The Maggie Project

A Letter from the Editor

2012-02-20T02:42:00.000-08:00

Dear Children's Writer,

Thank you for your submission. I think your article has potential, but before I can consider it for publication, it needs a few edits. Here are some reminders:

1. Spell out abbreviations.

2. Watch out for homonyms (for example: a horseman is a lone rider, not a loan rider).
3. Capitalize proper nouns (check The Chicago Manual of Style when in doubt).
4. Put movie titles, book titles, and scientific names of animals in italics.
5. Avoid fancy dialogue tags (he/she snorted, grimaced, etc.) Use: he/she said.
6. Make your writing lively and kid-friendly.
7. Format the bibliography correctly.
8. Use apostrophes correctly (for example: plural possessive is cats’; singular is cat’s).

You’ve taken time to research and write your manuscript. Now take the time to edit it. Put your work on the back burner for a few days and then read it again with fresh eyes.  Revise your work. Now, have a trusted friend read your manuscript. Have an expert check your facts. Edit again if necessary.  Remember: researching, good writing, and revising are all part of the submission process.

Send your work back to me with the subject line reading: Revision, nonfiction, title, and age group. I appreciate your hard work and look forward to reading your revision.  Please allow several weeks before checking on the status of your manuscript.

Cordially,

Randi Lynn Mrvos
Nonfiction Editor

Mind Over Matter Books

2012-02-13T02:21:00.000-08:00

Mind Over Matter (M.O.M.) Books are geared towards preschoolers to help them learn how to be resilient. Life comes at us fast and children have to be prepared with the right tools to face the challenges, adversity and obstacles that may become a part of their life. BELIEVE is the first of five books emphasizing the important factors for resiliency. In this book children will learn to BELIEVE in their possibilities!

Kasey Kellem guest blogs today and shares the message behind her Mind Over Matter books:

In my first book Believe, children will learn to use the Mind Over Matter techinque of BELIEVING they can overcome anything! Through whimsical illustrations and simple wording children are given ideas of what to believe in life. The goal is to have children believe they can overcome any obstacle, challenge, or adversity they face. From this book, children will hopefully learn to believe in their potential and believe in themselves.

The best part about my book is that it was created in a unique and creative way that allows it to stand on its own and serve as a decoration on a shelf or a desk. This allows for the child to be constantly reminded to "Believe" just like I am reminded in my home and office with the wooden motivational words that say "Believe," "Love," "Relax," and "Dream."

Another bonus of the book is that hidden on each page is a caterpillar who also illustrates how to believe. This makes the book interactive for young children as they search for the caterpillar and see how he believes! Finally, included in each book is a page of simple parental advice on how to help children to believe in themselves.

As a school and a former special education teacher, I have always been intrigued by childrens' resiliency skills. My Mind Over Matter books help teach young children the fundamental of being resilient. Through much research and a few college degrees, I've learned that the characteristics of resilient people include the ability:

To BELIEVE they will get through the circumstance

To realize that people LOVE them

To LAUGH at the funny things in life

To RELAX and make time for themselves

To have a DREAM or goals in life

My mission in life is to help children to be prepared for all that life is going to offer them. I hope my book Believe gives children one tool to use when facing any challenge or adversity. The additional books, Love, Laugh, Relax, and Dream will offer the same kind of supportive message and purpose.

Get a sneak peek of the book BELIEVE and listen to an interview with Kasey Crawford Kellem at http://youtu.be/L_PPnSHXzzY

About the Author: Kasey Crawford Kellem, a School Counselor and former Special Education Teacher, has devoted her life to helping children face adversity. Kasey created Mind Over Matter (M.O.M.) books to teach children skills to overcome life’s challenges. She has earned a Bachelor’s Degree and Masters Degree in Special Education and an Educational Specialist Degree in Counseling. She is a devoted wife, stepmother, sister, daughter and counselor.

You can find out more about Kasey Crawford Kellem’s World of Ink Author/Book Tour schedule at http://storiesforchildrenpublishing.com/KaseyKellem.aspx. There will be giveaways, reviews, interviews, guest posts and more. Make sure to stop by and interact with Kellem and the hosts at the different stops by leaving comments and/or questions. You will be entered into the main the Book Giveaway each time.

In addition, come listen on February 20, 2012 to Blog Talk Radio’s World of Ink Network show: Stories for Children at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/worldofinknetwork. The hosts VS Grenier and Irene Roth will be chatting with Kasey Crawford Kellem about her M.O.M Books, writing, helping children to be resilient and her experiences. The show airs live February 20, 2012 at 2pm EST. You can listen/call in at (714) 242-5259.(Note: if you can’t make the show, you can listen on demand at the same link.)

To learn more about the World of Ink Tours visit: http://worldofinknetwork.blogspot.com

To purchase any of Kasey Crawford Kellem’s books, visit Halo Publishing: www.halopublishing.com

Unbelievable

2012-02-08T03:44:00.000-08:00

photo by James Bowe

Maggie and the First Grade Blues is the not the first picture book story that I’ve ever written. There have been several others. I am very proud of those stories and many have won awards. One of the stories, When Sheep Won’t Leap, was written in rhyme. This picture book manuscript was critiqued by an editor at Dial Books for Young People following an Editor’s Day conference. One of her suggestions: make sure that the rhymes are spot on.

After revising it accordingly, I submitted it to many publishers. But as the rejections rolled in, I finally decided to shelve it. This piece was going nowhere. No one was interested in it; no one would ever read it. Then many months later, I learned about a poetry contest sponsored by the Institute of Children's Literature (ICL). This respectable establishment offered a poetry contest. I thought about my rhyming picture book. Maybe, just maybe it might be worth editing again for this contest.

The guidelines stated that the word count should be less than 300 words. That meant a few stanzas needed to be omitted. But this threw off the rhyming scheme, so I referred to a synonym dictionary (once more) to make sure I had perfect rhymes. After several revisions, I thought it was complete. Then I asked myself: would this entry stand out above the others? That’s when I took a critical look at the stanzas. The lines were ordinary. Nothing special. I needed to create a unique look. So, I started toying with the shape of words and found that I could illustrate action by using different sized fonts and by arranging letter placement. Afterward, the poem took on a new life. A reader could envision the movements of Ella and her sheep.

Regardless of the outcome of the contest, I was proud of this story. I put it out of my mind until the the unbelievable happened. Three months later, two emails, and one contest winner. When Sheep Won’t Leap won first place. This month, an interview and my rhyming story appears in the ICL newsletter, The Children’s Writer.

This is what I learned from the experience.

Never give up.

Edit, edit, edit.

Continue to showcase your work.

Make your work unique.

Believe in yourself.

I never would have guessed that my story would be read by others. Now, thousands of people will read it and learn how the story came about. I’m leaping with joy, just like Ella’s sheep!

Hope Marston's Inspiration

2012-02-06T02:29:00.000-08:00

Author Hope Marston reveals her many sources of inspiration:

I was inspired to become a writer by my mother, an inveterate reader. My interest grew when my oldest sibling, who also read voraciously, gave me my first two books. Further nourishment came when the county bookmobile visited the country school that I attended. That book buffet, served up by the driver, created an appetite for more. I decided right then that someday I would write a book.

In high school I volunteered as a student library aide. When I wanted to read a book that our library didn’t own, I sneaked down town on my lunch hour to the public library. I went off to college with very limited funds. I worked my way through four years of undergraduate studies doing most every campus job available. I enjoyed being a library aide most.

About forty years ago I began taking writing courses by correspondence. One of the instructors encouraged me to find a local outlet for my writing. I became a “stringer” for the Lewiston (ME) Daily Sun. My first stand-alone publication was a child’s daily devotional booklet published by Child Evangelism Fellowship.

While I was studying with the Institute of Children’s Literature, my husband and I moved to New York State. When I became a school librarian, my junior high students asked for books about trucking careers. Trucks, Trucking and You was written for them (1978). That book spawned eight more books about big machines.

My Little Book Series introduces children to nature. The first title was inspired by a line drawing I saw in an Animal Rehab Newsletter. My Little Book of Bald Eagles is the eighth one.

Against the Tide: The Valor of Margaret Wilson features Margaret Wilson. Margaret lived in 17^th century Scotland and died for her beliefs which conflicted with King Charles II. I “met” Margaret when I was proofing a manuscript for a publishing house.

My husband learned about an eleven-year musher named Aisling Shepherd, when he was reading the online daily newspaper from back home. I worked with Aisling to tell her inspirational story of courage and resolve. Eye on the Iditarod: Aisling’s Quest was released this past December.

Where do I get my inspiration? From other readers, writers, and interesting people whom I meet when I read.

About the Author: Hope Irvin Marston is a member of the New York State Retired Teachers, the Greater Thousand Islands Literacy Council, the Jeff-Lewis Librarians Association, and the Adirondack Center for Writing, the St. Lawrence County Arts Council, the North Country Arts Council and SCBWI. She organized the Black River Valley Writers Club and served as its leader for several years.

In addition to writing thirty-two children’s books and several adult titles, Hope has been on staff for Christian Writers Conferences at Hephzibah Heights (MA), Montrose Bible Conference (PA) and at St. Davids Christian Writers Conference at Beaver Falls, PA. She has taught creative writing workshops at Jefferson Community College, the Jefferson-Lewis Teacher Center and the North Country Arts Council.

Her picture book series, MY LITTLE BOOK COLLECTION (Windward), has grown to eight titles thus far and has 125,000 books in print.

You can find out more about Hope Irvin Marston’s World of Ink Author/Book Tour schedule at http://storiesforchildrenpublishing.com/HopeIrvinMarston.aspx. There will be giveaways, reviews, interviews, guest posts and more. Make sure to stop by and interact with Marston and the hosts at the different stops by leaving comments and/or questions. For each comment, you will be entered into the big Giveaway at the end of the tour.

In addition, come listen on February 6, 2012 to Blog Talk Radio’s World of Ink Network show: Stories for Children at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/worldofinknetwork. The hosts VS Grenier and Irene Roth will be chatting with Hope Irvin Marston about her books, writing, the publishing industry and experiences. The show will air live February 6, 2012 at 2pm EST. You can listen/call in at (714) 242-5259. (Note: if you can’t make the show, you can listen on demand at the same link.)

To learn more about the World of Ink Tours visit: http://worldofinknetwork.blogspot.com

Picture Book Craft Intensive Webinar

2012-01-30T03:41:00.000-08:00

Earlier this month, I discovered that Writer's Digest was sponsoring an intriguing online workshop. Literary agent Mary Kole would be giving an hour and a half webinar. The fee also included a critique of one picture book. What an opportunity—I immediately registered.

A week later, I sat in front of my computer with the speakers turned on waiting for the session to begin.  Moments later Mary introduced herself and dove into her discussion. She started by explaining the word count for picture books. She said that most picture books are well under 1000 words—700 words is good, 500 is even better. She stressed the importance and the performance of page turns. Next, Mary offered the audience some tips in writing an irresistible query letter:  make the editor care, describe what the main character wants most, and touch on the action that launches the story.

Before the webinar ended, Mary read an assortment of picture books. Here, I learned what makes a great story. I also learned about the kinds of stories that touch Mary's heart. It was amazing listening to her reaction to words. I could just imagine her smiling.

I loved this webinar and would suggest that you consider registering for one too, should you find one that meets your needs. Taking the webinar forced me to take a critical look at one of my favorite picture book manuscripts. Just when I thought it was ready to be submitted to publishers, I felt that I had to make my page turns more compelling. I also had to reduce the word count. And so, I edited the manuscript accordingly.

Several weeks later, I submitted it to Mary for a critique. I'll have to wait patiently (90 days). She has over 300 critiques to read.   But when she gets to mine, I'm hoping that this story, the characters, and the concept will touch Mary's heart. I am hoping it will make her smile.

Uplifting Young Learners

2012-01-23T02:43:00.000-08:00

Molly Nero discusses the inspiration behind her book:

Teaching children of elementary age has been my life, so it makes sense that Smarty Pig is set in that environment. Teaching 4th grade awakened my love of writing. As I encouraged and nurtured my students in their own writing, my own abilities were strengthened. Being critiqued by ten year-olds was very humbling, but allowed me to make sure that I was relating to them as my audience.

Moving from the classroom to the music room brought changes not only to my teaching, but to my relationship to my students who ranged from kindergarteners to 5^th graders now.

I was never your “typical” music teacher. I would start class with everyone dancing along to the beat of an “Alvin and the Chipmunks” song with arms flailing and feet jumping. Flinging music papers across the room to pass them out was another way to allow my students to escape from the structured classroom into my spontaneous music room. Every child wore smiles from ear to ear. I worked hard to create a classroom where kids could talk to me about their frustrations concerning different things, and that has given voice to my writing.

During the state testing schedule, students would arrive for music absolutely drained and despondent. The idea for Smarty Pig came from hearing students express their growing apathy toward school after several days of taking these tests. Testing was taking over the creativity and joy of learning. As the years passed, I heard this from younger and younger students.

My object in Smarty Pig is to uplift our youngest learners early in their academic life to see the value and fun in learning. She gives learning a purpose in the lives of her family, making it important and relevant. Other Smarty Pig stories will be dealing with more situations and frustrations that young students deal with like test-taking anxiety and bullying. What was my inspiration for Smarty Pig? The students that I have been blessed to teach for so many years. They are my inspiration.

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Book Lovers Blog Hop:

Make friends, share the love of reading and be entered to win a FREE book!

All you have to do is post the Book Lovers Blog Hop and World of Ink Tour Banners below to your blog. Promote the Book Lovers Hop and the January '12 World of Ink Tour on any social network. Tweet it once a day, share on Facebook and then follow others back that leave you a comment. By joining the Book Lovers Blog Hop, you are automatically entered in our Book Giveaway!

What is a blog hop?
A blog hop is a link list that is SHARED ON MULTIPLE BLOGS. When several blogs put the same link list code on their blog, the exact same list appears on each blog.

Blog visitors can submit their entries on any blog that contains the list. The entries will appear on each blog where the list resides.

