​Guest interview of illustrator Qing Zhuang

Often there is a cloak of mystery surrounding the relationship between an author and an illustrator. When illustrator Qing Zhuang signed on to illustrate How Long Is Forever?, I did what every good author is instructed to do. I sat down and zipped my lip. The idea, and it is a smart one, is to allow the illustrator freedom within their creative process without being hampered or interrupted by the pesky author.
 
It was hard. And I was grateful when the editor sent me sketches and asked for my feedback. But I wonder, what did that process feel like from Qing’s perspective? Let’s ask.

A few months after Charlesbridge bought How Long Is Forever?, I received an email from editor Karen Boss letting me know the Art Department had identified three potential illustrators for the book. I went into major cyber stalk mode. All three were fantastic, but the drawings on your website had me convinced that you were the best pick. Did you know I wrote a four page email back with pics from your website as proof? How did you first hear of the project? And what made you sign on?

I wish I could read why you liked my work best out of the three! The competition is SO fierce! I signed on because of how simple but deep it is. This is a story that can be as sweet or thought provoking as you want it to be. I just remember gazing up at the sky as a child getting lost pondering the nature of time and forever-ness.

“How Long is Forever?” Can spur such a philosophical discussion with young ones but it can also be about the down to earth experiences of familial love and the creature comforts we share with the people we love. 

It can be about losing a grandparent. When I showed the manuscript to my now husband, he started tearing up. He said it reminded him of his own grandfather who used to make him Chinese pancakes and that was his favorite memory that he will keep forever of this person whom he loved so much. I knew that this story can potentially mean something special to each reader so I was excited to be a part of it!  ​

​Qing Zhuang is an illustrator and elementary educator based in New York City. She holds a BFA in Illustration from Maryland Institute College of Art, Baltimore, and a MA in teaching from School of Visual Arts, New York. How Long Is Forever? is her debut as an illustrator. She is represented by Wendi Gu of Sanford Greenburger Associates. Qing's debut as both author and illustrator, Rainbow Shopping will launch from Holiday House in the summer of 2022. To learn more about Qing, visit her website at www.qingthings.com. 

To purchase a copy of How Long Is Forever? click here. 

by Kelly Carey

​My debut picture book launched in April of 2020, a little more than two years from the day I sold the book. Some folks balked bug eyed when I said the book would not be out for 24 months, but not me. I was thrilled that I had two years to learn everything I could about book marketing and put a plan into action.

I made plans. Some spot on and some ridiculous and untenable that I scrapped. I filled a huge binder with loads of information. Trust me when I tell you that I have reorganized this binder multiple times and it is still a cumbersome beast; which is a perfect description for marketing. It is a cumbersome beast.

The trick is to tame the beast. Manage your own expectations. Believe in your product. And most importantly, find infectious joy in the process.

Great, you’re thinking. How the heck do I do that?
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Take it in small chunks and find a place to start that feels familiar. At one point you have probably planned a party whether it was a birthday, wedding, or family bbq. Good. If you have ever planned a party, you can plan a book launch. Let’s get started. And you can all start NOW! Whether you just signed your contract, are querying, or still working on your manuscript, today is the day to start planning your party. 

While I don’t have an independent bookstore in my town, I do have wonderful bookstores within a thirty minute radius of my home. Since your launch will mostly feature your local friends, family and writing colleagues, pick a spot nearby that it is an easy distance for your guests and offers a good space for your event.

​You can ask the marketing team at your publisher to help you make contact with the bookstore; however it is best if you already have a relationship with the bookseller. That means you’ve spent your pre-published time visiting your local indie bookstores, attending events, and have become a part of the bookseller’s patron base (aka – you buy books!).
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Virtual flip: Your wonderful event has gone virtual? No problem. That same bookstore can host your event virtually. But you still need a good location. Your guests will not want to look at your messy kitchen! Do not pick a wall of windows as your background; while that looks lovely in person, the backlighting will be a problem. Turn on every light in the room and consider how comfortable the spot will be for you. Add some colorful and interesting props: your book, flowers, and possibly an item related to the theme or subject of your book. 

