Book Birthday Blog with Buffy Silverman

 

Welcome to SCBWI-MI's Book Birthday Blog!

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

 

Congratulations to Buffy Silverman on the release of Starlight Symphony

 

You've written 90+ non-fiction books. Do you have a favorite?

At school visits, students often ask which book is my favorite. My standard answer is that the book that I’m currently writing must become my favorite—if I’m not excited about it, a reader won’t be either! However, my non-standard answer is that STARLIGHT SYMPHONY might be the book I am most proud of—it’s a love song to the swampy little lake that borders my back yard and to the music that surrounds us in early summer. 

I recall we covered this question previously, but we want to ask again. What is your creative process? Is it different for each book?

I’ll answer the question for this book, as I’m not sure I have any repeatable process. STARLIGHT SYMPHONY started life as a perfectly-fine-but-not-particularly-special prose manuscript which I envisioned as a bedtime story. I was lucky to win the SCBWI-MI picture book mentorship with Kelly DiPucchio in 2019, and sent her the prose version of the story. Kelly’s response was:

“Please don't shoot me. LOL!  I love your concept BUT......I feel like this manuscript, in particular, would be stronger in rhyme.” 

 
Of course she was correct—a symphony should have musical language! Changing a PB manuscript from prose to rhyme was a challenge, but I already knew basically where I wanted the story to go. The rhyming version that I sent Kelly was similar to what eventually was published, except for the ending. It took me another couple of years before I got rid of the child and his/her singing parents. I finally understood that the story arc should reflect the timing of the animal musicians, ending with the dawn chorus.

 

 

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

I hope young readers will be inspired to listen to and watch the animals that live around them. It’s my fervent belief that we desperately need a generation of environmentalists—and that a desire to protect our environment often stems from an early fascination with the world around us.

Where can we find your book?

If you’ve read this far, I hope you will request STARLIGHT SYMPHONY from your local library! You can also find it at Amazon or any other online retailer, and at  Lerner Books.

What's next for you?

I have several writing projects that I’m working on—so there’s plenty of revision in my future.

More about the book . . .

As night begins to fall, lakeside animals perform a symphony under the stars. Rhyming verse and vivid photos shine a spotlight on each animal musician. In a starred review, Kirkus Reviews concludes that STARLIGHT SYMPHONY is “perfectly pitched for its audience.”

Publisher: Millbrook Press/Lerner

More about the author . . .

Buffy Silverman is the author of many nonfiction books for children, featuring topics from Angel Sharks to Alligators, and Mars to Monster Trucks. Her books have been recognized on the NCTE Notable Poetry list, the CLA/NCTE Notable Book in the Language Arts, and Bank Street Best Books. She lives near a swampy lake where she enjoys outdoor time with her dog, watching, and photographing nature, and writing poetry.

https://www.facebook.com/buffy.silverman
https://x.com/BuffySilverman

The World's Greatest Critique Group

 

Book Birthday Blog with Buffy Silverman

 

 

Welcome to SCBWI-MI's Book Birthday Blog!

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

 

Congratulations to Buffy Silverman on the release of On a Flake-Flying Day

 

 

You've included back matter in the book, and you mentioned in an earlier book birthday interview writing those entries can be a challenge. Please describe your research approach.

Each of the twenty-four two-word sentences in ON A FLAKE-FLYING DAY has its own back matter entry. I usually refer to three or more sources as I’m writing an entry, so I do a lot of googling to find reliable sources! For example, the photo for FEATHERS FLASH shows a flock of snow geese. The back matter entry describes the route of snow geese migration, how flocks forage in farmers’ fields in winter, and how they seek safety in wetlands at night. One of my go-to sources for accurate bird natural history is the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology. While writing this entry I read the Lab of O’s website pages about snow geese, looked at range maps, and found an interesting you-tube presentation about winter snow geese. I’m always happy when I can find a video of what I’m trying to describe, because seeing the action helps me find the right words. I also put on my former nature-educator hat and imagine what I would ask and tell kids to spark their interest in the amazing sights that are presented in the book.

