Save the Snow Snake!

Sonder is a snow snake who thinks he’s ready to take on the snow snake tradition of helping kids ski. When Granslither tries to teach Sonder the age-old custom of patience and practice, Sonder harrumphs at the notion. He wants to tackle the task immediately. Will he be prepared?  Sonder the Snow Snake by Annie B. Fox is a charming picture book for children ages four to eight. It’s a perfect read aloud choice for any classroom as the story will engage listeners, evoke laughter and maybe even make kids think about choosing patience with learning.   

The back of the book invites readers to meet Sonder. “He’s fuzzy… cute…curious…and white as a snowflake.” All true! After reading Sonder’s tale, I’d like to own a pet Sonder. His story is packed with the cute-factor—it has gorgeous illustrations, clever text (“slimped : that’s how snakes limp”) and darling characters like Sonder and Grandslither.

Sonder the Snow Snake by Annie B. Fox is available at Amazon (Cerulean Blue, January 2012).  Author/Illustrator Annie B. Fox is donating 5% of the proceeds from the sale of Sonder’s story to educate children on the science of climate change and how they can make a difference. For more information, visit www.savethesnowsnake.org .

4.5 out of 5 lollipop rating!

Product Details

• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Cerulean Blue; First edition (January 15, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1605300942
• ISBN-13: 978-1605300948

How to Write a Synopsis: Advice from Industry Experts

Notes for Crafting a Winning Synopsis from Industry Experts:

Congratulations! You’ve written your 75,000 word master piece. Now in order to present it to industry professionals in a concise, enticing and engaging manner, you must par down your novel to one one-hundreth of its original size; approximately 750 words or less. There are many conflicting resources on formatting a synopsis, but the elements that are needed to compose a winning synopsis are agreed upon across party lines. Here’s my take on how to make sure you hit the highlights and other important facts.

WHAT TO INCLUDE IN YOUR SYNOPSIS: Make sure your synopsis covers the beginning, middle and the ending of your book. Don’t save your ending as a surprise. 2012 Children’s Writer’s & Illustrator’s Market a.k.a. CWIM (edited by Chuck Sambuchino) advises to make sure your synopsis includes hook, plot, theme, characterization, setting, conflict and resolution. The Writer’s Digest Guide to Query Letters by Wendy Burt-Thomas advises a synopsis should include “your book’s content, structure, tone and design if needed.” Furthermore Burt-Thomas says to “start your synopsis strong immediately, then fill in the details later.”

            The Fiction Writer’s Connection website has a great checklist for your synopsis. The list includes questions like:  Does your opening paragraph have a hook? Are your main character’s conflicts clearly defined? Have you hit your major themes and major plot points, and did you show how the conflict was resolved in the end?

            The Vivian Beck Agency also advises to start with a hook, and after you introduce your main character, they say to unveil your main character’s CONFLICT, MOTIVATION, and GOALS. The Body of your synopsis should include an ACTION, REACTION, and DECISION (check for these elements to suss out if you have an active or a passive main character).  Don’t forget to include the crisis and resolution to your story.

            Nathan Bransford (a one-time agent with Curtis Brown, and now published writer) says that a synopsis is not the time to detail every character in your story.  He says, “[a synopsis] needs to make the work come alive. If your synopsis reads like "and then this happened and then this happened" and it's confusing and dull, well, you might want to revise that baby.”

In regard to length, Nathan advises two to three pages, double spaced unless submission guidelines ask for something different.

CONFIRM THAT YOUR MAIN CHARACTER ISN’T A PINBALL: Read your synopsis and decide if your main character is responding to events, bouncing around like a pinball tossed in one precarious (perhaps exciting) direction after another, or if you’re main guy is driving the action. If he’s a pinball, then no matter how exciting the events may be, your guy is passive and that is not what the industry wants.

            Mary Kole from the Andrea Brown Agency often offers pitch-slam events at the conferences she attends. In a sit-down interview I enjoyed with Mary Kole at the SCBWI conference in Los Angeles, she offered a pearl of wisdom: make sure your main character is ACTIVE vs. PASSIVE. The advice seems obvious, yet so many writers have things happening to their main character vs. having the protagonist drive the story forward.

