Book Birthday Blog with R.Aveen

 

Welcome to SCBWI-MI's Book Birthday Blog!

Where we celebrate new books from Michigan's authors, illustrators and translators.

 

Congratulations to R.Aveen on the release of Animal Listeners: The Awakening of Quinby Clark

 

 

How did you come up with the idea for your book?

I was thinking about how people would probably be kinder to animals if they could understand what they were saying. Then I imagined a tween getting that ability in our world and the experiences she would have discovering a secret society of people that could speak with animals. The story grew from there.

What inspires you to write?

I want to make a difference in the world, and I feel like writing is my way to do that. I love animals and wish people would be kinder to them, so writing is my method to try to help make that happen. 

What is something you hope your readers will take away from your book?

That animals are important, individual beings just like us, and they deserve our kindness and respect. I particularly hope this story encourages people to adopt dogs and cats from shelters rather than buying from breeders. And I hope it gives the reader appreciation and respect for bats, how amazing they are and the important roles they play in our ecosystem.

What are your marketing plans for the book and where can we find it?

I plan to contact all the animal loving people I can, including social media groups, businesses and individuals.
 
The ebook is available through most online stores, and the paperback can be purchased directly through Amazon, or requested through bookstores. My website has a link to the different places it is available. https://www.animallisteners.com/

 

 

What's next for you?

I would like to write the next book in the series. On her summer holidays, Quinby travels with the school to California, and encounters local animals there – opening up another world of animal adventures to readers.

More about the book . . .

Kind-hearted Quinby Clark is stuck living with her horrible family in an ordinary suburb of Sydney, Australia, until the day she starts talking with birds and is invited to a mysterious boarding school for children who can speak with animals.
 
Thrust into the secret society of Animal Listeners, Quinby discovers she can speak with more animals than anyone else – a fact the school asks her to keep hidden to protect them all from covert factions. After Quinby is wrongfully accused of causing trouble, she and her new friends must prove her innocence while rescuing precious animals. The world desperately needs her extraordinary Abilities, but will Quinby even survive the school year?
 
A Young Adult contemporary fantasy novel for anyone who loves animals. Join Quinby as she explores the magic of the Animal Listener community hidden within our own world, at a boarding school nestled in the Australian bush by a sandy beach. Meet awesome animals from wild kangaroos, koalas and dolphins, to the school family of bossy cats and loveable pigs. An adventure for the whole family.

Publisher: Animal Listeners Press

More about the author . . .

R.Aveen is an Australian from Sydney who currently lives in Northern Michigan, USA, with her husband and two cats.

She came up with the idea for this book when still in Australia and chose the south coast locale as it wasn't too far from where she was living. However, she started writing the novel in 2020 when already residing in America, which made taking research trips exceedingly difficult. She mostly used memories and the wonders of the internet – luckily, she enjoys doing research.

R.Aveen loves animals, reading, nature, bushwalking, the beach, movies, hanging out with friends, travelling and eating delicious vegan food.
This is her debut novel.

Email: r.aveen@animallisteners.com 

Website: https://www.animallisteners.com/

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/AnimalListeners/

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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/by_raveen/ 

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@by_raveen

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@by_raveen 

 

 

Writer Spotlight: Rhonda Gowler Greene

Junior year, Miami Florida, the 3 P's,

TV interview, and godmother: prolific writer Rhonda Gowler Greene 

Charlie Barshaw coordinates our regular Writer Spotlight feature and interviews writers of SCBWI-MI. In this piece, meet Rhonda Gowler Greene, a picture book pro who has authored dozens of titles.

 

Junior year, high school

Uprooting from your life and home and friends right before your Senior year in high school had to be frustrating and lonely. Yet you would go on to college there and finish summa cum laude and meet your future-husband. You turned a sad, unsettling challenge into positive life experience. How?

My dad took a new job in northern Kentucky when I was 16. We (mom, dad, older brother, me) had always lived in Illinois. I did NOT want to move. I was active in band (1st chair oboe), National Honor Society (treasurer), Girls’ Athletic Assoc., etc. When we drove off, I left a boyfriend standing in the front yard. During the entire 5-hour drive to KY (Florence), I cried.

My family soon got involved in a church where I met my future husband, Gary. I kept my grades up in my new school, went to college one year (Georgetown in KY), then got married. (Gary had just graduated from UK.) I transferred to NKU, graduated, then got an elementary learning disabilities teaching job.

