SCBWI- Oklahoma conference

Last weekend we had an awesome conference in Tulsa, Oklahoma. First let me tell you of all the worry everyone had beforehand. A big snow storm was suppose to blow in. And it did! I didn't get pics during the day, but you should have seen how beautiful it was. It snowed and snowed and snowed all day long. When we went to our cars, a foot of snow was piled on our hoods. (seriously)








Our first speaker, art director, Laurent Linn with Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers was fantastic. He was very funny and personable. He talked about the Anatomy of a Picture book.



-The Physical--hardcover, paperback
-The Literary Sense--how it's perceived, the story
-What is a picture book ultimately?--it's about connecting with the kids

And also...
Six PB genres:
1. Holiday Books
2. Folktale or Fairytale
3. A child's discovery of the world
4. Nonfiction
5. Poetry
6. Animals


Next, the very sweet, Mary Kate Castellani from Walker Books for Young Readers shared the Five Elements that Make or Break a Manuscript.



-Plot: has to be unique and intriguing
-Characterization: reader has to care about your character, know them like they are real
-Voice: essential
-Setting: needs to be weaved throughout, it can sometimes be its own character
-Details: Show don't tell, can write physical look of character by comparing to someone else- immediate picture

She read from several books to demonstrate these elements.


After Mary Kate came Kristin Daly with Harper Collins. She was such fun and seemed excited to be there. She spoke about Bridging the Picture Book-Middle Grade Gap: The Role of Easy-to-Reads and Chapter Books


Easy to Reads:
1. Content-good story or plot
2. Character- appealing protagonist
3. Format issues-Vocabulary, language
4. Rhythm and Repetition
5. Sentence structure-avoid dependent clauses
6. Illustrations-interaction between pictures and text


Chapter Books:
*Age group:
Early Readers 4-8
MG- 8-12
CB-8-10, word count- 5,000-6,000 younger; 9,000-10,000 older

Most important things of Chapter Books:
-Edited with audiences reading level in mind
-Black and white illustrations
-Plots are straightforward, character based
-Most are part of a series




Then after lunch, we listened to Gail Gross, Royalty consultant. She went over things an author should look for in a contract. (These are pieced together because there was so much info)


1. Author or author's representative has right to review books of publisher
2. Right to review relevant records maintained by publisher with respect to any royalty statement not locked in.
3. Era
4. Look back clause-don't reject right to look at royalty statement within certain amount of time.

Deciphering Royalty statement (after 1st advance paid and check deposited)
1. How many total copies of books were sold in royalty period cumulative sales
2. Are royalties properly calculated
3. Royalty cover price-number of units and royalty
4. Special sales clause-outside of normal channels of distribution(eg. dog book sold at animal stores, vet clinics etc)
5. What are the reserve for returns?
6. Sub-rights-deals publisher makes with other publishers-reprint rights etc.

Next up was Abigail Samoun, Tricycle Press-Crown Books. She sat at my table at lunch and seemed genuinely interested in what we all had to say. She spoke of Three Wheeling down the Road to Publication.


The Editor's Role:
-They guide project through development
-Champions project
-Offers guidance and suggestions
-Acts as keeper of story's logic and clarity
-Helps to find illustrator
-Helps art director
-Communicates with production staff

Rejection Letters:
-Respect their history
-Keep a collection and treat yourself after you get so many, shows you are trying
-If advice is given, consider it carefully then follow up

The PB process:
From manuscript to finished book
I. Editing your manuscript
Pre-offer
-Does proposed format fit story? Intended audience? Topic?
-Story arc
-Point of view
-Back and front matter
-the development letter


Post-offer
-Rhyme scheme
-Language level
-Ending


II. Paginations
-how the text will fit on every page


III. Working with illustrator
-finding perfect artist for project


IV. Illustrations

V.Printing
-takes months



To end the day we had agent, Elana Roth from the Caren Johnson Literary Agency. She gave us a great metaphor for relationships with agents.



Dating:
1. Make sure your book is ready
2. Know what you're looking for (check out websites. Find one that reps what you write. Do your homework!)
3. Put yourself out there- conferences, queries, use words masterfully
4. Do's and Don'ts
-Do check blogs and websites for submission guidelines
-Don't e-mail or call for submission guidelines
-Do spell names correctly
-Don't say "This can appeal to all readers everywhere," or "My kids love it."
-Don't burn bridges
-Don't e-mail back and ask why you got rejected
-Do be clear in queries about your book
-Do be patient when waiting on response


The Call: Questions to ask
1. Ask about communication style (How quickly do you get back to me? e-mail, phone)
2. What is agents vision for your career (What publishers do they work with?)
3. What kind of editorial work do you provide?
4. Foreign rights? Film rights?
5. Go with your gut, level of enthusiasm, intelligence

Run away if: (for agents)
1. Lack of focus, poor submission history
2. Too many manuscripts under the bed
3. Crazy- personality just doesn't click


Run away if (for writers)
1. Shady history-no background, not enough sales
2. Money- wants money up front
3. High turnover- staff, writers


Marriage:
1. Sign Contract- responsibilities, clauses
2. Balance of Power- partnership BUT author provides product, agent provides guidance
3. Communication- Be clear and honest with one another
4. Be kept informed and speak up if not happy


Divorce:
Agent should be passionate about your writing
Relationships sometimes change

1. Client not producing
2. If relationship is not working, do not stick it out
3. Terminate your agent before finding a new one
4. You deserve any and all rights
5. Don't burn bridges; be on best behavior

All of the speakers were amazing and friendly. Many of us went to dinner afterwards and had a great time getting to know them a little bit better. Kristen Daly sat beside me at dinner and she said our regional advisor, Anna Myers, was a rock star!! Anna really went above and beyond to make the guests feel welcome. Between Anna and our assistant regional advisor, Darlina Eichman, they never disappoint at our conferences. Thank you, Anna and Darlina, for always taking care of your Oklahoma writers.


