Winning A Crystal Kite!

At the Miami SCBWI Conference, my book THE BALLAD OF JESSIE PEARL was awarded the Crystal Kite Award for the Southeast Region. Chris Cheng, who is the originator of the Crystal Kite Awards, made the the presentation. Our Regional Advisor, Linda Bernfeld looks on:

The award is in the shape of a kite and comes with white gloves so you don't smudge the crystal. Here's a closer look at it:

A big thank you to everyone who read and voted for JESSIE. I appreciate it!

Raising A Reader

I met Aimee Reid, author of MAMA'S DAY WITH LITTLE GRAY, at the Miami SCBWI Conference.

Aimee asked me to write a post for her blog on raising a reader. I took her up on that challenge because my son is a voracious reader, and I knew it would be fun to reflect on all the reasons why. Hop over to Aimee's blog to read my thoughts on Raising A Reader.

SCBWI Miami Conference - 2014

On our first day in Miami, our RA gave to us:

Five acquiring editors,
Four writers speaking,
Three agents signing,
Two moderated panels,

And a clockwork costume ball!

All kidding aside, some great things happened at the conference. On Saturday, the Rising Kite Awards were announced. One of my picture book biographies won third place in the non-fiction category. Standing beside me in pink is my critique group mate, Joni Klein-Higger. Joni took second prize in the picture book category, and a third critique group mate, Eileen Goldenberg, received an honorable mention. 

I was excited to meet my agent, (Deborah Warren at East West Literary), face-to-face for the first time. While we've worked well via phone and email, it's nice to make a more personal connection.

The halls were buzzing in Miami with good news and potential good news. It was exciting to be a part of it!

A Book Birthday - THE BALLAD OF JESSIE PEARL

To celebrate my book's birthday, (it's tomorrow, February 1st), I'd like to share the SCBWI success story that I wrote for the Florida listserv:

Finding Success Through The Miami SCBWI Conference

I didn’t find either my agent or my editor through SCBWI, yet it was through the contacts I made at the Miami conference that I learned to craft a novel. My novel writing journey started in 2009 at the “First Books Panel.” I listened as Marjetta Geerling, Debbie Reed Fischer, and Danette Haworth shared their paths to publication. One thing each of them had in common was this phrase, “I’d like to thank Joyce Sweeney.” I jotted her name down in my notebook and made it my mission to find this fairy godmother.

I discovered that Joyce is a talented teacher and mentor who has helped many authors land their first publishing contract. Later that evening, I introduced myself to her, and Joyce agreed to critique my middle grade novel. While that manuscript is still in my file drawer, the lessons I learned while crafting it stood me in good stead while writing my second book, THE BALLAD OF JESSIE PEARL.

In 2010, I journeyed back to the Miami conference. By this time I had written about 50 pages of JESSIE, and the first chapter was slated for critique with Newbery award winning author, Richard Peck.

THE BALLAD OF JESSIE PEARL is set in the 1920s. Mr. Peck’s written critique says, “Moreover, your subject matter is my own favorite: rustic nostalgia (with an edge) to reveal a little history to a generation not learning any at school.”

Since Mr. Peck had read only the first ten pages, he asked me to walk him through the rest of the plot. At that time, my novel had both a midwife and a second older woman called Cousin Rachel. Mr. Peck told me those two characters sounded remarkably similar and asked if they could be combined. “Yes!” I said. “Yes, that is absolutely brilliant!” He answered, “You have too many characters auditioning for a part in your novel.”

I confessed that I wasn’t entirely sure how my novel would end and shared two possibilities. Mr. Peck shook his head. “There’s only one way this novel can end,” he said. “Your character has grown and changed during her journey. The ending must reflect that.”

Armed with plotting tips from Richard Peck, I went back home and finished my book. I then took the completed manuscript to a Highlights Foundation Whole Novel Workshop led by Stephen Roxburgh. When Stephen said, “This novel really is delicious and exactly the kind of thing I’m looking to publish,” I knew JESSIE had found a home!

Here’s a sneak peek of THE BALLAD OF JESSIE PEARL: 

Sometimes when the kerosene lamp casts shadows, I think I see Ma’s ghost. If she were still alive, she’d say, Jessie Pearl, you keep on studying. Not everybody is cut out to be a farm wife. We’ll find a way to pay for teachers’ college. Leave your Pa to me.