FORMATTING:  CWIM 2012 (Writer’s Digest Books) says to include your genre and word count on the upper right side, and your name, address, phone number and email address on the left side. Your title goes in all-caps in the center

Example:

First Last                                                                               Historical Fiction

1234 address                                                                           50,000 Words

City, State Zip

(303) 111-2222

emailaddress@yahoo.com

MY FABULOUS BOOK TITLE HERE

Other formatting advice includes:

• Don’t number your first page; begin numbering on second page;
• Double space all text ,and use 12 point Times Roman with one-inch margins
• Second page header is formatted like so: Your name/TITLE IN CAPS/Synopsis     2
• The first time you introduce a character in the synopsis, have their name appear in all-caps (with normal formatting to follow);
• And **open with a great hook and inciting incident.
• Size-I keep hearing, “the briefer the better, but all elements must be there to sell your story.”  Guide to Query Letters  by Wendy Burt-Thomas says it’s typically one to two pages. 2012 Children’s Writer’s & Illustrator’s Market a.k.a. CWIM (edited by Chuck Sambuchino) has a glossary where synopsis is defined as “a page to a page and a half if single spaced” (odd definition since they also advise to double space your synopsis).
• Write your synopsis in present tense
• Use 12 point Times Roman

  

SYNOPSIS VS. QUERY: Make sure you know the difference between a synopsis and a query. A query letter is a single page, three paragraph letter that is meant to hook the reader into asking for more. The three paragraphs include The Book, The Hook, and The Cook. (1) Paragraph One: The book tells the title, the word count, and the genre. (2) The hook includes your logline and a few lines about your story (similar to what you might read on the jacketflap of a book). It does not tell your whole story.  (3) Paragraph Three: The cook is a paragraph about you, where you went to school, and any writing credentials you may have.

            The Synopsis, unlike your query, tells your entire story (beginning, middle, and end). The length of your synopsis will depend on agents/editors submission guidelines. You should practice writing a short, one page synopsis as well as a long, three to five page synopsis.

More Resources:

Advanced Fiction Writing

Writing World

C. J. Darlington

Have we forgotten Haiti?

Eight Days: A Story of Haiti "From National Book Award nominee Edwidge Danticat comes a timely, brilliantly crafted story of hope and imagination--a powerful tribute to Haiti and children around the world!

Hope comes alive in this heartfelt and deeply resonating story.
While Junior is trapped for 8 days beneath his collapsed house after an earthquake, he uses his imagination for comfort. Drawing on beautiful, everyday-life memories, Junior paints a sparkling picture of Haiti for each of those days--flying kites with his best friend or racing his sister around St. Marc's Square--helping him through the tragedy until he is finally rescued.
Love and hope dance across each page--granting us a way to talk about resilience as a family, a classroom, or a friend."

Reading this book made me wonder what has happened with the huge charity efforts that started in Haiti as a result of the earthquake. Come to find out, many projects were started that have never been completed. However I spoke to one organization in Henderson, Nevada—The Friends of Haiti Inc. and they have not forgotten about the people of Haiti. They say the reality that is unfolding is Haitians must work to rebuild their own country. The Friends of Haiti Inc. supports this effort as their motto is, “Give a man a fish, he has fish for a day; teach a man to fish, he has fish for life.” On February 15, 2012 members of this charity will journey to Haiti to provide desperately needed construction tools to the schools at the Viatorian Center in Port au Prince.  Local Henderson and Las Vegas businesses have generously supported this effort.  

Furthermore, in effort to support creating a self-sustaining nation, the charity will also use this trip as an opportunity to interview 15 applicants to receive medical school scholarships funded by the Friends of Haiti. Scholarships are for funds to attend The University of Notre Dame D’Haiti for the fall 2012 school year. These future doctors and nurses will pledge to remain in Haiti for at least five years after graduation. 

