The NY SCBWI 2010 Conference-Part 3-Saturday Afternoon

February 4, 2010 |
Lunch is over and now I’m going to admit the truth. I had no real idea who the post-festivus luncheon keynote speaker was. Let me clarify, I did know that it was going to be Jacqueline Woodson and that she would be speaking about LOCKING THE DOOR TO OURSELVES:THE IMPORTANCE OF WRITING IN TODAY’S WORLD. (I can read the little green schedule.) What I’m trying to say is that I didn’t KNOW. I had no idea that I would start listening to her words and my jaw would hang down to my feet in awe. I had no idea that my ears would be captivated by the perfectly captured rhythm of her voice. I had no idea that my eyes would fill will tears as her thoughts resonated with me soul.
Now I know.
I must apologize…I took less than stellar notes because I simply sat in the audience stunned, mesmerized. I can share the bits and pieces that did manage to make it to my notebook.
*We all start with the work of someone else…reading, observing, listening.
*There are lots of people who don’t read our work because we write for children.
*…"I have a right to tell my story."
*…"Shut up and go write it." LOL!
Madeleine L’Engle-we should write for the child we were. The essence of the emotion doesn’t change.
*A lot of stuff I learn about my books, I find out when I read the reviews of them.
*Fiction is so the reader can have an experience. It should also be "emotionally biographical."
Jacqueline doesn’t believe in outlining (Shout out to her and Richard Peck) and she also doesn’t believe in writer’s block.
-What stops us from writing is our fear.
See…I told you that I spent all my time being captivated. Check her out, read her books, listen to her voice, aspire…you won’t regret it!
Break-out Session #3 was a complete change of pace but loaded with wonderful information.

Jennifer Bailey’s session was THE REAL DEAL ABOUT: VIRAL MARKETING AND PROMOTION. Jennifer is a Graphic Designer and Professional Blogger.
WHAT IS VIRAL MARKETING?
*Generating word of mouth.
*Passing on a message.
*increasing Brand awareness.
*Increasing product sales (the end result).
Jennifer gave a historical example of good and bad viral marketing.
PAUL REVERE-silver smith and patriot
WILLIAM DAWES-tanner and patriot
On the night of that famous midnight ride, it might surprise you to know that William traveled further and faster than Paul, but Paul Revere was the messenger who made the most impact. He was the "virus" because he knew who to target to get his message out there.
STEPS TO GOOD VIRAL MARKETING
1. Build your community
-what are your other areas of interest?
2. Create a "Call to Action" list.
-have an easy message (The Redcoats are Coming!)
-relinquish control…let the message go out on its own. (Paul didn’t stop to chat.)
3. Plant it in fertile soil.
-connect with the right people in your community.
4. Encourage conversation and sharing.
5. Reward
-have a free product.
-feeling good for participating can be its own reward.
6. Give ’em a sequel.
-once your community is riled up, then you have to do something to keep the message going.
SOME CURRENT PAUL REVERE’S IN THE WRITING COMMUNITY
-She had an auction to raise funds for a school who needed books. She raised over $15,000 in a few short weeks.
-Had a Halloween Party Contest for Independent Book Sellers. He would come to the best party.
-Created a movement. Nerdfighters.com where people gather to increase awesome and decrease suck!
-The book Launch. A video contest of people doing the chicken dance. The video idea didn’t work as well as she had hoped but despite that her book went into a second printing before it was released.
HOW DID THESE SUCCESS STORIES UTILIZE THE STEPS TO GOOD VIRAL MARKETING?
1. Building a community.
-Cynthea Lui linked all her sites together. She made it very easy to get from one place to another. If you were participating in the auction you had easy access to her books and other information about her.
-John Green and his brother started an interactive message board.
-They also created Nerdfighters, giving everyone a name that they could own.
2. What was their call to action?
-Cynthea Lui used Twitter and combined the name of her book PARIS PAN TAKES THE DARE with the auction calling it the DARE Auction.
-Neil Gaimon uses his blog and writes very personal posts, posts pictures and even answers fan mail on the blog.
-Tammi Sauer had her videos on YouTube. (Remember every 1 in 2 searches takes you to YouTube)
-The Green Brothers did video blogs with public "punishment" if they missed an installment. They also had a clear message…Decrease World SUCK! They made it fun to be a nerd.
*Don’t forget to ASK. If you ask, people will help you.
3. Fertile soil
-Know who your back up is. Who is your wing man?
4. The Conversation and the Love
-Show passion. It was a snowball effect of authors, editors and agents donating critiques. Everyone wanted to help and be a part of Cynthea’s passion.
5. Reward
-Decreased world suck! Can’t beat that.
-Neil Gaimon showed up to 2 book stores instead of two (for the Party Contest)
-Cynthea Lui allowed everyone to see the kids and the books that were a result of her effort.
6. The Sequel
-We are all interested to see what will be done next.
GETTING YOUR MIND RIGHT
*It takes patience-building your social media reputation takes time.
-Charlotte from Charlotte’s Web…she had to write more than one message to save that pig.
*Follow the 80/20 Rule
-80% of what you do should be about other people
-20% should be about yourself
-You’ve got to be a friend to get a friend.
*Know your audience
-Tom Sawyer knew how to get those boys to paint that fence LOL
-Gear the message towards your audience.
*Beware of TMI (Too Much Information)
*Be yourself, everyone else is taken.
*Listen to your "Jedi Council" the people that you trust in your life.
*Its social for a reason
-You have to be having fun for your community to have fun.
*You’re the BRAND, the book is the PRODUCT.
The last speaker of the day was not the least. Peter Sis was another powerful and amazing speaker, illustrator and writer. His journey was a story in and of itself…once again I was so engrossed listening to him, that I barely wrote enough notes. Just so you know…
*He was born in a country that no longer exists-Czechoslovakia. He grew up in Prague. His father was a film maker and his mother was an artist and they encouraged him to draw from a very early age.
*Growing up behind the Iron Curtain, he is very aware that children are brainwashed because they don’t know that they are being brainwashed. From time to time, something from his youth will still surface, reminding him how impressionable children are.
*Someone once told him that his books are for dreamers and seekers…
Read his books and you will know that it is true. We are very lucky to have him.
Time to brave the NYC chill…
What would make a tired group of writers wander out into the freezing cold NYC night? THE VERLA KAY BLUE BOARD DINNER of course!
Here I am with the FANTABULOUS Stacy Moser, who organized the whole event. Thank you, thank you, thank you Stacy! We had a wonderful evening. :o)
Catching up with old friends and meeting new ones.
Jeff told a lovely story reminding us to "feed each other" and of course…mingle during dessert! Here are some of the Blue Boarders doing just that.
I know what you’re thinking, this must be the end. No day could be that good and still have more fun left it? You are wrong. If you haven’t gone GEOCACHING in the dark in 19 degree weather…you, my friend, have not lived.
Amy even wrote my name down because I was a great sleuth. I would have made Nancy Drew super proud! And after a mad cap search through the city, there is nothing nicer than warming up with friends and planning the future for District 14.
What is District 14? I’ll have more information on that in the weeks to come…come on, a girl has to have a few secrets *wink*
I’ll be back soon with another blog post and I just want to let you know…Sunday was just as awesome as Friday and Saturday!
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The NY SCBWI 2010 Conference-Part 2-Saturday Morning

