tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41875024708850370512024-02-07T19:41:19.007-08:00loveskidlitAcademic author launching myself as a children's writer (picture books, chapter books, middle grade and YA novels). Blogging on writing, the biz side of Kid Lit, family, and sundry brainstorms.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger245125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4187502470885037051.post-39374613595710513172013-11-04T13:42:00.000-08:002013-11-04T13:42:01.092-08:00Moved to Facebook Open Page!I have been using the facebook page Casie Hermansson (anyone can "like" this page) to post writing news. I decided to keep this blog up for archival purposes though, as it may perhaps provide useful information on the process or path to publication for other aspiring children's writers!<br />
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I am happily publishing little books with Heinemann in their education line, but most of the information I would blog about would contravene my non-disclosure agreements so...<br />
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Feel free to see my website (casiehermansson.com) which has a web form to contact me if you wish.<br />
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And keep writing!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4187502470885037051.post-70778158413208172342012-10-21T00:53:00.002-07:002012-10-21T00:53:44.112-07:00Write On!Well, I've neglected to blog of late and it's the usual culprit: writing! I have had the great fortune to be writing on a series of work-for-hire readers and devising new, high stakes scenarios has been taking most of my creative energies. I'm home alone this weekend to get some writing done in fact.<br />
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That said, I'm also enjoying life down in New Zealand. Hard to believe we are half way through our six month stay already. The kids have begun the last school term of the year, and today I went and bought sunhats for both of them. They are a required item for school, and the kids won't be allowed outside at recess without one! Spring is gorgeous, and given that I'm usually land-locked it has been amazing to be closer to the sea again. Who knew I'd miss it so much?<br />
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I hope your season is going well, whichever hemisphere you're in. And I also hope you are writing!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4187502470885037051.post-67138874398748634022012-09-19T16:05:00.000-07:002012-09-19T16:05:18.741-07:00Clever MillyIntroducing... My first picture book <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Clever-Milly-Casie-E-Hermansson/dp/0615658016/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1348095082&sr=8-1&keywords=clever+milly" target="_blank">Clever Milly</a>! <br />
Milly is the clever hen of the henhouse, and when Mr. Fox comes a-calling she has a plan to find out what he's up to. Her own survival depends on it!<br />
A few notes about the picture book:<br />
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<li>It's an original retelling of Mr. Fox, an English folktale.</li>
<li>Mr. Fox is a variant of the Bluebeard stories (courtship by a mysterious and possibly dangerous stranger).</li>
<li>It is kid-friendly both in text and illustrations!</li>
<li>I published two Bluebeard academic books, and now this is "my version" of the story!</li>
<li>It is self-published. The Bluebeard fairy tale has fallen out of favor with children's publishers since the early twentieth century. I'm hoping this kid-friendly variant reintroduces it to readers!</li>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh90Xkh3nRgJrShx_YfYH4c-bZcrMSvvcMQ5Gf866vN-ml1R4myj10PeNXL5mDA_n1Ih2mMUqu7HhvHhOvIVw3txw2WD2LOrknep2C1RJR_Y4FkCN1iEXgXR47c4Zl4Anj_rTSYLtiCtSU/s1600/Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hea="true" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh90Xkh3nRgJrShx_YfYH4c-bZcrMSvvcMQ5Gf866vN-ml1R4myj10PeNXL5mDA_n1Ih2mMUqu7HhvHhOvIVw3txw2WD2LOrknep2C1RJR_Y4FkCN1iEXgXR47c4Zl4Anj_rTSYLtiCtSU/s320/Cover.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<li>It is available from amazon.com but, to keep the book's price as low as possible ($6.50), I haven't used the expanded distribution channels for Europe. To do so, amazon would have required the book to be 50% more expensive again than it is now. I hope it is still readily available to folks not in North America and hope this doesn't inconvenience you too much!</li>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4187502470885037051.post-7344057548000354532012-08-12T01:15:00.000-07:002012-08-12T01:15:09.138-07:00Not Dead Yet!Okay, you may have thought I dropped off the face of the earth... Not quite, but I did slide down the face of it somewhat. Am now stationed in New Zealand for six months. It took quite a bit of my writing oomph getting the rental house set up, kids in school... But all is well, and we missed the harshest part of winter. It's around 15 degrees, daffodils are up, lambs are bounding... You get the idea.<br />
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I have a cautionary writing tale to share, just so you don't think it's all fun and games. I submitted a work-for-hire ms two months ago and, as is par for the course, got it back with revisions to do. But I got it back on Wednesday, with a firm deadline to resubmit on Monday. It was pretty bad timing, as hubby left Wednesday to return to the US (at which point, our little sojourn "got real real"!) And then... the internet went out at home. <br />
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A few tears, a long call to Telecom, and gritted teeth later: internet restored, revisions nearly done.<br />
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I thought I'd been so relentlessly rosy on the blog of late (well, you know, when I was keeping it up nicely) that I thought I should let you in on the not-so-rosy times too.<br />
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Hope all is well in your writing worlds, whichever hemisphere you inhabit!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4187502470885037051.post-58083380425305158062012-07-04T07:26:00.000-07:002012-07-04T07:26:31.273-07:00Happy Summer, Writers and Readers!Well happy 4th of July, those of you who celebrate! At casa kidlit we have friends staying. That means double the number of girls practicing Katy Perry's "Firework" for a relatively impromptu backyard concert performance of same later today, and double the number of boys in pyjamas playing video games and ignoring the early morning dance party.<br />
