The picture book gospel according to me ...

A couple of weeks ago I had a pretty rubbish week. Rejections, failures on several fronts, and it was all a bit depressing. Then last week was a good week. Some good news about a submission, beautiful pics to look at for my next book Moon and Sun with Upstart Press, and some more good news for another family member. Now this week is just plain weird. I'm a bit 'all at sea', wondering if I'm doing enough in response to Covid 19, wondering how Covid 19 might affect me healthwise and book wise, wondering where this will all end, wondering if I dreamed last week's good fortune. And it's only Monday.

I'm an asthmatic with high blood pressure so I'm immunocompromised when it comes to an illness like Covid 19. I'm sticking at home as much as possible. You might think this is a great thing for a writer but all the developments happening around the world are making it difficult for me to focus on my writing. And I just finished the first draft of a new project and I'm not at all hopeful I've nailed it. I'm trying to read as much as possible. Especially as I have a few reviews to write. Maybe this is the time I finally make a dent in my tbr pile.

My good news about a submission (fingers crossed this isn't compromised) means there will be a tenth picture book by me published. I think I might have the hang of this picture book writing thing. I also recently judged a picture book writing competition. I have thoughts. Maybe if you have down time and want to use it writing picture books these thoughts might be helpful. Here are ten of them. Please note these are just my opinion rather than hard and fast rules.

1) There should always be a penguin.

2) Don't write at children, invite them in. Your story should make them feel centered (whether there are children in the story or not). They should be part of the fun - like a juvenile conspiracy. It should make them feel respected too.

3) Yes you can be too silly. Be restrained with your made up words too, although they do have their place. Some picture books that appear to be complete nonsense actually have an underlying sense or meaning or value. Roald Dahl and Spike Milligan are a lot harder to imitate than you might think.

4) Good picture books only look effortless, but make no mistake, the language has been carefully crafted. This is where our youngest readers learn to love words, stories, books. Give them great language and they'll be readers for life, and probably good at expressing themselves too. Don't stint on the words. Passive, monosyllabic writing should definitely be avoided.

5) If you are going for a more old fashioned style of story or storytelling, you are competing with all the classics which are already readily available, and have already stood the test of time and survived many previous book cullings. Old fashioned is a hard sell. Look forward, not backwards.

6) Make sure you are reading some recently published picture books. Read some prize winners. And some best sellers. Have a good think about why they are winners and/ or bestsellers, or just made the cut in general. And yes some published picture books defy explanation, but that is not what we are aiming for.

7) Find some recent books with writing you really, really like. Have a go at imitating their style and voice with some of your picture book ideas. The underlying goal is to move toward developing your own distinctive style and voice. This is also a good way to refresh your writing if you feel you are stagnating. I have definitely tried to incorporate some of the stylistic tendencies of some of my favourite writers over the years and I think this has made a significant difference.

8) Struggling for ideas? The natural world is a good place to start. What are hot topics for today's kiwi kids in the natural world? Some successful titles over the last few years have included natural disasters like oil spills and earthquakes, endangered species like the hector's dolphin and kakapo, also rainbows, fantails, and kiwis. Natural topics I have written about recently include the Moon, the Sun and the Rain.

9) There is nothing fresh about a fairy.

10) Don't think you can get away without a proper ending. That's cheating.

But we love you so much we want to keep you forever...

My thoughts go out to those in Japan suffering as a result of the horrific earthquake and subsequent tsunami. My eyes have been opened to the overwhelming impact events like this have on people with an earthquake having hit so close to home in Christchurch in February. I never realised how far reaching the consequences are and how long the trauma could linger. I know I have a blog reader located in Japan and I hope she and her loved ones are safe.

