Tales from the Rushmore Kid

Interview Wednesday - Kidlitosphere

Today I am hosting Interview Wednesday for Kidlitosphere. Kidlit bloggers will be leaving comments relating to kidlit interviews, with links to their own blog posts. Check back and see where it takes you!

Interview Wednesday - Kidlitosphere

Today I am hosting Interview Wednesday for Kidlitosphere. Kidlit bloggers will be leaving comments relating to kidlit interviews, with links to their own blog posts. Check back and see where it takes you!

Scroll down for my interview with author June Sobel.

Maeve Tynan an interviewed Children's Illustrator AnnMarie McCarthy for Interview Wednesday http://yellowbrickreads.blogspot.com/2012/01/interview-with-illustrator-annmarie.html.

June Sobel - Writing Tip of the Day

June Sobel, author of B is for Bulldozers, Shiver Me Letters and Good Night Train has been a member of my writer's group for years.  She is kind, funny and incredibly talented.  I asked my buddy June to give us a Writing Tip of the Day.

GETTING UNSTUCK

MAKE IT WORK! The admonition of Project Runway’s Tim Gunn resonates anytime my work in progress has hit an insurmountable wall, a hopeless dead end that sends me in search of chocolate and cake batter.

Reviving Your Out-of-Print Novel as an E-book part 1-Barbara Jean Hicks

from the files of Barbara Jean Hicks

In early December 2010, I started thinking about what I wanted to give as a Christmas gift to my friends and fans.

Before I started writing children’s books, I wrote romance novels and novellas. (I know, what a switch!) The rights to one of those novellas, a Christmas romance called "Tea for Two," had reverted to me. What if I could figure out how to format it as an e-book and offer it for free to anyone who wanted to download it to their computer or reading device?

I’m always up for the challenge of learning something new, so the idea was just my cup of tea--so to speak.

Jim Averbeck - Writing Tip of the Day

I met author/illustrator Jim Averbeck years ago at a Kathleen Duey writing retreat and then again at the SCBWI Summer conference. He was an RA for SCBWI at the time and waiting for his first book to be released. It is always a pleasure to see Jim, and this year I got him to give us a Writing Tip of the Day.

Funding for School Visits - Part Two - Barbara Jean Hicks

from the files of Barbara Jean Hicks 

Providing information to schools and PTA/PTO’s about companies and organizations that provide grant funding for “extras” like author visits (see Focus on Funding) is a great start to helping schools be able to afford your expenses and speaking fees. But writing grant proposals is an art that many people don’t feel comfortable with. How can an author help?

As promised last week, here’s a place to start:

TEN TIPS FOR WRITING WINNING GRANT PROPOSALS

Interview Wednesday - Kidlitosphere

Today I am hosting Interview Wednesday for Kidlitosphere. Kidlit bloggers will be leaving comments relating to kidlit interviews, with links to their own blog posts. Check back and see where it takes you! Scroll down to see my "Blast from the Past" interview with Karen Cushman.

Karen Cushman - Blast from the Past Interview

I didn't plan to meet one of my all time idols while I was wearing a Mother Goose costume, but that's what I had on when I met the great Karen Cushman. She is the author of one of my favorite books, Catherine Called Birdy, which I have bought for gifts probably 40 times. Charming, inspiring, and a multiple Newbery winner, Karen spoke at last summer's SCBWI conference in LA. It is my great honor to have Karen Cushman interview for the blog.

When and why did you start writing for children?

I began writing when I was almost 50 because I had an idea for a story about a girl who lived a long time ago and I wanted to know what happened to her.

Book Blips - Class of 2K12 - Robin Bridges - The Katerina Trilogy, Vol 1

I believe this is the first Book Blip I've done for a story that's part of a trilogy.

The Katerina Trilogy, Vol. I: The Gathering Storm
 

Delacorte, January 10, 2012

A short summary of the book:

St. Petersburg, Russia, 1888. As she attends a whirl of glittering balls, royal debutante Katerina Alexandrovna, Duchess of Oldenburg, tries to hide a dark secret: she can raise the dead. Katerina considers her talent a curse, not a gift. But when she uses her special skill to protect a member of the Imperial Family, she finds herself caught in a web of intrigue.

