Chris Eboch's Blog, page 18

An Online Workshop: Writing Stories for Children

You Can Write Stories for Children!a writing class with Chris Eboch
START DATE: Monday, October 17, 2016
DURATION:8 weeks (four classes)
WHERE: Online – work from home at your own pace
COURSE DESCRIPTION: Remember the magic of bedtime stories? When you write for children, you have the most appreciative audience in the world. But to reach that audience, you need to understand the business of writing for children, including the requirements for different genres, age ranges, and markets. You also need to write fresh, dynamic stories, whether you’re writing rhymed picture books or middle grade mysteries or edgy teen novels. In this hands-on workshop, we’ll explore how. You'll leave with a story in progress and ideas for future development.
Your enthusiasm is contagious, and the sheer amount of knowledge you possess is fantastic. Your advice was always spot on. The links to various articles and blogs was and will continue to be extremely useful.~ Nancy Partridge
I have to tell you that your workshop was the one I got the most useful information from. It was quite informative and introduced me to several trains of thought that were new to me. ~ Donna J. Barland
Thank you for putting together such a helpful workshop.  Of the entire weekend, I think I learned the most from listening to you. Thanks again for such a great workshop. ~ Linda Reedy
Thanks for your terrific workshop yesterday at the SCBWI conference. I loved your thoughts on pacing, cliffhangers, etc. You certainly added to my positive experience! ~ Alyssa Kirk
Just a quick note to say thanks for your class this past weekend.  Your class on Monday afternoon was my favorite.  You gave us very specific things we could incorporate into our own work.  That’s the kind of info I was looking for when I signed up for the conference. ~ Pamela Haskin
Chris is hands-down one of the best author-speakers we’ve ever had. I don’t think she uttered a word about her own life story as many do; she was all about teaching a vital and often forgotten aspect in our writing. The comments on her were full of grateful praise. ~ Robin Koontz, SCBWI Oregon retreat leader  
WEEKS AT A GLANCE:
Week 1-2: The World of Writing for Children
We’ll start with an overview of the markets. These include books, magazines, and more. Learn the specific requirements when writing for different age ranges. This will help you decide where you feel comfortable – or give you many areas to explore!
Assignment 1: Read 5 to 10 picture books or stories for children or review two recent novels. Brainstorm 5 to 10 ideas using the material provided.
Week 3-4: From Idea to Story
Writing for children has many things in common with any good writing, and some things that are special. We’ll explore the essential elements of appealing to children. Participants will learn how to develop their ideas:
Identify a marketChoose a target ageMatch the story length and reading level to the target ageDevelop charactersCreate a plot with conflict and a three-part structureFocus on young characters who have control
Assignment 2: Choose one of your ideas and identify the appropriate target age group and several possible markets. Start developing your characters and planning a strong plot.
Week 5-6: Develop and Share Your Story
Share your story in progress (or a pitch/outline for a novel) and receive feedback from the instructor and the class.
Assignment 3: Pitch your story. Based on feedback, draft a complete picture book or short story, or plan a novel.
Week 7-8: The Next Steps
We’ll cover editing techniques, submitting your work, and your questions. Expect to leave this workshop with a story in progress, and a list of ideas for future development.
Assignment 4: If you choose, turn in your final story or novel outline. Develop a plan for next steps (finishing, editing, querying/submitting/self-publishing your work etc.).
COST: $99, which includes weekly assignments and individual feedback from the instructor. This class will be conducted through a Discussion Board, with the opportunity for students to ask questions and post homework samples.
BUY NOW: You Can Write Stories for Children! by Chris Eboch (8 weeks/4 classes, starting 10/17/2016) Limit: 15 students. Early registration is recommended. 
ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR: Chris Eboch is the author of over 30 books for children. Her novel for ages nine and up include The Well of Sacrifice, a Mayan adventure; The Genie’s Gift, a middle eastern fantasy; and the Haunted series, about kids who travel with a ghost hunter TV show. Chris’s writing craft books include Advanced Plotting and You Can Write for Children: How to Write Great Stories, Articles, and Books for Kids and Teenagers. Learn more at www.chriseboch.com or check out her writing tips at her Write Like a Pro! blog: http://chriseboch.blogspot.com/.
Chris has her MA degree in Professional Writing and Publishing from Emerson College in Boston. She taught through the Institute of Children’s Literature for 10 years and has led dozens of popular writing workshops around the world.
Chris also writes for adults under the name Kris Bock. “Kris Bock” novels are action-packed romantic suspense involving outdoor adventures and Southwestern landscapes. Read excerpts at www.krisbock.com.

Writing #Kidlit for Children’s Magazines

This is the handout for the SCBWI New Mexico Shoptalk on Writing for Children's Magazines.
Explore the Magazine Markets:
MagazineMarkets for Children’s Writers
Children’sWriters and Illustrator’s Market – on sale right now for $7.50!
The SCBWI “Magazine Market Guide” is in The Book, included with membership 
Get magazine samples at your library, school, or house of worship; requests sample copies from the publisher; visit publishers’ web sites – many have online samples.
Lists of children’s magazines w/links to websites: 
http://www.monroe.lib.in.us/childrens/kidsmags.html
http://blog.allaboutlearningpress.com/magazines-for-kids/
http://www.world-newspapers.com/children.html
Analyze magazines for content and style:
The cover and tagline: what is the magazine’s focus?
The table of contents: Are many articles written by one person? Is that person listed in the masthead as staff?Are there regular departments? Who writes these?This page may include submission guidelines.

