Looking Back on CWIM: The 1997 Edition
An Interview with Rob Thomas...

Ah, the one with the lime-green dinosaur cover. It really popped on the bookstore shelves! Weighing in at just over 360 pages and in it's second (and last) hardcover edition, this CWIM included a new and short-lived section of Multimedia markets with submission information from children's software and CD-ROM producers.

What I love most about this edition is that it turned me on to what is still my favorite YA book ever, Rats Saw God by Rob Thomas. (I like the original cover illustrated by Chris Raschka much better than the updated version I linked to.) Thomas followed up his first book with several others then turned to TV, writing for shows I loved like Dawson's Creek and Veronica Mars which he produced. Every few years I pick up his debut novel and re-visit Steve York, Dub, dadaism, and the astronaut. Here's an excerpt from Thomas' First Books interview by my former assistant editor and frequent muse Anne Bowling:

"Getting published for the first time opens a lot of doors. I think the first deal is the toughest," says Rob Thomas, author of the young adult novel Rats Saw God. "Once you've got a book out there, you're in better shape--it's just a lot easier to get publishers to read your work."

With Rats Saw God, Thomas had his work more than cut out for him. Not only was he pitching a first-time novel, but his included substance abuse and explicit sexuality--not the usual territory for the more routine Sweet Valley High-style young adult fare.

"My book is edgy in terms of drug use, and language, and sexual content, and I think it really kind of pushes what can be done in young adult fiction," Thomas says. "I was really considering trying to market the novel as adult fiction."

To young adult novelists, Thomas says focus on the product and write the best book you're able to write. "The best I felt about the process was when I was writing, and not thinking about getting published, or about the audience, or about what was selling or not selling, " he says. "People who talk to me about publishing seem to be putting the publishing cart before the writing horse. So many writer who talk to me about publishing haven't written. Or they've started writing, and they already want to know who to talk to to sell the book. I think your first effort needs to be write a really good book. And selling it will take care of itself."

My First Book Picks Are Picked...

I spent the better part of the week working on the agonizing-yet-fun task of choosing debut authors to feature in First Books in the 2011 edition of CWIM. I've e-mailed all of my chosen ones today. To all those debut authors who haven't heard from me, I will be contacting many of you in the coming months as I resurrect Debut Author of the Month here on the blog beginning in January 2010. (Why does this all sounds so Biblical?)

Thanks so much to everyone who contacted me. I was so thrilled to hear from each of you and so happy to read about your successes (and your books). You should all be very proud.

Happy Halloween weekend to everyone. (Don't forget to fall back--and haunt for an extra hour tomorrow night).

First Books Lowdown: My Unscientific Findings on New-Author-Friendly Publishers...

Every year since I've been blogging, I've put out a call for debut authors for my First Book feature and every year I post about which publishers are publishing the debut authors who contacted me. Here's the scoop for this year (all of which are in random order because I don't like to alphabetize)...

Publishers who are publishing one of the debut books in my pool:

• Flux
• Carolrhoda
  
• Flashlight Press
• Scholastic
• Houghton Mifflin
• Albert Whitman
• Dutton
• Blooming Tree
• Holiday House
• Pelican
• HIP Books
• Clarion
• Bloomsbury
• Feiwel & Friends
• Candlewick
• Raven Tree Press
• Delacorte
• Capstone

Publishers who are publishing two or more of the debut books in my pool:

• HarperCollins
• Walker
• Putnam
• Random House
• Sourcebooks/Jabberwocky
• Farrar, Strauss & Giroux
• Simon & Schuster
• Sterling

This year Putnam ties previous two-time winner HarperCollins at five a piece, so they each get a Friendly-to-New-Authors Gold Star!

Only a handful of the debut authors who contacted me said they have agents--I'm sure more do and didn't mention it--and some of those agented writers didn't get their agents until after the first book deal. I heard from plenty of unagented writers.

About half of the authors who contacted me are YA writers, the other half picture books, MG and chapter books, with PBs as the majority.

If you're among the YA authors (or even if you're not) check out Publishers Weekly's report, What Do Teens Want?, a survey of teen über readers. Lots of statistics and charts! (I tweeted a link to this yesterday and was retweeted like crazy.)

Now back to the tough/fun job of deciding who to interview.

Official Call for Debut Authors for the 2011 CWIM...

Did you all miss me? I sure missed you (and my blog). But now I'm back from my little vacation and a fab WD conference in New York, my deadline-o-rama is almost over, and it's time for me to start thinking about the 2011 CWIM.

And do you know what that means? FIRST BOOKS! I'm looking for debut author and illustrators who'd like to be interviewed for my "First Books" feature in 2011 CWIM.

If you are interested in being featured in First Books, here are the rules and guidelines:

1. Email me at alice.pope@fwmedia.com, subject line "First Books."
2. Tell me about your debut book including the title, publisher, genre and approximate publication date.
3. The book must be available in some form by November (so it can be read before you're interviewed).
4. A cover image must be available by January 2010 (because I don't want to feature a book without showing the cover).
5. Please include links to your website or blog if you have one.
   
6. No self-published books please.
7. Tell me something fun/interesting/exciting/unusual/inspiring about you/your book/your path to publication.
8. E-mails must be received by October 8th.
   
