Cynsational News & Links

Congratulations to Jane Yolen (author interview), recipient of the Roots in Writing Award, given by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Female Writers.

Cut Ellipsis from Spookcyn. Get the latest low-down on the production of Tantalize by Cynthia Leitich Smith (Candlewick, March 2007).

The Edge of the Forest: A Children's Literature Monthly. Volume 1, Issue 3 for April 2006 has been posted. Highlights include: "Small Press Month" by Shelia Ruth of Wands and Worlds and an Interview with Michael Buckley by Kelly Herold of Big A little a. Michaeal is the author of The Sisters Grimm series. Also recommended is "A Day in the Life with Heidi Roemer" by Kim Winters of Kat's Eye. Surf over for reviews, the best of the blogs, and more!

Gotta Book: "thoughts, opinions, and ramblings about (broadly) children's literature from my perspectives as a writer, parent, and volunteer elementary school librarian. Oh yeah, and poetry of all sorts...with lots and lots of Fibs." From Gregory K, "I'm a screenwriter, volunteer librarian, dad, and SCBWI member with a love of poetry and picture books."

Gunstories: Life-Changing Experiences with Guns, edited and illustrated with photographs by Beth S. Atkin (HarperCollins, 2006). A review by Loretta Gaffney from BCCB. See more from the publisher. This month, The Bulletin starred The True Story of Stellina by Matteo Pericoli (Knopf, 2006)(author interview).

The Secret of My Success: An Interview with Dan Brown from CBC Magazine. Dan is the author and illustrator of several highly praised picture book biographies and histories for children. His subjects have included the 1899 New York newsboys strike, the movie pioneer Mack Sennett, the sixth-century Irish monk and calligrapher Columcille, and the scientist Albert Einstein. Mr. Brown lives with his family on Long Island, New York. His books include The Notorious Izzy Fink (Roaring Brook Press 2006) and Bright Path: Young Jim Thorpe (Roaring Brook Press 2006).

The 7th Annual Writing and Illustrating for Young Readers Conference will be June 12 to 16, 2006 at the BYU Conference Center in Provo, Utah. "During this intensive five-day workshop, beginning to advanced writers/illustrators will be tutored in a small-group setting by published authors/artists and receive instruction from two editors representing Bloomsbury [Jill Davis] and Viking Children’s Books [Tracy Gates], as well as a New York literary agent [Edward Necarsulmer of McIntosh and Otis]." This event is sponsored by Brigham Young University’s Department of English and Division of Continuing Education.

Rosemary Newcott (Alliance Children's Theatre Artistic Director), Jon Ludwig (Center for Puppetry Arts), Writer/Performer/Educator Felton Eaddy and Playwright Evan Guilford-Blake are the panel for "Writing For Children," a Working Title Playwrights seminar that will examine the ins and outs of writing for children in general and children's theatre in particular. Q&A follows the discussion. The seminar is on Saturday, April 29, 1:30-4:30 p.m., at Theatre Decatur, 430 West Trinity Place, Decatur, GA. Admission is $8. "The children's theatre market is one of the most available in America: Theatres, schools and community groups are constantly seeking new material that's appropriate to the various age groups that comprise children's theatre--and family theatre--audiences. The panel of established writers, producers and creators of stage material for young audiences will examine the market and discuss how to approach creating material for it--what to be sure you do, and what to avoid." For reservations or more information, call 404.297.0904 or e-mail: workingtitleplaywrights@sbcglobal.net.

The Lacapa Spirit Prize

Announcing a new literary prize for children's books to honor the memory and legacy of Michael Lacapa:

"His philosophy was always write about what you know, be true to your culture or region, and never let go of your imagination."
-Kathleen Lacapa on her husband's artistic vision

The Lacapa Spirit Prize will be given annually to the best illustrated children's book that focuses on the spirit of the peoples, culture and natural landscape of the Southwest. Books published in the two years prior to the award are eligible for consideration.

Michael Lacapa (Hopi/Tewa/Apache) was the artist or writer of inspiring and beautiful books for children. He was the author and/or illustrator of such books as: The Magic Hummingbird: A Hopi Folktale, collected and translated by Ekkehart Malotki, narrated by Michael Lomatuway'Ma, illustrated by Michael Lacapa (Kiva, 1995); Antelope Woman: An Apache Folktale retold and illustrated by Michael Lacapa (Kiva, 1995); and most recently, The Good Rainbow Road/Rawa 'Kashtyaa'tsi Hiyaani by Simon J. Ortiz (Acoma Pueblo), illustrated by Michael Lacapa (The University of Arizona Press, 2004)(recommendation).

Michael was raised in Whiteriver, Arizona, graduated from Arizona State University and attended Northern Arizona University for graduate courses in fine arts. He and his wife, Kathy, raised their children, Rochelle, Daniel and Anthony, in Taylor, Arizona. After a serious automobile accident in Fall 2004, Michael died in March 2005. Everyone who reflects on his life mentions his talent for storytelling, his artistic vision and eye for detail, as well as his passion and unbounded spirit for life.

This award was created through collaborative effort of the Northern Arizona Book Festival and Northland Publishing and its children's book imprints, Rising Moon and Luna Rising, to honor Michael Lacapa's commitment to art and storytelling about the land and cultures of the Southwest. It is our hope that such an award will inspire others - as Michael inspired so many - to tell their tales.

The award will consist of $500 and a featured appearance at the 10th Annual Northern Arizona Book Festival, April 14 to 16, 2007.

Deadline: October 31, 2006 for receipt of entries eligible for the 2007 Lacapa Spirit Prize.

For further information about eligibility and application requirements:

Lacapa Spirit Prize
Attn. Jeff Berglund
PO Box 6032/Building 18, Rm 139
Flagstaff, AZ 86011-6032

Phone: 928.380.8682
Fax: 928.523.7074
Email: lacapaspiritprize@nazfestival.org
www.nazbookfestival.org

Cynsational Notes

My favorite of Michael's books was: Less Than Half, More Than Whole by Michael and Kathleen Lacapa (Northland, 1994). Learn about Native American children's and YA literature.

As this is a brand new award, I ask that members of the children's literature community please help raise awareness of it via their own blogs, websites, listservs, etc. If you know someone whose book would be a good fit, please do pass this on. Thank you.

Co-Authors Interview: Brad Barkley and Heather Hepler on Scrambled Eggs at Midnight

Scrambled Eggs at Midnight by Brad Barkley and Heather Hepler (Dutton, 2006). Calliope is tired of being dragged by her mother cross-country from Renaissance Faire (don't forget the "e") after Renaissance Faire. Eliot longs for the day when his father used to sell swimming pools--before he "found God," and subsequently founded the "Jesus fat camp" for Christian kids ("What would Jesus eat?"), thereby also discovering financial success. When Cal and Eliot meet, there's instantly chemistry--literally and figuratively. Do they have a future? Or will Eliot's father and Cal's mother (and her jouster boyfriend) tear them apart? A romantic comedy with an almost classic feel. Cal and Eliot feel like people you know even as they face unusual, even surreal, circumstances with humor and aplomb. Ages 12-up. Recommendation by Greg Leitich Smith.

Brad Barkley on Brad Barkley: "I grew up in North Carolina as, I guess, a somewhat odd kid, though the great thing about being odd at that age is you have no point of reference. You don't know you're odd. Odd how? Well, I divided my time btween playing in the woods behind my house, in the creek, catching salamanders. Normal enough, but the whole time I would be playing, I would do things like talk to myself in the voice of John Wayne or Elvis Presley. I wanted to be an impersonator, or some kind of entertainer. I’d never actually heard Elvis or the Duke, or even know who they were, so I was really impersonating the impersonators I heard on TV. The rest of the time I was in my room practicing magic tricks (I was paid to do birthday parties by the time I was 14), or juggling, or ventriloquism. Often I dressed up in costumes for no one's amusement other than my own, just to look in the mirror. I made mustaches out of black construction paper, and dressed up like the characters in the silent movies my Dad brought home from the library for me, films no one else wanted to watch, so I would watch them alone. One time I accidently dressed up as Hitler, but I didn’t know who he was either--I had just seen Charlie Chaplin dressed that way in a movie.

"Later, I managed to infuse a little more normalcy into my life. A little. I turned into a redneck and attended a fundamentalist high school. I drove an orange Camaro with mag wheels, listened to a lot of Lynyrd Skynyrd, and attended chapel three times a week to watch movies, we were told, that were actually filmed in hell. I captained the soccer team and hung out at the Dairy Queen and tried (sometimes successfully) to date cheerleaders. I didn’t really start writing until I got to college. Before that, my main creative outlets were photography and air guitar. I also read all the time, so much so that I used to get in trouble for it. Now I write books, and I get to do it all...imitate voices, juggle plots, snap my fingers and make characters come alive. Except once, during the Years of Oddness, I built a life-size Christmas tree entirely of abandoned pint milk cartons and duct tape. I haven't yet found a writing-related substitute for the pleasure that brought me, but I'm still looking." Learn more about Brad.

Heather Helper on Heather Helper: "Okay, imagine me staring fretfully at the computer screen, trying to think of what might be interesting about me. Okay...here goes.

1. I have 107 cookbooks. (More than half are on baking.)
2. I have a 17-year-old cat that is currently undergoing biofeedback treatments for digestive issues. (Don't ask).
3. I teach yoga three times a week, mostly to make myself do it. Without teaching I can always find something else to do instead.
4. Everyone in my life seems to know more than I do. It's really a trick. Surround yourself with smart people, and everyone will assume that you are smart, too.
5. On a recent trip to Florida, I was actually offered a high five by the rental car guy because I was getting a Chrysler 300. I put up a limp hand and accepted the smack. (Did I mention I don't know anything about cars?)
6. In addition to my cat, I also have two Madagasscar Hissing Cockroaches, a frog, and a fish. (We are thinking of getting a lizard.)
7. I always have at least ten books on my bedside table. Right now Consider the Lobster by David Foster Wallace and "Twilight" by Stephenie Meyer are on the top.
8. And because I think it's bad luck to finish a list on an odd number. My mother just visited this weekend and brought some of my old toys for my son. Along with some games and other items, there were trading cards. I know what you're thinking, but wait. These are much cooler. These are Charlie's Angels, Grease, Star Wars, and Battlestar Gallactica cards. (I know!)" Learn more about Heather.

Congratulations on the publication of Scrambled Eggs at Midnight (Dutton, 2006)! It's fun, fresh, romantic read. How do you two know each other? What inspired you to write a novel together?

Brad Barkley: We met when Heather took a workshop I taught, and right away we knew we had the same take on the world, laughed at the same things. For me, the inspiration for the collaboration was Heather phoning me up and saying "Why don't we write a book together?" Of course, I'm tempted to revise history here, because Heather never misses a chance to remind me that the book was her idea, but it's true. Mostly it started as a kind of game...novel ping-pong, I guess, just bouncing the chapters back and forth.

What was the initial inspiration for this story?

Heather Hepler: I always want this answer to be more literary, but here it is... I was driving on I20 toward Dallas and there were two billboards, one right after the next. The first was for the Four Winds Renaissance Faire and featured a stylized knight atop a horse, surrounded by lots of fancy purple script advertising the fair just south of Dallas. The second was for The Bible Outlet, one of the stores in the outlet mall. With these things swirling around in my head and the Eels blarring on the radio, I made the arc past Dallas on toward Austin where my sister lives. Right where you can either keep going straight or turn, there is a Cracker Barrel (one of my favorite places). My son states that he is hungry and asks if we can stop and have breakfast for lunch. After eggs and biscuits and some coffee, we hit the road again.

HH: This time we are driving south, through the middle of Texas, which feels like the middle of nowhere. About half an hour past Waco is the Garden Warehouse, a huge garden center with literally hundreds of concrete scupltures of everything from giant palm trees to gorillas to huge urns, large enough for small children to crawl into. So, I hit Austin and stay up most of the night thinking about it all. Three days later, I started writing chapter one.

BB: For my half, I saw a poster that depicted Jesus wearing Everlast boxing trunks and boxing gloves. And I spent my high school years in a fundamentalist school. But that was more idea than inspiration. The real inspiration was in getting the next chapter back, seeing what Heather had done with the story, thinking how I could surprise her or take her breath away when I sent it back. There's this scene in "X-Men" when two guys are walking across this chasm, and every time they take a step, a piece of metallic sidewalk appears under their feet. That's what it felt like, just taking steps, trusting the story to emerge. Now all I need are some superpowers.

What was the timeline from spark to publication, and what were the major events along the way?

HH: I actually had a girl in one of my wokshops mouth "I hate you" to me when I told this story, so I am reluctant to tell it again. But, here goes. After writing about half of the first chapter of what I thought was going to be my novel, I called Brad and asked if he would help me a bit. I mean, a novel is a lot to take in. We started talking, and somehow the idea of co-writing was brought up. It started out as an experiment of sorts...just a game to keep both of us writing. It wasn't until we got about halfway in that we realized that we might just have a book. We actually finished writing it in six weeks. We ended up selling it to Dutton about a month after that.

BB: It was blisteringly fast. We even hesitate to say this, because it's the kind of thing that might make other writers hate us. Honestly, we wrote the book in six weeks, sold it in maybe three weeks. At this point we've been writing together for a year, and we are working on our fouth novel. Major events? Mostly it was about staying on that pace, keeping the story going. At one point, the plot stalled out a little bit, and I suggested an Act of God, which made its way into the book. Acts of God are always good, if your characters need a little shaking up. Once or twice we had to say something like "I don't think my character would say that," but that's about as eventful as it got. We should probably invent some stories about all the epic arguments we had, but it just didn't happen that way.

What were the challenges (literary, research, psychological, and logistical) in bringing it to life?

HH: I had to do quite a bit as far as researching Renaissance fairs. I still have yet to go to one, although I plan to this year. I had no idea about the various characters or the simple day to day life of fair performers.

HH: Logistically it was only challenging in the editing phase. After trying a couple of times to go page by page through the editing remarks, we decided that since Brad loves revision, he could just take care of that. We each revised our own chapters, but the smaller details, Brad took care of. I guess other than those couple of things, the whole process just felt fun.

HH: Each package from the publisher was exciting. I still get excited when I see an email from my editor (Stephanie Lurie--who is AMAZING) or my agent. It feels like my birthday and Christmas and Halloween all at the same time.

