What a wonderful way to celebrate the release of Letters to Leonardo, an exceptional new book by Dee White. Well done, Dee. Also congratulations to Sue Whiting and all the great staff at Walker books, as well as the fabulous Margaret Hamilton.
I enjoyed the Cyber Launch and participating in this exciting day. Hip hip hooray for Letters to Leonardo!
It's not too late to enjoy the Cyber Launch and have a sneak peak of the first chapter, now the book has been officially released. So hop on over to: http://deescribewriting.wordpress.com/
Hip hip hooray!
Cheers,
Robyn Opie
http://www.robynopie.com
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
A Blog Tour with Dee White, Author of Letters to Leonardo
Today, as part of her international blog tour, we welcome wonderful Australian children's author Dee White to my blog.
Welcome to my blog, Dee. Thank you for visiting. I know you and Matt have been busy touring the Internet, so we're thrilled to have you here today. Dee has offered to share her experiences as a new writer journeying to publication. Her newly released book, Letters to Leonardo, took ten years from idea to printed book. I'll let Dee tell you more. Thanks Dee, now over to you.
‘LETTERS TO LEONARDO’ - WHERE THE CHARACTERS AND IDEAS CAME FROM THE STORY IDEA
Letters to Leonardo was inspired by a true story of a man who received a letter on his 21st birthday from the mother he had been told was dead.
As a writer, I thought, what an amazing story. I knew I had to write it down. But I didn’t know the person it had happened to – he was someone who worked with a friend. So I had no idea what happened next. In a way, this made it easier for me – my story would be limited only by my imagination.
I started thinking about the man who received the letter and how he must have felt. Imagine finding out that everyone has lied to you for most of your life. How betrayed would you feel?
I decided that how someone reacted to something like that would depend on their personality. Some would seek out the people who had lied to them and demand to know the truth straight away. People like me on the other hand, would be more cautious – and wonder whether this would only lead to more lies. I would want to do my research - get information from other sources to verify that this time I was being told the truth. But to cope with keeping this under wraps, I would need someone to vent to – Matt chooses Leonardo da Vinci to express his anger and hurt to.
Matt isn’t based on anyone I know but I think he reacts to his mother’s letter in much the same way as I would have.
Once I’d decided on my story idea, I had to come up with an explanation for Matt’s mother’s absence. Mental illness seemed like a plausible scenario.
To develop her character, I drew on real life incidents that had been told to me by my friend whose mother is bipolar. In addition to this, I did a lot of research to help me understand more about bipolar and how it affects sufferers and their families.
OBSTACLES TO PUBLICATION
Writing Letters to Leonardo has taken more than ten years from initial idea to publication.
In 2002, I was awarded a mentorship. This meant that I worked with an established writer whose brief was to address the things I was having problems with in the manuscript.
My mentor had her own set of issues with my manuscript. She didn’t like the fact that the book had been written in first person because she felt it was harder to build up the suspense when you are writing from this point of view. And she told me to ditch Leonardo da Vinci as YA readers wouldn’t know who he was.
Being a very inexperienced writer at the time, I bowed to her greater wisdom, and Letters to Leonardo (my original story about an artistic boy who writers letters to Leonardo da Vinci) became Space (a novel about an astronomy geek who writes letters to Buzz Aldrin.)
I wasn’t happy with Space. Even though every word was mine, it didn’t feel like my story anymore. Even my main character was no longer the person I thought he was. It was a real dilemma for me. I had a completed manuscript – supposedly better because it had been mentored, but I wasn’t happy with it. So it sat in my bottom drawer while I hoped that someone would advise me what to do next.
In 2003, as part of my Professional Writing and Editing course at VUT, I was lucky enough to do work placement with a fantastic publisher who was willing to read my novel, and give me objective advice.
She thought that Space had ‘a compelling theme, evocative imagery and strong narrative drive’, but felt that there was something missing – that’s when I realised there was; what was missing, was ‘me’. My story had been taken over by my mentor.
The publisher suggested I go back and write the story that I originally intended to write. It was good advice. And I was so excited that someone had given me ‘permission’ to go back and ‘do my own thing’.
I was happy to be ditching Buzz Aldrin (sorry Buzz) because he had never inspired me. Having Leonardo da Vinci back in my life on the other hand was like welcoming back an old friend.
With great motivation and purpose, I re-wrote Letters to Leonardo – and spent the next four years getting it to a standard where I thought it might be publishable - that’s the story that’s being released by Walker books today (1st July).
Another reason that the book took so long to write was that I’d had a lot of trouble coming up with an ending that wasn’t weak and predictable. My problem was, I’d become so attached to my characters that I didn’t want anything bad happening to them. But with the escalation in Matt’s mothers behaviour; I really had no choice.
My son read the book, and he was very blunt and said it definitely needed a stronger ending. We discussed a couple of alternatives – and eventually I was able to finish my story.
In 2006 I came 3rd in the YA section at the CYA conference competition in Brisbane, and the judges were very positive about the book. This gave me the confidence to keep going – and eventually in 2008, I felt the book might be ready for a publisher to look at.
