Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Weekly Scratch: Local, Sci/Fan, Revolution, Fun

Howdy, Brazos Valley Children's Writers and Illustrators!   I hope you have had a good work week.  First up, fun news for two local writers. Kathy Whitehead received a nice mention for ART FROM YOUR HEART. Janet Fox's FORGIVEN is a Junior Library Guild selection.

We have meeting tomorrow, February 23, 2011 at Barnes & Noble, 711 Texas Ave, College Station at 10 a.m.. Be there or be square. :)  Andy Sherrod will help us ferret out clumsy writing. Yay!

We have a cool upcoming opportunity: Kimberly Willis Holt will attend the Children's Literature Book Club Thursday for the discussion of her award-winning novel, WHEN ZACHARY BEAVER CAME TO TOWN.  Ms. Holt will appear via Skype for 30-40 minutes of the meeting which begins at 4:30 p.m. at the Arts Council of Brazos Valley, 2275 Dartmouth Street in College Station.
Remember that SCBWI WIP GRANT applications are currently open.   Don't forget to vote for the Crystal Kite, all by March 15th!

INTERESTED IN SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASY?

The Highlights Foundation has a Whole Novel Worshop for Fantasy Writers, May 1-8th.  Click here for more information.

The 2011 SFWA Nebula Award short list is out. Here are the YA  titles.

Andre Norton Award for Young Adult Science Fiction and Fantasy

MORE ON THE E REVOLUTION

The price point of book content is falling. It happened to the music industry first but that is now flooding into book industry. The information age is changing publishing forever.  Be aware.  Here is article that may interest you about price cuts from DC Comics.  Where will teens read books in the future? Here is an interesting PW article teens jumping on the e-wagon.

SOME ODDS AND ENDS FOR FUN

Hunger Games, part of YA series by Suzanne Collins, has spawned a slew of homemade movie trailers on Youtube.  Oh, the things that our books will do.  Want to read a good book?  The PW Fall Sneak Peek is out. I like to get books on the list early. I hope you do too...

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Weekly Scratch: Opportunities, Deals, Best of, Revolution, and Passages.

Hi folks, hope you are having a great writing week. This weekend is the AUSTIN SCBWI Conference! Have fun if you are going. :) The Writers' League of Texas has an upcoming conference for YA authors that you may wish to check out. The SCBWI Work-in-progress Grant season is open.  Read about it here.

CONNECTING
Have you heard of WRITEONCON? This website offers monthly live events with children's agents and editors. This month will be an hour of Q and A with Literary Agent Suzie Townsend, with FinePrint Literary and Editor Maria Gomez, with Harper Collins Childrens. Both will volunteer their time online on 2/28/2011 at 9PST to answer your burning publishing questions.  Write on Con has monthly events. Check it out.

WHAT A DEAL
Wonder who buys what? ...from GalleyCat: Disney-"Hyperion has acquired two books from children’s series author Ally Carter." and "Editorial director Stephanie Lurie negotiated the deal with literary agent Kristin Nelson of the Nelson Literary Agency. Senior editor Catherine Onder will edit the books." Yep, it's already been optioned by Warner Brothers. Nice.

Here's another one!  ...from GalleyCat:   Random House Children's Books. A Trilogy deal for Mark Frost for a YA series. Editorial director Jim Thomas negotiated the deal with literary agents Sophie Hicks and Ed Victor from Ed Victor Ltd. Super.

THE REVOLUTION
Yes, children's publishing is changing.  Digital media is a game changer.  Lots to think about.   Here is one. YA author AMANDA HOCKING's blog. You WILL find it interesting.  Ebooks changed her life. She's not worring about getting an agent or publishing house's interest. She's trying to satisfy her hundreds of thousands fans.  Something to think about. Brilliant.

BEST OF
The Kidlitosphere (Children and Young Adult Bloggers) --their annual awards have been announced: 2010 Cybils Award winners.

PASSAGE
This week famed children's editor Margert K. MeElderry dies at the age of 98. May we all bring such magic to children's books. Read more here.

Come back next week for more weekly scratch!

