Earlier today, I whizzed down to Brighton's Churchill Square Shopping Centre to watch Sue Hendra take part in the Big Summer Read. Now, have you heard about this already? Because, I'm telling you, the Big Summer Read is brilliant - there's so much going on and so many wonderful people getting involved. Also, it's all absolutely free! FREE, I tell you!
Sue's Spider Sandwiches reading and squiggly spider make-and-do session went down a treat, as did the Spider Sandwiches activity packs (BIG thank you to the Bloomsbury Marketing team!). I witnessed the creation of many a wondrous spider! I'd like to give special thanks to the (as named by me) Tremendous Trio who were always on hand to help, always smiling and always simply marvellous. Thanks for having us, ladies!
I've been trying to figure out how to start this post. Where to start. But I know really that there is no way I can write this review in a logical way, because I still feel how I felt when I was reading each book in the Chaos Walking triligy: like my tiny little mind has been blown. So I'll apologise in advance for being unable to thread together my words as elequently as I would like.
The thing is, the Chaos Walking books are unlike anything else I've read. The setting, New World, felt so real to me. I cared about the characters, I felt fear, elation, regret, happiness, defiance, horror, dread . . . I smiled, I laughed, I cried (actually cried. That doesn't normally happen), I read and re-read. There were times when I'd have to let out a "bloody hell" under my breath and stop reading - literally put the book down - just so I could process a twist in the story that had taken me completely by surprise.
*stops to catch breath*
You know what? I'm not even going to give you the official book spiel here. All I'm going to do is tell you to read these epic books, if you haven't already. Trust me, you'll bloody love them.
Whether you work in publishing or want to work in publishing, getting to know people who are already in the industry can be all sorts of good. Thing is, it isn't always easy to do.
So, I figured why not create POP Social, as a way to bring together the lovely folk in and out of children's book publishing? (And I quickly confirmed to myself that there is no reason why not. So . . .) What's the point? Well, that's up to you, but whether you're out to make friends, build contacts or network, I guarantee it'll be interesting. And fun. Watch my Twitter feed for more info, it'll be coming soon.
Last weekend I was really pleased to fly out to Valladolid, Spain to spend a couple of days at IlustraTour, the illustration festival. If you've not heard of IlustraTour before, then you are exactly who I wanted to write this post for, because while the festival has already been running since 2008 and is growing in size each year, it feels to me like it's also on the cusp of becoming something even more significant and exciting. People say the most effective way to raise awareness is by word of mouth. So here goes . . .
I was in Valladolid for two reasons. The first was that Mark Mills, founder of illustration agency Plum Pudding, invited me along to help him judge the third Plum Pudding Illustration Prize. This was one of the highlights for me, and allowed me to get a first look at all of the artwork, which was a real treat. With The Wizard of Oz as the theme, and each entry being vastly different from the next, it was a joy to go through all of the submissions. When Mark and I sat in a crowded lecture theatre on the morning of Saturday 5th, I was struck by how much enthusiasm was in the room with us. That was my first taste of the illustrators' untapped potential, bubbling away under the surface.
The results of the competition were:
First place Clara Gosálves Silva
Second place Brenda Figueroa
Third place Esther Burgueño
Later on that day, I saw the first half of my IlustraTour Network appointments. The Network event is a brilliant way for illustrators to showcase their work to people within the publishing industry. There was a mix of professionals giving advice and comments - those working both in Spain and internationally, encompassing books, magazines, and digital - almost 60 of us in all, which I found really impressive. Each of my meetings felt positive and exciting. It was a great chance for me to meet illustrators I wouldn't normally have the chance to meet, and they were all very talented and passionate. Here's a little taster of what I saw on both Saturday and Sunday:
Whenever I look at artwork, I find that my mind flits between my personal taste, which area of publishing I can imagine a particular artwork style working for and which publisher I can imagine wanting to commision that style. I think that's something illustrators don't often realise at first - that each publisher has its own identity which leads them to commission particular types of books. That's why it's so, so important for illustrators to research publishers and look closely at the books they're publishing right now, to see if they show signs of responding positively to a certain style of illustration or type of book. (Of course, I would also be the first to tell someone to take a chance and just send your artwork to a publisher even if you're not sure. Everyone loves a wildcard!)
As well as the illustrators I met at IlustraTour, I was amazed by the people who were working hard behind the scenes. The team at IlustraTour did a brilliant, brilliant job and were always in control, always on-hand with help or advice (or directions, in my case, for when I got lost!) and above all were always simply lovely people. I felt honored to be involved in the event alongside them, and I hope that I can continue to help IlustraTour grow and flourish in the future.
