Upcoming NESCBWI Events Check out the events page at New England Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators on Facebook. September 6, 7, & 8, 2019 SCBWI New England weekend retreat at Squam Lake, New Hampshire September 14 Encore for Writers in Hartford, CT, on September 14, where with all the best writer work- shops from the past conference will return. September 28 Registration to open soon for ENCORE! North for Illustrators All the best Illustration work- shops from the past two con- ference will be reprised. Our full day includes continental breakfast, lunch, five illustration presentations, a book sale and signing, and CRITIQUES! May 1-3, 2020 The NESCBWI Annual Spring Conference “Finding Joy in the Journey” Stay tuned! N ews the society of children’s book writers illustrators & New England July - August 2019 NESCBWI19 Scenes photos courtesy of Pam Vaughan Top photo: Conference Co--directors RA Kris Asselin. Loretta Kapinos, Casey Robinson. Above: RA Stacy Mozer (R) presenting the Crystal Kite Award to Deborah Freedman. Above right: Marilyn Salerno (L) receives the distinguished service award for her many years as NESCBWI Regional Advisor from current Central NESCBWI RA Kris Asselin. Right: conference presenters authors Patricia MacLachlan and Heidi E.Y. Stemple sold out!
Transcript
Upcoming NESCBWI Events
Check out the events page at New England
Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators
on Facebook.
September 6, 7, & 8, 2019SCBWI New England
weekend retreat at Squam Lake, New Hampshire
September 14Encore for Writers in Hartford,
CT, on September 14, where with all the best writer work-
shops from the past conference will return.
September 28Registration to open soon for
ENCORE! North for IllustratorsAll the best Illustration work-shops from the past two con-ference will be reprised. Our full day includes continental
breakfast, lunch, five illustration presentations, a book sale and
signing, and CRITIQUES!
May 1-3, 2020The NESCBWI
Annual Spring Conference“Finding Joy in the Journey”
Stay tuned!
News the society of children’s book writers illustrators&New England
July - August 2019
NESCBWI19 Scenes photos courtesy of
Pam Vaughan
Top photo: Conference Co--directors RA Kris Asselin. Loretta Kapinos, Casey Robinson.
Above: RA Stacy Mozer (R) presenting the Crystal Kite Award to Deborah Freedman.
Above right: Marilyn Salerno (L) receives the distinguished service award for her many years as NESCBWI Regional Advisor from current Central NESCBWI RA Kris Asselin.
Right: conference presenters authors Patricia MacLachlan and Heidi E.Y. Stemple
sold out!
What’s Inside!
The Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators New England Who’s Who page 2 Meet & Greets! page 3 NESCBWI19 Conference Wrap-up page 5Illustrator Day page 8RA Desk page 9Squam Lake Retreat page 10Member News page 11Market Report page 15A Critique Group of Seven Writers page 19 Critique Group News page 20
The Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators New England Your Regional Team
Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/nescbwi
The NEWS is available to all SCBWI members through www.newengland.scbwi.orgTheNew England Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators is a chapter of the international Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators, 8271 Beverly Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90048. See www.scbwi.org for more information. Articles and events listed in the NEWS are for your information only and, except for SCBWI sponsored events, should not be considered an endorsement.
The New England region is an all-volunteer organization. To volunteer, please email your Regional Advisor.
Original artwork, photos, and articles are property of their creators and may be reproduced only with their written permission.
What’s on the Horizon for Meet & Greets in New England
Shawn T. Anderson
Summer’s in full swing. The lilacs have passed up here in Vermont, the mountain lupines are fading, and beautiful lilies and fields of buttercups are starting to take center stage. Though the Meet & Greet calendar tends to lighten June–August, there are exciting gatherings sprouting up around New England. Plus, we’re excited to give you a first glimpse at some new locations that we’re busy organizing behind the scenes.
You asked, and we listened! Based on email responses to Meet & Greet emails and Facebook posts, we have some new locations prepping to host SCBWI social gatherings later in the summer and into early fall.
In addition to the regular events that reoccur across our region (please note: some of your favorites are on hiatus until September), here’s a sneak peek at what’s on the horizon for new Meet & Greets in New England:
The Upper Valley Region of New Hampshire We have an organizer. We have secured a venue. We’re working on dates and times. Look for more information regarding this Meet & Greet in late August. It will likely launch in September.
Western Connecticut, finally! Connecticut has one of the most active Meet & Greet communities in New England with multiple reoccurring gatherings. However, we get numerous monthly emails requesting meetings on the western side of the state. I’m happy to announce that we have an organizer in place and we are working on nailing down the logistics.
North Shore of Massachusetts We recently had Meet & Greets in Rockport and Salem. We are looking to continue to grow engagement in this area, so look for new meetings coming in the future.
North Country/Littleton, New Hampshire A new member has stepped up to take this on as a project, and together, we are actively looking for the right spot to host it. Stay tuned for more details.
There are still some corners of New England that we are trying to better serve. Based on feedback, we currently looking for organizers in the following areas:
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•Maine (beyond the Portland area; preferably mid-coast)
•Tilton/Laconia and Concord in New Hampshire
•The Keene NH/Brattleboro VT/Western MA area
Opportunities to relaunch popular Meet & Greets
In the past, we’ve had wonderful Meet & Greets in Northampton, MA and Portsmouth, NH. We still get emails from members asking when these will start back up. To get these reinstated, we need volunteers to help organize them.
A new, exciting opportunity! We recently had Blue Bunny Books/Mocha Java Expresso Bar and Café contact us, expressing interest in being a location for future Meet & Greets in Dedham, MA. All that we need is someone to say YES to organizing it and working with the bookstore/café to get it off the ground. This is a wonderful opportunity to work with a fabulous indie bookstore. Any takers?
Are you interested hosting or attending any of these, or a Meet & Greet of your own? Contact Shawn at [email protected], and we can help get you started.
