Truck Stuck still rolling

Here is a picture from the Illinois SCBWI booth at the Illinois Reading Council conference held annually. What a wonderful job our Illinois members did of promoting Illinois authors and illustrators. Truck Stuck is front and slightly right of center--you can see how a good cover image can help promote a book. Thank you everyone who worked at this event, and especially Louann Brown and Toni Leahy, who organized the SCBWI-Illinois booth.

And on a completely different continent--I just got back from a two-week trip to South Africa with the Brown University Travelers and Penn University Alumnae. It was a fabulous, whirl-wind trip, packed with sight-seeing, lectures, and animal-viewing safaris. I brought two copies of Truck Stuck--one specifically for a school in Zambia, and one to carry in my backpack. We were crossing from a day of animal viewing at Chobe National Park in Botswana back to Zambia, where we'd come to view Victoria Falls. There was a school group waiting to take the ferry also. I gave them my last copy of Truck Stuck and asked if I could take their picture. There were several more opportunities where I could have shared my book with South African school children. Note to self--always travel with extra copies.



I did have postcards with the cover art on one side and information about the book and my website on the back. I handed these out to everyone on our tour who wanted one.

Evolution of a Cover Letter

It took me several (12!?!) years to find a publisher for Truck Stuck. I got many "good" rejection letters. I resubmitted. Each time I rewrote the cover letter to fit the editor I was submitting to. Here is my first cover letter:

"I have been distilling this picture book for some time. I am sending it to you first because you did such a nice job on Peter's Trucks. Again I envision a picture book for the very young. I think there is lots for an illustrator to work with, especially contrasting the reactions of the children and the adults to the situation."

This first cover letter was sent to an editor with whom I already had a relationship, having published my first book with her. In fact, my contract required that I submit my next manuscript to her. Eventually her publishing house passed on this manuscript, despite strong editorial support.

So I submitted to another editor:

"I read in the Prairie Wind, the publication of the Illinois chapter of SCBWI, that you are looking for picture book manuscripts. Enclosed is my manuscript for Truck Stuck, a picture book for 3 to 6 year olds. I am also enclosing a brief synopsis with some ideas I have for illustrations.

"Trucks get stuck under the viaducts in Oak Park on a regular basis. I have spent several summers looking at (and photographing) all types of trucks which are found on the residential streets here, the kinds of vehicles which could go through the viaducts here without getting stuck. I have tried to pick some of the most interesting vehicles and the occupations they represent....."

I got a really good rejection to this submission--"...love the title and concept of this manuscript, but..."

Quite a few years and many rejections later I wrote what I think is the almost perfect cover letter. A good cover letter will never make up for a weak manuscript, but a good cover letter can prepare the editor to read your manuscript with an open and engaged mind. This is the letter that presented a really strong manuscript:

"Here is a picture book, complete in 135 words, with a diverse cast of characters, which begs for joyful, playful illustration. The many vehicles and busy street scenes will appeal to the youngest toddlers. But the rhythm, rhyme, and dual story lines will hold the interest of older children as well as beginning readers. The short, lively text makes this book an appealing read-aloud. Since the subplot, contrasting the reactions of children to adults, will be told in pictures while the text focuses on the main storyline of a truck that becomes stuck, I have enclosed a synopsis and a dummy...."

This cover letter covers the important points: what I am submitting, who the audience is, and what the story is about, and it states these ideas in strong, unequivocal language. It is clear that I believe in this story. Every word in the letter is true, without making claims that are essentially subjective judgments.

And here is a photo that substantiates my claims for the audience appeal:

This is a friend of my older son, Lou, reading with his first-born.






"The kid looks so serious," commented my husband.

"He was probably trying to decipher the complex rhyming scheme," answered Pete, my younger son.

I think he was engaged in the lively street scenes.

The Economy Hits Home

I got a call from my editor at Charlesbridge. Actually, she left me a message. This is unusual since we normally communicate by email. I reached her the next morning. She was calling to tell me in person that my next book, The Robin Makes A Laughing Sound: A Birder’s Journal, was being pushed back 6 months, from Fall 2009 to Spring 2010. It’s the economy, of course.

Before this recent economic downturn, Charlesbridge had planned to increase the number of books they publish each year. But sales in children’s books, like everything else, have dropped drastically. To reduce costs, Charlesbridge has decided not to increase the size of their lists for the near future. My book has not been printed yet, so it would save money now to push it back a season.

