Welcome to the Bookshelf Detective, a site packed with tricks and tips for readers and writers of children's literature. Thank you for visiting! Cheers, Kim Tomsic
Photo of Ruta Septys at SCBWI Conference ...now an award winning author!
Looking
for the next J.K. Rowling
OnMarch 2, 2013 three power-house literary agents will team together to help aspiring children's book writers discover how to break into publishing.
Those who register for the event will enjoy a rare opportunity to move beyond
the veil of the internet and meet three agents: Sara Megibow from Nelson
Literary, Kate Schafer Testerman of KT Literary, and Terrie Wolfe of AKA
Literary.
J.K. Rowling, the popular author of the Harry Potter
series, was rejected twelve times before she found her publisher. Furthermore most publishers won’t even engage
with authors without an agent representing them. The Rocky Mountain chapter of
the SCBWI (Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators) has arranged
for the three agents to offer a workshop at the Broomfield Public Library.
Aspiring Middle Grade and Young Adult writers will learn the in’s and
out’s of publishing including how to pitch their project. This is a quick way
to move past the slush pile. After learning the art of the pitch, each writer
will be afforded the valuable chance to pitch directly to an agent, and then receive
immediate feedback on what works and what doesn’t. Furthermore, the agent panel will read the
first page of each participant’s manuscript in a session called “First Pages” and
again participants will receive immediate feedback. This is an incredible opportunity
to meet
executives in the industry, and it’s a valuable chance
to ask questions and learn.
The event takes place on Saturday March 2nd
from 9:30am-4:30pm at the Mamie Dowd Eisenhower Public Library located at 3 Community
Park Road in Broomfield, Colorado. Space is very limited and pre-registration
is required (registration deadline is February 25, 2013). The cost is $79 for SCBWI members and $100
for non-members.
Alexandra Penefold spent 10 years editing at
Simon & Schuster, but she has decided to approach the post-Mayan era on the
other side of the contract table. As of 2013, Alexandra joined Upstart Crow Literary, founded
by previous Harper Collins editorial director Michael Sterns. She's building
her list, focusing on young picture books, funny middle-grade fiction, and edgy
young adult novels (no high fantasy).
Visit THE
WRITING BARN blog and hear what Alexander had to say about creating
characters. She says we can study classic characters to, "...learn a
lot in terms of how to build realistic and compelling characters that leap off
the page into the hearts of readers."
At Simon &
Schuster Children's,Sylvie Frank has joined Paula Wiseman Books as associate editor.
Previously she was an editor at Holiday House.
Egmont UK is adding a nonfiction children's imprintRed Shed, launching in spring 2014. It will be run by Melissa
Fairley.
SCBWI Rocky Mountain
Division is kicking off its free webinar speaker series with Emma Dryden of Dryden
Books. She will present talk about BEST
PRACTICES -- Self, Indie & Traditional Publishing. To participate, join www.scbwi.org
From Writer’s Digest:
“Free Contest For Both Young Adult and Sci-Fi
Writers!
If you follow my Guide to Literary Agents Blog,
you know that a special recurring element is our "Dear Lucky
Agent" Contests -- free agent-judged contests that revolve around
a specific genre or two. For the 13th contest (live now!), we've enlisted literary agent
Victoria Marini (Gelfman Schneider Literary) to judge, and we're looking for
both young adult manuscripts as well as science fiction books.
There are many rules, and you
need to read the complete contest page before entering, but here is the gist: You submit the first
150-200 words of your completed book and Marini picks the top 3 for awesome
prizes. Hurry, because the deadline is end of day, January 31! This is shaping
up to be our biggest "Dear Lucky Agent" Contest of all time.
Today I would like to introduce you to Julie Hedlund, owner of the blogsite Julie Hedlund, Author, Freelance Writer . Julie is also the founder of the sensational picture book writing event and community 12x12.
If you are an aspiring picture book writer or illustrator, listen up! This event could change your career quicker than a conference! You'll hear how you'll be inspired, motivated, and even discovered (you'll read about the agents involved at the end).
Hi, Julie!
