John Herrington’s Mission to Space (Chickasaw Press): a recommendation by Debbie Reese from American Indians in Children’s Literature. Peek: “Herrington is an astronaut. He was on space shuttle Endeavor, in 2002. Mission to Space begins with his childhood, playing with rockets, and ends with Endeavor’s safe return to Earth.”
Power Your Fiction: Using Weather to Create Mood, Not Cliches by Angela Ackerman from Writers in the Storm. Peek: “…weather is important to us as people. We interact with it each day. It affects us in many subtle ways.”
Getting Around First-Person Point of View Limitations by Mary Kole from Kidlit.com. Peek: “The biggest plot-related problem with first person POV is that your protagonist has to be around for everything. Dagnabit!” Note: Use eavesdropping with caution as it’s an easy way to earn information and, thus, diminishes its value.
Understanding Inner Conflict by Michael Hauge from Writers Helping Writers. Peek: “… you give them compelling desires that will force them to let go of their protective identities. Then, as they pursue those goals, they will come to realize the truth of who they are underneath their masks.”
A New Direction for BookExpo America by Jim Milliot from Publishers Weekly. Peek: “…the focus will be on drawing more book buyers, including booksellers, librarians, and buyers from a range of specialty retailers. Through a more rigorous application process, Reed will limit the numbers of bloggers, independent authors, and consultants.”
Once Upon a Time With Liz Garton Scanlon from American Lifestyle. Peek: “…her inspiration for writing children’s books, the process for creating her award-winning book All the World, and why gratitude and hope are central themes for her.”
We Need Diverse Books Announces Partnership with Madcap Retreats to Run Diversity-Themed Author Retreats from WNDB. Peek: “The partnership will present two affordable, workshop-based retreats for 2017. Writing Cross-Culturally will focus on how one can diversify their writing and learn to write cross-culturally responsibly, while the Diverse Aspiring Authors retreat will give authors from marginalized backgrounds craft workshops, industry 101 information, and ways to navigate the roadblocks of the current publishing climate.” See also On “Who Can Tell My Story” by Martha Parravano from The Horn Book.
When Your Agent Says “No” by Hilary Wagnor from Project Mayhem. Peek: “…a great agent is going to tell you when your work isn’t up to par and should not be sent off to editors. If your agent truly respects you, they’re going to tell you the truth no matter what.”
For Whom The Book Is Written: Addressing Intended Audience in YA Novels about Mental Illness by Katherine Locke from School Library Journal. Peek: “Weight and numbers are a way for outsiders/non-sufferers to understand the severity of the disease and they’re more tangible than the incongruous and seemingly irrational thoughts of an anorexic person.”
This Week at Cynsations
- Jenn Bishop on The Distance to Home
- Becca Puglisi on Setting as a Characterization Tool
- In Memory: Natalie Babbitt
- Gayleen Rabakukk on Unique & Creative State Book Awards Programs
More Personally
Great news! Author Marth Brockenbrough joins the VCFA WCYA faculty at this upcoming winter residency in Montpelier. Huzzah! In more terrific news, faculty chair Alan Cumyn has won the the Vicky Metcalf Award for Literature for Young People. Peek: “In awarding the prize, the jury said Cumyn’s work “brilliantly exceeding the standards of fiction for the young, Cumyn’s novels for teenagers and children alike show a sure-handed mix of humour, poetry and melancholy, and an abiding commitment to a young person’s viewpoint.”
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| Austin SCBWI & Writers’ League of Texas Diversity Book Event at Texas Book Festival |
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| Moderating & Signing Nov. 5 |
It’s Texas Book Festival week! Please join me (the moderator) and “Supernatural Storytellers” Robert Beatty, Janet Fox & D.J. MacHale 12:30 11/5 E1.026 Capitol Extension in Austin.
See that nifty “Hey Texans” banner? I’ll be part of the Texas author diversity signing event with Chris Barton and Natalie Sylvester, sponsored by The Writers’ League of Texas and Austin SCBWI, at the Writers’ League Booth. Note: Book giveaway while supplies last! See an interview with all three of us. Peek from me:
“I love that when it came to connecting books to readers through community, the Texas Book Festival was the ground breaker. The leader. I feel about it the way a lot of Texans felt when—in a journey spanning from the dawn of time to humanity’s trek in the stars—the first word spoken from outer space was ‘Houston’.”
Tweeps! Join me Thurs., from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. central Nov. 17 for “Indigenous Voices in Middle Grade Novels,” a #mglitchat on Twitter, featuring Lee Francis, Debbie Reese, Traci Sorell, and Tim Tingle.
Check out the We Need Diverse Books Auction!
Personal Links
- Placebo Buttons
- #StandingRockSyllabus
- Do All Indians Live in Tipis
- Who Was Randolph Caldecott?
- Native Americans Writing Today
- Carmen Oliver on Why Picture Books Are Important
- Character Motivation: Mending a Broken Relationship
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| Join me Saturday, Nov. 12 |
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| Honored to join the SCBWI winter conference faculty! |