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I haven't been very active blogging lately, which is not a sign that I'm any less opinionated than I was... Just been happily writing, really. <br />
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But I've also caught up a bit on reading. I was woefully remiss in not having read John Green's YA blockbuster <em><strong><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Fault-Our-Stars-John-Green/dp/0525478817/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1341411897&sr=1-1&keywords=fault+in+our+stars">The Fault in Our Stars</a></strong></em>. That oversight has been remedied and I enjoyed the read. I'm now back in my post-apocalyptic groove though with Karen Thompson Walker's <strong><em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Age-Miracles-A-Novel/dp/0812992970">The Age of Miracles</a></em></strong>. I'm still in the thick of it, but love the writing style. <br />
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If you are looking for two engrossing 2012 YA reads, look no further!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4187502470885037051.post-81656398726191993662012-06-01T13:46:00.000-07:002012-06-01T13:47:29.598-07:00Random Lessons from ParaguayIn no particular order, here are some interesting things learned this past month, in Paraguay, as I was teaching one class to Paraguayan college students for my university.<br />
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*horses and carts are still used in the city to transport people and goods<br />
*there really are things called Bodegas. While I didn't go into one, they looked sultry and exotic.<br />
*although it is winter, it is very warm. However, it is winter, so it gets dark early. That is confusing.<br />
*one semester of basic spanish conversation a few months before coming here really was invaluable.<br />
*when you don't know the word in Spanish, you say it in French. Apparently, your brain tells you that's okay.<br />
*it is no good to say something well and with good accent if you can't understand the response you prompted.<br />
*a "grande americano" from Starbucks is called... a "grande americano."<br />
*at some point, the math of dividing all those zeroes on the local currency by 4 becomes reasonable.<br />
*it is invigorating to be in a country where you barely understand the language. It is more invigorating to be in a country where people just look at you with pity when you say "lo siento, pero no comprendo. Hablo ingles."<br />
*you can teach your way through the recurring teaching nightmare you have had every semester for 15 years and, hopefully, be stronger for it.<br />
*group work is better in a collective culture than the same group work done at home. <br />
*the Spanish have an expression meaning "all clear": "no Moors on the coast." Students will reference this in their Othello essays.<br />
*it is difficult to plan and be organized when the power goes out, internet access sometimes goes out, or is painfully slow at the university. <br />
*having everything in cloud storage is only as good as your downloading capabilities from the internet. See previous.<br />
*on any given class day, and despite all kinds of carrots and sticks, only 1/3 of the class will be in the room when class actually begins.<br />
*there are many large, stray, hungry dogs. When the doc said "stay away from stray dogs" so I didn't have to get a rabies shot, I didn't realize it wouldn't be an option.<br />
*there is a plywood slum exactly 10 parked car widths from the front doors of the university.<br />
*private security guards carry rifles.<br />
*if a motorcylist hits a cyclist, the moto is at fault. If a car hits a motocyclist, the driver of the car is at fault. If a mercedes on its way to pick me up hits an underaged and uninsured motocylist who, miraculously, is not killed, the motocylist runs away.<br />
*it is rather nice to have students do the cheek kisses as in France, when saying goodbye. <br />
*at some point when it is very clear that you just can't recognize which white mercedes is coming to pick you up every day from the college, the security guard at the university door will take pity on you and start to call your ride.<br />
*the amount of diesel coming in giant black clouds from every bus and many other cars will cause you to taste gas for hours after you get home, leading you to suspect you have lost months from the end of your life.<br />
*in the space of 4 weeks, your children can go from sobbing on skype to living their lives and cheerfully including you at the dinner table or piano with them, to answering "no, we're good," when asked if they want to speak to you.<br />
*if you aren't careful and are, say, lounging on the bed when your husband skypes you, you can suddenly find yourself staring at a bunch of people in a restaurant. Lesson learned.<br />
*if you are scared enough to see one in the "wild," all the tarantulas will be courteous and stay out of sight.<br />
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These are the first musings from the trip, before it is even really over. They aren't very profound. I'm hoping profound will follow.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4187502470885037051.post-36981747463782720242012-05-31T19:14:00.001-07:002012-05-31T19:14:36.111-07:00Farewell, Retreat!I've been teaching in South America for a month, now, staying in a guesthouse, teaching every afternoon. I miss the family enormously (skype notwithstanding). But it has been great for writing! I outlined a chapter book sequel, because if the publisher who is considering the first one wants to talk series, then I'd best be ready, right? And a lot of short stories for another publisher, two of which are currently green lit to revise. I have very much enjoyed the writing boot camp, and will have fond memories of it. Not to mention that I have a store of images in my head that were not there before, such as the giant untethered pig eating grass on the narrow mid-city median strip of a four-lane highway today. No human anywhere to be seen. I think it would have come up to my waist, had I had the courage to go anywhere near it. Or to stand on the median strip in Paraguayan traffic... See? These things will show up somewhere later, I just know it.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4187502470885037051.post-73461052369872878982012-05-24T07:29:00.000-07:002012-05-28T07:09:49.314-07:00Useful "Gatekeepers"I used to think of self-publishing as academics think of self-publishing, and it bore all the stigma of being painted in tar. But of course the times have changed. As when cheap mass printing technology and distribution made chapbooks feasible in the 1700s, and the rise in mass literacy made readers of nearly everyone, the digital printing age has revolutionized book creation and distribution again.
