Happy Phyllis’s Birthday!

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Happy Phyllis’s Birthday, Everyone!

Yep, today’s the day, Phyllis’s birthday (which she just happens to share with my husband… coincidence?) so Happy Happy Happy Day to Phyllis (ladies first!) and Eric 🙂

How great is this week?  We’ve managed to have a legitimate excuse for cake every single day so far!

Not only is today Phyllis’s birthday – very fitting that it should fall during National Phyllis Week, don’t you think? –  it is also the first day of the Chinese New Year – The Year of The Rabbit.  (And no, Phyllis, there is no year of the groundhog, and yes, we all understand how misguided that is!)

According to some online source which may or may not be reliable, the Year of the Rabbit should be quiet, positive and inspiring, and an excellent time for the arts.  I choose to interpret that as a stellar year ahead for writers!

Of course, that requires that I write.  So I’m off to work on today’s manuscript for the Picture Book Marathon (I’m 2 for 2 so far, so off to a good start!) whilst simultaneously baking birthday cake.  Perhaps today’s story should be about a bunny… who is friends with a beautiful groundhog… who has been snowed in for days… but will be having birthday cake for supper 🙂  Or not.  Feel free to send inspiration my way 🙂  26 stories in a month is a LOT!

Happy Beth’s Birthday Day!!!

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Happy Birthday to you!
Happy Birthday to you!
Happy Birthday, dear Beth,
Happy Birthday to you!

… and many more…!

With best wishes and much love from all your blogging buddies, especially Vivian, Renee, Catherine, Other Beth (Stanton), Heather, Lori, Loni, Pat, Kirsten, Erik, Julie R-Z, Joanna, Bananabeth (we seem to have an awful lot of Elizabeth/Beths!) who wanted to be included but I couldn’t quite make it work so go visit her too :), and last but not least, me and my furry friend, Phyllis!!!  Have a wonderful day, and we hope the year ahead is filled with all good things and much writing success!!!

And now, for your present, if you will kindly email me I’ll give it to you 🙂  xo S

Happy Groundhog Day Everyone!

Here at Groundhog Central we’re full of news!

As dawn breaks on this February 2, groundhogs all over the eastern seaboard are making their predictions for spring.

And now….  drum roll, please… bdrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

In Poughquag, NY, Phyllis declares, “No shadow!  Early spring!!”

Yay, Phyllis!!!

In Punxsutawney, PA, Punxsutawney Phil agrees!

In Staten Island, Chuck also predicts an early spring, and managed to do it without biting Mayor Bloomberg this year 🙂  In Georgia, the prediction was slightly delayed when General Lee got away from his handlers and hid, then climbed a fence behind his mock-mansion home, but he too predicts an early spring!  In Woodstock, IL, the weather is so fierce that Woodstock Willie’s 2011 prognostication has been cancelled for safety reasons.  Out in Ohio, Buckeye Chuck concurs with the prediction of early spring!  It seems they’re all in agreement.

It may be a whole lot of wishful thinking, but there’s no doubt, our trusty groundhog friends would have been hard-pressed to see their shadows this morning!

So now, back to the Picture Book Marathon.  Maybe I should write a story about Groundhog Day.  Oh, wait…  🙂

Best wishes to all for an early spring as we hole up for another day of winter.  Maybe at least we’ll get some great writing (or reading) done!

2011 Picture Book Marathon

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Happy February Everyone!

Yes, it’s still snowing.  Yes, we’re likely to be snowed in for 2 days.  No, winter isn’t over.  But it’s February – definitely a step in the right direction 🙂

Since it’s National Phyllis week, let me first say that Punxsutawney Phyllis is the smartest, most beautiful, most reliable weather prophet with the loveliest singing voice known to the marmot family!  (Imagine flashing neon and lots of sparkles!)

That should keep her happy for a moment while I tell you that today, February 1st, is Day One of the 2011 Picture Book Marathon!

Here’s the object of the game:  write a picture book a day for the month of February.  Since February has 28 days, and a marathon only has 26 miles, you get 2 days off to use at your discretion.