February 2, 2010 |

I’m just going to dive right in because nothing starts a conference better than an infusion of …

Stephen Mooser and Lin Oliver!
As always, Lin got everyone’s funny bone flexed when she gave us the stats on this years conference. Despite the stinky economy, the 2010 conference had the highest attendance in history. A whopping 1,047 children’s writers and illustrators gathered to be inspired and informed. We came from 14 different countries and 45 states. I won’t tell you which states have fallen down on the job. Just know that they’ve been severely reprimanded and feel rather silly after learning that Lin was in attendance after having heart surgery in November. The entire room was pleased that “the heart of SCBWI” was healthy and doing well. We don’t know what we’d do without her. She is the only one who can commander the men’s room for the ladies. Thanks Lin!

Are you excitedto hear about our first speaker? You should be because its the brand new Printz Award winner of Going Bovine….

Libba Bray!
It is going to be hard for me to express the sheer awesomeness of her speech…its hard to take notes when you are in simultaneous awe and hysterics. I can tell you that her first inclination for the title of her speech was PUNCTUATION. Lin Oliver shot that down LOL! So she spoke about WRITING AS AN EXTREME SPORT. Since everything Libba said was a double edge sword, both full of great insight and hilarity…I’ll just post some of her best phrases and thoughts and let you digest them at your leisure…
*Every time you write a cliche the terrorist win.
*I’m not known for my reckless abandon unless its in my writing.
*You take the neurotic things you spend your whole life trying to hide from everyone and you jam all of that into your writing.
*In reference to saying “serious sacks”…once you get a Printz you can reference testicles all you want. LOL!
Libba continued on by telling us to BE THE GIRAFFE. One evening she asked her son what he wanted to be when he grew up. She was half listening and expecting him to give a typical answer when he announced that he wanted to be a giraffe. She was a bit surprised LOL! This story was to remind us to take the road less traveled when we make choices in our writing. Where your mind goes first should be the last place where you actually end up. She recommended the book HOW TO SPEAK IN ROBOT as an example. She also reminded us that people ARE frustrating. Strive for the small unexpected moments in your writing. Her example was from the movie Star Wars.
Princess Leia-“I love you.” Han Solo-“I know.”
Kim-*Sigh* I love you too Han Solo…Han Solo? OK back to Libba and some more advice…
*Give your characters gritty bits.
*Sit at the kitchen table with your characters.
*Look at the layers…look past the stereotypical.
*It doesn’t pay to fall in love with your characters because if you do then you can’t “see” them.
Libba also cautioned us to say no to the Teradactyl boyfriend. As in…”should I add in a hot Teradactyl boyfriends with with a wing span into my YA novel? Everyone else has one!” *Don’t follow trends.
*Don’t let the “Should I’s” creep in.
*You have to write for yourself-listen to your pages.
*Make your writing true and then dig a little more.
As Ray Bradbury said…”First you jump off the cliff-then you build the wings.”
Before leaving the stage Libba implored everyone to join her in the YEAR OF WRITING DANGEROUSLY. I’m there! Hope you’ll be too. Like Libba said, “Write like it matters and it will.”
*Kim bows her head for a moment of silence*
I did get up from my homage eventually. Of course I needed a potty break and then it was off to Break-out session #1. But before we could get to the heart of the matter, we had to take care of our feet first. After acquiring the last pair of boots in Phoenix, AZ Amy Nichols, found that extended days in 2 inch heels had undesirable side effects. Lucky for her NYC has shoe stores!
Now back to our regularly scheduled programing with Ben Schrank, Publisher of Razorbill (an imprint of Penguin).
The topic for this break-out session was THE REAL DEAL ABOUT TEEN NOVELS. Ben started off by letting us know that there is a dream for writers of teen novels and we as writers should shoot for it. What he meant was that there was a real wild card factor in teen writing. No one knows for sure what is going to be the next big thing.
His biggest example of this was Jay Asher’s THIRTEEN REASONS WHY. Jay’s book was published two and a half years ago and is still out in hardcover and has spent 57 weeks on the NY Times Best Seller List. Why did this book go viral? According to Ben there was an almost 1 in 100,000 odds of this happening. He called Thirteen Reasons Why the GO ASK ALICE of this generation. How did all the stars align?
