Debbie Ridpath Ohi's Blog, page 125
November 9, 2011
Disney Launches New Children's Magazine
Disney Publishing is launching a new bi-monthly magazine for young people aged 6-12 called FamilyFun Kids.
New Will Write For Chocolate: "Mimi Does NaNoWriMo"
It's been a while, but I've finally started up Will Write For Chocolate again.
To make a long story short, I've been (1) focusing on finishing the illustrations for I'M BORED, and (2) switched over from Corel Painter to Adobe Photoshop and had to set up proper Will Write For Chocolate templates.
Will try to update more often, or at least more often than every six months!
November 8, 2011
Former Bloomsbury Editor Launches Teen E-book Publisher
According to Paidcontent.org, former Bloomsbury editor Panio Gianopoulos has launched Backlit, a new young adult e-book publisher based in Santa Monica. More info in Paidcontent.org.
How To Set Up An Author Or Book Page On Google+ (Part 1)
Google+ recently announced the launch of Google+ Pages, which are similar Facebook Fan Pages. You can create your own Google+ Page here.
There are a number of different category choices, but if you're launching a Page promoting a book, choose ARTS, ENTERTAINMENT AND SPORTS and then under "Select A Category", choose "Book."
If you're an author or illustrator, there are several options. Sadly, there are no Author or Illustrator categories. However, I did find a "Media, News and Publishing" subcategory under the COMPANY, INSTITUTION OR ORGANIZATION main category:
There's also "Public Figure" under the PRODUCT OR BRAND category:
Or you could always opt for "OTHER" instead, which lets you enter the Page name and an optional website. I ended up choosing "Media, News and Publishing" for my Inkygirl Page.
Fill in your Page name (you can change this later, unless Facebook Pages), website if you have one, and click the checkbox beside "I agree to the Pages Terms and I am authorized to create this page" (after you read and agree to the terms, of course).
You have 10 words to summarize your business in the Tagline field. You can change this later.
Choose a profile image if you have one (or add it later).
Click on CONTINUE, and you'll have the option to Share your page with your personal Circles.
Now you can go tweak your Page --- click on the Edit Profile button to change info on your Page.
I'll be sharing more tips on how kidlit/YA authors & illustrators can finetune their Google+ Pages and use Google+. But first I need to do more playing around with Pages myself! :-D If you have have any tips to share, feel free to post them below.
And if you have a Google+ Page related to kidlit/YA, please do add your Page link to my Kidlit/YA Pages On Google+ (children/YA author, illustrators, agents, editors, publishers, librarians, teachers, book bloggers, etc.).
November 7, 2011
Inkygirl's now on Google+, woohoo!
I just launched my Inkygirl Page on Google+! If you're on G+ and are interested in Inkygirl updates, please do add me to your Circles! :-)
If you're interested in finding out more about Google+'s newly launched Pages, read this Google+ Post.
Doodle Guest Post About Idea Notebooks: PiBoIdMo Blog
So how are you all doing with your writing challenges, whatever they may be?
Thanks to Tara Lazar for inviting me to be one of her guest bloggers during PiBoIdMo month (Picture Book Idea Month). Click on the image to the left or go to Tara's blog to see my VERY FIRST Doodle Guest Post!
Neil Gaiman retweet fame, NaNoToons, Debs & Errol NaNoWriMo Comics
How very cool. Author Neil Gaiman, who has like a ZILLION followers, tweeted about one of my friend's Nanowrimo comics! Here's Errol's post about the comic and a link to the comic.
You can follow Errol Elumir's Nanotoons on Facebook (unfortunately there's no way to link to individual NaNoToons on the NaNoWriMo site, plus new comics are added at the bottom of the page rather than the top :-( ).
Plus geeknerd music duo Debs & Errol (Deborah Linden & Errol Elumir) are posting comics about their NaNoWriMo collab novel adventure on their website and you can follow them on Twitter.
November 6, 2011
Torkidlit Bedford Academy Meetup: Nov/2011
Had fun with the Toronto Middle Grade And YA Authors group at the Bedford Academy earlier this week: dinner, drinks and lots of kidlit/YA talk!
We talk about everything from the craft and business of writing to renovation hell stories and family updates. Plus a whole lot of other stuff that I can't possibly post publicly, of course. :-) Anyway, I asked the attendees of last night's get together what they were working on or if they had any news to share, and here's what they told me:
Maureen McGowan
Maureen just found out that one of her short stories is appearing in a McGraw-Hill anthology in May 2102.
Claudia Osmond
Claudia's moving ahead with her new middle grade novel.
Jo Swartz
Jo says she's finished and submitted her IZZY GOURMET picture book and she's now working on a wordless graphic novel.
Cheryl Rainfield
In addition to being excited about getting the ARC for her new teen paranormal, HUNTED, Cheryl has just launched her Pro Page on Facebook.
Joceylyn Shipley
Jocelyn just won the Writing For Young People Award at the Surrey International Writers Conference.
Karen Krossing
Karen's been getting lots of great reviews for THE YO-YO PROPHET (Orca).
Megan Crewe
Megan's going to be presenting with Lena Coakley at the November CANSCAIP meeting about fantasy and science fiction.
Jennifer Gordon
Jennifer had a successful art gallery show at the Toronto Public Library.
Jordan Hagemann
http://jordanhageman.blogspot.com/
It was Jordan's first Torkidlit meetup! She recently started her own book blog, A Book Long Enough and is also on Twitter at @ABookLongEnough.
Lena Coakley
Lena's agent is submitting her next novel, new YA historical fantasy, to an editor.
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To find out more about Torkidlit, see:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/127433455731/
https://www.facebook.com/TorKidLitNews
November 5, 2011
New comic up on Writer Unboxed
For those doing writing challenges, I just posted a cautionary comic on Writer Unboxed.
Now I'm off to Packaging Your Imagination conference!
November 4, 2011
Inkpop: HarperCollins' community YA site
Publishing Perspectives has an interesting article today called, Are Social Media Sites the New Slush Pile?
Debut author Leigh Fallon, discovered on HarperCollins' community YA site, is one example about how the path to authorship is changing, according to the article.
Quote from teh article: "Launched by HarperCollins in 2009, Inkpop combines community publishing, user-generated content, and social networking to connect aspiring writers of teen literature with talent-spotting readers and publishing professionals. Fallon uploaded her manuscript and almost immediately it caught the attention of readers – within three weeks it had risen to the site's "Top Five" most read and highly rated manuscripts."
You can read the full article on Publishing Perspectives.