Greater Hartford (Middletown, CT) Date: Tuesday, July 9 Time: 6:30-8:30 Place: Wesleyan RJ Julia Bookstore (413 Main Street, Middletown, CT) Theme: Drop in and Write. Come and chat and maybe get a little work done at the same time. Contact: Juliana Spink Mills [email protected]
Central Vermont (Montpelier, VT) Date: Thursday, July 11 Time: 5:30pm-7:00pm (followed by faculty and guest readings until 8:15pm) Place: Vermont College of Fine Arts, Montpelier, VT Theme: It’s residency time at VCFA and they’re opening their doors to our community. Meet in the café at 5:30pm. Faculty and guest readings are from 7:00pm–8:15pm in the chapel. The evening’s readings will include selections from Kathi Appelt, Mary Quattlebaum, Liz Garton Scanlon, Cynthia Leitich Smith, and Jennifer Ziegler. Contact: Shawn Anderson [email protected] or Ann Davina Cardinal [email protected]
Metro Boston Area (Cambridge, MA) Date: Tuesday, July 23 Time: 9:30am–12:30pm Place: Cornerstone Village Cohousing, 175 Harvey St., Cambridge, MA 02140 Contact: Jenise Aminoff, [email protected] Theme: This is a co-working meeting—we’ll spend the first half hour talking about our current work, then spend the rest of our time WORKING. Light refreshments will be served. Feel free to bring a lunch with you. If you’re not a Cambridge resident, a parking consideration will allow you to park on adjacent streets, but we are also on the bike path, very close to the Alewife T station. PLEASE NOTE: This is a recurring Meet & Greet that gathers on the 4th Tuesday of each month.
Summer photo inspiration by Shawn
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Northeast Kingdom & Central Vermont (Danville, VT) Date: Thursday, July 25 Time: 6:00pm–8:00pm Venue: Goodfella’s Restaurant & Tavern, 59 Parker Rd., Danville, VT 05828 (right off Rt. 2) Theme: Reading, writing, illustrating, and publishing: what are your goals this summer? Contact: Please RSVP to Shawn Anderson at [email protected] or Marilyn McDowell at [email protected], so that we can plan for space.
NESCBWI Regional Spring Conference: “Golden Brick Road: Paving the Way to Success”
Wrap-up By Co-director Casey W. Robinson
More than 600 writers and illustrators from six New England states and beyond made the trek to Springfield, MA for the 46th annual New England regional SCBWI conference on May 3-5, 2019. This year’s theme, “Golden Brick Road: Paving the Way to Success,” focused on the diverse ways of succeeding in publishing, and included 70 workshops on craft, various publication paths, and the business of publishing.
Friday evening kicked off with inspiring words from famed author Jane Yolen followed by a Fireside Chat with legendary (and hilarious) special guest Patricia “no frills” MacLachlan, moderated by Heidi E.Y. Stemple. Friday also offered a new Icebreaker Pitch Party event, headshot photo opportunities, and plenty of networking and social time.
In addition to portfolio reviews, manuscript critiques, and social media and career consultations with faculty, Saturday’s agenda included two lively panel discussions on “Creating with Humor and Heart” and “Exploring Paths Less Traveled.” Evening activities included a live Critique Group Demo, the always-popular Open Mic event, and the Portfolio Showcase, which once again demonstrated the remarkable depth and breadth of illustrator talent in New England.
Conference highlights included two keynote addresses, which were brimming with insight, inspiration and authenticity. Writer Lynda Mullaly Hunt moved many to tears as she shared her
Conference Co-directors: RA Kristine Asseline, Loretta Kapinos (2018-
19), Casey Robinson (2019-20)
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personal journey and how it has informed her writing. “We can’t be creative and we can’t make connections unless we open ourselves up,” she remarked. Boston-based artist Ekua Holmes made hearts soar on Sunday as she shared her powerful collage-based art and stories of her own path to illustrating children’s literature, reminding all that “every book is its own universe.”
Several annual regional writing and illustration awards and scholarships were announced and celebrated, including a new Windows & Mirrors scholarship. Award winners included Crystal Kite recipient Deborah Freedman for her picture book “This House, Once” and Portfolio Showcase winner Neesha Hudson, who also designed the 2019 Conference Logo. For a full list of awards and award recipients, click here (or visit https://newengland.scbwi.org/history/
new-england-scbwi-scholarships/).
Special thanks to Conference Director Loretta Kapinos, Regional Advisor Kristine Asselin, and to the 150+ on-site volunteers who devoted their time and energy to making the conference a success for all.
Mark your calendars! Next year’s New England Regional conference will be May 1-3, 2020 at the Springfield Sheraton Monarch Place. The theme is “Finding Joy in the Journey” with conference co-director Julia Spink Mills. Planning is already well underway. Stay tuned for announcements on who our fabulous keynotes will be, as well as how to apply if you’re interested in being part of next year’s faculty. We hope you’ll join us!
Anyone interested in applying to be considered for faculty workshops at for NESCBWI20 may do so starting on July 15. We will post a link then for anyone who wants to be considered. Our conference theme will be “Finding Joy in the Journey” and dates are May 1 -3, 2020. We’ll accept proposals until August 15th.
From the volunteer coordinators,
A special thank you to all of the 2019 NESCBWI Spring Conference volunteers. We had over
Presenters Mia Wenjen and Lisa Yee
Loretta & Lynda Mullaly Hunt
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150 volunteers this year! The conference couldn’t have run without you. We truly appreciate your time and the positive energy you brought to the event, and we hope you had a wonderful, inspiring weekend!
Thank you!
A word from Kristy Acevedo and Rachal Aronson, NESCBWI19 Volunteer C0-Coordinators
The conference would not run without volunteers. If you enjoyed the conference, remember ALL these people made it happen. Next year, will be looking for volunteers again. Thanks to everyone who participated.
