Talk About “Learning as You Go”….

I came home from New Orleans to a busy schedule, a messy house, and a scale that registered an extra five pounds. One part about being an author/artist that I find difficult is fitting in everything in one day. Is it possible to cook a healthy dinner, workout at the gym, keep in touch with my mom, and still have time to write and paint?

Some things get lost in the cracks, such as opening my mail. I had registered for the Northern Illinois 28th Annual Children’s Literature Conference on line, including the “Local Author’s” night, so I did not bother to open the envelop that arrived from them until it was too late to have Anderson’s Books order Truck Stuck for the conference book sale. Anderson’s told me to bring out as many copies as I had (five), and I could put them in the sale. Next year….

Next time I’ll know to get my books ordered. I’ll know that merely signing up as a local author does not automatically see to it that my book(s) get ordered.

Next time I’ll have promotional materials to had out to one and all. I had sent all the postcards that I had ordered from Vistaprint.com to the Illinois Reading Council luncheon in Springfield, where SCBWI-Illinois would have a booth promoting everyone’s published books. Why hadn’t I saved some cards for the Local Author’s night at the NIU Conference?

Next year I'll have a brochure that lists my school presentations on it so that teachers and librarians can keep a copy of what I have to offer. I’ll print it out just as soon as I write it up.

But the conference was a really great experience anyway. I love listening to authors and illustrators talk about their work—they are so generous in sharing what they have learned through experience, and their passion for their work is contagious. The topic of this conference was “Male Call: Boys and Books.” Truck Stuck seemed like a good fit, plus I had raised two boys myself.

I brought my five copies of Truck Stuck for Anderson’s, my one personal copy that has a botched inscription in it, three of my many trucks, and some art postcards that list my studio information. I scribbled my email address and Truck Stuck on the back of the cards and handed them out to everyone who stopped to look at Truck Stuck. The five copies sold out quickly. I wish I’d had more.

These are the kinds of mistakes that in the past might have made me say forget it. I’m not ready so I’m not going. But I am learning as I go. I will never have everything in perfect order—not if I’m actively working on a new manuscript at the same time I’m trying to promote the published book.

It took me by surprise this fall when I realized that an author’s life has 3 very separate roles to it—writing the next book; revising the current book; and promoting the published book. You have to be working at all of these all the time—you can’t say I’ll finish one and then turn to the next. Add to this that I’m also an artist and art works in much the same way—creating new work; submitting finished work; and delivering or picking up or hanging or installing work that has been accepted. I’m not a disorganized person by nature, but the nature of my life makes staying organized a challenge. And you want dinner, you say?

Truck Stuck/Tire Flat--it seems appropriate

Did I mention that I got a flat tire going to the book signing at the Maple Street Book Shop in New Orleans? There is more to the story than that. My cousin Becky had offered to pick me up at my hotel and drive me to the signing. We had allowed extra time and Becky arrived bright and early. I was still trying on clothes. I settled on an outfit and hurried downstairs to meet her. I hopped in the car and off we went. I was staying in the French Quarter and Maple Street Books is out near Tulane Unviersity (I think.) Beyond the garden district. Beyond Becky's yoga studio,(Audubon Yoga Studio),beyond where I had eaten the night before--some fabulous restaurant. We were almost at the bookstore when I realized I had forgotten my suitcase full of trucks. When I do a reading I bring along visual aides. Well, we seemed to have time enough, so we turned around and started zipping down St. Charles St. We were making good time and were about 6 blocks from my hotel when BANG!, a tire blew. Since Katrina and all the construction going on and no money or crews to repair the streets there are all kinds of hazards such as pot holes and nails. Becky's tire wasn't just flat, it was ruined. (She said it was about the 6th tire she'd blown since Katrina.)

We looked at each other. "Now what do we do?" asked Becky. "I've never changed a flat before."

"Do you have AAA?" I asked. She did. "Why don't you call them to help you with the car and I'll catch a taxi back to the hotel and then to the bookstore. We can meet up there."

So I abandoned Becky to her flat tire and set out to flag down a cab when a trolley car rolled down the tracks that had probably caused our flat. I hopped on board knowing I would end up just two blocks from the hotel. From there I high-tailed it to my room, grabbed my suitcase full of trucks, the one the TSA inspectors had had to search, and hailed a cab. The driver did not know where Maple Street was so I told him to drive out St. Charles St. and said that I was in a hurry. "I'm not rushing for anyone," he said. "You can take another cab if you want." But we kept going. I got on my phone and called the bookstore. The owner answered and seemed to take it in stride that I would be arriving late. She gave me directions (straight out St. Charles St. to Broadway, right on Broadway two blocks and left on Maple and you are practically there.)

