By: Candy Gourlay,
on 7/26/2011
By Candy Gourlay Margaret Carey My friend Margaret Carey died on Sunday and I am so sad. I realize as I write "friend" that really, I occupied only a very tiny part of Margaret's life. Clowning around on our way to the Bologna Children's Book Festival in 2008 with Margaret and illustrators Anne Marie Perks and Sarah McIntyre Looking back now, I didn't know much about Margaret's
By: Candy Gourlay,
on 4/9/2011
by Teri TerryUndiscovered Voices 2012 is open for submissions! This isn't just any writing competition. Thirteen of the twenty-four children's writers featured in the first two anthologies of winning fiction novels have since either published or are under contract. So join the SCBWI British Isles as quick as you can, and enter! The launch was Tuesday 5th April, and I was there.We lurked at the
By: Candy Gourlay,
on 3/23/2011
By Nick Cross Guest Blogger Undiscovered Voices is SCBWI British Isles' genius scheme to get twelve of its members' work under the noses of the biggest and best in children's publishing. With the 2012 competition kicking off in just a couple of weeks, Nick Cross – one of last year's winners – reports on the difference a year makes: Winners on the night of the Undiscovered Voices reception: Left
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By: Candy Gourlay,
on 2/25/2010
This was their moment!
Suddenly, after years of being supplicants to the great and good of publishing, our SCBWI heroes find themselves the object of a schmooze-for-all, with agents, editors and publishers eager to check them out at the launch of the Undiscovered Voices anthology for 2010.
In 2008, the first ever SCBWI British Isles Undiscovered Voices competition led to all 12 winners (including me, yay!) being signed by agents.
And here's who we have to blame, The Saras (Sara Grant and Sara O'Connor) - who conceptualized the Undiscovered Voices and made it happen. Should you run into them, please be sure to kiss the hems of their skirts (or trousers), they have changed some lives BIG TIME - including mine.
The Blue Peter book awardSteve Hartley, Sarwat Chadda, and Harriet Goodwin - the first three of the original Undiscovered Voices to see their books in print - were present as were copies of their books for signing.
Barnes and Noble Top Teen book for 2009
American Library Association Best Book for Young Readers
2010 Waterstone’s Children’s Book Prize
Branford Boase First novel award
Borders Book of the Month
By: Candy Gourlay,
on 1/25/2010
By: Candy Gourlay,
on 5/22/2009
It's been an eventful last few days and I thought I'd blog about it before it was too late as my life is currently feeling like a 33 rpm record running on 45 or was it a 45 running on 33 (remember those? LPs? Record players? If not, then I'm pleased to meet you ... I'm rather keen on younger readers.)
I attended the launch of Devil's Kiss, the goth-lit teenage novel by my fellow SCBWIite Sarwat Chadda. I felt rather underdressed when he greeted us with his spear and shield.
The Dulwich Picture Gallery was a fab place to hold the launch, the weather held for most of the evening and the food was delicious! People queued to say nice things to Sarwat but I thought the greatest compliment was paid by this teenager sitting outside the crowd of wellwishers, totally glued to the Devil's Kiss.
There were several Undiscovered Voices authors there - Steve Hartley, whose Danny Baker Record Breaker, is due to be published by Macmillan, me, Margaret Carey, and Briony Pearce - who after winning UV, wrote another novel and had another baby (good news about this very soon ... ). Which reminds me, the deadline for the 2009 Undiscovered Voices competition is the 1st of June!
Here is Bryony and family (the baby came in chain mail and her little girl came in a princess gown ... all made by Briony with one hand while typing up her novel with the other.
Immediately after the launch, a small convoy (well, two cars) of SCBWI people drove up the motorway to Pendrell Hall in Wolverhampton to join SCBWI's weekend retreat. Our author in residence was Mary Hoffman, who I think has pretty much reached the status of national treasure. When she began to read from the latest Amazing Grace book Princess Grace, I wanted to climb onto her lap and suck my thumb.
We had two editors spend time with us, Jasmine from Oxford University Press and Non from Catnip. Here's a nice photo of Jasmine:
There's lots to report of course - we learned so much from Mary and the editors, we ate a lot, laughed nonstop, and despite it being a retreat, I was so happy to be writing without any hindrance (and without having to stop to cook for the family!) that I barely slept, pounding away at the laptop into the wee hours! I hope to find the time to blog about the nuts and bolts but for now I just want to share these piccies!
Till next year!
