S©ott Treimel NY

ABANDON CHANGES: A Girl Parts Story

2012-01-17T14:22:00.000-05:00

Our own John M. Cusick's new short story is now a free e-book from Candlewick Press.

Abandon Changes: A Girl Part's Story, takes place several months after the events of John's debut novel Girl Parts, and is available on Amazon, Kobo, and Barnes & Noble. Check it out!

Rei’s a runner—fast, smart, doesn’t ask questions, and keeps her mouth shut about the errands she runs. She doesn’t know what’s in the packages she delivers and she doesn’t care. It’s simpler that way. But Rei’s soon-to-be-ex, Sam, has gotten under her skin, and she’s started thinking about the effects of her errands. Can Rei be close to someone and do her job—and can she make a choice before it’s too late? ABANDON CHANGES is a short story by John M. Cusick, set in the same world as his compulsively readable debut novel, GIRL PARTS. This story includes a sneak peek at the first few chapters of GIRL PARTS.

Monster Maker Kevan Atteberry. . .

2011-12-20T11:09:00.001-05:00

draws 'em like he sees 'em!

Another Silly Song— by demand!

2011-12-18T17:52:00.000-05:00

Jack Sprat could eat no fat
His wife could eat no lean.
And so between the two of them
Mealtime was a scene.

The act for which the two are known,
For licking clean the platter,
Is a lie the missus spun:
Jack stuck his tongue out at her.

this is copyrighted.

p.s. did you know the original was pub'd in 1639?

a Silly Song!

2011-11-21T14:23:00.001-05:00

There was a crooked man

And he walked a crooked mile.

He met a crooked lass and said— what else?

I like your style!

The Life Cycle of a Book

2011-11-11T13:44:00.003-05:00

via Publishing Trendsetter

Janis Repka is Not Clueless!

2011-11-07T14:19:00.000-05:00

originally Janis titled this book Counting Frog Feathers. her publisher, Penguin, concluded Too obscure. so the title became Aphrodite Figures it Out, then The Difference Between Hair Roots and Square Roots, then Wiz Kid and Twirl Girl. while THE CLUELESS GIRL'S GUIDE TO BEING A GENIUS does not rightly express Janis's regard for her characters, whom she would never call clueless, it has that commercial patina we now more than ever pin our hopes on.

the hardcover ofJanis's debut The Stupendous Dodgeball Fiasco sells steadily; but only its place on several state reading lists precipitated the need for a softcover edition, to pub next year.

We love Janis!

Play, Louis, Play! Nominated for Texas Bluebonnet Award

2011-11-02T12:34:00.000-04:00

Congratulations to Muriel Harris Weinstein, whose Play, Louis, Play! (Bloomsbury, 2010) has been nominated for the prestigious Texas Bluebonet Award. We'll keep our fingers crossed!

Boogie Monster

2011-10-17T11:58:00.000-04:00

Check out author Josie Bissett (of ABC's The Secret Life of the American Teenager) talking about her picture book BOOGIE MONSTER, illustrated by our own Kevan Atteberry!

BOOGIE is the follow-up to Josie and Kevan's TICKLE MONSTER.

A Silly Song!

2011-10-12T18:04:00.000-04:00

The sky is falling!

Chicken Little said.

The moral is how easily

Rumors sometimes spread.

And yet you have to wonder:

Did they jail that false town crier?

To tell the truth,

I half suspect

She wound up roaster-fryer.

Printz on Our Minds

2011-10-12T17:11:00.001-04:00

And why shouldn't it be when we have Pat Hughes's superb (we say it again!) FIVE FOURTHS OF JULY, an historical, which the Printz people typically acknowledge. just to prove our evaluation is impartial, even though Pat is our client and this is our book, take a look at this!

Go Pat!

A Silly Song!

2011-09-07T18:00:00.000-04:00

do you readers like these? let us know.

There was an old woman who lived in a shoe.

She had so many children she didn't know what to do.

In fact, she had two.

Great big brats the old woman had.

They vexed her and perplexed her and they drove her fairly mad.

They tell us she beat them and sent them to bed—

Not that she woke up next day with no head.

GO, SLEEPING BOOTSIE, GO!

2011-09-07T17:38:00.000-04:00

Read it here, The Children's Book Review calls Maribeth Boelts's fractured tale "delightful" and "perfectly suited for children reading on their own in grades 1-3". Can't argue with that.

Philadelphia Inquirer Loves FIVE 4ths of JULY!

2011-09-07T15:44:00.002-04:00

Don't take our word for it, Pat's novel is one of the very best historicals in years. Read it here, folks. This is a gripping, original account, including horrific, little known aspects of the Revolutionary War. One example, 11,500 Americans died on British prison ships anchored in in New York harbor, whereas only 4,500 Americans died in all Revolutionary War battles combined. Surprising, right? The novel's even greater achievement— besides setting the record straight by correcting the preposterous conceit of Johnny Tremain— is Pat's creation of relate-able teens, flesh-and-blood people not so different from teens today. A stupendous book— with two starred reviews, so far! (But who's counting?)

A Silly Song

2011-08-02T16:59:00.000-04:00

Skip to the loo

With Sally and Sue

Remember: Wash your face!

Time to skidoo

Tell Sally, take Sue

And skip to another place!

