I absolutely LOVE writing challenges. It's amazing to see how much I really can do when I keep a goal in mind. Plus, it's fun to work toward a goal with writing friends. That's why I was thrilled when Tara Lazar had asked me to write the
kick off post for the event, and I can't wait to see how many gems will come out of these ideas! Thanks for the inspiration Tara, guest bloggers, and participants--I'm grateful for everything you've done to make PiBoIdMo such an incredible, fun, and productive event. You all rock!
Here are a few tricks that helped me come up with so many ideas:
* I looked for inspiration online, like
Jean Reidy suggested.
* When the ideas seemed to slow down a bit, I created characters I'd love to write about, which sparked several of my story ideas.
* I used
Tammi Sauer's suggestion to come up with settings and brainstormed what could go wrong in each one.
* I also used the suggestion from
Aaron Zenz to come up with story ideas after looking at pictures drawn by kids.
* I wrote down all the possibilities that hit me. But I didn't want to have those tiny nuggets sprinkled around my more fleshed out ideas, so I created a section at the bottom of my file for random thoughts. Some of them are just titles, a funny phrase...anything I think I might be able to use in a future manuscript. The amazing thing is that I fleshed out many of my random thoughts throughout the month and had to move them into my main file. I happy danced every time that happened. The ideas started off so small, I probably would've forgotten about them if I hadn't jotted them down. For all I know, some of them could end up in bookstores in the next few years!
Here's the breakdown of my ideas:
41 fleshed out ideas (two of them already have series possibilities jotted down)
44 random thoughts
Two nuggets that could end up in a future picture book or middle grade novel
What will I do with all these ideas? I'm going to flesh them out more this month, do some character sketches and interviews, and see which ones scream for my attention the loudest. Then, I'll be ready to tackle two upcoming writing challenges. In January, the
If you've ever read The Magic Thief trilogy by Sarah Prineas (my blogging friend Myrna Foster reviewed them in October -- at this post), you might be familiar with the story of the changeling girl. A chance comment by a bookseller in Ohio inspired Sarah Prineas to turn that story into Winterling. A bookseller! How cool is that?
Winterling by Sarah Prineas (HarperCollins, January 3, 2012, hardcover, 9780061921049, $16.99, for ages 10 and up).
Source: advanced reading copy from publisher
Synopsis (from the publisher): With her boundless curiosity and spirit, Fer has always felt that she doesn't belong. She hears the call of the wild wood, of the secrets it whispers to her. But when her grandmother reveals clues about the disappearance of her father and his mystical bond to her mother, Fer begins to unlock secrets about the the parents she never knew. Led to a reflecting pool that uncovers the Way, Fer finds an enchanting, dangerous land.
In this place cloaked in wonder, where pucks transform from boys to horses, Fer feels a strange magical attachment. But with her mother gone, everything has spun out of order and evil has imprisoned the place in ice. Now it is up to Fer to face down the powerful Mor, who has cruelly overtaken this world and its people, and discover the legacy she carries within.
Why I liked it: Gorgeous writing and sure-handed worldbuilding. The author has a fertile imagination and it shines through. And though the summary sounds a bit like The Snow Queen, this is very much an original fairy tale. And amazingly, nearly all the characters are female. In fact, Fer (short for Jennifer) has to save the puck boy from a nasty fate. Yay for powerful heroines!
What most impressed me, though, was the lushness of the sensory details. Nature, both beautiful and terrible, is all important here. Except for a few scenes, this book takes place outside, and you can really feel the icy cold and picture the leaves, the moss, and the pond.
Have you read any original fairy tales that impressed you?
Marvelous Middle Grade Monday is the brainchild of
Shannon Whitney Messenger. Other regulars include (but are not limited to):
By: Kathy Temean,
on 12/18/2011
Blog:
Writing and Illustrating
(
Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags:
How to,
Middle Grade Novels,
opportunity,
Young Adult Novel,
Anita Nolsn,
Bick County PA,
Pearl S. Buck,
Writing classes,
Writing Instructor,
Add a tag
This wonderful Santa illustration is brought to you by Carlyn Beccia. www.carlynbeccia.com Carlyn was featured earlier this year. Here is the link: http://kathytemean.wordpress.com/2011/03/12/illustrator-saturday-carlyn-beccia/
Here is the Information for the Pearl S. Buck Novel Writing Workshop:
Writing enthusiasts in Bucks County, PA, have the advantage of practicing their writing skills at the home of author Pearl S. Buck through community writing events, such as the one being given in 2012 by Author and editor, Anita Nolan.