*Jay wrote a great book. *The packaging of the book was excellent, from the cover to the back-copy.
*Jay was great at connecting with his readers.
*The public consciousness was open to the book.
*Word of mouth was instrumental.
In summation, the perfect storm took happened, with all the components falling into at the right time. Ben also cautioned that really good writers can have one or more of these factors work against them. It does not make them bad writers, but it can make their books much less successful. So we should always dream big, because the dream can happen, but we shouldn’t be discouraged if it doesn’t.
Ben also gave a list of common mistakes:
*Writing for the market. The market is a weird beast that is hard to control, but be aware because there is a market. At the end of the day, if you try to write for the market AND don’t enjoy what you are writing, it will show.
*Don’t try to talk like a teen. People read all over the country and the world and the slang is different everywhere.
*Don’t introduce your character on the nose. *Don’t windmill-use lots of words that don’t progress the book.
*If you are telling a story that has been done before (and they all have been) you have to tell it in a unique way. His example was THE REPLACEMENT, a horror story version of Catcher in the Rye due out in September 2010.
*If what you’re writing doesn’t connect with the pecking order of what would happen in a school cafeteria, then it is unlikely that it will connect with readers.
Ben said he is looking for the book that nobody saw coming and cautioned us, as writers, to be nice, confident, secure and above all don’t yell at people. Behaving like that isn’t going to help you.
When asked what he expected from his authors, he responded by saying that he didn’t like them to talk about the inner workings of Razorbill. He didn’t want to “reduce the magic.” He also said that trust was an issue and it was important promote yourself.
Over the course of his presentation Ben highlighted Suzanne Young (One of the fabulous SCBWI Conference Bloggers) and her new series The Naughty List. He mentioned quite a few other great books that would be hitting the shelves soon, but I apologize for not catching all the pertinent information. A friend of mine Lara Zeisis (met her at the Easter PA Poconos Conference last year) also writes with Razorbill, so check out her Lola Douglas book TRUE CONFESSIONS OF A HOLLYWOOD STARLET.
Time for Break-out session #2 PICTURE BOOKS WITH ALLYN JOHNSTON.
Allyn is the Vice President and Publisher for Beach Lane Books and she made me and almost everyone else in her sessions cry. She is passionate about her Picture Books. She has strong memories of being read to as a child and believes that a good book changes the emotional temperature of the reader.
Things to pay attention to: *Your job is to make the words so fabulous that the reader wants to read them again.
*Example HADDIE AND THE FOX By Mem Fox-beautiful rhythm and repetition. *Picture Books are for an audience who can’t read. You are writing a play/performance for them. *You need to right a book so fabulous that you are making the reader the star.
Great Picture Book Beginnings:
If you are choosing to be a great picture book writer, you have to trust that if you’ve done your job well enough, then the illustrator will have something special to use to begin their own creation. Trust the artist. Embrace the mystery of the story.
Don’t forget to apply the same great story telling to non-fiction.
I mentioned earlier that I got misty eyed during while Allyn read some of these wonderful books. It was this last book that that pulled at my heart strings the most. You should all know it. So simple. So perfect. The next time you read it, just think of it in terms of the writer’s journey…or the journey of anyone who has a dream.
TIME FOR LUNCH!!!!!!!
Lin Oliver slaved over that chicken all day! We also have to say a big thank you to AMAZON for stopping by with some great news. Amazon is donating $25,000 to SCBWI for work in progress grants.
Amazon’s Jon Fine
I’m going to stop here. We have food in our belly and money in the bank. Next blog installment coming your way soon. :o)

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The NY SCBWI 2010 Conference-Part 1-Writer’s Intensive

February 2, 2010 |

Writer’s Intensive-Friday January 29,2010 Getting to the NY SCBWI Writer’s Conference always entails an early morning train ride. In fact I usually take my husband’s train, the 5:32 into the city, making me appreciate the fact that I’m not a commuter. But for one day, its not so bad, especially since I could spend that time on the train reading a fabulous book by Elizabeth Scott called LOVE YOU, HATE YOU, MISS YOU.