Plan on attending launch events at both your chosen venue and at other venues. Watch how the bookstore manages the event.  Notice how the audience reacts to how authors and illustrators present their books. What worked? What didn’t work? Create your own “best practice” guide based on what you think would work best for your presentation style and for your book.

Virtual flip: Tune in to a variety of virtual events and get a sense for how the technology works. It will be helpful to consider the event as a participant versus a speaker as you think about how you want your presentation to work. For example, do you want to hold your book and read it or share a power point as you read the book? Attending events will help you formulate the best plan for you. 

Just like any good party, your launch will be a success if folks know about it and actually come! The bookstore will market the event, but your friends, family and writing colleagues will be more excited to attend if you send them a personal invitation. I sent out evites and news of the event to my newsletter subscribers. An evite is easy and you can use emails you have already collected BUT I highly recommend that you spend the time between signing your contract and the launch to build up an email subscriber list using Mail Chimp. For more information on building an email list of fans see this wonderful post by marketing expert Colleen Riordan.
Send out your invitations about a month before your event and be sure to send out a reminder a day or two before your launch. Blast info about your event on all your social media. 

Virtual Flip: When your live event has to go virtual, you’ll rely on that evite program and your newsletter platform to let everyone know the new plan. 

From the moment you announce your book deal, people are going to be excited for you. You will not leave the house without someone stopping you at the grocery store, lacrosse field, or school event to ask about your book. The closer you get to the publication date, the more people will ask, “How can I get a copy?”


You will want a good answer to this question. First, invite these folks to attend your launch. But you will also want to make it easy for these folks to purchase your book. Ask a local indie bookstore to facilitate autographed pre-orders and include information in your evite and newsletter about pre-orders. This way fans that are farther away and might not be able to travel to your launch can still get your book. Send those folks an evite anyway – they will be grateful you have an option to allow them to purchase the book even if they cannot attend your launch.

Virtual flip: I used my newsletter email list to let folks know that they could pre-order autographed copies from my local indie that would be shipped to their homes. The bookstore allowed me to sign copies alone in the store to fulfill orders. Bookstores may also prefer that you offer signed bookplates that you can mail in bulk to the store rather than coming into the store. I have seen authors offer to mail individual signed bookplates if a book is bought, but your profit on each book is so small, I don’t believe this is cost effective. If the bookstore cannot help you facilitate autographed copies, I would not offer it as an option. 

First and foremost, you’ll read your book at your launch. But, folks can do that on their own. You want to offer them something MORE when they are at your launch event.

​I shared some behind the scenes secrets with my guests, talked to them about how the main character got his name, why the story features a blueberry pie instead of an apple pie, and why the tractor was so special. Be careful when you consider these extras that you keep your reader in mind. It might be tempting to talk in depth about your writing and revision process but that will likely be best for a school visit or a program for fellow writers. Keep your reader in mind!  
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Consider this. If I come to tour your home and you tell me about the trip where you found that interesting carving, or why you have so many bird pillows, or who the people are in that black and white photograph, then I will be amused and charmed. BUT if you take me to the basement and show me your hot water heater, open up the cabinet under the sink to tell me about your favorite cleaning products, and open up the closet where you stashed all the clutter before my visit, I will still be amused but no longer charmed. Keep your reader charmed! 

A party with fun food, a game that gets the crowd involved, and a craft that acts as a party favor all add to a guest’s enjoyment. My book features a blueberry pie and I had planned to hand out individual TableTalk pies to guests. I used Megan Dowd Lambert’s Whole Book Approach to think about how to actively read my book and came up with a “find the cat” game kids could play as I shared the story. Finally, I scoured Pinterest to find an easy craft kids could do at the event. I recommend a very simple craft without many steps. Even a coloring page of a character or scene in your book is a crowd pleaser.

Virtual Flip: I still offered a craft during my virtual events. The publicity before the event listed the supplies needed and I reminded folks about those at the beginning of the presentation so that they had time to collect materials. A great website will be helpful for you virtual events. You can point viewers to a website where they can find activity sheets, directions to crafts, and even recipes to make their own book-themed food. 

