A Dream Achieved... KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON, CHILDREN

A long time ago, November of 2007 to be exact, I began a journey. My workout was interrupted when a story idea came to me. I hopped off the treadmill and began writing COMFORT IN THE CLOUDS, my first manuscript. It still hasn't found a home, but it was the first step on my journey towards publication.

I joined SCBWI and attended The Highlight's Foundation Summer Workshop in Chautauqua, NY. The years that followed taught me many things. Patience. Determination. The value of studying the craft of writing. Finding critique partners and being open to their suggestions also moved me forward.  Perseverance probably is the most important thing I learned. Just like the characters in my upcoming middle grade novel, KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON, CHILDREN, I had to keep a good attitude and persevere until I had success.

KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON, CHILDREN is a story about how British Children, during WWII, persevered and overcame their situations. It is now available for pre-order at Black Rose Writing (If you used the code PREORDER2019 you get a 15% discount. It can also be pre-ordered through Amazon, Amazon UK and Barnes and Noble. The release day is September 5th. I will be doing a signed book giveaway in September. I'm currently doing a Facebook  pre-order giveaway. Everyone who shares a link to my book will get their name in a drawing for a signed copy of KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON, CHILDREN.

If you can't tell, I'm super excited! My grandparents in England gave me the seed that grew into KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON, CHILDREN and in August I will be able to hand my 98 year old grandfather a copy of my first book.

Life, Growth, and Change...

 Often my life feels like I'm moving at a turtles pace. Never getting too far ahead, but then having to remind myself that publishing is an industry that operates at a slow speed.

When things get too slow it's time to push yourself to the next level.

As a writer, I can tell you the more you practice your craft, the more you study, the better your writing will be. Investing in yourself is important. Whether it is doing an online class, going to a local workshop at the library, going to an SCBWI conference or attending a Highlight's Foundation workshop it will move your writing and your confidence forward.

 Pushing yourself to change the way you do something can be the turning point for your writing and your dreams.

What have you done so far this year to push yourself? 

I went to an SCBWI Agent day!

Sometimes When You Enter...You Win! SCBWI KSMO Rocks!

The Missouri Kansas SWCBI Regional Team has been hard at work putting all the pieces together for a fantastic 2017 Middle of the Map conference. A large part of that planning includes coordinating the contests for the Ellen Donal Mentorship award, the Clare Vanderpool Work of Promise Scholarship and the Middle of the Map Illustration Contest. This year, we also added a Portfolio Mentorship for our illustration members.

A special thank you to all the coordinators and judges who helped to select these winners. Also, a huge thank you to the members who submitted to the contests. It was very exciting to see so much amazing work coming from our membership.

The competition was steep across all the contests and it took much time and deliberation for our amazing volunteer judges to narrow each of them down to one winner. However, those decisions have been made and we are pleased to announce the recipients for each contest below. We look forward to seeing the work that each of these members do this year!


 

Ellen Dolan Mentorship for Writers

We are so excited to announce the 2018 Ellen Dolan Mentorship winner, Sharon K. Mayhew. She will be working with the wonderful PB author, Ann Ingalls on her manuscript over the next year. She has also received a scholarship covering her registration cost to the Kansas/Missouri SCBWI conference in November.

Sharon, born just outside of London, began writing very young and continues to write today. She fulfilled her dream of becoming an elementary teacher in 1988, in Arkansas and taught for seventeen years. Her classrooms were always filled with books and writing activities. Her third and fourth graders became part of her life, not just for the year or two she had them, but many of them are still close to her and confide in her in both good times and bad. One of her most prized awards is the SEAM award. It was presented to her for her achievement in teaching children with all levels of needs, from special education students through the gifted ones.

 She began seriously writing in 2008 when she relocated to northern Iowa. The long winters gave her ample time to sit by the window in her office and write stories.

Sharon has been an active SCBWI member since 2007. In 2014, she joined an in-person critique group and in 2016 SCBWI leadership asked her to start another critique group for beginning writers. Teaching, reading and writing remain her passions today.

Clare Vanderpool Work of Promise Scholarship

We are pleased to announce the 2017 Clare Vanderpool Work of Promise Scholarship Winner, Christina Schmidt. SCBWI Kansas/Missouri offers this scholarship to our fall conference each year in honor of the 2011 Newbery winner and SCBWI Kansas member, Clare Vanderpool.  The scholarship includes conference registration and a one-on-one consultation with the faculty editor or agent of the recipient's choice. Christina was chosen for the honor based upon her manuscript submission for FADED, her second YA novel, which was selected by a committee of authors.

