K.A. Barson and Cori McCarthy: Sophomore and Junior Books

K.A. (Kelly) Barson and Cori McCarthy teamed up to launch their new books this year, and I attended their event at Nicola's Books in Ann Arbor. I wondered how this book launch was different than their debut experience, and what we could learn from them. And because they're so generous, they took it from there. Please welcome, Cori and Kelly.

Cori: I’m excited to interview someone I’ve had the pleasure to know since 2009. Kelly and I met at grad school—VCFA’s MFA program in Writing For Children & Young Adults. We graduated together in 2011 and set off on our publishing careers shortly thereafter. Our debut novels were published in 2013, and this past spring, Kelly’s second book, CHARLOTTE CUTS IT OUT, and my third book, YOU WERE HERE released only a few weeks apart. 

So let’s compare and contrast the debut season and the sophomore and junior release! 

Q: Kelly, I found debut season to be a nightmare. It was much like being a clueless freshman. I didn’t know what I was doing or where I should go or who I should talk to, and I spun in a bunch of circles. How did you find debut season?

KA: I actually loved the debut season because I was part of several groups—the Lucky 13s (very large group) and the Class of 2k13 (only 20 members). We navigated the waters together, asking questions, comparing situations. I felt like I had support. Plus, I liked learning about the process. Being a newbie gave me a safety net to ask questions and not feel dumb. 

Cori: My sophomore book did much better than my debut title, which is a very bittersweet fact. I even had several bloggers and reviewers try to “redub” me as a debut author, and I had to scramble around to make sure that people didn’t think I was trying to pull a fast one. All in all though, I found my sophomore release and plugging season to be much more relaxed, and I finally started talking to classrooms (something I had feared too much during my debut season), and I realized that I LOVE talking to young writers. I now Skype with classrooms all over the country as often as possible. 

Q: Kelly, what have been some of the differences in your release season for CHARLOTTE from your debut release season for your first book, 45 POUNDS (More or Less)? Have you enjoyed it more? Or less? Oh, I swear I didn’t mean to pun…☺

KA: Ha! Again, my experience was the opposite. Because of the debut groups and promo push from my publisher, 45 POUNDS got more buzz. I also did more speaking, both with the groups and smaller subsets of the groups. My editor left my publisher shortly before CHARLOTTE was released, so I felt kind of orphaned. It hasn’t been that long, though, so I’m still hoping readers will find CHARLOTTE. 

Cori: One of the great upsides of being on my junior novel release is that things are starting to feel a bit more normal. When YOU WERE HERE came out in March, I got right to business on scheduling talks and panels at all the bookstores I’ve enjoyed attending. I took care of the blog tour. I made some swag, and I disappeared from my family and my writing for almost every weekend for nearly three solid months. Something new for this third book, I started working with a freelance publicist to help me think “outside of the box” when it comes to marketing ideas. (I work with Kirsten Cappy at Curious City, and she’s fabulous!)

Q: Kelly, tell us about your latest release season and how you’ve tackled publicity. What are some things that worked really well in helping get the word out about a book, and what things have not worked out?

KA: I have a tendency to accept nearly all invitations for speaking and/or signing. Some have been more successful than others. I find that making appearances with other authors—like you—are more successful. I also find that bookmarks are the best swag. I have both book covers on my latest bookmarks, and they come in handy when visiting libraries and bookstores. Or even when I run into teachers and teen readers. Handing out bookmarks feels like I’m giving them something, but really it’s keeping my books in their sightlines. 

Cori: Looking forward now to NEW books! One of the great things about my publisher is that they’ve supported my books even though they are vastly different from one another. My second book was genre YA and my third was contemporary with mixed format (including graphic novel and word art poetry). I’m currently in the editorial stage on my fourth book, NOW A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE, which will come out in April 2018. I’m already starting to scheme some potentially bigger release ideas including music videos and a cross-country tour (and by scheme, I mean start to save $ for). I’m excited and scared. There is so much pressure on the first weeks of a book release, and it took me several titles to figure that out. 

Q: Kelly, what do your future writing plans look like? What have you learned over the first two books that you will bring to the third one? Do you have new goals or priorities now that you’re a couple books deep?