Things worked out, I think, because I had my heart set on 4 goals- college, teach, get married, have kids. My goals were the same no matter where I lived. In high school, I worried- HOW would I fit it all in?! Then, I did it within 14 years (and 4 kids to boot– boy, boy, girl, boy in 7 years). Back then, a 5th goal never entered my head- How would I write children’s books too? I’m so happy that’s what I’m doing now!

You went all in on education. You earned summa cum laude for your elementary reading disabilities training, and earned a Master’s at Xavier for Media. Why leave Education when you were obviously so good at it?

I enjoyed teaching and especially helping kids who had trouble learning to read, but I wanted to be home with my own kids when they were young. I didn’t want any regrets about missing their first steps, first words, etc. Gary had a good job, so I was lucky and didn’t need to work outside the home.

My Master’s is in Educational Media. I switched gears to become a school librarian. But by the time all my kids were in school, I got serious about writing and getting published. I was submitting stories and getting good comments from editors, so I pursued my passion of writing instead of becoming a school librarian/media specialist.

You read a lot of books to your kids. I suspect, even in those early days, your bookshelves were starting to fill up. You mentioned favorite authors of yours that I was unfamiliar with: (Joyce Sidman, Mary Ann Hoberman and Alice Schertle) Why were their works so important to you?

fave books

Yes, I read and read and read to my kids! And, yes, my bookshelves were starting to overflow.

I consider these authors some of the best children’s poets. They’re masters at playing with words. I did read Mary Ann Hoberman’s A House is a House for Me to my kids, but most of the works by these 3 authors I studied later, after my kids were a bit older. I still study them. They’re like mentor texts. I think studying great kids’ poetry books helps with writing picture books because they’re so lyrical and tightly written.
Joyce Sidman’s Red Sings from Treetops is my favorite children’s poetry book. And the art? Gorgeous! Pamela Zagarenski is my favorite children’s book illustrator. Those crowns and wheels she puts in her art fascinate me!

Alice Schertle is known for her bestselling Little Blue Truck series. I really like her All You Need for a Snowman and All You Need for a Beach too. They’re perfectly written.

That magnificent home library you speak of; do you winnow down the books periodically, or just add more bookshelves?

For a long time, I’d just add more shelves, but I have been winnowing. I’ve donated books to my local library. Too, I give books to my four young grandkids (though their houses are also filled to the brim with books!) Last year, I discovered Bookstock, which supports literacy programs in the metro Detroit area. I’ve given boxes of books to them and plan to give more.

I just re-read the excellent book The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning. It motivates me to sort through all my books, papers, etc. so my kids won’t have to. The process is slow-going, though, because I’d rather be reading or writing!

Colmar, France Christmas market

Where have you traveled? Where do you still want to go?

Gary and I have been fortunate to travel quite a bit, mostly in Europe. When our kids were growing up, Gary traveled overseas A LOT for work. (He was head of international tax for Guardian Industries, which makes glass for buildings all over the world. We moved to MI in 1983, when he started working for Guardian.) I told him when empty nest rolled around, I wanted to join him on trips. So, we did that for several years, usually every fall near our anniversary. He’d fly to Europe for business, then I’d fly over a few days later. We continued making a fall trip even after he retired.

Gary’s been to more countries than I have, and ones all over the world. I’ve been to 19 European countries. Covid put a halt to our trips though.

This October 5th is our 50th wedding anniversary. (Hard to believe!) We’re planning a celebration trip a bit closer to home, in Canada. I looked up what city is most European in North America. Quebec City. Maybe it will feel like we’re in Europe!

 Hill Top- Beatrix Potter home,
Lake District, England

I’d like to re-visit places. I especially love The Netherlands, Ireland, England, Switzerland (Alps), and Austria. Portugal is pretty cool too! I LOVE cathedrals, castles, classical music concerts (in Vienna), and European Christmas markets. If you ever get the chance to go to European Christmas markets, DO! They. Are. Amazing.

You’ve got lots of school visit experience. Do you remember your first visit ever?

I do. I was kind of nervous, but it went great! It was in March, 1998, at Elwell Elementary in Belleville, Michigan. I did 2 large-group sessions in the gym. Some teachers remarked afterward they were surprised it was my first time. They thought the presentations went really well. I think the principal got my name from a newspaper article the previous fall announcing my first 2 books. A few years later, I was booked there again.

How far have you traveled for a school visit?

