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A note from Candy Gourlay: Dear Slushpile Readers, we are so pleased to introduce you to our latest acquisition on Notes from the Slushpile, the swashbuckling and most divine, soon to be bestselling YA author, Kathryn Evans aka @mrsbung. Kathy has long been a fellow journeywoman on the rocky road to publication and we are thrilled that her novel More of Me is going to be published next year by Usborne. Kathy likes to say she's a farmer's wife but she does a lot more than wifery on that farm, I can tell you. The KidLit world doesn't know what's about to hit it ... we're all going to be hearing a lot about Kathy very soon.  

By Kathy Evans

Oh. My. Gosh. I have been invited to join the blogging team at Notes From the Slushpile. This is better than:

Mmm, coffee cake...

And

Mmm...champagne

And all manner of other lovely things, including SLEEP, which is one of my most favourite things to do. Why so, I hear you ask?

Just over five years ago I guest blogged for NFTS, you can see how giddy I was about it all then.
I am STILL that giddy. This blog meant a great deal to me when I was serving my time on the slush pile – it was a comforting place to go for tips and insights. A place of hope. A place to dream. And I had a lot of time for dreaming. Fifteen-ish years of it – the internetty web thing barely existed back then, blogging was in its infancy, but Notes from The Slushpile had a fan base and amongst the fans was me. So much so that when I met Candy at my first SCBWI conference, I sort of pounced on her and made her be my friend.

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...for the very first timeby Jo WytonNotes from the Slushpile attempts to make some sense out of the mad scramble for a publishing deal. As the newest slushpile guinea pig, I'm going to attempt to take you all with me... This is the first in new series Surviving the Slushpile, where we'll highlight some of the highs and lows of the slushpile journey.First up, it's the start of the slushpile

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Hello again! Thought I'd better do a catch up and tell you about some more competitions that are running and what I've been up to.
I've been out and about quite a bit, took a fantastic trip down the Manchester Ship Canal on the Mersey Ferry (although we had a bit of trouble at the Salford end with a bridge that wouldn't open for two hours!) and I've been on a small mammals workshop in Cheshire where I got to learn about trapping to find out species live in an area.
I got to see a common shrew and lots of wood mice up close and had to help weighing them and picking them up by the scruff of their tiny necks which is very tricky! It was a really interesting day - with a very early start! I'm sure it'll come in useful for my Dr Midas stories one day too, it's great to get first hand experiences like that.

