December 25th - Layn Marlow

#W8PAdvent

You can now see the whole calendar here

A Very Happy Christmas 

from

laynmarlow.co.uk

 and the

Words & Pictures Team

Thank you to all the wonderful illustrators and writers who have contributed to our

Words & Pictures Advent Calendar

All the Advent posts with a wonderful colection of seasonal micro fiction are  here


We're taking a short break over the holidays
and will be back on

Friday 2nd January 2015

with a brand new banner and featured illustrator!
Have you New Year Resolutions ready!

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Jan Carr is the outgoing editor of Words & Pictures and...

Nancy Saunders is the incoming editor!  You can find her short stories here, and on Twitter she is @nancyesaunders.

December 24th - Sarah Underwood

#W8PAdvent

See the whole image and the growing Advent calendar here.

sarahunderwoodillustration.co.uk

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Ten-Minute Blog Break - 23rd December

Is there anybody out there? I wouldn't blame you all for being frantically busy in the run-up to Christmas, but I hope you'll find a few minutes to join me for the last Blog Break of 2014.


Nicola Morgan has written a lovely post about Christmas spirit, and how it means different things to different people (and not always in a positive way). Nicola's own Christmas seems to involve a lot of food, booze and books, which sounds just fine to me!

While Nicola is full of Christmas spirit, Marie Basting has got the fear. Specifically, she's experiencing some significant self-doubt after meeting other writers in the flesh at the SCBWI conference, and realising that they're all really good! But Marie won't be kept down for long, and her post examines the cyclical nature of self-doubt.

For those seeking to polish their craft during those empty days between Christmas and New Year, a couple of our bloggers are here to help. Vanessa Harbour is looking at dialogue this week and considering its best uses within your story. And, following her post about evaluating picture book ideas a few weeks ago, Kate Peridot is now focusing on developing your chosen idea. In this week's post, she's looking at the typical structure and layout of a picture book, and how to map your idea onto it.

For last-minute gift ideas, you can't beat Space on the Bookshelf's A Book in Every Stocking series. Writers, editors and illustrators (including Sara Grant, Sarah McIntyre, Anita Loughrey, and, erm, me) suggest the children's books they'd like Santa to leave in their stocking this Christmas.

I'm convinced that Candy Gourlay wrote My Year in Books 2014 just to make me jealous. How else to explain how many more wonderful books she seems to have managed to read than me? Clearly, I need to set some reading targets for 2015!

Merry Christmas and see you in January,

Nick.

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A SCBWI member since 2009, Nick Cross is an Undiscovered Voices winner who writes children's short fiction for Stew Magazine.

Nick has delved into his archives for the third year running, and found some wonderful lost lunacy for your reading pleasure. Check out The Museum of Me - The Lost Years.

December 23rd - Olivia Palmer

#W8PAdvent

See the whole image and the growing Advent calendar here.

oliviaartbox.wordpress.com

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December 22nd - Catherine Cooper

#W8PAdvent

See the whole image and the growing Advent calendar here.

pengridion.co.uk

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December 21st - Vikki Gibson

#W8PAdvent

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Vikki Gibson

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The Writer of Never Letting Go

My children grew up with this duck!

We are over the moon to be celebrating with megastar SCBWI volunteer Kathy Evans today!

You may have seen the news about her wonderful book deal with Usborne on Facebook - but do you know just how long Kathy had to wait for it? Over to Kathy...



I’d been writing for years  when I was  taken on by my agent, Sophie Hicks. I remember thinking, 'This is it, I’ve made it.’

   Wrong!

It took five more years for me to produce a book that sold. Sophie always had faith in my writing. Even when I was floundering,  her support, and that of my SCBWI friends, kept me writing, learning, growing and it's paid off.  I'm completely thrilled that my YA novel, More Of Me, will be published by Usborne in early 2016.

I’d imagined there would be a slow trickle of information leading to a deal but that isn’t what happened at all. An email arrived from Sophie headed ‘Offer!' - now, I usually get a flutter of nerves when something arrives from my agent so this gave me a tidal wave of butterflies - I could barely open the email my hands were shaking so much.  I actually screamed, then cried…I don’t think I stopped smiling for about a week. Actually, that’s a lie, I’m still smiling now.

Meeting the team at Usborne for the first time was brilliant. Sitting in a room surrounded by books you love, knowing they’ve come out of that place, out of those people you’re sat with, and soon your book will be among them -  it’s amazing.  Just talking about book covers and future events had me giggling like a giddy school girl, but the best bit, the bit I’ve waited for all my life, was talking through my book with my editor. Mine.

Even the coffee gave an Usborne welcome

Receiving the heap of paper,  my manuscript covered in Sarah’s editorial notes, was the best Christmas present I’ve ever had. I’m sure there will be stressful times ahead, I know there is a lot of work still to do but right now that work is a joy. I really am living the dream. 