I realize that means a very democratic mass can enter the marketplace, and that a very great deal of what is available has less literary merit as a result. But it's very Darwinian as well: survival of the fittest, and all that.
I have read many an article and blog post arguing either side of the debate. So, here's where I weigh in: I'm the "cosmopolitan rat" of Isaac Rosenberg's war poem, who travels back and forth between the trenches.
On the one hand, I see enormous value in the gatekeeping function of editors. I am currently writing stories at the rate of a couple a month for consideration by one press, and getting feedback on them from three editors. What amazes me every time is that when I think the story is done, and even good, the feedback always points out fundamental things that the story requires. I don't just mean tweaking, but fundamental issues with the story and what's going on. I feel challenged, and frankly honored that these editors are willing to put in this time and work with their authors to make the end results so much better. (And at this point I'd remind you that I have enormous hubris as a writer, having a job in the profession and a PhD in English. I mention this because I usually think what I submit already rocks!)
And at the same time, there are certain works that won't get to the market any other way. They may have limited mass appeal (like family memoires), or they don't reflect a publisher's shaping of their lists. And in those cases, why not self-publish? Musicians make CDs all the time without signing with a recording house, and with a lot less stigma. Sometimes the music is good, and sometimes it isn't. The market gets to vote with its money, right? And that's why I think the term "indie-publishing" better reflects the current self-publishing state.
Still, even with my wonderful hubris, there is no way I would self-publish anything without having a PROFESSIONAL EDITOR work on it for fundamental issues (not just proofreading). Over these last years of writing, submitting, revising, and starting over I've learned that no matter how good I think I am, a good editor is going to dismantle a manuscript and make it better.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4187502470885037051.post-82752956480349836482012-05-14T07:43:00.000-07:002012-05-14T07:44:24.889-07:00Know Thy KidSo my Son is 10.5 years old (the .5 matters to him. a lot). He has a college age reading level, but is still a little pre-teen sweetheart.
I say this because the entire middle school recently adopted The Hunger Games as a school-wide read, and then they had some "hunger games" activities. (No, they didn't provide weapons or a style team.) As a result of the publicity that earned, many of the upper elementary students have been wanting to read the books.
My son is finishing up 4th grade. Several of his mates have read the book. My son is begging to read it/them. He is not used to being the last to read something... he enjoys his status as a reader of all things. That's why he purchased his own kindle with his own birthday money.
Sidebar: when you have two kindles on the same amazon account, don't be fooled by the question "where do you want this purchase sent?" Because specifing ONE kindle doesn't mean squat. My son, unbeknownst to me, had ALL my books in the "archived items" section of HIS kindle, and was merrily reading them. We discovered this when I asked what he had been reading in order to fill out the school weekly reading sheet and he said "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo." Fortunately, he hadn't made it past page 10. He now needs permission to download anything from Archived Items.
But anyway, I find myself in the awkward position of trying to compare disturbing scenes to determine if he's up for it or not. I mean: the peeled baby thing in Harry Potter... pretty disturbing, right? But is that of the same caliber as THG?
The title is there, in his Archived Items, of course. I wonder if it's only a matter of time before he takes matters into his own hands, and then he won't even feel he can ask questions about the book because he'll be reading it against our wishes.