Before I sign off, here's even more of what I saw during the weekend.
Earlier this week, Zoe Griffiths (the ever-so-lovely Senior Commissioning Editor on the Fiction list at Bloomsbury Children's Books) and I decided to spend a lunch hour treasure hunting for some Books About Town BookBench sculptures. If you haven't heard about these benches already, then you are in for a treat, my friend, for they are sprinkled across London in the most delightful way. There are four different trails that you can go on (Bloomsbury, City, Greenwich and Riverside), each mapping a very satisfying number of benches.
In our lunch hour, Zoe and I managed to spot 10 benches mere minutes from the Bloomsbury office, and, I have to admit, there were some clear favourites. We both loved Aslan (the bench was in use when we got there, so we couldn't see Lucy and Mr Tumnus, but Aslan more than made up for that - he's quite beautiful), and The Day of the Triffids and Mrs Dalloway were also stunning. In a flurry of excitement, we pledged to do the remaining three trails, and I'm really looking forward to it!
The benches showcase some wonderful illustrators and books, and they are so worth a look - if you haven't come across at least one already you really must go out looking. A BookBench treasure hunt would make a great family day out - my neice and nephew loved hearing all about them and I've already planned an excursion with them. It strikes me as quite fantastic that this is something I can share with them that's absolutely free. How rare!
I'll keep you posted on mine and Zoe's highlights - with three more trails to do, I'll have lots to share with you! And if you'd like to find out more about why the BookBenches were made, you can do so here.
Nicky O'Byrne flew into the limelight earlier this year when she won the Waterstones Children's Prize for Best Picture Book. Open Very Carefully, the brilliantly interactive story of a crocodile who falls into the wrong story, was published by Nosy Crow, to a host of positive reviews, capturing the imaginations of many. Nicky took time out of her rather busy schedule to answer some questions for me (thanks, Nicky!).
First off, I have to ask how it felt to win the Waterstones Children’s Prize for Best Picture Book! Was it a surreal experience?
It felt amazing! I couldn’t quite believe it, I felt so excited, happy and nervous all at the same time. It took a while to sink in, and I walked around with a massive, dazed smile on my face for several days not really getting anything done.
You’ve been represented by the Bright Agency for a while now. What drew you to that particular illustration agency?
Bright approached me when I exhibited at D&AD after my degree show. I went to their office with my portfolio and was struck by their enthusiasm and by the quality of the artwork on their website. I had met with a couple of publishers before I met Bright, and although they were all extremely encouraging, it was clear that I didn’t quite understand what they were looking for. Bright was willing to put time into developing me, not only as a children’s book illustrator, but as an author, and in licensing work too. Vicki was also quite upfront with me about what was good in my portfolio and what was lacking, and I liked that!
What advice would you give illustrators who are trying to crack into children’s book illustration?
Spend time researching the publishers you want to work with, and make your self-promotional material relevant. Publishers are so busy, anything you send needs to be something special to entice them to pick it up. Competitions and exhibitions are also a good way to get your work seen, as are book fairs. If you are not represented by an agency, I would strongly encourage an AOI membership, they are so helpful, friendly, and they have a wealth of knowledge. And of course, have a website!
Where do you get your inspiration from?
Sometimes inspiration arrives by itself and sometimes I have to work to get it. I try to keep regular working hours because I think inspiration is probably something that comes with practice, and I try to be receptive to ideas when they do arrive. If I’m not feeling inspired, I research my subject matter and draw more. Sometimes being uninspired is actually just feeling tired and run down, and inspiration arrives after a good night’s sleep.
What do you enjoy most about the book-making process?
All of it! I usually quite enjoy editing the roughs. I find that this is the stage when I most improve with my drawing, because you can get very specific feedback about making relatively small changes that improve the image a lot. The final artwork is the most challenging aspect and I can get quite stressed over it. Getting the pdfs back from the designer and that first pre-published copy of your book in the post is pretty awesome, too!
If you could meet any authors or illustrators, alive or dead, who would they be?
Dave McKean, Catherine Rayner, Neil Gaiman, Sara Ogilvie, Shaun Tan, Emily Gravett, and David Almond. Of course if I actually met any of them I would be way too excited to speak to them and I’d probably just grin and stare. I met Catherine Rayner once when she came to my college, and all I managed was to blush furiously and ask her for her autograph.
What are your views on the picture book market right now?
