Hugs and Hurrahs!

Happy end of June all you amazing Michkidders! Once again it’s time to celebrate you! (Don’t you just love a party?) And can I just say, you all have been busy since our last edition of Hugs and Hurrahs! So fire up those fireworks, spin those sparklers and join me in giving a big HUG and HURRAH to the following members:

Hats off to Allison DeCamp whose debut novel, MY NEAR DEATH ADVENTURES (99% True) (Crown Books for Young Readers) released on February 24! The book is set in 1895 and is all about 11-year-old Stan, a young man on a mission to find his long-lost father in the logging camps of Michigan. Sounds awesome Allison!

Lori Eslick’s painting, featured in Gray’s Sporting Journal, was included as part of an exhibit of her work at the Arts Council of White Lake in Whitehall, Mi., May 18-June 5. Way to go Lori!

Congratulations to Gloria Nixon-John for her recently released YA Crossover, LEARNING FROM LADY CHATTERLY (Neverland Publishing, February 28, 2015). The book, set in 1950’s Detroit, tells the story of Gloria, an Italian immigrant in a Wonder Bread neighborhood trying to find her way in a time when Coke Bottle figures were the norm and knowledge seeking girls like her were the exception. We’re giving you a standing ovation Gloria!   

Karen Affholter recently signed with agent Jodell Sadler of Sadler Children’s Literary. What a fabulous accomplishment Karen. We are happy dancing for you! 

And speaking of agent signings, three cheers goes out to Vicky Lorencen who recently signed with agent Erin Murphy of Erin Murphy Literary. Vicky writes middle grade and also shares her writing wisdom on her blog, Frog on a Dime. So happy for you Vicky! 

Hip-Hip Hooray for Danielle Hammelef who received a Letter of Merit as runner-up in the fiction category for her short story "My Christmas Lesson," published this past December in Pockets Magazine. That’s something to be proud of Danielle! 

Buffy Silverman also received a Letter of Merit in the poetry category for her poem published in Ladybug Magazine. You can read the award winner on Buffy’s blog. Way to go Buffy! 

Woo Hoo to Wendy BooydeGraaf who has a picture book coming out in 2016 with Ripple Grove Press called SALAD PIE (iIllustrated by Bryan Langdo). You can read the official announcement on Ripple Grove’s FaceBook page. Way to go Wendy!

 

Rondi Olson's debut novel, ALL THINGS NOW LIVING (formerly SEVENTH DAUGHTER) has been sold to Written World Communications and is scheduled for release in December of 2015. The first in a YA Dystopian series, the rest of the series was also optioned. We are so happy for you Rondi!

And last but not least, I’m happy to announce that I sold my story, “The Christmas Candles,” to Highlights Magazine! This little story has had a long journey, but I’m so proud that it finally found a just-right home at Highlights (a life-long dream for this writer girl).

And remember, Hugs and Hurrahs is all about you! So keep sending all your good news to me, Patti Richards, at pgwrites5@gmail.com! 

Beyond the Book, Part 4: Submissions and Tracking by Dawne Webber

So you’ve completed the book, written a brilliant query letter and researched a list of agents/editors who will love your book-baby. Now it’s time to get a submission packet together and dive into the query trenches.

Submission Packet:

A submission packet for MG and YA fiction consists of:

• Query letter—Refer to Beyond the Book: Queries
• Synopsis—A one or two page synopsis is standard. If more material is requested after your query is read, longer synopsis is sometimes included. To craft a perfect synopsis, read Beth Anderson’s post here.
• First pages—Many submission guidelines require some number of pages (also called sample pages) from the manuscript. Always send pages from the beginning of the book.
• It’s a good idea to paste the first five pages at the end of the query if the agent/editor guidelines don’t specifically state not to send pages.

A submission packet for picture books consists of:

• Short query letter—Just present the main characters, the main problem, and the resolution, then work in a hook (Ex: “great friendship hook,”), and sign off like you normally would with a novel query. From KidLit.com
• Complete manuscript pasted in the body of the email.
• A link to an online portfolio if you are an author/illustrator.
• For questions about illustration notes in PB submissions click here
• Do not include attachments unless the agent requests to see more illustrations or to see a dummy.

