December: A busy month of school visits!

When you author a Christmas book, you have to expect a crazy month of school visits, Christmas bazaars and book signings, right? December 2011 proved to be just as busy as past years - and that's good news for me! I'm blessed with all the new friends I met through my school visits. The kids asked great questions, I lunched with budding authors, teachers/principals/parents were extraordinarily gracious. Thanks to all who shared their Christmas season with me. You've brought me great joy. Below are two of the school reviews:

St. Catherine of Sienna, Reading, PA - Jeannine told the story in such a beautiful, poetic way....I felt like Mary was talking to me! What a wonderful gift she brought to all of us with her soothing voice, wonderful story and the amazing illustrations. I wish that all children could be as lucky as ours were to "hear" Mary's story!

Our Lady of the Assumption, Strafford, PA -

What a wonderful way to start the holiday season. Mrs. Jeannine Norris came to our school and introduced the children to her beautiful book, Tonight You are My Baby: Mary’s Christmas Gift.

The children were riveted as she read the story and it was projected large than life on the whiteboard. Mrs. Norris kept them engaged in the story all the while sharing her experiences with them.
Many of the teachers commented that Mrs. Norris had such a beautiful “way” with the children, just as she has a beautiful way with words. This book and this author are both truly a gift from God.
Patty Welsh Principal, Our Lady of the Assumption Preschool and Kindergarten”Strafford, PA

Happy Thanksgiving!

I'm one of those lucky people who have an abundance of blessings. Wonderful family, good friends, laughter and love in my life. But I also count my writing life among my blessings:

* the gift of words

* the schools who have shared their day with me

* the editors who have shaped my writing

* those who have given me opportunities

* the kids who ask questions and tell me I've taught them something

* the gift of sharing the Christmas story

* the schools who have donated to our foundation, At Least Kids

* my critique group who offers support and laughter

* friends who I've met through SCBWI

I am thankful to all of you for sharing my writing life. Happy Thanksgiving!

What's A Writer To Do? Agent Ammi-Joan Paquette Gives Tips on Writing

So much conflicting advice we picture book writers hear ...

* write quality manuscripts, focus on making one better - Wait! - write many manuscripts and find the gem.
* start with a PB manuscript under 500 words - Wait! - write as much as you want to tell the story, THEN cut words
* you must write an original story - Wait! - it has to have a universal theme

What is a writer to do? Agent Ammi-Joan Paquette, a guest blogger on Tara Lazar's website, gives an excellent overview. Ammi-Joan creates a unique perspective, as she's not only an agent, but a picture book and novel author. Check out Tara's website for the skinny....

Inspiration? It's Everywhere!

Tara Lazar is hosting the wonderfully creative Picture Book Idea Month (PiBoIdMo). Each day of November means you come up with an idea. But, Tara is not only creative, she is especially generous :). In return, she is giving us a guest blogger. Day 4, and we have author Joan Reidy (Too Pickley, Too Purpley, Too Princessy, and the newest Light Up the Night). Inspiration for ideas really just comes from looking at the world around us. Stay open to possibilities. Joan talks about a few of her favorites: YouTube videos, newspaper articles, illustrator websites and the "rhythm of life sounds". Check out today's post on Tara's website.

PiBoIdMo is ON!!

Okay my writer friends - Picture Book Idea Month is almost here! The ever-creative Tara Lazar has planned another awesome PiBoIdMo. Her blog is chock-full of interview with agents, editors, prizes, ideas and even critiques! Run, don't walk, to Tara's blog and sign up. One picture book idea, every day, for the month of November. But don't panic - Tara's daily blogs will keep those creative juices flowing. Join me in the fun!

Do You Have Character? Does Your Book?

So you have the perfect picture book character and can't wait to get started on the manuscript. Or maybe you already started writing. Is your character lovable? Memorable? Does she have flaws that make her relatable to kids? Are we getting an inside peek to who the character really is? And how does this move the story along? Character-driven picture books fly off the shelves (think Fancy Nancy), and yet writing them can be as complex as the characters themselves. Highlights is here to help with a special weekend workshop "It's All About the Character". Join Lindsay Barrett George and Kim Griswell for a fall weekend in the poconos, as you learn the importance of page turns, moving the character forward and catching an editor's eye. Find out how to make the reader love your character as much as you do.

Looking for an agent? What a website will tell you...

Harold Underdown, editor of the Purple Crayon Website and author of The Complete Idiot's Guide to Publishing Children's Books, understands the dilemma in searching for the right agent. In his blog post, Harold gives a great overview on what to look for when perusing agency websites. Harold narrows it down:

Impressions
Qualifications
Clients
Terms
Conclusions

His case study of Adams Literary Agency, a well-respected children's literary agency, gives the reader insight to carry forward when reviewing other websites.