Miami, FL, 2015. My NO PIRATES ALLOWED! SAID LIBRARY LOU was nominated for reading awards in 4 states – FL, NE, KS, and AR. I was contacted to speak that year in FL and NE. I kind of lump those trips together because they were for my pirate book, both pretty far, and the same year. Once booked to speak, I emailed lots of schools saying I’d be in their state and asked if there was interest in an author visit. I got several responses, which led to a week of school visits in both FL and NE. Gary flew with me. We traveled all over both states and met SO many wonderful people! I presented 19x in FL and 17x in NE. Phew!

The visit in Miami was at the only Pre-K/K school where I presented in FL. The others were at elementary schools. It was KLA Academy-Brickall, a private Reggio Emilia Approach school. I was given a tour. Wow, it was incredible! I’d never seen a school quite like it. I presented to classes, then signed stacks of my pirate book.

Too, just want to mention a 2012 visit… It was where I taught- Goodridge Elementary in Hebron, KY (just south of Cincinnati). That was special!

I travel with Ruth on school visits, and it’s a lot of work for me and her. Do you usually visit schools alone, or do you have a support group?

Northville, MI school visit

For 20 years, I visited schools by myself. I never had a support group, but I do have a great support guy now. 😊 Gary’s retired, so he goes with me. He’s a BIG help! I take lots of things to schools! He unloads/loads our car and gets my powerpoint set up. Sometimes I wonder how I used to do it all myself.

A few times when going alone, I had to drive through really bad snowstorms to get to and from schools. Scary! I like having Gary with me now!

What are some of your favorite topics to present to an audience?

How I get ideas

How very hard it is to get published

So many rejections

Miami, KLA Academy- Brickall

Don’t give up

How a picture book is made - idea to hard copy

Mentor texts

Good writing

You had two books accepted for publication before you landed an agent. How were you able to sell your own manuscripts?

With persistence. I did my homework and researched regarding what children’s books certain publishers were publishing. I also researched which editors worked at certain houses. I used 2 resources (no Internet then)- the annual Children’s Writer’s & Illustrator’s Market and the lists of editors and agents SCBWI provided. Too, I read and read picture books and compared my writing to them. I started submitting stories. And accumulating rejections.

At first, I was sending my stories to the top editors. Then, I realized the editors listed ‘lower,’ like assistant or associate, were looking to move up. After my story BARNYARD SONG had been rejected 6x, I submitted it to an assistant editor at Simon & Schuster/Atheneum, Ana Cerro. She read it from the slush pile, asked for a revision, I revised, and she bought it! My first sale! She also bought 2 more stories within the next few years. (BARNYARD SONG came out in 1997. In 2004, it won the first-ever Michigan Reads One State One Children’s Book award.)

My second story that sold, WHEN A LINE BENDS…A SHAPE BEGINS, was one of my hardest to sell. In various revisions, it was turned down 23x! I kept getting good comments and requests for revisions. I’d revise and revise for specific editors, then they’d reject it. Finally—it sold to Houghton Mifflin (editor Margaret Raymo), 3 months after I sold BARNYARD SONG.

Technically, I sold 3 manuscripts on my own. My third was THE STABLE WHERE JESUS WAS BORN (released 1999, still in print). It was rejected 18x in various revisions. I was mostly submitting it to religious houses, but I tried Ana Cerro at S&S. She asked for a major revision, which I did. Too, by then I was querying agents. 

MI Reads event, Brighton Library, holding a goat

One day when I got home from getting groceries, I had 2 phone messages. The first was Ana saying she wanted to buy STABLE. The second was Marilyn Marlow at Curtis Brown saying she’d take me on as a client. That was a happy-dance day! Marilyn negotiated my STABLE contract.

You had 220 rejections in three and a half years before you sold your first stories. You mention the 3 Ps (Passion, Perseverance and Patience). You must have had a boatload of each to keep going. How did you keep going?

What kept me going was encouraging notes on my manuscripts from editors. They’d often say maybe a particular story didn’t fit their list, but they liked my writing and would I send something else. For my SHAPE manuscript, one time I got a 2-page editorial letter suggesting revisions, but with no guarantee to buy it (R&R- Revise and Resubmit). I worked SO hard and did all the revisions. It was rejected. But my manuscript was stronger.

If I’m ever asked to revise, I do. At that point, I have the attention of an editor! It still happens to me a lot—revise, then rejection. But I always have hope and do an editor’s requested revisions. My revised manuscript will then sometimes sell to a different editor down the road. 

SUPERGRAN book launch, 2023

That’s what happened with SUPERGRAN (2023). An editor at Chronicle said she’d look at my story again if I did a major revision. She gave suggestions. I did all the revisions. But then she left publishing altogether. Eventually, I sold that stronger revised manuscript to Sleeping Bear Press.