Some Do’s and Don’ts

1. DO re-read the submission guidelines directly from the agent’s website before hitting the send button.
2. DO copy and paste the text of the query, synopsis and sample pages into the body of the email. Agents will not open attachments
3. DO flag your query as such in the subject line of your email: QUERY: GRAPES OF WRATH. Otherwise, agents will miss it, skip over it, or simply disregard it as spam.
4. DO use a personal but professional sounding email address.  JSmith@gmail.com as opposed to sparklyunicorn@gmail.com
5. DON’T use your work email address unless it’s related to your writing.
6. DON’T send a mass email to a list of agents.
7. DON’T send illustrations unless you’re an author/illustrator.
8. DON’T use a generic salutation (Dear Mr./Ms. Agent). Make sure it’s personalized.
9. DON’T send email queries with attachments. They will be unread and deleted every time—guaranteed. Agent Query

Formatting:

Formatting snail-mail packets is very straight forward. Agent Query spells it out here.

The preferred format for electronic submissions is Times New Roman, left justified, single-spaced with double space between paragraphs. All material should be included within the body of the email. Make sure to indicate the transition from the query itself to other elements, such as the synopsis or sample pages, and title these elements accordingly.

Tracking:

You may prefer to keep track of and organize submissions using a spreadsheet, index cards or file. The Internet Writing Journal gives tips and how-to’s here.

I prefer Query Tracker. Let me explain why. Recently our dishwasher died and I had to do dishes by hand. Six people eating three meals per day. That adds up to LOTS of dishes, and many hours spent washing, drying, and putting them away. Not impossible, but certainly not efficient. A dishwasher makes cleaning dishes much easier and less time consuming.

Query Tracker is like a dishwasher for writers/illustrators. It’s a tool used to explore agent data and find literary agents, as well as organize and track queries and agent responses. Basic membership is free.

Good luck on your journey to publication wherever it may take you.

Dawne Webber is represented by Steven Chudney of The Chudney Agency. Ask Me to Wait, her YA contemporary novel, is currently on submission. Dawne lives in Troy with her husband and five children. They keep her sane amid the insanity of writing. You can learn more about Dawne at DawneWebber.

This concludes the Beyond the Book four-part series. If you missed the first three posts in the series, you can find them here:

Part one: The Path to Traditional Publishing

Part two: Queries

Part three: Agents

Thank you, Dawne, for pulling all of this information together for us - what a great resource!

Patti Richards is busy gathering good news from our Michigan members. Please join us next Friday for Hugs and Hurrahs!

Calling all SCBWI-MI illustrators! Logo Design Contest: How would you like to win free tuition to the fall Michigan SCBWI conference? Better yet, how would you like to earn widespread and heavy exposure for a piece of your art?

The SCBWI-MI fall conference features talent "home grown" in our state. It's got everything: big names, amazing speakers, astounding talent. The only thing lacking is a logo, a visual piece that emphasizes our great state, gardening, agriculture, fruitful endeavor, bountiful harvest. And kid's books.

The logo will be judged by Michigan illustration professionals. The deadline is tight: it's due by Thursday, June 25. Final art should be ready to run in digital and print media. It is only acceptable in jpeg form, and the size should be less than 1 MB.

The winning artwork will be featured on a slider that tops the SCBWI-MI web page, and on all conference- related communication. SCBWI members nationwide, as well as prominent editors and art directors are the potential audience for your work. Go here to learn more.

Happy creating!
Kristin Lenz

Self-Publishing a Comic Strip by Dana Atnip

Okay, I have a confession to make and I’m making it to “The Mitten.”

I’ve been having an affair.

WHAT?!

That’s right. For the past year I’ve been unfaithful to my picture book manuscripts and illustrations. While our relationship was going great, I needed to satisfy my desire for my other love: comic strips.

And now I’ve come forward with that love, and in May 2015, I launched my webcomic, Galactic Dragons for teens and adults.

