Three Amigas WEDNESDAY NIGHT!!

They're . . .

Faster than a bullet point!  

More powerful than a character's motive! 

Able to leap tall tales in a single read! 

 

Our April event is upon us! Come learn from a trio of Super Experts who will help us look at our crafts and stories from different angles. We are so lucky to have Caroline Abbey, Joy Chu, and Mary Kate Castellani spend some time with us this week. It's going to be a fantastic evening of words and deeds, no doubt heroic for us all!

 

SCBWI APRIL EVENT – You’re Invited!

The Amazing Amigas of April Arrive Anon!

 

Wednesday, April 20:

Monthly Meeting with Special Guests (above)!

Seattle Pacific University, Demaray Hall, 6:15–9pm

Free for Passport Holders. $10 for SCBWI members. $15 for non-members.

Keep It Simple Art Showcase begins at 6:15 pm. 

Meeting starts at 7pm (get there early for snacks and chat), till 9pm.

Inside an Editor's Brain

Random House Children's Books Senior Editor Caroline Abbey and Bloomsbury Children's Books Senior Editor Mary Kate Castellani become our “Gray Matter Guides,” giving us a behind-the-scenes tour through all the different ways editors think about a project. The tour winds up in YOUR brain and how you should be using it for your writing. You’ve never had a tour like this!

Putting on a Curator Hat

Art director, graphic designer, and educator Joy Chu will talk about how curating the illustration exhibit Writing With Pictures at The Museum at the California Center for the Arts, Escondido, was much like organizing a picture book – a really BIG picture book. With rooms. Exploring several case studies of the myriad ways artists are influenced, Joy will inspire your creative flame!

Keep It Simple Art Showcase

Ooh and ahh over the amazing artwork of 40 illustrators from our chapter, showcased informally in the lobby of Demaray Hall prior to our meeting, beginning at 6:15pm. This showcase is closed to additional submissions. Thanks to those illustrators who grabbed this opportunity early!

Thursday, April 21:

One-On-One Consultations

Library Seminar Room of Ames Library, Seattle Pacific University campus.

Those writers and illustrators with scheduled consults should have their confirmation emails and parking passes. Send us a frantic email if you don’t.

Master Classes – still some seats available!

1) Writers’ Master Class: Caroline Abbey & Mary Kate Castellani

3:00 – 5:00 p.m., in Demaray 150, Seattle Pacific University campus.

First hour: Finding A Hook with Caroline Abbey

What’s a hook? Why are they important? How are they used to pitch books to sales and marketing teams? We'll look at examples and brainstorm to come up with hooks of our own.

Second hour: Making Your Writing Sing with Mary Kate Castellani

Okay, so you’ve hooked your reader. Now how do you hold their interest? Mary Kate Castellani will share examples of writing that made her stand up and take notice and help you find ways to make your writing sing.

2) Illustrators’ Master Class with Joy Chu

3:00 – 5:00 p.m., in Demaray 358, Seattle Pacific University campus.

Using filmic storytelling as our model, we’ll create multi-panel storyboards to consider pacing, movement, framing and action. Stick figures are fine because this is about sketching out a good story from start to finish! Flex your drawing chops, tell stories, figure out what works and have fun!

To sign up for a Master Class:

1. If you are a Passport Holder, click the link in your email confirmation, log in and click the Modify button to add the class.

2. Write a check to SCBWI WWA in the appropriate amount (see below) and bring it with you to Wednesday’s meeting or to the Master Class on Thursday OR mail it (immediately!) to:

SCBWI WWA, PO Box 30505, Seattle, WA. 98113

The non-refundable fee is $80 for non-members and $60 for SCBWI members. Include a note about which class you are signing up for.

We can’t wait to see you Wednesday, April 20! 

Many thanks,

Dana Arnim and Dana Sullivan

Co-Regional Advisors, SCBWI Western Washington

Upcoming: Joy Chu

Meet Joy Chu––former art director, graphic designer, and educator. She's going to be here next week, on Wednesday, April 20 for a special art/editorial event at our monthly meeting alongside two editors. For the full description of her visit details, click here.

1. As an art director and educator you have devoted many years to books for young people. What was your road to working with children's books? 

I've been working steadily in the book publishing field since college, always with trade books. It wasn't until I worked my way up to my fourth in-house publishing job that I began working exclusively on children's books. 

