Pretty in pink... or not

Radar Magazine is talking about old books with new covers-- pretty pink new covers. For instance, Alice Munro's The View From Castle Rock got a Carrie Bradshaw makeover. Although, to call it Carrie Bradshaw, is, I think insulting. For Carrie. Carrie is classy.



From the article: "This style is what sells," says St. Martin's Press creative director Steve Snider. "And our most important task is to get people to pick up the book. Think of it as dressing up a person to go to a bar...Designers often crop out the head so the reader can imagine her own face on top of a model-skinny body."

Really? I call bullshit. Because I never pictured my own face on a model-skinny body. I pictured the face of the character, how I perceived her, on that model-skinny body.

Check out the article for yourself, they did some pretty funny mockups. My favorite is the Anne Frank one. Or The Bible.

XOXO jenny

Oh Ca-Na-Da! How I Love Theeeee!

It's no secret on The Longstockings Blog, and especially my personal LJ, that I have been struggling along with my new book, SAME DIFFERENCE. I think my brain is like 3 drafts ahead of where my actual manuscript is, and it's been quite a challenge to match the two up.

I'm lucky in that my writing group has been incredibly supportive, cheering me on to the finish line. And I've been seeing lots of nice little mentions about my book A LITTLE FRIENDLY ADVICE popping up on the web that have helped too. I feel a little weird sometimes, mentioning them here, because who likes a Miss Braggy Brag Pants? And also, it's been hard for me to accept praise on my first book, when the state of my second book seems so uncertain.

But this weekend, I received the most amazing review from the Calgary Herald, in lovely, lovely Canada. I have been blushing with pride ever since reading it. To have my book be compared to my two most favorite writers is like...unbelievable. Truly. It's inspirational, it's motivational...it's just flat out freaking awesome.

I feel a little bit goofy sharing news like this, but I just had to post it. Here's the link, if you'd like to check it out. SQUEEEE!

And now...back to my regular state of self-loathing!

luv and thanks,
-=siobhan=-

Where are your books?

Here's an interesting and funny essay about the ways books can bring us together and also drag us apart. I'm not sure I can really relate to this, and I'm also not sure this kind of stuff applies to us Children's Book lovers. But I'll tell you one thing: the first thing I do whenever I go to someone's apartment is check out his or her bookshelves. I like to know what they have, how it's organized, etc. I also like to know where they keep the books. For example, in my house growing up, we had books in pretty much every room, but there were always nice bookshelves in the living room, in a prominent spot in the house, not hidden away in the basement. I think where a person keeps his or her books says a lot about a them. Of course in New York City, it's a bit of a different story. I only have two rooms.

Where do you keep your books? And does anyone else out there analyze this kind of stuff, or I am crazy?

Tata!
Lisa GW

p.s. I love this chair! I think it would work well for me because lately I find myself reading a few books at a time.

Stuck on a title?

I'm terrible with titles. Really, really terrible. So just for fun yesterday, and to distract myself from making any real progress on my WIP, I decide to play around with titles for it. I'm a good way through my first draft and I'm still referring to it as "Untitled," which I hate.

After brainstorming a list on my own, I decided to try this Title Generator tool to see what it came up with. The results were much more Mad Libs than award-winning, but it was pretty funny. Here are a few that made me guffaw:

Fresh Secrets on Briny Crabs
A Briny Mystery
A Summer on Fresh Secrets
Growing Secrets
Briny Sailing

Try it if you're stumped on a title and need a good laugh. That's about all it's good for, I think.

*caroline hickey

I'm an Elizabeth…but I wish I was a Jessica!

So the cool kids over at Gawker are talking about Sweet Valley High. Apparently, they've "modernized" the series and the covers will now be photographic, featuring Leven Ramblin from All My Children. I don't know about you, but I happen to love those old illustrated covers. Those girls were impossibly pretty, they looked like dolls, I used to love just staring at the swivel rack in my library. But Random House hasn't just slapped on a new cover-- they've gone in and updated the text. Oh no they din't! Apparently, the twins now drive a Jeep Wrangler instead of a Fiat. And that's not all:

"To publicize the re-release of teen fiction series Sweet Valley High, Random House Children's Books sent a letter to journalists highlighting the changes made to the content of the 1980s paperbacks. New cover girl Leven Rambin (pictured) was not mentioned, but just to make sure preteen and teenaged girl readers are sufficiently insecure about their bodies, the publisher made the "perfect" clothing size a couple of notches more restrictive. It seems kids in the 80s lived by totally fat standards. Also, Sweet Valley High students now have their own anonymous blog, presumably to hatefully bully the fattest of their classmates."

