tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6139609336228308312024-03-13T04:03:59.559-07:00Dew Drops of InkJohnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08042379175433349768noreply@blogger.comBlogger138125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-613960933622830831.post-44066133016308081092019-07-03T04:13:00.002-07:002021-02-12T08:54:52.835-08:00Rhymer Throw-down Entry<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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As <a href="http://dewdropsofink.blogspot.com/2019/06/rhymer-throw-down.html" target="_blank">posted previously</a>, we are having a friendly rhymer throw-down amongst some Storyteller Academy folks to push ourselves to try a rhyming picture book. I must admit, it has been difficult to even get to the lousy draft phase. Hats off to people who write in rhyme. I have enjoyed this exercise (and already have a prose version inspired by this one), and am adding my entry:<br />
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<div style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><b>Ninja Cat Attack</b></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">Midnight prowling, grumbly tummy.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">Time to feast on something yummy.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">Empty food dish?! Woe is me. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">Life is through! Catastrophe!</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">No surrender! Time for action.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">My poor tum needs satisfaction</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">Come on human, I need cat chow. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">No more sleeping. Get up. "ME-NOW.” </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">Kitten scorned?! Enough of that. [Cat gets dumped outside bedroom door.]</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">Time to bring out … Ninja Cat. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">Ninja Cat spies tasty kibble.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">Going in for one sweet nibble. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">Flatten ears and arch the back. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">Here comes Ninja Cat’s A-</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">Thwack!</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">Foiled! Defeated. And unseated.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">Ninja Cat feels quite depleted.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">Hark! What’s that? A feathered snack? [Sees a bird outside the window.]</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">Come on Ninja! Cat A-</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">Whack!</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">Curse that window, freshly cleaned.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">Ninja Cat got submarined. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">Submarine? That sounds like fish.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">Mac would make a tasty dish. [Fish’s name is Mac, maybe another fish is there named Cheese, but Cheese is hiding.]</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">Sneaky swimmer. Hold still, Mac!</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">Got to Ninja Cat A—</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">SMACK.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">Sushi's gone. All hope is dashed! </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">Ninja Cat is fading fast. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">Drastic measures. Spot is sleeping.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">Ninja Cat is kitty creeping. [Dog has snack near bed.]</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">One more pounce to get that snack,</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">Here comes Ninja’s sneak A-</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">MYAACK</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">Fur is flying. Spot is growling.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">Ninja Cat is hissing, yowling. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">Could it be? Inside that sack.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">Ninja Cat needs this A-</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">TTACK!</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">Yummy kibble. No more growling. [Dog is eating kibble and Ninja Cat’s tummy isn’t growling.]</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">Ninja Cat is back to prowling. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">Pillow’s waiting. Sun is dawning.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">Ninja Cat can't stop the yawning. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">Purring into dreams so deep.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">Ninja Cat is fast A-</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">Sleep</span></div>
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Johnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08042379175433349768noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-613960933622830831.post-77695293946891770912019-06-02T23:44:00.003-07:002019-07-03T04:33:29.133-07:00Rhymer Throw-down<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://media.giphy.com/media/Zm9nnVHQTve6s/giphy.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="235" src="https://media.giphy.com/media/Zm9nnVHQTve6s/giphy.gif" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Under the leadership of the talented Pamela Courtney, we are hosting a tiny, crappy-draft challenge for a small group of writers brave enough to attempt a rhyming manuscript. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We finished a poetry writing intensive with <a href="https://www.dianamurray.com/" target="_blank">Diana Murray</a> through <a href="https://www.storytelleracademy.com/" target="_blank">Arree Chung's Storyteller Academy </a>and Pamela threw down the challenge to dust off some rhyming ambitions (of which I have none, but love the discipline of trying), to write a crappy first, rhyming draft of 200 words-ish by July 22 using any of the prompts: </span></span><br />
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<ul>
<li><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">All Things Ninja</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">That's When I Noticed It</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Something Wasn't Quite Right</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129;">When the Sun Shines </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129;">or </span></span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I Didn't want To</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">My draft is still a WIP and will be posted by deadline. Others, and you know who you are, may post theirs in the comments section when ready, or add your link to your blog, or contact me to post on your behalf. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129;">May the rhyming odds be ever in your favor! </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">Bonnie: </span></span></span><a href="https://bioluminosityblog.wordpress.com/2019/06/15/craft-ninja-by-bonnie-fireurchin-lambourn-%E2%80%A8%E2%80%A8-draft-written-for-rhyming-informal-contest-sa-members-prompt-all-things-ninja-298-words-6-14-19/" target="_blank">https://bioluminosityblog.wordpress.com/2019/06/15/craft-ninja-by-bonnie-fireurchin-lambourn-%E2%80%A8%E2%80%A8-draft-written-for-rhyming-informal-contest-sa-members-prompt-all-things-ninja-298-words-6-14-19/</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Kathy: <a href="https://booktails1.blogspot.com/2019/06/my-dear-and-mojo-writer-woman-partner.html?fbclid=IwAR1mG5KaxD27CxPZ11rgNZIwzHawxvk6cQB8kBufUQTl9RwaW4oohZRj7Mg">https://booktails1.blogspot.com/2019/06/my-dear-and-mojo-writer-woman-partner.html?fbclid=IwAR1mG5KaxD27CxPZ11rgNZIwzHawxvk6cQB8kBufUQTl9RwaW4oohZRj7Mg</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129;">My entry:<a href="https://dewdropsofink.blogspot.com/2019/07/rhymer-throw-down-entry.html" target="_blank"> https://dewdropsofink.blogspot.com/2019/07/rhymer-throw-down-entry.html</a></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129;"><br /></span></span>Johnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08042379175433349768noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-613960933622830831.post-62113943257272017082018-10-26T09:23:00.001-07:002018-10-27T10:13:37.856-07:00Halloweensie 2018: The Were-Cauldron's Bite<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7kKDElFwdeA/W9Mbew4VMYI/AAAAAAAAAqs/VcHFh4L7rncK17i9C45ruLjRxU6nGrRtQCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_8180.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1533" data-original-width="1600" height="382" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7kKDElFwdeA/W9Mbew4VMYI/AAAAAAAAAqs/VcHFh4L7rncK17i9C45ruLjRxU6nGrRtQCLcBGAs/s400/IMG_8180.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Courtesy of my daughter</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It's here, it's here, that spooky time of year! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I love <a href="https://susannahill.com/2018/10/27/the-8th-annual-halloweensie-contest-aahhhrrrooooooooo/">Susanna Hill's Halloweensie contest</a>, and after a long year of playing mom and dad while my husband served overseas, and another move across the ocean, I'm so excited to have something to add. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The rules for this year are: </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"Write a </span><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #404040; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">100 word Halloween story appropriate for children</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> (children here defined as 12 and under) (title not included in the 100 words), using the words </span><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #404040; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-style: italic; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">shiver, cauldron</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">, and </span><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #404040; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-style: italic; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">howl</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">."</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And coming in at 100 words (and with the added fun of my daughter's artwork), here's my Halloween poem:</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><b>The Were-Cauldron’s Bite</b></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">A pinch of shiver, a dash of scream,</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">one werewolf’s howl, a blood-moon beam.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">A hard stir left, a quick swirl right.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The witches mix up this year’s fright.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The cauldron shakes, and sprouts long fangs.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Its feet grow claws. Its rim grows bangs.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Two ears pop out atop its lid,</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">and listen for that one scared kid …</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Who’s clutching candy—all alone—</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">trembling on his way back home.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">It hears him now, that poor, doomed soul,</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">and lurches from its fiery hole.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The cauldron’s teeth snap through the air.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The candy’s gone! So kids, BE-WERE!</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
