Liza's Journal

The Stars Are Coming to a Children's Bookshelf Near You

2010-02-26T17:16:00Z

I don't mean to sound ornery, but doesn't it seem like a lot of very successful adult fiction writers are lately honing in on our market? First it was James Patterson with his series for kids that, despite bad reviews, is on the NYT Bestseller List. And now John Grisham will be writing a middle-grade series as well. Gentlemen, it's already a crowded market out there. Please save some shelf space for the rest of us.

What do you think about author celebrites writing for a new age group? Carl Hiassen certainly did a good job when he moved to the children's book market, and others have deservedly won awards for doing so, like Sherman Alexie. But I wonder: Is this just another case of publishers going with the proven name, regardless of quality, just because they know it will sell books?

National Book Foundation Winners

2009-11-19T14:11:00Z

The winners of the National Books Foundation Awards were announced last night, and the winner in the Young People's Literature category was Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice by Phillip Hoose (Melanie Kroupa Books, a division of Farrar, Straus and Giroux). The finalists were: Deborah Heiligman, Charles and Emma: The Darwins’ Leap of Faith (Henry Holt); David Small, Stitches (W. W. Norton & Co.); Laini Taylor, Lips Touch: Three Times (Arthur A. Levine Books/Scholastic) and
Rita Williams-Garcia, Jumped (HarperTeen/HarperCollins).

Why does this matter? Quite aside from the fact that these books make good reading is the research it provides you, the writer. Not only should you read them to see what is recognized as quality writing and a good topic. You can also see which publishers are on this list since they're the ones who at one point took a manuscript query, recognized the quality and sent it to print.

Three of these books are nonfiction, by the way, a reminder that fiction isn't the only genre you can concentrate on when writing for children.

And So It Continues

2009-04-16T17:23:00Z

        It has been a while since my last blog because who knew that being a magazine publisher would be a 21-plus-hour-a-day job? I've always worked hard, but never this hard. Doesn't matter though because it's worth it when I get letters, e-mails and calls from readers and advertisers who say they enjoy the articles and the way the magazine looks. I just wanted to keep something I loved going, and if all goes well, that will continue. And there's something so gratifying about having produced a magazine from an idea through to the printed product.
       But I do miss writing for children, even though I'm now writing a book column in each issue of Long Island Parent magazine called "Family Bookshelf." It's my sneaky way to stay connected to the children's book industry while doing my regular work. And I do manage to find some time to read and in fact just finished the moving Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher, a story that's both about teen suicide and about how easy it is to cause lasting harm with careless (or deliberate) comments. A lesson to us all, no matter what our age. I recommend it as not only is it a good story, it also has a sophisticated structure worth studying. The author alternates the main character's story with the story of his dead classmate through cassette tapes. Check it out.
        To see my latest magazine and new Web site, visit www.liparentonline.com Now I must get back to work. My next issue is due at the printer. Then I plan to do some children's writing. Wish me luck.

What I'm up to Lately

2009-02-23T12:49:00Z

             I lost my job in December, becoming one of the millions who are victims of the economic downturn. Only in my case (well, perhaps all cases), it was political. At least that's what I believe. The powers-that-be at Newsday, the parent company of the magazine division for which I worked, decided to shut down all of the magazines. I had been editor of Newsday's Parents & Children magazine for nearly 10 years. It was a role I enjoyed and my readers were loyal followers. The excuse for the shut down was the economy, but a certain VP had been lobbying for it for years for personal reasons. The economy became his convenient excuse, and the other white shirts bought it.
        After a couple of weeks of both feeling lost, and certain that now I can finally make all those changes to my YA novel All the Answers But One I've wanted to have the free time to work on, I made a decision. I have started my own magazine and Web site, Long Island Parent magazine and liparentonline.com. Because why not make a crazy decision like that in a bad economy when you've never run a business of that complexity before? I figured if I don't do it now, I never will. It has been a baptism by fire, but a manageable fire. Tomorrow I send my first issue to the printer, and next Sunday the Web site goes live. I've had the help of many others who were laid off with me, as well as my talented writers with whom I've worked for years, and a few new staffers who are already part of the team. The magazine looks fabulous and the editorial is solid. I have big plans for the future of my new company, Wordsmiths Media LLC. And I have but one regret: Why didn't I allow myself to enjoy being unemployed for a short time so I could finish my book? What was I thinking?
    Ah, well. At least I've made time to listen to Laure Halse Andersen's YA novel Twisted during my many errands by car. A fabulous example, once again, of how a writer can draw a word portrait of raw emotion and a believable character. Makes me miss my character Beth. Maybe next week I can get back to her. We'll see.

