Marcia Thornton Jones's Blog, page 13

How Do We Measure Success? by Darlene Beck Jacobson

 As a writer and author of children's books, I have found that it feels good to celebrate whatever success happens along the way. Writing is so solitary. Many times what we spend hours, days, weeks on, ends up never seeing the light of publication. 

There is a lot to celebrate in a well-turned phrase, a fresh metaphor, or a bit of dialogue that hits a home run. To wait until a project is finished before acknowledging effort or a small step forward would ignore the creativity that comes with every effort. Creativity, for me, does not arrived in a neatly wrapped package of order and precision. It is often messy, scattered, and loud, requiring space and reflection to blossom.

Finished one page today? SUCCESS

Didn't write a word on my WIP, but discovered a great setting for a scene while browsing online photos? SUCCESS

Found some great character names while reading? SUCCESS

 You get the idea. To keep creative juices flowing we need to honor whatever our brain requires. Sometimes the best ideas come from those times when we are away from the desk or computer and thinking about something else. SUCCESS is showing up, being open, and listening to what bubbles up from our brain. 

Here are some of my favorite quotes from successful people:

 

 "Success is not final; failure is not fatal.]: It is the courage to continue that counts." -  Winston Churchill

"Strive not to be a success, but rather to be of value." - Albert Einstein

"If you can't fly, then run. If you can't run, then walk. If you can't walk, then crawl, but whatever you do, you have to keep moving forward." - Martin Luther King Jr.

Every small step and effort counts on the twisty and unpredictable road to success. Bask in each moment. You deserve it.

Darlene Beck Jacobson lives and writes from various places inside her home in NJ.

Success: A New Definition

S-U-C-C-E-S-S!
That's the way you spell Success!

That's also how the old cheer went. (Not that I've been an official cheerleader; just a sports fan who pays attention to everything on and off the field.)

If only success were as easy to achieve as it is to spell.
Or maybe it is. 

Recently, waking up each morning, waiting for my editor to say YES! to my latest book (the industry seems to move even more glacially these days), I don't feel especially successful. Then again, I have books with major publishers, I’ve won some awards, been asked to speak in schools and conferences, touched the lives of readers too numerous to count. And if anyone else listed these as accomplishments, I'd call them a success. 

So, I'm thinking, I need to wake up each morning feeling successful. 
And I suggest, if you've fried the perfect egg or you've fed a hungry bird, or, especially, if you've made someone smile, count yourself as a rousing success, too.
S-U-C-C-E-S-S!

Jody Feldman, in her positivity, is certain that her successes will continue any day now. Maybe even today/1

HOORAY! YOU WON! by Jane Kelley

We all want success. But how to get it? If only there were an actual staircase that you could climb. 
  

A path with no choices--just straight up the side of the mountain! With cheerful colors and murals to encourage you as you went.

 And a nice tree to provide shade as you admired the view from the top. 
  Success is more complicated than that. Some define it by awards. Some by numbers of dollars or likes.

Since everyone is sharing Top 10 lists at this time of year, I thought I'd make one for Success.

SURVIVING -- Are you still here? Hooray! You succeeded!CREATING -- Did you write? Draw? Bake? Make anything at all? FEASTING -- Did you eat? Drink? Indulge your senses? TRAVELING -- Did you step outside yourself? Go someplace new? Or read about it? LAUGHING -- Did you make a joke? Or allow yourself to inspire one?
CRYING -- Did you let yourself be moved?
LISTENING -- Did you pay attention?
APPRECIATING -- Did you find unexpected treasure?
FORGIVING -- Did you release whatever hurt you?
LOVING -- Did you open yourself to the best part of being human?

If you missed any of these, you still have a few days left before the end of the year.

Or you could always visit that magical staircase in Sogamoso, Colombia. 

JANE KELLEY writes MG novels that she hopes encourage multiple kinds of success.