The Friends of Haiti Inc., a charitable organization organized in the state of Nevada, with an office at 2670 Chandler Avenue, Suite 8, Las Vegas, Nevada. Haiti has suffered many disasters and needs help. The Friends of Haiti Inc. believes that as Christians it is our duty and calling to help those in need as prescribed in Matthew 25.

Contact Information:  Joseph Provost 702 561 4119

                                    Reverend Susan Provost 702 523 8963

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Awards Announced

2012 Newbery, Caldecott and Prinz


And the 2012 Newbery goes to...

2012 Newbery Medal Winner

The 2012 Newbery Medal winner is Dead End in Norvelt by Jack Gantos, published by Farrar Straus Giroux.
"The importance of history and reading (so you don’t do the same “stupid stuff” again) is at the heart of this achingly funny romp through a dying New Deal town. While mopping up epic nose bleeds, Jack narrates this screw-ball mystery in an endearing and believable voice."

Honor Books include:
Inside Out & Back Again by Thanhha Lai, published by HarperCollins Children's Books, a division of HarperCollins Publishers
"Hà and her family flee war-torn Vietnam for the American South. In spare yet vivid verse, she chronicles her year-long struggle to find her place in a new and shifting world. "

Breaking Stalin's Nose by Eugene Yelchin, published by Henry Holt and Company, LLC.

"On the eve of his induction into the Young Pioneers, Sasha’s world is overturned when his father is arrested by Stalin’s guard. Yelchin deftly crafts a stark and compelling story of a child’s lost idealism."

2012 Newbery Honor

2012 Newbery Honor

And the 2012 Printz Award goes to...

Printz Award Winner

Michael L. Printz Award for excellence in literature written for young adults:

WINNER: "Where Things Come Back," written by John Corey Whaley, is the 2012 Printz Award winner. The book is published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing.

HONOR BOOKS:

Why We Broke Up, written by Daniel Handler, art by Maira Kalman and published by Little, Brown and Company, a division of Hachette Book Group, Inc.

"In this beautiful piece of bookmaking, heartbroken movie obsessive Min Green dumps a box of relationship ephemera on ex-love Ed Slaterton’s porch, each item attached to a raging, loving, insecure and regretful letter explaining how each memento contributed to their breakup."

Printz Honor

The Returning, written by Christine Hinwood and published by Dial Books, an imprint of Penguin Group Young Readers Group USA.

"A large cast of characters from two fictional kingdoms recover from a drawn-out, brutal war in a portrait both sweeping and specific as it explores the ramifications of the conflict on Cam, the only one who lives to return to his village."

Jasper Jones, written by Craig Silvey and published by Alfred A. Knopf, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, a division of Random House, Inc.

"Spurred by the mysterious death of a schoolmate, Charlie confronts racism and his fears as he learns about family, friendship and love in the oppressive heat of small-town 1960s Australia. Silvey weaves themes of freedom and loyalty with moments of humor in this wrenching novel."

Printz Honor Book

The Scorpio Races, written by Maggie Stiefvater and published by Scholastic Press, an imprint of Scholastic, Inc.

"A bloody, intoxicating horse race on the Island of Thisby is the backdrop for this atmospheric novel. The heart-pounding story pits two teens against death – to win is to survive."









And the 2012 Caldecott goes to...

Randolph Caldecott Medal for the most distinguished American picture book for children:



2012 Caldecott Medal winner

"A Ball for Daisy," illustrated and written by Chris Raschka, is the 2012 Caldecott Medal winner. The book is published by Schwartz & Wade Books, an imprint of Random House Children's Books, a division of Random House, Inc.

Three Caldecott Honor Books:
"Blackout," illustrated and written by John Rocco, and published by Disney - Hyperion Books, an imprint of Disney; "Grandpa Green" illustrated and written by Lane Smith, and published by Roaring Brook Press, a division of Holtzbrinck Publishing Holdings Limited Partnership; 

"Me . . . Jane," illustrated and written by Patrick McDonnell, and published by Little, Brown and Company, a division of Hachette Book Group, Inc.

