Peggy Archer
Children's Author

Greetings from O’Fallon! It’s been a summer of emptying boxes, finding things and re-discovering other things, and everything else that it takes to move from one state to another. We’re finally settling in, and I’m beginning to make a few connections to the world of children’s books here in Missouri.

My first stop, shortly after moving in, was to the Middendorf-Kredell Library in O’Fallon, where I visited the children’s department and met the librarian and staff there. I’m lucky to be just ten minutes away from this beautiful new branch of the St. Charles Library District.

The O’Fallon children’s librarian gave me the name of the owner of Main Street Books, an independent bookstore in near-by St. Charles. I made a visit to Main Street Books a couple of weeks later, and met Vicki Erwin, bookstore owner and fellow SCBWI member. The warm, cozy atmosphere, like most independent bookstores, feels like family, and I have it on my list to return soon and browse through the stacks. (www.mainstreetbooks.net)

Wherever there’s an SCBWI member, there’s a smiling, friendly person ready to share children’s book-related information. Vicki gave me the link to the St. Louis Independent Bookstore Alliance. I was amazed at the number of independent bookstore in the St. Louis area. Checking their schedule of events, I found that several children‘s authors were on the books doing author appearances at various stores, including Jarrett Krosoczka (the LUNCH LADY graphic novel series), author/illustrator Peter Brown (CHILDREN MAKE TERRIBLE PETS and YOU WILL BE MY FRIEND!), and Jack Gantos (JOEY PIGZA and ROTTEN RALPH). My calendar is filling up quickly! (www.stlindiebook.com)

I enjoy doing author visits to schools and libraries, as well as visits to bookstores. I stopped at the Mid Rivers Barnes & Noble bookstore in St. Peters, where my son’s family lives, and met Shelly, who schedules the activities there. I just added an author story time and a book signing to my calendar during Educators Week on October 22nd. My daughter’s family recently moved from north of St. Louis to Fenton. I contacted the South Roxana Library where they visited before they moved, and offered to sign copies of my books. I'm looking forward to doing an author visit there sometime in the next several months.

Of course, the one place that I KNOW will connect me to other children’s writers no matter what state I’m in is SCBWI (http://www.scbwi.org ). I’ve registered for the Missouri SCBWI fall conference (http://moscbwi.org/Home_Page.html) on November 5th in St. Charles, which is just a hop over from O’Fallon. I’m looking forward to meeting an editor, an agent, and of course other children’s authors and illustrators.

I’m beginning to warm up to this new home state of Missouri. No pun intended (or maybe so), since except for the past few days, the temps have been in the 90’s and 100’s ever since we moved here!
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At this time, I'm feeling a bit of a longing for our home and friends in Indiana, and at the same time looking forward to settling into a new place in life in Missouri. My husband and I have sold our house in Indiana and are moving on to new adventures.

Mixed blessings. In Indiana were leaving behind some wonderful friends and family, including our grandson who will soon be off on his own adventures. In Missouri we're looking forward to spending more time with other family and grandchildren, watching them grow and sharing their lives.

Right now we're in limbo for a couple of weeks, visiting family here in Ohio, and celebrating Independence Day. My blogging comes in spurts. I'm trying to keep up at least now and then, until we get more settled.

Here are a few riddles that I found on line, courtesy of Jest for Kids.

What kind of tea did the American colonists thirst for?
--Liberty!

What protest by a group of dogs occurred in 1773?
--The Boston Flea Party!

What happened as a result of the Stamp Act?
--The Americans licked the British!

What would you get if you crossed a patriot with a small curly-haired dog?
--a Yankee Poodle!

What did one flag say to the other flag?
--Nothing. It just waved!

What quacks, has webbed feet, and betrays his country?
--Beneduck Arnold!

What's big, cracked, and carries your luggage?
--The Liberty Bellhop!

What happened as a result of the Stamp Act?
--The Americans licked the British!