Keep at it, don't give up, you'll get there.

More of Me by Kathryn Evans will be published by Usborne early in 2016.


Many Congratulations Kathy!
We are so proud of you!

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December 20th - Katy Dynes

#W8PAdvent

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Katy Dynes

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December 19th - Gary Fabbri

#W8PAdvent

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garyfabbri.com

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December 18th - Olivia Palmer

#W8PAdvent

See the whole image and the growing Advent calendar here.

oliviaartbox.wordpress.com

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December 17th - Nicola L. Robinson

#W8PAdvent

See the whole image and the growing Advent calendar here.

nlrobinson.co.uk

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Ten-Minute Blog Break - 16th December

It's been one of those days - I broke my tooth during breakfast, and everything that followed had to be fitted around dentistry! But fear not, because I managed to squeeze the Blog Break in, and good job too, because there are some great posts this week!

On the SCBWI-BI Facebook group, I've already flagged up Anne-Marie Perks's prominent (but strangely uncredited) appearance on the BBC News site with her wordless picture book illustrations. Over at Big Little Tales, Anne-Marie shares more background on the project and artwork from the forthcoming companion volume.

Last week, we had a wonderful story of perseverance rewarded (from Kathy Evans). This week, it's the turn of my fellow Undiscovered Voices 2010 winner Abbie Rushton. Ever wonder what it's like to have that meeting with a publisher? Read Abbie's post and find out all about it.

There's a great process-related post on Sarah McIntyre's blog this week. Responding to a query from an MA illustration student, Sarah tells us all about her sketchbooks and how important they are to her creative process.

Claire O'Brien also has some great advice for picture book illustrators, focusing on internet video training courses. In her blog post, Claire highlights some courses on a variety of sites that she's found engrossing.

Have you got a difficult teenager (or adult) who you want to buy a book for this Christmas? Nicola Morgan has gone straight to the source for her book recommendations, asking the teens of Larbert High School for their must-reads.

We're all about advice this week, and Candy Gourlay is happy to contribute. She's just made her first virtual author visit using Google Hangouts, and her blog post provides a guide as to how easily you can use the same technology.

Nick.

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A SCBWI member since 2009, Nick Cross is an Undiscovered Voices winner who writes children's short fiction for Stew Magazine.

December 16th - Simon Beck

#W8PAdvent

See the whole image and the growing Advent calendar here.

twinkleshark.co.uk

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Ask a Publisher: Ben Horlsen, Editorial Director at Puffin

@BenHorlsen  talks to @HouseRowena

Recorded June 20th 2014 in London
at Penguin Random House

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Rowena House is a journalist by trade - an ex-Reuters foreign correspondent in Europe and Africa, now a sub-editor specialising in international affairs. She turned to writing fiction for young people to meet a deep desire to tell gritty stories that are true in an emotional sense, without being constrained by ‘the facts’. She's recently been published by Andersen Press in the War Girls anthology with her short story The Marshalling of Angelique's Geese. Rowena lives in rural Devon with her remarkably tolerant family and their less tolerant dog, a grey-and-white sheep dog called Fletcher.

December 15th - Paul Morton

#W8PAdvent

See the whole image and the growing Advent calendar here.

hotfroggraphics.com

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December 14th - Simon Beck

#W8PAdvent

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twinkleshark.co.uk

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December 13th - Fiona Gomez

#W8PAdvent

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Fiona Gomez

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December 12th - Nicola L. Robinson

#W8PAdvent

See the whole image and the growing Advent calendar here.

nlrobinson.co.uk

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December 11th - Paul Morton

#W8PAdvent

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hotfroggraphics.com

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Paul's illustration?

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December 10th - Rikin Parekh

#W8PAdvent

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Rikin Parekh

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Ten-Minute Blog Break - 9th December

After resisting Christmas for exactly one week, reality has descended on the Blog Break in a shower of tinsel. So enjoy some festively-themed posts dotted amongst the usual weekly round-up of our SCBWI bloggers.

What could be a better Christmas present than a contract for your debut novel? If you went anywhere near Facebook over the weekend, you were probably unable to avoid the wave of joy (and dare I say it, relief) because Kathy Evans has finally, finally got a book deal. It seemed for a long time that there was indeed no justice in the universe, but Kathy and her agent soldiered on and placed her YA novel More of Me with Usborne. Here's Kathy telling us all about it.

Sarah McIntyre has gone all out on the book-themed free merchandise this Christmas. If you feel like knitting your own Jampire, or sending a special Jampires card, then this post has all the details. If, on the other hand, you prefer a Cakes in Space theme to your mailings, then listen up, because Hark the Herald Poglites Sing.

Layn Marlow is hosting a very special conversation on her blog, as she chats with an imaginary squirrel. While this might normally be grounds for prescribing stronger medication, Layn's illustrated blog post turns out to be a rather sweet treat!

