The end is nigh...

I've started this post about five times - clearly I need more coffee. Hang on, just gonna go make myself a cup. BRB............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Righto

So, now that I am correctly caffeinated for my end of year rant, let's get started.

What to say about 2016?

I ended up being way busier than I expected to be, doing a lot of school visits, running workshops and getting involved in some amazing projects. I did heaps more talking (and writing of talks) than I did writing but it was just that kind of year. Thank you to all the wonderful people who invited me to be a part of things. I did lots of things that scared me and for the most part I was so glad I did. Not everything worked out. Some things terrified me too much and I won't be doing them again. Knowledge (and experience) is power. Actually most things will always scare me but some things aren't worth a repeat fright. I guess the bottom line is that doing things that terrify you isn't a cure, it's more of a life management plan.

2016 also demonstrated that it is impossible to plan ahead in too much detail when you are a writer. I put my name down for a couple of things in 2016 but for the most part I wasn't anticipating the invitations, requests and suggestions that I received. I think it's the fruit of my 'long game' philosophy. The last three years have each been distinctive anomalies compared with the previous 13 or so years, (the Dunedin Residency in '14, the Pah Homestead Residency in '15 and the Book Award judging and Otahuhu Project this year). Is three years of different now a trend? I might have a better idea at the end of 2017 so I'll have to get back to you on that one. On current evidence, although I only have a few fixed points (repeats of a couple things I took part in this year), next year has the potential to strike out in a new direction. I suppose enough uncertainty eventually becomes a certainty of its own. I am, if nothing else, adaptable. Saying yes to (nearly) everything is a key contributor to this but I have been liking the results of this approach to my work life so for the moment it's still my MO. I will just have to accept the randomness that comes with it.

My picture book with Donovan Bixley, Fuzzy Doodle, took flight in the middle of the year. It's a thrill to have a book come out and I thank everybody who has encouraged, supported and said nice (or otherwise) things about Fuzzy. Writers pray that their books will be reviewed, so it does break my heart a little when a review does nothing more than summarise the plot, especially when it is just based on the back cover blurb. I've had a few of these for Fuzzy and there is so much more to the book than that. I appreciate that space for reviews is shrinking but I know a lot can be done with so little (especially as a picture book writer). I loved this very brief review of the book on Goodreads by Miss Wilson  - A visual transformation that improves with each page turn, much like the content it discusses literally and metaphorically. Only eighteen words, yet so delicious and intriguing. It can be done! And most recently there was a lovely and thoughtful (and longer) review of the book here by blogger Steph Ellis.

And to cap off an exciting and interesting year, I recently took part in a wonderful event showcasing the students' work from the amazing Otahuhu Project I was involved in. I was so impressed by, and proud of, what the students achieved. They are our writers and illustrators of the future. Thank you to the school, the dedicated teachers, the NZ Book Council and the fabulous funders of this amazing initiative. Long may it continue!

  


So what of 2017. Just a few things booked so far. And a few more prospects hovering. I have a ticket to see Adele in concert in March and I am out of the country for New Years which will be weird. This last fact somehow seems like some kind of portent about the year to come. That the usual order of things might be shaken up. Time will tell I guess. I'll keep saying 'yes' to things. Keep trying to learn more about this business I am in. Keep trying to pass this information on. Keep trying to produce more written work because without that I will stall, stagnate, become stale. From time to time I throw up my hands and say 'I give up'. Being a writer and staying published has more than its fair share of challenges and issues and more than a whiff of futility about it. On the days that all I can see is the wood of the door I am banging my head against, I feel certain this industry and I cannot remain together. But repeated examination has slowly revealed that it is not what I do, it is who I am. I could no more give up writing than I could stop being human so I shall stay on, thumping the keyboard and staring out the window and into the distance, mulling ideas over and attempting to turn them into stories. 2017? Here I come... 