Boy + Bot

2011-08-02T13:00:00.002-04:00

oh, do avail yourselves of the preorder opportunity to own Knopf's DEBUT of picturebook author Ame Dyckman. we like to tell authors seeking agents that we snatched Ame at a conference after expressly announcing we were not signing picturebook author-only clients. Ame proves the adage, cream always rises to the top. call us skimmers, if you must.

Ame's SECOND picturebook will be coming from Viking, sometime in 2012 we imagine.

go Ame!

WIENER WOLF #1 Bestseller!

2011-07-19T16:50:00.001-04:00

in Austin, anyway, BUT beating out The Hunger Games, Judy Moody, and Super Diaper Baby 2 is no cinch, and it sure bodes well for Jeff Crosby's cute-cute critter. here, look. (you have to scroll down for the Children's List.)

Of course you want to know more about Jeff (who wouldn't?). Quell your curiosity here.

A Silly Song (our occasional feature)

2011-07-17T13:58:00.001-04:00

Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall—

Or so the story goes.

The real event he underwent

No one really knows.

So just suppose. . .

Humpty Dumpty lay on a chaise,

Humpty Dumpty soaked up some rays,

Humpty Dumpty looked at the pool,

Humpty Dumpty acted the fool.

As an egg, of course, HD could not swim.

He sank to the bottom— and everyone forgot him!

Too, too late was the King's lifeguard:

When they fished him out, he was boiled hard.

this is copyrighted.

Acknowledged: the last line uses (in order to scan) the popular convenience of the plural pronoun, which we generally deplore.

W I E N E R W O L F

2011-07-04T17:03:00.000-04:00

Dachshund picturebooks abound, the classics being Noodle by Munro Leaf and Pretzel by Margaret and H.A. Rey. BUT only inspired author/illustrator Jeff Crosby's WIENER WOLF takes you inside the soul-stirring secrets of the hot dog breed. We see another Skippy Jon Jones here, folks— hint: buy extra copies for friends.

Illustrations! (a taste what's on our tabletop)

2011-07-04T05:49:00.072-04:00

• • • Janie Bynum • • •

J. C. Phillipps

====Ricardo Barahona====

Jan Jutte

°°°°°J e f f C r o s b y °°°°°

R i c h a r d H u l l

A Silly Song (our new incidental feature)

2011-06-29T15:25:00.004-04:00

Old Grandpappy says a word to the wise,
Grow extra apples if you want extra pies.

Grandpappy says, Eggs get cold, no sense hollering—
excepting for to make colder eggs for swallowing.

Grandpappy, like as not, will add for the record,
No call for polka dot— when you're wearing checkered!

this is copyrighted.

A Publishing Industry Glossary

2011-06-22T12:57:00.003-04:00

by our own Rick Walton...

(a brief sampling)

Advance - the best proof your project is moving forward.

Author - the costume a writer puts on when he goes to a cocktail party.

Backlist - books still in print, but which the publisher hides behind his back so they are hard to see.

Cover letter - a letter designed to cover the weaknesses in your manuscript.

E-book - E stands for everyone, as in everyone now will think they can write a book.

Graphic novel - a comic book that went to college.

Hardcover - the best kind of book to use as a murder weapon.

Mass-market - a type of book that most of the time the masses, with great enthusiasm, ignore.

Typewriter - the best writing device ever to use as a murder weapon.

Vanity press - a variation of "van o' depressed." So-called because you end up depressed with a van full of books.

Young adult - the average age of editors today.

From our collection of Silly Songs

2011-06-20T21:28:00.002-04:00

She sells sea shells by the seashore—
Should she sally city-side, she'd sell more!

it's copyrighted, fyi.

Congratulations, You're Half-Pregnant!

2011-06-18T23:43:00.009-04:00

a ms came in over the transom* and got a very positive reader report. we requested minor-to-medium items be addressed in a revise, and now the revised ms has arrived. although we could submit it now (shows we love it), we reigned in our enthusiasm. our new client is refining the remaining rough parts so the ms we show editors will (we hope) wow them. even if an editor does not make an offer, the editor will remember our client's talent and promise.

* a colorful metaphor of yore

Have We Bragged?

2011-06-12T16:56:00.004-04:00

if so, then we have not bragged enough. illustrator Kevan Atteberry's TICKLE MONSTER has been kicking butt since 08. Kevan also designed the Tickle Monster Tickle Mitt, which has also sold umpteen thousands. all we have to say is, Local Boy (outside Seattle) Makes Good! keep your eyes open for BOOGIE MONSTER, coming soon to an airport, K-Mart, Target, and hundreds of other outlets near you!

Kevan is also illustrator of FRANKIE STEIN and FRANKIE STEIN STARTS SCHOOL.

We love Kevan!

How to Sell a Picturebook

2011-06-12T16:37:00.003-04:00

in her second picturebook WINK: THE NINJA WHO WANTED TO NAP author/illustrator JULIE PHILLIPPS takes WINK into a toystore. to make things look toystore-like, on a display shelf in the background of one picture, Julie stacked units of a made-up toy Monkey Ho HO. Her editor asked, What is that monkey character in the background? then she offered a contract for Julie's third picturebook: MONKEY HO HO, due next year.