Authors and Illustrators Get Political

2008-10-30T04:11:00Z

Election Day is drawing near. Take a look at the list of children's authors and illustrators who signed their support for Barack Obama as president at : www.aiforc.org/obama/. It's an impressive list--and I'm on there too.

A New Reality?

2008-09-12T13:50:00Z

So, if you're looking to break into children's books, apparently it doesn't hurt to have been a reality show star. It was announced today that The Hills star Lauren Conrad just got a three-book deal with HarperCollins two write a YA series I can only assume is based on her experience. Ah, me, why didn't I think of that? If only I had time to star in a reality show of my own . . . Well, I wish her luck and I'm sure all predictions that the books will be blockbusters are true. Teens I live with love the series Secrets of My Hollywood Life by Jen Calonita, and I confess I've enjoyed them, too. There's just something about those glimpses into a world we don't occupy that is thrilling to read about. Alas, I'll stick with the YA world I like to write about, which is a little closer to home. Even if it means I'm, well, not dealing in reality.

My Apologies to Stephenie Meyer and Advice for Parents

2008-08-14T15:00:00Z

        My last entry was a gentle condemnation of sloppy writing and editing, and I used as examples one book I have read and one I had yet to start. It's the latter for which I want to apologize now that I've finished it. Stephenie Meyer's final book in her series, Breaking Dawn, wasn't all that sloppy. There were some inconsistencies, but for the most part it had fewer typos than did her other books. Yeah, there were a number of neatly tied bows, but all authors do that, and readers forgive them.
        However, now that I have read it, I have more important issues with the book than I expected. As a writer and editor, I don't understand why Meyer chose to change point of view for one section of her book. Hearing Bella's story through Jacob's eyes removed the reader from the main character they had followed for three other books and made it difficult to understand the plot. Why couldn't we hear Bella's thoughts and decision process during a most disturbing plot development? I suspect Meyer's decision to change POV is the reason the rest of the book, which switches back to Bella's POV, feels off track, as though Meyer no longer really knew her Bella. The third section feels like a completely different book than all the others before it. Fans have said that the series ends for them when the first section of Breaking Dawn ends. I can see why.
        But none of this is my biggest problem. As a parent and a parenting writer and editor, I am deeply disturbed by the plot and kept thinking the whole time I was reading it: This is not a kid's book.  Particularly in the second section, Jacob's POV--and here's a spoiler, so beware--when Bella is pregnant with a vampire child that violently breaks her ribs, pummels her belly, bruises her, making her near death. Bella has to drink human blood in graphic details to save the baby--and she likes it. And the only way to birth the baby is to bite it out?! It's totally gross, and if my daughter weren't already 18, I'd have insisted on reading it with her if she insisted on reading it, just so I could help her through these parts. But Meyer's fans are as young as 12 (and I'm sure younger) and I can tell you I wouldn't want my 14 year old reading it. If there are any parents of younger girls who haven't screened the book and it's not too late, I highly recommend doing so. And if it's too late, please talk to your child about the book. Maybe modern kids are jaded so it doesn't bother them. But I've read a lot of children's fiction and I've never run across a book in which teen pregnancy was handled in such a violent way. Yes, Bella is married so there are no moral dilemmas, but seriously, what's to be gained by everyone around Bella being tortured by how the pregnancy is draining the life out of her, while the "monster" inside her gets stronger? This is the stuff of horror movies that are rated at least a PG-13, but most likely R.
        Then there's Meyer's message, which as the mother of two teen daughters, bothers me as well: That at 18 you can know exactly what your future will be, so forgo college, marry and become a mother and from that alone you will be fulfilled for a lifetime. That just like in the movies, you'll have the perfect home, fancy cars, and oodles of money that comes from a source you needn't concern yourself with. It's a fantasy we'd all like to buy into. And there are many families that do start out in the teen years. But usually as a society we worry about them because they're more likely to be living below the poverty level, unless they have an abundant source of income, which is rare.
        As a wife, mother and an adult, I can appreciate Bella's love for her new family in ways my 18-year-old daughter could not. She doesn't yet understand the fierce love that a mother would have for her child, the passion that would make her do anything, even kill, to protect her child. So she wasn't able to relate to that Bella in any way. Which is another reason I feel this book was probably better directed at adults. As a writer I can understand the psychology with which Meyer, a wife and mother, must have been living as she wrote this book. I can imagine that she felt closest to Bella when she was now a wife and mother as well. It was clear from the writing how much Meyer loved the "adult" Bella. But that's exactly why the teen Bella, the girl that Meyer's fans loved and followed, seems to have been forgotten. And I feel for those fans. Meyer has said in interviews that she writes for herself, and that is her prerogative. But I wonder if once you've created such a powerful fan base through what you've written that you don't have a responsibility to them to at least remember their ages as you're writing. Yes, Meyer makes sure to let her readers know that the sex (the only human need that vampires can apparently engage in, and it's better than for humans it seems) follows the wedding, a message I'm grateful for since teen movies and TV seem to make sex after the first kiss an inevitability. And I'm also happy for Bella that in her vampire form she seems to have come into her own, enjoying a power so strong it saves her community. But I'm afraid all this isn't enough for me to justify the course Meyer's plot took. (Not that it ultimately matters what I think, I grant you that.)
        My suspicion is that since Meyer wrote her adult book, The Host, around the same time she was working on Breaking Dawn, she simply forgot how to write for teens. But then I guess that goes back to my earlier post: It's the editor's job to get the writer back on track. Had this not been Meyer's fourth book, had it been her first, I suspect it would have been rejected by an editor, or at least sent back for major revisions. That once again supports my theory that the industry does get a little sloppy when it knows it has a sure sale. We writers owe our readers much more than that.

