How to use this Page

This fun winter illustration was sent in by Illustrator Tracey Berglund. Don’t miss the snowman in the window. It makes me think of the photo Leeza Hernandez sent me a few weeks ago. Her daughter and her built the smallest snowman I ever saw. They made it small, so they could save it in the freezer. Now that is thinking out-of-box. Tracey was my first featured illustrator on Illustrator Saturday back in June 2010. Here is the link: http://kathytemean.wordpress.com/2010/06/05/tracey-berglund-illustrator-saturday/ I think you can see how much Illustrator Saturday has grown since then.

February was a record month for first page submissions. I did not look at all the submissions to see the percentage of people who did not submit properly. We are close to getting the First Pages correct for the monthly critique, but there are still problems which caused a number of people to be pulled out for critique and then skipped, when I opened their Word document and it was not correct.

I think everyone now understands how to format their manuscript when submitting to an agent or editor, so lets just zero in on how to submit for the monthly critique for this blog. You would only format your page this way when you submit a first page to me. If you are doing a first page for an SCBWI event, then they would probably would want a similar forma, but make sure you check. Why the difference? Because if you use the standard format for a first page, you can not show enough for a good critique.

I know I asked you to cut and paste your text into the email, but I sent the word doc to the editor or agent, so if the Word doc isn’t formatted correctly, I can’t send it. I state a first page can have 23 lines, but that doesn’t mean that every manuscript’s text will work out to 23 lines. Some may only be able to fit 21 lines. The first page, just can not be more than 23 lines. Please do not send more than one page.

You don’t have room to put all your contact information on the page. Just your name, title, and genre at the very top. Then start your text on the next line. The example below from Carol Foote drops one line for her title. This is acceptable, but she could have gotten in the 23rd line if she had put everything across the top. The reason her page was not included in the drawing was due to her submitting it after the deadline.

So as long as you follow the guidelines and the example above, send it in before the deadline, cut and paste the text into the email and attach a Word document of the text, put the required title in the Subject area (I search for the submissions using that title), send it to the email listed, and do not include more than one page, you will be good to go.

Hope this helps. If you submitted a first page and did not have it critiqued, please send it in for review in March. Check back tomorrow to read the four that were critiqued. Next week I will announce our Guest Critiquer for March. Deadline for March is March 21st. Title in the subject area March First Page Critique. Email to: Kathy(dot)temean(at)gmail(dot)com

Links for more formatting posts:

Novel: http://kathytemean.wordpress.com/2014/02/13/formatting-novel-manuscript-example/

Picture book: http://kathytemean.wordpress.com/2014/02/02/first-page-critiquer-for-february-formatting-mistakes-call-for-illustrations/

Standards: http://kathytemean.wordpress.com/2009/03/16/formatting-your-manuscript/

Talk tomorrow,

Kathy

One of the first things I tell everyone is they need to network, get out there and meet people.  This is the reason I started doing the Summer Networking Dinners with agents and editors.  Well, today I have good news and proof that attending dinners and events where you get to interact with Publishing industry professionals does work.  Author/illustrator Tracey Berglund just signed a contract for representation with Stephen Fraser from the Jennifer De Chiara agency. 

Here is the story explained by Tracey:

I attended the Cafe Centro Agent and Editor dinner in July, because Stephen was going to the dinner and I had a short list of agents I admired and he was at the very top. I had not prepared any marketing sound bites to share that evening and the room was very noisy so I felt a bit intimidated, but fortunately I was seated next to Christina Turgeau and other really nice people, so I enjoyed my dinner and some great conversations. Stephen Fraser was sitting opposite me, but the table was very wide so he felt far away. I remember thinking that he had an open and inquisitive face and a charming bowtie.

Luckily, at some point I reached over to his side of the table for a breadstick, he caught my eye and complimented me on my dress! I had just returned from a trip to India and bought it because it had radiant peacock colors which reminded me of a story I’ve been working on. Before I knew it Steve and I were deep in conversation about travel, favorite cities-his is Paris, mine Rio de Janeiro; subways, and a gamut of other things. When the dinner was over I gave Stephen some printed samples of my art and told him how pleased I was to meet him.

A few days later I sent him a thank you note and asked if I could send him some of my stories. He kindly said yes, and over the next few months we kept in touch via email. I sent him several manuscripts, more of my illustration and one completed picture book dummy. He praised my art and sense of story arc. A few weeks later he wrote and mentioned that he kept thinking about one of my stories. He asked if he could have some time to think about it a bit more. Naturally I said yes.

