Children's Publishers Choose Their 2013 Favorites at PW - interesting!
From Huff Post Books: This is What Children's Books Looked Like In The 1800s, and It's Super Fascinating.
From PW and Elizabeth Bluemle (owner of The Flying Pig Bookstore in Vermont): Is Middle-Grade Fiction Really an Adult Reading Trend? (I know it is for me!)
How to Write: A Year in Advice from Franzen, King, Hosseini, and More at The Atlantic.
HANK HAS AN EGG by Rebecca Dudley - GIVEAWAY!
Some of my favorite books when I was a child had 3-dimensional, photographed artwork. You don't see that many these days, mostly (I think) because they are so much work! HANK FINDS AN EGG by Rebecca Dudley is no exception. And this sweet story, so sculpturally done, is taking the kidlit world by storm. Rebecca stopped by to talk about her new book.
Q. Rebecca, How did you get into building three dimensional stories? (And is there a more technically appropriate term for what you do?)
A. Ha! I would love to find a term that describes what I do! I am a model maker, doll artist, sculptor, photographer and story-maker.
Q. What was your path to publication?
A. My husband and I lived in Seattle for six years and we loved the Maurice Sendak version of The Nutcracker performed by the Pacific Northwest Ballet. Our first Christmas back in Chicago John was really missing Seattle so I staged The Nutcracker for him with my stuffed animals. I guess that was the beginning of my adult work with miniature scenery.
But I am an architect and I have always loved making models. In 2003 I started building and photographing dioramas to make calendars for my friends and family. I built the scenes on my dining room table. In 2004 I let the scenery take over my architecture studio and by 2007 I had a story, made a mock up of a book and I had a great meeting with an editor at a big publishing house. For about three years I tried to edit the story to please that editor but we didn't seem to have the same vision for my work. After those three years I had so much pent up energy for making new stories I felt like I was going to burst. I started my blog, made two self-published books and found my current publisher.
Yay!
Q. How did this sweet story come to you? (Hank especially.)
A. I was given the book 'The Wild Swans' by Kihachiro Kawamoto and Tadasu Lizawa when I was very little and I really studied the figures they made for their scenes. All the dolls’ faces were made from a fine knitted fabric. I am sure that was where I got the idea for Hank's face.
Hank is one part early 20th century cartoons and one part my father. Hank and my dad share an unselfconscious curiosity about the world.
I build stories based on a single image I have in my mind. In the case of ‘Hank Finds an Egg’ the story began as soon as I made Hank and I knew I wanted to give him something small to care for. I imagined him holding an egg. The story grew around this single image. I have found that one strong image, inspired by a character, is all I need to begin a story.
Q. I have to know - did you cut out every single leaf for that forest floor? How much time did it take to set up these scenes?
A. Building the scenery is the most time consuming part. It takes a few weeks. It takes less time now than it used to because I keep all my scenery; Once I make a tree, I never have to build that tree again. I move branches around, but the hard part is done and I can use it over and over again. I have a huge miniature tree collection. Setting the scene up goes pretty quickly and can be done in a few days.
Q. Can you share a little more about your method?
A. For me it is all about working with a character I am excited to spend time with. The great thing about working with a character that actually exists, physically, is that you can literally spend time with them, happily oblivious to what may evolve into a story. You can get to know them just by being around them. I was so pleased with the way Hank turned out that I had him accompany me around my house. I saw the way light affected him. Hank, on a sunny day looked so different from how he looked on a cloudy day. When it rained I noticed he is not a run-outside-in-the-rain kind of character, rather he is a lets-look-at-the-rain-through-the-window kind of character.
Q. Is this your first trade picture book?
A. Yes. I made two self-published books previously, just to prove that my work could be a book. The gutter always poses a problem in photographic books. Do you let the image bleed to the gutter? Can you have a facing image that also bleeds to the gutter? When does this create visual confusion? I made the self-published books to prove that the “gutter problem” was not an insurmountable obstacle.