She will offer a new year-long writing workshop taking participants through the novel-writing process. It will meet for 6 teaching workshops geared for writers wanting to write manuscripts for middle school to adult audiences.
The Novel Writing Workshops will be held the fourth Saturday of the following months from 9:30 AM – 11:30 AM. (1/28, 2/25, 4/28, 6/23, 9/22, 11/17) at Pearl S. Buck International.
•Session One: (January 28th) Come with a plot idea or a character in mind, or just a desire to write a novel. We will discuss brainstorming, plotting, characterizations, and point of view, formatting, writing a pitch and a synopsis before writing the manuscript.
•Session Two: ( February 25th) Participants can submit their first pages in advance for an instructor critique. We’ll discuss issues found in those first pages to illustrate things done well or common problems. We’ll discuss what first chapters should include.
•Session Three: ( April 28th) Showing, not telling, voice, handling dialogue, tags.
•Session Four: ( June 23rd) Turning points, transitions, subplots, writing in scenes.
•Session Five: (September 22nd) Conflict, adding tension on every page, creating a backstory.
•Session Six: (November 17) What’s next? Wrapping it all up.
Register by January 15th.
Fees: $25.00 per session OR pay $120.00 in advance and receive the following extras:
•March 31st and July 21st. Morning write-ins. Spend the morning working on your manuscript. No lesson these sessions, but instructor will be available to help you over hurdles.
· Enjoy unlimited participation in the Yahoo Writing Group that will be formed to exchange ideas, work out problems, and keep track of participant’s progress.
Questions? Email clouden@pearlsbuck.org or call 215-794-2562 or 267-421-6203
Anita will be doing a Writers’ Intensive Workshop on Friday June 3rd at the New Jersey SCBWI Conference for writers wanting to get all the basics down for children’s books.
Illustartors: Do you have a holiday illustration you would like to send and show off? I am putting up an illustration each day until the end of the year. You can send a blurb about you and I will put it up along with a link to your site. Make sure you note in the Subject Box. “Holiday Illustration.” Please submit a .jpg of at least 500 pixels wide to the e-mail below.
Remember you can also submit an illustration depicting a celebration for posting on December 31st. Please send a 500 pixel wide .jpg by December 27th to kathy(dot)temean(at)gmail.com. It will be a wonderful way to end this year and welc
The ALA Youth Media Awards will be announced in Dallas today at 7:45 AM CST. I'll be listening in (
here's their webcast site) to see what wins. They'll also be tweeting (@ALAyma).
In the meantime, here's a future Newbery possibility:
A Diamond in the Desert by Kathryn Fitzmaurice (Coming February 16, 2012 from Viking, 9780670012923, ages 10 and up, $16.99)Visit the Author's website Source: advanced reading copy from publisher
Synopsis (from Indiebound): For Tetsu, baseball is so much more than just a game.
On December 6, 1941, Tetsu is a twelve-year-old California boy who loves baseball. On December 7, 1941, everything changes. The bombing of Pearl Harbor means Tetsu's Japanese-American family will be relocated to an internment camp.
Gila River camp isn't technically a prison, but with nowhere to go, nothing to do, and no time frame for leaving, it might as well be. So when someone has the idea of building a baseball diamond and starting a team, Tetsu is overjoyed. But then his sister gets dangerously sick, forcing him to choose between his family and his love of the game. This is an impeccably researched, lyrical story about baseball, honor, and a turbulent period in U.S. history.
Why I liked it: Kathryn Fitzmaurice's luminous prose verges on the poetic. Many of the chapters are short, more like vignettes of life in Gila River. So it should appeal to reluctant readers, especially if they like baseball.
But even if you're not a baseball fanatic, you'll still find many reasons to read about Tetsu and his family and the harsh conditions at the internment camp. Note that this is for upper middle grade. Fitzmaurice doesn't gloss over the difficulties. This is a work of fiction, but she did staggering amounts of research and interviewed the real Tetsu who played baseball at that internment camp.
