Interviews with Picture Book Editors

I've discovered an interesting new blog called Picture This written by picture book author, Rob Sanders.

Click here to read the first part of an interview with Picture Book Editor, Maria Modugno.  Then click on "newer post" to read the next three parts of this interview.

Click here to read the first part of an interview with Picture Book Editor, Diane Muldrow. Then click on "newer post" to read the next three parts of this interview.

Keep reading Picture This to learn all about writing picture books.  Lotsa good information there. His latest post is all about setting goals for 2012. He also has a great list of the best picture books of 2011.  Go see.

Blog -- Lisa Yee's Blog

If you love to read about a bubbly Children's book author's adventures (complete with lots of pictures), I'd recommend Lisa Yee's Blog, which is called, strangely enough, "Lisa Yee's Blog."

Click on over and enjoy.

Meanwhile, I'll just go hide myself with my laptop in the comfy wing chair and rewrite this month's critical essay -- again.

-wo

Favorite blogs -- As the Eraser Burns

Okay, I know it's a strange name, but it has been the name of our local SCBWI (Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators) newsletter for years and years -- and now is the name of the local SCBWI regional blog, which replaced the newsletter. Which Region do I belong to? The Maryland/ Delaware/ West Virginia Region.

Currently it's featuring the speakers who will be at our July conference, Staying On Track, which will be held the weekend of July 16 and 17. Editors! Agents! Authors! all set to help writers improve and sell their writing.

This year there will be four tracks -- YA, Middle Grade, Picture Book, and Nonfiction. Two of the tracks are still open for registration.

So click onto this link for the blog, As the Eraser Burns, and enjoy.

And continue reading it after the conference to pick up tidbits from the sessions, because I won't be there and can't pass them along to you, myself, sorry.

I'll be busy at Vermont College attending the lectures that kick off the second semester of work.

-wo

ALA is NOW -- ALSC Blog

Were you not able to attend ALA (the American Library Association) convention this year -- like me? Well, don't mope about it. Get thee to the ALSC blog to see what's going on in New York City this weekend in the children's book world.

What is ALSC?

The Association for Library Service to Children.

Chocolate

Authors!

Awards are given out

Why series are popular

Storytimes for all ages

Nonfiction Book Blast

Poetry Blast

and more

( did I mention -- chocolate? )

-wo

Blog -- Cockeyed Caravan

Over at the Cockeyed Caravan, Betsy Byrd's husband is taking apart and putting back together the Harry Potter books. He thinks the first three are just about perfect, but then shines his light on the flaws of the last four. He's up to book 5. Stay tuned for the rest of the books. I know I will.

(You remember that Betsy Byrd also writes a delightful blog about books, mostly new books, at her blog, A Fuse #8 Production. And now she has a baby bookworm to try the new picture books out on.)

-wo

Blog -- Shelftalker

One thing a writer needs to be aware of is bookstores. We writers should support independent bookstores because they are special places run by people who love books.

And a blog that is written by a bookstore owner who talks about books, customers, and the publishing business is Shelftalker, written by the owner of the Flying Pig bookstore, Elizabeth Bluemle and her partner, Josie Leavitt.

Elizabeth Bluemle is a published author herself, as well as being the sponsor of the Flying Pig Humor Award at Vermont College of Fine Arts in Writing for Children and Young Adults.

Corrected -- the award is called, The Flying Pig Grade-A, Number-one Ham Humor Award.

You'll enjoy reading this bookstore view of the publishing business.

-wo

Blog -- Alice Pope's SCBWI Children's Market Blog

Those of you who belong to SCBWI (the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators), and if you don't belong YOU SHOULD, should be familiar with the name, Alice Pope.

She runs the SCBWI's Children's Market blog. Now, don't go thinking that all she talks about is markets, although that's good too. She also talks about conferences, writing, books, and authors. Her current post talks about some of the author/ speakers and the SCBWI-LA Conference coming up in August. Click and enjoy. -wo

Blog -- Blue Rose Girls

Another blog I like to keep up with is a blog jointly written called Blue Rose Girls, created by a group of friends who one day decided to create a blog together. It's not a blog of writers. It's not a blog of illustrators. It's not a blog of editors. IT'S ALL THREE!

Not only that, but there are links to their individual blogs and webpages, as well.

Who are these wonderful people? You just might recognize some of their names:

Anna Alter

Libby Koponen

Grace Lin

Meghan McCarthy

Elaine Magliaro

Linda S. Wingerter

and Alvina. Now, I once knew Alvina's last name, but she doesn't use it on this blog and I have forgotten it. (pssst. she's an editor)

They describe themselves and their blog this way:

In the tradition of the Red Rose Girls, a group of children's book professionals (authors, illustrators, an editor, and one former librarian) discuss everything kidlit related; from industry news and the ever-changing world of publishing to the creative process with all its frustrations and inspirations. Please join us in the discussion!

-wo

Blog -- Agent Jill Corcoran

Several agents have blogs where they give advice to writers about the tricky parts of the business of being published as well as talk about her writers, their books, and their sales. Among them is Jill Corcoran of the Herman Agency.

It looks as if she is only blogging once a month these days, but there's lots of good information in her older posts if you want to take a look and learn. Plus lots of links to other good blogs.

Just click.

Blog/ Journal -- Jane Yolen

Jane Yolen, who has been called the Hans Christian Andersen of America and the Aesop ofthe twentieth century, doesn't actually keep a Blog.

She keeps a Journal on her website where she jots down notes about writing and life, with occasional bursts of poetry. She calls it "Telling the True."

Her latest entry was mid-May where she was packing for her annual summertime move to Scotland, her second home. Her thought for that entry was, "The ups and downs of being a writer on two sides of the Atlantic." On the upside are things she loves about Scotland. The downside is not knowing if the thing she is looking for is in her cabinet in Scotland or somewhere in the house in Massachusetts.

She'll begin writing journal entries again when she gets settled in Scotland. She doesn't write every day. Instead, she'll talk about what happened during the past week or so in one entry.

I think she has had over 300 books published, so I'm sure you've read at least one of her adult or children's books sometime in your life -- even if it only was reading one of her Dinosaur books to a two year old.

Check out Jane Yolen's Journal here.

Blog -- A Fuse #8 Production

It's 4 am and the temps outside are still in the high/ humid 70s. It's a good thing I insisted we turn on the air-conditioning yesterday. I took the grandkids to the pool yesterday afternoon. Although they jumped right in, there's no way I'm agonna do that until the pool warms up closer to 80 degrees. Instead, I sat in the shade and worked on one of the revisions I have to do for my graduate writing course. (I couldn't use my old laptop out of doors -- I couldn't see the screen. But this new MacPro laptop worked fine.)

There is one blog that is a daily read for me -- A Fuse #8 Production. Betsy Bird is a children's librarian in New York City who has been blogging for years, mostly about books, but she manages to insert a lot of other amazing things and links into her blog as well. Her writing is clever and a joy to read. Once a week she publishes a post she calls, "Fusenews." If you read no other, do read that one. Every paragraph contains news and views she's found across the internet, along with links. And on Sunday, she shows nothing but videos she has found. Mostly about books and writing, but she always throws in an off-topic funny one as well.

Click and enjoy. -wo