Happy Independence Day to you all!

Find more riddles at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/puns-of-the-day/messages/4339  Read More 

Daniel Stefanski is a 14-year old middle grade student and the author of the book HOW TO TALK TO AN AUTISTIC KID. Having been diagnosed with autism about three years ago, Daniel gives the inside scoop on what goes on inside the head of an autistic kid and offers humorous advice on how to be a friend to those with autism. Written in a very direct and straightforward manner, HOW TO TALK TO AN AUTISTIC KID will help readers of all ages to understand and talk to people with autism.

I had the privilege of interviewing Daniel about his book. Here is what he had to say.

What was your inspiration for writing your book, HOW TO TALK TO AN AUTISTIC KID?
I told my mom that I didn’t like the way some of the kids were talking to me at school, so my mom asked, “how would you like to write a book?” and we did.

How long did it take you to write your book?
About two years.

Did you have any help along the way?
Mom and I have been writing down my experiences in a journal for years. Mom typed these up for me and helped make it into a book.

How did you find your publisher?
Mom sent a letter to publishers telling them about our idea for the book.

Did your book receive any rejections before Free Spirit Publishing accepted your book for publication?
Two publishers accepted our book and two publishers rejected our book. We chose Free Spirit Publishing because everyone who works there is very nice, and they write important books for kids.

What were the challenges you encountered in writing the book?
Getting my words out so they make sense. Trying to communicate what I mean.

How did you balance school work with writing? When did you do your writing?
We wrote mostly when I was on school breaks. Mom says “homework comes first.”

Did you encounter any obstacles along the way? What about being only 14? Did that make a difference when you were marketing your book?
I don’t know if being 14 made a difference. I don’t think so. Publishers and other people seem to think it’s pretty cool that a kid wrote a book.

What about doing book signings, and meeting the public since your book came out? Is that hard for you? Do you enjoy it?
It’s been fun. I’m learning to shake hands but it’s still hard to look people in the eye. Mom says looking people in the eye might always be difficult because of the autism.

What has been the most fun part of writing this book so far?
Getting respect from the kids at school. Even the popular kids say “hi” to me now.

What has been the hardest part of writing this book?
Still getting used to seeing my face on a book. It’s kinda strange but a good strange.

What tips or advice do you have for other teens and students who aspire to become an author?
Just do it. If you enjoy writing and being creative, have fun. Don’t worry about what others think.

What’s your favorite book (other than your own book)?
Probably, The Star Wars Character Encyclopedia.

Do you plan to write another book, or was this just one topic that you wanted to write about?
Yes, we are working on a book about Tourette Syndrome because my friend, Patrick, has Tourette’s. Like Autism, I want people to understand that it isn’t a kids fault if he has Tourette’s, and it’s not nice to tease.

Is being an author a career that you would like to pursue, or is there another career that you’d rather do someday?
I want to draw, write, plus make movies and video games.

Did you do your own illustrations for the book? If not, who did the illustrations? Did you need to find your own illustrator for the book? Are the illustrations similar to what you had pictured for the book in your mind?
Free Spirit Publishing hired an illustrator named, Hazel Mitchell. She did a good job of making the illustrated Daniel look like the real Daniel. He even dresses the same.

Adopted from an orphanage in Bulgaria at age four, Daniel now lives in Valparaiso, Indiana. He has a passion for writing and drawing, and is a talented golfer. An animal lover and shelter volunteer, Daniel is surrounded by the love of his mom, dad, stepfather, brother and five dogs.

Here are some links to sites about Daniel and his book.

Free Spirit Publishing: http://www.freespirit.com/catalog/author_detail.cfm?AUTHOR_ID=337

U-tube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=daqc2qAa0uw&feature=youtu.be

Facebook Daniel at: http://www.facebook.com/pages/How-to-Talk-to-an-Autistic-Kid/206146182737967

e-mail Daniel at: help4kids@freespirit.com
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Happy 25th Birthday to Kids Ink Children’s Bookstore! Thank you for promoting children’s books and supporting children’s authors for a quarter of a century.