I learned a lot from reading this book. Imagine being forced to leave your home and your dog and move to a reservation in the middle of the desert, with sparsely-furnished barracks and nothing to do, not even a school at first. Imagine
fifty-six families sharing
one latrine. Imagine dust storms that sicken people. It's hard to believe today. But it really happened.
My mother grew up in Los Angeles and was about the same age as Tetsu in 1942. She well remembers some of her classmates who were Japanese-Americans being in class one day and not the next. It was a dark time in our history. Kathryn Fitzmaurice, author of
The Year the Swallows Came Early, shines a brilliant light on that time period and makes us realize what Japanese-Americans endured then.
What middle grade historical fiction are
you passionate about?
Marvelous Middle Grade Monday is the brainchild of Shannon Messenger. Other regulars include (but are not limite
The Cabinet of Earths by Anne Nesbet (January 3, 2012, Harpercollins, for ages 10 and up)
Author's website Source: advanced reading copy from publisher
Synopsis: Maya and her perfect little brother James move to Paris with their father, a chemist, and their mother, a cancer survivor. There, Maya meets a mysterious old uncle Henri and a sinister young uncle also, strangely enough, named Henri. With the help of an almost-invisible cousin Louise, and a classmate named Valko, Maya begins to learn of a supernatural underworld in which the beautiful people stay young forever. Most importantly, Maya discovers the Cabinet of Earths, kept by the old Uncle Henri. The extraordinary cabinet seems to hold the secret of immortality and it wants Maya to be its new Keeper.
Why I liked it: A thoroughly original fantasy, mystery, and horror novel rolled into one impressive book. As I read this, I had to remind myself it was a debut novel. This is a winner! Anne Nesbet has done an excellent job of world-building. She writes with a sure hand. The publisher calls this a fantasy and compares it to
Coraline, and I could understand that. But at its heart,
Cabinet of Earths is a moving story about a girl who's worried about her mother. It's written in third person close, which totally works for this. There's a strong sense of place (maybe it helps that I've been to Paris -- but I suspect even if you haven't you'll sense the charm of the City of Light). The mystery is perfectly paced, a little complex and a bit scary, which is why it may not be suitable for younger readers.
What's your favorite middle-grade fantasy?
Marvelous Middle Grade Monday is the brainchild of Shannon Messenger. Other regulars include (but are not limited to):
By: Kathy Temean,
on 2/7/2012
Blog:
Writing and Illustrating
(
Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags:
authors and illustrators,
Book,
children writing,
Fellowships,
Middle Grade Novels,
News,
Debbie Dadey,
I grew up to be President,
Laurie Calkhoven,
Werewolves Don't Run For President,
Add a tag
This is author Laurie Calkhoven. She is the author of nearly 50 books for young readers. In addition to writing her own fiction, she has ghostwritten middle grade mysteries, authored TV tie-in novels, and contributed to many nonfiction series for children. Currently she is writing historical action/adventure novels for her own series, “Boys of Wartime”, published by Dutton Books for Young Readers.
You may recognize the name, because she is on this years faculty for our June Conference. All her critique spots are completely taken, but you can still get into one of her many workshops she is conducting at the conference in June. I can’t wait to hear what she has to say about building a career as a freelance writer.
This Sunday, Feb. 12th, she will be signing her Book titled, I GREW UP TO BE PRESIDENT at Washington’s Headquarters at the Moland House – 1641 Old York Road, Hartville, PA 18974
This is your chance to create a family adventure, mix in some history, let the kids see Washington’s Headquarters first hand, while supporting your fellow authors.
New Jersey author Debbie Dadey will be joining her to sign her book WEREWOLVES DON”T RUN FOR PRESIDENT from her Bailey School Kids Series. Debbie is not in the area the weekend of the conference, so she will not be available to come to the book fair. This might be your only chance to get her books signed.
Also, Debbie has a new book series, MERMAID TALES coming out on May 8th by Simon and Schuster.
Congratulations, Debbie!
Talk tomorrow,
Kathy
Filed under:
authors and illustrators,
Book,
children writing,
Fellowships,
Middle Grade Novels,
News Tagged:
Debbie Dadey,
I grew up to be President,
Laurie Calkhoven,
Werewolves Don't Run For President 
2 Comments on Weekend Book Signing, last added: 2/8/2012
This April 15th marks the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic, so there are a lot of new books (and old ones!) on display at the bookstore right now.