I did the Picture Book Marathon last year for the first time.  I only managed 17 new stories, but I still felt pretty good about it.  This year, I’ll be lucky to manage 17 given everything else going on.  But I’m going to give it the old college try.  Who’s with me?  Anyone else want to give it a go?  We can exchange blog comments for encouragement and let each other know how we’re doing 🙂

Here’s the link if you’re interested:  The Picture Book Marathon

So now, I’d better get right to work.  Time’s a-wastin’!

I’ll just finish by saying that Phyllis’s feelings were hurt by the lack of response to her questionnaire yesterday.  If you don’t want me to have to put up with a sulky groundhog whilst I cast about for picture book ideas, please soothe her ruffled fur her by commenting on her many wonderful qualities 🙂

Now, runners, take your marks!

The Phyllis Week Kick-Off!

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Phyllis would like it to be known far and wide that this is PHYLLIS WEEK!  (She wishes there was a way to make that sparkly!)  Feel free to send fan mail (and strawberries!) to the Weather Prophet Extraordinaire, and bake yourself a celebratory cake in her honor.  Also, she says your boss should be very understanding if you need to take a National Holiday, especially on Wednesday (Groundhog Day)!  Or Thursday (Phyllis’s birthday)!!
So, when was it that weather became such drama?
Maybe with the advent of The Weather Channel.  I’m not sure.  But I get such a kick out of listening to radio announcers and TV weatherpeople turning pretty much any kind of weather into As The World Turns 🙂
“We’ve got a cold front moving in off the Plains carrying dense quantities of moisture mixed with Arctic temperatures driven by El Nino via the Jet Stream.  Batten down the hatches!  Stock up on milk and toilet paper!  Make sure there are fresh batteries in your emergency flashlights and radio!  We may get nearly 1/4 inch of snow with temperatures down near 30!!!”
But this week it appears to be for real.  The weather dramatists are predicting… you guessed it!… A LOT MORE SNOW AND ICE!  And this brings me to an interesting question:  if the entire northeast is supposed to be in the grip of a fierce winter storm on Wednesday morning (and for those of you who don’t live with Phyllis constantly reminding you, that’s Groundhog Day!), it does not seem possible for any of the weather prognosticating groundhogs (from Punxsutawney Phyllis (NY) – or Phil (PA) for traditionalists –  to Smith Lake Jake in AL, Staten Island Chuck in NY, Shubenacadie Sam in Nova Scotia, Wiarton Willie in Ontario, Jimmy the Groundhog in WI, Woodstock Willie in IL, or Buckeye Chuck in OH, among others!) to see their shadows and hideaway for 6 more weeks of winter.  On the other hand, given the winter we’re having, it seems equally impossible (although it would be awfully nice!) that an early spring could be on the horizon.
Wednesday February 2 is going to be an interesting day!
Phyllis would like to celebrate her week by having all of you write comments on:
a) why she is the most beautiful
b) why she is the smartest
c) why her weather predictions are ALWAYS correct
d) what you would like to hear her sing
e) what you would like to give her for a birthday present (her birthday is Feb. 3!) or,
f) all of the above!!!
Now, she and I are off to the Ridgefield Library in Connecticut for story hour.  Woo-hoo!
Happy Phyllis Week, Everyone 🙂

Am I Doing This Write? (Or, Writers Must Be Part Rhino)

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I’m working a little harder than usual for upbeat this morning, but it’s a tough morning that starts with three rejections.  I may need some cake 🙂

There must be something in the air today, though, because over at The Write-At-Home-Mom, Megan was posting about rejection, too, (much more eloquently than I am, I might add!) and how you have to keep your perspective.  (She’s so right, but there are days when it’s so hard!  Hmmm… Should I have blueberry, spice, or devil’s food for breakfast…?)

Rejection is part of being a writer.  We all know that.  It is why we must be part rhino, so that those wounding arrows let fly by agents, editors and reviewers will bounce off without bringing us to our knees.  If you’re going to put your work out there for the world to see, some people will like it, and some won’t – there’s just no getting around it.  (Maybe blueberry.  That’s part fruit, and therefore healthful…)

self portrait

Rather than let this latest set-back ruin my day, however, I thought, maybe I can use it to brighten yours!  After you’ve read a few of my rejection letters, perhaps you’ll feel better about your own 🙂

So here you go, a little sample, a smattering, a smorgasbord, if you will, to boost your morale and remind you that you’re not alone in rejection!  Have you ever gotten any of these?