I love independent bookstores. They’re warm and fuzzy. It’s like family. The staff is creative and loaded with enthusiasm. The people who browse and shop there are so friendly. And let’s face it, where else do you get to autograph the bathroom wall?! Seriously, check it out!

I was invited to join in on the celebration, and a couple of weeks ago my husband and I drove down to Indianapolis where Kids Ink is located. I signed copies of my picture books, got to talk to writers and artists and readers of all ages, and schmooze with the staff and other children’s authors who were there. Janna Mathies signed copies of her picture book THE GOODBYE CANCER GARDEN, and Nathan Clement signed copies of his newest picture book, JOB SITE. My own picture books NAME THAT DOG! and FROM DAWN TO DREAMS were there for the signing.

Congratulations, Kids Ink, and many more years to come!
Find Kids Ink on facebook at www.facebook.com/pages/Kids-Ink-Childrens-Bookstore/84267983634
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Getting published in the children’s field is often a long, hard journey. So it’s good to have a plan. While you wait for that acceptance, here are some things that you can do to help move you closer to your goal.

1—Read children’s books
Read to find out what children are reading. Read to see what publishers are buying. Read to learn how to write. Read the type of books that you want to write, but read other genres, too. And don’t forget children’s magazines. Get to know your children’s librarian and the children’s book coordinator at your local bookstore. They can tell you what they like. They can tell you what kinds of books they want more of. And they’ll be rooting for you when you get your first book published!

2—Read about writing for children
There are books on craft, books on marketing, and books about the children’s publishing business. There are books about how to write for children, from picture books to YA and everything else in between. Gather tips from authors and editors by reading magazines and newsletters for children’s writers. The Children’s Writer and Children’s Book Insider, are excellent examples. Writers’ Digest magazine occasionally prints a special issue about writing for children, and Publishers’ Weekly has two issues per year about children’s books.

3—Check out websites for children’s writers
Many good websites offer articles about the children’s publishing business and writing for children, as well as current marketing news. Be sure to check when the site was last updated, and the credibility of the website’s author. Check out authors’ websites and blogs, and discussion boards for children’s writers.

4—Research the market
Read children’s books to see what’s being published. Check out the current Children’s Writers & Illustrators Market Book, which is updated every year. Keep up with the trends and markets by reading magazines and newsletters, specifically those for children’s writers.

5—Submit to magazines
A good way to feel instant gratification is to get something out in the mail. Stories, puzzles, or jokes for magazines are shorter, and take less time to write. Children’s magazines are usually quicker to respond. Rejections may pile up, but they also show that you’re writing. And acceptances help your writing credits, validate your writing, and boost your enthusiasm.

6—Join a critique group
Writing is a lonely profession. Critique groups keep you in touch with other children’s writers. In a critique group you can get feedback on your writing, get a push to get something finished, and share marketing news, writing experiences, and good news. If possible, join a group of children’s writers. The process of writing for children is different than writing for adults, and feedback from writers who write only for adults can sometimes be off the mark.

7—Join the Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators (SCBWI)
SCBWI is the only international organization for children’s writers and illustrators. It opens up many excellent opportunities, such as grants, and conferences. SCBWI provides more information than you can get from any other source, and includes the bi-monthly SCBWI Bulletin, the yearly updated market survey, and many other publications. It offers opportunities to connect with children’s authors and editors from around the globe.

8—Attend conferences and events related to writing for children
Choose your conferences carefully. Attend those that are specifically geared for children’s writers. Networking with other children’s writers, both published and to-be-published, meeting editors of children’s books and magazines, and opening up markets for your manuscript that are otherwise closed to submissions are benefits in addition to the information gained from speakers’ presentations and handouts.

