Nosy Crow's Blog, page 153

How not to submit your book to a publisher

We really want to encourage people to explore their talent for writing and for illustration.

We’re willing to read unsolicited manuscripts (though we’d be the first to admit that we don’t get to them terribly quickly).

We run masterclasses and conferences to demystify the publishing process.

Here are just a few things that I see people getting wrong when they try to interest us in their books:

First, they ignore our submissions guidelines. They send stuff directly to me, having worked out or tracked down my email address. If they’re lucky, and I am keen to get it out of my inbox, I will take a quick look and reject it instantly (I can’t think of an example where this hasn’t happened). If they’re not lucky, and I’m away, it’ll languish unread in my inbox forever. I know it’s disappointing, but the fact is that I think our first duty is to publish to the best of our ability those authors and illustrators to whom we have already made a commitment.

Second, they over-egg their pitch to the point that I can’t imagine how we would ever establish a working relationship. They ask us to sign confidentiality agreements or other documentation before they will show me anything, fearful, I guess, that we’ll steal the idea or blab about it. They suggest that we might go out to lunch to talk about the multi-media potential of their property, presenting the books as just one part of a pitch involving a TV series and an extensive merchandising programme. It’s great to be ambitious, but these things suggest to me that an author doesn’t have a sufficiently realistic grasp of the children’s book business. In over a quarter of a century, I’ve never signed anything before seeing a project, and I’ve never gone to lunch with a prospective author who’s written in speculatively.

Third, if they’re a writer, they’ve already paired themselves up with an illustrator, and if they’re an illustrator, they’ve paired themselves up with a writer. Usually, it’s part of the publisher’s contribution to the process that they pair up authors and illustrators. At its best, this pairing can be a creative and commercially transformative act.

I used to feel bad about my position of power over the hopes and dreams of authors and illustrators. I still feel a huge sense of responsibility when I accept a book, but less, nowadays, when I turn one down: self-publishing means that traditional publishers don’t have to worry about depriving an audience of a masterpiece. Anyone can publish today.

This blog post was born of a sequence of email conversations with prospective authors over the last few days – authors who were getting it wrong. It’s not a grouse: I really want authors and illustrators to give themselves the best chance of success. But it occurs to me that I can use this as a marketing tool: if you want more tips, and, probably, a more positive spin than I am giving here, then come to our next masterclass.

Tickets for the next Nosy Crow How to Write Children’s Fiction masterclass, taking place on October 10, are available now: you can book your place with the form below, or at this page. Both of our upcoming How to Write Picture Books masterclasses are currently sold out, but if you’d like to be the first to hear about new events, you can sign up to our books mailing list here.

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Today's your last chance to get Nosy Crow's fairy tale apps for less than half price

Last week we announced a special promotion for all of our award-winning fairytale apps – The Three Little Pigs, Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Jack and the Beanstalk, and Snow White are all available on the App Store for just $1.99/ £1.49 each.

And this special sale ends TODAY – this is your last chance to get the apps at this unbeatable price!

Here’s a very quick look at each of our five fairytales:

The Three Little Pigs:

Cinderella:

Little Red Riding Hood:

Jack and the Beanstalk:

Snow White:

If you do buy any of these apps, we’d be incredibly grateful if you’d consider leaving a review on the App Store – it makes a big difference! And if you’d like to stay up to date with all of our app news (and never miss out on a special offer or new app announcement) you can sign up to our apps newsletter here.

Shifty McGifty and Slippery Sam: The Cat Burglar is launched at Pickled Pepper Books

The tireless duo of Steven Lenton and Tracey Corderoy worked with brilliant community-minded independent book Pickled Pepper Books in Crouch End to celebrate the publication of Shifty McGifty and Slippery Sam: The Cat Burglar. After an afternoon storytelling event (to which Michelle Collins made a surprise visit) Steve and Tracey, tiffin and tarts to hand, signed books and raised a glass to the continuing success of Shifty McGifty and Slippery Sam.

