Six Picture Book Biographies Show the Joy of Longer Lives by Lindsey McDivitt from A Is for Aging. Peek: “…these picture book bios offer huge benefits to kids—showing them adventure, creativity, and enjoyment, not only over the course of an evolving life, but well into old age.”
Outlining: Why I Made the Switch and Tips for Trying It by Elizabeth S. Craig from Writer Unboxed. Peek: “…I’d have to outline for the one editor anyway, and I’d either have to be super-organized and not make any mistakes to get the other two out…or else I could try outlining all three of them. I became a reluctant outliner.”
Three Tips to Surviving a Public Speaking Event by Becca Puglisi from Writers Helping Writers. Peek: “Whatever the occasion, when it’s your turn to stand up in front of an audience, make them wait. Not too long, though.” See also The Online Presence That’s An Extension of Who You Are and What You Do (Or Is It Just a Fantasy?) by Jane Friedman from Writer Unboxed.
“Ya Gotta Pay Your Dues” by Donna Janell Bowman from The Writing Barn. Peek: “Even now, after a tiny bit of success in my publishing journey, I still find comfort in justifying a rejection as one step toward paying my dues (but I would love to receive a rejection addressed to Princess.)” See also Should Children’s Authors Self-Publish? A Conversation with Two Literary Agents by Sangeeta Mehta from Jane Friedman.
Fear and Killing the Muse by Linden McNeilly from Quirk and Quill. Peek: “…with all that trepidation around us, controlling our every anxious breath as we try to create stories, what can we do?”
More Than Numbers by Megan Schliesman from CCBlogC. Peek: “…as we talk about numbers, which is an important dimension of the discussion about diversity and publishing, it’s important that we don’t lose sight of the terrific books by people of color that are published each and every year.” Note: highlights top titles of the year by African Americans. See also Thoughts on Ferguson and Recommended Resources by Jason Low from Lee & Low and Justice on the Lesson Plan by Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich from the Brown Bookshelf.
Using Google Earth to Research Your Setting by Darcy Pattison from Fiction Notes. Peek: “…allows you to see the topography, or the terrain, of a setting. Is it hilly, flat, or somewhere in between?”
My First Author/Illustrator Skype Visit, What I Learned and What I’d Do Differently Next Time by Debbie Ridpath Ohi from Inkygirl.com. Peek: “Make sure you leave time for a Q&A, and coordinate with the teacher ahead of time so that he/she is able to have students prepare questions in advance.”
Jacqueline Woodson: “I Don’t Want Anyone to Feel Invisible” by Michelle Dean from The Guardian. Peek: “Woodson says she began writing the book when her mother died suddenly. She described the death as a “wake-up call that the people I love, and the people who know my story, and the people who know my history are not always going to be here.” Writing became a quest to make sure some kind of record existed.”
Writing Non-Human Characters by Cavan Scott from An Awfully Big Blog Adventure. Peek: “A race of non-humans should never have the same characteristics, unless perhaps if they are a true hive mind. Similar traits maybe, but there should be individuality there.”
Becoming a Better Writer in 2015 by Barbara O’Neil from Writer Unboxed. Peek: “Maybe one is that I’m going to write about things that scare me, or things that are secret. I might only write those things for myself, as an exercise, but maybe I’ll write them into the work of my novels, too.”
Picture Book Month
“Founder Dianne de Las Casas (author & storyteller) and co-founders, Katie Davis (author/illustrator), Elizabeth O. Dulemba (author/illustrator), Tara Lazar (author), and Wendy Martin (author/illustrator), put together their worldwide connections to make this happen.
“Every day in November, there is a new post from a picture book champion explaining why he/she thinks picture books are important.” Each also features teacher guides and curriculum connections.”
Learn more from and about the work of:
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| Arree Chung |
- Aaron Reynolds
- Loreen Leedy
- Kathleen Krull
- Lupe Ruiz-Flores
- Judy Schachner
- Marla Frazee
- Ted Lewin
- Jill Esbaum
- Sandra Markle
- Johnette Downing
- Alexis O’Neil
- Anna Dewdney
- Sophie Blackall
- Ann Whitford Paul
- Ame Dyckman
- David Schwartz
- Carolyn Dee Flores
- Robin Preiss Glasser
- Chris Barton
- Linda Joy Singleton
- Kelly Bingham
- Deborah Heiligman
- Stefan Jolet
- Aaron Becker
We Need Diverse Books
The fundraising campaign is ongoing and will close Dec. 10. Thanks to all for donating, signal-boosting and participating in the larger conversation in children’s-YA books!
“First we announced that we reached our initial goal of 100K. Now we can announce we have reached both of our first two stretch goals! Thank you so much for making this possible, and now it’s time announce our third stretch goal:
“The problem with diversity in children’s literature won’t be solved over night or even in a year. Battling entrenched barriers for diverse books takes sustained effort. Your donations from here on out, every single dollar, helps WNDB maintain our long-term viability and to continue to change the face of children’s literature for years to come.”
