trends?

Still, during the opening of last month’s free craft weekend run by the New Jersey SCBWI and organized by our new RA Leeza Hernandez, agents and editors graciously shared what they knew.

Dystopian and paranormal stories, especially those featuring shape-shifters, such as werewolves, have oversaturated the marketplace and are really “a tough sell right now,” most panelists agreed. It seems many editors are yearning to read something closer to reality these days.

“We’ve been talking a lot about just contemporary, realistic stories,” said Jenne Abramowitz, a senior editor at Scholastic.

“Every time I go to lunch with an agent, I’m asking for a realistic contemporary,” said Sara Sargent, an assistant editor at Balzer + Bray (HarperCollins).

Sara also mentioned that “genre mixing” and all sorts of “mash-ups” evoke some curiosity in the marketplace right now.

“Fantasy is just perennially popular,” she said, adding that she likes stories that feel “very epic” and “adventurous.”

Agent Rachel Orr of Prospect Agency said it doesn’t hurt to keep an eye on the culture, not to chase trends, but to have a feel what’s happening in contemporary society, which includes music, film, news, and more.

“Be aware of what’s going on in pop culture, even outside the book culture,” she said.

In the end, though, all the panelists seemed to agree that no one wants a story that tries too hard to please.

“We’re seeing so many books that feel so familiar,” said Sara Sargent. “Give me something new and fresh, something we haven’t seen. It’s so freeing for you guys. You don’t have to chase trends right now.”

“Trends don’t really matter at all,” said Ted Malawer, agent with Upstart Crow Literary. “Yes, we’re seeing too much dystopian, too much paranormal, but what’s unique about your book? If it’s something that you can walk into Barnes & Noble and see on the shelves already, that’s where we’re going to run into a problem.”

The biggest thing editors are looking for is “having an author and a character you can grow,” said Paula Sadler, an editorial assistant at G.P. Putnam’s Sons. “If you [as an editor] love the kid, you love the kid, and you’ll follow that kid to the end of the earth.”

Of course, it’s only human to wonder, what’s the next big thing to take the YA world by storm?

“Everyone is very excited to see what the next big thing is going to be,” said Paula.

Maybe it will be your story. 

Katia Raina is the author of “Castle of Concrete,” a young adult novel about a timid half-Russian, half-Jewish teen in search of a braver “self” reuniting with her dissident mother in the last year of the collapsing Soviet Union, to be published by Namelos. On her blog, The Magic Mirror, http://katiaraina.wordpress.com Katia talks about writing and history, features interviews, book lists and all sorts of literary randomness.  

Right now, Katia is gathering participants for a new challenge for those who’d like to do better next year in sticking to their goals and making their dreams happen. To participate in the “31” challenge – and the giveaway – visit here and leave a comment telling me about your project and committing to working on it 31 minutes a day, every day in January. http://katiaraina.wordpress.com/2012/12/03/dreaming-up-a-new-challenge/

Thank you Katia for another great article from the November Craft Day.

Talk tomorrow,

Kathy

Each Month I try to give Writers and Illustrator a chance to be noticed and further their craft.

If you are one of the writers who liked the First Page Picture Prompt, you can use the illustration below by Versper Stamper to inspire a new first page. www.vespersongs.com/

1. If you are writing a book, you have the chance for editor Kate Sullivan from Little, Brown, & Company to read and critique your first page.

2. If you are a published author, you have a chance to be the Featured Author of the Month – be interview and get your book or book seen.

3. Illustrator’s have a chance to be featured on Illustrator Saturday.

4. Illustrators who have already been featured on Illustrator Saturday, Illustrators who want t be considered for Illustrator Saturday, or Illustrators just starting out and do not have enough artwork to be featured, can still get their artwork or new illustrations seen by professionals in the industry by participating.

In order to narrow the submissions down, I have come up with the following:

1. If you choose to follow me or are already following me, you will get your name put into the basket.

2. If you put a link up on your blog or website, you will get your name put in the basket. If you have both, you can choose to put a link on both and get your name in twice.

3. Do two Tweets about a post on my blog and get your name in the basket. This can be repeated three additional times for a total of four times in the basket. Tweets must be done on separate dates.

4. Post something on Facebook and get your name in the basket.

5. Do it all and you will have your name in the basket eight times. On November 24th I will put all the names in the basket and I will pull out ten names and read the first pages that go with the name. Out of those ten, I will pick 4 to send to our quest critiquer for November.

Here is what you need to do:

WRITERS: Please attach your double spaced, 12 point font, 23 line first page to an e-mail and send it to kathy(dot)temean(at)gmail(dot)com. Also cut and paste it into the body of the e-mail. Put “December First Page Critique” or “December First Page Picture Prompt Critique” in the subject line. Make sure you have your name on the submission, a title, and indicate the genre. Also let me know which steps you took, so I will know how many times to put your name in the basket. If you end up doing more things to get additional entries, then e-mail me by December 19th (This is a few days earlier, because of the holidays) with the updated number you have completed. Please let me know what you have done and when, so I can check it out.

Published Children’s Book Writers: You can also participate by doing one or more of the five above steps to get your name in the “Book Feature” hat. If your name is drawn, I will do a post featuring your book, an interview, bio, and pictures of the cover and interior art (if that applies). Author Susan Hood was the winner for October. Ann Rinaldi was the winner in November.

Please put “December Children’s Book Promo” in the subject area and let me know the steps you took, so I can put the correct amount of slips in the basket. Please send it to kathy(dot)temean(at)gmail(dot)com. Deadline November 24th.

ILLUSTRATORS: If you are an illustrator, you can participate and choose to get featured on Illustrator Saturday or get your new book featured by following the five steps for the writers. Please put “December Illustrator Feature” in the subject area. I will need to know what steps you completed to get into the basket and I will need a few illustrations or if you want to promote your book, then send the name and cover along. Also include a promotional blurb. Please send it to kathy(dot)temean(at)gmail(dot)com.

Call for illustrations for December (You do not have to be narrowed down to send in a piece of art for December). I’m looking for Christmas, Chanukah, New Years, and or a winter scene illustrations. You do not have to wait, I will post the illustrations as they come in. I would like to have them no later than November 25th, since it is hard to find the right place for your work, instead of squeezing it in at the end of the month. I would love to have something to go with the election on Tuesday. Please make sure the illustration is at least 500 pixels wide and include a blurb about yourself and a link to see more of your work. Please send it to kathy(dot)temean(at)gmail(dot)com and put “December Illustration” in the subject box.

Talk tomorrow,

Kathy

Author Anita Nolan will be conducting two workshops at the Pearl S. Buck Writing Center in 2013.

Here are the details:

WRITE A NOVEL IN A YEAR CLASS ~ Must PRE-Register by January 9

LOCATION:  520 Dublin Road Perkasie, PA

Fee: $120

Email clouden@pearlsbuck.org

TELEPHONE: 215-794-2562 or 267-421-6203

Registration Click Here:  Due by Jan 9.

This is a six-session year-long class, with an additional two “write-ins” (where you have two hours of quiet at the Pearl Buck Writing Center to work on your story, get questions answered, or just meet with other writers.)

DATES: 1/26, 2/23, 4/27, 6/22, 7/27, 9/28, 10/26, 11/23 - 4^thWk.

TIME: Saturday Mornings 9:30 – 11:30

This series of workshops is for those struggling with starting–or completing– a novel. It’s appropriate for those writing Middle Grade, Young Adult, or Adult novels.

We’ll cover characterization, plotting, where to start your story and creating a strong story beginning, how to deal with a sagging middle, proper formatting, showing–not telling, adding tension, and many other topics, with plenty of time for questions.

Author and Editor Anita Nolan will lead a year-long writing workshop taking participants through the complete novel-writing process.  Those signing up for the entire workshop series will meet for 8 teaching/writing sessions & will include email write-ins & a Yahoo Writing Group. The workshop is for adult writers interested in working on juvenile, young adult, or adult novels.  www.anitanolan.com   www.anitanolan.wordpress.com

Includes an Authors Tour of the Pearl S. Buck National Historic Landmark House.