You received a minor in music/piano. Do you till play? Does your love of music ever spill over into your love of books?

I do still play, but just for enjoyment. Yes, for sure, my love of music spills over. In 2021, Little Bee published my THIS MAGICAL, MUSICAL NIGHT, about a night at the symphony. I got the idea during a DSO concert. I worked crazy hard on it, for months, trying to get every word just right. I even wove some Italian musical terms into the text.

One of my absolute favorite picture books is Zin! Zin! Zin! A Violin (1995) by Lloyd Moss. School Library Journal gave my book a starred review and compared it to Zin! (… “a 21st-century update of Lloyd Moss’s virtuoso Zin! Zin! Zin! A Violin, this really is a magical, musical book” ...). WOW, that meant so much to me! And they named it a Best Book of 2021. 

Too, Kirkus gave it a star. I feel like my writing in it is some of my best. Of course, James Rey Sanchez’s bright, bold art adds much to the success of the book too!

After my editor (Brett Duquette) bought it, he shared that he’s a NY Philharmonic season ticket holder. The story was rejected a few times, but in the end, I think it was matched with the perfect editor! It’s also been translated into French. Recently, Brett emailed saying the book is being published in a low-cost edition for Bernie’s Book Bank, a non-profit literacy organization based in Chicago. Bernie’s is giving out 20,000 free copies to families this October. Nice!

 ‘The Splash’ local TV interview

You were so composed for your TV interview, even more so than the young man asking the questions. Is your public speaking acumen from practice, or are you naturally composed in front of an audience?

In December 2016, the local West Bloomfield cable channel person asked me to come in for an interview for their segment ‘The Splash.’ I’m glad you thought I looked so composed. I was nervous! I tried to keep smiling. I think I got more relaxed the longer it went.

I don’t practice much for school visits. I’ve done so many, I think I could do one in my sleep! For keynotes for adults, I DO practice. I work and work on a talk for weeks, come up with 200-300 powerpoint slides, then practice aloud. And I time myself. 

The largest group I’ve spoken to was around 800 teachers. For that talk, I was asked to speak 70 minutes! What?! I practiced and PRACTICED. It went great! (And when I looked at the little clock in the podium? 70 minutes!) But, phew, I was glad when it was over. 

For the TV interview, I didn’t know what the questions would be, so I couldn’t practice. But I was glad when it was over too!

early cover

Ruth calls you the “Godmother” of her ELLIE McDOODLE DIARIES series. You were leading a peer critique group for her first conference, and you identified an essay she wrote about her father’s yearly military exercises in Grayling as a middle-grade novel. Eighteen months later, that’s what the essay became. Surely there are other authors who have benefitted from your kidlit expertise.

Wow, thank you for mentioning this. I wasn’t even aware I’m the ‘godmother’ of Ruth’s fantastic book series! I’m honored!

I hope I’ve helped other authors on their writing journeys. I’ve critiqued lots and lots of manuscripts over the years (and have had wonderful critiques on my own work from other children’s authors). Twenty years ago (yikes, time flies!), I was the picture book mentor for SCBWI-MI. My mentee was Shanda Trent. She’s a great writer! A couple of her stories I critiqued were Farmers’ Market Day and Giddy-Up Buckaroos!. We were thrilled when they sold and became books!

What’s next for Rhonda Gowler Greene?

I have 2 picture books under contract— IF YOU WANT TO SEE A NARWHAL (Little Brown, Fall 2026) and THE TRICK-OR-TREAT TRAIN (Bloomsbury, Fall 2027).

with agent, Elizabeth Harding, her office in NYC

I’m especially excited about NARWHAL (illustrator- Xin Li). Margaret Raymo is the editor. The last time she bought a manuscript from me was 1995! (WHEN A LINE BENDS… 1997; still in print) NARWHAL is the first story I’ve sold not in rhyme, though it’s written very lyrically. When I sent it to my agent, Elizabeth Harding (Curtis Brown), she said it was the best writing I’d ever done. Really?! I’ve been with her 21 years (was with Marilyn 7 before she passed away; Elizabeth was her assistant). That made me think maybe I shouldn’t have been writing in rhyme all this time! I love writing in rhyme though.

TRAIN is part of a 3-book contract I got in 2012 through my only manuscript auction. Exciting! Four publishers- Holt, Walker, Random House, Houghton Mifflin- were bidding (for a month!). I went with Walker. (They sent flowers!) BUT- not long after, Bloomsbury took over Walker and my editor, Emily Easton, lost her job. I didn’t know if my story would even be published.

