Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Weekly Scratch: Boy Books, Passage, New Horizons, World View, Deals

Hi folks, I'm speaking tomorrow about how to connect your work with the children's market at 10 am at the Barnes and Noble in College Station, TX.  

BOY BOOKS

Publishers continue to scramble to find a way to get boys reading. Are you thinking about the Holy Grail of children's writing? Here is an interesting article in the Washington Post.

NEW HORIZONS

A new imprint for the preschool set -- Abrams' Appleseed will publish 8 to 12 titles a year. Reported 3/24/11. PW.

"WingedChariot is the latest digital partner for Walker...WingedChariot, already known for its pioneering work in the digital picture book publishing arena, will work with Walker to produce interactive apps based on Walker's award-winning, best-selling children’s book properties."  Press release from Bologna CBF.
WORLDVIEW

Do you know what the Bologna Children's Book Fair is about?  This book fair is really about the global market. Check it out if you want to a world-view perspective. Some highlights:  Arab publishers at the fair.
Taiwanese illustrators at the fair, and more good news for Shaun Tan. He won a Oscar for his short THE LOST THING and now he's won the Lindgren Award.   Reported 3/29/2011, PW.

PASSAGE

Dianna Wynne Jones, author of over 40 fantasies -- many for children, passed away on March 26.  Her wild imagination and wit will be sorely missed. Here's a nice article in THE TELEGRAPH if you want to read more.

DEALS

Are you interested in getting an agent?  Here is an article about a YA author that just made such a leap and is now happily published. From GalleyCat, 3/29/2011.

Self publisher Amanda Hocking, Kindle phenom, just landed a traditional publishing deal.  Read about it in THE NEW YORKER book blog.

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Brazos Valley has two events coming up.  Saturday, March 26, 2011 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. at the Arts Council of Brazos Valley, 2275 Dartmouth Street, College Station, TX, we have Spring SCBWI Saturday and "Create Your Own Canon" with Bethany Hegedus.  Download Registration. $20.   On Wednesday, March 3, 2011 at B&N in College Station at 10 a.m. mind behind the Scratchpad, Molly Blaisdell, will present "Sure Paths to Publication" to help you with your journey to publication. The SCBWI Houston Conference is around the corner. And you might want to check that out too.

DEALS

Hey, do you want to sell 100,000 books? Half a million? A million? Look in this article in PW with sales numbers on the high flying franchises in the children's book industry. 

Patrick Carman is somebody who has been on my radar for years.  If you want a great role model on how to create a fab career in children's publishing, he is someone to study. Here is a recent article in PW that covers his latest endeavor.   I'm going to offer a tip.  One thing I have learned in the journey of publication is one of your jobs as an author is to make sure your book reaches its audience (no one will do this for you).  I think that Patrick is an author who really gets that.

CRYSTAL KITE

Hey, folks, I hope you voted. Congrats to local author Kathi Appelt! 
Here are the finalists from our SCBWI region. You will find the rest of the regions' finalists here.

TEXAS/OKLAHOMA

KEEPER, Kathi Appelt
MOSTLY MONSTERLY, Tammi Sauer
SAVING MADDIE,  Varian Johnson
SHARK VS. TRAIN, Chris Barton
THE BATTLE OF THE SNOWCONES, Lupe Ruiz-Flores
SPOTLIGHT

Who was the agent for the 2011 Newbery winning book MOON OVER MANIFEST by Clare VanderpoolAndrea Cascardi at Transatlantic Literary Agency.

Want to know who reps who in the literary world? Check out this list from Querytracker.net.

I hope you found something that helps you on your journey here. See you next week.

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Weekly Scratch: Revolution, Free Stuff, and News

Hi, folks, I hope that you are working hard on your current works.  I've been watching the feeds and hope that I have a little tidbit here to help you on your journey toward publication.

REVOLUTION

Publishing as an industry is rapidly changing. The value of content is changing, and we all need to move with the times. Here are few interesting bits that you may find of interest.

How about this idea, folks -- Hulu for books.  Here is an article from Galleycat that will give you an peek inside on possible future publishing scenario. 

First up an interesting press release from ALA with a perspective on how restrictions on e-book lending required by publishers is threatening access to information.

This week author Chris Eboch is offering a startling perspective covering the new frontiers in self-publishing on the Spectacle, a blog about speculative fiction for children and teens.

FREE STUFF

Chris Eboch is a multi-book author if you follow her blog Write Like a Pro! A Free Online Writing Workshop, you are eligible for a free critique.

If you want a free copy of a hot new book CHAOS by Rachael Ward swing by  The Neverending Shelf blog and drop your name in the hat.