KA: Starting in October I’ll be teaching a Writing the Middle Grade Novel class for UCLA Extension Writers’ Program online, so that seemed like the perfect time to write a middle grade novel that’s been tumbling around in my head for a while now. I still have YA book ideas, so I’m sure I’ll return to them, too. I’m planning to go kind of underground for a while and focus on writing. I’ll think about promo when I have something more to promote. 

Thanks for the discussion, Cori. If there’s one thing I’ve learned from my limited experience it’s that nothing is predictable. Every author’s experience is unique. It’s best to focus where you have control—on the work—and not where you don’t—publishing, marketing, and bookselling.

Cori McCarthy studied poetry and screenwriting before falling in love with writing for teens at Vermont College of Fine Arts. From a military family, Cori was born on Guam and lived a little bit of everywhere before she landed in Michigan. Learn more about her books at CoriMcCarthy.com.

K.A. (Kelly) Barson earned an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts. She and her husband live in Jackson, Michigan, surrounded by kids, grandkids, unruly dogs, a cat, and too many pairs of shoes. She feels most like herself when her hair is purple.  Learn more at http://www.kellybarson.com/home.html

Thanks for sharing your time and experience with us, Cori and Kelly!

Coming up on the Mitten blog: SCBWI-MI Fall Retreat Recap and a new Writer's Spotlight - it could be you! Did you notice our new blog banner? Learn more about the artist, Bradley Cooper, here.

The SCBWI Book Blast is back! The promotion only runs for six weeks from Oct 10-Nov 18. Spread the word, support your author friends, and find a book to give or enjoy at http://www.scbwi.org/bookblast.

Have a great weekend!
Kristin Lenz

Animated Illustrators

What an inspirational weekend at Boyne Highlands for the SCBWI-MI Fall Retreat! We'll have a full recap soon from our star reporter, Charlie Barshaw, but in the meantime, here's a special treat for our illustration nation.

Cathy Gendron had a camera with a timer on it, so she took a series of photos of the illustrator's group. At first the camera was set to take 300 photos. Ha, that wasn't what she'd intended! She changed settings and when the illustrators looked at their photos in sequence afterward, it looked like a movie, which cracked them up. Here it is - enjoy!

Featured Illustrator Bradley Cooper

MEET BRADLEY COOPER

This questionnaire goes back to a popular parlor game in the early 1900s. Marcel Proust filled it out twice. Some of our questions were altered from the original to gain more insight into the hearts and minds of our illustrators. We hope you enjoy this way of getting to know everybody.
 

1. Your present state of mind?

Currently, my mind is in Michigan, but it tends to wander.

2. What do you do best?

Most recently, it seems to be "bottle flipping" and procrastination, but generally, I'm good with my hands.

3. Where would you like to live?

I was always going to move to the mountains in Montana when I was younger. Then I did the opposite and moved to the city of Chicago.

I loved Chicago while I lived there, but Michigan is home. I'm right where I want to be here in Brighton. Sometimes it takes getting away from Michigan to recognize how great it really is.

4. Your favorite color?

My favorite color is October, but more specifically it is orange.

5. Three of your own illustrations:

 

6. Your music?

I love music and picking the right playlist for the mood I'm in probably takes up more time than I should allow. When I'm illustrating, it can be anything from old Kinks albums to Bon Iver, Luna, Underworld, Lorde, Marvin Gaye, Van Morrison or any GOOD music (I also have my share of closet music.) When I'm thinking or brainstorming, I tend to listen to more ambient, classical, or instrumental music. I avoid lyrics during those times because I have a tendency to hone in on the words. (@Lori Taylor I also listen to a lot of R. Carlos Nakai Native-American flute.)

 

7. Your biggest achievement?

Yikes! I want my biggest achievement to be more substantial than what I can think of right now.

8. Your biggest mistake?

Pulling reference before I brainstorm. (I get too influenced by what has already been done.)