I’ve had a big turnover of editors (6) at Bloomsbury. My contract states one of the books will be about a train. I’ve written a train story for 5 of those editors, each wanting something totally different. Then, what would usually happen? The editor would move to another house and abandon my story! 

Bloomsbury flowers after book auction

My latest Bloomsbury editor, Alex(andria) Borbollo, asked for an R&R of my Halloween train manuscript. I revised for 6 weeks, resubmitted, and 7 months later she accepted it. Hooray! The first book, PUSH! DIG! SCOOP! (title change from the original auction title of OVER BY THE DIRT PILE), was released in 2016. The second, LET’S GO ABC, THINGS THAT GO FROM A TO Z, came out in 2017. The contract and these 3 books will have been chugging along from 2012 to 2027—15 years!

I’m so grateful to still be selling manuscripts. My first 2 sales were 29 years ago! I think it’s even harder now to sell a story. Over the years, I’ve been published with 12 houses and worked with 20 editors. It’s been a wild ride. TRAIN will be my 33rd picture book. Currently, I have 6 more stories circulating at publishers. Fingers crossed!

I wish everyone the very best of luck in their writing, illustrating, and publishing journeys!

Website: rhondagowlergreene.com
Instagram: @rhondagowlergreene
X (Twitter): @rgowgreene
Facebook: rhondagowlergreene

Endpapers

Our illustration mentor this year is Penelope Dullaghan, and in addition to the mentorship she will be offering a 2-hour webinar on pattern making for book endpapers. From concept to creation, Penny will guide us through what makes an endpaper pattern visually engaging and demonstrate a live session in photoshop — although you can of course use any program or just regular old pencil and paper, the basic concept behind it remains the same. 

There are so many different ways to tackle endpaper design!  Since they are the first and last things a viewer sees when they open and shut the book, it’s a great way to introduce a theme or overall feeling, a silly joke, or just a bold pop of color to really set the story off on the right foot.  They are able to be a little more bold than the cover -- which of course has to go through a massive design process with many people weighing in from marketing, sales, editorial, and the art department. 

Jen and I pooled our picture book collections and found some really neat examples we thought would inspire you. To be honest I often overlook the endpapers, and so was surprised and delighted by the ones that I found. Take a look at your own collection when you have a moment, I think you will feel the same as I did.

—Katie Eberts (SCBWI-MI Co-IC)

The webinar with Penelope Dullaghan, From Concept to Creation: Pattern-Making for Children's Book Endpapers, will be Wednesday, November 6, 2024 from 7:00 - 8:00 pm (ET). Registration will be open October 21-November 5.

Katie Eberts, Michigan Co-Illustrator Coordinator, received her BFA in Art & Design from the University of Michigan with a concentration in watercolor. Her debut picture book, Hush-A-Bye Night written by Thelma Godin, was published by Sleeping Bear Press in March 2023.  She is based in Cedarville, Michigan.

Book Birthday Blog with Tracy Bilen

 

Welcome to SCBWI-MI's Book Birthday Blog!

Where we celebrate new books from Michigan's authors, illustrators and translators.

 

Congratulations to Tracy Bilen on the release of Thirty Seconds at a Time

 

 

How did you come up with the idea for your book?

I remember reading an article about a murder via car explosion in small-town Michigan and how the victim was involved in something no one expected. I no longer have a car explosion in this book, but I kept the idea of a murder victim being caught up in something no one would have imagined. And then I set it both in Michigan and at a boarding school in Vermont. 

What inspires you to write? 

I love books and TV shows with cliff-hangers (like James Paterson books or the TV show Prison Break). So I like to write that sort of breathless what’s-going-to-happen-next type of books. And then once I feel like I know my characters, I love losing myself in their world. 

What is something you hope your readers will take away from your book? 

This early reviewer on Goodreads summed it up perfectly: "The story starts with heartache but slowly, it makes it's way through healing, resilience, friendship, love and most importantly, closure."

What are your marketing plans for the book and where can we find it?

I made a book trailer, used Book Sweeps to build my Amazon followers and e-mail list, and plan to try a Book Bub ad. Thirty Seconds at a Time can be found at most online retailers (Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Bookshop, Books-A-Million) in hardcover, paperback, and ebook.

What's next for you? 

I'm currently working on a romantic thriller for teens set in Paris.

More about the book . . . 

Kate’s dad was a cop. And now he’s dead. Killed in a random shooting in the quiet suburb of Maplewood, where random shootings never happen.
 