I went to the SCBWI (Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators) conference in Sydney in 2008, and had a manuscript assessment with Margaret Hamilton who was extremely positive and encouraging – and could even visualise the cover for the book. As a result of the conference, Walker Books asked to see the manuscript, and decided to publish it.
As a writer, I have learned so much on this journey; and although I went off track for a while, the whole experience has taught me the importance of believing in, and sticking with your story.
Thanks Dee. What an amazing story of persistence. I'm glad you never gave up because Letters to Leonardo is a fabulous book. I'm reading it at the moment and loving it. Anyone who loves a good book will love Letters to Leonardo. Congratulations and well done, Dee!
Please visit the following blogs to join Dee and Matt on their worldwide tour:
24th June 2009
http://sallymurphy.blogspot.com
Dee and Matt talk about promoting Letters to Leonardo online.
25th June 2009
http://spinningpearls.blogspot.com
Author interview
26th June 2009
http://thebookchook.blogspot.com
How art has been used in Letters to Leonardo
27th June 2009
The research process involved in writing Letters to Leonardo
Guest blogger – talking with Vanessa Barneveld – interactive discussion with bloggers
29th June 2009
http://www.livejournal.com/users/orangedale
An author interview covering things like inspiration and perspective
http://letshavewords.blogspot.com
Mentors in YA fiction, and Leonardo da Vinci’s involvement in the book
1st July 2009
Cyber launch http://deescribewriting.wordpress.com
including cross to Robyn Opie’s blog http://robynopie.blogspot.com
hurdles overcome on the way to publication.
http://persnicketysnark.blogspot.com
How the author’s life paralleled Matt’s – her growing obsession with Leonardo da Vinci
Working with a publisher and the editing process
http://sandyfussell.blogspot.com
Interview with the elusive Matt Hudson
http://teacherswritinghelper.wordpress.com
Class writing activities based on Letters to Leonardo
6th July 2009
http://tips4youngwriters.wordpress.com
Tips 4 young writers on how Letters to Leonardo was written
7th July 2009
http://www.JenniferBrownYA.com
Our US stop – and final destination before we head back home.
You can purchase Letters to Leonardo from the following websites:
Sunday, June 21, 2009
A Blog Tour with Dee White, author of Letters to Leonardo
Coming soon! Children's author Dee White is embarking on a blog tour in two days to promote her new YA novel Letters to Leonardo.
Here's a message from Dee:
Matt Hudson (the main character from Letters to Leonardo) and I can’t believe that it’s only a few days before we hop on a Cyber Plane and start our blog tour.
It’s great that Matt has agreed to come because Letters to Leonardo is really his story not mine. On his 15th birthday, Matt got a letter from his dead mum – but she wasn’t dead.
After everything that happened next, it’s hardly surprising that Matt is shy of publicity. That’s why I’m so pleased he agreed to come. He’s asked me to do most of the talking on tour, but he will be popping up now and again to say what he thinks and ask some questions of his own.
Matt and I hope you will join us on tour at the following amazing blogs:
24th June 2009
http://sallymurphy.blogspot.com
Dee and Matt talk about promoting Letters to Leonardo online.
25th June 2009
http://spinningpearls.blogspot.com
Author interview
http://thebookchook.blogspot.com
How art has been used in Letters to Leonardo
27th June 2009
The research process involved in writing Letters to Leonardo
Guest blogger – talking with Vanessa Barneveld – interactive discussion with bloggers
29th June 2009
http://www.livejournal.com/users/orangedale
An author interview covering things like inspiration and perspective
http://letshavewords.blogspot.com
Mentors in YA fiction, and Leonardo da Vinci’s involvement in the book
1st July 2009
Cyber launch http://deescribewriting.wordpress.com
including cross to Robyn Opie’s blog http://robynopie.blogspot.com
hurdles overcome on the way to publication.
http://persnicketysnark.blogspot.com
How the author’s life paralleled Matt’s – her growing obsession with Leonardo da Vinci
Working with a publisher and the editing process
http://sandyfussell.blogspot.com
Interview with the elusive Matt Hudson
http://teacherswritinghelper.wordpress.com
Class writing activities based on Letters to Leonardo
6th July 2009
http://tips4youngwriters.wordpress.com
Tips 4 young writers on how Letters to Leonardo was written
7th July 2009
http://www.JenniferBrownYA.com
Our US stop – and final destination before we head back home.
With so many great stops along the way, this tour is going to be loads of fun. Matt and I would love you to join us.
See you soon,
Dee:-)
You can purchase Letters to Leonardo from the following websites:
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Pearl Versus the World Blog Tour with Sally Murphy
Welcome to Writing Children's Books with Robyn Opie. I have a special treat for readers - a guest blogger, Sally Murphy, Australian author of many fine children's books. This is the final day on Sally's blog tour to promote her latest children's book, Pearl Versus the World.
Now over to Sally.