Q. Did I read that you will be teaching folks how to build dioramas?
A. I do craft events at libraries. I love helping children make their own scenes. I thought it would be great to show pictures of the kids making dioramas on a blog. But it is hard to get everyone to agree to have their pictures, or even their dioramas, shown on the web. I understand the need for privacy but I still take pictures so kids can see the finished result is not always a beautiful diorama; Sometimes the final result is a beautiful picture. You can almost always find a beautiful moment in a diorama that a child has given up on. They get really excited to see how their vision can be realized with light and photography.
Q. How else are you celebrating the release of HANK FINDS AN EGG?
A. I had a big party for all the people who helped me with the book last summer. I feel so lucky to have great friends who help me with compositions and graphics and story structure. And making book #2 is a celebration as well. I learned so much while making book #1 and it is great to put these lessons to use book #2. I cannot think of a better way to celebrate than to make another book!
I can't wait to see it! Thanks so much for stopping by, Rebecca!!
GIVEAWAY!
Rebecca has kindly agreed to give one free, signed copy of HANK FINDS AN EGG to one of my lucky commenters. (Must live in the US or Canada to win.) Enter below!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Happy Kwanzaa!!
Kwanzaa begins today and runs through Wednesday, January 1st. And my friend, R. Gregory Christie has a special reason to celebrate it this year. He created a Kwanzaa stamp for the US Post Office!!! Isn't it gorgeous!Go visit Greg at gas-arts.com and see all his award-winning books (Coretta Scott King award-winners) and the cool things he's doing for the community!
Merry Christmas!
I wish you and your family the very best this Christmas. If the kiddies get bored, rush to my Coloring Pages and download some holiday cheer!
Coloring Page Tuesday - Decorating the Christmas Tree
Dear Readers, Thank you for your kind support, comments, and emails in 2013 - I love hearing from you! And I'm working hard to bring you new and interesting coloring pages, giveaways, and BOOKS in 2014. I hope my work continues to be something you value - just as I value you!
CLICK HERE for more Christmas coloring pages to share with your loved ones tomorrow! And be sure to share your creations in my gallery so I can put them in my upcoming newsletters! (They don't have to be cards - I love scribbly kids art too!)
Sign up to receive alerts when a new coloring page is posted each week and... Please check out my books! Especially...
Click the cover to learn about my picture book THE 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS IN GEORGIA! Makes a GREAT teacher gift! Don't live in Georgia? Check with your local bookseller - Sterling has a version for each state.
Good tidings...
I love the holiday season and this year some happenings have made it extra special. Yesterday my cousins (and children to my cousins) gathered for our annual cookie decorating party - mostly a slimy, sugar fest. Although the kids are starting to get older and a little more careful with where the frosting flies.
At the pool, I swim with a baritone singer who adores the acoustics in the pool room. And we adore hearing him sing Christmas carols as we come up for air. Makes me smile.
For Christmas Eve we'll be celebrating the Feast of the Seven Fishes with our friends and neighbors. This is a fairly new tradition (as of last year) and we are enjoying it thoroughly! A bit of Italian tradition thrown in with our own!
And Christmas Day will be a gathering of family and gifts galore for the youngest ones (and the fuzzies). Not a bad holiday! I hope you and yours have a lovely one to!!
At the pool, I swim with a baritone singer who adores the acoustics in the pool room. And we adore hearing him sing Christmas carols as we come up for air. Makes me smile.
For Christmas Eve we'll be celebrating the Feast of the Seven Fishes with our friends and neighbors. This is a fairly new tradition (as of last year) and we are enjoying it thoroughly! A bit of Italian tradition thrown in with our own!
And Christmas Day will be a gathering of family and gifts galore for the youngest ones (and the fuzzies). Not a bad holiday! I hope you and yours have a lovely one to!!