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Weekly Scratch: Local, Bestsellers, Market News, Passage

Hi folks: I hope your manuscripts are humming.  Be sure to be working on your SCBWI WIP Grant applications, the submitting window is about to open. 

Locally, Brazos Writers is offering MOVIE BOOT CAMP on Feb 19.  Scroll down the page to find the info.

What's the most popular book?

From Publisher's Lunch (2/3/2010):
The New York Times Unveils Their E-Book Bestseller Lists --The NYT's first-ever e-book bestseller lists will appear in print on February 13 and online on February 11 (reflecting rankings for the week ending January 30), as the paper previewed for publishing people at an event this morning. Not only will the paper publish a separate e-book list, but there will also be a hybrid print and e-book bestseller list. A spokesperson said the paper "wanted to provide more comprehensive lists of which books are selling. Here's a link to the NY TIMES BESTSELLER LISTS.

Who is buying books and why?

Check out this new study from a joint consumer study with Bowker and ABC (now a part of the ABA) in PW, Have you had questions about how the digital media is reshaping children's publishing? This might shed some light on the subject. Here's another acticle from Feb 2011 in the NY Times about how E-Book sales for kids are on the rise.

Some interesting children's market tidbits.

D4EO Literary Agency has promoted Kristin Miller to associate agent. A co-founder of the young adult blog YA Highway, she will work on building the agency's young adult and middle grade client list.
from Publisher's Lunch

Beth Fleisher has left BG Literary to found her own agency, Clear Sailing Creatives, and as of Janurary, Michael Stearns is only accepting queries by conference submission and referral.

Passage


You will not be dissappointed if you go.

Highlights Foundation Writers Workshop at Chautauqua, the deadline for having applications in the mail is Saturday, Feb. 12, 2011.  . It takes place July 16-23, 2011, in western New York at the Chautauqua Institution.  For an application, and for more information, please contact Jo Lloyd, e-mail:
jo.lloyd@highlightsfoundation.org, or phone, toll-free, 877-512-8365.
For the Team Unicorn folks, here's a new book...

Do you remember this oldie but goodie from the '60s? Peter S. Beagle's LAST UNICORN is a graphic novel!  In September 2010, S&S published ZOMBIES VS UNICORNS, watch the trailer here if you have no clue.  The epic battle continues to rage Go Unicorns!

Come back next week for more Scratch!

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Weekly Scratch -- Quiet Books, Agents, Trends, a Kite, and more

Hi folks, brrr, it is freezing here in the Brazos Valley; I hope that makes you want to curl up with a good and work.

First up, thanks to ARA Jacqueline Gramann for her great talk about "who are we writing for."  Here is a link to self-publishing option she mentioned...Fastpencil.

So you want to write a picture book?  Here is a two-minute master class from Kevin Henkes on how to achieve your goal.

Next, Santa Claus is coming to town... Wonderful William Joyce is coming out with a new Childhood Guardians series.  This series will delve into the history of such childhood superheroes as Santa Claus, the Tooth Fairy, the Sandman, and the Easter Bunny. Here's the link to PW article.

Do you like quiet books?  Here's a great blog post from Shannon Hitchcock's chat with Literary Agent Erin Murphy and her client Audrey Vernick. Gives a list of ways to make a quiet book louder.  Enjoy. 

The SCBWI Winter Conference -- sign -- I wish could have been a fly on the wall. Don't forget to check out the SCBWI Winter Conference Blog.  Notes from a few attendees: Karen Strong, K.M. Walton, Kathryn Freeman, Amy K. Nichols, Nina Mata.

Do you need an agent?  Links!

Here is one author's story of how she got an agent from Galley Cat.  
Sarah Dessen's agent  Leigh Feldman has joined Writer's House.
The Nelson Agency has posted some stand out query letters and pitches. You might want to check them out.
Casey McCormick's blog is an awesome place for agent research. Check it out.

This has been out there for a little while but is nevertheless an interesting blog entry from Ally Carter about TRENDS in children's publishing.

SCBWI members, vote for your CRYSTAL KITE award book -- it's like our own WGA awards.  Log in and go to your homepage. Don't cry because you can only pick one book.  

Hope you found helpful stuff here. Come back next week for more scratch...