2011 National Book Award For Young People's Literature Winner and Nominees:

WINNER: Thanhha Lai, Inside Out & Back Again
(Harper, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers) - Interview
- Video of acceptance speech and from Finalists Reading

FINALISTS:Franny Billingsley, Chime
(Dial Books, an imprint of Penguin Group USA, Inc. ) - Interview
- Video from Finalists Reading

Debby Dahl Edwardson, My Name Is Not Easy
(Marshall Cavendish) - Interview
- Video from Finalists Reading

Albert Marrin, Flesh & Blood So Cheap: The Triangle Fire and Its Legacy
(Alfred A. Knopf, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books) - Interview
- Video from Finalists Reading

Gary D. Schmidt, Okay for Now
(Clarion Books, an imprint of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt) - Interview
- Video from Finalists Reading

Young People’s Literature Judges: Marc Aronson (Panel Chair),
Ann Brashares, Matt de la Peña, Nikki Grimes, Will Weaver

Dispelling the Rumors and Myths about Pitches, Queries and Synopsizes

Pitches, Queries, Synopsizes, Oh My!

Twitter is an amazing social networking tool that offers the opportunity to engage people with whom you wouldn’t meet unless traveling to a conference.   #Kidlitchat moderators Bonnie Adamson and Greg Pincus host a weekly forum for those interested in children’s literature. Authors (both published and unpublished), agents and editors show up online at 6 p.m. Pacific Time to discuss a weekly topic. In order to view the conversation a person need only login to Twitter and search #kidlitchat. To participate, type your tweet and add #kidlitchat to the end of your post. Because of the hashtag, both followers and non-followers will see your post if they are participating in the forum.  

Last night’s #kidlitchat covered a topic that often keeps writers up at night. Pitches, queries and synopsizes, oh my! The conversation covered the daunting question of what to include in your pitch to adequately express the essence of your 50,000 word manuscript while using only a few lines.  Here are highlights from the discussion:

Advice:

“Focus on major plot points. Clearly define character conflicts.” Debbie Ohi writes, draws kidlit/YA. Illus I'M BORED (@SimonKidsYA, 2012). Rep: Ginger Knowlton, Curtis Brown. 

“You always need a pitch. Even when your neighbor asks you "what's the book about?" Pitch=30-second commercial.” Kristine C. Asseline Author of contemporary YA & MG fiction & non-fiction. Organizer of Central MA Kid Lit Gatherings. Repped by Vickie Motter of Andrea Hurst Literary Management.

“One thing my crit group has joked about is writing each other's pitches. should do it!” Amber Keyser. Amber is the Go-to-girl & YA novelist for action-adventure transmedia saga, Angel Punk. Rep'd by Stephen Fraser. Wielding pen & pitchfork from Portland, OR.

“I have a 60-word limit on the summary reviews I write for publications. I try to write one before and after I finish a project.”  Also “Synopses = plot; queries = plot + emotion; pitches = hook + plot + emotion crammed on the back of a matchbook (or in a tweet!)”  David Elzey  David is a writer and reviewer of books for children and young adults, currently unagented, working on a YA comedy set in the 1970s called THE EROSION PROJECT.

“Synopsis is about the emotional arc: what the MC wants, the struggle to get it and the resolution.” Shevi Arnold. She also said, “Plot is this happened, then that happened. Emotional arc is about the meaning behind actions.”  Shevi is an Author and illustrator of the literary fantasy, Toren the Teller's Tale, and the humorous middle-grade novel, Dan Quixote: Boy of Nuevo Jersey. 

“My wisdom on pitches is here. press Kurtis Kurtis Scaletta is a kid lit author, online ed manager at @loftliterary, baseball fan, dad. Rumors that I'm building an army of robots to take over the world are unconfirmed.

“Great resource from Georgia McBride - head to http://YALITCHAT.org to see real pitches and responses from Agents and Editors.” Greg Pincus Greg Pincus writes poetry, novels, and screenplays, blog kidlit at gottabook.blogspot.com. He also talks social media strategy at the Happy Accident.· http://www.thehappyaccident.net

“Leave out all extraneous detail. Make sure you focus on what's at stake for your protagonist.” Danielle Rumore Danielle is a PR exec by day. Aspiring YA novelist by night. Part-time runner. Defender of boy books. Repped by John Rudolph of Dystel & Goderich Literary Management.