I arrived with plenty of time to spare and met up with some of my favorite writers in the world…Eileen Feldscott, Justin Brancato, Jeff Faville, Amy Nichols, Amy Sundberg and Allan. All of us were attending the Writer’s
Intensives.
The morning started off with a panel discussion called LISTENING TO FEEDBACK WITH AN OPEN MIND.

Moderator: Aaron Hartler
CB-Courtney Bongiolatti, Simon and Schuster
NC-Nancy Conescu, Little Brown
MN-Michelle Nagler, Bloomsbury
Aaron started us off by reminding us that he was the Oprah of SCBWI and he got a two thumbs up from me! We then jumped into the advice right away. How should we approach the day?
CB-Remember you are getting feedback from EVERYONE at your table. -Listen to the advice of the professionals.
NC-Is looking for writing that captivates everyone at the table.
-Value everyones opinion, its part of your research because your audience is equally diverse.
-Give others helpful feedback.
-After you read your piece…JUST LISTEN.
MN-Write it down so later you can understand the information you might have missed.
-The moderator at your table is professional and objective.
AH-The professionals at the table are expert readers, trust their input.
NC-Be open to changing genres. A PB might actually be a chapter book.
CB-If we suggest a genre change it means we see something that works in your writing.
-“Every draft you send to an editor is a first draft.”
-Every editor/agent is different. They can point out the problems, its your job to find the solution.
NC-We look to see how someone takes and receives feedback.
MN-The Writer’s Intensive is nice because the editor gets a chance to interact directly with the writer.
AH-Told a Jennifer Hunt story, saying “You have a beautiful smile, but you have spinach in your teeth.” No matter how great your book is, all anyone will notice is the spinach and that editors would be remiss in not pointing it out if they see it.
NC-Children’s writers are particularly collaborative because they focus on helping you make your writing better.
CB-Our job is to see the good writing within the problems.
-Its to your advantage to have your critique time spent focused on the problems, not the good stuff.
MN-Sometimes we are the hardest on the writing that has the most potential, although we will be kind.
NC-Our job is to make people fall in love with your writing starting as early as the acquisitions process.
MN-Revelations can come when you are listening to other people’s pieces. Its easier to hear feedback when it is directed at someone else.
NC-If your first 500 words sounds familiar, confused etc…then you need to figure out what is going to make the reader understand from the beginning.
CB-If you are hearing the same thing over and over again, you need to change it and move on.
-You can love your stuff, but “reader love” trumps your love because they are the ones who are going to buy your book.
NC-Try Changes and suggestions before you decided the advice doesn’t work for you.
MN-Welcome to the BIG LEAGUES, a lot of what you write is not going to be in your stories.
NC-Even I hold editorial letters and read them later to make sure my writing makes sense and I’m saying what I want to say.
After all that great advice it was time to break into our first groups. Jeff Faville is getting ready for his first critique session of the day.
The first session runs from 10:15 to 12:15 but it flies by like its a half hour. Each writer has 12 minutes to read 500 words of their choice and receive feedback from the table moderator and other writers. I had a wonderful first table with Eddie Gamarra, Literary Manager/Producer, The Gotham Group. I read the first 500 words from my first novel TOUCHING THE SURFACE and got great suggestions and wonderful feedback from everyone at the table.
After a whirlwind morning and then a trip to the food court in Grand Central for lunch, we were ready to kick off the afternoon critique session which ran from 1:45 to 3:45. Once again I was given a fantastic moderator and learned so much from Jordan Brown, Editor, Walden Pond Press and another fantastic table of fellow writers. To change things up a little bit, I read the first 500 words of my current work in progress, THE OPPOSITE OF GRAVITY. Once again I left the table with lots to think about and a tremendous amount of support. The afternoon panel was titled THE NEXT STEP.
The Moderator for the panel discussion was the lovely
LO-Lin Oliver.
WL-Wendy Loggia, Random House
AL-Ari Lewin, Hyperion
AJ-Allyn Johnston, Beach Lane Books
AL-Thinks that there are lots of negotiations between an author and an editor. Not all suggestions have to be taken, but can you find a way to solve the problem in a different way?
AJ-Overall, in the PB’s she sees, the rhyme isn’t strong enough.
AL-Novels-lots of people started in the middle of a pivotal moment. They gave lots of exposition, but I would rather have it unfold in the scene.
WL-Saw a lot of front loading those first pages. You don’t need it. She wants to see voice and writing. -Think of the reader who is buying the book.
AJ-Do your market research and don’t do something that has already been done before. It puts you at an automatic disadvantage. -Check out Indiebound to see what kinds of book are getting the buzz.
-Having said that, remember you can spend so much time doing research that you don’t actually do the writing.
AL-DO NOT SEND A MANUSCRIPT WITH ART NOTES.
WL-She likes to get out and talk to booksellers as a consumer. Its good to get out in the field and hear what they have to say.
AJ-quoted Ellen Hopkins, “You guys need to buy book too!”
Lin Oliver asked about the best way to begin a story in this fast-paced technological world we currently live in…
WL-Every book is different. Its what feels right and organic to that book.
-Its tempting to start with a high octane moment, but in the end you need solid writing.
AJ-Lots of Picture Books aren’t actually PB’s, but the beginning of Chapter Books. -Wants a CLEAR beginning. Example-HATTIE AND THE FOX by Mem Fox
Lin Oliver also asked what are some “warning phrases” that might be a subtle way of saying it might be a good time to “step away” from this story and work on something new LOL!
AL-Who is the for?
-Why would someone care about this place or character?
WL-Who is this for? (Keep your reader in your head) -Is there anything else you are working on?
AJ-I ask about their writing career and continue to talk about it LOL!
Lin Oliver then reminded us that WE ARE WRITING FOR THE LONG HAUL, NOT JUST FOR ONE STORY. With one of her favorite quotes being…”In writing, nothing is wasted but the paper” by Sid Fleischman. She reminded us that we come here to develop our skills.
AJ-We wouldn’t do this if we weren’t looking for something.
Everyone then sent us off with some last words of wisdom…
AL-Wait a little while before you make any changes.
WL-Watch American Idol…talent rises to the top and everyone gets criticism. -Be yourself in your writing.
AJ-Don’ take yourself too seriously and get some exercise!
Good advice is one thing, but pondering it with friends and food is the icing on the cake.
Justin, Amy, Jeff, Allan and Kim
Of course no night is complete without Kidlit at the Wheel Tapper…
We had a blast and it was only the anticipation of Day 2 that got us up in the morning…oh, and the bagels and coffee. :o)
Stay tuned…more blogs coming as fast as I can write them. :o)

