Announcing The Mix ‘n’ Match Mini Writing Challenge!!!

May 11, 2020June 23, 2020297 Comments

Rise and shine, my friends!

It’s about time for some new high jinx and shenanigans!

Given the unusual circumstances we all find ourselves in at the moment, I bet you are all challenging yourselves each and every day!

There’s the What Can I Make For Dinner Out Of 1/2 A Cup Of Raisins, A Sleeve Of Saltines, And A Can Of Baked Beans? Challenge. . .

. . .the Total Body Workout On Top Of The Coffee Table Because That’s All The Space I Have Challenge. . .

. . .and the Lord Help Me How Will I Entertain The Children On What Feels Like The Millionth Evening Of Quarantine (If I Have To Play Candy Land One More Time I Will Have To Be Committed!) Challenge!

It is just possible that the novelty is beginning to wear off of these a teeny tiny bit. . . 😊

So I am here to offer you something new and different! (and feel free to use it to solve #3 above as well 😊)

When life is so topsy-turvy it can be hard to find the energy and motivation to write, so how about a little boost and a little encouragement with perhaps a soupçon of competition?

It’s time for

The First Ever Mix ‘n’ Match Mini Writing Challenge
For Children’s Writers!

(Not a contest exactly… no room in the blog calendar, no time for judging, no gigantic prizes on offer…but still (hopefully!) tons of fun!)

Here’s how it works:

Starting today, each Monday until June 22 (which makes 7 Mondays total and will get us to the end of the school term) I will post a Mix ‘n’ Match Mini Writing Prompt for a 100 word story. Post your story in the comment section for that week’s challenge (or if you have trouble posting it, email it to me and I’ll post it for you.) At the end of the 7 weeks, everyone who has posted one story for each week’s prompt will

A) have 7 brand new stories to play with! (Who knows? Your next picture book or even chapter book or longer might be sparked by something you write for the Challenge!)

B) be able to take credit for entertaining lots of stuck-at-home fellow writers and their kids (not to mention you’ll entertain yourself and your own kids!)

and

C) qualify to win a prize from the Mix ‘n’ Match Mini Mystery Bag of Marvelous Prizes for Writers! (I’m not really expecting 400 people to complete this challenge… if that happens we will have to eenie meenie miney mo winners until we run out of prizes, but you will still win A and B above!)

You can compete with yourself to see if you can write all 7 stories! You can compete with your writing friends to see if you can write more than they do! And if you want to get really competitive, you can all read the stories that are posted and “like” the ones you think are best and see who gets the most “likes” 😊 (If you do that there might be some special prizes…who can tell??? 😊)

When the going get’s rugged, children’s writers beat the blues by playing writing games and creating new stories to keep themselves and everyone around them entertained!

So here we go!

Mix ‘n’ Match Mini Writing Prompt #1 for Week of May 11:

Choose one item from one or more of the columns below – minimum 1, maximum 3. You can choose only one item (for example, one item from Column B), or you can choose one from Column A and one from Column C, or you can choose one each from Column A, B, and C – whatever combination you like depending on what you feel you need to spark your story.

Write a 100 word story for kids which includes at least 1 and not more than 3 of the items below. Please either highlight them or list them at the top so it’s easy for me to see who has qualified for the challenge. (If you want to use a title, the title will not be included in the word count.)

Post your story in the comment section (or email it to me to post.)

Read, enjoy, and comment on each other’s stories! 😊

Here is today’s mix ‘n’ match list:

Column A Character	Column B Setting	Column C Emotion
knight	birthday party	cranky
alien	school	bored
camel	beach	jubilant

*For those of you who feel you would benefit from a little more structure, you can make this a Mother’s Day story – but that is a suggestion only for people who want it, not a requirement for this week’s story.*

So you might choose “camel” only. Or you might choose “school” and “jubilant”. Or “knight”, “beach” and “cranky”. . . (And you can throw in Mother’s Day if you want to 😊)

Get the idea?

In an attempt to answer possible questions I will say:

you can write as many stories as you want each week
you can post them at any time during the week (just make sure they’re on the Monday Mix ‘n’ Match Mini post for the week you’re entering – e.g. below for Week #1))
you can play catch up (so if you miss a week you can go back and add to an earlier week if you’re trying to complete the challenge and qualify for prizes as long as all entries are posted on the correct week and are posted no later than Saturday June 27th at midnight Eastern time.)
no illustration notes
if 2 or 3 items from one column are what get your creativity sparking, that is okay (e.g. you can use knight and alien if you want)
You may go over the word count if you’re on a roll and you wish to (because there is not judging 😊)
You may write in poetry or prose

Here’s a little sample to show you how it works:
(No comment on the dreadfulness of the sample 😊)

Week #1: camel, school (99 words)

Camel School

Cami was excited for school!

Would she learn reading? Writing? To count past 12?

“First class, Hydration,” said Miss Dromedary. “Try for 30 gallons of water in 13 minutes. Practice makes perfect!”

Cami couldn’t imagine drinking that much!

“Next, Spitting! Try for 120 feet. Practice makes perfect!”

Cami’s tongue flickered like lightning, but could she spit far?

“Now, Sand Running! A steady 25 mph. Practice makes perfect!”

“Even practice can’t make me that fast!” cried Cami.

Miss Dromedary patted her head. “This is Camel School, dearie. Chameleon School is next door.”

“Phew!” said Cami, scurrying to join her friends.

And here’s a little sampling of the prizes up for grabs to whet your competitive spirit 😊 MORE TO COME!

When it comes time for prizes, names of all those who completed the challenge will be drawn randomly and matched with prizes drawn randomly until we run out! 😊

For Spacious Skies by Nancy Churnin, award-winning author of so many fabulous books I don’t have space to list them all! Visit her website or Amazon Page!

Picture Book Manuscript Critique from Kirstine Erekson Call, author of THE RAINDROP WHO COULDN’T FALL (Character Publishing 2013) and the forthcoming MOOTILDA’S BAD MOOD (Little Bee Books, September 2020), COW SAYS MEOW (HMH March 2021), and COLD TURKEY (Little Brown Spring 2021)

Picture Book Manuscript Critique from Ellen Leventhal, author of DON’T EAT THE BLUEBONNETS (Spork 2017), HAYFEST: A Holiday Quest (ABCs Press 2010), and LOLA CAN’T LEAP (Spork 2018)

Picture Book Manuscript Critique from Lindsay Hanson Metcalf, author of BEATRIX POTTER, SCIENTIST (September 2020), FARMERS UNITE!: PLANTING A PROTEST FOR FAIR PRICES (Calkins Creek November 2020), and NO VOICE TOO SMALL: FOURTEEN YOUNG AMERICANS MAKING HISTORY (Charlesbridge September 2020)

Picture Book Manuscript Critique (non rhyming) from Kaye Baillie, author of BOO LOVES BOOKS (New Frontier Publishing October 2020), and MESSAGE IN A SOCK (Midnight Sun Publishing 2018)

Your choice of EITHER a Picture Book Manuscript Critique or a Virtual Visit with Keila Dawson, author of THE KING CAKE BABY (Pelican 2015), and NO VOICE TOO SMALL: FOURTEEN YOUNG AMERICANS MAKING HISTORY (Charlesbridge September 2020)

Winner’s Choice of Webinar from the amazing Alayne Kay Christian, author of picture books Butterfly Kisses, An Old Man And His Penguin, and the forthcoming The Weed That Woke Christmas and the chapter book series of Sienna The Cowgirl Fairy, and editor at Blue Whale Press! Webinar choices include: How A Picture Book Is Made, Perfecting Your Critique, Top Ten Reasons For Rejection, and How To Write Powerful First Pages Like A Pro!

15 Minute Video Chat – ask your questions about writing, research, submissions – whatever’s on your mind! – with Christy Mihaly, author of DIET FOR A CHANGING PLANET: Food for Thought(Twenty-first Century Books/Lerner 2018), HEY, HEY, HAY!
A Tale of Bales and the Machines That Make Them (Holiday House 2018) , and FREE FOR YOU AND ME: What Our First Amendment Means (Albert Whitman March 2020)

Quick Impressions on your Picture Book Manuscript from Rosie Pova, author of IF I WEREN’T WITH YOU (Spork 2017), SARAH’S SONG (Spork 2017), the forthcoming SUNDAY RAIN (Lantana Publishing March 2021) and others.