“1st tip is to remember queries and synopses are different things. Queries should not try to tell "the whole story." And “For the pitch in your query letter, just the tease, not the resolution.” E.M. Kokie E.M. Kokie’s  debut YA novel PERSONAL EFFECTS to be published by Candlewick in 2012. Represented by Chris Richman of Upstart Crow.

“Agree with E.M. Kokie - queries are meant to "hook" someone. Get them interested enough to request MS - but don't tell too much!” Danielle Rumore

“For pitch-make sure you have something in there about what is interesting/different about either character or situation” Dee Garretson  Dee is the author of WILDFIRE RUN & WOLF STORM HarperCollins teacher's/bookclub guide http://bit.ly/gaYWr9 GARGOYLE IN THE SEINE, his. mystery, repped by Michele Rubin Writers House

“It's all about....who is this character? What do they love (and fear) more than anything?” Crissa Chappell Crissa is the author of TOTAL CONSTANT ORDER (HarperTeen). Next up is NARC (Flux summer 2012).

“Pitch=what is your book about? Synopsis=tell me the plot, who is the book about and what happens, including  the ending.” Jill Corcoran Jill Corcoran is a Literary Agent with Herman Agency. Editor of DARE TO DREAM...CHANGE THE WORLD, Kane Miller Books, Fall 2012.

“Even when I don't need official synopsis, I always write a pitch during process to keep writing on track.” Jody Feldman Author of books even boys will read. Thanks AZ and GA for making The Gollywhopper Games your winner! And look for The Seventh Level, now in paperback.

My favorite tweets of the night include advice for writing a one page, three paragraph query letter:

“@mimicross: @crissachappell my fav query formula is, The Hook, The Book, & The Cook, basically 3 paragraphs”

“The three paragraphs of a query are: 1)Why this agent 2)the book's hook 3)Why you” Shevi Arnold.

Questions:

Q: “I've been told not to ask questions in the pitch/hook. Agents/editors please weigh in on that.” Julie F Hedlund, Julie is Author of Children's Picture Books + Freelance Writer, Essay Writer, Travel Writer.  

A: “Don’t ask questions in your pitch/hook” Jill Corcoran.

Q: “How about questions in the query? Questions like, "Will Susie make it to the palace in time to catch her prince?" Been told it's a no-no.” Julie Hedlund

Q: “Why is that a no-no?” Katie Davis  Katie writes books. Draws pictures. Records podcasts. Makes movies. Has webinars. Gives speeches. http://www.katiedavis.com

A: “It isn't, if it is at the end.” Jill Corcoran

Q: “Some say PITCHES aren't for kid lit and only queries and synopsizes are used to land an agent. Is it true that PITCHES are for adult lit only?? True or False? #kidlitchat” Kim Tomsic @bkshelfdetectiv (that’s me!)

A: “False.” Jill Corcoran

A: “Don't know who told you that. I've been to pitch sessions at SCBWI conferences.” Shevi Arnold.

Q: “Jill, have you moved next step with someone (now a client) based on starting with an elevator pitch or only w/ queries?” Kim Tomsic

A: “Oh yes, I have been moved to action by an elevator pitch, but the ms has to stand on its own.” Jill Corcoran

Q: “Hi, Tommy Greenwald. Did you personally Pitch Charlie Joe Jackson's Guide to Not Reading to agent or Nancy Mercardo or did you query?” Kim Tomsic

A: “I pitched CJJ to agent as PB called THE BOY WHO HATED READING, her advice was to make it MG.” and also “then I sent her new title (CCJ's GUIDE etc) and first couple chapters and she was interested... “Tommy Greenwald Tommy is the author of Charlie Joe Jackson’s Guide to Not Reading (Roaring Brook Press). He is also an ad guy and kids book writer, father of charlie, joe, jack and charlie joe jackson.