Funding for School Visits - Part One - Barbara Jean Hicks

from the files of Barbara Jean Hicks

Authors who do school visits hear it over and over again: “I’m sorry, we just can’t afford you.” “We’re on a limited budget.” “Maybe next year…”

But we all know that “next year” there will be even less money for “extras” like school visits. In the education world, budget constraints are a reality. But visiting authors deserve to be paid as professionals, and programs that help students reach state educational standards are hardly “extras.”

Many schools (and authors!) don’t realize how much help is available to fund educational presentations that focus on literacy and the arts and support school curriculum.

Interview Wednesday - Kidlitosphere

Today I am hosting Interview Wednesday for Kidlitosphere. Kidlit bloggers will be leaving comments relating to kidlit interviews, with links to their own blog posts. Check back and see where it takes you!

Scroll down and read the interview with editor Kathryn Erskine by contributing columnist Barbara Jean Hicks.

Book Blips - Class of 2K12 - Caroline Rose - Mary B.

Caroline Rose is president of the Class of 2K12.  Here is her summary and inspiration for her book.

May B.
Schwartz and Wade / Random House Children’s Books
January 10, 2012

Summary of the book.

Mavis Elizabeth Betterly, or May B. as she is known, is helping out on a neighbor's Kansas prairie homestead, “Just until Christmas,” says her Pa. Twelve-year-old May wants to contribute, but it's hard to be separated from her family by fifteen long, unfamiliar miles.

SCBWI Southern Breeze Springmingle 2012

What I love most about the SCBWI are the people. I LOVE the Southern Breezers. I'm on their listserve and get to visit with them every summer at the Summer Conference. I wish I could attend Springmingle. If you are anywhere near Atlanta, go!  With agents, editors, writers--even a Newbery Honor Winner--it sounds like a blast....

If you’re serious about the children’s book market, you need to attend Springmingle 2012, Feb. 24-26, 2012 at the Atlanta Marriott Century Center.
 
Springmingle is presented by the Southern Breeze Region of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, the world’s largest professional organization for authors and illustrators of books for children and young adults.

Panning for Gold with Barbara Jean Hicks - Kathryn Erskine

from the collected notes of
Barbara Jean Hicks

I loved meeting and comparing notes with author Kathryn Erskine, a warm and wonderful human being whose moving children’s novel, Mockingbird, won the 2010 National Book Award for Young People’s Literature. Kathryn’s other books include Quaking and The Absolute Value of Mike.

In one of the keynote addresses at the Highlights Writers Workshop at Chautauqua last summer, Kathryn talked about critiques, a word that can make even the most confident of us cringe. After all, the word comes from the same root as “criticize,” and who likes being criticized?

Interview Wednesday - Kidlitosphere

Today I am hosting Interview Wednesday for Kidlitosphere. Kidlit bloggers will be leaving comments relating to kidlit interviews, with links to their own blog posts. Check back and see where it takes you!

Scroll down for my Revision Tip of the Day with my good buddy, agent Jill Corcoran.

Our British buddy Zoe Toft has this interview today:

An interview with Nigerian/British author Atinuke, one of whose
books has been shortlisted for a cybils award in the early chapter book
category:

http://www.playingbythebook.net/2011/12/13/an-interview-with-atinuke/

Agent Jill Corcoran - Writing Tip of the Day

This is one story I LOVE to tell, about Jill Corcoran, a fellow blogger and buddy of mine for years. It was a hoot to see her at many SCBWI events, always curious, always learning her craft and always a blast to hang out with. A few years back Jill decided to become a Children's Literary agent for the Herman Agency in New York. This girl was born to do this job. Jill has sky rocketed to success with multi-book deals for many authors. We who "knew her when" are bursting with pride. I'm happy that my good friend and buddy Jill Corcoran agreed to give us a Writing Tip of the Day.

Book Blips - Class of 2K12 - Sarah Tregay - Love & Leftovers

Here is the first Book Blip of debut novels by the Class of 2K12.

Love and Leftovers by Sarah Tregay

Katherine Tegen Books/HarperCollins (January 2012)

Summary:

My wish
 is to fall

cranium over Converse

in dizzy, daydream-worthy 
love.

(If only it were that easy.)