 

 

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

I hope readers (young and old) will be inspired to go outside in all seasons and closely observe the plants and animals they find. The environmental problems that we face can be overwhelming. But I believe a desire to solve those problems can arise from a childhood of sloshing through streams, finding grasshoppers, and climbing trees. 

 

 

You've written 90-plus non-fiction books. Where do you find inspiration for your stories? 

Many of those 90-plus books were series books for educational publishers, so the topics were assigned by editors. For an assigned topic, the inspiration to write comes out of digging into my research and becoming fascinated with the subject-matter. The ideas for ON A FLAKE-FLYING DAY and its two companion books (ON A SNOW-FLYING DAY and ON A GOLD-BLOOMING DAY) were mine and came from what is closest to my heart—they are filled with the critters that I watch and wonder about every day as I tromp through fields, forests, and wetlands. 

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

The first thing I’m doing is this blog interview—thank you SCBWI-MI! I hope that all of you will request ON A FLAKE-FLYING DAY at your library (most libraries have a book-request form online.) You can also purchase the book from any online bookstore or from Lerner Books. I am part of SteamTeam books, an author-group that promotes STEM-oriented books of members. I’ll be sharing ON A FLAKE-FLYING DAY at the Kellogg Manor House children’s day in December. Luckily for me, Millbrook Press/Lerner Books does a wonderful job of marketing their books to libraries and schools.

What's next for you?

I am working on a novel-in-verse right now, which is a new challenge for me. I’m also revising/writing a couple of picture books.

More about the book . . .

With winter’s arrival, plants and animals hunker down for the cold season. Rhyming text and eye-catching photos sparkle in this wonderful read-aloud that encourages kids to closely observe the natural world. Back matter offers more information on the featured animals, plants, and weather conditions.

Publisher: Millbrook Press/Lerner Books

More about the author . . .

Buffy Silverman is the author of over 90 nonfiction books for children, featuring topics from Angel Sharks to Alligators, and Mars to Monster Trucks. Her recent book, On a Snow-Melting Day: Seeking Signs of Spring, received a star from Kirkus Reviews and was an NCTE 2021 Notable Poetry Book. A companion book, on a Gold-Blooming Day: Finding Fall Treasures, was a CLA/NCTE 2023 Notable Book in the Language Arts. She lives at the swampy end of a small lake where she enjoys outdoor time with her dog, watching and photographing nature, and writing poetry.

Twitter: @BuffySilverman

Facebook: Buffy Silverman

 

Book Birthday Blog with Buffy Silverman

 

Welcome to SCBWI-MI's Book Birthday Blog!

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

 

Congratulations to Buffy Silverman on the release of On a Gold-Blooming Day: Finding Fall Treasures

 

How did you come up with the idea for your book? Is this part of a series?

On a Gold-Blooming Day is a companion book to On a Snow-Melting Day, published in February 2020. It follows the same rhythmic pattern, exploring the changes that occur from summer to fall instead of winter to spring. Writing the second book felt a bit like plagiarism--but I guess you can't plagiarize yourself!
 
I wrote the first draft of On a Gold-Blooming Day during my wonderful critique group's annual retreat. We couldn't spend time together during the summer of 2020, so we met on zoom for a few days. Each night we shared what we wrote during the day. Like many people, I had trouble finding motivation to write during the height of covid shutdowns. But peer-pressure is good motivation and inspiration.

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

On a Gold-Blooming Day invites children to go outside and notice the world around them. It focuses primarily on plants and animals that a child might find in a neighborhood park or their own backyard. I hope that my book inspires a child to explore their environment and become fascinated with nature. I think a love of nature is the first step to growing into the environmental stewards our Earth desperately needs.

 

What is your process for creating your book? The book has beautiful photos and detailed back matter. 

 

Since I was trying to follow the pattern of On a Snow-Melting Day, I had a roadmap for my writing. I initially wrote the four refrains for the text. Each refrain focuses on a different habitat: field, forest, pond, and human centered. That involved a lot of experimenting and playing with different word combination (for example: “On a gold-blooming, // bee-zooming, / sun-dazzling day….”  Once I had a draft of the refrains, I began writing rhyming, two-word, noun-verb combinations that follow the refrains (“Crickets chirp. / Butterflies slurp”). Again, that involved a lot of trial-and-error. The last step was to write the back matter entries, which you might think was a breeze for someone who has written a lot of nonfiction books. But that was not the case! 

