Well, lovelies, I promised you a little synopsis of the conference, so here it is.
I think it went okay.
Well, maybe I should say I hope it went okay. Because truly, it’s all a bit of a blur – intense nervousness apparently has an inhibiting effect on memory – someone should probably study that if they haven’t already! 🙂
There was a brief period just before I began when I feared someone would have to employ smelling salts to peel me off the floor, but luckily that didn’t end up being necessary 🙂
Here I am, standing at the front trying to look and sound like I know what I’m talking about:
Here is one of the slides from the beautiful power point presentation (my first ever!) that my daughter kindly helped me with (and by helped I mean did the entire thing with me leaning over her shoulder saying, “I want it to look like this here, and say this there”, etc…. patience and kindness, thy name is Katie :)):
And, now for the really important photo, here is the Something Chocolate that Dee, the organizer, who clearly knows me well, left as a gift for me when I arrived at the hotel:
This is a Buffalo specialty called Sponge Candy. It has a delicious inside, kind of like caramelized sugar but with a texture that is light and crispy when you bite into it, but then melts away in your mouth like cotton candy. And the outside is coated in milk or dark chocolate. Here is a close up:
 |
| YUM! |
I know you all want to rush right out to Buffalo and get some!
So anyway, that about sums it up: long drive to Buffalo, perfect gift on arrival, miraculously managed to get through the whole full day workshop, went out for a delicious and delightful dinner with the organizers as well as 5 YA authors and 2 agents who were going to be Sunday’s workshop – really fantastic company – what a group!, and then long drive home from Buffalo. . . and am here to tell the tale 🙂
Now then! Onward!
Today’s pitch comes to us from Katey. Katey Howes has been dreaming of publishing children’s books since she was 5, and finally had the good sense to take a break from a full time job as a physical therapist to turn her dreams into realities. She is raising 3 voracious readers (8, 6, and 4 years old) who are her biggest inspiration AND harshest critics. Katey has worked with children her entire life in camps, schools, homes and hospitals. Because of this, she has a special sense of what makes them tick, what makes them strong, and what makes them laugh. She tries to bring this to all her stories. Katey blogs on Raising Readers every Monday (and other random mommy/writer/insomniac nonsense on other days) at http://www.kateywrites.wordpress.com. You can find her tweeting @kateywrites, on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/kateywrites, and pinning book-y goodness at http://www.pinterest.com/kathrynhowes3/.
Here is her pitch:
Working Title: Dandelion Wishes
Age/Genre: Picture Book (ages 3-7)
The Pitch: Gia and her mother have everything they need on their hill above the trees: one Saturday after another of togetherness, magic, and wishes. Dandelion Wishes follows Gia and her mother as they journey through the seasons and see sunny skies turn grey; fields of dandelion wishballs disappear. Just when Gia thinks magic has gone from her hill and her heart, something beautiful happens to remind her that what she always wished for was there the whole time.
So what do you think? Would You Read It? YES, MAYBE or NO?
Have a wonderful Wednesday, everyone! And don’t forget to help yourselves to Sponge Candy. I feel quite certain that anything that light cannot possibly have any calories. In fact, I’m pretty sure it has negative calories 🙂
Enjoy! 🙂
Susanna Leonard Hill 
Haha! 🙂 Okay, well as long as you remember THAT 🙂
I KNEW it would be snow. I would read this, Katey! It sounds like it belongs in every primary classroom to kick off science lessons and celebrate the first snowfall. Good luck with it.
Susanna, I am SO jealous of the lucky ducks who got to see your presentation. Ugh!
I was a most timid child…although when I was young, I had no sense of fear in standing in front of an audience…but somewhere along the way, that anxiety took hold. I'm SO glad you think I look and sound poised in videos…I've put off making more because of time constraints (will someone please remind me that I am retired)…but i know I should get back to doing them.
And working on other people's pitches actually helps me hone my skill that I can then use for my own. 😉 This is such a great part of what you offer to the kidlit community, Susanna…pitch help is needed by all of us. 😉
Character
wants to do something but can’t because there are obstacles. But when something
drastic changes or happens,
the character is able to do something
and solves the problem.
Don't know if this will be helpful…maybe some others can chime in with thoughts about what should be included in the pitch. I've always written it as the 'hook' with a bit of the takeaway or theme of the story. 😉
Oh. My. Gadzooks. I get to meet you in person?!!! I must go pack something chocolate right now. Oh, bring earplugs, because I will undoubtedly squeal like a 14-year-old when I see you 🙂
Good treats! Take me to Buffalo with you next time. I'll use my sugar high to help you pump up the crowd. 🙂
You're on! 🙂 And I hope you're going to NJ SCBWI in a couple of weeks so we can meet in real life 🙂
Thanks for your thoughts for Katey, Genevieve! And thanks for being jealous 🙂 Are you going to NJ SCBWI? Will we finally get to meet in real life?
I don't think so 🙂 I'm not very exciting 🙂 But yes, definitely bring chocolate 🙂
Thank you, Vivian! I think she will find that very helpful! 🙂
You definitely always look and sound so professional! I wish I could be as confident! And I'm thrilled that everyone enjoys WYRI and gets so much out of it – it's really nothing to do with me, and everything to do with the wonderful people like you who show up and help out!!!
(reading the re-worded pitch) This sounds like a great book! I'd read it! 🙂
The chocolate thingies look great Ms. Hill! I think you would've done great. You are a nice, talented, confident person. 🙂
Hey! I'm sure you were fantastic at your conference! Congratulations on doing it!
Thanks, Genevieve! Glad you guessed it – and liked it!
Thanks, Angela!
Donna, thank you for your feedback! this has been so helpful. Now if you could all come over for coffee and look through the rest of my work!
Katey, I don't feel like I helped much, but glad my input was valuable in some way. Others did some nice, heavy lifting 🙂 I really hope you have luck with the book. It sounds like it has a lot of potential 🙂 And how cool would it be to hang out together? 🙂
Thank you, Lisa 🙂 You're sweet to say so 🙂
You are very kind to say so, Erik 🙂 And you are such a nice person that I know you mean it, you're not just trying to get on my good side so I'll give you my chocolate 🙂