Angst is a life-shortener...

eeek - the days are flying by. Time for a new post methinks. As you will all know if you have been reading along it has been quite a year. When I think back on all the things that have happened this year I have trouble believing that I squeezed all that in to less than 12 months. At times I was chasing my tail, juggling too many balls and feeling stressed. Thank goodness I wasn't juggling chainsaws. My health has been a bit rubbish and I'm not sure if that was a cause or a symptom of other things. Looking back over what I have been up to, after moaning and groaning probably more than I should have, I can't actually help feeling a little bit proud and pretty happy about all the things I achieved. Lots of deadlines, appointments and events mean you get a lot of things done. Now that the pressure has eased off I am feeling guilty that I'm not doing stuff and am wasting heaps more time doing silly pointless things. Of course this week is an exception because we are going away next week and all the things I have been avoiding while I twiddle my thumbs in a decorative fashion now need doing before we go. So I am making lists and working my way through them - suffice to say I will have enough underwear to wear on my holiday and I WILL remember to pack the power cord for my laptop so I can keep writing.

I am also assembling everything I need to upload my junior fiction as an e-book. The manuscript is edited and I am about to start formatting. I have been thinking alot about e-books and print books and the publishing industry and publishers, agents, booksellers and everyone else. If you are agonising about ANY aspect of publishing, know that you are not alone. It is an imperfect science. The best way forward is to keep informed, make decisions you can live with and don't angst over everything. Angst is a life-shortener. My experiment in publishing my junior novel Sally Bangle: Unexpected Detective myself is a terrific opportunity to test it all out. I want to know, so I am finding out. After all, knowledge is power.

And I was extremely thrilled to see this in the post last week.

The latest Magpies magazine. And look who is inside it!!

Yes, it's me!!Thank you to the very lovely Julie Harper who interviewed me and wrote a very nice article about me for the New Zealand section of the magazine. I was most excited (still am).

My thoughts on reviews

One of my books was given a negative review in the media recently. Kind of a, your baby's weird and somewhat deformed and shouldn't be allowed to play with other children, kind of review. I know and appreciate that authors should take it on the chin, turn the other cheek and say nothing about it all. I've had negative reviews before. I feel confident that if I keep writing there are more bad reviews in my future. I create something and send it into the world and people form opinions about it. It is an incredibly subjective business and it is an impossible job pleasing all of the people all of the time. You can't embrace the glowing reviews and refuse the bad. In fact bad reviews might be seen as a positive sign that people are taking notice of your work. The more people that read your work the more chance the group will cover a range of responses. You do not have to like what I have written. But I couldn't help feeling a little upset when I read this review. After all my books ARE my babies. And there was nothing I could do or say to explain or answer the questions or concerns raised. But this is the only way reviews can work. So yes, I still firmly believe the right thing to do is say nothing, but it is really hard for an author, or any creative person for that matter to stay silent. It is incredibly important that reviewers feel free to say what they believe about a book. And it would be horribly wrong for reviewers to feel obliged to say only good things. Reviews would be pointless if that were the case. Reviewers, on the whole, are skilled, thoughtful book-lovers.

In the interests of taking the bad with the good, the review can be seen here (it is at the bottom of the page). My book is about the transformative power and magic of maternal love. Its about enjoying life. It seems sad that this wouldn't be shared with children who seem the perfect audience. But it is a book for grown ups too. When my children were much younger I would make highly decorated cakes for their birthdays and other special occasions. A number of times it was suggested I should offer my work to cake shops but I always said I would never like to do it for commercial gain, for me it was an act of love. And that it was what Penny and Sam's mother does in Made with Love. Her baking is an act of love and this love transforms the gingerbread. And when the children eat the gingerbread they feel their mother's love and it transfers to the snowman they make. How can the gingerbread woman and the snowman not recognize eachother - they have both been made with love, just as Penny and Sam were. You can check out an earlier review of the same book from The NZ Herald's Canvas Magazine here (click on the picture to enlarge for reading).