Welcome! And thank you for agreeing to this interview about your 12x12 event. You’ve created an incredible forum and opportunity for picture book people, and I’m excited to share this knowledge and chance with aspiring authors.
Thanks to YOU Kim, for having me. You always give so generously of your time and talent to other writers, so it's an honor to be here.
Let's start with the basics: What the heck is 12x12?
We are a group of picture book writers who've come together with the goal of writing one picture book draft a month - hence 12 x 12. There are other fringe benefits (see answers to your questions below), but at it's heart, it's all about motivating each other to write more picture books.
I've heard 12x12 participants refer to this as a "community". What makes it a community?
We're a group of 400+ writers with a passion for picture books. We share resources and opportunities. We cheer for each other when there's good news and support each other when there's bad news. It's a 24x7, 365-day a year writing community that never closes. Have a question? Post it and you'll have 5 answers in an hour. We encourage and nurture each other's creativity.
Why should I participate instead of just getting the BIC (butt in chair) and doing it alone?
Last year, I conducted a survey of 12 x 12 participants. Of those who responded, 90% said they wrote more in 2012 than they would have without the challenge. Those monthly check-ins and the encouragement of fellow participants helps provide the motivation to get it DONE.
But I think participant Tim McCanna summed it up nicely in this video he created for me last fall! Can illustrators participate, too?
Of course! 12 x 12 has a thriving illustrator community. Some of them have even formed their own illustrator critique groups.
How did 12x12 get started?
It started when, at the end of 2011 and my second year of participating in PiBoIdMo, I realized I'd only written one PB draft over the past year. I knew I needed a much higher output if I was ever going to succeed at this writing thing. So I challenged myself to write 12 in 2012. Then it struck me that I should invite others to join me. I never could have imagined the response I got with more than 400 people signing up! Clearly there was a need for a picture book community and I happened to tap into that need at the right time.
What success was met when you launched 12x12 last year and how has it expanded in 2013?
I keep going back to videos, but I think this one I put together celebrating the 2012 challenge winners shows the success better than anything I could say. Think of all the picture book drafts written in one year and all the writers who now feel confident and proud to call themselves such. That's the greatest reward, for me.
In 2013, the challenge has expanded significantly. One of the features participants liked best last year was the Facebook group. It was a place to commune, share resources, and chit chat at all hours of the day/night. But not everyone is on Facebook. So I created a Membership Forum this year that allows everyone to partake of the great community. The Forum also includes areas where members can post their queries, pitches and excerpts of their own manuscripts for direct feedback. So it's also become a virtual critique group.
For Little GOLDen Book members, there is also the option to submit to one agent or editor per month outside of the slush pile.
Who are the agents whom you will feature in this year’s 12x12 promotion, and what can you tell me about the depth of their involvement?
I'll reveal a few of the agents, since I don't want to spoil all the surprises. :-) Stephen Fraser of Jennifer De Chiara Literary Agency is this month's agent. Tricia Lawrence of EMLA is up for March and Susan Hawk of the Jenny Bent Agency is on deck for April.
The agents are accepting submissions from 12 x 12 members through a special email address so they rise above the regular submissions/slush pile. Although the participating agents are not required to respond to each and every submission, they did commit to reading each one. Stephen Fraser has been very responsive so far, and several members have already received requests to send more!
What do past/current participants have to say about their experience?
I've been lucky in that past participants have been so effusive in their praise for 12 x 12 that I have a whole page of testimonials! Some of this year's members also helped me to create - you guessed it - a promotional video urging others to join.
How do I register?
Right here! http://www.juliehedlund.com/registration-for-2013
Deadline??? When does registration closed?
February 28th. After that, you'll have to wait until next year!
Thank so much for hosting me, Kim! I very much appreciate you helping to spread the word about 12 x 12 and all that you do for us kidlit folk.
The Dr. Phil Show recently
aired an episode called The Truth about
Liars. It served the listening audience with life skills on how to spot a
liar. You can read about skills like
this and other tools in Dr. Phil’s newest book, LIFE CODE.
But why should writers and illustrators care about
this show(other than gaining a bonus life skill)?