Blog readers see the same list on each blog, and can "HOP" from blog to blog seeing the same list of links to follow: BLOG HOP!

There will be three (3) winners and each will get a different book in the Book Giveaway.

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Book Giveaway Rules:

· Join the Book Lovers Blog Hop. (One entry)
· Follow the World of Ink Tour and leave a comment per tour blog stop.
Make sure to include your safe email so we can contact you if you are the winner.
Example: vsgrenier AT storiesforchildrenpublishing DOT com. (One bonus entry per blog stop)
· Ask a question per World of Ink Tour blog stop. (One bonus entry per tour blog stop)

Please play nice and follow our simple rules! Make sure to FOLLOW AT LEAST ONE PERSON and as many other blogs as you'd like to have more follow back. This is what makes Book Lovers Blog Hop work, so if you're not willing to follow, please don't link up.

Remember to leave a comment on the blogs you follow to let them know you found them here at FAMILIES MATTER, and if someone follows you, be sure to follow back. If you follow us and leave a comment, we'll definitely follow you too!

Book Lovers Blog Hop is Open…

January 2, 2012 at 12am MST and closes January 31, 2012 at 11pm MST!

Diary of My Days in Kenya

2012-01-16T05:13:00.000-08:00

Rachel Yurchisin is the author of Diary of My Days in Kenya. Her love of science and nature inspired her to write a children’s book in the hopes of passing on her passion to other young "budding" naturalists. She is currently a sophomore in high school and resides in Cleveland, Ohio. Rachel participates in educational programs at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo and the Museum of Natural History.

The inspiration behind the book began when Rachel was in elementary school. Rachel's fifth grade teacher Sister Elizabeth gave the class an assignment to write a story appropriate for their age group. Rachel says, "The book took a lot of research for a fifth grader, but I got an A+ on the assignment."

The actual story line came from the Plain Dealer newspaper. Rachel used friends' names and names of famous tennis players for characters in the book. The animal characters in the book received their names from Swahili, the main language of Kenya, because those words reflected their attitudes and demeanors. Rachel revealed that the protagonist's name, Susan Polling, was randomly selected from a phonebook.

Rachel admits that she had forgotten about Diary of My Days in Kenya until the summer of 2010. While she and her mother were cleaning out some grade school boxes, they found the story. Rachel says, "We decided to send it in to a publisher, Halo Publishing, and the rest is history."

Synopsis:

Diary of My Days in Kenya is a fictional story loosely based upon the real life occurrences of a nomadic lioness who nurtures baby oryx as if they were her own young. During a drought, the naturalist Susan Polling and other professionals are sent on assignment to observe and document this special pairing. Polling offers readers interesting insights as to why this unique phenomenon has transpired. The story explores how the traditional relationship of predator and prey is transcended, presenting a spellbinding account of how a parental bond—even a non-traditional one—can never be broken.

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January 2, 2012 at 12am MST and closes January 31, 2012 at 11pm MST!

Maryann B. Sawka Guest Blog

2012-01-09T02:55:00.000-08:00

Today, Maryann B. Sawka shares her views on inspiration as well as the incident that prompted her to write a book.

Writing a book is hard work! Sometimes the words flow easily from your mind directly to your keyboard or pad and pencil, while at other times you suffer from the dreaded “writer’s block” and go to amazing lengths to unblock the block. Perhaps your unblock is to venture out for a walk, literally walking away from the project to clear your mind and refresh your senses by focusing your energy on an unrelated task. Maybe you are the type of person who relishes the calm, soothing movements of yoga to relax and refocus your mind. By pushing the writing from the forefront of your mind and releasing it into your subconscious thoughts, you are giving yourself permission to become inspired.

Inspiration is a key component in most of what we do in our daily lives. Imagine that you are inspired by a pair fashionable shoes that are priced beyond today’s balance in your checkbook, so you go to work each day in hopes that the shoes will inspire you to deliver an excellent product so that you can afford the new shoes that call your name with each passing glance in the store window. Inspiration keeps us going even when we dream of giving up. Inspiration is the hook that draws us in even when we have thoughts of turning the other way. Inspiration is what changes an impossible task into a mere challenge.

When I began writing my book, Good Table Manners Made Easy, I was inspired by a negative that I hoped to turn into a positive. As a parent of two young children, I occasionally found myself spending time in fast-food restaurants that offer “play places” where children can unwind while waiting for their meal or release some energy after enjoying their meal. It was during one of these outings when I realized that as parents, we often throw our children into social situations without always teaching them the rules of appropriate behavior. They are involved in activities with people who are around their same size and age, but not always with the same skill set for socializing. Without teaching them how to behave and interact appropriately, how can we expect them to act in an acceptable manner?

This was clearly brought to my attention during an outing with my daughter who was around five-years old at the time. She was going about her business of playing, going up the stairs and down the slides, having a good time when another child in the play area rushed up to her with a mouthful of food and screamed in her face. The look on my daughter’s face was a strange combination of shock, revulsion and disgust as she politely told the young gentleman that he “should not talk with food in his mouth.” Bravo, I thought! She did not dissolve into a fit of tears or run to me for safety. She shared her thoughts in a polite manner and went on about her business of climbing up the stairs and sliding down the slides without seeming to give the incident another thought. I casually turned to look at the young gentleman with the mouthful of food who was still standing with his mouth hanging open after my daughter’s comments were made to him. His mother was involved in a discussion with another parent and didn’t notice the incident. After swallowing his mouthful of food, he returned to his table where he finally decided to eat his meal while sitting down.

I decided that if my daughter could share a brief manners lesson with a peer, that I could help her by educating others in the lessons of appropriate behavior and manners. My daughter inspired me to be a voice for better behavior that helps our society be the best that we can, putting forward positive interactions that build strong characters full of self-confidence and ambitions to be better.

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Book Lovers Blog Hop:

Make friends, share the love of reading and be entered to win a FREE book!

There will be three (3) winners and each will get a different book in the Book Giveaway.

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Book Lovers Blog Hop is Open…

January 2, 2012 at 12am MST and closes January 31, 2012 at 11pm MST!

Leaning on an Expert

2012-01-02T03:12:00.000-08:00

You decide to write a nonfiction article for children. You research a topic using reliable sources: newspaper and journal articles as well as current books and websites. After you’ve written your article, you edit it for grammar and enlist the aid of someone you trust to review your work. All done and ready to submit to an editor? Not yet. Have you checked your facts?

One of the best ways to have your facts verified is through an expert. Search the Internet to see if you can locate and contact one of the sources you have used in your research. Ask her politely if she would have time to review your piece for accuracy. Mention your topic, the audience, and the publication for which you plan to pitch. Thank her for her consideration and add that you’d give her credit for her expertise.

It’s your choice whether you use an expert or not; however, I highly recommend it. From my experience as a writer, I learned the hard way that some Internet sources and even some “reliable” print sources are not always trustworthy. In fact, if it hadn’t been for an expert who had reviewed one of my articles, I may have submitted a piece that contained some erroneous information. Likewise, from the standpoint as an editor, I would recommend that authors have their work reviewed by an expert. Knowing a manuscript has been evaluated by an expert gives me faith that the facts have been accurately presented.

Keep in mind that experts can offer you more than just checking the facts. They can point out material that ought to be re-worded or omitted. They can provide better explanations and more in-depth views on the topic that you may not have found through your research. They can offer you some amazing quotes in which their personalities shine through—and editors love that!

Mentioning in a cover letter that your manuscript has been reviewed by an expert will impress an editor. She’ll know that she can count on your research. In fact, she may be more likely to send you an acceptance. She’ll know that you’ve gone the extra mile to make sure your facts are correct.

The Maggie Project

2011-12-25T14:36:00.000-08:00

The Maggie Project (but not the blog) has come to a close. I’ve achieved my goal: I’ve submitted my picture book manuscript to 30 publishers and 15 agents, and I’ve entered it into five contests. Though I’ve received rejections, the book has earned 3 awards and has earned positive feedback.

Here’s the lesson. Fiction is subjective. It’s a personal taste whether an agent or an editor is going to like it or not. I believe however, that writing and submitting Maggie and the First Grade Blues has not been a waste of time. It’s helped me to improve my writing (character, voice, and plot) and to get in touch with agents I feel that one day may offer me representation. It's helped me plant a stepping stone along the path to publication.

I will continue to blog: offering writing advice, reviewing books, giving details of my writing life, and sponsoring guest blogs. I hope you will continue to follow and contribute. The blog may be re-named. Stay posted! My sincere thanks goes out to all of my supporters. I urge you all to continue to write, to submit to publishers even in the face of rejection, and to forever follow your dreams.

Writer's News

2011-12-19T05:55:00.000-08:00

photo by Lucas
Maggie and the First Grade Blues has been sent to thirty editors and fifteen agents. Though I've received positive comments and feedback, I've yet to find an interested editor or agent. Here are the latest results:

I received no word from Sterling or KRBY creations. Dancing with Bears Publishing editor sent me an email saying that the call for picture books is temporarily closed due to an enormous amount of submissions.

I had little success with agents. I received no reply from Paul Rodeen or from Jessica Sinsheimer from Writeoncon. However, Red Fox Literary agent Karen Grencik sent a very nice email saying:

"I've now had the chance to read this outstanding manuscript, which I enjoyed very much. I can see why it has won so many awards. It is fresh, heartfelt, and it covers an important topic. It is the picture book you were meant to write." She goes on to say that "The picture book market is so incredibly difficult right now. I don't know who would be the right editor for this; I must pass.”

Her feedback, as well as encouraging comments from others, is rare and precious. Nonetheless, I must put Maggie on the back burner. I have written another picture book that I feel more passionate about and will focus my efforts on this project. Please stay tuned for more on this new project and on the future direction of this blog.

The Sounds of Silence

2011-12-12T03:40:00.000-08:00

You write an article, submit it to an editor, wait two to three months, and then...never receive a reply. Has this ever happened to you?

As a writer, I make every attempt to pitch my articles professionally. Most of the time, I’ve been blessed with acceptances. But occasionally, I get no response, not a word from an editor. Oh, the silent rejection. Granted, many editors have adopted the policy that no word means no thank you. But I can’t help but wonder—Did an editor actually read my submission or is my submission lost in cyber-space?

From the SCBWI Bulletin:

SCBWI President Stephen Mooser and Executive Director Lin Oliver feel that “Surely in this age of auto-response and other electronically sophisticated means, a quick and easy response click is readily available and would mean a great deal to writers who are trying to conduct their careers in a businesslike way.”

At least, I’m not alone. Other (more important) people feel the way I do when it comes to responding to a submission.

After the waiting period, it is acceptable to send a follow-up letter to inquire about the submission. Recently, I did just that. In fact, an editor replied that my work was being considering for publication. But a few more months passed. No response.

Writers must face the cold, hard facts:
No word after the standard 2 - 3 months = (usually in most cases) rejection.

But don't let that discourage you. Find other markets. Keep submitting. Persevere.

The Waiting Game

2011-12-05T03:45:00.000-08:00

You submitted an article to a children’s magazine. You’ve waited a month and no reply. But you’re dying of curiosity. Did the editor receive your submission? If so, does she like it? What is taking her so long to make a publication decision?

It can take up to five months before an author receives word of an acceptance at Stories for Children. While other publications state in their guidelines that reviewing submissions take eight to twelve weeks, notification can drag on for a longer period of time if the work is being seriously considered for publication. And again, we’re talking months.

Waiting to hear back from an editor can be agonizing. What can you do? Re-read the contributor’s guidelines. Sometimes, an editor will modify them throughout the year. The publishing house may have changed their submission policy. However, if you have waited the specified amount of time as indicated, I would encourage you to send a follow-up email. Keep the message short and mention the title and the date of your submission. Politely ask the editor if she’s made a decision on your manuscript.

Here are some things you can do during the waiting period:
Start a new article.
Catch up on reading writer's magazines and newsletters.
Write posts for your blog.
Read books on the craft of writing.
Work on a piece for a writing contest.

Writers must be patient. Waiting is part of the writing life. Stay positive and stay busy as you play the waiting game.

Mary Tudor, "Bloody Mary"

2011-11-28T03:39:00.000-08:00

Gretchen Mauer shares the backstory of her book:

Mary Tudor, “Bloody Mary” is one of six biographies written for 9 to 13-year-olds in the series, The Thinking Girl’s Treasury of Dastardly Dames. Out of the six women in the series, I was most interested in writing about Mary Tudor, the first reigning queen of England, because to me she had the most brutal-sounding nickname. I wanted to learn more about why and how she earned it, and whether or not she deserved it. I also wanted to gain a deeper understanding of what her childhood was like, and what if any good she did for the people of England.

Mary Tudor, a devout Catholic, was the first woman to be in charge of all major decisions in England. She ruled from 1553-1558, during a brutal time in history when all European rulers had blood on their hands, including her father, King Henry VIII, and her sister, who ruled after her, Queen Elizabeth.

As soon as Mary became queen, she acted on her mission to bring all people in England back to the Catholic Church. She believed, like many other Catholics at the time, that Protestants would go directly to hell after they died and remain there forever. Moreover, she felt that if she did not bring all people in England back to the Catholic Church, society would fall apart. Friends would turn on friends, neighbors on neighbors. She encouraged Protestants to recant, but if they refused, she ordered their executions. Throughout her five-year reign, she burned 284 Protestants at the stake.

Mary Tudor, ‘"Bloody Mary" tells about how Mary Tudor came to power (her childhood was not short on jaw-dropping drama), how she used her power, and why. It’s definitely a book that makes you think. It puts the information out there, the good and the bad, and leaves the reader to decide whether or not Mary Tudor deserved her nickname, "Bloody Mary." Was she was a product of her time, a wicked woman at heart, or a little bit of both?

You can contact Gretchen at gretmau@yahoo.com. More information about her book can be found on her publisher’s website at http://goosebottombooks.com/site/BookDetail_s2b3.php, or my Mary Tudor Facebook book page at http://www.facebook.com/MaryTudorBloodyMary.]