Welcome to my blog, Sally.
Thanks for having me here today, Robyn. I am really enjoying touring the Net promoting my new baby Pearl Verses the World, and thought I’d share today some hints on getting published – since it’s the key to being a successful author. Pearl Verses the World is my twenty-eighth published title, and naturally I am delighted about that – but I want to start by letting readers know that, no matter how many books you’ve had accepted, each acceptance is hard won. I still get many more rejections than I do acceptances. Whilst you will hear stories of authors who wrote their first manuscript, submitted it and it was accepted, so beginning a stellar publishing career, for every author with a story like this there are thousands who have submitted and been rejected over and over. In the middle, there are authors like me who have been – and still are – rejected regularly, but along the way manage to sell some books. So yes, it can and does happen.
So what can you do to increase your chances of being published? This is not an exhaustive list, but the following tips will help you on your path to publication.
1. Be Persistent and Resilient.
If you want to be published you need to keep writing and submitting. When you get rejected, you can choose to give up – or you can choose to send that manuscript out over and over until it finds the right home, and to keep writing and developing new manuscripts, too. It is easy to feel discouraged from time to time. Pearl Verses the World is my first trade publication since 2006.
During that three year ‘drought’ I seriously wondered if I should give up. Perhaps my time had come and gone? One of my publishers (Banana Books) had closed down, weeks before the release of a contracted book, and another book was selling poorly because of distribution problems. To make matters worse, I just couldn’t land another acceptance, in spite of regularly submitting and writing new things. I was filled with self doubt, wondering if my earlier successes were flukes, and contemplated giving up. I’m glad now that I didn’t – as well as Pearl, I have another verse novel and three picture books in production. My star is rising.
So how did I overcome those feelings? With persistence and resilience. I kept writing and submitting. I kept researching markets. I kept reading – both to study the craft of writing and to keep in touch with the market. Most importantly, I think, I kept in touch with fellow writers, through email and in person. By being a writer, and communicating with writers, I was able to work through periods of despair and keep going. And, as I said, I am very glad that I did.
2. Keep Writing.
Many beginning writers make the mistake of writing one book, sending it off, and waiting for it to be accepted before beginning the next. The problem here is that, even if that first book is accepted, the submissions process is long and slow. It rarely takes less than six weeks for a publisher to respond to your manuscript – and it can take much, much longer than that.
Generally, the response time is three to six months, but it is not unheard of to wait a year or more. So, if you are going to wait six months for a response, then use that time to work on the next book – and the next. Then, not only will you have the next book ready if your submission accepted, but you will also have developed your writing skills further. And, if it is rejected, then you know you have something else to submit – soon you’ll have two manuscripts seeking publication – or three, or...
As soon as I finish one project, I try to start work on the next. Since I finished writing Pearl I have finished a second verse novel (Toppling, to be published in March 2010), a collection of poems (not yet placed) and two picture books (also unplaced). I have also started work on a new novel and am planning a nonfiction title. I aim to work on my current project each day and, although that doesn’t always happen, I do make sure to set time aside for writing several times a week. As a result, my writing skills keep growing and so does my number of completed works.
3. Know That Rejection is not Personal.
Okay – this one might not help your chances of getting published, but it will definitely help your chances of sticking it out long enough to get published. When a publisher rejects your work they are not rejecting you. Nor is there some plot or secret society involved. So many would be authors feel that there is some secret being kept from them – that you need to be famous, or have an agent, or know some sort of secret code in order to land an acceptance. Wrong on all counts. With the exception of the occasional celebrity author, most authors are not famous (either before or after publication). Having an agent may help, but it is entirely possible to get published without having an agent. I’ve sold all my books without having an agent. And there is no secret code.
The reality is that every publisher receives far more manuscripts every year than they can publish – one publisher told me they receive more than 4000 manuscripts per year, and only publish 40. So your manuscript might be brilliant and still get rejected because there are other equally brilliant manuscripts amongst that 4000 – or your topic might have been covered in that publisher’s list, or they may have too many picture books already under contract or... So get rid of that chip on your shoulder and do everything you can to keep your manuscript moving until it does land on the right desk.
4. Be professional and realistic.
When your manuscript is ready to submit, be sure to present it as professionally as possible. Follow the publisher’s submission guidelines (if you haven’t read them, you are not yet ready to submit), including a professionally phrased cover letter, SSAE and so on. At the same time, be realistic. If you are seeking publication, your work must be of publishable standard. Is your story simply good, or is equal to or better than other books published this year? In spite of what I said in number 3, manuscripts are often rejected because they are not good enough. The best way to be sure your manuscript is good enough is to work and rework it until it is perfect. A critique group or manuscript appraisal can help you see both whether your story is submission ready, and what can be done to improve it if it’s not. And, in spite of what I said in number 2, if you are becoming a manuscript mill, churning out a new book each week or each month – and none of them are being accepted - then it may be time to stop submitting and start revising and growing your craft.