Kaspar the Titanic Cat by Michael Morpurgo, illustrated by Michael Foreman (9780062006189, Harpercollins, March 13, 2012, for ages 8 to 12)
Source: advanced reading copy from the publisher
Synopsis (from the publisher): When Kaspar the cat first arrived at London’s Savoy Hotel, it was Johnny Trott who carried him in. After all, Johnny was a bellboy and was responsible for all of Countess Kandinsky’s things— including Kaspar. But when tragedy befalls the Countess during her stay, Kaspar becomes more than Johnny’s responsibility: Kaspar is Johnny’s new cat, and his new best friend.
And when Kaspar and Johnny meet Lizziebeth, a spirited young heiress, they find themselves journeying across the Atlantic with Lizziebeth’s family on England’s newest and most magnificent ship, the
Titanic. Because there is always adventure in the air with a cat like Kaspar around. After all, he’s Kaspar Kandinsky, Prince of Cats, a Londoner and a New Yorker and, as far as anyone knows, the only cat to survive the sinking of the
Titanic. . . .
Why I liked it: This is a sweet story and easy to read. The author was the writer-in-residence at the Savoy Hotel in London for three months in 2007 (do American hotels do this?) and was inspired to write this story by the black statue of a cat which the hotel uses as a fourteenth "guest" whenever an "unlucky" group of thirteen sits down to dine.
Michael Morpurgo has written more than 100 books, and you may recognize him as the author of
War Horse. He's great at making animals sympathetic characters. But unlike last week's MMGM post, this is no talking animal story. Johnny, the 14-year-old bellboy, tells the story. Kaspar remains a somewhat mysterious figure, being a cat. He'll still tug at your heart, especially when the nasty head housekeeper at the Savoy suspects Johnny is breaking the rules and keeping a cat in his room. And you'll laugh when Lizziebeth, who is about eight years old, saves the day by meowing.
The title of the book is somewhat misleading, because the voyage on the
Titanic only takes up a portion of the book (it's a few chapters and the disaster at sea is clearly described in a straightforward manner that shouldn't be too scary for younger readers -- after all, they've probably read the Magic Tree House version!). In fact, after doing a little research, I discovered that
this book is actually a new edition of an earlier publication,
Kaspar, Prince of Cats, a "picture story book" published by Harpercollins in 2008, with full color paintings by Michael Foreman. Too bad we only get black and white drawings in the new edition, although anything by Michael Foreman is lovely.
Have you read any memorable Titanic books?
By: Kathy Temean,
on 3/27/2012
Blog:
Writing and Illustrating
(
Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags:
Agent,
Middle Grade Novels,
need to know,
opportunity,
picture books,
Places to sumit,
Young Adult Novel,
Kat Salazar,
Larsen-Pomada Literary Agency,
Looking for Writers,
Add a tag
Elizabeth Pomada moved from New York to San Francisco with her husband and partner Michael Larsen in 1970 and started the Larsen-Pomada Literary Agency back in 1972. Over the years they have represented many bestselling authors. Kat Salazar joined Larsen Pomada Literary Agents in February 2011 as an intern for the agency working directly for agency co-founder Elizabeth Pomada. Now as an Associate Agent Kat is actively looking for Children’s Picture books, Middle-grade, and Young adult. For adult audiences she is interested in Literary Fiction and Urban Fantasy.
Previously she worked for University of Washington Press as a Marketing Assistant and held internships at University of California Press, HarperOne of Harper Collins, and Wales Literary Agency. Currently, she is the Publishing Assistant at Red Wheel/Weiser/Conari Press as well as the agency’s newest Associate Agent and the San Francisco Writers Conference Social Media Director.
Kat earned a BA degree from University of Washington, double majoring in English: Literature and Communications: Journalism.
Please query her with the first 10 pages of your manuscript and a 1-2-page synopsis via email (no attachments) at QueryKatSalazar@gmail.com.
Talk Tomorrow,
Kathy
Filed under:
Agent,
Middle Grade Novels,
need to know,
opportunity,
picture books,
Places to sumit,
Young Adult Novel Tagged:
Kat Salazar,
Larsen-Pomada Literary Agency,
Looking for Writers 
Have you ever forgotten a really good book? One that's out of print now? And then suddenly you come across it, maybe in a library, or a used bookstore, or even (in my case) on your own very crowded bookshelves, and you say, OH! That book!