From a very young age, I had every intention of becoming a children's book illustrator myself! When I got my first library card, I'd grab as many juicy picture books as I could muster. Story-telling images paved the way to becoming a voracious reader. Thank you, Wanda G'ag, Marcia Brown, and Eleanor Frances Lattimore, for enriching my childhood!

Being a visual person, I also coveted books that invited me to read its pages with greater eye ease — and noticed that certain publishers provided this consistently. 

Immediately after art school and college, I spent a year organizing my portfolio. It was made up of 50% illustration, 50% mechanical skills (ruling pen and French curve exercises; numerous paste-ups — anyone remember those?). I went to my very first interview through a NY Times ad — and nailed my first job on-the-spot!  It was for the Knopf division of Random House. What luck, to land at a house that prized fine typographic design, illustration, and bookmaking!

I progressed to two more publishing houses. Then I craved change. Relocated to San Diego.  

Coincidentally, Harcourt uprooted and moved there a few months later, so I applied for work. It was like working for a start-up with a great backlist. 

At that time, the children's list was tiny, so adult and children's titles were worked on simultaneously by the same design department, an atypical set-up. This was also the period computers elbowed into the publishing landscape. Color printing became both gorgeous and affordable! We took on greater risks by publishing new talent alongside award-winners. During the years I was at Harcourt, we went from printing 25 children's books a year to 250 a season! 

I discovered that I loved working with artists! Coaxing the best out of them. Being their tech support. Artists sensed that I empathized with their process. And although I am not a book editor per se, I can think like an editor, and work well with them. It's like a beautiful dance ensemble, when you have artist, art director, and editor, moving in sync to the same melody!

Thanks to telecommuting and fax machines, I was able to start my own business from home, while raising my son. I've done free-lance work for 20 publishing houses — a smooth transition, since everyone used the same book printers and binders, the same computer software, and everyone in the business knew each other. Today those 20 houses are now 3 huge conglomerates.  

2. Your talk will reflect the structure of a picture book and show how you organized an exhibit of illustrator artwork. How did you come up with this idea and how does it relate to an author or illustrator approaching their own work?

Leah Goodwin, education director of the Museum of the California Center for the Arts in Escondido knew that there was a throbbing network of published picture book creators in the immediate vicinity. She needed someone to bring the right ones together with a theme. But how? Janice Yuwiler, SCBWI San Diego RA, knew I was the consultant behind bringing both the traveling component of The Society of Illustrator's Original Art plus works by 26 local illustrators to the William Cannon Gallery in Carlsbad, California. She suggested approaching me as Guest Curator. Assisted by her amazing museum team, we filled a 9,000 square foot space with pure magic! 

A picture book is like an intimate play. It opens with a setting, a main character, and supporting players. It highlights a premise with a beginning, middle, and ending. Putting together a museum exhibition featuring picture book makers is like setting up the most amazing chapter book you'll ever encounter. 

Ours began with an introduction — Marla Frazee's kids from her not-yet-released book Is Mommy? running towards the grand exhibition hall , and throughout the exhibition space — and capped at the other end by a room featuring book trailers and interviews. And in-between, a story wall filled with illustrated stories by young students inspired by the show.

Every author and illustrator I contacted brought their own back story behind what they produced. I worked with them, allowing them to curate what to share with viewers.

In one section, we'd show one author's inspiration, or "aha moment" and the resulting prose verse. Then the illustrator's enactment, in the form of initial character sketches. Some worked with photo as reference; others created clay models. Others de-constructed the art layers from double-page spreads. A few even shared their works-in-progress. Having character studies up, midway through their project, became part of their process!

I will share examples at my presentation!

3. How did the Children’s Book Illustration and Writing extension program come to be at UC San Diego? Tell us a little about the program and your role in its design.

It evolved as the local SCBWI membership grew, as did the process behind creating the picture book. Program advisor Annika Nelson saw I was bringing something far more comprehensive, adding on real-life experiences from the publisher's perspective to children's book illustration instruction. Up until that point, it had always been taught purely from an art standpoint. My class has become the foundation class for children's book illustration at UCSD Extension. It set the groundwork for forming the Certificate Programs in Illustrating and Writing Children's Books. Two dedicated programs that overlap each other.  As of this writing, they are adding intermediate art media classes just for illustrators, plus additional writing classes, including one for nonfiction picture books. It's all very exciting! 

(Interview by Tina Hoggatt.)

Conference faculty profile: Kristen Nobles

Kristen Nobles, art director at Candlewick Press.

