Christina Wald, the amazing illustrator of this book, created and produced our book trailer. Isn’t she something? Check her out at www.christinawald.com.
A Banner Day for A Warm Winter Tail!
I’ve nervously awaited the reviews for A Warm Winter Tail and the first one is in!
Kirkus Reviews:
“A cozy “tail” compares the adaptations animals and humans have for surviving winter’s chill. Baby animals ask grown-ups how humans keep warm in the winter. A fox kit asks, “How do humans keep warm in the winter, Mama? / Do they wrap their tails tight / ’round their bodies just right / as heaters to chase out the chill?” Mama answers, “No fur tail for draping, / for covering and caping; / their blankets are cotton and wool.” Each baby in turn asks if humans adapt as they do. The wide variety of animals portrayed ensures that most winter adaptations are covered, though camouflage is lacking. The “For Creative Minds” section includes a spread of extensive further information and two pages of activities—matching animal to adaptation (the only place where the animals are identified by captioned thumbnails) and then sorting the animals into their four classes. More activities and learning materials are on the publisher’s website. Wald’s lifelike illustrations incorporate speech bubbles for the babies’ questions and include humorous imaginings of how humans would look with animals’ adaptations, e.g., a child with butterfly wings.” Now I can quit biting my fingernails and use those nubbins to write a companion story!
Kirkus Reviews:
“A cozy “tail” compares the adaptations animals and humans have for surviving winter’s chill. Baby animals ask grown-ups how humans keep warm in the winter. A fox kit asks, “How do humans keep warm in the winter, Mama? / Do they wrap their tails tight / ’round their bodies just right / as heaters to chase out the chill?” Mama answers, “No fur tail for draping, / for covering and caping; / their blankets are cotton and wool.” Each baby in turn asks if humans adapt as they do. The wide variety of animals portrayed ensures that most winter adaptations are covered, though camouflage is lacking. The “For Creative Minds” section includes a spread of extensive further information and two pages of activities—matching animal to adaptation (the only place where the animals are identified by captioned thumbnails) and then sorting the animals into their four classes. More activities and learning materials are on the publisher’s website. Wald’s lifelike illustrations incorporate speech bubbles for the babies’ questions and include humorous imaginings of how humans would look with animals’ adaptations, e.g., a child with butterfly wings.” Now I can quit biting my fingernails and use those nubbins to write a companion story!
Crits for Water
I learned about this awesome project through the SCBWI-MI listserv community and am reposting the information so you can see the awesomeness for yourself. Basically, Kat Brauer, author, has organized critiques from pubbed authors, agents, and editors in exchange for donations to a charity that provides clean drinking water to people all over the world. It is a total win-win. Check it out.
http://critsforwater.katbrauer.com/2012/06/18/pledge-critique-package-with-ka-barson-and-elle-cosimano/
http://critsforwater.katbrauer.com/2012/06/18/pledge-critique-package-with-ka-barson-and-elle-cosimano/
Research Nerd
Am I weird because I love researching?
I do enjoy the hunt, following the twisted trail of information, and snatching an unsuspecting tidbit perfect for slapping on unsuspecting victims (usually my children who are held-captive audiences). For instance, “Did you know that some mammals without sweat glands urinate on themselves for the evaporative cooling effect?”
Despite the reaction — “That’s just gross, Mom” — I think they enjoyed the information and will (silently) thank me during a Trivial Pursuit game some day.
Here is an amazing video about life inside a bee hive I found in my research travels this weekend. It shows the beginning of life for a bee colony in a top bar hive in Sweden. The Youtube description says it is “a compilation of three summer months from inside the beehive. From colonisation of the empty hive to the days following the swarm (that probably reduced the colony to less than half the number).” The person who posted the video (andersHQ) has posted several others showing the bee hive in regular speed. Now there’s a bit of research that has me buzzing! Sorry.
I do enjoy the hunt, following the twisted trail of information, and snatching an unsuspecting tidbit perfect for slapping on unsuspecting victims (usually my children who are held-captive audiences). For instance, “Did you know that some mammals without sweat glands urinate on themselves for the evaporative cooling effect?”
Despite the reaction — “That’s just gross, Mom” — I think they enjoyed the information and will (silently) thank me during a Trivial Pursuit game some day.
Here is an amazing video about life inside a bee hive I found in my research travels this weekend. It shows the beginning of life for a bee colony in a top bar hive in Sweden. The Youtube description says it is “a compilation of three summer months from inside the beehive. From colonisation of the empty hive to the days following the swarm (that probably reduced the colony to less than half the number).” The person who posted the video (andersHQ) has posted several others showing the bee hive in regular speed. Now there’s a bit of research that has me buzzing! Sorry.
Are you a research nerd, too? Tell me why…
Save The Bookstores Day – June 16, 2012
I’m reposting Tara Lazar’s post on Save the Bookstores Day because I couldn’t have come up with a better way to tell this story. Check it out here http://taralazar.wordpress.com/2012/06/04/support-save-the-bookstores-day-on-june-16th/
And please, if you can, clear some time on your calendar to visit your local bookstore on June 16th. I’ll be at BookWorld http://www.bookworldstores.com/showLoc.php?id=44
and Snowbound Books http://www.snowboundbooks.com/ in Marquette, MI!
And please, if you can, clear some time on your calendar to visit your local bookstore on June 16th. I’ll be at BookWorld http://www.bookworldstores.com/showLoc.php?id=44
and Snowbound Books http://www.snowboundbooks.com/ in Marquette, MI!
Underhoured
Have you ever heard someone joke that they’ve been “overserved?” I feel lately like I’ve been “underhoured” as in “not enough hours in the day to accomplish what I want.” Maybe it is because it is full on spring in upper Michigan and everything is new and fresh. This makes me want to join the party and create some new myself (new flower beds, new green grass vs. dandelions, new novels, new picture books, new school visit materials, etc.). Do you feel this burst of create-enthusiasm in the spring? If so, how do you manage your time?