Speaking of Dr Midas I've been working on the second book again in the hope of entering it for the Times/Chicken Book children's fiction competition (deadline October 30th for whole novel up to 80,000 words - http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/books/article6733392.ece).
I entered the original competition with Dr Midas and the Pirates but didn't have any success and have wanted to try again but as you need a whole book I was a bit stuck. The only other completed children's book I have is the sequel Dr Midas and the Incas. I think it would be really hard to do well with a sequel but then I started wondering if it could be changed so that it read as a standalone which it is for the main part. The biggest hurdle is how to get round the fact that this is adventure starts with Max finding out that his sister Millie has been on a time travel adventure with Dr Midas. He is so jealous that he decides to do the same and steals the time machine.
I've actually entered the first few chapters in another competition and was happy with them but when Iooked at them again I realised the start was slow in the Max and Millie parts and definitely not strong enough for setting up a first book.
So I've re-written the first two chapters so far, now the book doesn't start at Max and Milie's home but at the museum where they are on a school trip. I'm much happier with the new start, but still have a good way to go. I also need to make sure I really keep in my characters heads all the way through. I do think that my writing has really come on since my Cornerstones critique.
Actually I got asked in a job interview last week (sady I didn't get it) how did I know if my writing was any good? It's an interesting question and my answer was that I'd had a couple of competition wins and some good feedback via my website and query letters but mainly I guess because I love reading and I know what makes me give up on a book. Of course it's much harder to judge when your so close to the work, but leaving a good length of time before revising definitely helps.
Anyway I promised aye-ayes, pirates and more comps!
Firstly aye-ayes - I hope you've been watching Last Chance to See with Stephen Fry - it's been a brilliant series so far, but the best is yet to come this Sunday (BBC 2 8pm) because he's going in search of Madagascar's aye-aye. In an interview with the Radio Times he was asked if he had a favourite animal from his trip.
He said: "We met a captive aye-aye eyeball to eyeball - and what strange amber eyes they have - and watched a wild pair from below a tree as they tapped and sucked at a coconuts. They're astonishing, but spooky too. I think the Mme Berthe's mouse lemur takes a lot of beating for sheer, unadulterated cute."
Another lemur fan! There was a great photo of him and zoologist Mark Carwardine with lemurs too.
Soon everyone will know what an aye-aye is! Hopefully they'll want to read adventure stories involving them and other lemurs too! I'm also pleased to read that the title of the next Pirates of the Carribean has been annouced. Apparantly it is going to be 'On Stranger Tides.' I'm glad pirates are still proving popular and marketable, especially as I'm still trying to find a home for Dr Midas and the Pirates! (I've sent it to another slush pile via email.)
Well there's the new Brit Writers' Awards which I saw advertised in Writing Magazine which is supporting this new competition. There are lots of categories including short story, novel and poetry and entry - which is usually £10.95 is free for WM subscribers. There are also young writers categories and schools can register so their pupils can also enter for free. There's a website www.britwriters.co.uk but information is a bit sketchy at the moment. The deadline is December 8th 2009. I'd be interested to know what other people think about this one - there's a big prize up for grabs too of £10,000.
The Sunday Times have also launched a competition for previously published writers - The Sunday Times EFG Private Bank Short Story Award. There's a £25,000 prize for the winning story and entries can be up to 7,000 words long. For more details visit http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/books/article6817172.ece
The Sefton Celebrates writing competitions are also open for entry again. Deadline is October 9th 2009 and the theme for this year is journeys. There are prizes for poetry, other writing (£2 to enter), and writing by young people (free entry) . Entry forms/details at http://www.seftonarts.co.uk/uploads/file/writing%20comp%20pdf.pdf Well good luck if you enter any of these competitions.
Susan :)

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Hello again! Thought I'd better do a catch up and tell you about some more competitions that are running and what I've been up to.
I've been out and about quite a bit, took a fantastic trip down the Manchester Ship Canal on the Mersey Ferry (although we had a bit of trouble at the Salford end with a bridge that wouldn't open for two hours!) and I've been on a small mammals workshop in Cheshire where I got to learn about trapping to find out species live in an area.
I got to see a common shrew and lots of wood mice up close and had to help weighing them and picking them up by the scruff of their tiny necks which is very tricky! It was a really interesting day - with a very early start! I'm sure it'll come in useful for my Dr Midas stories one day too, it's great to get first hand experiences like that.