Novelty Versus Quality

2008-08-07T04:16:00Z

    My 18-year-old daughter finally convinced me to read Stephenie Meyer's hugely successful series about the love triangle of Bella, Edward the Vampire, and Jacob the Werewolf. It took me a while because I'm not a vampire-werewolf kind of person. I prefer the characters in the books I read to be wholly human. But I suppose because I happily expanded that limitation to embrace Harry Potter, it was only a matter of time before I stretched my boundaries. Besides, since following the children's book industry is one of the things I do for a living, I really had no other excuse. So, I've spent my free time reading the first three books in the series over the last two weeks. And now I can start the final book, Breaking Dawn, which every Meyer fan has already finished, though the book was only released on Friday.

    But I'm not looking forward to it. That's because my resident book critic has already informed me that Meyer's latest is being called an "epic failure" filled with "WTF" moments by the readers who matter most: teens. Fans aren't happy with Meyer right now. They say her 754-page final installment is about 400 pages too long. Then there's the issue that makes the editor in me twitch: I've already noticed in the other three books that there are many typos, misspellings and some sloppy writing. Fans say this book is worse and even teens are questioning if she rushed through it. Now that's harsh.

    Why do I mention this? Because I'm amazed at what I see as a growing pattern among popular mainstream, successful writers to get carried away with their work and get sloppy, to put it mildly. Libba Bray did the same with the last book in her Great and Terrible Beauty trilogy, another tome that is about 400 pages too long. In this case, as with Meyer, the novelty of the author's ideas and her ability to capture teen angst and love and to tell a thrilling story definitely earned her the hefty advances and bestseller spot. But somewhere along the line, the writers seem to have gotten caught up in their own success, forgoing the good writing skills necessary to sustain fans. Bray's third book registered barely a blip, and the reviews were harsh. Meyer is already suffering the same fate less than a week from the release date. I question where the editors were in the process. After all, as an editor I know my job is to smooth out my writers' work so they look good. If I don't, I'm failing them. Has the publishing industry become so caught up in their writers' successes that they and the writers think they can do no wrong? You will find no harsher critics than the female teen reader. Just read some of the latest blogs about Meyer to see what I mean. I wonder if Meyer is surprised and I also wonder what will happen next. She takes her fans very seriously, so I have no doubt at some point she'll respond to them. And I wish her every success because the story of her writing career so far is a writer's dream. (In fact, her first book, Twilight, came to her in a dream. You can read more on her site, www.stepheniemeyer.com.)