While the relationship has been tiring, it’s also been exhilarating.

Galactic Dragons by Dana Atnip

It was a big decision for me to launch a comic strip on the internet that I created many years ago. But even after years of rejections, I still loved writing and drawing comic strips.

Back in the 90’s when I was very actively submitting work to syndicates, people would ask me, “Why don’t you just send your comics directly to a newspaper?” Well, for the same reason you don’t walk into a bookstore and ask them to sell your books; it doesn’t work that way. A syndicate is the business that promotes and sells your work, and the newspapers buy from them.

Syndicates are to cartoonists what a publishing house is to a writer and the guidelines for submission are similar. It is also very difficult to receive a syndication contract as they too receive thousands of submissions every year. Everything was done through the mail, and you were to send them six weeks’ worth of daily strips plus one Sunday. And then you waited for an answer.

While I received good feedback and even personal messages and advice from editors at the syndicates, I was never offered the golden contract. So after years of trying (and failing), I put away my pens and Strathmore to focus on my illustration. I left behind my dream of being a syndicated cartoonist.

However the 90’s was also a very different time; the internet was still pretty new and most people were still buying and reading newspapers. The only way to get your comic out there was to get a syndicate to offer you a contract. But the internet changed all that. People could now present their work to an audience at the click of a button.

A friend that I met through the SCBWI asked why I never just made my strip into a webcomic, and I realized just how much I missed drawing comic strips. So after deciding that I was actually going to do this, I spent a year recreating the strips, this time with the help of Photoshop and my Wacom tablet. I still pencil-rough the strip on paper, then scan it into Illustrator and Photoshop for inking, lettering, and clean-up.

Galactic Dragons by Dana Atnip

But now that I’ve launched the strip, the work is only just beginning. Without a syndicate I’m on my own; no one is promoting my strip, paying my expenses, or helping me to build an audience, just like when a writer decides to self-publish. But at the same time I also own the work outright and don’t have to answer to an editor who may think my more risqué strips have gone too far for a very PC newspaper audience.

And best of all, I’m following my dream, even though I’ve chosen a tougher path.

illustration by Dana Atnip

I’m still planning on continuing with my picture books as that’s also my love (oh picture books, I could never leave you!). Now comes the challenge of continuing a comic strip that updates twice a week, promoting it, and still staying active with the SCBWI, all while working my full-time job. But I accept the challenge. 

When Dana isn’t working with animals, she’s drawing and promoting her Galactic Dragons comic strip or writing picture book manuscripts and illustrating. Her children’s book website can be found here:  www.danaatnip.com. She also created the logo for the Rate Your Story website. She has been a member of SCBWI since 2010.














Coming up on The Mitten blog: the conclusion of Dawne Webber's Beyond the Book series, a new 3 part craft series on developing voice, and another round of Hugs and Hurrahs. Send your good news to Patti Richards at pgwrites5@gmail.com by June 17th. 

SCBWI-MI is gearing up for the fall conference. The organizers will share more information soon, but until then, click the link below to see the list of talented speakers.

http://michigan.scbwi.org/2015/01/06/save-the-date-for-the-fall-conference-october-3/

Flashback Friday: Neal Levin's Kiddie Litter

We have 10 years of Neal Levin's Kiddie Litter cartoons in our SCBWI-MI newsletter archives. It's a shame to keep them tucked away. Enjoy these Friday funnies, and find more here.

Neal Levin writes short stories and poetry for children as well as drawing cartoons. His work has appeared in several national magazines and collections. You can find out more at www.neallevin.com










Coming up on The Mitten blog: reports from the Hook of the Book conference, the conclusion of Dawne Webber's Beyond the Book series, a new 3 part craft series on developing voice, and another round of Hugs and Hurrahs. Send your good news to Patti Richards at pgwrites5@gmail.com by June 21st.

YA Success Story: Ripple by Heather Smith Meloche

I can't remember when I first met Heather Smith Meloche, but it was many years ago through SCBWI-MI, and we've been on a parallel path ever since: writing, revising, blogging, entering contests, submitting manuscripts. When asked about professional jealousy among writers, the kidlit community overwhelmingly responds with examples of heartfelt support. And it's true.