It seems that every time I meet up with a particular writer friend of mine I have a writing epiphany. Last time it was a realisation about how something needed to work in a novel I was writing (although the novel unfortunately still has other issues). This time I pondered the rationale behind publishers who like their authors to be exclusive. I've always struggled with this. 'It is the writer's career, not the publishers,' has been my concern in the past, but yesterday as we talked over a cup of coffee I mused on why a publisher might want to be the sole publisher of someone they welcome in to their fold. If they pass on your work you are not permitted to seek another publisher for that work (unless possibly that work is something they do not publish, like adult or non-fiction). It seems arrogant to say they are the only arbiter of whether your work is appealing/good enough or not. But then if they publish you well and have a reputation for quality work, their reputation depends on your reputation. If you publish elsewhere they have no control over the quality of the publication or its content. If they deny you the opportunity to send your work elsewhere it implies they intend to continue publishing you well in the future. They are building a relationship with you. They care about you. But are the rewards they offer enough?

There may be other arguments for exclusivity. I am sure there are arguments against exclusivity. I am still not sure about the idea myself. I struggle greatly with the idea that a publisher can reject my work on behalf of all publishers. I feel uncomfortable that someone else would effectively control my career. I like to think I have developed a clue about which of my written works cut the mustard. It is in my own best interests not to peddle anything I am not proud of. And readers look for writers they have enjoyed before regardless of who has published them. And anyway (sniff) no one has asked me to be exclusive to them. On the other hand I do not want to be a publishing hussy giving myself to a lot of publishers. That way lies madness and trouble. I guess there are reasons to be flattered if you are in the 'exclusive' position, and loyalty has value if the feeling's mutual.

Correction: Recently I had a two links in a blog post and it turned out they accidently led to the same place. Sorry folks. And as the second one led to some very useful info I am repeating them here. One funny and one handy in a long term kind of way.

Tomorrow is uncertain...embrace today

Mother Earth tried to crush the beautiful New Zealand city of Christchurch in her devastating embrace on Tuesday. A shallow 6.3 earthquake broke Christchurch at 12.51pm and it is heartbreaking now to watch the ensuing tragedy unfold. The city lies in ruins and many innocent folk have lost their lives. It is hard to know what to do or say. Facebook has been a godsend in providing information on the safety of friends. I have been trying to donate to the Red Cross (www.redcross.org.nz/donations ) and suspect that I cannot get through to do so because there are so many other people trying to do the same which is a good thing. People want to help. I am wandering around thinking 'what can I do'? My heart feels heavy all the time. There is no rhyme or reason to this, just 'what is' and at times like this I am conscious of how small and insignificant humans are in the grand scheme of things. I have joined the NZSA's fundraising effort and will read from my books at one of the Auckland Libraries on 25th March. And I am going to embrace my SO and my kids and my life and enjoy the good things that I have because tomorrow is uncertain.

our psychedelic and phantasmagorical experiment is at an end...

Well folks the amazing, psychedelic and phantasmagorical Fabostory experiment has come to an end for 2010 - there were laughs, drama and illustrations, there were crazy one-upping authors, dedicated and encouraging teachers and talented student submitters and worrying things like jewel encrusted trapeze pants, vomiting dinosaurs and posh english accented alien gorillas. The best thing is everyone survived - except me. In a stunning twist our final chapter winner Angus Smith wowed us all by pulling the nine fabo authors into the story and tying everything up incredibly smartly. I am not sure how to feel about the ending Angus gave me. Go read it here and let me know what you think. I am sure we will be seeing more of Angus in the future (although not on the dinosaur populated planet Awe in 3629). And you will also, most likely, be seeing more of Fabostory. Watch out for new Fabo developments in 2011, when like Lazarus, I rise from the dead...

I participated in a Meet the Author event (organised by the human dynamo Maria Gill and Kiwiwrite4kidz) on wednesday afternoon at Albany Junior High with a bevy of other writers and illustrators, speaking to and talking with school teachers and librarians from around the area. A good time was had by all, I busted some fiction myths (no Virginia, not all authors are rich and famous), spilled all my state secrets about writing and hopefully gave some useful tips for teaching creative writing in the classroom. It is very encouraging to find so many teachers and librarians keen to foster a love of books and writing amongst their students.

Not so encouraging? Once again I was turned down for Creative New Zealand Funding. The money would have been incredibly helpful and it is always a knock to one's creative confidence to be unsuccessful. I can't imagine having a better project to apply with than a contracted novel, with letters of support from several important industry folk. I am at a loss to know what is missing from my application. I now have a cold (to add insult to injury) and am feverishly applying lashings of chocolate and alcohol. I have a ship load of writing to do :)

too sad...