HHm. Advice?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4187502470885037051.post-41420778068386153212012-04-29T11:50:00.001-07:002012-04-29T11:50:32.255-07:00To Market, To Market!Returned home (to sleep out, under a massive storm, with the girl scouts) from a wonderful master-class yesterday hosted by the local chapter of SCBWI (Society for Children's Book Writers and Illustrators): Susan Raab, of <a href="http://www.raabassociates.com/">Raab Associates</a>. Her company specializes in marketing writers and creators of children's and teen products. Susan spoke, rapidly, in 90 minute segments, and I believe if we had a week to spend together she could have filled it with useful and interesting advice and context for us. <br />
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I'm writing an article for <em>Children's Writer's Newsletter</em> featuring services like this, and Ms Raab graciously allowed me to begin an interview with her which we will complete by phone. I'm amazed at how indefatigable she seems!<br />
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Before I went, I thought of myself as a basic-intermediate level self-promoter (I don't just mean random bragging, at which I am an expert). I think I did fall in that place on the scales Susan laid out to help determine the cost/benefit ratios (costs including time) of the types of promotional activities to engage in. But, as I hoped I would, I came away with a lot of insights and ideas!<br />
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You can have your own pocket consultant with Ms Raab's book: <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Authors-Guide-Childrens-Book-Promotion/dp/0962121185/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1335725145&sr=1-1">An Author's Guide to Children's Book Promotion</a></em>. I'll let you know when the CWN article comes out, probably in the fall.<br />
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Here, though, is the starting point to get you going: YOU are the brand. Not your book, not your latest genre (necessarily), but YOU. So, what do you have to offer the market?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4187502470885037051.post-75721629680537329492012-04-08T13:20:00.006-07:002012-04-08T13:49:53.364-07:00Writing LifeI often feel selfish when I'm at the computer--something I already use excessively for my job--and am writing at home. I shush the kids, and decline invitations to make cupcakes with them. I leave to go to writing groups on school nights. I leave for longer periods to go on fabulous writing retreats with various colleagues. I have frequently questioned the parental economics of this. Sometimes I feel guilty, other times defiant, and still other times just lost in a piece of writing and indifferent to the environment.<br /><br />But this week the conversation at our house shifted from the usual ("but why won't you come and do X with us?"; "have you written that story I wanted you to yet?") to something new ("I want to write a story on the computer like you"; "I want to start a writing group").<br /><br />I was quite happy to finish up my story and open a new file so my daughter could get typing. She managed two paragraphs, and kept having insights through to bedtime. She couldn't get to sleep with the excitement of planning a writing group at school. In order to get that started, we talked through possible objections her teacher might have (available time during the school day, equal access to everyone who wanted to join). Daughter made extensive notes about things a writing group at school could accomplish. And then we ALL had to get up 30 minutes earlier, and do everying in our morning routine 30 minutes ahead, in order to get to school the minute it opened and talk it over with her teacher.<br /><br />By the time we finished proposing what Daughter had in mind, her lovely teacher had already begun to think of ways to implement the idea: perhaps when they each finished their research paragraphs they could go to the back room and begin if they wanted to? And later that day, several did. Daughter came home and told us that several kids in her class had decided to do a collective story, beginning with some illustrations "to get character ideas down."<br /><br />I have done a couple of writer sessions at school in my Son's class, and even met one on one with students from his class to work on story maps during school time, at his teacher's request. But with my Daughter's newfound interest in wanting to be a writer herself, I'm enjoying a new sensation along with my writing time: lack of guilt.<br /><br />It's early days, but I like Daughter's decision: if she can't get me away from the computer, she might as well join me here. She also suggested that she and her brother blog their travels later this year when we go overseas. We already set up the site. It looks like a fun way to write, to journal their trip for archival purposes, and also for them to stay in touch with their friends and classmates for the six months they will be gallivanting about. I see tussles over computer access in my future, but I'm okay with that.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4187502470885037051.post-48199619729505824472012-03-29T14:02:00.004-07:002012-03-29T14:11:09.128-07:00EditorsOne of the things I'm very grateful for as a writer is editors! Each time I write something, I do it as well as I can. And then, when I submit it to the editor I hope they like it. But, and without exception, I have been delighted when revisions are suggested because they always make wonderful sense, and they are never something I had already thought of (because otherwise, well, I would have done it that way already!).<br /><br />Each time an editor gives feedback, it improves the end result. I consider myself an excellent editor of others' work. Heck; I'm a professional! And I like to think that I edit my own work pretty rigorously before it goes anywhere--and I don't just mean the mechanics of English, which should be a given.<br /><br />And yet, editors have circumspection. They know the reader, they know their client buyers, and they bring all that to bear. I do appreciate hearing that my story was much discussed in an editorial meeting, and that they had several suggestions to make. Because now I have a project! And I know the end result is going to be so much better for their expertise.