RONAN THE LIBRARIAN, (Roaring Brook Press April 2020) brand new fromfabulous author Tara Luebbe

Your Choice of EITHER A Picture Book Manuscript Critique (fiction, non-rhyming) or an Ask Anything 15 Minute Video or Phone Chat with Tara Luebbe, author of SHARK NATE-O,(Little Bee Books 2018), I AM FAMOUS ( Albert Whitman 2018), I USED TO BE FAMOUS (Albert Whitman 2019), OPERATION PHOTOBOMB (Albert Whitman 2019), and RONAN THE LIBRARIAN (Roaring Brook Press 2020) (see above)

Sherry Howard, author of Rock And Roll Woods (Spork 2018) and a series of Nonfiction Middle Grade titles for Escape Publishing (2019)

is offering 6 of her nonfiction middle grade titles which will go to 6 lucky winners!

Ann Whitford Paul, author of Writing Picture Books (being donated by Becky Scharnhorst below), the book we ALL use as our picture book bible 😊, and countless wonderful picture books, is offering signed copies of her IF ANIMALS… Series (Farrar Straus Giroux):

If Animals Went To School (2019) If Animals Kissed Good Night (2008)

If Animals Said I Love You (2017) If Animals Celebrated Christmas (2018)

If you would like to benefit from her picture book wisdom, please sign up for her newsletter HERE!

A hand lettered quote of someone’s choice from a picture book, or a quote about reading or writing that could be framed as a gift for a child’s bedroom, a writer you know and love, or an inspiration for writing in your own work space (why shouldn’t you give yourself a present?!) offered by Kristy Roser Nuttall! (Samples below – you can choose your own quote!)

Making Picture Book Magic – Self Study Class any month (x3)

Writing Picture Books by Ann Whitford Paul, donated by Becky Scharnhorst whose debut picture book P.S. Camp Wildwood Stinks will be released in Summer 2021 from Philomel!

Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert donated by Becky Scharnhorst whose debut picture book P.S. Camp Wildwood Stinks will be released in Summer 2021 from Philomel!

The Nuts & Bolts Guide To Writing Picture Books by Linda Ashman (only available for Kindle) (x2)

Magnetic Poetry – Little Box of Happiness

The Story Book Knight by Helen Docherty

This Book Is Gray by Lindsay Ward

Story Cubes

Writing Journal (x10)

Scythe by Neal Shusterman

So come join the fun! Get some writing done! Encourage your kids (or students) to give it a try! Or just have a good time together reading what other folks have written!

Ready, set, WRITE!!! 😊

Check out the Week #1 stories!

How To Have A Camel Birthday Party – Brenda Whitehead (camel, birthday party)

A Knight At The Beach – Jess Murray (knight, beach)

Puddles From Pluto – Julie Abery (alien)

Untitled – Candice Marley Conner (knight, beach, jubilant)

Birthday Surprise – Genevieve Petrillo (birthday party)

The Knight And The Bouncy Castle – Little Cornish Writer (knight, birthday party, bored)

Andromeda And Nick – Cindy S. Boyll (alien, knight)

Carlos The Camel Goes To Revere Beach – Susan Reese Krevat (camel, beach, bored)

Chloe’s Extraordinary Bunny Beach Birthday Party – Corine Timmer (birthday party)

Wake Up Call – Jill Lambert (alien, school, cranky, Mother’s Day)

Cranky Camel At The Beach – Susan Inez (camel, beach, cranky)

Blast Off – Barbara Renner (alien, school)

Mommy’s Cranky Beach Baby – Jamie Bechtelheimer (beach, cranky)

Night Knight School – Matthew Lasley (knight, school, cranky)

How To Pet A Camel – Jeanette Jones (camel)

Untitled – Carmen Castillo Gilbert (cranky, birthday party, beach)

An Ode To Our Teachers – Michelle S. Kennedy (school)

The Uninvited Guest – Jarmila (alien)

Knight Light – Margo (knight)

Sir Grumpsalot’s Lesson – Dot Anson (knight, beach, cranky)

The Knight’s Princess – Linda Schueler (knight, birthday party)

Camel’s Surprise – Susan Schipper (camel, beach, jubilant)

The Birthday Party: A Circular Story – Rose Cappelli (camel, birthday party)

Alien Beach Adventure – Ashley Congdon (alien, beach)

Prehistoric Hairdo – Kristy Roser Nuttall (cranky)

Beach Bummed – Sarah Meade (beach)

The Cranky Alien On The Beach – Linda Boyden (cranky, alien, beach)

A Good Knight – Patricia Nozell (knight, school)

It’s Not My Party – Sarah Hoppe (birthday party, emotion of cranky but not the word)

Back To School – Deb Sullivan (school, alien, cranky)

Ulric, The Tap Dancing Knight – Brittany Pomales (knight)

If You Invite A Camel To Your Birthday – Sara Ackerman (camel, birthday party)

Grandpa’s Style – Leslie Denkers (jubilant)

Camel On Vacation – Dawn Young (camel, beach, jubilant)

Untitled – D. Litwer (alien, beach)

Alien Annie – Linda Staszak (alien)

Untitled – Mary VB (beach, knight, cranky)

(K)Night School – Bev Baird(knight, school)

Mr. Camel Needs A Break – Sue Lancaster (camel, beach, cranky)

Lost In Time – Colleen Murphy (knight, beach)

Sir Sunny – Rebecca Gardyn Levington (knight, beach)

Horace – Amy Flynn (camel)

Gismos The Alien – Everard Anson (bored, alien, jubilant, cranky)

A Limerick – Marty (knight, jubilant)

Pal – Mia Geiger (camel)

How To Homeschool An Alien – Liz Kehrli (alien, school)

A Knight’s Delight – Nancy Riley (knight, beach)

Zara’s Blooming Flower – Lori Himmel (camel, school, jubilant)

Cranky Camel – Deb Buschman (camel, cranky, beach)

Clanky Cranky – Laura Pomar (knight, school, cranky)

The Jubilant Beach – Ketan & Aiyka Ram (beach, jubilant)

Untitled – Kay DiVerde (knight, bored)

Mix And Match – Shariffa Keshavjee (knight, bored, camel, alien, school)

Good Knight! – Lily Erlic (knight, beach, cranky)

Untitled – Penny Adler (school)

Show And Tell – Elizabeth Meyer Zu Heringdorf (alien, school, bored)

Aliens Have Birthday Parties Too! – Alicia Meyers Kelly (alien, birthday party)

LeeLee Croaks – Katie Schwartz

Untitled – Lauri Meyers (bored, knight)

Untitled – Ugo Anidi (knight, birthday party, bored)

Perfect Picture Book Friday – Bloom

May 8, 2020May 7, 202014 Comments

It’s Perfect Picture Book Friday and . . . my youngest’s birthday! 😊

So I’m sharing a book that celebrates May flowers and extraordinary girls 💐🌸🌟💕

Bloom

Title: Bloom

Written By: Doreen Cronin

Illustrated By: David Small

Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books, February 2016, Fiction

Suitable For Ages: 4-8

Themes/Topics: girl power, appreciation/gratitude, encouragement, believing in yourself

Opening: “Once upon a time, in a beautiful glass kingdom, there lived an unusual fairy named Bloom. Her boots were caked with mud. There was dirt between her teeth. Beetles rested in her wings. Bloom’s magic could spin sand into glass, turn weeds into blossoms, and grow a trickle of rainwater into a racing river. Bloom was a helpful creature, but her footsteps were HEAVY, and she left a trail of tiny cracks and mud wherever she went.”

Brief Synopsis: A glass kingdom is a tough place to be a Mud Fairy. Bloom and her mud fairy magic can turn weeds into flowers and spin sand into glass, but all the people of the kingdom do is complain about the trails of dirt and puddles of mud she leaves behind so, feeling unappreciated, she leaves. When the kingdom falls into disrepair, the King and Queen search out Bloom, but it takes the most “ordinary” girl in the kingdom to restore the magic.

Screen Shot 2020-05-07 at 7.26.25 PM

Links To Resources: Here are some resources to get kids outdoors to celebrate earth and gardens. Plant A Family Butterfly Garden, Big Seeds For Little Hands, Information & Resources For Gardening With Children

Why I Like This Book: This story has the delightful “Once upon a time” opening that creates the delicious anticipation of a fairy tale about to unfold. Bloom is an unusual fairy – dirty, willing to work hard, not traditionally “girly”. Genevieve, the “ordinary” girl whose only job has been to polish the queen’s crystal sugar spoon has never had the opportunity to discover what she’s capable of. Working alongside Bloom, she learns that she is anything but ordinary and that she can save the kingdom. Favorite line: “Tell them there is no such thing as an ordinary girl!” said Bloom.

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For the complete list of books with resources, please visit Perfect Picture Books.

PPBF folks, please add your titles and post-specific links (and any other info you feel like filling out 🙂 ) to the form below so we can all come see what fabulous picture books you’ve chosen to share this week!