Yolanda was very encouraging in her explanation. They still are very excited about my book. She thinks the later publishing date may lead to better sales if the economy begins to pick up a little.

Of course, I am disappointed that I will have to wait until Feb. of 2010 to actually get a bound copy of this book that has been such a labor of love. But I have a certain amount of relief, too. I was feeling behind already in promoting this book. Now I have more time to write the extra materials, such as an activities & teacher’s guide, and to get publicity notices out to the right organizations (National & Chicago Audubon, Chicago Wilderness, and other birding and conservation communities, for example).

There is another reason I feel a little relieved—I don’t yet have the next book submitted and under contract. It’s really hard to write when I’m in the heat of bookstore appearances and school visits. I now have a few more months to work. My next project is another idea derived from my journals and artwork, the way Robin is. I am writing a manuscript based on the art from the Moon Project.

So I am taking the advice of Laura Ruby, SCBWI-Illinois presenter at a past Prairie Writer’s Day: “Write the next book!”

Bookamania!

Bookamania at the Harold Washington Library in downtown Chicago was a study in organized chaos. Hundreds of families waded through the crowds on many floors in many rooms to participate in an astounding number of activities all created around children's books.

I was one of five featured authors and/or illustrators who read and signed books and helped kids with craft projects related to our books. I brought my suitcase of trucks, always a hit. I read my book, and then lined the trucks up behind the big stuck truck, and let the kids play with the trucks for a few minutes. Then the kids helped me pack up my suitcase. My little trucks are taking a beating. I may need to find some replacements.

The craft project for Truck Stuck involved gluing a red truck and two gray strips of paper onto a large green sheet of paper to make a road and viaduct and a stuck truck. There were craypas and pastels to draw more details. This project was fun for a pretty wide age of kids. Some spent only a few minutes, some stayed to draw a long time.

Bookamania took place on November 22 from 11 am to 3 pm, and once it started it never let down until the very end. Mo Willems was the big draw--the line for getting his autograph was always long. Luckily the staff at the HWLibrary really know how to run a great show. They had recruited hundreds of volunteers who assisted with every aspect of the day. I was particularly thankful for the way they manned the crafts tables, guided me to lunch, and kept everything flowing. The Magic Tree Bookstore handled book sales. It's a pretty cute tee shirt they gave me, too, with Mo Willems' latest book characters featured.

Highlight of the day? One girl, on learning that I was the author of Truck Stuck, said to me, "I didn't know authors could be so old!" It's almost enough to make me consider dying my hair.

Summer is Over/Over the Summer

Sallie Wolf, Chris Rettstatt, Jenny Meyerhoff, and Ruth Spiro at Printer's Row

I did do several events in the Chicago area this summer. One fun one was reading Truck Stuck at the Family Fun Tent in Millennium Park one perfect summer day. I wore my bright chartreuse slacks and yellow tie-dyed silk tee shirt. I guess I looked like a bee among the flowers. I read to a nice group of pre-schoolers and their parents. The kids enjoyed the story and the trucks. But I learned through the SCBWI-Illinois list serve of some great ideas that other authors tried. One idea that I can do next year is to walk around the tent 15 minutes before the scheduled reading, introducing myself, my book, and letting people know about the reading. I can hand out my postcards as a reminder. There was a whole group of mostly boys very busy building with Legos and blocks who might well have enjoyed a chance to play with my trucks and listen to my story if they had been aware of the event.

Another fun event was the Printer’s Row Book Fair in June. I was invited to be on a panel of first-time authors of children’s books. Even though Truck Stuck is my second book, I feel like a first-time author. All of these promotional efforts are new to me. The market has changed since 1992, when Peter’s Trucks was published. The technology has changed. I had no website, no blog, and no cheap printing sources in 1992. So I fit very well into that panel. Thank you to Esther Hershenhorn for inviting me to be on the panel she moderated. And thanks also to my fellow SCBWI-Illinois authors—Jenny Meyerhoff, Chris Rettstatt, and Ruth Spiro. Here is how Esther described each of our paths to publication:

Jenny's first book is an early chapter book, a new format for many, to be followed by a YA; Ruth has suffered all sorts of publishing nightmares to realize her Dutton pb [picture book] this August; Sallie's career underscores her belief in herself and her stories; Chris' YA fantasy came to be through some non-traditional means and he's writing with a partner, with a pen name, and with all sorts of media tie-ins.