Because Dr. Phil provides NEW WAYS TO SHOW, NOT TELL: The take-away bonus from the production is to
use these “liars tells” as ways to show your character. Let your sneaky, scoundrel, crooked
characters come to life.
Only 7% of what people
say is part of the communication process.
What they do screams what they’re thinking. The mind can think and the
mouth can say, but it’s what the body does that tells the truth. The body language of your character can reveal so much, whether you’re
writing first person or third person.
The Why Factor:
An important part in
plot and character is to understand a character’s motivation.
Dr. Phil says people
lie because they want:
1. To bridge gap between a person’s boring life
and their fantasy life;
2. To get what they want;
3.To escape consequences.
Here are the top tips
from Dr. Phil on HOW TO SPOT A LIAR.
Weave them into your character’s actions and you’ll add texture and
depth to your writing and illustrating process.
Use these Liar's Actions to Reveal Characters in your Novels :
·Liars answer questions not asked
·They get formal with language and stop
using contractions
·They give too many unasked for details
·They FRAME the truth (i.e. They start
sentence with, “Okay, to be completely honest…”)
·They say yes, but shake their head no,
or they say no but shake head yes. (Why? Because they’re central nervous system takes over)
·They have facial tics, for example, they
touch their nose or face a lot. They especially put a hand over mouth as a subconscious
way to cover the lie
·They exhibit shallow breathing
·They purse their lips
·Blink rate increases
·Personal space is important to a liar
(like they’ll put a piece of furniture between them, or they’ll use a purse or
an object to have a barrier between them and the one asking the questions)
·A liar has a “busy” attitude; can’t find
the time to help or answer questions
·A liar can’t give a recommendation of
accountability (i.e. if they stole something and you say to them, "What do you
think we should do to the person who stole this?" A liar can't come up with an idea; Typically a liar can’t bring themselves
to make a recommendation on the consequence
Dr. Phil says there's a great book by Pamela Meyer called Lie Spotting if you want to find more ideas.
“In this darkly humorous tale, a tiny fish
knows it’s wrong to steal a hat. It fits him just right. But the big fish wants
his hat back. Klassen’s controlled palette, opposing narratives and subtle cues
compel readers to follow the fish and imagine the consequence."“With minute changes in eyes and the
slightest displacement of seagrass, Klassen’s masterful illustrations tell the
story the narrator doesn’t know,” Caldecott Chair Sandra Imdieke said.”
HONOR BOOKS
Creepy Carrots!, illustrated by Peter Brown, written by Aaron Reynolds
and published by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, an imprint of
Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing Division
"Jasper
the rabbit loves carrots until he notices they are everywhere. He is convinced
they’re coming for him! Pronounced shadows, black borders and shaded edges
enhance this ever so slightly sinister tale with a distinctly cinematic feel.
This is one serving of carrots children will eagerly devour."
Extra Yarn, illustrated by Jon Klassen, written by Mac
Barnett and published by Balzer + Bray, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers
"A selfish archduke threatens to halt a little
girl's transformation of a colorless town and steal her box of magical
yarn. Klassen's innovative digital technique results in shifts of color
that signal character change and critical turns of plot -all done with just the
right stitches of humor."
Green, illustrated and written by Laura Vaccaro Seeger and published
by Neal Porter Books, an imprint of Roaring Brook Press
"In this original concept book, Seeger engages
all the senses with her fresh approach to the multiple meanings of “green.”
Using thickly-layered acrylics, word pairings and cleverly placed die cuts, she
invites readers to pause, pay attention and wonder."
One Cool Friend, illustrated by David Small, written by Toni
Buzzeo and published by Dial Books for Young Readers, a division of Penguin
Young Readers Group
“Energetic
line and dizzying perspective combine for a rollicking tale of Father, Elliot
and a highly improbable pet (or two). Buzzeo’s text, brimming with sly
wordplay, earns its perfect counterpoint in Small’s ink, watercolor and pencil
illustrations with chilly details and visual jokes that invite many repeated
readings.”