The Basic Form Rejection:
Dear Writer,
Thank you for giving us the opportunity to consider your manuscript.  While we have enjoyed reviewing your work, I am afraid it is not quite right for our program.
Sincerely, The Editorial Department

The Multiple Choice Rejection: (please check all that apply)
Dear Author,
Many thanks for your submission.  Unfortunately, this one didn’t work for us.
___ It’s not suited to our present needs
___ It’s language or concept is too mature for our audience
___ We seldom buy rhyming picture books
___ It needs more character/plot development
___ We have a very limited non-fiction line
Sincerely, The Editors

The Personal Rejections:
Dear Ms. Hill,
Although this is a lovely, simple text that would be easy for kids to read, the word choice is predictable and banal and the story line feels thin for the length.
Sincerely, The Editor

Dear Ms. Hill,
Your story has a wonderfully inventive ending, but the overarching conflict didn’t capture my imagination as successfully as the resolution did.
Sincerely, The Editor

Dear Ms. Hill,
… the message was too heavy-handed…
… it’s too didactic…
… it’s too long… too short… too familiar… too bizarre… too… too… too…
… although your manuscript is charming/funny/engaging/sweet, ultimately it’s not strong enough for today’s market.
Sincerely, Editor after Editor after Editor

Hmmph!  Somehow the term “overarching conflict” seems a little “heavy-handed” for a picture book 🙂

Even if you get published, you’re not immune to rejection.  There are professional reviewers (who may say things like, “…this sometimes challenging story may baffle new readers…”), and then there are amateur reviewers (see Library Thing, GoodReads, Amazon, or lots of others!)  One person on Library Thing said about No Sword Fighting In The House (and I quote exactly) “Gosh, this such an awful book,” and another on GoodReads called Freight Train Trip “bizarre” and didn’t understand “the undercurrent of mortal peril.”  Really?  In a board book, that’s what she found?

So now, I hope you’re all chuckling and patting yourselves on the back because your rejections haven’t been this bad!

Anyone who wants to brighten my day in return can comment with rejection tales of their own 🙂

Have a great weekend.  I’m going to get some cake.  And to heck with a healthy breakfast.  Devil’s food it is!

Chocolate – it’s what’s for breakfast 🙂

Breaking Into Writing

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Yesterday’s post included a potential writing opportunity, which got me to thinking about breaking into writing…

From time to time, (like last Friday) I post about some of the things that writers struggle with from the point of view of someone who is published because that’s where I’m fortunate enough to be coming from.

This does not mean that I’ve forgotten how it felt to be hoping to get published.  (Honestly?  I still hope that every day and it’s not much different!)

But worrying about sales figures, or about whether people are reading and liking your books is what my husband refers to as “dilemmas of the privileged.”  I know there are tons of great writers out there, quite probably better writers than I am, who are still waiting for that first call from a publisher, who dream of  seeing their book on a library or bookstore shelf, and who would love to be obsessively checking their rankings on Amazon.  I used to be one.  And even though I’ve got a few books out, I’m still one.

Because if you’re a writer, one article or magazine story or book is never enough.  You’re always writing, always wanting to share your stories, always hoping to publish something new that will make that possible.  There is no finish line.  I know a lot of writers, and none of them have written and published one book and then said, “OK.  That’s it.  I’m done.”

But the road to publication is a hard one.  It involves talent and persistence and just plain luck – I’ve had stories turned down because the editor accepted something similar just the week before.  It can take a LO-OOO-NG time.  Not only that, but the fact that you manage to get published once doesn’t necessarily (or even probably) mean that you will get published again, or that it will be any easier.

So what (besides writing, of course) do you do while you’re waiting to get published for the first (or subsequent) time?

Yoga?  Not for me.  I’m too impatient!

Housecleaning?  Um, I think we’ve established the fact that housecleaning is not my activity of choice 🙂

Bake?  Fun, but potential side effects (can you say hippo?)