    What does all this mean to the rest of us? I think it proves that as writers we need to be steadfast about our writing skills and not be swept up by the promise of stardom, because sometimes even our editors can fail us. Ultimately what wins out with our readers is the quality of our writing. Well-written books stand the test of time and aren't considered novelties. Sure I'd like the $750,000 advance Meyer got for Twilight. But I also want to make sure that the books I write--and the books my children read--aren't produced solely for profit. I think it's our job as writers to take the quality of our work seriously at all times. In the end, those are the books that win the awards.

New Book for Writers

2008-06-13T02:18:00Z

A while ago I wrote a short essay about a memorable aspect of my writing career for the American Society of Journalists and Authors, of which I'm a long-time member. I had forgotten it was to be published in a book until it was delivered today. The book is Sixty Candles: Reflections on the Writing Life. My excerpt is on page 112. But it's filled with comments and advice from many writers whose names you may recognize. If you want to learn more about how to be a writer, it's always a good idea to read our take on it. You can order a copy at www.iuniverse.com or 800-AUTHORS.

The J.K. Rowling Trial

2008-04-17T13:59:00Z

So the trial in the battle between author J.K. Rowling's right to own all works about her books versus a fan's intention to publish a book about them is over. I hope Harry's creator wins. I agree with her that should Steven Vander Ark's book be cleared for publication it would then open the gates for anyone to take the worlds created by authors and profit from them. I suspect that Vander Ark is completely bewildered by this turn of events because he's an avid fan. And apparently he was also a Star Trek fan. There have been countless books and products produced by fans of that show, so I guess it didn't occur to him that there was anything wrong with continuing the tradition by using Harry Potter. But should he ever take the time to use his own imagination to create a new world and cast of characters, rather than relying on that already created by someone else, he might have more respect for the blood, sweat and tears that go into the writing process. J.K. Rowling hit the big time, there's no doubt about it. But it's her big time, and should remain so. Vander Ark, it seems to me, needs to get a life--real or imagined--of his own.

A Chat With Author Marc Brown

2008-04-16T14:15:00Z

        Recently I had the chance to interview Marc Brown, the creator of the loveable Arthur character, which appears in 100 books, and the Emmy award-winning PBS TV show, now in its eleventh season. Not only was the Martha's Vineyard resident a relaxed and friendly phone conversationalist, he was also inspirational. So, I wanted to share with you his advice for aspiring writers.
        Brown says he wrote his first book, Arthur's Tooth, in response to his oldest son's worry that he was the only one in second grade who hadn't lost a tooth. That was 30 years ago. Brown says it's not like success for him occurred over night. As a matter of fact, this author/illustrator also worked as a truck driver, soda jerk, actor, chicken farmer, TV art director, short order cook and college professor. He joked, "I got fired from most. Nothing else stuck." That resume alone can serve as inspiration for all the writers who work to pay the bills and write on the side in the hope they can one day support themselves solely as an author.
        Regarding specific how-to tips, Brown reiterated what I tell writers all the time: read as much as you can and study how other people use words for kids. He also suggested keeping a journal or trying the Truman Capote method: Go to a public place and listen to conversations, training yourself to remember them, and then record all the dialogue later. Seems like a valuable lesson to try.
        Brown also said that talented writers will find their way if they really want it. "It is a little harder to make it then it used to be. Beginning writers might benefit from having an agent who can help them get beyond the slush pile. Editors are very discriminating about who they take on. But success all depends on your drive in the end. I've watched people who had more talent than I do who gave up."
        To learn more about Marc Brown, visit his Web site at www.marcbrownstudios.com.

YALSA Needs Teens' Input

2008-03-21T22:09:00Z

        My friends at the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) asked if I could spread the word about the following message for teens:

        Calling All Teens: Want to have a say in how technology is used at your library or school? Log on to a survey posted at www.ala.org/yalsa and answer 15 questions about how you use computers, the Internet, gadgets and more at home or at school. The survey closes March 31. Teens can also have a hand in choosing the theme for next year's Teen Tech Week, a campaign sponsored by YALSA. The three potential themes are: Be InterACTIVE @ your library, Go Digital @ your library, and Get Your Game on @ your library. YALSA will release findings from the survey in June.