Kristen Nobles joined Candlewick Press as Art Director in 2004. As an art director, she has worked with award-winning illustrators Leslie Patricelli, Sophie Blackall, Yuyi Morales, John Rocco, Matt Myers, Ed Young, and Carson Ellis. Kristen loves a strong character, a unique style or retro look made new again, and looks for a new spin on traditional themes in children’s books. Before returning to the East Coast, Kristen was a senior designer at Chronicle Books in San Francisco. Her passion for children's books has been passed down from her mother, an elementary school teacher, and her grandmother, a librarian.


Twitter: @Kristen_Nobles

Interviews: Children's Illustrators (2012), My Daytime Drama (2011)



Kristen's conference schedule:

–Saturday,  8:30–9:15am
Editor/Agent/Art Director panel

–Saturday, 10:20–11:20am
Breakout session 1-C, "The Illustrator As Illuminator"

–Saturday, 2:20–3:20pm
Breakout session 3-C, "Nice to Visually Meet You"

–Sunday, 1:30–4:50pm
Art Director Intensive, "Illustrator Be Nimble"

Conference faculty profile: Michelle McCann

Michelle McCann CAN show you how to tell, and tell you how to show!

Editor at Beyond Words, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, Michelle McCann is a graduate of Brown University and has an MFA in Writing for Children from Vermont College. She has been working as a children’s book editor and art director for more than twenty years, shepherding hundreds of titles into print—from board books to young adult novels. She taught Children’s Book Publishing at Portland State University for thirteen years and currently acquires middle-grade and young adult nonfiction for Beyond Words Publishing/Simon & Schuster. She also edits and art directs children’s books for Graphic Arts Books and Trackers Earth Books. Michelle has written numerous children’s books of her own, including Girls Who Rocked the World, Finding Fairies, and Luba: the Angel of Bergen-Belsen. Her honors include the Oregon Book Award, the Jewish Book Council’s Best Illustrated Book, the IRA’s Notable Picture Book, and Simon Wiesenthal’s Once Upon A World Award.


 Blog:

VivaScriva, 2014 (women's writers collective blog, and MM wrote a whole slew of posts that you will find extremely useful)


Michelle's conference schedule:

–Saturday, 8:30–9:15am
Agent/Editor/Art Director panel 

–Saturday, 10:20–11:20am
Breakout session 1-D, "Extreme Makeover: Proposal Edition" (Nonfiction track)

–Saturday, 1:05–2:05pm
Breakout session 2-C, "Down and Dirty: An Author and Editor Talk About Teens, Sex, and the Edge in YA" (with author Amber Keyser)

–Sunday, 8:50am–12:10pm
Nonfiction Intensive, "Too Cool For School: Creating Nonfiction That Reads Like Fiction"

 



 

#SCBWI-WWA2014: Breakout session, Claudia Gabel

Claudia awaits her introduction.

Executive editor at Katherine Tegen Books, Claudia Gabel, talked about First Pages in Reverse. Claudia is not only an editor, but she's also an author (the In or Out series, Romeo and Juliet and Vampires, co-writer of Elusion).

(Dang, the talent is just dripping off the walls in here this weekend!)

In looking at what makes a good first page, we can examine our writing with multiple perspectives.

Comparing first pages, the first drafts versus the revised ones, it was apparent which was the more effective path for a writer to take. Claudia focused on the immediacy of a scene, the proximity of the reader to the character(s) experiencing the emotion in a moment, and the promise of forward momentum. The stakes are higher when the opening moment is fraught with tension, even danger. She showed us that the invitation to turn that first page and enter the realm of the novel was so much more clear to the reader when that initial moment works well.

Consider this when thinking about your own first pages: action vs inaction, character's voice vs description, forward vs stagnant.


Now get out there and make your own first pages sing! 

#SCBWI-WWA14: Agent/Editor Panel

Justin Chanda, publisher/editor (Simon & Schuster imprints)
Claudia Gabel, editor (Katherine Tegen Books)
Susan Hawk, agent (Bent Agency)
Holly McGhee, agent (Pippin Properties)
Alexandra Penfold, agent (Upstart Crow Literary)
Lauren Rille, associate art director (Simon & Schuster)

From left: Justin Chanda, Claudia Gabel, Susan Hawk, Holly McGhee, Alexandra Penfold, Lauren Rille.

