Deborah Halverson's Blog, page 6

Richard Peck, Ya Did Good

My very first speaking gig as a young editor, in front of 300 people in Texas, happened last minute as I filled in for a New York editor whose family understandably didn’t want her flying, being just weeks after the 9/11 horrors. I was nervous–this was the 1st speech I’d ever put together about editing and publishing and writers’ goals. When I was done at the podium, I took a seat in the audience … next to author Richard Peck. THE Richard Peck, at that time already beloved for his amazing stories for young people and his generous advising/inspiring of aspiring authors. When I dropped down into the seat next to him, he winked and said, “Ya did good.”

I hope I pass on to others that same feeling of relief and being supported, because I think of that moment often.

Today, we learn of Richard’s passing. What a loss… but what a joy to have his storytelling legacy, his books always at our fingertips and ready to move, inspire, and entertain new readers. If you haven’t read Richard’s books, do. Because I and countless young readers can tell you, he did good.

 

 

Free Sampler Featuring New Fiction

Did you know Publishers Lunch offers a free downloadable sampler with pre-publication excerpts from major authors and debut voices each publishing season? Anyone can download it and enjoy the samples. 


 


There’s a Buzz Books for commercial fiction, and another for Young Adult each season.  The 2018 Fall/Winter edition just came out, but you can download previous seasons too. Samplers are fun, and this is a good way to ring in the summer and winter seasons each year. Check it out!


 

Writing Pals & Creative Karma

I’ve tried writing groups/meet-ups before, but for reasons that were never bad, those never worked out. This time: GOLD. I’ve been meeting the amazing Barrie Summy once a week for about a year now, writing across the table from her, and it’s THE BEST. We talk a bit, write a lot, and joke about each other’s “writing faces” — well my writing faces, to be exact. Apparently my expressions reflect the mood of what I’m writing as I write it. Characters shouting at each other? Mean face! Writing a silly joke. Whacky face! I didn’t know I did that until Barry told me it’s what she sees from across our writing table. And she made the revelation and her giggle that accompanied it sound like a compliment: I’m not embarrassing myself in public, I’m getting into my story. Huzzah!

Barrie and I commiserate, support, and advise all things craft and industry, with no judgement.

I wish such karma for all creatives.

 

Meet Me at the Annual SCBWI Summer Conference in L.A. Aug 3-6

I’m pleased to be presenting two sessions at the Society of Children’s Books Writers & Illustrators‘ Annual Summer Conference in L.A. August 3-6, 2018:

“Up-to-the-Minute Market Report: Industry Updates, Submissions, and New Imprints”
“Subplots & Subtext: How to Deepen and Energize Your MG/YA Fiction”

I’ll also critique manuscripts one-on-one, which is something I particularly enjoy doing.

Conference registration opens April 17th @10am PT. Manuscript Consults are limited so if you’re interested, register asap on the 17th.

Deborah at WIK ’18 — Fun Times, Great Craft Talk

I’ve had a lot of plates spinning in the last few months, but they’ve been fun plates to spin. A big one was prepping for and attending SCBWI-Southern Breeze’s 2018 writing-and-illustrating for kids (WIK) conference at the beginning of March. I presented sessions on non-rhyming picture books, revising young-adult and middle-grade novels for submission, and the state of the children’s book industry. The attendees were fabulous to work with, and the conference organizers made for smooth sailing for all.

Newbery Award-winner Linda Sue Park rocked the keynote. My other fellow faculty were..

Pat Cummings – Corretta Scott King Award winner and instructor at Pratt Institute

Nicki Carmack – Creative Director, Peachtree Publishers

Deborah Shine – Editor, Star Bright Books

John Cusick – Agent, Folio, Jr.

Erica Silverman – Agent, Stimola Literary

Matt Ringler – Editor, Scholastic

Janice Hardy – Author and founder of Fiction University

Kami Kinard – Author

Rebecca Petruck – Author

Heather Montgomery – Author

Jodi Wheeler Toppen, Author

Kristy Hunter – Agent, Knight Agency

Claire Easton – Agent, Painted Words

The Southern Breeze chapter of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators offers support to writers and illustrators in Alabama, Georgia, and the Florida panhandle. It’s an amazing group of creative and supportive people, attendees and conference organizers alike. If you live in that area and write/illustrate for young people, do yourself a solid and check out the group.

Expecting Boring but Getting Brilliant

My parents divided our garage in half with a wall of bookcases. While I checked out tons of books from the public library, this home library was a convenient way to satisfy sudden reading urges and a true treasure trove. Need a new book but the library is closed? Need a new book, but not in the mood for the books you picked out while in a different mood at the library? To the garage! That’s where I found and fell in love with James Herriot’s ALL CREATURES GREAT AND SMALL. I read that book and then the companion titles.

For whatever reason, I suddenly remembered that this week.

“Oh, hey, guys,” I said to my three thirteen-year-olds, “I remember a book I liked around your age. You like animals. It’s about a vet who lived in England and worked on farm animals around WWII time.” I was met with shrugs. The book sounded ooooold to them, and almost certainly boring. “Let’s just see…” I popped into the library app, saw the audiobook was available, turned it on, and…magic.