5. Try something new.
This is a big lesson I learned from writing Pearl Verses the World. Although, I’d long loved the verse novel form and thought I would one day try to write one, at the time I wrote Pearl I had been focusing on picture books and short chapter books, because those were the things I’d had published previously. Once Pearl was written, it took a little courage to submit it, because it was so different from everything else I had written – but it was accepted. If I had not been willing to try a new form, then Pearl would not have seen the light of day.
If you see yourself as a picture book writer, that’s great. But why not challenge yourself to try writing a chapter book? Or a poem? Or a nonfiction article? You don’t have to abandon your favorite – but diversifying may open up a new market for you, and will also build your writing skills. There are few children’s book writers who write only for one age group or market – more often they will write a blend – perhaps picture books and chapter books, perhaps YA and middle grade. My own books range from educational resource books, fiction and nonfiction readers, picture books, chapter books and, of course, a verse novel.
A word of caution though – whilst diversification is good, be sure that whatever new form you try, you do take the time to study and know the form. If you have never read a verse novel, don’t try to write one. If the last teen novel you read was Trixie Beldon, then you probably won’t succeed in writing for the current YA market.
I could go on all day with tips and hints on getting published – but following these five tips will certainly prove a good start for anyone struggling to get published. Most of all, dare to dream and to follow that dream. I grew up knowing I wanted to write for children. Along the way my life has taken lots of twists and turns, but I never stopped believing that I would do it – and now I am living the dream. The publication of Pearl Verses the World is a dream come true, and I’m delighted to share my pleasure with others.
Again, thanks for having me here, Robyn...
Thanks for being here, Sally, and sharing your experiences with us. It's great to read your tips on how to get published. Best of luck with Pearl Versus the World. It's a beautiful book. A delight to read. I enjoyed every second of it.
You can read more about Sally Murphy's blog tour of Pearl Versus the World by visiting the following blogs:
May 1 Spinning Pearls http://spinningpearls.blogspot.com
May 2 The Writing Life http://www.bjcullen.blogspot.com
May 3 Tips for Young Writers http://www.tips4youngwriters.wordpress.com
May 4 Persnickety Snark http://persnicketysnark.blogspot.com
May 5 Let’s Have Words http://www.letshavewords.blogspot..com
May 6 Just listen Book Reviews http://justlistenbookreviews.blogspot.com/
May 7 Look at That Book http://lookatthatbook.blogspot.com
May 8 Write and Read With Dale http://www.livejournal.com/users/orangedale/
May 9 Tales I Tell http://belka37.blogspot.com/
May 10 Robyn Opie’s Writing Children’s Books http://www.robynopie.blogspot.com
And for more information on Sally and Pearl, please visit the following sites:
Sally Murphy’s Author Site http://www.sallymurphy.net
Sally Murphy’s Writing for Children Blog http://www.sallymurphy.blogspot.com/
Sally Murphy’s Review Site http://www.aussiereviews.com/
Walker Books Australia http://www.walkerbooks.com.au/
Buy Pearl Versus the World Online
http://www.fishpond.com.au/Books/Childrens/Fiction/General/product_info/14671663/?cf=3&rid=1294053933&i=1&keywords=pearl+verses+the+world
Thanks for reading!
Best of luck with your writing,
Robyn
Best-selling author of more than 75 children's books and the critically-acclaimed "How to Write a Great Children's Book".
www.robynopie.com
CLICK HERE for more information on "How to Write a Great Children's Book".
Now over to Sally.
Welcome to my blog, Sally.
Thanks for having me here today, Robyn. I am really enjoying touring the Net promoting my new baby Pearl Verses the World, and thought I’d share today some hints on getting published – since it’s the key to being a successful author. Pearl Verses the World is my twenty-eighth published title, and naturally I am delighted about that – but I want to start by letting readers know that, no matter how many books you’ve had accepted, each acceptance is hard won. I still get many more rejections than I do acceptances. Whilst you will hear stories of authors who wrote their first manuscript, submitted it and it was accepted, so beginning a stellar publishing career, for every author with a story like this there are thousands who have submitted and been rejected over and over. In the middle, there are authors like me who have been – and still are – rejected regularly, but along the way manage to sell some books. So yes, it can and does happen.
So what can you do to increase your chances of being published? This is not an exhaustive list, but the following tips will help you on your path to publication.
1. Be Persistent and Resilient.
If you want to be published you need to keep writing and submitting. When you get rejected, you can choose to give up – or you can choose to send that manuscript out over and over until it finds the right home, and to keep writing and developing new manuscripts, too. It is easy to feel discouraged from time to time. Pearl Verses the World is my first trade publication since 2006.
During that three year ‘drought’ I seriously wondered if I should give up. Perhaps my time had come and gone? One of my publishers (Banana Books) had closed down, weeks before the release of a contracted book, and another book was selling poorly because of distribution problems. To make matters worse, I just couldn’t land another acceptance, in spite of regularly submitting and writing new things. I was filled with self doubt, wondering if my earlier successes were flukes, and contemplated giving up. I’m glad now that I didn’t – as well as Pearl, I have another verse novel and three picture books in production. My star is rising.