Speaking of Dr Midas I've been working on the second book again in the hope of entering it for the Times/Chicken Book children's fiction competition (deadline October 30th for whole novel up to 80,000 words - http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/books/article6733392.ece).
I entered the original competition with Dr Midas and the Pirates but didn't have any success and have wanted to try again but as you need a whole book I was a bit stuck. The only other completed children's book I have is the sequel Dr Midas and the Incas. I think it would be really hard to do well with a sequel but then I started wondering if it could be changed so that it read as a standalone which it is for the main part. The biggest hurdle is how to get round the fact that this is adventure starts with Max finding out that his sister Millie has been on a time travel adventure with Dr Midas. He is so jealous that he decides to do the same and steals the time machine.
I've actually entered the first few chapters in another competition and was happy with them but when Iooked at them again I realised the start was slow in the Max and Millie parts and definitely not strong enough for setting up a first book.
So I've re-written the first two chapters so far, now the book doesn't start at Max and Milie's home but at the museum where they are on a school trip. I'm much happier with the new start, but still have a good way to go. I also need to make sure I really keep in my characters heads all the way through. I do think that my writing has really come on since my Cornerstones critique.
Actually I got asked in a job interview last week (sady I didn't get it) how did I know if my writing was any good? It's an interesting question and my answer was that I'd had a couple of competition wins and some good feedback via my website and query letters but mainly I guess because I love reading and I know what makes me give up on a book. Of course it's much harder to judge when your so close to the work, but leaving a good length of time before revising definitely helps.
Anyway I promised aye-ayes, pirates and more comps!
Firstly aye-ayes - I hope you've been watching Last Chance to See with Stephen Fry - it's been a brilliant series so far, but the best is yet to come this Sunday (BBC 2 8pm) because he's going in search of Madagascar's aye-aye. In an interview with the Radio Times he was asked if he had a favourite animal from his trip.
He said: "We met a captive aye-aye eyeball to eyeball - and what strange amber eyes they have - and watched a wild pair from below a tree as they tapped and sucked at a coconuts. They're astonishing, but spooky too. I think the Mme Berthe's mouse lemur takes a lot of beating for sheer, unadulterated cute."
Another lemur fan! There was a great photo of him and zoologist Mark Carwardine with lemurs too.
Soon everyone will know what an aye-aye is! Hopefully they'll want to read adventure stories involving them and other lemurs too! I'm also pleased to read that the title of the next Pirates of the Carribean has been annouced. Apparantly it is going to be 'On Stranger Tides.' I'm glad pirates are still proving popular and marketable, especially as I'm still trying to find a home for Dr Midas and the Pirates! (I've sent it to another slush pile via email.)
Well there's the new Brit Writers' Awards which I saw advertised in Writing Magazine which is supporting this new competition. There are lots of categories including short story, novel and poetry and entry - which is usually £10.95 is free for WM subscribers. There are also young writers categories and schools can register so their pupils can also enter for free. There's a website www.britwriters.co.uk but information is a bit sketchy at the moment. The deadline is December 8th 2009. I'd be interested to know what other people think about this one - there's a big prize up for grabs too of £10,000.
The Sunday Times have also launched a competition for previously published writers - The Sunday Times EFG Private Bank Short Story Award. There's a £25,000 prize for the winning story and entries can be up to 7,000 words long. For more details visit http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/books/article6817172.ece
The Sefton Celebrates writing competitions are also open for entry again. Deadline is October 9th 2009 and the theme for this year is journeys. There are prizes for poetry, other writing (£2 to enter), and writing by young people (free entry) . Entry forms/details at http://www.seftonarts.co.uk/uploads/file/writing%20comp%20pdf.pdf Well good luck if you enter any of these competitions.
Susan :)

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Local (yaye DC!) author Susan Shreve has published 26 children's books and thirteen novels, including non-fiction and poetry. I caught up with Susan at the Writer's Center, where she chatted about her career and read from her heart-warming novel, Warm Springs.

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When first-time author, Ronica Stromberg, resolved to find a home for Time-for-bed Angel, she found no easy path to publication. But that’s precisely why you’re sure to find her story as inspiring as her debut picture book.

After submitting unsuccessfully to American publishing houses, Ronica triumphed overseas. Lion Children's Books, imprint of United Kingdom’s Lion Hudson, plucked her ms from the slush pile.

Today? Time-for-bed angel is contracted for release in the U.S., and Ronica has a middle school mystery and three teen novels under contract with Royal Fireworks Press.

Aspiring authors, faithen up… this interview’s for you!

GwG: The Time-for-bed Angel is wonderful. How did you compose a lyrical story without being syrupy sweet?
Ronica: My background is bare-bones journalism, and I'm used to writing for teens, so the fuzzy phrases you often see in children's books don't come naturally to me. One of the few “sweet” words in my book—cuddly—was added by my editor. Obviously, I could never write Winnie-the-Pooh books—although I loved them as a child!

GwG: What was your trudge to publication like?
Ronica: Trudge is a good word for my journey into picture book publication. I wrote the manuscript fairly quickly, but it took about eight years to see it into publication. Since the story has a guardian angel in it, I tried both the inspirational and mainline markets. I received plenty of rejections but no helpful feedback. After a few years, I went to a conference and heard there that angels had been a "fad" in writing. This was news to me. I had written the manuscript because I thought it was a good story, not because I was trying to glam onto some fad or trend. I still thought it was a good story, so I stubbornly continued to send it out until I had exhausted the American markets—and then I sent it overseas!