Meet Author Jewel Kats

2011-11-21T02:33:00.000-08:00

Stories for Children Publishing is touring author Jewel Kats and her two children’s books, Cinderella’s Magical Wheelchair and What Do Use to Help Your Body?

Jewel Kats is an award-winning writer. She’s also one tough cookie. At the age of nine, Jewel endured a car accident. Her physical abilities altered forever. She spent weeks in the Hospital for Sick Children recovering, has survived eight leg surgeries, and currently walks with a cane. (Note: It’s fashionably handpainted!) Nothing stops Jewel. For six years, she penned a syndicated teen advice column for Scripps-Howard News Service and TorStar Syndication Services. Jewel has earned $20,000 in scholarships from Global Television Network and Harlequin Enterprises Ltd. She’s penned three children’s books, including: Reena’s Bollywood Dream, What Do You Use to Help Your Body? and her latest book Cinderella’s Magical Wheelchair.

Cinderella’s Magical Wheelchair

In a Kingdom far, far away lives Cinderella. As expected, she slaves away for her cranky sisters and step-mother. She would dearly love to attend the Royal costume ball and meet the Prince, but her family is totally dead set against it. In fact, they have gone so far as to trash her wheelchair! An unexpected magical endowment to her wheelchair begins a truly enchanted evening and a dance with the Prince. Can true love be far behind?

What Do You Use to Help Your Body?

Maggie and Momma love going for walks. During every outing, Maggie learns about something new. Today is no different! Momma has arranged for Maggie to meet lots of people in her neighborhood. They all have different jobs. They all come from different cultures. They all use different things to help thier bodies. Maggie doesn't just stop to chit-chat. Rather, she gets to the bottom of things. By asking the right question, she discovers how many people with disabilites use aids to help them out.

You can find out more about Jewel Kats’ World of Ink Author/Book Tour schedule athttp://storiesforchildrenpublishing.com/JewelKats.aspx. There will be giveaways, reviews, interviews, guest posts and more. Make sure to stop by and interact with Kats and the hosts at the different stops by leaving comments and/or questions.

In addition, come listen to Blog Talk Radio’s World of Ink Network show: Stories for Children at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/worldofinknetwork. The hosts VS Grenier, Kris Quinn Chirstopherson and Irene Roth will be chatting with Jewel Kats about her books, writing, the publishing industry and experiences with virtual tours. Kats will also be sharing writing tips and trials, and tribulations of the writer’s life. The show will be live November 7, 2011 at 2pm EST.

The Back Story of Cixi

2011-11-14T04:10:00.000-08:00

Natasha Yim chose to write about Cixi, The Dragon Empress because she wanted to know more about this period in Chinese history. Moreover, she had been more and more interested in getting back to her cultural roots and heritage—and her writing reflects just that. Yim was intrigued with this fascinating, complex woman. Cixi was handcuffed as a ruler in many ways by the cultural traditions and biases of her time. There was such upheaval during her reign that her responses or lack thereof changed the political landscape of China forever.

Yim hopes that kids can read this book and know that women can have power, but with great power comes great responsibility. Whether we’re men or women, the decisions we make can have lasting consequences.

Here's a description of the book:
Cixi, The Dragon Empress is about the last empress of China whose alleged greed and lust for power brought down the Ching Dynasty that had ruled China for 260 years, and ended a 5,000 year-old imperial system. Cixi ruled China for about 50 years, at a time when women had very little say at all. In fact, as a woman, she couldn't be seen as governing. So she had to give orders from behind the emperor's throne, shielded by a yellow silk screen. She then had to make it look like the emperor's male advisors were really the ones in charge by saying, "I leave it to you".

Cixi was bad tempered and flew into terrible rages, sometimes gouging servants with her six-inch long fingernails (a fashion statement for noble women.) She spent lavishly on clothes and jewelry while the people of China suffered floods, famine, and starvation. She was also accused of poisoning rivals. Her dastardly deeds earned her the nickname, The Dragon Empress.

The book, as in all the books in the series, questions whether the women really deserve their wicked nicknames. Were they unjustly vilified because they were women in power? The books also ask kids to consider the long-term consequences of name-calling. In Cixi's case, some of the dastardly rumors whispered about her were not true, or at least there was no evidence to support them, but they have stuck with her for over 100 years.

You can find out more about Natasha Yim and Gretchen Maurer’s World of Ink Author/Book Tour schedule at http://storiesforchildrenpublishing.com/YimandMaurer.aspx. There will be giveaways, reviews, interviews, guest posts and more. Make sure to stop by and interact with Yim and Maurer, along with the hosts at the different stops by leaving comments and/or questions.

In addition, come listen to Blog Talk Radio’s World of Ink Network show: Stories for Children at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/worldofinknetwork. The hosts VS Grenier, Kris Quinn Chirstopherson and Irene Roth will be chatting with Natasha Yim and Gretchen Maurer about their books, writing, the publishing industry and experiences with virtual tours. Yim and Maurer will also be sharing writing tips and trials, and tribulations of the writer’s life. The show will be live November 14, 2011 at 2pm EST.

Writing in Rhyme

2011-11-07T04:06:00.000-08:00

Karen Cioffi's bedtime picture book, Day’s End Lullaby, is based entirely on a rhyming poem/song that she wrote when her first born was about a year old. Her baby had trouble sleeping, so Karen made up lyrics which were soothing and flowing—and rhyming so that it would hold her baby's attention and help lull her to sleep. It’s begins:

“Now it’s time to close your eyes my dear.
Beside you lies your favorie bear.
The sun has set; it’s out of view.
The moon’s now shining bright for you.”

While she admits she's not a rhyming expert, the poem/lullaby does the trick. It really does sooth little ones and helps them settle down for sleep.

Karen's advice on writing rhyming books:

Rhyming, when done right, is a wonderful way to engage children. Children, as soon as they’re able, love to rhyme words. This can begin as early as two-years old: cat-hat, mouse-house, poopie-boobie (you get the idea.) But, to write a rhyming story—a well written rhyming story—is difficult. You need a good story, rhyme, rhythm/beat, meter, stresses, and more—all this in addition to the already unique rules and tricks in writing for children. And, some writers just don’t have that innate ability to do rhyme well. But, it can be learned.

According to Delia Marshall Turner, Ph.D., the elements of poetry are:

Voice (the speaker)

Stanza (the formatting of grouped lines)
Sound (rhyme/patterns)
Rhythm (the beat and meter – pattern of stressed/unstressed syllables)
Figures of Speech (types of figurative language)
Form (type of poem, its design)

Along with this there is perfect rhyme, and approximate rhyme:
Perfect rhyme: tie/lie; stay/day
Approximate rhyme: top/cope; comb/tomb

There are also many other bits and pieces related to writing poetry/ rhyme. But, the foundation that holds it all together is the story itself—you need a good story, especially when writing for children.

According to the article, “To Rhyme or Not to Rhyme” by Dori Chaconas, in the Writer Magazine, October 2001: “You may write in perfect rhyme, with perfect rhythm, but if your piece lacks the elements of a good story, your efforts will be all fluff without substance. I like to think of story as the key element, and if the story is solid, and conducive to rhyme, the rhyme will then enhance the story.”

Karen Cioffi is a published author, ghostwriter, and editor.
You can find out more about Karen and her books at:
http://karencioffi.com (author site)
http://karencioffiwritingandmarketing.com (writing and marketing information and services)
http://daysendlullaby.blogspot.com (Day’s End Lullaby information and reviews)
http://walkingthroughwalls-kcioffi.blogspot.com (middle-grade fantasy adventure, Walking Through Walls)

Karen’s newsletter, A Writer’s World, offers useful writing and book marketing information and strategies. Subscribe today and get two e-books on writing and/or marketing.

You can find out more about Karen Cioffi’s World of Ink Author/Book Tour schedule at http://storiesforchildrenpublishing.com/KarenCioffi.aspx.
There will be giveaways, reviews, interviews, guest posts and more. Make sure to stop by and interact with Karen and the hosts at the different stops by leaving comments and/or questions.

In addition, come listen to Blog Talk Radio’s World of Ink Network show: Stories for Children at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/worldofinknetwork. The hosts VS Grenier, Kris Quinn Chirstopherson and Irene Roth will be chatting with Karen Cioffi about her books, writing, the publishing industry and experiences with virtual tours. Karen will also be sharing writing tips and trials, and tribulations of the writer’s life. The show will be live November 21, 2011 at 2pm EST.

A Glimmer of Goodness

2011-10-31T02:49:00.000-07:00

It doesn’t take much

to bring a writer down:
a rejection,
no response to a follow-up,
few markets to pitch a nicely-written piece.

At times, the world of writing seems grim.

And yet, through it all

a writer emails you
an image,
(no words)
just an image of candles
burning so brilliantly you can almost
feel the warmth of the glow—
a heartfelt Diwali greeting,

or, another writer sends a comment:

she likes your latest post

(the one you spent hours
editing,
getting the words down
just right).

No doubt, there are days when the writing world is grim
yet sometimes, sometimes, a glimmer of goodness
shines down, spreads its warmth
when you least expect it,
when you need it the most.

Entering Contests

2011-10-24T04:30:00.000-07:00

Maggie and the First Grade Blues has won three picture book awards. That said, you’d think I’d have editors knocking down my door to publish my book. Not so. It takes more than winning writing contests to get a picture book published—it takes a lot of love.

This is what I recently discovered after attending Editor’s Day in Lexington, Kentucky and WriteOnCon online. An editor has got to go gaga about a book if she wants to publish it. She’s got to love it so much it pierces her heart. It’s the kind of love that impels her to gush about it to everyone she knows. If she is not passionate about it, she won’t recommend it to the acquisitions team, no matter how many awards it’s won.

At first, I felt discouraged. Why bother to enter contests if a manuscript fails to interest editors? But then I realized there are many advantages. Here are a few benefits to entering contests:

Offers writers a challenge

Encourages writers to create an outstanding piece
Puts a writer’s work before a judge
Requires a writer to follow the guidelines
Can build a writer’s resume

These five benefits may prepare you before submitting your work to editors. So what are you waiting for?

Look online or in writer’s magazines for a listing of contests. Search for a contest that charges a small fee, something like twenty-five dollars or less. Find a contest with a deadline that is far enough in advance so that it allows you time to perfect your work. Then, go to it. Strive to write an exceptional piece or edit another one you have in the works. Have a trusted friend read your work to guarantee it is free of grammar mistakes. Double check those contest guidelines. Submit your entry.

Consider submitting to more than one contest. Enter the same manuscript or create a different piece. Regardless of the result, know that you’ve accomplished an important goal that will help you in the future. One day your manuscript just may capture an award and quite possibly, capture the heart of an editor.

Writer's News

2011-10-17T03:40:00.000-07:00

photo by Lucas

It's been a little over a year since I first began submitting Maggie and the First Grade Blues. Here is the update on my picture book submissions:

I submitted to Bloomsbury Children’s Books, Peachtree, Chronicle, Star Bright Books, and Harcourt Children’s Books. After the standard three month waiting period, I received no word and conclude that these publishers have passed on my book. Kira Lynn with Editorial Department of Kane Miller responded that my picture book was not right for their list. However, Maggie Lehrman with Abrams Books liked the voice, but felt that the market was crowded with school stories.

As for agents, I received no reply from Sanford J. Greenburger and Mark McVeigh. On the other hand, Marietta B. Zacker with the Nancy Gallt Literary Agency sent a kind, personal note: [This is] “ an endearing story with a fabulous message, but admittedly, I didn't quite connect with Maggie the way I know you need me to.” Emily van Beek with Folio also sent a kind, personal note.

Recently, I submitted to Paul Rodeen Management. I also submitted to Jessica Sinsheimer with the Sarah Jane Freymann Literary Agency, who encouraged me that she’d take a look at my picture book. I’ve also submitted to Sterling Publishing Company and KRBY creations. These last four bring me to my goal—30 publishers and 15 agents. I will report on the outcome in a few months. In the meantime, I am writing a new picture book, editing another picture book, and researching topics for nonfiction articles. But I will keep my eyes open for other opportunities for submitting Maggie and the First Grades Blues.

Tips for Writing Picture Books

2011-10-10T03:36:00.000-07:00

Today, Maha shares suggestions for writing a picture book. Her tips are intended for self-publishing. Keep in mind that traditional publishers usually don't require illustration notes or page breaks.

Word count

First thing I learned is that picture books are 500-1000 words, 30 pages long. Remember that the 30 pages include the title, dedication, and the copyright pages, which leaves you with only 28 pages.

Illustrations and description

When you write a story, you would think you need to describe your scene in detail. Not so in picture books. The illustrations describe the scene. I deleted a lot of description before the illustrations, but when the illustrations arrived, I found out that I could delete even more. When I wrote my second and third stories (not published yet), I took that into account from the very beginning. What I did was to keep the description between brackets for the illustrator's benefit. This will give the illustrator an idea of how I want the scene to appear. I made another copy without the descriptions to keep count of the words.

Make a dummy

I made a dummy of my book, When Monsters Get Lonely, by adding the illustrations to the text, exactly where I wanted them to appear in a word document. I then clicked on view > full screen reading to render it in book form. I made sure the page turns left the reader wondering what’s coming next. This is the way I sent my book to the publisher to show them exactly where I wanted the text in relation to the illustrations.

Word choice

I struggled with word choice because I’m not used to writing for kids. I tried to make my words as simple as I could. This was not easy, because the idea I was trying to convey in When Monsters Get Lonely is not simple. In the end, I felt that my words were descriptive and sensory enough to engage a child. Parents will read a book if they like its theme.

Read it out loud

One of the tips I read when I was writing my book was to read it aloud, and I did do that not only to myself, but to my husband and my sister-in-law. It helps you get an idea of how it will sound to the kids.

Plot and theme

All good books must have a climax and resolution. I’m afraid that my editor gave me a really poor critique, which was an education to me. I rewrote my story and revised my plot to include the all important climax and resolution. It didn’t change what Grams wanted to teach Hannah, but it handed Hannah a way to find the solution herself. Hence, Grams didn’t sound like she was preaching and it made for a much more interesting story.