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Freaky Friday-Interview with aspiring children’s author Sam Hranac

January 28, 2010 |

If you’ve seen the movie Freaky Friday, you know that its premise is about change and growth through role reversal. For my Friday Blog entry I thought it would be interesting to interview aspiring authors; writers who spend lots of time reading the interviews of published authors and dreaming of the day when they might get their book on the shelves…
Sam Hranac is today’s aspiring author and you can tell from his very cool picture (taken by his daughter) that he had no trouble stopping by and being a little freaky. I’ve had the pleasure of hanging out with Sam on Facebook and thought it would be fun for all of us to get to know him a bit better.
Lets get started. Sam, can you tell us how you got rolling as a children’s writer?

As a child, two things I excelled at were reading and expressing myself (or mouthing off as others called it). I also spent hours playing a game I called People. Bits of wood, rocks and sometimes even candy became villages of people who had adventures, gathered together and declared war. When the populous was candy, I played the part of carrion crows, eating the dead after a battle. By age eleven I started writing about some of my characters and made a half-hearted attempt at pulling together story lines. I remember one secret novel I was working on about a boy named Sandy who lived in an alley with a variety of stray animals (non-verbal animals, though I love reading talking animal books). Sandy cleaned store windows for cash. The problem was, I didn’t want anything bad to happen to Sandy. As far as I could tell, he was living the high life and I didn’t want it to end. No story arc. Death on wheels.
About that same time, I picked up Tom Sawyer. I instantly devoured all things Twain. It was a binge that increased the range of my sense of humor and perspective on the world. I longed for more funny adventures. Too many people take themselves far too seriously, from what I can tell. As I fell behind in math and science, I ran circles around my classmates in terms of library books consumed.
I kept writing secret novels as I grew older. It is a great comfort to me that all copies of my earliest works have been destroyed. They were a learning experience, and a game for my mind. For a while I played those monster killing video games, but they always lead me back to inventing characters with odd quirks to populate those worlds – people who lived a step out of pace. It was a release for me, and more entertaining than the games.
Around 2002, I decided to take my hobby of writing to the next level. I studied the art of story telling and character development. I also took my current WIPs to a kindly yet forthright group for critique. They helped me move forward by leaps. I joined SCBWI and attended workshops and conferences. Online community came next. Support abounds.
In short (too late!) I write because I have to. I write for kids because I feel young and am irresistibly drawn to the humorous perspective that many of us loose as we age.
I love it when good books change the trajectory of a life. I wish those early stories you wrote were still around. I think it’s interesting to read a piece of a young mind. Can you tell us a little bit about your current work-in-progress?

