Guestopia - Ampersand Prize winner, Cally Black

Today, we've switched things up! Instead of our Guestopia Interview going live on the 26th, we've brought it forward - and for good reason!

First, let's meet today's very special guest... Australian author, CALLY BLACK!

Cally is a winner of Hardie Grant Egmont's Ampersand Prize, and her debut novel In the Dark Spaces will be published in 2017.

She has travelled throughout Asia, Europe and Africa and now lives in Melbourne with her family. When she's not writing YA sci-fi, she teaches TAFE, writes for the educational market, and works with gifted children.

Awesome! Now click here for a little info about the Hardie Grant Ampersand Prize, which closes this year on Friday, September 16th, to find out what a massive writing prize this is!

So, let's gooooooo!

Is this your first published book?

Yes, this is my very first trade novel. It's very exciting.

I've had short stories published for children in Educational Publishing and in SF magazines before but have been focussing on YA novels for the last couple of years.

What’s it called?

In the Dark Spaces, which has a double meaning, and, I feel, invokes a mood similar to one of my favourite stanzas from a Robert Frost poem, “Desert Places.”

Which genre?

Science Fiction Thriller

Which age group?

Young Adult

Is it a series or standalone?

This is standing alone, and if it does really well... who knows?

Are you an agented author?

No. Unagented.

Which publisher snapped up your book?

Hardie Grant Egmont selected it as their Ampersand Prize novel for 2016 from their annual competition. Very exciting for a first novel to hit the ground with an award behind it!

How involved have you been in the whole publishing process of your book?

I'm very hands-on. Marisa at HGE has a lot of advice and ideas for tweaks and I see it as my job to realise that potential, so it's a lot of hard and rewarding work. I don't think anyone else could do it for me. There's an unusual voice and it's set in an unusual world. I wouldn't want anyone else to do it for me!

Do you have another job?

I have two other jobs. I work for a private educational company that works with children during the day and I teach at TAFE at night. Fortunately, I get school holidays off both of those.

Did you receive many, if any, rejections prior?

Only about a gazillion! Actually the last couple of years I'd stopped sending work out (this stops rejections!) and turned inwards to focus on my writing to try to understand why it got attention but never an offer, and to try to improve. It was a process that involved reading a lot of essays and articles by writers and reading their novels and picking apart how they did the things I loved. I'm still in that process. I may always be in that process. There's so much to learn!

What created/what were you doing or watching when the first idea for this book sneaked up on you?

 I'd read Hunger Games and then I read 5^th Wave and I thought you know what? These authors are having fun and letting go and not censoring themselves. Gloves off! I'm going to go into a novel swinging and punching. What's the worst that can happen? I told myself I didn't have to show it to anyone. It was just for me. And there were a few new techniques that I wanted to try so it was all useful.

How long did you plot/plan until you started writing it?

I don't plot. I write to tell myself a story, to entertain myself. If I plotted, I will have told myself the story and the process of writing it would change. What I do is I write scene by scene, and when I get to the end of the story. I put it aside and write it again in a more orderly fashion from scratch, and try to fully realise the motivations and quirks of each character. So I write and then I plot, and then I write again. This second time, I guess is with a writer hat on, whereas the first time, I suppose I'm inhabiting the viewpoint character. This is a very slow way to do things, even if you can type 40wpm, but I think, if the writer is enjoying themselves and connected with their character, you can feel that in the words.

Once you started, did the story flow naturally or did you have to step in and wrestle it into submission?


I started it. It went in a weird direction after 20,000 words. I turned the page and started it again, and I've been wrestling it ever since!

How many drafts did you write before you let someone read it? Who was that someone?

 Well, you understand this was a novel just for me. I made about half a dozen passes over it. Put it aside, came back to it, and I still liked it far too much for the strange thing it was, the experimental thing I was never going to show anyone. So I showed the opening to an online writing group in the US, and they were really accepting of it. They didn't bag anything I thought they would. So then I showed the opening to Dee White who is a great friend and great writer and she liked it. So then the thing I didn't have to show anyone, became something I could actually show people.

Did you employ an editor/proofreader or did you have a critique partner/beta readers before you started querying?


Only the opening with Dee before querying. The Ampersand was a bit of a spur of the moment thing. Normally I would run the whole thing via friends, do a novel swap. I'm pretty good at editing, so it's the story that I need examined. Dee has read the whole novel since to help me with the HGE edits.

Roughly how many drafts did it take before you sent the manuscript off into the real world?