How to Define Writing Success

 Back in the day I remember being gobsmacked and inspired by Barbara O'Connor's annual roundup posts which included books she'd released and numbers of school visits, etc. (Barb is still out there being successful, but she no longer blogs about it.) I thought: wow! what a life! This is what success looks like! 

Well, yes. To actively produce work and also impact many children is definitely a measure of success. But there are MANY ways to define success.

If you're reading this blog post: success.

If you wrote something today: success.

If you finished a chapter or a draft: success.

If you got a book deal: success.

If your work earned favorable reviews: success.

If your book found readers, no matter how small or large the number: success.

If you grew as a person due to writing or writing-related activities: success.

You get the idea!

My relationship with and my definition of success has changed over time. These days I wholeheartedly subscribe to this bit of wisdom from David McCullough:
"Real success is finding your lifework in the work that you love."
AND for me, success is no longer about pleasing others; success is about being myself. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie says it better:
“It is not your job to be likable. It’s your job to be yourself. Someone will like you anyway.”
Yes, I know this can be a hard thing to arrive at in a business that requires other people like and believe in your words for them to ever see publication! But. The more we are ourselves in our writing, the more likely we'll write something that resonates with others.

How to get there? Not by chasing trends or obsessing over agent and editor manuscript wishlists. Here's some truer-than-true words from Ralph Waldo Emerson:
"Enthusiasm is one of the most powerful engines of success. When you do a thing, do it with all your might. Put your whole soul into it. Stamp it with your own personality. Be active, be energetic, be enthusiastic and faithful, and you will accomplish your object. Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm."

I've found that success requires both enthusiasm and letting go. There's a movie I love called LEAVE NO TRACE. It's based on a book titled My Abandonment by Peter Rock. Here's a passage that inspires me to let go let go let go:
"If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, he will meet with success unexpected in common hours. He will pass an invisible boundary. Don't forget this. Don't forget that thinking can get in the way. Forget the forgetting. We seek to forget ourselves, to be surprised and to do something without knowing how or why. The way of life is wonderful. It is by abandonment." 

I am a success because writing brings fullness and meaning to my life. What more can one writer ask?
Wishing you success, in whatever way you choose to define it!

MG Reading for December

 

MG Reading for December

 

It’s been a difficult month for many of us, and I’ve foundcomfort in reading—including some new middle grade novels! On my blog BookQ&As with Deborah Kalb, I’ve interviewed a few MG authors recently, andhere’s what they had to say about their books…

 

Carol Matas is the author of the new novel Zevi Takes theSpotlight. In our Q&A, she explained how her character got his name: “Earlier that year my eldestgrandchild, Zevi, joked that no one would ever use his name in a book becauseit’s too hard to pronounce. 'Challenge accepted!' I replied. When I submittedthe manuscript, I asked the editor if we could change the lead character’s nameto Zevi and she thought it was a great idea!”

 

Esty Schachter’s MG novel is titled Anya’s Echoes. She saidof her character Lea: “I experienced a social situation as a younger person whereI did not speak up when I saw something happening that wasn't okay. Withbullying and peer pressure being such common issues for upper middle gradereaders, I wanted Lea to understand that ‘nothing is something.’ I got to writea possibility I didn't realize I had back then.”

 

Oriane Livingston is the author of the new novel The Guardiansof Earth. Describing her protagonist, Oona, she said: “Oona is veryimaginative, precocious and curious. Like me, Oona is a budding astronomer andfeels like she doesn’t belong. Her challenging childhood reflects my ownupbringings. The roles are reversed in Oona’s home, which forces her to becomea little adult, but also frees her to embark on her own ‘hero’s journey.’”

 

Keep reading and carry on!

