Author Interview: Debut middle grade author, Amanda Hosch!

Describe Mabel Opal Pear and the Rules for Spying in one sentence.

Daughter of spies realizes that the odd occurrences in her small town may be a big problem.

 

What made you want to become a writer?

Not sure that I had a choice. I’ve always written, whether it was for my college newspaper or long letters to my grandmothers, aunts, and mom while I lived overseas for almost a decade.

When my grandmother died, someone gave me a shoebox of the letters and postcards that I had sent to her. Apparently she liked to pull them out and share them with visitors. Rereading them was so much fun for me because they were time capsules of my life in Asia and Europe.

 

 

What did you like to read as a kid?

Mysteries/detectives like Nancy Drew, Encyclopedia Brown, and Agatha Christies. I also adored Beverly Cleary and Judy Blume, the Wizard of Oz stories, pretty much anything I could get my hands on. I was an avid reader.

 

Tell us about your cover. Who is the artist?

I have to gush here because I had absolutely nothing to do with the cover and feel like I won the lottery. The artist’s name is Ira Sluyterman van Langeweyde and she captured Mabel and the setting of Silverton so well. The book designer, Tracy McCabe, did amazing work with the entire layout, especially the blue endpapers printed with the Rules. I could go on all day about the awesomeness of the Capstone team. 

 

 

What surprised you the most about writing Mabel Opal Pear and the Rules for Spying?

Trying to find one definitive list of the world’s counties and their official names was impossible. International politics and diplomacy dictate formal recognition, which sometimes does not reflect a particular country’s own given name. For MOPRS, I used lists from The United Nations and the US State Department.

 

 

How did you find your agent?

The slush pile! No secret handshake here, just querying. Lots and lots of querying.

 

Are you a plotter or a pantser?

Both. I usually write about 30 pages to see where the voice and hook will take me. If it sustains my interest, I’ll plot out the novel. 

 

Do you have a regular writing routine/spot/playlist, etc?

Depending on the day, I usually write at home for a few hours once the kids go to school. I have a dedicated spot that has my notes and research. I also write in a coffee shop, while sitting with other writers. There’s something very energizing knowing that great art is being created next to me. It propels me to try harder.

 

Trying to work...

What’s next for you?

I’m currently working on a YA historical, that is slowly taking shape and is less of a hot mess everyday I revise (yay!).

 

I also have a fun MG in the pipeline, whose protagonists keeps tumbling into my thoughts, but they’ll have to wait.

 

AND, I want to say…

 Thank you to the SCBWI. This is an amazing organization and the Western Washington chapter is so rich in talent and generosity. I can’t imagine a better place to be a MG/YA writer. And thank you to my writing group: you guys rock!

 

MABEL OPAL PEAR AND THE RULES FOR SPYING, Capstone Young Readers, is on sale October 1, 2017!

Find out more about Amanda on her website, or join her for her debut book launch at University Bookstore this Sunday, 3pm! We are told there will be cupcakes.

Jessica Anderson: Behind the Scenes of a Middle Grade Novel: From Submission to Finished Book

Jessica Anderson is an assistant editor at Christy Ottaviano Books, which has an affinity for illustrated middle grade books.

To share a few (both fiction and nonfiction):

Illustrations and photographs break up the narrative, complimenting the text but not distracting from it.

Jessica takes us through the process (submission to finished book) with SECRETS OF THE DRAGON TOMB.

When ready to bring a manuscript to table, editors also prepare a pitch for the book to bring to their publishing house. An  acquisitions meeting then takes place. The editorial team must present a publication schedule, outline comparative titles, and provide additional sales hooks. 

If the deal is done, the editorial process begins. 

An editorial letter is delivered to the author which includes preexisting strengths and what work needs to be done. There are usually multiple revisions over 4 to 6 months. This starts with developmental edits, followed by line editing on a more micro-scale. 

Once editor and author are feeling good about the manuscript, it's time to put the manuscript into production. The book will go to copyediting, looking at consistency in plot details, discrepancies between text and art, repetitions and errors in text, formatting consistency, and accuracy of factual information. This takes about a month.

When the manuscript is fully edited, it's time to hire an artist. At this stage, editors and designers are looking for someone who has a fresh interpretation of the story, will be a tonal compliment to the genre and age range of the project, as well as a masterful range in landscape, action, and portraits. 

Once an illustrator is brought on, character sketches begin. Illustration continues, taking it through to final illustrations. 

Next step: creation of the book jacket. Several concepts will be created before the final is decided on.

Advanced reader copies are then produced (about 8 months pre-publication) which includes design for first page passes, mix of interior sketches and final art. 

Final checks are made with first, second, and third pass pages and then final files are prepared. 

Finishing touches include the packaging, jacket finishes, and the jacket case.