BB: For me the things I thought were challenges weren't. After having written some books solo, I worried whether I could collaborate and do it right, but that turned out to be even better than easy. It was, and is, the most fun I've ever had writing. The challange of any novel, for me, is psychological...finding and understanding the character's center, his emotions and motivations, who he really is. I always do reasearch eventually, but I'm also pretty lazy about it. My first impulse is just to guess, then reserch it later if I have to. It's amazing how often the guess turns out to be right.

Your novel is in alternating points of view. Did this decision evolve from the co-author approach or did it grow from the story, and in either case, why?

HH: The decision for alternating points of view originated in the co-authoring. We knew that it would be easier to write if we each had our own sections to take care of. We briefly discussed a letter or email format, but we decided that using that might become the focus of the book and might actually detract from the story. It also made sense to have alternating points of view in a love story. I mean, who hasn't wondered in the midst of falling in love what the other person is really thinking?

BB: For a first novel, written in collaboration, it just made sense, and it was also just a really interesting way to do things...something new. I think by chapter three or so, it felt totally organic to the story, a way of telling the story that couldn't be done with a single POV. We've worked that way since, too, though I think the next one we start will be from a single POV, just to shake ourselves up a little bit.

What are the advantages and challenges of alternating point of view novels?

HH: [With a co-author,] [t]he advantage of this type of novel is that it goes fast. Each chapter sparks the next one, as ideas that never would have occured to you ping-pong back and forth. It is also great to have a built in second reader. Brad isn't afraid to tell me if something I have written is bad or doesn't work.

HH: It is also nice because as writers we all have things that we aren't very good at. For instance, I am great at beginnings, but awful at endings. Luckily, for Brad it is the reverse.

HH: The challenge of writing in alternating points of view is that you have to think if a particular event is going to fall in one chapter or the other. If my character isn't present for something, it obviously can't happen in my chapter. It is sometimes also challenging to make the voice similar enough so that it isn't jarring when the chapters change, but also different enough so as to not feel completely alike.

BB: Advantage is easy. You have the pressure to write, because someone is always waiting for your chapter, and while it's gone you have time to just think about your character and the plot and what it all means. Usually, by the time I got a chapter back, I was ready to go, knew where I was headed, and it felt more like typing than writing. Something weird happened with book two, though. We started out with Heather doing the even chapters this time, and me doing the odds, and it never felt right. I told Heather, it's like when you start off on the "wrong" foot on the treadmill, and your whole run feels off. So, we figured out that Heather is a better opener and I'm a better closer, that she's a puncher, and I'm a counterpuncher. It that enough sports metaphor for now?

BB: For the reader, it's just a different way of getting the story, and I think in ways a richer one. We are used to kind of pulling for the main character, but here you get to pull for Cal, pull for Eliot, and also pull for Cal and Eliot, together. So in that sense, there is a deeper emotional connection to the goings on of the book. I'm a total writing nerd, so I love talking about this stuff, more than I should.

Your book includes Eliot's John the Baptist Barbecue Sauce and Cal's Cherry Chocolate-Chip Cookies. Now, this literary stuff is all well and good, but let's talk food for a moment. Are these recipes tried and true? What's the scoop?

HH: Yes, both are my recipes. The barbeque sauce is one that my mother always used when we had neighborhood picnics and she made big pans of brisket. The cookies are (I swear) the best cookies ever. They have accompanied my cousin to the hospital to give birth to her second baby. They have fed the audience at my friend's dissertation defense. To this day she can't say whether it was the cookies or her flawless research that got her the PhD. Everyone who eats them--even people who say they don't like cookies much--loves them.

BB: Heather tells me that people will kill or die for these cookies, but I have yet to taste one, so I'm thinking they exist only in myth. Bigfoot, the Loch Ness Monster, and Heather's Cookies. I'll believe it when I eat them.

Brad, you're also published in adult literature. Could you tell us a bit about that body of your work?

BB: I have published two adult novels, Money, Love (Norton, 2000) and Alison's Automotive Repair Manual (St. Martins, 2003) and two collections of short stories, Circle View (SMU, 1997) and Another Perfect Catastrophe (St. Martins, 2004). I thought for a long time I would be a short story writer, like all my literary heroes, and I still love the form, but I love novels more. I like having the elbow room, the deeper connection to character. It's funny, my first novel was rejected by several editors on the grounds that it was a YA novel. It is, in ways, and not. So much of that, it seems, is marketing, and I think adult readers miss out on some great novels.

Also to Brad, what inspired you to try writing for a younger audience?

BB: As I said, I had, in ways, already. One novel and many short stories had teenaged protagonists. Also, some of the books I most love are young adult titles. I don't care that they're YA, I just care that they're great novels. Heather will roll her eyes and start coughing if I mention A Separate Peace one more time, so I won't. I do think that the audience at that age has the potential to be profoundly affected by a book, to read something that changes the way they view the world, forever. I think that's much less likely to happen with an adult audience.

Heather, you've been a reviewer, contributor to many of the children's/YA book professional journals, and you've taught youth literature at the college level. How does this background inform your fiction?

HH: I think the main thing that my teaching and reviewing has done is make me really aware of young adult literature. Just the act of reading many books has given me a sense of what works and what doesn't. I feel like an evangelist in ways, trying to teach people that young adult literature is every bit as good as adult literature. This also keeps me accountable to my own writing. At times, it might be tempting to think--well, I can use this obvious metaphor because young adult readers won't notice it as old and tired--but I don't. I think teaching, reviewing and writing have given me a huge appreciation for young adults and the complicated, scary, frustrating, exciting lives they lead.

Also to Heather, from your bio, this looks like your debut novel. Is that right? If so, what is it like being a debut novelist in 2006? Could you describe your path to publication--any memorable leaps and/or stumbles along the way?

HH: Yes, this is my first novel. Well, to say it is exciting is hardly enough. I'm afraid again I don't have anything too exciting to offer. It has been a steep learning curve for me. The sale of the book, the contracts, the publication process, the publicity and marketing. It's all so overwhelming at times. I think having a trustworthy agent, a dedicated and brilliant editor, and an amazing co-author has saved me from a lot of stumbles. I guess, like I said in my bio, surround yourself with smart people....

What advice do you have for beginning writers?

HH: I think the biggest mistake that beginning writers make is focusing too much on publication. I can say this because I know I did. Writers should focus on writing and getting their writing to the next level first. This takes giving time to your writing, finding other writers you can trust, and honing your craft. Once the good stories start coming, then worry about publishing. It may sound optimistic, but Brad always tells me that good stories will find their own way.

BB: Write about your obsesions. Heather and I recently tried to write a book set in a northwestern rain forest, full of Deep Meaning and lyrical passages about nature. We lasted two chapters, before admitting that we aren't that noble, and going back to writing about old movies and beauty pageants and corndogs. Write quickly, write as often as you can, write the kinds of books you love to read, or would love to read.

As a reader, what are your favorite recent children's/YA books and why?

HH:

Twilight by Stephanie Meyer (Little Brown/Megan Tingley, 2005)(author interview)
Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2005)(excerpt)
Looking for Alaska by John Green (Dutton, 2005)(excerpt)

HH: All of these I love for the same reason. They are smart, well-written and unique. All three offer something new to the world through their stories, whether it's a new look at the sensitivity of vampires, a glimpse into the afterlife, or a funny/touching/heartbreaking story about young love.

BB: Heather turned me onto What My Mother Doesn't Know [by Sonya Sones (Simon & Schuster, 2001)(excerpt)], which I think is really amazing. It packs a novel's worth of plot and emotion into a story told through tiny poetic vignettes. Really smart and different. I recently re-read The Catcher In the Rye [by J.D. Salinger], and remembered why I loved it to begin with.

What do you do when you're not reading or writing?

HH: Build huge K'Nex structures with my son, practice yoga, teach, agonize over why my lawn seems to be dying, and spend time with my family.

BB: I spend time with my two kids. They are teens, so Im spending as much time as is left with them, before they move off into their own lives. I work out, watch a lot of bad TV (infomercials and reality shows, mostly), teach my students.

What can your fans look forward to next?

HH: Our next novel, Dream Factory (Dutton, 2007), is set in Disney World and features an unlikely friendship between Cinderella and Dale (as in Chip 'n ______).

BB: In 2007 we will publish Dream Factory, a comic YA novel about teeneagers who work as replacement cast members during a strike at Disney World. We have finished a third novel and are working on a fourth. We'll keep people updated through our website, www.bradheather.com. [See also Brad and Heather's blog.]

Cynsational Notes

Don't miss another interview with Brad and Heather from Penguin Group.

An interview with editor Stephanie Lurie is featured in Book Editors Talk to Writers by Judy Mandell (John Wiley & Sons, 1995).

Cynsational News & Links

Take a sneak peek at Gillian Tyler's sketches for Hurry Down to Derry Fair by Dori Chaconas (Candlewick, 2007)(author interview).

"Ideas on Demand" by Lisa Harkrader from the Lieurance Group. Part one of a three-part series. See the April 19, 2006 post. L.D. Harkrader is the author of Airball: My Life in Briefs (Roaring Brook, 2005)(author interview).

"Panic Free Synopsis" by Jan Fields from the Institute of Children's Literature.

The Summer 2006 Book Sense Children's Picks from the American Booksellers Association. Highlights include: The Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan (Book Two of the Percy Jackson & the Olympians series)(Hyperion, 2006)(author interview); Weedflower by Cynthia Kadohata (Atheneum, 2006)(author interview)(excerpt); An Egg is Quiet by Dianna Hutts Aston, illustrated by Sylvia Long (Chronicle, 2006)(author interview); Archer's Quest by Linda Sue Park (Clarion, 2006)(author interview)(excerpt); Bella at Midnight by Diane Stanley (HarperCollins, 2006); The King of Attolia by Megan Whalen Turner (Greenwillow, 2006)(recommendation); Nothing But the Truth and a Few White Lies by Justina Chen Headley (Little Brown, 2006)(author interview)(excerpt); Scrambled Eggs at Midnight by Brad Barkley and Heather Hepler (Dutton, 2006)(recommendation); Wait for Me by An Na (Putnam, 2006)(author interview)(recommendation); and The Warrior Heir by Cinda Williams Chima (Hyperion, 2006).

Why I Have An Agent by Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen. Sudipta is the author: of Tightrope Poppy, the High-Wire Pig, illustrated by Sarah Dillard (Sterling, 2006); Vinnie and Abe, illustrated by Sophie Blackall (Chronicle, 2007); Flying Eagle (Charlesbridge, 2007); and more. Learn more about her books.

Why I Don't Have an Agent or Doing the Math by Barbara Kanninen. Barbara is the author of A Story With Pictures (Holiday House, forthcoming) and Circle Rolls (Henry Holt, 2007).

Don't miss what's happening tonight at the YA Authors Cafe (Tuesday, April 25) at 8:30 p.m. EST, 7:30 p.m. CST, 5:30 p.m. Pacific. To join the chats, go to www.yaauthorscafe.com and click the chatroom icon to enter. Debra Garfinkle (author interview) will moderate a panel of first-time novelists Jennifer Lynn Barnes, Dorian Cirrone (author interview), and David LaRochelle. Jennifer Lynn Barnes is a senior at Yale and the author of Golden (Delacorte, 2006), in which a girl with supernatural powers must deal with high school cliques. Delacorte will publish three more of Ms. Barnes' young adult novels in the next few years. Dorian Cirrone, author of Dancing In Red Shoes Will Kill You (HarperCollins 2005)(recommendation), uses humor to address issues of body image, censorship and subtle messages girls are taught. She also writes a chapter book mystery series featuring Lindy Blues. David LaRochelle wrote Absolutely, Positively Not (Scholastic 2005), an ALA Best Book for Young Adults and winner of the 2005 Sid Fleischman Humor Award. He has also written and illustrated many picture books.

Children's and YA Book Promotion

The following thoughts are drawn from my recent post to childrenswriterstoday, "For writers, poets, illustrators, editors and publishers of all genres in the juvenile to teen market to announce their latest news, reviews, columns, books and publication works."

Promotion is a major responsibility. I liken it to a second job. You were a writer (maybe one with a day job who's also a parent and who knows what else). Now, you're a writer and an author. It's not a better job; it's an additional one.

The author hat demands promotion, a certain projected personality, keeping up with new media and contacts, etc., which, among other things, compete with your writer-self for time and energy. At the same time, nobody cares more about your book than you do, and no one will do a better job as its ambassador.

When I got started, the wonderous Jane Kurtz (author interview), told me to try to do one thing a week to spread the word about my books in print. She referred to it as "sprinkling seeds." You never know which will grow, but you keep the faith and keep planting.

So, what do I do? I host this blog and an extensive website, one that features my own titles (including teacher support information) as well as writer resources and children's/YA literature as a whole. I speak at schools, teacher and librarian conferences, museums, book festivals, universities and so forth. I also reach some long-distance audiences via online chats. In additional, I write the occasional article or do an interview for either a professional or mainstream periodical. I've also mailed out postcards to announce new titles and, every once in a great while, taken out an advertisement. Sometimes, I promote on my own, sometimes with my author-husband, and sometimes with my local SCBWI chapter.

It's not the only formula. Everyone will have their own approach. It's important to decide what works best in each individual case, taking into account one's own personality, predispositions, skills, competing responsibilities, and of course writing time.

For example, with the exception of state or national conferences, I take a months-on, months-off approach. I schedule more events in mid September to early December and early April through June. I try hard to set aside my other time for writing and teaching (a Vermont College M.F.A. residency in January and in July). I've found that I can pick up and put down shorter projects--picture books, short stories, and articles--or already drafted novels while traveling. However, to get down my two first drafts of a novel manuscript (I always toss the very first one), I need extended uninterrupted time to concentrate. This approach evolved after experimentation and a couple of years in which I wasn't nearly as productive as I am now. It's fluid, and I'll change it if and when need be, always putting the writing itself first.

Promotion can be a bottomless well. Yes, it's important, but it is not the writing. It is not the craft. While promotion certainly helps, those authors who are most successful are those who have written steadly and deeply committed themselves to improving. This of course also includes staying well read in the field.

Cynsational Notes

See my promotion-related resources.

Cynsational News & Links

Penny from Heaven by Jennifer L. Holm (Random House, 2006): a recommendation by Greg Leitich Smith.

The Toni Trent Parker Multicultural Children's Book Festival will be from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. April 29 at Cathedral of St. John the Divine at 110th Street & Amsterdam Avenue in New York City. Featured authors and illustrators include: Michelle Meadows (author interview), Irene Smalls, Gloria Pinkney, Rita Williams-Garcia, Cornelius Van Wright and Ying-Hwa Hu (illustrator interview with Neil and Ying, who did the art for Jingle Dancer by Cynthia Leitich Smith (Morrow, 2000)). The event is free. Partial Proceeds will benefit low-income schools in the NYC area through Donors Choose.

