Current Scratch: Marketing, Good, RIP

Howdy, folks. I hope the rain has helped you spend some time working on your stories.  

Our next Schmooze will fall on  7-25-2012  at the College Station Barnes and Noble.  Bring copies (up to 5) for gentle critique at 9:30 a.m.  Our program begins at 10 a.m. and the discussion topic will be: Schmooze: Historical Fiction for Children.

SCBWI-BV Region has two upcoming events and we now have ONLINE REGISTRATION.  The links are to the left. Here are brief details. Follow the links to learn more.

SCBWI-BV Saturday Workshop: Finding the Story
SPEAKERS: Mary Wade (non-fiction) and Jo Whittmore (YA).

DATE: August 18, 2012
TIME/LOCATION:: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Arts Center, 2275 Dartmouth, College Station, TX
COST: $45 SCBWI members, $50 Non-members.

SCBWI-BV Writing Intensive with Executive Editor of Philomel, Jill Santopolo.

DATE: November 3, 2012

TIME/LOCATION:  8 a.m. to 4:30 a.m. The Glory Inn on Still Creek Ranch, Bryan, TX 77808COST: $150 SCBWI Members and $175 Non-Members

MARKETING

Want some spot on, sensible advice about social media marketing. Check out this post on Writer Unboxed featuring advice from Elizabeth Law, Vice President and Publisher of Egmont USA.

I think this guy Michael Hyat is a smart cookie. I go to his sit often for practical advice about marketing, social, media, platform building, etc. Consider giving some of posts a read.

Do you know about KidLitosphere Central --The Society of Bloggers in Children’s and Young Adult Literature. Go here to learn you know everything about kid-lit. !


GOOD

Hey, book sales were up in May. Check it out here.

Texas author Varian Johnson just landed a deal with Scholastic!  Check out the details here.  

RIP

Were you a fan of Encyclopedia Brown? I know I was. Author Donald Sobol has passed away. Here is a thoughtful article about his passing in Mediabistro.  

The views expressed here are my own, and not necessarily those of the SCBWI.

Current Scratch: Events, News, YA

Howdy, folks! Are you hot yet?. Are you make goal progress? Be sure to mark you calendar with all our upcoming events.

Our next Schmooze will fall on  7-25-2012  at the College Station Barnes and Noble.  Bring copies (up to 5) for gentle critique at 9:30 a.m.  Our program begins at 10 a.m. and the discussion topic will be: Schmooze: Historical Fiction for Children.

Sign up for our awesome upcoming events. Coming soon -- online registration! Keep checking back.

SCBWI-BV Saturday Workshop: Finding the Story with Mary Wade, SCBWI Houston—Non-fiction and another TBA author—Fiction.

DATE: August 18, 2012
LOCATION/TIME: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Arts Center
2275 Dartmouth, College Station, TX
$45 SCBWI members
$50 Non-members

SCBWI-BV Writing Intensive with Executive Editor of Philomel, Jill Santopolo.

DATE: November 3, 2012

LOCATION AND TIME:

$150 SCBWI Members

$175 Non-Members

Register here!

NEWS

Great article in PW about writing memorable children's literature. This gives a broad perspective from many children's literature industry gurus.  Give it a look.

Wondering how to TWEET?  I mean, some of us are not the techno-gifted. Here is a link to a Twitter Cheat Sheet for Writers. Check it out.

YA RESOURCES

ALAN is the  Assembly on Literature for Adolescents of the National Council of Teachers of English website.  A great organization devoted to YA literature. Check it out.

Verlakay's  YA thread on her BLUE BOARDS. This is a great place to ask your burning questions. Many questions have already been asked. Lots to read.  

Adventures in Children's and YA Publishing. A great site with a worthy goal: in search of readers, and the information, market info, insider tidbits, and writing advice they find en route. 

Agent Mary Kole explores the children's genre with a focus of YA books. She is happy to answer questions. Check out her site.

Vandergrift's YA Literature page offers much in the way of understanding and appreciating YA lit. Check it out.