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<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;">BWAHAHAA-OOOOOOOO!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: "source sans pro" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span>Johnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08042379175433349768noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-613960933622830831.post-38891233249832684692017-10-30T21:51:00.000-07:002017-10-30T22:18:42.698-07:00Halloweensie Entry 2017<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e6/Scarecrow._Drawing_by_Carus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="501" height="320" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e6/Scarecrow._Drawing_by_Carus.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e6/Scarecrow._Drawing_by_Carus.jpg">Wikimedia</a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I'm squeaking my entry in. It's been a gloriously busy week--all great things, so I can't complain. I love <a href="https://susannahill.com/blog/">Susanna Hill's</a> holiday writing contests, and the Halloweensie is one of my faves. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This years rules: </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"Write a 100 word Halloween story appropriate for children (children here defined as 12 and under) (title not included in the 100 words), using the words </span><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-style: italic; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">candy corn</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">, </span><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-style: italic; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">monster</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">, and </span><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-style: italic; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">shadow</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">. (</span><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-style: italic; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Candy corn</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> will be counted as 1 word.)"</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">My entry for this year coming in at 97 words:</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>The Choco-candy Momster</b></span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">You see that thing in Mom’s old clothes?</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We put her there to scare the crows,</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">but I know something no one knows…</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">On Halloween she leaves her post </span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">to find the sweets she loves the most.</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">M&Ms and Monster Mixes,</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Baby Ruths and Hershey Kisses,</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Toffee Heaths and almond Snickers,</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">which she steals from treat or trickers.</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The only candy that she scorns,</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">are sicky, sweety candy corns.</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So …</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">If you see her shadow creeping</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">do not stop her candy-reaping</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Drop all your choco-goody snacks</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">but take your corns …</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">… or she’ll be back.</span></span></div>
Johnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08042379175433349768noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-613960933622830831.post-37809381525064250382017-03-31T15:44:00.001-07:002017-03-31T15:44:26.542-07:00Illustration Notes: To Include or Not to Include...<div style="background-color: white; color: #3d596d; margin-bottom: 24px;">
<img alt="Illustration_at_p._207_in_Just_So_Stories_(c1912)" class=" wp-image-1581 aligncenter" data-mce-src="https://johnelldewitt.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/illustration_at_p-_207_in_just_so_stories_c1912.png?w=465" data-wpmedia-src="https://johnelldewitt.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/illustration_at_p-_207_in_just_so_stories_c1912.png" height="663" src="https://johnelldewitt.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/illustration_at_p-_207_in_just_so_stories_c1912.png?w=465" style="display: block; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 100%;" width="465" /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />Illustration notes—the bane of a writer’s existence. There are so many conflicting opinions about illustration notes, it’s hard to know where to begin. First off, an illustration note is a quick description of what the author envisions at a certain point in the story. The notes are intended to stand in place of an illustration that might be needed in order for the reader to understand what the author intended.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #3d596d; margin-bottom: 24px;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">An illustration note is not a play-by-play of how the author sees the characters, settings, and scenery of the story.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #3d596d; margin-bottom: 24px;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here’s an example using <a data-mce-href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/19543.Where_the_Wild_Things_Are?ac=1&from_search=true" href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/19543.Where_the_Wild_Things_Are?ac=1&from_search=true" style="color: #00aadc;" target="_blank"><em>Where the Wild Things Are</em></a>:</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #3d596d; margin-bottom: 24px;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="IMG_3759" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-1589" data-mce-src="https://johnelldewitt.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/img_37591.jpg?w=680" data-wpmedia-src="https://johnelldewitt.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/img_37591.jpg" height="2448" src="https://johnelldewitt.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/img_37591.jpg?w=680" style="height: auto; max-width: 100%;" width="3264" /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #3d596d; margin-bottom: 24px;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“The night Max wore his wolf suit and made mischief of one kind …” <em>[Art: Max is wearing a white wolf suit with buttons down the front and is nailing a line of tied-up clothes to his bedroom wall.]</em></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">That is a bad—scold it and send it to time out—illustration note. In fact, you DO NOT need an illustration note for that line at all. It’s perfectly fine just the way it is.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For the rest of the article, please see my site at: </span><a href="https://johnelldewitt.com/2017/03/31/illustration-notes-to-include-or-not-to-include/">https://johnelldewitt.com/2017/03/31/illustration-notes-to-include-or-not-to-include/</a></div>
Johnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08042379175433349768noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-613960933622830831.post-25641080120616533032017-03-16T19:05:00.001-07:002017-03-16T19:06:56.398-07:00Interview with Agent Natascha Morris<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Oe_vl7_8Rfs/WMtEMSwZeSI/AAAAAAAAAks/Ws4qEH1QX9MDVs0_kjMMJnnovI5YefsrgCLcB/s1600/NMorris320x400IMG_20161127_103045-240x300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Oe_vl7_8Rfs/WMtEMSwZeSI/AAAAAAAAAks/Ws4qEH1QX9MDVs0_kjMMJnnovI5YefsrgCLcB/s1600/NMorris320x400IMG_20161127_103045-240x300.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Natascha is a new agent at <a href="http://bookendsliterary.com/about-us/" style="-webkit-transition: all 0.2s ease-in-out; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1c7c7c; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: all 0.2s ease-in-out; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Bookends Literary </a>and a former editorial assistant for Simon & Schuster. She is open to submissions for picture books, middle grade, and young adult across multiple genres: contemporary, mysteries, thrillers, fantasy, historical fiction, and narrative non-fiction. She is looking for authors, illustrators, and author-illustrators. </span></span></div>
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<span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Thank you, Natascha, for your insightful answers.</span></span></div>
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<em style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: grey; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">What was your favorite role during your days as an editorial assistant at Simon & Schuster? </span></span></em></div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; margin-bottom: 27px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There were two things I loved about working at Simon & Schuster: reading the submissions to find that standout project, and working with the design team to come up with great covers. As an agent, I can still find that diamond in the rough, but I will miss coming up with cover concepts. </span></span></div>
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<span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: grey; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Were there any manuscripts you helped acquire that you’re particularly proud of? </span></em></span></div>
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<span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Kit Frick’s <i style="box-sizing: border-box;"><a href="https://kitfrick.com/books/see-all-the-stars/" style="-webkit-transition: all 0.2s ease-in-out; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1c7c7c; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: all 0.2s ease-in-out; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">See All the Stars</a></i> (Summer 2018) is one I’m particularly proud of. Read it on submission and fell in love with it. I also had the opportunity to offer editorial notes. Kit is an amazingly talented writer who changed the whole manuscript with a few smart line changes. I’d love to find an author like her.</span></span></div>
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<em style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: grey; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Could you walk us through the acquisitions process—what stars had to align in order for S&S to select a manuscript for publication?</span></span></em></div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; margin-bottom: 27px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Every book is different and sometimes, editors don’t follow the process. But in general, once an editor has a project they want to pursue, they take it to the editorial meeting. If the other editors agree (and sometimes they don’t), the editor takes it to acquisitions. I worked at two literary imprints, so quality of writing was a big factor. After that it came down to a host of factors: editorial taste, vision for the project, and market saturation. Publishing is subjective, and sometimes timing plays a part of that. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">For the full interview, please visit:</span><br />
<a href="https://johnelldewitt.com/2017/03/15/interview-with-agent-natascha-morris/">https://johnelldewitt.com/2017/03/15/interview-with-agent-natascha-morris/</a></div>
Johnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08042379175433349768noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-613960933622830831.post-73543073191681965902017-01-20T10:03:00.000-08:002017-01-20T10:03:06.155-08:00Interview with Agent Wendi Gu<br />
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<a href="https://johnelldewitt.files.wordpress.com/2017/01/wendi.jpg?w=370&h=368" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="wendi" border="0" class=" wp-image-1363 alignright" data-attachment-id="1363" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="wendi" data-large-file="https://johnelldewitt.files.wordpress.com/2017/01/wendi.jpg?w=370&h=368?w=240" data-medium-file="https://johnelldewitt.files.wordpress.com/2017/01/wendi.jpg?w=370&h=368?w=240" data-orig-file="https://johnelldewitt.files.wordpress.com/2017/01/wendi.jpg?w=370&h=368" data-orig-size="240,239" data-permalink="https://johnelldewitt.com/2017/01/19/interview-with-agent-wendi-gu/wendi/" height="368" sizes="(max-width: 370px) 100vw, 370px" src="https://johnelldewitt.files.wordpress.com/2017/01/wendi.jpg?w=370&h=368" srcset="https://johnelldewitt.files.wordpress.com/2017/01/wendi.jpg 240x, https://johnelldewitt.files.wordpress.com/2017/01/wendi.jpg?w=150&h=150 150x" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; height: auto; margin-top: 14px; max-width: 100%;" width="370" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 18px;"><span style="display: inline; float: right; height: auto; margin-bottom: 14px; margin-left: 27px; margin-top: 14px; max-width: 100%;"></span></span><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It’s a new year so let’s start it off with an interview from new-ish agent Wendi Gu of <a href="http://greenburger.com/" style="-webkit-transition: all 0.2s ease-in-out; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1c7c7c; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: all 0.2s ease-in-out; vertical-align: baseline;">Greenburger Associates</a>. She represents one of my critique partners, so I already know she has great taste (if I could insert the grinning emoticon here, I would). Wendi is looking for authors, author-illustrators and illustrators only. And, as you’ll see by her answers, she will be a champ of an advocate for any client she takes on. Wendi reps kidlit and some adult lit–read on for details. Thank you, Wendi, for your time!</span></span></div>