Over at the blog of CHRISTINE FONSECA, AUTHOR blog a whole slew of free stuff you can try for if you so wish at big Kidlit blog party. This is a nice way to network with folk and perhaps win a free thing or two. 

NEWS

There's a new imprint over at Candlewick called Nosy Crow. Read about it here in PW.

In these days and times, authors need to think globally.  Here is an interesting article in PW about children's publishing in Asia.

Remember this blog is for informational purposes and is not to be considered an endorsement.  

Monday, March 7, 2011

Weekly Scratch: New Horizons, Tough Times,and Learn Something.

Hi, folks,  remember we have a special event this month Spring SCBWI Saturday with author/editor Bethany Hegedus on Saturday, March 26 at 10:00am at the Arts Council of Brazos Valley. To register click here. Don't forget to send in your applications for WIP grants. They are due by March 15th.

NEW HORIZONS

from PW, March 3, 2011. Beach Ball Books, a book packager in Santa Barbara has put out a new line, the list with six debut titles features many sports books.

Check out RUCKUS MOBILE MEDIA, an app publisher on the forefront of the publishing revolution.

Here's a little press, LOOK AGAIN PRESS, that specializes in "innovative approaches to the analysis of children's literature, and children's books which resonate with readers". Their plan is to publish 3 to 5 books per year.

TOUGH TIMES
Read about tough times at Tokyopop, a popular manga publisher, in PW, March 7, 2011.

LEARN SOMETHING

Have you ever heard of PUBLISHER'S MARKETPLACE?  You might be interested in the fee-based service that offers up-to-date publishing information.

Check out the SCBWI Houston Regional Conference coming up on April 9th in Katy Texas.  

Here's something that might interest you: Highlights and Boyds Mills Press science editor Andy Boyles for Science Writing Boot Camp! This newly created Highlights Foundation workshop will take place April 27–May 1, 2011.  Here is a link to all the upcoming workshops for the Highlights Foundation.

Hope you have a good week, create tons of great stuff, and find good success. See you next week for more scratch.  

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Weekly Scratch: A Deal, Biz News, Best Sellers, Awards

Hi, folks, great stuff from Andy Sherrod at our monthly Schmooze.  I hope that you are writing your heart out.  Here's a link to some interesting articles provided by James Frey, the guy that wrote the book on the fictive dream.  Don't forget to send in your SCBWI WIP grant applications!

RECENT DEAL

From Publisher's Lunch 3/1/2011: Simon & Schuster editor and Columbia MFA grad Karen Thompson Walker's debut novel THE AGE OF MIRACLES, about an eleven-year-old girl and her family who wake one morning in their modest suburban home in California, to discover, along with the rest of the world, that the rotation of the earth has suddenly begun to slow, setting a suspenseful family drama of the lows and highs of a girl's adolescence and a poignant story of first love against this looming global disaster, to Kate Medina at Random House, in a pre-empt, for publication in 2012, by Eric Simonoff at William Morris Endeavor (US).

BIZ NEWS

From PW (3/1/2011):  Bloomsbury USA had its best year ever in 2010 with profits up 160% to 1.3 million pounds ($2.1million) before central charges of 200,000 pounds. Sales rose 1.6% to 19.1 million pounds ($31 million). Sales were led by The Finkler Question, backlist sales, three children’s bestsellers, right sales and e-books. E-book sales totaled $2.3 million for all of Bloomsbury with two-thirds of that coming from the U.S. In the first month Finkler was on sale in the U.S., 42% of sales were from e-books.

From Pearson to its investors:  Penguin will face another year of fast-changing industry conditions, driven by the rapid growth of both digital sales channels and digital books, and by the resulting pressures on physical bookstores. After particularly strong competitive performance and financial results in 2010, we expect Penguin to perform in line with the overall consumer publishing industry this year, while we continue to adapt the business to these industry changes.
GOOD ADVICE

"Words of Advice" c  "We asked a number of industry veterans about the best piece of advice they received when first entering publishing, and what advice they have for those just starting out today."

BEST SELLERS

NY Times Bestselling Picture Books, the week begining Feb. 27, 2011.
NY Times Bestselling Chapter Books, the week beginning Feb. 27, 2011.
NY Times Bestselling Paperback Books, the week beginning Feb. 27, 2011.
USA Today bestsellers based on sales through Feb. 20, 2011.

AN ACADEMY AWARD

Shaun Tan, children's book author and movie animator, wins the 2011 Academy Award for Animated Short.
Check out the film here!  Really worth your time.  It's weird and wonderful.  

I hope something here is helpful or inspiring here. See you next week with more scratch.