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Jan 12, Feb 9, March 9 ~ NOVEL CRITIQUE & REVISION WORKSHOP

LOCATION:  520 Dublin Road Perkasie, PA

FEE: $90

CONTACT:  clouden@pearlsbuck.org

Time Zone: America/New_York
Local Time: 9:30 AM – 12:30 PM

(only for those writers who have successfully completed the 2012 Write a Novel in Year Class unless permission is granted by instructor after reviewing a submitted manuscript)

Author and Editor Anita Nolan will lead a three-month workshop taking participants through their novel’s critiquing and revision process prior to publishing. It includes email write-ins & a Yahoo Writing Group. The workshop is for adult writers who have completed the 2012 Novel Writing Class or w/permission and are interested in submitting their completed novel for publishing. www.anitanolan.com  www.anitanolan.wordpress.com

Anita Nolan is the author of  When the Dust Settled, a historical fiction chapter book published by Homecourt Publishing.  You won’t find it in bookstores; it’s sold in packs of 25 with a teacher’s guide for use in classrooms. She was executive editor of Sprouts, the magazine of the New Jersey Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, has written annotations for Best Books for Children and articles for magazines. Anita is also a frequent speaker about the writing process to writers’ groups. She writes humorous tween contemporaries and middle grade historical fiction.

Click here to register

Talk tomorrow,

Kathy

The goal of query letter is to elicit an invitation from an agent (or editor) to send in sample chapters or the whole manuscript.

A query letter is a ONE PAGE letter with three concise paragraphs: the hook, the mini-synopsis, and your writer’s biography. Don’t stray, if you want to be taken seriously as a professional writer. Keep it simple. Stick to three paragraphs.

Paragraph One—The Hook: A hook is a concise, one-sentence tagline for your book. It’s meant to hook your reader’s interest, and reel them in.

Example:  Bridges of Madison County

When Robert Kincaid drives through the heat and dust of an Iowa summer and turns into Francesca Johnson’s farm lane looking for directions, the world-class photographer and the Iowa farm wife are joined in an experience that will haunt them forever.

Agent Query suggests using the when formula: “When such and such event happens, your main character—a descriptive adjective, age, professional occupation—must confront further conflict and triumph in his or her own special way. Sure, it’s a formula, but it’s a formula that works.”

Note: Many writers use the “when” formula, so use it as a starting point. Write your basic hook and then spice it up.

Example: Non-”formulatic” fiction hook:

The Da Vinci Code
A murder in the silent after-hour halls of the Louvre museum reveals a sinister plot to uncover a secret that has been protected by a clandestine society since the days of Christ.

Paragraph Two—Mini-synopsis: This is where boil down your entire novel into one paragraph and expand your hook. Put in the hard work of practicing and revising, until you get that paragraph to sing the same tune as your whole book. Read the back flap of books you like to get a feel for how to create a juicy paragraph.

Paragraph Three—Writer’s bio: Keep it short and related to writing. If your book revolves around a hospital and you are a nurse, then say that. If you have a published book, been published in some magazines, etc,, or won a writing contest or award, then let the agent know. if you’ve never been published, never won any awards, hold no writing degrees, and have no credentials to write your book, then don’t say it. This just gives you more space for Paragraph Two.

The Closing: Thank the agent for their time and consideration. Let the agent know you have the full manuscript available upon request. Note: Never query an agent unless you have written, revised, and finished your full manuscript.

TIPS:

1. Always address your query to a specific person.

2. Make sure you mention the title of your book.

3. Mention the word count and genre of your book.    

Note: Novels should be 80,000 to 100,000 words. Young adult novels can be significantly less: 40,000-60,000 words. Insert word count and genre at the end of your first “hook” paragraph.

If your novel is 200,000 words – Cut before you query.  No one wants an overweight manuscript. AgentQuery reports unless your manuscript is a historical family saga or an epic science fiction battle, agents hit DELETE on proposed first-time novel over 110,000-120,000 words.

4. Share the reason why you are querying this particular agent. Let the agent know that you have researched them and have a reason for choosing them for representation.

5.  Have someone you know check for typos and grammar mistakes. It is very easy when e-mailing a query letter to click the send button before throughly checking your text.  Writers seem to be in the mode to triple check everything when they snail mail their queries, but since we send so many personal e-mails without closely checking every word, that “Send” button can be easily clicked.  The mistake snail mailing query writers make is forgetting to include their contact information – something you don’t need to include with an e-mail. I know that sounds crazy, but I have seen it when writers have sent me submissions for editors and agents.

Need to see an ACTUAL query letter before you’ll know how to write one? Here is the query letter Author (at the time agent) Nathan Bransford:

Dear Ms. Drayton,

As a young literary agent with Curtis Brown Ltd. I have long admired Inkwell, as well as your strong track record. To paraphrase Douglas Adams, if you searched for a book that was almost, but not quite, entirely unlike THE BOOK THIEF (which I absolutely loved), you might just have JACOB WONDERBAR AND THE COSMIC SPACE KAPOW, a middle-grade-and-up science fiction novel that I just completed. Still fun! But no one dies – Mr. Death would be lonely.

Jacob Wonderbar has been the bane of every substitute teacher at Magellan Middle School ever since his dad moved away from home. He never would have survived without his best friend Dexter, even if he is a little timid, and his cute-but-tough friend Sarah Daisy, who is chronically overscheduled. But when the trio meets a mysterious man in silver one night they trade a corn dog for his sassy spaceship and blast off into the great unknown. That is, until they break the universe in a giant space kapow and a nefarious space buccaneer named Mick Cracken maroons Jacob and Dexter on a tiny planet that smells like burp breath. The friends have to work together to make it back to their little street where the houses look the same, even as Earth seems farther and farther away.

JACOB WONDERBAR AND THE COSMIC SPACE KAPOW is 50,000 words and stands alone, but I have ideas for a series, including titles such as JACOB WONDERBAR FOR PRESIDENT OF THE UNIVERSE and JACOB WONDERBAR AND THE VACATIONING ALIENS FROM ANOTHER PLANET. I’m the author of an eponymous agenting and writing blog.

I’d be thrilled if you would consider WONDERBAR for representation, and a few other agents are considering simultaneously. Thanks very much, and hope to talk to you soon.

Nathan Bransford

Here are a few other places to look:

Nathan Bransford dissects a really good query letter and extoll its virtues.

Click Here to Visit Galleycat. They have 23 Agent Query Letters That Actually Worked.

Nonfiction writers don’t need to have a completed fiction manuscript.  They only need a proposal before seeking representation from an agent. Here’s are books and places to help with writing a proposal:

• “How to Write a Non-Fiction Proposal” Former literary agent, Nathan Bransford.
• Agent Sharlene Martin’s book, Publish Your Nonfiction Book: Strategies for Learning the Industry, Selling Your Book, and Building a Successful Career By Sharlene Martin and Anthony Flacco
• How to Write a Book Proposal, 4th Edition By Michael Larsen

Talk tomorrow,

Kathy

What Authors Want: Third of Published Authors Interested in Self-Publishing Next Book by Jeremy Greenfield for Digital Book World

The lure of self-publishing is showing that it has some appeal even to authors who have been accepted and invested in by traditional publishing houses.

A third of traditionally published authors are interested in self-publishing their next book, according to a new survey from Digital Book World and Writer’s Digest.

The survey, What Authors Want: A Comprehensive Survey of Authors to Understand Their Priorities in the Self-Publishing Era, queried nearly 5,000 aspiring, self-published, traditionally published and “hybrid” authors (authors who have both self-published and traditionally published). It was presented in a keynote presentation at the Digital Book World Conference + Expo.

This trend should be worrisome for traditional publishers, which are struggling to demonstrate to the marketplace that they add value to the publishing process in an era where anyone can publish a book.

Perhaps of even more concern is that two-thirds of hybrid authors are interested in self-publishing their next book. It’s not surprising given the context of the rest of the survey: Time and again, hybrid authors had relatively negative opinions about publishing companies — that they keep too much money, don’t “get” digital and, generally, don’t add much to their publishing process.

At the same time, when offered the opportunity to publish traditionally, nearly three-quarters of hybrid authors are interested and — also good news for publishers — about two-thirds of self-published authors are interested. Not surprisingly, 92% of traditionally published authors are interested. The prestige of a traditional publisher, the wide distribution a publisher can generate and help with marketing were all reasons cited.

The wide-ranging survey also dived into how authors are building their social media platforms, what they think about advances, royalties, ebook prices, agents, ebooks in libraries and more. A full report will be available on DigitalBookWorld.com in a few weeks.