Lisa Yee on Wednesday!

Lisa Yee is coming!

Yes, she of the Millicent Min, Girl Genius fame and now writer of a new series, DC Super Hero Girls #1: Wonder Woman at Super Hero High fame, will be at the Alderwood Mall Barnes & Noble this WEDNESDAY, March 16 at 5pm!

Super Author Lisa Yee comes to Alderwood Mall this week!

For more information about Lisa, her new middle-grade series for DC Comics, click here.

WHEN: Wednesday, March 16 at 5PM

WHERE: Barnes & Noble, 19401 Alderwood Mall Parkway, Lynnwood, WA 98036

A Don't-Miss Meeting NEXT WEEK: a friendly reminder

SCBWI March Meeting – You’re Invited!

When: Wednesday, March 16 at 7pm (get there early for snacks and chat)

Where: Seattle Pacific University, Demaray Hall

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

Program

Mini Session: “Mo-om! He’s BREATHING on me!” Roseanne Parry discusses the sibling voice in middle grade fiction. What can siblings bring to a story? Find out from Roseanne, the award-winning author of four middle grade novels: WRITTEN IN STONE, HEART OF A SHEPHERD, SECOND FIDDLE, and — in January, 2016 — TURN OF THE TIDE. Oh, and she writes in a tree house. How cool is that?

Main Session: Inclusivity in Children’s Books, a panel discussion moderated by Allyson Valentine Schrier and Lois Brandt. We all know the benefits of reading to children from the time that they are very young. But what happens when children do not have access to books that mirror their own experience? And what happens in a society in which books only provide windows into the lives of a dominant culture? How do we, as children's writers and illustrators, encourage and participate in expanding inclusivity in children's literature, even if we ourselves are not members of an under-represented culture?

We are profoundly fortunate to host a panel that includes Philip Lee, co-founder of Lee and Low Publishing and Readers to Eaters, KCLS Children’s Librarian Ann Crewdson, Author Kelly Jones, and Author/Illustrator Liz Wong. 

Come explore with a panel passionate about this appropriately hot topic.

Question to think about:

Our monthly meetings are a dynamic, engaging way to improve your skills (craft and marketing) while broadening your circle of contacts and friends. We’ve had an amazing season full of speakers who are well worth the trip. But the number of empty seats in the house tells us that we might be doing something wrong. Is it the traffic, the topics, the venue, the time/date/duration? We are working on a short survey concerning attendance at our monthly meetings. Please be thinking about the reasons you have or haven’t attended regularly and what might improve attendance.

Everything is on the table and we’re open to your ideas. So please, give it some thought!

Many thanks, and see you Wednesday, March 16!

Dana Arnim and Dana Sullivan

Co-Regional Advisors, SCBWI Western Washington

Carole Estby Dagg's new book

Celebrating the launch of SWEET HOME ALASKA on February 2, Carole Estby Dagg will present two local programs illustrated by original Associated Press photographs and part of her collection of 1930’s memorabilia. And since it is a book birthday, there will be cake! 

Local appearances and launches include the following:

Saturday, February 6, at 2:00 p.m.

Everett Public Library Auditorium, 2702 Hoyt Avenue, Everett

Tuesday, February 9, 7 p.m.

Third Place Books, 17171 Bothell Way NE, Lake Forest Park, WA

SWEET HOME ALASKA

A selection of the Junior Library Guild

Nancy Paulsen imprint of Penguin Books for Young Readers

Simultaneous release of audio from Listening Library, narrated by Susan Denaker

Becoming a better neighbor through fiction

Middle-grade author Sonja Anderson (SOPHIE'S QUEST) will be speaking on Friday, February 5 from 5-7pm at the Westwood Village Barnes and Noble. The group Words, Writers, and West Seattle, is sponsoring this monthly event, and part of the proceeds will support the Southwest Seattle Historical Society. She’ll be speaking on “Becoming a Better Neighbor through Fiction,” as I discovered in the process of writing her newly published children’s novel, Sophie’s Quest (Sunberry Books, UK, 2015).

Sara's summer continues

Sara Nickerson's on a roll! Her second middle-grade novel is out, and she's been reviewed (favorably!) in the New York Times. Now, after her return from the Los Angeles conference, she's making another appearance locally:

WHEN: Thursday, August 13 at 7pm
WHERE: Phinney Books, 7405 Greenwood Ave. N, Seattle
WHY: THE SECRETS OF BLUEBERRIES, BROTHERS, MOOSE & ME!!

Good news for Sharon!

Sharon Mentyka just sent in this fabulous announcement:

My middle grade chapter book, BREATHE TO BOTH SIDES, was the 1st Place Winner in the Middle Grade category at this year’s Pacific Northwest Writers Association Literary Contest. The book tells the story of two 12-year old girls—one white, the other black—whose lives intersect across the space of 35 years when a whites-only swimming pool, buried to avoid the prospect of integrated swimming in the 1970s, is discovered in their small Southern town.