After eight years as a Research Biologist in the pharmaceutical industry, Christina left her job to become a full-time mom and finally pursue her lifelong passion for writing. During those whirlwind years of raising young children, she had parenting essays published in “American Baby” magazine and on Mothering.com, but novels were always her ultimate goal. She eventually found a home with SCBWI and started building her fiction-writing foundation. She’s been an active member for six years. Christina lives in the St. Louis area with her husband and their three boys. 

2018 Illustration Mentorship

We are very excited to announce our first Illustration Mentorship recipient Stephen Dallas. He will have the amazing opportunity to improve one of his illustrations with the support of mentor Stephen T. Johnson. He will also receive a scholarship covering registration cost to the Kansas/Missouri SCBWI conference in November.

Stephen Dallas is a pre-published illustrator living and working in Overland Park, Kansas. He loves the art of storytelling and would like to illustrate graphic novels for middle grades and young adults. Stephen is most inspired by rock and roll, indie board games, and Kung Fu films. He feels this opportunity is a great way to go back to fundamentals and better establish the root of the story being told. 

2017 Middle of the Map Illustration Contest

We are thrilled to announce the winner of the Middle of the Map Illustration Contest, Rob Peters. Rob’s artwork, which illustrates the theme “Middle of the Map” will be used on many of our 2017 conference promotions and materials. He has also received free tuition to the conference, a free portfolio review with the faculty of his choice, and a small booklet of his illustration and contact information will be distributed to all of our conference faculty.

Rob Peters has a degree in Visual Communications from Judson College in Elgin, IL. He worked as a cover designer and illustrator for Jostens Yearbooks for 7 years. Now he works as a freelance illustrator and graphic designer. He lives in Topeka with Janie, his wife, and family.

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Congratulations to Chris, Rob and Stephen! I'm super excited about having the opportunity to work with Ann Ingalls. Ann has an amazing resume' and I can't wait to learn from her. If you want to check her out and all of her amazing books....

Meet Ann Ingalls

See Ann's Books

I hope you will enter your state SCBWI contests or other writing contests. Entering contests is a great way of practicing deadlines. Deadlines will come when you get that contract. Have you entered any contests lately? 

(hugs)

Ending 2011 On A Positive Note (and a publication)

I am excited to end 2011 on a high note.  My article, TO BLOG OR NOT TO BLOG...That is the Question, was published in the December issue of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, Missouri Newsletter.  In the article I mention (without names) a couple of special friends I've met because of blogging and some of the opportunities I've had because of blogging.  I also mention The A-Z Challenge sponsored by Arlee Bird.  ( I know a lot of you did it last year.)  It will be A-Z time soon...

Blogging has really made a huge impact on my writing life and my personal life.  I feel like I have gained so much by having YOU as my friends.  I hope that you have found lots of friends in blogland like I have.

Thank you for being my friend!  (HUG)

I hope that 2012 brings you good health, good friends, true love, happiness and (if you are a writer) an agent & a book contract.  


HUGS TO ALL...Have a fun and safe New Year's Eve.

The ABC's of A Good Friend... "M" and a SCBWI Crystal Kite Award Reminder

(There are only a few times in life that I will lose my manners.  Being chased by hornets will cause a whole different side of me to emerge...It's not pretty either.)

It's day 13 of Arlee Bird's A-Z Challenge! Since I write for younger children and we're doing the ABC's, I thought I'd do The ABC's of A Good Friend (and throw in a few random pictures, because I have a bit of a camera habit).

~M~

Call me old fashioned, but I want a friend that has manners.  If you are going to be late, you call and say I'm running late.  If you're invited to a function, you RSVP whether it's on the invitation or not.  I'm not perfect by any means, but I try to behave like a "good" grown up when I'm around other people's kids and I hope for that same respect around my kiddo.  I like friends who say please and thank you...and don't sag.  It doesn't bother me when I see your bra strap, but when I can see your underwear it really bothers me, especially if you aren't bent over trying to fix my sink.  I like friends who wait until 3/4 of the table is served when we go out to dinner.  Call me old school and when a lady gets up from the table, I think it's lovely when the men get up too.   I really like to see people everywhere displaying good manners.  Holding doors for people in shops, offering to help someone if they can't reach an item on a shelf or just having polite chit chat with someone who is serving you at a restaurant or checking you out at Target are all ways to show you have good manners.  I think how you interact with people, all people, shows what type of friend you might be.