So, would you like to know my little secret?

Writing contests!

I love them.  They give you practice with deadlines and word counts and subject matter – at conforming to an editor’s preferences or requirements.  They are fun.  From many, you will get feedback about your work which can be very helpful in making that story, and/or your writing in general, better.  Should you happen to win or place, you get money (sometimes quite a bit) and prestige – you can say “Story A won the Writer’s Writing Contest!” which might potentially help you sell Story A to a publisher.  And there are even some contests where the winner is awarded publication by major publishing houses.  These are opportunities to get your manuscript in front of an editor when you might otherwise need an agent to do so.

I hate sitting around waiting (yeah, back to that impatience :))  Sending a manuscript to a contest makes me feel like I’m doing something constructive, and gives me something extra to hope for and look forward to… After all, Story A could win the Writer’s Writing Contest…!  And the more you submit, the more hope you have of success – don’t you think?  I haven’t done a writing contest in quite a while, and I think it’s time to get back in the game!

If you’re interested, here are a few you can check out:

Children’s Writer Contests
Delacorte Press Contest For A First YA Novel
Highlights Fiction Contest
Southwest Writers Contest
Writer’s Digest Contests

There are LOTS more!  Please feel free to post your favorites in the comments if you’re a contest junkie too 🙂

So what are you waiting for?  The deadline for Highlights is Monday and first prize is $1000!  Spruce up an old story or write a new one.  Send it in and see what happens.

Most of all, have fun and good luck 🙂

Meet Kathy Welsh!

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Writers, sit up and take note!  This post includes potential writing opportunities – how’s that for making your day 🙂

After being deliberately vague yesterday about the timing of upcoming guest posts, we’re off and running with one today!  (Maybe I should remember that trick…!)

Please welcome Kathy Welsh, a talented writer and the creator of Country Courier Magazine!

Kathy Welsh

Kathy’s story is an inspiring one for aspiring writers.  She was not encouraged to write as a child, nor did she have formal training or education in her chosen field of journalism.  Nevertheless, feeling that her community lacked adequate coverage in local news, she “took the bull by the horns”and began submitting articles to her local weekly paper.  Although she had no writing credentials to speak of, her passion for local news came through and her articles were published.  It was the beginning of a career in freelance journalism.  She moved from the occasional article to weekly articles and eventually to a weekly column.  Today she is editor-in-chief and publisher of her own magazine, Country Courier, a local publication for Union Vale, New York.  She is a role model for making writing dreams come true!

SLH:  Kathy, how did you first become involved in writing?

KW:  This really all began quite by accident!  My very first job was in the publishing world – Western Publishing Inc. in Poughkeepsie, NY – as an expediter in the purchasing department.  After leaving my job when I had my first child, I began writing for Taconic Press, which I did for several years.  My husband’s job relocated which took us to West Virginia.  There I connected with The Valley Press, a local weekly newspaper, and freelanced for them until our next relocation – northwestern New Jersey.  Again I contacted the local weekly newspaper, The Star Gazette, and began covering three counties for three different editors.  This is where I really honed my skills as a reporter and covered everything from school news to feature articles to municipal news.


SLH:  How did you get involved with Country Courier?


KW:  When I created Country Courier Magazine we had made our final move back home here to Union Vale. Publishing the magazine was a natural progression from newspapers to a magazine-style format. I already knew what my readers liked so I used those topics to create this publication. And it has been very well received!

SLH:  What are your goals for Country Courier?

KW:  Our goal is to remain a free, direct-mail and online publication. We have currently updated our website from quarterly to daily news to provide our readers with “More News More Often.”  And, we are also changing our print format from magazine style to more of a tabloid style to provide more news for our readers. This will debut mid April.

SLH:  What, if any, writing opportunities might there be for interested authors?  What types of submissions are you looking for?

KW:  Now that we offer a daily online website, we are looking for writers and photographers to contribute articles, news and photographs.  I am interested in local news about people, places and things from municipal to feature stories.  All submissions will have a byline.  Writers need not have previous publishing experience, but I reserve the right to reject any pieces that do not fit the criteria of the magazine.