Several weeks ago I attended SCBWI’s agent event and; Steve was one of the three agents speaking. I went over to say hello afterwards and waited patiently as Steve conversed with other enthusiastic writers. Steve was friendly and we chatted a bit. Once again, he complimented what I was wearing which was a T shirt with an illustration of a some characters from one of my stories.

A few days later, I was standing on the platform waiting for a F train and read his email offering to represent. I was so happy and said yes and sent him a photo had just taken with my iphone of a bunch of pigeons in front of my corner deli going wild over some cheese crackers. Instead of saying how odd and incongrous that was, he kindly wrote, “Thanks for the cool photo!” I am very honored to be able to call him my agent.

Tracey we are all happy for you and you are right Stephen is such a nice man and a wonderful agent.

Buffalo artist, teacher and illustrator Jane Marinsky published her first children’s book with esteemed publisher David R. Godine three years ago. With a text by her daughter, Goat-Faced Girl was a great success, earning strong reviews. Godine has just released Marinsky’s second book, Just Perfect, for which she has provided both text and illustrations.

Talking Leaves on Elmwood Avenue will host a book signing for the new book on Sunday, December 2, at 1 pm. The event is free; anyone wishing to have a book signed must purchase it from Talking Leaves, as an act of respect and support for the author and the bookstore hosting the signing.

http://www.marinskyillustration.com/  Jane, Good Luck with the book!

Another great thing I found out this week is that Karen Belli who reads by blog, took the time and submit to the 2012 Scare The Dickens Out of Us ghost story contest that she noticed on this blog and guess what? She won Honorable Mention. 

Having someone recognizes you this way can be just the boast you need to continue down that road to publication, so keep that in mind future for contests.  Congratulations! Karen.  Thanks for letting us know.

Tip: Always check out the contest before sending something in.  Each contest likes different levels of writing.  If your writing is humorous, it might not be good for a heavy literary magazine.  Take a few minutes to see.  It will save you money and rejection.

Terry Jennings’ book, Gopher to the Rescue, A Volcano Recovery Story (Sylvan Dell, 2012) was named Outstanding Science Tradebook for Students K-12 by the National Science Teachers’ Association and Children’s Book Council. Terry says, “I’m thrilled. I’ll even get to put little gold seals on the books.”

Here’s the Amazon link. This follows the release, earlier this month, of her other book, The Women’s Liberation Movement, 1960-1990, (Mason Crest, 2013) a wonderful history of women’s fight for equality and an explanation of why it took  forty years from the time women finally got the vote until we began fighting for equality.

Talk tomorrow,

Kathy

Hope everyone has been enjoying the long weekend and has a wondderful Labor Day!

After going through my e-mails, I discovered that I missed using a few illustrations sewnt in for August, so I thought I would post them today. Here they are:

Sent in by ROGER MOTZKUS www.motzkusart.com

Navina Chhabria is a keen, observant individual. She sees little creatures pop out at her in marble tiles, hair formations and the negative space around everyday life. A simple shape on the sidewalk can be the start of a frolicking creature in an imaginary world and a visit to the Sanrio store can conjure up unique space adventures. A little something from the corner of the eye is all it takes.

Being a self-taught illustrator for most part of her journey so far, she has experimented with various mediums like watercolors, oils, acrylics, gouache, linocuts and digital illustration. She also loves combining patterns.

A trained Graphic Designer by profession with 12 years of experience, she considers it an advantage because it helps her in the composition and color of her artwork. Navina derives her inspiration from everyday life. Aspiring to be a full time illustrator, she is interested in creating artwork for books, book covers, stationery, invitations, and other print and online material. Find her on: http://www.studiotikli.com

Kim Cady sent this in for August. She is a writer/illustrator. Her current novel is in three parts and the backstory of the first volume is blogged at: http://kimcady.blogspot.com.

I have attached some illustrations that work with a light source. They will be used in my novel “The Abbottsford Cats”. I have just completed the first volume “The Abbottsford Cars – The Tale of Jelenti”. I have written most of my life, primarily songs and am a photographer and graphic artist. The illustrations are photographs which are painted and enhanced in Photoshop and Coral.

She lives in Nashville, TN at this time! (She moves a lot!)

This illustration was sent in by Tracey Berglund – www.tra4art.com

Talk tomorrow,

Kathy