Probably around eight. I'm obsessive about getting things right. Not good at keeping track of numbers.

How many drafts until it was published?

Another four implementing big and minor changes with Marisa.

Has the book changed dramatically since the first draft?

The core main character has remained the same and the core story, but another character was added, and a lot of work expanding characters and their motivation has improved it significantly. It basically grew a heart.

Are there any parts you’d like to change even now?

Yes! Always! Marisa's just pried it from my hands! I'd keep working on it forever. If only there was more time, if only I could have another 10,000 words!

What part of writing do you find the easiest?

I find being the character and writing the openings the easiest. I love writing dialogue. Finding a voice. I love setting the character free to tell her story.

What part do you find hardest?

Endings are hard. Being bound by word counts and pacing is also hard. Not letting the dark parts of the stories overwhelm the light... as might be judged by a YA reader is difficult, because clearly I'm a dark person! My darkometer is a bit stuffed.

Do you push through writing barriers or walk away?

I'm diseased with writing. Did you see above where I said even though no one wanted to publish me, I wrote just for me for two years? I write to entertain myself. I write to learn more about writing. I write because it's a habit I just can't kick, but at least it won't damage my liver.

How many projects do you have on the go at the same time?

Erm... three lately but usually two.

Do you think you’re born with the talent to write or do you think it can be learned?

100% learned. I'm not “writer material” whatever that is. I wasn't read to or raised among bookshelves, we didn't own many books. School libraries were my only source of books. I was good at English but it wasn't my favourite subject. But I am from a family of storytellers. The things we did, became stories told at late night fires after hard day's work. The things we survived, were relegated to stories, told over and over to friends. My history is a collection of stories that have been garnished for entertainment value. There is the truth softened and made entertaining by the story. I am a collection of stories. Maybe we all are.

Early on in my daydream of learning to write, I read Dare to Be a Great Writer by Leonard Bishop. Bishop told me it didn't matter where your starting point was, as he was once a hobo who won a typewriter in a dice game, your voice can be as relevant as any other, more so, if it's honest and raw. It's taken me a long time to trust my voice.

How many future novels do you have planned?

 100s but how many get published is up to the readers, and whether they like this novel.

Do you write other things, such as short stories, articles, blogs, etc?

I don't have time to blog. Lately nothing on the short story front. But perhaps some more in the future.

What’s the highlight of being published so far?

The first meeting with Hardie Grant Egmont when a young woman from marketing came to meet me with Marisa and I asked what her role in the meeting was (feeling nervous I was being assessed for marketability) and she said, she adored the book so much she had to meet the person who wrote it! My first fan!

Give us one writing tip that works for you.

'Don't stage direct the senses.' Your main character is usually too busy seeing something to think about the fact that her eyes are doing the seeing or pointing in a particular direction. Just plunge on in with what's happening.

And one that doesn't.

'Start with action.' Don't start with action, start with some movement, but something that allows your reader an insight into your character. Don't expect a reader to care that an unknown character is under threat of death in the opening paragraph. This is my Ampersand Prize entry tip too.

Can you give us a clue or secret about the next book?

Erm... I haven't got that far along yet. If readers want a sequel, they'll have to let me know next year after they read In the Dark Spaces, but at the moment, I'm writing another YA set closer to home, in small town Victoria, which involves a lot of missing people and a bit of an invasion.

What question have you always wanted to be asked but never have? What would the answer be?

You realise I can say almost anything because as a new author, I've not been interviewed!

But maybe I can share what I was like when I was the age of my protagonist, with the question, “What were you like as a young adult?”

And the answer is: angry, stupid, a lanky goofy thing with no identity or sense of value with a deathwish ambition to be burnt out before 20 (told you I was stupid). And I'm so glad that was one of the many things I failed at.

And that's a wrap! Fantastic. I for one cannot wait to read In the Dark Spaces, it sounds awesome. Thank you so much for joining YAtopia today, Cally!

Things to consider before working with a small press

Just over a year ago, my first book, Winell Road: Beneath the Surface, a middle grade sci-fi adventure, was published. Well, to anyone who doesn't follow me on social media, this book is no longer published. Yep, didn’t even make a year. Play the violins...

I won’t babble on about why Winell Road is no longer out there in the world – that blog post might come later in the year. I’m still healing from the disappointment, as well as looking to get it back out there. But I thought maybe I’d let you in on some things I’ve learnt about publishing with a small press.