2011-06-12T16:31:00.002-04:00

we almost forgot to ballyhoo our beloved Maribeth Bolt's new easy reader. we love our Step Into Reading titles: they sell like mad! we particularly love the surprisingly epic SLEEPING BOOTSIE— so much happens! and how about the cover, eh? that's what we call commercial.

Grand Prix de l'Imaginaire!

2011-06-12T16:15:00.003-04:00

we can scarcely brag enough: Art Slade's steampunk-tacular THE HUNCHBACK ASSIGNMENTS (about which we have raved for sometime, as our followers know) won France's most prestigious award for non-French teen fiction. that's right: the top award!

the French edition of Book #1 translates to The Agents of Mr. Socrates: The Brotherhood of the Clock, which would have captured our attention, middle-schooler reading demons that we were.

if you have not read THE HUNCHBACK ASSIGNMENTS. . . why the heck are you doing reading our blog? you need to prioritize your reading. (put smiley face here.)

AN HISTORICAL!

2011-06-07T22:53:00.006-04:00

Our

very

own

Pat
Hughes wrote the anti-Johnny Tremain story of the Revolutionary War. This smart, shocking, and gut wrenching novel posits the experience of real 18th century teens, no more likely to be cock-eyed patriots than teens today. then, as now, teens preferred freewheeling pleasures. but POOF! their lives exploded upon attack.

so far Booklist and BCCB touched FIVE 4THS OF JULY with fairy wands, rewarding the novel with those all-important STARS!

Pat rocks hard! this is a must-read. we are looking for the Scott O'Dell Award. start buzzing.

New From David Ward! BETWEEN TWO ENDS

2011-05-31T10:40:00.004-04:00

Mark Your Calendars!

2011-03-16T11:59:00.001-04:00

NOTICE: We will be suspending submissions for the Bologna Book fair, March 25th - April 4th.

Thanks for bearing with us!

Arthur Slade is Lighting Up the Web

2011-02-17T12:44:00.006-05:00

HUNCHBACK ASSIGNMENTS author Art Slade is all over the web this week.

Followers of his blog (arthurslade.blogspot.com) and twitter feed (twitter.com/arthurslade) may have heard about his new short story STUBB, available on YARN (the Young Adult Review Network). You can read it here.

Not only that, but Art Slade titles of yesteryear are back— as ebooks, thank you very much. Fans worldwide can now purchase DRAUGR while English readers everywhere-but-in-Canada* can download the Governor General's Award Winner DUST to their e-readers.

More to come? We should say so!

*We tell you, electronic rights are tricky!

Wisdom from the Author's Guild on E-Book Royalties

2011-02-15T17:17:00.003-05:00

Must reads for authors, agents, and publishers alike:

E-Book Royalty Math: The House Always Wins

"So, everything else being equal, publishers will naturally have a strong bias toward e-book sales. It certainly does wonders for cash flow: not only does the publisher net more, but the reduced royalty means that every time an e-book purchase displaces a hardcover purchase, the odds that the author’s advance will earn out -- and the publisher will have to cut a check for royalties -- diminishes. In more ways than one, the author’s e-loss is the publisher’s e-gain."

The E-Book Royalty Mess: An Interim Fix

"Here's a solution that won't cascade through countless backlist books: soften the e-bias by eliminating the author's e-loss. That is, negotiate for an e-royalty floor tied to the prevailing print book royalty amount."

HUNCHBACK ASSIGNMENTS Audio Book Give Away!

2011-01-26T12:08:00.004-05:00

Like the HUNCHBACK ASSIGNMENTS by Arthur Slade? Share this post on twitter and Facebook for a chance to win a free copy of the audio book from Listening Library!

Submissions Reopened

2011-01-10T11:29:00.002-05:00

It's January 10th, and that means STNY Submissions are officially reopened. The Kindles are charged and ready, and we can't wait to read your stuff!

Hope you all had a lovely Holiday! We sure did.

-JMC

Cafeteria Mystery Meat

2010-12-11T15:15:00.002-05:00

. . . is overused, has been for years. the phrase in a middle grade ms makes me think Generic. dig deeper, writers. cafeteria food is a cliche— as airline food was to stand-up comics years back.

Manuscript Makeovers by Claudia Mills

2010-11-04T12:24:00.002-04:00

(Ms. Mills distributed this fabulous list at the 2010 SCBWI Iowa Conference.)