So how did I overcome those feelings? With persistence and resilience. I kept writing and submitting. I kept researching markets. I kept reading – both to study the craft of writing and to keep in touch with the market. Most importantly, I think, I kept in touch with fellow writers, through email and in person. By being a writer, and communicating with writers, I was able to work through periods of despair and keep going. And, as I said, I am very glad that I did.
2. Keep Writing.
Many beginning writers make the mistake of writing one book, sending it off, and waiting for it to be accepted before beginning the next. The problem here is that, even if that first book is accepted, the submissions process is long and slow. It rarely takes less than six weeks for a publisher to respond to your manuscript – and it can take much, much longer than that.
Generally, the response time is three to six months, but it is not unheard of to wait a year or more. So, if you are going to wait six months for a response, then use that time to work on the next book – and the next. Then, not only will you have the next book ready if your submission accepted, but you will also have developed your writing skills further. And, if it is rejected, then you know you have something else to submit – soon you’ll have two manuscripts seeking publication – or three, or...
As soon as I finish one project, I try to start work on the next. Since I finished writing Pearl I have finished a second verse novel (Toppling, to be published in March 2010), a collection of poems (not yet placed) and two picture books (also unplaced). I have also started work on a new novel and am planning a nonfiction title. I aim to work on my current project each day and, although that doesn’t always happen, I do make sure to set time aside for writing several times a week. As a result, my writing skills keep growing and so does my number of completed works.
3. Know That Rejection is not Personal.
Okay – this one might not help your chances of getting published, but it will definitely help your chances of sticking it out long enough to get published. When a publisher rejects your work they are not rejecting you. Nor is there some plot or secret society involved. So many would be authors feel that there is some secret being kept from them – that you need to be famous, or have an agent, or know some sort of secret code in order to land an acceptance. Wrong on all counts. With the exception of the occasional celebrity author, most authors are not famous (either before or after publication). Having an agent may help, but it is entirely possible to get published without having an agent. I’ve sold all my books without having an agent. And there is no secret code.
The reality is that every publisher receives far more manuscripts every year than they can publish – one publisher told me they receive more than 4000 manuscripts per year, and only publish 40. So your manuscript might be brilliant and still get rejected because there are other equally brilliant manuscripts amongst that 4000 – or your topic might have been covered in that publisher’s list, or they may have too many picture books already under contract or... So get rid of that chip on your shoulder and do everything you can to keep your manuscript moving until it does land on the right desk.
4. Be professional and realistic.
When your manuscript is ready to submit, be sure to present it as professionally as possible. Follow the publisher’s submission guidelines (if you haven’t read them, you are not yet ready to submit), including a professionally phrased cover letter, SSAE and so on. At the same time, be realistic. If you are seeking publication, your work must be of publishable standard. Is your story simply good, or is equal to or better than other books published this year? In spite of what I said in number 3, manuscripts are often rejected because they are not good enough. The best way to be sure your manuscript is good enough is to work and rework it until it is perfect. A critique group or manuscript appraisal can help you see both whether your story is submission ready, and what can be done to improve it if it’s not. And, in spite of what I said in number 2, if you are becoming a manuscript mill, churning out a new book each week or each month – and none of them are being accepted - then it may be time to stop submitting and start revising and growing your craft.
5. Try something new.
This is a big lesson I learned from writing Pearl Verses the World. Although, I’d long loved the verse novel form and thought I would one day try to write one, at the time I wrote Pearl I had been focusing on picture books and short chapter books, because those were the things I’d had published previously. Once Pearl was written, it took a little courage to submit it, because it was so different from everything else I had written – but it was accepted. If I had not been willing to try a new form, then Pearl would not have seen the light of day.
If you see yourself as a picture book writer, that’s great. But why not challenge yourself to try writing a chapter book? Or a poem? Or a nonfiction article? You don’t have to abandon your favorite – but diversifying may open up a new market for you, and will also build your writing skills. There are few children’s book writers who write only for one age group or market – more often they will write a blend – perhaps picture books and chapter books, perhaps YA and middle grade. My own books range from educational resource books, fiction and nonfiction readers, picture books, chapter books and, of course, a verse novel.
A word of caution though – whilst diversification is good, be sure that whatever new form you try, you do take the time to study and know the form. If you have never read a verse novel, don’t try to write one. If the last teen novel you read was Trixie Beldon, then you probably won’t succeed in writing for the current YA market.
I could go on all day with tips and hints on getting published – but following these five tips will certainly prove a good start for anyone struggling to get published. Most of all, dare to dream and to follow that dream. I grew up knowing I wanted to write for children. Along the way my life has taken lots of twists and turns, but I never stopped believing that I would do it – and now I am living the dream. The publication of Pearl Verses the World is a dream come true, and I’m delighted to share my pleasure with others.
Again, thanks for having me here, Robyn...
