School Visits 101 by Caroline Starr Rose

Having only published my first book in January 2012, I'm still a very new at this author thing. This is especially true in terms of establishing myself as a speaker available for school and library events. I have, though, had a number of opportunities locally and several out of state (thanks to my sister, who arranged two visits for me while I visited her in Atlanta last year).

Here are some things I've learned from my experience:

If You Build It, They Will Come
It's not exactly like Field of Dreams, but kind of. Teachers and librarians first need to know you exist. The most helpful, easiest way for them to learn about you is through some sort of permanent web presence online -- that's your field. It doesn't matter if it's a blog or official website, but you do need to include some key things:

• contact information
• an overview of presentations 
• (optional): speaking fees*

How do you determine presentation topics? Start with your own writing process. Teachers are especially interested in having their students hear from a real, live author that writing is not a one-time event but a slow unfolding that requires multiple drafts, feedback, revision and editing, and lots of hard work.

There will also be topics that naturally grow from what you write. Do you focus on fairy tale retellings, like Liesl Shurtliff? Magical realism, like Kimberley Griffiths Little? Historical fiction, like me? Use your knowledge as a spring board for topics.

Reach Out to Your Community
Beyond establishing a web presence, it's wise to actively seek out opportunities in the connections you've already formed.

• Get to know your local independent bookseller(s), who often have connections with local schools
• Introduce yourself to the children's librarian at your local library branch
• Tell friends, family members, and those you know in your general community that you're interested in setting up visits, and ask them to spread the word (contacts from your church, your daughter's soccer team, your son's scout troop, your husband's office -- anywhere)

Be Willing to Offer Free Visits...

...but not forever. I know authors who've offered free visits for a month. Others who've offered for a year. For me, I offered free visits for about six months (though I am happy to continue to offer once-a-year free visits to my boys' schools, if they're interested). While it's a great way to spread the word, hone your skills, and build contacts, I strongly recommend you begin to charge speaking fees at some time. Why? You're a professional. SCBWI says you should. You will be taken more seriously. Schools will prepare for something they've invested in.

Other Ways to Spread the Word

Several months before MAY B. released, I sent postcards to all elementary and middle schools in my city. For a handful of schools I sent packets which included bookmarks and a listing of presentation topics (places I'd attended as a child, schools where my children attended, the middle school were I did my student teaching and taught my first year).

Because MAY B. has been selected as a 2013-2014 New Mexico Battle of the Book title (yay!), I've decided to do a selected mailing for next year, too. This time, I'll include this wonderful Author and Illustrators on Tour booklet. SCBWI's Inter-Mountain Regions (Arizona, Colorado/Wyoming, Eastern Washington/Northern Idaho Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Southern Idaho/Utah) recently asked members if they'd like to buy space in this publication, a resource book for schools and libraries looking for speakers. Choosing to be included -- and adding it to my mailing packet -- was an easy way  for me to spread the word.

 Resources for School Visits

• The ABC's of a Successful School Visit (available to SCBWI members only)
• Children's Authors Network Hosting An Author page
• Finding School Funding for Author Visits
• Grants for School Visits

And don't forget Skype!

Skype is a wonderful, quick, convenient way for authors and schools to connect. I suggest setting up a free account with the Skype an Author Network. Here's my page there.

Any questions, comments, or things that have worked for you? Share below!

*Though some authors choose not to do this, I'm most comfortable with having this information available upfront. After studying what other authors charge for visits I settled on my rates (which are on the mid-to-low end, in comparison).

Susan Zeidler on The Practice Room and Flying Through Music

Chris Eboch: Today I’m interviewing another of my former critique clients (learn about my private paid critiques). Susan Zeidler is the author of two books about a young teen, Zoey Browne, who transports herself through time by playing the piano.

The Practice Room weaves history and music into a fun ride that takes Zoey from modern day Los Angeles to Harlem in the 1930s, Woodstock in 1969 and the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. Zoey’s story reveals a teen’s coming of age and growth as an artist as she also discovers the music’s power to transcend all boundaries.

Flying through Music is the second book in the series and follows young time traveling teen Zoey Browne as she witnesses the astonishing mid-air disappearance of her friend Nathan at an air show. Zoey is transported from a present-day rock concert to 1940s Nazi Germany, Buddy Holly’s last show in 1959, and other exciting times as she “musi-morphs” to uncover the deadly musical secret behind Nathan’s disappearance. On her journey, she expands her own musical abilities and copes with issues like being the daughter of a rock star and falling in love.