Abi Cushman, Adeline Hooper, Alexandra Stewart, Alice Fulgione, Alison Potoma, Amanda Davis, Amanda Smith, Amitha Knight, Amy Healey, Angela H Dale, Angela Kunkle, Anita Palmeri Overgaard, Ann Cardinal, Ann Magee, Annie Cronin Romano, Becca Crockett, Betsy Devany, Betsy Johnson, Betsy Koscher, Brian Schmidt, Caitlin Gutheil, Carol Munro, Carole McKee Armen, Carrie Finison, Cary Jewkes, Casey Robinson, Cathy Mealey, Cathy Ogren, Cherish Ann Lisee, Chris Friden, Christina Cooper, Christy Yaros, Cindy Rodriguez, Colleen Getty, Colleen O Murphy, Corinne Demas, Dan Shanahan, Dana Nuenighoff, Dawn Lesley Stewart, and…
Dawn Prewitt, Deb DiTomaso, Denise Ortakales, Eileen Washburn, Elisabeth (Beth) Morgan, Elissa Turnbull, Francine Puckly, Gina Neuman, Greg Fishbone, Heidi Fiedler, Jamie Deenihan, Janet Costa Bates, Jeanette Bradley, Jeanne McGonagle, Jenise Aminoff, Jennifer Brownlow Bagdigian, Jill Dailey, Jim Ryan, Jim Townsend, Joanne E Donovan, Joannie Duris, John Bell, Josh Roberts, Joyce Johnson, Julia Boyce, Juliana Spink Mills, Julie Cremin, Julie Rowan-Zoch, Kalee Gwarjanski, Kara LaReau, Karen Lindeborg, Kari Allen, Kari Percival, Karin Lefranc, Kate Lynch, Kate Simpson, Kate Woodle, Kelly Carey, Keri Demers, Kim Chaffee, and…
Kimberly Mach, Kirsti Call, Kris Asselin, Kristen Overman, Kristen Schroeder, Kristi Mahoney, Kristine Carlson Asselin, Kristy Acevedo, Laura Cooper, Laura Jackson, Laura Salafia, Lauren Berg, Leanne Luetkemeyer, Linda Albertson-Thorpe, Lisa Griffin, Lisa Robinson, Lisa Stringfellow, Loretta Kapinos, LouAnn Silva, Lynda Mullaly-Hunt, Lynn Katz, Marcia Williams, Margo Lemieux, Maria Marshall, Marilyn Salerno, Mark Freeman, Martha Simpson, Marti Johnson, Mary Copp, Matt Forrest Esenwine, Meg Thacher, Megan Dowd Lambert, Megan Scudellari, Meghan Burch, Michelle Cusolito,
Volunteers Alison Potoma and Sarah Lynne Reul
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Milanka Reardon, Miranda Levin, and…
Monica Acker, Nancy Tandon, Nell Wright, Nichole Charbonneau, Pam Vaughan, Phaea Crede, Rachal Aronson, Rachel Menard, Rajani LaRocca, Rebecca Smith-Allen, Rebekah Lowell, Russ Cox, Sally Hinkley, Sally Riley, Sally Wilkins, Sam Taylor, Samantha Grenier, Samarrah Clayman, Sandy Budiansky, Sara Dion, Sarah Corson, Sarah Hetu-Radny, Sarah Lynne Reul, Sarah S. Brannen, Sarah Skolfield, Sarah Tuttle, Shannon Harrison, Shawn Anderson, Shirley Pearson, Sonia Miller, Stacy Mozer, Susan E. Harris, Susan Garrett, Susan Montella-Jelley, Susan Novich, Susan Waide, Tara Sullivan.
Next year, be part of the group! We’ll be looking for help.
(photos by Pam Vaughan)
NESCBWI Illustrator Day
Denise Ortakales
New England SCBWI held a roll-up-your-sleeves, hands-on, full-day workshop with Caldecott Honor winner, Melissa Sweet, on May 11 at the Curtis Memorial Library in Brunswick, Maine. A supply list was sent out two weeks before the workshop so we were all prepared with special papers, normal collage tools and other goodies to share. Melissa helped us explore different materials, new ways of fastening materials to each other, and playing with collage. The aim was to be spontaneous and stretch ourselves beyond our comfort zone. She started with a short slide show at the beginning, and ended with Q+A. In-between she had us jumping from one project to another. We created collages, color wheels, deconstructed an old book and reconstructed it into a new journal, and finally worked on a found poem from a dictionary page.
We are grateful to Russ Cox, Illustrator Coordinator for Northern New England SCBWI ([email protected]) who organized the workshop. He did a great job and we look forward to other great events coordinated by him. If you missed the workshop, take heart, Melissa is open to repeating it in the future. Stay tuned!
Photo: IC Denise Ortakales, IC Milanka Reardon, Melissa Sweet, and IC Russ Cox.
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From the RA’s Desk
Jeanette Bradley, Illustrator Coordinator Southern New England
Introducing the Equity and Inclusion Committee.
“Books are sometimes windows, offering views of worlds that may be real or imagined, familiar or strange. These windows are also sliding glass doors, and readers have only to walk through in imagination to become part of whatever world has been created or recreated by the author. When lighting conditions are just right, however, a window can also be a mirror. Literature transforms human experience and reflects it back to us, and in that reflection we can see our own lives and experiences as part of the larger human experience.”
-Rudine Sims Bishop, 1990
Children’s book publishing has been engaged in an ongoing conversation about diversity and the importance of diverse books to serve as both windows and mirrors for kids’ lives. Organizations such as We Need Diverse Books and the Cooperative Children’s Book Center have spurred the industry to increase the number of books published that reflect that almost half of American children are people of color.
When thinking about how NESCBWI fits into this conversation, I was struck by the mission of SCBWI, which states we “support the creation of quality children’s literature… by fostering a vibrant community of individuals.”