 

What are your marketing plans for the book?

 

If you’re reading this post, I hope you’ll request On a Gold-Blooming Day at your local library! The book is intended primarily for schools and libraries, and Lerner Publishing is an expert in that market. I’ve also reached out to a few bloggers from the Poetry Friday community who have or will feature the book. 

 

What's next for you?

 

Reading, writing, and walking the hound! 

 

A little bit about the book . . .

 

On a Gold-Blooming Day: Finding Fall Treasures invites young listeners and readers (ages 4-8) to observe how plants and animals change as autumn begins. Brilliant photos and rhyming text work together in this engaging read-aloud, and back matter offers more information about the creatures and changes featured.

 

A little bit about the author . . .

 

Buffy Silverman is the author of over 90 nonfiction books for children, including On a Snow-Melting Day: Seeking Signs of Spring which received a star from Kirkus Reviews and was an NCTE 2021 Notable Poetry Book. Before becoming a writer, Buffy worked as a naturalist and environmental educator, and taught biology to college students. She lives near a swampy lake in Michigan where she spends outdoor time with her dog, watches and photographs nature, and writes about the creatures she observes. 

https://buffysilverman.com/ 

https://www.facebook.com/buffy.silverman 

Twitter: @BuffySilverman

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

   

Book Birthday Blog with Buffy Silverman

Welcome to SCBWI-MI's Book Birthday Blog! 

Where we celebrate new books by Michigan's children's book authors and illustrators

Congratulations to Buffy Silverman on the release of her new book,  On a Snow-Melting Day: Seeking Signs of Spring!

Congratulations on the release of your new book, On a Snow-Melting Day: Seeking Signs of Spring! What inspired this story about the changing seasons?

The idea for Snow-Melting Day began as a response to a StoryStorm blog post in January, 2018, written by Heidi Stemple. Heidi encouraged writers to pay attention to what’s around them. It must have been a warm winter day, because I wrote this sentence in my notebook:

It was a drip droppy

                slip sloppy 

                snow melting day

And then I jotted down a few images: Mist rises in the air, boots sink in the slush, puddles grow on the lake, followed by some questions to myself: Is there a story here? Or just a poem? And then more notes: dog wet from snout to tail (it really must have been a slushy day!) and writing on the snow (dog/deer tracks) turn to slippery sloppery.

Not only do you write picture books, but you write poetry as well! Can you tell us a little bit about your path to becoming an author and poet? 

My writing focus has wandered over the years, from narrative nonfiction for magazines, to writing nonfiction for educational publishers, to poetry. I think I first caught the poetry bug when I enrolled in an online children’s poetry class with Laura Purdie Salas, about 10 years ago. As I delved into children’s poetry, I discovered that this is the writing I am most drawn to and is what I want to do when I grow up!


In addition to nonfiction books on nature, you’ve also written about a wide variety of other nonfiction topics, from Titanic to the mars missions and even about how race cars work! Do you have any tried and true research methods or resources?

Many of my nonfiction books were written for series developed by editors. Some of these featured subjects about which I knew little to nothing. Mars? Pokemon? The Titanic? Cutting-edge Brain Science?? I’ve found that the more I learn about a subject, the more interesting it becomes. And once I’ve discovered the wow-factor, I know I can write about a subject for a young audience. Unfortunately, I’m not organized enough to say that I have any tried and true research methods—I usually spend a lot of time wandering around the internet, gathering more and more sources. Sometimes I’ll look at references cited on a Wikipedia page because those often lead to primary sources.


You are incredibly prolific, with over 90 books written and poetry featured in an impressive array of publications, like The Poetry of US, from National Geographic, and magazines like Cricket and Spider! What do you do to “fill your bucket” and keep the inspiration flowing?

I think my greatest source for inspiration is accountability. That can take many forms—a deadline from an editor, a critique group meeting that I’ll be embarrassed to attend without a manuscript, or a submission opportunity from a conference.

