Where the Heck Have We Been?

Right. I'ts been over a month since the last post!

That's OK, we Cakers know no one is keeping score (you aren't, are you?) and in our defense, we have been BIZ-EE this summer!

But now that kids are back in school, vacations have been taken, and cooler weather is on its way (yeah, not likely in Houston, but a girl can dream), we are SO excited to start the celebrating. Although a book sale is HUGE and signing with an agent is MONUMENTAL, is there anything sweeter than the moment you can actually hold the book in your hands? I think not!

So without further ado, this month we are proud to introduce:

WWFC member Laura Edge's TWO new books (adding to an already impressive non-fiction portfolio):

WE STAND AS ONE (The International Ladie's Garment Workers Strike) from Lerner Publishing Group AND

HILARY DUFF, Part of Enslow's Celebrites with Heart series.

We Cakers were lucky enough to read both of these books in critique, start to finish, and can affirm that they are awesome! Congratulations, LAURA!

Another Caker, Miriam King's first picture book officially releases on September 1!

Welcome to the world LIBRARIAN ON THE ROOF...

This is such a wonderful book, and to confirm that fact, it was chosen to represent the state of Texas at the 2010 National Book Festival in Washington D.C. What an honor! Miriam will be in attendance, along with some of the greatest authors of our time (besides her, of course).

In other news, three of us are finishing up first drafts of novels to bring to the Darcy Pattison Novel Writing Retreat sponsored by the Brazos Valley SCBWI in November. Ever gone to one? This is my second and I can't wait!

Others of us are preparing for a Fall full of school visits, book signings, writing, editing, hopefully, more frequent blogging and of course, CAKE.

Happy writing everyone,

Christina

Just Go Ahead & Wire Those Royalties to my Swiss Bank Account...

Yesterday I was sitting in on fellow Caker Doris Fisher's school visit to my youngest daughter’s elementary school.

Doris is a pro at these sort of things, an expert at involving the kids & getting them excited about writing & reading (& even about math, since the 3 of her 4 picture books are math-related).

When the presentation was over, it was question-and-answer time and Doris was pelted with the usual inquiries:

Where do you get your ideas?
How long did it take for your book to come out?
What are you working on now?

But one particular IRS agent in training raised his hand and asked the one question that everyone wishes they could ask but can't (unless they are a precocious 10 year olds) :

How much money do you make?

Doris glanced to where I was sitting in the back of the room. I rolled my eyes & smiled.

Her answer "Not a lot."

Of course– as many of us know, a published author is lucky if they earn enough money to constitute “making a living”. They depend on school visits, speaking engagements & usually another part- or full-time job to make said living.

But don't get totally depressed yet -- because, of course, there are exceptions. I LOVE to hear about those. The every-so-often book deal that literally takes your breath away. Read this story about YA author Josephine Angelini from yesterday's Publisher's Weekly...

That's right -- a SEVEN FIGURE ADVANCE! (And does this series NOT sound fantastic?)

So yeah, it can happen. It does happen.

Now will it happen to one of us? Will it happen to you?

The odds are slim, certainly, and we probably shouldn’t waste too much time planning our big move to that de-luxe apartment in the sky– but we can dream, can’t we?

I mean, seven figures?!

Just think of all the cake that would buy.

Author visits

This is a busy week for me with two author visits and a Houston SCBWI Conference this weekend. I only write picture books, unlike the other writers in Will Write for Cake.

What's new that I can mention to you about an author visit? Probably not much, but gosh, they are just so much doggone fun.

My four picture books, published by Sylvan Dell Publishing, obviously have great appeal to students under the age of 8. But lucky for me, my books are also filled with facts for all ages, as well as wacky pictures to find. Even adults giggle while reading my books. Happy Birthday to Whooo? is full of baby animal birth announcements. Guess which baby has been born from word play in the announcement and the art around each announcement.

The best guess I've received from a student(who was three years old) was for an announcement that started, "We are flying high in the sky."It's an octopus!" he eagerly told me. Clearly the little guy knew everyone was telling me animal names, but was he exactly on the right page? Probably not! But who cares? I told him it was a great guess, while the teachers in the room giggled behind their hands.

My other three books, One Odd Day, My Even Day and My Half Day are all Math with a Laugh. Rhyming and full of unusual pictures, readers find oddities in each book, as well as being introduced to odd number, even numbers and fractions. Amazing art and verse involve the reader with all the fun.

When I first started author visits, I wondered what I would do, how would this work, was I a dud before I even opened the school door? But I've found out students love visiting authors. Not only am I visiting their school or the author at a literacy night, but I'm a real "live" author, which I like better than being a real "dead" author.

Teachers and librarians couldn't be more helpful, considerate and excited, too. What fun for everyone. I hope all children's writers have the chance to enjoy this aspect of publishing. What a book blast baked to perfection with sweet memories!