Ask a Publisher, Amber Caraveo, Editorial Director, Orion Children's Books and Indigo

@AmberCaraveo talks to @HouseRowena

Recorded June 20th 2014

in London at Orion Children's Books

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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.

Amber Caraveo & Joanna Moult to Set Up New Children's Literary Agency

We're delighted to share this exciting news with Words & Pictures readers. 

Amber Caravéo (currently Editorial Director at Orion Children’s Books and Indigo) is joining forces with Joanna Moult (formerly of Hodder Children’s Books and Simon & Schuster) to set up a bright new literary agency and creative consultancy, Skylark Literary – www.skylark-literary.com

Skylark Literary will specialise in representing the very best children’s and young adult fiction, seeking talented voices in stories for young people and working with publishers to create bespoke children’s books and series.

Amber Caravéo has been passionate about children’s books ever since she learned to read and has spent the last eighteen years in children’s editorial – working closely with her authors to get their books ready for publication and also creating and developing children’s and YA projects. She has worked internationally, with bestselling authors and publishing houses in the UK and the US, and on a wide range of projects from Rainbow Magic to Adventure Island.

Amber says,

‘I have been privileged to work with the wonderful Orion team and fabulous authors. I am very sad to say goodbye, but the time felt right to make the leap and embark on this exciting new adventure – seeking and supporting new talent in children’s publishing.’

Lisa Milton, Managing Director, General Division, Orion, and Fiona Kennedy, MD and Publisher, Orion Children's Books and Indigo, say,

‘Whilst working at Orion Amber has developed, created and commissioned a wide range of excellent books. Her attention to detail, passion and most importantly vision for her books and her authors has delivered a number of significant successes. To be able to find new and fresh ideas for series for middle-grade children is a particularly challenging job. Amber has consistently delivered above our expectations. We'll miss Amber and wish her well in her exciting new adventure.’

Joanna Moult began her career with Hodder Children’s Books, editing a range of talented authors as well as creating content for brands such as Felicity Wishes. She moved in order to cover maternity leave, running the children’s editorial department at Simon & Schuster. More recently she has been working with literary agents, helping them to find new talent and editing manuscripts prior to submission to publishers.

 Joanna says, 

‘Author care is one of the most rewarding and fascinating elements of being an editor for me and this feels like a very natural progression for both of us. With Skylark Literary I'm delighted to begin our search for new and exciting voices, as well as creating some really fresh and fun projects for publishers.’

Skylark Literary launches in November and will welcome submissions from authors. The company also looks forward to working with talented writers to create fun and fabulous children’s projects, specifically tailored to individual publishers.

For further information, please contact Amber Caravéo: amber@skylark-literary.com

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What Are They Drinking in the North East?

Something is afoot up North - this week we have inspirational stories from Kate Pankhurst and Rebecca Colby and Sam Zuppardi and guess where they're all from?
 

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Sam Zuppardi

North East member Sam Zuppardi will be illustrating a new picture book by David Elliot Nobody's Perfect due for publication in 2015 by Candlewick in the US. Sam is particularly pleased Candlewick requested him as he’s also working with them as author/illustrator of his own book The Nowhere Box due for publication this November! 
 Sam is also illustrating the middle grade series The Misadventures of Edgar and Allan Poe by Gordon McAlpine published by Viking/Penguin 

I think Sam's pencils are going to be busy for quite  while!

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Kate Pankhurst, another regular at SCBWI North East meetings, has worked as a children’s

Kate Pankhurst
@kateisdrawing

book illustrator for over ten years. Since she graduated from the University of Central Lancashire in 2002 she’s illustrated many books for other authors about bogeys, pirates and puppies – including the inside illustrations for our very own Steve Hartley’s Danny Baker Record Breaker series.

I am thrilled to announce that Kate has a new project of her own - a brand new series for 7+ published by Orion Children’s Books about a determined girl detective – Mariella Mystery Investigates. 
The Ghostly Guinea Pig and A Cupcake Conundrum were published this April and The Huge Hair Scare is due to be released in October . Much of Kate’s work happens from her home studio in Leeds, with her Dalmatian (Olive). Kate also works with schools, libraries and children, running creative sessions to inspire ideas for stories and characters and for some strange reason she has an ever increasing collection of fake moustaches…

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Rebecca Colby
@amscribbler

And there’s another North East member to toast this week, Rebecca Colby has sold another picture book, this time to Floris Books Kelpies imprint. There Was A Wee Lassie Who Swallowed A Midgie , is a rollicking Scottish version of the classic tale There was an Old Woman who Swallowed a Fly.

 Knowing Rebecca’s flair for rhythm and rhyme – she’s a founder member of The FunEverse, I just know this is going to be a wonderful read aloud book. Well done Rebecca!

 There must be something in that North East water…. 


Don't forget to mail me your news celebrations@britishscbwi.org. Submission guidelines are in our FAQ section

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Kathy Evans is Celebrations Editor for Words & Pictures. She is South East Network Coordinator with Mariam Vossough and is represented by Sophie Hicks at Ed Victor.