Shifty McGifty and Slippery Sam: The Cat Burglar is the second picture book to feature the pair of robber dogs who reform and start up their own cafe in the first book, Shifty McGifty and Slippery Sam. In Shifty McGifty and Slippery Sam: The Cat Burglar, the dogs are (plot spoiler alert) deceived by the brilliant cat burglar Kitty Le Claw. Momentarily tempted by the sight of the treasures stored in the local bank vault, they stick to the straight and narrow, and help both to capture and save Kitty as she attempts a bold but doomed escape.

Something about the combination of a narratively rich story told in impeccably engineered rhyme, expressive pastel-style illustrations, humour, and come-uppance has struck a chord with children in the UK, where we saw pictures of children dressed up as Shifty and Sam for World Book Day on social media.

Happy world book day, my girls costumes ready for their dress up day tom 2dScrumptious</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/TraceyCorderoy">TraceyCorderoy NosyCrow</a> <a href="http://t.co/mz2n0R1eAD">pic.twitter.com/mz2n0R1eAD</a></p>&mdash; Jo Byatt (JoanneByatt1) March 6, 2014

Grown ups appreciated it too: Amanda Craig writing in The Times, for example, said, “The rhyming couplets demand enthusiastic participation, and the illustrations are as light and fluffy as a good sponge … slips down a treat.”

Tracey has been amazing at creating and delivering brilliantly engaging and funny events for children for all of her Nosy Crow books. She’s travelled to schools, shops and libraries up and down the country over the past five years, and she found a willing performance partner in Steve. Between them, they devised a Shifty McGifty and Slippery Sam show, like this one at the 2014 Hay Festival.

Congratulations to Tracey and Steven on the publication of Shifty McGifty and Slippery Sam: The Cat Burglar.

Edinburgh International Book Festival tickets are now on sale!

Tickets for events at the Edinburgh International Book Festival are now on sale – and there are some fantastic Nosy Crow authors and illustrators included in the programme!

On Saturday August 15, Lyn Gardner presents the finale of her brilliant Olivia series about the trials and tribulations of attending drama school. In Olivia’s Curtain Call, Olivia finds herself faced with a difficult decision. Should she follow her dreams of becoming a West End actress like her mum, or join her father in a high-wire stunt performance? Come along to find out what she decides. You can book tickets for the event here – and here’s a look inside the book:



Buy the book online.

And you can also see Blue Peter Book Award-winning author Pamela Butchart on Saturday August 15, introducing her new book My Head Teacher is a Vampire Rat, in a lively event involving games, treasure hunts, arts, crafts and more. You can book tickets for the event here – and here’s a look inside the book:



Buy the book online.

On Wednesday August 19, you can see Catherine Wilkins, back at the festival with My Great Success and Other Failures, the fourth book about Jessica’s hilarious mishaps. This time, Jess finds that her cartoons are beginning to take off – but why can’t people be happy for her? You can book tickets for the event here – and if you’re new to Catherine’s books, here’s a look inside My Best Friend and Other Enemies, the first brilliant novel featuring Jessica:



Buy the book online.

On Sunday August 23, The Grunts series author Philip Ardagh will be back at Edinburgh for another hilarious event, sharing the latest adventure of the very grubby Grunts family, The Grunts in a Jam. You can book tickets for the event here, and take a look inside the book below:



Buy the book online.

On Monday August 24, Princess Daisy and the Dragon and the Nincompoop Knights author and illustrator Steven Lenton will be holding a very special event – come along for some snail spotting, dragon drawing and crazy crown-making! You can book tickets for the event here, and here’s a look inside the book:



Buy the book online.

And on Monday August 31, you can see David Solomons, author of the hilarious My Brother is a Superhero for an event with author Alex McCall, on funny and inventive tales for those readers looking for something a little different. You can book tickets for the event here, and here’s a look inside the book:



Buy the book online.

We hope you can make it there!

Our picture book and children's fiction writing masterclasses are back

Today we’re very happy to announce the return of our sold-out Masterclass events – with THREE new dates.