<br /><br />In the past few weeks I have been very fortunate to be working with two presses and four editors over several different projects, and the editors have all been wonderful, enthusiastic, hard working and insightful folks. (Don't worry; I don't think they read my blog, so I'm not just kissing up here!) It has felt like a professional master class. Bliss.<br /><br />Let's hear it for editors!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4187502470885037051.post-32434766568938435402012-03-08T11:35:00.004-08:002012-03-08T11:49:39.415-08:00Classical StudiesSo, this was a reminisce about two great teachers from my past, in a "creative non-fiction" frame of mind. I hope you like it!<br /><br />I've only worn a toga to class for two teachers in my life. The first was my Classical Studies teacher for two years in high school. With Mrs. Evans, at an all-girls high school, we read Homer's <em>Odyssey</em>. All of it. We learned the architecture of the Parthenon, in Greece. To be fair, they were on the national exams curriculum, but discussing Plato wasn't. I'm pretty sure that just came up in conversation.<br /><br />Mrs. Evans had a dry sense of humor. That epiphany was suspiciously late in coming, given that it occurred at some point during the evening meal one night in the school library while we students were serving our teachers their food. The teachers were reclining on one elbow on cushions on the floor, and eating Roman-style. We had dates, and honey. I'm sure we had other food to eat as wel, but they all had to be Roman recipes. Mrs. Evans sent a recipe book home with us, and our mothers had fits in kitchens all over town.<br /><br />As a Brownie Girl Scout later in life I had earned a "Hostessing" merit badge by helping Brown Owl to cook scones, make tea, and then serve the results to parents. I remember carrying a tray through a swinging door in the basement of the church where we met. I was terrified that the teapot would slosh, or smash, and either way I'd be robbed of a merit badge. I think fancy may have supplied the cup and saucer later, but the teapot was certainly there.<br /><br />For Mrs. Evans' Roman dinner we all wore togas: teachers and students alike. Maybe that was another reason why our mothers had fits, but I don't think it would have occurred to anyone to get up to anything salacious in the school library. If they did, I never heard about it.<br /><br />I remember that if it was hard to wait tables as a Brownie, ten years later it was harder still in the complete absence of tables. I remember clamping my teeth together and sweating as I tried to serve teachers who were lounging on the floor. Surely I would spill something on a teacher? And if by some intervention of the gods I didn't, then I would destroy a cushion or (worse) incur the wrath of the Harpie librarian by getting <em>honey</em> on the library <em>carpet. </em>Mrs. Evans laughed a lot that night, but all of it was kindly meant. I would have walked on lava for her.<br /><br />So I signed up for Roman Studies my freshman college year. The professor, Norm Austin, was a Rhodesian who had published a book on Roman spying techniques. He was so popular his classes met in the drama lab to fit us all in. Inspired by the setting, he crouched, leapt, and pantomimed every doomed elephant getting Hannibal across the Alps. From Norm, I learned what a Pyrrhic victory was and so have been able to have many of them since.<br /><br />It turned out I wasn't well suited to learning history: dates looked too much like math and I've always been more literate than numerate. But it was for Norm that I donned a toga and roman sandles to present a tutorial, and it was from Mrs. Evans that I borrowed the toga. (The roman sandles were part of the high school summer uniform, so they were not hard to come by and may have provided some of the inspiration.) If I would have walked on lava for Mrs. Evans, I would change in the bathrooms and walk the halls of the university in a toga for Norm.<br /><br />He referred to that memorable incident often in the years I visited his office as an undergrad and later a grad student returning to visit. He died of cancer just after I got my first teaching job. I haven't worn a toga for anyone lately, but I often think of him talking about the Roman army as "these boys," as if it all happened recently and their exploits just came up in casual conversation. I haven't had a student don a toga for me, or feed me dinner while I recline on cushions, but I don't teach Roman Studies so it wouldn't really be appropriate.<br /><br />Still, I've seen the occasional glint of fervor in a student eye every now and then, and some students have gone several extra miles on a project. One group of my students convinced the university to turn on the lights of the baseball diamond so they could do a night shoot for a class. I know I have Mrs. Evans and Norm Austin to thank for that.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4187502470885037051.post-17671937060962522702012-03-01T18:22:00.002-08:002012-03-01T18:26:43.627-08:00Just Writing!Well, it has been a couple of weeks since the last blog update. Looking back, it has been enjoyably "ordinary." A lot of writing going on, and a lot of feedback from various quarters. I have had emails from different editors about different things, all of them resulting in writing more, so good news. Nothing specific enough to broadcast as yet, but things on the stove.<br /><br />My writing group was locked out of the library tonight (both meeting rooms were booked), so we met at my house instead. Much writing happened! The vibes were lovely, as were the gluten free snacks.<br /><br />And... that's about it. Just writing! Happily ordinary!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4187502470885037051.post-65084453545086553002012-02-13T10:21:00.000-08:002012-02-13T10:26:22.554-08:00What Was I Thinking?The children have been a united front for a couple of years on this topic:<br /><br /><ul><br /><li>they want a phone. </li><br /><li>they want it now. </li><br /><li>they don't want to hear the (many) logical reasons why their parents think the request is far-fetched to the point of farcical.</li></ul><br />So, they waged a siege. And then, they made the compelling case: if we purchase them tracphones, they will buy the minutes.<br /><br />The proposal had these benefits, they argued:<br /><br /><ul><br /><li>no contracts!</li><br /><li>no parental expense!</li><br /><li>child learning opportunity!</li><br /><li>no money = no minutes = not a parent problem!</li></ul><br />And, I bought them (first the argument, and then the tracphones).