So apparently a size 6 is no longer "perfect." The Wakefields are now a perfect size four, according to the press release. I'm surprised they didn't go so far as saying, perfect size 2. Or zero for that matter! I mean, yes, clothing sizes are getting bigger (ie a 1950s size 8 is NOT a modern day size 8, it's like a 4) as we are getting bigger, but it's obvs not just that-- today's standard of beauty is basically anorexia. Just look at the runways! Look at Hollywood's big stars! Nicole Kidman, Renee Zellweger, Sarah Michelle Gellar-- all tiny. It's totally unrealistic and unhealthy. That is not what our little tween girls should aspire to-- or us women either, for that matter. Leave our Wakefields alone and leave our girls alone too!

xoxo
Jenny

John Hughes, King of Teens

The LA Times has a great article discussing the influence of John Hughes, king of the teen movie. It's a really inspirational read about one of the masters of the medium.

Check this out...

Jacobson says Hughes could write the first draft of a script in a week. "Once he had the characters and a strong idea, it would carry him all the way through," he recalls.

Makes sense. I mean, the characters of all Hughes' films were so memorable. Good approach for any writer to think about.

-=siobhan=-

Jody Feldman Stops By

Jody Feldman's new book, THE GOLLYWHOPPER GAMES, has been receiving rave reviews from all over, including flattering comparisons to the one and only Roald Dahl. We invited Jody to come by and tell us more about her book, as well as to reveal her secret methods for procrastination.

Tell us about your book.

The dreaded question. You’ve just met some people who find out you’ve written a book. What’s your book about? You freeze. You have the standard sound byte ... It’s about a once-in-a-lifetime competition and the kid who wants to win it for more than the prize at the end ... but it feels forced and rehearsed. And it doesn’t tell about good-natured, resourceful Gil who’s had to live through his father’s arrest and the resulting ugliness. It doesn’t suggest the event is sponsored by a toy and game company, known worldwide for its fun and excitement. It doesn’t give them a glimpse into the colors and energy and mounting tension of The Gollywhopper Games, where 25,000 kids will enter, but only one will win. It doesn’t hint that the book is interactive (have you played a good book lately?), and that readers can solve the puzzles and brainteasers along with the characters if they choose. And you don’t want to bore those people you’ve just met in case they were simply finding a way to make small talk. So you dread the question.

If you and your main character hung out together for a day, what would you do?

Ooh, good question. Gil is a pretty easy-going kind of kid. He like sports of all kinds, especially football. And funny, I like football. How’d that happen?

Gil and his parents used to go to the college football games at the University in his town, but had to give up their tickets when money got tight. So we’d pick a day and center it around going to a college football game. We’d find the best pancake place in town for breakfast then paint our faces if he wanted to. (I’m more of a cheer-er and yell-er than a face painter, but hey ... I’m up for anything.) We’d sit on the 50 yard line, cheering until we were hoarse. After the game, we’d go to a local pizza place near the stadium where the college students would parade past with the goal posts (we won an amazingly important game!), and eat pizza and drink root beer. Because we’d still be so psyched from winning, we’d grab a football or a Frisbee, find the grassy part of the college and start tossing that around. Of course, we’d be joined by a bunch of other people and it would turn into some high-energy game. Then, just to wind down, we’d head over to an arcade that has both virtual sports and old-fashioned pinball machines, eating burgers and fries as we played. And to make sure we didn’t go to bed hungry ... huge ice cream sundaes.

What is your favorite way to procrastinate writing?

I didn’t know which favorite to talk about, so while I thought about it, I played three games of Snood (easy level so it doesn’t waste that much time) and one of Spider Solitaire (medium level so it’s highly winnable, but still makes me think ... and no undo’s unless I go through all the deals and need to restart the game). And that pretty much answers that, right?

What books have you read over and over?

Actually, I don’t tend to read books more than once unless I’m writing them or critiquing them. Here’s a list of the books I’ve read twice: The Westing Game, Catcher in the Rye, The Secret Garden, some book with the word Amber in its title when I was about 13 years old (a mushy, girly story that I’ve searched for since but haven’t been able to find), and that’s about it. There are way too many excellent books for me to discover, and way too little time to get through them all. Although, I may have to read both Holes and Pride and Prejudice once more.

What has surprised you most about the publishing world?

Outside of the glacial pace of the industry? Or the fact that you often feel like you’re submitting into a black hole? Or the audacity of them not buying my book when I first submitted it in its raw and ugly form?

Outside of that ...
When I first started finding Internet communities and saw how open writers were with sharing their talents, knowledge base and publishing tips, I was stunned. And I was stunned again when I heard that people who wrote for the adult market shared nothing. It’s through the generosity of other authors that I came to truly understand the work it takes to get a book into publishable shape. Without them – and I can’t recall who many of “them” are – The Gollywhopper Games wouldn’t be sitting on the shelves today.