Thanks for being here, Sally, and sharing your experiences with us. It's great to read your tips on how to get published. Best of luck with Pearl Versus the World. It's a beautiful book. A delight to read. I enjoyed every second of it.
You can read more about Sally Murphy's blog tour of Pearl Versus the World by visiting the following blogs:
May 1 Spinning Pearls http://spinningpearls.blogspot.com
May 2 The Writing Life http://www.bjcullen.blogspot.com
May 3 Tips for Young Writers http://www.tips4youngwriters.wordpress.com
May 4 Persnickety Snark http://persnicketysnark.blogspot.com
May 5 Let’s Have Words http://www.letshavewords.blogspot..com
May 6 Just listen Book Reviews http://justlistenbookreviews.blogspot.com/
May 7 Look at That Book http://lookatthatbook.blogspot.com
May 8 Write and Read With Dale http://www.livejournal.com/users/orangedale/
May 9 Tales I Tell http://belka37.blogspot.com/
May 10 Robyn Opie’s Writing Children’s Books http://www.robynopie.blogspot.com
And for more information on Sally and Pearl, please visit the following sites:
Sally Murphy’s Author Site http://www.sallymurphy.net
Sally Murphy’s Writing for Children Blog http://www.sallymurphy.blogspot.com/
Sally Murphy’s Review Site http://www.aussiereviews.com/
Walker Books Australia http://www.walkerbooks.com.au/
Buy Pearl Versus the World Online
http://www.fishpond.com.au/Books/Childrens/Fiction/General/product_info/14671663/?cf=3&rid=1294053933&i=1&keywords=pearl+verses+the+world
Thanks for reading!
Best of luck with your writing,
Robyn
Best-selling author of more than 75 children's books and the critically-acclaimed "How to Write a Great Children's Book".
www.robynopie.com
CLICK HERE for more information on "How to Write a Great Children's Book".
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Coming Soon!
A blog tour with Sally Murphy, Australian author and super mum. You can follow Sally on her blog tour, as she talks about her latest release, Pearl Verses the World, published by Walker Books Australia.The tour is only days away. You can join Sally for questions, answers, articles, and fun at the following blogs:
May 1 Spinning Pearls http://spinningpearls.blogspot.com
May 2 The Writing Life http://www.bjcullen.blogspot.com
May 3 Tips for Young Writers http://www.tips4youngwriters.wordpress.com
May 4 Persnickety Snark http://persnicketysnark.blogspot.com
May 5 Let’s Have Words http://www.letshavewords.blogspot..com
May 6 Just listen Book Reviews http://justlistenbookreviews.blogspot.com/
May 7 Look at That Book http://lookatthatbook.blogspot.com
May 8 Write and Read With Dale http://www.livejournal.com/users/orangedale/
May 9 Tales I Tell http://belka37.blogspot.com/
May 10 Robyn Opie’s Writing Children’s Books http://www.robynopie.blogspot.com
I read Pearl Versus the World last night and I can honestly say that it’s a fabulous book. It’s beautifully written and a wonderful story. I highly recommend it. And congratulate Sally Murphy!
For more information on Sally and Pearl, please visit the following sites:
Sally Murphy’s Author Site http://www.sallymurphy.net
Sally Murphy’s Writing for Children Blog http://www.sallymurphy.blogspot.com/
Sally Murphy’s Review Site http://www.aussiereviews.com/
Walker Books Australia http://www.walkerbooks.com.au/
Buy Pearl Versus the World Online
http://www.fishpond.com.au/Books/Childrens/Fiction/General/product_info/14671663/?cf=3&rid=1294053933&i=1&keywords=pearl+verses+the+world
Best wishes,
Robyn Opie
http://www.robynopie.com
Thursday, March 19, 2009
What an Honour!
This blog and my websites have been archived with the National Library of Australia, as online publications of national significance.
How great is that!
"The National Library of Australia aims to build a comprehensive collection of Australian publications to ensure that Australians have access to their documentary heritage now and in the future. The Library has traditionally collected items in print, but it is also committed to preserving electronic publications of lasting cultural and research value."
Sounds good to me!
"As agreed this licence permits the Library to copy your publication into the Archive and to retain that copy and provide online public access to it in perpetuity."
You can visit PANDORA by using the following link - http://pandora-search.nla.gov.au/apps/textsearch/action/searchget?query=robyn+opie&x=96&y=5
Thank you for sharing in my celebration. It's great to enjoy this moment with you.
Happy reading and writing!
Robyn
http://www.robynopie.com
http://www.robynopie.com.au
http://www.robynopie.blogspot.com
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Little Horrors' Blog Tour with Tiffany Mandrake
Hi Tiffany. Many thanks for visiting my blog during your world tour. It's great to have you here and I hope you'll answer a few questions.
Thank you, Robyn. It’s an honour.
1. Now, I'm curious about you, Tiffany, and how you got to be here today. Can you tell us a bit about yourself and your journey which led you to being a guest on my blog.
