Category: Straight From The Editor

Perfect Picture Book Friday – Mr. Willowby’s Christmas Tree, Plus Straight From The Editor #4 and a Surprise!

33 Comments

I promised you an action-packed Friday and here it comes!  I hope you’re eating your Wheaties this morning 🙂
We’ll start with the Perfect Picture Book, so as to keep that at the top and easy to find.  But the agenda will include November’s Straight From The Editor and SUCH an awesome surprise that I will only blame you a little if you have to scroll down quickly and take a sneak peek!  Just scroll back up again so you don’t miss anything 🙂

Mr. Willowby’s Christmas Tree
Written and Illustrated By: Robert Barry
Doubleday Books For Young Readers, October 2000 (originally Random House 1963)
Fiction
Suitable For: ages 4 and up
Theme/Topics: Christmas, sharing, optimism, “waste not, want not”.
Opening and brief synopsis:  “Mr. Wiilowby’s Christmas tree came by special delivery.  Full and fresh and glistening green – the biggest tree he had ever seen.”  But to his dismay the tree is too tall!  He calls upon his butler to chop off the top, and so begins the tale of a Christmas tree that brings joy to homes of all kinds.  Over and over the top of the tree is trimmed, becoming a tree for smaller and smaller homes.  Instead of serving only one family, Mr Willowby’s tree becomes a tree for seven.  Children will be delighted when they see where the last, smallest piece of the tree ends up!


Links To Resources:  Mr. Willowby Activities, Stacking Trees, Preschool Discussion Topics, Gift Tag Activity.


Why I Like This Book:  Catchy rhyme, a charming story and a theme of generosity and making the best of whatever comes along all combine to make this a delightful holiday tale.  From Mr. Willowby right down to the last recipient, each character uses just what he or she needs and the rest goes on to someone else.  Nobody says it isn’t big enough.  Rather, they all feel overly blessed.  The art is warm and engaging, with each little home and family cozier than the last.

If you haven’t read Mr. Willowby’s Christmas Tree, get thee to a library right quick 🙂

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

Next, it’s time for Straight From The Editor!  You will recall Dee’s pitch:

Working Title:  Hating Ric
Age/Genre: YA Verse
Pitch:  On the day of his brother, Jason’s funeral, 17 year-old Ric’s anger explodes, and he races Jason’s car through the streets, crashing and badly injuring jogger, Kate.  Ric is sent to a juvenile justice centre, where survivor guilt and grief set him on a reckless destruction course. Help comes through his music and from an unexpected source in Kate who is struggling to put her own life back together.

And here are Erin’s comments:

This needs to be short and sweet. Your long sentences are somewhat confusing and an editor would have to read it twice to figure out what you are saying. Basically, Ric is angry after his brother’s death. Did he cause it, was he with him? Is that why you’re implying survivor’s guilt? Be more to the point. You want the reader to be intrigued, not guessing. And don’t be afraid to use cliché’s. Sometimes they can get the point across quickly and in fewer words. Can you say Kate is battling her own demons? Something like that. I think an editor will be intrigued if it’s more direct and to the point.

I find Erin’s comments very interesting and helpful, and I hope you all do, too!

And now… duhn duhn duhn… the moment you’ve all been waiting for… duhn duhn duhn….  THE SURPRISE!!!

This is really for all of you, so I hope you like it!  Think of it as my little holiday gift to you 🙂

Presenting, the Perfect Picture Book Badge!  LOOK!
Badge designed by Loni Edwards

Is it just me, or does everyone totally love it?  I just can’t get over how cute that little guy is, reading a perfect picture book to his little buggy friends! 🙂  Anyone who participates in Perfect Picture Book Fridays may lift this badge for their blog.  It would be super fantastic if you could link the badge back to Perfect Picture Books.  It will soon be appearing in my sidebar, but I didn’t want to spoil the surprise this morning 🙂

So now I must tell you about the extraordinarily talented artist who created this badge.  I know this will come as a shock to you – especially those of you who have had the opportunity to witness my unrivaled drawing skills (tee hee) but I did NOT draw this.  I know.  Nearly impossible to believe 🙂

This gorgeous badge was designed for all of us by the incomparable Loni Edwards.

Loni, please be so kind as to tell us a little about yourself!

Loni:  I am a digital artist, although I have been known to dabble in watercolor, acrylics and pen & ink.  The core of my art is digital though.  It is created by using Photoshop techniques and a Wacom tablet.  I sketch out my idea, then scan it into Photoshop where I ink and color.  Influences are Charles Schulz, Jim Davis, Walt Disney Studios, and many artists that I have come into contact with mostly through social networking.

