I read The Complete Idiot's Guide to Publishing Children's Books by Harold D. Underdown. This was the third edition and some of this may be out-of-date. This is a list of things that I got from it at this point in my writing career. My knowledge is past the beginning stage of writing, and I know a lot about books in general from my work as a Children's Librarian. So, for me, the greatest gain was about submissions and imprints and tidbits that specifically relate to what I'm writing. I came away with some new ideas about how to approach my submission process, I was encouraged by some of what I read, and I have set some new goals for the year. Maybe some of it will be applicable to others. Turn to the book for the complete conversation about each bulleted item. Most of these are exactly as Harold Underdown wrote them. I hope you'll find something useful as well.
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I remember the excitement of visiting the public library as a child. The magic and suspense of reading favorites like The Velvet Room and The Secret Garden tugged at my imagination. Biographies of George Washington Carver and Betsy Ross allowed me to see the lives of those who came before me and to appreciate their accomplishments. Poetry collections like my favorite The Tall Book of Poems, which I took with me on sleepovers, introduced me to a range of poetry where I could consider how the placement and rhythm of words affected your mood – sometimes bouncy, other times melancholy. Plus, I really loved the way that book felt in my small hands. My goal in writing children’s books, I think, is an attempt to recreate those feelings, those early years of reading books where everything seemed possible.
I received an M.F.A. in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Hamline University and won the Karen and Philip Cushman Late Bloomer Award from SCBWI. I worked as a Children's Librarian for 20 years and still prefer to read books written for young people. I have two Cavapoo dogs named Prince Albert and Daisy Wu, and a black kitten named Mortimer. I am married and split time between homes with my husband Rod in Dayton, OH and in Cadiz, KY where we enjoy our pontoon boat on Lake Barkley.
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February 2024
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