Oooh, that’s a difficult one, Robyn, because my earlier life is veiled in mystery. (That’s partly because I drank a little too much forget-me-not tea and the effect reversed.) I started writing stories about the Little Horrors I meet at the Hags’ Abademy soon after I adopted Speedwell, my Hairless Sphinx. Speedwell likes his food, and I had to have some way of supporting us. I was persuaded that writing tell-all exposes of the Little Horrors would make my fortune. Along the way, I met Sally Murphy of Aussie Reviews. She offered me a chance at a world tour, so here I am.
2. Little Horrors is a new series with Little Hare. Can you tell me how many books you have written? And, if you're not revealing any secrets, a few details about the books?
So far, I have written four books. The first one is about Flax, a feral fairy who ran into trouble when she attended Miss Kisses’ Academy of Sweetness. There she met Kirsty Breeks, a Scottish water hag. Kirsty helped arrange a better future for Flax. The second one is about Mal the Mischievous mermaid. I learned a lot about merfolk while writing this one. Did you know they can walk on their tail flukes? They call this “tip-tailing”. Then came Nanda the Naughty Gnome. Nanda told a fib to Hag Maggie Nabbie, and that earned her an invitation to try for a Badge of Badness. Nanda said she didn’t want one of those… can you believe it? And the fourth book is about Tikki, a pixie from Pisky Marsh. She got up to some tricks, I can tell you. Lock up your golf balls when Tikki’s around.
3. What is it like working with Little Hare? Are they Little Horrors? Can you give us an insight into this experience?
The Little Hare people are so sweet I’d suspect them of being good fairies if it wasn’t for the gleam in their eyes. They are, however, very eager to get every word exactly right. Each story has to glitter like the quartz Nanda’s Grandpa Clog polishes for the good fairies. Mind you, the tatts in the books aren’t the kinds of things a good fairy would countenance.
4. Who is your favourite character in Little Horrors? And why?
I love the Little Horrors (I have to say that, otherwise Flax would set the dog-fae on me). Actually, I love the critter-fae too. And the hags. If I have to have a favourite, it’s probably the dog-fae. It’s an imp with canine DNA. It looks like a fluffy brown and white dog with fuzzy little wings, and its crankiness makes it a perfect foil for Flax the feral fairy. What’s not to love?
5. I'm interested in how other writers work and create their books. Can we have a peek into the writing life of Tiffany Mandrake?
Every morning, I dress in flowing velvet, brew some herb tea and go to sit in the grounds of my creepy cosy cottage. At some point, one of the critter-fae will come to visit. They say they like my company, but I believe the snacks I provide have something to do with their visits. I pay attention to detail, and I have arranged perfect little habitats for each one when it comes. The dog-fae has a neat little crocheted kennel stuffed with liver treats. For the fox-fae, I made a cosy den lined with black velvet and honey-coated bugs. The gull-fae has a rock with a pool by it, and plenty of chips to eat, and the filly-fae has a green stable with peppermints in the manger. Anyway, when the critter-fae come to visit, I make them feel at home and ask them a few general questions. They tell me all about their fairy breed friends. I take notes. Every afternoon, I retire to my cottage to write up my notes, then have a nap with Speedwell before rising with the moon to dance to the Hags’ bagpipes and gather dodgy herbs. It’s a hard life, but someone’s got to live it.
6. What advice would you give a writer who'd love to be in your shoes and have a book or series published?
Stay out of my shoes. I have somewhat unusual feet, and no one else would fit my footwear. As to books and series, all I can suggest is that they should move to a weird place and wait for weirdness to happen. On the other hand, they could take the difficult route and come up with a killer idea, write a killer proposal, hypnotise the editors and… well, forget I said that. Oh, some people don’t know how to write a proposal? If they go to www.affordablemanuscriptassessments.com and click on Workshops, they may learn something to their advantage.
Thanks for including my blog in your first world tour, Tiffany. May this tour be the first of many. I look forward to having you visit again one day. And thanks for answering my questions.
Thank YOU!
Of course I know you're interested in purchasing Flax the Feral Fairy. Who wouldn't be interested? So here is the link: http://www.harpercollins.com.au/books/9781921272707/Little_Horrors_Flax_the_Feral_Fairy/index.aspx
If you would like to learn more about Flax the Feral Fairy and Tiffany, and I know you do, then make sure you catch this blog tour at:
Saturday 21 February
BJ Cullen – The Writing Life - http://www.bjcullen.blogspot.com
Sunday 22 February
Sally Murphy’s Writing for Children - http://sallymurphy.blogspot.com/
Monday 23 February
Writing Children’s Books with Robyn Opie - http://www.robynopie.blogspot.com
Tuesday 24 February
Let’s have Words - http://www.letshavewords.blogspot.com/
Wednesday 25 February
Dee Scribe Writing - http://www.deescribewriting.wordpress.com
Happy reading and writing,
Robyn Opie
http://www.robynopie.com
Thank you, Robyn. It’s an honour.
1. Now, I'm curious about you, Tiffany, and how you got to be here today. Can you tell us a bit about yourself and your journey which led you to being a guest on my blog.
