Middle Grade Readers

Welcome all to my first Author Spotlight feature where you will get a chance to meet a well known author and learn about the writing process. 

 Interview

Day 2 SCBWI 13 annual winter conference In the Big Apple.

       Wow, can't believe another day had just passed. It was an over whelming one full of lots of enlightenment and good news on all genres from picture books to young adults and beyond. I will try to put In the important information in here in a a few paragraphs. I have 11 pages of notes but will try to make it brief.
   It was a list of amazing guest speakers which included authors, agents, editors, publishers and other people involved in the business. The day started with breakfast, and the first keynote speaker was Chris Crutcher. He was a very inspiring speaker, that inspired the room that represented 49 states and 20 countries. The conference had 1400 people. He spoke about the importance of balancing out stories with tragedy and comedy. Here is a brief list to inspire you guys of what he talked about 1) Look into your life to find information 2) Put this into every story you write. 3) Power and connection of family is important. 4) Just write your story. 5) Hear it in your language and voice.
     The next speakers was panel children book pros which included two editor directors, a marketing person and agent. They covered lots of information, but I will l.limit the list to three basic important ideas.
1) Independent Book stores are growing 2) Picture Books are not dead 3) The Digital publishing market is expanding. In general now is a good time to get your book out there in the publishing industry. You also must understand that it takes a village to make a book. That it is important to also work as a team on each book.
    Our next speaker was a great surprise for all of us. It was Henry Whinkler. He was one of the best speeches of the day. He got a standing ovation today. He only spoke for ten minutes, but his ideas, comedy and inspiration touched us all.
     We then broke up into small groups I went to a fantasy meeting first. Then after lunch I had  two picture book small groups. Before the two afternoon sessions we had another key note speaker her name was Cassandra Clare she spoke of Love triangles and forbidden love in YA adult books. She was interesting speaker but not very inspiring to me, since it was not my kind of topic.
    I will just list the basic things of what editors are looking for in picture book manuscripts:
1) Characterization 2) Narrative guilty 3) Voice 4) Humor 5) Universal appeal. 6) Clear ideas and simplicity.
       In conclusion, the day ended with a wonderful cocktail party, and dinner that gave us two hours to network with other people in the industry. The day ended, and I got back on the train home full of inspiration, new ideas and hope for the future of children's books. There is now one more day left for this conference that I look forward to tomorrow.  I will make my last post this month called All great things come to an end.  
  

                        

    There are very important factors when it comes to being any kind of writer. It covers a whole range of books. As everyone know putting together a children's book has many people involved. It is a team effort that takes many years to master and complete. For the next three days I will take you all on a journey into this event. It is a huge gathering of people in the children book industry and covers a very important idea that every author has to do. This is called networking and creating a platform. The post will be updated daily from 1-27-2012 to 1-29-2012. Each day I will give you guys an inside into this business. So get ready for a wild ride. I blog my experience on this journey enjoy.

Day 1 Writer's Intensive

     Today started just like an ordinary gray day, the rain tapped the roads and my journey had began. Strong winds and heavy rains very strange weather for New York State especially in the middle of winter. Only two snow storms so far and that it.
      I took the train in from my home town. New York was wonderful like usual. The rains were strong at first but as the day went on it all changed. I started the day psyched to finally have the SCBWI conference, I could not believe it came so fast. Where does this path called time really go? Does it just vanish in a puff of smoke or where does it end up?
     So back to business the day started with registration and breakfast not much of a filling one but it was good enough Coffee and Bagels the real New York local food. My nerves shaking and my hands gasping the 500 hundred words we were supposed to bring here. Hundreds of questions inside my hands? Who will I meet? What will the professional say? Is my manuscript good enough? At registration our tables were given to us? I got Table 17 and  18.
      When I was getting my food a strange thing happened the hot water was gone. I am usually a tea drinker, but I needed that jolt, I needed that caffeine. I wanted something hot but it was the bitter black stuff we call coffee. I guess many tea drinkers came here? Oh well I guess I had no choice. 
    I found my table, my mind moving and my body shaking, it was it, the moment I have been waiting for, another year had passed. The session started by a panel on voice. Three editors spoke. What is voice? Each of them had there own view. What I can tell you guys is it needs to be fresh. It needs to be authentic. It has to stand out from the crowd.
    The editor panel spoke about the kind of books they buy. Here is just a very quick summary: Characters have to have personality, you have to get into your character's mind, and the story has to stand out for the individual editor and always make sure to do you research. You have to be in the moment and write the best story you can. 
     Then the time began my table had eight writers at it and one professional. We each were given 12 minutes for our 500 words. The critique process is very important and it is great to have a group of your own. The setting here was much more family like. Every manuscript was discussed by everyone. I have to say I got a lot out of it and had many wonderful suggestions and commends from both critiques. There is no need for

  This blue circle is the global symbol for diabetes – developed as part of the Unite for Diabetes awareness campaign. The significance of this blue circle is positive and hopeful. Cross-culturally, the circle symbolizes life and health, with the color blue reflecting the sky that unites all nations and is the color of the [...]

(First off, please note: Our blog domain will be moving to www.burburandfriends.com/blog) It’s always the little things that we love most and remember best about the people in our lives. Kind, supportive words spoken. The friend you know who gives the biggest, warmest, best hugs. The simplest kind gesture that brightens your day. Even though [...]

It’s printed on heavyweight archival ink jet paper.

11″ x 8.5″ with a 1″ inch white border around the image.

Signed and dated by the artist

Shipped in a clear plastic bag and a stiff envelope.  Buy Now Only $15

8.5″ x 11″ with a white 1″ border around the image.

Comes unmatted and unframed.

Signed and dated by the artist

Only $15

I doodled this during ICON 6. It’s some kind of cute but slightly hideous insect with tiny wings that probably wouldn’t be enough to hold him up. Just something out of my insane imagination.

Hola, hola. Pasando por aquí de nuevo porque desde hace varias semanitas que quería subir esto y no me había dado tiempo. Y es que hace no mucho recibí casi seguidos estos libros que me alegraron los respectivos días en que llegaron:
"El Pájaro de Siete Colores" y "El Cangrejito Picanarices" llegaron juntos, pues son del diseñador, ilustrador y escritor Diego López Narro, para quien tuve el gusto de hacer las ilustraciones del libro del cangrejito, el cual escribió y elaboró específicamente para sus hijos :). Y el Pájaro de Siete colores es su más reciete libro, Ilustrado por Fraga, con un estilo muy peculiar, simpático y expresivo.
El tercer libro se trata de "Puzzlehead", escrito e ilustrado por James Yang, el cual gané en un sorteo en illustrationmundo.com, ¡¡¡GANÉEEEEE Y MI PREMIO LLEGÓ....y está bien chido :D!!
Muy lindos libros... muy agradables sorpresas.

Hello, hellou. Just passing around here again because it's been a while since I wanted to upload this and hadn't had the time. Not too long ago, I got in the mail these books that cheered the respective day they arrived:
"El Pájaro de Siete Colores" and "El Cangrejito Picanarices" arrived together, cause they were sent by designer, illustrator and writer Diego López Narro, for whom I was glad to illustrate the "cangrejito" book, which he wrote specially for his children :). And "El Pájaro de Siete Colores", his most recent book, illustrated by Fraga, with a very peculiar, fun and expresive style.
The tird book is "Puzzlehead", written and illustrated by James Yang; I won this book at illustrationmundo.com, ¡¡¡YEEESS, I REALLY WON SOMETHING, MY PRICE ARRIVED... and it's SO cool :D!!
Great books, great surprieses.