May our next conference be as wonderful as this one was. Spring conference 2009.

Oklahoma writer, Darleen Bailey Beard, author of many children's books-including (PBs)The Pumpkin Man from Piney Creek and Twister;
(CBs)The Flimflam man and Annie Glover is NOT a Tree Lover (fall, 2009) and novels, The Babbs Switch Story and Operation Clean Sweep is now offering a Critique Service for writers.

You can check out her website at http://darleenbaileybeard.com/ to find out just how involved she is in the children's book industry and with other writers.

Her Manuscript Critique Fees are:

$6.00* per page--includes line-by-line editing of your manuscript PLUS a typed critique that explains in detail the line-by-line editing, offering suggestions and helpful advice. *4 page minimum

$5.00 per page--for manuscripts over 20 pages

$4.00 per page--for manuscripts over 50 pages

All manuscripts must be typed and double-spaced for easy editing. SASE (self-addressed, stamped envelope) required.

If interested please contact Darleen at darleenbaileybeard@sbcglobal.net

So for my birthday my sister sent me a Barnes and Noble giftcard. Yay! But really what I got at the bookstore was the best present I could have ever asked for.
My son, C, who's seven went straight to the middle grade section and picked "The Monsters of Morley Manor" by Bruce Coville. This made me proud that he wanted to read up from the chapter books he has been reading. The week before he had read 100 pages from Charlie Bone in 1 day.

Then my daughter, S, decided she wanted a diary. I let them go off with Grammy while I perused the YA's. C came back with a cool journal and said he wanted that too. I didn't think much about this until later at home when he was excitedly writing in it. I told him boys called them journals, but he insisted his was a diary. Who cares as long as he's having fun writing in it. Woohoo.

I have always worried that he wouldn't like reading and now I'm relieved, for now, that he does.

Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss!!

Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss!

Happy 40th Anniversary, Cat in the Hat!

This year marks the fortieth anniversary of the children’s book, The Cat in the Hat written by Dr. Seuss and also his birthday on March 2nd. He was born as Theodor Geisel in Springfield, Massachusetts in 1904 and died in California in 1991.
He wrote under a pen name, Dr. Seuss with Seuss being his middle name and adding the Dr. since his father had always wanted him to become a doctor. His first book, And to Think That I Saw it on Mulberry Street (1937) was rejected 27 times before being accepted by Vanguard Press.

Dr. Seuss wrote and illustrated almost 50 whimsical picture books which include the very popular:

And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street, 1937

Bartholomew and the Oobleck, 1949

Cat in the Hat, 1957

Fox in Socks, 1965
Green Eggs and Ham, 1960

Horton Hears a Who, 1954

How the Grinch Stole Christmas, 1957
I Am not Going to Get up Today!, 1987

If I Ran the Zoo, 1950

Marvin K. Mooney, Will You Please Go Now, 1972

Oh, the Places You'll Go!, 1990

One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish, 1960

Sneetches And Other Stories, 1969

There's a Wocket in My Pocket! 1974

Yertle the Turtle & Other Stories, 1958

Test your knowledge and take this quick quiz for Green Eggs and Ham.
1. What is the first line in the book?
a. Sam I am.
b. I do not like green eggs and ham.
c. I am Sam

2. Which line is the one that’s not correct?
a. Would you like them in a house?
b. Would you eat them with a fox?
c. Would you eat them under stairs?

3. How many places would he eat green eggs and ham at the end?
a. 12
b. 14
c. 16

4. Would you eat green eggs and ham?
a. Yes, yes, yes
b. Absolutely not
c. Maybe

answers at bottom

To celebrate this special day, try this yummy treat that looks like the hat worn by Dr. Seuss’ Cat in the Hat character.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:
· Vanilla Wafer
· Gummy Lifesaver Candies (preferably red)
· Vanilla Frosting

Preparation:
Start out by placing the wafer cookie on plate; place a thick glob of frosting in the center of it. Place a gummy Lifesaver (preferably red) on the frosting. place another glob of frosting on the gummy Lifesaver, place another Lifesaver on the frosting. Continue this until your treat looks like the red and white striped cat-In-The-Hat hat.

Here are some of my favorite quotes by the great Dr. Seuss.
“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go.”
“Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened.”
“And will you succeed? Yes indeed, yes indeed! Ninety-eight and three-quarters percent guaranteed!”
“Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting. So... get on your way.”
“I like nonsense, it wakes up the brain cells.”

My brain cells definitely need waking up! Dr. Seuss, thanks for making children's books fun and letting kids think out of the box...um...er...hat, I mean.

For more Dr. Seuss fun, go check out author Susan Meyers blog!

answers for quiz: 1. c 2. c 3. b 4. That's up to you!