By: Candy Gourlay,
on 4/1/2009
The excellent Undiscovered Voices website was launched yesterday and I urge all you hopefuls to read David Almond's essay about his struggle to be discovered:
All writers, unless they’re very fortunate, know how difficult it is to get noticed, to become ‘discovered’. I became an ‘overnight success’ (I clapped when I read the review that said it) after almost twenty years: stories in obscure little magazines; a couple of story collections published by a tiny northeastern press; a novel rejected by every single UK publisher; a couple of dozen readers who loved my work; a part of me that said it all would work out well; and another part that simply didn’t give a damn. I wrote because I loved to write, and I’d keep on writing no matter how much recognition I received. Read it allLast night, winners of last year's ground-breaking Undiscovered Voices competition rubbed shoulders with hopefuls for the next one, which will be published in 2010. The deadline for entries is June 1 2009. Winners will be announced in the fall of 2009.
JULIA CHURCHILL, The Greenhouse Literary Agency
LINDSEY HEAVEN, Puffin Books
SARAH MANSON, Literary Agent
JO UNWIN, Conville and Walsh
EMMA YOUNG, Macmillan Children’s Books
ZOE DUNCAN, Scholastic Children’s Books
And through it all, through all the doubts and humiliations, we have to open up a little space inside ourselves in which a little fragment of ourselves can sit still and whisper, ‘It’s OK.’
What a loving post on such a sad occasion. She sounded like a generous and talented person. A real loss.
That’s a lovely tribute Candy.
This is wonderful, Candy. I wish I'd known her better.
What a wonderful tribute Candy. I've been thinking about something Bryony said, about contributing to flowers or something - couldn't we do something more lasting? A Margaret Cary Award to support a break through project - something like a one off grant for something, or financial support to someone to hone something of Margaret's and get it into print - maybe Sara Davies could advise
What a wonderful post...<br />I'm not sure that Margaret was working with Greenhouse any more, but I think the idea of an award in her name is brilliant. Surely we can make it happen.
What a great idea, Kathy - we will try to go forth and make things happen.
Beautiful post to a beautiful person. Thanks, Candy
Thanks, Candy, for a lovely tribute. I met Margaret on that first retreat and I was struck by her gentle grace. I last heard from her two weeks ago and she was still being funny and lovely, even though things were obviously difficult. I think it's a lovely idea to have something in her honour -presumably Mark will know whether she'd have wanted that, but it sounds like an excellent idea.<
This is a beautiful, honest and representative post on everything that Margaret was and is. I am so grateful to see the photos of her beautiful self here. Like you, Candy, I think her haunting writing had something poetic and extremely special about it. There's nothing you could have said better. Thank you.
Candy, What a fitting tribute to the quiet lady with the welcoming smile.
A touching post, Candy. And what beautiful writing from Margaret. Some sort of award in her name would be wonderful as she obviously touched so many in the society.
What a beautiful post, Candy, and what a heartfelt tribute to a very special, warm and creative woman. xx
It's a lovely post, Candy, and my heart goes out to all who knew her.
Candy, this is really lovely and sums her up so well - that is, the Margaret I knew. An award in her name would be fitting - what about the Outstanding Contribution award?
Lovely post about someone I didn't know at all.
That was a really beautiful post Candy. Margaret's writing brought goosebumps on my arms and a sadness deep down that won't go away for a long time. My thoughts are with her family and everyone who knew her.
What wonderful words from you, Candy and I agree, a Margaret Carey Award would be a fine way to remember her outstanding contribution to SCBWI_BI
Lovely that you've included some of "Hey Jude". <br />She brought it to our critique groups and I always wanted to know more. <br />So very sad that she's no longer with us.
Beautiful tribute to a beautiful human being. The Award's a great idea, too - very fitting.
This is a beautiful, moving tribute, Candy, thank you! Margaret was such a talented and energetic person, who will be much missed. She did so much for SCBWI-BI and it would be lovely if we could honour this in a lasting way.<br /><br />Natascha
Thank you, Candy, for this moving post about a beautiful, gentle, and exceptionally talented friend. <br /><br />Margaret’s husband Mark has suggested that if people want to make a contribution that the Hospice of St. Francis would be an appropriate charity. They provided wonderful support for Margaret in terms of reassurance, physiotherapy and the provision of the various mobility aids that she
Thanks Candy for such touching words - and Kate and Mark for this info.
Words escape me. Such a loss that will be felt by so many.
Very sad news. I met Margaret through SCBWI and agree Candy has perfectly captured her blend of generosity, talent, efficiency and quiet charm. So very sorry to hear of her death.
Thankyou for highlighting Margaret's beautiful writing. I'll miss my crit buddy.