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<em style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: grey; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You’re a new agent at Greenburger Associates and have been working with <a href="http://greenburger.com/agent/brenda-bowen-2/" style="-webkit-transition: all 0.2s ease-in-out; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1c7c7c; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: all 0.2s ease-in-out; vertical-align: baseline;">Brenda Bowen</a>—wow. What led you to agenting and to Greenburger? </span></em></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-style: inherit;">Brenda Bowen indeed! She’s been a fabulous, encouraging mentor, and I’m very lucky to work with her. I came into agenting by accident–I knew I wanted to be in New York, and that I wanted to work in books. When I was still studying creative writing at Northwestern, I sent an internship application to every single publishing house and agency I could find. I wasn’t very picky then. At that point, I didn’t even know that there was a difference between agenting and editing! Or what an imprint was. Or what “delivery advance” meant. I never heard back from most places. But lo and behold, I received an internship offer from Greenburger, and worked there the summer before my final year of college. A few months before I was slated to graduate, I got a call that Greenburger was looking to fill an assistant position. I snapped up the position. Then, about a year ago, I was given the green light to agent my own titles. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you'd like to read the rest, please visit my site at: </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://johnelldewitt.com/2017/01/19/interview-with-agent-wendi-gu/">https://johnelldewitt.com/2017/01/19/interview-with-agent-wendi-gu/</a></span>Johnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08042379175433349768noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-613960933622830831.post-44713536715183353662016-12-14T09:47:00.000-08:002016-12-14T09:47:00.225-08:00Interview with Tara Cattie Luebbe and Mentorship Contest Announcement<div class="entry-content" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7em; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="profile-pic" class=" wp-image-1341 alignright" data-attachment-id="1341" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="profile-pic" data-large-file="https://johnelldewitt.files.wordpress.com/2016/12/profile-pic.jpg?w=417&h=417?w=427" data-medium-file="https://johnelldewitt.files.wordpress.com/2016/12/profile-pic.jpg?w=417&h=417?w=300" data-orig-file="https://johnelldewitt.files.wordpress.com/2016/12/profile-pic.jpg?w=417&h=417" data-orig-size="427,427" data-permalink="https://johnelldewitt.com/2016/12/05/interview-with-new-author-tara-cattie-luebbe-and-mentor-contest-announced/profile-pic/" data-pin-media="https://johnelldewitt.files.wordpress.com/2016/12/profile-pic.jpg" height="417" sizes="(max-width: 417px) 100vw, 417px" src="https://johnelldewitt.files.wordpress.com/2016/12/profile-pic.jpg?w=417&h=417" srcset="https://johnelldewitt.files.wordpress.com/2016/12/profile-pic.jpg?w=417&h=417 417x, https://johnelldewitt.files.wordpress.com/2016/12/profile-pic.jpg?w=150&h=150 150x, https://johnelldewitt.files.wordpress.com/2016/12/profile-pic.jpg?w=300&h=300 300x, https://johnelldewitt.files.wordpress.com/2016/12/profile-pic.jpg 427x" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; float: right; height: auto; margin: 14px 0px 14px 27px; max-width: 100%;" width="417" /></span><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Tara Cattie Luebbe will host her <b>Writing With the Stars</b> <a href="http://beckytarabooks.com/contest-2/" style="-webkit-transition: all 0.2s ease-in-out; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1c7c7c; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: all 0.2s ease-in-out; vertical-align: baseline;">mentorship contest </a>early next year where authors and illustrators can apply to be mentored by an established author or illustrator. Tara's debut picture book is set to release Spring of 2018, but she's been involved in picture books as a former bookstore owner and gained a retailer's eye for what sells. She kindly shared some of her experiences about her time as a bookstore owner that you can read about on my site (link below). Enjoy getting to know Tara a bit, then check out her awesome contest for un-agented picture book writers/illustrators. Good luck to all who apply!</span></span></div>
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<span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: grey; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><i style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Tara, you had a baptism by fire in searching out good children’s lit with your oldest son who’d finished all the Harry Potter books by first grade. It sounds like keeping up with his book appetite is what prompted you to open your toy and bookstore. </span></span></i></span></div>
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<span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I think I got into picture books like a lot of writers, I had kids. My first born was a voracious reader and so I spent a lot of time looking for new books to keep him satisfied. He did not like to read one book over and over, he always wanted a new one. He went on to read all the Harry Potters by the end of first grade. I was blessed to have two more sons after that, and they are all equally avid readers, which makes me so happy. </span></span></div>
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<span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Because my background was in retail buying, I followed a dream and opened a toy and book store. My store catered to children 0-6, so the only books I sold were picture books. My selection was very different than the chain store down the way. I spent hours at market buying new books and searching out the best picture books from smaller pubs, foreign pubs and the wonderful backlist. As an indie, I had no requirements to carry anything from a corporate office. If I didn’t like the book, I didn’t carry it, even if it was a huge seller elsewhere. It was a highly curated collection reflective of my taste.</span></span></div>
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<span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Please click here for the rest: </span></span><span style="font-style: inherit;"><a href="https://johnelldewitt.com/2016/12/05/interview-with-new-author-tara-cattie-luebbe-and-mentor-contest-announced/"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">https://johnelldewitt.com/2016/12/05/interview-with-new-author-tara-cattie-luebbe-and-mentor-contest-announced/</span></a></span></div>
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Johnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08042379175433349768noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-613960933622830831.post-39168217992453676942016-12-08T06:38:00.001-08:002016-12-14T17:48:23.501-08:00Susanna Hill's Holiday Contest Entry<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://iamachild.files.wordpress.com/2010/09/small_hansel-and-gretel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://iamachild.files.wordpress.com/2010/09/small_hansel-and-gretel.jpg" width="267" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://iamachild.wordpress.com/2010/09/29/anton-pieck-1895-1987-dutch/">https://iamachild.wordpress.com/2010/09/29/anton-pieck-1895-1987-dutch/</a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">If you're a fan of Susanna Hill's blog, you'll know that her <a href="https://susannahill.com/2016/11/21/sneak-attack-taking-you-by-complete-surprise/">holiday writing contest</a> is open now! The rules for this year: </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">"Write a </span><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">children’s holiday story</span><span style="background-color: white;"> (children here defined as approximately age 12 and under) using the basic format/concept of </span><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The Twelve Days Of Christmas</span></span><span style="background-color: white;">! Your story may be poetry or prose, silly or serious or sweet, religious or not, based on Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa or whatever you celebrate, but is </span><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">not to exceed 300 words<span style="color: #404040;"><span style="background-color: white;">..."</span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: #404040;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: #404040;"><span style="background-color: white;">And coming in exactly at 300 words, my 2016 entry:</span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: #404040;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;"><b>Griselda's Christmas Witch List </b></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: #404040;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">by Johnell DeWitt</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: #404040;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444;"><br /></span></span></span></span>
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Dear Santy Claws,</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">You haven’t brought me anything for eleven Christmases. I’ve been a good witch, so I’m sure it’s a mistake.</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Yours wickedly,</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Griselda</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Dear Griselda,</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">You have been a good witch. Please send your list.</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Love,</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">Sant</span><span style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration: underline;">A</span><span style="font-kerning: none;"> Cla</span><span style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration: underline;">US</span><span style="font-kerning: none;"> </span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Dear Santy Claws,</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Here’s my list from each of the Christmases you missed (plus interest):</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">12 hungry children</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">11 tubs of frosting</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">10 walls of gingerbread</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">9 taffy curtains</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">8 giant gum drops</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">7 yards of licorice</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">6 pounds of peppermints</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">5 chocolate soldiers</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">4 cookie cobblestones</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">3 sugared steps</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">2 candied roof tops</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And this year, an industrial-sized child proof oven.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">All the Worst,</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Griselda </span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Dear Griselda,</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I thought your list sounded familiar. Fortunately, I read to my elves every night. We will not bring you children for Christmas.</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Santa Claus—no “y” and no claws.</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Dear Santy Claws,</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I only want the sweet kiddies to help me decorate my gingerbread house. It gets lonely for witches at Christmas. How could a nice guy like you think so ill of me?</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Grumbly yours,</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Griselda</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Dear Griselda,</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I’m sure then, that the recipe for ‘Kid Knee Pie’ was not meant to be on the back of your last letter? </span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Santa—with an <b>A </b>and<b> </b>Claus—no <b>WS</b>!</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Dear Santy Claws,</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I recycle like all good witches. I reused that old paper to write you a letter. If you send it back, I’ll return it to the recycling bin.</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Impatiently awaiting my presents,</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Griselda</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Dear Griselda,</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Some kids and the other presents will arrive soon.</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Merry Christmas,</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Santy Claws</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Dear Twerp,</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">Those baby goats ate everything! All they left was the oven, and I’m not setting one foot near there. I read too, you know. You just wait until October 31</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; line-height: normal;"><sup>st</sup></span><span style="font-kerning: none;">. No treats for you!</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Never yours,</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: #404040;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Griselda</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
