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I Could Do That!: Esther Morris Gets Women the Vote (Melanie Kroupa Books)by Linda Arms White (Author), Nancy Carpenter (Illustrator); Farrar, Straus, & Giroux, 2005

Ages 5 and up

This picture book biography tells the story of Esther Morris. From an early age, Esther has been saying, "I can do that," and begins to do things that her parents and others thought she couldn't do. Whatever she sets her mind to, Esther accomplishes. When her mother dies and the family is left to take care of one another, she says "I can do that." When she turns nineteen and it occurs to her to run her own millinery shop, she thinks, "I can do that." She can attend an abolitionist church, she can try to claim land in Illinois, she can raise her son Archy on her own, and she can move to the wild western Wyoming territory. Eventually, Morris helps gain the vote for women in Wyoming, becomes the first female judge, and the first woman in the US to hold political office. Morris was a pioneer in many senses and the bright chalk illustrations help convey the spunkiness of Esther. Unfortunately, Esther Morris died eighteen years before all women were granted the right to vote, but her legacy set the stage for the passage of the 19th Amendment in 1920.

Head on over to the Picture Book of the Day Blog for Anastasia Suen's Nonfiction Monday Roundup.

Debut Author of the Month: Donna Gephart...

Donna Gephart's first book As If Being 12¾ Isn't Bad Enough, My Mother Is Running for President! was released just days ago by Delacorte Press. Here she tells us a little about her first book, how she found her agent and shares her 10 Very Important Pieces of Advice for Unpublished Writers.

Just in case someone out there can’t get the gist of your book from its great title, please tell my readers about it.

Six-word alliterative version: Angst. Athletic (As if!). Assassination attempt.

Slightly longer version: Preparing for spelling bees, having a secret admirer, and waiting for her chest size to catch up with her enormous feet are pressure enough, but twelve-year-old Vanessa must also deal with loneliness and very real fears as her mother, Florida’s Governor, runs for President of the United States.

Tell me a little about your path to publication. How did you find your agent, Tina Wexler of I.C.M?

Several years ago, Tina put out a call for writers on the SCBWI Discussion Boards. I sent her the book I’d been working on and a cover letter, in which I wrote one sentence about a gawky, awkward spelling bee champ thrust into the spotlight because her mother is running for president. Although Tina didn’t think she could sell the book I’d sent, she did like my writing and expressed interest in my story about the girl whose mother is running for president.

Unfortunately, it was little more than a short story at the time. With Tina’s encouragement and that of my critique group, I turned that short story into a novel.

Tina had many revision suggestions, such as writing less about Vanessa’s romantic interest and more about the inside scoop on the political process. I did months more research, kept only the first two chapters of the original novel and rewrote the rest. Tina loved this version and sent it to seven publishing houses. She warned, “It might take several months till we hear anything.”

Three weeks later, I got The Call.

How did you feel when you got The Call?

I was in the middle of folding laundry (very glamorous, I know) when I saw the New York exchange on our phone’s caller I.D. I screamed, “It’s my agent. Everyone be quiet!” My son was the only one home at the time, and he was being quiet.

None-the-less, I locked myself in my closet and listened as my agent told me not one, but two editors were interested in my novel--one from Random House, the other from Scholastic. At the end of the day, Stephanie Lane from Delacorte Press, a division of Random House, sent me an e-mail telling me she was delighted to have acquired my novel.

Once your book was under contract with Delacorte, what was the editorial process like? Were there any surprises?

My experience working with my editor, Stephanie Lane, and the talented staff at Random House has been a dream come true. I learned that publishing and promoting a novel is truly a team effort.

Stephanie, of course, made excellent revision requests. This is the stage where larger issues are addressed. I added a minor character and made several changes.

Next, I was asked to go over the manuscript after a proofreader had made corrections. During this pass, I realized how many minor mistakes I hadn’t noticed. Oops!

Finally, I proofread the manuscript after it had been set for printing. I was surprised by how many new minor mistakes cropped up.

Also, it was great fun to have some say in choosing the cover model. (I don’t think this is typical.) I thought designer Kenny Holcolm did a fantastic job with my cover.

Why did you decide to use the world of election politics as a backdrop for your novel? Did anything in particular spark your book idea?