You will be nervous on launch day. Like industrial strength deodorant nervous. The best way to quell the nerves and to mitigate their negative effect, is to practice! Stand in front of a mirror and rehearse. Keep notes so that you don’t forget to mention things or lose your place. Go to the bookstore and if the event space is separate, practice your presentation in the space. 

Virtual Flip: Technology can be scary and challenging. Be sure to practice on the platform of your event- Zoom, Crowdcast, Facebook Live, or Instagram Live. The bookstore that hosted my launch offered a practice session the day before and I was grateful that we knocked out some kinks. If the bookstore cannot accommodate that, consider your own practice session. Set up your own Zoom meeting with a few trusted friends and practice that tricky toggle between your camera and sharing your computer screen. If things go wrong on the day, just breathe. Folks understand that technology is finicky and while the delay may feel like hours to you, it will likely only be mere minutes for your guests. It’s all good. 

The launch is about you and your book, but be sure to notice the folks who made the book and the day possible. Mention your illustrator, editor, publisher, and agent. Thank the bookstore and tell folks why it is such a great place to visit and plug an event or feature at the bookstore. I like to mention the cafes in bookstores, special gift items that they carry, and encourage folks to attend future events.
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Send folks to your website to learn more about you, print off activity guides, find recipes, and book you for future events.  

You may be asked what books you like to read or what other books you recommend. Be ready to answer this question and use it to feature books by your friends! I was happy to hold up books written by my writing partners and books launching from my publisher, and I think my writing partners and publisher were thrilled that I made that effort.  

​The more you can prepare ahead of time, the more you will enjoy your launch day; whether it is live or virtual!

​But remember, while it is your special day, you want to share the moment and more importantly, your wonderful book with readers. Keep those readers as the focus as you plan your launch party and it will be a success.  

​Kirsten W. Larson is the author of WOOD, WIRE, WINGS: Emma Lilian Todd Invents an Airplane (Calkins Creek) and THE FIRE OF STARS: The Life and Brilliance of the Woman Who Discovered What Stars Are Made of (Chronicle, 2021), as well as 25 books for young readers. Learn more at kirsten-w-larson.com and follow her on Twitter/Instagram/Pinterest @KirstenWLarson

Click here to order a copy of WOOD, WIRE, WINGS: Emma Lilian Todd Invents an Airplane. 

​Kelly Carey presents a guest interview with Jordan Standridge, Marketing Associate, Charlesbridge Publishing

Prior to the release of my debut picture book, many colleagues had warned me that the marketing work for my book would fall squarely and heavily on my shoulders. That was a bit terrifying! I was new to this rodeo and the marketing bulls were rippling with scary muscles and fuming with bad smoky breath. I dove into research, determined to be a marketing bronco buster, and then along came Jordan Standridge, Marketing Associate at Charlesbridge Publishing. And suddenly, I was no longer alone.
 
I have been incredibly relieved to find that Jordan has proved to be both a partner and champion in marketing my book – which is really our book! I’ve invited Jordan to join us for 24 Carrot Writing’s July Marketing Month to explain how authors can help market their book, what they can expect from their publishing house, and how to have a good marketing partnership with your publisher.
 
Thanks for joining us Jordan!

Thanks for having me, Kelly! It’s been such a pleasure working with you on How Long is Forever?. 

​As the Marketing Associate for Charlesbridge, I work closely with authors. So really, anything that falls under that umbrella: I’m in touch with indie bookstores across the country, and help get events set up; I submit authors and their books for festivals, if timing and fit are there, and organize the planning leading up to it; I reach out to various outlets/influencers for publicity opportunities, and mailing out advance/complimentary copies; I pitch upcoming books at bookseller regionals/conferences, too! Basically, if you’re an author with book releasing with us, we’re going to be working together.

​Many debut authors don’t know where to begin in marketing their book. What are some essential first steps debut authors should take in preparing for a book release? 
 
As much as I am going to help get your book out there in the world, it’s so helpful to have an author to work with that is willing to put in the work, right there with me. So how can a debut author be a partner to market their book?