And now that “they” have taught me so much, I need to honor them and get back to the craft that had me dropping in here to begin with. Thanks, Longstockings!

Thank you, Jody! You can find THE GOLLYWHOPPER GAMES at your local bookstore or here. And visit Jody at her blog where you can check out the awesome book trailer for THE GOLLYWHOPPER GAMES!

**
daphne

a scene from SHUG

Jenny posted this video on her LiveJournal, and I couldn't resist posting it here. How cute is it? Seriously, this girl is awesome! Having a kid act out a scene from your book and then post it on YouTube is, like, every author's dream. Okay, it's one of my dreams, at least.

Enjoy!
Lisa GW

Dear Lovey Longstockings, I am Desperate

Would you believe, some people actually take us up on that offer to e-mail us (at thelongstockings@yahoo.com) for writing advice? This delights me no end, as I have nursed a secret dream to be an advice columnist ever since I read that Ellen Conford book when I was eleven. Now's my chance!!

This week the Longstockings received a letter from Shane, who's moving to a job with a tech company in the US. He used to work with BBC children's programming in the UK. (Welcome to the States, Shane!) He writes, in part:

Not wanting to distance my passion for Producing children's media too much, I've contemplated writing and illustrating a book or two, based on various ideas I've had over the years.

Now, my perception of the kids TV industry is a very female-driven one, and I noticed that all of you fine writers are all ladies too - this is fab, but I'm wondering if this is common of children's literature, and more importantly if there is something in terms of content or subject matter, as a chap, I should focus on.

Without intending to sound sexist or stereotypical, I'm not exactly going to be much good writing about girly stuff, but at the same time, I'm not interested in writing any gung-ho action escapades either. Is there anything of the "Brit in America" cultural differences I should tap into, or just try and make my work fit in as best as possible?

You, sir, have come to the right place. What you can't learn about the children's book market from the Longstockings, you can learn from the wonderful bloggers on our Blogroll. Fuse #8 reviews as many current kids' books as she can keep up with, giving you a good idea of what's coming out. Read Roger--not a woman!--publishes his thoughts on kids' books in general, and provides the occasional heads-up about the trends he notices in the books sent to the Horn Book magazine for review. Best of all, Editorial Anoymous posts regular dispatches from her slush pile, often focusing on What Not To Do.

Now that I've sent you off to consult the experts, I'll offer up my own two cents: You're putting the cart before the horse, my friend. Write your book. Find yourself a critique group and get feedback. Re-write your book. Repeat as necessary. After a few rounds of this cycle, you can check out Publisher's Marketplace and get yourself a copy of the current Children’s Writer’s and Illustrator’s Market, and see what markets publish stuff like what you've written, and what agents represent stuff like what you've written. Then you submit it to those places.

The most important thing is to write something that you feel passionate about, that you want to have exist in the world. If all goes well, you're going to be living with this project for years. The last thing you want is to start something because you figure it will sell, and be right, and then be stuck with it long after you're bored with an idea you were never that excited about to begin with. You want to start something you're going to stay committed to for a really, really long time.

So, pull out those various ideas. Don't worry about whether the nice lady editors will think they're a good fit, worry about whether any of them excite you enough to keep you working after you come home from your techie day job. Start the one that gets you fired up. Remember that nobody saw Harry Potter coming, either. And get to work.

--Kathryne

searching for sequels

Now that my second book KENDRA is officially finished, I'm back in the U.S. for a little vacation, and to celebrate both my birthday (today!!!) and Easter with my family. It does feel weird though, not having a deadline hanging over my head right now. It's almost like I don't know what to do with myself for the next week!

So I've decided to get back into reading -- big time!

My next book will be a sequel to TYRELL, and I'm finding the idea of writing a sequel very daunting. I want to bring something new to this book, and I want it to be able to stand on its own as a complete novel, even for those who haven't read TYRELL. So, just to get a feel for this whole "sequel thing," I'd like to read as many successful YA sequels as possible. I just ordered THE OFF SEASON due to the high recommendation from Daphne, but I can't think of any more sequels that I should be reading, sequels that really work!

Any recommendations? Please help me... I'll consider it a birthday gift!!!
:-)

~Coe~

Me love ARCs!

I got my ARCs for ISABELLE'S BOYFRIEND the other day and boy do they look gorgeous. I need to read through and look for typos, etc., but the cover and interior design are just lovely!