9—Find opportunities to attend other local events related to children’s books and writing
In addition to conferences, find out when children’s authors will be speaking at libraries and schools in your area, and plan to attend. If you speak to a school librarian ahead of time and explain that you are a children’s writer, they are usually happy to let you sit in on an author’s presentation. If a national event such as Book Expo or an ALA event is planned in your area, don’t miss the opportunity to attend.

10—Enter contests and apply for grants
You won’t get published if you don’t submit, and you won’t win if you don’t try! Besides the possibility of winning a contest or being awarded a grant, there are some hidden benefits. Getting something completed within a deadline, gathering tips on what editors and judges are looking for and tips on ways to promote your work are obvious. But earning a letter of merit, or placing in a contest is something you can put in a cover letter. And you never know when one of the judges, perhaps an editor, might take an interest in your manuscript and ask for your submission!

11—Set realistic goals
Begin with a goal that you can accomplish. Once you’ve reached that goal, re-evaluate and set higher goals. Starting with small, attainable goals will give you a sense of accomplishment rather than a feeling of failure. Re-evaluating and setting higher goals along the way will give you a push to keep moving forward. When you reach a goal, reward yourself with a small treat—a piece of candy, an outing, time to yourself or with friends.

12—Volunteer
Check with your library, your child’s school, and in your community to find opportunities to help with events where you will be surrounded by children and children’s books. Go a step further and volunteer to help with events planned by your local SCBWI. Besides the good feeling you get from helping others, and the vast writing material you get from working with children, you never know who you might meet that will help you along the way in your career as a children’s author or illustrator.

The following puzzle describes all of us who write for children:
proworkgress
No matter what stage we’re at in our quest to be a part of the children’s book world, we are always a Work in Progress!
pro-work-gress
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The Children’s Choice Book Awards program, launched in 2008 by The Children’s Book Council (CBC) in association with Every Child A Reader, was created to provide young readers with an opportunity to voice their opinions about the books being written for them and to help develop a reading list that will motivate children to read more and cultivate a love of reading.

On May 3rd the Children’s Book Council announced the following winners of the Children's Choice Book Awards for 2011:

Author of the Year
Rick Riordan for The Lost Hero (The Heroes of Olympus, Book 1) (Disney-Hyperion)

Illustrator of the Year
David Wiesner for Art & Max (Clarion/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)

Kindergarten to Second Grade Book of the Year
Little Pink Pup by Johanna Kerby (Putnam/Penguin)

Third Grade to Fourth Grade Book of the Year
Lunch Lady and the Summer Camp Shakedown by Jarrett J. Krosoczka (Knopf/Random House)

Fifth Grade to Sixth Grade Book of the Year
The Red Pyramid (The Kane Chronicles, Book 1) by Rick Riordan (Disney-Hyperion)

Teen Choice Book of the Year
Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan (Dutton/Penguin)
--from Children's Book Council
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April came to a close for Indiana SCBWI at our Spring Conference for Children's Writers and Illustrators in Indianapolis. We welcomed the spring weather, and renewed our spirits with inspiration as well as information coming from experts in the field of children's writing and illustrating.

Our speakers included--
Lisa Yoskowitz, editor at Disney*Hyperion Books for Children,
Kerry Martin, Book Designer for children's picture books at Clarion Books/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt,
Mary Kole, literary agent for children's writers at the Andrea Brown Literary Agency, and
Rebecca Kai Dotlich, poet and children's author and Golden Kite Honor recipiant for her picture book, "Bella and Bean."

We kicked off the week-end on Friday evening with open mic readings by attending authors, and portfolio reviews by illustrators who were there. A great way to get some quick feed-back from other children's writers and illustrators, as well as from the speakers.

Saturday morning got us into the meat of the conference.

Rebecca Kai Dotlich started us out with a peek into her writer's studio. She talked about how she writes, and her journey to publication--the ups and downs, rejections and then the acceptances--and gave tips for aspiring writers.