This is no ordinary group of people. They're all extremely talented at what they do. They are passionate, voracious, and are experts in creating children's books and nurturing those who strive to put their ideas onto the page. And they're HERE. In PERSON! Down the line they went, discussing their areas of expertise (MG vs YA, picture books vs graphic novels). What's the submission they'd love to find on their desk? Your best work, carefully directed at the places you've researched. Stories that inspire an emotional response. Manuscripts/dummies with NUMBERED PAGES (seriously, people!). Show them your point of view, your unique voice. They want to want you. Maybe it will take a long time, but once you've found your groove, they want to help. No, really. They are on the prowl. So read. A lot. Think. A lot. And do your research. A whole lot.

Inspired yet? More to follow from the Redmond Marriott. Stay tuned!

CONFERENCE 2013: Tamra Tuller, "Crying Out Loud: Heightening Emotion in Your Novel"

Chronicle Books' Tamra Tuller addresses the banshee in the backs of our minds, waiting for its time to wail in the pages we write:

EMOTION!!!

um, er, (inner voice drops to a whisper). . . emotion.


What she shared:

*It's difficult to bring a high level of emotional complexity to your text.

*Understand your character's motivations, what makes them tick. Can't say it enough: Know your character!

*Be specific! Authenticity in a character's emotion comes from specificity.

*Subtext: You can read what isn't there. We've all heard this before, but it applies even more in writing emotion: Silence sometimes speaks louder than words.

Examples of texts where authors successfully deal with emotion in a variety of ways:
Markus Zusak's Book Thief
Katherine Erskine's Mockingbird
John Green/David Levithan's Will Grayson, Will Grayson

*Pick and choose the right moments to harness your character's emotion. Be judicious.

*We bring our own emotional baggage to the reading as well as the writing experience.


*Do your best to avoid cliches as you attempt to create high levels of emotion.

CONFERENCE 2013: Editor/Agent/Art Director Panel

Featuring: 
Patti Ann Harris, Julie Just, Kendra Levin, Taylor Norman, Ammi-Joan Paquette, Abigail Samoun, Tamra Tuller, Colleen AF Venable, Joanna Volpe, and Stacy Whitman

Q: Name the last thing you've bought or sold: 

Slush pile treasures, fairy prostitutes, halfway houses for broken robots,  Malawian mud balls, a haunted camera, turtle-back islands, and one (ahem) naked tiger.


Q: What you're looking for:

Voice, fluidity, characters that grab you, strong writing, a degree of honesty that allows you to connect to readers and not condescend - treat your readers as smart people!

Voices that don't get heard.

Unreliable narrators, unexpected turns, experimental plots. 


Q: Where do you find authors/illustrators?

Slush piles, agents, conferences, the Internet (Tumblr, Twitter, blogs), fan fiction sites.


Q: For your published clients, what should they be doing with an extra hour in a day? What do you do with your time when you're done writing?

Nothing to do with their process.
Leave your house!
Genre specific, career specific, pub date specific. 
School visits.
Spend time with actual kids!

Conference Sneak Peek: Stacy Whitman

Stacy Whitman

Stacy Whitman wears many hats. She's an editor, a marketing specialist, a blogger, a publisher, and at Tu Books, the imprint of Lee & Low that she oversees, she's gone from Editorial Director to Publisher. With a background at Wizards of the Coast, Houghton Mifflin, and other publishing stops, Stacy is a true SF/F devotee, and her taste in books reflects that. To check out her exceedingly impressive credentials, see her blog, and also check out an interview she gave a few years back. She is nothing if not intrepid, and a life-long lover of great stories and storytelling. When she stands before us at the annual conference, she'll be talking on the topics "Beyond Orcs and Elves: Human Diversity in SF/F" and "World-Building 101."

Conference Sneak Peek: Patti Ann Harris

Patti Ann Harris

Patti Ann Harris knows a thing or two about a thing or two. If that thing (or two) happens to be related to children's book illustration, art, or design, she's your woman. As the Senior Art Director at Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, she oversees the design of the picture book list and novelty book imprint, LB-Kids. For her advice on how to be a children's book illustrator, click here. You won't be sorry! Also, in an appearance at the SCBWI conference two years ago in Los Angeles, Patti talked about What Makes Your Work Publishable. We're so eager to hear what she has in store for Western Washington this year, and know that whatever she says, we'll be listening. And taking extensive notes!