The boys were instantly captivated. As was I, once again.

Christopher Timothy’s reading is charming and perfect. Herriot’s characterizations of the people he met while attending the animals on the local farms are fantastic. Each person is unique and instantly seeable as such. Herriot is great at characterization.

And he’s just plain funny. His observations are funny. His eye for the best anecdotes of his inconsistent boss and the circumstances of each call are funny. His mostly deadpan reaction to all the fabulous peculiarities of people, place, and situations is funny. My sons laugh out loud with me as we listen, and we make time at the end of each day to listen to it even after we’re done with our nightly bedtime read-aloud from different book. Over the weekend, the boys raced to the car after their haircut because they wanted to get back to this audiobook. They didn’t even sigh in that self-pitying way  trapped teenager have when I took the wrong turnoff on a long drive because that meant the drive would be longer and thus they’d have more time with All Creatures Great and Small. Now that’s proof of a good book.

I’m starting to get that vague pit of sadness in my belly that comes with knowing a great read is about to end. But there’s relief, at least: There are still three more books about this country vet practicing in England around WWII time. Not boring at all.

Booklovers and their Tchotchkes

Folks love their tchotckes. We display them in curio cabinets, on shelves in our living rooms and studies, even on the dashboards of our cars. Booklovers are no exception. While I’m no fan of visual clutter in my living or workingspaces, I have a few prized booklover tchotchkes, all presents from fellow booklovers. Here are three of my favorites. First, a book fan that lets you read the tale of Icarus as you fan your face, a new gift from a book club pal. Then there’s this beautiful palm-size, painted rock paperweight given to me by a managing editor at Harcourt 23 years ago. Still have it … and still USE it. And finally, a special yellow-and-black fella given to me by book marketing pals who spotted it at a publishing industry show: A doll version of the character on the front of all For Dummies books, presented to me in celebration of my first craft book Writing Young Adult Fiction For Dummies. Since Wiley publishes that line of books, the doll’s name is, of course, Wiley. Bonus: He’s just the right size to fit on the ledge of my bookshelf, in front of a row of WYAFFDs. Perfect

What’s Up with the Ebook Sales Increase?

In intriguing but perhaps not sign-of-a-radical-shift news: Publishers Weekly reports that ebook sales were up in May, making it the first time in two years there’s been an increase in ebook sales from one month to next.

Why is this intriguing? Because every year since ebook sales peaked in 2013, sales have dropped. Double-, even triplet-digit drops. Ebooks account for about 23% of the industry’s annual unit sales, so even an upward blip on the sales graph registers attention.

Why have ebook sales been dropping? Device fatigue remains a commonly cited factor. Also, dedicated e-readers are decreasing in use, and those folks were buying a good chunk of the ebooks. Last year also saw the impact of our return to the agency pricing model for ebooks. The 2015 Department of Justice ruling called for that pricing. Now, ebooks run you about $9 for a trade title. Numbers suggest consumers aren’t thrilled about that. Self- published ebook prices aren’t affected by the ruling.

This has all been happening as print book sales went on the rise. Yep: Peeps are buying bound books. Unit sales for hardcover books went up 5% in 2016. That’s the first time hardcovers have outsold e-books since 2011. Seems consumers are migrating back to print.

This May uptick PW reports is a fact; I’m curious about the reasons behind it. Personally, I’ve started reading more ebooks lately. I’m now filling standing-in-line or waiting-for-the-kids moments—when I’d previously dip into the news stream to pass a moment or two—with dips into a book. Many Americans, no matter where they are on the socio political spectrum, are feeling news fatigue. I am one of them. By dipping into books, I’m giving myself moments of escape and delivering creative inspiration via drip-feed throughout my day.  And being an author and an editor, I’m contributing to my knowledge base and expertise.

I’ve long listened to audiobooks while exercising and doing housework. Tapping open my mobile reader for a moment of literary succor while moving about my daily business is a welcome addition. Perhaps others are doing the same? I’ll be watching ebook performance.

 

Deborah’s Interview Is Part of New Online Course at Children’s Book Insider

I’m proud to have contributed an interview called “Writing for Tweens, Teens and New Adults” to Children’s Book Insider’s Blueprint series, for their new Middle Grade/Young Adult Writing Blueprint. CBI always presents great content. Other fabulous interviews are a part of the new Blueprint — editor Mary Kole and author Matthew J. Kirby (a favorite writer of mine, and a good pal t’boot!) Author Alice Kuipers is the instructor. You can check it out at writing blueprints.com

The Library Treehouse Every Backyard Should Have

When you’re feeling down or dreamy, what do you google on the internet? Baby animal videos? Flowers? I google home library photos. I picture myself in them, imagine redoing my house to be like them, just overall lose myself in them. Here’s one I want to build in my back yard. I won’t — my back yard is too small — but I still want. For now, I’ll share the mental escape with you.  Two great photos below. Here’s the link: “Photo Tour: Owl’s Nest Treehouse Library”