Nancy I. Sanders's Blog, page 34

Board Book Workshop

Over the years, I’ve had the joy of publishing board books and novelty books for babies. That’s one of my books, My Special Things, featured in the image above. Now that I have a grandbaby of my own, I’m especially enjoying writing new potential manuscripts for this market.

Have you ever thought of writing board books for babies? They’re lots of fun, fun, fun to write. And in my newest writer’s audio workshop, I talk with Suzanne Lieurance about how YOU can write board books, too. CLICK HERE for the details of how you can register for the pre-recorded audio workshop, including lots of tips on which publishers and agents are currently accepting board book submissions.

For an example of what a board book looks like, you can watch my book, The Pet I’ll Get, be read on YouTube on Nana’s Storytime!

And here’s an example of what a manuscript submission for a board book looks like. I just submitted one this past month, and this is the format I used.

Filed under: Uncategorized, Writer Workshops

NF PB Journey: More at Your Library

Yup. It’s time to get more books from your local library. I’ve been reading various Charlesbridge books. (You can find lots of nonfiction picture book titles by either looking at their catalog or using the advanced search feature on Amazon to search the publisher’s name for for younger ages.)

By now, I’ve got some of my favorites that I’m planning on using for mentor texts along my journey to target Charlesbridge and write and submit nonfiction picture book manuscripts to them in the year ahead. (If you want to do that, too, be sure to add this to your list of New Year’s goals! It’s the perfect time of year!)

So here are some of my favorite nonfiction picture books from Charlesbridge that I’ve recently read:

Behold the Beautiful Dung Beetle by Cheryl Bardoe

Clothesline Clues to Jobs People Do by Kathryn Heling and Deborah Hembrook

Dirty Rats? by Darrin Lunde

Feathers (Not Just for Flying) by Melissa Stewart

Hello, Bumblebee Bat by Darrin Lunde

Trapped! A Whale’s Rescue by Robert Burleigh

Hop on over to the online site of your local library (or go and visit it!) and order in these nonfiction picture books to read. They’re tops!

NOTE: And hey…while you’re at it, take a peek on your library’s site and see how many copies of each of these books they have in their system. I discovered they have a whopping 12..yes 12 …copies of the title TRAPPED! You bet I want to look especially close at this title to see what makes it so appealing to a library these days when funds are tight and they only order in 1 or 2 copies of most picture books.

So if you notice your library has a lot of copies of a certain title on this list, pay special attention to it because it’s doing something to be successful.

 

Filed under: Nonfiction, Picture Books, Uncategorized

Faith Building Fridays: Quiet Words

The quiet words of a wise person

are better than the shouts of a foolish king.

A wise person can overcome weapons of war.

-Ecclesiastes 9:17-18a, NLT

A writer’s life is often solitary and alone. Countless hours of quiet reflection are spent at the computer, perfecting our craft. How wonderful it is to know that the words we write can be more effective than the mightiest sword.

Thank You, Lord, for this reminder that the time we spend alone at our computer is a valuable and precious time. Please give us wisdom so that the words we write will overcome Satan’s weapons of war. In Jesus’s name. Amen.

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For more faith-building encouragement as a writer, visit my site, Scribes.

Scribes: Devotions for Christian Writers is available at Amazon. What a great gift of encouragement for you to have to start a brand new year as a writer! Add it to your Christmas wish list today.

Filed under: Faith-building Fridays

NF PB Journey: Visit Your Library

I know most of you probably love to visit your local library! I know I do.

And I also love to visit their online site. I like to order in copies of books I want to read…lots of them! And all it takes is a couple clicks of a button.

Why am I mentioning this?

Because I’m ordering in all of Yolanda Scott’s (Charlesbridge’s Editorial Director) nonfiction picture book favs. I want to read what she likes to read and see why she likes them!

In case you didn’t peek yet, CLICK HERE to read an interview where Yolanda lists 9 of her favorite books and why.

Then click on over to your library’s home page and order in each one of them so you can read them, too!

Filed under: Nonfiction, Picture Books, Uncategorized

NF PB Journey: Get to Know the Editor

As we get to know Charlesbridge better (or the publisher you want to target) a really good idea is to get to know its editors, too!

These days editors can be so much fun to “meet,” especially if the editor at your publishing house has a presence on the web.

Good news! Charlebridge’s Editorial Director, Yolanda LeRoy Scott, has some great interviews and is on sites you can read to get to know her better.

Here are some links to explore:

CLICK HERE to read a post from one of Yolanda’s authors on how a new book was born.

CLICK HERE to read an interview with Yolanda by Cynthia Leitich Smith.

CLICK HERE to discover a list of 9 favorite books and why Yolanda likes them.

CLICK HERE to watch a YouTube interview of Yolanda and others at Charlesbridge publishing (including the publisher Brent Farmer).

CLICK HERE to purchase a webinar by Yolanda with an option to purchase a manuscript critique as per the info provided on the site.

Filed under: Nonfiction, Picture Books, Uncategorized

Book Review: The Word of Promise New Testament (Audiobook)

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The Word of Promise New Testament (Audiobook)

Thomas Nelson Publishers

Book Description

Hear the Bible Come Alive in Dramatic Audio Theater™!