Conference Sneak Peek: Kendra Levin

Perhaps the best way to get to know Kendra Levin, Senior Editor at Viking Children's Books, is to go right to her impressive web site. A longtime publishing professional who has worked with numerous authors in various stages of the writing process, Kendra decided to become even more involved in the struggles of the writer by becoming a certified life coach. Her subsequent business, Kendra Coaching, grew out of her expertise and dedication to strategies for successful writing and revision. For an interview on her perspective as a writing coach, click here. An author in her own right, Kendra has written plays that have been produced and performed Off Broadway, as well as contributing to a nonfiction anthology and screenwriting.

In a great interview with the SCBWI's Rocky Mountain Chapter, Michaele Charles gets into what makes this incisive and detail-oriented editor and writing coach tick. (Note: You have to click once more to get the interview in full, as a PDF.) There is also a nutshell profile here.



Kendra will add her extensive knowledge and advice when she comes to this year's annual conference, and we look forward to learning from her in April!

Lucy Ruth Cummins: Now/New/Next

Lucy Ruth Cummins is an art director at Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers. She gave us a look at what she is seeing a lot of in terms of illustrated books and what she sees as trending. This was an opportunity to see books she admires and has worked on, in many styles, from picture books to MG and YA.

Short books--500 words or less seem to be selling. There is a place for picture books without words. Publishers are looking for books that reluctant boy readers will pick up and there is a career to be had working in non-fiction for young people.

More books are being illustrated in the middle grade and even young adult market. Books with characters in peril, where the stakes are high have been successful, so there seems to be a little bit more of an edge coming into the younger market.

Lucy talked about Pinterest and Tumblr as workspace and inspiration for developing ideas and collecting images. She was generous with her Q&A, encouraging illustrators to send her post cards.

Notes by Tina Hoggatt

2011 Conference Series- Faculty Q & A with Martha Mihalick

IT'S THURSDAY!! Has everyone packed? Have you brought your notebook to write down all the incredible things that you'll hear? Packed your cash and/or checks for the SCBWI store? Picked out a fun costume for the Dance Party?

Well, if haven't you've got one more day to get it done before our 20th Annual Writing and Illustrating for Children Conference! If you have, then you can slowly sip your coffee & enjoy perusing the answers from the fabulous Martha Mihalick! Martha is part of our Editorial and Art Director Faculty. You can read her conference bio here.

What is the best and worst advice you were given when you started in publishing?

Best advice:

Never be afraid to ask a question.

Trust yourself and your taste.

What were your favorite books as a child? And now?

Too many to name! But particular favorites as a child were Tamora Pierce's SONG OF THE LIONESS QUARTET, MATILDA, BEAUTY, A WRINKLE IN TIME, and the DRINA BALLERINA series. I still love all of those (and many more!), but ones I’ve added more recently are Megan Whalen Turner's ATTOLIA books, CRISS CROSS, GRECELING, ST. LUCY'S HOME FOR GIRLS RAISED BY WOLVES, THE TIME TRAVELER'S WIFE, and the Scott Pilgrim graphic novels.

If you hadn't gone into publishing, you might have been an....

I don’t know! But likely something that had to do with theatre in a backstage or script development way, or film editings always fascinated me. Not that I have any training in either of these things.

What's your favorite snack?

Do people really have just one favorite snack? Mine’s nearly anything chocolate or any baked good—as long as no cherries or raisins are involved!

What do you like most about your job? What do you like least?

I get paid to read and love and talk about books! I am never more challenged or fulfilled as when I’m elbow-deep in an edit. And I’m never more thrilled as when I get to call and make an offer!

What I like least? Having to say “no” a lot. That’s never fun.

Another great Q & A! Enjoy your last day before our Annual Conference! See you tomorrow at the Pre-Conference Kid Lit Drink Night (you don't have to be registered for the conference to attend!).

2011 Conference Series- Faculty Q & A with Justin Chanda

Happy Wednesday! The day after tomorrow the fun begins for our 20th Annual Writing and Illustrating for Children Conference! I know you're all as excited as I am to be part of this conference! Here's another Faculty Q & A- this time with Justin Chanda. Justin is on the Editorial and Art Director Faculty. You can read his Conference bio here.

What is the best and worst advice you were given when you started in publishing?
The best advice? Don’t do this if you are in it for the money… because at the end of the day… there’s not much money. Do this if you love kids books.

Worst advice? It was from someone outside the industry who told me children’s TV (which I was doing) was the same as children’s books. Um… no.