 

--Deborah Kalb

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News

 

The Mistakes That Made Us: Confessions from Twenty Poets, selected by Irene Latham and Charles Waters, illus. by Mercè López (Carolrhoda, 2024) was named a 2025 NCTE Notable Poetry Book. 
In other poetry news:

Congratulations to Carole Boston Weatherford for being named our next Young People's Poet Laureate! 
Congratulations to Naomi Shihab Nye for being recognized for lifetime achievement with the prestigious Wallace Stevens Award.
And congratulations to Charles R. Smith, Jr. for being honored with the 2025 NCTE Award for Excellence in Poetry.  Charles Waters, Irene Latham, Charles R. Smith, Jr.

Where's the Whimsy?

 by Charlotte Bennardo

What is whimsy?

Miriam Webster dictionary defines it as:

1- whim, caprice

 2- the quality or state of being whimsical or fanciful

3-a fanciful or fantastic device, object, or creation especially in writing or art.

Something like this, I would think: 

Photo by Kathleen Sullivan: https://www.pexels.com/photo/mad-hatt...

This is whimsy on several levels: the character (the Mad Hatter from Alice in Wonderland, the epitome of whimsy), the makeup and dress with its color and outrageousness, and the reference to the story itself, which is full of unconventional writing devices like made-up words: "Curiouser and Curiouser!"

There's a certain talent I think people have who use whimsy. Picture book writers and illustrators have an abundance of it. One of my favorite pictures books that I loved reading to my kids is Moosetache by Margie Palatini. I mean, a moose with a too big mustache, hence, moose-tache. 

In movies, I think The Nightmare Before Christmas is whimsy for older viewers and readers, although it appeals to kids too. 

Whimsy reminds us of the silly, I-refuse-to-be-serious, I-want-to-have-fun time in our lives. It's hard to recapture that sense when we're older. To help me keep that sense of whimsy, I have this in my office:

Yes, those are a rubber duck and spiders. No, I don't like bugs, but my sister bought the larger one for me when she lived in NYC. It used to have an air tube and bulb. When you squeezed the bulb, it would make the spider leap. The salesman walked along, calling, "Get your jump-ing spi-ders here!' Every time either of us said that, we'd crack up laughing. Silly. Whimsy. 

Do I use whimsy? My middle grade trilogy, Evolution Revolution has whimsy, I think. A squirrel who learns how to use simple machines like the wheel to stop construction machines, and then teach it to the other animals?

If that's not whimsy, what is?

Charlotte writes MG, YA, NA, and adult novels in sci fi, fantasy, contemporary, and paranormal genres. She is the author of the award-winning middle grade Evolution Revolution trilogy, Simple Machines, Simple Plans, and Simple Lessons. She co-authored the YA novels Blonde OPS, Sirenz, and Sirenz Back in Fashion. She also has short stories in several anthologies. Having finished her MFA, she's applying what she learned and is revising several children's and adult novels. She lives in NJ with her family and her floofy cat. When they trimmed the backyard tree, the crazy squirrel couple had to move out, but she is happy to report she has a new squirrel tenant.

If Your Life Were a Plot: Smack Dab in the Imagination by Dia Calhoun

I’m finding hope these dark days by putting into practice my hard-earned plot-writing skills. When my story is stuck, I’ve learned to spray the WD40 imagination loosening question, “what if?” What if Susan did x? What if the weather turned x? What if a stranger walked in? Imagination creates potential twists and turns.

So, I ask, with the world and country in the state it is in, what if I do x? or y? or z? Alas, I’m not the omniscient authority of the world (thank the powers) as I am my novel. I can’t see where my doing x might help create a desired change. Uncertainty rules—and uncertainty is like a bed of nails. How do you rest? Pray for The Unbearable Lightness of Being?

Here I pull out another plot-writing skill: the character must be the essential mover of the action. Doing nothing is not going to move the story forward. Who knew that learning how to write a plot would become a life-survival tool?

Let loose your imagination of activism.

Heights Press, A New Imprint from OverDrive (A Conversation with Alexis Petric-Black)

Today, we're joined by Alexis Petric-Black, VP of Content at OverDrive, a digital reading platform that provides ebooks and audiobooks to libraries and schools worldwide. While OverDrive has long been known as a distributor of digital reading materials, they're now branching into publishing with the creation of a new children's imprint. We're delighted to discuss this new venture.