Chris: First, since this is a middle grade blog, I’ll note that although these books feature a young teen protagonist, they are suitable for middle grade readers. Kirkus Reviews called Flying through Music “A fast-paced, imaginative story,” and noted that “Readers with an interest in music will relish the trivia and lessons embedded in this story.” I noted in my critique letter, “Musicians will especially appreciate the musical elements, while other readers may take a new interest in some aspects of musical history.” Susan, do you have a background in music?

Susan: Yes. I studied and performed jazz piano in New York and Los Angeles and Boston during the 1980s and 1990s. And since I moved to Los Angeles in 1995, I have covered the music industry for Reuters.

Chris: Fascinating! You also have strong historical elements – Between the two books, Zoey visits many places and times throughout the 1900s. What is your interest or background in history?

Susan: Again, my journalistic background helped me with that. I enjoy researching these moments in history and weaving them into my books. I learned so much as I did it. For instance, I knew nothing about the Harvest Moon Ball, an American Idol-like dance contest in 1930s New York, until I wrote The Practice Room.

Chris: What inspired you to write this series, and how did you come up with the concept of “musi-morphing?”

Susan: I wrote a short story over 20 years ago when I was in college about a girl who finds herself trapped in a music practice room through supernatural occurrences. After a few hours, she is finally freed and emerges a better player. I can’t find the original story but it’s always stayed with me. And then one night about 7 years ago, it suddenly dawned on me that I could expand it into a book and the girl would evolve and travel back in time with each musical element that she is studying. That’s where I got the idea for musi-morphing. I thought I could devote each chapter to a musical element, such as rhythm, harmony, melody, dissonance. It turned out that I wrote more than one chapter on each musical element as I wove that into Zoey’s quest in each book.

Chris: Can you tell us a little about your writing and publishing journey?

Susan: I always wanted to be a novelist and then I dove pretty deep into music for a while. Basically, I graduated from State University of New York at Albany as an English major with very creative aspirations. But the practical side of me applied for law school. I got waitlisted at a few schools but then decided it really wasn’t for me, and I moved to Boston in the 1980s and was studying piano. I considered applying to Berklee College of Music to get another bachelors degree, this time in music.

But then as fate would have it, I got a break at a local newspaper and never turned back. I hadn’t even thought of being a journalist, but I got the bug and have been happy writing news for over 20 years. I joined Reuters News in 1985. I’ve been juggling both fiction and journalism now, which can be difficult, but so far, it’s been amazing.

I self-published The Practice Room in 2009 and Flying Through Music in June 2012. I decided to self publish because I have been covering media for years and saw how digital distribution had impacted the music business, enabling artists to release their own material faster with more autonomy. I made sure to get good editing, by capable editors like Chris, before I published. I have been very happy with my experience.

Chris: A few teachers have put your book on required reading lists. How did that happen?

Susan: I met a great woman by the name of Renee Carter from Barnes and Noble in Marina Del Rey, California. She told me I should start to do school author visits. She was right. I started to introduce myself to schools and I’ve been really having a lot of success with that.

Chris: It’s great to hear that self-publishing (when done well) doesn’t prevent you or your books from getting into the schools. What’s next for you?

Susan: I’m currently working on book three of the series and lining up school visits for the fall. I’ve just started blogging at the request of one of the teachers who has required my book as the summer reading selection. At work, I am covering entertainment and gaming and that’s a pretty fun gig. So, it’s all good. Thanks for having me here today!

Susan Zeidler’s blog

Susan Zeidler's Amazon page

Throughout Susan Zeidler’s 25-years-plus as an award-winning reporter, covering “real world” events from major court cases to oil spills, movie premieres and the Academy Awards, she has always had a foot in the creative world. Susan is a staff reporter at Reuters News Service, one of the world’s largest and oldest news agencies, a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) and the Independent Writers of Southern California (IWOSC). She is the author of two young adult time travel novels, The Practice Room and Flying Through Music. Susan holds a B.A. from State University of New York at Albany and an M.S. from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism. For more information please visit: http://www.flyingthroughmusic.com

For more about Chris Eboch’s critique services, see the “for writers“ page on her website.