We’re holding two new How to Write Picture Books masterclasses, and one more How to Write Children’s Fiction masterclass – so if you didn’t manage to get a ticket the first time around, now’s your chance!

Our first How to Write Picture Books masterclass sold out in six hours, with an incredibly long waiting list for cancellations – and so this time, we’ve decided to announce two dates.

These will be intensive, all-day writing masterclasses, with sessions from authors, editors, agents, staff at Nosy Crow, and more – all focussed on writing picture books. There’ll be practical suggestions, advice on every aspect of writing, from rhyme and scansion, to editing a text, working alongside illustrators, understanding the format, and more, as well as guidance about what comes after – finding an agent, understanding a contract, and international selling.

As part of the day, there’ll also be one-on-one manuscript critiques for every attendee (for anyone who has sent along writing samples in advance).

Our two How to Write Picture Book masterclasses are taking place on Saturday, 12 September and Saturday, 7 November.

Ticket price includes tea and coffee breaks throughout the day, lunch, and a glass of wine (and cake!) at the end of the day – and Early Bird tickets are available now! You can book your place onto either masterclass with the forms below:

September How to Write Picture Books masterclass:

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Buy tickets here.

November How to Write Picture Books masterclass:

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Buy tickets here.

And as well as our two picture book events, we’ll also be holding a repeat of our very first masterclass event, How to Write Children’s Fiction. Another intensive, all-day writing masterclass, the focus of this event will be largely on what’s referred to by some as “middle-grade” fiction – there’ll be advice and sessions on every aspect of writing, from shaping your story structure to drafting a synopsis, understanding different genres (from funny books to fantasy), and getting to grips with writing a series.

There’ll be editors, agents, authors and staff at Nosy Crow covering every part of the writing process.

As with or picture book masterclass, there’ll also be one-on-one manuscript critiques for every attendee (for anyone who has sent along writing samples in advance).

Our How to Write Children’s Fiction masterclass is taking place on Saturday, 10 October.

Once again, ticket price includes tea and coffee breaks throughout the day, lunch, and a glass of wine and cake at the end of the day. Early Bird tickets are available now, and you can book your place onto our fiction masterclass with the form below:

October How to Write Children’s Fiction masterclass:

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Buy tickets here.

We hope you can join us – and if you’d like to attend one of our masterclasses, don’t delay in booking – we expect them to sell out very quickly!

Thank you to all children's books translators... and RIP Harry Rowohlt

A really rather dreadfully photoshopped image of Philip Ardagh and Axel Scheffler with Harry Rohwohlt between them

According to figures in a great article in The Guardian about books in translation into English, 13% of books published in Germany are books in translation. The figure is 70% in Slovenia. This compares with perhaps 2% in the UK.

I mention this because the UK children’s book industry is dependent – and I don’t think that’s an overstatement – on the skills and sensibilities of the people who cast our books into other languages, and, in doing so, make them accessible to a whole new audience. I’ve written about selling rights and co-editions here. Nosy Crow, after just four and a half years of publishing, has already sold the right to publish Nosy Crow titles in 28 languages. This is particularly important in the case of children’s books: as anyone who’s travelled to, say, Holland or Denmark knows, the level of English spoken by most adults is breathtakingly high, but that’s a skill that comes with age, so, while many Dutch and Danish adults would happily buy books in English to read themselves, as parents, they are looking for books in their home languages to share with their children.

Harry Rowohlt was an enormously talented, hugely experienced, larger-than-life German translator who put his stamp on many English books, and is particularly recognised for his translation and audio reading of the Winnie-The-Pooh books. He died, after a long illness, earlier this week. Here is how The Bookseller reported his death. In remembering him, I am sort of paying an oblique tribute to all of the translators who bring our, and other publishers’, books to the non-English language speaking children of the world.

In the last years before he died, Harry Rowohlt translated the first two books in The Grunts series by Philip Ardagh, illustrated by Axel Scheffler, for Beltz und Gelberg. He also recorded the German audio version.

