This week we're delighted to announce that Cath Howe is up, up and away with the amazing agent Anne Clark, of the Anne Clark Literary Agency! She is looking forward to a real creative partnership and says thanks to SCWBI for all the warm support, courses and workshops. Cath tells us how it all began
“When I began writing for children I was writing drama scripts for them to perform at local arts festivals in South West London. I think that's really how I found my voice and my confidence, because I saw my work performed and got feedback from the children and lots of encouragement from parents and teachers. Working in schools helps - children are so startlingly honest in their comments!
"My writing for educational publishers (two fiction books for 8-10s and three plays) was a good preparation for sending work to agents and publishers because I saw how editors worked and I had deadlines and word limits to stick to. I've also had the support of an excellent writers' group throughout. Everyone tells you how important it is to be persistent in trying to develop your career and that's certainly true but I think the other key thing is to build a relationship with fellow writers who believe in your work, aside from your family and friends. I think I've been very lucky in that respect.
"Anne Clark is an agent I can really collaborate with and I'm so glad I got the chance to meet her at the SCWBI Conference because it is now so much easier to speak on the phone and to email each other having met in person. We seem to get on really well and we're both pretty direct. I think she will bring out the best in me."
Anne Clark says, "I'm delighted to welcome Cath Howe to the agency. I was taken by the particular charm and humour of Cath's writing, and her sharp insights into how children think and feel."
So let's celebrate with Cath this week. Here's to her future success and the beginning of a fantastic relationship!
Tania Tay is an ex-advertising copywriter and has been published in Sable LitMag. She is currently writing a YA romantic thriller, is a member of The Golden Egg Academy and is on the editorial team at Words & Pictures.
Don't you just love to sip at something cold and fizzy on a hot day? I'm so excited to crack open the champers and celebrate this week's sparkling SCBWI successes. First, a huge Hip Hip Hooray for Lydia Syson who, with her editor Sarah Odedina, was Highly Commended for A World Between Us at the Branford Boase Award ceremony on Thursday. You can read about Lydia’s book here if you missed it. And then raise your glasses to Marnie Riches and Cath Howe whose books have just launched.
Cath Howe thrilled everyone at the SCBWI retreat with a reading of her funny yet creepy mystery, so I was delighted to hear she has just published two books of plays, Summer Explorers and Curious Cases with Pearson. Any drama teachers among you might want to check them out.
The Summer Explorers book has two plays about the same group of children on a seaside holiday. In the first they use a metal detector on the beach with interesting results. In the second, they are in the cottage late one evening and creepy things happen. Curious Cases is about a boy who wakes one morning to discover he has grown giant feathered feet! His family are pretty horrified and rush him to the local doctor.
Cath says: “There is definitely a creepy thread in my writing!! And I love trying to get the dialogue really natural. The complicated bit was trying to make sure all the parts were pretty equal.”
Cath Howe is an author and teacher working in South West London writing for, and working with, Key Stage 2 primary age children. Her first two books were published in 2012 by Pearson in their Bug Club, The Curse of the Highwayman and The Highwayman’s Revenge, and she has been known to dress as a highwayman for school visits. She has won prizes for stories, poems and monologues and also runs workshops in schools on everything to do with writing and performing, teaches gifted writers, coaches children for auditions, develops plays and scripts for festivals; everything about being inspired and creative. The plays are for reading aloud, as part of Pearson's Bug Club.
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| @Marnie_Riches |
And now for a big Hurrah! for Marnie Riches who has just published Gladiator Clash, the first in a six book historical fiction series for 7+ called, Time-Hunters. The book will share its book birthday of 4th July 2013 with three others in the series: Knight Quest, Viking Raiders and Greek Warriors, all published by HarperCollins Children's under the pseudonym, Chris Blake. This romp through history follows the adventures of ten-year-old Tom, Isis, a young Egyptian princess, and her mummified moggy, Cleo, as they collect six amulets on a thrilling treasure hunt through time. The blurb reads: Join two brave heroes on one incredible treasure hunt through the most exciting moments in history.
Marnie grew up on one of the roughest council estates in Manchester. Fortunately, with the gift of a good brain and the ability to talk rubbish in several different languages, she ended up with a degree from Cambridge University in German and Dutch. She has been a punk, a trainee rock star, a pretend artist, a wannabe renovator of houses and a professional fundraiser. Now she writes funny novels for children and crime thrillers for adults. She is represented by AM Heath.
So while you're relaxing in the sun this weekend, please raise your glasses and say an extra big cheers to Lydia, Cath and Marnie!
Tania Tay is an ex-advertising copywriter and has been published in Sable LitMag. She is writing MG and YA fiction, and is on the editorial team at Words & Pictures.
Tania Tay is an ex-advertising copywriter and has been published in Sable LitMag. She is currently writing a YA romantic thriller, is a member of The Golden Egg Academy and is on the editorial team at Words & Pictures.