Doesn’t that make you want to check out everyone’s websites? Esther Hershenhorn, Jenny Meyerhoff, Chris Rettstatt, Ruth Spiro, Sallie Wolf

We discussed our paths to publishing—the ups and downs of getting a story idea from manuscript into printed form. We also shared our dreams that kept us motivated through the thin of the thick and thin of being an author. What surprises were there?

For me, my dream of writing involves a cozy room, a steaming cup of coffee or tea, leisurely scratching away on a pad of paper with a fountain pen in quiet solitude. I never expected to be visiting bookstores for readings, writing promotional material, or keeping a blog on the internet. My original dream of being an author was of a private, serene, slow-paced life. The reality—that there are deadlines, many appointments and dates that take me outside and into the public came as a shock. It is not unpleasant—I have a lot of fun reading my book in public and talking with parents, teachers, and my young audience. But it is not how I pictured the writing life when, in eighth grade, I decided I wanted to write and illustrate children’s books.

Printer’s Row was just an example of what I never pictured when I decided to be a writer. But I had a great time, I met some wonderful people, and I will be going to an Educator’s Tea at the Barnes and Noble in Deer Park because of a contact I made there.

Summer Vacation

I feel as if I have taken the summer off, but the learning never stops. Here is a list of things I learned this summer:

1. Don’t mix family time (meaning my August stay at the Red House in New Hampshire), with business. Plan a separate trip for book promotion.

2. Give bookstores, libraries, etc., plenty of notice—start planning in February for a trip in July. And don’t leave it all up to Taylor. Any time I have a personal connection with a book store, I should take the initiative to set up the date and time for the event.

3. Hand out my postcards—anywhere! I was in the airport, waiting at the gate and there was a darling 3 year-old boy about to take his first plane ride. I handed his parents my postcard and said I thought he would enjoy my book. I even lent them a copy of the book to read on the plane. Several people overheard me say I was an author and they wanted postcards too. I try to keep a supply handy in my purse.




4. I have had a truck display in my studio window all summer long. Lots of kids stop and stare. I think they think my studio is a toy store. So why have I not put a poster in my window promoting the book? I can announce times when you can “Meet the Author” and I can mention signed copies for sale. (I handle these sales with the help of our local, independent, children’s bookstore. Checks and cash are turned over to the Magic Tree and they supply the books. Being friends with your local bookstore owners is a real bonus.)

5. Be chatty—talk to people. Find out about what they are interested in.

6. Be generous and be prepared. I am still working on creating a brochure about my school visits and workshops. Get it done, get it printed, and have it with me everywhere!

7. Learn to email event information to my mailing list. Create a (e)-mailing list!

8. Write often. Write short. Put updating this blog on my weekly calendar.

Truck Stuck in the Blogosphere

I began writing this blog so that I would have a single place to record what I learn as I do my best to publicize Truck Stuck. I don't really know very much about blogs, the way people use them, and the way they link together to create more buzz, to rise higher on the search engines, to become known. But there are a number of blogs and bloggers who have reviewed Truck Stuck, and for them I am grateful.

The first review I became aware of was by Esme Codell, written soon after publication. Esme, a wonderful author, teacher, and amazing promoter of children's books and the love of reading, undertakes to review at least a book a day on her blog, The PlanetEsme Plan: The Best New Children's Books from Esme's Shelf. How does she find the time to read and write so much?

I learned about Jen Robinson's Book Page when Taylor Rogers, at Charlesbridge, forwarded me a link to Jen's review of Truck Stuck. Not only was I pleased by her favorable review of my book, but I scrolled through her lists of children's books that adults will enjoy and other fascinating lists. Check this blog out--she is not a professional reviewer. She is a lover of books.

Anastasia Suen writes a blog about how to use picture books to teach the Six Traits of Writing. Titled Picture Book of the Day, she includes brief descriptions of the book and then several ways to use the book to teach writing skills. Anastasia Suen is known for her on-line courses about how to write for children.

There are more blog reviews of Truck Stuck, but I am on vacation, away from my computer, and without my resources for a few more weeks. I'll be sure to post those other reviews as soon as I can round them up. Isn't it amazing the number of blogs out there and the people who are writing them? How do they find the time! I feel as if I am always behind.

Learning to post while on vacation is one of the things I am learning as I go.