When her parents split, Marcie is dragged from Idaho to a family summerhouse in New Hampshire. She leaves behind her friends, a group of freaks and geeks called the Leftovers, including her emo-rocker boyfriend, and her father. By the time Labor Day rolls around, Marcie suspects this "vacation" has become permanent. She starts at a new school where a cute boy brings her breakfast and a new romance heats up.

But understanding love, especially when you've watched your parents' affections end, is elusive. What does it feel like, really? can you even know it until you've lost it?

A Poem for the New Year - Barbara Jean Hicks

I love this poem about the aftermath of the holidays. Maybe we make resolutions at New Year’s in response to our Christmas regrets? (Oh, the breathless hope of new beginnings!)

WELL, SO THAT IS THAT

Well, so that is that.
Now we must dismantle the tree,
Putting the decorations back
into their cardboard boxes—
Some have got broken—
and carrying them up to the attic.
The holly and mistletoe must be taken down and burnt,
And the children got ready for school.
There are enough
Left-overs to do, warmed up, for the rest of the week—

Sketchbook Art - Bethlehem

I love to repeat this post every Christmas.

I have been lucky enough to have visited the town of Bethlehem on Christmas day.  It was one of my parochial school kid's dreams come true.  Our Jewish mother tour guide took us to the Church of the Nativity on Christmas night.  The line was hours long to go down to the cave where the baby Jesus was born, but our guide knew of a secret door that is open only on Christmas. We followed her down and viewed the glorious Nativity scene--surround by chicken wire, just in case someone wanted to take baby Jesus home.  As we sang Christmas carols on our way back to the hotel, the brightest star I have ever seen shone over the land.

On this blessed day, Merry Christmas to all.

Word-Pictures for Christmas - Barbara Jean Hicks

On this day before Christmas Eve, I give you some beautiful lines to ponder—not a poem, but the most poetic of prose. For the wonderful text in its entirety, click here. 

from A Child’s Christmas in Wales

by Dylan Thomas (1914-1953)

Years and years ago, when I was a boy, when there were wolves in Wales, and birds the color of red-flannel petticoats whisked past the harp-shaped hills, when we sang and wallowed all night and day in caves that smelt like Sunday afternoons in damp front farmhouse parlors, and we chased, with the jawbones of deacons, the English and the bears, before the motor car, before the wheel, before the duchess-faced horse, when we rode the daft and happy hills bareback, it snowed and it snowed.

Most popular posts 2011- Andrew Karre - Editorial Director - Carolrhoda Books

Andrew Karre was one of my first-page editors at the Santa Barbara Mission retreat this year.  He was smart, funny and had great insights into all the manuscripts. Andrew also is a blogger and gave us some wonderful promotion tips. It was a pleasure to meet Andrew Karre and get an interview for the  blog.

When and why did you become a children’s book editor?

I began working on children’s books in 2003 (I think).  I did not set out to work on kids’ books. I wanted to be an editor, but I wasn’t picky about the category initially. Once I started editing and acquiring YA, though, I knew kidlit was my calling. When I moved to a position that allowed me to do picture books, middle grade and YA, I thought I’d gone to heaven.

Most popular posts 2011- Grace Maccarone - Editor/Author - Holiday House

I met Grace Maccarone, editor at Holiday House, at the Santa Barbara Mission retreat in 2011. She was one of my first-page editors. I was struck by her kindess, humor and insight.  I am so pleased that Grace agreed to be interviewed for the blog.

When and why did you become a children’s book editor?
 
Because I love, love, love kids’ books and kids. I began my career in magazines, then shifted over to books. That happened in the mid-eighties.

Erica Silverman - Writing Tip of the Day - Hanukkah Hop!

My good buddy, award winning children's author and librarian Erica Silverman, has come out with a great Hanukkah book this year. Hanukkah Hop is a rollicking, fun story of a family celebrating Hanukkah. It's a great gift for the holidays! Erica agreed to give us the Writing Tip of the Day, using Hanukkah Hop to demonstrate the use of repetition.

Santa in Paradise- Art for Art's Sake

I love to draw Father Christmas. You might say I am Santa obsessed, call him what you'd like--Kris Kringle, Santa Claus, Saint Nicholas or my personal favorite, Sleigh Boy. As he was to most kids, he was my hero, a patron saint who doled out what we really needed...toys and candy. And I still believed in his power of good.