Content:What types of stories/articles does it use? Be as specific as possible (fiction genres, nonfiction topics, types of activities. For recipes, are they healthy, fun to look at, etc.).Does everything relate to one theme?What is the breakdown of fiction, nonfiction, activities, and regular departments?How long are most pieces?How are pieces illustrated? What kind of sidebars do they use, if any?Does the magazine use advertising? What kinds of products are advertised? (This can give you insight into reader interest, and the magazine’s goals.)

Study several stories or articles. Are they geared toward girls, boys, or both? What age range? What can you tell about the magazine’s style? Is it wholesome or edgy? Is it focused on health, history, science, religion, or celebrity gossip?
Appropriate ideas:
What kind of stories or article would your target magazine want? Either start by figuring out what topics the magazine might like, or write down a list of your hobbies and interests, and then check which ones might fit that magazine. Keep the focus narrow. Then ask:
   Is this appropriate for the magazine’s readership age? Will they understand and be interested in the topic?   Can I write this story or article within the magazine’s word limits? Do I need to focus it more?   What is the theme (message) of my story? What will readers take away from my article?   Why would the reader be interested?

The Parts of an Article or Story for Children.
·A catchy title. The best titles hint at the genre or subject matter.
·A dramatic beginning, with a hook. A good beginning:grabs the reader’s attention with action, dialogue, or a hint of drama to comesets the sceneindicates the genre and tone (in fiction) or the article type (in nonfiction)has voice·A solid middle, which moves the story forward or fulfills the goal of the article.           Fiction should focus on plot that builds to a climax, and character development, ideally involving a change in the character as he/she learns the lesson of the story.
An article should focus on information directly related to the main topic. It should be organized in a logical way, with transitions between subtopics. The tone should be friendly and lively, not lecturing. Unfamiliar words should be defined within the text, or in a sidebar.
·A satisfying ending that wraps up the story or closes the article. Endings may circle back to the beginning. The message should be clear here, but not preachy.
·Bonus material: An article or even a story may use sidebars, crafts, recipes, photos, etc. to provide more value.
·For nonfiction, include a bibliography with several reliable sources.
Types of articles:
Informational Profile/InterviewQ&AHow-toCraftPuzzleRecipe Personal ExperienceSelf-Help
Topics:
Current Events/News/PoliticsPopular Culture/Fashion/LifestyleHistory/Culture/Multicultural IssuesScience/TechnologyNature/Animal/PetsCollege/CareerInspirational/ReligiousHealth/Nutrition/FitnessSports/HobbiesTravelEducation/Parenting/Family
The series What Your _X_ Grader Needs to Know, for each grade level, can help identify appropriate topics for each grade level. 
Common Core State Standards Initiative provides links to all the CCSS standards.
Core Knowledge Sequence: Content and Skill Guidelines for Preschool-Grade 8 is available as a free download.
Reading Level
Microsoft Word: Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level - Search for “display readability statistics” in the Help menu.LEXILE: http://www.lexile.com/ (You sign up but it’s free.)Lexile with word highlights: http://www.lextutor.ca/vp/eng/ ATOS for Books analyzer: http://www.renlearn.com/atos/analyze.aspx?type=1 (also free) Children’s Writer’s Word Book
About Chris Eboch
Chris Eboch’s novels for ages nine and up include The Eyes of Pharaoh, a mystery in ancient Egypt; The Well of Sacrifice, a Mayan adventure; The Genie’s Gift, a middle eastern fantasy; and the Haunted series, about kids who travel with a ghost hunter TV show, which starts with The Ghost on the Stairs. Her writing craft books include You Can Write for Children: How to Write Great Stories, Articles, and Books for Kids and Teenagers, and Advanced Plotting. Learn more at www.chriseboch.comor her Amazon page.
Chris’s book Advanced Plotting helps writers fine-tune their plots.  You Can Write for Children : How to Write Great Stories, Articles, and Books for Kids and Teenagers offers an overview on writing for young people. Learn how to find ideas and develop those ideas into stories, articles, and books. Understand the basics of character development, plot, setting, and theme – and some advanced elements, along with how to use point of view, dialogue, and thoughts. Finally, learn about editing your work and getting critiques.
Chris offers critiques of picture books/short stories/articles up to 1500 words for $40. Novel critiques are $2 per page (standard double-spaced manuscript format; minimum $100). Get details and recommendations at www.chriseboch.com/newsletter.htm.
Kris Bock writes novels of suspense and romance involving outdoor adventures and Southwestern landscapes. In Counterfeits, stolen Rembrandt paintings bring danger to a small New Mexico town. Whispers in the Darkfeatures archaeology and intrigue among ancient Southwest ruins. What We Found is a mystery with strong romantic elements about a young woman who finds a murder victim in the woods. The Mad Monk’s Treasure follows the hunt for a long-lost treasure in the New Mexico desert. In The Dead Man’s Treasure, estranged relatives compete to reach a buried treasure by following a series of complex clues. 
Read excerpts at www.krisbock.comor visit her Amazon page. Sign up for Kris Bock newsletter for announcements of new books, sales, and more.