Most Popular Book from Each State Map
This is so cool! It's a map of the US showing the most popular book from each state at Business Insider. Georgia claims GONE WITH THE WIND of course. How about your state - did they get it right?
Click on the image to get a better look.
Thanks to Nathan Bransford for the heads up!
Awesome last minute Christmas Gifts for the Writer in your life
Here's the PERFECT gift for the writer in your life... AquaNotes!
Put away the china marker or lipstick you've been using to write on your shower walls. AquaNotes has you covered - and they're not that expensive!
Thanks to Tara Lazar for the heads up!
Fingerless Alpaca gloves from The Animal Rescue Site. For all those days when you have to keep typing, but your office is COLD. This particular mitt is currently out of stock, but these are the ideal to shoot for if you search elsewhere for fingerless gloves.
Sound blocking headphones. If you're workspace is like mine (in my home), you probably hate the sound of weed eaters. Arghhhhh! How is a writer supposed to concentrate with all that high-pitched whirring going on??? Many companies make earphones like this, and there's now a new earbud style, but Bose is your starting point...
Alpaca Socks (these are from Alpaca Mall). These are much softer than bunny slippers. Have you discovered the joy of writing in Alpaca socks yet? Ahhhhhh!!!
A coffee/tea/hot chocolate cup warmer. This one plugs right into your USB port! (The regular plug-in kind is cheap and you can buy them anywhere.) Because no writer wants to interrupt their creative flow by having to go heat up their cup o' Joe!
A fuzzy throw blanket. Joy doesn't come cheaper than this. Fuzzy throws are great for curling up with while writing or reading a good book. These fuzzies from Target are an easy gift! (Fun solid colors are available HERE.)
So, if you have a writer in your life in need of a last-minute gift, I hope these give you some ideas!
Put away the china marker or lipstick you've been using to write on your shower walls. AquaNotes has you covered - and they're not that expensive!
Thanks to Tara Lazar for the heads up!
Fingerless Alpaca gloves from The Animal Rescue Site. For all those days when you have to keep typing, but your office is COLD. This particular mitt is currently out of stock, but these are the ideal to shoot for if you search elsewhere for fingerless gloves.
Sound blocking headphones. If you're workspace is like mine (in my home), you probably hate the sound of weed eaters. Arghhhhh! How is a writer supposed to concentrate with all that high-pitched whirring going on??? Many companies make earphones like this, and there's now a new earbud style, but Bose is your starting point...
Alpaca Socks (these are from Alpaca Mall). These are much softer than bunny slippers. Have you discovered the joy of writing in Alpaca socks yet? Ahhhhhh!!!
A coffee/tea/hot chocolate cup warmer. This one plugs right into your USB port! (The regular plug-in kind is cheap and you can buy them anywhere.) Because no writer wants to interrupt their creative flow by having to go heat up their cup o' Joe!
A fuzzy throw blanket. Joy doesn't come cheaper than this. Fuzzy throws are great for curling up with while writing or reading a good book. These fuzzies from Target are an easy gift! (Fun solid colors are available HERE.)
So, if you have a writer in your life in need of a last-minute gift, I hope these give you some ideas!
Friday Linky List
Virtual 3D Sculpting App - obviously the technology has a long way to go - but what a start!!! Thanks to SwissMiss for the heads up.
Document: The Symbolism Survey (via PW Children's Bookshelf). "In 1963, a sixteen-year-old San Diego high school student named Bruce McAllister sent a four-question mimeographed survey to 150 well-known authors of literary, commercial, and science fiction...Sixty-five of those responses survive..."
The Magic of Metaphor: What Children's Minds Teach Us About the Evolution of the Imagination at Brain Pickings.
Literary Feuds of 2013 by Page-Turner of The New Yorker
Behind the Books: 10 Ways Authors Can Help Educators from Melissa Stewart at Celebrate Science
"If you want your hopes and dreams to be more than just hopes and dreams, than you need to do a lot more than just hoping and dreaming." - Cale Atkinson
The Muddy Puddles Project - Inspired by Ty Campbell who passed away from pediatric cancer at age 5.