<br /><br />This weekend, both children received them. In bed last night, Daughter hummed happily: "I have a phone... I have a phone... I have a phone..." And then, "I can't believe I have a phone..." And then: "I can't believe you bought an eight year old a phone..." And then: "I can't believe you fell for it!"<br /><br />Hmm. I've been duped.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4187502470885037051.post-85488773705711351202012-02-08T18:24:00.000-08:002012-02-08T19:23:30.667-08:00Five (New to You) Blogs to Love!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidPHZvmA4JsBLTJmVvnu-BUC9DMvXkV0oYY_G1wMk6xrUnrIvOwXlZxoAB-aWO_DWmKJRR50q-u6aMRBBRIoJYdl1ovXgYecjFDXvMG6wn70PzX-rv9fet4GuKLUDUOXluGFe5cq2XI3s/s1600/liebster-blog-1.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 60px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5706957278219364050" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidPHZvmA4JsBLTJmVvnu-BUC9DMvXkV0oYY_G1wMk6xrUnrIvOwXlZxoAB-aWO_DWmKJRR50q-u6aMRBBRIoJYdl1ovXgYecjFDXvMG6wn70PzX-rv9fet4GuKLUDUOXluGFe5cq2XI3s/s320/liebster-blog-1.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><div>Hi all,<br />Thanks to Ali B over at <a href="http://literarylunchbox.blogspot.com/">Literary Lunchbox </a>for my second Liebster Blog Award! It is for blogs with fewer than 200 followers, to help spread the love. Here are five random things about me you (probably) don't know, and then five Liebster-worthy blogs to share with you.</div><br /><ol><br /><br /><li>I did not finish <em>Bleak House</em> the first two times I had to (and did) pass an exam on it. Sorry, Charles Dickens. (But Happy Birthday for yesterday!)<br /></li><br /><li>I have an aversion to sponges, and anything "spongey" looking. Don't know why. Just do.</li><br /><br /><li>I have the first chocolate of the day about an hour after breakfast.</li><br /><br /><li>I mucked out a barn for the very first time last Saturday afternoon (and loved it).</li><br /><br /><li>I went to graduate school in Toronto, Canada (<em>for six years</em>, mind you) because I was a fan of Margaret Atwood. That isn't why I stayed, but it is why I went.</li></ol><br /><br /><p>And now for five blogs, different from last time!<br /></p><br /><ol><br /><li>Another shout out to Ali B from <a href="http://literarylunchbox.blogspot.com/">Literary Lunchbox</a>. A new, go-getter blog focused on children's writing and generous sharing of the blogosphere. I read Ali B to remember why we blog at all.<br /></li><br /><li><a href="http://fairylayers.blogspot.com/">Fairy Layers</a>, for all-things fairy tale reviewed. All genres of lit, TV serieses, films... astute and conversational both.</li><br /><br /><li>Lawral the librarian reviews YA (not always favorably--she can't be bought with ARCs!) over at <a href="http://lawral.blogspot.com/">Lucy Was Robbed</a>. She favors sci-fi, fantasy, and books featuring positivie LGBTQ themes and characters. Well-written and even-handed, her reviews are worth the read!</li><br /><br /><li>Jennifer Lee Young over at <a href="http://jennyleeyoung.blogspot.com/">Castles in the Sky</a>. She just won her second Liebster award a week ago (and lo, a third!) but she still gets my shout out because her blog is fun, free wheeling, and she has her first picture book coming out! </li><br /><br /><li>Lizzie Millar, the <a href="http://shelfelf.wordpress.com/">Shelf Elf</a>, who reviews children's lit, raves about yarn bombing, and pops in a recommendation for Downton Abbey, all of which I love. She is a middle school librarian, a member of the kidlitosphere, and I look forward to getting to know her blog better! I hope you do too.</li></ol>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4187502470885037051.post-41924573065733053072012-01-27T16:41:00.001-08:002012-01-27T17:00:34.381-08:00Peter PanI'm an enormous fan of the live action <em>Peter Pan</em> film, in particular. Jason Isaacs is a wonderful Father/Hook, Richard Briers is a perfect Smee, Mrs Darling (Olivia Williams) really does have a kiss in the corner of her mouth, and the right-on-the-brink-of-adolescent cast is just right.<br /><br />But I hadn't read <em>Peter Pan</em> before, so I sat down this week and found myself utterly enchanted. The story line is already familiar, but the style is such a surprise. I plan to finish it this weekend and will try to select a quotation or two for you.<br /><br />Have you read the novel (or the play)? What did you think of it?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4187502470885037051.post-43829730744678485092012-01-23T10:04:00.000-08:002012-01-23T10:11:21.167-08:00Chip Off the Old (OCD) Block!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWzKun4rK2l97gbgHnpB8bDtJ6TBTngIgyOpkBET1E6laenOUI0AovLD8sxmy5LybOUscG-ygTDLUsBAQapOfi8583LSOzVt21dz9dCRtHjynJGF5Ltf508c-c9sohgcatIgiuAjlvRa0/s1600/Daughter%2527s+list.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 233px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5700891628500629074" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWzKun4rK2l97gbgHnpB8bDtJ6TBTngIgyOpkBET1E6laenOUI0AovLD8sxmy5LybOUscG-ygTDLUsBAQapOfi8583LSOzVt21dz9dCRtHjynJGF5Ltf508c-c9sohgcatIgiuAjlvRa0/s320/Daughter%2527s+list.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><div>Found, this list, after a rain or two, in the back yard. (Yes, those are bullet points...)</div><br /><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><br /><div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4187502470885037051.post-38733551540526375382012-01-13T11:07:00.000-08:002012-01-13T11:12:03.283-08:00Or Something Like That...Son: Who trained the first horse trainer? Hey! I'm a philosopher!<br /><br />***<br /><br />It has been a productive writing month! One non-fiction title for high school readers completed and submitted to the book developer (the go-between for the authors and the presses), and creative writing too. Now, what we need is a really good blizzard (in which the power never goes out) so we can spend a few days holed up in the house, reading...!<br /><br />I hope everyone's new year is Happy so far!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4187502470885037051.post-89521535377914812832011-12-18T09:26:00.000-08:002011-12-18T10:02:08.762-08:00What Kind of Kidlit Writer Are You? Part 2Last Sunday I began a blog mini-series on one of my favorite things in the world: writing for young readers. The first part focused on getting started: magazine or book?