How to Write a Great Mystery for Children

Last week I shared an article on writing mysteries, first published in Writer’s Guide to 2012. Here’s another section of the article, focused on writing mysteries for children and teenagers.
Starting Young
Children may become mystery fans at an early age. Juliana Hanford, Senior Editor at Kane Press, says, “I vividly remember the very first time I was reading a mystery on my own and had that ‘can’t put it down!’ feeling. I think that feeling can make kids not just mystery lovers but book lovers for life!”
 “I guess children enjoy reading mysteries for the same reason adults do,” says Mara Rockliff, who writes a humorous chapter book mystery series under the pen name Lewis B. Montgomery. “They’re fun, they’re exciting, they’re full of surprises and suspense. And a mystery series offers the chance to keep coming back to characters we love.”
As a bonus, mysteries stretch the way kids think. Of her Milo & Jazz Mysteries, Rockliff says, “Kids read these books for fun, but teachers like them because the detective lessons teach critical thinking skills. For instance, setting a trap for a culprit equals predicting and testing; circumstantial evidence equals making inferences. And the back of every book includes puzzles and games to help the reader hone those skills.”
Mysteries for kids aren’t quite the same as mysteries for adults, of course. “Practically all adult mysteries are murder mysteries, but in a realistic chapter book, you can’t have kids knocking each other off,” Rockliff says. “One of the big challenges is thinking of new crimes that are serious enough to be investigated but not too serious. If it’s theft, it needs to be a funny and unusual theft, as in The Case of the Stinky Socks or The Case of the Missing Moose. Or it might be something off the wall: figuring out how the public pool turned purple overnight, or trying to prove a pet psychic is a fake.”
By the time readers reach the teen years, fewer crimes are off-limits. Sara Beitia wrote The Last Good Place of Lily Odilon, which she calls “A noir-ish contemporary Young Adult.” She says, “In reality, kids can and do encounter the heavy stuff – love and death and people with bad intentions – and like anyone, they mull these things over and try to digest the implications. And they expect to encounter the heavy stuff in literature, too. Perhaps it helps with the digesting. In dealing with these darker matters, it’s rather amazing what can be covered in kid lit [and] kids often shock adults with a frank interest in the lurid. Still, everyone has an opinion as to how much kids can and should be exposed to in books.”

Most children’s book publishers are open to mysteries, but don’t specialize. Brian Farrey, Flux Acquisitions editor, says, “I’ve heard from countless librarians at the American Library Association conferences that their teens are looking for more mysteries, to the point where librarians direct them to adult books to satisfy the need. [Therefore] my ears perk up a bit if I’m presented with one in submissions. But I don’t acquire based on fads or trends.”
Chris Eboch’s novels for ages nine and up include The Eyes of Pharaoh, a mystery in ancient Egypt; The Well of Sacrifice, a Mayan adventure; The Genie’s Gift, a middle eastern fantasy; and the Haunted series, about kids who travel with a ghost hunter TV show, which starts with The Ghost on the Stairs. Her writing craft books include You Can Write for Children: How to Write Great Stories, Articles, and Books for Kids and Teenagers, and Advanced Plotting. Learn more at www.chriseboch.comor check out her writing tips at her Write Like a Pro! blog. Learn more at www.chriseboch.comor her Amazon page, 