And tonight, Ma would notice how my hands are trembling. I can almost hear her voice. Jessie, fourteen is too young to help birth a baby. Why don’t you go and study in the kitchen? But Ma is just a memory.

It’s 1922, and Jessie has big plans for her future, but that’s before tuberculosis strikes.  Though she has no talent for cooking, cleaning, or nursing, Jessie puts her dreams on hold to help her family.  She falls in love for the first time ever, and suddenly what she wants is not so simple any more.

Inspired by Shannon Hitchcock’s family history, THE BALLAD OF JESSIE PEARL wraps you like an old quilt in the traditions, tastes, and dialect of rural North Carolina.

Friendship in Picture Books -- A Workshop with Tamar Brazis

At the Miami SCBWI Conference, I had the opportunity to attend a workshop taught by Tamar Brazis, Editorial Director at Abrams. The theme of the workshop was the art of friendship in picture books.

Ms. Brazis started the workshop by saying her favorite kind of picture books are about friendship. She used four books as examples: CITY DOG AND COUNTRY FROG by Mo Willems, MAKING A FRIEND by Allison McGhee, THE GIFT OF NOTHING by Patrick McDonnell, and DAYS WITH FROG AND TOAD by Arnold Lobel. We read each of these books aloud to see what made them special. All of them used simple, yet beautiful language. The thing they had in common was "feeling." Reading each of them left me with a comfy, cozy feeling, like being hugged by a good friend.

I think everybody in the world could use a few more hugs. As Ms. Brazis said, "Everything is better with a friend."

Do you have a favorite picture book or novel about friendship? What makes that book stand out in your mind?

THE SKY IS EVERYWHERE by Jandy Nelson

I couldn't wait to read THE SKY IS EVERYWHERE, after hearing literary agent, Erin Murphy, speak at the Miami SCBWI Conference. Ms. Murphy reads a lot of YA literature, so if it was her favorite book of the season, that was good enough for me.

However, I didn't expect to fall totally, head-over-heels in love. It may be my favorite book of all time. You see, I have something in common with Lennie, the book's protagonist: we have both lost our only sisters.

Lennie's last conversation with her sister was inconsequential. It was over whether Bailey should wear a blue or a green shirt. My last conversation with Robin was over the phone, but not about anything really important either. There is no warning whenever we're speaking to someone for the last time. In hindsight, that is maddening and seems so wrong.

Lennie talks of choosing the dress her sister will wear forever. What a profound way of putting it. I chose the clothes my sister is buried in also, but in Robin's case, I chose pants. She hated dresses and there was no way I was torturing her with one for all of eternity.

I completely lost it when Lennie laments not being a sister anymore. Robin was born when I was three years old. I don't remember a time prior to being a sister, but the twelve years since her death have been extremely painful. We've celebrated many holidays with an empty seat at the table. She is my son's godmother, and I've marked every milestone without her to share them with.

I don't know Jandy Nelson personally, but somehow she knows what is inside my heart. She wrote it all down to share with sisterless girls everywhere.

It's not enough to have THE SKY IS EVERYWHERE on my Kindle. I need to hold this book in my hands. If you've ever lost someone you love more than life, read this book. You won't be sorry.

Bruce Hale: A Man of Many Hats

Bruce Hale, author of SNORING BEAUTY and the Chet Gecko mystery series, delivered the kickoff speech at our Miami SCBWI Conference. To say he was phenomenal is an understatement.

I read on Bruce Hale's blog that prior to writing children's books, he worked as an actor and a deejay. He still loves to perform and has appeared on stage and television. None of that experience has gone to waste. Bruce Hale is first and foremost an entertainer.

Bruce's talk centered on the following six principles:

1. Start a good habit - cut time blogging, facebooking, tweeting etc.
2. Write like your hair is on fire - driven by passion.
3. Think it through, and take the big view - ask questions like a three-year-old. Keep asking why.
4. Teamwork makes the dream work - critique groups, conferences.
5. Face the iron tiger - FEAR. Fear never stops.
6. Beat resistance with persistence - what would happen if I pushed a little harder?

For Bruce's grand finale, he sang "You Gotta Be" by Des'ree. He was so infectious, that all of us rose to our feet and sang along with him.