• Introduce yourself to your local indies, and get to know the kids’ department staff (supporting these stores is a great idea, too). Don’t force anything, but be genuine about it. It shouldn’t be a one-time deal, but an over time, thing. I worked at Powell’s Books in Portland, OR as the Kids’ Lead for a number of years, and we had a bunch of local kid lit creators come through and we’d talk picture books. Usually, it wasn’t even about their books, but the new releases that just came out. When it gets closer to your own release, they’ll be much more likely to order copies and want to host you for an event. So possibly higher quantities, and signing opportunities, too?
• Be willing to put yourself out there. This is definitely connected to the first idea. What I thought was really cool about Portland’s kid lit community was how they all supported one another. When someone had a new book coming out, they all went to the bookstore event and bought a copy. Go and mingle with your fellow local creators — get to know them, and let them get to know you. Do you have a card? Some will likely be active on social media and champion other kid lit work, or have a kit lit blog, and they could be a supporter of you — but they have to know who you are first!
  
• Have a social media presence and your own website. Some self-promotion is key! Let people know when your book is coming out; when and where you have upcoming bookstore events; if you’re also the illustrator, share your illustrations. It can’t always be about you, so share the release dates of your new creator friends and their events. Show support for your local bookstores — cool kids’ book displays, purchases you made. What’s happening soon — Children’s Book Week? Independent Bookstore Day? Get yourself in the mix.
  
• Plan and practice a presentation, and have a tie-in activity. I hope you like public speaking! If that gives you anxiety, start preparing and practicing. Plan a presentation beyond reading the book. How can you engage with a young audience, and make it a little more interactive? What might be a fun (possibly, even educational) tie-in activity you could do together? The more lively the event, the likelier for sales.

The more we have worked together, the braver I’ve become in asking for marketing help. For example, I came up with some classroom activity ideas to go along with the book, but I couldn’t make them look professional. I reached out to you, and the Charlesbridge team designed a spiffy looking activity guide to accompany the book. I’ve also reached out to ask if Charlesbridge would supply books for giveaway campaigns – you did! What sort of support should authors feel comfortable asking for? What support do publishers want to give? And what makes the marketing partnership between an author and publisher work? 
 
I think the most successful marketing partnership between author and publisher is when it can be a more collaborative experience. If you, the author, have relevant kid lit/book subject contacts that would help promote the book, tell us — we’d send out copies. Are you already tight with certain bookstores, and have the event coordinators’ contact info? Pass that along. And yeah, you had an idea for a tie-in activity guide that you would then be able to use at all your events. The publisher sees the value in that material, so of course we helped bring it to life! If you have a reasonable ask, that would help sell copies of the book, the publisher will try to help make it happen.

I’ve been thrilled that you have reached out to bookstores to find me virtual gigs. What helps you get an invitation for an author? What can an author do to help?
 
Those essential first steps I mentioned earlier are the building blocks for this question, too.

Kelly, you’ve been not only willing, but excited, to help promote your book! Do you remember our early conversations around author events (pre-Covid-19), and you essentially said "I’ll drive to any bookstore events you set up in MA and the states that touch it." Haha. That’s dedication. I knew then that you would be awesome to work with. While I don’t expect that level of determination, I admire the spirit, and it was nice to know you gave me the green light to really go for it. When events were starting to go virtual, you adapted, and even learned all of the various platforms that bookstores threw our way. You also worked on your presentation (you had a couple, depending on what the situation called for), even offering a meaningful and easy craft kids at home could make, so it definitely made my job easier.

​When you’re a debut, bookstores don’t have a backlist/sales to consider when making event decisions. However, if you’re putting in the extra work, I can better attempt to paint a picture in an event coordinator’s mind on what an event with this author will look like, what we can offer, and how that would be a draw for their community’s families. So, in short, be willing to open up your schedule and prepare!

Thanks Jordan! 

Guest post by Author Carrie Finison

​Please join me in my DeLorean as we travel back in time…
 
On June 7, 2019, I woke up with BIG plans for the day. My 8th grader would be graduating from middle school on June 11. My 4th grader would be in school for only another week after that. Mama had a mile-long to-do list to accomplish before the busy, distracting days of summer arrived! 