9. Your favorite children's book when you were a child?

I'm going to start with my most memorable book as a child which is Raggedy Ann and Andy by Johnny Gruelle. I did not like that book. I didn't care for the story or the characters, but I LOVED that my father read it to us every night for many days. I wasn't a fan of books as a kid, but I admired illustration. "Where the Wild Things Are," and Ezra Jack Keats "Goggles" were my favorites.

10. Your main character trait?

I'm a good listener (except when there is an opening for a little humor.)

11. What do you appreciate most in a friend?

Someone that not only accepts who you are but understands who you are. And of course, someone who genuinely enjoys my humor (or at least is confused by it.)

12. What mistakes are you most willing to forgive?

Past mistakes. We are not the same person we were yesterday.

13. Your favorite children's book hero?

Ferdinand the bull: for not even hesitating about being who he is.

14. What moves you forward?

Creating something that surprises me. (Also, a deadline is critical if I want to get it done.)

15. What holds you back?

Systems, process, productivity and analysis paralysis!

 

16. Your dream of happiness?

In my twenties, I used to have this picture from a magazine. It was a beautiful brunette with a french braid, flannel shirt, and jeans hiking in the mountains with a gorgeous Alaskan Malamute dog. I always said that was my dream. I married a beautiful brunette who wore flannels while backpacking in the mountains with me, but we got a beautiful mutt from the Detroit Humane Society instead of a Malamute, and she was the best dog ever! I also have two incredible boys, so I suppose my new dream of happiness is to regularly feed my imagination by creating what I imagine without fear or excuses.

17. The painter/illustrator you admire most?

Painter: The Group of Seven's Frank Carmichael, A.J. Casson, Lawren Harris, and Tom Thomson.

Illustrator: Shaun Tan's inventiveness, Chris Van Allsburg's mystery and values, Lisbeth Zwerger motion and energy, Eric Rohmann's composition, Peter McCarty's dreaminess and Howard Pyle's lighting, color, composition, everything!

 

18. What super power would you like to have?

The ability to stop time. The closest I get to that now is by getting up really early in the morning while everyone else is still asleep.

19. Your motto?

If life was easy where would all the adventures be?

20. Your social media?

Website: www.bradleydcooper.com

Instagram: bradleydcooper

Twitter: @Brad_D_Cooper

Hugs and Hurrahs

It’s time once again for that all-out party and big WOO HOO you’ve all been waiting for. Yes, my kidlit friends---let’s hear it for, HUGS AND HURRAHS! Please join me in a standing ovation for the following members that had fabulous publishing news over the summer months. Thunderous applause to all of you!

Matt Faulkner’s, GAIJIN: AMERICAN PRISONER OF WAR (Disney-Hyperion, April 2014), was nominated for the Maryland Black Eyed Susan Book Award 2016/2017! "The Black-Eyed Susan Book Award is a children’s choice award for the state of Maryland. Each year since 1992, the Black-Eyed Susan Book Award has been given to authors and/or illustrators of outstanding books chosen for the award by Maryland students. The award seeks to promote literacy and lifelong reading habits by encouraging students to read quality, contemporary literature."

We’re so proud of you Matt!

Neal Levin is happy to announce that he won First Place in the 2016 Magazine Merit Award for poetry, and Second Place in the 2016 Magazine Honor Award for fiction,  both presented by the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. Neal’s also celebrating that the Oxford University Press-India has purchased the right to reproduce his poem "The Pizza Beast" in its Oxford Ink Literature Reader 4.

You’re awesome Neal!

Writer/illustrator Lindsay Moore of Ann Arbor was the winner of the SCBWI-Michigan Fall Retreat 2016 Logo Contest! Congratulations Lindsay, and thanks to all who entered the contest!

Jess Pennington’s debut novel, LOVE SONGS & OTHER LIES, will be published by TorTeen/Macmillan October 2017!

That's awesome Jess!

We’re happy dancing for Barb Rebbeck whose novel, NOLA GALS, has been awarded a bronze medal in the Readers' Favorite Competition for 2016. Barb will be attending their awards celebration in Miami in November where her book will be displayed at the Miami Book Fair. Also, the play adaptation of NOLA Gals, Turbulence is out to several youth theatre groups and Barb is hoping some one will pick it up for production soon.