Before he died, he gave Kate a piece of paper and left very explicit instructions: Don’t read it. Don’t show anyone. Burn it.
 
But when Kate discovers a quarter of a million dollars her dad hid inside her guitar case, she discovers his secret. Her dad wasn’t just a cop. He was also a thief.
 
The last thing Kate ever promised her dad was that she wouldn’t tell. Not her mom. Not the cops. No one. So when her mom takes a job at a ski academy in Vermont, Kate hides the money and tries to forget.
 
Kate is more than out of her league at this mecca for competitive skiing—she doesn’t even know how to ski. That is until Ryan, the school’s shining star, takes her onto the ski slopes and skis off with her heart.
 
Just as things are heating up on the slopes, the past hits Kate like an avalanche. Random accidents are becoming commonplace and the people she cares about are being hurt. When a mysterious package arrives with a reminder to stay quiet, Kate and Ryan are forced to search for answers with the only clue Kate has left: everything she promised her dad she would forget.

Publisher: BHC Press 

More about the author . . . 

Tracy Bilen writes romantic thrillers for young adults. She is the author of What She Left Behind (Simon Pulse/Simon & Schuster) which VOYA called “truly a remarkable story of resilience.” Her second novel, Whisper (Mirette), was named a Notable 100 Book in the 2021 Shelf Unbound Best Indie Book Competition. Tracy’s new release, Thirty Seconds at a Time (BHC Press) hits shelves on October 8.
 
Tracy is a high school French teacher in Michigan where she lives with her husband, children, and mini Bernedoodle. She studied at the Sorbonne in Paris and loves biking, traveling, and red velvet cake.

Website: https://tracybilen.com/

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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tracybilen/ 

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ya.author.tracy.b?_t=8pP6NAbaQX9&_r=1

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tracybilenbooks/ 

 

 

The Language of Horror

Interview with David Hoffman, co-publisher of THE QUIET ONES
By Anita Fitch Pazner

As favorite months go, October hovers pretty near the top of my list. The pumpkin spice lattes, the apples, the cider, the cool, breezy evenings filled with bone-chilling horror movies always remind me that I am, indeed, truly alive. To be totally honest, my idea of a horror movie is Hocus Pocus with Bette Midler and Sarah Jessica Parker. I love the humor/horror more than the afraid-to-close-my-eyes and hide-under-the-covers type of horror. Psychological thrillers are another story all together. Especially when they come in the form of a fabulously written book. How do they build all that tension? Make me sit on the edge of my seat? And how can I apply that to my own work in progress?

I don’t have time to tear apart and reconstruct wildly successful horror novels. Lucky for me (and SCBWI-MI) we have the perfect remedy.

David Hoffman, founder and co-executive editor of the online Horror Magazine THE QUIET ONES, has agreed to present a one-hour webinar where he breaks down the bones (crunch, crunch) of writing horror from deliberate word choice to the subtle building of tension and expectations, while tightening scenes and creating complex characters.

David was nice enough to answer a few questions about his e-zine, submission opportunities, and what to expect from his upcoming webinar.

 

Q: Let’s start with the question on everyone’s mind. What takeaways are you hoping attendees will leave your presentation knowing?

A: First and foremost, the language of horror is a set of tools that writers of any genre (and for any age group) can--and should--use to enrich their work. How to use those tools will also be discussed. We're going to be talking about using the tools as much as the tools themselves.

Q: Who can benefit from studying short stories—specifically short horror stories?

A: Everyone, truly. Short fiction - be it short story, flash fiction, or narrative poetry and verse - is all about the economy of language. The more you restrict your word count, the more you are forced to realize how much each word matters. Short horror has the added stakes of having to frighten and unnerve while also telling a complete story. Word choice is of paramount importance as each word must do double duty. This isn't exclusive to horror by any means. Writing longer fiction shouldn't allow an author to get lazy with their word choice. Much like we crawl before we walk, and walk before we run, if we learn to write short before we write long, our storycraft can only benefit.

Q: Tell us about THE QUIET ONES.

A: THE QUIET ONES launched in late 2021. It is a literary e-zine focused on short-form quiet horror and intimate dystopian tales; small-scale, atmospheric fiction and poetry.

Q: Why did you and co-editor Emily Young decide to start the e-zine?

A: I recall three key motivations when we first discussed it back around the holidays of 2020. The pandemic was still fresh. We were both feeling isolated, scared, and looking for escapism. Most of all, we were looking for something to do. Something new. Something we could pour ourselves into to distract from the chaos of COVID lockdowns and social/political chaos.