 

 

Congratulations, Sharon! Great news!

 

 

 

Sara on a Sunday!

You're never too far away from SCBWI-WWA!

While on vacation back East, imagine the thrill I just experienced as I opened the New York Times Book Review this morning over breakfast, where the name SARA NICKERSON fairly leapt off the page in the Children's Book section (apologies for the blur––I blame my hands, which were shaking with excitement and purpose):

Sara Nickerson gets noticed!

Her just-out latest middle-grade novel, THE SECRETS OF BLUEBERRIES, BROTHERS, MOOSE & ME, received a lovely review. What a nice way to launch! Congratulations to Sara, and for what sounds like a really great read. So well deserved!

NOTE: Sara will be at Ravenna's THIRD PLACE BOOKS on Thursday, July 23 at 7pm.  Come help her celebrate!

Good things come....

...to those who wait! Or, in the case of debut author Sonja Anderson, they come after 15 whole years of patience and dedicated work. Which is reason to celebrate the release of Sonja's debut middle-grade novel, Sophie's Quest (Sunpenny Publishing Group, UK). The book will launch on Saturday, June 13 at the Burien Library from 3-4 pm. (Page 2 Books is hosting a sale and signing.)

 

 

 

Sonja writes, "This has been in progress for 15 years!"

 

 

Well done, Sonja! Congratulations!

 

 

 

Rachel Orr class on MediaBistro

If you liked Rachel Orr's presentation at the conference last week, she's teaching a middle grade writing class through MediaBistro. Signup deadline is tomorrow (Tuesday). 

 

Here's the link:
http://www.mediabistro.com/courses/middle-grade-novel-writing/online/9038/

Don't delay---To repeat, TUESDAY, APRIL 28 is your deadline!!

Making the (Middle) Grade: Essential Elements of the MG Novel with Brianne Johnson

Writers House agent Brianne Johnson shared a talk with us last Friday afternoon about writing middle-grade novels. She discussed plot, character, voice, beginnings, and theme in middle grade, using examples from some of her clients' books, The League of Beastly Dreadfuls and The Only Thing Worse than Witches, as well as from Harry Potter, A Single Shard, and Matilda.

She started out by sharing Aristotle's definition of plot, "the change of good fortune to bad, or bad fortune to good." Then she said there are three basic types of plots: conflict, mystery, and/or lack. A middle-grade novel may have one, two, or all three of those plot types, but each plot must have its own complete story arc (stasis, inciting incident, escalating complicating events, climax, resolution). 

Some of the most common problems she sees with character are in the dialog. Her advice? "Read it out loud!" She also recommends using the worksheets and checklists in Cheryl Klein's book, Second Sight, for both plot and character development.

Some common themes in middle grade that she discussed in the workshop include challenging the status quo and learning that not all adults are kindly caregivers looking out for their best interests. "You can be really dark in middle grade," Brianne said, "but at the end of the day… there does need to be hope." She ended her presentation with this quote from Richard Peck: "A children’s novel ends not with happily ever after, but at a new beginning, with the sense of a lot of life left to be lived." 
Finally, we had time to read some of the attendees' first pages aloud and discuss as a group what was and wasn't working in each of the pieces.

— Reported by Laurie Ann Thompson

Master Class spaces available

Brianne Johnson, literary agent at Writers House, is doing triple-duty in Seattle next week!

Her one-on-one consultations filled up in a matter of hours, and her talk at our first monthly program meeting on Thursday, October 16 at SPU is something we're all eager to hear. But wait! She's also giving a middle-grade Master Class, and there are still available spots for those who might not have gotten a chance to have a consultation.

Here's the scoop:

Master Class: Essential Elements of the Middle Grade Novel

On Friday afternoon, October 17, 2014, from 3–5pm in Bertona Hall, Room 1, on the campus of Seattle Pacific University, Brianne Johnson of Writers House Agency will discuss the enduring elements of the successful middle grade novel. Select attendees will then have an opportunity to read their first pages aloud for commentary by Brianne and the group. Bring the first 500 words of your middle grade novel. (There will not be time for everyone’s pages to be read, so please be prepared to learn from the critique of others’ work if you are not selected.) 

Cost: $45 (SCBWI members), $55 (non-members). To register, contact Martha Brockenbrough

Katherine's nomination

A hearty, albeit belated, congratulations to Katherine Schlick Noe, whose middle-grade novel, Something to Hold (Clarion, 2011), was nominated for the 2015 Sasquatch Award by the Washington Library Media Association.  The nominees are selected by WLMA, and the winner will be chosen by young readers across the state.

