A letter to Merilee

photo by McBeth

How would I describe you to someone who never knew you?  You were my dad’s girlfriend, a beautiful blond, a fabulous cook, a dancer, a friend to my family, and a cheerleader of my writing.  When I’m quiet, I can hear your voice from your cell phone:  “Hi, this is Merilee, leave me a message.”  And when we’d connect, we’d talk and talk.  I am lucky to have some of your recipes, preserved on note cards—my favorite, the scrumptious honey bun cake!  I have some jewelry you had given to me as gifts.  You knew me well, knew that I liked small earrings.  I still have a most unusual gift from you:  a crystal angel lamp that lights up and warms perfume.  

When I saw you for the last time, I whispered in your ear, “You were the best thing that has happened to our family.” I meant it, though you modestly shrugged it off.  Six years is not long enough to have known someone.  But who am I to question God’s plan?  I would loved to have walked with you in the arboretum.  I would have loved for you to have joined more family celebrations.  I would have loved to have one more day with you.  It’s hard saying good bye.  Merilee, I miss you.

Book Review: Monkey Made Dream

Monkey Made Dream 

by Tom Listul, Heather Listul Hewitt

Primary    Trafford Publishing    40 pp.

12/2010     ISBN-10:   1426949863  ISBN-13: 9781426949869

Monkey Made Dream is a whimsical story of a little girl who wakes up one morning to find a monkey lying in her brother’s bed.   After dressing him, combing his hair, and brushing his teeth, they get ready to go to school.  But her mother doesn’t notice anything different, and neither does her teacher.  Her friends don’t understand when she tries to explain he has a name.  What’s a sister to do?  Monkey Made Dream is full of subtle humor and colorful illustrations. Though the rhyming is not always spot on, this light-hearted book is sure to delight and entertain young children.  Barnes and Noble, Amazon and Book World are just a few of the sites where Monkey Made Dream is now for sale.

Enter the free book giveaway!

For each thing you do (see the list that follows), your name will be entered into the giveaway. This giveaway is open until the end of the month, March 31, 2011.  On April 1, 2011, I will randomly select a name. Then, I will announce the winner that day with instructions on how to claim your copy of Monkey Made Dream.

1.  Become a follower of The Maggie Project.

2.  Leave a comment on The Maggie Project.

3.  "Like" the Stories for Children Fan page on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/pages/Stories-for-Children-Magazine/101731646536813 and leave a comment at The Maggie Project to let me know you have (and your FB name is, if different).
4.  Follow SFC Publishing on Twitter at http://twitter.com/sfcpublishing and leave a comment at The Maggie Project to let me know you have and what your Twitter ID is.
5.  Leave a comment on Tom and Heather’s tour page on Facebook at  http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/event.php?eid=198703490158349 and leave a comment on The Maggie Project to let me know you have.

Cross 'em off the list



photo by CarbonNYC



A while back, I wrote an article for a writer’s newsletter.  Before submitting it, I queried the editor.  I waited the obligatory month as indicated and to my dismay, I received no word.  Then I mustered the courage to send the editor a polite follow-up email. Still, no word.  And yet all I wanted was an e-mail that simply stated:  no thank you.  I hate to admit it, but this has happened to me twice—with the same editor.  I should’ve listened to my gut instincts.  But I was willing to try her one more time.  Maybe my emails got spammed. 

The same scenario happened to me with another editor, but with different results.  After emailing her over the period of a year, she finally responded to me, accepted my work, and published it.  But, I vowed I wouldn’t submit to her again.  She was unorganized and the effort I put into contacting her repeatedly wasn’t worth my time.  I should’ve submitted my work elsewhere, where it would’ve been published sooner.  

Editor etiquette varies from publication to publication.  Most magazine editors will contact an author when they aren’t interested in a submission.  However, there are a few that have a different style.  I call them “the silent type.”  While I could view this as a negative experience, I choose to think of it as a good thing.  I now know that I’m wasting my time submitting to this silent editor.  And all is not lost.  I’ll find a home for my article.  I’ll look into new markets.  Or, I'll submit to the editors with whom I've worked with, those who respect me and will get back to me in a timely fashion.  As for my silent editor, I bear no harsh feelings.  It’s just the way she does business.  And I don’t have to do business with her.  I’ve finally learned that it’s time to move on and cross her off my list.

What are your thoughts when an editor fails to respond to you?

Writing for Appleseeds Magazine

Besides creating picture books and working as an editor,

photo by Sergey Melkonov

I write articles for children.  Last year, when the award-winning, social studies magazine Appleseeds posted that one of their upcoming themes was “horses,” I knew I had to submit. I envisioned writing an article about Visionaire, the Derby race horse that one of my friends co-owned. 

Living in Kentucky and having witnessed the 100^th running of the Kentucky Derby, I felt that the editor would welcome my query. But before I could think about the query and the article, I had to meet Visionaire.