So proud of you Barb!

Lisa Rose, author of SMULIK PAINTS THE TOWN (Kar Ben, January 2016), was recently a guest on the Barnes and Noble blog! Lisa did a fabulous job comparing diverse books of today with established favorites and how to add them to your child’s library. You can read the post here:

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/blog/kids/adding-diverse-books-to-your-childs-library-a-guest-post-by-shmulik-paints-the-town-author-lisa-rose/

You’re awesome Lisa!

Erin Fanning’s YA novella, Cloud Warrior, was accepted by Saddleback Educational Publishing for a new series coming out sometime in 2017. Erin’s short story, The Demon Inches, will be featured in The Yellow Booke, an annual journal of speculative and horror fiction. 

Happy Dancing with you Erin!

Lisa Wheeler is proud to announce that October 1st is the release of Dino-Racing (illustrated by Barry Gott). It is the ninth book in the Dino-Sport series with Lerner. This installment features those whacky dinosaurs drag-racing, off-road racing and stock car racing. Lisa also has a second book coming out on October 18^th called The Christmas Boot (illustrated by Jerry Pinkney). Lisa writes, “This book has had a long history, including several rejections 15 years ago, a sale to a small Michigan publishing house in 2006, publication, followed by a stint being OP. I then got the rights back and sold the manuscript to Dial. This story is near and dear to my heart and I am glad it is having new life breathed into it.”

We are too Lisa! Congratulations, and thanks for sharing this book’s journey with us.

Ruth Behar is new to our SCBWI Michigan group and has some great news! Her debut novel for young readers, Lucky Broken GirL, is scheduled to release in April 2017 with Nancy Paulsen Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House. You can read all about it here:

http://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/538594/lucky-broken-girl-by-ruth-behar/

Welcome to our kidlit family, Ruth, and congratulations!

Author/illustrator Jeff Jantz is happy to announce the completion of his first book this year, Gruel Snarl Draws a Wild Zugthing. The book will be published under the name Jantzer Studios through Shiffer publishing, with a tentative release in spring of 2017. 

So happy for you Jeff!

Buffy Silverman is just bursting with good news. It's all babies and biomes for her books with Lerner Publishing this season:

Meet a Baby Chicken

Meet a Baby Cow

Meet a Baby Horse

Let's Visit the Desert

Let's Visit the Evergreen Forest

Let's Visit the Lake

Let's Visit the Rain Forest

You’re awesome Buffy!

Janet Ruth Heller conducted a creative writing workshop for teenagers at the Boston Public Library on July 9, 2016.  She also spoke at the International Literacy Association conference on July 10. Janet will be presenting a paper about "Recent Multicultural Books for Children about Jews and People of Color" at the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) Conference on Sunday, November 20, 2016 from 1:30 p.m. to 2:45 p.m. in Atlanta at the Georgia World Congress Center. She will also cover the same topic Michigan College English Association conference on Friday, October 21 in Warren MI at Macomb Community College.

You are one busy gal, Janet! Congratulations!

Leopold the Lion (Sleeping Bear press, september 2015), written by Denise Brennan-Nelosn and illustrated by our own Ruth McNally Barshaw, was on the Michigan Bestseller chart, ranking at #3 in March and #5 in April 2016. Leopold was written by Denise Brennan-Nelson and published by Sleeping Bear Press.

And on another happy note, Charlie Barshaw and Ruth McNally Barshaw have sold 5 short stories so far to an educational publisher who is starting up a new reading initiative for children. They both continue to write for the publisher, and have several pieces in the revisions stage.

We love you Charlie and Ruth-- Congratulations!

Rhonda Gowler Green is thrilled to announce that her picture book, PUSH! DIG! SCOOP! A CONSTRUCTION COUNTING RHYME, will be coming out with Bloomsbury on October 25th. The story sold at auction in March 2012, so it's been a very long wait. Daniel Kirk is the illustrator.    

So happy for you Rhonda! 

