SCBWI Professional Series Night with Sarah Davies

or Finding an Agent, Getting a Deal and Living Happily Ever After

At last, an agent who knows what we, as writers, are looking for! Sarah Davies, from the Greenhouse Literary Agency, spoke to SCBWI members last night about the Children's Publishing industry and how to break into it with A recipe for creating a 'Breakout Novel'.

Start with a unique idea. How unique is it? Sarah had about 5,000 submissions last year and similar themes emerged - bullying, gentle Rites of Passage and the paranormal. My heart sank at the thought of the story I'm working on with Alix, my co-writer then lifted again as Sarah continued. 'If you're going to write about Bullying or not fitting in, write it with a fresh twist'. The quality of the concept is very important. She suggested writing the one paragraph pitch before starting to write the story.

Yes, we've done all that. Now what?

Take a look at your characters. They should be 'vivid and true.' You should know your characters so well you don't need to explain them. They should reveal themselves. Ah - show not tell. This happens primarily through conflict and dilemma, Sarah says, and dialogue also reveals your characters' inner thoughts and motivations.

OK, I think I'm getting it.

The third ingredient is what Sarah describes as 'a high stakes story.' She recommends thinking big - what does the main character have to win/lose? - creating a good outline, not necessarily a chapter breakdown, ensuring the tension builds to climax.

The best books teach us about ourselves not about your characters.

The reader should be left with 'a newly perceived truth about what it means to be human.'

And lastly, the story should have a vivid setting where the sense of place becomes a character in itself.

Back to the beginning: Write a story that 'sings' from the first page. At Greenhouse, they make their minds up in the first page. How does your story start? Many submissions begin with a child getting up on the morning and having breakfast.

Oh dear...

And when you've written your story, don't submit it straight away, take time out and try it out on people you trust.

The way the story begins is really important.

Yes, we know - we've written at least 7 different openings to our story in the last three years. We're about to revise again, this time we're starting from Chapter 6.

Firstly -the title can do a huge amount to sell your story. We're on our third title...

Storytime at Kirkdale Bookshop

It's story time at the Kirkdale bookshop on Saturday 28th February at 10.30am. Come and listen to our story

Sketch from my Bottom Drawer

Dancer, originally uploaded by Pix zzzart.

I've been organising images for my new website and I found one of my early art school sketches. I think I drew it from a photo of Margot Fonteyn - It was the first time I'd used my new 2B, 3B, 4B, and 6B pencils in one drawing!

Time to sharpen my pencils again, I think.

Flowers From The Bookshop

Aren't they lovely!

I have returned from a morning of reading and signing at Wimbledon Books and Music. This is the first in a series of book events I am doing over the next month to promote our new picture book . It was a good start and I'm sure I'll learn a great deal from meeting our readers. The youngest was 2 years-old today and Dad was bringing the children along as a diversion from the birthday preparations - (mum was at home making a pirate ship cake, apparently).

The booksellers, Kath and Rosalind, were well prepared for my visit, with a few of my books on a signing table and cushions scattered on the events' room floor. I arrived far too early because I'd overestimated my journey time (I don't suppose I'll always be that lucky).

There was plenty of time for fear to set in (mine not theirs!) before the first child wandered in clutching a dinosaur and wearing dinosaur boots. Story time is a regular occurrence at this bookshop, so the children were quite happy to make themselves at home, playing with the toys and books enticingly displayed on the shelves. I asked some of the children their names - in case I needed to catch their attention during the story.

As the children were between the ages of 2 and 4, I announced that I was going to read them a story, plumped up the cushions, asked everyone to sit down and introduced them to the book. One girl told me she had the book already - good start - it was only published last week. And then I read.

I have years of experience as an actor and puppeteer but I was really nervous before this reading. I've spent 10 years trying to get this story finished, suddenly the reader is waiting and I am about to read the book aloud for the first time - the moment was overwhelming. Will they like it? Will they like it a lot? Will they remember it after I've read it? Will I remember how to read it!

Yes, they liked it and they remembered significant turning points in the story when I asked them questions at the end. Had they been a bit older, I would have invited them to ask me questions but instead I decided it was time to let the dog out of the bag!



Hoping to maintain their interest and continuing with the Quiet and Noisy theme, we played 'Hunt The Noisy Toy'. The children took it in turns to hide a squeaky toy bone behind their back and the dog had to seek the sound and retrieve the toy. Good game, I'll use that one again!

We had a good time - I signed a few books and I was presented with this gorgeous bouquet of flowers, a cup of tea and a choice of any book from the bookshop!