(available at Book Passage, The Bay Are's Liveliest Bookstore! or at an independent bookstore near you)
Sleep Like a Tiger, illustrated by Pamela Zagarenski, written by
Mary Logue and published by Houghton Mifflin Books for Children, an imprint of
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company
“Surrounded
with dreamlike images of crowns, ornate patterns and repeated visual motifs,
her parents coax her into bed. Using mixed media artwork on wood enhanced with
computer illustrations, this is a whimsical story with universal appeal.”
(available at Tattered Cover Books, Colorado's beautiful independent bookstores)
2013 NEWBERY WINNER: What's as beautiful as Charlotte’s
Web and as sweet as George and Martha (with
writing for middle-grade readers)? It's Katherine Applegate'sTHE ONE AND ONLY IVAN and it’s
also the latest Newbery Winner as announced by the American Library Association
this week.
Ivan's tale is not told in third-person spider, or first-person
hippo; readers get the pleasure of enjoying the story straight from the
source--first person gorilla. Meet Ivan, a charming gorilla whose story
will make you laugh and cry. Ivan is a Silverback gorilla, and if you've
ever watched National Geographic, you know that Silverbacks are protectors.
Unfortunately Ivan has spent over thirty years starring in a circus
mall’s cheap production. There are no other gorillas to protect. But his
Silverback nature comes out when a baby elephant moves into the cage next door,
and Ivan is compelled to find a way to save her from a bleak future.
This is definitely a
book I will gift over and over again. It’s a story I can’t get out of my head,
and the fact that there is a real-life Ivan, makes it all the more
magical. Support Independent Book Sellers: (pick up a copy at Oblong Books in the Hudson Valley, Tattered Cover in Denver, CO, Boulder Bookstore in Boulder, CO or Book Passage in San Francisco, CA)
Honor book include:
SPLENDORS AND GLOOMCandlewick; 1 edition (August 28, 2012) by
Laura Amy Schlitz
The master puppeteer, Gaspare Grisini, is so
expert at manipulating his stringed puppets that they appear alive. Clara
Wintermute, the only child of a wealthy doctor, is spellbound by Grisini’s act
and invites him to entertain at her birthday party. Seeing his chance to make a
fortune, Grisini accepts and makes a splendidly gaudy entrance with caravan,
puppets, and his two orphaned assistants. Lizzie Rose and Parsefall are dazzled by the
Wintermute home. Clara seems to have everything they lack — adoring parents,
warmth, and plenty to eat. In fact, Clara’s life is shadowed by grief, guilt,
and secrets. When Clara vanishes that night, suspicion of kidnapping falls upon
the puppeteer and, by association, Lizzie Rose and Parsefall. As they seek to puzzle out Clara’s whereabouts,
Lizzie and Parse uncover Grisini’s criminal past and wake up to his evil
intentions. Fleeing London, they find themselves caught in a trap set by
Grisini’s ancient rival, a witch with a deadly inheritance to shed before it’s
too late.”
BOMB (Roaring
Brook Press 9/2012) by Steve Sheinkin
Balancing intersecting
threads of scientific discovery, political intrigue and military strategy,
“Bomb” is a riveting historical nonfiction drama. Sheinkin’s engaging narrative
explores the complex series of events that led to the creation of the ultimate
weapon and introduces many memorable personalities involved in the
pursuit."
"A hilarious Southern debut
with the kind of characters you meet once in a lifetime
Rising sixth grader Miss Moses LoBeau lives in
the small town of Tupelo Landing, NC, where everyone's business is fair game
and no secret is sacred. She washed ashore in a hurricane eleven years ago, and
she's been making waves ever since. Although Mo hopes someday to find her
"upstream mother," she's found a home with the Colonel--a café owner
with a forgotten past of his own--and Miss Lana, the fabulous café hostess. She
will protect those she loves with every bit of her strong will and tough
attitude. So when a lawman comes to town asking about a murder, Mo and her best
friend, Dale Earnhardt Johnson III, set out to uncover the truth in hopes of
saving the only family Mo has ever known.
Full of wisdom, humor, and grit, this timeless
yarn will melt the heart of even the sternest Yankee."