Character

The main character must have strong traits and resolve the problem. By resolving her own problems, Hannah’s character naturally developed and emerged as a strong and intelligent child despite her fear.

Maha Huneidi says she learned quite a lot when she wrote and self-published When Monsters Get Lonely. She thinks you can learn from the mistakes she made and corrected along the way.

http://familiesmatter2us.blogspot.com

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The Backstory of the Quincy the Horse Books

2011-10-03T04:10:00.000-07:00

The real Quincy is now 20 years old and has many accomplishments under his belt. He is an Equine Assisted Psychotherapy horse and the protagonist of the Quincy the Horse Books; but to his family, he will always be known as “Little Quince.” Quincy is the little guy in our barn. His neighbors are Silver, an Irish sport horse who is the big guy, and Buck, a tall, rangy gray who is the head guy. I am afraid he does not get much chance for input. On the whole he usually has to go along with whatever his big brothers want.

Quincy has always been a beautiful sight with his shiny copper coat, a white blaze and soft brown eyes. He and I have always had a special bond. The events that inspired the Quincy the Horse Books happened many years ago when Quincy came to live with me. I brought him from New York, where I had lived for many years, to New Mexico. I am sure readers would enjoy knowing more about our real life adventures.

I bought Quincy because my old Quarter horse, Beaujolais, needed a partner at our new home in New Mexico. I planned to have a small horse barn on my property rather than stabling my horses in a boarding facility. Beau and Quincy hit it off from day one. Quincy looked up to Beau and wanted to be with him and Beau clearly enjoyed having Quincy as a friend.

Soon after our arrival to New Mexico, I took Quincy on our first trail ride. I quickly discovered that trails in the West were different than the manicured parks and wooded lanes of the Eastern U. S. There are wide vistas in every direction and many horses react to this by wanting to move out. When they are held back, it is not unheard of for them to buck. Sorry to say that on that first ride, I ended up on the ground. Unfortunately that was not the last time; it was more of a regular occurrence than I would like to remember.

Readers will not be surprised to hear that one of my first ideas for a story was a plot where Quincy wants more than anything to be a calm trail horse, but his Big Problem is that he has an irresistible impulse to buck. I could see humor in that story line. Maybe I wanted to laugh rather than cry!

The next real thing that happened was not so funny. Quincy got sick. He was diagnosed with what was then a little known and poorly understood disease called Equine Protozoal Myeloencephalitis or EPM. For two years he struggled with repeated outbreaks, experiencing pain and instability and requiring toxic medications. Those were sad and scary times.

Luckily, better medications were forthcoming and Quincy responded well to them. Quincy and I then spent many hours in the round pen during his rehabilitation. It was standing in the round pen day after day feeling grateful that he had made it through, when I first thought of writing a book about his life. As I said earlier, there were various ideas that came to mind. In addition to the bucking bronco scenario, I thought of a book called Quincy in the Round Pen that would have recounted his illness and recovery.

In the end, I settled on a more gentle tone about his every day adventures. I also decided to highlight his personality and loving bonds to me and his best friend, Beau. I hoped that children would relate to his day to day challenges and the way he tried to find answers to his problems. I especially hoped that they would enjoy being part of Quincy’s world and learning the joys of life with horses.

http://familiesmatter2us.blogspot.com

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Writing Opportunities

2011-09-26T03:46:00.000-07:00

Sometimes when you least expect it, a writing opportunity may present itself. Because I volunteer at Arboretum, the State Botanical Garden of Kentucky, several employees know that I’m a writer. Recently, the education coordinator asked for my help. In a few weeks, the Arboretum will be sponsoring the annual fall festival. Volunteers will dress up as woodland creatures and plants and greet young children. They will give short talks that describe who they are and what they contribute.

My job was to spruce up the old scripts of a deer, a spider, a sunflower, a skunk, and a tree. The education coordinator envisioned livelier speeches. She wanted the scripts written in first person and kept to 300 words. Then the rest was up to me.

I decided that each script should have a hook, which would create interest and engage the audience. Though I had a restricted word count, I still wanted to make sure that I had a beginning, a middle, and an ending. (My nonfiction writing has taught me well). I conducted a little more research, added it to the passages, and rearranged the order of paragraphs for clarity. Lastly, as with any nonfiction writing, I tied the ending to the beginning. Beforehand, these pieces ended abruptly. With the new endings, the speeches had a more satisfying conclusion.

I suppose the biggest challenge was getting inside the heads of the animals and plants—come on, what would a tree think and say? But actually, it was quite fun. In fact, my tree had a bit of an attitude.

It's nice taking a break from writing nonfiction articles and picture books and trying something different. Maybe you'll have an opportunity to attempt something new, too. But you might ask: What’s in it for me when I share my writing talent with others? Perhaps you’ll find it offers you practice and inspiration. Maybe it will lead to another assignment. It's a given it'll showcase your skills and quite possibly, help to get your name better known. For me, writing these scripts fueled my imagination and made me feel good about helping a worthwhile organization. How about you? Are you willing to help others with your writing talent? Are you willing to take advantage of the writing opportunities that may come your way?

The Rewards of Volunteering

2011-09-19T06:27:00.000-07:00

Nature Center in the Children's Garden

I volunteer at the Arboretum, the State Botanical Garden of Kentucky. My “job” is to read picture books in the Children's Garden. My “work place” is inside the Nature Center—a breezy, three-sided cozy structure. The entrance is flanked by Greek Doric columns. The side yard contains barrels brimming with scarlet and purple flowers. Nearby, two raised vegetable gardens are teeming with tomatoes and peppers, lavender and sage.

Map of the Children's Garden at the Arboretum

My guests arrive: in strollers, hand in hand with moms, or carried by dads. Ashley, the education coordinator, hands me Frog and Toad Are Friends. Before I begin to read, I give a short discussion on the differences between frogs and toads. Then I read two chapters from the book—the average age of the children is about two or three years old so we're talking short attention span.

Halfway into the reading, several young toddlers are distracted. They want to explore the waterwheel, chat with other children, and touch the glass cages containing caterpillars. Nonetheless I read on, trying to emphasis my words, trying to add as much drama as I possibly can to entice the children to listen.

But others huddle close, their eyes fixed on me and on the pages of the book. Some want to help turn the pages, while others lean their heads on my shoulder. In a small way, I’m connecting with them. Story time becomes meaningful.

What do I get out of it? On a professional level, I like to think that this experience is preparing me for the day when I’ll read my very own picture book to a small group of children. But I don’t focus on the future. For now, I spread burlap bags for seating. I sit upon a bale of hay and read a classic picture book. And afterward, I receive smiles and thank-yous. I receive parental requests: “When will you be reading in the garden again?” I receive hugs from the tiniest members of my audience. It touches my heart to share books at the arboretum. What more can a story-time reader ask for?

The Value of Critiques

2011-09-12T04:13:00.000-07:00

This past June, I attended Editor’s Day in Lexington, Kentucky.  Registrants could submit an entire picture book for a critique by Abrams Books Editor Maggie Lehrman. Since Maggie and the First Grade Blues had won several awards, I submitted In Search of Awe.

On the positive side, Ms. Lehrman liked the language and the descriptions. She mentioned that I had a real knack for details that infuse a landscape with character. However, she thought that the story was too quiet and nostalgic and that the plot was too subtle and interior for young readers. She wanted to know more about my main character so that readers will invest in the story.

Overall, she thought that the story could serve as a scene in a lyrical middle grade novel. She challenged me to edit the piece for an older audience. I have great respect for Ms. Lehrman's opinion.   Looks like I have lots to think about in terms of developing plot and character should I follow through on her advice.

Here’s my thought on critiques: If you have the chance to go to a writer’s conference and submit a manuscript for a critique, do so.  Usually, only a limited number of manuscripts can be accepted, so be mindful of the critique deadline. It usually costs less than fifty dollars, but it is well worth the fee.

You will most likely receive positive comments on your work as well as criticism on the elements that require improvement. In addition, you may be offered suggestions on character development, plot, language, voice, and marketability. Most of all, you’ll gain insight into what an editor looks for in a manuscript. If you take the advice and follow the “inside tips,” you just may create a manuscript worthy of an editor’s attention.

Writing Tips from Fiona Ingram

2011-09-05T05:01:00.000-07:00

Writing can be one of the most rewarding and fulfilling experiences of your life. There are many reasons a person decides to write: to share their life’s experiences, to tell a good story, to express the feelings and situations of others—the list is endless. Some people even write just for fun. I wrote my book because I visited Egypt with my two nephews and wanted to write a short story to help them remember a special time. To my surprise, the short story turned into a book, and then a book series. So, you never know what’s going to happen once you begin!

Any good story is composed of two important elements: a really gripping plot and realistic, believable characters.

·      How to Choose a Great Story Topic:
Write about what you know best, or what excites you, or what you enjoy. Do you love reading about faraway exciting places? Then research a place you find interesting and set your story there. Do you enjoy mysteries? Think about something that’ll keep people guessing. Are you good at a skill or a sport? Set your story around a character with those abilities.

·      How to Construct your Storyline:
Structure is very important, otherwise your story will fall to pieces. So begin with a simple 3-point system: the Beginning (your hero appears—what is he doing? What does he want to achieve?); the Middle (something will happen to him and he has to …?); the Ending (your hero resolves the situation). From those three vital points, you will fill in your other plot points—how did… why did… what happens next.

·      Make Your Characters as Interesting as Possible:
Tip: take them from real life examples. You could write about someone like yourself, or else model the characters on friends at school, teachers, or other people you know. The dialogue between your characters is also important because that’s one place to develop the plot line. Don’t forget to break your dialogue with various activities so that readers don’t get bogged down in lots of talking but no action.

·      The Hard Part:
If you love what you’re writing about and you trust your imagination, then writing will be as fun and exciting as you can imagine. However, two important elements must never be forgotten: research and grammar.

Research will be necessary whether your story is set in the real world, or if it’s an imaginary, fantasy, or sci-fi land. Make notes before and during your writing process. Your heroes are likely to be around your audience's ages, so think about how they are going to get places and achieve things. If they are travelling, are they alone (not likely) and will they need assistance (possibly)? If they are in a foreign country, then make sure your facts are accurate. How did they get there, who are they with, and how are they going to accomplish their task/challenge? If it’s a fantasy setting, then make sure you don’t lose track of your characters and the various places and items found in your fantasy world. Make your own research notes relevant to your fantasy land.

Grammar is very important, otherwise your readers will never get through the first few pages. Make sure you use your spelling and grammar check on your computer (if you’re using one) and your dictionary and style guide (if you’re writing by hand).

A final piece of advice: writing should be fun and exciting. Just enjoy yourself and let your imagination take you to places you only ever dreamed of.

http://familiesmatter2us.blogspot.com

Lovers Blog Hop:

Make friends, share the love of reading and be entered to win a FREE book!

All you have to do is post the Book Lovers Blog Hop and World of Ink Tour Banners above to your blog. Promote the Book Lovers Hop and World of Ink Tours on any social network. Tweet it once a day, share on Facebook and then follow others back that leave you a comment. By joining the Book Lovers Blog Hop, you are automatically entered in our Book Giveaway!

There will be two (2) winners for this Book Giveaway.

Note: One book per winner.

Hop Rules:

1.Follow the Top link of the hop! Hop Host: Families Matter

3.Grab the buttons for the World of Ink Tours and place it in a post or side bar. Make sure you let us know where it is in the comments section below.

Book Giveaway Rules:

·Join the Book Lovers Blog Hop. (One entry)

·Follow the World of Ink Tours and leave a comment per tour blog stop. (must leave a real comment about the author, tour or book. Saying “this is cool” or “I love your book” will not count.) Make sure to include your safe email so we can contact you if you are the winner. Example: vsgrenier AT storiesforchildrenpublishing DOT com. (One bonus entry per blog stop)

·Ask a question per World of Ink Tour blog stop. (One bonus entry per tour blog stop)

Here is the Code for the blog hop list

Some Advice on Advice

2011-08-29T03:49:00.000-07:00

Let’s say you’ve posed a question to an online forum about submitting to an editor. How do you handle the advice? Do you follow the suggestion? Or do you question the advice?

Recently, I read a question concerning how a writer should go about getting the attention of a publisher. Though it was posted on a respectable writing forum, one piece of advice shocked me. Someone suggested that the writer should forget sending a query and try to “stand out” by sending the publisher freshly baked cookies. Little did the advisor know that most editors think that sending "gifts" will make you stand out—in a negative way. Luckily, another person responded with sound advice: join SCBWI and attend conferences to learn how to approach publishers more professionally.

There’s a lot of advice to be had on the Internet. Your job is to filter out the bad advice and find the good advice. If you ask a question on a writing forum, read all of the replies. Find the reply that best speaks to your heart. But how can you be sure when there are many differences of opinion? Join SCBWI and attend conferences, as mentioned above. Join a critique group or take a writing class and approach the attendees with your questions. Read many books on the art of writing for children. Read books on how to market your work. Once you have a feel for what is expected of an author, you’ll have a better understanding of how you should approach a publisher, and with luck, stand out.

From time to time, I’ve sought answers to questions that were not available in books. So I’ve asked published authors questions online and they’ve usually answered me promptly with great suggestions. Other times I’ve attended conferences, where I can ask agents and publishers questions face to face. I can trust these sources. As for online writing forums, you may not know if the responder is truly creditable. So with that in mind, I caution you to be careful of the advice that you seek. You know the phrase: Buyer, beware. Here’s another: Writer, be wary.

Here are some books with tips for making your submission stand out:

How to Write and Illustrate Children’s Picture Books, by Jean Karl
Writing Picture Books, by Ann Whitford Paul
Book Markets for Children’s Writers, edited by Marni McNiff
Children’s Writers and Illustrators Market, edited by Alice Pope

Avoiding Rejection

2011-08-22T02:24:00.000-07:00

I hate delivering rejections. I know what it feels like to be on the receiving end. But last week, I had to reject two pieces. The first submission was a short article for 7 – 9 year olds. The second was a personal essay.