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!!! 😊🌷

A very happy birthday to my daughter and a very happy Mother’s Day to all the mothers out there 💕💐💕🐣

Would You Read It Wednesday #361 – Jack’s Crazy Confection (PB)

May 6, 2020May 5, 20209 Comments

Howdy, Peeps 😊

For those of you who may not have seen, I truly do live in Wild Animal Kingdom 😊 Allow me to introduce you to my recent visitors (and feel free to use them for an inspirational writing prompt if you’re so inclined! 😊)

Fancy (I think this is a female but it’s very hard to tell – it might be Fantastic Mr. Fox )

Cuddles 😊🐻 (so snuggly with all that fur and just look at his bare bear foot!)

It’s difficult to tell since the angles are different, but both of these photos were taken in almost exactly the same place, though almost a week apart. The fox photo was taken only very slightly to the left of where the bear photo was taken. So obviously it is like, the place to hang out on Blueberry Hill. You know, where all the cool kids like to be! 😊

The cool kids here (that would be you guys) are probably about ready for Something Chocolate, am I right? (I know I’m ready!) So how about something delicious and fun you can make with your cool kids at home?

S’mores Cookie Cups

Recipe HERE at Kitchen Fun With My Three Sons

Yumptious! Just make sure you don’t leave any of those around where bears can find them because I’m sure they would be irresistibly tempting!!! 😊

Now then, onto today’s pitch which comes to us from Deborah. Deborah Foster grew up in the heyday of Disney Princess movies. She was born and has lived all her life in rural Iowa. Deborah’s love of storytelling began when she was very young and in sixth grade one of her Christmas stories won the Holiday Writing Contest. Her writing continued through high school in the form of angsty poetry. But with the birth of her first daughter, her love of writing took hold in the form of picture books. Deborah’s picture books focus on humor and biographies of lesser-known women.

Find her on Twitter at @DeborahClaytonF

Here is her pitch:

Working Title: Jack’s Crazy Confection

Age/Genre: Picture Book (ages 4-8)

The Pitch: Jack wants to sell his sweet confections, but the dastardly Ice Cream Man has stolen all his customers. Using his great-great-grandmother’s magic ingredient, Jack must cook up something to out-sweet those frozen treats. But a little too much magic ingredient leads to outrageous results.

So what do you think? Would You Read It? YES, MAYBE or NO?

If your answer is YES, please feel free to tell us what you particularly liked and why the pitch piqued your interest. If your answer is MAYBE or NO, please feel free to tell us what you think could be better in the spirit of helping Deborah improve her pitch. Helpful examples of possible alternate wordings are welcome. (However I must ask that comments be constructive and respectful. I reserve the right not to publish comments that are mean because that is not what this is about.)

Please send YOUR pitches for the coming weeks! For rules and where to submit, click on this link Would You Read It or on Would You Read it in the dropdown under For Writers in the bar above. There are openings in May – as early as next week! – so you could get your pitch up very soon for helpful feedback and a chance to have it read and commented on by editor Erin Molta!

Deborah is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch! I am looking forward to seeing what else might wander through my yard! I would LOVE to see the fox kits (I’m sure they’re out there somewhere not too far away…) but given the ferocity of my perimeter patrol guard

doubtless no one will dare invade!!!

Have a wonderful Wednesday everyone!!! 😊

Tuesday Debut – Presenting Claire Annette Noland!

May 5, 2020May 4, 202015 Comments

Hi there, everyone, and welcome to Tuesday Debut!

If you tuned in to Perfect Picture Books on Friday, this book will look familiar! But today we get to meet the author and hear about how this book came to be.

I’m happy to introduce you to Claire Noland and her debut picture book, Evie’s Field Day!

EVIE’S FIELD DAY: More Than One Way to Win
by Claire Annette Noland
illustrated by Alicia Teba
Cardinal Rule Press May 1st, 2020
Fiction. Ages 4-8

Evie loves to run, jump, hop, and win. She even has ribbons and trophies to prove it. So, when the school’s field day comes around, she is sure she will add to her winning collection. When Evie finds herself ahead of the pack, she is faced with an important decision. Does she choose the chance at a trophy or the chance to be a good friend? Join Evie as she navigates the playground and learns about sportsmanship and the challenge of losing.

SUSANNA: Welcome, Claire! We’re so thrilled to have you here with us today! Where did the idea for this book come from?

CLAIRE: Thank you, Susanna, for this opportunity to share the journey of EVIE’S FIELD DAY. The idea was a long time coming. As a parent and teacher, I know how much kids hate to lose. On the other hand, sometimes the kids who win aren’t always gracious. So, I had a rough idea but couldn’t quite figure out how to tell the story until… I read a call for submissions from Cardinal Rule Press. They were looking for stories featuring children facing an obstacle or problem that most children must deal with. Then the story seemed to almost write itself as I remembered how much kids enjoy the end-of-the-year Field Day activities and decided that was a good setting for a child who hates to lose.

SUSANNA: How long did it take you to write this book?

CLAIRE: I only had a month to write and revise because submissions were only open for a limited time.

I enjoy writing in the company of The Very Hungry Caterpillar and some other friends.

SUSANNA: Did you go through many revisions?

CLAIRE: I meet with my writing group weekly so I revised for each meeting. I have learned that shorter is better so I cut the original manuscript by 200 words. I also went through and cut things that I thought an illustrator could show in the art.

SUSANNA: When did you know your manuscript was ready for submission?

CLAIRE: I knew my manuscript was ready when my critique group felt it was done and I read it aloud and thought, “kids will like this!”

SUSANNA: When and how did you submit?

CLAIRE: I submitted directly to Maria Dismondy at Cardinal Rule Press during the open submission window. I read most of the books published by CRP and felt that this manuscript would fit in well with the books they publish. I don’t have an agent but am actively seeking representation.

SUSANNA: When did you get “the call”? (Best moment ever! ☺)

CLAIRE: I received an e-mail from Maria Dismondy setting up an online meeting. This was my first online meeting and I couldn’t get the camera on my computer to work! She told me that a friend had recently shared that her son had a meltdown every time he lost a game. Then she opened my submission and found a book on the very topic. She called me a few days later to let me know they would like to publish my book! As people often say, your book needs to come across the publisher’s desk at just the right time.

SUSANNA: How did you celebrate signing your contract? (If you care to share ☺)

CLAIRE: I cried happy tears then celebrated with champagne with my husband. There’s just something so satisfying about clinking glasses.

SUSANNA: Was the contract what you expected in terms of advance, royalty percentage, publication timeline, author copies etc.?

CLAIRE: I have been writing a work-for-hire series which pays a flat fee for each book. Since this is my first trade book, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I was just thrilled my book was being published. Cardinal Rule Press has been wonderful I received an advance after signing the contract and the rest upon completion of editing. I will receive 10% on all copies sold. I also received hardcover and soft cover copies of the book.

My office is filled with wonderful books including my childhood favorites.

SUSANNA: Can you tell us a little about the editorial process?

CLAIRE: There was some editing but most of the work I did after signing the contract was writing backmatter. Cardinal Rule Press publishes books of special appeal to families, teachers, and librarians. I wrote a section for parents and teachers to use before, during, and after reading. I also wrote suggestions on how to help children learn about good sportsmanship as well as a game I call “good sport/bad sport.” I was able to draw on my experience as a teacher and a mom to four children who were all involved with sports and 4H.

SUSANNA: What was your experience of the illustration process like?

CLAIRE: The illustration process was a lot of fun. Maria Dismondy had a very clear vision for the book with strategic use of color. Even the text becomes part of the art with colorful fonts used to emphasize different parts of the story.

I was able to see sketches throughout the process and I even received a pdf of the rough draft. I reached out to the amazing Alicia Teba (who lives in Spain!) to thank her after the illustrations were finished and now, we’re Facebook and Instagram friends. I did not add any illustration notes.

SUSANNA: Did you get to see advance reviews from Kirkus, SLJ, etc? What was that like?

CLAIRE: I saw the positive book reviews given by Kirkus and School Library Journal. I was a children’s librarian before becoming a teacher and I made book purchases using these periodicals so I was thrilled to see my own book included.

My 5 month old puppy, Ernest, is a Catahoula/ Poodle mix. He is a very literary dog since he was named after Hemingway. He has great taste in book selection.

SUSANNA: How long did it take from offer to having the first copy in your hand?

CLAIRE: I signed my contract at the end of February 2019 and had copies sent to me in December 2019. I didn’t open the box because I needed to wait until my cover reveal. I was tempted to peek but I didn’t.

My initial print run is 3,000 books.

SUSANNA: What kind of marketing and promotion has your publisher done for this book?

CLAIRE: Everything has changed in a short period of time because of Covid-19. I had a series of book events planned including an actual Field Day Launch with games and activities along with the book reading and signing to coincide with the end of the school year. Now we are having a virtual book launch via zoom. We are also planning something super exciting. Just because kids are learning at home it doesn’t mean they can’t celebrate the end of the school year with fun and games. On May 21st, we are having a virtual field day. Families are encouraged to set up games and activities and post pictures on Instagram with #AtHomeFieldDay and #EviesFieldDay. There will be drawings for some fabulous prizes. My publisher has also put together a social media campaign, a book trailer, a preorder campaign, a blog tour, and is helping me to be a guest on podcasts.