I'm sorry I don't have a larger jpg of just the cover to show you, but it's still being finalized and all I have is a pdf which Blogger won't let me post. Sometimes Blogger is a real stinker. If you click on the pic of Pippi holding my book it'll blow up the image and you can see it better.

I'll post the cover jpg as soon as I have it!

*caroline hickey

Notes from the slush pile: Alphabet Books

I've just read three alphabet books in a row, and here's a thought: If you can't think of something clever to do for X, don't write an alphabet book. Next time I see one of these suckers I'm skipping directly to the back to see right away if the author went the "x-ray" route. That should save me a lot of time, I think.

~lisa graff~

Sneak Peek: CHRONICLE BOOKS (and a surprise!)

While in San Francisco for the Books Inc. A Little Friendly Advice NYMBC event, I stopped by to visit my editor Andrea at the super cool Chronicle Books office on 2nd Street. I took an enormous amount of pictures, because the space was so very cool, and exactly the kind of place you'd imagine would produce such amazing books.

the outside. inside, the lobby had a poured concrete floor. i want that in my house!

this was the sexy staircase that lead through the building.

the view from inside the top floor conference room. that's the SF Giants baseball stadium.

in this top floor conference room, chronicle offers free yoga and pilates classes
for its employees. how awesome is that?

this is the lunching area. seriously, the furniture inside was so designy and cool.
that browny couch thing was made of cardboard. radical.

andrea took this one of me on a foamy seat. hee.

and now...the coolest picture from my visit...


THE FINAL JACKET FOR VUNCE UPON A TIME!!!

ain't it the coolest thing ev-er?!?!? hurry up halloween 2008!

-=siobhan=-

Tips Needed

On Friday I had my very first book event and it was a really nice day. I got to chat with some awesome independent book buyers and sellers and hear what was selling in their stores (DIARY OF A WIMPY KID was an across the board favorite, as were THE CLIQUE books). I also gave a speech and did a signing of a bunch of my ARCS, and it is these two things that I have questions for you guys about.

First, the speech. It was for about 50 people which hadn't seemed like a lot when I was sitting in the back waiting to talk, but seemed overwhelmingly huge once I was actually in front of them! I had gone over my remarks all week (but as was suggested by a couple of you guys, it wasn't a staged thing, just some notes so I'd have something to say) but I was still so, so nervous. It was a kind audience- people smiled when I made eye contact and laughed at my jokes. And afterwards a number asked me to come to events in their stores. So as a first time out, it was good. But I'd like be more relaxed next time and that leads to my question. How do you guys prepare for public speaking, especially when it's speaking about something as personal as your book? And how do you you keep yourself relaxed when you're up there, with everyone looking at you?

And about the signing: what do you write when signing books? I came up with the winner 'hope you like it'- but I'd like something a little more sparkly next time (I was so busy thinking about the speech I forgot to think about this). And what are some fun things authors have written in your signed books?

All thoughts appreciated!

**
daphne

A lot of stuff at once

“Quantity produces quality. If you write only a few things, you’re doomed.”

—Ray Bradbury

I got my editorial letter a week and a half ago, and since then I have been mulling it over. I've read it many times, and also made some notes to myself. And today was the first day that I dug in and started writing, re-writing, cutting and moving stuff around. It feels good. It really does. I have been waiting for this moment for a long time, waiting to revise with a contract and not just with hopes of one! I love it, and I am so grateful for this moment, too. This business is such a struggle that I think it's important to feel grateful for every step along the way, no matter how big or how small.

But before my editorial letter arrived I was working on another book, Running in Flip-Flops, the book that has seen at least ten revisions, maybe more and that I had to put away for a while to even write My Life in Pink & Green. It is so important to put some books away for a while, I think, because it really does leave room for other projects to be written. And sometimes those other projects just come out more smoothly, and (do I dare say this?) are easier to write.

So right now I'm working on both. I'm trying to write five pages a day of RIFF and revise, revise, revise MLIP&G. See, this week and next I am off from school, it's Spring Break, and I have a good chunk of uninterrupted time to write and revise. I am so grateful for this too.

Do you guys work on more than one thing at a time? When you are revising are you only revising or are you writing other projects too? I'm always curious about how other people handle this stuff.

xoxo
Lisa GW

Recent NPR discoveries

I've really been enjoying the NPR series called In Character, where American characters from movies, TV, and especially books are discussed in short podcasts. And the world of children's books has not been overlooked!

Here are some recent podcasts that caught my ear:

HARRIET THE SPY


THE SECRET GARDEN


And, although he's not necessarily known as a literary character, COOKIE MONSTER!!! (There's even a video of his interview!)

And while you're in the listening mood, don't miss this NPR interview with Jane O'Connor, author of the Fancy Nancy books!