1.      Think sooooooo carefully before signing a publishing contract. Take your time, seek advice. If you have IP lawyer friends, ask them to review the contract. If not, join a society of authors who often have their own contract vetting service. If it costs, pay the money. It might be the best thing you ever pay for. I rejected more than one contract based on advice from a lawyer. Best move ever! Don’t consider yourself to be less worthy than authors with agents who will negotiate contracts on their behalf. Oh, absolutely DO NOT do this. You are as worthy and you must make sure you sign the right and best contract for you. Give yourself some credit.

2.      I took a chance on my publisher, they were brand new, so there weren’t any already contracted clients to speak with about their experiences. This was my choice, and one I did sweat over for a while. However, if the offering press is established, research them.

a)      Are their previous clients happy? And I don’t necessarily mean successful, because success is a personal thing that differs from one author to the next.

b)      Are their books well-edited and presented, professional? Readers will immediately be put off by poor quality books riddled with mistakes.

c)      How do they handle themselves on social media? Are they professional? Are they even on social media?

d)      Where are their books for sale?

e)      Google the press. What comes up?

f)       Are their books priced competitively?

g)      How are they actually earning their share of the profits?

h)      Do they have plans for growth? What’s in their future?

And so on. Put some time and effort into your decision BEFORE you sign.

3.      Decide what you want, and this relates to how you interpret success. If you want your book in all the big bookstores around the world and to make thousands of dollars, depending on the offering press’ size, the small press route probably isn’t the way to go (and you’re expectations might be a little high if you’re a first time author). Small presses will do their best to stock you in bookstores (well, some do), but print runs can often be VERY expensive for the press with not that many stores ordering Print-on-Demand books, thus not a viable option for them. With POD commonplace in the modern world of publishing, maybe being content with your book available to the world online and in local bookstores is enough. Only you can answer this question.

4.      What can this small press do that you can’t do yourself? It’s all well and good saying you want a supportive team to back you up, that you can’t do it on your own, but what kind of back up are you wanting exactly? If it’s purely someone to chat with via email every now and then and tell you you’re great, then super, but can’t a friend or your mum do this? If the back-up you require is a team of people who are also marketing and promoting your book, looking for opportunities to get your name out there, evaluating sales and evolving with the industry as time goes on; people that although might have a unique take on publishing, still have realistic expectations and ideas, then you need to go back to points 2 and 3. Research, think, decide.

5.      And this point should go without saying: Is this small press expecting money from you? Asking you to pay for editing, cover design, etc? If so, then they are not actually a small press, they are a self-publisher or vanity press. If this is something you’re happy with, again, ask yourself what this company can do for you that you can’t do yourself. Will sourcing your own team of reputable editors, designers, formatters, publicists and so on work out cheaper and be a far more personal, hands-on, and ultimately more rewarding experience for you?

6.      Most publishers, big and small, expect authors to be their own marketers and publicists these days. It’s the way it is. You need to put yourself out there, look for opportunities too. But if you’re doing ALL of this yourself maybe stop and ask yourself why you haven’t self published. Being an author is a business, and if you’re giving some of your profits to someone who is just sitting back with a cup of tea, probably not even watching the progress or reception of your book, then alarm bells should be ringing. It’s great that they might have produced this lovely looking book, but if it’s not reaching the hands of any readers, then what is the point?

Whatever you decide, just make sure your expectations are realistic and do your research. Don’t be afraid to ask questions – this is your career. You need to be with someone that loves your book as much as you love it, someone who appreciates and understands this industry and who is willing to try new things to reach new readers. Signing with a creative team who say all the right things is great, but they need to back this up with results, an exciting approach, and their own grounded expectations.

As a writer, you’re likely (or certainly should be) a reader. Think about what you like in a book.

My checklist: Quality. Affordability (not free – I never download free books (unless it’s a buy book 2 get book 1 for free type deal)). Accessibility.

I would not advise even considering a small press unless they can deliver on these three points straight away.

I hope that helps some of you in some way. Good luck.

Editopia: Jet Black Publishing

Today, we welcome Kim Mungcal, editor at Jet Black Publishing; a brand new and refreshing children's and YA publisher based in Australia. Jet Black's bookstore is now open with their first books available for purchase. Take a look here. 

Hi Kim. Thanks so much for joining us and allowing us to interview you.

First up, tell us about Jet Black Publishing. 