What good manners do you like to see people display?  Do you have any other "M" words for me?

Today, Friday, April  15th is the final day to cast your vote in Round 2 of the 2011 SCBWI Crystal Kite.  If you are an SCBWI member and haven't voted please hop over and vote.  (Hilary Wagner's book Nightshade City is up for the award in one region!)

CRITIQUE CONTEST ANNOUNCEMENT...With Awesome Prizes! (And Show Me the Voice Contest Entry)

It's been a long time since I've hosted a critique session here at Random Thoughts, so I thought it was time to do one again.  This time we have a special prize.  Judith Engracia, Literary Assistant at Liza Dawson Associates Literary Agency is going to judge your entries and choose at least two winners.  The two winners will receive a ten page critique from Judith!  How awesome is that!!! 

I adore Judith and am sure you will too...

Judith is a literary assistant at Liza Dawson Associates, handling audio rights and digital publishing. She graduated summa cum laude from Fordham University with a B.A. in English and History on a full presidential scholarship. Prior to joining Liza Dawson Associates in 2010, she interned at Random House and a number of literary agencies, including FinePrint Literary and Nancy Coffey Literary Management. She is currently building her client list and looking for all types of fiction, especially middle grade, young adult, urban fantasy, steampunk, and paranormal romance. When she's not reading, she is either training for her next martial arts test or causing mischief with her Siberian Husky, Grendel.

Here are the rules...

Your manuscript must be a complete mg, ya or fiction novel.  You must email me the first 100 words...more or less, don't end in the middle of a sentence.  I will take the first 50 entries and then close the contest.  You may submit one piece to be critiqued.  If you enter, I hope that you will take the time to critique at least 10 other people's submissions.  I'll post the entries on Monday. 

Email your submission to me at skmayh at q dot com in this format:

Title:
Genre:
First 100 words

Good luck everyone!
CONTEST SUBMISSIONS NOW CLOSED...

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In case you hadn't heard Hilary Wagner's wicked cool book, Nightshade City made it to the final round of the SCWBI Crystal Kite Awards.  If you are a member...Please hop over and give her your vote!  Nightshade City is an awesome book!

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YIKES!  I forgot that I had entered Brenda Drake's Show Me the Voice Contest!  Here's my entry...Any input will be appreciated.  :)

TITLE: BEG, BORROW, AND EARN

GENRE: CHAPTER BOOK

David jumped in front of the shopping cart.

Mom stopped abruptly.

“Can I get new sneakers?”

“You can wear the ones you have until the end of the summer. We’ll get you a new pair, right before school starts.”

David tossed a box of chocolate Pop Tarts in the cart. “But Mom, school doesn’t END until tomorrow! I hafta wait all summer to get them?” David squeaked.

Mom didn’t answer, which meant she DID expect him to wait all summer.

“Oh well at least I know what kind I want. I want a pair of black and white Ninja Heelys.”

Mom continued reading the label on a box of Cap’n Crunch. Then she looked over the top of her glasses. “I can’t see the point in spending sixty dollars on a pair of sneakers that turn into roller skates when you already have roller blades.”

“But, Mom, they’re wicked cool! I have to have them or everyone’ll think I’m a loser.”

“If you save your allowance and earn the rest of the money you can buy them yourself.”

“Awe, Mom, how can I earn sixty dollars plus tax this summer? I only get two bucks a week. Summer vacation is only ten weeks, so if I save everything I’ll…” David paused, “only have twenty bucks.”

“You’re right,” Mom said. “Ten weeks times two dollars is twenty dollars, but your birthday’s in July. Grandma Pat and Uncle Ken always send you money.”

“Oh yeah, they send me however old I am in dollars.

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Have a great weekend! Don't foget to vote for the Crystal Kite Award and to send my your first 100 words of your completed manuscript by Monday...

HAVE YOU VOTED? TUESDAY IS THE DEADLINE!!!

One of our bloggy friend's names showed up on the list of nominees for the SCBWI Crystal Kite Award!  If you are a SCBWI member please log in and check who is up for the award in your region.  You never know when one of your bloggy friends might show up on the list.  I was so excited when I saw our buddy Hilary Wagner was on the list!