Kristin Bartley Lenz celebrated the release of her YA novel, THE ART OF HOLDING ON AND LETTING GO (Elephant Rock Productions, September 2016) on Sunday, September 18, 2016 at The Office coffee shop in Royal Oak. It was a standing-room-only crowd with Book Beat of Royal Oak on site to sell books.

Shutta Crum celebrated the release of her new middle grade novel, WILLIAM AND THE WITCHE'S RIDDLE (Knopf Books for Young Readers, September 2016), on Sunday, September 25^th at Nicola’s Books in Ann Arbor. 

Kristin joined Shutta at Nicolas where both authors gave a brief presentation, read from their books and signed copies. What a great celebration for the two of you!

And here they are! We’re just tickled pink for you, Shutta and Kristin! 

And finally, I’m (Patti Richards:) happy to announce that my picture book manuscript, O POSSUM’S PREDICATMENT, was awarded an honorable mention in the Children's/Young Adult Fiction category of the 85th Annual Writer’s Digest Writing Competition. Among the ten competition categories, there were over 6,000 entries in total* this year, and I have to admit, I’m pretty proud of my crazy possum. And just this week I sold a story to an educational publisher. -- more details to follow!




It's always so much fun putting this happy news together! Our Michigan SCBWI family is a talented and hard-working bunch. We've got one Hugs and Hurrahs left for this year, so please send all of your happy publishing news to me, Patti Richards at pgwrites5@gmail.com. 

HOW TO ORGANIZE A MULTI-STATE CONFERENCE by Charlie Barshaw

Our SCBWI-MI Fall Retreat is only two weeks away! Charlie Barshaw looks back on the SCBWI Wild Wild Midwest Conference and gives us a reminder about all of the hard work going on behind-the-scenes by an army of volunteers. Here's Charlie:

Note: These impressions are the writer’s alone. They are based on faulty memories, overheard conversations, and opinions parading as facts. Please ingest with caution.

The first clue that the 2016 Wild Wild Midwest SCBWI Conference was a big deal surfaced Thursday, the day before it officially started. We walked into a large conference room, set up wall-to-wall with tables and chairs.

Twelve well-dressed hotel people sat opposite the twelve SCBWI people, Regional Advisors from Michigan, Indiana, Iowa, Illinois, Wisconsin, Ruth McNally Barshaw, the Illustrator Coordinator. And me, the guy who “technically” was the Audio/Visual expert.

In front of us, placards with our names, water glasses, hotel pens, pads of paper, and a spiral-bound booklet.

Inside that booklet a breakdown of each room of the conference, for every day. Every hotel person seated there would play a part. Every person on the SCBWI side likewise had commitments that played out over the past three years, and the next three days.

SCBWI National pulls off two of these huge spectacles every year: the winter sessions in New York, and the summer sessions in downtown Los Angeles. And they employ people whose only job is to make each conference run smoothly.

Contrast this with the WWMW conference, held for the first time in Spring 2013, and then May of this year. Why three years? Because every person involved is a volunteer, many with real day jobs and families.

Planning began immediately following the successful end of WWMW ‘13. During the 2014 LA conference, I was a fly on the wall as RAs gathered in a hotel room to lay out possible venues. During the 2015 LA conference, they again gathered to finalize faculty selections.

Over the years, RAs dropped out and were replaced by new volunteers, who then inherited WWMW duties. One whole state, comprising two SCBWI regions, dropped out entirely, to be replaced by another state.

Faculty had to be contacted, cajoled for bios, quizzed on food preferences. Schedules had to be drawn up, plane tickets and airport pick-ups arranged, rooms set aside.

There were also almost 500 attendees, some veteran conference-goers, some eager but oh-so-green rookies. Dietary requirements, special requests, unexpected emergencies: all had to be dealt with in the months leading up to, and especially during the three days of the conference.

Projectors and laptops were donated, to offset the huge expense of renting that equipment from the hotel. Many of the pages of the spiral-bound booklet specified, in agonizing detail, the cost of each service.

I witnessed one of the most stunning sights of the whole weekend, entirely behind closed doors. After lunch, there was a brief window where every trace of the meal had to be cleared, tables removed, walls assembled. Every hotel person seated across from us on Thursday, from security, AV, management, food service, worked together to set up the room for the next events.