Jet Black Publishing is a publishing house dedicated to delivering inspirational and inventive stories to children and young adults. We are driven to create stories that will give children a sense of purpose, a moral lesson and overall enjoyment. We wish to inspire a thirst for adventure and to help unlock children's potential through their imaginations. 'Family' and 'community' are integral to our creative processes and underpin the products we deliver. We strongly believe that children are shaped by their communities. Together we can help guide children down paths less taken and on journeys of discovery to a greater future.

What sets Jet Black apart from other children’s publishers around the world?

Jet Black stories are written by parents, guardians, grandparents, aunts, uncles, older brothers and sisters, teachers, librarians, babysitters and kids. These are people who read to children either as a bed time story, daycare story time, classroom activity or library event. They understand what makes stories engaging.
Jet Black Authors and Illustrators aren't in it for the money. They're in it for the love of storytelling and understand the importance of teaching children helpful ways to live extraordinary lives.
We're not a big corporation. We work with Authors and Illustrators to create their vision. 60% of each book sold goes to the Author/Illustrator.
We will donate 20% of each book sold to the Australian Literacy and Numeracy Foundation.

Are you open to submissions for middle grade and young adult novels? If so, what exactly are you looking for? Or maybe, what are you definitely not looking for? 

Yes, we cater for middle grade and YA authors. There are a couple of middle grade novels in the works. However, there are no YA stories in production currently. We'd be interested in similar values as our children's books; in that it inspires imagination and a sense of adventure. We would definitely not take on submissions that encourage hate and discrimination. Our goal is to focus on positive outcomes and learning experiences.

Amongst the submissions you’ve received to date, are you seeing any trends? 

There is definitely a trend in Tooth Fairies! Otherwise, most submissions have been very quirky but fun.

Which genre is your personal favourite?

Personally I find the stories that take you out of this 'world' particularly entertaining as it opens up new and unexplored worlds. Jumping into paintings or a world full of magical creatures lifts the limitations of our imaginations. Supernatural, science fiction and fantasy would be my choice.

How and when did your interest in books begin? How has your life-path led you to set up Jet Black Publishing?

I always liked drawing, and I always liked writing; so I figured I'd do well with making kids's picture books. I wanted to create my own stories but found that there weren't any publishers with the same values or flexibility. I thought it would be a good idea to start my own, then discovered being a publisher was just as much fun because I began working with brilliant authors and illustrators.

Tell us about you. What’s your background? 

I come from a not-so-rich background in the Philippines. My father died when I was barely a month old and my birth mother gave me away to my aunt so I could live a better life.

When I was very young, my aunt (now adopted mother) used to read to me bed time stories before I'd fall asleep. She had a thick book called '366 Bedtime Stories: A Story for Every Day of the Year' and would read one each night; two if I could persuade her. The stories took me on great adventures and left me dreaming of far away places. It formed the wild imagination I have today and is a source of inspiration and courage I use for day to day. With all my heart I can honestly say that they were the fondest memories I have as a child with a loving mother that only hoped for the best in me.

I'm now both a Graphic Designer and Publisher living in Australia; trying to return the favour to other children who could use the same encouragement I got.

Here’s your opportunity to plug some of Jet Black’s upcoming titles. 

Aunty Arty and the Disquieting Muses

Frieda’s Aunty Arty has a magical paintbrush and stickers that can transport them into famous works of art. A new series for junior readers ...

Bradley Banting: 5th Grade Man of Mystery – Socks for Supper

Bradley Banting is the youngest detective in the world (that he knows of), and lives for solving mysteries.

Why Won't Anybody Play With Me?

Help your child get a head start at school by using Gavin’s story to discuss ways of making and being a good friend.

Thank you, Kim. If you have a children's book looking for a home, or are an illustrator seeking new and exciting projects, and think Jet Black Publishing might be the perfect home for you and your work, go here and follow the submission guidelines. Good luck! 

Editopia: Annie Berger, Associate Editor at Harper Collins

Our Editopia series continues and today I'm very excited to welcome Annie Berger, as associate editor at HarperCollins. I can say from firsthand experience that Annie is an incredible editor who wears her enthusiasm for publishing on her sleeve, which makes her also an incredible person.