Between 2002 and 2007 I spewed rough draft after rough draft of complete mss, regurgitating the stories that had backed up in me until I admitted I had to write more regularly. I have 3 or 4 that show promise. The one I chose to continue hammering on first is something that I’ve been longing to write since I was a kid hanging around a haunted Victorian mansion that had been converted into a nursing home. My birth mother was the owner, so I was allowed to play in the attic with the abandon wooden legs and tattered bibles left behind by the departed. On cloudy afternoons, I met ghosts and dreamed of secret passages. GOLD BRICKER arose naturally from this setting and is beginning to hit the query stage.
The next one I am revisiting is based on my high school summers working at a small Midwestern amusement park. I ran lights for the magic shows, manned the game booths and rides, and dressed as Papa Bear and the Big Bad Wolf in 95 degree weather. The dangers and criminality lurking so close to the sweet, sweaty faces of over stimulated children has to be woven into a story. The story line is close, and the main characters are nearly so, but the entire thing needs to be taken up a notch, and tightened. I LOVE this stage. Cutting the fat. Amping up the bad guys. Writing background that nobody will ever see so that I can get the characters down cold. Good clean fun for all ages!

You’re real life was way too exciting. I can see why you had to write about it. Both stories sound very cool. Good luck with the query process.

You mentioned earlier that you joined SCBWI and attended workshops and conferences. How has that experience altered your journey as a writer?
All networking is a good thing. Networking with a well oiled, wide reaching organization like SCBWI has been HUGE for me. SCBWI and conferences have been like going to school regarding the business of publishing. Meeting agents, publishers, and successful authors who all
have graciously taken time to discuss what they know helped me to avoid some of the rookie mistakes that anyone would be bound to make. I say some, because it was just too tempting to send that first complete ms WAY too early for me to have avoided that completely. But
at least I was warned. And I learned.
Online community, such as Verla Kay’s Children’s Writers & Illustrators Message Board, have also been a great help. These provide more day-to-day interaction than waiting for conferences, even if they aren’t face to face.
These things have given me patience and a road map. I know more about how to approach an agent or publisher now because of them. I know how to research agents and publishers. I know that I SHOULD research agents and publishers.
Beyond that is the sharing of resources to help me study the art of writing. A lot of people have put together web sites and books and presentations that highlight different aspects of the art. These networking groups help me to find the best.
And then, there is the schmoozing itself. I’m not a cocktail butterfly by nature. I imagine most writers aren’t. Otherwise we might be actors and directors. Conferences force me to step forward and smile. “Ta-da! Here I am you lucky people you!” Or, maybe at least stay in the same room as people in the industry and enjoy some conversation. Rubbing
elbows never hurts. Unless of course, if I did step out and shout, “Ta-da! Here I am you lucky people you!”
I’m a big fan of SCBWI, conferences and Verla’s Blue Boards. Children’s writers have a wonderful sense of community that I feel has enriched my life and my writing.

Can you tell me a little bit about your day job and how it has influenced your writing? You also mentioned you have a daughter. How does that impact your writing?

My daughter (who took the picture above when she was 10) just turned 11
this month. I also have a 14-year old son. They are an unhealthy
audience for me to listen to regarding my writing. I love them, but
they may be partial and not the best critique group. I DO pay
attention to what they and their friends are reading, watching and
talking about, however. Having them around keeps me in touch with how
kids today differ from when I was a kid, to some extent.
As for the all important day job, it eats tremendously into my day. My
wife and kids are supportive and try to help me carve out some time
each week devoted to writing. Normally we’re successful. My job is
creative, but not associated with writing or the publishing industry.
But it (mostly) pays the bills, so here’s to it.
I have to ask because not everyone has easy access to eaves dropping on an 11 and 14 year old LOL! How do you think kids differ today compared to when we were kids. How does that difference effect the way we write for kids?

My kids differ from me to about the same degree that I differed from
Opie Taylor. I didn’t go “fishin’ wit Paw” much. Then again, my kids
have had a lot fewer chances to catch toads or race bikes through an
unpopulated ravine than I did. We live in a city.
The world is smaller. They don’t disengage from friends because of
distance. My son just bought his first laptop and he can video
conference with kids he met at summer camp.
Fundamentally, from Opie on up to my kids, we have a lot in common.
We’re people. We don’t evolve that fast. But, the times have changed
around us, and there are fewer places to be free in. I also wonder if
the tension and divisions in the world weigh heavily on them.
One interesting thing. When I was a kid, I was in awe of the future
with the promise of flying cars. My kids seem to be in awe of the
past, with streams you could drink from. Steampunk comes to mind. The
future envisioned as an early time.
Since this is just between you and I, I’m going to ask a silly question. What exactly is Steampunk??? I’m hearing about it all the time. LOL!

Steampunk is kind of like newly futuristic or alternate universe Jules
Vernes in aesthetic – and the aesthetic is the important thing. Lots
of steam operated machinery with brass fittings and gauges and dark
wood. Do a Google image search for “steampunk fashion” or “steampunk
computer” to get an idea. People are really having fun with the style.
Very interesting, I’m happy to finally be in the know. I’ll have to look into it some more. Well, it is about that time. Can you give me your top 5 books and tell us how they have influenced you?