The first question I think we asked while looking for this magical something to do was: what can we do? Around that same time, there was some heated discourse in the writing community - especially around speculative fiction - regarding gatekeeping. Rightfully so, more and more voices were rising up to challenge the stranglehold that straight, white, cis-gendered male authors held on genre fiction, awards and, most of all, ability to publish. We've come far these last few years in breaking down those gates. More and more, we're seeing people from underrepresented communities find traditional and self-published success and recognition. Just a few years ago, those numbers were much lower, and Emily and I hoped to contribute, in a way that we were able, to boosting writers who didn't have a platform. So, we created a platform. It was all born from our individual love of particular genre fiction, COVID isolation/social unrest, and a desire to be part of the solution when it comes to breaking down walls that prevent all voices from being heard.

The third motivator was our friendship. Emily and I have known each other for ten years. We went to grad school together. We've slugged it out together through the query trenches trying to find our own way into that big publishing world. When we finally started talking about carving our own way in, we immediately knew that we weren't going to keep that way in to ourselves. And we trusted each other to hold up the end that we each knew we couldn't carry alone.

THE QUIET ONES has led us to some great things these last three years. We've seen authors who published for the first time with us later publish traditionally with major book houses. We've seen others win notable awards like the Horror Writer's Association Bram Stoker Award. And while the zine itself hasn't earned any formal accolades, we have seen our submission pool and our readership grow from hundreds to thousands, and we know from our web statistics that we are reaching writers and readers all over the world. That's a great feeling.

The process also helped us reach major writing goals of our own. I've begun shopping around my (non-horror) picture books and have one on sub right now. Emily recently sold her debut YA novel, A (Dead) Thing Like Me, and is set to launch with Holiday House in the summer of 2026!

Q: Can anyone submit to THE QUIET ONES? If so, how do we submit?

A: Yes, anyone can, and we encourage everyone to do so! Our submission guidelines, as of 2024, are outlined in detail on our website: wearethequietones.com. We open in the summer every year for our annual October issue. Writers are encouraged to send us their work in the form of a Word Document to our submission box. Decisions are made within a month or two. Our most recent issue received over 400 submissions from writers in countries all over the world; The US, Canada, UK, India, China, Japan, and Zimbabwe just to name a few. We rely on a talented group of submission readers to help us narrow down the field as we look for the pieces that best suit the issue we're aiming to produce. I'd like to take a moment here to acknowledge those readers by name. They are: Neidy McHugh, Kyle McHugh, Alexis Powell, Harper Stuart Villani, Jay Whistler, Thomas Shimmield, Marianne Murphy, and Aileen Johnson.

And yes, we take submissions from anyone with a passion for writing. We do have guidelines regarding word count and content. For example, we prefer work that minimizes gore. We don't consider works that feature animal abuse, harmful representation, or hate speech. We also do not accept works in translation.

Q: Are you currently accepting submissions?

A: We are presently closed for submissions as we prepare our 2024 release for this October. We open again in the summer of 2025. Please check our website at wearethequietones.com for exact dates and mark your calendars! We look forward to having the opportunity to read your stories.

Q: Do you accept different types of horror stories? If so, what type of stories? (YA, Middle-grade, humor/horror)

A: We consider all age ranges and sub/fusion genres. Romance, science fiction, comedy - as long as it's also primarily either horror or dystopian.

Q: When will the next issue release?

A: Our annual issues come out on the last Thursday of October. So, as fate would have it, our upcoming issue launches Thursday, October 31st, 2024. Halloween Night!

Q: Do you have a favorite issue of THE QUIET ONES or a favorite author or story you would like people to read?

A: Every issue is packed with incredible fiction, poetry, and nonfiction features like Elizabeth Zarb's incredible essay on queer representation in Frankenstein (from our October 2021 debut issue), and interviews with trail-blazing authors like A.S. King and Nova Ren Suma. It's hard to pick a favorite issue, and just as difficult to pick pieces to highlight. Marianne Murphy's Puppet and Frederick (Oct '21), Taylor Jordan Pitts' Skin Grafts (Jun '22), and April Yates' Connection Lost (Oct '23) have each garnered notable praise from our online following at the times of their release. But I encourage you to download every back issue of THE QUIET ONES and find the pieces that speak to you. Our catalog is FREE to download in PDF format for easy reading on most devices.

 

Registration for the Language of Short Story Horror webinar opens October 7. 