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Johnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08042379175433349768noreply@blogger.com35tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-613960933622830831.post-23998663756264401372016-11-14T14:06:00.002-08:002016-11-14T14:10:34.592-08:00Interview with Agent Tracy Marchini<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8wVfThDAESM/WCoyn7jCyzI/AAAAAAAAAjs/6q6tqFWESPE-yNNYTiAYT59A8ahlt0YSACLcB/s1600/Marchini-Agent-Photo-cropped.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8wVfThDAESM/WCoyn7jCyzI/AAAAAAAAAjs/6q6tqFWESPE-yNNYTiAYT59A8ahlt0YSACLcB/s320/Marchini-Agent-Photo-cropped.jpg" width="277" /></span></a></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #3d596d; margin-bottom: 24px;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span data-mce-style="color: #000000;" style="color: black;">Tracy represents my friend and critique partner Tara Cattie Luebbe. Tracy is a relatively new agent at BookEnds literary, but is not new to the publishing world. </span><span data-mce-style="color: #000000;" style="color: black;">As you'll see by her comments, Tracy is knowledgeable about the industry and is seeking to build her client list.</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #3d596d; margin-bottom: 24px;">
<span data-mce-style="color: #000000;" style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Thank you, Tracy, for taking time out of your busy day to answer these questions. </span></span></div>
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<div style="background-color: white; color: #3d596d; margin-bottom: 24px;">
<em><span data-mce-style="color: #808080;" style="color: grey;"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></span></em>
<em><span data-mce-style="color: #808080;" style="color: grey;"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">You’ve had an impressive career. You worked at <a data-mce-href="http://www.curtisbrown.com" href="http://www.curtisbrown.com/" style="color: #00aadc;" target="_blank">Curtis Brown</a>, then took time off to finish an MFA in writing for children from Simmons College. You are an agent at <a data-mce-href="http://bookendsliterary.com/about-us/#Marchini" href="http://bookendsliterary.com/about-us/#Marchini" style="color: #00aadc;" target="_blank">BookEnds Literary </a>and an author as well. What started you on the path to working in the publishing industry and in particular, becoming an agent? </span></b></span></em></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #3d596d; margin-bottom: 24px;">
<span data-mce-style="color: #000000;" style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Like many of my colleagues, I was writing and reading from a young age. My mother joined <a data-mce-href="http://www.scbwi.org" href="http://www.scbwi.org/" style="color: #00aadc;" target="_blank">SCBWI</a> in 1996 and learned how to submit to publishers, and the next year I started submitting my first picture book. (In hindsight, it was not that good.) A few years later, I graduated college with a degree in English and attended the local SCBWI conference. </span></span></div>
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<span data-mce-style="color: #000000;" style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I was sitting with <a data-mce-href="http://gailcarsonlevine.com" href="http://gailcarsonlevine.com/" style="color: #00aadc;" target="_blank">Gail Carson Levine</a> and mentioned that I’d just graduated from college and was hoping to work in publishing. She offered to pass along my resume to her agent, where it was hung on the kitchen bulletin board. Kirsten Manges was leaving Curtis Brown to start her own agency, and so she grabbed my resume and I was able to intern for her as she set up everything from the phone lines to the submissions system to the boilerplate files. After about six months, I had to leave and find full time work. But a few months later, Kirsten told me that Curtis Brown was looking for an agent’s assistant. I interviewed first with one of their romance agents and didn’t get the job. A month or so later though I had an interview in the children’s suite, and that’s how I ended up with my first full time job at an agency!</span></span></div>
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<span data-mce-style="color: #000000;"><i><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>For the rest of the interview, please visit my site at: </b></span></i></span><a href="https://johnelldewitt.com/2016/11/14/interview-with-agent-tracy-marchini/">https://johnelldewitt.com/2016/11/14/interview-with-agent-tracy-marchini/</a></div>
Johnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08042379175433349768noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-613960933622830831.post-27254461779423194772016-10-27T11:56:00.007-07:002016-10-27T13:38:13.561-07:00Halloweensie Entry!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/nHjYkyikrTk/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/nHjYkyikrTk?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I love <a href="https://susannahill.com/2016/10/27/the-6th-annual-halloweensie-writing-contest-aahhhrrrooooooooo/">Susanna Hill's contests</a>. Thank you, Susanna! </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This year, I tried something new. I do not write in rhyme. I can't tell if the lines are anapest, dactyl or Dr. Seussian, but if I follow a mentor text (Langston Hughes happens to be one of my favorites), I can pull it off (</span><a href="http://www.carriecharleybrown.com/reforemo" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">shameless plug for mentor texts</a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This year, I used as a mentor text the "Water, water, everywhere," stanza from Samuel Taylor Coleridge's <i><a href="https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems-and-poets/poems/detail/43997">The Rime of the Ancient Mariner</a></i>. So here you have it folks, my 98-word <a href="https://susannahill.com/2016/10/27/the-6th-annual-halloweensie-writing-contest-aahhhrrrooooooooo/">Halloweensie entry using the words <i>spider, moon</i> and <i>ghost</i></a>. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<b style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Spiders, Spiders, Everywhere</b><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">by Johnell DeWitt </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Spiders, spiders, everywhere,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">On spindly legs they creep.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Spiders, spiders, everywhere,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A festival to keep.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Spiders, spiders, everywhere,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The Hallowball begins.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Spiders, spiders, everywhere,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">With leaps and twirls and spins.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Spiders, spiders, everywhere,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">They hang the moon with lace.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Spiders, spiders, everywhere,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And weave a ghostly face.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Spiders, spiders, everywhere,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">They catch a tasty treat.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Spiders, spiders, everywhere,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And wrap it up to eat.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Spiders, spiders, everywhere,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">They party through the night.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Spiders, spiders, everywhere,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And scatter at first light.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Spiders, spiders, everywhere,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">You feel that on your cheek?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Spiders, spiders, everywhere,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Don’t look or you might … </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">SHRIEK!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">If you want to see more about using mentor texts and learn about an upcoming mentor contest, please visit my site: <a href="https://johnelldewitt.com/2016/10/27/mentor-texts-and-a-contest/">https://johnelldewitt.com/2016/10/27/mentor-texts-and-a-contest/</a></span><br />
<br />Johnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08042379175433349768noreply@blogger.com28tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-613960933622830831.post-34852601244697243232016-10-19T19:07:00.000-07:002016-10-19T19:07:40.385-07:00Halloweensie 2016<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://images.all-free-download.com/images/graphicthumb/halloween_background_310416.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://images.all-free-download.com/images/graphicthumb/halloween_background_310416.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It's that time again. Susanna Hill is hosting her Halloweensie contest. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Rules: Wr<span style="background-color: white; color: #404040;">ite a 100 word Halloween story appropriate for children (title not included in the 100 words), using the words </span><i style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #404040;">spider</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #404040;">, </span><em style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #404040; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">ghost</em><i style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #404040;">,</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #404040;"> and </span><em style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #404040; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">moon</em><i style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #404040;">.</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #404040;"> The story can be scary, funny or anything in between, poetry or prose, but must include those 3 words stay at or under 100 words.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #404040;">I've been working on my entry to be posted here soon. Get started and join me. See here for the rest of the details: </span><a href="https://susannahill.com/2016/10/10/and-now-the-moment-youve-all-been-waiting-for/">https://susannahill.com/2016/10/10/and-now-the-moment-youve-all-been-waiting-for/</a></span><br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BWALouj6zrI/Un49WTZQl7I/AAAAAAAAAJg/cufobENDTbAbJVep9eXAb2P5EFxrhYehgCPcB/s1600/dewdropssig.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="39" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BWALouj6zrI/Un49WTZQl7I/AAAAAAAAAJg/cufobENDTbAbJVep9eXAb2P5EFxrhYehgCPcB/s200/dewdropssig.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<br />Johnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08042379175433349768noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-613960933622830831.post-89835844819624600472016-09-12T09:06:00.004-07:002016-09-12T09:06:54.977-07:00Interview with Literary Agent Rick Richter<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-I9cUYiWRsUo/V9bMszXHn4I/AAAAAAAAAjE/MpRNpXDiby4BxFluYzBMjb1fckbzyrn5QCEw/s1600/rick-richter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-I9cUYiWRsUo/V9bMszXHn4I/AAAAAAAAAjE/MpRNpXDiby4BxFluYzBMjb1fckbzyrn5QCEw/s320/rick-richter.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I met rick at a conference in Boston, in fact, you might say I agent stalked him. I heard about him through <a href="http://12x12challenge.com/">12x12</a>, did my research, and found he'd be presenting at a conference. The conference sounded great, and I was able to get a good deal on airfare, so I went. I have to admit, that I was nervous meeting with Rick, but he is personable and charming as you will see from his interview. Thank you, Rick!</span></div>