 

Welcometo Smack Dab in the Middle, Alexis! We're a middle grade blog where authors(and often librarians and teachers, and occasionally agents and editors) allcome together to discuss the MG world: books releasing, writing for the agegroup, etc. We're excited to learn more about Heights Press. What inspired thecreation of the press at OverDrive? How does it fit in with OverDrive's broaderpublishing strategy?

Thecreation of Heights Press at OverDrive was inspired by our long-standingcommitment to promoting literacy and supporting libraries. Over the past twodecades, we’ve seen firsthand the transformative power of reading and the vitalrole that libraries play in fostering lifelong learning. This experiencenaturally led us to explore new ways to engage young readers and supportliteracy initiatives, culminating in the launch of Heights Press.

HeightsPress fits seamlessly into OverDrive’s broader publishing strategy by expandingour content offerings and enhancing our ability to serve diverse communities.By producing original content, we can provide libraries with unique,high-quality materials that cater to the varied interests and needs of theirpatrons. This initiative aligns with our mission to make reading accessible andenjoyable for everyone, reinforcing our dedication to literacy and education ona global scale.

Yourfirst release is Hickory Hollow, a middle grade series. Tell us moreabout it. Will the focus always be on middle grade literature? Fiction ratherthan non-fiction?

 

Ourdebut series, Hickory Hollow, is an exciting middle grade series thatfollows the young residents of a fictional town by the same name. Each book inthe series features a unique and interesting character, offering a diverse setof perspectives and backgrounds. These narratives are designed to entertain andinspire, encouraging more kids to develop a love for reading.

We willbe launching the Hickory Hollow series in additional languages, Spanish,Chinese, Vietnamese, German, and Korean, in the coming months. A multi-lingualapproach allows readers from diverse backgrounds to experience the samecaptivating stories simultaneously, fostering a sense of global community andinclusivity. By making our content accessible in multiple languages, we aim tobridge cultural gaps and ensure that more children can enjoy and benefit fromour engaging narratives, no matter their linguistic background.

Whileour initial focus is on middle grade literature, we are open to exploring avariety of genres and age groups in the future. Our primary goal is to providecompelling stories that resonate with young readers, whether through fiction ornon-fiction. We believe in the power of storytelling to foster a lifelongpassion for reading, and we are excited to see where this journey takes us.

Ourreaders at Smack Dab are primarily librarians and authors themselves. For theauthors: What's the submission process like for Heights Press? Are you open tounagented or unsolicited submissions? What will your editorial process entail?

We areexcited to engage with a diverse range of voices and stories. For authorsinterested in submitting their work, we have a straightforward submissionprocess. We are open to both agented and unagented submissions, welcomingpitches and queries from passionate writers.

Tosubmit your work, please visit our contact page [Contact Heights Press]for detailed guidelines and submission instructions. While we look forward todiscovering new talent and bringing fresh, compelling stories to our readersplease note that our current focus is on finishing and launching the remaininglanguages and audiobooks for the Hickory Hollow series. As a result, ourresponse times may be slower than usual. We appreciate patience andunderstanding during this busy period.

 For ourlibrarians: What digital tools will Heights Press be using to enhance thereading experience?

Audiobookseditions are coming soon! These are a fantastic addition to our catalog andprovide an alternative way for children to enjoy stories, especially for thosewho may have reading difficulties or prefer listening. Audiobooks also allowkids to immerse themselves in stories during various activities, such ascommuting or relaxing at home, ensuring that the joy of reading is alwayswithin reach.

Inaddition to audiobooks, we offer a series of short videos available on theKanopy Kids platform, providing a visual experience for the series. Thesevideos complement our audiobooks, allowing children to engage with the storiesin multiple formats. This multi-platform approach ensures that our content isaccessible and enjoyable for all children, regardless of their preferred way ofexperiencing stories.