SUSANNA: Describe any marketing/promotion you did for this book.

CLAIRE: One of the best things I did was join a debut group of picture book writers. We’re called the 2020 Debut Crew and we work together to promote our books. I wrote a post on field day activities on my blog and am posting on social media.

A special day! Getting to donate a copy of my debut picture book to my local Little Free Library!

SUSANNA: How long was it between the time you started writing seriously and the time you sold your first picture book?

CLAIRE: I have been writing for many years but rarely submitted manuscripts. I finally made writing a priority becoming involved in my regional SCBWI group, going to conferences and workshops, following kid lit writing blogs, and joining 12 x 12. I sent stories to magazines which were my first sales. I even won the Pewter Plate Award from Highlights for the best rebus story of the year.

SUSANNA: Anything else you’d like to share about your book’s journey from inspiration to publication?

CLAIRE: I would like to encourage pre-published authors to really pay attention to publisher’s guidelines. Cardinal Rule Press was very clear about the books they were looking for but received animal stories, poetry, and many other types of writing that weren’t right for their house. Take time to look at the publisher’s catalogs and, as much as possible, the books they publish. Working with Cardinal Rule Press has been a dream come true for me.

SUSANNA: Thank you so much for taking the time to participate in this series and paying it forward to other writers! We so appreciate your generosity in sharing your experience with us so we can learn from it and wish you all the best with this and future books!

CLAIRE: Thank you so much for featuring me on your blog today, Susanna. I’ve been a long-time follower and I’m pinching myself realizing that I now have a book debut to share.

Author Claire Noland

Website
A Field Trip Life blog
Instagram
Facebook
Twitter

Readers, if you have questions for Claire, please post them in the comments below and if she has time I’m sure she’ll respond!

You may purchase Claire’s book at:
(all links below are book-specific)

Bookshop.org – Petunia’s Place Bookshop
Indiebound Amazon
Barnes&Noble

We can help our debut authors successfully launch their careers by:

– purchasing their books

– recommending their books to friends and family

– recommending their books to our children’s teachers and librarians

– recommending their books to our local libraries and bookstores

– suggesting them as visiting authors at our children’s schools and our local libraries

– sharing their books on social media

– reviewing their books on Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes&Noble, and other sites where people go to learn about books.

Thank you all for stopping by to read today! Have a lovely, inspiration-filled Tuesday! Maybe today is the day you’ll write your debut picture book 🙂

Missed any previous Tuesday Debuts? Check them out!

Christy Mihaly – Hey! Hey! Hay! A Tale of Bales And The Machines That Make Them

Jessie Oliveros – The Remember Balloons

Beth Anderson – An Inconvenient Alphabet: Ben Franklin And Noah Webster’s Spelling Revolution

Hannah Holt – The Diamond And The Boy

Laura Renauld – Porcupine’s Pie

Annie Romano – Before You Sleep: A Bedtime Book Of Gratitude

Melissa Stoller – Scarlet’s Magic Paintbrush

Sherry Howard – Rock And Roll Woods

Kate Narita – 100 Bugs! A Counting Book

Vivian Kirkfield – Pippa’s Passover Plate

Laura Roettiger – Aliana Reaches For The Moon

Matthew Lasley – Pedro’s Pan: A Gold Rush Story

Natalee Creech – When Day Is Done

Margaret Chiu Greanias – Maximillian Villainous

Wendy Greenley – Lola Shapes The Sky

Danielle Dufayet – You Are Your Strong

B.J. Lee – There Was An Old Gator Who Swallowed A Moth

Cathy Ballou Mealey – When A Tree Grows

Pippa Chorley – Counting Sheep

Sandra Sutter – The Real Farmer In The Dell

June Smalls – Odd Animals ABC

Jill Mangel Weisfeld – Riley The Retriever Wants A New Job (self pub)

Kathleen Cornell Berman – The Birth Of Cool: How Jazz Great Miles Davis Found His Sound

Eleanor Ann Peterson – Jurassic Rat

Sarah Hoppe – Who Will? Will You?

Marla LeSage – Pirate Year Round

Stacey Corrigan – The Pencil Eater

Shannon Stocker – Can U Save The Day?

Nadine Poper – Randall And Randall

Christine Evans – Evelyn The Adventurous Entomologist

Karen Kiefer – Drawing God (religious market)

Susan Richmond – Bird Count

Dawn Young – The Night Baafore Christmas

Heather Gale – Ho’onani: Hula Warrior

Ciara O’Neal – Flamingo Hugs Aren’t For Everyone (self pub)

Theresa Kiser – A Little Catholic’s Book Of Liturgical Colors (religious market)

Lindsey Hobson – Blossom’s Wish (self pub)

Kirsten Larson – Wood, Wire, Wings: Emma Lilian Todd Invents An Airplane

Valerie Bolling – Let’s Dance!

Janet Johnson – Help Wanted: Must Love Books

Susi Schaefer – Cat Ladies

Heather Kinser – Small Matters: The Hidden Power of the Unseen

Kelly Carey – How Long Is Forever?

Mary Wagley Copp – Wherever I Go

Nell Cross Beckerman – Down Under The Pier

Perfect Picture Book Friday – Evie’s Field Day

May 1, 2020April 30, 202010 Comments

It’s May! It’s May!
The lovely month of May!
That darling month when everyone goes
Blissfully astray. . .

(Okay, I confess to monkeying about with those lyrics a bit to make them acceptable for this G-rated blog, but you get the idea. . . 😊)

It’s also Perfect Picture Book Friday, and today’s pick is celebrating its Book Birthday today, so HAPPY BOOK BIRTHDAY!!! 🎉🎉🎉

It is here just in time for the Field Day season (although unfortunately, due to the current state of the world, a lot of Field Days may be postponed or cancelled this year.) Kids don’t need Field Day to know about competition, sportsmanship, winning, and losing, though, so Field Day or no Field Day they will enjoy Evie’s story. 😊

Title: Evie’s Field Day

Written By: Claire Noland

Illustrated By: Alicia Teba

Cardinal Rule Press, May 2020, fiction

Suitable For Ages: 5-7

Themes/Topics: good sportsmanship

Opening: “Evie loved to win.
She could jump the highest,
run the fastest, and hop
the farthest.”

Brief Synopsis: (From the publisher) “Evie loves to run, jump, hop, and win. She even has ribbons and trophies to prove it. So, when the school’s field day comes around, she is sure she will add to her winning collection. When Evie finds herself ahead of the pack, she is faced with an important decision. Does she choose the chance at a trophy or the chance to be a good friend?”

Links To Resources: Jump Rope Rhymes; Fun active games (that you can play indoors or in your yard while we’re #stayingathome)

Why I Like This Book: This book celebrates competition, teamwork, consideration for others, and being a good sport, while also giving young readers the opportunity to think about how to be a good loser. In addition, since it’s about field day, it models activity and physical fitness. I like that Evie is a little too competitive, a little too full of herself at the beginning. It makes her a believable kid and gives her room to learn and grow by the end of the story. All kids take part in school games, competition, Field Day, and/or sports on some level at some point and will appreciate and benefit from this book. 😊

I hope you enjoy it as much as I do 😊

For the complete list of books with resources, please visit Perfect Picture Books.

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!!! 😊

Would You Read It Wednesday #360 – Priya Paints Backwards (PB) PLUS Straight From The Editor x3

April 29, 2020April 28, 202026 Comments

Welcome to Would You Read It Wednesday!

So exciting! We get to start today’s post with Straight From The Editor x3 – words of wisdom from editor Erin Molta about the November/December, January/Early February, and Late February/March winning pitches!!!

The winner of the November/December Pitch Pick was Megan with her PB pitch for Wired To Worry. Her pitch was as follows:

Wired To Worry (PB 4-8)

Bot arrives on the doorstep in a smiling box, ready to lead a perfectly programmed life. Except he’s not perfect. Bot has an extra worry port and everything from dripping water to malfunctioning lasers threatens to overload his system. But when disaster strikes, Bot just might find that being wired to worry isn’t a fatal error after all.

Here are Erin’s thoughts:

This is cute. I would suggest minor changes to make it less passive. See what I’ve done below.

Bot arrives on the doorstep in a smiling box, ready to lead a perfectly programmed life. Except he’s not perfect. Bot has an extra worry port and everything from dripping water to malfunctioning lasers overloads his system. But when disaster strikes, Bot discovers that being wired to worry isn’t a fatal error after all.