Enjoy!
:-)
~Coe~

Speaking

Tomorrow I am hopping on a train to New Jersey where I'll be speaking to an undisclosed number of booksellers at a very lovely sounding conference. I'll be fed lunch beforehand and signing ARCs after, both of which are great, but there's that part in the middle, where I'm supposed to speak, that has me a little nervous.

I've been given the guidelines of talking about my book and my experience of being a debut author, topics vague enough to allow for real creativity, but I'm struggling a little in that department. I've been working on my speech (it sounds so formal to call it that but I can't think of another word) for days because I do not do well off the cuff. So far I've covered how I came to want to write, how I came up with the idea for PRAGUE, a few bits about the editorial process, how fun it was to get my cover, etc. It's working pretty well but I feel like it could use just a little more- anyone have any suggestions? What are the things that interest you (or you think would interest a bookseller) most when you hear an author speak? All advice appreciated!

**
daphne

Woodchuck Attack! An interview with Dan Elish

Daphne and I recently read the furiously funny new middle-grade novel Attack of the Frozen Woodchucks, which is about (among other things) homemade rocket ships, space exploration, cotton candy, mute buttons, and of course, woodchucks. Really, it’s a whole lot of fun. After we were done reading, Daphne and I whipped up some questions for Woodchucks author Dan Elish (who also writes Broadway musicals! How awesome is that! I can’t stop using exclamation marks!!!), and he was nice enough to answer them for us. So read on for Dan’s thoughts on Roald Dahl, Java Chip ice cream, and of course, woodchucks.


Daphne: What inspired you to write Attack of the Frozen Woodchucks?

Dan: I started my career writing slightly over the top, Roald Dahlesque children's novels but had gotten away from writing that kind of book for a number of years. Fortunately, an editor at Harper Collins, Jill Santopolo, read one of my early books, The Worldwide Dessert Contest, and suggested that I try and come up with some sort of new zany novel. For some reason I thought of a deeply stupid inside joke I had with my brother during my college years. Don't ask me why, but we often referred to the sundry frozen woodchucks we kept in our freezers. I remembered that and got thinking about how I could use those woodchucks in a longer story. To my utter amazement, I guess I succeeded.

Lisa: Do any of the children in your life ever find their way into your stories? If so, how do they feel about that?

Dan: It wasn't intentional but most people simple assume that two and a half year old Imogene in The Attack of the Frozen Woodchucks is based on my daughter, Cassie. I suppose they're right. In the book, Imogene is a mechanical genius who rigs her stroller with motors and invents a Gameboy that can move objects through space. In real life, Cassie hasn't rigged her bike or scooter with an engine (she's almost five now) but she can sing most of the score of Singing in the Rain.

I haven't asked Cassie how she feels to be immortalized in my book, but I don't think she'd mind.

Daphne: Based on the planets in your book it seems like you have a sweet tooth -- what is your favorite kind of candy and why does it stand above all others?

Dan: I actually do have a sweet tooth, especially for mocha chip ice cream. It's something of an obsession. My favorite brand used to be Howard Johnson's mocha chip; now I go for Starbucks Java Chip. I like the stuff so much I only allow myself to buy it once every other week. When I get it home I have a serving or two then throw the rest out before I eat the entire quart. To be honest, I've been known to pour vinegar on the ice cream before I toss it away so I won't root through the trash, take it out again half melted and scarf the rest with my bare hands. It's a true sickness.

Lisa: What are your favorite places to travel to, both on our planet and off?

Dan: Well, my favorite on earth locale is Vermont because I went to summer camp and college there. I have lots of good memories and it's beautiful. My favorite place in the Universe to visit is definitely Grindlepick because their lemon cotton candy is good for my sinuses.


Lisa: My favorite character in the book is William H. Taft V, the great-great-great-great-nephew of the former president. Why did you chose to make him a descendent of Taft and not, say, Garfield or Monroe?

Dan: I'm actually something of a history buff – not in an obnoxious way, I hope. For instance, a friend of mine and I are trying to come up with stupid and creative nicknames for all of the presidents. When I was writing The Attack of the Frozen Woodchucks I thought it'd be fun to have Jimmy's best friend be related to an ex-president. Taft came to mind because 1) he got stuck in a bathtub and 2) he was president recently enough that it was somewhat conceivable that the boy William would know he was related to him and 3) because Taft was the first president I thought of when I had the idea.

Daphne: How long have you been writing, and how did you get into it?