NESCBWI doesn’t grow books; it grows book creators. Our purpose as an organization is to provide education and support for individual creators within the New England children’s literature community. Our strengths as a regional organization lie both in the individual creators that we have as members and in the decades of community building that many people have put into NESCBWI.
When there is a history of marginalization in an industry, it is not enough to declare oneself diverse and move on. Moving toward a fully inclusive and equitable organization is a complex process that takes time and work. Which is why I am grateful to the volunteers who have stepped forward to shape our new initiative: Autumn Allen, Janet Costa Bates, Valerie Bolling, Ken Daley, Amitha Knight, Rajani LaRocca, Lisa Stringfellow, and Mia Wenjen. Together, this committee has decades of experience working on inclusion and equity initiatives in education, policy, and other organizations.
Lisa Stringfellow & Autumn Allen
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The mission of the NESCBWI Equity and Inclusion Committee is to create and enact initiatives that support increased equity, diversity, and inclusion throughout our region. By increasing access and support for writers and illustrators from groups historically marginalized and underrepresented in children’s literature, promoting education for members around issues of diversity and inclusion as it relates to publishing, and planning events and gatherings to support a diverse community, the committee hopes to increase the depth and quality of books that will meet the needs of all children.
In the coming year, we plan to:
*Develop a strategic plan to increase membership among creators from historically underrepresented and marginalized groups in our region and to make current members who identify with those groups feel welcomed and valued;
*Create more experiences that meet our diverse community’s needs;
*Maintain an ongoing conversation about equity and inclusion through a column in our regional newsletter; and
*Provide two Windows & Mirrors scholarships for our regional conference.
We also hope to hear from you. If there is something related to Equity and Inclusion that you would like to see in NESCBWI programming, please email Jeanette Bradley, Illustrator Coordinator Southern New England at: [email protected] - or - click to fill out this anonymous survey with your suggestions.
Jeanette Bradley is the NESCBWI Illustrator Coordinator for Southern New England. Her author/illustrator debut picture book LOVE, MAMA was published by Roaring Brook Press in 2018. She is also co-editor and illustrator of the forthcoming anthology NO VOICE TOO SMALL: FOURTEEN YOUNG AMERICANS MAKING CHANGE (Charlesbridge, 2020) and illustrator of WHEN THE BABIES CAME TO STAY (Viking, 2020). Jeanette lives in Rhode Island with her wife and kids.
Lisa Stringfellow writes middle grade fiction and has taught middle school English and technology for 24 years. In her work, she has focused on culturally responsive literacy and issues of equity and social justice in the classroom. She co-facilitates an affinity group for Black and Latina students at her current school.
NESCBWI Squam Lake Retreat
Registration opened July 3rd at 1:00 pm for the 2019 SCBWI-NE Squam Lake Writing Retreat and sold out within a few days.
This small-group craft-focused retreat offers 28 writers a chance to connect with their writing, each other, and three talented industry professionals (this year’s mentors are editors Elizabeth Bicknell from Candlewick Press and Julie Bliven from Charlesbridge Publishing, Emily Mitchell from Wernick & Pratt Agency.) Cost includes room and board for the weekend, as well as a one-on-one critique with one of the mentors.
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Space is extremely limited, and spots fill up fast. Watch for next year!
Tell us what you’ve been up to in your writing life. Jot this down — [email protected] — and send me your news whenever you have it (or by August 21 for the next issue). This is a place for us to get to know each other. This is your piece of the newsletter. So please, use it when you’ve got some news. Thanks! — Carol Munro
Award Winners
Sarah Grace Tuttle’s debut book, HIDDEN CITY: POEMS OF URBAN WILDLIFE, has won the 2019 SCBWI Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award. The award is given every three years to an SCBWI member who has published a collection of poetry for children or young adults and comes with a $1000 grant. The winner is selected by noted children’s poet and anthologist Lee Bennett Hopkins.
HIDDEN CITY: POEMS OF URBAN WILDLIFE is a collection of free verse science poetry that celebrates and informs readers about wildlife in the city. Poems focus on specific species that range from dandelions to owls to snails. The book’s back matter includes fun facts about the species mentioned in the poems as well as further reading suggestions. The poetry is accompanied by Amy Schimler-Safford’s full-color collage art, which was featured in the Society of Illustrators’ The Original Art 2018 exhibition.
About getting it done, Sarah Grace says: “HIDDEN CITY is my love letter to the nature I rejoiced in growing up. It was born out of sheer stubbornness and the need to shout that came when people told me there wasn’t ‘real’ nature in the city. There is nature here. It is fascinating, thriving, and worthy of celebration. HIDDEN CITY started as an idea in college, as I doodled in one of the margins of my notebooks during class for my Environmental Studies degree. It became one of my mentorships during my time at Simmons College in the MFA in Writing for Children program. It landed me my fabulous agent, Anna Olswanger, and became my first book for children. From initial concept to publication by Eerdmans Books for Young Readers in 2018 was a journey of about nine years.
“When Lee Bennett Hopkins called to tell me my book had won this award, I think the first words out of my mouth were something like, ‘Are you kidding me?’ And then, I’m pretty sure I babbled…which was, of course, horrifyingly embarrassing. But, to be frank, this award is meaningful enough to me to merit the babble. HIDDEN CITY is my heart on the page. It is years of work, activism, research,
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and craft study. And knowing it resonates with others, and has been found worthy of this recognition, is validating, inspiring, and motivating. I am deeply grateful.”
www.sarahgracetuttle.com
On April 14, Sally Riley was awarded the Joan I. Glazer Award by ASTAL (The Alliance for the Study and Teaching of Adolescent Literature) at Rhode Island College. This award was established in honor of Joan Glazer to acknowledge her numerous contributions as a teacher, scholar, and leader in the field of literature for young people. It is now given to recognize leaders, teachers, scholars, and writers from all aspects of the field. Sally received the award for establishing and running the NESCBWI Encore program, which was held at Rhode Island College for 11 years, from 2007 through 2017. Several NESCBWI members surprised Sally by attending the luncheon where the award was presented.