Murder and Mayhem, Crime and Clues: How to Write a Great Mystery

This article was first published in Writer’s Guide to 2012.
People like to know the answers, but they also love a mystery. Mystery books allows readers to ponder options, follow clues, test their wits – and ultimately learn the answers.
The mystery category contains many sub-genres, from gritty Hard-Boiled to light and humorous Cozies. Some fans read across sub-genres, but many have favorites. Claire Eddy, Senior Editor at Tor/Forge Books, says, “I am a sucker for a well crafted noir tale. Also historical mysteries, but only if the author has really done their research.”
Robert Kresge wrote Murder for Greenhorns, about a young schoolteacher and a Texas cowboy who join forces to solve a murder in 1870 Wyoming. “They say ‘write what you know.’ So with 30 years in the CIA, should I be writing spy novels? It can also mean ‘write what you read the most of.’ I found myself reading or listening to [historical mystery heroes] Brother Cadfael, Marcus Didius Falco, Amelia Peabody, and Phryne Fisher.”
Mystery or Suspense?
Whether historical or modern day, mysteries can feature heroes ranging from police officers and private eyes to nosy amateurs or innocent victims who get swept into trouble. Thrillers and suspense novels may also be considered mysteries, even if the hero isn’t trying to solve a crime in the traditional sense.
For example, my Southwestern adventure The Mad Monk's Treasure features the heroine and hero trying to elude villains while they hunt for a long-lost treasure. Romantic suspense novels like these find favor with many mystery fans if they have enough action.
Each sub-genre has its particular challenges. “Dealing with romantic suspense means fitting a mystery or a suspense into the romance reader’s expectations,” says Terry Odell, author of Where Danger Hides. “In mystery series, relationships can develop over the course of many books; in romantic suspense, it’s one.”
Aspiring authors better know the genre’s traditions. Cozies tend to avoid sex or on-stage violence. Hard-boiled mysteries delve into the seamy side of life. Police procedurals must get the police work right. Techno-thrillers focus on the latest technology. Reading widely in one’s chosen sub-genre is the best way to identify these differences.
But genres, like rules, are made to be broken. Pari Noskin Taichert calls her Agatha Award-nominated Sasha Solomon series, “Whodunits – with a humorous New Mexican flair. They’re not your standard cozies because they have an edge to them. Some of my readers think they’re beach reads while others find the deeper themes. I’m happy to satisfy both ends of the spectrum.”
Mixing genres can be fun for the writer and the audience, but may also make it harder to sell the manuscript. Kresge received about 200 rejections for Murder for Greenhorns, often hearing, “This is just a Western and we don’t publish Westerns.” He was about to give up, when he found a small local publisher that shared his vision. Murder for Greenhorns became a finalist for the 2011 Bruce Alexander Award for Best Historical Mystery of the Year.
Putting It All Together
A solid mystery requires a clever and believable puzzle. Noskin Taichert says, “For me, with traditional mystery series, there are three big challenges: telling a really good story; making the puzzle interesting and believable enough that the reader wants to work with my amateur-sleuth protagonist to figure out the crime; and not giving too much away with the hints I put in the story.”
Odell lists the keys to a good mystery as “Providing clues, being fair to the readers with red herrings, and, for anything current, keeping on top of the latest technology. Things are out of date before you finish writing, and the public has a skewed perception of reality based on television.”
But a good puzzle is not enough. Editors judges mysteries by the same standards as other books. “What I’ve seen a lot lately is a great premise, a terrific pitch, and then a mediocre manuscript,” says Brian Farrey, Flux Acquisitions editor. “Having that great premise is meaningless if the writing is phoned in and reads like anyone could have written it. I look for authors who have a pronounced sense of voice.”
At Kane Press, Senior Editor Juliana Hanford says, “We always look for great characters. And when authors can balance humor with nail-biting, on-the-edge-of-your-seat suspense, and can come up with a final twist that surprises even the readers who think they know everything, then we’re sold!”
Libby Sternberg, Editor-in-Chief of IstoriaBooks, says, “We look for the same thing we want in all submissions: a good story, well-told. Do I want to keep turning or clicking through the pages, and do I want to keep hearing this author tell me the story? I know that seems simple, but you’d be surprised how hard it is to write a page-turning story that has a great ‘voice’ attached to it.”
Playing Fair
Sternberg notes, “With mystery, I’d also add this requirement – the mystery itself must be well-constructed with a resolution that does not rely on a deus ex machina, or anything similar – I hate reading mysteries where, suddenly, a strange character, never encountered in the story previously, shows up and turns out to be the criminal. The reader should be able to reread the story and see how the clues add up to the denouement.”
“In writing mysteries, one has to come up with a crime, figure out who did it, create a sympathetic sleuth or sleuths, manage subplots, plant clues, play fair with your readers, and – usually – come to a satisfying conclusion,” Kresge says. That’s in addition to the challenges present in all types of fiction: “Creating and sustaining believable characters, plotting, pacing, setting, research. Piece of cake juggling all those elements, right?”
How does a writer deal with all these challenges? Noskin Taichert says, “I’ve written all my life. That’s part of the way I’ve developed it. Reading voraciously is another. Studying writers – the popular ones who tell stories really well – makes a difference in my own writing. I’ve also taken a few workshops here and there, but the biggest result has come from committing to writing, every single day.”
Writing a great mystery that is also a great book isn’t easy, but it has its rewards. Sternberg says, “I’ve read various reports that indicate the mystery market remains strong. Certainly, its fans are loyal and intelligent, always willing to look at new authors and material. Well-written mysteries take a tremendous amount of talent, and what I love about mystery fans is that they appreciate the skill level of mystery writers.”
Finding an Audience
Mystery fans show great loyalty to favorite authors, but reaching potential fans can be a challenge for newcomers. E-publishing is providing new opportunities. Eddy has noticed a jump in e-books sales for genre fiction, especially science fiction, fantasy, and mysteries. “As the devices proliferate I think we will see this continue,” she says. “People love to read about murder and mayhem – the way they read them might change; the desire for the genre will still be there.”
“It also gives authors a way to keep [out-of-print] books alive,” Odell notes, “and to get things published that straddle or cross genres, or don’t fit into the narrower confines of traditional publishers.”
“I’m launching an original e-book mystery soon,” Noskin Taichert says. “More and more writers are taking this chance partly because of economics, but for me it’s mostly about artistic freedom and control. If I write a protagonist who editors at the major publishers say mystery readers aren’t ready for – like my new one who can communicate with insects and other non-humans – I have the freedom to give her life even though she may not fit the mold that New York City houses are looking for right now.”
The time has never been better for mysteries, whether for children or adults, traditionally or independently published, and in whatever subgenre. As Hanford says, “Good mysteries never go out of style!”
Kris Bock writes action-packed romantic suspense involving outdoor adventures and Southwestern landscapes. In Counterfeits, stolen Rembrandt paintings bring danger to a small New Mexico town. Whispers in the Dark features archaeology and intrigue among ancient Southwest ruins. What We Found is a mystery with strong romantic elements about a young woman who finds a murder victim in the woods. The Mad Monk’s Treasurefollows the hunt for a long-lost treasure in the New Mexico desert. In The Dead Man’s Treasure, estranged relatives compete to reach a buried treasure by following a series of complex clues.  Read excerpts at www.krisbock.com or visit her Amazon page. 

Writing Workshops with Author/Teacher Chris Eboch

Online, in May: I'll be teaching an online workshop on Advanced Plotting: Keep Those Pages Turning.
COURSE DESCRIPTION: Many books and workshops teach the basics of plotting: conflict, complications, and climax. Now learn advanced techniques that will make a decent plot dynamic. Start with a “grab you by the throat” opening to pull readers into the story. Learn how to pack the plot full by complicating your complications. Control your pacing through sentence and paragraph length. And finally, cliffhanger chapter endings ensure late-night reading under the covers. Learn techniques to make any story or book better. Novelists will benefit from these insights, whether they are just starting out or have years of experience.
COST:  $125, which includes weekly assignments and individual feedback from the instructor. This class will be conducted through a Discussion Board, with the opportunity for students to ask questions and post homework samples.
BUY NOW: Advanced Plotting with Chris Eboch (4 weeks, starting 5/4/2016) Limit: 15 students. Early registration is recommended.

