JacketFlap connects you to the work of more than 200,000 authors, illustrators, publishers and other creators of books for Children and Young Adults. The site is updated daily with information about every book, author, illustrator, and publisher in the children's / young adult book industry. Members include published authors and illustrators, librarians, agents, editors, publicists, booksellers, publishers and fans. Join now (it's free).
Login or Register for free to create your own customized page of blog posts from your favorite blogs. You can also add blogs by clicking the "Add to MyJacketFlap" links next to the blog name in each post.
Blog Posts by Tag
In the past 7 days
Blog Posts by Date
Click days in this calendar to see posts by day or month
Viewing: Blog Posts Tagged with: Patrick Jennings, Most Recent at Top [Help]
Results 1 - 5 of 5
How to use this Page
You are viewing the most recent posts tagged with the words: Patrick Jennings in the JacketFlap blog reader. What is a tag? Think of a tag as a keyword or category label. Tags can both help you find posts on JacketFlap.com as well as provide an easy way for you to "remember" and classify posts for later recall. Try adding a tag yourself by clicking "Add a tag" below a post's header. Scroll down through the list of Recent Posts in the left column and click on a post title that sounds interesting. You can view all posts from a specific blog by clicking the Blog name in the right column, or you can click a 'More Posts from this Blog' link in any individual post.
As readers of this blog already know, PubCrawl is excited to help spread the word about Egmont USA’s spring 2015 list, a group which has banded together under the name Egmont’s Last List. It’s my pleasure to welcome Patrick Jennings as our guest here at PubCrawl today! (And we are giving away of one of Patrick’s books! More on that below…) I’m so thrilled to interview such a prolific writer of children’s books! Patrick’s website lists 25(!) titles. If you’d like to see all their beautiful covers, you can click here. Patrick’s latest is HISSY FITZ, which came out last month from Egmont. Here’s the synopsis from Goodreads:
Hissy Fitz lives with some two-legged creatures who are destined to serve him in every possible way and understand his every whim. Sadly, these creatures are sorely lacking in their skills. For one thing–they touch him when they want to touch him. Don’t they know that the two-legged are there for him to touch when he wants to–meaning when he wants food? Petting wakes him up! They speak to him–don’t they know the two-legged should be seen–so Hissy knows where to order food–and not heard?! It’s becoming intolerable. What is this irascible cat to do?
I understand that, although you generally write for middle graders, this book is for younger readers. What made you decide to move in that direction? My publisher wondered if I’d be interested in writing a chapter book. The book fairs and clubs had been asking for them. I told my editor about my insomniac cat idea and she liked it.
What changes in your writing process when you target a different age level? Do you write for a certain age, a reading level, or both?
I think the story dictates the reading level, the audience. When a story is right for a seven-year-old, the language often takes care of itself. In other words, if you want to engage with a kid, you should talk about something they care about, and in a voice and vocabulary that makes sense to them. That’s not talking down; that’s talking to.
Hissy Fitz is your first illustrated chapter book in in a long time (over ten years, correct?) How is an author matched to an illustrator? What is the process involved in creating an illustrated book? Other than providing the text, do you have any other input as to the illustrations?
When a book is submitted without illustrations, the art director looks for an artist. They have many illustrators’ portfolios on file. I work on the book with my editor while the artist is found. Usually the text is nearly finished before the illustrating begins. For Bat and Rat, a picture book, I ended up retooling my text, cutting out what was rendered visually by the amazing Matthew Cordell. I did a little tweaking for Hissy after Michael Allen Austin’s hilarious pictures came in. There were textless spreads in Bat and Rat, so, some notes were needed, but, in general, one tries to leave artistic decisions to artists.
I also understand that this is your first cat book! Yet you’ve had pet cats for 20 years? What took you so long to write a book about a cat?