<br /><br />I'm writing these grounded in my experiences thus far, after several years of concerted effort to self-educate in the field, making many mistakes, and having some breakthroughs. In other words, I make no claim to be a world expert in this, but I hope you find some of what I have to say on the topic of interest and use! There are many ways to get to Rome, if that's where you want to go, and these are just some of the paths.<br /><br /><strong>Agent or Editor? To Whom Do I Submit?</strong><br /><br />It's a question that crops up all over the place in the blogosphere. You can go either route, but here are some things to be informed of when making your judgment call.<br /><strong><em></em></strong><br />Literary agents are "gate-keepers" in the publishing industry. You might not like that, but that is how it is and it isn't going to change any time soon, epublishing to the contrary! So why not just skip the middle step and go right to the editors themselves? After all, their mailing addresses are listed in publishing guides, right? Well, many editors are closed to "unagented submissions." And those that are open to all submissions have large, teetering "slush piles" (open submissions) that take months if not years to slog through. You'll wait longer to hear back on average, and generally speaking your work will be read by a despairing intern doing their time in the Siberian outpost that is the slush pile to prove their worth to the editor. Their goal is to slog through slush as efficiently as possible, not to pause and admire your turn of phrase. Although you and they both dream of submitting/finding the diamond in the cistern, the odds are against both of you.<br /><br />The other thing to consider is that although you can send work to an editor, this counts as "shopping it [your literary work] around" and you have then determined a path you have to stay on. Agents are not interested in considering work that has been shopped around to editors already, unless you have an offer on it and would like agent representation to finalize the deal. Why not? Because first, you thumbed your nose at agenting and went it alone. Second, many agents want the opportunity to have you work some revisions before they shop something on your behalf. (This serves two purposes: they see that you are open to revision and behave professionally--you are someone they want to work with. And their name is on the line with yours when they send your stuff out on their letterhead, so they do want it to be the best it can be.) And third, if you have already sent out your work to a bunch of editors, what can the agent do with it? You have already "tainted the pool," so to speak. And unless you have an offer, you are admitting to an agent that you have been rejected by a lot of editors already (kiss of death: do not quote any nice things said in a rejection; it was still a rejection). Unless you plan to overhaul the manuscript significantly, it will now need to stay shelved until after you sign a three book deal somewhere.<br /><br />If you go to a conference and meet with an editor either one on one for a critique or, in some cases, are simply in the audience for their presentation, the conference organizers have usually made arrangements for you to submit your work to them after the conference, following whatever submission guidelines they have set, and noting that you were present at the conference (thereby avoiding the slush pile and guaranteeing a slightly faster response time). This type of editor submission is acceptable to agents, providing you are only talking one or two editors, but full disclosure is important. Agents need to know where it has been submitted. If you have not sent it anywhere, say so in your cover letter.<br /><br />Agents also attend conferences and permit attendees to submit to them afterward. However, it is rare to get picked up at a conference, and there doesn't seem to be any strong advantage to having met the agent or had a critique with them--other than good advice, of course. So if you do attend conferences (like SCBWI--Society for Children's Book Writers and Illustrators) then do so because you will learn vast amounts about the industry expectations and good writing, not because Prince Charming might invite you to dance!<br /><br /><strong><em>Education/Non-Fiction Writing</em></strong><br /><br />Agents don't really apply in the case of the non-fiction children's writer. Here, the hustle is different. Either send a pitch/prospectus directly to a relevant Press and/or send your resume to education presses that accept WFH (work for hire) applicants.<br /><br />In my case, I sent my resume to around 40 presses. About a quarter or more of them emailed or wrote to say they liked my credentials and found me qualified to write for them. They kept my resume on file. Although this may yet provide some writing work, and for some it might do so very quickly, I found personally that networking has paid better dividends thus far.<br /><br />A colleague in my writing group had an overflow of work from her editor and suggested to both of us that I might be a good fit. I sent my resume and magazine work clips, and got a contract two days later, and have my first book in this genre--for a high school market--due at the end of January. Needless to say, I'm extremely happy at this turn of events, and hope that this work will produce more work, particularly as the editor in question works for a book packager and thus works to connect press needs with writers. In other words, the editor represents many presses.<br /><br />When I expressed my gratitude to my lovely writing colleague, she told me to pay it forward. She got her first break this way as well, and said that she suspects connections work best in this industry. And so I will.<br /><br />So, my counsel in summary is: write. Learn the hustle of submitting, tracking, researching markets, and contacting agents and editors. Attend conferences that help you meet people. But the people you really want to meet are your colleagues, because they're the network that can help you most!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4187502470885037051.post-75752780782372189862011-12-17T08:26:00.000-08:002011-12-17T08:30:06.494-08:00NotesDaughter writes us notes, all the time. I have said this before. Sometimes they're sweet and loving, other times purely to convey information (please mak hot choclit), and other times... well, see for yourself! This one, on a giant sheet of paper, was handed to hubby this week:<br /><br />Oneday you were harsh to me so i'll be harsh to you. I don't know how to be harsh to you. but it's pay back time. I know I can! oooo yay. PAY BACK.