I never thought a message from the Queen would have the power to make me cry, but her message of condolence to NZ on the Pike River tragedy this morning was heartbreaking. I think the whole of NZ had been holding its breath since the first explosion in the mine last friday, hoping that there would be some miraculous positive resolution as there had been in Chile, but it wasn't to be. We all followed the story so closely and hung on news of any progress or change and then yesterday afternoon came the news that no one wanted. A second explosion turned it all into an unmitigated nightmare. It's hard not to be affected. I didn't know any of the 29 miners lost, or their families, but I feel so very sad for them. I hope they feel the love, support and sympathy from everyone around this country. I know what the loss of one of my family members would do to me.

Hello out there...

You win some, you lose some. This little chick, still in egg, got all the way to the acquisitions meeting but fell off the table and broke. I have had a number of positive remarks regarding this particular manuscript but then for various reasons they still say no. Its fair to say I'm disappointed. The agent has smacked some sticky tape on the crack and its off to another publisher. The more I hang around in this business the more I appreciate how slow it all goes. I think this manuscript has legs so I will continue to have faith. I will try and bolster my patience with some patience bolstering vitamins...

In better news, as the result of my son's rubbish collecting habits and my eavesdropping on idle 11 year old boy chit-chat, I have a new story idea. I like it. It could be loads of fun and action. Question though - can I wait to finish my YA before I get started on this? And do I stick with the boy protagonist or should I make it a girl this time. My inclination was to have a boy but I'm not sure if its intuition or habit speaking.

And yesterday my SO and I talked holiday. I am desperate for one and our conversation has given me hope. I do love anticipation... especially when its about a holiday.

And last but not least I have a challenge for anyone reading. If you haven't already - say hi! Introduce yourself! Leave a comment! I'd love to know who you are...

I heard the news today, oh boy...

I suspect I do not perceive the news like other people do. For example Michael Jackson's untimely and tragic death at the young age of fifty. I am embarrassed to say one of my thoughts was Farrah Fawcett picked the wrong day to die. I do not mean to trivialise death. Its the biggest crisis we will ever face in our lives. But her, also tragic and untimely passing on the same day, will forever be overshadowed by the unexpected death of the King of Pop. Maybe thats how she would have wanted it. I don't know. I hope both of them rest in peace. They both seemed to share an air of sadness about them. Michael Jackson in particular appeared, like Benjamin Button, to live his life backwards. I can't help thinking of him singing one of my favourites of his, Rock with You, in an amazingly sparkly costume, looking young and handsome and talented and full of joy. There are so many questions surrounding the person he became. I think I will continue to think of him as he was when he made Off the Wall. There has been no mention of his children by the media so far. I hope they are okay.

But back to my strange news consumption habits. Don't think I don't read the headlines because i do. But my favourite newsworthy items are the strange and curious that only get one paragraph, always leaving me wanting to know more and I guess, with a writer's eye, conjuring up all sorts of possible extrapolations of the story. And folks, should I be worried that I laughed myself silly over the story of the German old folk who kidnapped and held hostage a financial advisor responsible for the loss of $5.14 million of their savings. They attacked him with a zimmer frame, tied him up with duct tape and stuck him in a cellar where they beat him up. My favourite quote was this one, "... they bound me with masking tape until I looked like a mummy. It took them quite a while because they ran out of breath." I guess he wasn't the fittest specimen himself if he couldn't subdue two breathless geriatric attackers. Upon release, the financier could only whine and complain about the harsh treatment he had received and turned his focus on having his captors charged, with the possibility if they are found guilty of being jailed for up to 15 years. Seeing as they have lost their retirement savings maybe jail offers a greater level of security then they got from the financier's handling of their nest eggs. I don't condone violence and crime but I could not bring myself to blame those OAP for their actions. No court of any country seems to be adequately dealing with the self-important, over paid, smug, creepy, greedy people who play risky games with other peoples life savings.

And more evidence that tv can have a positive influence (after all, its where the idea for The Were-Nana came from) - another news item in the paper talked about a young boy who survived when lost by doing things he'd learned watching Bear Grylls on Man vs Wild. No reality show is truly 100% real but obviously the survival tips in Man vs Wild have credible value. They helped save a small life. Now thats good news.