9. I'll be in touch with those I've chosen by the October 30th; otherwise you likely will not hear from me--I simply don't have time to contact everyone, although I wish I could. (I may acknowledge receipt of emails, however, depending on how busy I am and/or how much I do or do not feel like doing other work.)
   
10. Debut authors not chosen to be featured in First Books could be chosen as Debut Authors of the Month which will be resurrected on this blog starting January 2010!

What I Did on My Summer Vacation (and a First Books Update)...

Well everyone, I'm back from vacation. The hurricane didn't put much of a damper on beach going. It was a little rainy and a little overcast (which is fine with me because I sunburn at the drop of a hat), and gas was $5 a gallon when were were driving home. It was lovely seeing the ocean and even lovelier watching Murray dance in the surf and play in the sand. Here's a glimpse of his typical day at the beach.



I also had a chance to read through and contemplate all of the email I got from debut authors and I've picked my First Books lineup for the 2010 CWIM. I emailed four of you this morning. So if you haven't heard from me, I didn't choose you for this feature, but you may be hearing from me for something else, like a Debut Author of the Month interview.

Thanks so much to all of you who contacted me and congratulations again on your debut books. I wish I could read them all and interview each of you.

The First Books Publishers Lowdown...

This week I've been happily perusing a formidable stack of emails from debut authors (still deciding on who to interview for First Books), and now it's time for my annual lowdown--my unscientific findings regarding which publishers are friendliest to new writers based on the 75-ish emails I received.

This year, the following publishers/imprints were sited by more than one debut author:

• Delacorte (consistently debut author friendly)
  
• Dial
• Feiwel & Friends
• Farrar, Straus & Giroux
• Greenwillow
• Henry Holt
• Houghton
  
• Hyperion
• Little Brown
• Putnam
• Razorbill
• Simon & Schuster
• Scholastic
• Viking
• Walker

And this year's Most-Friendly-to-New-Writers Crown goes to (for the second year in a row):

• HarperCollins (publishing five of the debut authors I heard from)

This year's batch of first-timers are overwhelmingly YA authors--just about half. The other half is rounded out by slightly more middle grade authors than picture book authors and illustrators.

And only a handful of the new writers who emailed me mentioned having agents. I did not ask, however--I am sure more than five of you have agents. Don't you like your agents, new writers? I kid--I know you do! If you didn't think to mention them to me, I'm sure you remembered them in your acknowledgments and you'll thank them when you win awards. (Please don't Chad Lowe your agent.)

First Books Update...

I'm still going through all my emails from debut authors. I'll be in touch with some of you soon, hopefully next week.

Thanks to everyone who gave me info on their first books--and thanks for being patient. There are a lot of you, which is awesome, but it makes my job harder. (And I'm busy busy busy.)

Call for Debut Authors for the 2010 CWIM...


The 2009 CWIM is now in the stores, so I'm beginning to work on my lineup for the 2010 edition--which means I'm looking for a few debut authors and/or illustrators to feature in my annual First Books article!

Picking my lineup for First Books is one of the most enjoyable parts of my job. It's so much fun to hear from first-timers--and so hard to choose just four or five. (I often come up with a theme based on the types of replies I've gotten, which helps me narrow it down. First Books in the 2009 CWIM, for example, features all debut picture books.)

If you are interested in being featured in First Books, here are the rules and guidelines:

1. Email me at alice.pope@fwpubs.com, subject line "First Books."
2. Tell me about your debut book including the title, publisher, genre and approximate publication date.
3. The book must be available in some form by November (so it can be read before you're interviewed).
4. A cover image must be available by January 2009 (because I don't want to feature a book without showing the cover).
5. Please include links to your website or blog if you have one.
   
6. No self-published books please.
7. Tell me something fun/interesting/exciting/unusual/inspiring about you/your book/your path to publication.
8. E-mails must be received by August 8th. (I'll begin reading through them when I get back from the SCBWI conference.)
   
9. I'll be in touch with those I've chosen by the third full week of August; otherwise you likely will not hear from me--I simply don't have time to contact everyone, although I wish I could. (I may acknowledge receipt of emails, however, depending on how busy I am and/or how much I do or do not feel like doing other work.)
   
10. Debut authors not chosen to be featured in First Books could be chosen as Debut Authors of the Month, featured in my CWIM newsletter and blog throughout the year.

Yoohoo Debut Authors--Who Wants to Be in First Books?...

Since the 2008 CWIM just hit stores, it's the time of the year where I embark on the fun task of planning the lineup for the next CWIM. This includes the popular piece "First Books," our annual article featuring four or five debut authors talking about their paths to publication, their experience, and (of course) their books!

This post is my official call for potential First Books candidates. This is open to authors, illustrators and author/illustrators who have debut books coming out in late 2007 or early 2008 (or thereabouts). Cover art would need to be available to me by late January/early February 2008, and a copy of the book would need to be available by December. (I don't want to interview someone unless I can read their book first.)

If you're interested in being considered for First Books, email me at alice.pope@fwpubs.com and tell me a little about you and your book, including the publication date and publisher. If you have a website, include that as well.

If I don't choose you for First Books (and it's so hard to choose!) you may end up as a Debut Author of the Month in my CWIM newsletter and this blog. The deadline for contacting me is Friday August 31.