Annie Berger graduated from Northwestern University where she majored in history and minored in religion. She attended the Columbia Publishing Course in the summer of 2009. After several internships at Dunham Literary, Bloomsbury Children’s Books, and Egmont USA she started as an editorial assistant at Simon & Schuster’s Aladdin imprint. There she worked with authors Brandon Mull, Rachel Renée Russell and Lauren Barnholdt. Annie was involved in many successful repackages including a Felix Salten line, new Anne of Green Gables books and the re-launch of Fablehaven. She was the editor for both the middle-grade and chapter book Nancy Drew and the middle-grade Hardy Boys series. Annie also signed up debut authors Jen Malone’s At Your Service and Gail Nall’s Breaking the Ice, which publish in August 2014 and March 2015 respectively. Now at HarperCollins Annie is delighted to be looking for both middle-grade and teen and works with authors such as Kristen Kittscher (The Tiara on the Terrace), Jo Whittemore (Confidentially Yours series) and Diane Zahler. Annie also assists with Gail Carson Levine, Lauren Oliver, and Rita Williams-Garcia.


Hi Annie! Let's cover a little basic background stuff first. How did you get your start in the industry? Did you always want to be in publishing?

I had no idea that I wanted to get into publishing until my senior year of college. Right about that time I was panicking about what to do next. I thought long and hard, talked to some people and decided that publishing might be it (book lover for life.) I attended the Columbia Publishing Course right after graduation and then went onto a series of internships. When I finally got my job at Simon & Schuster I was so happy that I danced around my living room blasting Dog Days Are Over by Florence and the Machine. I had three wonderful years there and now I’m excited about my new adventure at HarperCollins!

What does your to-read pile look like? How many manuscripts are in your inbox at any one time?

So many manuscripts, so little time. Just kidding, it’s actually amazing that I have a job where my take home work is reading great children’s books. I definitely always have a stack to read, but I love it! I also like to read at least 50 pages of something before deciding it’s not right for me. There are usually some pending ones hanging out there too, that I’ve read and really enjoyed but am still debating over whether or not I think it works for my list. I don’t like to keep agents hanging so I try to respond in a fairly timely fashion, but those pending ones are the trickiest!

I think I speak for authors (and agents) everywhere in saying, "Thank you for timely responses!" What trends are you seeing in kidlit these days? Are there any subjects or genres you don’t want to see in your inbox? Any you want to see more of?

I think we are totally done (for now) with paranormal (I’m looking at you vampires) and relatively over dystopian. I’m seeing A LOT more realistic fiction, and that’s been working really well for us. I would love to see more fantasy. I love fantasy that’s seamlessly woven into the plot. I keep talking about this everywhere, but Maggie Stiefvater’s The Scorpio Races is a perfect example of this. Her book actually had me on Wikipedia double-checking that there were no such things as flesh-eating water horses. I’d also love to see more strange and off-putting stuff, bring on the books about cults!

I totally agree with you on those water horses. I was sooo intrigued by them. Cults, huh? Very cool. Okay, so without implicating anyone, can you tell us one of or some of the weirder submissions you’ve received?

Oh gosh, I’ve gotten a lot of strange ones. One was a very interesting (unsolicited) picture book submission about a love affair between a snail and a tape dispenser. Which is actually quite funny if you think about it, but definitely wasn’t right for me!

Um. I don't even... okay, I'm just going to leave that one alone. Now I know it’s just plain evil to ask a children’s book editor to name a favorite book, so I won’t. Instead, tell me about your favorite children’s book covers.

Well, I’m biased, but I am in love with the covers for the Anne of Green Gables repackages at Simon & Schuster. (note: see next question for that beauty!) I remember loving the covers for the Fallen books by Lauren Kate, I thought Burn for Burn by Jenny Han and Vivian Siobhan was amazing, The Beautiful Creatures books were beautiful and I love the cover for 33 Minutes by Todd Hasak-Lowy. I also love those Penguin classics. Oh! I can’t believe I almost forgot this one…Nightsong by Ari Berk and illustrated by Loren Long is one of my favorites of all time, it’s my background screen on my work computer.

 

 

33 Minutes is on my bookshelf and even the spine is attention-grabbing! Is there a particular book that sparked your love of reading or a book that you re-read time and again?

There are so so many! But one of my absolute favorites of all time is Anne of Green Gables. I remember reading it for the first time while I was on vacation and just not being able to put it down. I’ve probably read the books in that series about six or seven times. And the best part of the story is that while at Simon & Schuster I worked on a repackage of them. That was probably one of the most rewarding parts of my career so far, writing the copy for one of my favorite books of all time.

That cover!! So, soo beautiful!! Okay, just a couple more. I love to swim but have a total fear of drowning, so I find it really hard to read books where that is a plot point. What about you? Anything you hate to read about? On the other hand, are there subjects you’re drawn to?