I can't help my stories coming out the way they do, and ugly and/or deformed, I love them just as much. I know along the way, others have loved them too. I hope some readers will pick them up and fall in love just like we did. I take heart from the fact that when my book The Were-Nana first came out many adults thought it dark and mean. When it was nominated for the NZ Post Children's book awards, one commentator couldn't see who would like a story like this, feeling it was far too dark for the littlies and too young for the older primary children. I worried about the comments. And then The Were-Nana won children's choice. I get asked to read it everywhere I go, by all primary children, and sometimes by some a bit older too.

Just hold steady a minute, so i can get my bearings...

Getting your work published is not the end of your education it is just the beginning. Every time I have had something published I have learned something new. The more I learn the more I appreciate how little I know. And it does not help that the industry is constantly evolving and currently seems to be experiencing some rather major shifts. Jeepers, just hold steady for a minute, will you, so I can get my bearings. Yet there are certain fundamentals which will always apply in this business. Being polite and professional is always the right place to start. And you can check out some more good advice on how to get on the publication road here at Nicola Morgan's blog.

I am in the teaching seat this summer holidays, taking a two day weekend workshop on writing for children as part of the University of Auckland's Centre for Continuing Education Summer Programme. There are still spaces available and you can check it out here. To be held at the lovely Epsom campus, it will be a fun weekend of juicy writing secrets, tips and the chance to weed and iron out those pesky writing problems you might be having.

Thanks to the wonderful Graham Beattie who reviewed my new book The Half Life of Ryan Davis on his blog. "YA psychological drama thriller writing at its best......."  Crikey - I wrote that book :). And I just want to share this juicy link because I think this is very smart. Janet Reid talks about the mistaken assumption of stupidity when someone does not 'get' what you are saying.  This is not just for writers but for everyone, everywhere.

I visited the primary school at which a fellow writer, Phillip Simpson, teaches last week to read to his year 3-4 class. I put up a signed copy of The Were-Nana as the prize for a writing challenge I gave them. Here is the winning entry by Eva Colthart. Well done Eva...I have chills running down my spine...

Halloween  Night

By Eva Colthart

Once   a   little   girl   was   going    to   do   trick   or   treating.   There   was   a   house   near   the   grave   yard.   She   trick   or   treated   there.   She   knocked   on   the   door   and   an old   man   came   out.   She   screamed   and   ran   away   as   fast   as   she   could.   Then   BANG!!   Something   came   from   the   old   man’s   house.   She   went   back   to   her   house   and   ran   into   her   bedroom   and   told   her    dad    everything .  He   didn’t   believe   her.  A    minute   later   the   lights   went   out   and   her   dad   lit   a   candle.   Then   the   lights   flashed   and   there   was   a   spooky   noise   it   sounded   like   a   howl.   She   thought   that   it   was   a   were-wolf   but   when   she   went   back   to   the   house   of   the   old   man   it   was   him.   He   was   turning   into   a   were-wolf!!!   She   was   scared   she   ran   and   told   her   dad,   he   still   didn’t   believe   her.   She   took   her   dad   to   the   old   man’s   house.   Then   they   went   into   the   old   man’s   house.   He   was   dead   on   the   floor.   Aaaaaarrrrrraarrr!!!!   She   screamed.   They   both   ran   back   to   their   house   and   the   lights   were   still   off.   Her   dad   lit   another   candle.   Then   a   zombie    came   through   the   wall!!!!!   And   on   that   day   they   both   died.

The   end!!!!!!!!

Doing a little happy dance...

Another sweet review for The House That Went to Sea turned up in the Wairarapa Times Age - http://www.times-age.co.nz/news/books-for-kids/1123949/ (Google Alerts keeps me up to date with who is saying what about my books where - if you aren't using Google Alerts you should). I have posted off another completed assignment (only one more to go - doing a little happy dance here). I think I may have found the solution to the problem I had with one of my current WIP. It was a big problem. The solution seems to satisfy all the complicated requirements that had emerged. I am going to try it on for size. Keep your fingers crossed that it fits.