The Literary Link offers connections to so many wonderful YA lit sites. Go!

Want to know what is hot in YA lit. Check out the Bookanistas! The review the best upcoming books with nothing but love. Check out their site.

The views expressed here are my own, and not necessarily those of the SCBWI

Current Scratch: Shout Out, Awards, To Market

Howdy folks, summer is starting. Do you have a goal? I hope you carve out some time for your work over the next few months.  

Our next Schmooze will fall on  6-27-2012  at the College Station Barnes and Noble.  Bring copies (up to 5) for gentle critique at 9:30 a.m.  Our program begins at 10 a.m. and the discussion topic will be: Schmooze: What Is YA Today?

In local news, authors Kathy Whitehead  and Molly Blaisdell will be speaking on several panels at the upcoming Writers League of Texas Agent Conference.  

SHOUT OUT

SCBWI member with close local ties  Kelly Bennett has a new book out called ONE DAY I WENT RAMBLING from Bright Sky Press. It's illustrated by Terri Murphy.  The book is a celebration of shutting down the screens and diving into a creative play. You may wish to purchase it HERE.  You may also enter win an original illustration from the book and more HERE. Pass the word.

Here is a peek at the cover. 

 

Awards

This year the CLIP Carnegie Medal for picture book writing and the Kate Greenaway Medal for picture book illustration went  to the author and illustrator of the same book: A MONSTER CALLS (Walker).  No book has ever won both awards in the same year, reports PW.

To Market

Here is Vonna Carter's popular post: Conferences 2012: Editors. This post may help you choose what conferences to visit and you seek publishers for your work.

Here  is a little article over at GalleyCat. It's entitled "When Is Your Book Ready For An Agent."  Check out Eddie Schneider's advice; he's an agent at JABberwocky Literary Agency.

The views expressed here are my own, and not necessarily those of the SCBWI

Current Scratch: Messages, Magazines, Queries, News

Howdy folks, summer is starting. Do you have a goal? I hope you carve out some time for your work over the next few months.  

Our next Schmooze will fall on  6-27-2012  at the College Station Barnes and Noble.  Bring copies (up to 5) for gentle critique at 9:30 a.m.  Our program begins at 10 a.m. and the discussion topic will be: Children‘s Magazine Publishing. 

Local Author Sherry Garland is teaching a week long session at the Writers' Academy at West Texas A&M University on June 20-24, 2012. Sherry is an award-winning and best-selling author of thirty books for children, teens and adults and will teach Writing for Children and Young Adults. Using lectures and writing exercises, this course will cover a survey of children's literature; components of a picture book; components of a MG/YA novel including characterization, plot, dialog and voice; query letters and submitting manuscripts; working with editors and agents; marketing your book and promoting yourself; critique sessions. Here is the link to learn more and register for this event.  

Messages

Many authors feel they want insert a message into their work. This goes against the age old advice, "don't preach."  Here is an article by author Patrica C. Wrede that offers a unique perspective.

Laura Backes also offers a useful perspective on whether you should insert teaching into you current work. Here is an article at Children's Fiction Factory.

Magazines

Here is a link to many writer's guidelines for children's magazines at Freelancewriting.com.

Here is a listing of children's magazines at Yahoo.

Here is a link for non-fiction writers to help the build professional submissions for the magazine market, courtesy of the talented Fiona Bayrock.

Queries

Here is some solid advice on how to write a query letter to a magazine at AskAllison.

Here are some sample query letters from Margot Finke that worked at The Purple Crayon.

Children's author Cynthia Liu offers advice on how to create a professional query letter.

News

Houghton Mifflin-Harcourt filed for bankruptcy. Read about it in Businessweek.com  http://www.businessweek.com/news/2012-05-21/houghton-mifflin-harcourt-publishing-files-for-bankruptcy

Random House book designer Chip Kidd gave a TED talk called “Designing books is no laughing matter. OK, it is.” This offers some insight into the marketing of books.  You may find this of some interest.