New York, in June: I'll present three workshops at the 21st Century Children's Nonfiction Conference. The conference is June 10-12 at Iona College in New Rochelle, NY. To learn more about the conference, visit the website.
My programs are:
Children's Nonfiction 101: Friday Intensives (an optional extra three-hour intensive): If you are new to children’s nonfiction publishing, or want a refresher about the current terminology, markets, and acquisition process, this intensive will be invaluable. Presented with Caryn Wiseman (Andrea Brown Literary Agency) and Michelle Bisson (Capstone).
Show Me the Money: What can an author earn? Learn how writers are making a living, through original book projects, work for hire books, magazines, test passages and more. Explore how to reach some of the less obvious markets, and discuss the attitude changes that need to happen to turn writing into a business.
How to Find NF Work: Where can you look? How do you follow up leads? Learn where and how best to connect with publishers, book packagers, and digital developers at conferences, book fairs, and exhibitions. Presented with author Jennifer Swanson

August, in North Carolina: I'll present two workshops at the Writers Who Run Retreat, August 3-6 in Fontana Dam, NC. You'll enjoy three full days packed with a morning 2-mile trail run (optional), breakfast, two 2-hour intensive workshops focused on craft and the business of writing, lunch, roundtable critique groups, free writing time, dinner, and a fun social event each evening. Learn more at the website.
My programs are:
Plotting Techniques: Are you struggling to plot your novel, or do you have a plot that  isn't working? Chris will help you learn how to plot like a pro.
Revisions that Sing: Revising and editing looks easy when Chris shows you how. Learn lots of tips and tricks to help tighten your manuscripts

If you wind up at any of these events, please be sure to say hi!
Chris Eboch is the author of almost 50 published books. Her writing craft books include Advanced Plottingand You Can Write for Children: How to Write Great Stories, Articles, and Books for Kids and Teenagers. She has sold over 60 writing articles to Writers Digest, Children’s Writer, and the annual Writer’s Guides.
Chris’s novels for ages nine and up include The Eyes of Pharaoh, a mystery in ancient Egypt; The Well of Sacrifice, a Mayan adventure; The Genie’s Gift, a middle eastern fantasy; and the Haunted series. Her recent nonfiction titles, published under the name M. M. Eboch, include World War I Battlefield Medicine, Native American Code Talkers, A History of Film, and Chaco Canyon. Learn more at www.chriseboch.com or her Amazon page.
Chris also writes for adults under the name Kris Bock. Kris Bock writes action-packed romantic suspense involving outdoor adventures and Southwestern landscapes. Read excerpts at www.krisbock.comor visit her Amazon page.

The Ghost Miner’s Treasure from Spellbound River Press

What do you do when a ghost needs your help?
Thirteen-year-old Jon and his eleven-year-old sister, Tania, are typical kids – except for the fact that Tania can communicate with ghosts. Their mom and stepdad are producers of a ghost-hunter reality television show, but they don’t know about Tania’s gift, and Tania wants to keep it that way.
Jon can't see ghosts and didn't believe in them, but things are getting too crazy for any other explanation. And if softhearted Tania wants to help the ghosts, Jon will have to protect her and try to keep them both out of trouble.
In The Ghost Miner’s Treasure, Jon and Tania travel with the ghost hunter TV show to the Superstition Mountains of Arizona. The crew visits an abandoned mining town, where the ghost of an old miner is still looking for his lost mine.
Tania is determined to help the old miner move on. But to do that they must resolve the problem keeping him here, which means helping him find his mine. And that means taking the TV crew deep into the rugged land of deserts and canyons.
In the words of an old fortuneteller, “Many dangers you face on this quest. Many trials.”
But they could hardly have imagined the trouble this adventure would bring! 
"The action never lets up in this fast-paced story, with something exciting happening in every chapter." – Reader Review
Aladdin/Simon & Schuster released the first three Haunted books in 2008. Now The Ghost Miner's Treasure is back in print from Spellbound River Press.
School Library Journal said of the series, “Haunted is a fun read with some thrills and chills and has the added bonus of some genuine, compassionate personalities.” 
A reader review noted,"What I loved most of all, was the way my 4th grade daughter got sucked into the story. She’s a reluctant reader so it was a joy to see her completely absorbed in a book; she immediately started the second book in the series when she finished, and can’t wait for more." 
Amazon KindleAmazon PaperbackKoboiBooks
Chris Eboch writes fiction and nonfiction for all ages, with several novels for ages nine and up. In Bandits Peak, a teenage boy meets strangers hiding on the mountains and gets drawn into their crimes, until he risks his life to expose them. The Eyes of Pharaoh is an action-packed mystery set in ancient Egypt. The Genie’s Gift draws on the mythology of 1001 Arabian Nights to take readers on a fantasy adventure. In The Well of Sacrifice, a Mayan girl in ninth-century Guatemala rebels against the High Priest who sacrifices anyone challenging his power. 
Learn more at www.chriseboch.comor her Amazon page.

21st Century Children’s Nonfiction Conference

The 21st Century Children’s Nonfiction Conference is the interchange for everyone connected with Children’s Nonfiction … publishers, authors, illustrators, educators, librarians, and digital developers. This weekend of workshops, publisher panels, open-table conversations, and social gatherings provides excellent opportunities to learn and connect with people at the leading edge of this field.