You know, I’m not a huge fan of “illness” books. I don’t think I’ve ever picked up a book about a child dying of cancer and said, “Yes, can’t wait to read!” The only exception to that is The Fault in Our Stars (just because I was such a big John Green fan before it came out.) But in general I’m not going to pick up a book that’s going to make me weep the entire time. On the flip side, I am a HUGE animal lover, so if there’s some kind of adorable something in there I am hooked. I also was obsessed with the Animorphs series growing up so I love the whole idea of transforming into animals.

All animal books except those about snails, I guess:) Ever since stumbling upon a Pinterest page that rounds up page shots of all the books that have a variation of the line “S/he released a breath s/he didn’t know s/he’d been holding” I spot it left and right in books and now it makes me giggle! What about you? Any writer’s tics or cliché pet peeves that jump out at you?

I am so glad you asked this. I am done with girls who are unaware that they are strikingly beautiful. I actually think this trend has definitely died down, but for a while every heroine thought she was a plain jane until its “revealed” to her that she is actually the most beautiful person who has ever lived. I’m not saying every main character should be horribly vain, but this kind of description never rang true to me.

Ha! I agree. Finally, here’s your chance to plug a few books on your list you’re excited about…

Well, let’s see. I have to say, this isn’t on my list anymore (tear) but I am so excited for At Your Service to come out this August! (note: Me too!!!) I also am in love with Kristen Kittscher and thrilled to be working on her next book, The Tiara on the Terrace, a sequel to the fantastic mystery The Wig in the Window. I know Jo Whittemore from my days at Aladdin, so I am very excited to get to work on her super fun, tween Confidentially Yours series. And I just took on a very cool Sci-Fi series that I think is going to be amazing. So lots of fun stuff in the pipeline!

I think you said it best above: so many books, so little time! But much better than the reverse, of course. Giant hugs and heartfelt thanks for being here today, Annie!!

Editopia: Simon & Schuster/Aladdin editor Amy Cloud

You all know we like our "topia"'s here at YAtopia and we've seen you waving pom-poms for our Guestopia, Agentopia, and Teentopia series. This month we're crazy excited to introduce a new regular series, Editopia, where we bring you interviews with kidlit's top editors!

For our inaugural interview, I'm going directly to the cream
of the crop to introduce you to MY adorable (and oh-so-
smart!) editor, Amy Cloud with Simon and Schuster's 
Aladdin imprint. She's a Brooklynite by way of Michigan, 
who loves 90's movies (further proof of her awesomeness) 
and foisting kale salads on unsuspecting friends (she'll never get me).

Hey, Amy! Giant hugs for being our brave first 
interview subject. Let's start with some basics. How did 
you get your start in the industry? Did you always want 
to be in publishing?

Like so many editors, I’ve always loved to read and thought
it would be ideal if I could somehow get paid to do it. After
a few post-collegiate stints at trade journals in my
native Michigan, I was accepted into the Columbia
Publishing Course, a six-week “crash course” in the New
York publishing industry. There I met Nicholas Callaway, who at the time owned a boutique publishing firm called Callaway Editions. I spent the next eight years of my life working with a tiny and tight-knight team on everything from Madonna’s children’s stories to a New York Times photo book about President Obama. It was a nontraditional publishing experience, but turned out to be the perfect way for me to learn the ins and outs of the business. (It didn’t hurt that I got to meet Madonna my third week on the job.) It was there that I realized my true love was kids’ books.

Ooh, meeting the Material Girl... so glamorous! Speaking of glamorous, most authors are surprised to find out that editors’ days aren’t spent kicking back at their desks with mugs of tea and piles of manuscripts and that, in fact, most work reading happens outside of work. Describe what your “typical” day actually is.

When I’m not in meetings, my mornings are usually spent answering emails, writing copy, answering more emails, approving layouts, writing editorial letters, reviewing contracts, creating P&Ls, putting together publishing plans, and, um, answering ever more emails. Lots of multitasking! I prefer to spend my afternoons doing what I love most: editing. Unfortunately, my mornings tend to run over into my afternoons. If I have any extra time in the day I’ll spend it reading submissions, but these days most of my reading takes place at home.

What does your to-read pile look like? How many manuscripts are in your inbox at any one time?

It depends on the time of year; over the summer and holidays can be slower in terms of submissions. But I’d say there are always at least 8 to 10 manuscripts hovering in my inbox at any given time.