What were your favorite books as a child? And now?
I have to confess that I do not remember reading picture books as a kid. I am sure that I did. I do not want to accuse my parents of bad parenting. I just do not remember them. Which is ironic because as much as I love working on, editing and publishing Teen and Middle Grade I have this big, big soft spot in my dark heart for the picture book.

The book I remember the most and that changed my perception of what a book could be BRIDGE TO TERABITHIA by Katharine Paterson. I read that in grade school and everything was different after that.

If you hadn't gone into publishing, you might have been an...

Theatre Director. Or a Food Critic. Or both at the same time.

What do you most want our attendees to know about you?
That I am honest and straightforward in my critiques and in my advice. I love to talk about books and the industry. I love this industry. I love books. But I am also very much a realist. There is a business aspect to this business, and that needs to play a part in the final decisions that I make and the books that my staff acquires. Which does not mean I want to spend every waking moment talking about money and the marketplace. And it does not mean that we do not acquire passion projects in my imprints. We do all the time. It DOES mean that there always has to be a balance. I have a staff who depends on me to keep the lights on which needs to be weighed with the responsibilities (and the joys) of bringing quality books to kids of all ages.

What's your favorite snack?
That I shouldn’t eat? Oh my, it’s sour patch kids

That I should eat? I have become VERY fond of kale chips these days. No joke.

What do you like most about your job? What do you like least?
What I like most is the work. The fact that at the end of the day we produce books for kids. How amazing is that? The fact that I get to publish so many books, but also still EDIT some. Very cool, indeed.

And my staff. I work with the absolute best people in the business. I have no doubt about that!

I like the hours the least. And the stress. Oddly enough when I first started I thought big decisions would be made sitting on plush, comfy carpets while playing with fluffy bunny and duckie stuffed animals. Sadly, I work in an office, and even though our doors are painted BRIGHT colors, and there is artwork everywhere and clutter everywhere else… there are days when it is very clear I work a desk job.

Great answers from Justin! (I love the answer to what he wants attendees to know about him- good insight). Make sure you tune in tomorrow for another exciting Faculty Q & A!!

2011 Conference Series- Faculty Q & A with Lionel Bender

Tuesday already!?! This week can't go fast enough! I can't wait until this weekend's 20th Annual Writing and Illustrating for Children Conference! We have just a few more Faculty ! & A's to share! Here's one with Lionel Bender. Lionel is on our Editorial and Art Director Faculty. You can read his Conference Bio here.

What is the best and worst advice you were given when you started in children's literature?

BEST: "Take every opportunity to learn as much as you can about all aspects of publishing. Ask questions and try your hand at design, picture research, production, sales, and marketing. Understand where authors, illustrators, and editors fit in the grand scheme of publishing".

WORST: "At school, you were average grade at English. At high school and university you did "hard" sciences. I don't think book publishing is the career for you".

What advice would you now give someone starting out in children's literature?

The world of children's publishing has changed rapidly these past few years and is set to change even more. Explore all avenues and get to learn what publishers are looking for, how they market books, and about self-promotion and self-publishing. Don't think only of "book" publishing—there are many new media, and many new ways of reaching readers.

What was your favorite book as a child? And now?

AS A CHILD: The TIM stories by author and illustrator Edward Ardizonne [not sure if published in the US]

NOW: Some of the new graphic novels

As you know, those who are in children's literature tend to have lengthy discussions on the important topic of snacks (usually it's a baked good). What's your favorite snack?

Beigel, cream cheese, and lox

What are you most looking forward to about being part of the 2011 SCBWI WWA faculty?

Sharing experiences and perspectives on children's publishing. As a book packager, it is interesting to hear publishers', editors', authors' and illustrators' perspectives on how the industry is developing and changing.

Attendees are often nervous to meet faculty at a conference. What, if anything, makes you nervous about being part of the faculty?

Speaking a different language (the Queen's English) and telling things as they are.

What do you like most about your job? What do you like least?

THE MOST: Having to come up with a different way of presenting a familiar subject or topic. As many have said, "There is nothing new in publishing." The challenge is to present a familiar subject in a novel, unique, or different way, whether it be by the illustrations or photographs used, or the voice of the text, or a mixture of all of these.

LEAST: Having to deal with individuals or companies that do not understand how the publishing industry works.

What do you most want our attendees to know about you?