The winner of the January/Early February Pitch Pick was Paul with his PB pitch for All Over THe. World. His pitch was as follows:

All Over The World (PB 4-8)
In a whirlwind tour of the world, from the Outback to Peru to Israel and Cameroon, ALL OVER THE WORLD (249 words, ages 6-8) reminds us that rain falls. The sun shines. Plants grow. Birds fly. Children read and laugh and play and write. Parents kiss their children and tuck them into bed at night. And all of us, regardless of age or gender, irrespective of orientation or creed, no matter our continent or city or home, share the same struggles and triumphs, fears and dreams, joys and laughter and hopes. All over the world.

Here are Erin’s thoughts:

While I am sure this is a heartwarming book, it’s coming across as a textbook. You are telling us what it’s about, rather than showing us. I suggest choosing two scenes that show children doing different things to accomplish the same thing—like going to bed, for instance. Something more like: A child in Swaziland exercises before bed and his mama gives him a kiss before his head hits the pillow, while a child in Indiana, USA, reads a story before she gets a hug from her grandma before bed (and then you can add)) Regardless of age or gender, no matter our continent, all of us share the same fears and dreams, joys and sadness, laughter and hopes—all over the world.

The winner of the Late February/March Pitch Pick was Shae with her PB pitch for Skritch, Scratch Snuffle. Her pitch was as follows:

Skritch, Scratch, Snuffle (PB 3-8)

Waffles, an anxious wombat, has trouble keeping her fears to a manageable size. She hears a noise and imagines a “what-if” monster which grows as her imagination runs wild. She’s certain she’s going to be eaten, until her echidna friend, Chicken, appears at her door and together they find the true source of the noise and overcome the monster by talking about Waffles feelings.

Here are Erin’s thoughts:

Love the title of this picture book! But your pitch seems too staid and over written. Short and to the point is always the best choice. You might consider something more like this: Waffles, an anxious wombat, is worried. She hears a noise and her imagination runs wild. She’s certain she’s going to be eaten, until her echidna friend, Chicken, appears and together they overcome the “monster” by talking about Waffles feelings.

I hope you all find Erin’s expert comments as helpful as I do! She is so generous about sharing her expertise so that we can learn and improve!

All that learning has put me in the mood for Something Chocolate! How about you? Seems like a perfect day for cookie baking, and these Dark Chocolate Brown Sugar Cookies have the perfect chewy texture on the inside with just a bit of crisp on the outside!

Dark Chocolate Brown Sugar Cookie

Recipe HERE at Call Me PMC

Yum! So chocolate-y and delicious! Grab a cup of coffee or tea, or a glass of milk, dunk, and enjoy! 😊

Now then, onto today’s pitch which comes to us from Jenny Prevost. Jenny is an aspiring picture book author and french fry aficionado who also loves coffee, her small southern town, and going on adventures with her hilariously loud family. (3 kids, 2 pets, 1 husband and a partridge in a pear tree. Kidding, no pear trees… only citrus ones.) She interviews authors and shares writerly musings at www.jennyprevost.com and ‘mom stuff’ over on www.thelafayettemom.com.

Here is her pitch:

Working Title: Priya Paints Backwards

Age/Genre: Picture Book (ages 4-8)

The Pitch: Priya thinks blank pages are scary and art class is hard; harder for her than everyone else, at least. When you add in other opinions and constant comparisons, she’s sure she’ll never make a masterpiece. Then one day, she turns it all around, and finally finds her way.

So what do you think? Would You Read It? YES, MAYBE or NO?

If your answer is YES, please feel free to tell us what you particularly liked and why the pitch piqued your interest. If your answer is MAYBE or NO, please feel free to tell us what you think could be better in the spirit of helping Jenny improve her pitch. Helpful examples of possible alternate wordings are welcome. (However I must ask that comments be constructive and respectful. I reserve the right not to publish comments that are mean because that is not what this is about.)

Please send YOUR pitches for the coming weeks! For rules and where to submit, click on this link Would You Read It or on Would You Read it in the dropdown under For Writers in the bar above. There are openings in May – like, ALL of them! – so you could get your pitch up next week for helpful feedback and a chance to have it read and commented on by editor Erin Molta!

Jenny is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch! I am looking forward to getting a few pitches from all of you for the May line up!

Have a wonderful Wednesday everyone!!! 😊

Tuesday Debut – Presenting Nell Cross Beckerman!

April 28, 2020April 28, 202028 Comments

Hi there!

It’s Tuesday, and you know what that means!

It’s the day to remember all the things you didn’t get done Monday. . .

. . .and push them off until Wednesday! 😊

It’s also time to meet a brand new author!

Today, I’m thrilled to introduce you to Nell Cross Beckerman and her wonderful debut picture book Down Under The Pier!

DOWN UNDER THE PIER
By Nell Cross Beckerman
Illustrated by Rachell Sumpter
Publishing House: Cameron Kids
Date of PublicationL April 7, 2020
Fiction with non fiction back matter
Age range: 5-7 years

There’s lots of fun to be had up on the pier—the Ferris wheel, cotton candy, the carousel—but it’s down under the pier, at low tide, where the real magic can be found.

SUSANNA: Welcome, Nell! Thank you so much for joining us today to share your journey to publication! Where did the idea for this book come from?

NELL: I was taking a picture book writing class at UCLA Extension taught by writer Michelle Markel. At the very last class, we did an in-class writing prompt that was a “How to” format. On a whim, I thought of, “How to have fun at the pier,” thinking of my hometown Santa Monica Pier, where I spent a lot of time with my kids. As I was writing about all the fun stuff to do on top of the pier with the thrill rides and arcade games, the words just flowed, going from how to have fun ON the pier, to have to have fun UNDER the pier. I shared it out loud with the class and another student whose opinion I respected gave me a deep look and said, “That’s a really good idea.” I got goosebumps because I felt it, too.

SUSANNA: How long did it take you to write this book?

NELL: The first draft came very quickly, but it did not have the same structure or format that the finished book does. After my UCLA class ended, I realized I craved even more instructor attention. Rather than signing up for more classes where you only get perhaps one or two chances to get feedback, I decided it would be smarter to spend my money and time working directly with a freelance editor. She helped me with the structure and format and I learned a lot about picture book writing in general from her.

SUSANNA: Did you go through many revisions?

NELL: Yes, I went through a bajillion revisions…even after final illustrations came in, I tweaked some words! I previously worked in television so I’m very used to having to make tons of revisions and incorporate notes from other people. I don’t take it personally at all and (especially at this point) feel like I’ve developed a good sense of what notes to listen to and what notes to ignore. It’s hard when you are starting out and try to please any reader who has an opinion—that can lead your to spiral out and lose track of your original vision and intention.

SUSANNA: When did you know your manuscript was ready for submission?

NELL: After a few rounds with my freelance editor, she said something to the effect of, “I feel good about this manuscript’s marketability.” And I agreed—I was happy with it!

Nell’s writing nook

SUSANNA: When and how did you submit?

NELL: From all the classes and the research I had done, it looked like the best way to start a career was to have three polished manuscripts before you start querying or submitting. So, I just put it aside and started to work on other stories. I went to my first summer SCBWI conference and I didn’t even bring it to my manuscript consultation (in retrospect: bad move! Send your best stuff!) because I wanted notes on my work in progress.

Coincidentally, I noticed that an old friend from college was now an agent who was on a panel at the conference. We caught up and she invited me to send her my story for notes. I was thrilled to get notes from a professional, of course. After we did a little back and forth with notes, she offered to start sending it out. It was not the path I had planned, but I was grateful for the opportunity and took the plunge!

SUSANNA: When did you get “the call”? (Best moment ever! ☺)

NELL: Pretty early on an editor at Chronicle took it to acquisitions, but it was ultimately a pass. That was still so exciting—I felt truly legit! In the meantime, my agent and I started submitting another MS, but then she did another round for PIER about seven months later, and about a month after that she got the email from Cameron Kids that the editor loved it and would be taking it to the publisher in a few weeks. It was hard to be patient but it was worth it! I got “the email” on our way to the waterslide park. It was a great way to celebrate the good news.

SUSANNA: How did you celebrate signing your contract?

NELL: I bought my family presents.

SUSANNA: Was the contract what you expected in terms of advance, royalty percentage, publication timeline, author copies etc.?

NELL: My agent helped put the offer in context for me, saying it was normal for a publisher the size of Cameron Kids. I was just happy to have my first book sold, to be honest!

SUSANNA: Can you tell us a little about the editorial process?

NELL: I loved working with Amy Novesky (who is an accomplished picture book writer, herself!) We did some notes over email, then we spent a good hour going through it line by line. It felt like a good collaboration.

text copyright Nell Cross Beckerman 2020, illustration copyright Rachell Sumpter 2020 Cameron Kids Publishing

SUSANNA: What was your experience of the illustration process like?