I never had a story to tell. I’ve considered that this is due to cats not really doing much of anything. Mostly they just sit around the house. Dogs go out and play with their owners, protect their owners, rescue people, hang with their friends. Cats nap on average eighteen hours a day. It was when I struck upon the idea of an insomniac cat that I finally had a cat story.
Hissy Fitz is such a unique character – his voice really sucked me in. I know it’s difficult to pinpoint the origin of an idea, but can you say where the character of Hissy Fitz came from? What made you decide to tell this particular cat’s story? Those twenty years with cats were spent wondering what they thought about, especially what they thought of humans. In recent years, I’ve led a young writing group at my house, and have watched the writers interact with my cats. I tried sharing with the kids all I’d learned about how to approach a cat, touch a cat, and treat a cat, but it didn’t make much of an impression. I suppose their treatment of my cats shaped my idea of how Hissy would view kids, as well as other humans.
I know you do a lot of school and library visits with children. What’s your favorite thing about meeting young readers?
Their enthusiasm. They love to read, and they get very excited when they meet an author of a book they’ve read. They have tons of very good questions. They’re often also interested in writing stories. The whole day is filled with excitement. I’m thoroughly exhausted afterward. It’s the best.
Any last words of advice for aspiring writers, particularly those hoping to write for children?
Spend as much time as you can with kids. Volunteer to read at the library, or in classrooms. Read to nieces and nephews, grandchildren, whomever. Talk to kids about the books they love. Listen carefully. Feel their enthusiasm.
Thank you so much, Patrick! Also, I want to offer congratulations on the news that Lerner Publishinghas acquired all of Egmont USA’s frontlist and backlist titles. We look forward to reading many more of your stories!
To celebrate the publication of HISSY FITZ, we’re giving away a copy of this wonderful book! Leave a comment below and use the Rafflecopter form to enter!
About the author:
Patrick Jennings’s books for young readers have received honors from Publishers Weekly, The Horn Book, Smithsonian Magazine, the PEN Center USA, the Woman’s National Book Association, and the Chicago and New York Public Libraries. The Seattle Public Library awarded his book, Guinea Dog, the Washington State Book Award of 2011. His book, Faith and the Electric Dogs, is currently being adapted for the screen. His new book, Hissy Fitz, will be published in January 2015. He currently writes full time in his home in Port Townsend, Washington.
Enter to win an autographed hardcover copy of Hissy Fitz, by Patrick Jennings.
Giveaway begins January 9, 2015, at 12:01 A.M. PST and ends February 8, 2015, at 11:59 P.M. PST.
Enter to win a copy of Guinea Dog 3, by Patrick Jennings.
Giveaway begins August 27, 2014, at 12:01 A.M. PST and ends September 26, 2014, at 11:59 P.M. PST.
I have a stack of books that needs reviewing. Not the metaphorical stack that I always have, but a real stack, right next to me. We'll see how many I get through before I get to class!
As with most Bloor, the plot is pretty dense and complicated, which makes it a little hard to explain.
Martin is a poor kid at a snooty rich school. He doesn't want to be there. After getting in a fight with the son of one of the school's heros (and financial benefactors) he decides to do an independent study from home for a semester.
When his grandmother dies, he is given an old radio that his grandfather had when he worked at the embassy in London during the Blitz.
Through that radio, Marin ends up traveling through time to the days of the blitz. What he sees there sparks research and discoveries that seemed impossible and is about the blow the lid off several family secrets, for several different families.
The time travel bit sounds a bit hokey, I know, but Bloor is a master. I like the hard look he gave the Blitz on many different levels. It's a fascinating book that I couldn't put down.
Evangeline is sick and tired of moping after her parent's divorce. Inspired by a romance novel found under her mother's bed, she is on a quest to find the perfect Crimson Kiss.
So, she gives herself a make-over and starts kissing every guy in sight. Drama ensues.
Overall, it was a nice book about finding yourself and how you won't be crimson without some attraction. There was friend drama that I didn't fully understand, because there were some serious flaws in that relationship even before Evangeline starts going kiss-crazy.