I have spent my publishing career working in market-driven, illustrated non-fiction publishing. Here there is little room for, "Wouldn't it be nice to do this, or "We'll try this and see how it sells". And I have worked for many of the pioneering book packaging companies, editing and writing alongside designers, illustrators, photographers, picture researchers, production people, and sales and marketing people. For 20 years, I and my partners have run our own book packaging company. So, for me, book publishing is about "teamwork." I believe this has given me a fairly unique experience of the business of publishing and how authors and illustrators can succeed in it. Hence my focus is more on how to make a career in the world of children's publishing than it is on the art and craft of writing.

Wonderful answers from Lionel! Make sure you visit the event website to get your name on the waiting list (since registration is full).

2011 Conference Series- Faculty Q & A with Tim Travaglini

Next week at this time we'll all be enjoying our 20th Annual Writing and Illustrating for Children Conference (and thinking about our fun outfits for the First Annual Conference Dance Party!). So lets celebrate with another Faculty Q & A!! Here's one with Tim Travaglini, who is on our Editorial & Art Director Faculty. You can check out Tim's conference bio here.

What is the best and worst advice you were given when you started in children's literature?

I am not sure I recall anyone giving me advice that stuck with me (which my advisers would probably tell me is part of my problem). And I doubt anyone ever gave me bad advice.

What advice would you give now to others?
Marry money.

What was your favorite book as a child? And now?

There certainly was never one single favorite book I had as a child; but I did love anything and everything by Lloyd Alexander, THE GREAT BRAIN series, THE MOOMINTROLLS, THE PHANTOM TOLL BOOTH, IN THE NIGHT KITCHEN--they all sprang readily to mind.

Can't answer what my favorite books are now, but I certainly have a passion for books I've acquired and edited; D.M. Cornish's MONSTER BLOOD TATTOO (now retitled THE FOUNDLING'S TALE here in the US), Laini Taylor's Dreamdark books, BENJAMIN FRANKLINSTEIN LIVES. And books that were published during my adulthood; HOLES, THERE'S A HOLE IN MY LIFE, GOODNIGHT GORILLA. This is completely off the top of my head, mind you...

Which authors/illustrators do you feel are most influencing current trends in children's literature?
Anyone and everyone who is selling the most copies immediately has the most influence on current trends. Thankfully, we can all still be continually surprised by new hits, and thus the trends keep changing. Just peek at the bestsellers lists: Whomever is on the list, and more importantly stays on the list, are the influencers.

As you know, those who are in children's literature tend to have lengthy discussions on the important topic of snacks (usually a baked good). What's your favorite snack?

Geez...I like anything with peanut butter and bananas in it...

Attendees are often nervous to meet you at a conference. What, if anything, makes you nervous about being part of the faculty?

Hmmm...nervous? I instantly get nervous when someone says, "I submitted X to you 3 years ago..." because I then have to say, "Well, I hope I got back to you..."

What do you like most about your job? What do you like least?
What I like most is taking a worthy book and building as great an audience for it as possible. And what I like the least is that the industry has all but completely transformed into an aggressive, money-driven commerical enterprise where human relationships take a back seat to the bottom line.

What do you most want our attendees to know about you?
Tim really likes roller derby, and if you are talking to him Saturday night he'll be secretly thinking how he can sneak out the back to see the Rat City Rollergirls home bout.

You can check out Tim's Facebook page (The Devils Wears Bowties). Make sure you visit the event website to get your name on the waiting list (registration is full).

2011 Conference Series-Editorial & Art Director Faculty: Anne Moore

We have only one final amazing 20th Annual Writing and Illustrating for Children Conference Faculty member to showcase! Anne Moore is on our Editorial and Art Director Faculty, and is co-leading the Master Class for Illustrators along with Dan Santat. Anne works for Candlewick Press as the Art Resource Coordinator.

Anne has worked in children's book publishing for over 20 years working as a Senior Book Designer both at Little, Brown and Company and Candlewick Press. She works extensively with art agents who represent a wide variety of illustrators and is involved with the process of negotiating offers & contracts for illustrators. Her specialties include researching and finding illustration styles to suit particular texts and providing visual resources to the art and editorial departments.

Anne also took some time and answered questions from our Faculty Q & A (that were adjusted especially for her by our own Jaime Temairik).

What's your average day like?