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<span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: grey; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Let me first set up your rather amazing resume. You were a co-founder (with many others) and former CEO of Candlewick Press, a publisher at Simon & Schuster Children’s Books, president of Simon & Schuster Sales and Distribution Division, the creator of Simon Spotlight, and the founder of <a href="http://www.ruckuslearning.com/" style="-webkit-transition: all 0.2s ease-in-out; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1c7c7c; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: all 0.2s ease-in-out; vertical-align: baseline;">Ruckus Media Group</a>. You’ve also served as chairman of the Children’s Book Council, and an early director of <a href="https://www.firstbook.org/" style="-webkit-transition: all 0.2s ease-in-out; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1c7c7c; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: all 0.2s ease-in-out; vertical-align: baseline;">First Book</a><a href="https://www.firstbook.org/" style="-webkit-transition: all 0.2s ease-in-out; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: grey; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: all 0.2s ease-in-out; vertical-align: baseline;">.</a> You’re a literary agent at <a href="http://www.zshliterary.com/" style="-webkit-transition: all 0.2s ease-in-out; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1c7c7c; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: all 0.2s ease-in-out; vertical-align: baseline;">Zachary Shuster Harmsworth</a> and helped reintroduce the current market to Eloise and Raggedy Ann in prior lives. I think it’s safe to say you know a lot about children’s lit. How did you get started on this path?</span></em></span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-size: 18px; margin-bottom: 27px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My father worked the night shift at the Boston Globe – the “lobstah” shift I think is what they called it – and he thought the book business was nobler than newspapers. “People don’t wrap fish in your work at the end of the day.” I remember him saying, so he encouraged me to find a job in books. My soon-to-be-wife introduced me to a friend who worked at a small company in Natick, Massachusetts – Picture Book Studio – and I fell head over heels over the work of <a href="http://childscapes.com/bookpages/zwerger2.html" style="-webkit-transition: all 0.2s ease-in-out; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1c7c7c; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: all 0.2s ease-in-out; vertical-align: baseline;">Lizbeth Zwerger</a>. I remember telling the staff there (the entire staff interviewed me!) that I would do anything at the company. “Anything at all.” I started packing books in their warehouse.</span></span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-size: 18px; margin-bottom: 27px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I was really fortunate to have two amazing bosses at this little company. The first, Motoko Inoue, went on to become Eric Carle’s long-time and exclusive agent. The second, Andrew Clements, went on the write the classic <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/439173.Frindle?from_search=true" style="-webkit-transition: all 0.2s ease-in-out; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1c7c7c; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: all 0.2s ease-in-out; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Frindle</em></a>, and became a staple in the industry. So I learned to love the business at the knee of two highly principled and wonderful people. </span></span></div>
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<span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: grey; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now that you’re an agent, do you see the children’s lit world differently?</span></em></span></div>
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<span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span id="more-699" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></span>Absolutely, I think becoming an agent is something every publisher should do. It is a lesson in humility, a lesson in patience, and one feels the victories and set backs of the authors and illustrators we work with in a much, much more visceral way. I’m even more in awe of the talented people who make up our industry and their willingness to persevere. </span></span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-size: 18px; margin-bottom: 27px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For the rest of the interview, please visit my <a href="https://johnelldewitt.com/2016/09/09/interview-with-agent-rick-richter/#more-699">website</a>.</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Fo_q7ltTJbs/UmraNV-Xs0I/AAAAAAAAAHw/wk6C3KgeuYMZETd-bW-ql5oXKQ2NL4UfgCPcB/s1600/dewdropssig.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="39" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Fo_q7ltTJbs/UmraNV-Xs0I/AAAAAAAAAHw/wk6C3KgeuYMZETd-bW-ql5oXKQ2NL4UfgCPcB/s200/dewdropssig.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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Johnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08042379175433349768noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-613960933622830831.post-80266701471220765652016-09-03T14:21:00.004-07:002016-09-03T14:24:22.351-07:00Storyboarding for Picture Book Writers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sGkpyXxw9eg/V8s673wbEXI/AAAAAAAAAik/OWoj3dIL0tYGsW1_qgf0B6CINGw_YQoqwCLcB/s1600/IMG_1528.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sGkpyXxw9eg/V8s673wbEXI/AAAAAAAAAik/OWoj3dIL0tYGsW1_qgf0B6CINGw_YQoqwCLcB/s320/IMG_1528.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A picture book text can paint a picture or it can set the stage for a corresponding visual story. Sort of the difference between</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">… and sailed back over a year and in and out of weeks and through a day…” (<em style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Where the Wild Things Are</em>)</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">and</span></div>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In the great green room there was a telephone …” (<em style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Goodnight Moon</em>).</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The first one paints a mood that the art alone can’t tell. The second one creates an image that accompanies the text. Both are good for the story they are telling, both create a visual without taking over for the artist.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The trick, as a text-only picture book creator, is to realize that you are a visual artist. Your text needs to create moods and images word by word, sentence by sentence, and it has to do it page by page and beginning to end.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; margin-bottom: 27px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">One way to set yourself up for success in this area is to storyboard. Storyboarding your text will give you visual feedback on how your text works on each page. If you have a text-heavy page, you’ve either stepped into the artist’s area, or you have too many words, or your story may not be best suited as a picture book. You also need to be aware of your page turns.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">For the rest of the article, please visit my website at: <a href="https://johnelldewitt.com/2016/09/02/storyboarding-for-picture-book-writers/">https://johnelldewitt.com/2016/09/02/storyboarding-for-picture-book-writers/</a></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And just because I'm not cool enough to be able to embed video in Wordpress yet, here's a short video resource on storyboarding:</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/IQR2IeSu9aY/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/IQR2IeSu9aY?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Have a great weekend.</span></div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tJwqV_m5o98/Ur9erFzo1PI/AAAAAAAAALY/tDevd6UZooIwutjvy4o55QgIqoiKJsKrACPcB/s1600/dewdropssig.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="39" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tJwqV_m5o98/Ur9erFzo1PI/AAAAAAAAALY/tDevd6UZooIwutjvy4o55QgIqoiKJsKrACPcB/s200/dewdropssig.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
Johnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08042379175433349768noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-613960933622830831.post-68967776358617223182016-09-03T14:21:00.000-07:002016-09-03T14:23:56.668-07:00Storyboarding for Picture Book Writers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sGkpyXxw9eg/V8s673wbEXI/AAAAAAAAAik/OWoj3dIL0tYGsW1_qgf0B6CINGw_YQoqwCLcB/s1600/IMG_1528.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sGkpyXxw9eg/V8s673wbEXI/AAAAAAAAAik/OWoj3dIL0tYGsW1_qgf0B6CINGw_YQoqwCLcB/s320/IMG_1528.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; margin-bottom: 27px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A picture book text can paint a picture or it can set the stage for a corresponding visual story. Sort of the difference between</span></div>
<blockquote style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #999999; line-height: 1.4em; margin: 0px 0px 27px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 64px; position: relative; quotes: ''; vertical-align: baseline;">
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">… and sailed back over a year and in and out of weeks and through a day…” (<em style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Where the Wild Things Are</em>)</span></blockquote>
</blockquote>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; margin-bottom: 27px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">and</span></div>
<blockquote style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #999999; line-height: 1.4em; margin: 0px 0px 27px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 64px; position: relative; quotes: ''; vertical-align: baseline;">
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In the great green room there was a telephone …” (<em style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Goodnight Moon</em>).</span></blockquote>
</blockquote>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; margin-bottom: 27px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The first one paints a mood that the art alone can’t tell. The second one creates an image that accompanies the text. Both are good for the story they are telling, both create a visual without taking over for the artist.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; margin-bottom: 27px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The trick, as a text-only picture book creator, is to realize that you are a visual artist. Your text needs to create moods and images word by word, sentence by sentence, and it has to do it page by page and beginning to end.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; margin-bottom: 27px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">One way to set yourself up for success in this area is to storyboard. Storyboarding your text will give you visual feedback on how your text works on each page. If you have a text-heavy page, you’ve either stepped into the artist’s area, or you have too many words, or your story may not be best suited as a picture book. You also need to be aware of your page turns.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; margin-bottom: 27px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">For the rest of the article, please visit my website at: <a href="https://johnelldewitt.com/2016/09/02/storyboarding-for-picture-book-writers/">https://johnelldewitt.com/2016/09/02/storyboarding-for-picture-book-writers/</a></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And just because I'm not cool enough to be able to embed video in Wordpress yet, here's a short video resource on storyboarding:</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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Johnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08042379175433349768noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-613960933622830831.post-90044710870187025112016-08-14T15:23:00.000-07:002016-08-14T15:24:09.418-07:00Interview With VFX Artist and Author Jami Gigot<br />