Writers are often told, “Write what you know.” I believe more in the adage: “Write what interests you, what sparks your passion.” Politics interested me and still does.

At the time, there weren’t many books for children about politics. I hoped my novel would be a fun introduction to the political process for young readers. In fact, if readers want to learn more about the president and the political process, I’ve included Web sites at the back of my book and on my Web site, www.donnagephart.com.

Do you have anything in common with your main character Vanessa other than your shoe size?

Besides having large feet, Vanessa and I both love the color purple, reading, playing Scrabble and hanging out with cute boys who have big hearts. (I married mine.)

On a deeper level, this novel is about Vanessa’s warm, caring relationship with her mother. Unfortunately, Mom’s obligations as a governor who is running for president keep their time together to a minimum. In the novel, Vanessa’s mother misses a very important spelling bee and is temporarily unavailable when Vanessa gets injured. My mother, on the other hand, attended all my school functions and was available for every important childhood event, but because she was a single parent who worked full-time, she was often too busy or tired for us to spend much time together. Vanessa’s feelings of loneliness came directly from my early childhood.

Does the fact that Hillary Clinton is in the Presidential race make you happy (in terms of your book sales of course)?

Wasn’t that thoughtful of Hillary Clinton to run for president the same year my book about a mother running for president was released?

You’ve done all sorts of writing including greeting cards, articles and essays. What led you to write for young readers?

I enjoy all kinds of humorous writing, but when I’m creating funny novels for tweens, I feel like my writing voice has found a home. Seeing my words on greeting cards and in magazines like Family Circle and Highlights for Children was thrilling, but being part of the amazing collection of literature for children is a true honor.

You read a lot of books in 2007. How do you decide which titles to pick up? Any favorites?

I pay attention to what people are talking/blogging about. I read reviews. I check the “new books” section of my local library obsessively.

Unfortunately, even though I spend most evenings reading, I never seem to make a dent in my growing pile of books I hope to read.

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak made a big impression on me. It’s a sad, but wonderful novel narrated by Death.

But if I had to recommend one book that I read this past year, it would be The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian by Sherman Alexie [which one the National Book Award for Young People's Literature in 2007]. This novel contains so many elements of excellent fiction. I learned about a different culture, and was moved to laughter and tears often. It’s a sparse, honest and moving read.

Lately you’ve attended an SCBWI conference in your home state of Florida and attended the ALA meeting at which the Newbery, Caldecott and other ALA awards were announced. Does it feel any different attending these events as a published author?

I was delighted when Random House sent me to my home city of Philadelphia to attend the ALA Midwinter Conference. It was exciting to talk with librarians, who were passionate about getting good books into the hands of young readers. And sitting in the audience while the Newbery, Caldecott, etc. awards were announced was surreal.

As far as the FL SCBWI conference . . . I’ve attended this wonderful conference, run by Linda Bernfeld, since it’s inception six years ago. It was an entirely different experience being behind the podium, speaking about being a first-time author, though, than sitting in the audience, listening. I was also able to give a workshop during the conference – a great experience for my first time presenting at a conference.

Both events were possible only because of the publication of my book, so I’m grateful for the new experiences I’m having.

Your book release date was just a few days ago (February 12). What have you done in the way of promotion?

I’m very lucky because Random House has an excellent publicity department, and the person in charge of promoting my book has been very busy. They’ve sent out review copies of my novel, written press releases and created “Mom for President” buttons to promote my novel. There is also a big promotion at www.itsafirst.net, where the novels of first-time authors are showcased.

On my own, I hired a Web site designer, Lisa Firke at www.hitthosekeys.com, to create my Web site, www.donnagephart.com. Seven months before my book’s release, I began a blog at www.donnagephart.blogspot.com. I’ve had business cards, postcards, T-shirts, etc. printed.

I’ve done some interviews and speaking at local schools as well.

You’ve spoken to groups about not giving up on their writing. Please offer some advice to unpublished writers.