Shrunken Manuscript “Helper”
I’m trying Darcy Pattison’s Shrunken Manscript technique for the first time on my novel, Chasing Home. You can read about the technique at Darcy’s website here. The cliff notes version is that you remove page breaks, decrease font size and margins, and try to shrink the manuscript to about 30 pages. Then, you highlight anything you want to see in the manuscript. For instance, I want to be sure two themes are running consistently throughout the story so I highlighted every instance of each in different colors. My antagonist and his bully actions received a different color. I colored a particular characterization attribute for my MC, and any symbolism.
Then, I spread out the pages on the floor so I could track the colors throughout the manuscript and I learned so much! First, I was pleasantly surprised my themes carried fairly consistently throughout.
Then, I spread out the pages on the floor so I could track the colors throughout the manuscript and I learned so much! First, I was pleasantly surprised my themes carried fairly consistently throughout.
However, my antagonist’s behavior showed up too frequently so I’ll need to scale that back. Finally, I learned it is best to do this exercise without help from my puppy.
Mentors For Rent: WE HAVE A WINNER!
I am happy to announce the winner of the coveted Mentors For Rent contest!
The winner is…
Wait! Before I announce the winner, I wanted to tell you that the prize is a 45 minute “on the spot” consultation by conference call or SKYPE to be used for manuscript feedback or to ask questions about submitting, writing, or marketing children’s books!
Now I can announce the winner!
The winner is…
Wait! Before I announce the winner, I wanted to tell you that all he/she has to do is contact Laura and Lisa at [email protected]. They will get him/her rolling with their regular intake process!
Now I can announce the winner!
The winner is…
Wait! Before I announce the winner, I wanted to say thank you to Laura and Lisa for offering their services and being part of my blog series. The interview and contest has been fun and helpful to all of us. Be sure to Like Mentors For Rent on Facebook. You can stay up-to-date on their activities and participate in their free Salons where you can get the answers you need to move forward on your path to publication.
Now I can announce the winner!
The winner is Charles Waters!
Congratu
The winner is…
Wait! Before I announce the winner, I wanted to tell you that the prize is a 45 minute “on the spot” consultation by conference call or SKYPE to be used for manuscript feedback or to ask questions about submitting, writing, or marketing children’s books!
Now I can announce the winner!
The winner is…
Wait! Before I announce the winner, I wanted to tell you that all he/she has to do is contact Laura and Lisa at [email protected]. They will get him/her rolling with their regular intake process!
Now I can announce the winner!
The winner is…
Wait! Before I announce the winner, I wanted to say thank you to Laura and Lisa for offering their services and being part of my blog series. The interview and contest has been fun and helpful to all of us. Be sure to Like Mentors For Rent on Facebook. You can stay up-to-date on their activities and participate in their free Salons where you can get the answers you need to move forward on your path to publication.
Now I can announce the winner!
The winner is Charles Waters!
Congratu
Children’s Choice Book Awards
What a great idea to have book awards chosen by the people for whom the book was written!! Want to learn more about the Children’s Choice Book Awards and how to help children vote? Here is a blurb from JacketFlap:
“Launched in 2008 by the Children’s Book Council and Every Child A Reader, The Children’s Choice Book Awards is the only national book awards program where the winning titles are selected by children and teens of all ages. Young readers can vote for their favorite books, author, and illustrator of the year at BookWeekOnline.com until Thursday, May 3, 2012. Educators, booksellers, and librarians can also tally and enter kids’ votes as a group. This year, more than 20,000 children and teens nationwide determined the finalists: children spent months reading and rating books in the classroom through the IRA-CBC Children’s Choices Program; teens made their voices heard through voting hosted by TeenReads.com. The Author and Illustrator of the Year finalists were selected by the Children’s Book Council from an evaluation of best-seller lists with an emphasis on Bookscan. Learn more about the finalist selection process here. The award winners will be announced live at a gala celebration in NYC hosted and presented by kid lit heavyweights on May 7, 2012 as part of Children’s Book Week (May 7-13th, 2012), the nation’s longest-running literacy initiative.”
“Launched in 2008 by the Children’s Book Council and Every Child A Reader, The Children’s Choice Book Awards is the only national book awards program where the winning titles are selected by children and teens of all ages. Young readers can vote for their favorite books, author, and illustrator of the year at BookWeekOnline.com until Thursday, May 3, 2012. Educators, booksellers, and librarians can also tally and enter kids’ votes as a group. This year, more than 20,000 children and teens nationwide determined the finalists: children spent months reading and rating books in the classroom through the IRA-CBC Children’s Choices Program; teens made their voices heard through voting hosted by TeenReads.com. The Author and Illustrator of the Year finalists were selected by the Children’s Book Council from an evaluation of best-seller lists with an emphasis on Bookscan. Learn more about the finalist selection process here. The award winners will be announced live at a gala celebration in NYC hosted and presented by kid lit heavyweights on May 7, 2012 as part of Children’s Book Week (May 7-13th, 2012), the nation’s longest-running literacy initiative.”
New Berkeley-based Publisher Announces Intentions and Kickstarter Campaign
Check out this article about Creston Books, an innovative new publishing house devoted to picture books:
http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/childrens/childrens-industry-news/article/51472-bay-area-author-kickstarts-new-children-s-publishing-venture.html
http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/childrens/childrens-industry-news/article/51472-bay-area-author-kickstarts-new-children-s-publishing-venture.html
Carrie Pearson’s Blog
Sharing insights on writing children’s books and the publishing industry, and offering trinkets for creators and educators because you rock.