​But a brief Twitter check stopped me in my tracks. #NationalDoughnutDay was trending. How could I, author of a soon-to-be-released picture book entitled DOZENS OF DOUGHNUTS, have forgotten about this important national holiday? As I scanned through the tweets in my feed, one thing became clear. People like to talk about doughnuts. A LOT! It was a festive atmosphere and I wanted to jump in with both feet. 

​At that point, I had officially been on Twitter for six years, since 2013, but I rarely used it. I had joined only to participate in pitch contests when I was seeking an agent. I didn’t spend much time tweeting and didn’t have a large following. But one of my goals in advance of my July 2020 book release was to grow my connections on Twitter. And I wanted to do so in a genuine way, not by participating in many of the “follow fests” that I saw happening. Without knowing the words for it at the time, I was seeking “audience engagement” rather than numbers.
 
Normally, I’m a planner. I second-, third-, and fourth-guess most of the things I do. But right then, I needed to get two kids to school and get on with my day. With no time to play guessing games, I posted the following: 

​Then I packed up the kids and left the house.
 
I’m not sure what I expected. Maybe some fun pictures of doughnuts to fill my news feed? Maybe a few more followers? I was pretty surprised when I came home, checked Twitter, and found over a dozen responses to my tweet. As I started responding to them, more responses came. Everyone, it seemed, wanted to share their favorite doughnut.
 
I tossed my plans – whatever they were – aside and spent most of the morning on Twitter. At some point, I realized my plan to offer a critique needed some parameters, and posted a quick update:

So what were my takeaways? There were some practical things I learned. Keeping track of a lot of responses all at once is tough. The logistics of doing a fair drawing from retweets can be a little complicated. Tweeting on a hashtag that’s already trending (#NationalDoughnutDay) can greatly boost your visibility. But, just as with making a delicious batch of doughnuts, some of the intangible lessons were more important:

1.Don’t rush the doughnuts! Engagement takes time.
You want followers who are interested in you and want to engage, and that means you need to take the time to reciprocate. Offer something of value and people will respond - and that doesn’t necessarily mean monetary value like a critique or a book. I think people had fun that day and valued the interaction as much as (if not more than) the chance at a critique.

2.Just add sprinkles! It’s more fun when you have fun.
This particular giveaway didn’t feel like “work” or a drain on my time because I was engaging with people over a topic we all loved – doughnuts!
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3.Don’t overmix your batter! Don’t overthink it.
Probably a life lesson for me, but I’m not sure this would have gone as well as it did, if I had spent time planning it in advance. For good or bad, Twitter is a very spontaneous medium and that can work to your advantage.
 
Just to quickly illustrate an example of #3, let’s jump back in the DeLorean and zoom forward to 2020. This year, I planned a big preorder giveaway for DOZENS OF DOUGHNUTS, scheduled to launch on National Doughnut Day – June 5. However, when the day came we were in the midst of major social upheaval and protests against racism and police brutality in the wake of the murder of George Floyd and…well, it didn’t feel like a good moment for self promotion or talk of something frivolous like doughnuts. So, just as spontaneously as I had jumped into the National Doughnut Day celebrations in 2019, I pulled out of them in 2020, and waited for a different moment to announce my giveaway.
 
Twitter can keep you on your toes, for sure, but keeping things spontaneous and real will help you grow your audience in a genuine way – and have fun while you’re doing it!

Every June, the 24 Carrot Writing community celebrates June Year's Eve. June is the half-way mark in the year and a perfect time to evaluate our goals and reset our focus for the rest of the year.

In support of Black Lives Matter, we ask you to use this June Year's Eve to revisit your goals and add measurable targets for supporting black voices in our community. May we suggest the following: commit to amplifying black authors and illustrators by reading their books, reviewing their books on social media, and purchasing their books for your own library or a teacher's library. ​

We invite our 24 Carrot Writing community to use their creative talents and individual platforms to decry racism, and offer support to black authors and illustrators. We value the contributions and texture all voices add to 24 Carrot Writing and to the KidLit community, and we urge you to commit to a goal of actively amplifying the work of black authors and illustrators. ​​

~ By Amanda Smith​
 
Our final classroom take-over for the 2019/2020 school year comes from an amazing group of 7th and 8th graders. Back in the fall when I had asked them about their favorite books, none of us could have imagined the way this school year would end. Missing them as I work through their responses, I am reminded why I write for children. Our readers, these kids, draw hope and strength from our stories. They escape into fantasy worlds where they learn how to deal with reality. They gather compassion and empathy, grow strong and kind. And they become our heroes.