NELL: Last summer, the illustrator, Rachell Sumpter, started to post her progress in Instagram Stories—I became addicted to checking for new videos! It was thrilling to see it all come to life. Her evocative, dreamy, style really felt like a good fit for my words. The schedule was a bit in flux but I ultimately respected and trusted that they had a vision and a process that worked for them. If you have seen any Cameron Kids books, they are all unbelievably gorgeous, so I focused on knowing that whatever happened, there would be a beautiful book at the end. And I was right! I was happy they included back matter to address some of the scientific education concerns I had, as well. It felt like a great way to accommodate everyone’s visions.

text copyright Nell Cross Beckerman 2020, illustration copyright Rachell Sumpter 2020 Cameron Kids Publishing

SUSANNA: That’s really cool that Rachell posted her progress in Instagram stories – that must have been such fun to watch! Did you get to see advance reviews from Kirkus, SLJ, etc?

NELL: The first advance review I saw was from Kirkus. I was thrilled! They were very complimentary and “got” the book.

SUSANNA: How long did it take from offer to having the first copy in your hand?

NELL: I got the offer in August 2017 and had a copy in my hand Dec 2019. I got super silly and slaphappy when I got my author copies—video evidence can be found on my Instagram page @NellCrossBeckerman if you click on “Author copies”.

SUSANNA: What kind of marketing and promotion has your publisher done for this book?

NELL: They have sent it for reviews and assisted in planning some events. They post on Instagram as well.

SUSANNA: Describe any marketing/promotion you did for this book.

NELL: I helped plan events and partnered with the Heal the Bay Aquarium to do joint events and have them sell my book on site. I also made flyers for the events and promoted them through email and social media. I did a Twitter giveaway. I hired my daughter to make a book trailer. I am sort of haphazardly doing a blog tour and approached some big blogs, one of whom requested a review copy. I am trying to pivot to online events for the book launch, but it has been hard to muster the energy after putting so much into events that are now canceled. I’ve decided I have to just stretch it out over the coming months because we are in the middle of a global pandemic for crying out loud—I can only ask myself to do so much!

SUSANNA: How long was it between the time you started writing seriously and the time you sold your first picture book?

NELL: There are different ways to answer this question, of course. I started my first picture book class in Jan 2016 and sold it by Aug 2017. HOWEVER, over a decade ago I was serious about writing middle grade, got an agent, and then could never do the revisions and basically quit writing for 10 years and focused on raising my kids. As I read and read to them, I kept having this feeling…I could do this (especially after the 30th Rainbow Magic Fairy book!). I tried again, and failed. Finally, I found my way to a creative painting class that followed along the book, THE ARTIST’S WAY by Julia Cameron. This class and book changed everything for me. It put all my creative struggles into perspective and gave me tools to nurture my inner artist. At the same time, I got to paint freely, being fully playful and creative in my class. Without this class and the book, I would have remained creatively frustrated. BIG MAGIC by Elizabeth Gilbert was also wonderful—the idea of “getting down” stories rather than “making them up” resonates with me. I love the images of stories buzzing around, looking for a portal to come though. That has been my experience. My art teacher, Helen Bradley, from The Playful Art Studio, pushed me to carve out early mornings for myself, which was also a huge step in taking myself and and my work seriously.

SUSANNA: Anything else you’d like to share about your book’s journey from inspiration to publication?

NELL: I’d like to mention that although my original goal was to publish a book, I now find that my writing community is the real prize. I am lucky enough to be part of an in-person writing group that is incredibly supportive and filled with growth. I have truly found my tribe, and when we all get together at conferences, I feel even more connection with “my people.” Even now that we all can only connect online, the kid lit community continues to fill me up. This was not something I expected to find as a writer!

Also, I’m grateful that I have the privilege of taking classes, going to conferences, etc. and try to give back to the writing community any way I can.

Please go to my website and join my mailing list—I’m planning on writing a series of newsletters DEMYSTIFYING THE DEBUT where I’ll share more in depth about all the different things I learned writing, selling, and promoting my book that I wish I had known before! Plus I’ll be sending out a full read-aloud video of the book to share with children as well, all free for newsletter subscribers.

Thanks so much for having me!

Author Nell Cross Beckerman

www.nellcrossbeckerman.com
IG @NellCrossBeckerman
Twitter @NellBeckerman
Watch the book trailer at https://youtu.be/PLenD_075j0
Playful Art Studio http://www.playfulartstudio.com

SUSANNA: Thank you so much for taking the time to participate in this series and paying it forward to other writers, Nell! We so appreciate you sharing your expertise and experience and wish you all the best with this and future books!

Readers, if you have questions for Nell, please post them in the comments below and if she has time I’m sure she’ll respond!

You may purchase Nell’s book at:
(all links below are book-specific)

Indiebound
Amazon
Barnes&Noble

We can help our debut authors successfully launch their careers by:

– purchasing their books

– recommending their books to friends and family

– recommending their books to our children’s teachers and librarians

– recommending their books to our local libraries and bookstores

– suggesting them as visiting authors at our children’s schools and our local libraries

– sharing their books on social media

– reviewing their books on Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes&Noble, and other sites where people go to learn about books.

Thank you all for stopping by to read today! Have a lovely, inspiration-filled Tuesday! Maybe today is the day you’ll write your debut picture book 🙂

Missed any previous Tuesday Debuts? Check them out!

Christy Mihaly – Hey! Hey! Hay! A Tale of Bales And The Machines That Make Them

Jessie Oliveros – The Remember Balloons

Beth Anderson – An Inconvenient Alphabet: Ben Franklin And Noah Webster’s Spelling Revolution

Hannah Holt – The Diamond And The Boy

Laura Renauld – Porcupine’s Pie

Annie Romano – Before You Sleep: A Bedtime Book Of Gratitude

Melissa Stoller – Scarlet’s Magic Paintbrush

Sherry Howard – Rock And Roll Woods

Kate Narita – 100 Bugs! A Counting Book

Vivian Kirkfield – Pippa’s Passover Plate

Laura Roettiger – Aliana Reaches For The Moon

Matthew Lasley – Pedro’s Pan: A Gold Rush Story

Natalee Creech – When Day Is Done

Margaret Chiu Greanias – Maximillian Villainous

Wendy Greenley – Lola Shapes The Sky

Danielle Dufayet – You Are Your Strong

B.J. Lee – There Was An Old Gator Who Swallowed A Moth

Cathy Ballou Mealey – When A Tree Grows

Pippa Chorley – Counting Sheep

Sandra Sutter – The Real Farmer In The Dell

June Smalls – Odd Animals ABC

Jill Mangel Weisfeld – Riley The Retriever Wants A New Job (self pub)

Kathleen Cornell Berman – The Birth Of Cool: How Jazz Great Miles Davis Found His Sound

Eleanor Ann Peterson – Jurassic Rat

Sarah Hoppe – Who Will? Will You?

Marla LeSage – Pirate Year Round

Stacey Corrigan – The Pencil Eater

Shannon Stocker – Can U Save The Day?

Nadine Poper – Randall And Randall

Christine Evans – Evelyn The Adventurous Entomologist

Karen Kiefer – Drawing God (religious market)

Susan Richmond – Bird Count

Dawn Young – The Night Baafore Christmas

Heather Gale – Ho’onani: Hula Warrior

Ciara O’Neal – Flamingo Hugs Aren’t For Everyone (self pub)

Theresa Kiser – A Little Catholic’s Book Of Liturgical Colors (religious market)

Lindsey Hobson – Blossom’s Wish (self pub)

Kirsten Larson – Wood, Wire, Wings: Emma Lilian Todd Invents An Airplane

Valerie Bolling – Let’s Dance!

Janet Johnson – Help Wanted: Must Love Books

Susi Schaefer – Cat Ladies

Heather Kinser – Small Matters: The Hidden Power of the Unseen

Kelly Carey – How Long Is Forever?

Mary Wagley Copp – Wherever I Go

Perfect Picture Book Friday – This Book Is Gray

April 24, 2020April 23, 202016 Comments

It’s Perfect Picture Book Friday and I have such a fun book to share today!

It might look dismal and gloomy but it isn’t – it’s lovely and perfect 😊

I love books that are sweet and books that make me laugh, and this one is both!

Title: This Book Is Gray

Written & Illustrated By: Lindsay Ward

Two Lions, December 2019, fiction

Suitable For Ages: 4-8

Themes/Topics: colors, story-within-a-story, humor

Opening: “I’m going to make the GRAYtest book ever. . .
Once upon a time, a wolf, a kitten, and a hippo lived in a small house by the sea. (Some would describe the house as dismal, bleak, or gloomy.)
But it wasn’t. It was lovely.
And GRAY.
And perfect.”