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<span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #424040; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I met Jami through our critique group and enjoy reading her manuscripts. She creates warm and comforting characters that have a timeless feel, and she also illustrates them. Jami started her artistic career in digital animation before moving to 3D and VFX work, as you will see, and entered the kidlit world with her debut picture book <em style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23318024-mae-and-the-moon?from_search=true" style="-webkit-transition: all 0.2s ease-in-out; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #424040; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: all 0.2s ease-in-out; vertical-align: baseline;">Mae and Moon</a> </em>published through <a href="http://www.ripplegrovepress.com/" style="-webkit-transition: all 0.2s ease-in-out; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #424040; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: all 0.2s ease-in-out; vertical-align: baseline;">Ripple Grove Press</a>. Her follow up book <em style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Seb and the Sun</em>, also through Ripple Grove, is due in 2018. </span></span></div>
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<span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #424040; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Thank you, Jami for sharing your story.</span></span></div>
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<em style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #424040; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Jami, you have a cool day job as a visual effects artist and you’ve worked on some pretty big movies: </span><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Batman v. Superman</span><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">, </span><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian</span><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">, </span><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Pan</span><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">, and </span><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children</span><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">. Can you be more specific on what you do?</span></span></em></div>
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<span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">When a film is shot these days, a lot, sometimes even the majority, of shots are done in a studio in front of a giant green screen. I work with a team that fills in that space with digital environments, creatures, vehicles, and props, all of which are created solely in the computer. I do a lot of different tasks, but my main focus recently has been on texture painting and lighting scenes. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #424040; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Which movie has been your favorite to work on? Do you have a favorite sequence or asset? </em></span><span id="more-129" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></span></div>
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<span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">It’s hard to pick one film as my favorite as they all bring their own unique challenges. My favorite projects have been ones where I am given the most creative liberty. </span><i style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Sweeney Todd</span></i><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">was a wonderful experience because I got to work at the film studio doing concept art and I was able to meet and learn from some of my heroes, Tim Burton and Dante Ferretti. I also loved working on the giant shoes and lily pad sequence for Terry Gilliam’s film, <em style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The </em></span><i style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus</span></i><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">, and painting the Jolly Roger ship in the film <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQMqvG4t3Mo#t=157.365345752" style="-webkit-transition: all 0.2s ease-in-out; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1c7c7c; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: all 0.2s ease-in-out; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Pan</em></a>. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">For the rest, please see my site: </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">https://wordpress.com/post/johnelldewitt.com/129</span></div>
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Johnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08042379175433349768noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-613960933622830831.post-3569210999938800812016-07-14T17:53:00.000-07:002016-07-14T17:53:01.614-07:00Agent Interview with Rubin Pfeffer and New Site<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-97ceTSKCuKA/V4gZpx6oQEI/AAAAAAAAAg0/mlQF1znO2KoLB7q5v7uFIH9NAYuc_65ZgCLcB/s1600/RP%2Bphoto%2Bcopy%2B%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-97ceTSKCuKA/V4gZpx6oQEI/AAAAAAAAAg0/mlQF1znO2KoLB7q5v7uFIH9NAYuc_65ZgCLcB/s320/RP%2Bphoto%2Bcopy%2B%25281%2529.jpg" width="309" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Two bits of exciting news: I recently finished a Q&A with literary agent Rubin Pfeffer, and I finally set up a personal website. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">But first the Q&A. I attended a writing conference in Boston last year and met Rubin in a critique session. I enjoyed talking with him. In fact, the more agents I meet, the more I realize they're the type of people I'd want to sit down with and chat about a million things. They have cool jobs and really great advice. So I was thrilled when he agreed to a Q&A. Here's a taste:</span><br />
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<em style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b>You’ve had a pretty amazing career in publishing, including art director at Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, vice president and publisher at Simon and Schuster and an independent agent at East West Literary. Then you started your agency in 2014, <a data-mce-href="http://www.rpcontent.com" href="http://www.rpcontent.com/">Rubin Pfeffer Content</a>. Did the transition to agent change the way you work with authors?</b></span></em><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Yes, definitely. You become much more aware of the authors as individuals, of their sensitivities, vulnerabilities, and their livelihoods. You’re on the side of the author. That’s not to say you’re not when you’re inside a publishing corporation, but as an agent, you’re much more concerned about the author’s business and dreams. When I was a publisher, I wasn’t sensitive enough to what delays and silence mean to authors. I regret, actually, having taken too long to sign contracts now that I see what it’s like to wait for them.</span></div>
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<em><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Can you give me a peek into your agenting day? What are the steps you usually go through when reading a submission?</span></em></h5>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">What everyone needs to understand is there’s no set answer to any question you’re going to ask me in this interview. My day is full of many different responsibilities: administrative, creative, and simply humane responsibilities such as checking in with clients on their well-being and the progress of tasks at hand. In any given day, I’d be on the phone or on email with a publisher to make sure a project or manuscript is underway or to get feedback on submissions that might be sitting a little too long. I usually do a quick check of email to see what has newly arrived, business that needs to be addressed or that needs to go into some type of prioritization. If an author or editor has a question that needs a quick or timely response in order to keep the wheels rolling, I’ll take care of that first. Submissions from clients are going to get looked at right away because I’m excited to see what they’ve come up with. Unsolicited submissions are going to wait. If a submission catches my eye and I find it irresistible, I might get lost in it for a few hours and totally upend my day. So be it. But a typical day is making sure everything administratively is being done on schedule: checking contracts and payments, responding to authors’ questions, reading reviews. There’s always plenty of work in progress. You try to be as mindful of timing as possible, as mindful of an author’s eagerness and feelings, mindful of getting to submissions in a timely manner, mindful of editors and their time frame. I realize there’s no such thing as a work day, it’s really day and night. The more creative, social, experimental things, research etc., will be done later on, probably late afternoon or in the quiet of evening. For editors too, most of the day is administrative or full of meetings. When it comes to reading and actual editing many editors will work at night or on weekends.</span></div>
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<em><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">What are you looking for? What makes a story work for you?</span></em></h5>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I've posted the rest of the Q&A on my new site if you care visit: <a href="https://johnelldewitt.wordpress.com/2016/07/13/interview-with-literary-agent-rubin-pfeffer/">https://johnelldewitt.wordpress.com/2016/07/13/interview-with-literary-agent-rubin-pfeffer/</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And thank you for visiting my blog. I will likely continue to post here as well.</span><br />
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<br />Johnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08042379175433349768noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-613960933622830831.post-21263772432891330822016-06-23T14:46:00.002-07:002016-07-04T13:37:37.727-07:00You Gotta Belize It<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We recently returned from a trip to Belize, a tiny Central American country on the Caribbean coast, and the only Central American country with English as it's official language (the country is formerly known as British Honduras). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We've traveled to some pretty amazing places, but Belize ranks in the top three for me now. We stayed first on the mainland in the jungle regions near the border of Guatemala. Mayan sites sat all around us. A stones throw from where we stayed, archaeologists were excavating a recent find. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We could have immersed ourselves in Mayan sites without driving anywhere, but we'd already pre-booked a trip to the Actun Tunichil Muknal (ATM) caves a couple hours away. Had I known what I was getting myself and my children into (my youngest cleared the height cut-off by a few inches), I likely wouldn't have gone. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mayan pottery in ATM cave courtesy of <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Actun_tunichil_muknal-pottery.jpg">Jkolecki</a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I guess it's good I didn't know then, because we had a blast and somehow managed to survive the heart-stopping coldness of the water, the slippery climbs and rickety ladder that took us to the main level where the "Crystal Maiden" (now thought to be a juvenile male) lies in repose. A potential sacrificial victim, the skeleton has been fittingly memorialized in calcite. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://dewdropsofink.blogspot.com/2016/05/historical-middle-grade-fiction-mayan.html">I recently wrote </a>about <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/65140.The_Well_of_Sacrifice?from_search=true&search_version=service">The Well of Sacrifice</a></i>, a middle grade novel about the Maya. We finished it and enjoyed it, and found it useful in preparing for our trip.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I caught myself telling the kids, "Okay, remember, Evening Star Macaw (the main character) didn't look down when she had to climb the Well of Sacrfice, so keep your eyes up and focus on putting your hands and feet in safe areas." </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I guess I was feeling pretty bad about the "mommy fail" moment of having dragged my children into a treacherous cave, so I tried to redeem myself by turning it into teaching moment. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Seriously, however, the book really helped put things into perspective for my children. They knew about the ritual pottery we found in the cave, the human sacrifices, and the Mayan's perspectives on their gods. All of which helped our trip come alive for them. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Having survived the whole caving episode, we all felt exhilarated and ready for our other adventures, which included horse-back riding in the jungle, snorkeling with nurse sharks, sea turtles and more fish than I knew existed, and an incredible trip to Caracal, a Mayan site with temple after temple and stele with relief still visible. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We had an "epic" time. The kids got treated to hands-on science, marine biology, social studies, history, ancient cultures and excellent Caribbean food. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Look close to see the leave cutter ants hauling their load</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nurse sharks</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I failed to bring home any souvenirs other than scratches, bug bites and sand in my shoes, but I sorta wished I'd sprung for one of the tacky t-shirts sporting the "You Gotta Belize It" slogan. I have a hard time Belizing some of the things we did myself, all well out of my comfort zone, but I don't regret (so far) a one of them. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I might have found a new slogan. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Full moon on Belize coast</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Have a great week.</span><br />