I think there are so many amazing books coming out right now! The standard of authors and illustrators is very high; this is both exciting and terrifying at the same time.
If you could change one thing in the world of picture books, what would it be?
This is a wonderful industry to be part of, but I think there is a lot of pressure on publishers to produce books that will sell well, and so sometimes important stories don’t make the cut because they are difficult or controversial, or just not commercial enough. If I could change one thing I would invent a budget for stories that might not sell but should be told.
270 publishing people - 48 countries - one network
I was recently picked to be a 2014 Frankfurt Fellow, which I'm really blimmin' excited about. Now in its 16th year, the Frankfurt Fellowship Programme is all about bringing together publishers, forging new business relationships and learning more about the publishing industry, both in Germany and internationally.
The programme was launched in 1998 to mark the 50th anniversary of the Frankfurt Book Fair, and has had a general publishing focus . . . Until now. 2014 will be the very first year the programme is geared specifically towards children's and YA publishing. And, now you see why I'm so excited, don't you?!
The programme enables networking on a big scale, and I don't think there's anything else out there quite like it. I'm looking forward to telling you all about it when I'm back, although it's a fair while before I go (28th September). See below for a peek at this year's Fellows - these are the folks I'll be out there with.
Zoe Walton, Publisher, Children's and Young Adult Books, Random House Australia
One of the things I love about working in children's book publishing is the wonderful people I get to meet. Being able to watch authors and illustrators gain well-deserved success and recognition for the brilliant things they do is a real perk of the job!
With two Bloomsbury picture books - Shhh! Don't Wake the Royal Baby! (2013) and Happy Birthday, Royal Baby! (2014) - already under her belt (and another on the way), Ada Grey is an exciting picture book talent and a definite one to watch. We had a chat about her exciting start to illustrating picture books . . .
Ada, you signed with Bright at the end of 2012, and in just a matter of months your first book was published. How did it feel?
It was an amazing whirlwind experience that I never expected! Vicki (Willden-Lebrecht) has been amazing, and I’m so grateful and lucky that she landed such an important title for me. I’ve wanted to be an illustrator ever since my mum read Where The Wild Things Are to me when I was little. That’s when I first realized that people did this fabulous thing as a job. And here I am, thanks to Bright!
How did you come about joining Bright?
For years I had a small advertisement for the Bright Agency that I had cut from a magazine somewhere (the AOI mag?), pinned to a board above my desk. I’d always thought that they were the agency I’d most like to join, but I never had enough confidence in my work to approach them. It stayed there for years, all yellowed and curled, until one day, after a series of events, I realised that life is just too short not to give things a go. So I did.
One of the best decisions I’ve ever made!
What advice would you give illustrators who are trying to crack into children’s book illustration?
I’m no expert, but at the heart of it, just draw in the way you love to draw, in the way that makes you happiest. Don’t try to be something you’re not, but do be aware of the market. Go and live in the children’s section of your local bookshop or develop an obsessive collecting habit!
If you choose not to get an agent, get yourself the Children’s Writers’ and Artists’ Yearbook and find out who the right people to approach are. Join the AOI and SCBWI for advice, support and networking.
If you’d like an agent, investigate which ones might like your style. Someone who has something a little similar perhaps, as long as you’re bringing a new flavour with you.
Get your blog, website and Twitter up and running too, they can be invaluable tools (note to self – get my blog, website and Twitter up and running!).
And learn how to do your accounts – very boring but very necessary!
In 2013, Shhh! Don’t Wake the Royal Baby! knocked Julia Donaldson off the top spot in the Bookseller children’s chart. That must have felt pretty good?!
Oh gosh, that was a complete and utter surprise! Julia Donaldson is just incredible, a true master of her craft. If I had a squillionth of her talent, I’d be a happy bunny!
Martha Mumford and the lovely folks at Bloomsbury spotted an important event that would have resonance for parents of new babies around the world. A crying baby and our efforts to soothe and comfort are a universal experience, and I think Martha captured the humour that can exist in the ways we try to do that. Mixed with the fun of the Royal Family doing things we wouldn’t expect was a fabulous idea.
It was so much fun to work on!
What do you enjoy most about the book-making process?
Absolutely everything!
There’s nothing else I’ve wanted to do so much in my life.
Everyone I’ve met in the publishing world has been utterly lovely! There’s something about picture books that attracts lovely people - perhaps it’s the collective will to give joy and nurture the imagination in us all?