It's also interesting how it's only about kissing. Kissing is taken very seriously in this book and where I can see why randomly grabbing guys and making out with them will damage your rep (because people think if you're willing to do that in the cafeteria, you're willing to do a whole lot more elsewhere) but at the same time, it's high school. Also, a guy who smokes pot is A TOTAL DRUGGIE AND THAT'S BAD BAD BAD BAD. The whole thing is a little... innocent. (I can understand not wanting to date a pothead, but... he's not an ax-murderer.)
Out in May 2008.
Life Sucks Jessica Abel, Gabe Soria, Warren Pleece
You know I love First Second.
Anyway, being a vampire today in LA totally sucks. All Dave wanted was a night job at the convenience store, but who knew his boss was a vampire? And he made Dave a vampire, and now Dave is bound to his Master, spending all night every night at the convenience store. It doesn't help with the day shift guy is late and Dave has to rush to make it home before the sun comes up.
There's surfer god Wes, who was such a bad employee, Dave's master rides him even harder, which Wes just loves to rub in Dave's face.
Then there's Rosa, the goth girl who hangs out at the juice bar by the sore. Beautiful Rosa who seems to maybe like Dave. And Wes. She also thinks being a vampire would be awesome. How can Dave tell her how much it totally sucks?
Well thought out and funny, the graphics have a pretty dark, muted palate that fit the all-night all-the-time setting.
One afternoon in 1975, Barb calls Jeff and dumps him on behalf of her friend, Viv. As it turns out, Jeff likes girls. He's not that picky, or that observant, he just likes girls.
Throughout a series of phone calls, we see Jeff as the ultimate clueless guy, but Barb is willing to help him. Maybe.
Funny and true to all of those random phone calls made and received in junior high and high school, the quick read of phone call transcripts makes is a good pick for reluctant readers.
0 Comments on Book Blast as of 3/13/2008 1:10:00 PM
Like you, I juggle way too many jobs in the fight to keep writing and support myself. When I asked novelist Heather McElhatton (author of Pretty Little Mistakes) how she survived our frustrating lifestyle, she had a beautiful answer:
"Single moments can sustain you. Moments with friends, pets, nature, favorite TV shows, cocktails, other people's writing, poetry, chocolate, whatever you have to survive on, use it to get to the next day."
In other words, TAKE A FRIGGING VACATION!
That's what I'm doing right now. Sorry for the light posting as of late, I am running around my hometown of Ionia, Michigan, home of that courthouse spire you see on the left. I am relaxing, relaxing and relaxing.
Our regular two-post schedule resumes next week, but this week enjoy the Heather McElhatton interview--she is sharing advice about radio writing, web page building, and choose-your-own-adventuring noveling.
It's like a vacation for your brain too. See you next week...
As readers of this blog already know, PubCrawl is excited to help spread the word about Egmont USA’s spring 2015 list, a group which has banded together under the name Egmont’s Last List. It’s my pleasure to welcome Patrick Jennings as our guest here at PubCrawl today! (And we are giving away of one of Patrick’s books! More on that below…) I’m so thrilled to interview such a prolific writer of children’s books! Patrick’s website lists 25(!) titles. If you’d like to see all their beautiful covers, you can click here. Patrick’s latest is HISSY FITZ, which came out last month from Egmont. Here’s the synopsis from Goodreads:Hissy Fitz lives with some two-legged creatures who are destined to serve him in every possible way and understand his every whim. Sadly, these creatures are sorely lacking in their skills. For one thing–they touch him when they want to touch him. Don’t they know that the two-legged are there for him to touch when he wants to–meaning when he wants food? Petting wakes him up! They speak to him–don’t they know the two-legged should be seen–so Hissy knows where to order food–and not heard?! It’s becoming intolerable. What is this irascible cat to do?
Like you, I juggle way too many jobs in the fight to keep writing and support myself. When I asked novelist