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Johnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08042379175433349768noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-613960933622830831.post-19499874743964966282016-06-23T14:46:00.000-07:002016-06-23T15:00:34.274-07:00You Gotta Belize It<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3rEEwlcb6o4/V2xJ6eGXb4I/AAAAAAAAAd4/weRfVEFGWbslVMHAqqcCnT6qm6qqTb86ACLcB/s1600/IMG_0657.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="283" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3rEEwlcb6o4/V2xJ6eGXb4I/AAAAAAAAAd4/weRfVEFGWbslVMHAqqcCnT6qm6qqTb86ACLcB/s400/IMG_0657.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Full moon on Belize coast</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We recently returned from a trip to Belize, a tiny Central American country on the Caribbean coast, and the only Latin American country with English as it's official language (the country is formerly known as British Honduras). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We've traveled to some pretty amazing places, but Belize ranks in the top three for me now. We stayed first on the mainland in the jungle regions near the border of Guatemala. Mayan sites sat all around us. A stones throw from where we stayed, archaeologists were excavating a recent find. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We could have immersed ourselves in Mayan sites without driving anywhere, but we'd already pre-booked a trip to the Actun Tunichil Muknal (ATM) caves a couple hours away. Had I known what I was getting myself and my children into (my youngest cleared the height cut-off by a few inches), I likely wouldn't have gone. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/02/Actun_tunichil_muknal-pottery.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/02/Actun_tunichil_muknal-pottery.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mayan pottery in ATM cave courtesy of <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Actun_tunichil_muknal-pottery.jpg">Jkolecki</a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I guess it's good I didn't know then, because we had a blast and somehow managed to survive the heart-stopping coldness of the water, the slippery climbs and rickety ladder that took us to the main level where the "Crystal Maiden" (now thought to be a juvenile male) lies in repose. A potential sacrificial victim, the skeleton has been fittingly memorialized in calcite. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://dewdropsofink.blogspot.com/2016/05/historical-middle-grade-fiction-mayan.html">I recently wrote </a>about <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/65140.The_Well_of_Sacrifice?from_search=true&search_version=service">The Well of Sacrifice</a></i>, a middle grade novel about the Maya. We finished it and enjoyed it, and found it useful in preparing for our trip.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I caught myself telling the kids, "Okay, remember, Evening Star Macaw (the main character) didn't look down when she had to climb the Well of Sacrfice, so keep your eyes up and focus on putting your hands and feet in safe areas." </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I guess I was feeling pretty bad about the "mommy fail" moment of having dragged my children into a treacherous cave, so I tried to redeem myself by turning it into teaching moment. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Seriously, however, the book really helped put things into perspective for my children. They knew about the ritual pottery we found in the cave, the human sacrifices, and the Mayan's perspectives on their gods. All of which helped the trip come alive for them. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Having survived the whole caving episode, we all felt exhilarated and ready for our other adventures, which included horse-back riding in the jungle, snorkeling with nurse sharks, sea turtles and more fish than I knew existed, and an incredible trip to Caracal, a Mayan site with temple after temple and stele with relief still visible. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We had an "epic" time. The kids got treated to hands-on science, marine biology, social studies, history, ancient cultures and excellent Caribbean food. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Look close to see the leave cutter ants hauling their load</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OM7XA5o4Vsc/V2xYfIUWDtI/AAAAAAAAAfc/3JRMIZJm214hfvbaFyc5lvZrEHZf-boxwCLcB/s1600/IMG_0940.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OM7XA5o4Vsc/V2xYfIUWDtI/AAAAAAAAAfc/3JRMIZJm214hfvbaFyc5lvZrEHZf-boxwCLcB/s320/IMG_0940.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nurse sharks</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I failed to bring home any souvenirs other than scratches, bug bites and sand in my shoes, but I sorta wished I'd sprung for one of the tacky t-shirts sporting the "You Gotta Belize It" slogan. I have a hard time Belizing some of the things we did myself, all well out of my comfort zone, but I don't regret (so far) a one of them. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stephen, a favorite monkey of the school kids near the Howler Monkey reserve</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I might have found a new slogan. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Have a great week.</span></div>
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Johnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08042379175433349768noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-613960933622830831.post-51885346021793491402016-06-09T19:34:00.002-07:002016-06-11T20:25:21.576-07:00Little Penguin Gets the Hiccups, and A School Visit<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: start;"><a href="https://www.harpercollins.com/books/9780062335364">Little Penguin Gets the Hiccups</a> </i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: start;">(Balzer and Bray, 2015)</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Some miraculous moments remind me that connections matter, no matter how fleeting they might seem. Over the last Christmas holiday, my family and I were back in the States. I was scanning the book section in Target and gasped. A familiar cover beamed back at me. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I hadn't seen <a href="http://tadghbentley.com/">Tadgh Bentley's</a> penguin story since we'd exchanged critiques almost four years ago. </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.harpercollins.com/books/9780062335364">Little Penguin Gets the Hiccups</a></i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">, was the second story I saw of his, and I loved it. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I remember when he heard from an agent who was interested in it and sent us back a menagerie of penguins to choose from. Apparently, his soon-to-be-agent didn't like the original style and asked Tadgh to redraw the original. We casted our votes on the penguin we liked best and then lost touch for a while. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Fast forward three years or so when I'm walking in Target and see a little penguin who looked familiar. I felt oddly proud, as if I'd written it, to see the book on the shelf. I knew a bit of the struggle behind its creation and couldn't have been happier to see it triumph. I snatched it up and took it to the checkout, excited to show my family.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I sent him a congratulatory email and heard back from him. Then the wheels started turning. I'm friends with the principal of the local British school. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Tadgh, being from London before transplanting to the U.S., seemed a natural fit for a school visit. I introduced them via email and left them alone to talk to each other. The result: The school invited Tadgh out to do a visit. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I was lucky enough to attend two of his presentations, and his visits were as engaging as his book. He's a teacher, and it showed in the way he expertly reigned the kids in when needed. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">He also tailored his presentation to each grade we visited. For the fourth grade, he did a brief presentation on shapes and what they mean in a drawing. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Then he had each child drew his/her own monster. My son chose the triangular shape, the shape of action, danger and adventure. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">For the first grade, Tadgh (pronounced 'Teeg' if you were wondering like I was) did a read-aloud, which works really well with the interactive nature of his book. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The kids were really into it and convinced him to draw Little Penguin eating a hot dog, which he did, on the spot, on the whiteboard, in a room with fifty first graders tuning in. Impressive to say the least.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Oh what a treat to be there and to meet Tadgh in person. I could never have known that a couple of critique exchanges would lead to a school visit that I would also be able to enjoy. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Make those connections and keep them open. Little things lead to big things. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And, by the way, if you want a great resource for school visit information, join <a href="http://www.michellecusolito.com/">Michelle Cusolito's</a> Facebook page: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/122633751263332/">Creating Engaging School Visits</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Have a great weekend. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>Johnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08042379175433349768noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-613960933622830831.post-45221179409298145872016-06-03T12:13:00.001-07:002016-06-03T18:17:42.333-07:00Peanut Butter and Brains: A Video Experiment<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/peanut-butter-brains-joe-mcgee/1121146245?ean=9781419712470">Barnes&Noble</a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I've had the pleasure of working with author <a href="http://www.joemcgeeauthor.com/">Joe McGee</a> on some of my stories. He's helped me fix the problem spots and learn how to craft a more solid picture book. He teaches writing classes at two college/universities, so he knows his stuff, as evident is his super fun picture book, <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/peanut-butter-brains-joe-mcgee/1121146245?ean=9781419712470"><i><b>Peanut Butter and Brains</b></i>.</a> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">My kids and I decided to bite off an ambitious project and make a trailer of his book. We enlisted the help of some friends to flesh out the zombie herd a bit more. My son wrote and played the song. My youngest daughter did the narration, and my oldest girl did the makeup and helped me with the storyboard. First the video, then what I learned from making it:</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Lessons: </span></b><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Video isn't hard to make, but it takes time to do it right: Thanks to </span><a href="http://katiedavis.tv/" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Katie Davis</a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">'</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><a href="http://videoidiotbootcamp.com/sign-up/" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Video Idiot Bootcamp</a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> class, I learned to de-mystify the art of video making. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Storyboard first: Yes! Write out a detailed storyboard of what will be said and what footage you'll need. It saved us so much time.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Our video is not an effective trailer: We put too much detail into this video to make it effective as a trailer. We left out a lot of the middle, so the hopefully it will do it's job in interesting the viewer in the book, but next time, I'm capping it at 50 seconds or less and leaving out more details, especially the ending. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Working with kids is hard: Yet another reason to keep the videos short!</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Making videos helped me be a better writer: The storyboarding process forced me to write out an arc, just like I would in a picture book. The editing process also helped me see what needed to be cut and why. </span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I did get permission from Joe to release this video to the public, so I hope you all enjoy it and learn something from it as well. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And thanks to Joe for being an awesome writer, mentor and friend. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Have a great week!</span><br />