A few years ago, Heather placed first in a contest when I only finaled. We both found our agents around the same time and went through rounds of revisions. Her novel sold, and mine... um, still waiting. Jealousy? No. Kick in the pants inspiration? Yes. Heather's winning entry in that contest blew me away and motivated me to dig deeper into my craft. She's had her share of setbacks, but she persevered and encouraged me every step of the way. I hope her success story inspires you too.

View image | gettyimages.com

Tell us about your book and your journey to publication.

I’ve been writing for children for over fourteen years. Whew! That seems like a long time, but in this business, it’s not really that long. I had mentored with a poet in college and had been a writer for TV, newsprint, and marketing, but I had to sharpen my children’s/YA writing skills. So I attended a trillion conferences, took various classes, and published some short stories for young children before I discovered I’m truly comfortable in a sixteen-year-old’s voice. 

I wrote the first version of my Contemporary Realistic YA novel, currently titled RIPPLE, back in 2008. It was a very personal book that introduced teens dealing with some rarely discussed compulsions and struggles. I received some attention from it back then at conferences, but the comments on it were that it was long, wordy, and needed serious tightening. By the time I’d finished editing, TWILIGHT was out and paranormal was all the rage, so when I pitched it at conferences again, editors and agents wanted to know, “Is there a fairy in it? A werewolf? Living gargoyles?” 

Alas, it was just about a girl with some real-life issues, which made it a tough YA sell at the time. I believed in it, though, so I thought I’d use my poetry-writing background and turn the crux of it into a short story in verse. That story, “Him,” won the 2011 Katherine Paterson Prize for YA and Children’s Writing through HUNGER MOUNTAIN, the literary journal of the Vermont College of Fine Arts. That same year I won first place in the Children’s/Young Adult Fiction division of the WRITER'S DIGEST Annual Writing Competition for a different short story. Contests are such a great way to get your work noticed, and 2011 was a very good year for me in that respect.

How did you get your agent?

After I won the Katherine Paterson Prize, several agents contacted me via email. The first was Heather Schroder, an extremely seasoned agent, who at the time was with International Creative Management (ICM) and has since started her own agency, Compass Talent. We set up a phone conversation, and I really loved how she just got what I was trying to do with “Him.” She really connected with my writing style and my work, so I knew she was a great fit for me. 

I had already started working on a dystopian/fantasy-type novel when Heather contacted me, so she helped me work through several revisions of that. But again, the market shifted, and back came the popularity of Contemporary Realistic Fiction in YA. That old novel from 2008 had a shot now! So I revised RIPPLE to make the voice and the structure relevant for today’s YA readers, and Heather sold it to Penguin Putnam a short while later. It's scheduled to be released in Fall 2016.

What has been surprising or challenging about your experience?

I am an impatient human, and, I mean, like, really impatient. I want things done now and before now. So getting used to the publishing industry, which often moves at a glacial pace, has really taught me to take deep breaths, calm down, and curb my need for speed. I’ve even tattooed the reminder on myself. ;) 

What's next for you?

I’m just finishing work on my latest novel and getting ready to send it to Compass Talent for review. This latest book is very different from RIPPLE in that it is less about romance (though there is still plenty in there!) and more about socio-political issues in the U.S., but I hope it is as well received.

Heather Smith Meloche’s work has appeared in SPIDER, YOUNG ADULT REVIEW NETWORK (YARN), and ONCE UPON A TIME, and she has placed twice in the children’s/YA category of the WRITER’S DIGEST Annual Competition. Her short story, “Him,” won the HUNGER MOUNTAIN Katherine Paterson Prize for Young Adult and Children’s Writing in 2011. She lives in Rochester Hills, MI, with her husband, two boys, and more pets than anyone should ever own.

Website: http://heathersmithmeloche.blogspot.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/heathermeloche

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

Coming up on The Mitten blog: the conclusion of Dawne Webber's Beyond the Book series, a new 3 part craft series on developing voice, an interview with Buffy the Poetry Slayer, Ask Frida Pennabook, and another round of Hugs and Hurrahs. Send your good news to Patti Richards at pgwrites5@gmail.com by June 21st.