Of course Santa is a workaholic. How else could he run the corporation of Elves R Us?!  But I always wondered what he did with his leisure time. What books did he read?  What toys did he like? And of course, what was his favorite dessert?

This is a quick sketch of Santa on vacation in Tahiti. I think of him having a red and green hut over the water. I bet he uses SPF 50 sunblock. Santa is whiter than white!

John Green - Blast from the Past Interview

  Printz Award Winner, John  Green. 

When and why did you start writing for children?

I didn't start writing for teens until I was about a year out of college and living in Chicago. I was working at the book review journal "Booklist," and I was reading a lot of YA novels.

The Little Shepherd's Christmas - Carol Heyer - book launch info

My good buddy, award winning author/illustrator Carol Heyer, wrote and illustrated a wonderful Christmas story, out just in time for the holidays. Here is the book launch info. If you are in the area go to the launch and support your local independent book seller.

THE LITTLE SHEPHERD'S CHRISTMAS

December 3rd
,11:00 - 1:00

Mrs. Figs' Bookworm

93 East Daily Drive  Camarillo, CA 93010-6332
(805) 482-1384

What a great gift this is from Ideal Books. Here is a summary of The Little Shepherd's Christmas.

This is Reuel's big chance to prove that he can tend sheep just as well as his older brothers. All he has to do is keep a watchful eye on his little flock. But distracted by his brothers' teasing, he looks away just long enough for a little lamb to wander. Following a frantic search, Reuel finds his missing charge . . . and also finds himself in the midst of the biggest announcement ever made. The Christ Child has been born, and Reuel is one of the first chosen to hear the news! After racing through the streets of Bethlehem, his misstep becomes a blessing when he encounters the Baby who will one day become the Shepherd of Men.

A Poem for Thanksgiving - Barbara Jean Hicks

A POEM FOR THANKSGIVING

On this weekend of thanks-giving, I leave you a favorite poem to ponder. What wonderful gifts we have been given!

Pied Beauty
 
Glory be to God for dappled things—

For skies of couple-colour as a brinded cow;

For rose-moles all in stipple upon trout that swim;

Fresh-firecoal chestnut-falls; finches’ wings;

Landscape plotted and pieced—

fold, fallow, and plough;

And all trades, their gear and tackle and trim.
All things counter, original, spare, strange;

Whatever is fickle, freckled (who knows how?)

With swift, slow; sweet, sour; adazzle, dim;

He fathers-forth whose beauty is past change:

Praise him.

Gerard Manley Hopkins (1844-1899)

The photo of the “couple-coulored skies” is from Ann Wilson’s blog, One Pilgrim’s Journey, and was taken in Strasburg, Colorado. Happy Thanksgiving to all!

Happy Thanksgiving

I am thankful for...

my husband Al,
my family, my friends,
my agent Mark McVeigh,
my editor Steve Meltzer,
chocolate cupcakes with white icing,
fine French champagne, sushi,
Maui Jim sunglasses, Mephisto sandals,
being an American,
the SCBWI, my writers' group,
watercolor sketchbooks,
my Big Bertha driver,
costume contests,
our two kitties, Toulouse & Monet,
our puppy Honey, gardenias, good health,
my i-phone 4
and yoga.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Mary Ann Fraser - Illustration Tip of the Day

My good buddy, illustrator/author Mary Ann Fraser, is one busy and prolific girl, with over 60 books to her credit. I tracked down Mary Ann to give us an Illustration Tip of the Day.

A School Visit Nugget: Meeting Visual Arts Standards - Barbara Jean Hicks

from the teaching files of
Barbara Jean Hicks

I admit it, I’m envious of both the talent and the opportunities available for picture book illustrators and author/illustrators. What fun it would be to create something visual, in the moment, for a group of spell-bound students-- and inspire them to create artwork of their own!

In these days of budget cuts for schools, the arts often get short shrift. But most states have academic standards in the arts that educators must address. What better person to help them do so than a real live illustrator?!

Bruce Coville - Writing Tip of the Day

I love Bruce Coville. I have heard him speak at many SCBWI events over the years.  He is funny, enertaining and generous. After giving the Keynote at last summer's SCBWI conference, I jumped him in the lobby and asked for a writing tip. He graciously agreed. I give you the wonderful Bruce Coville.