What advice would you give to someone who’s looking to write and publish not only picture books, but also poetry?

Go to the library and read lots and lots of books, especially recently published titles. Many children’s poets who bring nature to life inspire me—Barbara Juster Esbensen, Valerie Worth, Joyce Sidman, Leslie Bulion, Douglas Florian, Deborah Ruddell, and Irene Latham have written books that I’ve read over and over again. I think poetry books are really the best mentors for anyone wanting to write poetry!

What’s next for you, do you have any events or readings coming up? Where can people learn more about you and your work?

What’s next on my agenda is a walk in the snow with my dog! But you might have been asking about writerly things? I’m speaking about using lyrical language for KAST at the end of February. I’m also heading to the SCBWI-MI nonfiction conference in March, and I hope to see lots of SCBWI folks there. To learn more about my writing, please visit my website: www.buffysilverman.com.

A little bit about the book:

Snowmen droop / Cardinals swoop, Rabbits bounce / Foxes pounce

In the early days of spring when the snow begins to melt, plants and animals stir to life. High-impact photos and simple, rhyming text make for an engaging read-aloud while back matter offers more detail about each of the creatures featured in this celebration of spring's arrival.

A little bit about the Author:

Buffy Silverman is the author of over 90 nonfiction books for children, featuring topics from Angel Sharks to Alligators, and Mars to Monster Trucks. Her newest book, On a Snow-Melting Day: Seeking Signs of Spring, received a star from Kirkus Reviews. Buffy spent many years as a naturalist and environmental educator, and taught biology to college students. Now she enjoys speaking to students about nonfiction, poetry, and writing. Her home is near a swampy lake in Michigan where she spends outdoor time with her dog, watches and photographs nature, and writes about the creatures she observes. Visit her at http://www.buffysilverman.com.

Diversity Dialogue: A Taste of Holidays

The Diversity Dialogue is a monthly feature on the SCBWI-MI Chapter Blog. Learn more and meet the committee members HERE.

Artwork by Rebecca Howe

This Holiday season, let your light shine. Debbie Taylor and I teamed up for this blog post. Read below for her words of inspiration on how light is reflected through this season.

There are two ways of spreading light: to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it.

- Edith Wharton

Photograph by Buffy Silverman

The winter months are the setting for many holidays and celebrations, some familiar and some less so.  Hanukkah, Christmas, Winter Solstice, Three Kings Day, Kwanzaa and others. A theologian pointed out that many of these holidays celebrate the defeat of darkness with light, citing the candles in the menorah and kinara, the star of Bethlehem, floating candles and the Yule log.

Consider that we, creators of stories, poetry, comics, books and more for children, have the opportunity to bring light to a reader’s life. Your touching poem, hilarious picture book, insightful comic, fearless young adult novel or illuminating non-fiction article can raise the curtain, ignite passion, dispel fear or provide respite. Whether your words or illustrations move your audience for a moment or touch a heart for a lifetime, you are bringing light.

This might be good time to write down some of your personal holiday or winter season memories. You can also rewrite the “happy” holidays that may never have existed for you. Explore the origins of existing holidays or create completely new celebrations for any time of year.  From those you may discover the gem of an idea that may become some reader’s shining light, dystopian ritual, dark-dispelling candle or holiday star.

Light tomorrow with today.

-Elizabeth Barret Browning

So gift yourself time to tap resources that may lead you to insight, satisfaction, and pride in your work.  Some of my favorite resources include these four:

1) Cynthia Leitich Smith’s website: A site featuring a range of children’s and YA literature resources      

2) Reading Rockets: A literacy site featuring insightful interviews with authors and illustrators      

3) Brainpickings: A blog that often features references to children’s books  

4) Publishers Weekly: A site featuring articles and reviews of children's books and more

Somedays I’m a candle, somedays I’m a mirror and somedays a waxy ball of fret…

-Debbie A. Taylor

As Debbie mentioned, the idea of light is present as a tradition in many celebrations. The Hanukkah celebration includes candles as well as the Kwanzaa celebration. To shed a little light on the tradition of Kwanza, I'll share a few facts.

