Some Monday Fun: Author Erin Dealey Raps on Writing...

Check out Erin Dealey's Writer's Rap featuring a guest appearance by SCBWI and a cameo by the 2010 CWIM. And remember: Ya gotta have a hook.

What's in the 2010 CWIM?...

Wanted to get in a quick post today before I go pick up the boy--thought I'd share a bit of the table of contents for the 2010 CWIM (available early August) so you all can see what's in store. I've got some terrific features and interview this year! (Plus now when you buy the book you have access to all the market in a searchable online database. Finally!) Take a look:


ARTICLES

• Evolving Children’s Book Publishing, by Kelly Milner Halls
• What’s in a Name? Maybe More than You Think, by Carmela Martino
• Storyboarding, by Sue Bradford Edwards
• From Picture Book Writer to Novelist, by Hope Vestergaard
• Writing Humor, 12¾ Ways to Tickle Young Readers’ Funny Bones, by Donna Gephart
• Don’t Be Afraid to Write GLBTQ Characters, by Ellen Wittlinger
• Life in Revision, When the Honeymoon is Over, by Sara Zarr
• Putting the Vision Back in Revision, by Cheryl Klein
• An Agent’s Career Outline for Illustrators, by Steven Malk
• Under One Roof, An Author & An Illustrated, Married, by Laini Taylor & Jim Di Bartolo
• Reaching Reluctant Readers, by Sue Bradford Edwards
• Writing a Series for a Packager, by Tracy Barrett
• Intensive Publisher Research, by Deanna Caswell
• The Acquisitions Process, by Harold Underdown
• Social Networking, The Path to Cyber-Success, by Kelly Milner Halls
• Book Promotion, From Blog Tour to Book Trailer, by Tina Nichols Coury

INTERVIEWS

• Rachel Cohn, Queen of Teen Lit, by Aaron Hartzler
• Sara Varon, Telling Stories Picture by Picture, by Erzsi Deàk
• Writing Series, Three Authors Tell All, by Fiona Bayrock
• Holly Black, Author of Other Worlds, by Deborah Bouziden
• Ellen Hopkins, Reaching YA Readers Through Verse, by Travis Adkins
• Lisa Yee, On Quirky Characters, Series & Crossover Readers, by Travis Adkins
• Mitali Perkins, ‘Story Became My First Escape’, by Rebecca Ward

AND MY FAVORITE FEATURE

• First Books, Characters Struggling with Confidence, by Meg Leder

* Erin Dionne, Models Don’t Eat Chocolate Cookies (Dial)
* Megan Frazer, Secrets of Truth and Beauty (Disney Hyperion)
* Jenny Meyerhoff, Third Grade Baby (Farrar, Straus & Giroux)
* Sydney Salter, My Big Nose and Other Natural Disasters (Graphia/Harcourt)
* First Books Follow-Up: Marlene Perez

I'm out of the office tomorrow (escorting my husband to his shoulder surgery) so no Friday post. But come back and see me on Monday. I'm excited to have a little time to blog again--I'll be posting daily.

I'll Be Back Soon--2010 CWIM Is Almost Finished...

Still too busy to keep up my normal blogging schedule--swept up in the excitement of getting books to the printer. A few more to go and I'll be back to my regular every-weekday posting.

The final stages of the 2010 CWIM are coming up next. I'll let you know when it's done! In the near future I'll offer some CWIM teasers and some SCBWI Team Blog coverage.

In the meantime behold the 2010 CWIM cover. It's a lovely shade of blue (although it doesn't quite match my photo over there) and will be available at the end of July:

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.