Picture Books and Easy Readers

1. Make sure that what you have really is a picture book!

2. Focus in immediately on what the story is about.

3. Cut everything extraneous.

4. Don’t drop any balls.

5. Bring the story full-circle in a satisfying way.

6. Think hard about what your bottom-line theme/message is.

Chapter Books and Novels

1. Begin at the beginning: inciting incident.

2. Let us see by the end of the first chapter what the book is going to be about.

3. Don’t give too much back story in the first chapter.

4. Make sure your character has strengths as well as weaknesses.

5. Make sure your character has weaknesses as well as strengths.

6. Pace the main character’s growth appropriately.

7. Make sure your character is active rather than reactive.

8. Have your main character solve his central problem himself.

9. Avoid having too many characters.

10. Make sure all your characters are interesting and three-dimensional.

11. Once again: don’t drop the ball. Make use of everything!

12. Build tension.

13. Don’t allow things to go too well for your character.

14. Be true to your own self-descriptions of characters.

15. Foreshadow main events.

16. Don’t have crucial scenes happen offstage.

17. Make sure all the action relates in some way to the main story line of the book.

18. Be wary of copying too lavishly form real life.

19. But in a realistic novel, be realistic in details.

20. Clarify the theme.

21. Avoid didacticism: number one problem in endings!

22. Make the ending as satisfying as possible, without being over-the-top and unbelievable.

Royalties

2010-10-05T19:28:00.004-04:00

not all, but the majority of publishers' statements arrive on 4-1 and 10-1, which means right now is our time of— well, aargh! of course we are happy seeing sales grow and advances earn-out and cutting checks to our clients— BUT the hodgepodge of micro calculations and tabulations and, as always, errors: yikes! i want to say, you clients are sure lucky to have us. of course the reverse is even more true.

WOW!

2010-09-15T15:25:00.005-04:00

we cannot resist sharing Voya's rave review of Gail's new release DARK SONG. get a load of this excerpt.

Giles is a gifted writer of suspense. Her imagery sparkles, her character development is flawless, and this page-turner positively crackles with excitement. Giles’s portrayal of Ames’s gradual loss of faith in her parents and friends is intensely realistic. Ames’s attraction to Marc is completely understandable, given the circumstances, but her levelheadedness and underlying love for her family win out in the end. Suspense lovers will savor this fast-paced psychological thriller.

Agent, also Author

2010-09-11T17:13:00.006-04:00

read John's scintillating essay Crash Course in Getting Published in CHILDREN'S WRITERS' & ILLUSTRATORS' MARKET 2011 edition and discover the wisdom of the ages— rather the aged (Scott's) infusing the next generation. John starts with his STNY job interview and ends with advice for authors aspiring to the smashing publication of their debuts, like his GIRL PARTS. John sees both sides of the phantasmagorical author-publisher experience and tells it like it is.

We Like to Spread it Around.

2010-07-12T12:46:00.017-04:00

we apportion our wares democratically. in the next three months, the following books will be pub'd by, in order, Little, Brown; R-H/Wendy Lamb; Marshall Cavendish (illustrator) Greenwillow (author); Candlewick; Flux; Scholastic Canada; Harcourt; Abrams; and Marshall Cavendish (author).

Dark Song

The Hunchback Assignments: The Dark Deeps

Frankie Stein Starts School

Friends (Mostly)

Girl Parts

The Blending Time

Dear Canada: To Stand on My Own

The PS Brothers

Beyond the Mask

Cakes and Miracles

Our Neighborhood

2010-07-12T12:43:00.001-04:00

hey! we made the NYTimes. notice the city's infrastructure work in the background, e-v-e-r-y-w-h-e-r-e! eventually, it is to be supposed, we will have— what? fancier water?

Pet (Writerly) Peeves

2010-07-08T15:18:00.005-04:00

i understand our use of language is fluid. there seems no reason to harp that "all right" is two words. (why they remained separated when already was formed i do not know.) the use of well vs good is another lost cause. answering How are you? with I'm good stills sounds like editorializing to be, but sobeit. (i love writing that as one word, which i do in honor of my mentor Marilyn Marlow, who insisited on it.)

we bow to the vagaries of usage at different rates. i myself continue to appreciate the difference between "anxious" and "eager" and am surprised, unhappily, to see writers conflate the two. another of my bugaboos: fewer vs less. Fewer units sold, so the book made less money is correct. Less buyers are to blame is wrong.

i hated seeing sneaked give way to snuck, but i feel that train left the station and cannot be brought back.

yesterday i told a writer his protagonist, in context, would not feel "disgust"; she would feel "disdain". the writer said, Why, they are indistinct. no, no, a thousand times no. the difference between those words, in context, is the difference between his character and another.

we welcome your slings and arrows.

Barbara Haworth-Attard

2010-05-24T18:00:00.001-04:00

take a look!

Girl Parts Book Trailer

2010-05-18T14:36:00.001-04:00

T-E-X-A-S

2010-05-10T18:21:00.003-04:00

i will be presenting programs in HOUSTON and AUSTIN (this Friday and Saturday) for the Writers' League of Texas.

my topics are, respectively, The Misadventures of a Manuscript and Kid Lit: How to Break Into It. if you are in the neighborhood(s), come be edified. here are the details.

—ST

A Conference! A Conference!

2010-05-04T20:21:00.004-04:00

i am happy to ballyhoo SCBWI New Jersey's Jun 4 - 5 Annual Conference. i will be on-hand, if you have a yen to meet me. even if you do not, this rich stew of field workers and well-published talent has plenty else to recommend it: the workshops and critique sessions and chance to gas with movers and shakers. the setting is great too.

--ST

Coming Atcha!

2010-04-21T13:04:00.002-04:00

Here is another stupendous book for our stellar talents Barb Joosse and Jan Jutte. The book pubs 5-13. So far two reviews— and both stars!

GIRL PARTS signing at the BEA!