As incredible a display of teamwork as that was, the work of the Midwest organizers was amazing in its thoroughness and dedication. Special thanks to our own RAs, Leslie Helakoski and Carrie Pearson, who shouldered much of the responsibility as co-chairs.

So, how do you organize a multi-state conference? It’s impossible, but somehow they did it.

Charlie Barshaw has four MG and YA novels-in-progress, three critique groups, two dogs and a gifted, supportive and encouraging wife. Oh, and a miniscule bank account, but a whole vast world of opportunity.

Learn more about the upcoming SCBWI-MI Fall Retreat here, and be sure to thank our hard working volunteers.

http://michigan.scbwi.org/2016/04/19/the-days-and-nights-of-the-roundtable-fall-retreat-october-7-9-2016/

Coming up on the Mitten blog: Hugs and Hurrahs! Send your good news to Patti Richards by Monday, Sept. 26th to be included. Don't be shy; we're inspired by your success!

Paying it Forward: Cathy Bieberich - Mentor Extraordinare, a Volunteer Tribute by Monica Harris

If you ask people about SCBWI Michigan volunteer, Cathy Bieberich, several things might be mentioned. Her boisterous laugh and wickedly sharp sense of humor might be first. Her diligent work ethic would certainly be high on the list. A few members may even reminisce (with chuckles) about her karaoke skills and interpretive dance prowess.

While these are just a few of her sparkling wonders, one of Cathy’s biggest accomplishments as a SCBWI volunteer is the strong mentorship program. Sadly, Cathy is stepping down (or should I say retiring) from her Mentorship Coordinator position; a position she has held for 9 years. Her personal journey actually began when Cathy won the novel mentorship in 2002 with Audrey Couloumbis. At the end of their mentorship session, the two remained close friends and shared their writing. When Audrey had another book published, Cathy was humbled to find her name included in the dedications. Filled with gratitude from the entire experience, Cathy choose to give back in the best way she knew…to expand, strengthen, and coordinate the mentorship program.

Even while working full time, Cathy made sure to put together an outstanding program.  She devotedly located and secured mentors.  While this may sound easy, it is not. Many writers and illustrators are busy with their own careers so it would often involve a little ‘pay it forward’ coaxing on Cathy’s part.  After that, capable judges were secretly contacted (again, sometimes needing a bit of coaxing).  Once submissions rolled in, Cathy coordinated every detail including sorting and coordinating the submissions, making sure the judges received their copies (either by mail or electronically), and then tabulating the results for the mentor.  A tedious job, to say the least, but Cathy embraced it with the excitement of a 2-year old being handed a Labrador puppy!  It was a time of thankfulness and generosity, which Cathy juggled like a three-ringed circus professional.

While I can certainly dwell on how much we’ll miss Cathy’s hard work, I know with certainty that her presence will continue to be felt within the Michigan chapter. For example, Cathy was the pioneer for our speaker-shadowing program. Speakers will continue to have a SCBWI “shadow helper” in order to make them comfortable during conferences.  The program has been so successful that other national SCBWI chapters have adopted it.

If there’s ever a moment when the Advisory Committee needs a helping hand, Cathy will be there to offer both her left and her right. Whether it’s stuffing folders for conference participants, greeting them at the registration table, or bringing cold water to the members of a panel, she will be there…. selflessly offering her time and cheerful smile.

What I admire most about Cathy is her devotion to make new people feel welcomed.  If someone is sitting alone at a table, she makes a point of joining them. If a participant is lost, Cathy takes time to walk them to the appropriate conference room.  She doesn’t do it for any sort of glory. She doesn’t expect a pat on the back. She does it because she believes in our chapter, our members, and our dreams. We are in this together and the best way to help each other is to be supportive.

Without a doubt, she will be missed in her role as Mentorship Coordinator. Yet, I find it uplifting knowing that she will continue to be a pinnacle example of what makes our Michigan chapter so wonderful. Thank you Cathy---my role model, my writing buddy, and my dear friend.