Of the two overseas publishers I sent it to, one in the United Kingdom purchased the manuscript. Apparently, the angel fad hadn't hit so hard over there. It took about two years for this publisher to bring the book to publication. The ironic thing is that two weeks before The Time-for-bed Angel was released in the United States, all the major media were reporting a poll that showed 68 percent of Americans believe in guardian angels. And angels are cropping up in gift shops again as a hot item. I couldn't have planned a more timely release of my book.

GwG: How did you secure an American publisher, after being picked up in the UK? Ronica: I am still with the U.K. publisher, but two American publishers/distributors contracted for rights to distribute the book in the United States. The U.K. publisher handled all the selling of foreign rights, and the U.S. is considered "foreign" in this case. The book is now in many countries—Australia, New Zealand, and the Netherlands among them—and I receive royalties on these sales. This is undoubtedly better than what I could have done on my own, so I'm thrilled.

GwG: How do you toot your writerly horn?
Ronica: I've been signing at major bookstore chains such as Barnes & Noble as well as little, independent Christian bookstores. I'm also visiting both public and private schools and interviewing with the media in towns I visit. Gas is so expensive that this truly doesn't pay, so I'm looking more at online marketing. I'm not interested in maintaining a blog myself but am open to blog tours and to appearing as a guest on other people's sites and in podcasts.

GwG: Agent or solo?
Ronica: If only! Few agents represent children's writers because, generally speaking, there isn't a lot of money in publishing children's books (unless, of course, your name is J.K. Rowling). I keep trying.

GwG: Tips for getting manuscripts market-ready?
Ronica: Find a good critique group or partner to look over your work. (Bookstores, libraries, and writing organizations—online or otherwise—are often good places to look.) This is so important. I used to work as a copy editing consultant for the U.S. Department of Education, but even I make basic grammatical mistakes in my writing. I know better, but it's hard to focus on everything—plot, character, setting, style, pacing, grammar, and so on—while writing.

GwG: Tips for targeting publishers?
Ronica: The market books are a good place to start. They will at least let you know which publishers are closed to submissions so you don't waste your time or postage on them. The market books also narrow down who accepts manuscripts in the genre and age range you're writing for. Once you have that starter list, you should research publishers online by viewing their catalogues, guidelines, and so on. Try to determine who publishes books closest to what you've written and submit to them.

GwG: What are you working on now?
Ronica: I've actually switched gears and completed my first inspirational romance this summer. And while I look for a publisher for that and my children's books, I'm submitting to magazines and marketing and promoting The Time-for-bed Angel. I have story ideas floating around in my head constantly and just need "chair time" to make them a reality. Funny to think that spending time in a chair was a punishment as children but now we long for that as adults!

Friends, leave any questions or kind words for Ronica in your comments... she'll happily respond and will value the support!

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Please welcome Jon Bard, of the husband and wife super-team behind the Write4Kids SuperSite and Children’s Book Insider newsletter. Since 1990, Jon Bard and Laura Backes have provided a hub of how-to articles, tips, and publishing resources!

GwG: What’s your children's literature background and inspiration for the Write4Kids SuperSite?
Jon: When my wife, Laura, and I met twenty years ago, she was working in children's publishing (she worked at Farrar, Straus & Giroux and Ballantine Books, and as a lit agent) and I owned a PR firm. That's pretty much foreshadowed our division of labor all these years. Laura is the children's book maven and I handle the business development and marketing.

GwG: How are you evolving the site?
Jon: We're working on social networking to create more of a community experience. We've just launched our first podcast, and we'll be getting into video, live webinars and lots more.

GwG: Any Write4Kids successes?
Jon: One thing we've always stood by—we never take credit for anyone's success. We just offer the tools, and it's the writer's talent and perseverance that prevail. That said, we have a library of autographed books from authors who started with us. My favorite story is that of Anastasia Suen. We still have the note she sent us, after having her first story published in a magazine we listed in our market news section. Today, she's authored more than 100 children's books and is a New York Times honoree. And she's still a subscriber. I'm convinced she knows more about CBI's history than I do!