So here's the scoop...
Tuesday, March 15th is the final day to cast your vote in Round 1 of the 2011 SCBWI Crystal Kite Member Choice Awards! Round 2 voting starts on Thursday, March 17th.


How to vote!
1. Log in at SCBWI.org.
2. Click on the "See what's going on in your region!" link on your Member Home Page.
3. Click on the tab that says "Crystal Kite."
4. Browse through the nominated books and authors from your Regional Division and vote for the book of your choice.

If you haven't voted and you are a SCBWI member, please hop over and vote!

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Did you meet your goals for this week?  I didn't, I got a bit distracted by Katherine's birthday.  Then my car got sick...very sick...it went into limp mode.  Thankfully it was easily quickly fixed.
What are your goals for next week? Next week is a new week and I have new goals, plus my revision goals from last week.




Have a safe and happy weekend and don't forget to vote!

Learning From Literary Agent Marietta Zacker

I can't say this enough...go to conferences...take risks... network...and if you have the opportunity to do an editor or an agent critique...DO IT!  I was chatting to some of the people around me, in the lecture hall, and was surprised to find out how few signed up for the critiques.  I wonder why that is??? (Anyway, I'm sure you want to know what I learned from Literary Agent Marietta Zacker.)

Marietta Zacker is a Literary Agent at the Nancy Gallt Literary Agency in New Jersey.  If her name sounds familiar to you it's probably because she is our dear friend Hilary Wagner's agent.  (If you haven't bought a copy of NIGHTSHADE CITY, you need to!  It is fantastic!!!! Yes, I used four exclamation marks...)

I read my pitch for A CAKE I WILL BAKE to Marietta and two other writers, then I read my manuscript.  (I was rather nervous and stammered a little bit...)  Then we discussed it.

Positives from Marietta:

*She liked my topic...

*She said I had a nice poem, but stumbled over some parts...

*My pitch went with my poem... 

*She liked my series idea...

*She liked my marketing idea...

Things I learned from Marietta:

*I need a defined main character, not "I"

*Rhyming books are a hard sell...

*If I was to change the main character to an animal rather than a person it would make the book even more fun...

*Sometimes rhyming sounds forced (even if it didn't feel forced when it came out of your mouth...ex: I'll mix in three eggs and white flour too, pour in some sugar and shout, "Yahoo!")

What will I do with this information? I will revise...I already have something in mind. (smile)  Do you like the name Zadie???  Is it fun on the tongue?

If you submit to Marietta, be sure to follow her guidelines and keep your query letter brief.  She is passionate about books and about her authors. She wants to see that you are passionate about your work... (In other words, know what you are writing about...immerse yourself in your writing...live your genre...)

Learning From Your One On One Critique...and HarperCollins

SCBWI-KS was top shelf!  Friday night kicked off with The Hire Wire Act, featuring Bruce Hale (which I will talk about more on another post), followed by some wonderful entertainment, an awesome display of faculty books, a books signing, and a great social event.  During The Hire Wire Act some of us snuck off to have One on One Critique sessions....I was lucky enough to land one with associate editor at HarperCollins Children’s Books, Maria Gomez.

Maria reviewed my historical fiction picture book called EVERYONE DID THEIR PART.

Positives: 
*She said I had a lovely voice!  (My heart about exploded...)
*Very vivid imagery!
*This is a very nice story but feels like the beginning of a novel.  (I let her know that I was also working on a mid grade novel for these characters.)

Things I learned:
*Might be a hard sell to trade publishers...She suggested submitting to scholarly publishers.
*Books set in other countries are harder to sell here.
*Kids don't read author's notes, so make sure if you want them to know something it's in the story.
*Watch that you don't repeat something...wasted words...
*Suggested changing it to third person rather than first person.

Maria is the second person in the industry to suggest  I make this into a mid grade novel.  (Smile)  I started writing it earlier this summer and have about 8 chapters completed.  You guys helped me choose the title for it...NOT A HOLIDAY 

When Maria suggested that I submit to a scholarly publisher I realized that several pieces I've written were geared to that market....So it looks like I need to do some research...

FYI...If you are going to submit to HarperCollins they now call middle grade novels Tweens....
       ...If you have a digital idea for a picture book manuscript include it with your query...
       ...A chapter book is between a picture book and a Tween  book it's for ages 7-10...
      ...All editors and agents looking for...  Manuscripts that are FRESH (have innovative plots with new twists), HIGH CONCEPT (stand out), HAVE DEPTH (multifaceted and well developed), and VOICE (have authenticity).

