Book Lists

Feeling Grateful

By on November 24, 2017   /   Book Lists  

Hello Mixed-Up Filers!

How are you all? It’s been a loooooong time since I was last here. I sure as heck missed all of you!

I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. I love that it’s not a religious holiday, and anyone can celebrate. For me, it’s always time to just reflect and take a moment to enjoy the good in your life. Family, friends, the good things that have happened to you.

Success is something that can be subjective. For some, it’s never enough, and for others, even a little bit is something that is appreciated.

This year, has been a whirlwind, for many reasons, but I realize that there are many things to be grateful for, so with this being my probable last post of 2017, here is what I am grateful for. Writing edition:

I am grateful that I have a supportive family which lets me have time to write. It’s a huge sacrifice, and I am fortunate that my family gives me the opportunity to do it.

I am grateful to my kids, who loved hearing my story, over and over, and it was delightful to see their expressions as I was reading to them.

I am grateful to be surrounded by talented writers, here in South Florida, who get it. Who can relate to what I am going through, and I can relate to what they are. It’s great to have a support group.

And by extension, I am grateful to be in a safe and warm critique group, where they help me refine my work to get it to the point where it needs to be.

I am grateful to my agent, Nicole Resciniti, who made my dream come true this year, by being able to sell one of my books. It completed a lifelong dream for me, and made me thrilled and relieved, after years of trying.

I’m grateful to SkyPony Press, for taking a shot on me, and showing love and enthusiasm for my work.

I’m grateful to the 2017 Debut Group, which was kind and supportive. It was helpful to be able to go through it with other people experiencing the exact same thing, and always encouraging each other. I’ve said it before, but bears repeating. There are tons of books which come out every year, but I’ll always remember the authors and books from my year, since there was a bond forged.

I am grateful people who buy my book, or take it out from the library, and I’m especially grateful to kids who read it. It still boggles my mind that kids everywhere, are able to read and enjoy something that I wrote.

I’m grateful to this Mixed-Up Files blog, which is still one of the best sites for discussing kidlit, and I’m happy to still be a part of them.

I’m grateful for all the readers of this site, who help make it such a wonderful place to be.

And that means, I’m grateful for every single person in this writing community. and also SCBWI for being a great resource to writers of children’s books.

I’ve rarely had bad experiences during all the years I’ve been involved in kidlit. When I have, it’s the exception, not the norm.

So, thanks to all of you.

Know it means a lot, and know that I am grateful.

Happy Holidays, Mixed-Up Filers, and I’ll see you next year!

Jonathan Rosen is a transplanted New Yorker, who now lives with his family in sunny South Florida. He spends his “free” time being a volunteer coach and chauffeur for his three kids. Some of Jonathan’s fondest childhood memories are of discovering a really good book to dive into. His favorite of all time is Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams. He currently writes middle-grade, because his sense of humor is stuck in that age. Jonathan is proud too be of Mexican-American descent, although neither country is really willing to accept responsibility. His MG debut, Night of the Living Cuddle Bunnies, is out now from SkyPony Press. He can be found at www.HouseofRosen.com.

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10 Tips for Research Travel for Writers

By on November 22, 2017   /   Book Lists, Diversity, For Writers, Writing  

One of the things a book reviewer invariably comments on is verisimilitude of a book’s setting, the vividness of the details, the authenticity of the regional voice. And how to you get that authenticity? If you are writing about someplace other than our own home town, travel is an important part about getting the research right.  One of the first writers I ever met and one who went on to become a mentor and friend, Susan Fletcher, went all the way to Iran to research her books Shadow Spinner and Alphabet of Dreams. She wanted to know what color the dirt was, the texture of the sand in the desert, and the smell of the souk. The result is a pair of books that were critically praised in America but also widely respected in their Persian editions in Iran.

I have since traveled to research my own books, both in the US and occasionally abroad. Here are some things I’ve learned along the way.