Pre-order the full report on what authors want here.

Talk tomorrow,

Kathy

I wanted to thank everyone who sent in a first page this month.  I read through everything that was sent in and I was very impressed with the quality of the submissions. Unfortunately, I could only send in four pages to agent Rachel Orr, so I put everyone’s name in a hat and pull out four names.  I hope you will send in the same on or something else for February.

Here are the four winners and Rachel:

CAUGHT by Amanda Worlley – YA novel

Jake was half way down the car park ramp when he heard the scream.  It was a man’s guttural cry, thick with pain.  A chill swept through Jake’s body and he stopped running.  As he turned back towards the wail he felt another shudder, this time of relief, as his two friends came rushing towards him.

‘Run,’ said Timmo, as he bolted past Jake.  The screaming was unrelenting as security guards reached the top of the ramp, yelling at Jake to stop.  Those few seconds had cost him a lot of ground.  He turned, launching himself in the same direction his friends had gone.  Reaching the landing where the ramp turned to the right leading down to ground level, he spied two more guards charging up the rise towards him.

Without hesitation, he dived towards the concrete barrier shielding the three metre drop to the level below.  His heart was pounding as he reached forward placing his palms squarely on the cool surface, and brought his knees up to his chest to clear the wall.  As his legs swung through, he pushed off with both hands and held his breath as he dropped to the floor below.  He touched first with the balls of his feet and then bent his legs to help absorb the impact, letting the air escape from his lungs.  Jake let his body collapse and rolled, the momentum allowing his feet to find ground and propel him forward.   He was grateful for the practice he had put in to perfect that roll. Guards leant over the barrier above and called to the dark haired boy to stop.

The fresh night air rushed in through the car park entrance filling his nostrils, and with a surge of confidence he pulled the hood of his sweater back over his head. He ran out of the carpark and pounded along the road that led away from the shopping centre.  He didn’t stop until he could no longer hear the screaming.

HERE IS RACHEL:

CAUGHT

The first line here—“Jake was halfway down the car park ramp when he heard the scream”—is terrific because it really catches the reader’s attention: Someone is in trouble.  And the phrase “he felt another shudder, this time of relief” is also effective because it causes a change in the reader’s expectation: Jake wasn’t panicked simply because he thought someone was in trouble, but because he was possibly involved.  Of course, given the title of the novel, Caught, the reader may sense this already, but it’s an effective line nonetheless, making the reader want more—which is what you always want to achieve in the first page of any book.

The next two paragraphs—in which the action of Jake’s escape is described—are chockfull of action and very cinematic in a sense, although I wish they were a little less play-by-play.  The description of Jake’s every move (i.e. “He touched first with the balls of his feet and then bent his legs to help absorb the impact”) is actually slowing down the action instead of propelling it forward, which seems contrary to what you actually want to achieve here.  I would love to see the pace of the text better match the quick pace of the scene’s action.

I felt like I was glazing over the action scenes until I reached the line “He was grateful for the practice he had put in to perfect that roll”, which really caught my attention.  This must not have been an impulsive act of crime, but rather, premeditated.  That’s good stuff (except for the victim, obviously . Again, it makes the reader want to keep reading.  I was thrown off a bit, however, by the final sentence in this third paragraph “Guards leant over the barrier above and called to the dark haired boy to stop”.  That specific reference didn’t seem necessary—“called for him to stop” would seem to suffice—unless they’re actually talking about one of Jake’s friends here.  And, if that’s the case, then it would help to make that much more clear.

As for the final paragraph, I love the image of Jake pulling the hood of his sweater (not a sweatshirt though?) back over his head—although it did cross my mind why he didn’t have the hood on during the crime instead of pulling it on afterward.  Still, overall, this is a strong start to a novel that is sure to capture the attention of your readers and keep them engaged in the plot of the novel.  Well done!

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LEAVING KENT STATE by Sabrina Fedel – YA historical fiction

I love the idea of the opening image here: a girl waiting for an older boy to come home.  I’m imagining Rachel on the stoop of her home, but would love to know if I’m right.  And is Evan her neighbor?  Their relationship tripped me up a bit at first; I kept thinking that he was her brother, even though you clearly have her looking for the sight of his dad’s car (not their dad’s car).  Still, it might be helpful if you were clearer about their relationship sooner rather than later.

Also, I don’t think we need to focus so much on the October sun here.  The fact that it’s always cold in Northeastern Ohio—but warm enough today—seems contradictory, as well as a bit untrue.  I also wasn’t sure why the sun was making the construction paper feel soft and fragile in the narrator’s hands.  Perhaps you could simply focus on the leaves (or something even less expected) to signify the month of October?

In addition, I had some confusion about Rachel’s age.   In the first few paragraphs—with the reference to construction paper and childhood nicknames—she sounds like she could be a pre-teen.   I thought that maybe she was planning her own ticker-tape parade for Evan—and that she would love to be kissed by him—which could be very sweet and innocent, although maybe not the right innocence for a YA novel.  When Rachel mentions Pratt, however, it’s suddenly clear that she’s a high school student, which doesn’t seem to gel with the details we already know about her.

While it’s clear that Rachel greatly admires Evan, I wasn’t sure what to make of the reference to her wanting to “dance with outstretched arms in homage to the God of the Stars” after seeing his smile.  Also, the description of his “China blue eyes” seems a bit dated here.  I realize this is historical fiction, of course, but maybe hearing something about Evan that’s more specific and unique to him (as opposed to simply his eyes and his smile) would give us insight not only into what Evan is like, but also into Rachel’s character, and what kind of qualities she finds attractive in a man.

Lastly, I’m a bit concerned here about both identifying the era of this novel, as well as reader expectations.  For example, I’m not sure if today’s readers will be familiar with the image of the Times Square ticker-tape parade photo.  And, if they are, I worry that this might point readers to the wrong era—to World War II, instead of Vietnam.  Likewise, I’m not clear on how much we’re expecting readers to know about the Kent State shooting.  And does this opening scene take place before or after the shooting?  Given the title, Leaving Kent State, I initially assumed that Evan was the one leaving Kent State because of the shooting—and that was why Rachel referred to the day as a “revolution”.  So, naturally, I was surprised to find out that Evan was actually stationed in Vietnam, and also that Rachel’s dad wants her to go to Kent State.  (So this story must begin before the shooting—and it must be “expected” because it’s close to him, yes?  Although I don’t think we can expect readers to know that Kent State is in Northeastern Ohio.)

Overall, I think this is a topic that has a lot of promise, and that clarifying some important points early on in the story will keep readers engaged in the compelling story you’re trying to tell.

HERE’S RACHEL:

LEAVING KENT STATE

The October sun is always cold in Northeastern Ohio.  Sitting there, waiting for Evan, it seemed warm enough, making the little pieces of colored construction paper in my hand soft and fragile.  I sat on my front steps, scanning the corner for the sight of his dad’s brown Chevy Impala.  Yellow maple leaves fell like random pieces of confetti, but not enough to be like that photo of the ticker-tape parade in Times Square on VJ day, the one with the sailor kissing the girl.

I imagined Evan, smiling in his way that made me want to dance with outstretched arms in homage to the God of the Stars.  He would get out of the car and hug me, calling me Rachel for the first time. He won’t call me Bug now, I thought.  Not after nineteen months away. He’ll see how much I’ve grown up. He won’t call me Bug today.

I had his red electric guitar, polished and in perfect condition, sitting in its case beside me.  When he gave it to me to take care of, I knew he never thought I’d learn to play his favorite Beatles’ song for his homecoming. Revolution.  Today was a revolution.

Evan would know how to talk my dad into letting me go to Pratt.  Evan could talk my dad into anything.  Maybe because my dad always wanted a boy.  Maybe because Evan had a way of talking so you didn’t even know he was asking for anything.  Maybe because of those China blue eyes that made you want to believe in something.  Evan would know how to make my dad understand I couldn’t go to Kent State just because it was expected.

The week before, when we found out that Evan was coming home, his mom had said everything had changed.  When I asked her why, she had just cried.  But she was wrong.  I reread every letter Evan sent me from Vietnam.  Evan hadn’t changed.  He hadn’t changed at all.  He’d taken some shrapnel in his side so they were sending him home a few months early. It was all part of the troop withdrawal President Nixon had promised.  I had read about it in the paper, how when boys were injured, they were sending them home and not replacing them.