10 Very Important Pieces of Advice for Unpublished Writers:

1. Turn off the TV. Open a book.
2. Write even on days when you don’t feel like it, especially on days when you don’t feel like it.
3. Find or start a critique group. (Try to give more than you take.)
4. First drafts are never as perfect as you think they are, nor are they as horrible. But they are all you need to begin revisions.
5. Don’t compare yourself with other writers. Write the best book, story, poem, etc. that YOU can write.
6. Revision is important. Um. Revision is vital to creating good writing. Er. Being willing to make significant revisions time and again will be the difference between being unpublished and being published. (That was certainly the case for me.)
7. Act professionally, whether you’ve been published or not, in all correspondence, submissions, etc.
8. Don’t write about what you think you should or what topic is hot at the moment. Write about what matters most to you.
9. Read my article, “Six Reasons You Should Quit Writing and One Very Important Reason You Shouldn’t!” in the 2009 CWIM.
10. Don’t listen to writing advice.

Debut Author of the Month: Crissa-Jean Chappell...

YA novelist Crissa-Jean Chappell's debut Total Constant Order, which was just released from HarperCollins, focuses on Fin, a teen who's got a lot to deal with. She's recently relocated to Florida, started at a new school, and her parents split up. And all these things put Fin's OCD in overdrive.

Chappell, who grew up in Miami, holds an MFA in screenwriting and an interdisciplinary PhD in film theory, philosophy, and literature. In addition to writing, she also teaches creative writing and cinema studies at Miami International University of Art and Design. Here she talks about writing her first novel, finding her agent, blogging and more and offers some advice to unpublished writers.

You've published a number of short stories and your debut book Total Constant Order started as a short story collection. Tell me about that evolution--what led you from short stories to novels?

My first "books" were 90-minute audio cassettes that I mailed to my cousin in Massachusetts. I'd write the epic script and act out the voices, not to mention the music (my totally awesome ghetto blaster, cranked to ear-piercing decibels in the background) and the cheesy sound effects--footsteps, falling rocks, etc. Sometimes I would Zip-loc my tape-recorder in a plastic bag and splash around in the pool. (Kids, don't try this at home).

In college, my creative writing professors focused on short stories. I grew used to thinking in terms of shorter formats, much like my old-school cassettes, and the thought of writing a full-length novel terrified me. I started out writing a collection of interconnected short stories. After a series of false starts, I threw that project out the window and began working on Total Constant Order, featuring Frances Isabelle Nash (Fin for short), a character that I had created years ago.

Total Constant Order was sold at auction to HarperCollins imprint Katherine Tegen Books. How did you find your agent Kate Lee (of ICM), who orchestrated said auction?

I met my agent in a very postmodern way: over the Internet. At the time, I had grown frustrated with licking stamps, sending out snail-mail queries, and receiving rejection letters months later. I decided to kick-start my agent-quest and fire off a round of emails. Kate responded to my cyber-query in a flash. I didn't realize that she had a reputation as the "agent to the bloggers." To this day, we correspond primarily through email.

What was the publication process like for you? From reading your 21 Steps to Publishing a Novel, it sounds long/exhausting/exciting. What would you say surprised you the most?

After working as a freelance journalist, where everything moves at light speed, I've learned that the book-publishing business is turtle-paced by comparison. My book was sold back in 2005 and it's finally hitting the shelves two years later. I've learned that it takes time to establish a marketing plan for a first-time author. HarperCollins has been so cool about sharing the process with me. For example, an author usually has little say in the cover design of their book, but they listened to my suggestions and I'm thrilled with the result.

Fin, your main character, talks about having a voice in her head "ordering me to listen." As a writer, do you have such a voice guiding you?

I bet most writers would admit, "Yeah. I hear voices in my head." I hear the sound of my characters talking to me. They spill their guts and whisper their darkest secrets. That's what makes writing so much fun. It's like dreaming with your eyes open. Every morning, I roll out of bed and stumble over to the computer and plug myself into an imaginary world. When I was a kid, I used to keep Trapper Keepers full of descriptions and drawings of my "invisible" friends. I still think about them and wonder what they're doing.

Tell us a little more about Fin and your book.