That was my reaction when weeding out my bookcases recently to try to squeeze in more acquisitions, and my eyes lit upon this:
The Mennyms by Sylvia Waugh (first published in the UK in 1993; US edition published by Harper, 1996, for ages 8 to 12). First in a sequence of five books which includes:
(And if these titles remind you of
The Borrowers, you're close!)
I nearly cried when I learned these books were going out of print, soon after I started working at the bookstore ten years ago. I purchased all of them in paperback, read them several times and put them away on a shelf.
Who are the Mennyms? They're a family of life-size dolls created by a lonely British woman, and when she dies... they come to life. But they still have button eyes (take that, Neil Gaiman!) and they look, well, like dolls. Soobie, the teenaged son, is blue. The rest are more realistic, but they're still dolls, so they must stay close to home and not go out unless wrapped up in enough clothing to disguise themselves. They never age, they don't eat or drink, but they can communicate with the rest of the world by telephone or by writing letters (keep in mind, these books were written before computers and cell phones). They're even clever enough to earn a living (Vinetta sews dresses, for instance, and Granpa, also known as Sir Magnus, writes articles for the
Times).
But trouble arrives in the form of a letter from their new landlord, who lives in Australia, and who has decided to pay a visit...
Wish I could tell you to go out and buy these books, but they're all out of print. You know by now that I don't own an e-reader (and I'll resist as long as possible), but I can see that these are great candidates for e-books, if only to keep them from disappearing forever.
What out of print treasures do you wish would come back into print?
MMGM is the brainchild of
20 Comments on Out of Print -- Out of Mind?? A special MMGM post, last added: 4/5/2012
HOT OFF THE PRESSES – GOOD NEWS! Eileen Robinson has started her own publishing company - MOVE BOOKS.
MOVE BOOKS goal is to grow and sustain boy’s appetite for reading – to Move them to read for the long-term.
So if you have written a middle grade book that will inspire boys to read for pleasure, and help build their imaginations through books that resonate with them, then you have a good place to submit.
Eileen Robinson says she is looking to publish their first book in the beginning of 2012, so this is a huge opportunity. If you have a polished and completed middle grade manuscript, then mail in your first 25 pages of your completed novel and a synopsis to:
Move Books
P.O. Box 183
Beacon Falls, CT 06403
Do not email manuscripts. Please do not waste Eileen’s time by submitting an incomplete manuscript. This will slow down the production schedule at MOVE BOOKS.
Eileen will keep her writing consulting company – F1stpages, but this is a separate company and manuscripts that are submitted for this service will not get any special consideration for MOVE BOOKS.
PLEASE NOTE: You will need to put a dash between Move and Books to find the website: www.move-books.com
Boy oriented books does not mean you have to eliminate girl characters.
I want to hear when you sign that contract.
Talk tomorrow,
Kathy
Filed under:
children writing,
Middle Grade Novels,
need to know,
News,
opportunity,
Places to sumit,
publishers,
submissions Tagged:
Eileen Robinson,
Middle Grade Boy books,
MOVE BOOKS,
NEW publisher 
7 Comments on New Middle Grade Focused Publisher, last added: 9/2/2011
One of the most important things you can do to develop as a writer is to get into the right critique group. Below are the writers who were interested in starting a critique group. 
Algonquin Books will start publishing young adult and middle grade books by the end of 2012 and has hired Elise Howard, formerly svp and associate publisher of HarperCollins Children’s Books, to oversee the program. Howard plans to start the new list with up to a half dozen titles next year and build “gradually” from there. She will work out of Algonquin’s New York office, starting in mid-November.
Good luck to anyone submitting 
When you say “everything” was ruined, was it really important stuff that can’t be replaced? Does insurance cover that kind of stuff? 
Stacey Whitman, editorial Director at Tu Books had a nice write up on her blog the other week about voice. I thought you might be interested in reading some of the excerpts. Here’s Stacey:
Polly Horvath is one of my favorite writers. I loved this book. I wonder if we’ll be seeing Mr. and Mrs. Bunny in more extraordinary mysteries. I hope so.
She's one of mine, too. I'm betting we'll see the bunny detectives again--unless they trade in their fedoras for another pastime.