Lisa Yoskowitz then talked about creating suspense in our stories. Some advice she gave--
*Stay true to the world and the characters that you've created.
*Create strong characters that will make the reader care about what happens to them.
*Introduce conflict, to stir up the plot, and to stir up the characters
*Keep the stakes high; good suspense stirs up the reader's imagination.

Mary Kole talked about what an agent does, and how to choose an agent that's right for you. She shared some tips on writing a query letter to an agent, including--
Always follow the agent guidelines.
Personalize your query to the agent.
Include what you think the selling point of your manuscript is, who your audience will be, and the word count.
Include a short bio related to your writing.
Be brief and professional.
She then read some query letters submitted by attendees, and talked about the strong and weak points of each.

Other breakout sessions to chose from (such a difficult decision!) were offered--
Rebecca Kai Dotlich, on A Banter of Basics, for beginning writers.
Lisa Yoskowitz, on Marketing your Manuscript to Stand Out in the Sluch Pile.
Kerry Martin, on How to Make the most of Your Illustration Marketing, using some real-life illustration submissions as examples.
Mary Kole, on what Separates Aspiring Writers from Published Authors.
And Kerry Martin again, on The Lauguage of Picture Books, interesting to writers as well as illustrators.

All of our speakers listened to anonymous First Pages of a manuscript submitted by attendees, and looked at illustration submissions. The speakers commented on whether they would be drawn in by that first page and continue reading, and why they would consider an illustrator based on their illustration sample.

In between sessions, four published Indiana authors were spotlighted and we heard a five-minute account of their journey to publication.

And at the end of the day, all of the speakers formed a panel to answer questions from attendees.

Sunday morning highlighted the writer or illustrator intensives, with another opportunity to receive input on manuscripts or portfolios.

Part of the value of the conference experience was to meet and talk to other children's authors and illustrators who were attending the conference, which adds to the value of the conference. Great feed-back after the conference confirmed that attendees came away encouraged, and committed to their work.

Thanks to all of the speakers, and the wonderful volunteers who helped make the week-end a success. Happy writing or illustrating to all!  Read More 

Between new babies and other family matters, my blog has taken a back seat this month. I decided to get in a late contribution to poetry month by going through how I wrote, and re-wrote, one of the poems from my picture book, NAME THAT DOG!

My inspiration for Melody was my friend’s dog, Mellie. Every time I would go to Karen’s house, Mellie barked like crazy, even before I got the front door! I told Karen, “You don’t need a doorbell. You have Mellie!”

My first idea was to write about a dog who loved to ‘sing,’ and with his barking he would get all of the dogs in the neighborhood to join in. I called him Maestro, like the leader of an orchestra. Here’s the first draft:

Maestro
He sings along
When I play the piano
He hits the high notes
In perfect soprano.
He can hold it long
He can sing it low
Dogs follow the lead
Of my dog, Maestro.

Ok, I wasn't really happy with this poem--yet. Here are some reasons why.

Rhythm: This poem didn’t just roll off your tongue with that easy rhythm.

The stress fell on different syllables in the lines. I try to have each line stress the same syllable, either the first or the second usually, to make it easy to read. It doesn’t always work out that way, but at least it feels right when you read it out loud. The stress here falls on the second or third syllable, and doesn’t line up in order. The last line puts the stress on the word ‘my,’ which doesn’t feel natural. In addition, the lines don’t have the same number of syllables. It doesn’t always have to be exactly the same, but I felt that it was too far off.

Imagery: I didn’t feel that the end result put any special pictures or images in the reader’s mind. Ok, maybe a piano, maybe an orchestra conductor. Boring!

Language: Word choice, or language, is what creates the images that the readers see when they read a poem. It’s also what makes the reader feel something when they read a poem. I definitely thought I could do better here.

