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Our Apologies for Tech Issues

11/18/2015

As we strive to optimize our systems for both the Carrie On... Together and ReFoReMo blogs, we went through a few tech glitches over this past month. We would like to apologize if you received multiple post email notifications. That is exactly why we are working to provide a more reliable system. Thank you for your patience as we fine tune everything.

Our THINK QUICK author post did not arrive in your inbox this week. You won't want to miss this QUICK glance into authorstrator Mark Pett's world HERE. We are gearing up for ReFoReMo 2016 and you will continue to receive regularly scheduled posts through the end of the year. After that time, we'll shift our focus back to the upcoming challenge for a brief period before resuming our April-December post schedule. We have an amazing author-educator faculty lined up and the content will not disappoint. Thank you for being part of our community!

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November THINK QUICK with Authorstrator Mark Pett

11/17/2015

Hi Mark! Congrats on the release of LIZARD IN THE PARK. I love the imagination that is poured into this book and the deep thoughts we are left with at the end. All of the THINK QUICK themes below appear in your book. Let’s see which way you lean. Remember, THINK QUICK!

On Lizards (the real big ones):
Long time love or relatable passion?
Long time love. I grew up in the Mountain West and loved encountering lizards on walks through the foothills. They harken back to another time — their look, their feel, their cold-bloodedness!

On Attachments:
Teddy Bear or strange object?
Strange object. When I was young, I loved exploring and finding strange treasures. I suppose I still do.

On Parks:
Visit often or once in a while?
Visit often. I have two young daughters and we have several favorite parks. Personally, I much prefer a park to a backyard.

On Curiosity:
Hands-on exploration or read about it?
Hands-on exploration. I resort to reading about things only when I’ve exhausted what I can learn handling and manipulating and exploring.

On Nature:
Finders keepers or observe?
Finders keepers. This is tricky, since observing nature is a way of keeping it as well!

On Childhood Treasures:
In a box or on display?
On display. When I found treasures as a boy, I wanted it out where I could enjoy it!

On Thanksgiving Day Parades:
Yearly tradition or catch sporadically?
Catch sporadically. It’s a fun tradition, but one I partake in only rarely.

Attend live or watch on TV?
Watch on TV. I’ve yet to experience it in person! Perhaps I’ll add that to my bucket list.

On Play:
Live in the moment or live in your imagination?
Live in your imagination. I was a daydreamer and chronic imaginer. When I was a child, I constantly lost myself in fantasy. Whole days disappeared.

On Books:
Lizard from the Park or Lizard from the Park?
Lizard from the Park! I’m quite proud of this book and thrilled to see it out in the world!

Thanks for THINKing QUICK with us!

Click HERE for a review of Lizard From the Park
(Review by Carrie Charley Brown)

Writer and illustrator Mark Pett makes books. He is the “authorstrator” of Lizard From the Park, The Boy and the Airplane, The Girl and the Bicycle, and The Girl Who Never Made Mistakes. Before books, he created the syndicated comic strips Mr. Lowe and Lucky Cow. Mark lives in the Mountain West.

November Mystery Author: Jodi Moore Moves In...AGAIN!

11/9/2015

Having a positive attitude and spreading good vibes throughout the kidlit community is something author Jodi Moore knows a lot about. From our first interactions through various online kidlit groups, it seemed that Jodi was permanently surrounded by a circle of sunlight... and hearts. She is THAT sweet and so are her books! I am sure most of you already know and love WHEN A DRAGON MOVES IN, which captures the wonder, play, and imagination of childhood. But, what do you do WHEN A DRAGON MOVES IN...AGAIN? You welcome him, and his trusty author companion, to be the October Mystery Author! Thanks so much for shining your light here, Jodi!

Thank you for hosting me and my Dragon on your blog. It’s both an honor and a thrill to be here. You’re such an inspiration, and a wealth of knowledge, to all of us who write, read and love books!

See, guys?! Didn't I tell you she was sweet? Thanks, Jodi!
When you wrote When a Dragon Moves In, did you intend on it becoming a series?

Not even in my wildest dreams! Can I gush gratitude for just a moment? I’m so thankful to everyone who has been so supportive of me and Dragon: my incredibly supportive family and friends; my extraordinary editor, Shari Dash Greenspan and the entire Flashlight Press family; my brilliant editor, Howard McWilliam; and the amazing booksellers, librarians, teachers, bloggers and readers who give loving homes to books everywhere.

Without the love – and admittedly, the sales! – the second book never would have been possible.

The idea OF a sequel initially materialized as a question during one of my first school visits for WHEN A DRAGON MOVES IN.

I remember smiling at that child, desperately trying to contain myself from having a heart-squishy Sally Field-inspired burst of “They like Dragon! They really like Dragon!”

A couple of years later, when my editor introduced the possibility, I Tigger-danced a hole in my carpet.

However, the idea FOR the sequel proved more difficult than I ever could have imagined.