Axel writes this about Harry Rowohlt:

“Every now and then I wake up to the wonderful voice of Harry Rowohlt. My daughter “does her stickers” in the morning before school. The walls are thin. She puts a CD on an ancient CD player on which the volume is set slightly too loud. Sometimes, she’s listening to The Grunts – Familie Grunz – translated and read brilliantly by Harry Rowohlt. He was one the greatest translators, readers, performers and commentators on German life (in the Pooh Bear column he wrote for Die Zeit throughout the 1990s). There was nobody else with such a feeling for the English (whether American, British or Irish) language’s wit, irony and sense of humour irony who had such a talent to transport those qualities into German.

He also repeatedly reminded the Germans of the huge cultural loss to Germany caused by the murder and driving out of Jewish entertainers, writers, musicians and artists in the 1930s and 40s – a loss from which (and I agree) Germany has never recovered.

I regret that I never met him properly – except for some short (and perhaps appropriately, as it turned out) grunted greetings. He translated How To Keep A Pet Squirrel, a text I found in an old British encyclopaedia which I’d illustrated as a birthday present for my illustrator friend, Rotraut Susanne Berner. When her husband, Armin Abmeier, saw it, he wanted to publish it in a series of booklets by artists that he was editing called Die Tollen Hefte and he asked Harry Rowolt to do the translation – mindful of the fact that, quite apart from Harry’s translation skills, having Harry Rowolt’s name on the cover of a book is great for sales.

I was very excited when he agreed to translate The Grunts series written by Philip Ardagh for Beltz und Gelberg. Harry had worked Philip’s books before, and Philip loved him and his work. Sadly he got too ill to work on more then the first two volumes of the series. I had a little exchange of letters (he was a great and funny letter writer as well: some of his letters have been published by Haffmanns Verlag) about a Coca-Cola bottle on one of my drawings. Demonstrating his great attention to detail, he accused me of having no idea how to draw a Coke bottle (I must admit that I had overlooked the bottle design, but so had Nosy Crow). By chance, I happened to have a book on the history of Coca-Cola design (don’t ask), and found a photograph of an old bottle with straight sides from before the characteristically curvy bottle was introduced which I could send him to save my reputation.

But the Coke bottle error means that I can cherish my very own Harry Rowohlt letter.

He will be missed.”

The coke bottle in question.

Thank you to all the translators of children’s books throughout the world, and RIP Harry Rowohlt.

We've dropped the price of all of our fairy tale apps - for one week only!

Today, for one week only, we’re launching a special promotion for all of our award-winning fairytale apps: you can now get The Three Little Pigs, Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Jack and the Beanstalk, and Snow White from the App Store for just $1.99/ £1.49 each.

This special offer will last until next Thursday (June 25) – so if you’ve not yet tried our fairytale apps, and have been looking for a good reason, here it is! Here’s a very quick look at each of our five fairytales:

The Three Little Pigs:

Cinderella:

Little Red Riding Hood:

Jack and the Beanstalk:

Snow White:

We are enormously proud of these apps: they are truly extraordinary reading experiences, filled with absolutely stunning artwork, wonderful music, voicework and animation, and innovative, reading-friendly interactivity.

If you already own our fairytale apps, please do share this offer with anyone you think might be interested – and if you do buy one of our apps, we’d be incredibly grateful if you’d consider leaving a review on the App Store!

How to read to babies and toddlers

Earlier this week, I was on the bus travelling to work (I’d left the bike at the office the previous day to go to the recording studio). At St Thomas’s Hospital, a woman got on with her toddler, a little girl, who was around 18 months old.

The toddler was able to understand a lot, it seemed, but had limited speech of her own.

The mum read the toddler Each Peach Pear Plum, and I wished I’d been able to video it (I mean, I guess I could have used my phone, but it would have looked odd). That mum just read to that toddler so brilliantly that I felt a bit lumpy-throaty: if only all toddlers were read to so well, it would be the best possible introduction to the pleasure of reading.