It’s so exciting to be handed a text for the first time. I’ll read through the story three or four times initially, but I find that pictures are popping into my head in the first reading already. I’ll doodle and jot down notes and plan out the landscape of the world that the characters and story create. On the second and third readings, pulling that world together is immensely satisfying. It’s then that even more details begin to emerge, things that don’t exist in the text.
I find the “colouring-in” bit, where those outlines take on form, almost meditative and very relaxing. It’s the least “work” like part, it’s just fun!
And finally, holding the book in your hands and seeing it in a shop window is such a buzz of excitement, but a little surreal at the same time. I did that?? I did that!!
But best of all is sharing a book with my daughter, and getting a giggle of joy or a thousand questions. That’s what it’s all for.
If you could meet any authors or illustrators, alive or dead, who would they be?
There’s just so many! Quentin Blake, Roald Dahl, Jon Burningham, Sara Ogilvie, Neal Layton, Maurice Sendak, Michael Rosen, Oliver Jeffers, David Roberts and, of course, Julia Donaldson. The list goes on. But I’d be so much in awe, I’d be all bumbly fumbly and spill my tea.
What are your views on the picture book market right now?
I’ve only just begun to learn about the market, and I’m immensely excited by the scope of talent and originality out there. It’s amazing, and a bit intimidating at the same time. I could come out with twenty books each time I visit a bookshop if I had the funds!
If you could change one thing in the world of picture books, what would it be?
In LovelyLaLaLand, the picture book fairy would provide free picture books to every child on the planet (and the gas bill fairy would pay my gas bill) and the designers and editors would get a credit in the books too!
Since Charlotte Eyre started as Children's Editor at The Bookseller, she's read a hellova lotta books. I mean, just imagine! So when I asked her to write a guest post for POP, (and she very kindly agreed - thank you, Charlotte!), it did seem very fitting for her to talk about the books that have really left a mark on her. So here are her top five picks from the first six months in the job . . .
Terror Kid by Benjamin Zephaniah (Hot Key Books, September 2014)
This book is amazing. It rips along at such a roaring pace I only realised how dazzled I’d been once I closed the last page. Set against a backdrop of the 2011 riots, the story is about a boy called Rico who falls unwittingly into taking part in a major cyber crime, changing his life irrevocably in the process.
I wouldn’t say anything as patronising as ‘all teenagers should read this’ because they will anyway, it’s that brilliant, but I will say all adults should. This may be one of the defining books about 21st century adolescence.
Ironheart by Allan Boroughs (Macmillan Children’s Books, January 2014)
I hoovered up adventure books as a kid so it’s not a surprise I loved Ironheart, set in a post-apocalyptic future where young India Bentley sets out to find her missing father. The father in question went missing looking for a secret fortress containing the secrets of the old world, and India is soon dragged into a journey that takes right her into the heart of Siberia. It’s is a proper, old-school adventure story with goodies (including Verity, a tech hunter, and Calculus, a loyal android) and baddies (evil oil baron Lucifer Stone).
The Queen’s Hat by Steve Antony (Hodder Children’s Books, May 2014)
There are so many amazing picture books out there but I had a coup de coeur, as the French would say, for this book, which is about what happens when the Queen’s hat blows off. The story is gorgeous, as the queen and her soldiers scramble all over London’s landmarks trying to get the hat back, and I’d quite happily have any of the illustrations, amazing blue, red, black and white drawings, on my wall (just in case you have any lying around, Steve).
Goose by Dawn O’Porter (Hot Key Books, March 2014)
Dawn O’Porter must be one of the best authors out there in terms of writing about adolescence. You can feel her love and affection for teenage girls dripping off the pages of Goose, which is a follow-up to Paper Aeroplanes, and picks up the story of the same two characters, Flo and Reneè, a year and a half later. The girls are stretching their wings, separately discovering boys and the church, experiencing all the strains and stresses of teenage life that feel so real for every reader.
Someone told me Dawn wants to write a whole series of books following the girls into their thirties. I really hope this is true.
Stay Where You Are and Then Leave by John Boyne (Doubleday Children’s, September 2013)
This wasn’t published while I was working at the Bookseller but I did get to read it for a Read For My School panel, so it counts. Stay Where You Are and Then Leave is my favourite of all the World War One books for children that are around at the moment. It’s a beautifully told, innocent but knowing tale about a boy who is determined to find his missing father.
Hi folks! Thought I'd write a quick post about something Zoe Waring and I are doing next week. It's called Putting You in the Picture, and it's organised by SCBWI. We'll be talking all about how picture books are commissioned and produced, so if you're passionate about picture books and want to find out more about what goes on behind the scenes, then come along!