If you'd like to be inspired by Bruce Hale, he has a free electronic newsletter full of tips for writers. You can sign up here: Bruce Hale's Writing Tips.

I recently submitted a question to Bruce and he published it in his newsletter. The question was "What happens after a writer receives a contract?" For participating, I received an ARC, (advanced reading copy), of one of the Chet Gecko mysteries.

So what happens after a writer receives a contract? You'll have to subscribe to Bruce's newsletter to find out!

Novel Writing Tips from Erin Murphy, Joyce Sweeney, and Krista Marino

As part of the SCBWI Miami conference, I attended a "Novel Writing Intensive" led by literary agent, Erin Murphy; Executive Editor, Krista Marino; and writing instructor, Joyce Sweeney.

Erin Murphy talked about the art of revision. She advised us to see our manuscripts with fresh eyes. She shared the following tips to help:

• Apply Darcy Pattison's shrunken manuscript technique.
• Outline after you've written a first draft.
• Employ the nine steps for plotting fiction (found on Verla Kay)
• Use wordle.net to look for overused words.

Joyce Sweeney started by telling writers to "be in scene almost all the time." She advised using the first part of a scene to orient the reader (e.g. who, what, when, where). She asked us to consider what each particular scene means to the novel as a whole. To remember that each chapter needs its own arc.

Krista Marino lectured about voice. There are two kinds: authorial voice, which she defined as the fingerprint of an author, think Stephen King and Meg Cabot. The second kind is narrative voice, which she called "the character's voice."

Elements that contribute to voice include:

• Diction - Word choices.
• Perspective - Mental view.
• Characterization - Appearance, age, gender, education level, ambitions, motivations.
• Dialogue

Krista said the #1 element missing from most manuscripts she receives is interior monologue. She read us a passage from REVOLUTION by Jennifer Donnelly without interior monologue, and then she read the same passage with the interior dialogue inserted. The manuscript was much richer and more interesting with the right amount of interiosity included.

Krista reminded us that when you're young everything feels like the end of the world. She said to write effectively for teens, we should erase adult perspective and in our minds go back to high school everyday. We need to actually listen to teens to get their dialogue just right.

The workshop provided lots of great tips, and I'm summarizing an entire days worth of notes. If anything is unclear, post a question and I'll try and answer it.

Happy Writing!

First Page Wisdom From Richard Peck, Kathleen Duey, and Jen Rofe SCBWI Miami

Richard Peck talked about the importance of a great opening line. Consider this from his book THE TEACHER'S FUNERAL: "If your teacher has to die, August isn't a bad time of year for it." That line is definitely memorable and makes the reader ponder what's coming next. Mr. Peck said he goes to the bookstore about once a month and writes down the opening lines from books he admires.

Kathleen Duey spoke of the importance of the first page and said she frequently rewrites the first page about twenty times.

In the novel intensive workshop, Jen Rofe read my first page out loud. She said it needed a stronger opening line, it could be tightened, the character's voice could come through more strongly.

I took Richard Peck's advice. I copied down lots of great opening lines from other books. I took Kathleen Duey's advice. I rewrote my first page about twenty times. I literally spent a whole day just working on the first two pages. Here's my take away: Peck, Duey, and Rofe dropped pearls of wisdom. My opening is much stronger from following their advice.

Give these pearls of wisdom a try. I'd be interested in hearing if they work for you too.

RICHARD PECK and ME!

All writers have them. Those authors we admire and strive to emulate. Lots of the usual suspects are on my list: Deborah Wiles, Karen Cushman, Deborah Hopkinson, Kate DiCamillo, Karen Hesse, Laurie Halse Anderson, and Richard Peck.

This past summer I had the opportunity to attend the national SCBWI Conference in Los Angeles. Richard Peck gave one of the keynote speeches, and I was enthralled. He has a wonderfully deep voice, the kind that is perfectly suited to a storyteller. As I listened to him weave his magic, I whispered to my friend, "I'd listen to this man read the phone book." Yes, he really is that good.

Last night an email popped up notifying me about my critique session for the Florida SCBWI Conference in Miami. Richard Peck is my assigned critiquer! I have a date with Richard Peck. Granted, it's only fifteen minutes, but it's destined to be one of those special memories that I dust off when rejection letters fill my mailbox.

Forget winning a date with Tad Hamilton. I'll take Richard Peck any day!