Here’s why I thought her reading was so exemplary:

She read slowly but with a lot of expression and enthusiasm.

She gave the child the chance to complete the lines. “Mother Hubbard in the cellar. I spy…” The child gave their own version of the word, which sometimes bore a recognisable (to me) resemblance to the word in the book, but the mum was positive about every attempt by the child… before reading the word (“Cinderella”) out properly. Of course, the fact that this book is in rhyme supported the child here – I’ve written about rhyming books here – but you can do this with prose texts too if the child knows them. I remember my children finishing the sentences in Sarah Garland’s board books when they were babies.

She gave the child the chance to turn the page, but if the child didn’t, she turned it for them.

After she’d read the text on each spread, she encouraged the child to find things in the pictures (“Where’s Baby Bear?), but, if the child didn’t seem interested, she moved on, so the pace, spread to spread, was varied.

She offered to read the book again.

I guess, to most of the people reading this blog, reading in this way to a child on the cusp of spoken language might come easily, so apologies if this is an egg-sucking tutorial. But to many parents, it doesn’t. I remember trying to encourage a mum with a toddler in a supermarket in Wigan to join their library as part of a Bookstart programme who said, “He can’t read! He’s only two years’ old.” Lots of babies and children aren’t read to at all, let alone read to well.

The benefits of reading to babies are well rearched and documented, not least by Bookstart.

To see it done well still makes me really happy.

Watch the trailer for Shifty McGifty and Slippery Sam: The Cat Burglar

There are STILL a couple of weeks to wait until Shifty McGifty and Slippery Sam: The Cat Burglar – the highly-anticipated new picture book from Tracey Corderoy and Steven Lenton, creators of everyone’s favourite robber dogs, Shifty McGifty and Slippery Sam – is published, but in the meantime, here’s the brand new trailer for the book!

In this second adventure for Shifty and Sam, the reformed robber dogs have embarked upon a radical career change, and are now running a charming cafe. Life’s as sweet as a sugared doughnut until their new, seemingly cute-as-a-cupcake employee turns out to be infamous cat burglar Kitty-le-Claw. Shifty and Sam are caught in a sticky situation when they find themselves in the frame for Kitty’s raid on a bank vault. Have the cake-loving canines bitten off more than they can chew…?

Here’s a look inside the book:

Scrupmptiously-illustrated, and featuring a delectable rhyming text, this action-packed picture book will provide hours of entertainment. You can pre-order the book now – and if you’d like to keep up to date with all of our new picture books, and be in with a chance of winning a copy of The Cat Burglar, sign up to our books newsletter.

Nosy Crow at the Bath Children's Literature Festival

The programme for this year’s Telegraph Bath Children’s Literature Festival has been revealed today, and we’re very pleased to see a strong contingent of Nosy Crow authors and illustrators featured in the line-up!

On Saturday September 26 at 11.30am, you can meet Pip and Posy creator Axel Scheffler for stories, drawing and lots of Pip and Posy fun (and perhaps a surprise guest or two). You can find out more about the event here, and take a look inside the latest Pip and Posy book, The Bedtime Frog (which will be available in paperback in September) below:



Pre-order the book online.

At 3.30pm on Saturday September 26 you can see David Solomons, author of the hilarious debut novel My Brother is a Superhero, as part of a “Bath Picks” rising stars event – with Festival Director John McLay introducing three rising stars, each making their Bath festival debut. You can find out more here and take a look inside the book below:



Pre-order the book online.

And on Sunday September 27 at 10.30am, you can join Shifty McGifty and Slippery Sam creators Tracey Corderoy and Steven Lenton for a fantastic performance featuring everyone’s favourite two robber dogs. You can find out more about the event here and take a look inside the highly-anticipated second Shifty and Sam story, Shifty McGifty and Slippery Sam: The Cat Burglar (our next month) below:



Pre-order the book online.

You can read the full (BRILLIANT) programme of children’s events here. Tickets will go on sale to Friends of the Festival on June 26, and to the general public on July 6 – we hope to see you there!