Q: Should your query represent/show your main characters voice or even be written in the main character’s voice?

A: “Voice is like salt in a query = a little goes a long way. Get the flavor of the MC's voice, but don't overpower.” E.M. Kokie. E.M. Kokie’s  debut YA novel PERSONAL EFFECTS to be published by Candlewick in 2012. Represented by Chris Richman of Upstart Crow.

General Thoughts:

“Pitch sessions are like speed dating--harrowing concept, IMO :-).” Bonnie Adamson Children's writer/illustrator, represented by Marietta B. Zacker; ARA/IC, SCBWI-Carolinas; co-host of #kidlitchat and #kidlitart.

“Pitches are not hard unless you don't have a clear understanding of what your book is about. If you do, just answer that question.” Jill Corcoran

“Weird to (1) write novel ~80K (2) distill to 1 page synop (3) 1 paragraph hook/pitch (4) 1 sentence for elevator. Whew!” Amber Keyser.

RESOURCES:

Jane Friedman's blog includes a fantastic article called  "The Basic Pitch Formula for Novelists" Here she provides step by step instructions for crafting a perfect pitch.

My wisdom on pitches is here. press Kurtis Kurtis Scaletta is a kid lit author, online ed manager at @loftliterary, baseball fan, dad. Rumors that I'm building an army of robots to take over the world are unconfirmed.

“Great resource from Georgia McBride - head to http://YALITCHAT.org to see real pitches and responses from Agents and Editors.” Greg Pincus Greg Pincus writes poetry, novels, and screenplays, blog kidlit at gottabook.blogspot.com. He also talks social media strategy at the Happy Accident.· http://www.thehappyaccident.net

Yoga Poses to Ward Off the Evils of Writer's Block

Yoga Poses to Ward Off Evils such as Writer’s Block

by Kim Tomsic          

As I bowed forward in a yoga pose meant to flush my lymphatic system, the yoga teacher announced that we were “loosening the noose of our judgmental mind.” It was an “Ah ha” moment that reminded me that yoga is a fantastic tool to dissipate the dreaded writer’s block. With the proper hold, move, twist and asana there are several opportunities to have the body work to dissolve that metaphorical noose that may lay siege to the imagination.

The inspiring pose:

Eagle: Eagle requires the student to wrap their right elbow under their left elbow, followed by twisting the right forearm around the left forearm until the hands connect above the twisted arms; the second part of the pose requires balancing on the left foot while placing the right thigh over the left thigh and then hooking the right foot behind the left calf. Hold and squeeze. Repeat on the other side.

What’s in it for the writer: This pose squeezes the lymphatic system causing it to flush and refresh. What’s the benefit? The lymphatic system not only helps the immune system by removing excess fluid, waste, debris, dead blood cells, pathogens, cancer cells and toxins from your body, but it also works with the circulatory system to deliver oxygen, nutrients and hormones. To me that’s a recipe for a fresh batch of creativity.

In addition to Eagle, there are several poses to loosen the noose of the mind. Down dog is known to improve focus and stimulate the mind. Rabbit is a pose that nourishes the brain and is great for memory, focus and relieving mental fatigue. Standing Leg Stretch increases circulation to the brain and adrenal glands. And Kundalini Yoga is an entire class that can create an internal center of creative energy.

Why am I not describing exactly how to achieve these positions? Because I think it is important to learn from a teacher, to be safe, and to tweak your pose to achieve proper alignment. Please know that not all teachers are created equally. I am a fan of CorePower studios and Bikram Yoga because of the level of training and education their teachers possess. I’m also a fan of listening to your body and trusting (not exceeding) your comfort zone.

On a closing note, I'd like to say that even with the recent hoopla in the New York Times about yoga, I continue to show up on my mat and accept that all sports are not meant for all individuals. That is the beauty of a gift called choice.
Please take the time to answer a question. I'd love to hear your thoughts!
Cheers,
Kim
Questions:
Do you have a favorite pose to stimulate creativity?
What are your thoughts on the New York Times article?
What other yoga studios require their employees to go under rigorous training before allowing them to teach?