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SHINING SEA by Mimi Cross – YA paranormal romance

Tuneless humming was coming from the next room. I’d always been the better singer, no secret. To me, singing feels like . . . flying.

I sang before I could talk. As a little kid, I sang in the church choir, later, in the choruses at school. Two years ago I started writing songs—not that I’d call myself a songwriter yet. My first real gig was last weekend down in the Mission District. Standing on the corner stage of the black box performance space I played one set, twelve tunes, while hipsters watched with crossed arms. Performing in front of an audience is a good way to tell if your songs are finished. Or not.

The song I was trying to capture now definitely was not. I gave the guitar a soft strum. A ghost of a chord slipped out. Playing the haunting notes a little louder, I listened for the melody. It would come eventually, but we were leaving any minute. Not just leaving. Moving.

“Do you know,” I sang softly, “where lost things go?”      

No. Not right. My fingers fumbled then jerked, hitting on a rhythmic pattern atop a single, minor chord: one and two, one and two.

“Saint Anthony, can you come around? There’s something lost, and it can’t be found.”

In the next room Lilah fell silent. The lyrics tangled in my throat. Saint Anthony, was he the one? A quick Google search told me I was right, Saint Anthony is invoked as the finder of lost things. Pulling the guitar closer, I played the line over and over.

“Arion? You up there?” Dad. I shut the laptop and put the guitar in its case. Hands full, I left my room and stood in my sister’s doorway. She didn’t see me.

Lilah is beautiful. Her features are regular and in proportion. Mine are slightly, well . . . exaggerated. Nose longer, eyes wider, lips fuller.

The tears I’d vowed not to cry started to sting my eyes. Brown eyes. On a good day, they were hazel. Maybe. There’s no mistaking the color of my sister’s eyes. Bright blue. Her hair is

HERE IS RACHEL:

SHINING SEA

I like the idea of a teen songwriter as a protagonist; this felt really fresh to me.  So I must admit that I was disappointed when I came to the third paragraph and realized that the protagonist was going to be moving.  Maybe it’s just a pet peeve of mine, but this seems like more of a stock beginning and not the kind of hook that is going to capture your readers and keep them reading.

Also, I didn’t feel as grounded in the setting as I would have liked.  In the first paragraph, we learn that there is tuneless humming coming from the next room, but we don’t get a clear sense of where, exactly, our narrator is—or who the tuneless hummer is.  Not that you want to give everything away right from the beginning, of course—it’s always good to keep the reader guessing about some things, to tug them along through the course of the narration—but it’s usually helpful for a reader to at least be grounded in the setting, and also have a sense of who the characters are.

We also learn in the first paragraph that the narrator is a better singer than the tuneless hummer (which is a good thing, considering she wants to be a songwriter —and that, to her, singing feels like flying.  But then, instead of getting a clear picture of what the narrator means by this comparison, we’re suddenly pulled through a flash of church choir and chorus until we arrive at the protagonist’s first gig in the Mission District.  This might be an interesting place to start the novel—with a fully fleshed-out scene on this (perhaps awkward?) performance.  Or, we could keep the focus on the protagonist playing her guitar (at home in her bedroom, I’m assuming?).  But I would suggest choosing either one or the other as an opening scene, not both—and perhaps cutting that very first, short paragraph of three lines altogether, since it doesn’t do much to either grip the reader or set the scene.

I love the lines where the narrator is fumbling around on the guitar, trying to find the right chords, and I love the lyrics she writes.  However, I wasn’t as crazy about the quick Google search to make sure that Saint Anthony was the patron saint of lost things, because I felt that pulled us away too abruptly from the narrator’s creative moment.  The abrupt interruption from her Dad does feel right though, and it made me hope that this would be the main conflict of the novel—that the protagonist is trying to hide her musical talents from her (presumably) disappointed father—instead of the fact that she’s moving.

Lastly, I don’t think we really need to know what Lilah looks like.  Or, if we do, perhaps you could show us more subtly (instead of just coming out and telling us) that she’s more beautiful than the protagonist.  And, if this is necessary, then maybe there’s a better moment to do that.  Right now, at this point in the story, I don’t care if the narrator’s eyes are wider (and I especially don’t want any clichéd stinging tears).  What I really want to know is where she’s planning on stashing her laptop and guitar before her dad shows up.  That will keep me reading.

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SLED DOGS, ESKIMOS, AND DRAMS by Judy Pressler – Middle Grade Historical Fiction
“Patricia, do not stop!” I told myself, but curiosity  got the best of me. I just wanted a good look at the shabby, run down house on  the edge of the Alaskan tundra. I would never go inside the haunted house. Fear  kept my mukluks glued to the snow covered path.

I blamed a not-so-nice  classmate in my school that I stood there on the wooden boardwalk shivering in  the cold. She frequently played tricks and told untrue stories. Tillie told  everyone in my class she heard ghosts in the deserted house. That tempted me to  check out the place. Most likely she hid somewhere to watch and laugh. I heard  no ghost noises, and no one lurked behind any of the other houses or buildings.

After school on that  April day, my mother sent me on an errand to my Grandmother Annun’s house. She  and Grandfather Kanlak lived in the last house of the village. Their house  overlooked the Kuskokwim River. The haunted house set four rows back from the  river with the tundra as its backyard. On the walk to my grandparent’s home, I  followed the usual path; but going home, my feet turned toward the empty house.  I couldn’t resist since I was so close to it.

My ears heard an odd  noise coming from the house. Ghosts? My heart pounded out-of-control. Tillie  told us ghosts made a spooky sound, like howling of the wind. These ghosts  didn’t howl. They sounded familiar!

I had an idea. I’d peek  into one of the windows, but I would have to stand on something. Our houses had to be built off the ground  on stilts because of the Arctic permafrost underneath. The yard lay cluttered  with various broken items. If I pulled some of them out of the snow, I could  build a tower to stand on. I stacked discarded bed springs, a washtub, and a  tricycle under the window. As my eyes adjusted to the darkness inside, I slipped  off my perch. In that split second, I caught a glimpse of the ghosts!

HERE’S RACHEL:

SLED DOGS, ESKIMOS, AND DRAMS

The choice of setting this story in the Alaskan tundra is very intriguing, and sets this story apart from your typical haunted house story.  I’d love to see a beginning that focuses on this strength: the moment that Patricia stops in front of this haunted house on the tundra, and what the house looks like, and what she’s feeling.  While it can often be effective to begin a story with a line of dialogue, I’m not sure that this particular line will really grab readers.  But a description of this eerie house might.

I’m also not sure that we need to know so much about Tillie here—probably a simple line or two would suffice—and I would also suggest cutting the third paragraph entirely.  It seems almost like a mini-flashback of sorts, and I don’t think it helps to advance the story at all.  The explanation of Patricia needing to run an errand doesn’t seem entirely necessary—nor does a description of the location of the house.

Also, I’m curious about the description of this piece as historical fiction.  During which time period does this story take place?  It might be nice to work some hint of that into this opening passage as well—but in a subtle way, of course.

However, I would take a bit more time with the following two paragraphs, fleshing them out without rushing them (especially the last paragraph here).  For example, how did the ghosts sound, exactly?  You say “familiar” here, but what do you mean by that?  In fleshing out the text though, be wary of relying on cliché phrases, such as “my heart pounded out of control”.  It’s fine to include them in your first draft—do anything you can just to get the story itself down on paper (or on the computer!)—but then keep an eye out for them when you’re revising and try to eliminate as many of them as possible.

I found the very last line of this page to be especially intriguing: “In that split second, I caught a glimpse of the ghosts!”  Yet I’m curious to know exactly what Patricia saw (or thought she saw, maybe?).  Was it a flash of light?  A white blob?  What?  Remember, the cardinal rule of writing is showing, not telling.  And enquiring minds want to know.

Thank you Rachel for taking the time to share you expertise.  I am sure everyone will get something out of reading your comments. I know I appreciate you being our Guest Critiquer very much.