  1. Take a first aid kit and comfortable shoes. Always. You will be walking far more than you planned, and it’s just the worst when you have finally found the vista you needed most and be distracted by blisters or bee stings with no medical help in sight.
  2. Leave the computer behind. I get so wrapped up in my screen, it can b
    e a real detriment to engaging in the place I’m visiting. Most phones come with a camera, a note taking function and voice recording function. That’s all I need. I try to resist the urge to check email and social media. The kind of discovery that makes the details of my story feel authentic is not going to come from a screen.
  3. Be socially brave. Ask people questions. Engage. Most people like
  4. to talk about their home town and home culture. A month of reading in a library will not give the kind of insights that make something feel true. For example when I asked a family in a rural Oregon county what difference the reintroduction of wolves have made to their life, they said, “Now we send our kids to the bus stop with a gun.” That’s the sort of vivid detail that doesn’t come up in books and newspapers.
  5. Bring small gifts from home. I usually bring a stack of postcards from Oregon when I travel and give them as a thank you to a person I’ve had a conversation with on a train or at a pub. If I’ve made an appointment to see somebody–say a curator at a museum–I might bring something quintessentially Oregon like marionberry jam or chocolate truffles with douglas fir tips, or some small token of appreciation.
  6. Do not collect things unless it is specifically permitted. In many places even collecting a rock or shell from the ground is forbidden. In some public gardens it is against the law to remove any vegetation, even fallen leaves or flowers. Sometimes the fine is shockingly high.Take a photo. Trace the outline of a leaf, catch a sound clip of a waterfall,
  7. Track expenses. Many are tax deductible. Your flight or milage, admissions to museums, and exhibitions, your lodging, meetings that are specifically related to your writing count. The gifts you bought for your family, the play you took in just for fun, and the expenses of your traveling companions, not so much.
  8. Be open to discovery. The real benefit of going to a location is to find new perspectives and information that doesn’t get into the usual channels.
  9. Be culturally aware. sometimes the official line on a cultural or historical event is a dot off the full picture. Or, okay, an entire mile. The traditional thanksgiving story is a prime example. Take in more than one perspective. Be willing to change your story if  your version in not fair in its representation. Or be clear in your bias from the outset.
  10. Take contact information from key sources for follow up. You may be making revisions on the final version of this story 10 or 12 years after your initial research.
  11. Go beyond the guide book. Get off the beaten path. Linger. Arrive at an off peak time. Ask local folks where to go. The joy of travel is the unexpected and your book will be the stronger for it.
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5 Tips for Making the Most of a Convention

By on November 20, 2017   /   Book Lists  

I know some of you are at NCTE as I’m writing this. I was at AASL last week.

When your publisher sends you to a convention, you’ll likely be on a panel, sign some books in the convention hall and maybe go to a nice publisher-sponsored dinner with teachers, librarians and/or booksellers. The first time I went to one of these conventions, I did what I was there to do, then basically hung out in my room the rest of the time. I didn’t know there was more to do. Now I understand that conventions are an opportunity for personal and professional networking. Here are some tips for making the most of the convention experience:

  1. Business cards. Of course you’ll bring some to hand out. And if you have school visit brochures, bookmarks and any other swag, you’ll bring that, too. But you’ll also collect business cards. You think you’ll remember why each person gave you their business card, but trust me. You won’t. That’s why it’s a good idea to write a little note to yourself on the back of a card when you receive one. Then don’t forget to follow up when you get home.

  • Meet your fellow panelists ahead of time, if you can. Most of the time I meet my fellow panelists when we sit down at the microphones. But our moderator last week asked that we all meet an hour before the presentation, so we could “get to know each other a bit.” This was really nice! Not only did conversation flow more naturally during the panel, I struck up a conversation with one of my fellow panelists that has continued via e-mail since we’ve gone home.

 

  • Visit publisher booths. All those lovely galleys they’re handing out? You can take them, too! Even if you’re not a teacher or librarian. But don’t just take the galley and walk away. Pay attention to which books each publisher is featuring. Talk to the people in the booths. Ask them which books they like and why. Listening to a marketing person give an elevator pitch is a good way to learn how to craft your own as a writer.

  • Talk to convention attendees. You know you have something in common: children’s books. If you’re in line to get a book signed, talk to the people in line with you. Ask what their favorite books are. If they’re teachers or librarians, ask how they use books in the classroom.

  • Have fun! If someone gives you a ticket to the rodeo, go to the rodeo! It’s another opportunity to connect with convention attendees.
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