Dan: I started writing in college where I majored in music and wrote two musicals. After graduating, I came to New York to make my name on Broadway. But a year or two out of school I re-read Charlie and the Chocolate Factory on a whim and had this massive "Eureka!" moment. I thought, "I can do that!" I immediately started my first book, The Worldwide Dessert Contest. Of course, what I thought would take a few months to write ended up taking a year and a half. Fortunately, I was able to get the book published and my career veered away from theater toward books.

Daphne: Who are your favorite authors?

Dan: Hmmm…I have so many. But I prefer to mention favorite books because even some of my favorite writers have written books that I love and then some that don't thrill me. I suppose it makes sense that my favorite kids' books are in the same spirit of the books I try to write. So here's a short and very incomplete list: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, The Trumpet of the Swan, The Phantom Tollbooth, and Tuck Everlasting. I just read my daughter A Cricket in Times Square and loved it.

Many of my favorite "adult" books are set in New York City such as The Great Gatsby, Breakfast at Tiffanys, and The Catcher in the Rye. Two more NY books have a "kids" feel to them. First, there’s Time and Again by Jack Finney but my all time favorite novel is City Boy: The Adventures of Herbie Bookbinder. It's about a charming kid named Herbie who lives in the Bronx and convinces his parents to send him to summer camp because the girl he loves is going. It’s by Herman Wouk. Check it out.

Daphne: Tell us about the Thirteen project you've been working on.

Dan: In the spring of 2003 I managed to meet Jason Robert Brown. Many of you are probably wondering "who is Jason Robert Brown?" Well, he's one of today's best musical theater songwriters and I was a big fan of his work. In any case, I had heard that he wanted to write a musical that starred a whole bunch of "dancing teenagers." When we were introduced, I discovered that he was actually serious and we decided to write a show together – now called "13."

In brief the story: Evan Goldman has six weeks to go before he turns 13, and after an idyllic childhood in New York City, his parents divorce and he is transplanted to Appleton, Indiana with his mother. He has one mission: get all the cool kids in school to come to his Bar Mitzvah, or else spend the rest of his academic career banished to the land of the Geeks.

The show stars thirteen 13 year olds who play every part, as well as an onstage all teen band. "13" was produced at the Mark Taper Forum in the winter of 2007 and is slated to open on Broadway in the fall. I hope to see everyone there!


For more conversations with Dan, check out his very interesting visit to the Work-in-Progress blog, where he talks about the difference between writing for kids and writing for adults.

Thanks for visiting with us, Dan!

~lisa graff~

Building a Library For Baby Hickey: KATHRYNE ALFRED

From Auntie K,

Mother Goose: The sentimental favorite--the Mother Goose book I had when I was a kid is still in print!!

The Very Quiet Cricket: I like crickets, and when you turn the last page you can hear this one chirp!

But Not the Hippopotamous: Fun to look at, and with a trick ending.

Building a Library For Baby Hickey: LISA GREENWALD

From Aunt GW,

Jitterbug Jam - I love this book. It was published while I was working at FSG and from the moment it arrived as a submission, I was in love with it. It's a fabulous, thoughtful, sweet story about what children may be afraid of, and the illustrations are amazingly beautiful.

My Mom - This seemed like the perfect baby shower gift. Caroline's the baby's mommy (duh) and she's my very close friend. I love her, and can't wait to see her in her mom role.

-=siobhan=-

book buying binge

I'm about to make a wish list for my library. We need more YA books on sports figures and also some more biographies. Nonfiction in general. That's where y'all come in-- help! I bought a whole bunch of new stuff in the fall, and I need some new ideas. Do you guys know of any good nonfiction for the middle school set? It seems like they're always having new projects, new papers, and we hardly ever have the books they need. It always feels like triage. I want to infuse the library with some new blood-- in the way of nonfiction. Any ideas??

thanks in advance guys!
Jenny

Calling Page 6...

Siobhan's ALFA party was officially a "scene." Hey, if Galleycat says so, I can say so!

Read about it here

And tonight, she's reading at the Jefferson Market branch of NYPL, 6pm, be there or be lame.

xoxo Jenny

Are you a fast, slow or medium writer?

The faster I write the better my output. If I'm going slowly I'm in trouble. It means I'm pushing the words instead of being pulled by them. - Raymond Chandler As you all know, I love these quotes. They help me feel like I'm not alone in my writing struggles! But this one got me thinking about how fast or slow we write. This was also a discussion we often had at The New School. I think sometimes people think that fast writers aren't thorough writers. I'm a fast writer, but a slow reviser. Lately my method is five pages a day to get through a draft, and then I take a great deal of time revising after I'm done with the draft. Anyway, let's discuss! Are you a fast or a slow writer? What are your feelings on it? Are you fast with some projects and slow with others? In between? xo Lisa GW

Building a Library For Baby Hickey: DAPHNE GRAB

From Aunt Daphne...