Talk tomorrow,

Kathy

Russ Cox was raised by a pack of crazed hillbillies in the back woods of Tennessee. Without much in the way of modern conveniences, like a television set or running water, he spent his time drawing and whittling away the hours, often dreaming of the joys of a shower. Having been born into a family with a flair for racing, Russ hoped to be the next Bobby Allison or Richard Petty. After dismantling his grandfather’s lawn mower engine, and without a clue on how to get it back together, he soon realized that he did not have an automotive bone in his body. Back to the drawing board he went with his pencil and paper (and sometimes the barn wall).

After spending much of his childhood roaming the South with his mom and sister, they moseyed to Pennsylvania. While in high school, Russ developed an interest in design and a passion for music. His automotive shop teacher was relieved.

Once out of high school he got his education at a local art school. With a portfolio in his hand, he ventured into the world of design and illustration. Good ole Russ worked for various design and advertising agencies until coming to his senses. With his wife giving him a swift kick-start in the rump, he opened his own studio, Smiling Otis Studio, where he presently specializes in illustration, Flash animation and logo design. Russ also found time to teach various classes at PCA&D for several years. Recently he and ma packed up the wagon and headed to the wilderness of Maine where they have setup a homestead in Pittsfield. When not drawing, running amok in the snow, or training their four cats to sing “Bohemian Rhapsody’, Russ enjoys some quiet time with his banjo while also taking in the beauty of Maine. His wife would prefer him to play the triangle or build a sound proof room.

Here’s Russ talking about his process:

This was the final drawing that I scanned into Photoshop which became the base for the painting. For the color palette, I wanted to keep the colors toned down and warmer to emphasize the friendship between the two characters. Usually my colors are very vibrant, this was something different for me.

Just like working traditionally, I did a gray underpainting to establish my light direction. I was happy with my first attempt and decided that the values would work. Oh, I made it a ”multiply” layer some that the pencil work would show through.

I copied my gray underpainting and added a deep brown tint to the copy. Again, the ”multiply” was turned on for that layer. This made the underpainting very dark which is what I wanted to build the colors upon.

The sky was painting first which keeps the traditional way of thinking of working from back to front. It was hard not to put a bright sky in but I wanted to stay try to the color palette that I wanted to use. I built each component in layers with the “normal” setting on since I wanted to paint over my base painting. This allows me to tweak or redo something as I progress.

Once the sky was completed, the grass was next to be added. The colors are flat except for the bright yellow and a few highlights. This was intentional to help draw the eye up towards the figure.

The next step was to paint the oafish, troll-like giant. Having again to fight the urge to use bright colors, the bulk of his vest is an olive green and his pants a maroon red. The skin tones where built up in many separate layers which were flattened once I got them to my liking. I feel that I still need some work in the color theory for skin tones but it is getting there. Practice, practice, practice!

His vest seemed to missing something so I laid in a burlap texture from an old scan I had. It worked really well. The layer is set on ”multiply” and the opacity was set to around 35%. The tree branch and bird was also painted in at this time.

The next step was to paint the girl. With the muted colors being a backdrop for her, I focused on brightening up the colors for her. I wanted to her to airy and very lively looking. Lots of purples and pinks were used in her clothing and a base of orange for her hair helped me achieve the look I was after.

The final touches like highlights, some lines, and a few dollops of color were added to bring the final piece to life. I was very happy on how the final turned out. Seeing the textures of the brushes helped make this look less digital and more traditional.

Teaching myself Painter.  Here is my first attempt.  First the sketch., then scanning it in to get started.  After adjusting the layers so that the white background of the sketch disappears, I began blocking in colors. Since I liked painting with gouache back in the day, I used the brush setting for it plus the gradients tool. That took some getting use to but I figured out how it works.

I blocked in some basic colors on the gator and then added textures to the background. For that effect, I used the sponge brush on separate layer and then ten adjusted the transparency so the blue showed through. Each part of the illustration was built in a separate layer.

Again, more details are added while using the sketch as a guide. I really like how authentic Painter feels while painting. Much better than Photoshop in my opinion but I do not use Photoshop enough to be an authority on it. The funny thing is, I did teach a class on it many years ago. I think I learned more from the students than they did from me.

Highlights and floor details are now added. I then exported the Painter file (riff) to a Phoshop file (psd) and imported the illustration into Photoshop. I tweaked the overall colors just a tad and added the spotlight effect.

Final Sketch

Final Art

Character Sketches and doodles

Final Sketch

Final Art

Bad Hair Day Sketch to Final Art

How long have you been doing illustration?

I have been a freelance illustrator for almost 16 years. I started out as a graphic designer will a small studio. There I became an in-house illustrator before going out on my own.

Do you think art school helped develop the style you have today?

Maybe a little but what art school did do was expose me to other artist, whether professionals or classmates. You ingest what you see from other artist so some of that does bubble up to the surface and into your work.

What was the first illustration you got paid to do?

My first job as a freelancer was doing 50 black & white marker renderings for a mattress company. My first published piece was when I was about 5 or 6. The town I lived in Tennessee has a local magazine that published children’s drawings and one of mine got in. I was hooked.

How did you learn Flash and Photoshop?

Photoshop, I basically taught myself with doing some online course with Will Terry to learn the painterly aspect of the software. As far as Flash, I did a month long workshop at the Maryland Institute of Art. I tried learning that on my own but it was a bit more complicated than I thought.

I noticed you have done traditional painting on your blog.  Do you ever use watercolor, oil, or acrylic when illustrating now?

I still sketch with pencil but paint digitally. The thought of going back to traditional for children’s books has been creeping back into my head. I do miss the feel of a real brush so maybe it is time.

Do you have any favorite materials?  Such as paper, paints, pens, etc.?

I love gouache and Dr. Martin’s Dyes with colored pencil on Arches hot press water color paper. I also love oil paint which I am getting back into with more fine art pieces.

Your sketches are very good and look like they could be sold on their own.  Have you sold the black and whites to clients?

Thank you, that is very kind of you to say. I have not sold any of my sketches to clients. At least none that I can remember. I’ve had a few traditional pieces sell.

After looking on Amazon, I found two books, Molly Kite’s Big Dream and Major Manners Nite Nite Soldier.  Are these your first published picture books?

They are my first books. I hope this is a start to the next phase of my career. I would love to do just books and maybe write a few along the way.

How did these self-published authors find you?

Most of them find me through childrensillustrators.com and my website. I have gotten a few inquiries through Jacketflap.com. Lately, Facebook has been a good source.

What is the story behind these books?

Molly Kite was from a first time self published author. She found me online and contacted me about the story. It is based on some actually people she knew and their spirituality. We worked on it for about 6 months. She recently had it picked up by a small publisher.

Major Manners came to me from a small publisher in Florida.  The idea behind the story is that the Major helps the kids get ready for bed through a series of cadences. It comes with a cd that adds to the story and is very fun to hear. This is the first in the series of 3 books I believe.

Did you develop a contract to use when working with a client?

Yes, all of my book projects have contracts. It helps establish the responsibilities, schedules, payment, etc.

How do you figure out how much to charge for your work?

Sometimes a budget is presented to me so the client and I will discuss what can and cannot be done within the allotted budget. Other times, I will need to sit down and come up with an estimate based on time, material, deadlines, etc.

Does Enchanted Forest Press have illustrators they recommend to their clients?

That I do not know. Molly Kite was just recently picked up by them so I have not chatted with them directly.

Amazon states that Major Manners Nite, Nite Soldier was a USA Book News 2012 Best New Children’s Picture Book Finalist.  Can you tell us a little bit about this contest?

The publisher, Outhouse Ink, submitted the book to various contest. It actually won a Pinnacle Award for Book Achievement. Both contest are for small, indie publishers but from what I gathered are a big deal. It is very cool to see both stickers on the book.

With your flare for music, were you involved in creating the CD that goes with this book?

No, the publisher and their families put the cd together. They did a great job. It cracks me up every time I hear it. Maybe the next one, I can put a banjo tune on it. Lol!

Do you belong to any organizations like the SCBWI?

Yes, I belong to the SCBWI which is one of the best things I’ve done. I have met so many wonderful people who are willing to share their insight and information to help one advance in the industry. Many of them are not close friends and their careers are taking off.

Did working for advertising agencies help you make connections you use in your freelance Design and Illustrating business?

Yes they did. When I left the design studio after 13 years, many of the designers, photographers, and illustrators in the area knew I had gone out on my own so they were willing to send me projects in order to help me get off the ground. It pays to know a lot of people and equally important to have a easy going reputation. At least I think I have that reputation. Maybe we should ask around first.