Our magazine guidelines state that the word count for 7 – 9 year olds should run 400 – 800 words. The writer had not achieved the correct word count that we require. In addition, the concept and language were too advanced for young children.

The second submission was a first person narrative. Most nonfiction articles that we publish are written in 3^rd person or in some cases, 2^nd person. Though well-written, we simply don’t publish these kinds of pieces.

All is not lost however, for the two writers whose articles were rejected. My assistant and I offered them advice in terms of editing and marketing their work. But what two things could they have done to have avoided rejection? I have two suggestions: follow our contributor guidelines and read a few published pieces from our magazine.

By studying the guidelines, these writers would have known exactly what we expect from our contributors (topics, formatting, word count, etc.) By reading a few sample articles, they would have gotten a feel for the voice and tone of our published pieces.

There is no guarantee these two suggestions will garner an acceptance. Every editor has her own likes and dislikes. But when writers follow the guidelines and read sample copies, they can reduce the chances of getting a rejection. Writers will be better equipped to offer an editor an article that she's more likely to publish.

Six-Year Old LaNiyah Bailey's First Book: Not Fat Because I Wanna Be

2011-08-15T02:28:00.000-07:00

Not Fat Because I Wanna Be is a story that LaNiyah Bailey had to tell. She decided to write her book in November 2010, after she’d had just about enough of being called “fat.”

Encountering bullies and teasing head-on at the tender age of three has helped LaNiyah distinguish some of the lasting effects of bullying. Her mom stated in a recent interview that “LaNiyah had become withdrawn at home and showed signs of separation anxiety when she would drop her off at daycare and school.” Statistics show that over 300,000 kids ditch school every day to be relieved from their bullies. This is a sad but true fact.

Being proactive and trying to quickly turn a negative into a positive, LaNiyah’s mom decided she needed to find a way for her young daughter to release this horrific thing that was taking over her being. LaNiyah then told her mom that she wanted to write a book about it. Mom, grandma and dad all embraced and encouraged this idea. LaNiyah and mom sat down and fleshed out all of the details that surrounded her bout with being bullied.

LaNiyah titled the book Not Fat Because I Wanna Be because she felt it was a true statement. For the past 2 years, her mom and dad have been trying to get answers on LaNiyah’s unexplained weight gain, constant constipation and other irregularities. To date she’s been diagnosed with endocrine ‘hormonal’ issues and constipation, which explains why her belly protrudes... but, the testing still goes on.

About the author and her book:

LaNiyah Bailey is a six-year old author with a message for children like her – just because you are bigger than other kids, that doesn’t mean that people have the right to bully you. In her debut book, Not Fat Because I Wanna Be, LaNiyah details the struggle of Jessica, a fictional girl who has an underlying medical issue that causes her to gain weight. Bullied by her peers, Jessica learns to accept her body and eventually opens up about her condition to her classmates.

LaNiyah is not only speaking to other children through her book, but has become an advocate for anti‐bullying organizations. With a message that words can hurt and that not all weight gain is due to an unhealthy

lifestyle, LaNiyah hopes her book will enlighten and entertain her young readers.

Author Website: http://www.notfatbecauseiwannabe.com/

http://familiesmatter2us.blogspot.com

Book Lovers Blog Hop:

Make friends, share the love of reading and be entered to win a FREE book!

All you have to do is post the Book Lovers Blog Hop and World of Ink Tour Banners below to your blog. Promote the Book Lovers Hop and World of Ink Tours on any social network. Tweet it once a day, share on Facebook and then follow others back that leave you a comment. By joining the Book Lovers Blog Hop, you are automatically entered in our Book Giveaway!

There will be two (2) winners for this Book Giveaway.

Note: One book per winner.

Hop Rules:

1.Follow the Top link of the hop! Hop Host: Families Matter

3.Grab the buttons for the World of Ink Tours and place it in a post or side bar. Make sure you let us know where it is in the comments section below.

Book Giveaway Rules:

·Join the Book Lovers Blog Hop. (One entry)

·Ask a question per World of Ink Tour blog stop. (One bonus entry per tour blog stop)

Here is the Code for the blog hop list

Helpful Tips on Writing from author Tal Yanai

2011-08-08T03:24:00.000-07:00

After seventeen years of studying and practicing spirituality, I decided to write my first book, a short spiritual guide for the road of life. In my head, I had clear sets of thoughts and ideas I wanted to share. However, the first attempt to put them into a book created a stack of papers resembling anything but a well organized book anyone would be interested in reading. It was then that I realized there is much more to writing a book than few good ideas.

Let more than one person edit your book

You need an editor for grammar and such, but it’s a good idea to let someone with knowledge on the subject matter read it, too. When a reviewer would ask me what I meant when I wrote this or that sentence, I knew I had to do a better job conveying the message because others would ask the same questions. This give and take with people that I trusted greatly improved the clarity and quality of my writing.

Know who you are writing for

Life Is Not a Candy Store: It’s the Way to the Candy Store started as a spiritual guide for all ages. However, as the project moved forward, reaching teens became the main purpose of the book. It meant I had to go back and change some of the writing. I had to think in terms of what issues teens deal with or are bothered by. I also had to change the examples I used in the book to fit their environment and talk about things such as peer pressure and challenges teens may face in school. Changing the target audience during the writing was the right decision, but a time consuming one, too.

Always take notes when you have new ideas

Over the years you may have had many inspiring ideas crossing your mind, but for different reasons you let them go. You will do yourself a big favor by starting to write them down as they come to you. Those are the seeds of your writing and the gifts the universe has sent to you. Always have something you can write with. Later on you will have time to develop it further.

You are the most original part of your book, so show it

Whatever subject you write on, and whatever story you tell, most likely it has been told before in one way or another. What makes your book unique is your prospective, your personality. Be passionate; let the readers see your version of something they heard about before. For example, when you read Life Is Not a Candy Store: It’s the Way to the Candy Store, you’ll feel that the book was written as a personal journey coming from the heart. It is so because I decided to connect with the readers on that level.

Finally, have fun writing

It takes time and money to publish a book, and it’s not always easy to remember, but going through the process means you are realizing a dream. Look around you. How many people are actually doing that? Very few, if any at all. It is of no use at all to be sitting there twenty years from now telling anyone who is willing to listen that you once wrote a book. Live in the present and enjoy the moment!

In a nutshell, one of the main topics in Life Is Not a Candy Store: It’s the Way to the Candy Store is learning to enjoy life without causing pain to ourselves and others. The book explores the idea of living a joyful life by connecting to a higher power and finding a more meaningful purpose for life. By changing one’s prospective of life, one can walk on the road that leads to an emotional and spiritual freedom. Realizing that, you will see that living even a small dream is a step in the right direction.

About Tal Yanai

At the age of twenty-three, Tal Yanai moved to the Los Angeles where he found solace in a higher power and started on a spiritual path. It led him to align himself with his soul’s essence and mission. Since that time (1993), he wanted to share his story with young people, hoping it will give them the tools necessary to overcome the pain and frustration they may experience.

Life Is Not a Candy Store: It’s the Way to the Candy Store

Tal Yanai's book Life Is Not a Candy Store: It's the Way to the Candy Store is a spiritual guide for teens. It is an introduction to basic spiritual principles that can help teenagers deal with daily issues they may face. Too many fine young people end up hurting themselves and others close to them when they are unable to resolve situations involving anger and frustration. This book gives teens who feel trapped the tools to let go of the anger and overcome difficulties.

http://familiesmatter2us.blogspot.com

Book Lovers Blog Hop:

Make friends, share the love of reading and be entered to win a FREE book!

There will be two (2) winners for this Book Giveaway.

Note: One book per winner.

Hop Rules:

1.Follow the Top link of the hop! Hop Host: Families Matter

3.Grab the buttons for the World of Ink Tours and place it in a post or side bar. Make sure you let us know where it is in the comments section below.

Book Giveaway Rules:

·Join the Book Lovers Blog Hop. (One entry)

·Ask a question per World of Ink Tour blog stop. (One bonus entry per tour blog stop)

Here is the Code for the blog hop list

WriteOnCon

2011-08-01T04:37:00.000-07:00

Hear ye, hear ye: announcing the second annual WriteOnCon, a free online conference scheduled for August 16 -18^th. As mentioned in The Writer magazine last month, 11,000 children’s book writers and illustrators participated last year.

Young-adult writer Casey McCormick organized WriteOnCon to help writers who can’t afford to attend conferences. She hopes to bring organized information as well as the intensity and the experience of attending an in-person conference to online participants.

Last year, McCormick along with six co-founders put together a roster of more than 50 experts, which included literary agents and authors. This year she hopes to help new writers with basic information and to get more agents doing events. McCormick says, “We're doing a critique partner match-up in the forums right now as well as a contest with a $1000 prize with The Reading Room and lit agent Catherine Drayton.”

The goal of the conference is to help writers connect with other writers and industry pros so that that can someday reach their dream of publication. To register or for more information: go to writeon.com.

Writer's News

2011-07-25T05:57:00.000-07:00

Photo by Lucas

My picture book In Search of Awe was awarded Honorable Mention by the Alabama Writer's Conclave. This very story was critiqued as part of Editor's Day in Lexington, Kentucky. In fact, all attendees had the opportunity to have their work critiqued for a small fee. Editor Maggie Lehrman of Abrams Books thought that the story would work better as a middle grade book. Hmmm....this would take some time to develop, but it may be worth pursuing.

My other picture book Maggie and the Third Grade Blues has a slightly new title, based on the first-page critique I received at Editor’s Day: Maggie and the First Grade Blues. Maggie Lehrman reminded me that the book should appeal to much younger children. Though basically the same story, the text was modified to engage a younger audience.

I am approaching my goal of contacting 30 publishers—only 3 more to go. But, I will submit to Abrams first, since I have a better understanding of their needs following Editor’s Day. Out of 13 agents, 8 responded with a no thank you. I will submit to two more agents this summer to bring the total to 15, as planned.

If I receive negative responses from Abrams and the agents, I will have to weigh whether to continue to submit my book to others (but of course, I’m staying positive). My goal is to continue to submit to many more publishers and agents. I keep in mind that many children’s writers have faced rejection. For instance, Theodor Geisel (Dr. Seuss) was rejected multiple times. J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone was rejected 12 times. She reminds all of us: Never accept rejection. Perseverance is key.

Getting Gutsy

2011-07-18T04:31:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, my family and I took a vacation to Carter Caves State Resort Park, about ninety miles east of Lexington, Kentucky. We planned to hike, go caving, and ride horses. The first day was stormy, so we opted to go into one of the caves. Inside, it was cool and damp. As our guide flashed his light upward, we marveled at bats nestling on the ceiling and at the knobby stalactites hanging overheard. We sloshed deeper into the cave, twisting and winding past limestone formations for about forty minutes until we ended near another opening, out into sunshine. We decided to take advantage of the nice weather and hike into the forest.

The trails were dry despite the earlier downpour. On one path we discovered three natural stone bridges. Along the way we encountered deer peering at us with frozen stares. Though we never saw them, woodpeckers rapped tree trunks and rufous-sided towhees warbled “drink your tea.” After the long hike, we headed for our cottage which cozied up to the edge of the forest. Before going inside, we spotted a red bird that looked like a cardinal, but without the black facial marking. I had a hunch that the brilliantly colored bird was a summer tanager.

The next morning I sat outside on the deck with my breakfast. I had a piece of paper handy to help me work out minor edits for my picture book story. But I was stumped. My muse had not bothered to show. I'd write a sentence and then scribble it out. So I put my pen down. I gazed upon oaks leaves glistening with patches of sunlight. Out of the corner of my eye I spotted a deer and a fawn foraging. So peaceful, so quiet. Then a summer tanager flew to the railing. I quickly stepped inside to grab a camera. Just in time, I captured its image as it perched on my cereal bowl and then hopped to my plate to snatch morsels of blueberry muffin.

Maybe this bird had humans figured out: getting gutsy gets a reward—a free meal. At that moment I realized that I too, had to get gutsy. I had a deadline, (the end of summer) so I had to attempt to put something down, anything. It didn't have to be perfect.

I could have put off writing until my muse returned, but it wouldn't have been gutsy. Gutsy means writing even when the muse is not present. Getting a few words down was the goal. Polishing them would come later. Concentrating on moving forward was key. And so I began. The words did not flow, but I managed just enough for a good start. Those few words were my reward. They led me closer to where I need to be.

The Back Story of Tantrums, Troubles, and Treasures

2011-07-11T04:22:00.000-07:00

Clayton Paul Thomas has worked with kids for about 16 years from three different settings. The first was at St. Joseph Children’s Home. This was a place where abused kids went after being permanently separated from their parents. Most of his parenting skills were developed here. The kids Clayton worked with ranged from ages 3 to 15.

Afterwards, Clayton became an elementary public school teacher. He taught for 7½ years from 1st through 4th grade. Finally, Clayton has two boys (Cameron age 7 and Luke age 3). He has been married for 9 years to his beautiful wife Lauren. Though his parenting skills were learned at St. Joseph, his wife’s has been the inspiration to writing Tantrums, Troubles, and Treasures: A Parent Guide to Parenting in the 21^st Century. To her, Clayton is eternally thankful. He looks forward to sharing insights with all of you. His website is: http://www.claytonpaulthomas.com

Here's how Tantrums, Troubles, and Treasures came about:

The back story of Tantrums, Troubles, and Treasures is actually quite simple.  My wonderful wife had watched how I interacted with children for years as a house parent at St. Joseph Children’s Home, and then as a teacher, and finally as the father of our two boys.  Over the years, she’s even thrown parenting scenarios my way just to see how I would react.  I used to think she did this to amuse herself.  Well, as it turned out, she was impressed with the answers I would give and the reasons why I felt the way I did. 

It was also my wife who convinced me to write a book in order to share with others what I’d learned through working with children over the years—specifically what has worked for me and what hasn’t.   I also remember telling her how I wanted to frame the chapters: start with an inspiring quote, have the body of the chapter, and include short assignments to reinforce what I was teaching. She really liked the idea. 