See also The Problem with Ethic Heritage Months from Lee & Low and A Cheat Sheet for Selling Diversity from Grace Lin (PDF).
Kid Lit for Haiti
Kid Lit for Haiti is an online auction featuring talent donated by authors, illustrators, editors, art directors, and agents. 100% of the proceeds benefit the students supported by the 501c3 nonprofit organization called The Friends of Haiti Inc. All money from this auction will be used for scholarships for students in Haiti.
Participants in the auction include: Stephen Mooser, co-founder of the SCBWI and author of more than 60 books; Melissa Manlove, editor at Chronicle Books; Ingrid Law, Newbery Honor author; Jen Rofe, agent at Andrea Brown Literary; Matt de la Pena, acclaimed author; Denise Vega, two-time Colorado Book Award winner; Giuseppe Castellano, art director at Penguin Random House; Dan Lazar, agent at Writers House, and many more (found on blog at Kid Lit for Haiti).
Cynsational Giveaways
- Wish Girl by Nikki Loftin
- Writing New Adult Fiction by Deborah Halverson
- Jingle Dancer by Cynthia Leitich Smith
See also a two-book giveaway of The Good-Pie Party by Liz Garton Scanlon, illustrated by Kady MacDonald Denton from Tara Lazar at Picture Book Idea Month and a giveaway Utopia, Iowa by Brian Yansky from Goodreads.
This Week at Cynsations
More Personally
It’s a short week here at Cynsations! Lots to do around the house. I’m taking off early for the holiday and will be back on Monday. Cynsational readers, I am thankful for you!
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| Playing at Alamo Drafthouse with fellow Austin authors Cory Putnam Oakes… |
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| and Greg Leitich Smith! Learn more about “Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 1.” |
See a review of “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 1” by Shoshana Flax from The Horn Book.
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| Rain talks about Thanksgiving… |
Link of the Week: Thanksgiving: What It Means for Native Americans: An Audio Interview with Suzan Shown Harjo from The TakeAway with John Hockenberry. Peek: After discussing the conflicting concepts of many Native people (a day of mourning) versus most others in the U.S. (a day of celebration) with regard to Thanksgiving, she says in part, “Giving thanks is a genuine Native tradition, and it’s a wonderful tradition, and I especially like the idea of a feast that everyone’s having that is comprised soley–if you do it right–of Native foods.” See also Suzan Shown Harjo Receives Presidential Medal of Honor.
Another Link of the Week: Writing Native Lives in YA: An NYPL Discussion by Matia Burnett from Publishers Weekly. Peek: “Thinking in conventional editorial terms, Klein sought solutions to what she perceived as persistent questions in the book, and looked to other works of young adult literature as models. But many of these models, she came to realize, derive from western literary archetypes…” See also a full recording of the event.
Even More Personally
What a thrill it was yesterday to celebrate fellow Austin children’s writer Betty X. Davis’s 99th birthday–still playing tennis, still writing, still quick with a joke. Betty: “People ask me what’s my secret to a long life.” Dramatic pause. “I started young.”
Personal Links
- Libba Bray on Today in Kindness
- Online Comments Are Being Phased Out
- USA’s 10 Most Beautiful Bookshops
- Orthorexia Nervosa
- “Marvel’s Agent Carter” Trailer
- 15 of the World’s Most Spectacular Fountains
- Can We Bring Elephants Back from the Brink?
- Extreme Shrimp Might Hold Clues to Alien Life, NASA Says
- BBC Teases “Sherlock” Return
- Georgia O’Keeffe Sets New Auction Record for Women Artists
- Wonder Woman Movie Gets Wondrous Woman Director
- Women in Positions of Power Show More Signs of Depression Than Men
Cynsational Events
Cynthia Leitich Smith will speak at the American Library Association MidWinter Convention in Chicago from Jan. 30 to Feb. 3. Details TBA.
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| Now Available! |
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| Pre-order Now! |
Cynthia will speak on “Writing Across Identity Markers” at 10 a.m. Feb. 14 at the Austin SCBWI monthly meeting at BookPeople in Austin.
The SCBWI Austin 2015 Writers and Illustrators Working Conference
will take place March 7 and March 8 at Marriott Austin South. Note:
Cynthia will be moderating a panel and offering both
critiques and consultations.
Cynthia will appear from April 14 to April 17 at the 2015 Annual Conference of the Texas Library Association in Austin.
Cynthia will serve as the master class faculty member from June 19 to June 21 at the VCFA Alumni Mini-Residency in Montpelier, Vermont.
Cynthia will speak from June 25 to June 30 on a We Need Diverse Books panel at the 2015 Annual Conference of the American Library Association in San Francisco.
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| http://taralazar.com/piboidmo/ |