Yesterday I finished reading a most beautiful book - A Monster Calls. Written by Patrick Ness, based on an idea by Siobhan Dowd, and with haunting illustrations by Jim Kay this is a stunning read. I would say it is more a children's book, but then I would not like to discourage adult readers. Just like adults would have regretted not picking up John Boyne's The Boy in Striped Pyjamas. I do not want to talk about the plot of A Monster Calls at all, because I fear it would be too easy to spoil the book for you although that is not because the plot is easy. Believe me when I say it is wonderful writing. Effortless and powerful, I defy you to be unmoved by this book. I was overcome by a fit of jealousy as I read, wishing I too could write like this. My envy was only assuaged by Ness's overuse of the word 'thick'. It is comforting to know that all authors can suffer from this overuse syndrome. My favourites are 'just' and 'ultimately' and i am sure I have others. Maybe an editor should have picked that up, but then I can understand that an editor might not have wanted to change a thing in case they somehow broke the magic.

Will they want to take it home?...

I have had some more nice reviews for The House That Went to Sea, in the Magpies Magazine (volume 26) and the Sunday Herald (18th September issue).

An excerpt from the Magpies review by Rosemary Tisdall, - "Melinda tells a delightful story of subtle and clever manipulation by Granny Gale, as she tempts Michael to try new things. One can well imagine Michael's determination to resist her methods. Gabriella's full-page evocative illustrations create the perfect matching moods and excitement beyond the windows. The sparsely furnished cottage is balanced well with the busy-ness of the mermaids and pirate scenes. I like the way the story develops and I can see young readers wishing it were them on the floating house."

And from the review by Crissi Blair in the Sunday Herald which provides a lovely summary of the story - "A quirky adventure with a delightfully odd grandmother."

And in further developments, The House That Went to Sea may be broadcast on Radio New Zealand - if and when, I will let you know.

Reviews are nerve wracking things for writers and illustrators. Its better to be talked about then not talked about. Its better to get good reviews than bad reviews. Do book buyers read reviews and act upon them? I must say I do, but I am a lonely sample size of one so its hard to extrapolate from this.

And as I did with The House That Went to Sea, I am now reaching that unpleasant phase in the process of publication with my new book The Half Life of Ryan Davis where I know I love my story and I know the publisher has loved it enough to get behind it but now its poised on the edge, ready to throw itself at the public. What will reviewers say? Will they even review it? No matter what you have poured in to your book: the love, the sweat, the tears, the agonies, you cannot tell anyone what they should think of it. You cannot tell them how to read it and how it should be interpreted. They won't know which are your favourite bits, or your proudest. You have to let it go and hope they feel the same way reading it, that you felt writing it. Yikes, I am nervous for my new baby. Will they think its handsome? Will they want to take it home? So you other writers/illustrators/book makers - do you feel like this when your book is released out into the world?

The House That Went to Sea - reviewed

We are in the grip of a cold snap. It is snowing in places it never usually snows. The one time it snowed in Auckland that I remember, I was eleven or twelve. I have not been eleven or twelve for a few years now. The rain that is falling right now looks like it is thinking about being snow. Snow is only romantic when you are somewhere warm. I am not friends with winter. It has been somewhat rude and obnoxious this year and I have asked it to leave. It is taking its time, as rude, obnoxious things are want to do. I will not be sorry when it is gone.

Tomorrow night Duck Creek Press are having a first birthday party and book launch for their three new titles (including The House That Went to Sea) at the Takapuna Library at 6pm. The books will be on sale at super duper prices (cash or cheque only). I could not wrangle the official invite on to this post with blogger (it is being very fussy) and apologise for insufficient notice although the info has been wandering around in other bookish quarters for a week or two. RSVP to Helen Woodhouse helen.woodhouse@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz or ph 486 8469.

A few reviews have popped up for The House That Went to Sea including these nice words by Linda Hall in the Hastings Leader in July. She begins by saying I know school holidays are almost over but I am so impressed with these two children’s books I’m starting with them anyway and then goes on to say this:- Now to The House That Went to Sea, by Melinda Szymanik. It was illustrated by Gabriella Klepatski and what wonderful illustrations they are. The pictures in this book made me smile, especially the ones with Granny in them. Granny Gale lives by the sea with her grandson Michael. Granny tries her best to get Michael to join her racing paper boats and sorting starfish, but he just wants to watch television. In desperation Granny pulls up the anchor and the house sets sail. It takes awhile but finally Granny coaxes Michael outdoors and they have all sorts of adventures.