Okay, this has nothing to do with writing, but I don't know a woman alive who isn't interested: "6 Foods That Fight Off Belly Bloat" - especially important at this time of year! :)
Head over to Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast to read the best rejection letter evah! received by Jon Agee back in 1981.
Some History of YA Novels at writerjenn. Fascinating!!
How To Write Your First Book at BuzzFeed - Twenty-one successful authors — including Junot Díaz, Charlaine Harris, Dean Koontz, and George Saunders — tell how they overcame writer’s block, completed, and sold their debut titles.
(The last two links are from Nathan Bransford's blog - do you follow him?)
Document: The Symbolism Survey (via PW Children's Bookshelf). "In 1963, a sixteen-year-old San Diego high school student named Bruce McAllister sent a four-question mimeographed survey to 150 well-known authors of literary, commercial, and science fiction...Sixty-five of those responses survive..."
The Magic of Metaphor: What Children's Minds Teach Us About the Evolution of the Imagination at Brain Pickings.
Literary Feuds of 2013 by Page-Turner of The New Yorker
Behind the Books: 10 Ways Authors Can Help Educators from Melissa Stewart at Celebrate Science
"If you want your hopes and dreams to be more than just hopes and dreams, than you need to do a lot more than just hoping and dreaming." - Cale Atkinson
The Muddy Puddles Project - Inspired by Ty Campbell who passed away from pediatric cancer at age 5.
Okay, this has nothing to do with writing, but I don't know a woman alive who isn't interested: "6 Foods That Fight Off Belly Bloat" - especially important at this time of year! :)
Head over to Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast to read the best rejection letter evah! received by Jon Agee back in 1981.
Some History of YA Novels at writerjenn. Fascinating!!
How To Write Your First Book at BuzzFeed - Twenty-one successful authors — including Junot Díaz, Charlaine Harris, Dean Koontz, and George Saunders — tell how they overcame writer’s block, completed, and sold their debut titles.
(The last two links are from Nathan Bransford's blog - do you follow him?)
THE SMALLEST GIFT OF CHRISTMAS by Peter Reynolds - Giveaway!
I have a treat for you today, lucky readers!!! The wonderful creator of such books as THE DOT and ISH, Peter Reynolds is here to talk about his newest creation THE SMALLEST GIFT OF CHRISTMAS!
Q. Peter, you have become the master of simplicity and defining ambiguous ideas. Is that just the way you think?
A. Yes. I could expound, but less is more.
Q. You do it again in THE SMALLEST GIFT OF CHRISTMAS by dealing with size, how our value of things can change depending on how we look at them. How long does it take you to noodle out such a lofty idea?
A. The initial idea strikes like lightning and it is almost an emergency situation to find pen to put to paper some fragment of that idea to preserve it. It may be months or years before I return to begin the "taffy pull." That is the process of stretching the concept out into a timeline — making room for a setting, characters and, most important, the "knot" to be untied.
Photo credit: Gretje Ferguson.
Q. And how do the ideas come to you? Are you a seeker of the ambiguous and amorphous?
A. I have "story radar" built into my brain. The alert sounds during conversations or times of reflection. I may also misread or mishear something and end up liking the idea. I most enjoy looking for universal ideas worth sharing in new ways. What inspires me is being the voice for those who might not have found theirs yet. I want my readers to hear me saying, "Ignore the labels and the experts (unless it brings you joy and seems to be working), and bravely make your voice heard and envision your own path." The Dot, Ish, Sky Color, and The North Star were inspired by that mission.