Visionaire is now retired and living at Crestwood Farm in Lexington.  One frosty November morning, manager Pope McClain, Jr. invited me to meet this chestnut beauty.  After interviewing Pope and taking photos of Visionaire, I returned home to outline the article.  I drew up questionnaires for Visionaire’s co-owners and for the trainer (none other than Michael Matz, trainer of the 2006 Derby winner Barbaro).  Several weeks later, I worked up a rough article.

I polished a query and sent it months in advance of the deadline (August, 2010).  By the end of August, I was heart-broken.  I never heard from the editor.   Having faith in the piece, I decided to place it elsewhere.  Then, toward the end of September, I received an intriguing email.  The subject line read:  Appleseeds Assignment.  When I opened the email I discovered that the editor liked my proposal and wanted to publish it.  So awesome!  

I had three weeks to send in the completed article.  The word count had to be trimmed down.  More research had to be completed.  I edited my article accordingly and had my loving editor (my husband) peruse it.  But, he pointed out that the article lacked excitement because it was written in third person.  So I re-wrote the piece in first person, reflecting my thrilling encounter with Visionaire.  Then, I sent it off to the editor with photos and photocopies of all of my resources.  Several months later, I received the contract and word that “The Road to the Derby” will be a three-page spread in the Appleseeds spring, 2011 issue—just in time for Derby Day.  

So what did I learn from this experience?  Have a vision.  Follow through.  Let nothing get in your way.  Tell the story like nobody one else can.

And the Winner is...

Last month, The Maggie Project sponsored a picture book giveaway contest.

The winner is Margay Leah Justice, who wins a

copy of Humberto, the Bookworm Hamster.

Congratulations and happy reading, Margay! 

The Compliment Challenge

 

Photo by J. McPherskesen 




Let’s say that you’re sporting a new haircut, or that you’re driving a new car.  Chances are you’d want someone to notice.  You’d want someone to acknowledge you.  Deep inside, you’d like a compliment. 

 

Yet compliments are rare.  Allow me to travel back in time when I was a medical technologist.  I worked with about thirty employees in the Clinical Chemistry Laboratory at the University of Kentucky Medical Center.  We worked Monday through Friday (with two days off a month) and every third weekend.  We were expected to fill in on any shift.  We operated and maintained sophisticated instrumentation.  We analyzed blood and other body fluids (differentiating between normal and critical results), and reported the results to doctors and nurses.  Needless to say, we didn’t get a pat on the back.  Such a shame. My co-workers were amazingly talented individuals.  Were doctors, nurses and managers too busy to notice? 

While it would be insincere to give employees compliments every day, an occasional “You did a nice job” would be a good thing to hear.  To repeat the over-used phrase, it’s a “win-win situation.”  Giving a sincere compliment makes the employee feel appreciated.  Employers who give compliments know it encourages and motivates employees.  It’s such a simple thing to do and it doesn’t cost anything.  Employees in any work place deserve them. 

So what’s this got to do with writing?  Let me pose another question.  How often to do compliment an author for an article that you enjoyed?  How often to you acknowledge a writer for winning an award or achieving an exceptional goal?  I challenge you to do so.  Call them on the phone, post a message on Facebook, or send them an email.  You could send a card or a small gift.  We are so caught up in our everyday lives that we forget that as writers, we need to connect with other writers.  We are part of the community.  So put yourself aside for five minutes and think about someone else.  Pay a compliment to a friend, a family member, or a co-worker.  It will brighten their day and you too, will feel good knowing that you’ve made a positive impact on someone else. You say you’ll consider it?  Then, good job.  Nicely done.  Bravo!  My heartiest congratulations go out to you!

Writer's News

photo by Lucas 

Recently, I submitted Maggie and the Third Grade Blues to 4 more publishers (now making a total of 14) and to 2 more agents (a total of 7).  After waiting the standard 3-month period to hear from an editor, these are the results:  

Dutton—queried; received a rejection

Tanglewood Press—sent manuscript, but received no word

Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers—sent manuscript, but received no word

Philomel—sent manuscript, but received no word

Adams Literary—sent manuscript, but received a rejection 

Sheldon Fogelman Agency—sent manuscript, but received a signed rejection

Regardless on the lack of interest from publishers, I've entered two more contests:

Tennessee Mountain Writers and CNW/FFWA.  I will share the outcomes with my followers.

Other writer’s news:  At the end of the month, I’ll be attending a seminar hosted by Chuck Sambuchino, a columnist for Writer’s Digest.  He’ll be discussing how to find an agent. In the past, I’ve been told that picture book authors don’t need an agent,but I’m beginning to think otherwise. Many children’s book publishers have closed their doors to unagented authors. In fact, Meg Cabot (yes the world famous author) told me, “Get an agent” if I want to see publication. 

I can't wait to meet Chuck and learn all there is to know about finding an agent. 

Got a question for Chuck?  As I’ve mentioned in an earlier blog, leave a comment.  

I’ll ask Chuck on your behalf.