The entry form (PDF file) for the Writers' League of Texas Teddy (Children's) Book Awards are now available. The deadline is May 31. Books must have been published between June 1, 2005 and May 31, 2006. The awards ceremony is scheduled for Oct. 28, 2006. Last year's winners were Tammar Stein for Light Years (Knopf, 2005) in the long-works division and Kathi Appelt for Miss Lady Bird's Flowers: How a First Lady Changed America (HarperCollins, 2005)(author interview) in the short-works division. Learn more about the 2005 awards. Note: Greg Leitich Smith is a past winner for Ninjas, Piranhas, and Galileo (Little Brown, 2003)(author interview).

Cynsational News & Links

Congratulations to David Lubar (author interview) on the publication of Punished! (Darby Creek, 2006). A word-play comedy perfect for both reluctant mid-grade readers and strong ones. A Junior Library Guild Selection.

Avoiding Repetitive-Stress Injuries: A Writer's Guide by Geoff Hart from Writing-World.com. Note: the last time I mentioned a tendon twinge to my doctor, he said, "Switch the mouse to your other hand." I replied, "But that will slow me down!" And he said, "Exactly." I still haven't done it.

Author Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen offers recent interviews with five editors: John Rudolph from Putnam; Alexandra Cooper from Simon & Schuster; Leann Heywood from HarperCollins; Liz Waniewski from Dial; and Kristin Daly from HarperCollins. Learn more about Sudipta.

Coaxing Back Your Muse by Shari Lyle-Soffe from Out of My Mind. Note: I find that a bath or exercise seems to help me past writer's block.

LaReau Sisters: official site of author Kara LaReau and illustrator Jenna LaReau. Learn more about them, read the fun FAQ, check out their books, and more. The sisters are the creative team behind Rocko and Spanky Go to a Party (Harcourt, 2004)(author-illustrator interview), as well as individual books by each. Don't miss the nifty desktops from Jenna.

Author Interview: Dandi Daley Mackall on Eva Underground

Dandi Daley Mackall is the author of more than three hundred books for adults and children, including the Winnie the Horse Gentler series. She lives with her family in Ohio.

Dandi Daley Mackall on Dandi Daley Mackall: "I grew up in a small town in Missouri (population 1,701 before the shoe factory closed), where we had to make our own entertainment. I was the official storyteller. Both my parents told a good story. At night Mom read me a library book, but Dad would make up a story, letting me name the characters, horses, and disasters. My best friends were our horses, and I rode every day. My mom still lives in Hamilton, Missouri.

"At age ten, I won my first writing contest for my 50 words on why I wanted to be batboy for the Kansas City A's. But when they found out 'Dan' Daley was actually 'Dandi Daley,' they refused to let a girl be batboy. Today, I could sue them and be a millionaire; but then, all I could do was become a St. Louis Cardinals fan.

"When I set off for the University of Missouri, I thought I'd major in journalism and have my own newspaper, 'The Dandi Daily.' But sticking to facts wasn't for me, so I ended up with a BA in foreign languages...just because I liked learning them. Meanwhile, I wrote articles for magazines like Reader's Digest, Woman's Day, Guideposts.

"But it was in Poland that I wrote my first book, by hand, a funny, nonfiction inspirational for grown-ups. I lived in a house with 20 Poles and no heat. Every night I'd hunker under the covers in my room, where snow on my boots never melted, and I'd pen my book. I like to say that I wrote my first book 'undercover' in Poland, although it would be about 300 books later when I'd actually write about my experiences there.

"I've written for every age group, from 0 to adult. I've lived in: Aix-en-Provence, France; Houston; Dallas; LA; Ann Arbor; Toledo; Norman, Oklahoma; and Chicago.

"I met my wonderful husband, Joe, a phenomenal writer for grown-ups, in Oklahoma, where we were both getting a Master's in English and Creative Writing. His first words to me, as he caught me exiting my 'How-to-Write Mysteries' class were: 'So what's your favorite way to kill someone?' Two months later we were married. Now we live in rural Ohio with our three kids, Jen, Katy, and Dan, horses, dogs, and cats."

Congratulations on the publication of Eva Underground (Harcourt, 2006)(excerpt)! For those who haven't yet read the novel, could you share a bit about it?

Thanks! And I appreciate the invitation to join your amazing website. Eva Underground is set in Communist Eastern Europe in 1978, before "The Wall" came down. Eva Lott has a lot going for her in Chicago-cool boyfriend, a spot on the swim team, great best friend-until her dad drags her to Poland to help with a radical underground movement. In Poland, there's no pepperoni pizza. No good music. And the government is watching everywhere.

But as Eva plots her escape, she forms an unusual friendship with a moody, handsome boy, Tomek, and she finds herself drawn into the country's beauty and its brave struggle for the freedoms she's always taken for granted. It's been called a "coming-of-age love story," and I guess, in the end, that's what it is.

What was your initial inspiration for writing this book?

In 1978, I met a guy who knew a Polish priest who wanted someone to come over from the U.S. and teach writing and the Bible to a group of Polish students from various universities, people who wanted to make a difference in their country but needed writing skills and wanted to study the Bible. I naively said, "Cool!" and hopped a plane to Vienna, rented the cheapest car in that city, and drove the same route Eva and her dad drive through Czechoslovakia to Zakopane, Poland. The next 18 months were the most amazing of my life, as I was drawn into the spirit of these amazing people. I learned much more from them than they did from me. So the inspiration of the book was profound.

What was the timeline from spark to publication, and what were the major events along the way?

This is one long timeline! I knew in 1978 that I wanted to write about my experiences in communist Poland. But I was asked not to write about the events or people for ten years; the dangers were very real. After the Wall came down, and freedom flowed into Poland, I could have started my Poland book, but I was writing my first series, The Cinnamon Lake Mysteries, churning out picture books for Hanna-Barbera and Warner Brothers-Scooby Doo, Flintstones, Yogi Bear, Jetsons, and working on a new young adult novel.

When I finally turned my attention to Poland, I tried to write the novel as a contemporary, set in 1995, with older facts coming in through dialogue. It didn't work. Finally, I realized I had to set the story during the years I was there (duh!). At first, I wrote the whole novel in Eva's point of view. Something was missing. I let the novel sit for a whole year until I figured out that I needed to alternate points of view between Eva and Tomek, giving the reader insight into both mindsets. That's when Harcourt bought it. My wonderful editor at Harcourt, Tamson Weston, exclaimed, "Dandi, I love historical fiction!" That's when it hit me that my life had become historical. Sigh...

What were the challenges (literary, research, psychological, and logistical) in bringing it to life?

The literary challenge was finding the right genre and point of view, as I just explained. Much of the research was done-penned into big, fat journals I kept while I was living in Poland. I used the Internet and the library to double-check my facts and to supplement information. My best friend from Poland, Gosia Muchowiecka, read the manuscript and helped me immensely.

Psychologically, the challenge was to make the story relate to today's teens, many of whom have never heard of "The Iron Curtain" or "The Wall." The solution was in the relationships that cut to basic human nature and universal needs. Everybody loves a love story.

What advice do you have for beginning writers?

I've read some of the great advice you and others offer on your website, such as read voraciously and write prolifically. I second that. And love words-the sound of them: whispering, cantering, thump. Love the power of rightly placed words, the joy of a fresh image that can make a reader forever see things in a new way. Knowing that you've written a powerful sentence or created a fascinating, quirky character can help propel you past the pile of rejections until you're able to share your words with your readers.

How about those authors who're looking to build a career?

For the past 15 years, I've been making a very nice living writing children's books, and for that, I'm so grateful. Before that, I taught at a university part-time and wrote part-time. I wrote myself out of my day job by writing consistently and keeping lots of "irons in the fire." When you're waiting on one book to find a publisher, it's just not fair to the poor mailman you attack each day he shows up empty-handed or, worse, delivers a rejection. Just keep writing. And writing. I think you should love the book you're writing right now, love it more than anything you've ever written. If we're not growing as writers and getting better and better at it, something's wrong.

More than three hundred books! Wow! What's the secret of your productivity?

I honestly don't write fast. I do dozens of rewrites on everything. But I write a lot. Six days a week, dawn to way after dusk (if I'm not on the road or doing family things). I'm sure it helps that I love so many different kinds of writing for children-board books, picture books, historical, rhyme, middle-grade fiction, young adult novels. It's like changing channels. I can write the first draft of one novel in the morning, then do a rewrite on a rhyming picture book in the afternoon, and correct galleys after dinner. (But I'm a lot more fun than I sound like! Honest!)

What do you do when you're not writing?

There's nothing I like better than hanging out with my husband and kids-by the fire or at the barn or going to a movie. I do ride horses, play tennis, and go on long walks (always with my mini-tape player, a pad, and a pen, of course).

Cynsational Notes

I also have lived in Missouri, Dallas, Ann Arbor, Oklahoma, Chicago, and France.

Ohio Thunder by Denise Dowling Mortensen, illustrated by Kate Kiesler

Ohio Thunder by Denise Dowling Mortensen, illustrated by Kate Kiesler (Clarion, 2006). This lyrical, rhyming picture book brings to life a thunderstorm in the rural U.S. Midwest. Lovely sensory detail and storytelling illustrations. Ages 4-up. Learn more about the author.

Cynsational Notes

I have a particular interest in contemporary books set in the U.S. central and mountain time zones, which are oddly underrepresented in children's literature. It concerns me, too, that this underrepresentation seems to go largely unnoticed. If we're concerned about ethnic and religious diversity, regional should also be a consideration.

Ugly Fish by Kara LaReau, illustrated by Scott Magoon

Ugly Fish by Kara LaReau, illustrated by Scott Magoon (Harcourt, 2006). Ugly Fish is a big bully, and as a result, he finds himself lonely in the tank. What will happen when a bigger, meaner fish moves in? According to Kara's flap bio, she "was inspired to write this story after reading an article about childhood bullying," in which it was reported that some kids said they'd thought being mean was "cool." For those who like their picture books with humor and bite. Ages 4-up.

My Thoughts

For a long time, it seemed the prevailing theory was that bullies had low self-esteem. This is just anecdotal, but I was bullied by a girl in fourth grade, and my tormenter seemed quite comfortable with herself. In any case, that line of thought seems to be falling by the wayside, so books like this one are confronting the theme more head-on.

The two books have nothing in common except they're both about fish--arguably about dead fish. But for some reason, reading Ugly Fish reminded me of Arlene Sardine by Chris Raschka (Orchard, 1998), which was controversial at the time because of its dead-fish narrator.

Cynsational Notes

Interview with Kara LaReau and Jenna LaReau about Rocko and Spanky Go to a Party (Harcourt, 2004) from Harcourt Brace.

Author-Illustrator Interview: Matteo Pericoli on The True Story of Stellina

The True Story of Stellina by Matteo Pericoli (Knopf, 2006). From the flap copy:

"Stellina was a bird: 'CHEEP.'
"A very little bird: 'Cheep! cheep!'
"So begins critically acclaimed author Matteo Pericoli’s all-true story of how he and his wife, Holly, came to rescue and raise a little finch, Stellina, in the middle of New York City. When no zoo would take the abandoned bird, fallen from her nest onto a busy street, Holly took her home and gave her the best life she could. And there, in a Manhattan apartment, Stellina leaned how to eat, fly, and sing."

Matteo Pericoli on Matteo Pericoli: "I was born in Milan, Italy, in 1968. My family is from central Italy, from a region called the 'Marche' along the Adriatic coast. Cultivated hills roll one after the other accompanied by the sea on one side and the high Apennines on the other. From anywhere you can reach any of these three elements (water, hills or mountains) within a twenty minute drive. The multitide of different cultivations on the hills create a constantly changing color palette; the smells in the air follow the colors and the changing seasons.

"This idyllic image was in net contrast with Milan, a dense, mostly gray city that offers little or no color palette at all. One can easily be color blind in Milan and not realize it for his whole life.

"I studied architecture at the Polytechnic School of Milan. Right after graduation, in 1995, I decided to move to New York to work as an architect here, to learn what it means to be an architect in a place where history counts less than it does in Italy.

"And I moved here because I wanted to understand New York by being in New York. This city seemed far enough (distance-wise) and close enough (culturally speaking) to where I grew up to create a mixture of curiosity and fear about the move that proved to be very fertile. I have been living here since then, and during this time I have 'been' an architect, a teacher, an illustrator, a journalist, an author of adult books and, now, an author of children's book. My wife is from here (she was born in New Jersey), our bird was born in Manhattan, on the corner of 46th Street and Third Avenue, and our daughter (Nadia, two weeks away from her due date--I am writing this on April 11, 2006) will be Italian-American."

I found myself deeply affected by The True Story of Stellina (Knopf, 2006). For those who've yet to read it, could you tell us a bit about your inspiration for the book?

Stellina was a little wild finch that my wife found on a street corner in Manhattan. She reluctantly brought her home hoping to save her and give her away to someone who could take care of her. But since she was 'just' a wild finch, there was no one who would take her. So she was stuck with her, and probably vice versa too, they were stuck with each other.

Wild birds are very difficult to raise when they are that small. They die very easily. But my wife persevered, she not only saved her, she ended up raising her.

I met Stellina (and my future wife) at a later stage, when Stellina had already learned to sustain herself at home. When Holly and I moved in together, Stellina followed and I, too, was accepted instantaneously by the bird as a member of the family. We went on like this, i.e. a small family of two humans plus a feathered vertebrate, for almost eight years.

What really pushed me to write this story was my own sense of wonder and disbelief in realizing how such a tiny being (a wild finch is quite small) is capable of so much love. Not only to convey it, but to generate it around her. Every morning was a feast of joy as if that very morning was going to be the first and last of her life. Seeing Holly, my wife, was for Stellina the best thing that could happen to her. And, that's funny-- I thought--that's how I feel too.

I was raised in a family in which the hunting of birds is a deeply-rooted tradition, and birds such as Stellina often ended up on a plate, roasted, rather than freely flying on someone's head trying to build a nest. To say that living with a wild bird changed my view of hunting is a definite understatement.

Her death in late 2003 created such an unexpected void in our life that I searched for a way to make a sense of the whole experience. To whomever suggested that I write about it, I answered that it was such a simple and uneventful story that could not be told in an interesting way. But I knew that even simple stories, or especially simple stories, can be very revealing.