700 Reader Contest - HOLY WINNERS BATMAN!

HOLY JAMMING DJ CATS!

What a great contest! We received nearly 500 entries! 

Please note: if you received a prize you do not feel you can use, for example: you won a query critique and you already have an agent, or you won books that you already own--you get the picture--please let us know so a new winner can be selected. All winners were chosen at random. If you won a critique, please send your email and contact information to us at projectmayhem@gmx.com. If you won books, please email us your home address. 

Congrats to this awesome list of winners and many thanks to all the agents, authors, and illustrators who donated prizes! We know your time is valuable and we greatly appreciate it! 

Coll Kosinski - Phone call Query Critique from agent Marietta Zacker of Nancy Gallt!

Author Susan Kaye Quinn - Phone call or Query Critique from Stephen Fraser of Jennifer de Chiara Lit

Jeff DeCoursey - Illustrator portfolio critique from Illustrator, Kevan Atteberry!

Suzanne M. - First 10 Page Manuscript Critique from Cynthia Leitich Smith!

Author Cynthia - Query Critique from Author Stephen Messer!

Manju Howard - First 10 Page Manuscript Critique from Author Chris Eboch!

Jamie Krakover - Query Critique from theqqqe Author, Matthew MacNish!

Kimberly Mitchell - Query Critiques from theqqqe Author, Matthew MacNish!

Karen Staman - First 10 Page Manuscript Critique from Author Paul Greci!

Andrea Mack - First 10 Page Manuscript Critique from Author Marissa Burt!

Cassidy Leora - First 10 Page Manuscript Critique from Author James Mihaley!

Melissa Menten - Query Critique from Author Hilary Wagner!

Taurean Watkins - First 10 Page Manuscript Critique from Author Dianne Salerni!

Joanne Fritz - Query Critique from Author Michael Winchell!

Marilyn Underwood - Query Critique + 1st 5 pages from Middle-Grade Mafiaso, Michael Gettel-Gilmartin!

Jill the OWL - Signed set of Nightshade Chronicles, Book 1 & 2, by Author, Hilary Wagner

Donna L. Sadd - Signed copy of 101 Way to Bug Your Friends and Enemies from Author Lee Wardlaw

Elizabeth Engstrom Dimit - Signed Copy of The Eyes of Pharaoh, by Author, Chris Eboch!

Tiffany Drew - Signed Roland Smith books given by Team Member, Shannon O'Donnell!

Ki-Wing Merlin - Copy of Kelly Barnhill's Iron Hearted Violet, given by Team Member, Yahong Chi

Wendy Greenley - Copy of The Emotional Thesauras, given by Team Member, Dawn Lairamore

An Nysa - Copy of The Poetry Friday Anthology for Middle School given by Team Member, Lee Wardlaw

Jenny Holt - Grab Bag of 4 New Middle-Grade Books/ARCs!

Alicia Marie Ezell - Grab Bag of 3 New Middle-Grade Books/ARCs!

Christine Taylor-Butler - Grab Bag of 2 New Middle-Grade Books/ARCs!

MY JOURNEY (THUS FAR)

Hi. It's me. Tracy. I'm the newest Mayhemer, and I'm honored to be one. I really mean that. Absolutely honored. (And you’ve probably figured out by now that I have trouble writing in complete sentences. Oh well. It is creative writing, right?)  

Since the readers of this site are interested in reading and writing middle grade books, I thought I’d introduce myself and tell you how I came to be here. That is, how I came to be talking to you via a decent internet connection and a backlit screen, one that’s probably too bright and wreaking havoc on your eyes about now. 

When I peruse author sites, read blog posts, and attend conferences, my favorite elements are discovering writers’ journeys. For many people, these journeys offer comfort and hope, and they attempt to make sense of an art/business full of waiting*, close calls, and rejections. And waiting.* And then more waiting.*

So, here is a synopsis of how I came to be talking to you through this bright screen. (Where is that brightness button anyway?)

I started writing my first middle grade novel in 2003. It took me forever. And it was awful. I sent my first query to a literary agent in 2008. It might have been earlier; I sent so many queries that I lost track. Plus, you have to factor in the snail mail queries that I neglected to keep record of. I spent hundreds of dollars on postage! (Thank you, email) 

Anyway, the point is, I was an idiot. I had no idea what I was doing. The book (my book!) wasn't even finished. I hadn't revised it one bit. But I was going to land an agent and a book deal, I was sure of that.