June 10-12 at Iona College, New Rochelle, New York.
Conference details are at www.21CNFC.com

I'll be presenting three workshops:

Children's Nonfiction 101If you are new to children’s nonfiction publishing, or want a refresher about the current terminology, markets, and acquisition process, this intensive will be invaluable. Topics include: The categories of nonfiction for different ages; Does nonfiction have to be 100% true?; The difference between trade and educational publishing; Work for hire books, magazine articles, and test passages; Identifying markets and targeting your work to specific markets; What publishers look for in samples or submissions; and Writing nonfiction that reads like fiction.
Presented by: Caryn Wiseman (Andrea Brown Literary Agency), Chris Eboch (Author/Instructor), Michelle Bisson (Capstone)
Show Me the MoneyWhat can an author earn? Learn how writers are making a living, through original book projects, work for hire books, magazines, test passages and more. Explore how to reach some of the less obvious markets, and discuss the attitude changes that need to happen to turn writing into a business.
Presented by: Chris Eboch (Author/Instructor)
How to Find NF WorkWhere can you look? How do you follow up leads? Learn where and how best to connect with publishers, book packagers, and digital developers at conferences, book fairs, and exhibitions.
Presented by: Chris Eboch (Author/Instructor) and Jennifer Swanson (Author)
This is only a small sampling of the great programming at the conference. Please join us if you have the chance, and say "Hi" at some point during the weekend! See the complete faculty list and schedule here.

#Free Romantic Suspense in the Southwest

Whispers in the Dark  is romantic suspense with archaeology and intrigue among ancient Southwest ruins. 
Reviewers give it a 4.3 star average: “This book was a delight from start to finish!”
Get your Kindle copy today, Free! March 22-24
Whispers in the Dark: 


Kylie Hafford craves adventure during her southwestern summer. She doesn’t expect to fight for her life.After an assault in Boston, the young archeologist heads to the remote Puebloan ruins of Lost Valley, Colorado, to excavate. Her first exploration of the crumbling ruins ends in a confrontation with a gorgeous, angry man who looks like a warrior from the Pueblo’s ancient past. Danesh proves that Kylie’s body is ready for love, even if her heart isn’t. If only he weren’t so aggravating. Then she literally stumbles into Sean. His attentions feel safer, but she suspects he's not the simple tourist he claims to be.The summer heats up as Kylie finds mysteries – and surprising friendships – among the ancient ruins. Mysterious lights, murmuring voices, and equipment gone missing plague her dig. Kylie tries to play it safe, but when someone threatens her research, she must take action. She has more enemies than she can possibly guess, and she’s only begun to glimpse the terrors in the dark. She’ll need all her strength and wits to survive. Everything becomes clear – if she wants to save the man she’s starting to love and see the villains brought to justice, she can’t run away again – she must face her fears and fight.
"Wonderfully detailed scenery and diverse characters combine with a clever, well-defined plot in Whispers in the Dark to create an exciting, hard to put down story. Well written and quite enjoyable!" - Reviewed By Melinda Hills for Readers’ Favorite 
Whispers in the Dark Excerpt
A shout slashed the air. I twisted so fast I tumbled onto my backside.
I gaped up at the man towering over me. Bare chest, muscular and bronzed. Black hair pulled back from a face full of sharp planes and angles. Dark eyes fierce under scowling brows.
My heart jolted painfully. I’d come face to face with an ancient warrior. He was gorgeous.
And furious.
At me.
“Don’t you read signs?”
I blinked at the apparition. “Uh....”
He gestured back at the main path. “The signs at every turn saying ‘Stay on the path’? The notice at the entrance telling you to leave artifacts alone? I could have you arrested and fined.”
Oh. I felt color flooding my cheeks. My pounding heart refused to slow yet, and the rush of adrenaline turned my arms and legs to jelly, but I rose steadily enough. I tried to ignore the heat in my face and the queasy feeling of panic in my stomach, which hadn’t yet accepted the message that I wasn’t in danger. “I’m Kylie Hafford,” I said coolly. “The archaeologist. Are you Danesh?”
I saw a satisfying flash of surprise and then guilt. Or maybe I had just imagined it, as his face settled immediately into a neutral mask. “Yes, I’m Danesh.” He hesitated before adding stiffly, “It’s nice to meet you.”
“The pleasure’s all mine.”
He must have caught my irony, because he almost smiled—I think. He said, “I’m sorry I startled you. I wasn’t expecting you yet, and....” He shrugged. “I’ve been noticing scuff marks in the ground, off the trail where tourists aren’t supposed to go. I figured someone was poking around, maybe looking for treasure.”
“And you assumed I was your treasure hunter?”
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Reader Praise for Whispers in the Dark:
“All in all, a great read, with a strong plot line, and likeable characters! I highly recommend this author!”
“The glimpses of life in the southwest and the ruins of the Ancient Ones were fascinating. The main character's emotional journey is well-drawn and satisfying. A quick read that should please plenty of readers!”
“Whispers in the Dark has a hefty dose of adventure and mystery, as well as a strong main character. I highly recommend this author!”
“The southwest setting and attention to authentic details will make the reader feel like he/she knows the place once the book is finished.”
“It has mystery, suspense, action, drama, romance, and some comic moments. The setting is unique and interesting.”

Kris Bock writes novels of suspense and romance involving outdoor adventures and Southwestern landscapes. Read excerpts at www.krisbock.com or visit her Amazon page. Sign up for Kris Bock newsletter for announcements of new books, sales, and more.