• Kwanzaa is not associated with a religion; It is based on seven principles
• Kwanzaa means "first fruits of the harvest" or "first fruits"
• Kwanzaa is a celebration of community, family, and culture that was established as a way for African Americans to reconnect with their roots and heritage
• Festivities usually involve dancing, singing, gifts, and a large feast

Photograph by Buffy Silverman

Our family celebrates Christmas, however we do recognize some of the things that go along with the festivities of Kwanzaa. We create family traditions in our own special way.

Dashing through the store, with an empty shopping cart, up the aisles we go, searching with our heart (sung to the tune of Jingle Bells). And that begins the Holiday season in my family. From acquaintances to friends, to family, we are all diverse in our traditions. What traditions have you established during the Holiday Season?

Searching for white elephant gifts - any goofy, odd-ball, or knick-knack item, brings a smile to my son's face. It’s all in preparation for the annual Christmas dinner hosted at my house. We play the “Gift” game. Everyone pulls a number from a bag and that’s the sequence in which they choose a gift from the tree or take an opened gift from someone.

One year my brother went home with a toy ukulele that he hadn’t a clue how to play. He re-gifted it to his grandson, but the look on my brothers’ face when he opened his gift…priceless. The evening ends with me faking a yawn, stretching, then inviting everyone to stay longer if they want, but to lock up when they leave.

The day after my Christmas dinner begins what I’ll call my Kidlit Holiday. It’s my time to work on writing projects, think about writing goals for the New Year, and to read. Speaking of reading, I’ve started reading Ghost by Jason Reynolds. It was exciting meeting Jason at NERD Camp this past summer. Do you have a suggestion for a book that reflects diversity or written by an author/illustrator who identifies as reflecting diversity?

What does a taste of the holidays look like for you?

Let your light shine in all that you do.

- Angie Verges

Special thanks to Buffy Silverman for sharing her winter photographs. You can enjoy more of her nature photography on her website.

Photograph by Buffy Silverman

Coming up on the Mitten Blog:

Two weeks of vacation! But first, our final Hugs and Hurrahs of 2019! Come back this Friday to celebrate all the good news from our SCBWI-MI members. Today (Tuesday, Dec. 17th) is your last chance to send your writing and illustrating news to our new Hugs and Hurrahs editor, Sarah Locascio. 

Photograph by Buffy Silverman

SCBWI-MI 2019-2020 Picture Book Mentorship Winners!

Congratulations to the winners of the two mentorship competitions for picture book text! That's right, this year SCBWI-MI offered two mentorships - one for PAL members and one for non-PAL members. 

Congratulations to Katherine Gibson for her manuscript, OF DRAGONS AND PRINCESSES, and Buffy Silverman for her manuscript, LOON SONG.

You might recognize Katherine Gibson from our quarterly Ask the Editor series. Katherine is an editor and a writer continuing to develop her craft. How wonderful to be able to learn from an experienced author during this mentorship. A huge thanks to mentor Lisa Wheeler! After more than 40 published books and 250 rejections along the way, Lisa has tons of hard-earned experience to share.

And you probably recognize the other mentorship winner, Buffy Silverman! She's a longtime SCBWI-MI member, previous Regional Advisor, and the author of numerous non-fiction books and poetry for young readers. Thanks to her mentor, Kelly DiPucchio! Kelly is the author of many award-winning and best-selling picture books, and like Lisa, she has tons of hard-earned experience to share.

More congratulations for the two runners-up from each mentorship competition:

David Stricklen with POODLE FOOLERY

Marty Bellis with SALLY AND THE SNOWMAN

Patti Richards with CUPINE'S PERFECT DANCE PARTNER

PJ Lyons with ALIEN INVASION OF THE LITTLE SISTER


Thank you to everyone who polished their manuscripts, took a risk, and entered the competitions. We wish we could have more than one winner, and we hope the judges' feedback is helpful in your revisions. Keep at it! Our chapter is full of stories of persistence. I entered the novel mentorship competition three times before winning on my 4th attempt in 2018-2019!