GwG: Most surprising feedback?
Jon: I'm probably most startled when well-known authors tell us how much they enjoy the newsletter. We just heard from Robert Quackenbush, who's authored more than 200 books, about how the newsletter revvs him up every month. We thought of our readers as folks just starting out, but really successful folks are reading, too.

GwG: Publishing tips for aspiring authors?
Jon: We could write a book about that. In fact, we have! In sum:

1. If you're just starting out, you're not ready to submit. Learn plotting, learn voice, learn dialogue, learn to revise. Then revise it again. Enjoy the journey.

2. When it comes time to submit, don't be intimidated by the odds. Yes, publishers receive many submissions for each book that publishes. But the vast majority of submissions never get past an editorial assistant. They're rejected immediately because the word count is off, or the subject matter doesn't fit, or (and this is a big one) the submission package and query letter is amateurish. If you can learn the right way to submit, you will boost your odds.

GwG: And for marketing your book after publication?
Jon: The traditional offline stuff—school visits, bookstore appearances, press releases, etc.—still count, but the Internet has changed things. Learn social networking, get involved in message boards, start a blog and comment on others. Group blogs—where multiple authors band together—are a great way to get noticed. And be creative—more and more authors are creating "video trailers" for their books and seeding them on the web.

GwG: Most common mistake made by aspiring authors, and how to amend?
Jon: Rushing the process, and banking on the kids loving your book. Editors aren't so easy to please. Be objective and ruthless with your manuscript.

The other big mistake: not reading Children's Book Insider, of course! : )

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This week, please enjoy a series of interviews with my friend, fellow writer and SCBWI member, Sheri Oshins. Sheri founded the Hunterdon County Children's Writer's Group (HCCWG). Her personal blog, Diary of a Children’s Book Writer, has charmed its way to a large audience since only 2007. Her group blog, devoted to HCCWG, has done the same. For 16 years, Sheri taught and tutored reading and writing. Now, she’s wholeheartedly pursuing becoming a published writer. We share this same lifelong dream, which is the platform for our friendship – two women, finally realizing our dream.

GwG: Why is joining SCBWI “the best thing you've ever done?”
Sheri: You know, people say to listen to the Universe, follow what the Universe presents you... I returned to work about 4 years ago. I am a former elementary teacher. I stopped teaching when I had children so I could pursue writing. But I never got much writing done. All you writer moms out there with young babes at home - I bow to you - I just couldn't do it. I was floundering. I didn't know where to begin.

I read the Children's Writer's & Illustrator's Market and other books. I took a screenplay writing course in NYC, but I still felt I wasn't on the right path. And I was scared. It's hard to work with one income these days. So, once my youngest was in first grade, I ran back to the shelter of teaching. And I was miserable!

Teaching is more than a full time job. I was the 4th grade English teacher, so I saw all the students for LA, reading, and writing. I had about 70 essays to grade every week. Everything came second to teaching. My children, my husband, my home, and my writing. I was teaching about great writers like Sharon Creech, Pearl S. Buck, Karen Hesse, but I wasn't being one.

We went to see The Chronicles of Narnia (I will get to SCBWI soon, I promise...). The lights went down and we transported to this magical world. I sat there with tears streaming down my face during the whole movie. Not because it was an amazing movie. But because I couldn't stop thinking that I'll never get to see myself do this... write for children... invent worlds in books. It was a turning point for me.

After a long talk with my husband, it was agreed. I needed to stop teaching and give writing my best, whole effort. Life's too short. I stopped being afraid I wouldn't be successful, or we wouldn't have enough money. I just needed to live the life I was meant to live. Once I did, things started happening. My job (which was filling a year's maternity leave) happily came to an end. All the teachers wanted to fight on my behalf, but I knew this was the right move. I moved on. Sure, I was scared about bills and such, but I felt safe. I trusted the Universe.