What were the challenges (literary, research, psychological, logistical) in bringing it to life?

I would say that the major challenge was finding a way to draw Stellina that would convey the idea of Stellina, her character, her presence, her multifaceted personality rather than what she actually looked like. The fact that Stellina was a bird is, in my mind, almost coincidental. I always felt that this was a story about love and, as in most stories about love, joy coexists with sadness, doubts, uncertainties and labor.

What advice do you have for beginning writer-illustrators?

I don't have any advice. But I have a wish: each of us has a voice, our own way of communicating who we are, what we feel and what we need to convey. My wish is that through work and tries and mistakes and doubts everyone finds her own voice. I am still looking for my own.

As a reader, what are your favorite recent books for the children's/YA audience and why?

I believe that Edward Gorey found his voice in his books. And you can tell. I also immensely enjoyed, both when I was a kid and now, the work of Gianni Rodari.

What can your fans expect next?

I am currently working on a new children's book about a line that disappears from a drawing.

Cynsational Notes

What I love about this book is its profound kindness.

Cynsational News & Links

"A Career In Picture Books--Twice!" a chat with Dori Chaconas from the Institute of Children's Literature. April 13, 2006. Dori answers a lot of great beginner questions with an emphasis on picture books and easy readers.

Congratulations to winners of the Maine Library Association Awards! In the picture book category, the Lupine Award went to A Kick in the Head: An Everyday Guide to Poetic Forms by Paul Janeczko, illustrated by Chris Raschka (Candlewick, 2005). The Lupine Honor Award in picture books went to Carmine: A Little More Red by Melissa Sweet (Houghton Mifflin, 2005). In the young adult category, the winner was Stained by Jennifer Richard Jacobson (author interview), and the Honor Award went to Broken Song by Kathryn Lasky (Viking, 2005). In addition the recipient of the Katahdin Award for lifetime achievement ("to recognize an outstanding body of work of children's literature in Maine by one author or illustrator") is author Nancy Garden (author interview). Winners were announced April 13th at Reading Round Up (a children's and young adult literature conference) in Augusta, Maine; they are not yet posted to the website.

Absolutely Positively Not by David LaRochelle Receives 2005 Sid Fleischman Humor Award

David LaRochelle's novel Absolutely Positively Not (Arthur A. Levine Books/Scholastic, 2005) is the recipient of the 2005 Sid Fleischman Humor Award.

From the flap copy: "Steven doesn't know if he'll pass his driver's test or if he'll ever understand his parents, but there's one thing he knows for sure: He's absolutely, positively NOT gay. How could he be, when he conscientiously collects photos of girls in bikinis and makes a point to sit at the jock table? So what if he takes a golden retriever to the dance because he can't face telling his mom that he doesn't have a date? So what if he thinks Coach Bowman is, well, extremely, unnervingly handsome. Who wouldn't? Right? David LaRochelle's first novel is a riotously funny look at the life of a regular boy who's finding out what it takes to be a real man."

The award, presented by the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, is given annually to an author whose work exemplifies excellence in humor writing. LaRochelle is an author and illustrator of twenty-five books, including The Best Pet of All, illustrated by Hanako Wakiyama (Dutton, 2004), a Children's Book Sense Top Ten selection. Absolutely Positively Not is LaRochelle's first novel for young adults.

The award will be presented on Sunday, Aug. 6 during the Golden Kite Awards Luncheon, which is part of SCBWI's 35th Annual Conference on Writing and Illustrating for Children. It will be held at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza Hotel from Aug. 4 to Aug. 7, 2006.

Cynsational Notes

Absolutely Positively Not also was named a Booklist Top Ten Novel by a New Author; a CCBC Choice; a Booklist Editor's Choice; and an ALA Best Book for Young Adults. See a review of the novel by Brian Farrey of Teenreads.com.

Learn more about Sid Fleischman.

Cynsational News & Links

Enter to win one of 10 copies of Nothing But the Truth (and a Few White Lies), a new novel by Justina Chen Headley (Little Brown, 2006)(author interview)(excerpt) from YA Books Central.

Author Interview: Cynthia Kadohata from Downhomebooks.com. Cynthia is the author of numerous books, including the 2005 Newbery Medal novel, Kira-Kira (Atheneum, 2004)(excerpt) and Weedflower (Atheneum, 2006)(excerpt), a Junior Library Guild selection.Read a recent Cynsations interview with Cynthia Kadohata.

Author-Editor Dialogue: Rita Williams-Garcia and Rosemary Brosnan from CBC Magazine. See also An Interview with Rosemary Brosnan from SCBWI France and Rita Williams-Garcia. Rita's books include No Laughter Here (HarperCollins/Amistad, 2003).

A Bibliography of Novels in Verse by Susan Taylor Brown from Once Upon a Time There Was A Girl Who Wanted to Write (That Would Be Me). Look for Susan's upcoming middle grade novel in poems, Hugging the Rock (Tricycle Press, 2006)(PDF excerpt).

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak (Knopf, 2006): reviewed by J. A. Kaszuba Locke from BookLoons Reviews. See also Endgame by Nancy Garden (Harcourt, 2006)(author interview): reviewed by by Lyn Seippel from BookLoons Reviews.

The Wand in the Word: Conversations with Writers of Fantasy compiled and edited by Leonard S. Marcus

The Wand in the Word: Conversations with Writers of Fantasy compiled and edited by Leonard S. Marcus (Candlewick, 2006)(excerpt featuring Philip Pullman)(audio reading). Features in-depth interviews with thirteen acclaimed fantasy authors: Lloyd Alexander; Franny Billingsley (author interview); Susan Cooper; Nancy Farmer; Brian Jacques; Diana Wynne Jones; Ursula K. Le Guin; Madeleine L'Engle; Garth Nix; Tamora Pierce; Terry Pratchett; Philip Pullman; and Jane Yolen. Includes author photos, including childhood photos, copies of marked manuscripts, etc. Ages 12-up.

My Thoughts

A gorgeously designed and crafted book.

I wouldn't be surprised if most readers, as I did, turn first to their favorite authors and then take the opportunity to learn more about the rest. In my case, I turned first to Franny Billingsley and Jane Yolen.

I took particular note of Jane's comment that "We know ourselves by the stories we tell about ourselves. If you can't remember the stories, then who are you?"

I also was struck by Franny's declaration that "...I might live a life of words." I love that--"a life of words." The next time I'm feeling overwhelmed by my writing and writing life, I'll remind myself that not only do I have a life, I have a life of words.

By the way, Brian Jacques has beautiful handwriting.

Recommended to fantasy readers and writers; makes a lovely gift.

Cynsational Notes

Franny Billingsley's next release will be her picture book debut, Big Bad Bunny, illustrated by G. Brian Karas (Atheneum/Richard Jackson, 2008).

Author Feature: Ellen Howard

Ellen Howard on Ellen Howard: "I'm a late-bloomer. Although I told and wrote stories from childhood (and gained some familial notoriety for keeping my little brother and sister awake after bedtime with said stories), there was an 18-year hiatus between the last story I wrote in high school and the first story I wrote for a college creative writing class in 1978 or so.

"But I was reading continually and compulsively from first grade right up to this afternoon. I'm told I traded my new tricycle for a picture book on the very day it was given to me. The unending battle of my childhood had to do with grown-ups wanting me to 'go out and play,' when all I wanted to do was curl up with a book.

"All that reading had to lead somewhere, and in my case it led to learning, on my fortieth birthday, that my first book would be published. I've been contentedly writing ever since--not for fame or fortune (which is a good thing), but for simple joy. I write to amuse myself, more than for any other reason, and stories have kept me happy all my life."

As a young reader, were you enthusiastic about books? Do you recall your favorite(s)? What were the early signs of your fruitful imagination?

I figured something out pretty early, I think. In stories, we can live many, many lives. I feel almost sorry for people who live only their own life in their own time and place.

I've lived all over the world, in many different eras. I've been a girl and a boy and a rabbit and a man and a woman and an angel. I've been young and old, strong and weak, good and wicked. I've had countless adventures, faced tremendous odds, been in danger again and again. All in stories.

It's not that I don't love my own life. It's simply that I want more, and I can have that more in the stories I read, the stories I write.

I wrote my first story in fourth grade, and illustrated it myself. I heard my first story before I could talk and read my first story when I was six. So many stories I can't remember them all: But I do remember these: Baby Island by Carol Ryrie Brink, Twig by Elizabeth Orton Jones, Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. Only the other day, I read another good story: Where the Great Hawk Flies by Liza Ketchum (Clarion, 2005)(author interview).

What put you on the path to publication? What were the ah-ha moments? Were there any stumbles along the way?

I was so lucky: I wrote my first book, Circle of Giving, about 1981. I began sending it out to publishers in 1982. A wonderful writing teacher steered me to the great editor, Jean Karl at Atheneum and, on May 8, 1983 (my fortieth birthday), I received a letter from Jean accepting the manuscript for publication.

That's much, much faster than most writers achieve publication. It has very little to do with the quality of my work and a great deal more to do with the loving support of several people--my husband Chuck, who made it possible for me to attend my first writing conference, where I met Zola Helen Ross and began writing my first story for young people; Zola, who referred me to Jean Karl; my mother who first told me the stories of her childhood which inspired Circle of Giving; and, of course, Jean Karl, who was my editor for sixteen years and eleven books.

Jean's death gave me my first "stumble," I must admit. It has been hard for me to write, knowing that she is no longer there to read it. But I have worked with other fine editors, Pamela Pollock, Margery Cuyler (interview), and Regina Griffin, and little by little, I've regained my confidence that there are other editors who will like my work.

What advice do you have for beginning writers?

Well, I'm afraid my advice isn't particularly original. The truth is, we learn to write by reading and writing. We can be supported along the way. I often think that this is my function as a faculty member of the MFA Program in Writing for Children and Young Adults at Vermont College. I can teach a few basic story-telling principles, but mostly I'm there to nurture the talent of others, a role I treasure.

My only real advice to new writers is to try to do something for a living that takes up as little emotional energy as possible. We can always make time to write, if we care enough to do so. But we need to leave ourselves the energy, the emotional stamina and the quiet that are the real necessities of the writing life.

You've served as SCBWI regional advisorin Oregon and Michigan. First, thank you for this service to the children's-YA writer-illustrator community. I know RA positions require a lot of thought and work. What inspired you to take on these roles? What did you learn from them?

My terms as SCBWI regional advisor in Oregon and Michigan were tremendously helpful to me in becoming part of a writers' community. But I didn't know that would be the case. The truth is that I took the position in Oregon out of gratitude to SCBWI for receiving a Golden Kite Honor Award for my first book. I thought I should try to give back to the organization that so honored my book.

For those new to your work, could you briefly highlight a few of your more recent titles and offer some insights into the intial spark behind each?

Although I have published sixteen books since 1984, I'm sorry to say that only three of them are presently in print. The Gate in the Wall (Atheneum, 1999) was inspired by three summer holidays spent on a narrowboat, floating the canals of England. The canals were such a magical place that I knew on the first trip that I wanted to set a book there, but I didn't find my story until the second trip, when we visited a restored silk mill and I discovered that many of the mill workers in the 1800s were children. Almost immediately, my imagination had created Emma Dean, ten years old, who has been working in a mill since she was seven years old. When Emma flees her hard life, she finds not only another, better life on a narrowboat, but also discovers that life can bring not just pain, but accomplishment, love and joy.

Since 1996, I've written four books in the "Log Cabin" series, published by Holiday House. The Log Cabin Quilt (1996) and The Log Cabin Church (2002), beautifully illustrated by Ronald Himler are still in print, and they will be joined by The Log Cabin Wedding in the spring of 2007. The first book, The Log Cabin Quilt, came to me as no other book ever has, almost magically. On a long, boring drive, I "heard" Elvirey's voice, telling of her family's struggles in their new log cabin home. This is the way my mind keeps me amused. By the time I got home, I had heard the entire story in my imagination. I had only to type it up! I thought that would be the only "log cabin" story, but you can see that the story continued after that book was published. I think The Log Cabin Wedding is the end of Elvirey's stories.

You're an accomplished writer of historical fiction. What is it about the past that calls to you?

I think imaginations work differently in different people. I could no more imagine what the future will be like than fly to the moon! But, from the time when my grandparents, who lived with us, were telling about their childhoods and my mother was telling about hers, I have been imagining the past. Now, even my own childhood is historical! In 1993, I published The Tower Room (Atheneum), which was set in the year 1953, when I was ten years old. I was astonished when reviewers called it "historical fiction!"

What advice do you have for those writing historical fiction?

I'm a very old-fashioned writer (I still write on a typewriter and am computer illiterate.) So I'm an old-fashioned researcher too. Almost always, I go to books first. Those books lead me to other books and articles and sometimes to people. Since I love to read, all this is pure joy! And finding out things may be my second most favorite thing after reading.

My advice for historical fiction writers has more to do with the writer's sensibilities than it has to do with research. If you are fascinated not only by what was done in the past and how it was done, but also with how it might have felt, then historical fiction may indeed be your forte.

But I am appalled by "historical fiction" that only dresses modern characters in period dress and allows them to think, feel and behave as people do now. People in the past, even people in other places in the world today, saw or see the world and life through very different eyes than ours. They "knew" things we think are silly; they worried about things that don't even occur to us and didn't worry about things that obsess us; they used different standards to judge things by. It is true that no one knows for sure just what it was like to live in the past, but we have many clues. I believe it is the responsibility of the historical novelist to explore those differences just as thoroughly as she explores our common humanity.

You were born in North Carolina and have lived in Oregon, Michigan, and Colorado. How, if at all, has your setting inspired those in your books?

You ought to realize by now that I only "live" part time in current home. I am always "living" in the books I read and write. So my books may very well be as much inspired by all those fictional places they are by my actual residence. I lived in North Carolina very briefly, yet the voices of my Southern relatives have influenced my voice, especially in the "log cabin" books. And a house in my neighborhood in Kalamazoo, Michigan in the 1990s inspired The Tower Room. But I don't think I am in any way a regional writer. Rather, my stories come out of other stories--stories read and heard, stories of real people and stories of fictional ones that made me wonder, what would that be like?

You've published several books, writing for the picture book audience through the teen one. Is there one age range that particularly calls to you? Or do you have many "inner children"?