Brainstorming the book turned out to be a lot of fun.  Stories of working with children came rushing back.  The stories are entertaining, but each of them contain a teaching point. 

One of the things about this book is that it can be read like a reference book.  For example, if a parent is having trouble with children who are argumentative, they can jump immediately to Chapter 16.  The subject of bullying is clearly laid out in Chapter 19 for those who want to know how I’ve handled it. 

As is the case with many authors, writing the book was mostly allowing the book to write itself.  My base of experiences is the strongest attribute.  Many of the topics were chosen based on questions parents have asked me over the years and based on tremendous people I have worked with and learned from over the years as I watched how they’ve handled difficult situations.        

My hope is that anyone who reads the book is entertained, but also develops some additional solid ideas they can use with their child.  If anyone has questions after reading the book, I can be reached at tantrumstroublesandtreasures@yahoo.com. 

You can find out more about Clayton Paul Thomas’s World of Ink Author/Book Tour schedule at http://storiesforchildrenpublishing.com/ClaytonPThomas.aspx. There will be giveaways, reviews, interviews, guest posts and more. Make sure to stop by and interact with Clayton Paul Thomas and the hosts at the different stops by leaving comments and/or questions. Clayton Paul Thomas will be checking in throughout the tour and is offering an additional giveaway for those who leave comments throughout the tour

In addition, come listen to Blog Talk Radio’s World of Ink Network show: Stories for Children at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/worldofinknetwork. The hosts VS Grenier, Kris Quinn Chirstopherson and Irene Roth will be chatting with Clayton about his book, parenting tips, writing, the publishing industry and experiences with virtual tours. Clayton will also be sharing writing tips and trials, and tribulations of the writer’s life.

The show will be live July 4, 2011 at 2pm EST (1pm Central, 12pm MST, and 11am PST). You can tune in at the World of Ink Network site at http://www.blogtalkradion.com/worldofinknetwork. You can listen/call in at (714) 242-5259. (Note: if you can’t make the show, you can listen on demand at the same link.)

To learn more about the World of Ink Tours visit Stories for Children Publishing at: http://storiesforchildrenpublishing.com

The Back Story of Brush Barry Brush

2011-07-04T03:39:00.000-07:00

Linda Valderrama R.D.H. has over 25 years experience as a dental hygienist. She has worked on patients from ages two to one hundred years old and has successfully developed preventative oral hygiene programs tailored to individual needs. Linda is a strong believer that good oral hygiene leads to good overall health and well-being. She believes that good daily habits must be acquired early in life. Linda is working towards developing programs for schools, assisted living facilities, and healthcare institutions to enable them to offer more effective oral hygiene programs.

Linda is a member of the American Dental Hygienists Association, the California Dental Hygienists Association, and the San Diego Dental Hygienists Society. Her book Brush Barry Brush was written to help parents and young children work together to achieve the simple but very important goal that every time you eat, you should brush your teeth.

Why did Linda write Brush Barry Brush?

Here's what she has to say:

I always felt my pediatric patients were my best chance at making a real impact on dental health--an opportunity to develop healthy habits that could last a lifetime. I have been a dental hygienist for over 25 years and have always particularly enjoyed working with children. They are the most fun and the most receptive. I have many patients whose teeth I have cleaned since age three. Some are now adults with kids of their own who have asked what exactly I did to get them to brush and to get the routine to stick. When enough people had asked about this, I was inspired to put my ideas to pen. Statistics show that 50% of the children have cavities even before they reach second grade. My goal is to make tooth brushing fun and empower children to prevent tooth decay. Ironically, I met Sudi Memarzadeh, a talented illustrator, at a bookstore. She was what really set everything into motion by giving life to the words I had written.

You can find out more about Linda Valderrama’s World of Ink Author/Book Tour schedule at http://storiesforchildrenpublishing.com/LindaValderrama.aspx. There will be giveaways, reviews, interviews, guest posts and more. Make sure to stop by and interact with Valderrama and the hosts at the different stops by leaving comments and/or questions. Valderrama will be checking in throughout the tour and is offering an additional giveaway for those who leave comments throughout the tour.

Tips from Editor's Day

2011-06-27T04:06:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago, I attended Editor’s Day in Lexington, Kentucky. Editor Maggie Lehrman of Abrams Books gave aspiring authors tips for making a picture book stand out. Ms. Lehrman stressed that an author must find a unique voice when writing a picture book. Voice is a combination of word choice, attitude, point of view and tense. She also mentioned that a picture book should be fun. She suggests reading the text with a kid's perspective. She agrees that it’s not easy (as I and many other writers know) to find a publisher for a picture book. A picture book has to be passionately loved by the entire editorial board, not just the acquisitions editor. On top of that, a picture book has to be marketable.

During the one page critique session, Ms. Lehrman reminded everyone that picture books are for a very young audience, 0 – 6 years old. That means that my picture book Maggie and the Third Grade Blues needs a slight title change. Young readers may not relate well to a third grade character. I’ll also have to tweak the text—just a few words here and there to bring it down to the appropriate age level. Afterward, I hope to send it to Ms. Lehrman at the end of summer. Like many editors, she only takes submissions from conference attendees.

My Editor’s Day experience was amazing and in some ways, very similar to the Editor's Day that I co-hosted two years ago. Both conferences allowed me to get to know the personal preferences of two New York editors—the kinds of books they like to read for fun and the submissions they want to acquire for their publishing houses. I encourage you to consider attending a conference, too. You will learn valuable tips and meet other writers. Moreover, attending a conference will allow your submission to float to the top of the slush pile. It may offer you the opportunity to submit to editors who normally respond only to agented writers.

Writer's News

2011-06-19T06:46:00.000-07:00

photo by Lucas

Here is the latest news about Maggie and the Third Grade Blues: My picture book was sent to Schwartz & Wade, Kane Miller, Walker and Company, and Scholastic Press. Schwartz and Wade sent a letter saying my manuscript was not right for their list as did Kane Miller and Scholastic Press. I'm still waiting to hear from Walker and Comany as well as four agents that I've submitted to. That makes 22 publishers that I’ve submitted to and 13 agents. My manuscript has been entered in five contests. So far, it’s won three awards—so that indeed, is good news.

Other good news: I recently got word that another one of my manuscripts, In Search of Awe has won an award from the Alabama Writer's Conclave. Details will be announced in July at the AWC banquet.

More news: Editor’s Day was held on June 11th in Lexington, Kentucky. Editor Kate Larken of Motes Books and Abrams Books Editor Maggie Lehrman presented morning and afternoon sessions, plus one page critiques. Several months prior to the workshop, registrants had the opportunity to submit an entire picture book manuscript to Ms. Lehrman for a personal critique.Since my picture book had won several awards, I decided to submit In Search of Awe. Maggie and the Third Grade Blues was submittted at the workshop for a first page critique. I’m hoping to share a few of the editors' tips and the critique comments with you soon. Until then, happy writing.

Steps for Publishing Nonfiction Articles for Children, Part II

2011-06-13T03:54:00.000-07:00

As mentioned on the May 30th blog, publishing nonfiction articles for children is like climbing a staircase. You've got to take eight steps before reaching the top landing: publication. The first four steps are: follow the magazine's guidelines, review copies of the magazine, use reliable sources, and add something extra—write from personal experience. Now let's take the final four steps.

Step #5: Educate and entertain
Spin the well-researched information into a story with a beginning, a middle, and an ending. The beginning should hook your audience and coax them to continue reading. The middle is the meat of the story where you explain your topic. Use similes to help kids understand complex issues. Incorporate onomatopoeia to bring excitement to your writing. Add alliteration and assonance to give emphasis to your words. Lastly, complete your article with a satisfying ending. Find a creative way to tie it in to the first paragraph.

Step #6: Edit your work
Read your article aloud. If you stumble on a word, change it until the piece flows. Allow another reader to peruse your work. He may pick up a mistake that you’ve overlooked. Use spell check, but know that it’s not always accurate. Apply the Flesch-Kincaid grade level tool or another grade assessment when writing for a specific age. In addition, find an expert to review your work. Consider revising your piece based on the expert’s suggestions. Doing so will add credibility to your article.

Step #7: Include a properly formatted bibliography
Even if the guidelines indicate that only a few sources are required, list those sources in alphabetical order with the author’s last name followed by a comma and the author’s first name. Cite the title, the city (and state if the city is obscure), the publishing company, and publishing date. When in doubt, refer to reference books like The Chicago Manual of Style for proper formatting.

Step #8: Keep the cover letter short

Now you’re ready to write a short professional cover letter addressed to the editor. Compose a one-page letter. Entice the editor with a strong hook. Give the title, the word count, the intended audience, and an overview of the piece, plus a short bio. Thank the editor for her time. E-mail or mail in your submission with the cover letter (check those guidelines!)

When I receive a submission, I make sure that the manuscript and the bibliography have been formatted correctly. I check to see if the word count is correct. If not, I may reach for a rejection slip. But, if the magazine guidelines were followed, then a foot is in the door. I will eagerly read on to determine whether the topic would be of interest to our audience. And if you’ve taken those eight steps, I’m betting an acceptance will soon come your way.

Margot Finke on Writing for Children

2011-06-06T03:43:00.000-07:00

It all began years ago, when teachers, family and friends praised the little stories I wrote. So I kept writing until I was eventually published. In between times, I married, divorced, remarried, had three children (two girls and a boy---now grown), and moved from my homeland Down-under (Australia) to Oregon. In Oregon I got serious about writing for children. I had kids of my own and worked as a teachers' aide. I noticed how hard it was to get kids to read. Oh, they loved me or the teacher reading to them, but pick up a book on their own and read for the sheer fun of it---NO WAY! Then and there, I became determined to write books with a WOW factor---books that would HOOK these reluctant readers on reading.

Our son was a reluctant reader, one of our daughters had mild dyslexia, and my oldest girl still suffered from residual effects from my divorce. So this gave me three topics to write about: dyslexia, reluctant readers, and how big changes can affect your kids. And each topic had to be wrapped up in a fun story that wasn't preachy and HOOKED picky readers. Oh, and don't forget that all important WOW factor I had promised to included. Yeah right. A real snap!! One thing I knew---young readers, even reluctant ones, liked books that rhymed and I was lucky enough to have the rhyme gene embedded in my bones. Kids also loved animals. It seemed logical to combine the two. After a long and involved labor (lots of pain and writing contractions) I gave birth to my Wild and Wonderful Series, seven rhyming picture books about animals from the United States and Australia. They were fun as well as educational, and the illustrations were awesome. These eBooks worked well for home schooling parents as well as teacher/classroom projects.

For my next books, I had to think about boys and what would HOOK them on reading. And then there were the topics like "change" that are gender neutral. For boys, I threw out all the girly stuff that make them barf. I started with gross, and worked my way through action, cool dialogue, underarm humor, (hear those boys guffaw), fast action scenes, and rad POV characters. I threw in some feral food, foreign locals, exotic bad guys, and one or two close calls with the grim reaper. Don't panic---these things aren't all in the one book! Give me some credit, mate.   So what eventually came out of my fevered and imaginative brain are the following four books:

Rattlesnake Jam, a fun all BOY picture book
Ruthie and the Hippo's Fat Behind, verse that help kids deal with BIG change
Horatio Humble Beats the Big D (dyslexia), fun rhymes that get Horatio help with reading
Taconi and Claude—Double Trouble, a mid-grade adventure set in the Aussie outback

A follow-up to Taconi and Claude is now having its WOW factor buffed and polished. I have other mid-grades written and I'm waiting to burst out and claim unwary reluctant readers. One is a ghost story set in Oregon. The ghost is named after my Mum, and based on her wonderful and wise character. If she knew, Mum would be tickled at starring in this story. Some parts are chilling, yet this is a mid-grade book for any kid who enjoys a little creepy + a lot of detecting fun.  The other mid-grade has an international flavor. Set in Australia and Oregon, a snotty grandson is forced to write to his grandmother in Australia. While letters fly back and forth between the two of them, their daily doings play a big role in bringing them together. Both grandmother and grandson come to understand that a loving family is what matters most.

So there you have, as promised, the back story regarding my writing career.

Taconi and Claude is now available on Kindle. This is the link: http://preview.tinyurl.com/3r4h9e4

                                                  STOP PRESS!
Write a comment on any participating blog during Margot's June Book Tour and win a FREE COPY of this fun-time travel story which she wrote especially for kids. NOTE: one copy per person. Please leave your email (Safe sample: mfinke<@>frontier.com)

*Margot Finke will give 3 extra books as freebies people can win (one of each book) These winners will be picked at random by SFC during the tour from comments left by followers of each hosts blog.

http://storiesforchildrenpublishing.com/MargotFinke.aspx
~World of Ink Schedule for Margot Finke Next Week~
June 6^th
The Maggie Project – Guest Post: The back story of Taconi and Claude www.themaggieproject.blogspot.com

Roth’s Inspiring Books & Products - Interview http://rothsinspiringbooksandproducts.wordpress.com

June 7^th

One Zillion Books – Book Review of Ruthie and the Hippo
http://www.onezillionbooks.com

June 8^th

Stories for Children Magazine FG Interview
http://storiesforchildrenmagazine.org/pastfeaturedguests.aspx

June 9^th

Home School Blogger-Book Review of Taconi and Claude http://homeschoolblogger.com/homeschoolbookreview/

June 10^th

Families Matter Blog - Book Spotlight
http://familiesmatter2us.blogspot.com

The Back Story of Babysitting SugarPaw: How a short story became a picture book

2011-06-02T02:31:00.000-07:00

VS Grenier is an award-winning children’s author, the founder and owner of Stories for Children Publishing, LLC., the award-winning editor-in-chief of Stories for Children Magazine, and the chief editor for Halo Publishing, Int.. Ms. Grenier also runs her own editorial and critique services. In 2007 and in 2008, VS Grenier was voted one of the Top Ten Editors in the Preditors and Editors Reader’s Poll. She won 2nd place for her article “Yes, Virginia, There IS a Santa Claus” in the Preditors and Editors Reader’s Poll for Best Nonfiction of 2007 and won 7^th place for her article “Dinosaur Tracks in My Backyard” in the Preditors and Editors Reader’s Poll for Best Nonfiction of 2008. VS Grenier learned how to hone her writing skills at the Institute of Children’s Literature and is a member of the League of Utah Writers (HWG), Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) and Musing Our Children.

