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Blog postMy office window looks out on a moss lawn bordered by azaleas, dogwoods, red maples, tall, skinny pines, a crooked magnolia and assorted other trees. It’s a nice view if one is inclined to stare off into space: a busy playground for squirrels, rabbits, chipmunks, deer, hawks, bluebirds, cardinals and other visitors, plus the human neighbors, often accompanied by dogs, who pass by on the street beside it.
It’s also a great place to watch thunderstorms. We get a fair number of these in -
Blog postTwenty years ago, when my son was a toddler, I wrote a tender tribute to the love between a father and child, based on a couple of guys I knew.
I sold the manuscript, then called Papa’s Day, to an editor I’d worked with at a big publishing house. She left soon after, and the manuscript sat . . . And sat . . . And sat . . .
Five years passed with no visible signs of progress, so I requested and received the rights back. I submitted the manuscript to two houses, got two rejectio -
Blog postMcIntyre’s Books in Fearrington Village, NC is one of my favorite local bookstores. It’s charming, in a beautiful setting, and Sarah Carr—the Children’s Book Buyer—is exuberant, warm and welcoming. So when Sarah asked if I’d be interested in teaching a writing workshop, I didn’t hesitate to say yes.
And it’s coming up! The Nuts & Bolts of Writing Picture Books—and Getting Them Published is happening Friday, March 6th, from 9:30 to 12 noon. Registration info is here.
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Blog postMany years ago, I had what I thought was a great idea for a picture book. The title said it all: Take Your Pet to School Day. It would have chaos, humor, and lots and lots of animals—perfect!
But my early drafts were duds. I dragged out the beginning, introducing a variety of kids and pets, then stalled. I had no idea where to go with them.
I did all my usual stuff. I brainstormed lists of animals, animal sounds and bad behavior. I played around with problems and solutions. I -
Blog postHey, it’s December!
You’ve probably noticed that already.
If you’re like me, you’re probably thinking back to those long-ago days of January when everything seemed possible. Remember all those projects you planned to finish? Those writing goals you were going to accomplish? Those time-management skills you were going to master?
Well, if you’re also like me, things didn’t turn out quite as you planned. And when December arrives, and the same “to do” items are still on y -
Blog postYears ago when I lived in Los Angeles, I had an old watch that occasionally needed repair. The only place around that could fix it was a small, family-owned business. As soon as you walked in, it was clear these people should not be working together. They were unpleasant, sarcastic and just plain nasty, screaming at each other from across the room. And this was with a customer in the shop. I can only imagine what it was like when they were alone.
Collaboration is challenging, whether -
Blog postHey there! Got plans for the weekend of September 28th-30th?
No? Then come on down to Charlotte for the 25th Annual SCBWI Carolinas Conference! As usual, there’s an impressive roster of agents, editors, authors and illustrators on the faculty, with intensives, breakout sessions, manuscript critiques, portfolio reviews, plus an autograph party and plenty of socializing.
I’ll be leading a two-hour workshop on Writing the Rollicking Read-Aloud, a roll-up-your-sleeves session on s -
Blog postKids are natural scientists, yet somewhere along the way the subject of “science” becomes a snoozer for many of them. Maybe because there’s less opportunity for discovery and wonder as they get older, and more focus on facts and data. Doing science is fun, but reading about it can get a little dull.
But science-y books don’t have to be dull. One way to liven things up is to add humor, as author Stacy McAnulty does in her new book Earth: My First 4.54 Billion Years (Henry Holt, il -
Blog postMy friend Caroline Stutson—a gifted poet and talented storyteller—passed away in 2015. Some years ago, Caroline shared with me a manuscript called Blue Corn Soup, and two weeks ago, it arrived in my mailbox as a beautiful book, illustrated by Teri Weidner and published by Sleeping Bear Press.
As I write in this post, holding the book in my hands and reading Caroline’s words feels a bit like visiting with an old friend. I hope you’ll stop by PictureBookBuilders for a sample of Caroline -
Blog postI sold my first manuscript 20 years ago this month. That sale grew out an SCBWI manuscript critique with editor Allyn Johnston, then at Harcourt. Although Allyn was distinctly lukewarm about that particular story, she offered to look at others, which eventually led to the sale of BABIES ON THE GO.
The second manuscript I sold, THE ESSENTIAL WORLDWIDE MONSTER GUIDE, was a straight-out-of-the-slush-pile story. An editorial assistant at Simon & Schuster plucked it from that -
Blog postOne of the more challenging aspects of writing picture books is the speculative nature of the process. Coming up with a story idea is easy. But is it a good idea? Or, more to the point, is it marketable idea, one that will lead to an acquisition?