When I was a book designer, I worked on 10-15 books at a time, had tight deadlines and worked on a book from sketch stage to final proof stage My role now is more big picture & not quite as deadline-driven. I coordinate weekly meetings that help editors find the appropriate illustration style for their texts, and on the average, we’re considering or negotiating about 15-20 new projects at a time. I assist the creative director, Chris Paul by keeping the department up-to-date on new & seasoned illustrators and suggest illustration styles for stories that have been newly acquired. I often have the honor of sending a text to an illustrator or their agent to ask if they are interested in illustrating the story. That certainly is a highlight, as it often involves a very excited illustrator or agent on the other end of the line. My day is filled with looking at artist websites, blogs and I also review art submissions and picture book dummies from agents and artists, providing feedback and/or sharing with the creative director or an appropriate editor.

Do you have a favorite working snack?

Ah, I love dark roast coffee in the morning & a steaming mug of Good Earth tea in the afternoon. Little chunks of dark chocolate also seem to appear on my desk at key times too.

Are you currently acquiring illustrators?
I’m always looking for new illustrators with a strong sense of character that I connect with emotionally. It’s exhilarating to find an illustrator that has their very own/unique style...this certainly jazzes me. Obviously, we look for folks who can illustrate children and animals with believable gestures, movement and perspectives in identifiable scenarios. Themes involving bedtime, playground, siblings, nature, pets, school and home are some standard ones for an illustrator to consider showcasing in their portfolio.

You're on Twitter! Do you find artists via Twitter? Or is it more about keeping up on industry news, community building, having fun?
I decided to join Twitter as an experiment of sorts to connect with the children’s book industry news and to share some of the Candlewick news that relates to our illustrators & books. I’ve found it’s such an easy, immediate way to communicate and share ideas with a circle of creative people. I cannot say I’ve necessarily found illustrators on Twitter for our books per se, but I do see new work as it appears on their blogs, so it’s been a great way to be connected to fresh ideas and images. Come follow me.

What's your favorite children's book/cover of 2010 (or even the last two months if you want!) (not done by your publishing house)?
I love the strong graphic quality & charm of Lane Smith's IT’S A BOOK. The type design is so clean & I love how it integrates with the image in such a deceptively simple & satisfying way....perfecto! I also adore Jon Klassen’s work and his covers for the THE INCORRIGIBLE CHILDREN series. This fall, Candlewick is publishing I WANT MY HAT BACK, his very first picture book that is both written and illustrated by him. We’re beyond thrilled.

Kill, kiss, or marry: Helvetica, Baskerville, or Comic Sans?
Well, I’d certainly kiss Helvetica.

Favorite Pantone color?
Well, it would have to be emberglow: 17-1547 I just love how saturated & luscious that coral is.
I love browns & corals together & citrons for accent...and I also have a soft spot for robin’s egg blue & hues of celery & sage.
I also adore pale blush Pantone 14-1312 like Hallie Berry’s Oscar gown this year, ooh lah lah!

I could go on & on...did I answer your question sufficiently?


Pictures! Are you willing to share any pictures? Either of your desk, a favorite spot in the office, tchotchkes, current project covers?

Candlewick Press ~ in background: our in house art gallery. Original art pieces that were chosen for the Society of Illustrators Original Art 2010 show are exhibiting currently.

Anne's basket of inspiring art samples ~ one way to remember styles & illustrators' work

Art samples surround Anne's office walls

This is our second year doing a master class for illustrators, and we are really excited about both your and Dan's sessions. Any last minute advice you want to give participants?
Enjoy the process...relax, dream, doodle... let the characters come to life. We’ll all be learning together as we go.

What's something else you'd like to tell us about your background in children's books (lifelong dream? Randolph Caldecott is your great-great-great-great-great-great-uncle? Candlewick is a front for a crime syndicate?)
You probably don’t know that I used to work on Marc Brown’s ARTHUR book series; one of his books was the very first I ever designed on a computer. Some other highlights of my career have been designing the Louisa May Alcott books re-published by Little, Brown and Company, visiting Melissa Sweet in her Maine studio and seeing her delightful illustrations gracing her kitchen cabinets. And, more recently, it’s been a pleasure to watch a former art intern at Candlewick, Julia Denos, blossom into a full-time, successful children’s book illustrator. I’ll be highlighting some of her work from Grandmother’s Gloves in one of the SCBWI-WA workshops.

What great details (and pictures!) from Anne!! A fun fact about Anne is that one of her favorite things to do is to meet with art students and review their portfolios, picture book dummies and sketchbooks. Make sure you get your name on the waiting list at our event website (registration is full).