Photo of Sally Riley and Joan Glazer.
Book Birthdays
August 1
The Iron Will Series: SURVIVING THE CAVE; SURVIVING THE ICE; SURVIVING THE STORM; and SURVIVING IN SPACE.
By Kristin J. Russo (Full Tilt Press)
Author Kristin J. Russo’s next nonfiction series is due out August 1, 2019. Titles in the Iron Will series, published by Full Tilt Press, include Surviving the Cave, Surviving the Ice, Surviving the Storm, and Surviving in Space. The books chronicle real-life catastrophes and the survivors who—drawing on their iron will—overcome drastic odds to make it through alive. Among the stories in Surviving the Cave is the rescue of a Thai soccer team trapped in darkness in a flooded cave for 18 days. Surviving the Ice includes the story of tragic plane crash near a remote Canadian outpost located in the Arctic Circle. Surviving the Storm follows several catastrophic storms, including Hurricane Katrina as it slams into New Orleans as a Category 5 storm in 2005. Surviving in Space tells the stories of five incredible feats of survival by astronauts who found themselves in dangerous situations in the most desolate of environments.
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Russo is also the author of the historical nonfiction Viewpoints and Perspectives Library series (Cherry Lake Publishing, 2018); science nonfiction Facts and Fibs series (Capstone, 2018); and Surprising Facts About the U.S. Military series (Capstone, 2017).
About getting it done, Kristin says: I have been spelunking and I have lived through a hurricane, but I have not ventured into outer space nor have I ever been to the Arctic. For this series, I relied
heavily on primary sources and online interviews to learn precisely what the subjects had to say about their experiences. As a former journalist, I’m used to digging deep, and as an adjunct professor at a local university, I have access to a broad spectrum of scholarly works, so I was able to find and use solid research and evidence to tell these stories of survival. Writing about survivors was deeply inspiring and gave me a strong appreciation for the resiliency of the human spirit.
www.kristinjrusso.com
Book Deals
Abrams will publish WHERE THREE OCEANS MEET, Rajani LaRocca’s picture book about a girl who travels with her mother and grandmother to the very tip of India and learns about the love between mothers and daughters that endures across distance, borders, and time. It will be illustrated by Archana Sreenivasan and will publish in 2022.
In other exciting news, her debut middle grade novel, MIDSUMMER’S MAYHEM, was released on June 11 from Yellow Jacket/Little Bee Books. An Indian-American mashup of A Midsummer Night’s Dream and competitive baking, it earned a starred review from Kirkus, and is an Indies Introduce selection for Summer/Fall 2019 and a Kids’ Indie Next List pick for Summer 2019.
On getting it done, Rajani says: I couldn’t have made it this far in publishing without my wonderful critique partners. They are truly the godmothers of my books and have taught me so much about writing and friendship.
www.rajanilarocca.com
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Christy Mihaly’s FREE FOR YOU AND ME: WHAT OUR FIRST AMENDMENT MEANS will be published by Albert Whitman in March 2020, before the next presidential election. This colorful picture book will introduce kids to what it means to be living in a free country. The text is poetic and the illustrations are kid-friendly while providing historical background and modern examples of how kids can exercise their First Amendment rights (freedom of religion, freedom of speech and of the press, freedom of assembly and rights to petition the government).
About getting it done, Christy says: I’ve been thinking about how to present these concepts to young readers for a long time, and especially recently, and I’m thrilled to see the book coming together now. I’m excited to be working with editor Wendy McClure and illustrator Manu Montoya.
www.christymihaly.com/
Conference/Event Activities
Katie L. Carroll, author of the middle grade adventure PIRATE ISLAND, was a featured speaker at the Milford Downtown Business Association’s Annual Pirate Day. To the hundreds of little (and big) “pirates” that attended the event this year, Katie spoke about the local pirate history and legends that inspired her book.
About getting it done, Katie says: “Having a local historical tie-in for my middle grade book PIRATE ISLAND has opened up a lot of marketing opportunities in my own community. I loved incorporating local history into a contemporary story that has universal themes of friendship and finding your inner courage. And getting to dress up like a pirate while reading from my story is just plain fun!”
www.katielcarroll.com
Busy participants at the Illustration Workshop with Melissa Sweet
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Market News
J. L. Bell
One of the biggest differences between printed books and electronic books is legal. When we download a digital book, we receive the computer code that defines its content, but we don’t gain legal possession of that code. Rather, we purchase a license from the publisher to use that code in certain defined ways. Two developments in the ebook world this spring showed how different that system is from traditional print publishing.
In April, Microsoft decided to stop selling digital books through its Microsoft Store. Now you might not have realized that Microsoft was selling ebooks at all. Digital publishing is dominated by Amazon (Kindle) with its main competitors being Barnes & Noble (Nook), Apple Books, and Google Play Books. For Microsoft, its slice of that market just wasn’t big enough to keep that business going.
The company therefore shut down the Microsoft Store’s book section. What’s more, it’s shutting down the books it sold. As of July 2019, it will cancel readers’ licenses, and the files they bought will no longer be readable (absent hacking, of course). Microsoft is refunding whatever customers paid for those ebooks. The company is also throwing in $25 for anyone who added annotations or highlights to a file because those notes are going away, too.
This is not the first time Microsoft has exited the ebook business. It had its own file format, .lit, early in this century, and later the Microsoft Reader for reading those files away from one’s desktop. In 2012, the company closed that all down. At that time, however, the licensing approach to digital publishing hadn’t yet taken hold, so theoretically those devices and the files on them can still work.