Today, she guest blogs about her book Babysitting SugarPaw.

I get a lot of positive feedback on my picture book Babysitting SugarPaw, which is always followed by, “Did you babysit a few kids like SugarPaw when you were a teen?” The answer is no. In fact, there are two back-stories to my picture book. One tells where the story idea came from and the other…how a short story became a picture book.
So let’s start with: where did the story idea come from? Babysitting SugarPaw is in fact based off my childhood, but not from the point of view of the babysitter, Bonnie Whiskers. The truth is SugarPaw is based off me as a kid. I was one of the worst kids you could be called to babysit. It wasn’t because I was afraid of babysitters like SugarPaw is in the book. I hated babysitters because it seemed I was always with them. My mom was a single parent and so…I was left with babysitter after babysitter. Over time, it became a game to see which babysitter I could get to leave and never come back. I even went as far as putting PJ’s on backwards and licking all the yummy snacks in the house so my babysitter wouldn’t eat them. Not very nice and something I would never let my own children do today. Of course, my mom wasn’t too happy about it either when she found out.

As I sat to write Babysitting SugarPaw, I thought about why kids act the way they do when mom and dad leave the house. Most of the time it’s for the same reason SugarPaw acts up. They’re scared of a stranger coming to stay with them or they don’t want to be left alone with some who isn’t their mom or dad…or some other family member. Children don’t always tell adults what they feel, but their actions certainly do. However, it doesn’t make it okay for children to act out. Therefore, my book helps show children it’s okay to be scared, not happy and even sad they are being left with a babysitter, but it’s not okay to hurt or be mean to others by telling lies or playing tricks on them. Babysitting SugarPaw helps open the door so kids and adults can talk about what they are feeling and how they should act when they are left with a babysitter or caregiver.

Okay, I’m sure now you want to know what short story Babysitting SugarPaw came from. Well back when I first started writing workshops and classes, I was asked to write a short story about something from my past or a picture. The first draft of Babysitter SugarPaw was actually a short story for this assignment titled, “The Best Babysitter in Town.” I ended up showing the short story to illustrator and friend Kevin Scott Collier. He really liked the storyline and so I revised it a few times to make it publication ready. The title changed as well and now my little short story assignment back from 2006 is a published picture book for children of all ages to enjoy, especially those who like to create mischief.

You can become eligible to win a copy of Babysitting SugarPaw by simply leaving a comment. A winner will be randomly selected at the end of the month.

Book trailer:
http://www.onetruemedia.com/shared?p=973aab0d2ea40a0efad2d2&skin_id=1010&utm_source=otm&utm_medium=text_url

VS Grenier’s website: http://vsgrenier.com/BabysittingSugarPaw.aspx

http://storiesforchildrenpublishing.com/BabysittingSugarpaw.aspx

Steps for Publishing Nonfiction Articles for Children, Part I

2011-05-30T05:04:00.000-07:00

As Nonfiction Editor for a children’s e-magazine, I often receive submissions that need a little help. A number require revision. Some miss the mark completely by submitting fiction. So how can you join the ranks of those who succeed? Think of publishing like climbing a staircase. You’re at the base of the steps looking up at the landing: publication. You’ll need to take eight steps until you reach the top.

Step #1: Review the magazine’s guidelines

Guidelines help you give an editor what she wants. Guidelines may specify the word count, font, formatting, and the wording of the subject line of an email. Yet, a good number of submissions that I receive fail to do just that. Adhere to the guidelines when you write your article and review them once more before you submit.

Step #2: Read the magazine

Order back issues, checkout library copies, or read articles online of the magazine for which you wish to pitch. Get a feel for the content and tone. Do you feel confident that you can produce a similar piece? Will your topic have kid-appeal? Will it keep you interested? After all, you’ll be spending lots of time reading and researching the topic.

Step #3: Use Reliable Sources

Lean on primary sources, trustworthy websites, and up-to-date books for your research. Wikipedia can be used as a starting place, perhaps to help you produce an outline; but, it should not be used as a source. Consider conducting an interview with a person connected to your topic. Once, I interviewed a famous horse trainer to understand how he felt about working with a Derby horse. His experiences brought a great personal perspective to my article.

Step #4: Add a Little Extra

Nobody can top you when you write from personal experience—though it’s not always required for publication, it can give you an edge. If you’re writing about an event, try to attend it. If you want to write about an unusual animal, try to meet one. Allow the reader to share what you’ve seen, heard, and felt. In addition, consider offering photographs that you’ve taken. That way, you’ve done the footwork that an editor would have had to do herself.

You're halfway to the top. Tune in Monday June 13th for steps 5 - 8.

A Typical Morning at the Office

2011-05-23T09:24:00.000-07:00

Ollie Mrvos

It’s noon. I’ve been sitting in front of computer for three hours with a cup of Starbucks French Roast coffee. This is what I’ve accomplished:

Answered an email from my assistant nonfiction editor

Reviewed articles that will be considered for publication
Scheduled two guest blogs
Emailed an editor to find out about when two educational pieces will be published
Wrote to authors to explain that the publication of their pieces will be delayed
Wrote to an author that her article had been published
Called to follow up on an interviewee
Answered a text from my daughter
Answered a call from my husband
Moved the cat, who had decided to sit on the keyboard
Worked on editing personal articles for children’s and writer’s magazines
Edited a piece for a second time for an editor
Worked on developing a writer’s workshop
Sent in a submission to Nature Friend Magazine
Tinkered with three more queries for Maggie
Contacted a Basenji owner and friend about puppy updates for new article
Thought about getting started on dinner
Checked email
Sipped and sipped on coffee
Moved the cat, again

Tomorrow the list will be slightly different, except for sipping on coffee and moving the cat.

Seven Ways to Capture your Muse

2011-05-16T02:40:00.000-07:00

photo by Lucas

Published in The Dabbling Mum e-magazine, August, 2005.
One day your writing muse announces, “I can’t stay. You’re on your own. See you later.” She leaves you, taking all of your creative ideas with her. You implore her to stay. But she’s temperamental and fickle. Before you can catch her, she slips away. You stare at your manuscript. Writer’s block sets in. Panic ensues. How will you finish the piece in time to meet your editor’s deadline? How will you complete your story for the writing contest? While your muse is away, how will you edit the manuscript that you’ve been meaning to submit? It’s easy to turn away from writing and wait until your muse returns. But how long will that be? Here are a few ways to lure her back.

Take a walk. Walking is a great way to get exercise and to take a break from sitting in front of the computer. Is there a passage that you are having trouble completing? Can’t find the right word for a poem? Go outside. Allow free thought to take over, to run free. Brainstorm. Make observations as you walk. Seeing and hearing things along the way may help you find just the right words to finish a poem or an article.

Take classes. Look into taking classes at a literacy center, a library, or at a local college. Often in writing classes, instructors will encourage participants to read their stories aloud. Hearing a story read aloud not only brings it to life, but helps you identify lines that need to be revised, adjectives and adverbs that need to be omitted, or where active verbs should be used. A beginning writing class may concentrate on developing conflict, establishing character motivation, creating distinctive characters, and exploring basic story schema. More advanced writing classes may take a look at writing good query letters, submitting manuscripts, and finding an agent. Some instructors will work with you on a one-on-one basis. Fees vary and may be costly; however, individual critique and guidance may be worth the price. In contrast, taking online classes may be worthwhile for writers who have a busy schedule. Find a class that interests you or ask your writing buddies if they know of a good class. Contact the instructor by e-mail to determine if this class will meet your needs.

Meet with fellow writers. Join a local writers’ group. Writing can be a lonely profession. Participating in a writing group will put you in touch with other writers. You can find these groups advertised in newspapers, at literacy centers, or at local bookstores. Finding the “right” group may take some work. Look for a group led by a director of a literacy center or a library. You may be able to find a group led by a well-respected, published author. Not all groups will be right for you. Audition them. A good writing group should provide inspiration and support to its members. Find out how many members belong to the group. What are their writing habits? Are they published? Meet with the group several times before reading one of your stories. Sit back, listen, and observe. Will you be at ease when they offer critique? It’s important to get to know these people and feel comfortable with them. Professional writers will understand the meaning of copyright and will respect your work.

Research the markets. Explore magazine publishers and book publishers listed in the Writer’s Market, a valuable resource which can be found at most local libraries. Writer’s Digest magazine reports market needs every month. If you join a professional writers’ organization, like The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, you’ll receive a newsletter with market updates. Get a feel for the markets by visiting magazine websites or by ordering sample copies of publications. Likewise, visit book publishers’ websites to familiarize yourself with their titles. Study the writers’ guidelines. Understanding an editor’s needs may give you the guidance you need to complete a piece.

Re-write a story. Changing the point of view can liven up a story. Switch from third person to first to give the story a personal feeling. Changing from past to present tense is another way to re-shape a piece. Writing in present tense gives stories an intimate touch. Use alliteration to bring flow to your words and metaphor and simile to make comparisons interesting. Re-writing stories is a great exercise and will fuel your imagination.

Study writer’s magazines. Subscribe to writers’ magazines, such as The Creativity Connection*, The Great Blue Beacon, and Writer’s Digest. Save informative articles in a folder. Likewise, search the Internet for articles. Print the articles and refer to them whenever you need inspiration or help.

Read a favorite novel, short story, or poem. Analyze why you like them. Practice mimicking the style and technique. In addition, read books on writing and editing. These books will help you improve your technique and increase your chances of publication. Invest in a copy of The Chicago Manual of Style. It’s a great resource for any kind of writing. The Little Red Writing Book by Brandon Royal, which offers wonderful writing exercises, is another great resource. Read inspirational books, such as If You Want to Write by Brenda Euland, Bird by Bird by Anne Lamont, or Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg.

Of these seven ideas, going on a walk is the easiest and least expensive. Walking can help bring focus to your thoughts. Likewise reading, whether it’s for enjoyment or education, is a great way to help channel your efforts. Taking classes can give birth to new ideas or give direction to your work. Although classes involve a little more effort (and money), the payoffs are worth it.

What will you do to capture your muse? Not sure? Then go outside and get some fresh air. I’d be willing to bet your muse will be waiting for you the minute you return.

*The writer's newsletter Creativity Connection is now called Extra Innings

Tips on Getting Published

2011-05-09T08:25:00.000-07:00

Today Lisa Umina, author of the Milo book series, shares ways to help you get published.

Getting a book into print is just the beginning of the involved, and oftentimes overwhelming, publishing process. I started Halo Publishing International as an independently owned publishing company to help individual writers self-publish their books who don’t want to wade through the slush piles of traditional publisher for their chance at publication.

Trying to become a published author can be a difficult and lonely process, but it doesn’t have to be. Here are a few things to help you get your manuscript ready for publication.

Join writing communities and critique groups. You can learn from others who have been where you are or who are dealing currently with the same trials you are facing. Critique groups also help give you feedback on why your manuscript might be receiving rejections or help you overcome writers block.

Attend writing workshops and conferences. No matter what level you are at as a writer, you should at least once a year attend a conference and workshop to help hone your skills and learn about anything new in the industry. This is also a great way to make connections with editors, publishers, agents and others in your writing genre.

Get a freelance/professional editor to look your manuscript over. Authors are too close to the subject to objectively edit their own manuscripts. They often overlook the same mistakes time after time. By having an editor look your manuscript over before the submission process, you can be confident your manuscript will have correct grammar, punctuation, and spelling. At Halo, our creative editors watch for consistency, organization, clarity, character development, wordiness, sequential order, accuracy, and the right tone for the intended audience -- while always retaining your style. You want to make sure whomever you use doesn’t just do computer "mechanical" editing. Our editors at Halo get personally involved to hone your manuscript to a fine edge. This is key for a publishable manuscript.

Have a marketing plan outlined. Without an effective and comprehensive marketing plan, a book, although published, will sit in a box and collect dust. What sets HPI apart from other publishers is that our services do not end after a book is printed like most self-publishers and even traditional publishers; unless you are one of their top selling authors. Each and every HPI author is provided with an all-encompassing publishing solution that includes an essential marketing component. However, it is important to have a marketing outline ready to share with your publisher so you show what you are willing to do to help promote your book once it is published. Getting the word out to the media and, in turn, finding potential buyers for your book is a very important part of getting an editor or publisher interested in supporting you as an author.

Read the submissions guidelines and follow them. I cannot stress this enough. Each publisher, agent and editor has their own set of submissions guidelines and you need to make sure your manuscript follows them. You may have a great book idea and it would be a shame for it to be rejected because you didn’t follow the guidelines.

This are just some basic tips to help you achieve publication. Through Halo Publishing, I have helped countless authors realize their dreams and I hope that today, I have helped you reach your dream.

The Inspiration Behind the Book, The Brothers Foot: A Hare Raising Story

2011-05-03T04:11:00.000-07:00

Today, Steve Cormey shares the story behind his book The Brothers Foot.

I am a songwriter, not necessarily an author. The two are one in the same, I believe. And, I have been inspired by many songs and books over the years. The “Foot Foot Song” was one of the first songs I can recall.

My parents gave my sister, brother, and I a record player for a Christmas present when I was about 4 or 5 years old. It came with a 45-record sung by Ray Bolger (the Scarecrow in The Wizard of Oz). I only remember that one side had a yellow label and the other side was pink. The pink side was a song called “I’m Glad I’m not a Rubber Ball” and the yellow side was called “The Foot Foot Song!”

I listened to those songs so many times that I never forgot them. Years later, when I was playing guitar and singing to help get me through college, I would sometimes play “The Foot Foot Song” and everyone would get a big kick out of it. In 1979, I joined a band in Colorado Springs and occasionally we would do the song just for fun and it was always a big hit.