THE CARROT SEED is one of my all time favorites and my kids are such
fans I could probably recite it backwards while sleeping- I've read it
to them that many times. I love how much faith the kid has in himself
and his carrot, and that in the end he's right. And I love that the

carrot is as big as he is!

WE'RE GOING ON A BEAR HUNT
A wise friend gave us this book because she said her kids loved it and
not surprisingly, mine did too. The rhythm of the story is totally
appealing to kids and it's a fun one to read aloud again and again.

NOT THE HIPPOPOTAMUS
Two of us ended up getting this book so it's obviously a popular
choice! I love reading all her books aloud and this one is a
particular favorite of my kids.

Ta Da! My new writing office. Sorta.

This is embarrassing, since I moved in August and promptly posted about how excited I was to decorate my attic office, and now here it is March and I still don't have much on the walls or a good reading lamp. In my defense, we've been doing a lot of work on the house and I have major commitment issues about nailing things into the freshly-painted walls. (This pic is what the room looked like originally. The color is a heinous peachy gold.)

Anyhow, feast your eyes on the new look! I painted the walls the palest pink and the floors were redone in a dark chocolate. I love pink and brown. I added some thick shaggy cream carpets, bookshelves, my desk, printer table, and a bulletin board to complete my workspace. (Look closely: there's a Pippi Longstocking doll on the shelves.)

This file cabinet was a freebee from my parents' attic. It was the old black metal kind, which was kinda boring, so I spraypainted it fuschia. My dad wrote the little "Author Caroline" label. I have one drawer for personal files, like insurance and taxes, and one drawer for writing, like expenses, critiques, contracts, etc. I LOVE file folders. I love being organized. I love knowing exactly where to put a piece of paper to get it off my desk. And I really love hot, hot pink.

And finally, this is my reading nook. I just stole this chair from my parents' basement a few weeks ago (they weren't using it!) and it's very cozy, but not too cushy that I'll fall asleep reading manuscripts. I hung up two antique flower prints, but now I need a little table for my tea and a lamp to make the corner complete.

Is there anything I'm missing? I have my favorite colors, my desk, a comfy reading chair, a view of the trees and rooftops, and lots of bookshelves. What am I forgetting?

*caroline hickey

Kudos for Bernetta

Lisa Graff's awesome new book, THE LIFE AND CRIMES OF BERNETTA WALLFLOWER has been getting great reviews all over, from School Library Journal to the blog of Miss Erin. Check out the latest at TeensReadToo for a five star review that refers to "fascinating" descriptions, clever chapter headers and a "whirlwind" adventure!

Go Lisa and Bernetta!

**
daphne

Building a Library For Baby Hickey: LISA GRAFF

Last week, we threw Caroline a surprise baby shower at her critique. And we all decided that, with our presents to her, we'd include some of our favorite children's books to help build a library for her little one. I'll post everyone's selections throughout the week.

AUNT LISA GRAFF

BROWN BEAR, BROWN BEAR by Bill Martin, Jr., illustrated by Eric Carle
Board books don't get much better than this. My little brother was so in love with this one when he was a tot that he memorized the entire text and used to "read" it to himself in the back seat of the car. Cuteness alert! So it is definitely kid-tested, big-sister approved.

LOVE YOU WHEN YOU WHINE by Emily Jenkins, illustrated by Sergio Ruzzier
Let's face it -- sometimes kids are big ole pains in the rear ends. I love this book because it acknowledges that fact, and lets kids know that while we grown-ups don't always appreciate their less-than-exemplary behavior, we will certainly always love them (and also, it's just plain funny!).

AT NIGHT by Jonathan Bean
Um, best book ever??? Great illustrations, simple text, sweet but understated mother-child bonding theme -- it's the perfect bedtime book.

HUG by Jez Alborough

Actually, I'd never read this one before. But it came with a stuffed monkey! I'm a sucker for stuffed monkeys, apparently.

IF ANIMALS KISSED GOODNIGHT by Ann Whitford Paul, illustrated by David Walker

Sooooo darling. Another great bedtime book with a sweet rhyming text and, like, the world's most freakin' adorable baby penguins (and giraffes and sloths and elephants, too!)

ME I AM! by Jack Prelutsky, illustrated by Christine Davenier
Who doesn't love some Jack Prelutsky? This is a fabulous upbeat poem about loving who you are (without any sort of sappiness), and the illustrations are chock full of awesome details that makes this the kind of book you could spend hours and hours with.