Although she’ll deny it, Monica Harris is usually an accomplice and backup dancer to Cathy Bieberich’s karaoke singing! As a previous AdCom member and a retired Co-RA, she does have to worry about her reputation, you know? She lives in Kalamazoo…oh oh, there goes her status in the witness protection plan (gulp).


Coming up on the Mitten blog: Behind the Conference Scenes, a new Featured Illustrator, and another round of Hugs and Hurrahs. We want to trumpet your good news! Please send your children's writing or illustrating news to Patti Richards by Sept. 26th.

Schuler Books: An Indie Interview with Whitney Spotts by Carol J. Verboncoeur

Schuler Books has been a staple in the mid-Michigan community since 1982 with stores in Grand Rapids, Lansing and Okemos. Schuler Books hosts a variety of fun and informative events including: writing workshops, book clubs, author readings, story time and so much more. Events coordinator, Whitney Spotts was kind enough to give us a glimpse behind the scenes.

Tell us a little bit about your job at Schuler Books? 

I manage the author events for three Schuler locations, so every day is a little different! I spend an inordinate amount of time on email, corresponding with publisher contacts, local media, and authors, but the best part is obviously hosting the authors. I've met so many interesting people, and been exposed to so many different subjects than the normal person. There's always something to enjoy or learn from. 

Was there an event at your store that remains particularly memorable? Something surprising that happened, a wonderful chain reaction, or a day that went terribly wrong? 

My favorite events have been the times I've worked with David Sedaris - he is always hysterical and you never know what will happen (like unexpected raunchy jokes over the intercom). On one particular tour, David was collecting and telling jokes from all of his fans. There was one woman loudly complaining about how long the signing was taking, and in a quiet lull, everyone, including David, loudly heard her say "He has to tell every person  some goddamn joke." You could hear a pin drop and David sweetly cocked his head and said, "Well, I guess I'll have to sign your book next." The woman turned purple and slowly walked up to the table, just mortified. He grabs her book, smiled and said, "You wanna hear a joke?" It was the best thing I'd ever seen.

What advice can you give to authors and illustrators who are preparing for bookstore appearances?  

First off, know whether you will be talking, or just signing. If you're talking, every presentation is a little different, so just be sure to communicate with the bookstore. Some authors do full-scale presentations with visuals like a slide-show, others simply talk and read. It makes no difference to us - we just want you to be comfortable so that the presentation goes smoothly. So do what feels natural to you, and rehearse it a little before your first talk. Readings aren't done as much anymore (except for picture books) -- most readers want to know the story behind the book, what your process is, what got you here. If you do decide to read, definitely keep it short: 5, no more than 10 minutes or people get antsy.

Do you have any particular advice for children’s authors and illustrators?

For children's book authors and illustrators, I would just say that you should have practiced reading your story aloud, holding the book or whatever demo instruments you have. Rehearse the presentation. We love it when authors and illustrators have their own activities or activity sheets; we are happy to print-off copies and provide supplies -- just let us know in advance so we can prep the space or any supplies you need! Be very clear what you need and what you will be bringing.

Tell us about some of your upcoming events at Schuler Books.

I am SO excited about what's coming up this fall. We have confirmed a stop on the Jan Brett Gingerbread Christmas tour at our Okemos store on December 3rd, and are working out the details for an event at our Grand rapids store with Patricia Polacco! We are also excited to have middle grade author Mike Lupica to tour Okemos store on Sept. 19th as well as hosting a zombie themed event for middle grade author Max Brallier at our Lansing store on October 29th! It's going to be an awesome fall season, so keep an eye on our website for details on these and other events!

Carol J. Verboncoeur writes middle grade fantasy and science fiction under the pseudonym, CJ Verb. Her blog History Bites shares quirky bits of history and delightful treasures from museums near and far.  She is a docent at the Michigan State University Museum and serves on the executive board of the Capital City Writers Association. 

Coming up on the Mitten blog: An SCBWI-MI volunteer tribute, Behind the Conference Scenes, and another round of Hugs and Hurrahs. We want to trumpet your good news! Please send your children's writing or illustrating news to Patti Richards by Sept. 25th.

See you next Friday!

Kristin Lenz