Subscribe to our blog and never miss a post. Simply enter your email at the top of the right sidebar.

Happy reading!
Kristin Lenz

Let Me Hook You with Some Stories from the Conference by Charlie Barshaw

Here’s the thing about co-chairing an SCBWI-MI conference: you prepare for months, and then it’s over.

As for what happened between 8 am and 5:30 pm? Better to ask Kevin, the owner of Thomson-Shore and yoga partner of Deb Gonzales. Probably during some impossible pose, Kevin found that Deb was a member of the coolest kidlit organization in the world.

He graciously offered his facilities for our “Hook of the Book” conference featuring E.B. Lewis. Then, he sacrificed his day off and sat through the conference (when he wasn’t giving tours or answering TS questions). 

Sorry though. Kevin’s not available. (Heavy sigh from some of the attendees; he’s alarmingly handsome.) All I’ve got is scribbled notes and random images, but I’ll try my best to tell some stories:

Deb Gonzales and E.B. Lewis

“Uh, E.B., it’s after midnight.” Deb and John Gonzales graciously opened their home for a Friday evening BBQ, and by 10 pm only people named Gonzales and Barshaw remained, talking with E.B. The conversation flowed deep and easy, and though I often checked my dumb-phone clock, it wasn’t until pumpkin time that I spoke up. E.B. slept about 5 hours before the conference.

“We are storytellers.” With a dozen round tables, illustrators and writers found themselves neighbors. E.B. cemented their friendship when he assured us all that, no matter what language we use, our vision is to tell stories. And, like learning a new language, we are not truly fluent until we can tell a joke.

“You need to go down the rabbit hole.” Lewis Carroll brought Alice to life for readers because he didn’t just dispassionately describe the wild journey, he became part of it. In every story we tell, visual or textual, we don’t hold the snow globe in our hand, we are inside it, being shaken. “We,” said E.B. “are in the business of amazement.”

The picture book “is a movie between two pieces of cardboard.” Every element of the art and text needs to enhance the story. E.B. described a movie scene where the ultimate care was taken in choosing the curtain fabric, just so that when it fluttered in the breeze, the viewer would understand that something was coming.

Image: E.B. sauntering through the lobby in a tailored shirt. The conference finally over (E.B. stayed long to sign books, then longer to do more portfolio reviews), he had a moment to “freshen up” before we drove to the restaurant. Six foot three with a washboard stomach, I asked, with his hectic travel schedule, how he remained so slim. “I do 100 pushups and 250 crunches every morning.”

“I thought YOU were keeping the time.” From 9:40 till noon Sunday morning, E.B. offered seven illustrators twenty minute portfolio reviews. The first one ended exactly on time (no breaks for E.B.). However, the second ran over 7 minutes, because E.B. expected me to knock. From then on, I pounded as time expired, yet he stayed extra minutes with each illustrator, intent on giving each what they needed. He finished at 12:15 pm.

“Take it all in, then give it all back.” No time to even dine at a nice restaurant before he rode to the airport, E.B. ate a burger and laptop-played Ruth and Leslie and I the inspirational film he had mentioned, Celebrate What’s Right in the World. National Geographic photographer Dewitt Jones espouses a positive life-outlook, and E.B. obviously embraces it.

E.B. Lewis gave it all back to us this weekend.

Charlie Barshaw has resolved to try E.B.'s workout regimen, though he'll start with 1 pushup and 2 crunches. His squirrel MG rests comfortably in a drawer as he enthusiastically tackles a modern YA version of Treasure Island.









Enjoy a few more photos from E.B. Lewis's visit with SCBWI-MI, and stay tuned for Ruth McNally Barshaw's illustrator's perspective of the Hook of the Book weekend.

E.B. Lewis and Ruth McNally Barshaw

Picture book Power: Leslie Helakoski, Shutta Crum, and Deb Pilutti

Happy birthday to SCBWI-MI Co-RA, Carrie Pearson!