Someone once said that children's writers were "cases of arrested development." If that's true, my development was probably arrested somewhere around the age of ten or twelve. Certainly, writing about the concerns, the feelings, the thoughts of girls from ten to twelve or so seems most natural to me. I've been writing a book about a ten year old boy, and that has been hard. And writing about contemporary teenagers is hard, because I don't know their world, except as I know it through my grandchildren. The truth is, I scarcely remember my own teen years, but eleven is as vivid in my memory as yesterday.

As a reader, what are your favorite recent reads?

My favorite author is Rumer Godden, an Englishwoman who wrote for both children and adults for over fifty years. She died just a few years ago. Now I read her books to my younger grandchildren: Candy Floss, Holly and Ivy, The Mousewife, and many more. Of her adult books, my all-time favorite is The River, but I first read it when I was twelve years old.

These days I love Anne Tyler's books for recreational reading. Her ditzy characters remind me of myself and my family. The best book I've read in the last five years is A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry.

But I can't end without putting in a plug for two of my own childhood favorites: Twig by Elizabeth Orton Jones and Baby Island by Carol Ryrie Brink. My granddaughters and I just read Baby Island together a few days ago, and I loved it all over again.

What can your fans look forward to next?

Well, I'm hoping that my novel about the ten-year-old boy who accompanied the explorer, La Salle, on his last journey will be next. I'm in the middle of a revision right now, and hope to find a publisher for it soon. It's called The Red Cap.

But I'm also writing a new book, called The Queen's Child, and set in the first year of Queen Elizabeth I's reign. My heroine, Mary Seymour, is based on the real child of Katherine Parr. We know Mary was born; we know she was living with her mother's friend, the Duchess of Suffolk, for more than a year after Katherine Parr died. But then all mention of her disappeared from history. I am having great fun imagining what might have happened to her!

Cynsational Notes

Ellen's first editor, Jean Karl, also was the author of How to Write and Sell Children's Picture Books (Writers Digest, 1994). Note that some information may be dated, but it's nevertheless a chance to "sit at the knee" of an editorial legend.

The Giblin Guide to Writing Children's Books by James Cross Giblin

The Giblin Guide to Writing Children's Books by James Cross Giblin (Writer's Institute Publications, 2005)(fourth edition--revised and updated). Giblin's Guide highlights the various forms, including non-fiction, fiction, ages categories within fiction, types of fiction, picture books globally, and rhyme in picture books specifically. It also features information on "from submission to contract" and "from contract to publication."

Recommended as a companion to What's Your Story? A Young Person's Guide to Writing Fiction by Marion Dane Bauer (Clarion, 1992) and especially to children's non-fiction writers.

What's Your Story? A Young Person's Guide to Writing Fiction by Marion Dane Bauer

What's Your Story? A Young Person's Guide to Writing Fiction by Marion Dane Bauer (Clarion, 1992). An excellent overview of the craft of writing, including story plans, selecting an idea, character, focus, plot, point of view, beginnings, dialogue, story tension, endings, revising, and polishing as well as fiction writing as a career. Marion's clear, conversational style makes for a read as enjoyable as it is enlightening. Though marketed to young writers, also highly recommended to adult writers. Marion dedicates this title to her editor James Cross Giblin. Ages 12-up. See also A Writer's Story: From Life to Fiction, also by Marion (Clarion, 1995) and The Giblin Guide to Writing Children's Books by James Cross Giblin (Writer's Institute Publications, 2005)(fourth edition--revised and updated).

Cynsational Notes

If I could recommend only one craft book, this would be it. Today I'm writing to encourage my students to find a copy as soon as possible.

Though the title may offer nothing new per se in terms of information to advanced writers, the way in which the material is presented makes it a perfect venue for review. I plan to reread it between novels to remind myself of what I'm already supposed to understand but don't always do.

It's worth restating that though the title specifies "young person," the book speaks equally well to adults. That said, it is a great pick for teen writers.

Author Interview: Michelle Lord on Little Sap and Monsieur Rodin

Little Sap and Monsieur Rodin by Michelle Lord, illustrated by Felicia Hoshimo (Lee & Low, 2006). From the publisher: "The story of Little Sap, a young Cambodian dancer who posed for Auguste Rodin in 1906 during the Colonial Exhibition in France." Ages 4-up. See a four-page preview of the book.

Author Michelle Lord's bio: "Michelle Lord fell in love with the culture of Cambodia when she traveled there to adopt her youngest daughter. She was inspired to write this book after discovering the story behind Auguste Rodin's Cambodian dancer sketches. Lord lives in New Braunfels, Texas, with her husband and their three children. This is her first picture book."

What inspired you to write for children?

I have always loved both art and reading. I loved picture books as a child and still love them today—a perfect blend of art and story.

With three children, I want to tell stories that reflect our multicultural family. I also like to make my kids laugh!

Could you describe your path to publication, any sprints and/or stumbles along the way?

I have collected dozens and dozens of rejection letters. I’ve had the excitement of manuscripts going to acquisitions, followed by the disappointment of rejection after coming so close. I’ve found critique groups, writing classes, reading lots of children’s books and spending time with children helpful to my writing. It’s an ongoing learning process.

Congratulations on the publication of your debut picture book, Little Sap and Monsieur Rodin! Could you tell us a little about it?

In 1906, famous French sculptor Auguste Rodin fell in love with the Cambodian dancers during their performance in Paris. The Cambodian dance troupe of King Sisowath traveled to France for the Colonial Exhibition.

My book is the story of Little Sap, a poor country girl who joined the dance troupe to give her family a better life. She misses her family and doesn’t fit in with the other dancers. As Rodin’s pencil sweeps across his paper, Little Sap’s worries lessen. She realizes how much she has grown as a dancer and how far she has come in fulfilling her special duty to her family. She finally feels part of the troupe. “Once again she felt a family’s love, and home did not feel so far away.”

What was your initial inspiration for telling this story?

My youngest daughter is Cambodian, and I’m always on the lookout for interesting items for her. I stumbled upon Rodin’s sketches/watercolors of the Cambodian dancers on eBay. I researched Rodin and found a French newspaper photo of the artist sketching the young dancers. Sap was a real girl whose graceful movements Rodin captured on grocery paper.

I then found a variety of old postcards from 1906; Rodin, King Sisowath, royal elephants and the royal dance troupe of Cambodia. As I studied the postcards, one little dancer stood out--different from the rest. She had darker skin and a beautiful sad face. She became Little Sap to me, as I looked at her picture and imagined her life.

What was the timeline from spark to publication, and what were the major events along the way?

I wrote Little Sap in the summer of 2003 and mailed it off to three publishers. I received one rejection instantly. Little Sap went to an editorial meeting at the second publisher, but they too passed on my story. Then, I received a revision letter from Jennifer at Lee and Low.

How exciting! We worked on a series of revisions, including expanding the story. The revision process was tough. Emotionally I went from high [of course they want this great story] to low [I’ll never get these revisions right]! Finally, with Jennifer’s help and guidance, I received a contract in the summer of 2004. And, this month I received copies of my first book! Felicia Hoshino's illustrations made Little Sap come alive.

What were the challenges (literary research, psychological, and logistical) in bringing it to life?

For my story, I needed information about Rodin, France, Cambodia and Khmer Court Dance. How long would it take to travel to France from Cambodia by ship? How would a young dancer feel when she left home for the first time? The court dancers led sheltered lives and rarely stepped outside the palace walls. Rodin’s feelings about meeting the young dancers are documented, but I could only imagine the thoughts of
the dancers themselves.

What advice do you have for beginning children's writers?

Don’t give up!

What are the important considerations in writing historical fiction? What should writer/researchers keep in mind?

I’m a visual person, so I poured over old pictures, posters, websites and videos. It was important to me to have an expert in Khmer dance read my book for accuracy. She pointed out errors I had made in describing certain gestures. With hundreds of movements, I was sure to get some wrong!

Museums are great resources and often have websites. The drawing on the back cover of my book, and the photograph of Rodin with the dancers, both came from the Rodin Museum. The photograph ran in the newspaper in 1906, so don’t forget that newspapers are terrific sources.

Stick to official government or university affiliated websites for accurate information.

Are you available for school visits, conferences, and other speaking engagements? If so, how should planners contact you?

I’m currently gearing up for school visits. Contact me at: theelords@satx.rr.com.

What can you fans expect next?

I’m working through revisions on a picture book biography.

Cynsational Notes

Degas and the Little Dancer by Laurence Anholt (Barron's, 1996) would make a good companion to Little Sap and Monsieur Rodin.

Children's and YA Books with Asian and Asian American Themes from my website. Note that while we've seen a strong showing of late of quality literary trade books with Asian and Asian American themes, these so far are mostly still limited those featuring Chinese/Chinese American, Japanese/Japanese American, and Korean/Korean American themes. On the south Asian front, we're seeing more Indian/Indian American/Indian Canadian books. However, many nationalities/national origins are still underrepresented. In addition to Little Sap and Monsieur Rodin (Cambodian), titles to seek include Journey Home by Lawrence McKay, Jr., illustrated by Dom & Keunhee Lee (Lee & Low, 1998)(co-illustrator interview)(Vietnamese/Vietnamese American).

Finding Literacy Grants from Lee & Low Books. "In the education world budget constraints are a reality, making it difficult to obtain resources for book purchases. This is why it is important to utilize organizations that offer educational and/or literacy grants." Also includes information on writing successful grant requests. Authors and illustrators may want to add this link to their events pages.

Texas Children's & YA Authors and Illustrators from my website.

Crossing Bok Chitto: A Choctaw Tale of Friendship and Freedom by Tim Tingle, illustrated by Jeanne Rorex Bridges

Crossing Bok Chitto: A Choctaw Tale of Friendship & Freedom by Tim Tingle (Choctaw), illustrated by Jeanne Rorex Bridges (Cherokee)(Cinco Puntos, 2006). Chronicles the important relationship between citizens of Choctaw Nation and those people held in slavery in Mississippi prior to the U.S. Civil War and the Trail of Tears. An evocative story, wonderfully told and gorgeously illustrated. End material includes "Choctaws Today: Two Prosperous Nations, One Strong People" and "A Note on Choctaw Storytelling." Ages 9-up.

Cynsational Notes

Jeanne is a debut illustrator with this book. She lives in rural eastern Oklahoma.

Tim's previous title, Walking the Choctaw Road: Stories from Red People Memory (Cinco Puntos, 2003) also is a must-read. He lives in Canyon Lake, Texas; and is highly recommended as a speaker and storyteller, especially to those seeking an authentic Native American perspective.

Native American Themes in Children's and Young Adult Books from my website.

Author-Illustrator Feature: Laura McGee Kvasnosky

Laura McGee Kvasnosky is the author of several wonderful children's titles, including the Zelda and Ivy books (Candlewick), One Lucky Summer (Dutton, 2002), and Frank and Izzy Set Sail (Candlewick, 2004). She lives in Seattle.

Laura McGee Kvasnosky on Laura McGee Kvasnosky: "Why write? Because I am the middle of five kids and I am still trying to get a word in edgewise. Because it's a way to figure out stuff I don't understand. Because I can't not write.

"Looking back, I can see I was headed toward writing for a long time. When I was little, I had a stuffed cat named Kitty who starred in stories I acted out for my younger brother and sister. These productions took place on weekend mornings while we waited for the rest of the family to wake up. Kitty had a loud, squeaky voice. He disappeared one day. We looked and looked but never found him.

"As soon as I could read, I became a bookworm. I wish I had a whole other life just for reading. As soon as I could shape letters, I made little books from the paper trimmings Dad brought home from his print shop. In fifth grade I wrote a weekly newspaper, making a copy for each row in the classroom with my careful cursive. My dad was the editor and publisher of the newspaper in our small town, Sonora, California. As each of us five kids went through high school, he taught us to write, by having us compose 'Campus Letter,' a weekly column for the paper.

"I changed my major six times at Occidental College before deciding on a degree in journalism. But I always knew I could tell a better story if I didn't have to stick to the facts, thus preferred writing fiction. While my kids were little, I had a baker's clay ornament making business for six years, then a graphic design business for 15--all which turned out to be good preparation for making children's books.

"I am a fourth-generation Californian, now thoroughly mossed over by 32 years in Seattle rain. I love to bike and garden and play the ukulele. My husband, John, and I have two grown children, Timothy and Noelle."

According to your website biography, you decided when you were 40 to actively pursue your lifelong dream of creating children's books. Could you tell us more about that decision? What shifted you from dreamer to do-er in this regard?

When my kids were young, some of our best times were spent curled up in the big blue chair reading together. What an amazing thing it is to enter the world of a book together.

I dreamt of making my own picture books, but kept putting it off. Then, about the time I turned 40, a friend died of cancer. She was 54. Who knows how long we get to dabble around here? I determined to take a step toward my dream. I signed up for Keith Baker's class in Picture Book Making.

What preparation did you have from your earlier life, and what was your path to publication like?

Like picture book writing, writing for a newspaper is a reductionist task. Both a picture book and a good news story need a hook: a beginning that grabs the reader and sets up what is to come. Every word has to count.

The over-10,000 baker's clay ornaments I manufactured during my kids' preschool years were sculpted little children doing various things, perhaps an initial effort to create characters?

Graphic design comes into play in the design of my books as I consider the flow and pacing of the progression of text and illustration.

Most of all, I guess life itself prepares me to make picture books: like a raccoon, I gather all the sparkling, quirky bits of memories, experiences and observations that can be shaped into stories.

I'm sure everyone would love to know more about the story behind Zelda and Ivy (Candlewick, 1998), Zelda and Ivy One Christmas (Candlewick, 2002), and Zelda and Ivy and the Boy Next Door (Candlewick, 2003). How did you come to find these characters? What was the original inspiration?

As the middle of five children, I have experience being led around by an imaginative but bossy older sister and I took the role of the bossy older sister to my younger sibs. This is probably why the push and pull of sibling rivalry fascinates me.

The original Zelda and Ivy book was a dummy book called "Summer Shorts." I created it in Keith Baker's class. It featured five human children and many of the tense sibling interactions that are familiar to Zelda and Ivy readers. I sent it around to publishers and it was roundly rejected. Five years and six books later, I thought I'd try those sibling stories again. Maybe they'd work better with only two sisters. I was experimenting at the time with gouache resist, the medium that I eventually used for the Zelda and Ivy books. It worked best in bright colors. Thus, the two sisters became bright red foxes. In a way, that first book was a "gift book." It fell whole and complete into my lap. But when I look back, I can see the pieces gathered over years.