It turned out that I was only about ten minutes late and so was everyone else showing up, but in the end I read to a nice crowd and Becky arrived about an hour later. Her boyfriend had come to her rescue. She knew that would be faster than AAA. Alls well that ends well. And what could be more appropriate than a flat tire for the writer of Truck Stuck?

Next Stop--New Orleans

One of the great things about being an artist and writer is that I get to set my own schedule. My husband had a conference in New Orleans at the end of February so naturally I went along. I asked Taylor Rogers if Charlesbridge could arrange a bookstore visit while I was there and she made arrangements with Maple Street Children's Book Shop. Whenever I mentioned that name to anyone from New Orleans they knew just which store it was.

I did not want to repeat my reading to one child experience, educational though it had been, so I emailed the two people I know in New Orleans. One is my neighbor’s son, who has worked there for the last 9 years or so and the other is my cousin Becky who runs Audubon Yoga Studio. I emailed them each a flyer attachment like I had made before and asked them to spread it among their friends and acquaintances.

I also emailed the SCBWI-Illinois list serve and asked that anyone with New Orleans contacts pass on my information. Our list serve, for SCBWI members only, is a wonderful resource where we can announce our signings and our good news, vent when needed, and most valuable of all, ask questions about the business of children’s books. Everyone is amazingly generous about sharing knowledge and experience and ideas. I heard back from at least nine people with suggestions about how to publicize my event. Most helpful of all, one member forwarded my email to a friend of hers who knows everyone and everything in New Orleans—or that’s what it felt like to me as we exchanged emails and phone calls. In a matter of a few days she had arranged for me to visit the Good Shepherd School on the day before my bookstore signing and speak with all the students (about 75) about writing, art, and journal writing. This school visit turned out to be one of the highlights of my trip to New Orleans.



Students of Good Shepherd School

I spoke to two grades at a time, beginning with the 4th and 5th graders. I read Truck Stuck to all of them and talked about the next book I am working on, a book of bird poetry which I am illustrating with my journal sketches. The 4th and 5th graders were quite taken with my explanations of how to draw birds, using a “vocabulary” of straight and curved lines and basic geometric shapes. We left my demonstration drawing standing on the easel in the lunch room and a group of girls took the opportunity to practice drawing during their lunch break.

With the 6th and 7th graders I talked about the writing process and the long journey of submitting and revising and resubmitting my work. Truck Stuck was sent to 12 different publishers over a 12 year period. It is a lesson in persistence.

The 2d and 3rd graders enjoyed the story itself and the lively illustrations of Andy Robert Davies. I told them which elements in the illustrations came from my suggestions and which elements, such as the Elvis character, were completely Andy’s contribution.

The book signing at the Maple Street Children’s Bookstore turned out great despite my getting a flat tire on the way to the signing! Note to self—ALWAYS carry the contact information for the event with me and have a cell phone with a charged battery. Luckily I did have the phone number and was able to alert the bookstore owner that I would be a few minutes late.

I arrived not too late and not too flustered. There were only a few people, including my neighbor’s son, waiting for me, but the tiny store soon filled up with young children and their families. My cousin was responsible for bringing in most of the families. She has an extensive email list for her yoga studio business and she had contacted everyone she knew who had young kids. She had also announced my event at her classes and had a printout of my email announcement for people to take. I was so glad I had thought to ask her help and given her enough notice to really spread the news effectively.

I read Truck Stuck twice that afternoon and kids played with my trucks as I signed books. We sold at least 19 copies and I felt that the event was quite worthwhile. Once again, I’m not sure my book would have been picked up by this store if we hadn’t scheduled the signing, but now the owner is familiar with my book and knows I have a second book in the works with Charlesbridge. I hope to return to Maple Street Children's Book Shop in a year, when the next book is released.

Truck Stuck Officially Hits the Road

great shoes




I didn't know I make so many faces when I read aloud

I viewed my trip to North Carolina as a dress rehearsal. On Feb. 17 the Magic Tree Bookstore in Oak Park hosted the Official Book Launch Party. The Magic Tree is our local independent children’s bookstore and I have been friends with the owners for years. They are very supportive of our SCBWI-IL Oak Park network. And they have taken a personal interest in the Truck Stuck manuscript, helping me brainstorm where to submit it. So of course this was the store of choice for a Launch Party. We scheduled the party for 1 pm on a Sunday afternoon and I sent an email flyer to everyone I knew inviting them.

Here is a copy of the flyer which I included as an attachment to an email note:
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It’s a Party!

Bring your truck.
Will it get stuck?
There’ll be lemonade.
A balloon parade.
Lots to do—
Hullabaloo!

Hope to see you at my book signing and launch party for Truck Stuck!

Magic Tree Bookstore (141 N. Oak Park Avenue, Oak Park, IL 60301)
http://www.magictreebookstore.com/happenings.html#truck

Sunday, February 17, 2008 at 1 p.m.