2010-04-06T12:52:00.001-04:00

For those attending the 2010 Book Expo America in New York, I will be signing advanced copies of GIRL PARTS Wednesday 5-26 at Candlewick's booth. Hope to see you there!*

-JMC

* you'd be a fool to miss it! --ST

Preditors and Editors and an Anecdote

2010-03-22T13:42:00.003-04:00

take note: the venerable P&E website has adjudged us highly recommended. despite vanity and pride, we pledge to remain humble and approachable— except in the manner of the man who simply walked in the front door Friday. we had a meeting going when Petey (office dog)suddenly barked impressively. a man entered with a portfolio. good grief! i say we are available, but we are not a public service.

Submission Statistics

2010-03-22T13:20:00.003-04:00

it is a year since we moved our submission process to the web— accepting queries via our website. our system automatically collects numbers that might interest you blog perusers.

we receive, on average, 85 queries a week. of these we reject 90% and request partials for ten percent. of these we request full manuscripts for about 40%. i take this relatively high percentage as proof that our requests are well reasoned.

the number of new clients we acquire remains very small, however. NOT THAT WE DO NOT WANT THEM. our latest client is a picturebook author— and this is highly relevant to note: we are not looking for picturebook authors; it means that talent is talent and we will jump when we see it. incidentally, this new client was discovered at an SCBWI regional conference and not through the transom..

i know i speak for my colleagues when i say that discovering new talent is our greatest delight.

Bologna

2010-03-22T13:18:00.003-04:00

John is presently peddling our wares internationally, as befits a zealous young agent. this is the best way to keep our subagents on the ball.

Only the Young Die Good

2010-03-10T11:51:00.004-05:00

My thoughts on mortality in teen literature, at The New Inquiry.

-JMC

The Golden Age— Again

2010-03-09T14:36:00.006-05:00

ten years back, folks talked about "this period of exceptional writing for teens" (think Speak, Out of Dust). since then, since the Harry Potter explosion and A Series of Unfortunate Events and the Stephanie Myer books, the audience for children's books, especially teen books, has opened to encompass the general public (meaning adults). here's an LA Times article about adult interest in teen fiction.

A Reissue! A Reissue!

2010-03-09T10:15:00.006-05:00

here is one of those rare picturebooks honored with a second life. originally published by Harcourt in 2001, Barbara Goldin's Chelm tale is out in a new paperback edition from our pal Margery Cuyler at Marshall Cavendish. the story is set in the Catskills in the 1920s and celebrates Shavout— the Jewish holiday commemorating the day Moses received the Torah on Mount Sinai, which i would not have known without this book. it is delightful, charming, and satisfying (School Library Journal) and includes Barb's family receipe for cheese blintzes.

note to self: persuade Dunkin' Donuts to introduce its customers to cheese blintzes (license receipe?) and secure a premium co-edition of 18 million copies.

Finally!

2010-03-05T12:12:00.004-05:00

Here at last a clear breakdown of the agency model and what it means to authors.

Via Agent Kristin of Pub Rants:

Let’s say a title will sell on Amazon or Apple’s iPad for $10.00 (might as well make it easy math).

Now let’s look at the difference between net receipts if the publisher absorbs the cost of the agency commission versus if they don’t in defining and calculating net receipts.

If Publisher absorbs commission:
eBook price: $10.00
25% of net royalty (all the rage with publishers as of late)
Royalty to author: $2.50 per title sold

If Publisher does not:
eBook price: $10.00
$7.00 received by publisher (after 30% sales commission to retailer)
25% of net royalty
Royalty to author: $1.75 per title sold

Yep, definitely worth the time to find out exactly how this term is going to be defined in the contract when it comes to electronic books.

Agreed!

-JMC

SCBWI Bologna 2010 Interview

2010-03-03T11:54:00.001-05:00

Here’s an interview I did for the fabulous Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators. I’ll be sitting on the SCBWI panel at the Bologna Children’s Book Fair this year. Can’t wait!

-JMC

Amazon Snaffu

2010-02-25T14:26:00.006-05:00

Oy vey. More hours spent on the phone with Amazon.

Last week one of our Kindles had a meltdown and lost months of submission (meaning hours of extra work culling our email and rebuilding our list). Amazon offered to replace the model, failing to mention there's a four-week delay while they back order (from where I wonder?) the original device. So I call Amazon and they tell me they can happily send me the next-generation immediately- FOR AN EXTRA $50 BUCKS!

So...device breaks and I can wait a month for it to be replaced, or I can spend more money to upgrade? Um, what?

Our voices are now hoarse, but Amazon will send us a Kindle 2.0, at no cost, via next-day mail. But why, I wonder, did we have to kick and scream? Shouldn't this have been standard business practice?

Signed,
Apoplectic at Astor Place (jmc)

Harper and Hachette Join Macmillian in Kindle Dispute

2010-02-08T15:36:00.005-05:00

In case you haven't heard, it's now Macmillan, Harper, and Hachette committing to the "agency model" for E-book sales, whereby publishers set the sales price and retailers keep 30%. This means new releases from these houses (and most likely more to follow) will no longer be available for Amazon's much-disputed $9.99 on the Kindle. The new kid in town, Apple's iPad, operates on the agency model.

Frankly, though my back doesn't miss carting around manuscripts, the rest of me misses good ol' fashioned paper.

-JMC

It Takes a Village

2010-01-25T16:42:00.003-05:00

that is how i understood the meaning of this story since the day it arrived.