I attended the Art Institute of Seattle where I had the opportunity to take a class with William E. Cummings, a Pacific Northwest painter.  His use of color and movement influenced me greatly.  I love to use bright, bold colors in my art.  It is rare that you see me do anything else.  I also like to incorporate joy and humor in my art.

Loni’s picture for Project Smile
illustration copyright Loni Edwards

I have participated in a lot of volunteer events, such as Heroes4Haiti, Art4Japan, and the Ripple Project. One that is special to me is the Project “Smile”.  It is based in Poland.  The exhibit collects picture/art smiles and autographs.  It is then toured in children’s hospitals exhibiting around the world.  My piece was included in the exhibit that was seen in Cairo, Egypt.  It is a wonderful exhibit, and I hope someday soon it makes its way to the United States.


I have also participated in a number of artistic challenges, including PiBoIdMo 3 years in a row.

Thanks so much, Loni, both for sharing all that and for creating this beautiful badge that we will all be able to proudly display on our blogs!
For those of you who are as impressed as I am with Loni’s art – who might be looking for someone with artistic talent to help you with any number of projects – Loni is available for book cover design, children’s book illustration, spot illustrations, character design, greeting cards, and private commissions.  I hope you’ll take a few minutes to visit her website and blog and see what she has to offer!  You can also “Like” Loni on Face Book and follow her on twitter @LoniEdwards.  Here are a couple other samples of her art, one in the holiday spirit, and one to show that she does draw people too 🙂

illustrations copyright Loni Edwards
illustrations copyright Loni Edwards

PHEW!  You’re going to be needing another bowl of Wheaties after all that!  Sorry it was so long, but everything just piled up onto today!  I hope you like the badge and enjoyed meeting Loni!

So now, go have a great weekend everyone, and remember, the Holiday Contest opens bright and early Monday morning!  (Please scroll down that link to see the rules.)  I can’t wait to read all of your stories!!!
(And don’t forget, if you posted a Perfect Picture Book, please put your link in the list below!)

Not What I Had Planned

32 Comments

HINT For Beth’s Birthday Hunt Clue #9

thubis ubis uba hubint!

If you still don’t get it, email me 🙂

Ho! Ho! Ho!

It’s Monday, less than two weeks ’til Christmas, and I haven’t even started my holiday cards!  But that is because I had something else very important to focus on over the weekend.

(It has nothing at ALL to do with the fact that I have totally lost temporarily misplaced my comprehensive mailing list in my oh-so-tidy office!  My office is PRISTINE!  Hahahahaha!  Sorry!  I couldn’t even say that with a straight face.  You guys have seen my office (here and here and here) and “tidy” “pristine” and “organized” are not words that apply :))

Anyhoo…

I don’t know about you guys, but I spent a lot of the weekend working on my sample Holiday Contest story and guess what?  Turns out it’s really hard to fit it into 40 lines!  I think I’m more cut out for an epic poem version – ‘Twas The Night Before Christmas – The Odyssey Style 🙂

I’m having a lot of fun with it, though, and I hope you are too!  I can’t wait to read all your stories, so I’m really hoping there will be more than one (mine) to read!

But enough about the awesomeness that is the Holiday Contest.  (Please scroll down that link to see contest rules.)  I know you are all here today to learn from the fabulous Erin, whose thoughts on Dee’s pitch you have been looking forward to all weekend.

This is me distracting you with cuteness so you won’t notice the glitch 🙂

I was looking forward to that, too.  But it’s the holiday season.  People are mucho busy.  And Straight From The Editor notes have yet to land in my inbox.  Even though I dawdled.  Even though it’s 9:45 AM and I’m just posting… (Great Scott!  The day is practically over :)!)  So I guess we’ll be combining Straight From The Editor with Would You Read It on Wednesday – double the awesomeness!

So for a little fun and games today, I’ll refer you back to a couple of holiday season posts I wrote last year, before anyone knew I had entered the blogosphere so I’m pretty sure no one’s ever read them 🙂  I hope you enjoy them, and please feel free to leave comments because they have an inferiority complex and you would really boost their self-esteem by reading and commenting 🙂

If You Give A Writer Wrapping Paper
The Writer’s 12 Days Of Christmas
*#@*! or What To Give (if you click on the 150 tab when you get to Mother Reader it still works :))

Before you head out, one earth-shatteringly important question:  egg nog, mulled cider, or other?  (And if “other”, what other?)

See you Wednesday, hopefully with twice the fun!