How did you learn animation?

Self taught. Having been a big fan of Warner Brothers cartoons, I decided to learn how it was done. I bought several books on animation, not Flash, to learn some of the tricks.

How much of your work is done in animation?

For a while, I was doing quite a bit of animation, mostly for websites. I still do one or two a year but mainly focus on illustration.

Have you done any illustrating for magazines or newspapers?

I think my second client when I went solo, was for Central PA Magazine. They were a Harrisburg, PA magazine that had about 20,000 readers. So I did a lot of work for them. They helped me get my name out there. I’ve done some pieces for other magazines like Disney Travel.

Do you do illustrating for The Idea Works, Inc. the design and advertising company?

Yes. Ilene Block and I became really good friends while I freelanced at Word World. She was the art director there. When she left, she started The Idea Works. We did this really cool promo piece together which was a calendar called “Voltar”. It has moveable dials that you turn for the new date but it also gives you a fortune. We had so much doing that together. I love that piece.

Did you do Voltar for them?

Oh, here is a Voltar question. Yes I did. See above.

Was that illustration painted in Photoshop?

No, that was all Adobe Illustrator.

How do you find new clients?

I try to do 3 postcard mailings a year. They really help. Attending conferences is another good resource in finding possible clients. Posting on Facebook, Google +, Dribbble, Twitter, Flickr, my blog and website plus other portfolio sites like childrensillustrators.com are equally valuable . Also doing interviews has generated interested so thank you for offering to do an interview with me.

Do you own a graphic tablet?

Yes, I have a first generation Cintiq and just bought a Monoprice tablet as a backup in case the Cintiq calls it a day.

Do you find a strong opportunity for illustrators to design apps?

YES! That area is booming. Some of my illustrator buddies are extremely busy by doing apps. I am working on a few as well.

Do you have an agent?  Would you like to find one?

I do not have one at the moment but would to find a literary agent to team up with and help me develop my story ideas. Hopefully this will happen this year. It is on my “to do” list for 2013.

Do you have a desire to write and illustrate your own book?

YES! I just wrote a story which I now have in a dummy form, ready to submit. It is going through a series of critiques. While this is happening, I have started writing a second story with several others roughly sketched out. This is all new to me so I am learning lots about the writing process. I tip my hat to anyone who writes.

What are you working on now?

I just finished up two picture books and have begun final art for a book with Capstone. Caterpillar Books and are chatting about doing a book together. Plus I have another book coming in, plus a couple of apps. With all of this, I am redoing my website, some new postcards, and writing.

How do you market yourself?

Postcards and the web are the biggest ways to get my name out there. I try to do a conference a year to make connections.

What future goals do you have for yourself and art career?

I would like to write and illustrate my own stories while continuing to work on books and apps for others.

Do you have any words of wisdom you can share with other illustrators?

I was at a conference in which R.L. Stine was a keynote. He said “Never say no. You never know where saying yes will take you.” He was hesitant on writing a scary book for kids but saying “yes” turned out well for him. I wanted to do editorial illustration but somehow with many “yeses” along the way, I got into children’s illustration and love every minute of it.

Thank you Russ for sharing your work and process with us. It was a lot of fun to read about how you create your illustrations. Please keep in touch and share your successes with us.

You can visit Russ at his website: www.smilingotis.com  His Blog: www.smilingotis.blogspot.com  I am sure he would love to get a comment from you.

Talk tomorrow,

Kathy

“Get Rid of Passive Voice” by Joan Y. Edwards

“A style that consists of passive constructions will sap the reader’s energy. The difference between an active-verb style and a passive-verb style–in clarity and vigor–is the difference between life and death for a writer.” -William Zinsser On Writing Well.

The detective waited. He said to the police officer. “I saw it with my own eyes. This author used passive voice in a manuscript.”

The policeman took off his cap, scratched his head and said to the author, “Get rid of it.”

The author put both hands out palms up. “But, Officer, I don’t know how.”

The detective and officer threw up their hands in disgust. They pointed at the author and said, “Learn about passive voice in 24 hours or we’ll book you.”

I hope you enjoyed my humor. I certainly hope you don’t get in a situation like that. However, if you do, I’m here to help you.

Active voice helps insure clarity of meaning. Every word in your manuscript should have a reason for being there. You want each word to carry a clear message in your manuscript. If your manuscript has too many words, eliminating sentences that use passive voice will trim your word count and add to your clarity at the same time. Rambling on and on in passive voice loses readers. Active voice ropes them in and keeps them reading your manuscript from beginning to the very end.

Here is an explanation with examples to help you understand about voice. There are two voices: Active Voice and Passive Voice. Active voice has the noun subject (doer) verb order.  The verb to be used as a linking verb shows the condition or existence of the subject. Passive Voice usually uses a form of the verb to be and a past participle of a verb: is, are, was, were, being, had been. The subject is not named before the verb in a sentence using passive voice.

In active voice, the subject does the action. The order is simple – subject followed by verb.

David threw the ball. Who threw the ball? David threw the ball. Examples of sentences using active voice:

1. Stephanie lost the money.
2. Mother bought jewelry.
3. James had sung the songs.
4. Nellie was writing letters.
5. Phillip was building the dams.
6. The hurricane had damaged the houses.

In passive voice, the subject (doer) is not before the verb. The subject is absent or it may come in another part of the sentence.

The ball was thrown. The ball did what? Nothing. It was the receiver of the action. On its own, a ball can’t do anything.

The sentences that follow are in the passive voice. No one knows who did the losing, the buying, or the building. It is not mentioned in the sentence before the verb. The subject is missing. The doer of the action is missing. In passive voice, the direct object of a sentence is written before the verb where the subject usually is.  #6 is still a passive voice sentence because hurricane is not before the verb damaged.

Examples of sentences using passive voice where the subject – the doer is missing.

1. Money was lost.
2. Jewelry was bought.
3. The songs had been sung.
4. The letters were being written.
5. The dams were being built.
6. Houses had been damaged by the hurricane.

Think about it.  It’s harder for people to read and figure out what’s really going on when authors use the passive voice. Therefore, editors and readers like to read books written in active voice. Search for the passive voice in your manuscript. If you use Microsoft Word, it has a review tool to check spelling and grammar. If a sentence is in the passive voice, it will tell you and suggest that you revise the sentence. Remember when you change the passive voice to the active voice, put the subject (the doer) before the verb.

Click this link to take Joan’s Active-Passive Voice Quiz

Joan is giving three workshops online with the Muse Online Writers Conference in October 7-13, 2013.

http://themuseonlinewritersconference.com/ In August or September, they will open for registration.  

Here are the 3 workshops:

How to Write a Pitch That Sells

A Five Day Workshop to help you formulate an enticing, magnetic pitch that no editor, agent, or reader could turn down.  Attendees will study the pros, the pitches for the best sellers in your genre and do exercises to build your pitch  skills, create and improve a pitch.

30 Ways to Correct, Trim, and Enhance Your Manuscript

Writer will learn how to enhance you manuscript by correcting grammar/punctuation, using vivid showing words with emotional impact and cutting the words that don’t carry the plot, character, and emotional theme forward. Plus a whole lot more.

Become a PubSubber

This workshop provides a way to encourage and empower writers and artists to submit their work for publication
often. Each time you submit a quality work, you increase your chance to be published. This workshop has detailed steps and resources to build the necessary skills to get your submission in the mailbox or sent through email on your personal submission day.

Joan Y. Edwards is an author/illustrator of the delightful picture book, Flip Flap Floodle. She is a consultant, motivational speaker, and teacher. She offers goal-setting, positive thinking, and writing workshops for adults and children. She is a member of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) and Catholic Writers Guild. Her articles have been published in SCBWI-Carolinas Pen & Palette and SCBWI Bulletin. Her website, http://www.joanyedwards.com

I’ll remind you of these when registration begins, so you don’t miss signing up if you are interested.

Talk tomorrow,

Kathy

Maria Bogade is an illustrator and author with an animation background specializing in the children’s market. After graduating 2007 from the University of Media in Stuttgart in Audiovisual Media, she started working as a freelance animation artist. Maria worked on award winning projects such as “Angel afoot”, “The Gruffalo” or “Princess’ Painting”.