The book is also reviewed here at http://kidsbooksnz.blogspot.com/2011/08/new-picture-books-from-duck-creek-press.html and was in the Canvas Magazine section of the Weekend Herald on July 30th where reviewer Graham Hepburn said When Michael's parents get lost in a tropical rainforest he has to stay with nature-loving Granny Gale in her fishy, ramshackle cottage beside the sea in Hurricane Cove. After he continues to shut himself in his room each day to watch television, Granny Gale sets the house sailing on the sea while he's asleep. With no TV, Michael gradually enters into the spirit of the adventure and slowly but surely the generation gap is bridged.

Writing the book is hard enough...

The gorgeous uber-talented Fifi Colston, who has a regular craft gig on TV1's Good Morning programme will be basing her creations on my book The Were-Nana next tuesday April 21st at 9.15ish. Yay!- I am excited and will be craft glued to our tv screen on the dot of.

I has come across some very interesting posts at some of my fav haunts over the last day or two. This one Here at editorial anonymous is about the impact of reviews on book sales and you may be pleasantly surprised and relieved to see what EA has to say - I know I was. To not be reviewed is crushing. After all the struggles authors go through, the hoop jumping and the hurdling, to be ignored by the book community can seem like the straw that broke the camels hump. But a bad review? - you finally get noticed and they tear you to shreds - I don't know that I could dig a hole deep enough to hide in. I have been fortunate so far and have had mostly positive feedback on my books but even the thought of a bad one makes me shudder. So check out what EA has to say and fear not!

Over at editorial ass, she wrote a post here on book marketing and what can be done to push your book. Its good basic advice. You don't have to become part of the solution to promoting your book but it makes a lot of sense to. I know I want my books to succeed. If I can help them sell and be discovered by more people then I will do it. Why wouldn't you?

Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water - being reviewed!

Just when you thought, as a writer, that you'd got the hang of dealing with rejection and found a way to cope with the nerve-wracking nature of public appearances you discover you must now also deal with your books being reviewed. Maybe this is why I was feeling calmer about rejection - it was time to move on to managing the scariness of reviews. Being reviewed - this is a phrase that strikes both fear and excitement in every writer. What's worse than a bad review? - No review at all. You've sweated ferociously over your manuscript, made it the best you can, sent it out and then heard that magic word - yes! But you discover that this is not the end of the process, it is only the beginning. Now comes the editing, the proofreading, the book design - do you love it or loathe it (I count myself very lucky on this score so far). And then the book launches and the worry starts all over again. Will people like it, will they get what you were trying to say, will they love the characters as much as you did and ultimately - will they buy it? And then, just when you thought it was all a bit overwhelming the reviews start coming in. You cannot make people review your books. You cannot make a reviewer like your book. You just have to sit and wait and see what they say and hope that the suggestion that even bad reviews sell books as people see for themselves if you got it so horribly wrong, is true. I have put extra chocolate and wine aside to help me through. So far, I am happy to report, I am getting reviewed and the reviews are complimentary. I have already posted the link for the Radio NZ review of The Were-Nana but this book has also been reviewed in Magpies Magazine, Reading Time (The Children's Book Council of Australia Magazine) gave it a starred review which is extra good, and it was also well reviewed in the November 2008 issue of Around the Bookshops with a 'good read aloud' tag. Jack the Viking was also reviewed and recommended in the same issue of Around the Bookshops, and is reviewed in Talespinner, a Christchurch College of Education publication and in the NZSA's NZ Writer's November e-zine. When I can link to reviews I will post these on the blog.

And hey Fifi, it was excellent to see you up in Auckland on the weekend. Please come and live here permanently. And your 'Velvet Honey's' are just stunning and i am saving up for one.