As I worked through the questionnaires, I found it interesting that the majority of 7th and 8th grade students focused their answers on characters and endings. So, as writers, we should make sure we listen and give them well rounded characters and satisfying endings. Let’s see what they have to say.

What kind of characters do you like?

Relatable characters:
Adrienne—I recently read the book WE ARE OKAY by Nina Lacour, where the main character is always there for her friends. I like this character because of the way she cares for and loves her friends. I would be friends with this character because she is sweet and loving, and matches my personality.

Avery – In MATCHED by Ally Condie, I like the main character, Cassie because she is relatable. I can connect to her and know what she feels when she doesn’t want to follow the rules.

Ella H. – In WINGS OF FIRE, Tui T. Sutherland creates a character named Sunny. Sunny is a small nightwing-sandwing hybrid and she is always happy and optimistic. I would be friends with her because she is basically the dragon version of me.

Ella K. – I look for depth in characters’ feelings, details of characters’ thoughts and an elaborate display of characters’ motives for the decisions they make. I look for these things, because it makes me feel connected to the main character and the people around them.

Claire – Glory is my favorite character form WINGS OF FIRE. She is a dragon who can change her color and spit venom with her fangs. She is not aggressive, but will fight when it is necessary. I think if she was real, we would be good friends.

Sebz -- Ben Ripley from SPY SCHOOL is a character I like, because he is sarcastic.

Marley – The character in JELLY BEAN SUMMER by Joyce Maghin is a young girl like me and I liked her so much, because her inner thoughts were very funny. I would be friends with her because she is kind and clever.

Elyssa – I would be friends with Frances from RADIO SILENCE by Alice Oseman, because she is relatable and headstrong.

Carolyn – I liked Raina in GUTS (Raina Telgemeier), because she is a good friend and sounds like she would be easy to get along with.
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Caden – I think I would be friends with Oliver in THE UNEXPECTED LIFE OF OLIVER CRAMWELL PITTS (Avi) because he is nice and very kind.

What kinds of endings do you like?
Just as with the 6th graders we hosted in March, these students appreciate a good cliff-hanger - provided a sequel is close at hand. But don’t leave them hanging with unresolved threads.  Like Ella B. said, “You can’t just end a book with a major cliff hanger and never write another book explaining what happens.” What I have noticed, though, is that these discerning readers expect an ending to deliver more than just a neatly wrapped up story.
Take a look:
Rosemary – The ending of THE KINDOM (Jess Rothenberg) was great. It did not end with a “happily ever after.” It ended with a nice resolution to the plot, but left the rest to the readers’ imagination.

Erin – I liked the ending of THE OUTSIDERS (S.E. Hinton). The ending is similar to the beginning.

Grace – I liked the ending of WHITE BIRD, because it had a good message and made me think of what I can do to change the world.

Corbin – REBOUND by Kwame Alexander ended in a way that linked up well with the first book THE CROSSOVER.

Emelyn – The ending of AN INQUISITOR’S TALE (Adam Gidwitz) revealed identities of mysterious characters and tied the whole book together really well.

CJ – I liked the ending of TYRANT’S TOMB (Rick Riordan), because it ended with a battle. I don’t like books that end with “happily ever after,” because it makes it feel as if nothing had changed since the beginning.

Hannah – TO CATCH A KILLER by Sheryl Scarborough ended so nicely and all the pieces fit together. It made me feel like life could be like that someday.
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Seventh and Eighth graders fall in that obscure place in the market – that crossover spot between upper middle grade and young YA, which can make finding the right book tricky. I doubt that they care much about marketing labels. However, they are clear about what they want: Adventure, escape, and hope.  A call to action. Glimpses of who they are. Examples of who they aspire to be. And inspiration to be brave and be the very best version of themselves.