Harsh Realities

2008-03-05T14:55:00Z

        I have the great good fortune to have a career that is diverse, but in all ways encompasses writing. I worked hard to get here, and I enjoy most every moment. But it is that diversity that sometimes brings me to uncomfortable situations. For instance, I'm an adjunct professor at a local university where I teach magazine journalism and I take very seriously my role as mentor to the many students I've had over the years. Which is why yesterday, when I was asked about the recent lay offs and buy-out offers at the newspaper for which I've been freelancing for 13 years, I wanted to both reassure my students and prepare them for the harsh realities of the industry they hope to be a part of.
        I'm saddened on many levels that editors I have worked with for years will no longer be at Newsday and I hope they have new and fruitful opportunities. But here's one reality that I was able to use to reassure my students, while also reminding myself that I'm vulnerable as well: The media is a technology-driven force in which only those who have both good writing skills and a facility with new forms of disseminating information will succeed. My students, ages 18 to 23, are comfortable with blogs, Web videos, podcasts and the like, so they have the advantage over older journalists who straddle the old ways while trying to adapt to the new.
        Isn't the old advice about investing to diversify? I think the same holds true with writing careers. It's perhaps the only way that one can guarantee (as much as that is possible) that there will always be some work available. That, and forcing yourself to get comfortable with all the technology that's so easy for kids to negotiate.
        And I was feeling so proud that I now know how to blog!

Interesting Web Site

2008-02-15T03:47:00Z

I just read about a Web site authors would be interested in, www.jacketflap.com. It's another helpful resource for children's book writers. You can register, search their database, and just read their blogs. If you visit, let me know what you think.

What I Like to Read

2008-02-02T04:32:00Z

        People often ask me what children's and young adult books I like to read. This is always a fun topic of conversation for me because though I'm an avid reader of all manner of fiction (and among my favorites in the mainstream category are Anne Tyler, Sue Miller and Margaret Atwood), whenever I'm in the car (and that's often as I'm a suburban mom and do work that often takes me out of my office), I listen to young adult books on tape. The latest I enjoyed were Dairy Queen by Catherine Murdock (www.catherinemurdock.com) and A Brief Chapter in My Impossible Life by Dana Reinhardt (www.danareinhardt.com). Both have main characters who struggle with what they believe is their inability to effectively communicate with the adults and peers in their lives. Yet both girls are poignant in their capacity to tell more than they think they do. I thoroughly enjoyed both and want to learn more about these authors.

        Meanwhile, for those of you who don't share my passion for YA fiction, here are some of my other favorites you may want to experience:

        The Scrambled States of America (a picture book that's a clever take on geography);
        Officer Buckle and Gloria (another picture book that will make you laugh);
        Junie B. Jones (because her voice is so perfect); and
        anything by Lois Lowry, Karen Hesse or Jerry Spinelli in the middle grade category.

        That's just a few for today. Happy reading!