This multi-voiced, scripted dramatization of the New King James Version (NKJV) features a star-studded cast of actors, an original music score, and incredible feature film quality sound effects. This world-class production creates a dramatic audio theater experience that makes you feel like you’re really there with Jesus and His disciples. Listen in your car, on your MP3 player, or with your family or small group to gain a new perspective of the Bible.

The Word of Promise® New Testament Audio Bible is a 20-CD set and includes a bonus “Behind-the-Scenes” DVD.

Cast Includes:

Jim Caviezel (The Passion of The Christ, Déjà vu) – Jesus

Academy Award winner Richard Dreyfuss (Mr. Holland’s Opus, The Goodbye Girl) – Quotes from Moses

Academy Award winner Marisa Tomei (My Cousin Vinny, What Women Want) – Mary Magdalene

Golden Globe winner Stacy Keach (Prison Break, Hemingway) – Paul

Academy Award and Golden Globe winner Louis Gossett, Jr. (An Officer and a Gentleman, Roots) – John

Kimberly Williams-Paisley (According to Jim, Father of the Bride) – Mary, Mother of Jesus

And many others

Summary

This audio Bible is an collection of CDs that come in a handy plastic carrying case. From listening to multiple books of this Bible and multiple CDs, it appears that it follows the exact text of the NKJV of the Bible but perhaps skipping dialog tags in an actual scene (he said, she said). In the background in many places you can hear sounds corresponding with the text such as water pouring into a cup, or muted voices of a crowd.

What I Like

Great audio of the Bible! I love how it follows the text of the Scriptures exactly. The background sounds help make the text come alive and gives it a “You are there” feel without detracting from the words. I felt that the quality of the voices and the way passages are read made it a very meaningful experience. Plus, since it’s an audio version, it’s such a joy to turn it on and listen to it while driving. My husband and I listen to single chapters on short trips but are able to listen to entire books on longer road trips.

What a great way to add the Bible into your daily routine! We like this so much we are giving another copy of it to our son and his wife who both drive a long way to work each day. Highly recommended.

-Thanks, BookLook Bloggers for another wonderful free book in exchange for my honest review!

Filed under: Book Review, Uncategorized

Faith Building Fridays: Conquer!

“Let’s go at once and take the land,” he said.

“We can certainly conquer it!”

-Numbers 13:30, NLT

As we plan our writing goals for the year ahead, let’s have this same confidence. Let’s plan on sending our manuscripts into the publishing world in order to accomplish God’s purposes. Let’s plan on conquering the powers of evil and spreading the Good News wherever we go.

Dear God, give us the strength and wisdom to conquer evil through the words we write. Give us the mindset of a conquering army that pursues victory no matter how thick the arrows fly. In Jesus’s name. Amen.

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For more faith-building encouragement as a writer, visit my site, Scribes.

Scribes: Devotions for Christian Writers is available at Amazon. What a great gift of encouragement for you to have to start a brand new year as a writer! Add it to your Christmas wish list today.

Filed under: Faith-building Fridays

NF PB Journey: Follow This Publisher!

As we get to know Charlesbridge better, or any publisher we choose to target, add them to your social network!

Follow them on Pinterest, Twitter, Facebook, and Tumblr! Get to know their publishing preferences, current news, and up-to-date vision for their books and the manuscripts they’re acquiring. As you get to know them better, day by day and step by step, you’ll start to feel like you’re hiking on a path that leads straight to the mountaintop of success!

An easy way to do this is to go to the HOME PAGE of their website. Scroll down to the bottom and click on the buttons they provided so we can follow them.

Filed under: Nonfiction, Picture Books

NF PB Journey: Manuscript Submissions

 

How do you like this funny bookcase we found in a bookstore in Los Angeles that we visited recently? Wouldn’t that be fun to have in your house? I especially like the little places that hold the open books. I could put each of the books I’m reading on there and leave them open right where I left off.

Back to our Nonfiction Picture Book Journey where we are targeting Charlesbridge. Today let’s take a look at Charlesbridge’s manuscript submission guidelines.

CLICK HERE to read their guidelines. It’s nice to see they are accepting unsolicited manuscripts. Yay!!!!

Be sure to follow their links to learn more specifics about how and what to submit depending on if you’re an illustrator or not. Also, since we’re planning on submitting a picture book, note what they say at the next link about what to submit.

 

Filed under: Nonfiction, Picture Books, Uncategorized

NF PF Journey: Catalog

Let’s start this week out by exploring Charlesbridge! Grab your pirate hat and your spyglass…we’re looking for buried treasure in their current catalog.

CLICK HERE to download their Fall 2015 catalog.

Then snuggle up in a cozy chair with a warm cup of cocoa and your favorite cuddly blanket. Sit by the fire and relax as you browse through their catalog. Keep your idea notebook handy for jotting down ideas that come to you for potential books while you study their current list.

Don’t worry about titles that make you think, “I could NEVER write a book like that!”

Just look for titles that make you think, “Ooooh. I THINK I could write a book like that!”

Then jot down any ideas that flit across your imagination.

Filed under: Nonfiction, Uncategorized