Soon she wanted to create her own environments and characters and tell stories with them, be it her own or the ones of others. This led to going after her dream of being a children’s book illustrator with the start of 2011. Shortly after leaping into her illustration career she authored her first book “Schlafplatz gesucht!”, which was published beginning 2012 by Bohem press AG.

Maria loves creating illustrations with a strong narrative, colourful and beautifully composed, to entertain children and adults alike and let their imagination take them places, they might not have been before.

She has worked for a number of clients across the globe including Big Cat HarperCollins, Picture Kelpies an imprint of Floris Books , Kerle/Herder Verlag, Magination Press, American Greetings, Bohem press AG, Aladdin / Simon & Schuster, Clavis Books, HABA, Roth GmbH and is a member of SCBWI.

Maria lives with her two daughters and spouse in a tiny town in Germany.

Here is Maria’s process:

Every illustration I do starts with a sketch. If it is for a book the very start is a storyboard with tiny thumbnail sketches. Note: This uses the typical picture book format of 13 double page spreads for the book. Later I transfer into full size sketches.

Once the sketch is laid out, I transfer it with the help of a light table to the paper I want to work with.

In some cases I scan the sketch and work digitally from there on. It depends on the style the later illustration is to be in.

After transferring the illustration I start watercoloring, inking or working on a black and white foundation in pencil, as I did for my pieces for the Storybook Brushes calendar. This pencil layer will add nice textures to the later digitally colored illustration.

When taking the pencil stage into Photoshop I lay down the colors first, but also use colored paper sheets and watercolor washes to add some more depth and texture. Then I work on the details until I call the illustration final.

And here are a few of my favorite pages of the book.

Some more interior final art pages.

How long have you been illustrating?

Well I’ve been painting and scribbling for a long time, like many other artists, before going after my dream of being an illustrator with the beginning of 2011.

What types of classes did you take to get your diploma in Audiovisual Media at the University of Media in Stuttgart?

There are certain classes you have to take, when studying at a German University and making a choice for a degree. I think it is different then US Universities, at least as far as I know, as I never attended an University in the USA and therefore can only rely on things I learned through media. My courses were in fact very technical at the beginning as I was studying to become a 3d animation artist. Of course there were some drawing lessons too, but not a lot. I also took some courses in storyboarding and storytelling, but apart from that I was very much into making animated movies at that time.

What other types of classes did you take?

In 2010 I took a Character Design online course with Stephen Silver at schoolism.com. This course helped me a lot to understand my flaws better and also get a better understanding of creating and constructing characters. I can highly recommend taking Stephen’s class.

Do you think the classes you took in college influenced your style?

I don’t think any of the classes influenced my later style. I think influences came later on when working for animation studios and seeing the designers at work there and bringing their designs to life as 3d models. I learnt a lot during that time about composition, lighting of scenes and of course character poses, which all helped me a lot in my later illustration career.

Have you seen your style change since when you first started?

Yes, I’d totally say so. I have developed more styles and also my characters have changed in various way as I became more confident with the way I was drawing scenes and figures.

Did any of the contacts you made in college help you get your first job or any contract?

Actually, no. I was lucky to meet people just at the right time and worked for a small animation studio right after finishing University. All the contacts and commissions I got as an illustrator I made by sending out cards.

What was the first piece of art that you sold?

If we speak of an original it would have to be a watercolor painting I did for an illustrators exhibition at the Frankfurt Book Fair in 2010 titled “My favorite book”. If it is books we are talking it would be the art for “Wee Granny’s Magic Bag”, published by Picture Kelpies an imprint of Floris Books.

Congratulation for Schlafplatz gesucht!  I see that you wrote and illlustrated that book.  Is this the first book you have written?

It is indeed the first book that I wrote and illustrated at the same time. A very exciting project I had lots of fun with creating. I hope to be able to author many more books, we will see.

Can you tell us about how you got the contract for Schlafplatz gesucht! with Bohem Press?

Again the initial contact was made by sending them a promo mailer. I send a mailer with three cards, one of the cards showed a boy cuddling on top of a huge teddybear in the moonlight. The art director contacted me and asked whether there was a story to that picture, which she adored. I said yes, but I have to write it down first. I had two weeks to come up with a first draft. After that it was a short time of waiting and they let me know, they loved the story and wanted to do the book with me. Of course there were still many rounds of editing until I could start illustrating the book. But being able to create both sides of the book, text and illustrations, was a very exciting experience.

I do not know much about Bohem Press.  Could you share what you know about them?

Bohem Press is a tiny publishing house based in Switzerland. They focus on high quality products, not only books but also non book products. The team is made up of three wonderful ladies. I very much enjoyed working with them.

Can you take a minute to explain a little about how you proceed when you work digitally?

As “Schlafplatz gesucht!” is a digitally illustrated book I scanned in the roughs, opened them in Photoshop and started painting away. Well, not exactly. I actually made a little pallete of all the colors I wanted to use. This way I made sure I would be using the same colors in all illustrations and it would be consistent throughout the book. I also have a custom made brush I use most of the time, which looks a bit painterly. And I scanned in lots of textures and watercolor backgrounds to make the illustrations look less digital.
I usually end up having lots and lots of layers, as you can kind of see in the little video below.

All those layers give me the freedom to alter an illustration any time without having too much trouble.
Again as with the roughs I did not do the illustrations in chronological order, as they appear in the book, but did them randomly. One of the first illustrations I finished was the cover. Most of the time I have to do the cover before all other illustrations because the publisher needs it for their marketing and catalogue. This wasn’t the case with this book, but I ended up doing it nonetheless as one of the first.
It is hard to describe how I work when drawing digitally. Usually I do the shapes in their plain color first and then start rendering the different parts. I also really like working from the background of an illustration to the foreground. It’s nice to watch how the image builds up while working.

Do you still do work for American Greetings?

No, although I would love to.

Could you tell us about  “Angel afoot”, “Princess’ Painting” or “The Gruffalo” that you worked on at Studio SOI. Are they game and animated books?

“Angel afoot”, “Princess’ Painting” and “The Gruffalo” are all animated short movies for children. The first two were for a German TV series. “The Gruffalo” is the actual animated movie of the picture book by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler.

How many picture books have you published?

I have 8 books published with 4 more in line to be released this year and hopefully many more to come.

What book was your first? When was that?

That is tricky. My very first commissioned book was “Wee Granny’s Magic Bag”, published by Picture Kelpies, a small Scottish publisher, but I finished my second commission first, which was a tiny educational book titled “Getting Dressed” published by Big Cat /HarperCollins . Both books were created in Spring 2011 and released shortly after one another in September the same year. So it is in a way both of them and it was very exciting as they are in different styles.

How did the contract come about?

The picture book for Picture Kelpies came about by sending them promo cards. One day I had an email in my inbox, letting me know they liked a style, which I had in my sketchbook section at that time and would love for me to do a sample. I did the sample and got the commission. I don’t know how Big Cat came about my art at that time, I forgot to ask, but I suspect twitter was helpful in this case.

It looks like 2012 was a very good year with six picture books coming out.  Did that take up your whole year trying to do the illustrations for them?

Almost but not completely. But being a mother I probably wouldn’t have been able to take on too many more commissions in addition.

Two of your books were published by Clavis Books. Are they located in Germany? How did those book find their way to you?

Clavis is a publisher from Belgium. I came across them when attending the Frankfurt Book Fair in 2010. As with all the publishers I get to work with, I send them cards and promo mailers. After sending out the first mailer it took a whole year until I heard back from them but with a very happy message. They offered me to illustrate the first two books for a series they were doing. The best part though was not only the books, but that the characters were baby animals. I was thrilled as I never had done anything like this before.

Are most of your book published with German Publishers?

Actually, no. I work a lot in the English speaking market but also in the Dutch market. I really like this about being an illustrator. It is wonderful to work with people around the globe, as stories vary from country to country and also what clients like. This led me to have more than one style, which not only is lovely to have as a little variety to my working process but also to be able to illustrate for a various number of clients, who might not have commissioned me otherwise.

What is the German children’s book market like?

That is a question I can barely answer. So far I have only worked with one German publisher. I guess the greatest difference is we don’t have real art directors here. Most of the houses work with editors, who also oversee the art and work with the illustrators. I think the illustration styles are also very different to the ones I see in American or British books. Other than that it is just as every where else, you have to fit the style to get commissioned.