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Johnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08042379175433349768noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-613960933622830831.post-44910279554892460172016-05-17T20:08:00.001-07:002016-05-19T09:42:06.022-07:00Historical Middle-Grade Fiction Mayan Style<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mayan village in Legos. My oldest child's project.</td></tr>
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I'm gaining a steadfast appreciation for writers of historical fiction, especially writers of historical fiction for children. In my <a href="http://dewdropsofink.blogspot.com/2016/05/the-stone-lions-education-and-exciting.html">last post</a>, I talked about <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18365356-the-stone-lions?from_search=true&search_version=service">Stone Lions</a> </i>by Gwen Dandridge. We finished that book, and we're now reading <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/65140.The_Well_of_Sacrifice?from_search=true&search_version=service"><i>The Well of Sacrifice</i></a> by Chris Eboch.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/65140.The_Well_of_Sacrifice?from_search=true&search_version=service">Goodreads listing</a></td></tr>
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Eboch doesn't pull many punches in describing the blood-letting ritual and the more grotesque aspects of Mayan culture while still painting a relatable main character. We're only a few chapters into it, but my children are experiencing the Mayan culture in a way they've not gathered from the Mayan sites they've actually visited.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Copan ruins in Honduras</td></tr>
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The depth of research Eboch, and illustrator Bryn Barnard, put into the story must have taken years and sleepless hours of vetting everything that went into the book. And writing about a society whose customs were often violent is not an easy topic to pull off for a middle-grade novel. I'm so glad Eboch managed it, however, because it enlivens this part of history for my children, pulling them into a culture and era so far removed from their own.<br />
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I've been working on my own 80s era middle-grade novel--it makes me want to swallow my teeth to think the 80s are now considered historical--and it has kept me awake sorting and resorting the details and plots in my mind. Not to mention the links, notes, etc. that I have to collect. And that's for a "history" I actually (mostly) lived through! </div>
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My new heroes are historical fiction writers for children. </div>
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I'm looking forward to digging further into Eboch's books. I'm surrounded by Mayan history, but only in fallen stones and broken pottery. This book is giving me a way to visualize the people behind the tumbled temples and pottery shards. We'll see if the ending is as compelling as the beginning, but so far, so good. </div>
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Have a great week.</div>
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Johnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08042379175433349768noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-613960933622830831.post-29851620039436515632016-05-07T16:57:00.002-07:002018-10-11T12:30:37.723-07:00The Stone Lions: Educational and Exciting Middle Grade Novel<br />
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In our home school lessons, we’re reading <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18365356-the-stone-lions?from_search=true&search_version=service"><i>The Stone Lions</i>, by Gwen Dandridge</a>. We’ve been studying the Renaissance, but most textbooks leave out the Islamic influence, particularly in Spain, that helped feed the European Renaissance.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Islam’s golden age produced leaps of understanding in science, math and medicine when much of Europe was in the (poorly named) Dark Ages. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">When Europe began to recover from the devastation in the Dark Ages, the knowledge Muslim civilization had preserved and created helped European scholars jump-start their learning. Particularly in math, where Muslim mathematicians discovered zero, the decimal system, and provided the numeric system (Arabic) the western world uses today. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We need to thank Muslim mathematicians for saving us from computing II + II = IV. </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Shukran!</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Dandridge set her story in 14th century Moorish Spain told through the eyes of Ara, a spunky girl from the harem and daughter of the Sultan. The story revolves around Ara’s discovery of the wicked Wazir’s meddling in black mathmagics—a great and compelling idea for the middle grade scene and a sneakily wonderful way to make math seem fascinating. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Ara discovers the Wazir’s tricks while hiding in wait to see the procession of Tahirah, the famous mathmagician and tutor of her dearly departed mother. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Tahirah is a Sufi and skilled in understanding symmetry and the mystical abilities of math. She tutors Ara in understanding the importance of symmetry and how the wazir’s meddling has broken the symmetry in the walls of the fortress where they live, leaving it vulnerable to attack. Ara has to find the broken symmetries and heal them before the Alhambra, their palace, breaks from the inside. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We’re not finished with the book yet, but all three of my children, ages 11-6, pay rapt attention to the exciting plot twists and the funny moments when Ara’s primary care taker is transformed into different animals as a result of crossing the Wazir. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Toledo, Spain from the top of the Church of the Jesuits. We spent a lovely week in this former Moorish city.</td></tr>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Dandridge wrote about a time and culture often overlooked. She also managed to pull off a plot that engages multiple ages with her magical elements (and even math) sneaked in. Not easy to do. Kudos to her giving parents and educators a go-to story on an era, culture and subject not often talked about.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As excited as I am to finish the story, I'm always a bit sad when a good story ends. Fortunately, there's more out there to explore. I'm looking at <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/65140.The_Well_of_Sacrifice?from_search=true&search_version=service">The Well of Sacrifice</a></i> right now for our unit on the Maya.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Have a great week.</span></div>
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Johnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08042379175433349768noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-613960933622830831.post-87563134318383230182016-04-19T18:41:00.001-07:002016-04-19T19:04:14.619-07:00Books That Make Me Weep<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I've had a few books over the years that have made me weep tears of side-stitching laughter. The funny thing is, most of them are old, except for maybe Douglas Adams' <b><i>Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy</i></b>. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I almost fell out of my bed while Grunthos the Flatulent's major intestine reached up through his neck to silence his poetry reading for the good of all humanity. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Another laughter-filled classic, roughly as old as <i><b>Hitchiker's Guide</b></i> but good enough to be called a classic, is <b><i>The </i></b><b><i>Princess Bride</i></b> by the fictional S. Morgenstern, a.k.a. William Goldman. As good as the movie is, the book is even better. Yes, that's cliche, but in the case of <b><i>The</i></b> <b><i>Princess Bride</i></b>, it's actually saying something. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I didn't know the movie had been adapted from a novel until I found a dog-eared copy of the book in my high school library shortly after the movie became everyone's #1 quotable obsession. I snapped it up and laughed my way through nearly every page. My sides hurt for days.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">But my all-time favorite, perhaps because I read it most recently, is <b><i>Don Quixote</i></b> by Cervantes.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">My poor children weren't sure what to do with me. I finally had to read it in seclusion to hide the tears streaming down my face and wheezy laughter escaping between each drag for breath. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1d1d;">Cervantes masterpiece is more than 400 years old, and it still resonates with its readers. Oh to dream so high!</span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">https://transforminglifenow.wordpress.com/tag/don-quixote/</td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1d1d; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">One other book makes me weep too, but not with laughter. Victor Hugo's </span><i style="color: #1e1d1d; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Les Miserable</b></i><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1d1d; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> is still one of the most transcendent books I've read. I was in college when I read it, so perhaps it wouldn't strike me as forcibly now, but I vividly remember wiping tears off my cheeks so they wouldn't stain the pages. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1d1d; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I dream to write so powerfully.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #1e1d1d;">Have a great week.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>Johnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08042379175433349768noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-613960933622830831.post-8249318493094899862016-04-12T10:21:00.000-07:002016-04-12T12:14:14.148-07:00Lines On Writing<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I read an article today: "<a href="https://litreactor.com/columns/22-of-the-best-single-sentences-on-writing">22 of the Best Single Sentences on Writing.</a>" My favorite sentence came from James Vandermeer:</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #261e1a; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">If you are drawn to write what's uncomfortable, it may help to recognize that you are allowed to write for yourself, and that any decisions about seeking publication are separate from that first, fundamental decision (and freedom). —</span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Wonderbook-Illustrated-Creating-Imaginative-Fiction/dp/1419704427?ie=UTF8&keywords=wonder%20book%20jeff%20vandermeer&qid=1459792873&ref_=sr_1_1&sr=8-1" style="color: #cc3300; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;"><em>Wonderbook</em></a></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I confess, I knew nothing about the author until now because of course I had to Google him after reading the quote. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I enjoy authors who push the envelope and rewrite the "rules." Roald Dahl is tops on my list for that. The brief interview with him above shows his unconventional thought paths and experiences that helped him create his stories. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Have a great week. </span><br />
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Johnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08042379175433349768noreply@blogger.com7