Somebody even made rabbit puppets for us to use. They wore little ties and one time when we played at a restaurant where when someone wore a tie, the wait staff came ringing a bell, cut off the person’s tie and stapled it to the wall with their business card attached.

One night, when we were playing the song…they came out ringing the cowbell, cut off the rabbits ties, stapled them to the front of the stage and labeled them “foot,” “foot foot” and “foot foot foot!” That song has always been fun to sing and obviously, sticks in a person’s (or child’s) mind forever!

About seven years ago, I came up with an idea to write a simple children’s book based on the song. I asked my friend and artist, Ronda Eden if she would like to do the illustrations. Ronnie knew the song and even used to sing it for children’s story time visits to various schools and libraries in Wyoming (she still has the puppets, by the way).

Well, to make a long story longer…we collaborated on the book. I got the copyright approval for the song and we are very proud of it. The Brothers Foot: A Hare Raising Story has received great reviews so far, but neither one of us are very good at marketing or selling, so we are hoping that the “World of Ink Tour” will help us promote the book. We do have a sequel in the works with a song I wrote years ago called “The Carrot Song.” Why that would relate to three rabbit brothers, I don’t know?

Sami's Story

2011-05-02T06:53:00.000-07:00

I am writing an article about an amazing dog breed, the Basenji. Basenjis don’t bark. They have a physical structure in the voice box which is different from other dogs. But Basenjis can growl, whine, whimper, and yodel—sort of a warbling effect.

Basenji puppy photo by Cooperfeesh

The angle of the article: the training of a Basenji puppy named Sami as she prepares for her first dog show. I researched the breed by reading books, newspapers, and journals. I discovered even more about the breed when I interviewed Sami’s co-owner, Carole. From my interviews, I learned that Basenjis are not the easiest dogs to train to be show dogs. They are independent thinkers. Carole told me once that on the down and back (trotting in a straight line so that the judge can critique movement) Sami’s great grandpa decided to lie down in the ring and roll on his back.

After completing my research, I landed an interview with the president of the American Kennel Club! Then, the personal relations director connected with me an AKC judge. She firmly suggested that I focus on Junior Showmanship since I was writing for children. I listened and thanked her for her suggestion. Then I discussed why I wanted to write this story—I had met Sami’s great, great, grandmother. I had a personal connection. But no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t convince her of my story. Nonetheless, she begrudgingly agreed to answer my questions for the piece.

When I hung up the phone, I felt that I was making a big mistake. I was full of self-doubt. Was she correct? Was I taking the wrong angle for kids? I considered re-writing a completely different story.

In the meantime, I stayed in touch with Carole. Her puppy was about to enter her first show. And then I realized that I cared about Carole and her dog. I was rooting for Sami. I wanted her to do well in the ring. In the end, I silenced my self-doubt and listened to my heart, to my passion. As it turned out, the AKC judge never answered my questionnaire. Yet, I had the opportunity to interview a judge in person at a local dog show. I had great research, great quotes, and more, I had a great story. Regardless of what had been suggested to me, I stood my ground. And I’m glad that I did. I will have an amazing story to share with kids.

Make it Your Mantra

2011-04-25T03:33:00.000-07:00

When pitching your picture book to a publisher, it helps to have credentials. So you decide to build credits by writing a nonfiction article for a children’s magazine.

You research a topic, write the article, compose a cover letter, and click—you email your submission. Will you receive an acceptance? As Nonfiction Editor for Stories for Children Magazine, I receive many submissions that well, need a little help. A good majority require revision. Some miss the mark completely by submitting fiction. So how can you join the ranks of those who succeed?

Before you begin your article, review the magazine’s guidelines to know what will be expected of you. Guidelines will indicate how to format your manuscript. For instance, guidelines will state whether to single or double space the text. Guidelines will usually give the word count and the age range. They may also call for a bibliography and a biography.

Each publication has specific guidelines. Read them and follow them. While this may seem obvious, I can’t stress this point enough. An editor is not trying to make you jump through hoops. She’s not trying to frustrate you or test you. The guidelines are in place to help her review the many submissions that stack up on her desk or fill up her email.

Never argue with an editor about the guidelines. Yes, that’s happened to me before. An editor doesn’t have time to re-format your work or find another source for your bibliography. It’s your job to do it correctly. So make it your mantra. Repeat after me: I will follow the guidelines, I will follow the guidelines. Good job! You’ve just increased the change of an acceptance coming your way.

Writing for the Arboretum

2011-04-18T04:11:00.000-07:00

photo by Parvin

I volunteer at the Arboretum, the State Botanical Garden of Kentucky. As a member of the committee for the Children’s Garden, I am awarded opportunities to write for children.

Recently, the director needed a brochure for children about the rose garden. The challenge: design a brochure that was educational and entertaining for children. Since this would be like the nonfiction articles I write for children, I embraced the task. Using several Arboretum brochures as guides, I developed four pages (which may be edited by the director). I placed the Arboretum logo at the top of the first page. Underneath the logo I placed an image of a velvet-petaled crimson rose. Beneath the photo, I added a funny poem about a rosebush and an oak tree written by Shel Silverstein.

On the second page, I used an image of a garden with rows and trellises of blooming roses. Under the photo, I listed six columns each designated with a color: red, pink, yellow, purple, white, or orange. The director will fill in the columns with the names of roses that correlate to the color category.

The third page shows a diagram of flower parts and follows with a brief history of the naming of roses. Near the center of the page is an outline of a rose that children can color, and then name. On the last page is Arboretum contact information, followed by fun facts about roses. For instance, did you know:

Barbara Streisand, Whoopi Goldberg, and Rosie O'Donnell each have a rose named for them.

In 1986, then President Ronald Reagan signed legislation making the rose the official National Flower of the United States.

Writing for children doesn’t have to be restricted to writing stories. Look for opportunities to write for young ones at children’s museums, libraries, nature centers, and more. What other ways can you share your writing with kids?

The Story Behind: I Love You, Be Careful

2011-04-15T05:47:00.000-07:00

Judy Snider is co-author of I Love You, Be Careful. Today she shares the inspiration behind her heart-warming book.

Hello ! It was fun to think of why my sister, Joan and I wrote, I Love You, Be Careful! We talk on a daily basis on the telephone and during one of our conversations we discussed being mothers, wives, friends, sisters and how important our loved ones are. Joan began talking about her fun grandchildren and how she worries about them as well as her own grown kids. We said no matter if our kids are 4 or 40, you still want the best for them and for them to “be careful”.

The next day we spoke again and said how we had told our husband’s to “be careful” and we loved them as they left for work. This led to what a great idea it would be to write a picture gift book that shows all the “be careful” moments in life, for any person, no matter what language they speak or what country they are from.

We began a rough draft and worked every day to combine our ideas as to what should be in the book. We took from all our own “be Careful” moments in life with our kids and began looking for an illustrator. We were lucky we found Cady Driver, because besides being a wonderful illustrator, she is a mother and a very creative and fun person to work with! She is in a different state, so all our interactions were on the phone or on the computer.

It was fun work and wonderful to hold our finished book in our hands. Before we finished the book, we thought who would want to read it. We have found it is mothers of daughters, parents of those in the military, new brides, fathers of daughters, and new moms and grandmothers who love the book and find it sentimental. Yet, we were surprised that kids liked the book. They enjoyed finding the hidden “be careful” in every picture and talking about their own “be careful” children’s moments. We were lucky to have a video trailer done by Virginia Grenier and to be on this book blog tour.

I hope you like the book. Remember, everyone has a book inside them!

Winning Contests

2011-04-11T08:50:00.000-07:00

photo by Miss Millificient

Have you ever considered entering a writing contest? Do you know what it takes to capture a prize?

Over the past two years, I’ve won eight prizes for my pictures books. Maggie and the Third Grade Blues has won three awards, including first prize in the 2011 Tennessee Mountain Writer’s writing competition. Though other writers may have different approaches to writing winning picture books, this is what works for me:

I follow the guidelines.

I deliver a neat, mistake-free manuscript.

I present my very best work. By best, I mean a picture book should have:

An intriguing title

Words that flow

A story that can be easily illustrated

A main character that readers will care about

A conflict presented early on

A situation that goes from bad to worse and leads to the climax

The main character who solves the problem by herself (no help from adults)

A satisfying ending with a twist

Lastly, I believe in my work. It’s not enough to seal the envelope and hope to win. I embrace a positive attitude. I tell myself that I will win.

Make it a point to enter writing contests. Winning one and noting it in your bio may improve your chances of publication. When you choose a contest, apply these tips the next time you enter. See if they make a difference. See if they help you win a writing contest prize.

Creating Characters

2011-04-11T03:46:00.000-07:00

Renee Hand shares her thoughts on developing characters. She has received a Best Book Award, a National Literary Award, and a Preferred Choice Award for her children's series and adult books. Renee is the author of the mystery series known as the Crypto-Capers. Recently, she won a Seal of Excellence Award in Storytelling for her Joe-Joe Nut and Bisquit Bill series.

Creating characters is a very important job. Without good developoment, characters can be lifeless and dull. Too many times, writers will tell about their characters, but not show who their characters really are. In order for characters to be believable, you must make the reader feel something about them. Good description is key, but it's not enough. How may times have we read a book or watched a movie and have cried or laughed with the characters? We want what they want. We do so because we made a connection with the characters. We felt sympathy or empathy. We love or hate characters based on how the writer makes us feel about them.

When I create characters, this is what I do. My characters are never lifeless and boring. They are dynamic and evolve as the story continues; they have depth. They don't just exist and are meaningless. I put myself in their shoes and walk around. I think how I would feel if that happened to me and I share my feelings. The best thing you can do as a writer is to share your characters' feelings. You can't just tell what a character is doing. A writer must show how a character feels: their pain and suffering, their happiness and joy, and their fears. That makes a character believable—a reader can relate to that. There is more, of course, a lot more to character development, but the above is a good start.

Check out Renee's website at: http://www.reneeahand.com/ to learn about cyrptograms and how to solve the ones that are in her books.

Listening to Chuck

2011-04-04T04:51:00.000-07:00

I had registered for a workshop on getting an agent, which would be presented by Writer’s Digest Editor Chuck Sambuchino. Due to an illness however, he had to cancel. In the meantime, I registered for a picture book workshop for March 26^th at Joseph Beth Booksellers. Unbeknownst to me, Chuck’s workshop had been rescheduled for the same day. Decisions, decisions. Which one would I go to? How I would have loved to have cloned myself to be able to attend both. In the end, I decided to attend Chuck’s, which ran from 9:45 – 11:45, and then catch the tail end of the picture book workshop, which ran to 1:30.

I made the right choice. Chuck’s presentation was amazing. He was confident, personable, direct, and lively. Throughout the lecture, he paused to answer questions and afterward, kept the presentation moving smoothly. The audience was respectful, keeping their questions directly related to the topic.

Chuck suggests, “Don’t put all of your eggs in one basket.” In other words, have other works in progress should an agent expresses interest. He also had some pointers for query letters:

Keep a query to one page.

Personalize the query (no Dear Agent)

Paint a picture of your book

Refer to an agent’s books

After his workshop a light bulb went off in my head. I have to try harder to get an agent. My picture book has won three awards—three!—so why haven’t I any takers? I blame it on my query. So, together with my notes from the workshop and Chuck’s book, 2011 Guide to Literary Agents, I will edit my query to make it stronger, more enticing. I am stoked. I feel more confident and have the tools to” bring it” to an agent.

If you’re thinking about getting an agent, I highly recommend following Chuck’s blog: literaryagent@fwmedia.com and taking a look at the his literary agent guide book. Better yet, think about registering for one of his workshops.

And the winner is...

2011-04-01T06:56:00.000-07:00

Last month, The Maggie Project sponsored a picture book

giveaway contest.

The winner is Cheryl Malandrinos. She wins a copy of

Monkey Made Dream.

Congratulations and happy reading, Cheryl!

Writer's News

2011-03-28T08:28:00.000-07:00

photo by Lucas

Maggie and the Third Grade Blues has been
submitted to 23 editors and 8 agents. These are the latest results:

Charlesbridge—sent manuscript, no reply

GP Putnam—sent manuscript, no reply

Houghton Mifflin Children’s Books—sent manuscript, no reply
Clarion—equery, no reply

Susan Schulman Agency—queried, no reply

Pippin Literary Agency—e-query; no reply

On the other hand, after I queried Editor-at-Large Melanie Kroupa, she sent a lovely hand written note addressed to me personally, not to “author.” Melanie wrote that she was taking on few projects. This is what many in the publishing world say is “a positive rejection.” This means that she read my query and it was professional enough to garner a personal note.

Maggie and the Third Grade Blues has been entered in four contests. The Kay Snow Willamette Writers Contest will make the final contest, the deadline being this April. To date, the picture book has captured three contest awards!

More news: I will post a review of Chuck Sambuchino’s workshop “Everything You Need to Know about Getting an Agent.” And, I will be hosting two special guests next month. On April 11^th Renee Hand will offer her insights about creating characters. On April 15^th Judy Snider will present the back story of I Love You, Be Careful.

Until then, happy writing!

A letter to Merilee

2011-03-23T10:44:00.000-07:00

photo by McBeth

How would I describe you to someone who never knew you? You were my dad’s girlfriend, a beautiful blond, a fabulous cook, a dancer, a friend to my family, and a cheerleader of my writing. When I’m quiet, I can hear your voice from your cell phone: “Hi, this is Merilee, leave me a message.” And when we’d connect, we’d talk and talk. I am lucky to have some of your recipes, preserved on note cards—my favorite, the scrumptious honey bun cake! I have some jewelry you had given to me as gifts. You knew me well, knew that I liked small earrings. I still have a most unusual gift from you: a crystal angel lamp that lights up and warms perfume.

When I saw you for the last time, I whispered in your ear, “You were the best thing that has happened to our family.” I meant it, though you modestly shrugged it off. Six years is not long enough to have known someone. But who am I to question God’s plan? I would loved to have walked with you in the arboretum. I would have loved for you to have joined more family celebrations. I would have loved to have one more day with you. It’s hard saying good bye. Merilee, I miss you.