The Mad Monk’s Treasure follows the hunt for a long-lost treasure in the New Mexico desert. In The Dead Man’s Treasure, estranged relatives compete to reach a buried treasure by following a series of complex clues. In Counterfeits, stolen Rembrandt paintings bring danger to a small New Mexico town. What We Found is a mystery with strong romantic elements about a young woman who finds a murder victim in the woods. 

Editing Your Novel during #NaNoEdMo – Editing Tips

In honor of #NaNoEdMo (National Novel Editing Month), I'm sharing some advice from  You Can Write for Children : A Guide to Writing Great Stories, Articles, and Books for Kids and Teenagers. Two weeks ago I offered advice on “big picture” editing. Last week I covered Fine Tuning. Here are some final quick tips on editing to help you through NaNoEdMo.

Editing Tips:
Don’t try to edit everything at once. Make several passes, looking for different problems. Start big, then focus in on details.
Try writing a one- or two-sentence synopsis. Define your goal. Do you want to produce an action-packed thriller? A laugh-out-loud book that will appeal to preteen boys? A richly detailed historical novel about a character’s internal journey? Identifying your goal can help you make decisions about what to cut and what to keep.
Next make a scene list, describing what each scene does.Do you need to make major changes to the plot, characters, setting, or theme (fiction) or the focus of the topic (nonfiction)?Does each scene fulfill the synopsis goal? How does it advance plot, reveal character, or both?Does each scene build and lead to the next? Are any redundant? If you cut the scene, would you lose anything? Can any secondary characters be combined or eliminated?Does anything need to be added or moved? Do you have a length limit or target?Can you increase the complications, so that at each step, more is at stake, there’s greater risk or a better reward? If each scene has the same level of risk and consequence, the pacing is flat and the middle sags.Check for accuracy. Are your facts correct? Are your characters and setting consistent?Does each scene (in fiction) or paragraph (in nonfiction) follow a logical order and stick to the topic?Is your point of view consistent?Do you have dynamic language: Strong, active verbs? A variety of sentence lengths (but mostly short and to the point)? No clichés? Do you use multiple senses (sight, sound, taste, smell, touch)?Finally, edit for spelling and punctuation.
(For detailed editing questions, see my Plot Outline Exercise. It’s in my book Advanced Plotting or available as a free Word download on my website.)
Editing Description
For each detail, ask:
Does it make the story more believable?Does it help readers picture or understand a character or place better?Does it answer questions that readers might want answered?Does it distract from the action?Could it be removed without confusing readers or weakening the story?For illustrated work, could the description be replaced by illustrations?
Use more details for unusual/unfamiliar settings. Try using multiple senses: sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and the feeling of touch. Especially in picture books, use senses other than sight, which can be shown through the illustrations.
Editing Resources:Print/Ebook Advanced Plotting , by Chris EbochSelf-Editing for Fiction Writers, by Renni Browne and Dave KingStyle That Sizzles & Pacing for Power – An Editor’s Guide to Writing Compelling Fiction, by Jodie RennerManuscript Makeover, by Elizabeth LyonNovel Metamorphosis, by Darcy PattisonRevision & Self-Editing, by James Scott BellThanks, But This Isn’t For Us, by Jessica Page Morrell
Online I haven’t tried this, but the “Hemingway App” is designed to identify overly long or complicated sentences, so it might be helpful in learning to simplify your work for younger audiences:
Grammarly is a free app that claims to find more errors than Microsoft Word’s spelling and grammar check option, including words that are spelled correctly but used incorrectly:
Resources for Writers, by editor Jodie Renner, list several of her editing books as well as blog posts on various writing topics.
The Plot Outline Exercise from Advanced Plotting helps you analyze your plot for trouble spots. (It’s available as a free Word download on my website, in the left-hand column of this page.)
Middle grade author Janice Hardy’s Fiction University blog has great posts on many writing craft topics.
Author and writing teacher Jordan McCollum offers downloadable free writing guides on topics such as character arcs and deep point of view.
In “A Bad Case of Revisionitis,” Literary agent Natalie M. Lakosil discusses when to stop revising.
Subscribe to get posts automatically and never miss a post. You can use the Subscribe buttons to the right, or add http://chriseboch.blogspot.com/ to Feedly or another reader.
You can get the extended version of this essay, and a lot more, in You Can Write for Children : A Guide to Writing Great Stories, Articles, and Books for Kids and Teenagers. Order for Kindle, in paperback, or in Large Print paperback. Advanced Plotting also has advice on editing novels.
Chris Eboch writes fiction and nonfiction for all ages, with over 30 traditionally published books for children. Learn more at www.chriseboch.com or her Amazon page, or check out her writing tips at her Write Like a Pro! blog. Sign up for Chris’s Workshop Newsletter for classes and critique offers. 
Chris also writes novels of suspense and romance for adults under the name Kris Bock; read excerpts at www.krisbock.com.