If you go to conferences, (you should go to conferences) spend a little bit extra and do the critique sessions...you won't regret it. 

I think some people are afraid to take the plunge with an agent or an editor...it is scary, but you will learn something...I promise! 

(When Maria said I should be submitting to scholarly publishing houses, it was like a light bulb went off in my head...I was a teacher for 17 years...I could write a lesson plan to go with most of my stories, so doesn't that make sense?  I just didn't see it...)

So Much To Say...So Little Time...

Thanks for dropping in and weighing in on pitches over the weekend.

 

(On my way to SCBWI-KS I had to stop and get a photo of this...I wonder how many writers live in Story City, IA?) 



(My first ever photo of me by me...LOL..I have a lot of wrinkles up close...)



The Greatest Job On Earth was a fantastic conference!  If you get a chance to go to an event in Kansas, GO!  Those ladies know how to put together a great event...I'll be sharing over the next few weeks some of what I learned, plus how my editor one on one  (smile) and my agent critique group went.  (smile) 

A couple quick notes...One of our favorite blog buddies is not feeling well and if you haven't had a chance to stop by his blog and say "hi," it might help pick up his spirits.

The Awesome Angela Ackerman is celebrating...she has over 1,000 followers.  She has some nice prizes, but she has one AMAZING  prize...A MENTORSHIP!  Your going to want to go and fill out her form...for sure!  If you are not familiar with her blog, you need to be.  She puts up great posts on writing.  You will learn from her...guaranteed!

I'll be back tomorrow with my first installment on SCBWI-KS...I'm telling you guys...It was great!!!

Have you been to a conference or retreat yet this year?  If not, do you have one planned?

GOING IN FOR THE PITCH...

 A CAKE I WILL BAKE

Thanks S.  I love the illustration!

The SCBWI (Society of Children's Book Writers & Illustrators) Kansas Annual Conference begins Friday at 7 PM. There are going to be some amazing people there...I can't wait to meet them!   I even get to hang out with an old friend, Jessica.

I've been studying pitches this week (some of you have gotten frantic emails from me...THANKS for your help) with the hopes of cornering some unsuspecting agent or editor.  :)  I found some great links for you...and wanted to share part of an awesome email from my friend Randi Rivers an editor at Charlesbridge Publishing.

This is what Randi said when I asked her about pitches...

"To me it’s a lot like being a bookseller who’s hand-selling during Christmas season. You want to give the people to whom you’re pitching a sense of what happens in the book while enticing them to want more. Let’s see if I can do one off the cuff for a book I edited (What REALLY Happened to Humpty? by Jeanie Franz Ransom): Hard-boiled detective, Joe Dumpty, has until 5pm to crack the case and discover which character pushed his brother, Humpty, off the Wall.


From that pitch you learn the basic plot, the main character, the tone, and the genre—plus the mention of Humpty being pushed creates enticement."
 
& here are the links...
 
Rachelle Gardner gives you a full plan for what to do in an elevator...

Chris Richman at Upstart Crow Literary Agency gives a great example with CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY.

Nathan Bransford did a great post on three different kinds of pitches.

You'll  see a few of our favorite blogging friends pitches at Cape Cod Children's Writers Blog.

So here's my 12 word, one sentence pitch for A CAKE I WILL BAKE... (It has plot, it has character (kind of), it has tone, I think you can tell the genre, and I think it gives a sense of enticement.  It also sounds like me.)

It's yummy, it's sweet, it's a gigantic kid baked and shared treat!

(Thanks for crossing your fingers for me, Lenny and Sebi!  I hope you are feeling better, Lenny!!!!)

Here are my other completed pb pitches:

--"Phyllis and her mum watch the herd of children walk down Buxton Road and decide who'll live with them until The War is over."

--"Rat is a problem solver until he meets Dragon and gets a problem of his own."
--"We-Have-Enough is a village in peril, thanks to years of wasting their resources, eventually everyone pulls together and saves We-Have-Enough."
--"Fun loving Spider Monkey plays a trick on Crocodile and ends up with quite a tail."
--"Sara finds comfort in her memories and in the clouds when her beloved grandma dies."

So here's your chance to practice...I'll be flexible...Pitch me your book in 30 words or less...