Beyond the Book, Part 3: Agents by Dawne Webber

Now we get to the fun part of querying—hunting for agents. And it’s something you can do before your book is complete. Searching for agents before you’re ready to query has its perks:

• Need a pick-me-up or a little break from writing or revisions? Spend a few minutes hunting for agents. WARNING: Sometimes you forget it was supposed to be a little break.
• It moves you toward your goal of getting published. When you’re feeling like you’ll never finish writing the darn book, researching agents gives you a boost.
• Each agent you add to your list is special because you realize This might be THE ONE!
• When you decide your baby is ready for the bigs and you can’t wait to get the ball rolling, you have a list of agents ready.

What to look for in an agent:

The most important factor in agent hunting is focusing on agents that represent your genre. A pet peeve of agents and editors is getting queries for things they don’t represent. “Oh,” you say, “I want Diana Gabaldon’s agent. I know he doesn’t represent YA, but he’ll love my novel.”

No, he won’t. Stick to agents who represent your genre.

Before jumping into the agent pool, you need to weigh the pros and cons of the following and decide what qualities you want in your agent:

• Editorial agent vs. non-editorial
• Big list of author clients vs. small list
• Large agency vs. boutique agency (smaller, specialized)
• One book representation vs. career representation
• New agent vs. established agent

Hunting for agents:

• Literary Rambles, a blog written by Casey McCormick and our own Natalie Aguirre, spotlights agents and has tons of information about them. It was an invaluable tool in my agent hunt.
• Search the internet for literary agents in your genre.
• Find a book similar to yours and look for the agent’s name in the acknowledgements.
• Find articles on agent stats, such as lists of top-selling agents. You can find lists like this for YA, PB and MG at Darcy Pattinson.
• #MSWL—Manuscript Wish List. Agents and editors post what they’re looking for in submissions. Searching #MSWL will generate hundreds of results, but here are a few sites dedicated to it: MS Wish List, and Manuscript Wish List.

Look at more than stats and agent profiles. Find interviews with agents. Read what their authors say about them. On Google Books, you can search the name of the agent that interests you.

If he/she was mentioned on an author’s acknowledgement page, it’s usually in the search results. You can learn a lot about an agent by the acknowledgement (or lack of acknowledgement) in their clients’ books.

Query Tracker:

On Query Tracker (which I’ll be covering more in my next post) you can search for agents using a wide array of search filters, including genre. A search generates a list of agents meeting your criteria. You then click on an agent to get their profile. An agent’s profile has multiple parts. Here’s a list of some of the more pertinent information you can find:

• Contact info including links to agency websites, agent blogs, social media accounts
• Reputable links where you can find more information, such as Literary Rambles, Predators and Editors, and Google Books
• There is a page for member comments concerning that particular agent. It’s very helpful.

A few things to keep in mind:

Legitimate agents will never charge a fee or try to sell you something. Also remember, information changes and becomes outdated. Always check the agency site and the agent’s profile one last time before submitting a query.

More resources:

http://www.writersdigest.com/editor-blogs/guide-to-literary-agents
http://pred-ed.com/peala.ht

http://www.agentquery.com/

Please feel free to share any resources you’d like to recommend.

Dawne Webber is represented by Steven Chudney of The Chudney Agency. Ask Me to Wait, her YA contemporary novel, is currently on submission. Dawne lives in Troy with her husband and five children. They keep her sane amid the insanity of writing. You can learn more about Dawne at DawneWebber.

Did you miss Part 1 and Part 2 of Dawne's Beyond the Book series? She'll be back next month with the final post.

The SCBWI-MI Hook of the Book conference is tomorrow! We'll share conference take-aways as soon as our reporters have time to gather their thoughts after the big event. 

Coming up on The Mitten blog: a 3 part craft series on developing voice, an interview with Buffy the Poetry Slayer, a YA Success Story, Ask Frida Pennabook, and another round of Hugs and Hurrahs. Send your good news to Patti Richards at info@pgwrites.com by June 21st.

Happy reading!
Kristin Lenz