Many other, smaller tech companies have gotten out of unprofitable businesses, or gone out of business entirely, taking the content they sold customers down with them. Microsoft is handling this situation better than most, based on its deep pockets and its need for ongoing good will with customers. Still, no one likes to see books disappear or just stop working.
Another part of the ebook business that we usually don’t see are publishers’ sales to libraries. Again, the big companies are selling licenses to libraries, not ownership of the files. Anticipating that ebooks in library collections will be read much more often than ebooks that individual readers buy, publishers set different terms.
The price a library pays for an ebook is usually five or more times the price that an ordinary reader pays. For a while, that high price bought a “perpetual access” license. As of this spring, three of the Big Five US publishers have shifted to a different model: a two-year license for a cost that’s significantly smaller, but still much larger than what a reader pays.
What does that model mean for us, the book creators? If a title maintains its popularity in ebook format, libraries will feel pressure from their patrons to buy another two-year license, and another. That replicates how libraries have to buy new copies of their most popular print books as constant reading wears them out. And of course authors and illustrators get royalties on each sale.
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If, however, demand drops at the end of two years, or four, or whenever, a library may decide the high price of a new two-year license is too high. It won’t reorder. With a print book, the latest copy can stay on the shelf as long as it lasts, attracting fewer readers but still entertaining those who borrow it. An ebook whose license has run out, however, will simply disappear from the system, becoming as inaccessible as an ebook from the Microsoft Store.
AGENTS
Some months back, three agents on Twitter discussed how they wanted authors to introduce themselves in queries.
Kira Watson, then of the Emma Sweeney Agency, started the conversation by saying: “Don’t start your query with ‘I’m sending you this query because you’re seeking [insert genre here]...’. The agent knows what he/she is looking for submission wise.”
But Michelle Witte of Mansion Street disagreed. She explained: “I find it helpful to know why they chose to query me, especially if it’s a genre/sub-genre I’m particularly interested in. Like, YA/MG magical realism and children’s nonfiction will grab my attention every time.” In addition, “it shows that the writer is actually doing research and not just shotgunning out queries to every agent everywhere.”
In response to questions from hopeful authors, Watson clarified that she liked queries that cited a particular Manuscript Wish List posting or included other specific detail. “Personalized is fine!” What she was tired of, it seems, are broad categories blandly presented (e.g., “Knowing of your interest in contemporary YA…”).
Natascha Morris of BookEnds likewise zeroed in on the real problem with that sort of opening: it’s become a stale formula. “Jazz it up. An example from one of my own clients was: ‘I thought it might appeal to you, as the worldbuilding and magic is comparable to that of [title], which you listed as one of your favorite books.” The result is, “You are saying the same thing, but in a new and different way. WHICH IS EXACTLY WHAT I AM LOOKING FOR. Don’t do the tried and true line EVERYONE else uses if you want to stand out.”
Since that conversation, Watson has moved to another agency and another job. Michelle Witte still represents children’s fiction and nonfiction at Mansion Street Literary Management; she is currently on a query hiatus, but check back at: michellewittebooks.com/agent/.
BookEnds: Agent Natascha Morris is “looking for picture book, middle grade and young adult manuscripts across most genres, including contemporary, mysteries, thrillers, fantasy, historical fiction, and narrative non-fiction.” However, she says elsewhere that she’s “Closed to YA Scifi and MG Scifi.” For more information, see: bookendsliterary.com/about-us-2/.
Emerald City Literary Agency: On Twitter, Senior Agent Linda Epstein shared some of her reasons for turning down queries. Examples: “Query #1 for a chapter book, but it seems like it’s only for 1 book. Chapter books usually sell in a series & revolve around a charismatic character(s). I don’t see mention of other books & the story seems very plot specific. Also, no author info in the query.” “Query #5 MG novel in verse. I’d love a novel in verse but for me it has to have a big hook. I want it to be about something BIG. This story seems fine, but isn’t grabbing me by the lapels and insisting I
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read it.” “Query #6 MG about September 11th. As a New Yorker whose anxiety can be triggered by 9/11 books and films, I’m usually very wary of them. It would have to be a very special kind of book.” Epstein’s manuscript wish list: www.manuscriptwishlist.com/mswl-post/linda-epstein/. Submission guidelines, which might well change: emeraldcityliterary.com/lindaepstein/.
Lucinda Literary: Adventures in YA Publishing featured an interview with Connor Eck, agent representing a wide range of books. Eck discusses his background, tastes, and wishes for a manuscript: “I’m particularly keen on eccentric characters with depth and idiosyncrasies, those with a burning desire or some type of trauma ailing them. . . . Male characters that chase the girl never cease to compel me either, and I’m a sucker for a good romance or family drama.” See: www.adventuresinyapublishing.com/2017/05/agent-spotlight-q-with-connor-eck-of.html#.XRlbhC2ZOCd/. Agency website: www.lucindaliterary.com/about/our-team/.
EDITORIAL SERVICES
Periodically we share news of experienced children’s-book professionals offering editorial services direct to writers. In passing on this information, SCBWI does not endorse these services.
KMW Editorial: Kira Watson represented children’s books at the Emma Sweeney Agency in addition to handling the firm’s foreign rights. She is now at Janklow & Nesbit Associates, working in the back office and not seeking new authors. As such, she is not so conflicted in offering editorial advice as full-time agents. In addition, her rates are quite reasonable. See: kiramwatson.wixsite.com/kmweditorial /.
MAGAZINES AND ANTHOLOGIES
Ask: The science magazine for kids aged 7-10 has posted its upcoming themes, with query deadlines starting this month. They are: Little Mysteries in the Big Woods, Before the Dinosaurs, Catching Comets, I Scream for Ice Cream, Alchemy, Sneaky Art Tricks, and Goodbye, Germs. For submission details, see: cricketmag.submittable.com/submit/20689/ask-magazine-for-ages-7-10-science-nonfiction/.