<br /><br />(Hey. At least all the apostrophes were in the right places.)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4187502470885037051.post-84492725004369507362011-12-11T08:37:00.000-08:002011-12-11T09:12:17.728-08:00What Type of KidLit Writer Are You? Part 1I recently gave a fun talk to a grad class here about Adventures in Kid Lit Writing, and saw how many people are interested and curious about the field.<br /><br />So herewith the first in a mini-series of posts dedicated to aspiring and beginning kidlit writers. The perspective is mine, of course, but I make every effort to ensure that I don't break with common sense and industry practice. If I talk about common errors it's either because I made them myself, and/or because I have read a lot of industry bloggers and absorbed their collective counsel. I hope you find the information helpful!<br /><br /><strong>The Path to Publishing</strong><br /><strong></strong><br />There are two major paths to publishing success in kidlit: the stunning novel manuscript that grabs an agent or editor's attention and gets you a bidding war and a three-book deal, and the path that everyone else is on.<br /><br />The latter path is characterized by not having all of your eggs in one basket, so to speak. If you are submitting a single picture book manuscript, for instance, as your entry point into the publishing world, you are engaged in a methodical process of researching your market (agent or editor--more on that in another post), sending out submissions, tracking replies, and repeating the process. You can spend a year doing this, watching your email inbox as the seasons pass.<br /><br />The adage about sealing the envelope, mailing off your baby, and then getting back to work is a good one. Better yet, letting your baby sit in a drawer for a good few weeks <em>while you work on something else</em>. Fortune favors the persistent, well-edited, and prolific. And that is why magazine publishing makes for an excellent (and still highly competitive) training ground for your skills.<br /><br />If you haven't looked into it much, magazine writing may still carry some stigma for you. It's "Cinderella in the kitchen" of children's publishing world. Don't think of it as paying your dues, but earning your chops. It is difficult to get published in a magazine. Many other people are submitting to the same titles as you. Editors are skilled at identifying exactly what they want in a poem, piece of short fiction, non-fiction, or rebus story. By researching each market, learning the conventions expected of the genre and the publication, writing to those conventions, submitting correctly and waiting a month or two to hear back, you are engaged in a process of code cracking. Getting publications ("clips") indicates to you and to prospective editors that you are a working professional who understands the process.<br /><br />The Cinderella analogy works here too, I think. Children's writing is glamorized but to be a successful children's writer takes the same type of grit and perseverance that it takes to do any other work. Writing to specs enables you to learn a type of writing hardiness and flexibility that will stand you in excellent stead whatever market you aim at. Before you send any submission to any magazine, read their submission requirements in a market guide and confirm them by going to the magazine's website. If a magazine will only accept submissions that state genre and age of intended reader in the subject line, and limit poetry to 20 lines, then you are wasting your time and theirs if you send a submission that ignores or defies their requirements.<br /><br />Clips tend to generate more clips, as each editor sees from your growing list of publications that you are a capable and organized writer. But you can also learn a great deal about yourself while you apprentice as a magazine writer (and make your career here if you choose as well!). You will quickly discover what type(s) of writing you enjoy most, and have the best successes with. For fastest response times, begin with smaller, regional titles or specialty magazines. Submitting to national titles can be done later when you are more certain of your skills and can afford to wait longer to hear back on your submission.<br /><br /><strong>Useful references</strong>:<br /><em>Children's Writers and Illustrators Markets</em> (CWIM)<br /><br /><em>Magazine Markets for Children's Writers</em><br /><br /><em>Children's Writer's Word Book</em> (for leveled vocabulary)<br /><br /><em>The Business of Writing for Children</em> (Aaron Shepard)<br /><br /><em>Writing it Right! How Successful Children's Authors Revise and Sell Their Stories</em> (Sandy Asher--great for seeing revisions of successive drafts in several genres, leading up to published version)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4187502470885037051.post-86260792685884828402011-12-07T14:25:00.000-08:002011-12-07T14:28:54.606-08:00Campaign Season[At the dinner table, mid-conversation. Daughter raises her hand.]<br /><br />Hubby: Yes?<br />Daughter: I have a question.<br />Hubby: OK. You know you don't have to raise your hand, though.<br />Daughter: Well, I'm training to be home schooled.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4187502470885037051.post-6070051354695080222011-12-05T05:14:00.000-08:002011-12-05T05:18:27.635-08:00Santa's Bag of TricksDaughter: I really hope Santa brings me the things on my list.<br />Me: What list?<br />Daughter: I asked for: a real kitten, a real chestnut horse, and another American Girl doll.<br />Me: Oh.<br />Daughter: I asked for stuff for you, too!<br />Me: Like what?<br />Daughter: A lie detector. So you can tell when we are lying.<br />Me: I tell you what. If you don't lie to me, I won't even need one!<br />Daughter: Um. Yeah. You really do need one.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4187502470885037051.post-65452527486501844952011-11-23T15:06:00.000-08:002011-11-23T15:10:29.993-08:00Elementary, Dear WatsonQuite apart from the new Sherlock Holmes, which is tres fun, this is logical problem solving second grader-style:<br /><br />Son: You know, only one percent of the water on the planet is drinkable. We'll really be in trouble if we don't look after it.<br />Daughter: We can just drink milk then.<br />Son: What will the cows drink? They need water too. And for grass. One day, there'll be no cows.<br />Daughter: So then, we'll just have to learn to milk a walrus.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2