So I started to make my lists. I made a list of words of ways that a dog makes noise: bark, howl, yap, etc. I made a list of words that were synonyms for ‘sing:’ croon, tra-la-la, chant, hum, wail, moan…. I made a list of types of music: country, opera, pop, rock, rap…. I made a list of musical instruments: piano, saxophone, flute, violin….

I decided to re-name my dog Melody, after Mellie, who barked whenever someone came up the walk, and made her a girl like the real Mellie. I looked at my lists, and tried to relate the different words to a dog, in particular to a dog who liked to ‘sing.’ Here’s what I ended up with.

Melody
She sings when I play the piano.
She croons to the saxophone blues.
She wails to that sad country music
And moans to the nine o’clock news.
She boldly increases her volume,
enjoying the voice that she’s found,
And sings a duet with the doorbell—
That howling, melodious hound.

Poems are meant to be read out loud! I ended up with a much better rhythm, and a poem that was fun to read. The language was fun, too. And the images are there in every line for the reader to enjoy. I hope that you enjoy these poems, as well.  Read More 

Our newest inspiration was born on March 29th—baby girl, Claire Elise! Claire is beautiful. Of course, all babies are beautiful. But your own are the very best.

PapPap (my husband) and I had an amazing two weeks in Missouri at the beginning of the month. Two of our children live there with their young families. We spent time with the little ones and their parents. We celebrated the new birth. We babysat. We helped our daughter’s family move into their new house a week after their baby was born. And we enjoyed the warm weather!

I always come home inspired by the comments and observations of our four (now five) grandchildren who live there. Each comment is like a slice of life, a photograph taken from life’s scheme of things. Kind of like poetry, it’s just a little piece of the picture.

Some things I learned:

If you want to get your mother’s attention, stand on a sit and spin. --from the viewpoint of a one-year old.

Lock your bedroom door when you challenge a four-year old to a race to see who gets dressed first.

A little-girl sized umbrella will make a three-year old smile for a long time.

Big helium balloons are more fun than toys.

Running in circles in an empty house is more fun than toys.

“Avocado” can make a kid laugh just because it’s fun to say.

Coloring can be great fun, or overrated, depending on which four-year old you’re with.

A kitchen chair blocking the way will not keep a one-year old away from the cabinet with the horse statues—he just crawls underneath it.

A little boy might forget about a hurt knee if you tell him you’re going to get up the stairs before he does.

A two-year old will tell you he’s going to hide under the bed, and that you have to come and find him.
A four-year old makes you count to 35 and can hide in places you can’t get to.

A one-year old can’t wait to see the next page in the book, and turns the pages before you’re done reading all the words.
A three-year old will count every apple/ball/spot on every page of the book you’re reading.
A four-year old picks the book with the most words/pages for his bedtime story and tells you when you’ve missed any words.

“Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose.” --from an almost 5-year old, playing Candyland with his mother.

And writers who get to spend time with pre-schoolers are blessed.  Read More 

March has been a busy month for young authors! I've had a great time at school events, including the most recent at Starke County Young Artists Fair in North Judson, Boone Grove Young Authors Program in Boone Grove, and speaking to the students at Northview Elementary School in Valparaiso. Tomorrow I'll be speaking to the students at Fieler Elementary School in Merrillville. Kudos to the teachers and adults who plan these events for kids!

One student asked what the best thing about being an author was. My answer--to finally see my book published, and then to see a child reading it and know that they are loving it. And right up there on top is talking to kids about my books, about reading and about writing. Kids are fun to be around. They say what they're thinking. They're interesting. And they have great questions. I got to hang around with students during book signings, see the wonderful books that they created, and take silly pictures with the class. I also got to rub elbows with some of the teachers and staff(I'm wondering how that volleyball game turned out!). Obviously March was a good month for me.

Another perk of school events at times is seeing friends who write for children, and meeting other authors. Judy Roth was also a guest author at the Starke County Young Artists Fair. Her picture book, Good-Night, Dragon, will be out from Hyperion in December 2012.

Check out some more pictures here on the left.  Read More