What trends are you seeing in kidlit these days? Are there any subjects or genres you don’t want to see in your inbox? Any you want to see more of?

Lately I’ve definitely seen more Fault in Our Stars-type stories making the middle-grade rounds: realistic, somewhat quiet books with self-aware narrators, often grappling with medical conditions. There have also been a lot of realistic stories about kids travelling through space and inhabiting other planets.

As for what I don’t want to see: I’m really over the whole dystopian thing and I’m not a huge fan of high-level fantasy. I’d love to find more cleverly constructed mysteries and funny, contemporary tween novels with a strong hook.

What are some things that would make a manuscript stand out to you?

I’m all about voice and character. Authenticity rules supreme! I adore quirky, slightly offbeat humor—anything that produces a good belly laugh. A strong hook is a must. And honestly anything that gets me through a commute. If I can’t put down, there’s usually something there. Extra points if I miss my subway stop!

For the right book, ending up at Coney Island would be worth it, wouldn't it? Can you describe what the acquisition process is like at Aladdin? What happens once you’ve found a book you love?

If I’m over the moon about something I’ll pass it on to my Aladdin editorial colleagues for their thoughts. After they read it, we’ll get together and discuss what we like, what needs to change, and how it fits with our larger list. If they agree we should pursue it, we’ll take it to an acquisitions meeting, where our sales, publicity, marketing, and management teams all weigh in with their perspectives. From that point we crunch the numbers and make an offer.

What parts of your job comes most naturally to you? What’s the biggest challenge?

Honestly, I think the actual editorial part—diving into a manuscript and taking it apart to assess what works and what doesn’t—is my favorite aspect of the job. I’ve always had a critical eye.

Since I still identify as a shy kid, I’d say presentations of any sort terrify me.

I have to admit I was very surprised by that answer- you don't seem shy to me at all! So, in your opinion, what makes a good editor?

First and foremost, a true love of reading. There is such an abundance of reading involved in this job that you have to be willing to devote plenty of personal time to it. Being organized and detail-oriented is a big plus; book editors these days do a great deal of juggling, and you have to be able to stay on top of projects at all stages. Being able to trust your instincts is also key, though I think that’s something that comes with age and experience.

I know it’s just plain evil to ask a children’s book editor to name a favorite book… so I won’t. Instead, tell me about your favorite children’s book covers.

Hilary Knight’s Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle covers, I Want My Hat Back by Jon Klassen, Kay Nielsen’s cover for East of the Sun, West of the Moon, any of the Wildwood books, Winger by Andrew Smith. And I will always love love love the cover of Tina Fey’s Bossypants.

Nothing tops the man hands! I promised no naming favorites, but is there maybe a particular book that sparked your love of reading or a book that you re-read time and again?

When I was a kid I devoured books by Beverly Cleary, Judy Blume, and Paula Danzinger. I think I read The Cat Ate My Gym Suit about twenty times before I was twelve! They made me feel connected to a larger experience, like what I was going through at the time wasn’t so weird or uniquely scary. As an adult I realized I wanted to work on books that would help and transform kids in the same way.

As far as adult books go, I usually read Lorrie Moore’s short story collection Self-Help at least once a year. She’s heartbreaking and hilarious in the same breath.

Adding to my towering TBR list! Granted, you're almost always reading, but when you do put the books down, what are your favorite things to do?

I love to cook meals for friends and loved ones, see live dance and music, spend time in the country, and scour second-hand stores for vintage finds.

Editors: they're just like us. Okay, last question. And actually it's not even a question. It's a chance to plug a few books on your list you’re excited about. Whatcha got?

I’m thrilled to be working with Bruce Coville on his much-anticipated funny and fantastical sequel to Goblins in the Castle, to be released in summer 2015.  He’s such an icon and it’s been an absolute honor to work with him.

Don’t Fall Down is a hilarious and touching winter 2015 debut from author Gail Nall about the competitive world of figure skating as well as finding your own voice.

Though it’s not on my list, Jodi Lynn Anderson’s beautiful middle-grade novel Ordinary World is coming from Aladdin in summer 2015. Her writing is simply gorgeous, and I can’t wait for others to fall in love with it.

There's also this wonderful tween concierge story coming up this summer that I'm sort of over the moon about. It's called At Your Service. J

*Blushes* I'm a little excited for that one myself. And as a lucky critique partner of Gail's, I can certainly vouch for the fabulous Don't Fall Down. Watching the Olympic skating this week has me itching to reread it. Amy, thank you so much for letting me ask you alllllll the questions. I hope tons of other lucky authors out there get the opportunity to work with you!