Trudi's good news

The ever-fabulous Trudi Trueit is pleased to share that Aladdin/Simon & Schuster has bought her tween novel!

 The book is titled Dreama’s Worst Nightmare, and is the story of two sisters, who are as opposite as two sisters can be (wouldn’t you know it?). Eleven year-old Jorgianna is brilliant, quirky, and hot-tempered. Her thirteen-year-old sister, Dreama, is striking, soft-spoken, and thoughtful. They’ve gotten along, despite their differences, but when genius Jorgianna gets moved up—not one, but two grades—into the eighth grade with Dreama, their tween universe is in for a big bang! This will be my second novel for S&S’s tween imprint, MIX. The first, Stealing Popular was released in 2012 (cover & author photo are attached).

 

 

 

 

Here is the official blurb from Publisher’s Weekly:

 

Alyson Heller at Simon and Schuster has acquired North American rights to Dreama's Worst Nightmare by Trudi Trueit for Aladdin's tween imprint, M!X. When an 11-year-old genius gets bumped up two grades into her sister's middle school, the bonds of sisterhood are pushed to their limits. It's set for fall 2015 publication; Rosemary Stimola of Stimola Literary Studio negotiated the deal. 



 Congratulations, Trudi! Well done!

NOTE: If you have good news about your work making it into the world, please send your information to russin3@msn.com for posting in the Chinook Update. We want to help spread the word, as well as the inspiration, to everyone!

Call for MG nominations

The Washington Library Media Association's annual Sasquatch Award committee is looking for books. Nominate good solid middle grade fiction AND stellar non-fiction for grades 4-6 (not too teen!), variety of genres and boy/girl type books, copyright 2012 OR 2013. If folks have books to nominate, send them via email to Erin Ostrander at elostrander@kcls.org.

This year's Sasquatch Award winner happens to be our very own Royce Buckingham, for his book The Dead Boys. Congratulations, Royce! Read all about it here.

From Erin Ostrander: They don't have to be WA-based authors or have WA interest, but I've got a soft spot for our wonderful local talent from working with local authors and illustrators for 14 years––I was super-thrilled to have Royce's book, The DeadBoys; Guinea Dog by Patrick Jennings; and Clete Barrett Smith's Aliens on Vacation all on the list this past year!

YA/MG authors with spring releases

Are there any other authors with MG/YA spring releases who would be interested in doing some joint signings/events in April? Please email Maureen McQuerry (Beyond the Door, Abrams/Amulet, March 2014) and you might be able to work something out. 

(And don't forget to send notice of your local appearances to the Chinook! We want to know!)

Angelina Hansen's debut novel

Angelina Hansen, who served on AdCom from 2010-2012, released her debut novel Julius Caesar Brown and the Green Gas Mystery on Friday, July 12 under the pen name of Ace Hansen. The book currently exists as an e-book, available online at Amazon, MuseItUp, Kobo, and Barnes and Noble; the hardcover version launches this fall.

Congratulations, Angelina!

MG Mystery Short Story Contest

Children's Writer is having a middle grade mystery short story contest. First prize is $500 and publication. Submissions are due April 30.

Current Contest:
Middle-Grade Mystery

The contest is for a well-constructed fictional mystery that will engage readers 9 to 12, to 900 words. Entries will be judged on structure, appeal for the audience, use of the best elements of the mystery genre, and an interesting protagonist.
Among the possibilities are a scary but age-appropriate story, a puzzle the reader is asked to solve using problem-solving skills, or a mix of mystery with another genre, such as historical, inspirational, or humorous fiction. The judges will look for originality, and publishability.

For more information visit their website (go to the writing contest tab and read through the criteria- there is a $15 fee for non-subscribers that will get you an 8 month subscription to the online magazine). Thanks to Lois Brandt for sending the link!

Find a Trusted Reader for Your Middle-Grade Novel

Writing the middle-grade novel means writing in that fine line between the mind of a child and the uncharted territory of an adolescent. At the Whole Novel Workshop, we offer trusted readers on our faculty who are also published authors and editors working on fiction targeted for middle school children. If you have a manuscript that you think deserves a trusted reader, join Tami Lewis Brown , Sarah Aronson , Melanie Kroupa, Kent Brown -- and our own Joni Sensel -- in July for the Whole Novel Workshop for Middle Grade Fiction. One of the faculty will read and critique your novel to tell you what's working and what needs work. Then, we'll spend a week writing, talking, and working together to make your story better. After it's all done, we'll send you home with a plan to keep the good work flowing.

For more information about the Whole Novel Workshop, which takes place near Honesdale, PA, contact Jo Lloyd at 570-253-1192, or email Jo at jo.lloyd@highlightsfoundation.org or visit their website.