Could you give us a sneak peek into Zelda and Ivy: The Runaways (Candlewick, 2006)? What are the fabulous fox sisters up to now?

The Runaways, due out June 2006--marks the first of the Zelda and Ivy books to appear in a new, reader-sized format, similar to the size of Frog and Toad [by Arnold Lobel].

There are three chapters: The Runaways, The Time Capsule, and The Secret Concoction. Each of these stories has its roots in either my childhood or in things my own children did. For instance, Zelda prepares the time capsule with this message: "A gift to the world of the future from the world of the past." When my son was eight, I found that exact note under his rug, on a card with a quarter taped to the bottom.

What about them has drawn you back for book after book? What are the traits of characters who can hold readers beyond one title?

The interaction of younger and older siblings amuses me. There is endless material in the play of one against the other. Often when I visit schools, students give me further adventures that they have written for these characters. It seems the dynamics of sibling relationships are familiar to many readers.

What advice do you have for writing with animal characters?

I don't think of my characters as animals. Rather, as humans in fox suits.

It's true, though, that there is something about those fox suits that is freeing and makes it easier to get to the heart of things. Plus, it's fun to emphasize their foxy-ness: flips of tails, holding paws.

Your debut novel is One Lucky Summer (Dutton, 2002). What were the challenges (literary, research, psychological, and logistical) in bringing it to life?

One Lucky Summer grew over seven years from a picture book in two voices to its present, published form. It is loosely based on the summer that my cousin Jerry lived with my family in a mountain cabin. Like the characters in the book, Jerry and I went from hating each other's guts to being good friends and back again--often in the space of a day. We, too, nearly drowned in a Siamese Twins swimming race. As I was writing, I was wondering if a 10-year-old girl and boy could be authentic friends. As the story developed, it seemed they could.

I researched pet flying squirrels and Western fence lizards. My friend Julian Snider, who was in fourth grade at the time, provided the illustrations for Steven's Nature Journal.

Another of your recent titles was Frank and Izzy Set Sail (Candlewick, 2004). What inspired you to write this story? What was the timeline from spark to publication and the major events along the way?

Frank and Izzy took about a year for me to write and illustrate, then another year for Candlewick Press to bring it out.

Frank and Izzy began with a painting I made when I was playing around with leftover paint. I painted a little rabbit and a bear running in the moonlight. They intrigued me. Who were they? Why were they running? Who were they to each other?

The moonlight reminded me of the last night of a ballroom dancing class my husband John and I took at our community center. As we parked our car that night, we could see a big, full moon shining down Lake Washington. At the end of the class, our instructor threw open the doors and turned up the music. We waltzed out into the parking lot. It was one of those times when ordinary life is transcended. Music and moonlight were part of it.

I decided I wanted to make a story about the rabbit and the bear. Music and moonlight would be part of it. I decided Frank would be a bit like John and Izzy a bit like me. The whole story is written toward that single spread of the starry sky, their little campfire flickering on the island in the middle of the darkened lake, and the text, "Frank and Izzy sang to the stars."

What are the challenges particular to building a career as an author-illustrator?

Mostly, I guess it's a logistical challenge: it takes much longer to illustrate a book than it does to write one.

What advice do you have for beginners with this goal? How about more established book creators?

If you are starting out, good classes can help get you where you want to go. The Vermont College MFA program in Writing for Children and Adults, for one, is an excellent program to consider. I have taught there six winter residencies, and I have learned a ton from the lectures and visiting writers.

Join SCBWI. Go to the meetings and conferences.

Read widely, especially in the genre in which you expect your stories will fall, i.e. picture books or middle grade novels. Read as a reader and then again as a writer, taking it apart, seeing how it works. Note what you think really works and what doesn't. Keep track of publishers you like, too, for when you are ready to submit your work.

I think any advice I give is probably advice I need to hear, so I am listening, too, when I say: Take yourself seriously. Work at it daily. Get the information and tools you need to do the job well. Then allow yourself to play.

Is there anything you'd like to add?

There are so many unexpected bonuses of a career in children's books: speaking opportunities at schools and conferences, teaching opportunities to writers of all ages, and the chance to be part of the amazing resource that is this forum. Thanks, Cynthia. It's an honor to be part of your wonderful website.

Cynsational Notes

Are you a Zelda or an Ivy? Take the Zelda and Ivy Personality Quiz!

Who Wrote That? Featuring Laura McGee Kvasnosky by Patricia M. Newman; published in California Kids (November 2002).

Patricia also offers recent interviews with: Erin Dealey, author of Little Bo Peep Can't Get To Sleep (Atheneum, 2005)(author site); Mini Grey, author of The Adventures of the Dish and the Spoon (Knopf, 2006); Loretta Ichord, author of More Cooking Through Time: Pasta, Fried Rice, and Matzoh Balls: Immigrant Cooking in America (Millbrook, 2006)(author site); Jackie Briggs Martin, author of On Sand Island (Houghton Mifflin, 2003)(author site); and Barbara Park, author of Junie B., First Grader: Aloha-Ha-Ha! (from the Junie B. Jones series)(Random House, 2006). Patricia herself is the author of Jingle the Brass, illustrated by Michael Chesworth (FSG, 2004)(a Junior Library Guild selection); learn more about Patricia!

Cynsations LJ Subscribers

Cynsations LJ syndication readers, the author update with Toni Buzzeo for some reason has not posted correctly to you. My apologies. Unfortunately, I'm not familiar with the program (my syndication was set up by a dear friend) to fix it myself, nor do I have even a password to get in.

However, I have republished Toni's interview via Blogger, so hopefully the syndication will pick up a new version that works. If this is not the case, please surf by the interview at Cynsations on Blogger to read it there. This has happened once before and cleared up on its own so my hope is that it will do likewise this time. Thank you for your understanding!

Author Update: Toni Buzzeo

Toni Buzzeo has quickly established herself as a popular picture book author. We previously talked to her after the publication of her debut title, The Sea Chest, illustrated by Mary GrandPre (Dial, 2002)(author interview), which went on to win a 2002 Lupine Honor Award and the 2004-2005 Children's Crown Gallery Award. We spoke again after the publication of Dawdle Duckling, illustrated by Margaret Spengler (Dial, 2003)(author interview), which was named to the New Jersey State Library Pick of the Decade List.

We last talked after the publication of Dawdle Duckling. Since then you returned to Dawdle for another story: Ready Or Not, Dawdle Duckling, also illustrated by Margaret Spengler (Dial, 2005). Picture book sequels are rare. What was it about Dawdle that you know he had more stories to share? Or, more broadly, what qualities/depth must a picture book character possess to make them good candidates for multiple books?

It was actually my brilliant illustrator, Margaret Spengler, who suggested a sequel. As Margaret relates in her interview in my new book, Toni Buzzeo and YOU (Libraries Unlimited, 2005), “I thought the [original] story was cute and charming and I could see creating something really fun. I wanted to do a sequel because I have grown attached to Dawdle and the family. I enjoy working on Dawdle's adventures and hope there are many more.”

Of course, a request does not a story make! It took me a few years to come up with the perfect idea for a sequel. Dawdle would necessarily have to remain a dawdler and dreamer. The challenge was to design a plot in which this core trait would initially hinder but ultimately serve him. A fourth grader in rural Maine came up with hide-and-seek idea and Margaret’s added characters in Dawdle Duckling—the turtle, the frog, and the fish—served up the key plot idea. After all, Dawdle is not simply taking his sweet time, he’s also busy making friends, friends who will be his salvation in the hide-and-seek game.

You diversified your focus to a cousin of the ducks in Little Loon and Papa (Dial, 2004). What inspired you to write this book? What was the timeline between spark and publication? What were the major challenges (literary, research, psychological, logistical) along the way?

My husband, Ken Cyll, and I own a cabin in the western mountains of Maine on Rangeley Lake. The lake is populated with loons. Sleeping there is an adventure in loon lullabies as they call to each other across the lake. Canoe trips are a treat as loons pop up, swim around, and ZIP! disappear from sight.

When, in July 2002, my editor Lauri Hornik mentioned that booksellers were often in search of Father’s Day books and asked me whether I’d consider writing one, I said I’d love to write another historical fiction like The Sea Chest (Dial, 2002), but that wasn’t what she had in mind. As I began to explore other ideas, I wondered about animal fathers who take care of their babies, and Ken suggested that I consider looking for a bird, since many mate for life.

Birds, I thought! What about loons with their haunting calls on Rangeley Lake? As I began to research loons (I am, after all, a librarian!), I learned that loon fathers take equal care of their babies. Perfect!

My research yielded such wonderful facts about what little loons have to learn—most especially to dive—that I was able to incorporate intriguing factual information in my young picture book. For instance, loon chicks are such little puffballs that they can’t just SQUEEZE TUCK ZIP and disappear from sight as their elders do. Instead, they have to wiggle their feet and waggle their wings before they’re able to disappear beneath the water! I love to teach kids about new things (I am, after all, a teacher too!) as they read and enjoy fiction.

I knew that Little Loon would be afraid to dive, much as my son Topher (23) and I were both afraid of water when we were young. So I didn’t have to struggle to find Little Loon’s defining character trait. The final challenge, though, was plot. Plot is always the most difficult aspect of a story for me. Luckily, Topher is a brilliant partner when I need to discuss plot. While waiting for an oil change at the local quick lube, we came up with the idea of Little Loon wandering off and encountering a trio of northwoods animals along the shore.

Back to my research I went, to find three animals who would be large and imposing without presenting a danger to the loon chick. That research brought me the idea of a beaver who would have felled a tree, making it necessary for Little Loon, desperate to find his Papa, to dive in order to reach him.

My process, generally, is to research extensively, gathering the facts I’ll use on large stacks of color-coded notecards, and then decide on the outline of plot. From there, I let the whole idea simmer. If you were to ask me if I were thinking, plotting, planning, I’d say no, and yet I know that I am, for when it’s time to sit down to the page, I often have a relatively easy time of the writing. The incubation period is often about three months. So, when in October 2002 I attended my annual fall writing retreat, the story spilled out of me onto the page. The first draft was a convolution of the final draft, but with my writing partners there, most notably Jane Kurtz (author interview) and Canadian children’s author Joanne Stanbridge, I left retreat with a submittable manuscript!

Looking over these titles and your debut picture book, The Sea Chest, illustrated by Mary GrandPre (Dial, 2002), it occurs to me that you are a water writer! Is this a product of your surroundings, your childhood, or a passion for all things splash?

Students always point this out to me. Honestly, I didn’t set out for it to be so, and, in my family, it’s Ken who is the Pisces and the water-demon, rarely so happy as when he is in a kayak, on a Coast Guard Auxiliary vessel, or simply riding the Casco Bay ferry in Portland harbor. I did, however, grow up in southern Michigan—the Great Lakes state—and now reside in Maine not far from the magnificent Atlantic Ocean. I think there’s just water in my veins!

I am pleased to report that my next picture book, Our Librarian Won’t Tell Us ANYTHING! (Upstart, Fall 2006) has not a drop of water in it. Nor does its sequel, Fire Up with Reading (Upstart, forthcoming).

Since our last chat, I believe you've also retired after a distinguished career as a librarian to become a full-time writer. What has that transition been like? What gifts has your librarian's expertise offered to your writing life?

Were I not so very busy speaking--traveling across the country to schools and conferences--I would probably be bereft. I do still feel very connected to my librarian identity as I speak at state and national library conferences and write books for librarians, as well. But I miss the kids terribly. Luckily for me, my local school, Jewett-Hanson School in Buxton, Maine, has taken me in as a volunteer library media specialist. When I am not traveling, I work closely with library media specialist Laurie Dunlap and her teachers and students. And I continue to see the world from a librarian perspective as well as my author perspective which, I hope, makes me smart about a lot of things in children’s literature.

Toni Buzzeo and YOU (Libraries Unlimited, 2005) sounds like a must-buy for your fans. What does this title offer as related to you and your work?

Toni Buzzeo and YOU is a guide to me and my books. It offers lots of biographical material not found anywhere else as well as invitations for kids to think and write about their own lives in similar ways.

It also gives readers—teachers and librarians—insight into the inspiration, structure, and themes of each of my children’s books. In addition, it is just chock full of really rich standards-based curriculum activities to accompany each of my books. The activities extend into many areas of the curriculum, including language arts, science, social studies, and information literacy. As an educator, I have a strong background in writing curriculum, and it sure was fun to bring it all to bear in writing curriculum for my own children’s books!

You have done a great job of building a career as a picture book writer in a tough publishing market. What advice do you have for beginning writers?

My best advice for beginning authors of all genres is to build relationships with editors over time. I think this is essential to finally finding the editor who is eager to work with you. This means that you should commit to sending new/additional work to editors who offer you feedback in their rejection letters. If an editor takes time to give you personal feedback, consider it a gift and him/her a fan.

Any advice for picture book writers specifically?

Read current picture books. The field is changing by the minute. What was published only five years ago might now be quite outdated and not a match for the current market if it were submitted today. So spend time in an excellent library every month or your local bookstore’s children’s department. Read picture books aloud (they are, after all, written to be read aloud!) and take time with the illustrations. Think about the language (word choice and sentence fluency), the structure, and the subject matter. Make choices about all three things very deliberately and with great care.

How about authors who're just now gaining a footing? What would you like to tell them?

I would tell them to be realistic about the need for authors to also be marketers. This doesn’t mean that there is a one-size-fits-all perfect approach to doing that marketing. Rather, it’s a matter of talking to other authors to learn where there successes have come, reading books, websites, and listservs devoted to the topic, and assessing your own areas of comfort and challenge. But regardless, it is important to understand that we are publishing in an era when publishers have smaller marketing and publicity budgets and more of the burden rests on the author to promote and keep the books alive and long in print. Develop a plan for doing that for your books.

As a reader, what have been your favorite children's/YA titles of the past year and why?

My very favorite young adult title of the year was Mary Pearson’s A Room on Lorelei Street (Henry Holt, 2005)(author interview). This story, told in a compelling first person voice, is one of the most subtle stories of parental dysfunction and neglect I have ever read. It is an amazing read, and I was thrilled to hear that it had won the Golden Kite Award.

Gentle’s Holler by Kerry Madden (Viking, 2005)(author interview) was my favorite middle grade novel of the year. What an extraordinary ability Madden has to create a time, place, and family of characters one longs to know for a lifetime. Set in the hollers of Tennessee, this quiet story resonates with the wisdom and love of a young protagonist who knows the truths of life at a very young age. I am delighted to know that Madden is busy writing sequels to this emotionally evocative story.