In the Zone

2008-01-18T01:23:00Z

       Confession time: I admit that I've been procrastinating, and as any writer knows, that's a curse. I've been waiting (im)patiently for my agent to get back to me about my rewrites on my YA novel. And while I know you're supposed to just go full steam ahead to the next project, somehow after writing the first chapter of my new novel, I couldn't go on. I stalled. I found so many excuses, and wasted so much valuable time. The truth is, I'm a writer by day; I write newspaper and magazine articles weekly and I edit about 40 articles written by my freelancers each month for my parenting magazine. In addition, when college is in session, I have numerous papers (articles) to grade each week. So I spend all my time with the written word. And I enjoy it. But it's ever so easy to then tell myself that when I just get over this deadline or just edit these stories, then I'll have time to work on my book.
       The problem with that course of action is that, well, the book will never get written because I'll always have more deadlines and work to do (hopefully!).  I realized this week that the more time I let slip away, the more I was losing my confidence that I was capable of writing another YA book.
        So, I took myself in hand this week and forced myself to ignore all my other work and get beyond chapter one. And a wonderful thing happened. In two days I had written 10,000 words. I now feel like I'm back in the zone, that exhilarating place in which writers find themselves where they can't stop thinking about their characters and plot, when no matter where you are you have to write notes about some new idea that comes to you. For instance, as I watched an eighth grade basketball game today (my daughter is a cheerleader) I imagined my characters playing basketball, as well. And now they will, while I still have the sounds and movements in my head.
        And I'm reminded of the joy of writing as well. I prefer not to have an outline, though I know many writers who do. For instance, Walter Dean Myers once told me in an interview that he has a bulletin board above his computer on which he posts photos he's torn from magazines and even birth certificates he creates for his characters. And he's a lot more famous than I, so I wouldn't doubt his methods. But for me, I enjoy not knowing what my characters are going to do next. Yes, I have a basic plotline. But my characters tend to emerge as if from clay, and they shape themselves with my guidance, and truly, they're not obliged to do what I want them to. Sort of like being a parent.
        Another thing I do when writing is to start each day by rereading what I wrote the day before. In so doing, I'm always editing, but I'm also getting back in the zone so I can carry on, hopefully seamlessly.
        So now that I'm re-addicted to writing my YA novel, I hope my children don't mind my distraction. Fortunately, they're as anxious to see what happens next as I am. So I hope that buys me a few passes to avoid driving them to the mall.

Award-Winning Authors

2008-01-14T17:55:00Z

It's important for aspiring writers to be aware of the authors and books that have won awards. So, note that today at the American Library Association conference, Brian Selznick won the 2008 Randolph Caldecott Medal for The Invention of Hugo Cabret (Scholastic Press), a 533-page novel that he also illustrated. According to Publisher's Weekly, it’s the first time that a novel has won the country’s top prize for illustration. Laura Amy Schlitz won the 2008 Newbery Medal for Good Masters! Sweet Ladies!: Voices from a Medieval Village, illustrated by Robert Byrd (Candlewick). For more winners and information, paste this link into your browser: http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6522362.html?nid=2286&source=title&rid=839111476

My Article on Reluctant Readers

2008-01-13T20:49:00Z

Here's the link to the article I was talking about. Let me know what you think. I'm afraid the only way to get it to work, though, is to copy and paste this address in your browser.

http://www.newsday.com/features/booksmags/ny-lfkidsmain5533038jan13,0,772786.story

Seize the Moment

2008-01-05T03:54:00Z

I had a great conversation with Jon Scieszka today. Yesterday I wrote about his appointment as the first ambassador of children's books. As I was writing that blog, I decided that in my capacity as a parenting writer/children's book industry expert I really need to write an article about the topic of reluctant readers. As luck would have it, my editor at Newsday called to ask if I could pull together an article quickly and offered me the chance to write what I want. Serendipity. So, I'm writing the piece now after speaking with Jon, children's librarians and a representative of the National Endowment of the Arts (which published the study, To Read or Not to Read in November, www.nea.gov/news). My article will appear in Newsday on Jan. 13th, so I'll provide the link that day. But can I just say how exciting it is to be involved in the world of children's books? All that we do has the power to positively impact children, and that's heady stuff.

Children's Book Ambassador

2008-01-03T18:16:00Z

Librarian of Congress James H. Billington announced today that children's book author Jon Scieszka has been named the inaugural National Ambassador for Young People's Literature. In accepting this post, Scieszka has chosen to advocate for and focus on reaching reluctant readers. During his two-year tenure as children's laureate, he will reach out to parents and educators helping them identify reluctant readers, those children who are capable of reading but are not interested in doing so. As part of his platform, Scieszka will offer suggestions on how to turn reluctant readers into avid readers. His suggestions include:

    1. Letting kids choose what they like and want to read.
    2. Expanding our definition of "reading" to include nonfiction, humor, graphic novels, magazines, action adventure and Web content.
    3. Being good "reading" models for our children.
    4. Avoiding demonizing TV, computer games and new technologies.

    Scieszka is the author of several bestselling children's titles, including The Stinky Cheese Man, which won a Caldecott Honor medal, The True Story of the Three Little Pigs and the Time Warp Trio, a chapter book series. He is the founder of Guys Read (www.guysread.com), a nonprofit literacy organization.
        Check out his Web site and pay attention to this issue of reluctant readers. You as a writer have the potential to break down that resistance for kids.