How willHeights Press build on OverDrive's established library relationships to createnew opportunities for both authors and educational institutions?

Bytapping into this well-established infrastructure, we can ensure that ouroriginal content reaches a wide audience of young readers through librariesworldwide. This not only provides authors with a significant platform toshowcase their work but also enhances the variety and quality of materialsavailable to students and library patrons. One title will be available for freewith unlimited checkouts for schools and libraries that already use OverDrive,making it even easier for these institutions to access our content.

Foreducational institutions, our TeachingBooks program offers a wealth ofresources that can be integrated into curricula and literacy programs. Thediverse range of stories, available in multiple languages and formats, supportsinclusive education and helps meet the needs of students from variousbackgrounds.

How willHeights Press champion diverse voices and narratives? 

HeightsPress is committed to championing diverse voices and narratives by activelyseeking out and publishing stories from a wide range of authors andperspectives. Our debut series, Hickory Hollow, exemplifies thiscommitment by featuring a diverse set of characters, each crafted by authorswho bring their unique backgrounds and experiences to the table. This approachensures that our stories are authentic and resonate with readers from various culturaland social backgrounds.

Whatemerging digital reading trends are you most interested in exploring at HeightsPress?

Engagingreaders where they are is a cornerstone of our approach at Heights Press. Byoffering content across multiple platforms, including e-books, audiobooks, andshort videos on Kanopy Kids, we ensure that children can access our stories inthe format that suits them best. This flexibility not only makes reading moreconvenient but also meets the diverse needs and preferences of young readers,whether they enjoy reading on a tablet, listening to stories during a car ride,or watching engaging videos at home.

Supportingliteracy through a multi-lingual and multi-platform strategy helps us reach awider audience and encourages a love for reading in various contexts. By makingour content accessible in multiple languages and formats, we break downbarriers to literacy, allowing children from different backgrounds and withdifferent learning styles to enjoy and benefit from our stories. This inclusiveapproach fosters a lifelong passion for reading and learning, helping to builda more literate and connected community.

Whatexcites you most about this new venture?

Whatexcites me most about this new venture is the incredible opportunity to connectwith young readers in innovative and meaningful ways. By offering our contentacross multiple platforms and in various languages, we can reach a diverseaudience and make reading accessible to more children than ever before. It’sthrilling to think about the impact we can have on fostering a love for readingand storytelling in kids from all backgrounds.

Additionally,the chance to champion diverse voices and narratives through our publicationsis truly inspiring. Each story we share has the potential to resonate withreaders on a personal level, reflecting their own experiences and broadeningtheir horizons. This venture allows us to not only entertain but also educateand empower the next generation of readers, which is incredibly rewarding.

 Lookingahead five years from now, what would make you consider Heights Press asuccess?

Ultimately,our number one goal is to grow lifelong readers. If we can contributemeaningfully to the global literacy landscape, then Heights Press will havetruly succeeded.

 

 

A Word After a Word

 

You may remember my good news, I sold my eighth book to Eileen Robinson of Charlesbridge (to be releasedin Spring 2026, by the way). For two years, I had been working with a new agent-- I had signed with her in 12/2022, when I brought the contract to her -- who had helped me negotiate this contract. I was over the moon preparing otherprojects and looking forward to the next step.  But, within months, it became apparent that wewere not as good a team as I had hoped. Emails went unanswered for months. Nothing was being reviewed or sent out. Ittook me a few weeks to gather courage to do what I knew I had to do.  While I still hoped there was a way,  I dreaded theconsequences. I researched and found solace in others who had gone throughsimilar circumstances. I also took a couple of webinars.

It turns out, thesethings happen all the time, and for all sorts of reasons. Her reasoning for the lack of movement: she justdidn’t know where my stories fit.  As Lesley McDowellsuggests in her article (see below),   “[T]rustyour instincts: if your instincts say this isn’t working, then they’re probablyright.”  