I’ll keep this to the books that influenced me early on, rather than a
list of current favorites.
I mentioned Twain previously. I suppose I would lump HUCK FINN and A
CONNECTICUT YANKEE IN KING ARTHUR’S COURT as two early influences. Is
lumping allowed? I’ve lumped and cannot separate them despite access
to surgical equipment. Twain shows how a character can say one thing
and mean another, and how a character’s perspective can be blind to
something even as it serves to illuminate things for the reader. These
may not the best examples of story arc, but humor, insight and
characters carried them.
My next lump would be the HITCHHIKER’S GUIDE “trilogy.” Whimsy: one of
my favorite twists to humor.
HARRIET THE SPY spoke to a more angsty space within me when I was
young. I came from a family tree that resembles a twisted willow
because of all the marriages and separations/remarriages. Harriet’s
way of ditching her world for one she preferred rang a bell.
CHARLOTTE’S WEB is poetry in prose form. I fell in love with a teacher
when she read it to our class out loud. Also, the simple, examples of
loyalty and friendship in action gave power to my spine that humor
alone could not manage. E. B. White used a loving hand to softly
deliver these messages.
Can I add one more even though I lumped? Just one though, I swear.
WIND IN THE WILLOWS. (I told you I liked to read about talking
animals.) And again with the poetry! I do try to take time in my
writing to make it beautiful. This book proves that beautiful language
can support rather than overshadow touching sentiment and humor.
Had this been current favorites, more current titles would have made
the list. Such a thing is ever changing as I continue reading at the
pace I set for myself as a child. My early influences are at least
somewhat stable.
I’m a big fan of lumping. I get a huge kick out of watching all the creative ways book lovers find a way of mentioning more beloved books. We let everyone off very easily for this understandable offense.

Thanks so much for agreeing to do an interview. I look forward to hearing good news once you get those query letters out there. Make sure you report back to us, so we can help you shout it from the roof top! Don’t forget to stop by and read Sam’s blog and pop on over and friend him on Facebook too!

Early tomorrow I’ll be heading down the Hudson River Line for the 2010 NY SCBWI Conference. I’ll take lots of pictures and blog when I get back. I’ll also have periodic update on Facebook and twitter. You can also follow live conference tweets at #SCBWINY10 or the conference blog.





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Freaky Friday-Interview with aspiring children’s writer Katie Carroll

January 15, 2010 |

If you’ve seen the movie Freaky Friday, you know that its premise is about change and growth through role reversal. For my Friday Blog entry I thought it would be interesting to interview aspiring authors; writers who spend lots of time reading the interviews of published authors and dreaming of the day when they might get their book on the shelves…
It has been awhile since I’ve posted a Freaky Friday interview, but this one will be worth the wait. I had the pleasure of meeting Katie Carroll last April at the Eastern PA Poconos Mountain Retreat. We were roommates for the weekend and had a wonderful time getting to know each other. I think you are going to like her too…
Can you tell me a little bit about how you came to be a children’s writer?

Fair warning, my journey to becoming a writer starts off on a very sad note. I was 19 and a sophomore in college. I was on track to start graduate school for physical therapy at the end of my junior year. I was an English major who was also taking a lot of science courses (in preparation for physical therapy work), but I had chosen English as more of a diversion than anything else. It was something to break up all the science and math that I had to take for graduate school.
So I was well on my way with my 6-year plan that would ultimately lead to a Masters in PT and job in the health field. Then, my previously healthy 16-year-old sister, Kylene, got sick. We thought she had pneumonia. A week later she was admitted to the hospital. It wasn’t pneumonia, but the doctors at Yale couldn’t figure out what was essentially eating away at her lungs. Bottom line, within two weeks from being admitted to the hospital, she was dead.
You don’t go through something like that without it irrevocably changing your life. None of us really knew what to do in her memory. There’s no causes to join for people who die of unknown lung diseases. After reevaluating my life and life in general, I realized that I loved to write and that I wanted to write books for young adults and children as a career. A good portion of my family thought I was crazy to just ditch my whole 6-year plan to become a writer (very unlike me to start something and not follow through with it), but I had had a change of heart and there was no turning back.
Now, Kylene loved the Harry Potter books (I think only the first four had come out by the time she died). She shared them with so many people, many of whom hated reading, and so many of them fell in love with the books too. I think reading the books gave my sister so much joy that she just wanted to share that joy with the whole world. She was that kind of person. My dad, I think in a way to reconcile with my crazy decision to become a writer, suggested that I write a story for Kylene. She never got to finish her life story, so I gave her what I could by letting her live out a great adventure in fiction. That story became the first novel I wrote, a young adult fantasy called Katora. It’s been over 7 years since my sister died, and I’ve been writing ever since.
I think that she would be very proud of you. It takes a lot of courage to follow your heart… Can you tell us a little bit about Katora and where you are with that book? Maybe a little bit about your WIP too.