Fun Friday Foto Fextravaganza, Straight From The Editor #3, and more!

19 Comments

There is just too much fun to be had to stick to a single category!  So get ready to start your day off with a bang 🙂  We will be whooping it up with Fun Friday Foto, Straight From The Editor #3, the Thanksgiving Contest!!!, and a secret!!!!! (I’m not going to manage Warm Fuzzies this week – I’m afraid of scaring you away with too much reading – but feel free to check out the other Warm Fuzzies :))

So let’s get comfy.  This morning I am in the mood for something besides donuts so, in keeping with the season, we will be having pumpkin muffins hot out of the oven.  Please help yourselves 🙂

google images

Mmmm!!!!

Gfyih shuf fgioh mnbysr
Sorry.  I didn’t mean to talk with my mouth full 🙂

Now then.  Let’s start with Fun Friday Foto.  This week’s theme is HIBERNATION, and you’ll note that those of us who have posted so far are all having the same problem – choosing just one!  Here are mine:
This guy is getting ready!
(and yes, I know he looks like me with my muffin :))
google images
This guy’s thinking of spending the winter here, but he’s afraid you can see him 🙂
google images
These two are looking cozy and settling down for their long winter’s nap 🙂
google images

I hope at least one of those gives you a story inspiration!  If it does, please share 🙂  Now hop on over to Catherine’s and Stacy’s and see their hibernation photos, and then if you’d like to post one (remember, kid-friendly) you can put your link in the comments and everyone will come visit you.

Next, it’s time for Straight From The Editor!  As you will recall, our pitch winner for October was Kim.  Readers felt fairly unanimously that her pitch was strong, and it turns out our fabulous editor felt the same way.  Here, once again, is Kim’s pitch:
Working Title:  Henry Hears You
Age/Genre:  YA
The Pitch:  13-year-old boy finds his voice as the new advice columnist for the school newspaper only to discover that some problems don’t have easy solutions when he gets a letter from a kid threatening to kill himself if the gay bashing doesn’t stop.
And here are Erin’s comments:
I definitely want to read this! I am intrigued. The only advice I can offer is to break it up into two sentences like this: 13-year-old boy finds his voice as the new advice columnist for the school newspaper. But he discovers that some problems don¹t have easy solutions when he gets a letter from a kid who threatens to kill himself if the gay bashing doesn¹t stop. It makes it easier to read -- not such a run-on sentence -- and gives it slightly more punch.

I hope you all find this helpful in writing your own pitches!
And now, the moment all you eager writers have been waiting for….  The announcement of the
Thanksgiving Contest!
Write a children’s Thanksgiving story beginning with the sentence:
They were supposed to go to Grandma’s for Thanksgiving, but the blizzard came in fast….
Maximum word length: 250 (but anything less is fine)  Prose or poetry is fine (and if you choose rhyming poetry you have permission to twist that first sentence a bit so it fits your rhyme scheme, or use the first sentence outside the rhyme and then continue in rhyme.)  Remember everything you’ve learned about writing stories for children 🙂  My assistant judge and I are prepared to be dazzled 🙂
Post your story on your blog any time between Monday November 21 and Thursday November 24 and link to the link list.  Or, if you don’t have a blog but would like to enter, just copy and paste your entry into the comments the week of the contest.
Three finalists will be chosen from among the entries and posted here on Friday November 25, and you wonderful readers will get to choose the winner! 🙂
The prize will be your choice of a Thanksgiving picture book (to be selected) or a $15 Amazon gift card – in time for the holidays 🙂
And now for the secret!  I love secrets, don’t you?  They’re so exciting.  I bet right now you’re rubbing your hands together in anticipation and wondering, what could it be?
Well…
I’ll tell you on Monday.
I know.  I’m just that mean 🙂
Have a great weekend, and see you Monday!!!

Straight From The Editor! #2 And Then Some

25 Comments

I hope you’re all revved up and rarin’ to go this morning, because we’re going to have all kinds of fun.  If you’re not revved up yet, you will be after this! 🙂

First:  today my blog is being critiqued by the awesome and wonderful Laura Barnes over at Laura B Writer.  She’s running a series of blog critiques to help us all learn how to do things better, and I’m the second to go.  Her blog, in general, is a font of valuable information about marketing and how we, as writers, can make the most of our presence on the web.  Please check out her blog if you haven’t – you’ll be glad you did!