Flora and the Flamingo by Molly Idle offers a beautiful way to introduce your child to the art and dance of friendship. Due out from Chronicle Books in February, this wordless book is gorgeous enough to decorate the walls of a princess's bedroom. I wouldn't be surprised if Land of Nod or Pottery Barn Kids wanted to offer Flora decor in the future. But for now, Flora and the Flamingo is pure eye candy as well as the celebration of building friendships.
Have you spent years chasing the dream of seeing your book published? 2013 is NOT the year to give up; it's the year to rev up!
If you've tried to hook an agent or an editor without traction, don't take this as a sign to close shop and give up. Instead take it as an invitation to try things in a different manner.
PART ONE: ideas on how you can get out the rut that has left you without a book deal;
PART TWO: thirteen motivational quotes on determination.
Consider adding the following to your arsenal of ideas:
Join or start a critiquing group. You can start slow and join one of the many online critiquing groups, or you can take out an ad in a trade publication;
Attend a writer's conference. The SCBWI offers local and international conferences for children's book writers. Mystery writers can enjoy a conference offered by MWA, and Romance writers as well as many other genre specific writers can experience a great event through Writer's Digest annual conference;
Participate in schmoozes. Many writer's organizations offer free monthly or quarterly schmoozes. Topics include: creating compelling characters; writing query letters; first pages; etc.;
Read more books in your genre. If you want to write books for middle grade readers, read more books in that genre;
Ask your local librarian what needs are not being fulfilled;
Read a current craft book;
Attend a workshop;
Visit professional help sites like Dryden Books or The Purple Crayon to possibly engage in one of their service offerings;
Participate in a webinar. Travel is expensive, whereas a webinar is an event in which you can participate from the comfort of your living room. Google "writer's webinars" to find current listings;
Subscribe to a trade magazine to keep your creativity juices pumping;
Get business savvy and read blogs as well as Do's and Don't's Lists. There are a lot of blogs on how to write a query letter. Make sure your query letter follows guidelines. Make sure your manuscript is professionally formatted and ensure your word count is appropriate for the genre (i.e. I doubt a publisher would consider a 3000 word picture book when the word count limit is generally 500-1000 words max);
Participate in events to keep ideas fresh. For example you can visit Julie Hedlund's blog and learn how to participate in her 12x12 event for picture book writers. Here you will receive critiques and attention from some of the top agents in the industry;
Participate in online chat groups centered around your writing interest. Twitter offers great forums like #kidlitchat , #yalitchat and #indiechat. You simply set up a Twitter account, and enter #kidlitchat in the search to see when the chat groups meets (the kid lit group meets on Tuesday evenings at 6pm Pacific Time and 9 PM Eastern Standard Time);
Read books in your genre
Don't give up. I can't believe that a dream would be placed in your heart if you were not meant to pursue it, so read the "perseverance" quotes below and stay motivated. This is your year!
Participate in Julie Hedlund's event 12x12!!!
1.Perseverance is the hard work
you do after you get tired of doing the hard work you already did. - Newt
Gingrich
2.Others
can stop you temporarily - you are the only one who can do it permanently. -
Zig Ziglar
3.Our
greatest glory is not in never failing, but in rising up every time we fail. - Ralph
Waldo Emerson
4. The
difference between the impossible and the possible lies in a man's
determination.
- Tommy Lasorda
5. The
difference in winning and losing is most often not quitting. - Walt Disney
6. The
human spirit is stronger than anything that can happen to it. - C C Scott
7. Constant
dripping hollows out a stone. - Lucretius
8. It's
hard to beat a person that never gives up. - Babe Ruth
9. The
train to success usually runs on the track of determination. - Poh Yu
Khing
10. If you
have the will to win, you have achieved half your success; if you do not, you
have achieved half your failure. - David Ambrose
11.You may
have to fight a battle more than once to win it. - Margaret Thatcher
12.You've
got to get up every morning with determination if you're going to go to bed
with satisfaction. - George Lorimer
13.J.K. Rowling had twelve rejections, but she persevered…it’s
when she tried her thirteenth publishing
house that she got her yes!
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