I see that some of your books are in English. Do you speak several languages?

I speak English and German, and a ridiculous tiny bit of Russian. I wish I had learned more languages when I had the chance to in either school or college, it would come in very handy to work for even more publishers.

Have you ever visited the USA?

I did, but only once. I went to New York for just a week, which was completely mind blowing. I wish I could come back some time to maybe attend an SCWBI conference either in New York or in LA.

Have you published any of your illustrations in magazines?

Kind of. I published a few illustrations in two independent magazines. That was in the very beginning when I started out as an illustrator and was still building my portfolio for the picture book market.

How did you get involved with the illustrator at Storybook Brushes?  Did you all know each other?

I knew the other members Juana Martinz-Neal, Angela Matteson and Katriona Chapman via twitter. Only Katriona had I met in person once last year at the Bologna Book Fair. I had the idea to form a group of illustrators who’s styles would go well together when creating promotional products without catering the same styles and projects. I asked Katriona if she was interested and gladly she said yes. I then contacted Angela and Juana, who both were excited to be part of the group too. After that it was a lot of back and forth emailing until we had our first promo finished – The Storybook Brushes calendar 2013. I am very happy to know those talented ladies and to not only call them my colleagues but also my friends. It amazes me again and again how well you can get to know someone by just talking online, although I hope we can all meet in person one day. It would be to good to be true.

I see that you have an Etsy shop.  Have effective is that for selling your illustrations?

As I do not promote it much and rarely put new stuff up it is not very effective. I always think I should do more with it, but to be honest, it takes up a lot of time which I do not seem to have.

Do you use Photoshop with your illustrations?

Yes, I use Photoshop for my illustrations. Although many parts of them are created traditionally depending on the style.

Do you own a graphic tablet?

I own two tablets, a Wacom Cintiq and an Intuos. When starting out as an illustrator I only had the Intuos. Since having the Cintiq I can almost work at double the speed, which has changed my working life much to the benefit.

Did you set up a studio in your house?

Yes.

Do you try to stick to a schedule to get your illustrations done?

Yes I do. Sometimes life interferes though and the schedule vanishes into thin air. But usually I have the mornings all to myself and work as much as I can. Then I paint again a bit in the afternoons and in the evenings when my kids are in bed and the house is again quiet.

Have you gone to any of the big conferences for Children’s Illustrators and Writers?

Unfortunately not. I wish I could go but it is a huge journey for me as I would have to fly from Germany. I hope to make it one day though.

What are your career goals?

I would like to publish more of my own stories. So I am writing as much as I can in my spare time. Apart from that I simply want to illustrate many books that children will enjoy while reading in bed or any time during the day. To make kids and adults happy with my art would probably sum it up best.

What are you working on now?

At the moment I am working on a picture book for Magination Press. Another book with Clavis and one with OUP are waiting for me to get illustrated right after. I am also working on own picture book ideas and write and do samples for them . As I am also preparing for the Bologna Book Fair in March I need to get my portfolio up to date and print a new promo card to hand out to publishers there.

Are there any painting tips (materials,paper, etc.) you can share that work well for you? Technique tips?

Of course every artist has something he likes best. If I had to recommend a paper I would go for a mixed media paper made of bamboo by Hahnemuehle Fineart. This paper might not be available anywhere but I like its subtle texture. It is great to use for pencil and watercolor paintings. I use it to do my layer of pencil drawing, which I use to add texture to my mixed media illustrations. Textures is a very important thing when it comes to mixed media or digital illustrations. I use a lot of scanned watercolor and acrylic plain color sheets to achieve a look of more depth to my illustrations. Usually I put them on a layer with a layer mask, and either multiply or overlay them to add them on top of the part of the illustration I want them to show through.

Any words of wisdom you can share with the illustrators who are trying to develop their career?

Never give up, it sounds a lot simpler than it is, as we all sometimes think our art isn’t good enough or no one will like it. Work hard on your craft and always try to get better. Get a good website up with all the information you need to provide so potential clients can find and contact you. Run a blog and get on Twitter and Facebook. People will find you there. I actually got commissioned by a publisher who found me on twitter, so do care about social media. Other than that sharpen your pencils and draw, draw, draw – and enjoy what you do!

Maria, thank you for sharing your wonderful illustrations and process with us. I am sure that besides the pure aesthetic beauty of viewing it all, it will help other authors and illustrators understand what goes into creating a picture book.

Please take a minute to leave Maria a comment.  I am sure she would love to hear from you.  If you would like to see more of Maria’s work you can find her at: www.mariabogade.com  - www.mariabogade.blogspot.com  - www.facebook.com/MariaBogadeIllustration?sk=wall

Talk tomorrow,

Kathy

One of the assignments the writer’s attenting the Writer’s Retreat in March are facing is putting together a pitch for the novel they have written.

Goal is to pique interest in what you wrote and hear, “Tell me more!”

A pitch is a two or three sentence summary of your book. You want to: indicate the genre, the basic premise, and to generate interest to the point where the agent or editor wants to read your manuscript. A pitch should tantalizes the listener with a hook that sets your manuscript apart, so choose your words wisely.

To prepare you can:

1. Read movie descriptions.
2. Read the jacket of a few of your favorite novels – that’s the level of detail you want.

It should be a short and snappy, only be about 2-3 minutes long. Here are a few types of pitching techniques you can use:

1. The When a… technique brought to you by Craig Lewis

2. Hollywood-style: This is where you describe your novel as a mix of two other well-known books or movies. Hint: make sure the two you use were both profitable. For example: “It’s Twilight meets Harry Potter.” Then explain in the rest of your pitch.

3. The “Save the Cat” method: The idea is to come up with a sentence or two that describes your novel and includes the following:
• It should be at least somewhat ironic.
• It should paint a compelling mental picture.
• It should give an idea of genre and audience.
• It should have a killer title.

Blake Snyder, screenwriter and teacher, describes this method for coming up with loglines for film ideas in his popular screenwriting book Save the Cat, but it works for pitches, too.

Here are a couple from Blake’s book Save the Cat. They should be movies you know:

“A cop comes to L.A. to visit his estranged wife and her office building is taken over by terrorists.” – Die Hard
“A businessman falls in love with a hooker he hires to be his date for the weekend” – Pretty Woman

Start here, add some interesting details like who your hero is, what his goal is, why he needs it, what’s stopping him from getting it, then focus on the heart of the conflict and you’ll end up with a “knock their socks off” pitch. You cannot go wrong with this formula.

4. The 1,2,3 Log Line Approach:

First log line: a single sentence that includes:
The hero
The hero flaw
The life changing event that starts the story
The opponent
The ally
The battle or conflict

The second log line:
The character who changes & what changes

The third log line:
includes a sentence about the book’s theme. What the character learns? How he or she changes.

Now:

Since so many of us are using social media and are used to packing in lots of details in short sentence, you could hone into this mind thinking when start. Maybe going to Twitter and writing something or using your cell phone to text your pitch to see how it feels.

You can even get an app for your iphone to help you pitch. Here’s the link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/pitch-your-book/id432755697?mt=8

Write and Revise: Try writing 10-15 short intros to your pitch. This is the hook. When done pick the best and polish it. If you nail this part you are almost guaranteed to be asked to submit.

Now it is time to describe your book in a bit more detail. Be natural, be excited, be funny (if that is you or part of the book) describe the key turning points of your story, but make it short.

Practice Make Perfect: Pitching can be nerve-wracking, but it gets easier if you do it often, so practice on your family, friends, and anyone else who will listen. The more you do the more relax you will be.

Formal Pitches: If you are doing a formal pitch to an agent or editor at a conference, then finish by asking if your novel sounds like something they’d be interested in and let the discussion evolve. If they request a portion of your book, then make sure you clarify what they are asking for – the first few chapters – the entire manuscript? Remember to ask for a business card and contact information.

Hope this helps! Even if you aren’t attending the Writer’s Retreat or a conference in the near future, you still should be prepared. Opportunities are all around. Don’t let one slip pass you by not being prepared.  I can’t get the memory of a writer I know meeting a publisher in line at a funeral and letting him know about her book, which ended up being the catalyst of her first published book. 

Talk tomorrow,

Kathy