Still, it does make a dent inthe confidence, especially when you’re an old dobby like me. Putting those projectsaside, I took a few classes on the revision process, just to find somedirection.

And then the election happened. And with it came all thedour predictions about the publishing business itself, given theconnection to China when it comes to printing. And piled on this came all the other gloomynews about the future. 

I’m usually pretty good at getting back to work. I’ve beenwriting a long time, and have received at least a million rejections (well,maybe not that many.)  I’ve alwaysmanaged to hold my fists up, and mutter, taking my cue from Elizabeth Gilbert(Eat, Pray, Love), “You think you can scare me off? I’ve got another 80 yearsto wear you down! There are people who haven’t even been born yet who are goingto reject me some day – That’s how long I plan to stick around.” 

 I’ve had (now) four agents. The first proved so ineffective in negotiating a four-book contract, the first book didn’t come out until eight years after the contract was signed. The third book came out 11 years after the fact.  The fourth contract was cancelled. The second agent was unable to submit any of my work during that time span because of the uber restrictive clauses of the contracts. The third agent, after selling two books within  the first two years, decided to go in a different direction, and dropped me.  Still, logic dictatesthat agents need writers as much as writers need agents.  Just because one agent cannot find the way forward doesn't mean another won't push their way to the end.

 Yes. I know all this, but I am – dare I say -- weary. Writing is hard work, but navigating the business of writing is not for the lily-livered. For weeks now, I've not taken those projects out.  I’ve enjoyed more time in the garden, and morewalks, wondering why it matters. And even if it does matter, perhaps my time is done.  I'm an old dobby, remember? 

 Except, let's remember, as Toni Morrison says,

But it is also truer than true, we can only do today what we can only do. As one very wise Dumbledore reminds me often, we're allowed to take a moment, or three, to figure out our best way forward. To take a walk, or take a nap. Eat chocolate. One word at a time. A word, after a word, after a word. That's all that matters. The rest will come. 

Because your story is that important.

 

Resources:

Harold Underdown offers fantastic courses on writing and the business of writing. Check out his newest online course, Successful Strategies for Submitting Your Manuscript to Agents and Editors, sponsored through Highlights Foundation over two nights, December 16 @ 7:00 pm - December 18 @ 7:00 pm.

Lorin Oberweger and her team at Free Expressions offers some of the best classes, webinars, and recordings that take a deep dive into the story-engineering process. One of my favorites is the Virtual Breakout Novel Intensive, a six-week novel intensive led by the legendary agent, Donald Maass. The next class runs March 18 to April 22, 2025.

Emma Dryden is the high wizard  and headmaster of all things publishing. As one-time editor for Random House Children’s Books, Senior Editor for Margaret McElderry Books (Macmillan Books), Vice President and Publisher of Atheneum Books for Young Readers (Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing), Emma has over thirty years of experience editing and publishing children’s books, has a deep understanding of the craft of writing children’s books -- including YA -- and of the business of children’s books in an ever-changing publishing landscape. She’s edited over 1,000 books from young readers to YA, including many award winners.

Maria Popova's newsletter, The Marginalian, offers wisdom grounded in history and literature, such as this blog entry, 18 Life-Learnings from 18 Years of The Marginalian. As she states, "Everything is eventually recompensed, every effort of the heart eventually requited, though not always in the form you imagined or hoped for... Don’t just resist cynicism — fight it actively... Don’t be afraid to be an idealist."

McDowell, Lesley. When the Agent-Author Relationship GoesBad (Jericho Writers). https://jerichowriters.com/when-the-agent-author-relationship-goes-bad/

Sterling, Isabel. Writing Coach. A successful YA writer and a writing coach, her newsletter is a grand pick-me-up when you need one. Also, she ran an excellent webinar sponsored by SCBWI Florida on the agent-author relationship.

 Thank you for reading. Keep writing! The world needs you!

-- Bobbi Miller