Sample photographic cover
from Country Courier

SLH:  How can writers/photographers contact you?

KW:  Please email Kathy[at]CountryCourierMagazine[dot]com.
SLH:  Where can interested readers and/or writers view the magazine and follow your writing and activities?
KW:  The magazine is online at Country Courier Magazine.  You can also follow me on Twitter and FaceBook.
Thank you so much for joining us, Kathy!
I urge everyone to visit Country Courier online.  The new website is beautiful, and a quick perusal will give you a feel for the type of writing Kathy might be interested in publishing!

Chasing Away The January Blues

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Yep, in case you were wondering, it’s still January.  It’s still cold.  And it’s snowing… again….  I’m guessing y’all could use a little pick-me-up.  Am I right or am I right or am I right?
So I will give you a quick glimpse of things to come and then you’ll have something to look forward to!
Very soon (we’re going with vague here because, well, I don’t actually know when they’ll be ready) we will be having a guest post with Kathy Welsh, creator of Country Courier Magazine, who may have some opportunities for aspiring writers!
Also, possibly even more exciting (if you can imagine that) a guest post with Cori Doerrfeld, the talented author/illustrator of the new children’s picture book PENNY LOVES PINK.  Her post will include a contest for a free signed copy of PENNY!

Also, a guest post with Karen Orloff, author of the best-selling I WANNA IGUANA and the new I WANNA NEW ROOM!  Her post will include a contest for a free signed copy of I WANNA NEW ROOM!

Also (yes! even more!) an upcoming guest-post with Donna Farrell, children’s illustrator and creator of beautiful websites and blogs for children’s authors, illustrators, and others, which will discuss important design features to keep in mind when creating an internet presence.  Maybe we’ll think up a contest and prize to go with that too!
So now, aren’t you all feeling much better?  Filled with enthusiasm to head out to work in the frigid, snowy darkness?  (Well, maybe not that much better… :))
Here’s a little something to occupy your mind so you don’t think about how January it still is:
What kinds of games/contests do you like to play?  If we were having a game/contest on this blog, for example, say, to give away a copy of a book like PENNY :), what do you think would be fun?
Anyone who posts a comment with ideas will get an extra chance at PENNY or NEW ROOM (please specify your preference) for every useful unique contest idea they contribute.  (First one to list the idea gets the credit for that idea.)  That’s like a contest for contests!  So fire when ready – I’m open to all ideas!  (And Teri, I will count yours from back in December when you listed them in the Contest Contest post!)
Mwaa-ha-ha… I think we showed those January blues who is boss!

Procrastination Station

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It is -12 degrees this morning.  Seriously.  I am not making this up.

When my husband got to the train station it was -15!

I suppose if you live in South Dakota or Minnesota, that’s no big deal, but around here, that’s pretty darn cold!

Even the dogs have decided that discretion is the better part of valor and are doing squirrel patrol from inside the house 🙂  Not the most calm or quiet pastime, I might add…

By noon, our esteemed weather forecasters predict it will be up to a whopping 10, at which point the dogs and I will be able to brave an outing.  In the meantime, it’s a perfect time to write.

Except I suddenly feel a mad urge to vacuum.  And there’s laundry to fold.  And I could certainly unload the dishwasher.  And when was the last time I cleaned out my closet?  Or polished the silver?  And maybe I should take a toothbrush to the tile grout in the bathroom….

Which brings me to today’s topic:

Procrastination: (v) to put off, defer, or delay action until a later time…

Procrastination, I am your queen!

But apparently I am not the only writer who feels this way.  In just the past few days, fellow author bloggers have mentioned the same problem (see Nancie’s thoughts) and offered advice on how to make better use of your time (see Novel Journey)  And a writer friend of mine mentioned that she gets her work done thanks to Macfreedom, which allows you to turn off your WiFi for a preset amount of time (no more checking your inbox every 20 seconds or playing sporcle!!!)  It seems many writers suffer from this problem.

And there’s a good reason.  Writing is hard!