Brief Synopsis: All Gray wants is to be included. But the other colors are always leaving him out. So he decides to create his own project: an all-gray book. Gray just knows it’s going to be perfect. But as he tries to write it, the Primary and Secondary colors show up… Will anyone ever realize that Gray can be interesting too?

Links To Resources: 20 Color Activities for Preschoolers; List of Color Activities; make your own story and/or pictures using only one color!

Why I Like This Book: For starters, it’s funny! 😊 Not only do the Primary and Secondary colors try to shoulder their way into the book, but in guessing at the story line they go off on quite a tangent. There is also some fun color word play. But what makes the book even better is that, underlying the story and the humor, is Gray’s heartfelt wish to be appreciated for himself, something all kids (and grown-ups 😊) can relate to. The other colors, while a little boisterous and pushy, are not unkind, and in the end a solution is found that makes everyone happy! A delightful way for younger readers to learn about colors and for all readers to enjoy!

I hope you enjoy it as much as I do 😊

For the complete list of books with resources, please visit Perfect Picture Books.

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!!! 😊

Would You Read It Wednesday #359 – The Bug Battle Circus (PB)

April 22, 2020April 21, 202017 Comments

Hello, friends! Happy Earth Day!
(and Would You Read It Wednesday!)

A little message from our sponsor (me 😊): This land is your land, this land is my land. . . Let’s take good care of it 💚🌷

And a wonderful book to read on this day:

You Are Home: An Ode To National Parks (linked to perfect picture book review)

While we are celebrating Earth Day by singing and reading and maybe planting a flower or a tree, we will certainly need Something Chocolate. In our never-ending quest to keep the kiddos busy and entertained during our confinement, let’s make Banana Giraffes! It’s more of an art project snack than an actual recipe, but it’s fun!

You will need bananas, chocolate-covered raisins or chocolate chips, sliced almonds, and a little hot fudge or creamy peanut or other nut butter (or icing if you have food allergies) in a piping bag (or ziploc with the corner cut) to draw the face. If you are so forethoughtful as to have some googly eyes on hand you can use those instead of drawing eyes with fudge/peanut butter/etc. I think it’s pretty self-explanatory how to put them all together from the picture 😊

Banana Giraffes (which have chocolate on them!) 😊

Aren’t they so cute? Delicious and nutritious! And so obviously healthy you don’t even need me to rationalize it for you! 😊

Now then, onto today’s pitch which comes to us from Sierra. Sierra Wilson is the author of The Atonement of Jesus Christ Is for Me (Cedar Fort, 2018) and the upcoming My Testimony Tree (Cedar Fort, 2020) and I Can Be Like Jesus (Covenant Communications, 2020). She spends most of her time keeping up with her wild, wonderful little ones and used to work as a high school English teacher and community art educator.

Find her on the web at:
www.sierrawilsonauthor.com
Twitter: @SierraTWilson
IG: @sierra.arts.poems
www.facebook.com/sierrawilsonwrites

Here is her pitch:

Working Title: The Bug Battle Circus

Age/Genre: Picture Book (ages 3-8) Narrative Nonfiction/Humor

The Pitch: When household pests go head to head in the Bug Battle Circus, which crawly critters will be victorious? You guess! A wild, interactive story comparable to Bob Shea’s Crash, Splash, or Moo! and the Who Would Win? series. Nonfiction backmatter included.

So what do you think? Would You Read It? YES, MAYBE or NO?

If your answer is YES, please feel free to tell us what you particularly liked and why the pitch piqued your interest. If your answer is MAYBE or NO, please feel free to tell us what you think could be better in the spirit of helping Sierra improve her pitch. Helpful examples of possible alternate wordings are welcome. (However I must ask that comments be constructive and respectful. I reserve the right not to publish comments that are mean because that is not what this is about.)

Please send YOUR pitches for the coming weeks! For rules and where to submit, click on this link Would You Read It or on Would You Read it in the dropdown under For Writers in the bar above. There are openings in May, so you could get your pitch up pretty soon for helpful feedback and a chance to have it read and commented on by editor Erin Molta!

Sierra is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch! I am looking forward to watering and enjoying the beautiful little rose bush my daughter gave me for my birthday… but not planting it outside quite yet because it keeps snowing! 😊

Have a wonderful Wednesday everyone!!! 🙂

categories: WYRI

tags: writing exercises, writing fun, writing practice, pitches, recipe name, recipe blog

Tuesday Debut – Presenting Mary Wagley Copp!

April 21, 2020April 20, 202013 Comments

Welcome to Tuesday Debut, Everyone, where at the moment, in addition to learning from newly published authors about their journey to publication – what worked for them and how you might incorporate that into your own journey – we are also trying to give them a little boost as they launch their books in this strange time of social distancing and cancelled in-person events!

I’m delighted to welcome today’s Debut-ess, Mary Wagley Copp, and share with you her beautiful picture book, WHEREVER I GO!

WHEREVER I GO
by Mary Wagley Copp
Illustrated by Munir D. Mohammed
Atheneum/S&S, April 21^st, 2020
Fiction. Ages 6-9.

Of all her friends, Abia has been at the Shimelba Refugee Camp the longest; her papa says they need a forever home. Until then, though, Abia has something important to do. Be a queen..

SUSANNA: Thank you for joining us, Mary! We’re so grateful to you for sharing your knowledge, expertise, and experience with us today!

MARY: First of all, how wonderful to be a part of a community that shares joys and struggles and encourages each other. Susanna, you are a model for us all! It is thrilling to share a bit of my journey to publication.

My first piece of advice is to spend some time asking yourself how important is it that your story get out into the world and into the hands of children. If you answer with anything but a hearty YES, you might want to think twice about the time, effort and the cost that goes into this journey. I believe you have to be fully in the process – learning the craft, being truly open to feedback, connecting to writing pals and groups, supporting fellow writers, going to conferences, etc. It is a real commitment. AND there is so much joy in that commitment.

SUSANNA: Where did the idea for this book come from?

MARY: The initial idea for this book came when I was producing a documentary about refugee resettlement. When we visited a refugee camp, I was so amazed by the children – their creativity, their resilience, their joy – amidst a life of struggle. They were my inspiration.

I kept the idea alive for several years (I think writing it over and over in my mind) until I finally put pen to paper.

In terms of new ideas, my advice is to stay as open and receptive (this takes practice) as possible to your experiences, all your senses, etc. Also, cultivate quiet and space in your life. I am much more creative when I turn off my ‘automatic’, always-busy mode!

SUSANNA: How long did it take you to write this book?

MARY: About 2 years. The first drafts came easily – kind of a stream of consciousness, which is the way I often like to write. It is the least intimidating for me. For any writer, just start where you have the least resistance. For some people, it might be an outline; for others, scenes. Really, just get some words down before they escape you!

When I began studying the craft of writing for children, I knew so little about it. I was a sponge – saturated at times, for sure – wanting to fill up with information and inspiration. I went to workshops and conferences, found mentors, etc. I joined critique groups. I paid for critiques – asking for them for birthdays, Christmases and anniversaries!

I took my first drafts of Wherever I Go to various workshops/classes/conferences; it was my work-in-progress for 2 years. I’d get a good idea or a nugget of knowledge from a teacher and I’d run back to my desk and revise. It is a long process! And my learning curve is still steep!

SUSANNA: Did you go through many revisions?

MARY: Yes! Many revisions. Sometimes, they were just tweaks here and there but there were also major revisions – always getting me closer to the version that was bought! I truly believe that openness is critical to getting one closer to a polished manuscript. Sure, we all have our preconceived (and often very good) ideas of what makes a great story. But, until we suspend those notions and hear, really hear, what others have to offer, we close ourselves off too early. For new writers, try taking out a character (maybe that parent?), try another POV, trying a new ending – something unexpected? Play with the story and definitely don’t get too attached to the way it is!

Mary’s work space featuring a favorite quotation: “In soft whisperings from the heart, the child within offers you always the thread of your truth. May you cherish that child, trust that voice and weave that thread richly into the fabric of your days.” AnonymousWhen did you know your manuscript was ready for submission?

Above: One of my writing spots – a little cubby-hole off the kitchen. It has photos of my kids, then and now, as well as photos of me as a child and a few quotations.

SUSANNA: When did you know your manuscript was ready for submission?

MARY: Well, I really didn’t. It was a bit of a leap of faith. I met an agent at a conference and she had given me really valuable feedback (BTW, it was valuable AND quite critical – maybe the most helpful kind!). I was able to share my revisions with her before the end of the conference and she said she’d like to see it again – when it was polished. Well, what is polished is subjective. I did what I thought was needed and submitted to her. I signed with her a few weeks later. One word of advice – sit on your manuscript for longer than you think you need to. I have to remind myself of this often. You may wake up at 2 am and have an “aha” moment!