And then, SCBWI kept whispering to me. At first, I ignored it. But then, the whisper grew into a shriek until I was reminded of that joke about the man who drowned waiting for a sign from God... I spoke to the RA of my local chapter, who was so welcoming. I joined and saw immediately why my first publishing attempt, armed only with the Writer's Market, had failed.

You need other writers in your life. If for no other reason than to surround yourself with people who are living writing life. It enables you and inspires you to press on. Also, you need one-on-one, face-to-face connections with editors and agents. You can't get that anywhere else! SCBWI puts you face-to-face with the very people who might buy your MS. It puts you ahead of the slush pile. It helps make the nearly impossible, possible. I have seen it time and time again: All the writers I know with contracts made those connections through SCBWI.

GwG: How did you form the HCCWG writer’s group, and what was your inspiration to do so?
Sheri: Well, again, this was because of SCBWI. After attending my first workshop at SCBWI, I saw that I really needed to join a peer critique group. But all the groups I tried to join through NJ SCBWI were either full or disbanded. I felt discouraged and called Kathy Temean, the RA for NJ SCBWI. She said, start your own group. I thought, why not?

At first, I went to a large book chain. They suggested I put up fliers in the library. Again, the Universe smacked me on the top of my head! So I called, and as kismet would have it, they said they wanted a writer's group to bring new life into the library. When you are on the right track, things just fall into place. The library also wanted the local paper and radio station to interview me. The article attracted 60 people to our first meeting. I was shocked! We formed 6 smaller sub-genre groups. I found 5 wonderful women to run each of the small groups, and we have run strong ever since.

We celebrated our year anniversary this past April and currently have 40 dedicated members with the same common goal - to write for children and become published. Each facilitator meets with her own small group once a month and we, facilitators, meet once a month, too. We put on events, have guest speakers... it's a great organization, if I must say so myself. And... my writing has grown so much over this year by surrounding myself with honest, diligent writers. You can visit our blog, too.

GwG: How has HCCWG enhanced the writing process for you?
Sheri: First, we set deadlines for one another. You must be accountable for your own progress. And not be the dead weight in the group. We share outlines, writing struggles, dilemmas, brainstorms. It's priceless.

The feedback is priceless too. Not in the sense that you might always agree or want to take all the feedback you hear, but it makes you think. It either solidifies your original intentions, echoes inner fears you've harbored anyway, or highlights what you didn't consider. We have a rule in HCCWG, it's take it or toss it. We heard this at an SCBWI event and we've adapted it. If you hear something that doesn't resonate, don't reject it right away. See if you receive similar feedback from those outside your group. If you hear it at least three other times, it's time to consider this feedback as worthy.

The group also taught me to respect my own process as unique. We often compare what we do and how we do it with other writers. But we need to stop this. Discover when you write the best, the morning, the afternoon, the night.... the spring, the summer, the fall... I have found my writing process is from Sept to May/June and in the mornings. Once summer hits, I need to read, study, and reflect. That's just how it works for me. I've learned, from being in my group, to trust my process.

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But let's look at another side of this. Let's say they actually got 50,000 entries. How on earth are they going to judge all of them? I saw one poor soul on the Publishers Weekly comment board justifying the $85 because she will "get her manuscript read" by so-called professionals.

Uh, I don't think so.

If they actually look at every submission, which is highly doubtful, how much of any given manuscript can they really read? Let's say they get 50,000 entries. And let's say they get 50 judges (in reality, probably 1/10th of that). That's 1,000 manuscripts apiece. Let's say they read ten pages of every manuscript, including the winner. That's 10,000 pages, or approximately 40 full length books.

Get real. No one has that kind of spare time. This is why agents and editors have other people vetting for them. And if they actually read every page of every manuscript? Yeah - an extra 1,000 novels this year, or three a day, every day, including holidays. That's realistic.

This is the most bogus thing to have come along since James Frey's attempt at a memoir. In the words of Stephen P. Hull (publisher for the excellent Justin, Charles & Co.) from the PW discussion board: ". . . it's an agency representation scam that is a purely profit-making venture."

I hope they get 10 entries and are forced to pay out the six figures anyway.

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