Q. I think every child wishes for THE BIGGEST present. Did you when you were young?
A. I'm guessing it was a Christmas morning in 1968, when I raced to the tree to find my gifts and saw an enormous gift beside the tree. My heart leapt with joy. Then I read the tag. It was not for me! It was for... gasp... my little sister, Renie. Wanting that big gift threw me for a loop on what should have been a magical morning for a wee lad. By the way, turned out to be a 3-dollar sled my dad had bought. That is the sort of thing dads do trying to be helpful, not realizing the art and science of gift distribution to a gaggle of kids. I ended up quite happy with my own gift — a set of 24 Scottish jams in tiny jars that actually became one of my most treasured gifts ever. It took a year before I finished up the last little jar of gooseberry jam.
Q. We never find out what's in the box - any hints?
A. It's a pair of Christmas socks. The kind with red and green lights and a music box built in. Painful to walk on, but very festive.
I'm kidding. Isn't it better to leave to your imagination? I do have a thought, but I will wait until 2023 for the 10th anniversary of The Smallest Gift of Christmas.
Q. I love the way the story ends—its a satisfying reminder of what's important in life. How do you work out a story arc?
A. I'm glad you liked it. It actually ends quietly, without a lot of fanfare. I wanted to make a point that after a rocket-fueled adventure, the simplicity of just being with your family is actually more powerful. My method of arc building is to "film" the story in my head. My imagination fuses with logic to create a satisfying story that makes sense.
Q. This book looks like a different illustration method for you, yes? How did you do it?
A. I love my crow quill, ink, and watercolor on paper, but I am not locked into one set of tools. It is refreshing to try new ways of expressing myself. My other hat in life is being co-founder of FableVision, www.fablevision.com — a transmedia studio. We do quite a bit of animation using digital tools. I used Adobe Flash to create this book because it’s an environment I feel very comfy creating in. I am working on developing this into an animated holiday special tentatively renamed as "ROLAND & THE CHRISTMAS ROCKET."
Q. Can you share your path to publication?
A. Karen Lotz at Candlewick actually dreamed up the title "The Smallest Gift of Christmas," initially imagining a very small trim size. They asked me if I would consider creating a Christmas book with this title. After mulling for a month, I was ready to say “no.” I felt that there were plenty of Christmas books out there — and owning a bookshop myself (wwww.bluebunnybooks.com), I had seen some mighty fine ones — but also many that started looking the same. I did not want to add to that pile. When I told my wife it was a “no go,” she was upset that I was missing an opportunity to give the season my take and twist. I was upset that she was upset. And that frustration was the inspiration. Here I was: a lucky soul who makes children's books, feeling all out of sorts — like a small child with "great expectations" on Christmas morning, dashed with the "smallest gift" under the tree!
Q. Any words of wisdom for those hoping to create their own DOTs and ISHs in life?
A. Dream. Listen. Play. Write. Draw. Share. Repeat.
Thanks so much for stopping by!
Thanks, Elizabeth for inviting me over for a cup of cocoa and a great chat. By the way, nice Christmas socks you're wearing! [e: How did you know!?]
Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and a Happy New Year to you and your readers.
GIVEAWAY!
Candlewick has kindly agreed to send one free copy of THE SMALLEST GIFT OF CHRISTMAS to one of my lucky commenters. (Must live in the US or Canada to win.) Enter below!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Photo Shoot Time!
So yesterday I had a photo shoot with Vania of VLC Productions down around the lake in Avondale Estates. It was time. At one of my last school visits, we got to the bio page and a sweet, darling, precious little boy said, "Is that supposed to be you? It doesn't look like you!" Grrrr.
Okay, fine. So my hair wasn't as gray back then. Pah! I think it looked like me! But of course, in my head I haven't aged. And my publisher needs a photo for the print version of A BIRD ON WATER STREET (May release). They would have been okay with an older photo, but I'm not the sort of author who wants to stay 30 on my jacketflap through the end of time, so - photo shoot time.