In local news...

I love the internet. The other day I discovered via google that an Australian Library in Victoria had my book Jack the Viking. Jack the Viking is not currently available in Australia. It seems that librarians hunt out the books they've read about (perhaps in reviews?) that they like the sound of. Probably via the internet. Did I tell you I love the internet? I love librarians too.

In local sports news my husband ( a soccer veteran of many years standing) is coaching our son's soccer team for the first time. They were both experiencing nerves before the first official game of the season this morning. They needn't have worried. The sun shone. The air was cool but still. The soccer gods smiled and the 11th Grade Division One Team Norman won 8-1. Go lads! And there is now just over a week to go before our daughters fly out to the US without us, for two weeks in Florida. We all went in 2007 and after a week in Orlando for the World competition at Disneyworld had a wonderful time checking out Miami, the Bahamas and New York. Exploring new places as a family is fantastic and now the girls have a fair idea of what to expect and how the whole travelling thing works. But its a mother's job to worry and I take my job seriously. I'll miss them terribly too. I hope our son is up to three times as many hugs as usual. I've been working through a mental list of things to be bought before they go (toiletries bag, socks, hair ties, spare cheer gear, strapping tape etc, etc, etc,...).

And in publishing news - blah - I had some short stories rejected by Learning Media. One editor was kind enough to give me feedback on two of the stories and not one to waste time, I have already sent these off in other directions. Call me impulsive but I just can't help myself. One story is unchanged but I decided to tweak the second story into something different. I will keep you posted on whether the new incarnation bears fruit. And I'll tell you more about the transformation too.

I unfortunately had to miss Michele Powele's book launch for her novel Weathered Bones last thursday night, but I hope to get myself a copy soon. Instead I got to bake biscuits for the son's shared lunch at school the following day and make homemade Chicken Fried rice for the hungry cheerleading daughters. You can read about the launch at Bookman Beatties Blog. There are no more launches in the immediate future but I have a few authors talks coming up instead.

All over the place....

With thanks to the NZ Book Council, you can find a review of Jack the Viking by Crissi Blair here. Its just a little ways down the page :)

I finished The Tomorrow Code yesterday. Nice crisp writing, strong characters and with increasing tension as it went along, it had a very satisfying ending and one that will keep my brain ticking over for quite a while. Some time back I toyed with the whole future-past, mobius strip looping concept for a story idea and as it hurt my head a lot I put it to one side. Its good to see someone making it work and gives me fresh hope. Haven't decided what book to read next. Maybe I'll do some more work on my YA, before I crack the spine on someone else's work

I believe the new publishing manager is now at work at Scholastic NZ. Yay!! There would have been a few tail chasing moments over the past few months there as two people worked hard to cover a three person plus job. I'm looking forward to meeting the new person. Of course the Margaret Mahy day would have been the perfect opportunity to mosie on up and say howdy but drat if it isn't down in Christchurch this year and I'm too cheap to go. I'm still hoping to get to Wellington this September (please let me register in time, please let me register in time) for the Spinning Gold Conference and can't really afford too many trips. And there are just too many other things on over the next few months so a quick trip to Chch was always going to be in the hard basket.

In other good news the White Ferns (NZ's women's cricket team) are now in the final of the Women's cricket World Cup (facing England) following a great win against Pakistan which featured a record breaking, outstanding 168 runs off 105 balls by Suzie Bates. Yowza. England are the only team to beat them in this competition so the final could be very exciting indeed. Go Kiwis.

And in one of those "its not like I knew her but her death really saddens me," moments, the news of Natasha Richardson's untimely demise has bummed me out. It is shocking that something so seemingly insignificant can have such tragic results. Human beings seem so robust at times and then just incredibly fragile at others. As she was my age (way, way too young to die) and the mum of two young children I guess its had more of an impact on me. And we shouldn't need reminding, but folks, don't put things off. Don't put off writing if its your secret dream, don't be afraid to show other people your work, don't file things in the bottom drawer - send them out. Get off your butt and live your life NOW.