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Did you know that talking to yourself can be really helpful? It’s true! Researchers have long known that positive self-talk can be an incredibly helpful tool. The power of positive self-talk is something that… Continue reading →

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So excited for this new adventure! 

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If you’ve worked in an office, you’re probably familiar with “honor box” coffee service. Everyone helps themselves to stewed coffee, adds to the lounge’s growing filth, and deposits a nominal sum in the honor box, with the accumulated proceeds being used to replenish supplies. Notoriously, this system often devolves into a tragedy of the commons, where too many people drink without paying.

The post Moral responsibility and the ‘honor box’ system appeared first on OUPblog.

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Since roughly the middle of the last century, there has been a thriving philosophical debate about the nature of action. What is it that makes us agents rather than patients? What makes us responsible for the things that we do rather than the things that happen to us?

The post Many forms of doing: a surprising source for pluralism about agency appeared first on OUPblog.

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Philosophers love thought experiments. Many of us deploy them as our version of the scientific method: They isolate some feature of our experience and evoke intuitions about it, and these revealed verdicts enable us to adjust relevant theories in light of what we find. Sometimes we appeal to these science fiction cases too quickly when there are plenty of real life cases all around us that are potentially more fruitful.

The post Thought experiments in philosophy appeared first on OUPblog.

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Skylark Literary will specialize in children's and young adults books.

http://www.wordsandpics.org/2014/08/amber-caraveo-joanna-moult-to-set-up.html

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Several US law firms have now filed lawsuits against Apple and major US publishers alleging what one described as a "horizontal conspiracy" to fix and increase the price of e-books in the US. One firm also now moved for the lawsuits to be heard under one judge either in California, where two of the suits have been registered, or Manhattan, where three have been filed.

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Granta Publications has put its books onto the iBookstore, with all digitised titles from Granta Books and Portobello now made available.

Marketing and digital development director Iain Chapple said: "We are committed to taking great writing to the widest readership and this move represents the latest exciting development in our digital strategy."

In signing up to the agency model, Granta joins publishers including Quercus, Random House, Hachette, HarperCollins, Penguin, Simon & Schuster, Macmillan and Canongate.

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 Lately I have been getting a number of emails asking me if I have an agent or how to get an agent or if an illustrator needs an agent. This article is directed mainly at illustrators and those who write and illustrate their own children's books.

These thoughts are based on my own experience and opinions, so you must also consider the views of others who are much better known in the field of Children's Book Illustration.

Agency representation is a very personal choice on the part of the illustrator or author/illustrator. Just as you go about carefully choosing the agent you most want to represent you, the agent will have criteria for acceptance of illustrators and authors.

If you are just beginning to write and/or illustrate for children a great agent could give you a head start.    But devoting too much time to finding an agent shouldn't be a priority.   The best pathway to success is to keep your writing and your illustrating fresh, explore new ideas, work hard on any assignment that you receive and take the suggestions and criticisms of editors, designers, and art directors with grace and act upon them. Focus on your work and make it the best you can.  Attend conferences, workshops, and classes that will help you grow as an artist.

Many beginning artist/illustrators are out there searching for agency representation.  However, having an agent does not guarantee immediate success.  If you do feel you want to share your fees with an agent it is a good idea to make sure it is a top notch agent who works full time in the field.  Any choice other than the type of agency that is well respected and works full time at the business is not worth your time or your money.

So, for the sake of an example, let us say you found a great agent, the agent agrees to represent you and find suitable assignments for your type or art.  You now have someone or a group that will handle the contracts, negotiations, and submissions to houses that only accept them from agents.  

You will need to be prepared to accept the assignments given to you.  You can't be too choosy about the work that your agent offers you.  You will be asked to share in the promotional costs.  In addition you will need to let go of the business issues that are the responsibility of the agency. You will need to meet deadlines, take criticism, make changes and behave in a totally professional manner.  An upbeat and positive attitude are great qualities in an author or illustrator and are appreciated by the publishing community .



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Elaine English Literary Agency will not be representing young adult.
http://elainepenglish.blogspot.com/2009/09/now-also-representing-young-adult.html

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As an illustrator there is always the question of whether or not you want to be represented by an agency. If you choose representation there are some important things to consider.

I believe that a good art agency representative can be beneficial to an illustrator, but I also believe that the illustrator has obligations to the agency and must be ready to make a commitment to honor his/her agency contract with a professional and accountable performace.

As in any group situation it helps to be a team player. In this case the team is the agent, the artist and the publisher/editor/designer.

Because I have chosen to be represented by an agency, there are certain obligations I have as an artist.

In addition to having a style of painting that I can call my own, I am willing to experiment and try new ways of interpreting the stories I am given to illustrate.

I am experienced with website creation and maintainence and keep my personal website up to date and refresh it frequently with new illustrations.

My work is professional and competitive with those of other children’s illustrators in the marketplace.

The work I do is appealing to adults and children and has received good reviews from editors, reviewers and the general public.

If you are seeking an agent or ready to make the decision to have one are you ready to do this as well?

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I don't have much book talk this week because I just got back from the New England RWA chapter (my home chapter) Let Your Imagination Take Flight Conference this past weekend. My agent, Deidre Knight, my critique partner, Diana Peterfreund, and I gave a presentation on Networking 101 that was a lot of fun.

Here we are presenting:



And here I am with my Knight Agency Sistahs who were at the conference, from left to right, Diana Peterfreund, me, Janet Louise Campbell, Kwana Minatee-Jackson, Maureen McGowan, Deidre Knight, Cathy Chant, Jessica Andersen:



Then, there was a costume party to "Bring Fiction to Life." A lot of people came as their favorite character or as a character they'd written. Since my books aren't out yet, it didn't make much sense to go as my sorority sisters, so I went as an admired writer-idol...Jaqueline Susanne.

That's me on the left with Elizabeth Mahon (as Lady McBeth), Kwana Minatee-Jackson and our very busy conference chair, Pam Claughton:



So, for those of you who are writers and you go to a conference, what's the best thing you bring out of the weekend? What is it that inspires you to get home and write your heart out?

Marley = )
Sorority Rush Begins - Spring 2008!
Rush - A Sisterhood Novel
Pledge Class - A Sisterhood Novel
Puffin Books

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A Crossover Show with the Just One More Book Podcast on “Tudley Didn’t Know and Interpretive Stances” _Show 29 On this show “Tudley Didn’t Know” as a focus for CLIP and Just One More Book (JOMB). Click here to pop over to Andrea and Mark’s Just One More Book discussion regarding Tudley, and then share your thoughts on [...]

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