Living so near to Portland, Maine, an immigrant intake city with 52 languages in the school system where I taught for eleven years, I am always on the lookout for rich picture books that capture the immigrant experience. My favorite of the year was Jane Kurtz’s In the Small, Small Night, illustrated by Rachel Isadora (Amistad, 2005). In this warm and sensitive sibling story, Kurtz captures the loneliness and longing of an immigrant child in a new country and the necessity of remembering home and the stories that ground us in our much-loved places.

Your website now offers its own online store so that readers can buy customized and autographed books directly from you. What led you to this launch this feature? Would you suggest that other authors do the same?

I have had so many e-mail requests over the past four years from people across the country wanting autographed copies of my books that I simply decided to formalize the process, giving people a quick and easy way (using Paypal) to order the books they want. It’s proven to be a great idea, so yes, I would recommend that other authors do the same.

What can your fans look forward to next?

My next two picture books will be published by Upstart Books and feature a librarian character--Mrs. Skorupski. I suppose it was inevitable that a librarian would creep into my work! Our Librarian Won’t Tell Us ANYTHING! illustrated by Sachiko Yoshikawa (Fall 2006) features Mrs. Skorupski doing what librarians do best—creating independent library users. Fire Up with Reading (forthcoming) centers on a year-long reading incentive program that culminates in a dragon dance featuring the top readers of the school parading in a dragon costume on Read Across America Day. Each book, told in first person by a different narrator, has a fresh feel at the same time that Mrs. Skorupski occupies a consistent central role in the plot. There’s also a delicious, grumpy foil in the books named Carmen Rosa Peña. Plans are underway for a third volume in the series but it’s too soon to divulge the plot.

Fall 2008 will see the publication of my long-awaited picture book, A Lighthouse Christmas (Dial), illustrated by the fabulously talented Nancy Carpenter. I can’t wait to see how she renders the story of Frances and Peter, awaiting Christmas and the long-delayed supply boat on a small lighthouse island in 1929!

Is there anything you would like to add?

I’m very excited about a brand new professional book, published in March and entitled Read! Perform! Learn! 10 Reader’s Theater Programs for Literacy Enhancement (Upstart 2006). It features ten fabulous picture books as Reader’s Theater, including Cynthia Leitich Smith’s Jingle Dancer, illustrated by Cornelius Van Wright and Ying-Hwa Hu (Morrow/HarperCollins, 2000), as well as ten author interviews and exciting curriculum activities to accompany each book.

Cynsational Notes

Authors Among Us - Children's Writers Who Are or Who Have Been Librarians: Toni Buzzeo from Ravenstone Press. See also Author Answers with Toni Buzzeo from Debbi Michiko Florence; Picture Books Waiting to Be Written with Toni Buzzeo from the Institute of Children's Literature; The Reading Tub: Featured Author--Toni Buzzeo; Write Baby Animals and Get It Write by Toni Buzzeo from Smartwriters; and Who Wrote That? Featuring Toni Buzzeo from Patricia Newman.

Kerry Madden's Gentle's Holler (Viking, 2005), read by Kate Forbes, is now available from Recorded Books.

Other Cynsational authors who've recommended A Room On Lorelei Street by Mary E. Pearson (Henry Holt, 2005) include Gail Giles, Marlene Perez, and me!

Author Feature: Jo Whittemore

Jo Whittemore is the debut YA fantasy author of Escape from Arylon (Llewellyn/Flux, 2006). She lives in the Austin area. Read Jo's LJ.

Escape from Arylon (Book One from the Silverskin Legacy) by Jo Whittemore (Llewellyn/Flux, 2006). In the first book in the Silverskin Legacy trilogy, debut novelist Jo Whittemore introduces high school freshmen and ex-friends Megan Haney and Ainsley Minks. A freak accident transports them from their sleepy suburb to the land of Arylon, where someone has stolen the powerful Staff of Lexiam. Before they can return home, they must help the wizard-king Bornias recover the Staff, or else both worlds will be in jeopardy. The author creates likeable and intriguing characters and a fun and fantastic fantasy world. The cliffhanger ending will have readers eagerly anticipating the second book in the trilogy, which scheduled for publication in July 2006. Ages 12-up. Recommendation by Greg Leitich Smith.

Jo Whittemore on Jo Whittemore: "I was born on Halloween night at a military base in Kentucky. My parents initially thought I was going to be a boy, so my father had the names 'Jedediah' or 'Jeremiah' lined up for me. Thank goodness I was a girl! The first years of my life I can recall are living in Boise, Idaho, and wishing every day that I could go to school like my big sister did.

"We weren't there long before we moved to southern California, where I fell in love with the sun, sand, and sea. We lived in Carpinteria right on the beach, so every day after school, we could run out the door and boogie board until dinnertime. When I was in second grade, we moved to Santa Barbara, and that's when I really fell in love with books. The local library had a program where you could go to the zoo for free if you read ten books and could give a summary on each one. I think it took me two weekends to get that free pass. One of my favorite memories was being chosen to attend the Author-Go-Round. I met Laura Numeroff when she was just getting started!

"When I was in sixth grade, we moved to Montgomery, Texas where my competitive side reared its ugly head. I joined every honors class and UIL competition I could. The only class I had trouble with was driver's education. I graduated third in my class and went to college at Texas A&M University where I majored in business administration. I wrote for the school paper, The Battalion, and drove campus buses for spending money. After I broke off a mirror, broke a set of doors, got a speeding ticket and hit two cars while driving the bus (all the events occurred at different times, by the way) I decided I probably needed to get out from behind the wheel. I started working at a hotel where I met my future husband, and when I graduated in December of 1999, we moved to Austin where I've been living ever since."

What were you like as a young adult?

Very, very bookish. I think I was probably the only kid my age who read the required reading books for fun!

What inspired you to write for teenagers?

The teenage years are difficult, and many teens turn to various outlets for comfort, one of them being literature. I like the idea that someone having a rough day at school could pick up my book and happily lose themselves in its pages, able to forget about the bullies and peer pressure for a little while.

Could you describe your path to publication, any sprints and/or stumbles along the way?

I'm embarrassed to admit that I started writing at 23 with the full intention of being published by 25 and a bestseller by the time I was 27. Talk about lofty goals! I’m 28 now, and only now seeing my book published (and that’s actually even quicker than normal).

It’s important for writers to understand that this is not an overnight business. Nor is it an easy one.

After I attended a booksigning in 2000 where my favorite fantasy author, Terry Brooks, was speaking, I was inspired to start working on a fantasy novel of my own. The success of the Harry Potter books by J.K. Rowling was encouraging because it meant not only that fantasy novels were doing well but also that children’s fantasy novels were doing well. It took me roughly a year and a half to get my first copy of the manuscript written to send off to agents and publishers.

When I received my first pile of rejection letters, I was shocked and personally hurt that everyone didn't like my story. My ego was shattered, and I considered just trashing the whole project and writing a different story. Then, in 2003, I went to the SCBWI annual summer conference and had my work critiqued by Q.L. Pearce, an author, former editor and SCBWI advisor. She gave me encouraging advice and complimented my work, which made me feel a bit better.

At the same conference, Megan Atwood, the acquisitions editor for Llewellyn Worldwide at the time, stood up and announced that her publishing house was looking for middle grade and young adult fantasy novels. With a bit of my confidence restored from my meeting with Q, I walked up to Megan and spoke with her about my book. She gave me her business card and told me to read their submission guideline and send in my work. When I got home, I sent her my manuscript. In 2004, I got a response that they had enjoyed the work but couldn’t publish it in its current state. They suggested a few changes, and after I did a bit more revision, I got “the call” in 2005 with an offer for a contract. Roughly a year later, my first novel is now in stores.

Congratulations on the publication of your debut novel, Escape from Arylon (Book One from the Silverskin Legacy)! Could you tell us a little about it?

Thanks! Escape from Arylon is the first book in a trilogy entitled "The Silverskin Legacy." It chronicles the adventures of two Earth teens, Ainsley and Megan, who find themselves transported to a world of magic with their only way home residing in a magical staff of elements. Unfortunately, the staff has been stolen, and it’s up to Ainsley and Megan to find it so they can escape from Arylon. The end has a bit of a twist that lets their adventures in Arylon continue to the next novel.

What was your initial inspiration for telling this story?

I've always loved fantasy novels, but my favorites have been the ones where the hero leaves this world for another. It's not only the discovery, it's also the fact that when you first enter a new world (or school or city), nobody knows who you are yet, and you can break out of any mold in which people have placed you in the past. No longer are you Megan, the plain tomboy. Now, you're a sword-wielding heroine!

What were the challenges (literary research, pyschological, and logistical) in bringing it to life?

One of the main challenges was finding time. I had (and still have) a day job and working a writing career around that can be difficult. It was occasionally a challenge to the wallet as well because I would want to go to so many conferences and buy so many literary resources that didn’t exactly benefit the entire family. And patience. I have never had to be so patient in my entire life.

What is it like being a debut author in 2006? Any butterflies, surprises, learning curve?

This has been an incredible year so far. I’ve met so many excellent, supportive people, and since the book was released in March, butterflies have been putting up houses in my stomach. I’m surprised at how excited my friends are for me, and I’m surprised that I’ve become so passionate about what happens to my book. It might sound cheesy, but I’m still learning something new everyday.

Could you tell us more about Flux, the YA fiction department at Llewellyn?

Llewellyn is at a very exciting point in its YA life. They’re establishing a new imprint, Flux [PDF submission guidelines], that will handle all forms of YA fiction (currently, Llewellyn handles new age and fantasy). The people at Llewellyn are excellent to work with, are enthusiastic about their authors and they love what they’re doing, all good traits for a publishing house to have.

What advice do you have for beginning YA writers?

Be patient! That actually applies to all writers. When writing for young adults, you have to remember they are young adults. Don’t insult their intelligence by talking down to them in your writing. Young adults are smarter than many people give them credit for, but they also have a vulnerability you don’t want to forget.

How about those who write fantasy specifically?

Have fun with it. If you’re doing high fantasy, your world is yours to create as you wish, but remember that everything still has to have a logical order. Your magic needs to have rules, your civilizations need some form of governance, people still need a way to travel from place to place. Also, magic can’t fix everything. Your characters will need to rely on some internal strength (courage, wisdom, love) that helps them defeat evil in the end. Avoid using a deus ex machina, something that appears suddenly and provides a solution to an unsolvable problem (i.e., suddenly the main character develops the power to reverse all evil and he saves the world).

Are there any craft books that you especially recommend, and if so, why?

For learning about writing in general, I suggest the Complete Idiot's Guide to Publishing Children's Books by Harold D. Underdown (Alpha, 2004) [look for the second edition].

For tips on where and how to submit, I suggest the current year’s Children’s Writer’s & Illustrator’s Market by Alice Pope (Writer’s Digest Books, 2006). For tips on writing fantasy, I suggest How to Write Science Fiction & Fantasy by Orson Scott Card (Writer’s Digest Books, 2001).

What tips do you have on writing a trilogy?

It’s wise to have a basic idea of how you want the trilogy to play out before you start sending it off to publishers because one of their questions will be, “Do you know how it ends?” Plus, if you know how the series flows, you can work elements of foreshadowing into each book, which your audience will love. It’s important to maintain consistency throughout the trilogy because your audience trusts you and has come to see the world and characters in a certain way. In other words, you can’t have the evil cousin from one book suddenly become loveable and kind in the next without good cause.

It’s also helpful to consider that your audience lives outside your series. While you’re familiar with everything that’s happened in the past books, your audience might only remember the key points, so you’ll need to work brief summaries into the text of subsequent novels.

What are your favorite recently published fantasies for young adults and why?

I’m a big fan of The Bartimaeus trilogy by Jonathan Stroud (The Amulet of Samarkand, The Golem’s Eye, Ptolemy’s Gate), The Midnighters series by Scott Westerfeld (The Secret Hour, Touching Darkness, Blue Noon)(author interview) and The Faerie Wars Chronicles by Herbie Brennan (Faerie Wars, The Purple Emperor). I love stories that continue a character’s adventures, and all of these authors blend the real world with the magical world.

How about other YA titles that you've recently read and recommend?

I like the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series by Ann Brashares and Follow the Blue by Brigid Lowry (Holiday House, 2004).

You're a member of AS IF! Could you tell us more about this organization? Why are its efforts important to you?

I am very proud of AS IF! (Authors Supporting Intellectual Freedom). The goal of our organization is to make certain that literature, especially for teens, remains free of censorship. Sadly, as far as we've advanced in society, there are still certain topics that people consider taboo (teen sexuality, homosexuality, magic). Instead of letting our children read books on these topics and educate themselves, we're encountering adults who would rather ban the books and leave children in the dark. AS IF! crusades against that. An uneducated mind is a dangerous mind.

Are you available for school visits, conferences, and other speaking engagements? If so, how should planners contact you?

I am available for speaking engagements. I love to talk to people! You can contact me directly at jo_whittemore@hotmail.com.

I love the drawing of you on your website! Do you do that yourself, hire someone, etc.?

Thanks! An artist/writer friend of mine, Kip Farrar, actually did the illustration. He was my boss at a past job, and when I wasn't working, I was always writing and not the most pleasant person to approach at those times. The original drawing has me with steam coming out of my ears, but with lovely picture-altering software, I now just look like I'm concentrating really hard.

You're one of the many author-bloggers. What can readers expect from your blog? What purpose does it fill in your writing life?

I've kept journals since I was a kid (though, back then the big news of the day was winning a game of tetherball), but my experiences have never been something that I felt the need to share with other people. Becoming a writer was a turning point for me. Now, I have a public outlet to let people know about my journey to becoming an author so they can get an insider’s perspective on how everything works. It’s also an excellent source of procrastination.

What blogs do you read?

I'm a blog maniac! I read the blogs of about 50 different people, all in the writing community, but the ones by published authors that I read religiously belong to (alphabetically): Holly Black, Meg Cabot, Debbi Michiko Florence, D.L. Garfinkle, Brent Hartinger, Sarah Darer Littman, Cynthia Leitich Smith (you!), Greg Leitich Smith, Cynthia Lord, Linda Joy Singleton, Maggie L. Wood, Lisa Yee and Sara Zarr.

What can your fans expect next?

The next book in the trilogy, Curse of Arastold, will be coming out in July.

What do you do when you're not writing?