A new children's/YA imprint from World Wisdom for the philosophically inclined. Read about at PW.

The views expressed here are my own, and not necessarily those of the SCBWI

Current Scratch: Literacy, Write, Non-fiction, and RIP

Howdy folks, hope you are spending some time working on master works! Yay for rain to keep us indoors and working.

Our next Schmooze will fall on  5-30-2012  at the College Station Barnes and Noble.  Bring copies (up to 5) for gentle critique at 9:30 a.m.  Our program begins at 10 a.m. and the discussion topic will be: Children‘s Magazine Publishing. 
 
A new blog in town! Andy Sherrod's Big Boy Book Blog is a place to get the scoop on boy books. Andy's stated purpose, "My purpose here is to equip you to promote reading among boys who are alliterate (they know HOW to read but don't because they think books are boring)." Check it out.

Brazos Writers has an upcoming workshop on Saturday, June 16, from 9:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. as poet, memoirist, and associate professor at Texas A&M University English Department Chuck Taylor helps writers draw on life experience to create memoirs or use memories to enrich other writing types. On-site registration and networking time at 8:30 a.m. Check it out.

Literacy

The story of one small town and how they got the kids reading. Reported in SLJ.

Write

We all can use some helps some times to create the best works. Here are some tools to help you create your best book. Here is one that will help you strengthen you plot. Here is another tool, 40 questions to a stronger manuscript.

Non-fiction Writers

Nonfiction Monday was started by Anastasia Suen. Bloggers across the kidlitosphere celebrate Nonfiction Monday by writing about nonfiction books for kids on Monday. Check it out.

 

Nonfiction writers, check out Ink Think Tank, a website with a database of non-fiction writers. You might find it interesting...

 

RIP

 

Take a moment to check out Leonard S. Marcus's article celebrating the life of Maurice Sendak in Publisher's Weekly.

 

The views expressed here are my own, and not necessarily those of the SCBWI

Current Scratch: Young Poets, News

Howdy, folks.   I hope you are taking time to create master works! 

Our next Schmooze will fall on  5-30-2012  at the College Station Barnes and Noble.  Bring copies (up to 5) for gentle critique at 9:30 a.m.  Our program begins at 10 a.m. and the discussion topic will be: Children‘s Magazine Publishing.  

April 28 -- Jeanette Larson, SCBWI member from Pflugerville, will be speaking about hummingbirds at 11 a.m. in the Clara B. Mounce Library, 201 E 26th St in downtown Bryan.  Her children's book, Hummingbirds: Facts and Folklore in the Americas (Charlesbridge, 2011), is illustrated with quilts, and she is bringing some samples of the art.

http://www.jeanettelarson.com/Books.htm#Books for Young People

http://www.charlesbridge.com/productdetails.cfm?PC=5433

Apr 28 --Brazos Valley's Sherry Garland will be signing her new book, Voices of the Dust Bowl (Pelican, 2012), 3:30-5:30 p.m. at Katy Budget Books. 

http://sherrygarland.com/  and http://www.pelicanpub.com/proddetail.php?prod=9781589809642

Apr 28 -- Washington-on-the-Brazos State Historic Site and the Star of the Republic Museum for free on Saturday, April 28. See details below from the Arts Council of Brazos Valley. As an affiliate member of the ACBV our group is included in the event.

May 12 -- Brazos Writers presents Law & Disorder: Tales from the Street, Body Farm & Criminal Mind.  Brazos Center, Bryan, TX. 9 to 2:30. Here is the link. A little birdie might have told me that YA thrillers are hot, and this might help you out.

May 23 -- "Lessons from a Bestseller," writer’s workshop with New York Times bestselling author Steve Berry (The Jefferson Key, The Romanov Prophecy, The Amber Room) from When: 1:30 to 5:30 p.m. at St. Paul’s United Methodist Church Fondren Hall. Follow this link for more info.

My (Molly Blaisdell) YA novel advanced to the semi-finals of the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Contest. Follow this link to download the novel excerpt. I also have another story on an app called Farfaria. The story is "Waiting for Princess Tea."