 

A School Visit Nugget: Meeting Writing Standards - Barbara Jean Hicks

from the teaching files of
Barbara Jean Hicks

In these days of standards-based education and accountability, the pressure is on administrators and teachers to make sure everything they do helps their students reach academic benchmarks. Sometimes it must feel as if the creative spirit that led educators to the profession in the first place is struggling to survive.

Anything we can do as authors to refresh the creative spirit of both teachers and students will be doubly welcome if we address those all-important academic standards along the way. And who better to talk to kids about writing than a published author?

Alexis O'Neill - Writing Tip of the Day

My good buddy, author Alexis O'Neill, is not only a great writer, she has an amazing blog, School Visits Experts, where she writes about everything you need to know about school visits, from great openings to how to choose a volunteer. Today Alexis gives us an interesting Writing Tip of the Day.

A Nugget from The Artist’s Way - Barbara Jean Hicks

from the bookshelf of
Barbara Jean Hicks

I remember a minister friend once asking me what I wanted out of life. I answered without hesitation. “I want to be a co-creator with God of something beautiful.” I didn’t make the connection at the time, but several years earlier I had read The Artist’s Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity by Julia Cameron (Putnam 1992), in which the creative process is described as “forging a creative alliance, artist-to-artist, with the Great Creator.”

Happy Halloween

As it is for most kids, Halloween was one of my favorite holidays when I was growing up. Dressing up, getting free candy and carving pumpkins... What could be better than that? All I needed was a pair of good shoes to cover the miles. I only stopped between houses to gobble up a few choice goodies. I still love to put on a costume and go trick-or-treating with the kids. And I still gobble up my favorite candy all night long.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

A School Visit Nugget: Meeting Speaking & Listening Standards - Barbara Jean Hicks

 from the teaching files of
Barbara Jean Hicks

One of the ways I’ve addressed state standards for speaking and listening in my school visits, especially with upper elementary and middle school kids, is to have student volunteers do a Readers’ Theatre presentation of one of my books. I have the required number of scripts available with the readers’ parts printed in different colors, making it easy for each reader to know when it’s his or her turn.

Katherine House - Writing Tip of the Day

Katherine House has written a great nonfiction book, Lighthouses for Kids, which includes stories about many U.S. lighthouses, fun facts and activities such as tying a bowline. It is a wonderful book for kids. I've asked Katherine to give us a Writing Tip of the Day.

Panning for Gold with Barbara Jean Hicks - Peter P. Jacobi

 from the collected notes of
Barbara Jean Hicks

Peter P. Jacobi is professor emeritus of journalism at Indiana University. His guidebooks on writing magazine articles, news stories and feature articles are standard reference sources for journalists. If you’ve never heard Peter speak, it’s worth the price of admission just to hear his resonant baritone fill a room.

In his keynote address at the Highlights Writers Workshop at Chautauqua last summer, Peter dipped into The Wonderful Wizard of Oz for inspiration.

The Silence of Murder - Dandi Daley Mackall

My good buddy, prolific writer Dandi Daley Mackall, has a new YA novel coming out this fall. It is a murder mystery. I have interviewed Dandi before but I had new questions about her writing a mystery.

You have written so many YA novels; what inspired you write a murder mystery?

I LOVE mysteries! That’s what I read every night before I fall asleep. I’ve toyed with “mini-mysteries” before—one mystery in a series with 8 books, like Midnight Mystery in Winnie the Horse Gentler. But a murder mystery, with court scenes and courtroom antics and testimonies—that was a different arena.

A School Visit Nugget: Content & Theme - Barbara Jean Hicks

from the teaching files of Barbara Jean Hicks

For nonfiction authors, focusing on content that relates to subjects such as science or social studies is a no-brainer. But many picture books and children's/YA novels, too, can have science and social studies curriculum tie-ins.

In addition, picture books and novels are likely to have themes appropriate to the emotional and social development of children and teens. Social/emotional growth is as much a part of the educational process as intellectual growth, and teachers and administrators welcome assemblies that address important issues in this area.

Think about your book as a pick for a children's or teen's book club, for example. What questions do you raise that you want your readers to think about and discuss?