Gene Fowler said, “Writing is easy: All you do is sit staring at a blank sheet of paper until drops of blood form on your forehead,” and Walter Wellesley Smith said, “There’s nothing to writing.  All you do is sit down at a typewriter and open a vein.”  A.A. Milne, whom I’ve quoted before, said, “I know of no work manual or mental to equal the appalling heart-breaking anguish of fetching an idea from nowhere.”

So if you’re a writer, and a procrastinator, not only are you not alone, you’re in very good company 🙂  And I think it’s always nice to know you’ve got company – that others struggle with the same things you do and understand the difficulties.

But I’ve discovered a curious thing.  I can’t not write for very long.  If I start vacuuming or unloading the dishwasher, one of those tasks where the hands are busy but the mind is free, I often find that I suddenly have a lot of ideas and need to write them down immediately.  Which explains why my house tends to be half-vacuumed, the laundry is folded but not put away, and (who are we kidding) the tile grout in the bathroom has not been scrubbed by toothbrush since we moved in 🙂

Maybe it’s backwards procrastination…  I procrastinate from writing by doing chores, and I procrastinate from doing chores by writing!  See?  I told you…

Procrastination, I am your queen!

Writing is hard.  But we love it anyway.  We’re writers, so we have to write, and no matter how much we procrastinate, we’ll get to it eventually.  In the meantime, take comfort in the fact that we’re all in it together 🙂

How do you procrastinate (maybe by reading this blog… :)) and what do you do to get yourself back in gear?  Share with your fellows in procrastination!

Happiness Is… A Fan!

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It’s official.  I have a fan!  Possibly two!

I know.  I can’t believe it either!

Here’s what happened.

A few days ago, I got an actual article of fan mail which said (and I quote) “I LOVE your blog!”  Imagine that!  She loves my blog!  Way to make my day!

But it gets even better (I know.  The mind reels.)

Yesterday, in the same week (what are the odds) I made a phone call, and when I identified myself, the person who answered said, “Susanna Hill, as in Punxsutawney Phyllis?”

WOW!  That never happened before!  (And the fact that the person turned out to be the husband of a teacher whose wonderful preschool I have visited many times, and who was therefore more likely than many to have heard of me, did not detract in any way from that moment of heartwarming happiness at being recognized by association with one of my books!)

This brings me to an interesting point, though.  Writers of picture books do not have the same opportunities for interacting with their readers as writers of MG and YA books do.  This is not necessarily because picture books touch their audience less deeply.  It probably has more to do with the fact that most 4 year olds are more interested in playing in the sandbox than writing fan mail 🙂  The picture book set is not widely known for visiting websites or reading and commenting on blogs 🙂

But this means that, unless an adult who reads to them is unusually motivated, enough to find time in an already over-scheduled day to write a note, you’re not likely to hear… anything. In fact, one of the reasons I started this blog was precisely to encourage more of that interaction between writers and the children, parents, teachers, and librarians we write for.  We want to know what you think.  What do you like?  What do you look for?  What can we do better?

When your picture book is first published, if you’re lucky, you’ll get a few nice words from one of the big reviewers.  After that, it kind of drops into the void.  Days go by.  Amazon rankings take one step forward and two steps back.  Pinkaliscious sells a bajillion copies and your book waits wistfully, hoping someone will pick it.  Publishers only send statements twice a year, so that leaves A LOT of days to wonder whether anyone is even reading your book, never mind whether they like it.  When the statements do arrive, in this economy, sales can be disappointing.  It’s hard to remember that the sales figures are not necessarily a reflection of your book’s worth (although they may be.)  There is no way to measure how many times your book is read in schools, or how frequently it is checked out of public libraries, or whether, somewhere, a child asks for it over and over and over again.  People might be reading (and liking) your book… or they might not.  There is a lot of uncertainty involved in being a writer.

But that is exactly why the rare moments when someone takes the time to tell you that their son loves Freight Train Trip, or their daughter demands Can’t Sleep Without Sheep every night at bedtime, or you get invited to visit a school, or someone mentions that they love your blog or know who you are… that is why those moments are especially sweet.  They can carry us through a whole bunch of those uncertain days.

So when next uncertainty strikes (which will probably be in about 10 minutes) I shall martial positive thoughts.

I mean, after all, I have a fan!  Possibly even two 🙂