Cricket Magazine Group: Several of the company’s literary magazines for kids are open to queries by July 1. Babybug, the magazine for children up to age 3, welcomes very silly “stories, poems, action rhymes, and fingerplays.” For more specifics, see: cricketmag.submittable.com/submit/17819/babybug-magazine-for-ages-6-months-3-years/. Ladybug, for ages 3-6, wants “short stories, retellings of folk and fairy tales, rebus stories, poems, action rhymes, nonfiction, and songs about travel.” See: cricketmag.submittable.com/submit/17818/ladybug-magazine-for-ages-3-6/. Spider, for ages 6-9, seeks “stories, nonfiction, poems, and short plays about neighbors and neighborhoods” and the same on the theme Art and Music. See: cricketmag.submittable.com/submit/17817/spider-magazine-for-ages-6-9/. And Cricket, the venerable periodical for readers aged 9-14, is preparing issues on the themes of Encountering Nature and A New Beginning. For more, see: cricketmag.submittable.com/submit/17789/cricket-magazine-for-ages-9-14/.
Muse: This magazine publishes science and other nonfiction for ages 9-14. Its upcoming themes, with query deadlines starting this month, are: Mysteries in the Deep Sea, Food: From There to Here, End of an [geological] Era, Feet!, and The Future of Cars. See: cricketmag.submittable.com/submit/58980/muse-magazine-for-ages-914-science-nonfiction/.
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BOOK PUBLISHERS
Boyds Mill & Kane: This company was formed when Kane Press bought the Boyds Mill Press, Calkins Creek, and WordSong imprints from the Highlights for Children company. Kane Press, with roots in educational series, already included the StarBerry Books picture-book imprint, launched in 2018. Based in New York, the combined company is a subsidiary of the Thinkingdom Media Group in Beijing. Among the Highlights employees shifting to the new press are Carolyn Yoder, Senior Editor for Calkins Creek; Rebecca Davis, Senior Editor at Boyds Mills Press and WordSong; Suzy Krogulski, Assistant Editor; and Barbara Grzeslo, Art Director for the whole publishing group. (PW) Kane Press is distributed by Lerner. The Boyds Mill website continues to welcome submissions for its three imprints: www.boydsmillspress.com/Submissions/. The Kane Press editors now offer their wish lists here: boydsmillsandkane.com/about-us/submissions/.
Enchanted Lion Books: This family-owned picture-book press is launching its first middle-grade titles this summer. As with its picture books, the company is buying the US rights to titles published in other countries. Co-founder and Publisher Claudia Zoe Bedrick told Publishers Weekly that “she will also consider publishing original illustrated middle-grade books in the future.”
Highlights for Children: While selling its Boyds Mill and related imprints to Kane Press, the magazine company will continue to publish books under its Highlights Press and Highlights Learning imprints, as well as through its education line. (PW)
Holiday House: Freelance Backlist and Special Projects Editor Elizabeth Law tweeted that she loves middle-grade fiction “with big families.” She posited that it was “because I didn’t have one growing up, and they seemed really fun.” Publisher submission guidelines: holidayhouse.com/faqs/.
Lantana Publishing: This small London-based publisher focuses on authors of “BAME (Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic) heritage” and seeks books that fit into eight themes: BAME, Africa, Asia, Mighty Girls, Earth, Empathy, Wellness, and Around the World. The company says, “We’re looking for short picture book texts for 4-6 year olds (usually no more than 500 words) or slightly longer non-fiction texts for 7-11 year olds.” For submission guidelines, see: lantanapublishing.com/pages/submissions/.
Rourke Educational Media: This press issues nonfiction and fiction closely aligned with curriculum standards. Authors can submit a resume stating their subject and grade-level interests and a writing sample according to the format described here: rourkeeducationalmedia.com/pages/authors/.
Street Noise Books: Liz Francis began this small press to publish “graphic memoir and illustrated nonfiction for young adults,” especially those that “reflect a radical, feminist, queer, and inclusive social vision.” It will issue its first titles in 2020, and Francis hopes to put out six to eight books a year. (PW) Website with submissions guidelines under “Connect with us”: www.streetnoisebooks.com/.
WattPad: This Canadian firm started as a forum for authors to share their own stories online and then made alliances with book publishers to develop the most promising material. Now it plans to publish books itself, starting with six Young Adult titles that have “together accumulated more than 100 million minutes of reading in 2018.” The company is also using a tool called Story DNA to identify texts that have “elements such as sentence structure, word use and grammar” which match books that have proven popular, flagging those stories for human editors to review. In essence, WattPad is trying to develop an AI program to winnow the slush pile. See: www.theglobeandmail.com/business/article-
@GoGirlsGoBooks: Francis Gilbert, Random House editor and author, began a tweet stream by saying, “Spent the night editing the picture book I wrote today. Used the same principles I apply when I’m editing at work:…” She then listed ten things she looked for to improve her manuscript. See: twitter.com/GoGirlsGoBooks/status/1145170287140454400/.
Inkygirl: Debbie Ridpath Ohi’s website offered advice for authors and illustrators from author-illustrator and SCBWI board member Pat Cummings: inkygirl.com/inkygirl-main/2019/5/13/advice-for-young-writers-and-illustrators-three-questions-wi.html /.
#TenQueries: Search for this hashtag on Twitter to see agents sharing their responses to ten random queries in their very full in-boxes. This can be a useful way to avoid mistakes, learn particular agents’ tastes, and get a sense of the tall odds against any one query succeeding.
J. L. Bell is a freelance editor, author, and historian (boston1775.net). His books range from Soap Science: A Science Book Bubbling with 36 Experiments (Kids Can Press, 1994) to The Road to Concord: How Four Stolen Cannon Ignited the Revolutionary War (Westholme, 2015). His latest publications are historical articles and stories about a kid with his own spaceship for hire. He tweets as @jlbellwriter.