Oooh, that’s a difficult one, Robyn, because my earlier life is veiled in mystery. (That’s partly because I drank a little too much forget-me-not tea and the effect reversed.) I started writing stories about the Little Horrors I meet at the Hags’ Abademy soon after I adopted Speedwell, my Hairless Sphinx. Speedwell likes his food, and I had to have some way of supporting us. I was persuaded that writing tell-all exposes of the Little Horrors would make my fortune. Along the way, I met Sally Murphy of Aussie Reviews. She offered me a chance at a world tour, so here I am.
2. Little Horrors is a new series with Little Hare. Can you tell me how many books you have written? And, if you're not revealing any secrets, a few details about the books?
So far, I have written four books. The first one is about Flax, a feral fairy who ran into trouble when she attended Miss Kisses’ Academy of Sweetness. There she met Kirsty Breeks, a Scottish water hag. Kirsty helped arrange a better future for Flax. The second one is about Mal the Mischievous mermaid. I learned a lot about merfolk while writing this one. Did you know they can walk on their tail flukes? They call this “tip-tailing”. Then came Nanda the Naughty Gnome. Nanda told a fib to Hag Maggie Nabbie, and that earned her an invitation to try for a Badge of Badness. Nanda said she didn’t want one of those… can you believe it? And the fourth book is about Tikki, a pixie from Pisky Marsh. She got up to some tricks, I can tell you. Lock up your golf balls when Tikki’s around.
3. What is it like working with Little Hare? Are they Little Horrors? Can you give us an insight into this experience?
The Little Hare people are so sweet I’d suspect them of being good fairies if it wasn’t for the gleam in their eyes. They are, however, very eager to get every word exactly right. Each story has to glitter like the quartz Nanda’s Grandpa Clog polishes for the good fairies. Mind you, the tatts in the books aren’t the kinds of things a good fairy would countenance.
4. Who is your favourite character in Little Horrors? And why?
I love the Little Horrors (I have to say that, otherwise Flax would set the dog-fae on me). Actually, I love the critter-fae too. And the hags. If I have to have a favourite, it’s probably the dog-fae. It’s an imp with canine DNA. It looks like a fluffy brown and white dog with fuzzy little wings, and its crankiness makes it a perfect foil for Flax the feral fairy. What’s not to love?
5. I'm interested in how other writers work and create their books. Can we have a peek into the writing life of Tiffany Mandrake?
Every morning, I dress in flowing velvet, brew some herb tea and go to sit in the grounds of my creepy cosy cottage. At some point, one of the critter-fae will come to visit. They say they like my company, but I believe the snacks I provide have something to do with their visits. I pay attention to detail, and I have arranged perfect little habitats for each one when it comes. The dog-fae has a neat little crocheted kennel stuffed with liver treats. For the fox-fae, I made a cosy den lined with black velvet and honey-coated bugs. The gull-fae has a rock with a pool by it, and plenty of chips to eat, and the filly-fae has a green stable with peppermints in the manger. Anyway, when the critter-fae come to visit, I make them feel at home and ask them a few general questions. They tell me all about their fairy breed friends. I take notes. Every afternoon, I retire to my cottage to write up my notes, then have a nap with Speedwell before rising with the moon to dance to the Hags’ bagpipes and gather dodgy herbs. It’s a hard life, but someone’s got to live it.
6. What advice would you give a writer who'd love to be in your shoes and have a book or series published?
Stay out of my shoes. I have somewhat unusual feet, and no one else would fit my footwear. As to books and series, all I can suggest is that they should move to a weird place and wait for weirdness to happen. On the other hand, they could take the difficult route and come up with a killer idea, write a killer proposal, hypnotise the editors and… well, forget I said that. Oh, some people don’t know how to write a proposal? If they go to www.affordablemanuscriptassessments.com and click on Workshops, they may learn something to their advantage.
Thanks for including my blog in your first world tour, Tiffany. May this tour be the first of many. I look forward to having you visit again one day. And thanks for answering my questions.
Thank YOU!
Of course I know you're interested in purchasing Flax the Feral Fairy. Who wouldn't be interested? So here is the link: http://www.harpercollins.com.au/books/9781921272707/Little_Horrors_Flax_the_Feral_Fairy/index.aspx
If you would like to learn more about Flax the Feral Fairy and Tiffany, and I know you do, then make sure you catch this blog tour at:
Saturday 21 February
BJ Cullen – The Writing Life - http://www.bjcullen.blogspot.com
Sunday 22 February
Sally Murphy’s Writing for Children - http://sallymurphy.blogspot.com/
Monday 23 February
Writing Children’s Books with Robyn Opie - http://www.robynopie.blogspot.com
Tuesday 24 February
Let’s have Words - http://www.letshavewords.blogspot.com/
Wednesday 25 February
Dee Scribe Writing - http://www.deescribewriting.wordpress.com
Happy reading and writing,
Robyn Opie
http://www.robynopie.com
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