SUSANNA: When and how did you submit?

MARY: This same agent helped me polish a bit more; we worked on the author’s note and then she submitted to editors. We received rejections but then came the YES!

My agent submitted the manuscript in early 2017 and we had a contract about 2 months later. So, I guess that is fairly prompt.

SUSANNA: When did you get “the call”? (Best moment ever! 😊)

MARY: My agent submitted to about 12 houses and we heard from all of them over the course of a few weeks. My agent would email me whenever rejections, interest, nibbles came in. I am embarrassed to say that I don’t actually remember ‘the call.’ Most of our correspondence was though emails. Yes, very exciting emails! We did speak about the contract and any proposed revisions but mostly we connected through email.

SUSANNA: How did you celebrate signing your contract?

MARY: I am not a jumping up and down person but I was extremely happy! I called my kids and my husband hugged me for a long time 😊 Then I probably went for a long walk and cried. I felt so relieved – more relieved than any other emotion. I wanted this story to be available to the world. I do remember thinking, yes, I am the author but it is so many children’s story.

SUSANNA: Was the contract what you expected in terms of advance, royalty percentage, publication timeline, author copies etc.?

MARY: As this is my first book, I did not know what to expect – except information from limited online searches. I really left it up to my agent to present me with the best offer she could get. As I am with an imprint of Simon & Schuster, my guess is that I have a pretty good deal for a debut PB writer. I have heard of artists hiring a lawyer if they don’t have an agent. I think this is a good idea –agreements like the one I received and signed can be intimidating.

I received ½ the sum upon signing and ½ on the publisher’s acceptance of the complete manuscript. I believe the 5% royalty is fairly standard. And I will receive 30 free copies – which is SO exciting!!

SUSANNA: Can you tell us a little about the editorial process?

MARY: The editor did ask for a revised ending. Of all the revisions, this was the hardest – not so much because of the actual request (trust your editor!) but because I was afraid of letting go of ‘my’ story. Once I understood her reasoning (always ask if you have questions) I was reassured and was able to meet her vision without compromising the integrity of my storyline.

Advice: allow ideas in. The beauty of publishing a picture book is that one lets go of it being ‘my’ book. The collaboration with the illustrator, editor, art director, etc. is wonderful and creative and results in a stronger work of art. It is really quite a beautiful orchestration of talents and Munir and I feel so fortunate to have been able to work with the Atheneum team, who was really supportive – and continues to be!

Mary’s writing buddy and constant companion – Rosa 😊

SUSANNA: What was your experience of the illustration process like?

MARY: I believed all along that the editor had a similar vision for the artwork as I did. It is hard for me to believe how aligned we ALL were in our visions. The illustrations not only fit the text so well, they are more beautiful than I ever imagined!

I had an unlikely situation as I know the illustrator, Munir D. Mohammed. Both of us were aware of the unwritten yet wise ‘rules’ that the author and illustrator not communicate or share ideas. Munir and I were very strict about this. I think I saw one or two sketches early on (out of sheer excitement) but we really kept our communication to a minimum. Munir often told me how amazed and grateful he was for the direction the art director and editor were giving him. That was so reassuring to me!

By the way, many writers are interested in art notes. I don’t think I had any. If I had to advise a new writer, I would say less is more when it comes to art notes – unless, they are absolutely necessary for the understanding of the story. Not only do they tend to be directive, but also an editor really wants to know that you fully appreciate that a picture book is a collaboration between so many different people.

SUSANNA: Did you get to see advance reviews from Kirkus, SLJ, etc? What was that like?

MARY: Yes! That was very exciting. My editor alerted me to very positive reviews in Kirkus and Booklist! It was thrilling to read someone’s ‘take’ on the book. And I was incredibly relieved!

SUSANNA: How long did it take from offer to having the first copy in your hand?

MARY: Three years.

I believe the first printing is 20,000 copies.

SUSANNA: What kind of marketing and promotion has your publisher done for this book?

MARY: Atheneum is an imprint of Simon and Schuster so they have quite a robust publicity department. They send out F&G’s and promote online as well. They will display at conferences and submit to award committees. It is a good idea to ask your editor for the publishing house’s plans. Inquire if you have questions. They will be forthcoming with their plans. Definitely, assume you will be doing more than you ever imagined in marketing and publicity.

SUSANNA: Describe any marketing/promotion you did for this book.

MARY: There is SO much an author can do on the marketing/promotion front. It can be quite overwhelming. My advice is to do what feels comfortable for YOU. Do not compare yourself to others on the marketing front. I did not make flyers, bookmarks, stickers, etc. I sent an email to everyone in my address book describing the book and asking them to pre-order. Munir and I planned a large private launch party with about 150 guests (we live near each other) – unfortunately, that has had to be cancelled because of Covid-19. However, we wrote a ‘celebratory’ letter in lieu of the party and asked folks to purchase the book and we’d have a signing event.

Another really cool thing that has happened in terms of promotion: I found a donor who would match 1:1 each purchase of Wherever I Go, with the match going to a resettled child. This would be for all of April when ordering from our indie bookstore, which really needs the business during this precarious time. A win-win-win!

SUSANNA: What an amazing idea, that matching program! How wonderful for the kids! How long was it between the time you started writing seriously and the time you sold your first picture book?

MARY: I took my first writing for children course in the Fall of 2014. I sold my first picture book in the Spring of 2017.
SUSANNA: Anything else you’d like to share about your book’s journey from inspiration to publication?

MARY: I wanted to get this story right – not in the marketable sense but in the ‘honesty’ sense. All journeys are different, of course, but I didn’t want to gloss over or leave out something that was important. I have not been a refugee. I have never been resettled to a country I did not choose. I have never come close to experiencing what it feels like to flee one’s home, on and on.

I shared this story at all different stages with resettled folks. I do realize that this has inherent limitations. However, I received some very important and honest feedback from many. It was such a critical part of the process and I credit these folks for being an integral part of the story. They will each get a copy as a thank you.

Our writing communities are absolutely invaluable to our progress. It is one of the many incredible aspects of this industry – we really are in it together and we support each other, no matter where we are in our journeys. My recommendation is to find a local (mine is 1.5 hours away!) writing group: thank you Writers’ Loft and, eventually, a debut group: thank you Soaring20sPB

These folks become your friends and the sharing and encouragement will sustain you as you ride the rollercoaster. I am so grateful to all of them and I hope I give them a small part of what they have given me.”

I’d also like to thank all the folks at Atheneum for their belief in this story and their incredible and beautiful vision for Wherever I Go. They make up an amazing team. Also, thank you, Susanna, for the work you do to introduce us to so many books, authors and illustrators who offer so much insight, advice and encouragement.

SUSANNA: It is truly my pleasure, Mary, and it’s only possible because of the generosity of authors like you who are willing to take the time to share your experience!

Author Mary Wagley Copp

marywagleycopp.com
Instagram: @Marywcopp
Twitter: @Maryfkwc
Facebook: Mary Wagley Copp

Below is my headshot and Rosa, my constant companion – sleeping, or waiting patiently while I finish writing!

SUSANNA: Thank you so much for joining us today, Mary! We so appreciate your words of wisdom, and wish you all the best with this and future books!

Readers, if you have questions for Mary, please post them in the comments below and if she has time I’m sure she’ll respond!

You may purchase Mary’s book at:
(all links below are book-specific)

Books on the Square (Providence, RI) – order signed copies from Mary’s local indie! Free shipping!
Indiebound
Amazon
Barnes&Noble

We can help our debut authors successfully launch their careers by:

– purchasing their books

– recommending their books to friends and family

– recommending their books to our children’s teachers and librarians

– recommending their books to our local libraries and bookstores

– suggesting them as visiting authors at our children’s schools and our local libraries

– sharing their books on social media

– reviewing their books on Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes&Noble, and other sites where people go to learn about books.

Thank you all for stopping by to read today! Have a lovely, inspiration-filled Tuesday! Maybe today is the day you’ll write your debut picture book 🙂

Missed any previous Tuesday Debuts? Check them out!

Christy Mihaly – Hey! Hey! Hay! A Tale of Bales And The Machines That Make Them

Jessie Oliveros – The Remember Balloons

Beth Anderson – An Inconvenient Alphabet: Ben Franklin And Noah Webster’s Spelling Revolution

Hannah Holt – The Diamond And The Boy

Laura Renauld – Porcupine’s Pie

Annie Romano – Before You Sleep: A Bedtime Book Of Gratitude

Melissa Stoller – Scarlet’s Magic Paintbrush

Sherry Howard – Rock And Roll Woods

Kate Narita – 100 Bugs! A Counting Book

Vivian Kirkfield – Pippa’s Passover Plate

Laura Roettiger – Aliana Reaches For The Moon