A Critique Group of Seven Writers with Stories in Progress
Gina Piper
The Souhegan Valley Tuesday Critique Group: (Gina Piper, Kimber St. Lawrence, Kate Spofford, Nikole Breault, Jackie Leigh Davis, Kalee Gwarjanski, and Sarah Hetu-Radny - photo minus Gina), designed and conducted their own 3-day writing retreat “Your Best Writing Year 2019” this past January in Maine. The group collaborated on all stages of retreat planning from choosing a location to organizing a formal schedule to creating workshops.
In addition to workshops, the group scheduled critique sessions and much-needed uninterrupted writing time. One of the benefits of designing a retreat is the flexibility that allows for creating workshops specific to the writing needs of the group.
Each member led a workshop focused on topics such as querying, the submissions process, elevator pitch, revisions, and project management.
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Librarian Kate Spofford presented a Self-Publishing workshop. Did you know that Beatrix Potter was one of many well-known authors who self-published a book? She decided to publish The Tale of Peter Rabbit by herself after it was rejected by several publishers.
Jackie Leigh Davis, a circus education pioneer and author of DIY Circus Lab, led the evening activities which included teaching her critique buddies how to balance a peacock feather and juggle using colorful scarves. All fun and no injuries!
After the 3-day writing retreat, the group collaborated on another project. They created a blog, The Page Half Full to share writing information and experiences with other writers to spark community, creativity, and collaboration. The blog was launched this past March along with a twitter account: twitter.com/@page_half
The group believes a writer should never feel alone on their journey, so they invite NESCBWI members and all other children’s writers to visit the blog and join the group as they continue their writing journey.
Stop by thepagehalffull.com and read the weekly blog post, motivational quotes from favorite writers, word-of-the-week, writing tips, and other information, or just say “hi” and share your writing experiences. Join the conversation. They would like to hear from you!
Gina Piper used to spend time hunched over her keyboard writing technical blog articles for fun. Currently, she sits up straight while writing picture books with a twinkle in her eye and a contemporary young adult novel on cloudy days.
Crit Group Coordinator News
Rajani LaRocca
This month I interviewed Chris Friden, whose group meets in Weston, CT. They are currently at capacity, but he does keep a waiting list.
When did your critique group start?
Our group started in Spring 2010.
How did you start the group and get new members?
In 2010, I began taking workshop classes and heard other writers rave about the importance of their critique groups. They spoke in nearly reverent terms about the family-like bond they enjoyed and so I wanted an Oompa Loompa too. There were two PB groups in our area, so I reached out to NESCBWI and asked if I could start a monthly YA/MG group. I listed the new group in the newsletter and also spread the word at the local libraries and workshops. I believe I had 5 people at the first meeting at my home, but we grew to 10 within months. Many of the original writers are still in the group now.
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What has been the best thing about the group?
Having been together for so long, we have a deep understanding of each other’s WIPs and the strengths/weaknesses of our styles. The group has helped everyone see that blind spot in their craft––and we are able to tease each other about our “shticks.” It’s been a lot of fun to see not only stories develop over time, but our writers too. Several manuscripts that have emerged are now published works.
What types of challenges have you faced in your group?
I was really lucky to have a core of talented people who are also good people respond to my initial listing. Having that consistent set of like-minded writers who are both generous with their praise and shrewd in their observations has sustained us. Our biggest challenge is the spoils of success. We do not have a spot open up very often and so I have to decline most of the requests to join. I think 6-8 people at a meeting is our sweet spot in terms of size, and we are at 10 members now. If everyone shows up, that can make for a long meeting and not as much time for each critique. We’ve been very selective about welcoming new writers (though, unusually, we have added 2 writers in 2019) because the chemistry has to be right for them and for us. If I think a person will be a good fit, and if we do have an opening, we will have that writer attend one meeting to test that fit. I also keep a waiting list and, a few years ago, I helped those writers to form their own group.
What advice would you have for other critique group members and leaders?
My advice would be to develop the format that works best for your group. Let me describe ours. We meet once a month on a Wednesday or Thursday night. On the Saturday before, we each submit up to 15 pages. I then make a list of the writers in a randomized order (www.random.org/lists/). I email that random list with all the samples attached on Sunday. Each person is responsible for critiquing the 3 names that follow their own on the list, but we encourage everyone to read all
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submissions. When we meet, we set a timer for 15 minutes and the three primary critiquers give their feedback. When they are finished, other writers can add a comment if they feel something important was missed. Then the writer is allowed to ask one question. We move in a circle until everyone has had their work reviewed. We usually do so in my living room with a fire going, herbal tea, and some cookies. It’s nice and the fact that you have a different three people review your WIP each time keeps the feedback fresh. After the meeting we confirm our next date (https://doodle.com) and we all email out Word documents using track changes to share our comments with one another. We have a file naming procedure as well: TheGreenHat20July2019BillSUSAN.doc (ManuscriptTitleMeetingDateAuthorCRITIQUER.doc). I highly recommend joining a critique group or starting one if there isn’t a good local option. It’s better than an Oompa Loompa.
In the large group photo, pictured from left to right are: Katlyn Duncan, Donna Skolnick, Andy Byrne, Kate Hall, Bruce Pollock, Sally Francia, Debbie McGinley, Julia Kutuzova, and Chris Friden.
The second is a photo of Andy Byrne and Debbie McGinley who were finalists for the Tassy Walden Award this year.
Also, some past members of the group who workshopped manuscripts with us that are now published or under contract are: Tommy Greenwald, Katie Carroll, and Elise Chidley.
Rajani is Critique Group Coordinator for Central New England (Massachusetts). She is pictured below with her critique group at her booksigning. Email her at [email protected]..