I soon learned that a sequel has to echo the first, without being redundant. It has to share a voice, but offer a new conflict. What’s more, Shari wanted the new one to be able to stand on its own, to be more of a companion than a sequel. After three attempts at a new manuscript, and three rejections, I began to wonder if I could pull it off.

(That’s a mild description. Tears and depths of despair may or may not have been involved.)

Then I realized I was trying too hard. I was obsessed to the point of sheer panic, focused on writing a sequel, instead of a story. When I reset my brain – and heart – on creating a story, featuring characters I loved, I began to relax and listen to their voices once gain.

I knew my Boy loved being center stage. What kind of something could impact his life and draw his family’s attention elsewhere…including his beloved Dragon?

What had impacted the boys I loved most?

Ohhhhh. Each other! The something was a sibling.

I wrote the story keeping my boys in mind, their trials, tribulations and jubilations of being both big – and little – brothers. As luck would have it, Howard McWilliam and his lovely wife had just had their second son too. It’s like it was meant to be.

Thankfully, Big Brother decided “this baby” could stay.

Thank goodness! Are there more Dragon books in the works?

*crosses fingers, eyes and toes* I so hope so. Dragon, the boy and his family have so many adventures still to be shared.

What do you feel is the secret to finding your voice as a writer? When did you realize that you had “found” yours?

What a great, yet complex, question. To be honest, I don’t know if I’ve really found mine yet. I live with an ever-changing array of characters in my head and I tend to channel whichever is speaking the loudest. I’m still exploring and honing my voice. It’s still changing. (I guess you could say I’m going through writer puberty, lol.)

That being said, I’m always so delighted when my critique partners come back to me and say, “This is such a Jodi story; it’s so full of heart.” There’s no better compliment than that. That’s something I will forever strive for.

I agree! (Since HEART seems to define your personality, too!)
Do you think visually when you write? If so, were you surprised by Howard McWilliams’s illustrations when you saw them for the first time?

I do…and I was beyond delighted when I saw the artwork, both with the original and the sequel. My stories tend to play like little movies in my head. If I’m lucky, I can find the right words to capture the scene. And if I’m extremely fortunate, I get paired with brilliant professionals (like Flashlight editor, Shari Dash Greenspan, and illustrator, Howard McWilliam) who not only embrace my vision, they manage to elevate it to a level I couldn’t even have imagined!

Some people don’t realize that, in most cases, an author has no contact with the illustrator while he/she is creating the artwork. When I finally saw the book, and was allowed to let Howard know how much I love, love, LOVED his work , I believe I gushed something like, “Your illustrations are so perfect, the book doesn’t even need my words.” And he answered, “But it was your words that inspired my illustrations.”

*heart squish* For obvious reasons, that meant the world to me on a personal level. But it also struck a chord deep in my professional soul.

We tend to think of our jobs as writers to find those perfect words to engage, enchant and inspire our readers. But as picture book authors, it’s also our mission to select the words that will ignite the passion and creativity of our illustrators. They are the ones we must entrust to tell the other half of the story, the ones to whom we pass the baton in order to get to the finish line.

And with the right editor guiding the way, it’s a magical journey indeed.

What do you personally look for in an agent or editor when researching?

I originally subbed to Flashlight Press on my own because I don’t have an agent. Yet.

Yes, I’m looking. Hoping. Working on it. Because an agent opens up so many possibilities, not only with respect to offering manuscripts to houses that are closed to unagented submissions, but also helping you to hone your craft and navigate the complex world of publishing.

I’m looking for an editorial agent/editor who has a heart for stories and a head for business. One who gets the weirdness that is me.

We hear it time and time again, but I think this statement holds a lot of weight: The right agent/editor will come at the right time when the right connection is present. Without that two-way connection and understanding, do we really want to enter a commitment? Probably not. I am confident that the just-right agent is on the way for you, Jodi! And for each of us.

And Jodi has some more just right advice for you in Part Two of this interview: Jodi Moore Talks Mentor Texts. See you there!

Jodi Moore is author of the award winning WHEN A DRAGON MOVES IN (Flashlight Press, 2011), its newly released sequel, WHEN A DRAGON MOVES IN AGAIN (Flashlight Press, 2015) and GOOD NEWS NELSON (Story Pie Press, 2012). Jodi is the proud, (admittedly) neurotic mother of two talented young adults and never ceases to be amazed at how far the umbilical cord will stretch. She loves connecting with readers through school and book events. Jodi lives in Pennsylvania with her husband, Larry, and an ever-changing bunch of characters in her head. You can follow her journey at www.writerjodimoore.com

Click picture for a video greeting.

Carrie Charley Brown

As a children’s writer, and a teacher, my goal is to help you carry on. Sometimes learning is challenging, so why go it alone? Your journey will be more meaningful and comfortable with friends to share it with. Together, we'll get up close and personal with authors, illustrators, and the best of picture books. If we work together, great things will follow!

Our Apologies for Tech Issues

November THINK QUICK with Authorstrator Mark Pett

November Mystery Author: Jodi Moore Moves In...AGAIN!

Carrie Charley Brown

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