At Catherine Friess's house, the advent calendar is a major undertaking. Read Catherine's blog to see how the first week of Snowy and Christmas’s book advent calendar turned out (and it's nice to see SCBWI-BI author Alice Hemming's picture book making an appearance on December 5th).

Writing a book often requires a large number of drafts, and it seems that artwork is no different. David Thorpe's blog post showcases a fascinating time lapse video that demonstrates how many passes his cover artist needed to render the atmospheric artwork for his latest novel Stormteller.

Finally, a worthwhile cause that's also very local to me is highlighted in Robin Stevens's post for Space on the Bookshelf. The Oxford Blackwell's Giving Tree is a fantastic way to donate a book to a disadvantaged child who otherwise would not receive one, and this year you can donate online as well!

Nick.

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A SCBWI member since 2009, Nick Cross is an Undiscovered Voices winner who writes children's short fiction for Stew Magazine.

December 9th - Anna Violet

#W8PAdvent

See the whole image and the growing Advent calendar here.

annaviolet.co.uk

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Ask a Picture Book Editor

The Magic of Christmas – What Makes a Lasting Christmas Picture Book?

'Tis the season to be jolly – and to buy books as presents for little ones! 


The bookshops are filled with Christmas-themed books on display tables:

Display of Christmas-themed picture books at Waterstone's High Street Kensington

They are jam-packed with classics. There are countless re-tellings and re-packagings of The Night Before Christmas,

some beautiful newly illustrated versions of The Twelve Days of Christmas,

not to mention an exquisite new edition of Snow by Walter de la Mare, illustrated by Carolina Rabei.

And of course, there are Christmas adventures for favourite characters, including Peppa Pig, Blue Kangaroo, Snoopy, Alfie and Paddington Bear.

So what, in this market seemingly populated by traditional classics and character-led publishing, is breaking through to become a modern classic? The trouble with Christmas books is that they have to sell now, but they also need to work year after year. Here are some examples of Christmas books that we love and why:

 Ellie's choices:

1. Father Christmas Needs a Wee by Nicholas Allan

This has to be a modern Christmas classic! This funny picture book is just jam-packed with cheeky, festive fun. Not only do we have poor Father Christmas desperately in need of a pee (definitely a theme that most of us - young and old - can relate to!) but there's also a brilliant counting element seamlessly woven into it too. It's fast becoming a permanent fixture on the Christmas best-seller lists.

2. The Jolly Christmas Postman by Janet and Allan Ahlberg

This is another timeless classic, and also a Kate Greenaway medal winner! What's NOT to love about this fantastically festive tale? Set in a magical winter wonderland, not only is there a wonderfully jolly rhyming text, but the novelties are such great fun! Oh, and the story is  also full of characters that are immediate and recognizable to all young readers. 

3. How Many Sleeps Till Christmas? by Mark Sperring and Sebastien Braun

Similarly, this lovely story by Mark Sperring picks up on a well-worn phrase and uses strong characters and a clever counting-down element that will strike a chord in lots of households in the run-up to Christmas. What makes this really special is the clever use of a relatively modern, and now extensively used phrase, to hook and engage with the reader.

 Natascha's choices:

1. Dear Santa by Rod Campbell

This delightful board book boasts hours of lift-the-flap fun for the very young, as little ones try to guess what present Santa has sent this time by the shape and size of the wrapping paper. The cute, fluffy touch-and-feel kitty cat has that 'aw' factor - what child hasn't wished for a pet for Christmas at one time or another?

 2.  The Christmas Angels by Else Wenz-Vietor

A beautifully-illustrated book, translated from the original German, that embodies the spirit of Christmas. With clever use of novelty and a short text, this book is a firm favourite in our house at Christmas time. It has a kind of nostalgic feel to it and is one of the few around that actually speaks to the message of giving that is central to the holiday, but often forgotten in the modern, commercial world. 

3. Is it Christmas? by John Prater

This story beautifully depicts a small child's anticipation in the run-up to Christmas and all the homey activities - card-making, baking, decorating and waiting for Santa and the family to arrive - that punctuate modern-day Christmases the world-over. Its sequel and companion book, Baby Bear's Christmas Kiss, carries on the story on Christmas Day, with Baby Bear's quest to find the perfect present for Grandbear and all the humour and warmth of Christmas Day surrounded by family.

 What are your favourite Christmas picture books? 

We wish all our readers a festive season. Thank you for following our blog! 

We hope that 2015 is a productive and inspiring year for you. See you then!

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Natascha Biebow is editor, mentor and coach at www.blueelephantstoryshaping.com

Check our my new online small group-coaching courses:

http://www.blueelephantstoryshaping.com/new-online-courses

Gift vouchers available!

 

Ellie Farmer is Commissioning Editor at Little Tiger Presswww.littletigerpress.com