HIGGLEDY-PIGGLEDY CHICKS marks Barbara Joosse's debut on the Greenwillow list. we are told Barnes and Nobel is especially hip on this book.

a behind the scenes tidbit: Barb's original title was FUZZY PEEPS. Harper changed it for fear of violating the trademark for the famous marshmallow candy, Peeps. frankly, we at STNY prefer the original title and find Harper's reasoning, well, peculiar. firstly, trademarks are granted in VERY specific categories, and a candy and book title are many miles apart; secondly, a title cannot be copyrighted or trademarked.

THE DARK DEEPS

2010-01-25T16:28:00.003-05:00

a first look, for our BlogSpot fans, at the cover illustration for the Canadian (maybe also Australian) edition of THE DARK DEEPS, book #2 in Arthur Slade's marvelous-magnificent THE HUNCHBACK ASSIGNMENTS.
get ye to a bookstore!

Cyndy Szekeres

2010-01-25T04:28:00.004-05:00

do you know. . . . Cyndy has sold OVER 13 million books worldwide? here you see why.

these four will be out next month, via Sterling, as part of a 12-book Cyndy Szekeres series. they are re-issues, and, frankly, quite the nicest of the many editions these books saw under the aegis of their original publisher Golden Books (Random House). they are also an upcoming MAIN SELECTION, thank you very much, of Children's Book of the Month Club.

Congrats to Award Winners!

2010-01-18T10:19:00.002-05:00

Congratulations to Rebecca Stead, Jerry Pinkney, and Libba Bray who won the 2010 Newbery Medal, Caldecott, and Printz Award (respectively)! More details from Pub Weekly here.

Kirkus Lives Again!

2010-01-11T16:57:00.002-05:00

According to Pub Weekly, Kirkus Reviews will continue under new ownership. Whether the current staff will remain is unknown.

-JMC

TRIBES not Forgotten

2009-12-16T16:37:00.005-05:00

Reading Rants posts a list of the most under-appreciated young adult books of the decade. Arthur Slade's TRIBES (one of our favs) is featured. This is one title that definitely deserves more love. Check it out!

-JMC

Kirkus No More

2009-12-14T12:38:00.009-05:00

After over 75 years and almost 400,000 reviews, Kirkus is calling it quits. Say what you will about hard-to-please, I still call this a major bummer.

-JMC

I've Been Thinking About Getting A Tattoo Just Like This...

2009-12-11T19:10:00.002-05:00

-JMC

My Favorite Novel

2009-12-10T01:42:00.002-05:00

of course is MIDDLEMARCH. (how can anyone answer differently?) however, beyond that, i am willing to say— but only because i am asked so dang much— ALICE'S ADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND is the book i read the most. now, that is a supreme masterpiece of English prose. every writer reading this blog ought to stop reading it and savor that delicacy immediately. it is pure edification.

ST

GIRL PARTS!

2009-11-13T15:51:00.002-05:00

with due modesty, we hereby ballyhoo the sale of our own John M. Cusick's DEBUT NOVEL. it went— at auction— to Candlewick Press, with Deb Noyes-Wayshak editing. audio rights went— also at auction— to Tim Ditlow at Brilliance Audio. we will keep you posted when our efforts selling UK and ANZ rights bear fruit.

What to Do With All That Unused Research?

2009-11-12T17:51:00.002-05:00

Art Slade tells you how (via Globe and Mail).

HAUNTED

2009-11-02T20:27:00.005-05:00

want to see Barbara Haworth-Attard read her brand new paranormal murder mystery/romance— and who wouldn't? (crowds are packing appearances in Canada) —click here.

this title is not yet in the U.S. BUT it will be, just you wait.

2009-10-27T14:30:00.000-04:00

have you read Art Slade's THE HUNCHBACK ASSIGNMENTS? if not why not?

New Twitter Account

2009-10-01T12:44:00.003-04:00

Hey gang,

Come follow me on Twitter!

Plus, see the amazing picture of the colonnade I found:

-John

THE DARK DEEPS

2009-09-24T21:55:00.006-04:00

Here is a peek at Chris Steininger's cover concept for the Harper Canada edition of the second book in Art Slade's steampunk series THE HUNCHBACK ASSIGNMENTS. Random House U.S. is cooking up something cool, too.

The Dark Deeps includes an underwater city (New Barcelona) and an invisible no-goodnik. Also a hunchback!

THE HUNCHBACK ASSIGNMENTS is already a Canadian best-seller (after Twilight) and reviews are marvelous: "A terrific entertainment" Quill and Quire (Canada's PW)— a starred review; "an excellent start to a promising series" Kirkus; "thrilling . . . more than the straightforward adventure it may appear" PW.

Checkout the website!

"Stringent," Explained by Saunders

2009-09-24T13:59:00.004-04:00

We often say we're looking for "stringent" writing. To better explain what we mean, here's a fantastic essay by George Saunders on precision. The first example he sites? Johnny Tremain.

An excerpt:

"When a person resolves to improve his prose, everything he is and everything he believes in, consciously or unconsciously, must be brought to bear. The movements from vagueness to precision, from generality to specificity, length to brevity, passivity to activity, involve, mysteriously, a corresponding movement from falsehood to truth."