Win an Editing Workshop

Note: We are hosting TWO awesome (unaffiliated) contests today. If you're looking for the Pitch Madness Entry post, please go here.

Welcome to a new pitch contest with a new, different sort of prize.

Entranced Publishing, a new electronic publisher of YA and romance, is offering up an eight-week online editing workshop (beginning September 17th) to five lucky winners. These five winners will be chosen via a pitch contest here at YAtopia, held in the comments of this post.

The workshop will be hosted by Managing Editor Eden Plantz, who will take participants on an in-depth tour of their own manuscripts from an editorial perspective. At the end of the workshop, Eden will discuss the finer points of querying and will help each author craft a strong cover letter.

In addition, Executive Editor Ashley Christman and Eden will review all entries and will be requesting an as-of-yet undetermined number of manuscripts to be given priority in their slushpile.

The contest is open to YA and NA writers. One entry per person. Post the following information in the comments of this post.

- Name
- Email
- Title
- Age-range & Genre
- Word-count
- Hook (100 words or fewer)

Good luck!

Leave any questions about this contest in the comments.

Entangled Pitch Contest Winners

I'm so glad I didn't have to judge this contest because there were some great submissions. Remember, if you didn't get chosen as a winner, you're invited to submit a query using the link below! Without further ado, here's the message from Entangled:

Thanks so much for hosting us, YAtopia! There were some really amazing pitches here, and I hope we see a sale from our requests.

All requests are for full manuscripts. Please send them as an RTF attachment to your e-mail, and include your cover letter in the body of the e-mail. Also, make sure your subject includes the title of your work and “Requested Material.” Don’t forget to mention YAtopia in your cover letter.

If your pitch was not chosen, and you think we’ve made a mistake, we encourage you to submit a query and sample pages according to our submission guidelines here: http://www.entangledpublishing.com/submission-information/

Stacy Abrams (stacy at entangledpublishing dot com) requests:

Light Sister, Dark Sister – SC Langgle

Last Wish – Kelly Daniels

First Time – Alicia Caldwell

That Succs – Larissa Hardesty

Heather Howland (heather at entangledpublishing dot com) requests:

Minotaur – Alexandra Singer

Triangles – Kimberly Miller

The ACADA Chronicles – Sarah J. Schmitt

Adrien-Luc Sanders (adrien-luc at entangledpublishing dot com) requests:

Serious Game 2.0 – Loralie Hall

Queen’s Rebellion – M.E. Applegate

Josh Vogt (josh at entangledpublishing dot com) requests:

The Second Sign – E. Arroyo

Steel Horizon – Gwen Cole

Kerry Vail (kerry at entangledpublishing dot com) requests:

Witch Weigh – Caroline Mickelson

Libby Murphy (libby at entangledpublishing dot com) requests:

Awaken – Shelley Watters

Kerri-Leigh Grady (kerri-leigh at entangledpublishing dot com) requests:

Just Desserts – Tricia Quinnies

Entangled Pitch Contest!

This contest is now closed! Thanks so much for your participation. Winners will be announced within a week!

This is GO TIME, writers! We will have eight editors (three senior editors!) from Entangled Publishing taking pitches here today only.  

Pieces can be for any age-range, any genre, and lengths from 10k to 120k words.

"Entangled is a boutique publisher of romance fiction. We pride ourselves on quality stories and commercial covers, and our innovative business model offers our authors the best of indie and traditional publishing. To find out more, see our website. And don't forget to look through our current open submission calls.

Any level of heat works as long as a romance is central to the story, and the plot is intimately entwined with the building romance. Stories must end HFN or HEA."

Before posting your pitch, you may want to check out the Imprint Guidelines on their website.You can also check out each editor's full bio on our original pitch announcement post.


To enter the contest, leave the following in the comments of this post. Entries will be accepted from now until midnight EST tonight.

Title
Author
Genre/Sub-genre
Audience/Age
Word Count

[Two-line pitch]

[First 100 words]

You do not have to indicate which editor you are pitching to; all the editors will read all of the entries. Each editor will choose at least one winner, from whom they will request the full manuscript.* Winners will be announced within a week - keep an eye out on the blog here and on our Twitter account for the announcement.

You can post up to two different pitches, but each pitch must be written in a separate comment.

 *Editors reserve the right to not choose a winner, based on quality and quantity of submissions.