For the past two years, I've been secretly writing as my main character, 15-year-old Fin, in a Diaryland blog called "Sunshine State." I didn't want to write about myself (What I ate for breakfast. Or: What I bought at the grocery store). There's a lot of pressure on authors to blog as a way of reaching out to their readers. I'm a big fan of Megan McCafferty's "retro blog," in which she posts hilarious snippets of her high-school diary. Sarah Dessen's Livejournal features her favorite TV obsessions. I also love Blake Nelson's minimalist musings on his subway encounters with Prada-clad rock bands or the Zenlike nature of cows, etc. But I'm too shy to reveal large chunks of my private self: so I've kept an online journal under my real name, which is mostly about my publishing journey (because I'm obsessive and I like to keep track of things). At the same time, I've been blogging as Fin as my alter-ego in cyberspace.

At first, I shunned the idea of blogging. I shrugged it off as a distraction. Then, as Fin's readers began to respond to the stories, drawings and pictures I posted online, I realized that it is a valuable experience. Instead of sitting in my room, pecking away on a keyboard, I was connecting to people in an interactive universe. Writers live a very solitary life. For once, I didn't feel so alone.

You said that in college you were known as "the-chick-who-writes-about- teenagers." Why do you think you're drawn to creating teen characters? Why do you feel that "teenagers are the most interesting people on the planet"?

I still don't feel "grown up." In a kid's point of view, a day moves by slowly. They're always experiencing new things. Adults often complain that a week will fly by and they barely notice. I believe that it's easy to fall into a routine as you grow older...the daily grind of driving to work and all the responsibilities that fall on a person's shoulders. Sometimes when I talk to adults, it seems like their world has become so small. They chat about their jobs, the car they just bought, their mortgage, etc. As a college professor, I spend my days talking to teenagers. They haven't quite learned how to hide themselves yet. They blurt out their thoughts and opinions. They're desperate to have someone listen and take them seriously. (I get the feeling that they're used to being shooed away). I never grow tired of listening to them.

You've said Total Constant Order is based your own experience with OCD and that you are displeased with how the disorder is portrayed in the media. Why do you think it's misunderstood?

It's difficult to portray obsessive-compulsive disorder in TV or film because the action is primarily taking place inside the character's mind. Fin feels like a volcano. On the outside, she is sitting quietly at her desk. On the inside, she is ready to blow up. Thayer feels the same way when he takes Ritalin. I wanted to show that OCD is not a punchline to a joke. It's not about funny rituals: like tapping a light switch or counting footsteps. It's about feeling as if your life has slipped out of your control. I think that many teenagers can relate to that experience.

One review said that Miami is like a character in your novel (certainly a more interesting Miami character than the one in a certain David Caruso program). Here's another chance to tell us how Real Miami and TV Miami differ.

Miami must be the most misunderstood city in the United States. Those postcard-images of palm trees, pink flamingoes and sunny beaches are a mirage. Most often, you get a glimpse of a few neon-soaked avenues on South Beach (which is an island) and not the city itself. I wanted to depict the "real Miami," from the cookie-cutter McMansions of the Kendall suburbs to the graffiti-splattered industrial wasteland of downtown, the manatees hovering in canals and the hip-hop kids with the souped-up Hondas, fast food joints like Pollo Tropical, and Cuban coffee stands, a schizophrenic mix of urban sprawl and primal swamps. That's the Miami I know.

Megan McCafferty told you the YA community is filled with kindred spirits who remain forever teen, and it's important to help each other out. In that spirit, any favorite YA novelists you'd like to mention?

The blogging authors that I've mentioned are some of my favorites. I grew up devouring a lot of sci-fi and fantasy (think: Ursula K. Le Guin and Zilpha Keatley Snyder). In fact, the video game based on Snyder's Below the Root was one of my first experiences in thinking about interactivity and the way we read books.

(One more question since you don't like odd numbers). If you could give unpublished writers two pieces of advice, what would you tell them?

Everybody has a different story about their path to publication. If you listen to those stories, you'll hear a lot of conflicting information. I've learned that rules are meant to be broken (For example, many literary agencies say, "Don't query via email," and yet, that's how I met my agent). I was also told that teens don't like to read a lot of description. After hearing this a few times in my rejection letters from literary agents, I cut out some of my descriptive paragraphs. Then, when I met my agent, she encouraged me to put back what I had deleted. So my two cents would be: Write the book you want to read. And don't give up, no matter how many times you hear the words, "Not for me." Maybe it's not for them. It's for somebody else.