Second:  my friend, Catherine Johnson over at Catherine Johnson, Writer, was kind enough to send me her copy of The Preacher’s Bride by Jody Hedlund because she knew I wanted to read it.  (It’s historical romance.)  I thought it would be fun to make it into a Book’s Journey.  Catherine made a page that goes in the front and put her name, where she’s from, and the date she read the book, and then she sent it to me.  Now I have done the same and would like to send it on.  Eventually, we’ll send it back to Jody and she’ll have a copy of her book that’s gone (hopefully!) all over the world!  So – first come, first served!  Whoever is first to say in the comments that they’d like to read The Preacher’s Bride will get it.  The only requirement is that you play along with the game and when you’re done, pass it on to someone else 🙂

In addition, since I thought up this idea, I thought it would be fun to do with one of my own books, so first I’ll take a vote as to which book to send (poll open for a week, from now until midnight October 24th) and then I will circulate one of my books for the same fun!  Only I want mine signed directly in the book so I can eventually bring it on school visits and show the kids where it has been!  So, please vote below for which book I should send on a journey 🙂


<a href=”http://polldaddy.com/poll/5590405/”>Pick A Book For A Book’s Journey!</a>
Third:  this week’s theme for Fun Friday Foto Fextravaganza (which I hope you are REALLY impressed that I’m remembering to post today instead of forgetting until Wednesday :)) is PUMPKINS/JACK O’LANTERNS!

Fourth:  I hope you’re all getting excited for the Choose Your Own Adventure Bloghop next Monday, October 24th!!!

Fifth:  (I told you there was all kinds of stuff going on today!)  I spent the weekend at the New York State Sheep and Wool Festival.  Really, if you’ve never been to such a thing, you owe it to yourself to go.  Sheep, llamas, alpacas, gorgeous wool, knitting and crochet meetings and books and patterns and products – WOW.  It’s a whole world I knew nothing about and it makes for a lot of fun!

Anyway, there I was, signing copies of Can’t Sleep Without Sheep, when a woman came up to me and asked me to sign one for her daughter.  “How old is she?” I asked, pulling a book from the pile and uncapping my pen.  “Well,” said the woman, “she was just born a couple days ago.  She was premature, so she’s in the NICU, but she’s going to be fine.”  But here’s the kicker.  The woman went on to say, “This will be her very first book.”

Can you believe it?  I was so honored!  To think something I wrote was going to be the very first book in this child’s library; that one of these days, that mother will sit with her little daughter and read Can’t Sleep Without Sheep to her.  How special is that?!  I am tucking this one away for those moments when I’m afraid my career is over and I’ll never sell another story (well, that would be right about now!) so I can pull it out and look at it and remember something good.

And finally, the moment you’ve been waiting for! STRAIGHT FROM THE EDITOR!

To remind you, our September winner was Aimee.  Her pitch was as follows:

TITLE: Listen to Me
GENRE: YA Contemporary with a dash of Magical Realism (target age 13-17, but I hope for crossover appeal)
PITCH: Stacy can talk to herself-in-twelve-years - but will the impossible relationship with Older Me help her navigate the high school rites of bullying and unrequited love, or just fuel her destructive self-loathing?

Here are Erin’s comments:

Here are my thoughts about your pitch: It is a little confusing. “Talking to herself-in-twelve-years” doesn’t quite get across the idea that she’s talking to herself in the future. I had to read it a few times to get that. You might want to just say her future self. Also, is the relationship impossible because nobody can talk to themselves in the future or because she doesn’t get along with herself? I don’t think you want to use that word impossible. Perhaps just go with relationship. Keeps it simple and to the point.  Also, “fueling her destructive self-loathing” leads to more questions and could possibly turn an editor off. It might be better to give the resolution so that the editor might be intrigued as to how it happens. See what I’ve done. Do you think it gets the main point of the story across? If not, then you need to rework it so that it does. Perhaps be more specific than bullying or unrequited love.
Stacy can talk to her 26 year-old future self. But will her relationship with Older Stacy help her successfully navigate the high school rites of bullying and unrequited love, or just make things worse?
Lastly, fyi, there is a young adult novel coming out in November by Jay Asher and Printz Honor-winning author Carolyn Mackler — THE FUTURE OF US, in which two best friends log onto AOL in 1996 and discover a window to their future Facebook selves. Razorbill is publishing it. It sounds very similar to yours and I just wanted you to know it was out there.

I hope you all find Erin’s comments as interesting and insightful as I do.  Not only does she bring her experience as a career editor, but she knows what else is out there.

So, are you feeling revved up and rarin’ to go for your week now?

What?

You’re in donut withdrawal?

OK.  But just one!  These are pumpkin, BTW, in keeping with this week’s FFFF theme 🙂

courtesy google images