Katora is a quest novel. Katora’s family are the keepers of a secret healing Elixir, and Katora’s father selects her to lead a mission into the dangerous Faway Forest to retrieve the secret ingredient, which are peaches from a tree that grows on the top of a giant mountain called The Sleeping Giant. What she doesn’t know is that when she picks the peaches, she will be bound to use them to serve the greater good. In addition to all the outside forces influencing her, Katora begins to wonder whether or not she is ready to take on such a big responsibility. This manuscript has been making the rounds with a few editors. I’ve had a few nibbles of interest with it and I’m keeping my fingers crossed for the big bite.
My current WIP is a reimagining of The Little Mermaid, tentatively titled Ariel. I started this for NaNoWriMo and got a good start on a first draft. I’ve borrowed some of my favorite elements from the original Hans Christian Andersen story and from the Disney version. I used to watch the Disney movie everyday when I was little. My niece gets mad when we’re watching it and I sing all the songs! I’ve also added a major character, who is Ariel’s best friend. He’s a human whose family runs a pearl farm. I’m totally in love with him. The ending has a big twist in it too, which I’m really excited about. This novel is still in a really rough form and it’s new enough that I’m haven’t gotten sick of it yet.
Both stories sound great! I’ll keep my fingers crossed that good things come your way. As I mentioned earlier, we had the pleasure of meeting through the Eastern PA Poconos Mountain Retreat last year. We had a sort of “blind date”, signing up to be roommates without having met before. Getting to know you was one of the many perks of attending a SCBWI Conference. Why would you recommend getting out from behind the lap top and attending a conference?

There are really so many reasons to attend a conference. I think anyone that is involved in a job that can be as isolating as writing, needs to step out and meet others in the field. A writing conference is a great way to learn about the craft and business of writing directly from experienced writers, editors, and agents. Even when a talk may reiterate some of the things I thought I already knew, it’s helpful to hear the ideas again (kind of like studying for a test) and there’s always new ways to apply them to my WIP. There’s also the networking factor. Gaining face-to-face time with editors and agents is invaluable.
More than all the professional things that can be gained from a writing conference, I just find them very refreshing. After months of writing, revising, and collecting rejections, I can get a little burnt-out and discouraged, thinking it’s never going to happen for me. Then I go to conference and hear a hugely successful writer talk about experiencing the same obstacles and the same feelings. There’s also all these other writers just like me, who are going through the same things at the same time. The sense of camaraderie at a conference goes a long way.
Plus, conferences provide an environment that forces me to leave my comfort zone. There’s nothing like facing a room full of strangers to make me confront all my insecurities, which is especially useful for a YA writer. I really think that pushing myself in life somehow makes me a better writer. Without conferences, I’ve never would’ve met you and wouldn’t be doing this interview right now. Oh, and I love collecting signed books from all the great writers I meet.
Katie, can you tell us about your top five books and how they have influenced you?

Okay, it was hard to narrow it down to five books, so I cheated a little and put a couple of series on my list.
1. The Harry Potter books: I think my answer to how I became a writer pretty much covers how these books influenced me. I think they also served as a reintroduction into children’s literature for me and made me realize that my passion was for literature for teens and children.
2. The Little House books: My mom used to read these to my sisters and me before we’d got to bed. Even though most of these stories took place over a hundred years before I was born, the Ingalls family was a lot like my family. We shared many of the same values and a similar sense of closeness. It’s amazing no matter how much time passes, the most important things in life tend to stay the same. My mom even made us bonnets just like the ones the Ingalls girls wore.
3. Bears in the Night: This is the only picture book on my list, but it is very deserving. (Big Dog…Little Dog and Go, Dog, Go! were a close second and third.) I’m not much of a picture book writer, but Bears in the Night shows great use of sparse text, pacing, rhythm, repetition, and allowing the pictures to contribute to the story. Everything about it, from the setting to the language, sparks my imagination. I particularly like how the last page is only a picture of the mother bear quietly sitting in her chair, seemingly none the wiser of what her little bears have been up to. My mom made up a line of text to wrap up the book, and after awhile, one of us kids got to make up the line.
4. Little Women: I loved this book for a lot of the same reasons I loved the Little House books. Family has always been one of the most important things in my life, and this book was a mirror of my family in many ways. The March sisters were Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy, and the Carroll sisters were Kelly, Kerrie, Katie, and Kylene. The female characters in Little Women are just so rich and unforgettable. I see a little (or a lot) or myself in each of the March sisters. When Kylene died, I told my sister Kelly that Kylene was “just like Beth.” They were both too good for this life.
5. The Giver: Believe it or not, I was not a big fan of fantasy or science-fiction as a kid (I still have never been able to finish A Wrinkle in Time). I read The Giver in fifth grade, and it totally blew my mind. When Jonas suddenly realizes the weirdness he has been seeing is color, I was floored. In my eleven-year-old mind, the reveal of this book was just perfect. As the layers kept being peeled back and more and more truth was revealed, the book just got better and better.
Thanks so much, Kim, for interviewing me. It was fun to remember why I started seriously writing in the first place.
That is exactly how I felt about the Giver too! I LOVE that book. *Kim sighing with contentment*.

Katie, thank you so much for stopping by and being freaky. I can’t wait to see you in April at the Poconos Conference Part 2. If you would like to read more about Katie, you can find her on her blog the Observation Desk.

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