YOUNG POETS

Winning young poets across the Brazos Valley joined to celebrate National Poetry Month on April 24 at the College Station Conference in BV-SCBWI annual poetry contest. Great thanks to Alyson Greene for doing such a great job chairing this event. Thanks to our volunteers Mary Mize, Kathy Whitehead, ARA Jacqueline Gramann, and everyone else who helped encourage the 6th, 7th and 8th graders of the Brazos Valley to explore the world of poetry.  Highlights included readings, snack and poems for your pocket. Follow this link to learn more about poems for your pocket. Contact Liz Mertz for additional copies of the poem books on sale for $5.00 each. Here are some pics from the event:

 A big crowd showed up. We have many fine poets in our area!

 Thanks to efforts of  program coordinator Alyson Greene the event was perfect!  She did a fabulous job!

Thanks Andy Sherrod for serving as MC. Thanks always to our SCBWI regional advisor, Liz Mertz.  And thanks to local educators, like 6th grade English teacher, Andrew Maly, of the Odyssey School in Bryan, Texas (on left) for encouraging participation.
 

NEWS

 

Capstone has launched a new trade division called Capstone Young Readers.  Read about it in PW.

 

An income avenue for publisher writers. Check out the honorarium deal from Audible.com

 

Catch up on who is moving where at Harold Underdown's site, The Purple Crayon.

 

Mystery writers, the 2012 Edgar Award winners have been announced. Click here for the nominees. Here are the two chidren's winners: BEST JUVENILE: Icefall by Matthew J. Kirby (Scholastic Press) and BEST YOUNG ADULT: The Silence of Murder by Dandi Daley Mackall (Random House Children’s Books – Knopf BFYR.

The views expressed here are my own, and not necessarily those of the SCBWI

Current Scratch: Trends, Edit, Poetry

Howdy, folks. Tough to work when the weather is perfect. Let the wildflowers inspire you some!  We have oodles of stuff going on in the Brazos Valley in the coming weeks. 

Our Schmooze this month will fall on  4-25-2012  at the College Station Barnes and Noble.  Bring copies up to 5 copies for gentle critique at 9:30 a.m.  Our program begins at 10 a.m. and the discussion topic will be: Elements of a Mystery" . 

April 7—Kelly Bennett, author of Your Mommy Was Just Like You and Dance, Y'all, Dance  reads at College Station Barnes & Noble Storytime, 10 a.m.—noon (also signing books)

April 17-20—Texas Library Association Conference at George R. Brown in Houston
            “Exhibits Only” pass allows a visitor to see publisher’s new books and authors' signings.

April 24—Young Poets on the Brazos poetry reading/award night, 7 p.m. at College Station Conference Center on George Bush Drive

April 28—Jeanette Larson, author of Hummingbirds: Facts and Folklore from the Americas will speak at Bryan Public Library, 11 a.m. to noon, family event

All April -- Script Frenzy is on, like NANOWRIMO for scripts. You might want to join in with the script writers at the Bryan/College Station Library events. Here is the link.

May 12 -- Brazos Writers presents Law & Disorder: Tales from the Street, Body Farm & Criminal Mind.  Brazos Center, Bryan, TX. 9 to 2:30. Here is the link. A little birdie might have told me that YA thrillers are hot, and this might help you out.

TRENDS

Here's the recap of Bologna Children's Bookfair and some enlightening news on trends. PW reports.

EDIT

Need some advice on how to edit a novel. Here's a useful article over at Writer's Digest.

POETRY

I know poetry is a big deal in the Brazos Valley. I mean we are having our yearly contest.  Why? It's National Poetry Writing Month!  Perhaps you want to write a poem. If you like children's poetry, this is a name you want to know: Lee Bennet Hopkins. Check out his website. Wonder who is the Children's Poetry Laureate?  For inquiring minds that want to know.  Check out NaPoWriMo too...

The views expressed here are my own, and not necessarily those of the SCBWI.