Enter Vania. She's becoming THE PR kit person in the south for PB, MG, and YA creators. She made the photo shoot easy, even though I hate having my picture taken. It's so awkward. But it happens a lot in this biz, so you learn a few tricks. You know... Butt away from the camera, head forward, the lower you are in front of the lense - the less chin. (People often ask, "Why are you leaning forward" when I pose with them in photos. I'm like, 'trust me.')
And my bud Vicky Alvear Shecter dropped by to tell jokes while I was striking a pose. So the smiles are real.
I think we might have gotten some decent ones. I'll share when I can.
Okay, fine. So my hair wasn't as gray back then. Pah! I think it looked like me! But of course, in my head I haven't aged. And my publisher needs a photo for the print version of A BIRD ON WATER STREET (May release). They would have been okay with an older photo, but I'm not the sort of author who wants to stay 30 on my jacketflap through the end of time, so - photo shoot time.
Enter Vania. She's becoming THE PR kit person in the south for PB, MG, and YA creators. She made the photo shoot easy, even though I hate having my picture taken. It's so awkward. But it happens a lot in this biz, so you learn a few tricks. You know... Butt away from the camera, head forward, the lower you are in front of the lense - the less chin. (People often ask, "Why are you leaning forward" when I pose with them in photos. I'm like, 'trust me.')
And my bud Vicky Alvear Shecter dropped by to tell jokes while I was striking a pose. So the smiles are real.
I think we might have gotten some decent ones. I'll share when I can.
Coloring Page Tuesday - Reindeer!
CLICK HERE for more Christmas coloring pages! And be sure to share your creations in my gallery so I can put them in my upcoming newsletters! (I NEED MORE!!!!) (They don't have to be cards - share your kids' art too!)
Sign up to receive alerts when a new coloring page is posted each week and... Please check out my books! Especially...
Click the cover to learn about my picture book THE 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS IN GEORGIA! Makes a GREAT teacher gift! Don't live in Georgia? Check with your local bookseller - Sterling has a version for each state.
A writer's dream-week!
This week I enjoyed two writing treats... Jerry Pinkney dropped by the Central Library in downtown Atlanta and our SCBWI chapter (Southern Breeze - Alabama, Georgia, and the Florida panhandle) threw him a small reception afterwards. Busloads of kids came in to hear him talk about his childhood and creative influences. What a gracious and charming man!Then Saturday night, my husband and I attended a book launch party for Jessica Handler's BRAVING THE FIRE: A GUIDE TO WRITING ABOUT GRIEF AND LOSS. Jess's first book, INVISIBLE SISTERS was a tough one to write. It was about the loss of her sisters, each to rare, completely unrelated diseases. It was an anomaly to have one such disease in a family, but to have two stumped doctors completely. Jess and I had many lunches while she worked through the anxiety of sharing her story with the world. After it was released to critical acclaim, she was asked to speak at numerous writers groups on the topic which became this, her second book, which will help many people share their own personal stories of loss in beautiful and eloquent ways.
Add to that, the launch party was a who's who of local authors. We had such fun mingling with Joshilyn Jackson (author); Joe Davich (Georgia Center for the Book); Terra Elan McVoy (author); James Taylor (Atlanta libraries) and his wife Lynn; Daren Wang (Decatur Book Festival/author); Philip Rafshoon (DBF) and his partner; Kate Sweeney (WABE/author); and of course, Jessica and her husband, Mickey. (And I'm certain I'm forgetting others.) What a wonderful gathering of literary-minded folk there to celebrate our friend's latest success. It reminded me why I love to live where I do so much.
The Power of Empathy, Animated
Dr. Brene Brown reminds us that we can only create a genuine empathic connection if we are brave enough to really get in touch with our own fragilities.
Thanks to SwissMiss for the heads up.
Five more minutes
5 MORE MINUTES - animated short from Tom Yaniv on Vimeo.
If it doesn't show up in your feed - CLICK HERE.
Thanks to The Kid Should See This for the heads up.
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