Author Interview: Tim Tingle on How I Became a Ghost from The Edmond Sun. Peek: “My great-great-grandfather…was 10…when his family began the long walk (The Trail of Tears) to what is now Oklahoma. I wanted to write a book based on these family memories that a young reader would enjoy, with humor and discovery, with snow monsters and shape-shifting panthers.”
Author Insight: The Write Mood from Wastepaper Prose. Peek: “Sometimes the simple act of writing becomes challenging. How do you make yourself write when you aren’t in the mood? Do you ever reward yourself at milestones?”
African Youth Literature: What Visibility in the International Market? by Mariette Robbes from PaperTigers. Peek: “While catering for their local readership, publishers in Africa also wish to be known internationally and to have business with publishers from others countries.”
Seven Questions for Literary Agent Gemma Cooper from Middle Grade Ninja. Peek: “If you expect publishing to be in its own weird timezone, then you won’t be as surprised when it goes through stages of being crazy-manic and then deathly quiet. Be patient and go with it.”
The Cabinet of Curiosities: short fictions for the young and mischievous. Highly recommended.
New Voices Award from Lee & Low. Peek: “…award-winning publisher of children’s books, is pleased to announce the fourteenth annual New Voices Award. The Award will be given for a children’s picture book manuscript by a writer of color. The Award winner receives a cash prize of $1000 and our standard publication contract, including our basic advance and royalties for a first time author. An Honor Award winner will receive a cash prize of $500.”
The Core of the Verse Novel from Marion Dane Bauer. Peek: “Because experimenting with new methods and styles is the best way to stay fresh in the midst of a long career?”
Tips for Tackling BEA from Wastepaper Prose. Peek: “…we know a lot of you are headed to NYC to attend. We’ve thought back on past experience and each of us has come up with some last minute tips that could help if you prepare and have an enjoyable show.”
Diversity on the Page, Behind the Pencil and in the Office by Judith Rosen from Publishers Weekly. Peek: “In doing research for books, he (illustrator London Ladd) recommended that creators develop a relationship with others so that they can understand them better. ‘It would enhance your work,’ he said.”
Kidlit Cares for Oklahoma from Kate Messner. Peek: “…because Oklahoma needs help right now, given the magnitude of damage from this week’s EF5 tornado. Please consider making a donation to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Effort now. If you donate at least $10, I’ll enter you in a drawing to win a signed book.”
Parragon Publishing India Unpacks High School Horror Fantasies from All About Book Publishing. Peek: “Parragon is one of the largest visual book publishers operating out of 35 countries worldwide. The company has tied up with the best printing facilities in the world and its books are printed in China, Indonesia, Malaysia, India, Europe, USA and other locations.”
Pack(ag)ing It Up from Gwenda Bond. Peek: “No one I know who’s done this kind of work has any illusions about the downsides going into it. Though I have heard horror stories about people it has worked out pretty awfully for or who were made to expect things that didn’t materialize. But I will also say that not everything I’ve heard is a horror story.”
Interview with Award-winning Author Don Tate by Brittney Breakey from Author Turf. Peek: “Speaking earns decent income and allows for promoting my books. But it also steals valuable time away from book making.”
Is Our Culture Becoming Too Critical and Open? from Jody Hedlund. Peek: “…we’re seeing an increase in readers sharing their thoughts about books more publicly (instead of privately or in the confines of book groups). And hence with the increased openness, we’re also seeing more negativity (as well as positivity).” See also an Open Love Note to Debut Authors about Hurtful Online Reviews.
Turning Story Opening Don’ts Into Dos by Angela Ackerman from The Bookshelf Muse. Peek: “If you want to start with action, you’re probably a plot type person. Go ahead! You do need to show your main character in an interesting situation (notice I didn’t say dangerous, just interesting) where their own personality shines through.”
Deepening Character: a Conversation with Cliff McNish from Notes from the Slushpile. Peek: “We’re prepared to forgive even villains a great deal if they make us laugh. It works doubly so for our heroes. Keep them seeing the amusing side no matter what happens.”
Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children’s Book Awards
By Lena Coakley
The 2013 winners for the Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children’s Book Awards were announced on Thursday at North Kipling Junior Middle School in Etobicoke, Ontario, where students gathered for a celebratory presentation.
Winner of the Children’s Picture Book Award Category: A Hen for Izzy Pippik by Aubrey Davis, illustrated by Marie Lafrance (Kids Can Press).
Winner of the Young Adult / Middle Reader Award Category: The Reluctant Journal of Henry K. Larsen by Susin Nielsen (Tundra Books).
Aubrey Davis, Marie Lafrance and Susin Nielsen are all first-time winners of this award.
Cynsational Giveaways
The winner of Ball by Mary Sullivan was Joy in Manitoba, and the winner of Nothing But Blue, Me, Penelope and Country Girl, City Girl, all by Lisa Jahn-Clough was Deena in New York.
This Week at Cynsations
- Eric A. Kimmel on Marketing Manuscripts to Publishers
- New Voice Polly Holyoke on The Neptune Project
- Event Report: Lindsey Scheibe & Riptide
- Event Report: Joy Preble & The Sweet Dead Life
- New Voice Laurie Boyle Crompton on Blaze (or Love in the Time of Supervillains)
More Personally
This has been one of my favorite work weeks ever!
I had an opportunity to review copy-edits on Feral Curse (Book 2 in the Feral series) from Candlewick Press and Walker Books (writer in action). And I had the opportunity to celebrate Austin debut YA author Lindsey Schiebe (reader in action) and connect in person with two amazing groups of teens and the librarians who lead them to reading success (author in action)!
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| Members of the Wolves Cedar Park High School Reading Group arrive in style at the Barnes & Noble Arboretum in Austin. |
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| Reviewing the set-up with librarian Chris Kay (see her photo report on the event!) |
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| Chatting with Cedar Park readers about reading and writing |
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| Answering questions about the writing life |
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| Wow! I was presented with a gorgeous plaque! What a thrill! |
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| Posing with the top readers at Cedar Park High. |
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| Dinner with blogger JennRenee, Greg Leitich Smith and public librarian Jane Dance at Louisiana Longhorn Cafe (we had fried and grilled alligator as an appetizer) in historic downtown Round Rock. |
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| Chatting with the Round Rock Public Library Teen Book Club |
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| Posing with the Round Rock Public Library Teen Book Club. |
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| Bethany Hegedus, me, Jo Whittemore, Nikki Loftin & Cory Putnam Oakes at Lindsey Scheibe‘s launch for Riptide! |
Cynthia Leitich Smith on Writing for the Long Haul from Janni Lee Simner from Desert Dispatches. Peek: “I have a respectful patience for the inner artist but always hold her accountable.” Learn more about Janni’s Writing for the Long Haul blog series.
Congratulations to Greg Leitich Smith on the upcoming re-release of the Peshtigo School books (Ninjas, Piranhas and Galileo & Tofu and T. Rex (originally published by Little, Brown) from IntoPrint Publishing, LLC! See more information.
Congratulations to Lindsey Lane on the sale of “Particles” to FSG! From Publishers Marketplace: “exploring themes of loneliness and interconnectedness from multiple viewpoints, set in or around a remote pull-out on a rural Texas highway where a particle-physics-obsessed teenage science genius disappeared…”
Personal Links
- The Ultimate Spaceship Face-off
- Tracing the Career of Judy Blume
- Time Management: Seeking Discipline
- David Lubar: First Public Stand-up Comedy Performance (PG)
- First Native American Actress to Walk Cannes Red Carpet
- What Parenting Books Can Teach Us About Critiquing
Cynsational Events
Join Cynthia Leitich Smith, Tracy Wolff, Mari Mancusi, and Emily McKay at 1 p.m. May 25 at Cedar Park Public Library in Cedar Park, Texas.
What a great idea it is to get an author to give a talk at a teen book club! I might have to look into that for book club my teenage son runs. 🙂