Unfortunately we won’t know until we actually write the story—and not a rough version of it, but a fully-developed, honed and polished, ready-for-publication manuscript. All of which takes time and effort—and no small amount of hope that -
Blog postOne of the things I love most about writing picture books is watching the illustrations develop from the sketches to the final art. I don’t always get to see this evolution, but I appreciate those editors who include me in the process. Even better is when I get to meet the artist behind the work. After twenty years and 30-plus books, I’ve only met two of my illustrators—Lauren Stringer and David Small—in person. But I’ve had friendly email exchanges with many of them, typically after th
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Blog postI have two new picture books out this month, published a week apart. Editors typically frown upon such proximity—better to have one book at a time in front of reviewers, bookstore buyers, and shoppers, the thinking goes—but, as an author, I have little say in the matter. In fact, a quick look at the origins of these books gives you a sense of how wacky the journey to publication can be.
I wrote Rock-a-Bye Romp (originally Rock-a-Bye Baby—the “Romp” was a last-minute inspiration from N -
Blog postOne of the things I love about picture books is that they can say so much without actually “saying” anything. Take One Family, for instance, written by George Shannon and illustrated by Blanca Gomez. Ostensibly a counting book, it celebrates humanity in all its diversity and families in all sorts of configurations—a powerful message of unity in these times of turmoil and violence. Take a look over at PictureBookBuilders.
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Blog postI really admire artistic talent (since I have so little myself), so it’s always fascinating to me to see how an illustrator’s artwork evolves over the course of creating a book. Kim Smith, illustrator of Over the River and Through the Wood, gives us a peek into her artistic process in my latest PictureBookBuilders post. Leave a comment there by November 1st and you’ll be eligible to win a signed copy. Stop by!
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Blog postWhen I think of non-fiction books with a distinctive voice, I think of Jonah Winter. I’ve admired his biographies for years, and so looked forward to reading his latest. It isn’t easy to take a complicated (and sometimes ugly) subject like the history of voting rights in the United States and turn it into a compelling picture book, but he manages to pull it off with Lillian’s Right to Vote. How does he do it? Read this PictureBookBuilders post, and get a glimpse of Shane W. Evans’s gorgeous i
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Blog postManuscript feeling a bit stale? Need a fresh take on the ordinary? How about trying some role reversal? You’ll find some great examples of picture books that successfully switch things up—including I’m My Own Dog by David Ezra Stein—in this PictureBookBuilders post.
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Blog postThe SCBWI Carolinas chapter has another fabulous conference coming up September 25-27, 2015. Registration info is here.
I’ll be leading a Picture Book Intensive on Friday morning (note: registration is in addition to the conference). Here’s the description:
Working with Limits—and Limitless Choices
Picture books have certain structural restrictions. Yet, within those constraints, writers have enormous freedom in terms of the topics they choose and the way -
Blog postNot sure how I missed Anna Dewdney’s bestselling Llama Llama series, but I’m happy I finally discovered it (while searching my library for books about raising llamas, which wasn’t so fruitful). I share my thoughts about why these books are so successful—and what picture book writers can learn from them—over at PictureBookBuilders.
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Blog postI’ve been a fan of Zach OHora’s books ever since spotting one at the library a few years ago. He talks about his process and gives us a behind-the-scenes peek at his latest book—My Cousin Momo—over at PictureBookBuilders. Stop by for a chance to win a copy!
From My Cousin Momo by Zachariah OHora
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Blog postKaren Beaumont, one of my favorite picture book authors, has a new book out. I talk about Wild About Us and some other favorites–e.g., I Ain’t Gonna Paint No More and No Sleep for the Sheep–over at PictureBookBuilders. What is it that makes Karen’s so dang fun to read aloud? I offer a few thoughts on that too. Stop by!
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Blog postTwenty years ago this month I quit my job at UCLA to write children’s books. To celebrate, I’m giving away two of my books and a copy of The Nuts and Bolts Guide to Writing Picture Books to five winners over at PictureBookBuilders.
My writing anniversary has had me thinking about what life was like back in 1995. What were you doing then? Do you remember? Here are a few things to jog your memory:
I did my writing on a computer that looked a lot like this one:
I didn’t&n -
Blog postAuthor Margie Palatini is known for her lively, clever, and pun-filled prose. But her latest book—No Nap! Yes Nap!, illustrated by Dan Yaccarino—is an exercise in restraint. How many words does it take to tell a story? Find out over at PictureBookBuilders.
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Blog postReading poetry—in particular, reading poetry aloud—can be really helpful for picture book writers. I talk about why over at PictureBookBuilders, and take a look at Joyce Sidman’s Winter Bees, beautifully illustrated by Rick Allen.
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Blog postTo celebrate the publication of Little Baby Buttercup (Nancy Paulsen Books/Penguin Random House), I chat with the book’s talented young illustrator You Byun over at PictureBookBuilders. Stop by to hear about You’s process and get a behind-the-scenes glimpse of her artwork.
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