Editing Your Novel during #NaNoEdMo – Fine Tuning

In honor of #NaNoEdMo (National Novel Editing Month), I'm sharing some advice from  You Can Write for Children : A Guide to Writing Great Stories, Articles, and Books for Kids and Teenagers. Last week I offered advice on “big picture” editing. Once you're comfortable with the overall structure and content of your novel, it's time to consider the details.
Fine Tuning  Once you are confident that your characters, plot, structure, and pacing are working, you can dig into the smaller details. At this stage, make sure that your timeline works and your setting hangs together. Create calendars and maps to keep track of when things happen and where people go.
Then polish, polish, polish.
Bill Peschel, author of Sherlock Holmes parodies and other books for adults, and a former newspaper copy editor, says, “Reading with a critical eye reveals weak spots in grammar, consistently misspelled words, and a reliance on ‘crutch words’ [unnecessary and overused words] such as simply, basically, or just. While it can be disheartening to make the same mistakes over and over again, self-editing can boost your ego when you become aware that you’re capable of eliminating them from your work. It takes self-awareness, some education, and a willingness to admit to making mistakes.”
This stage of editing can be time-consuming, especially if you are prone to spelling or grammatical errors. “Be systematic,” Peschel says. “Despite all the advice on how to multi-task, the brain operates most efficiently when it’s focusing on one problem at a time. This applies to proofing. You can look for spelling mistakes, incorrect grammar, and your particular weaknesses, just not at the same time. So for effective proofing, make several passes, each time focusing on a different aspects.”
One pass might focus only on dialogue. “Read just the dialogue out loud,” editor Jodie Renner suggests, “maybe role-playing with a buddy or two. Do the conversations sound natural or stilted? Does each character sound different, or do they all sound like the author?”
Wordiness (using more words than necessary) is a big problem for many writers, so make at least one pass focused exclusively on tightening. “Make every word count,” Renner advises. “Take out whole sentences and paragraphs that don’t add anything new or drive the story forward. Take out unnecessary little words, most adverbs and many adjectives, and eliminate clichés.” Words you can almost always cut include very, really, just, sort of, kind of, a little, rather, started to, began to, then. To pick up the pace in your manuscript, try to cut 20% of the text on every page, simply by looking for unnecessary words or longer phrases that can be changed to shorter ones.
Make additional passes looking for grammar errors, missing words, and your personal weak areas. For example, if you know you tend to overuse “just,” use the “Find” option in a program like Microsoft Word to locate that word and eliminate it when possible.
Even if you’re not an expert editor, you may be able to sense when something is wrong. “Trust your inner voice,” when you get an uneasy feeling, Peschel says. “It can be something missing, something wrong, something clunky, and if you stick to it – read it out loud, read it backwards, look at it from a distance – the mistake should declare itself.”
Fool Your Brain
By this point, you’ve read your manuscript dozens of times. This can make it hard to spot errors, since you know what is supposedto be there. Several tricks can help you see your work with fresh eyes.
Peschel says, “Reading the same prose in the same font can cause the eye to skate over mistakes, so change it up. Boost the size or change the color of the text or try a different font. Use free programs such as Calibre or Scrivener to create an EPUB or MOBI file that can be read on an ebook reader.”
Renner also recommends changing your font. Print your manuscript on paper if you are used to working on the computer screen. Finally, move away from your normal working place to review your manuscript. “These little tricks will help you see the manuscript as a reader instead of as a writer,” she says.
“An effective way to check the flow of your story is to read it aloud or have someone read it to you,” freelance editor Linda Lane notes. “Better yet, record your story so you can play it back multiple times if necessary. Recruiting another person to do this will give you a better idea of what a reader will see.” Some software, such as MS Word 2010, has a text-to-voice feature to provide a read aloud.
Lane adds, “If recording your story yourself, run your finger just below each line as you read to catch omitted or misspelled words and missing commas, quote marks, and periods. Also, enunciate clearly and ‘punctuate’ as you read, pausing slightly at each comma and a bit longer at end punctuation. While this won’t catch every error, it will give you a good sense of flow, highlight many shortcomings, and test whether your dialogue is smooth and realistic.”
Some people even recommend reading your manuscript backwards, sentence by sentence. While this won’t help you track the flow of the story, it focuses attention on the sentence level. Finally, certain computer programs and web platforms are designed to identify spelling and grammar errors, and in some cases even identify clichés. While these programs are not recommended for developmental editing (when you’re shaping the story), they can be an option for later polishing. (They can also make mistakes, though, so don’t trust Microsoft Word’s spelling & grammar check to be right about everything.)
How Much Is Enough?
How much editing you need to do depends on your goals for the story. If you simply want to write down the bedtime stories you tell your children as a family record, a spelling error or two doesn’t matter too much. If you are going to submit work to a publisher, you need to be more careful. Some editors and agents say they will stop reading if they find errors in the first few pages, or more than one typo every few pages. If you plan to self-publish, most experts advise hiring a professional editor to help you shape the story and a professional proofreader to make sure the book doesn’t go out with typos. Weak writing and other errors could cause readers to get annoyed and leave bad reviews.
Looking at all the steps to successful self-editing may be daunting, but break them down into pieces, take a step at a time, and don’t rush your revisions. “This whole process could easily take several months,” Renner says. “Don’t shoot yourself in the foot by putting your manuscript out too soon.”
Each time you go through this process you’ll be developing your skills, making the next time easier. “Like anything else, self-editing becomes easier the more you do it,” Peschel says. “When it becomes second-nature, you’ll have made a big leap toward becoming a professional writer.”
Stop by next Wednesday for final tips on editing – or subscribe to get posts automatically and never miss a post. You can use the Subscribe buttons to the right, or add http://chriseboch.blogspot.com/ to Feedly or another reader.
You can get the extended version of this essay, and a lot more, in You Can Write for Children : A Guide to Writing Great Stories, Articles, and Books for Kids and Teenagers. Order for Kindle, in paperback, or in Large Print paperback. Advanced Plotting also has advice on editing novels.
Chris Eboch writes fiction and nonfiction for all ages, with over 30 traditionally published books for children. Learn more at www.chriseboch.com or her Amazon page. Sign up for Chris’s Workshop Newsletter for classes and critique offers.

Chris also writes novels of suspense and romance for adults under the name Kris Bock; read excerpts at www.krisbock.com