-JMC

Cyndy Szekeres, A Classic Illustrator

2009-09-23T16:34:00.002-04:00

A Back-to-School Rhyme

2009-09-05T15:07:00.005-04:00

English

Nouns name things.

Adjectives describe them.

Verbs act up.

Adverbs poke and jive them.

Construct a sturdy sentence

From your toolbox of good grammar,

And if your sentence wobbles,

Smartly smash it with the hammer.

A Back-to-School Rhyme

2009-09-05T15:03:00.004-04:00

Science

The prize winning project at the state Science Fair

Was a clay pot of radishes, growing human hair.

The prize winning student, with her parents both in tow,

Shocked those attending the ceremony show.

The audience could see they displayed horrid grooming—

Upon all three heads? Rows of radishes were blooming!

A Back-to-School Rhyme

2009-09-05T14:57:00.006-04:00

Math

One, two, three—

Counting for a fee.

Four, five, six—

Kids don't learn for kicks.

Seven, eight, nine—

A dollar will be fine.

Ten is the end—

Off to go to spend.

A Rhyme, for our kind

2009-09-02T22:13:00.004-04:00

There was an ugly duckling who became a lovely swan.

— Oh! The goings on!

LOOK!

2009-08-31T19:49:00.005-04:00

meet Dr. Hyde, the mad scientist in Art Slade's THE HUNCHBACK ASSIGNMENTS. Dr. Hyde's passion is grafting mechanical pieces onto animals and humans. it works sometimes— e.g., the sadistic Miss Hakkandottir who has a metal hand (with retractable razor blade fingers). it fails sometimes— e.g., the poor hounds who cannot seem to survive the operation that replaces their skull, jaws, and teeth with metal.

you'd be a fool to miss the first book in this full-steam(punk)-ahead series. Random House will publish it 9-22. HarperCanada pubs the book. . . tomorrow! yay!

in paperback, at last!

2009-08-16T16:06:00.002-04:00

Diana C0hn's lyrical story of young Mareo's realizing his vision as an artist in his small traditional Mexican village. Based on a true story!

H A U N T E D

2009-08-16T15:55:00.002-04:00

Young girls murdered! Supernatural appearances confound! And the scared citizens of a small town in the 1910's suspect Dee's grandmother is bewitching them. This suspenseful, creepy novel joins Barbara Hawoth-Attard's expanding oeuvre next month from HarperCollins Canada. Stayed tuned for news of the U.S. edition.

THE HUNCHBACK ASSIGNMENTS

2009-08-04T11:30:00.004-04:00

What is Steampunk? Take it away, Art...

Art Slade's THE HUNCHBACK ASSIGNMENTS is available September 22nd!

"An excellent start to a promising new series." - Kirkus Reviews

"Pleasing and evocative." - Booklist

Learn more at Hunchback Assignments website.

Websites for Author Promotion

2009-07-17T11:47:00.004-04:00

The Association of Authors' Representatives holds the occasional panel for industry folks (usually above the Hard Rock Cafe in Times Square - no kidding). Last week I attended one on e-platforms and author web-marketing. A few of the social-networking sites mentioned I knew (Goodreads, MySpace, Facebook, Twitter etc), but a few were new to me, like Library Thing, Shelfari, and Google Profile. These are tremendous tools for authors, who simply must have a strong web-presence to survive.

(For more online book-love, check out Booktumbling, a current pet obsession...)

-JMC

Ants Rule!

2009-07-16T16:08:00.005-04:00

How I love this book! The manuscript arrived and it featured only ONE type of killer ant. Ants (being my #1 favorite insect), I happen to know, boast FOUR killer varieties. Nick Nirgiotis revised his manuscript accordingly and STNY sold it to the first editor to see it— fellow insect lover, Mary Cash at Holiday House.

the moral of the story: sometimes you hit an agent's quirk, bingo!

Demons and Angels

2009-06-16T12:17:00.003-04:00

Everyone wants to guess the next trend before it happens. But how? I'm wondering if the slush pile can offer some clues. The past month I've seen dozens and dozens of manuscripts about otherworldly love-affairs. No, not vampires. Angels. Will there be a heavenly response to the vampire and werewolf craze? It seems to follow. You've got gorgeous, ephemeral love-interests, Biblical battles between good and evil, forbidden love, and none of the icky blood stuff. When I see a swell of subs on the same topic, I think there must be something in the mass-unconscious that's given everyone the same idea. I wonder...

-JMC

Social Networking for Book Promo

2009-06-16T11:46:00.002-04:00

ReadingGroupGuides.com recently conducted a survey of book club members and found that 83% of groups read both hardcovers and paperbacks, and that at least half of book club members are on Goodreads or Facebook.

Probably wise marketing for authors, getting their books up and discussed on these kinds of sites.

New Age Queries?

2009-06-09T14:25:00.003-04:00

Ah ha! This may shed some light on last week's mystery. Thanks to Danielle for pointing this out.

-JC

SCBWI, Query Questions

2009-06-08T16:29:00.004-04:00

Scott returns from Jersey today with tales of a fantastic SCBWI conference. Many thanks to all who made it possible, and to the 14 billion (or so) writers who shared their work. What we're hearing: boy middle-grade is still much in demand. So send us those rough-and-tumble stories.