After about a year, when no agent or book deal came, I moped with disappointment. I was a teacher and a writer. I read and taught classics and Newbery winners. The best of the best. Well, as it turns out, teaching an award-winning book doesn't exactly give you the ability to write one. 

Not even close. 

In 2012, I self-published my first middle grade book THE COLOR OF BONES. It sold decently, for a selfy. While I was prepping that book for publication, I wrote another middle grade novel and queried it widely. I received many coveted full requests from agents, but no one pulled the trigger. It was too.... quiet... and not saleable.  

Then, this past January, I sent a last query. No, seriously, a LAST query. I had read a blog post on an agency’s website, and the post was about the state of publishing and where it is headed and why it is headed in that direction, and you know what, that post really spoke to me. So, hey, I looked up which agents repped middle grade and fired off a query to one of them. No postage! Didn’t cost me a thing, except my time and effort!

Seriously. This was my LAST query for this particular book. I had exhausted every agent, except this one. 

Three months later, I was driving to school in the morning. While waiting at a red light, I looked down at my phone. An email. I tapped the screen. It was from the agent. I scanned the message and saw the word representation. And then, the stoplight turned green. 

When I arrived safely in the parking lot (that is a lie), I read the entire message. He said that he loved my book, and he wanted to schedule a phone call to discuss representation.   

Over the last decade, while I was being rejected repeatedly, I've done more than write. I've learned, listened, participated, read hundreds of books, and remained professional through the peaks and valleys of living as a writer. What I'm trying to say is, while I was being rejected, I grew as a writer and as a person. And this growth is now paying off.  

In April, I signed with literary agent John Rudolph of Dystel & Goderich, and now I’m revising my middle grade novel, which will go to editors later this year. Shortly after, I applied for Project Mayhem and was eventually invited to join. And that is how I came to be talking to you through this electronic means of communication. 

And now, I want to know how many rejections you've accumulated during your journey?  Who has me beat? Three hundred.... going once... going twice... 

(Don’t be shy. Here at Project Mayhem, we admire bravery and persistence.)

*Waiting = Thinking about new project. Researching. Planning. Outlining. Plotting. Characterizing. Writing. 

**Basically, waiting = anything but waiting! 

Identity Crisis?

The other night I was brainstorming with a friend about Mayhem blog-post ideas.  I found myself describing us as a community of people who love middle-grade: readers, writers, teachers, librarians, and others. I was about to sit down and write a post to hand out "Best Supporting Actor/Actress" awards for secondary characters in middle-grade novels (a post which still may be forthcoming), when I paused.  

I *think* my understanding of the Mayhem community is somewhat accurate - the comments at least seem to reflect our mutual interest in getting good books into the hands of readers.  But then I felt like I myself was back in middle-school, poked by insecurity and second-guessing things, wondering if we're actually sparking conversations that connect with our readers.

So are we?  I'd love to hear from you all - especially any new followers - and extend an open invitation for comments and introductions.  So don't be shy.  If you've never commented before, now's your chance.

1.  Tell us a little bit about yourself.  What specifically draws you to middle-grade literature?  Are you a parent?  Teacher?  Librarian?  Writer?  All of the above?  None of the above, but,  like me, just never grew out of the middle-grade shelves?  :)

2.  What aspect of middle-grade books do you enjoy discussing online?  Reviews?  Author interviews? Writing tips?  Marketing tips?  Anything you'd like to see more of?

3.  And, just for fun, who IS your favorite supporting character in a middle-grade novel?

I''ll go first, okay?

I'm Marissa.  Even if I didn't write MG fantasy, it would still be my favorite section in the library.  I love how middle-grade novels straddle childhood and adulthood, one foot planted firmly in the realm of fantastic, magical imagination, and the other tiptoeing into realms of identity and what it means to relate to the world and people around us.

I also like to read book reviews and author interviews.  As a parent, I'm hungry for good recommendations, especially since my boys are already bored with my never-ending raves over Anne of Green Gables.  I can pull out a few classic middle-grade titles I know might appeal, but I'm always looking for good MG reads with boy-appeal.

And my favorite supporting character?  Favorite anything is just so hard to narrow down, but I've just finished reading MIRAGE, by: Jenn Reese, and I really have enjoyed Aluna's friend, Hoku.