-=siobhan=-

I love Anne Lamott

	"Ever since I was a little kid, I've thought that there was something noble and mysterious about writing, about the people who could do it well, who could create a world as if they were little gods or sorcerers." ---Anne Lamott

ALFA Out in the World

Last night in Brooklyn there occurred a major celebration for the very awesome book A LITTLE FRIENDLY ADVICE. A big group of us were there to cheer on Siobhan as she read (beautifully) and ALFA was officially launched. There were lots of great moments: Siobhan's supereditor David gave a great introduction, Jenny Han supplied very cool fortune cookies with specially made ALFA fortunes, Siobhan's sister (to whom ALFA is dedicated) was helping out and Siobhan offered up a beautiful set of thank yous before reading.

The whole night was special, but for me seeing ALFA out in the world was just incredible. I remember when Siobhan first brought pages from the story to workshop. It had a different title, different character names, it started differently and Siobhan wasn't sure where it was going. Over the course of many workshops we got to see the story shift and change and grow, getting to know each character, seeing the story come together, seeing moments of frustration and then major breakthroughs that moved everything forward. Now when I see ALFA it's like seeing a college bound teen you knew as a baby: I saw ALFA's first steps, remember ALFA's first words and some of the wrong turns ALFA made along the way. And look at ALFA now, beautiful and all grown up and ready to go out into the world. Just amazing!

It was truly a fabulous night!

**
daphne

Reading

So, tonight is the launch party for A LITTLE FRIENDLY ADVICE. I've got a pretty dress, I've ordered the cupcakes, and the guest list is set. The one thing I am freaking out about is the reading.

Firstly, I'm not used to reading in front of large groups of people. I've practiced a few times in the mirror, only to discover that nerves have suddenly bestowed on me a slight lisp and also a stutter. Great.

*side note: Also, why didn't I think to whiten my teeth?! Ugh!

I am also kind of stressing about which part of my book to read from. The first chapter is pretty intense and emotional. It also involves some screaming, so I think I'll skip that. I wanted to find a really funny part, to keep things light and fast, but nothing seemed "tidy enough". I settled on a chapter where all four girl characters are interacting together, thinking that would illuminate their all-important friendship dynamic. Unfortunately, that section has a ton of dialog. I better practice some voices. (shudder. just kidding!)

(i've tried to do some pruning)

At least, tonight's crowd will be forgiving. But other readings and school visits I have coming up are making me anxious.

But...dear reader...I'm looking to you for some wisdom. Which parts of books do YOU like to hear read? Are their any pratfalls I should be wary of? Have you been to a great or terrible reading, and what made it that way? General or specific advice would be most welcome.

Thank you!

-=siobhan=-

Looking Forward to a Good Flogging

I'm headed up to New York tomorrow for Siobhan's book party, a school visit, a meeting with folks from my publishing house, a mani/pedi (as only NYC can do them), and, mostly importantly, a good flogging.

FLOGGING? Yes, that's right. I've sent a big chunk, probably 40-50 pages, of my new WIP to the Longstockings and we'll be sitting down to pick it apart. I get a perverse enjoyment out of realizing how much revision I need to do to a piece to make it work, because it gives me direction and a kick in the pants. That's why getting a big critique is really one of my favorite things. That and mani/pedis. And cheese.

In my opinion, nothing makes you feel like more of a writer than a big dose of workshop. It humbles you, overwhelms you, pushes you, inspires you, and hopefully ends in a fun dinner somewhere. So if you are missing this in your writing life, join a workshop group!

p.s. This pic is the Longstockings at a workshop/celebration last spring. We don't always have champagne. It would be cool if we did, but we don't. Also I wanted to use this pic because we miss Coe and she's front and center.

*caroline hickey

No more Quill Awards?

I'm a big fan of The Quill Awards. When Gabrielle Zevin's ELSEWHERE was nominated, I made sure everyone I knew voted.

But last week I read that The Quill Awards Program is being suspended. This makes me sad. I know literary awards probably won't ever be like The Oscars or The Grammys, but The Quills were getting us a little closer to that.

What do you guys think? Do awards like this get more people reading?

ALFA is a Readergirlz Pick for March!

I am absolutely thrilled to announce that A LITTLE FRIENDLY ADVICE has been selected as a READERGIRLZ pick for March!

You can check out their supercute newsletter here, complete with a kick butt music player. Reading and Rocking go hand in hand, you know.

The theme for this month is Truth, and ALFA is in fabulous company...along with Sarah Dessen's newest LOCK AND KEY, Jay Asher's THIRTEEN REASONS WHY and Jo Knowles' LESSONS FROM A DEAD GIRL.

And the very best part is that this honor was bestowed by the Postergirlz--the teens who serve as the Readergirlz Advisory Council. Thank you thank you thank you, girlies!

-=siobhan=-