I received a question today about our exclusivity policy. Exclusivity means submitting to us and us alone for a finite period - in our case, thirty days. We ask this because we don't wish to compete with other agencies for your work. If you'd like us to represent you, we get first dibs. Multiple submissions refers to sending more than one piece to different agencies. This is generally discouraged.

As always, I am delighted to answer questions via email (general@scotttreimelny.com).

-JC

Things that make you go "hmm..."

2009-06-05T12:11:00.005-04:00

Our contact info must have popped up someplace funny, because we have been DELUGED with queries for adult manuscripts - most of them spiritual self-help books. I've written back to some of the authors, asking where they saw we were interested in that kind of thing, but so far no one has replied. I'd like to find the site and correct the misinformation. Oh well.

-John

Wishful Thinking

2009-05-18T16:35:00.006-04:00

As you've no doubt heard, Maurice Sendak's immortal WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE is being made into a movie - and it looks like a good one, if the trailer is to be believed. I'm still holding out for a film version of my all-time favorite children's book, a Chris Van Allsburg title (one that hasn't already been brought to freakish, computer-animated life). No, not Two Bad Ants. I'm thinking of THE Z WAS ZAPPED, in which each letter of the alphabet meets its grim, alliterative end. I envision an all-star cast (live-action, of course) with Downey Jr. as the drowning D, and maybe Zooey Deschanel in the eponymous role. Come on, wouldn't you love to see her in a giant Z costume?

-John

Listen Up!

2009-05-14T13:33:00.010-04:00

A podcast!

if you wonder how a picturebook derives meaning, listen to author Barbara Joosse, illustrator Jan Jutte, and editor Patti Gauch discuss how an apparently simple story becomes imbued with the tantalizing subterranean elements (e.g., metaphor) that make it resonate, seemingly mysteriously, so kids ask to hear it over and over. ROAWR!

Wired Winks at Wink!

2009-05-10T16:12:00.006-04:00

Firecracker Julie Phillipps gives a riveting interview in Wired. http://www.wired.com/geekdad/2009/05/interview-with-julie-phillipps-author-of-wink-the-ninja-who-wanted-to-be-noticed/ Julie's debut is Viking's new hit Wink: The Ninja Who Wanted to be Noticed. Sequel? Spring 2011, thank you very much.

So Very Awarding

2009-05-10T15:56:00.007-04:00

You may wish to note that no less than the '09 Américas Award Committee cited— rather, commended Maurie Manning's KITCHEN DANCE (Clarion).

Manning's most exuberant work yet —PW

The previous two titles Ms. Maurie illustrated are How Full is Your Bucket for Kids (Gallup) and Sorry! (Tricycle)— boffo Amazon sales, incidentally.

we love Janice Repka!

2009-04-19T14:12:00.006-04:00

six years back, i picked THE STUPDENOUS DODGEBALL FIASCO from the slush. it is a funny middle-grade, which is, take note, the consistently most sought-after kids' book category. the book-buying population peaks during the middle-grade years and few writers can reach it. the stories we see are derivative, trite, dreary; the storytelling is wordy, ill-shaped, and in a fake voice; the characters are flat, wooden, inauthentic. authors do not dig deeply enough into their imaginations to realize the children's experience. these readers are still children, but they are not cutesy, gosh-golly know-nothings, and i suspect fantasy and reality are more fluid constructions for them than becomes true for teens.

not only can Janice write for these illusory creatures, at once it was apparent how seriously she takes her craft— this is what i look for— and her work would only get better. through her own promotion, THE STUPENDOUS DODGEBALL FIASCO achieved solid hardcover sales (especially for a debut). even so, Dutton's paperback arm, Puffin, declined to publish a mass market edition. (it may yet correct its mistake.) nevertheless, we sold audio rights so at least you have two formats to chose from. we just sold Janice's second book and our expectations are high. Janice is a writer to watch.

Do You Know. . .

2009-04-19T14:04:00.004-04:00

how much we like our Kindles? paper mss were the heart of my professional reading experience-- as for all agents and editors-- but electronic readers made their ungainliness instantly obvious. paper mss weigh a lot and keeping the pages together is a drag and slows reading. a light-weight Kindle holds everything, goes everywhere; and even though note-taking is trickier than marking physical pages, or going back to scrutinize issues of pace/character/logic/etc., these devices are sure to own future of reading.

THE DAY OF ROAWR!

2009-04-16T12:30:00.002-04:00

THE WAIT IS OVER! This p-e-r-f-e-c-t picturebook publishes today. Get ye to a bookstore!

Look What Maurie's Done Now!

2009-04-06T23:15:00.008-04:00

Never thought I'd have a Gallup-- as in The Gallup Poll-- book. oh, the places you'll go (to coin a phrase) with versatile talent in the stable. Three cheers* for Maurie Manning!

* Margin for error plus or minus 1 cheer

We Can Hardly Wait!

2009-04-06T23:04:00.004-04:00

Intrigued? This logo treatment is for Arthur Slade's Fall 09 steampunk series. Hold on to your stovepipe: it's creepy and mysterious and romantic and . . . hunchbacked!

Countdown to ROAWR!

2009-04-06T22:52:00.002-04:00

BUY IT! SAVOR IT! BE GRANDLY REWARDED