Announcing Tonight You Are My Baby board book edition!

The board book edition of Tonight You Are My Baby will be released on September 28th! This is fantastic news for any author. The board book edition will reach the youngest readers - just their size. Looking for the perfect stocking stuffer, new baby gift or Christmas book for the little ones on your list? The board book will be available at Amazon and bookstores everywhere. Share the miracle!

Word Count For Children's Books

Are you wondering if your 1,000 word picture book is too long? Most likely - yes. Check out this article on word length for all categories of children's books - board books through YA.
How can you ever delete that fantastic scene? Or the character who has so much depth? Well, you might have to do it, if you want to give your manuscript a chance with an editor or agent.
http://caseylmccormick.blogspot.com/2010/09/word-counts-for-children-books.html

Do You Write Non-fiction?

Highlights Foundation is hosting a cozy, educational workshop for 10 non-fiction writers at their beautiful site in Honesdale, PA. Carolyn Yoder, editor at Caulkins Creek and Highlights Magazine, is leading the workshop. I have attended some of Carolyn's workshops through SCBWI and she is a wealth of information. Non-fiction writing is a great entry for school visits and building publishing credits through magazine articles. Non-fiction can be fun! Check out the details here.

Picture Book or Magazine Article?

Interesting post from Mary Kole, agent at Andrea Brown Literary Agency. Mary suggests asking yourself the $50,000 question. This is approximately what publishers invest when sending a manuscript to print. In today's tough picture book market, a quiet manuscript with a regional focus, or smaller audience appeal, may not make it to the printing press as a book. However, it may be a terrific piece for a magazine, the author gets paid quickly and the publishing credits add up. Check out Mary Kole's article here.

Are You A Nine to Fiver?

Returning from vacation and spent time focusing on several projects. Just in time is this post from Kristi Holl on Thinking Like A Nine-to-Fiver.

With the carefree days of summer coming to a close, we'll be falling into schedules and commitments. Kristi's blog should make it easier to fit writing into the day, and all the other parts of life too. How to do it? Check it out here.

Highlights Foundation and Writing Novels for Young Adults

Crisp autumn days certainly seem like a long time away from these sweltering summer days. But autumn will be here in a blink, and Highlights Foundation offers a fantastic weekend for eight YA writers. Rich Wallace, former Highlights editor and author of numerous YA/MG books, will host a workshop on the beautiful grounds of the Highlights Foundation in the Poconos.
Identify voice, create interesting internal dialogue and find interesting story ideas are among the topics that will be discussed. Interested? Limited to eight participants, so find the details here and act fast.

Vote for Katie!

Highlights Magazine just acquired my "Gallant Kid" article about Katie Stagliano. Yay! Katie is an incredible kid and she certainly deserves a starring role as a Gallant Kid. As an eleven year old, Katie grew a 40 pound cabbage from the third grade Burpee Seed school program. She donated it to a homeless shelter, and found her calling as a gardener and volunteer. Now you have the chance to vote for Katie. If she wins, Katie can start two more gardens, adding to the seven gardens she currently is tending. More gardens means more vegetables donated to soup kitchens and homeless shelters. Vote today - only four days left!