Anita Pazner, Co-RA has been an active member of SCBWI for over two decades. She earned an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from the Vermont College of Fine Arts and a Master Gardening degree from Michigan State University. Her debut picture book, The Topsy-Turvy Bus, released in March of 2023 and introduces kids to alternative energy sources like used veggie oil. Her second book tackles the topic of non-violent protests for an older audience as a novel in verse. It releases in 2025. Anita has presented at The Michigan Reading Association, The Association of Writers & Writing Programs, the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, and local SCBWI-MI Area Shop Talks. In a publishing world full of constant rejections, Anita is a testament to never giving up. 

Book Birthday Blog with Michele Beresford

 

Welcome to SCBWI-MI's Book Birthday Blog!

Where we celebrate new books from Michigan's authors, illustrators and translators.

 

Congratulations to Michele Beresford on the release of Leviathan Jones and the Sea Witch: Part 1

 

 

 

How did you come up with the idea for your book? 

When I was about eleven, I started dreaming of characters who would come and tell me their stories. A favorite English teacher recommended that all of our class that year keep a journal by our bed so we could write down anything we felt was important before bed. I started writing down the stories that characters came to tell me. I’ve continued to do this throughout my life. For Leviathan Jones and the Sea Witch, it was Brody who first came into my dreams and told me of a boy who needed his story to be told.

 

 

What is something you hope your readers will take away from your book? 

As I wrote and then later illustrated this book, I came to see that this wasn’t just a book about good hearted robots and a boy. This story is about what a real family looks like. That’s what I want my readers to understand. This graphic novel is the first of 3 books that, on the surface tells a story of an epic sea adventure. As readers follow along, Leviathan is chasing this idea about what family is ‘supposed’ to be. He comes to realize that Brody, Grogan and the robots have shown him the meaning of friendship, loyalty and love. He sees that Brody may be made of metal but he would do anything for Leviathan. Families come in all shapes and sizes and colors and circumstances. It’s the love that counts. That’s what I hope readers will understand at the end of the series. 

What inspires you to write and illustrate? 

Since 2009, I have written other genres of books under a pen name. When Covid sent everyone into lockdown, my grandson, Finn inspired me to invent a rhyming game. We played it so much that it eventually became the book, Huggy, Muggy Do. Finn and I are listed as co-authors on that book. Since that book, I’ve found that I like telling stories for children of all ages. To get back to the question, what inspires me? I guess you could say this new generation in my family does. I also have a love of painting and drawing. Writing children’s and tween books lets me enjoy that part of me as well as an illustrator.

What are your marketing plans for the book and where can we find it? 

Leviathan Jones and the Sea Witch: A Graphic Novel Part 1 will be exclusively available as a printed novel through my website www.micheleberesford.com. The ebook will be available for Kindle. I usually publish all of my books with a very wide reach. This is my first graphic novel and I am hoping to do some book signings and meet my readers. Since I’m also the illustrator, I’m offering to do a drawing workshop featuring the characters from the book with every book signing. 

What's next for you? 

I am already working on drawing book 2 in this series. I hope to release book 2 for the summer of 2025 and then the final, third book will be available for Christmas/Yule of 2025. Since Leviathan Jones and the Sea Witch is also a novel, I am writing the sequel to that book which I hope to release in early 2026. Then, more graphic novels will follow. 

More about the book . . . 

The only thing that Leviathan Jones has known is a lonely life within Nautilus Castle. He’s been given the highest room in the tower away from the royal family. The townspeople whisper of secrets and the mysterious boy. Some say Leviathan is royalty. After all, he has a faithful robot, (Brody) just like the rest of the royal family. Some say the boy is dangerous; maybe even a sea monster.
 
Leviathan’s life changes overnight when a mystical package arrives addressed to him, followed by the song of mermaids. It will take an army of insect robots to help Leviathan escape the castle, retrieve the strange package and take the first step to knowing who he truly is. 

Publisher: Beresford Media and Barefooted Friar Publishing

More about the author . . . 

Michele Beresford is the author of several children’s books including, Huggy, Muggy Do, Mr. Kiwi: Trouble With Mr. Mow-It-All and Leviathan Jones and the Sea Witch (novel). When she isn’t writing and illustrating, she is a harpist and music teacher. Michele lives in Michigan with her family and her mysterious, black cat Gigi. She often leaves cake and tea out in her garden for the fairies (just in case) and loves to collect moonbeams in a jar during her evening kayaks.
 
https://micheleberesford.com/

Instagram: WriterHarpist