I love to read, play games (board games, computer games, you name it), travel, spend time with my relatives, and eat! As I’m breaking away from my college years, I’m discovering food exists beyond hamburgers and French fries.

Cynsational News & Links

My website attracted a record-setting 80,000 unique visitors for the month of March 2006. Thanks to all for your enthusiasm and support.

Congratulations to author Toni Buzzeo on the publication of Read! Perform! Learn! 10 Reader's Theater Projects for Literacy Enhancement (Upstart, 2006). "It is a collection of ten fabulous picture book reader's theaters with accompanying author interviews and rich standards-based curriculum activities to accompany each book." Featured picture books include Jingle Dancer by Cynthia Leitich Smith, illustrated by Cornelius Van Wright and Ying-Hwa Hu (Morrow/HarperCollins, 2000). Look for an upcoming Cynsations author update with Toni!

The third Carnival of Children's Literature celebrates National Poetry Month at Semicolon.

Brad Barkley and Heather Helper: official site from the co-authors of Scrambled Eggs at Midnight (Dutton, 2006)(sample chapters). Brad is the author of two novels and two short story collections for adults. He lives in western Maryland. Heather is a debut author, long-time reviewer, and lives in Texas. Learn more about Brad and Heather. Visit their online journal.

Shelley Bueche: official site from the author of two books in the Parasites! series, The Ebola Virus (KidHaven Press, 2003) and Bedbugs (KidHaven Press, 2005). Shelley is a freelance writer, living in Austin. Dog fans, scroll to see her co-workers Brownie and Belle.

Recent interviews with children's/YA editors from Robin Friedman include: Alexandra Cooper, assistant editor at Simon & Schuster--edits novels and picture books, likes "spunky female protagonists;" Rebecca Davis, formerly senior editor of Greenwillow Books--edits picture books and middle grade/YA fiction (although no longer at Greenwillow, likely to land elsewhere soon); and Joan Powers, editor-at-large of Candlewick Books--looking for "originality, heart, an honest voice."

Registration for Anastasia Suen's summer writing workshops is now open. She offers an intensive picture book workshop May 1 to 26 and July 10 to August 7; an easy reader workshop June 5 to 30; a character workshop May 1 to 26; a young nonfiction workshop June 5 to 30; a poetry workshop July 10 to August 7. She also offers five-day summer workshops: school visits 101 from May 1 to 5 and July 10 to 14; the children's book publicity workshop May 8 to 12 and July 17 to 21; and the story design workshop May 15 to 19 and June 5 to 9th.

Meet Kevin Henkes from BookPage. April 2006. An illustrated snapshot interview.

Virtual Tour of the Musuem of the American Indian Exhibitions "Creation's Journey" and "All Roads are Good:" created by students from the Four Directions Schools: Santa Clara Day School; Pueblo of Santa Clara, New Mexico; Nah Tah Wahsh PSA; Hannahville Potawatomi, Michigan; and Marty Indian School, South Dakota.

Author Feature: Margot Finke

Margot Finke hosts a writing for children website, critiques fellow writers (for a fee), and is the author of a series of fun, educational e-books about U.S. and Aussie animals. She also has a monthly writing/publishing column, "Musings," which appears on The Purple Crayon. In addition, she covers "Writer's Retreats and Conferences" for SmartWriters. She's an Aussie, who's lived in Oregon for the past 25 years. She discusses e-publishing, writing about children's writing, being part of the children's literature community and more.

Let's start with your own writing for children! Could you tell us about your educational series and the latest of the books?

My rhyming series of seven picture books features wild critters found in the U.S. and Australia. The rhymes are fun and educational, allowing kids from kindergarten to higher grade-school levels to enjoy learning about animals. They can be bought direct from the publisher, Writers Exchange E-Publishing or from the BOOKS page on my website.

All seven books in the series are published by Writers Exchange E-Publishing using the FlipBook system. This means that each one looks like a book, and kids can hear the pages as they "flip" over--totally cool! Kids can also link to my "Down-Under Fun." This is where they go to read more about the Aussie animals in my books and giggle at the "Nutty Notes."

"Wild US Critters" is where kids can read more about the US animals in my books, "Nutty Notes," and link to other in-depth animal sites.

My first, "Kangaroo Clues," published in 2004, is beautifully illustrated by Turkish artist Mustafa Delioglu. It received great reviews. After that, there was a year's delay. My second book, "Never Say BOO to a Frilly" (+ 2 other rhymes), has cool illustrations by famed Turkish artist Aysin Eroglu, published late 2005.

The next three in this series were published early in 2006: "Don't Eat Platypus Stew" (+ 2 other rhymes), charmingly illustrated by Rebecca Holdsworth. "Humdinger Hummers," delightfully illustrated by Amy Morano. And "Mama Grizzly Bear," with striking illustrations by Gloria Swan.

Your books are electronically published, and I don't know enough about that to fit in a thimble. What advice would you give a writer considering e-publishing? What are the benefits? What are the challenges? Where can readers learn more about e-publishing (on the Web or elsewhere)?

Oh dear, mate, this is a HUGE subject. I feel there are three vital elements that make up a quality e-book:

# 1 - Choose your e-publisher with care. Do in-depth research on those you select as possible publishers. Ask questions of your listmates, and scrap any e-publisher that pops up with too many complaints against them. The web is a great tool for gathering information. It is up to the author to weed out e-publishers that are unreliable or scammers. When you have one or two finalists lined up, go to town on them. This is when you look for others who have gone the e-publishing route, and pick their brains. Ask your finalists the hard questions, and make sure the answers are clear and understandable. If they waffle, cut them loose.

# 2 - Know the services your e-publisher provides, which ones are free, and which ones you must pay for.

# 3 - One of the main reasons e-books (and self-published also) have a bad reputation, and like Rodney Daingerfield, "get no respect," is the lack of polish. A good edit provides polish and professionalism. Unless your publisher offers good editing services, have your book edited by someone professional. A PB won't cost much, but editing midgrades or YA will take big bucks. Don't wimp out because of the money. If you want a quality book that stands up to hard copy competition, a good edit is mandatory.

Also: Make sure you have a contract, and understand and know the small print. If in doubt, wait. Have someone who knows about such matters check your contract--a literary lawyer or such. Ask on the CW or other writing list for a referral to someone who can help.

Sandy Cummins, CEO of Writers Exchange E-Publishing, is based in Northern Queensland, a small town I know very well from my youth. It sits on the edge of the Daintree Rainforest, the oldest rainforest in the world. I don't know about other e-publishers, but I lucked out. Sandy is easy going, never gets ruffled, and is honest to a fault. I am a perfectionist and a do-it-yourself freak.

When Sandy discovered I had a good eye for illustrations, she let me look for my own artists. After I found them all (it's amazing what a few posts to the various CW lists will offer up), I sent each artist the stories they were to illustrate, with my suggestions attached. At first, I sent Sandy sample pieces of artwork for her approval. Time passed, and Sandy told me that my judgment was excellent, and to just send her each final illustration for approval. (This might not work for everyone.) The artists and I worked together, with Sandy having the final say. I don't know how we managed it, but the problems that cropped up occasionally were sorted out amicably. Sandy also did a terrific job of setting up and laying out each book in the FlipViewer program.

This all sounds idyllic, I know, and maybe, if I had tried another e-publisher, or different artists, things would have turned out differently--snarky and angst ridden. Who knows? I got exactly the sort of illustrations I wanted. With a traditional publisher I would have had no say at all. The thought of that freaked me out! The experts in my rhyming critique group helped me with editing. Sandy sent me each finished book, and I proofread it before publication. The whole process took far longer that I hoped--I thought e-books were published in weeks. LOL! And all that work. Doing tweaks & rewrites on all 7 books, as well as keeping track of multiple artists and illustrations, was monumental. Whew!

Hey, I would do it again in a moment. You can read all about these wonderful artist/illustrators on my site.

The plus side of e-books is that they are great for kids. Children today are immersed in school programs that make them computer savvy. They have grown up with computers the same way we grew up with the telephone and the radio.

I feel strongly that many e-books get a rough deal. Sure, some are terrible--but so are a lot of hard copy books. Check out those e-books before you turn up your nose. Like mine, some of them are darned good!

I'm a fan of your "Musings" column. What was your initial inspiration for launching it? For those unfamiliar with it, could you offer them some insights into the kinds of subjects you discuss?

Thanks for those kind words, Cynthia. The credit for "Musings" goes to Jan Fields. She suggested I write a column for beginning writers, something like. . . "Margot's Musings?" I was nervous at first, and I had Jan look over each one before publication. She was a terrific mentor. Time passed, and Jan needed the space for her new and wonderful, Kid Magazine Writers. I dropped my name from the column's title, and "Musings" is now under the umbrella of Harold Underdown's Purple Crayon. Harold is terrific to work with, and his website is a treasure trove on writerly information, great interviews, plus snippets of his own wisdom.

I wanted to pay back, in some useful way, all the help and advice I received when I first joined the Childrens Writers (CW) list [at yahoogroups], way back in the days of Linda Smith and her PB critique group, "Stars." This list helps so many writers get ahead, and I felt it only fair that I do something for those coming behind me. Everything I write for "Musings" comes from my experiences as a beginning writer, struggling to discover the secret of success. Yeah, I know the rules for success: hard work, a basic knowledge of grammar and punctuation, a little talent, patience, the ability to paper walls with rejection slips, plus a dab of luck - right?

You report on "Writer's Conferences and Retreats" for SmartWriters. Are you an avid conference-goer yourself? What events have you enjoyed most and/or learned the most from and why?

I go to two conferences a year. The SCBWI Fall Retreat, in Silver Falls, Oregon, and the SCBWI, one-day Spring conference near Portland [visit SCBWI Oregon].

As a fan of conferences, I approached Roxyanne Young, of SmartWriters.com, and asked if she was interested in a column on conferences. She was, and my monthly column, Writer's Retreats & Conferences (WR&C), was born.

These days, with so many of the big publishing houses closed to unsolicited manuscripts, and even queries, meeting an editor at a conference is the only in many newcomers have. Writing is lonely work, so meeting occasionally with other writers is a boon to my confidence and creativity. Sharing manuscripts, and having my work critiqued by writers who know what to look for, is a huge plus. And the friendships I've developed at these once-a-year gatherings span the years, with e-mails keeping them fresh and alive. Go to as many conferences as you can afford. Unfortunately, if you live in isolated areas, going to a conference can be expensive, what with air fare, gas costs, and hotel expenses. Still, save your pennies and go! Doing so will energize your creative spirit for months afterwards.

You also offer a critique service. Do you normally work with beginning or more advanced writers? What do you offer to them? What should a writer consider when selecting a critque service?

Again, the credit for this goes to Jan Fields. Critiquing was something I had done as a freebie for newcomers to the CW list. I guess it was another way of repaying the early help I received. Jan convinced me to charge a reasonable fee for my services.

Critique requests come from newcomers, as well as more advanced writers. I offer suggestions and comments, and always give examples, so that clients know exactly what I'm getting at. I stress that nothing should be set in stone, and that looking at their characters and plots, from a variety of different angles (out of the box), often opens up much better writing possibilities. Active and powerful verbs are a must. In the end it is their baby, and the final choices are theirs. I have kept my fees reasonable.

What I hope to impart with an In-depth critique is summed up in an article I wrote on my Critique Service page. It is titled, "What to Aim for When Writing." The contents include: Focus, Story Elements, Plot & Character Development, Sentence Structure, Tight Writing, Character Enrichment, The Art of the Hook, Pace & Tension, Suggestion.

It is always a thrill when a story I helped polish is accepted. And it never ceases to amaze me how nice all these writers are. Here I am, telling them (as tactfully as possible) that their writing is not tight, their verbs need more power, and their dialogue would never come out of any 12 year old's mouth - among other things. Yikes! And they write back thanking me, telling me how they are going to rework it all just like I suggested. I keep waiting for the day when I receive an e-mail that tells me I don't know @#$%, and my advice stinks.

I love how supportive you are of other writers, how community oriented. Your Wahoo page is a tremendous example of your joyous heart! Tell us about your writing world, how it fuels you and inspires you to so graciously give back.

I have always been grateful for the help, support, and encouragement I received from early members of the CW list. I remember vividly how lost and uninformed I once felt about everything to do with writing for children. My website and "Musings" column gives me an opportunity to help newcomers bridge that information gap. The WAHOO page is fun! It helps celebrate writers' successes. Newcomers, or old hands alike, they all get WAHOOS when they sign a contract, their book is published or wins an award, or their article is published. Like the saying goes, "They're worth it!" I love shouting about a writer's success - mine too.

What's on your horizon? Anything you'd like to add?

Only to thank you for this interview opportunity, mate. Your website is a treasure trove of writing insights and valuable information. I have three mid-grade manuscripts out at the moment, each one with a different publisher. I have high hopes for one in particular--part memoir and part fiction. My ultimate goal is to have the three mid-grades published before my eldest daughter has the chance to do it for me posthumously, as she promised she will do, if necessary.

Other than that, I guess it will be more of the same - writing, having patience, hard work, and encouraging WAHOOS whenever possible.

Cynsational Notes

See reviews of Humdinger Hummers and Mama Grizzly Bear, both by Margot, from Suzanne Lieurance.

Cynsational News & Links

Thanks to LJ syndication reader Kellye Carter Croker at Dear Diary for recommending my recent interview with children's/YA book publicist Rebecca Grose of SoCal Public Relations.

ChicagoWrites: debut website from the Chicago Writers Association. "The mission of the Chicago Writers Association is to serve as an incubator for writers. To that end, we strive to encourage a supportive community in which writers at all levels of professional and personal development feel free to express themselves and try out ideas." Note: In the past, I've lived in both in high-rise in Streeterville and a loft in the South Loop/Printers Row. My husband, author Greg Leitich Smith, was born in Evanston and raised in Chicago.

Jo Whittemore, debut YA fantasy author of Escape from Arylon (Llewellyn, 2006) is hosting her first signing at 7:30 p.m. April 5 at the Barnes and Noble, Sunset Valley at 5601 Brodie Lane in Austin. The sequel, Curse of Arastold, is due to hit stores in July.

Wordswimmer: Come dive into a sea of words and swim toward a new understanding of the writing process. "This wordswimmer searches for words and stories on Florida's west coast, only a few miles from the Gulf of Mexico. A writer, editor of children's books, and writing instructor, Bruce Black's stories for children have appeared in Cricket and Cobblestone magazines. See his recent discussion of Barbara O'Conner's writing.