Two of Brian Wildsmith's titles caught my eye - Animal Gallery and Favourite Nursery Rhymes
I could have picked War Horse by Michael Morpurgo but in the end I chose The Knife Of Never Letting Go

We discussed a return visit and if all goes to plan, I'll be reading from The Quiet Woman And The Noisy Book at Wimbledon Books again on World Book Day, Thursday 5th March, from 3.30pm.

Book Signing and Puppet Dog Tail Waggling

On Saturday I'll be doing my first public book signing at Wimbledon Books and Music in South London. I will be reading The Quiet Woman and the Noisy Dog and introducing my puppet dog who has not been officially named yet.

Before the book was published on 5th February, I asked pupils from a Berkshire school to make a list of suggestions for a suitable dog name to celebrate the launch of my picture book. I've chosen a name and I will announce it at the school on March 4th in a special Naming Day and prize-giving presentation.

The head teacher has been sworn to secrecy but if you happened to stop by Wimbledon Books and Music on Saturday 14th Feb at 11am - the dog will be let out of the bag!

Ailie Busby's Art, Sue and the Noisy Dog too

Sue Eves and the NOISY Dog
Photo By Claire Grehan

Well, here we are at the Illustration Cupboard in London last week for the book launch. Illustrator, Ailie Busby, was unable to attend but she kindly lent three of her original paintings from The Quiet Woman and the Noisy Dog, for the event.

Top left corner of the photo is the Noisy house and below it, the illustration of the Noisy Town with colourful houses that remind me of towns I've seen in Ireland. The dog and I are standing beside the title cover painting and we match it too!

Quiet Night Out

I am propped up in bed and have spent the last three hours emailing Thankyous and reading blog entries from fellow writers who turned up to my first ever book launch last night.

Kim Toohey has already blogged about it with a photo of the bone-shaped ginger biscuits I made especially for the night. Illustrator & Writer, Sarah McIntyre also caught the moment when my puppet dog offered one of the biscuits to the real Chihuahua that made an appearance at the signing desk.

Thanks to massive support from everybody (some who were able to be there and some who weren't) -
Illustrator of The Quiet Woman and The Noisy Dog: Ailie Busby who lent us the 3 original paintings from the book,

John Huddy and Mara at the Illustration Cupboard for generously hosting the launch at the gallery and framing Ailie's paintings for the launch,

The whole publishing team at Andersen Press - especially Rona, Stephanie, Beccy and Eloise for turning my story in to such a lovely book and telling everyone about it,

Fellow SCBWI members for their support, family (some who hadn't met in 18 years!),friends and even my Noisy neighbours (without their Quiet Dog) -

Oh and David McKee who popped in, thanks for making my night -

the book launch was a terrific success and a splendid Quiet Night Out.

Photographer and friend, Claire Grehan, took some great publicity shots as I was a little busy signing books and wagging the puppet-dog tail! Hopefully, I'll have some photos to post here soon.

If you are planning a visit to the Illustration Cupboard to see the current Children's Book Illustration MA Graduates' exhibition - I have signed a few extra copies of the first edition of The Quiet Woman And The Noisy Dog and they are on sale at the Gallery!

The Quiet Woman And The Noisy Dog Is Published!

Ding! Dong!
Hi! Hey!
Come In!
Woof! Woof!

The Quiet Woman And The Noisy Dog have arrived and I am celebrating Publication Day.

If you'd like to read more about my journey to publication, Sarah McIntyre has published an interview on her blog today.

There is also and interview by Candy Gourlay on her blog here.

Bye!
Yap! Yap!
BYE!
WOOF! WOOF!

The Night Before Publication

Hey! Oi! Beep! Beep! Vroom! Vroom! Woof! Woof!
The Quiet Woman And The Noisy Dog arrive tomorrow.
But where?
When?
What Time?

Earlier on this evening, the Bookseller Crow in Crystal Palace, London, sent me an unexpected twitter photo message to show me the book arriving in a box, all ready for tomorrow's publication day. That means someone can buy it tomorrow!

I'm shaking with fear and excitement at the thought of the book launch tomorrow evening. Two of my family members will be meeting for the first time in 18 years; my best friend who is a professional photographer will be there (this is one of her photos of me and my quiet dog).

And the Andersen Press team, past colleagues, members of the Society Of Children's Book Writers & Illustrators are planning to be there to celebrate this Noisy little book of ours.

It's certainly made some noise and it seems to be exciting everyone else as much as me and it's not even published yet.

But it soon will be - Woof! Woof!

Photo By Claire Grehan