Sallie Wolf





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note the hood ornament, just like the illustration

I ordered a cake from a fellow SCBWI-IL member who is a fabulous baker. She made the most delicious cake to look exactly like the truck in the book. I bought lemonade and brought my suitcase full of trucks. I was ready to party!

A huge number of my friends showed up, with and without with small kids. The Magic Tree had rolled away several of their bookstands to clear a large space on the floor and laid down picnic blankets for the children to sit on. I pulled out my trucks and the kids started playing with the trucks. I read the story aloud, using the trucks and my shoebox viaduct to act out the story. Then I cut the truck cake and we celebrated with cake and lemonade, and while people enjoyed the cake and chatted, I signed book after book after book. The kids played with the trucks on the floor. The good news and the bad news is we ran out of books to sell! The Magic Tree staff said that had never happened at a signing before. But I think I should have warned them about how many people I had invited. We sold over 40 books and many more were ordered.

What did I learn from this event? Quite a lot. Number one, it really pays to know your local bookseller. The staff at the Magic Tree have taught me so much, including which publishers they like (Charlesbridge is one of them), which books are selling well, what books they would like to see published (broken bones is a topic they would like to see covered). I have attended many author/illustrator events there and make it a point to get to as many as I can just to see what other authors do, how they interact with their audience, what visual aids they bring. I like to discuss books with the staff because they are avid readers who enjoy the literature they sell. And they even referred me to another independent bookstore about an hour away and I have arranged to do a story hour with them in a few weeks.

What else did I learn? Let the bookstore know if I have reason to believe there will be a huge demand for books. I never asked the Magic Tree how many books they had ordered, but when I realized how many people might show up I knew they would not have ordered enough. Luckily, most of these people are good friends of mine and they are going to buy the book even if they have to order it. But there definitely was a “heat of the moment” feel to the party and it would have been good to not run out.

And lastly, I learned that I should not depend solely on the bookstore to send out press releases to the local papers. Partly, the paper wants the store to advertise and is reluctant to cover events it feels are just free publicity. And partly, the bookstore owners are just as busy as I am. And partly, if the paper gets more than one press release about an up-coming event, it might pay more attention. Contacting the local media is something I need to work at still. But as I say, I’m learning as I go.

And I also realized that, while the suitcase full of trucks is a great visual aid and attention-getter, it can also be a distraction. I am learning how to coordinate playing with the trucks with reading the book, but it takes practice.

An audience of one

I have read Truck Stuck at four different bookstore events. Each one has been quite different, and I’ve learned something new at each one.

I was visiting family who live in Chapel Hill, so the Publicity/Promotions Assistant at Charlesbridge, set up a book signing at a nearby chain bookstore that has a regular story hour. Only one little girl and her grandmother showed up. She listened politely to my truck book. She was there to read princess books. However, a mom who was nearby without her kids bought two copies of my book based on the reading.

The main thing I learned from my first book store event is don’t depend on the bookstore to publicize the event. I should have asked my sister, brother, mother, and sister-in-law, all of whom live in Chapel Hill, to email or call all their friends who have small children or who would be interested in the book.

The next thing I learned is that no book store event is a waste of time if it gets the book into the store and lets you establish a relationship with the children’s department and the community relations manager. I talked up my next book and offered to come back in a year, once that one is published.

In fact, this bookstore would not have been carrying my book if we hadn’t arranged the signing. By reading in the store I ensured that they were aware of the book, had it in stock, and heard it read. Furthermore, I also visited the preschool where my sister teaches and read Truck Stuck to two classes. My sister created a simple order form and sold 26 copies of the book, which we bought from that store, effectively emptying their stock. I asked the manager of the children’s department to reorder the book, and he did.

My sister and I went to the rival chain and told them that they should order Truck Stuck because the other store was sold out. (Then I confessed that I was the author. The person helping us laughed, ordered three copies of the book, and said she would make a point of reading it.)

Welcome to Learning as I go

I am the author of two children’s books. The first book is titled Peter’s Trucks. It was published in 1992 by Albert Whitman and Company and illustrated by Cat Bowman Smith. Currently it is out of print.

My second book is Truck Stuck, illustrated by Andy Robert Davies and published by Charlesbridge Publishing. It was just released last month and I am in the middle of trying to promote it. Because Peter’s Trucks came out so long ago I feel as if I am a first time author again. I really did not do very much to promote PT myself, and Albert Whitman did not do much either, beyond printing a lovely bookmark which I could hand out at school visits. I also had kids at home and was attending art school part-time and was not as free as I am now to devote my efforts to building my writing career.

This blog will be a record of what I am doing to promote my published work and what I learn along the way.