Finally, thanks to our super-secret superstar judges for evaluating the manuscripts, and to mentorship coordinator Ann Finkelstein for coordinating this year-around process for multiple years. Stay tuned for announcements about the 2020-2021 mentorship competitions!

Cheers!
Kristin Lenz

Hugs and Hurrahs!

Sarah Perry aka S.J. Lomas is celebrating the release of DREAM FREQUENCY, the sequel and conclusion to the DREAM GIRL duology. What a gorgeous cover! 

Neal Levin's poem BROTHER FOR SALE was published in the April 2017 issue of SPIDER. Cheers, Neal!

Monica Harris continues her steady sales (16 pieces!) to Data Recognition Corporation in various states which provide content for school state wide assessments. The specific topics are confidential, but here's a sample from her Wisconsin work:
*  Grade 4 Listening assessment - kids listen to the passage and then answer questions concerning the topic.

*  Grade 3 Informational assessment - students read about the nonfiction topic and then answer questions concerning their understanding. 
Congrats on your steady work, Monica!

Rebecca Grabil signed a contract with Eerdmans Books for Young Readers for the picture book, MAMA EARTH'S NEW YEAR, to be published early 2019.

Plus, her picture book with Atheneum, HALLOWEEN GOOD NIGHT, will be released July 25th! AND, it earned a starred review from Publishers Weekly!

Jean Alicia Elster has been selected to receive a 2017 Kresge Artist Fellowship in Literary Arts, awarded by Kresge Arts in Detroit, a program of The Kresge Foundation. We're so proud of you, Jean Alicia!

Shutta Crum, Jean Alicia Elster, Jack Cheng

On May 3rd, SCBWI-MI members Shutta Crum, Jean Alicia Elster and Jack Cheng joined fellow-author Ruth Behar at Nicola’s Books in Ann Arbor for a special Children’s Book Week middle-grade authors panel. Shutta served as panel moderator and guided the authors in a discussion on a wide range of topics from diversity to character motivation. What a great event!

Buffy Silverman wrote four titles for Lerner Publishing's SHARK WORLD series. TIGER SHARKS IN ACTION, ANGELS SHARKS IN ACTION, GREAT WHITE SHARKS IN ACTION, and MAKO SHARKS IN ACTION are swimming out this month. Way to go, Buffy!

On June 24th, Kazoo Books in Kalamazoo hosted a reception for the Oakwood Neighborhood Association’s annual Oakwood Neighborhood Reunion. Local writers attending this reunion and autographing their books for children included SCBWI-MI members Janet Ruth Heller and Kate Seifert.  

Plus, Janet Ruth Heller was interviewed about her books and advice for writers on author Mindy McGinnis's website. 

Mary Vee's junior fiction book for elementary readers, WILLIAM WORTHINGTON WATKINS III, featuring a boy main character, veterans, and mystery with humor was published in May and is available on Amazon.

Amy Nielander

Amy Nielander's picture book THE LADYBUG RACE earned a Bronze Medal in the Independent Publisher Book Awards, Children's Picture Books category. See all of the winners here. We're thrilled to see your book and artwork continuing to earn accolades!

Kristin Bartley Lenz's article, THE POWER OF CONTESTS: CREATE YOUR OWN LUCK, was published on the Writer's Digest Guide to Literary Agents Blog.

YARN (Young Adult Review Network) published Heather Smith Meloche's short story, TRIFLES, about complicated sisterly love and tough choices. Bravo, Heather! Read the story HERE.


Kirbi Fagan won the Jack Gaughan Award for Best Emerging Artist 2017 (Presented by the New England Science Fiction Association) and she's a Muddy Color Rising Star 2017! She's also our 2017-2018 SCBWI-MI Illustrator Mentor!

And we saved the best news for last: Charlie Barshaw has officially joined the Mitten blog team! Charlie has been a frequent contributor for some time, and now he's taking over the quarterly Writer Spotlight feature for Patti Richards. Stay tuned - he might be reaching out to interview YOU!

Coming up on the Mitten Blog: Nina Goebel unveils our new summer blog banner and introduces our next Featured Illustrator!