Guest post by Francine Puckly

A little over a year ago I made the very difficult but necessary decision to retire from 24 Carrot Writing after five wonderful years. I have missed the camaraderie with my friends and co-founders, and I’m excited to be invited back this week to talk about what I hold near and dear — reimagining creative visions, establishing long-term plans, and setting tangible, immediate goals.

Each new year I take several hours (or sometimes a luxurious whole day!) to celebrate the concluding year’s accomplishments and reassess my goals for the year ahead. In the summer of 2019, I saw a large gap in my September calendar approaching — my kids would both be departing for college while at the same time my husband was heading out of town on business. Rather than pack the days and evenings with hikes and dinners with friends (oh, so tempting!), I trusted my gut to take that time for some extensive reflection. I spent four solid days at home — all to myself — to reexamine my writing vision. What I realized during that block of time was that I had become a little too comfortable with my routine and wasn’t exactly thrilled with how I was spending my writing time.

I gathered the nerve to make several pronounced changes to my commitments. While it was scary to be unmoored from what was comfortable and familiar, I created an avenue for new opportunities to seep in. And seep they did! I had additional novel-writing time and took on a freelance editing gig in June that led to a full-time writer/editor position in December, but the biggest shift was that I found myself hired by a publisher to write and submit an entire manuscript in seventeen days!

The work-for-hire pursuit would not have come about if I hadn’t cleared ample space for it. I was e-introduced to the editor in May, and after an initial video interview, she asked me to submit several writing samples for a couple of different book ideas. We went back and forth several times, during which time I submitted additional samples, incorporated editorial feedback and provided revisions. The editor pitched the project to the editorial team, they authorized it, and we set off on our own version of Operation Warp Speed. (For more details of that process and my  takeaways, see Lessons from a Seventeen-Day Book Sprint.) Because I redirected my efforts and reset my long-term goals, The Word-a-Day Vocabulary Workbook, not even a thought seven months ago, hits bookstores today!

The poet, Wendell Berry, said it best. “The life we want is not merely the one we have chosen and made. It is the one we must be choosing and making.” What life will you be choosing and making in 2021?

Here’s what I wish for all creatives this year (beyond health and well-being): Before you set your goals, may you have plenty of time for self-reflection. May you have the courage to make the necessary changes in your life that will bring joy, surprise, and authenticity to your creative endeavors. And may you trust yourself — always — because, deep down, you know what’s best for you.
Warmest best wishes for a joyful writing year!

 
Francine Puckly’s debut book, The Word-a-Day Vocabulary Workbook (Adams Media), is an entertaining nonfiction blend of 365 obscure words, amusing word trivia, and thought-provoking daily writing prompts, perfect for writers who need to get their creative juices flowing each day. It hits stores near you Tuesday, January 12, 2021.
 
You can find Francine online at francinepuckly.com, on Facebook at Francine Puckly, Author, and on Twitter and Instagram @francinepuckly.

~by Amanda Smith

About the Cover Art:
~ by artist Jodie Apeseche

When Kristen Wixted and Heather Kelly surprised me with the cover assignment, I felt both excitement and fear. I loved the theme. (My background is in biology, including a stint on a research vessel.) But I’d never done a cover and it would be the face of our anthology. Could I make my fellow contributors proud? 
 
Picking the design elements - the friends and anemones - was easy. I had to have an octopus because everyone should be curious about these highly intelligent creatures. They also morph dramatically, giving me  free range in depicting them. The sharks’ striking lines made them visually appealing. And the crabs are my make-believe pets, Bernie and Marlow. 

The cover art started as a watercolor and was collaged with parts of my shell collection, sand, and silk-screened papers. The image was then enhanced digitally. For example, the fabric on the octopus was inserted as an image through a clipping mask. This way the fabric didn't fray, as it originally did when I tried to apply it manually.

I hope every reader finds a favorite poem (or many) that they feel attached to and want to learn more about. Hey, maybe our anthology will inspire some future scientists!

What's Inside?
~by Audrey Day Williams
​
First, there was FIRSTS, then came AN ASSORTMENT OF ANIMALS—an illustrated anthology of poems for children. And now, with editors Heather Kelly and Kristen Wixted at the helm of the ship, the Writers’ Loft authors and illustrators are back with FRIENDS AND ANEMONES a fresh bounty of ocean poems for children.
 
This November, set sail on an epic, page-by-page ocean voyage with Peter Reynolds, Jane Yolen, Kip Wilson, Lynda Mullaly Hunt, Josh Funk, Matt Forrest Esenwine, and 61 other well-loved and emerging New England authors and illustrators. 

Dive under the enchanting cover—illustrated by esteemed local artist Jodie Apeseche—into a whimsical, watery world where you’ll rendezvous with petty penguins, little fish with big dreams, party-planning turtles, as well as anemones and crabs in the intertidal zone, and elusive sharks and jellies that call the deep sea home.
 
With a smorgasbord of poetic types, dozens of captivating sea creatures, and fascinating facts, FRIENDS AND ANEMONES will feel as at home clinging to your bookshelf as it will floating in a school library.  

Rozalia Project:
​Every story has a villain; in this case, it’s plastic and trash which you’ll see skulking in and around the poems. But, every story has a hero too, and that’s you! The Writers’ Loft has teamed up with the Rozalia Project—a non-profit dedicated to protecting our oceans—to empower readers of all ages to become ocean heroes with a simple message: A lot of little actions can make a big impact on the oceans. All profits from the first month's sales will be donated to Rozalia. To learn more, visit ​http://rozaliaproject.org.

 Contributors:
Editors: Heather Kelly and Kristen Wixted
Book designer: Robert Thibeault
Art director: Sally Hinkly
Cover Design: Jodie Apeseche
Plus 70 poets and illustrators, including pre-published writers/artists alongside established children's authors and illustrators.

New books coming out by contributors to FRIENDS AND ANEMONES:
Amanda Davis - 30,000 STICTHES:THE INSPIRING STORY OF THE NATIONAL 9/11 FLAG (May 2021)
Matt Forrest Esenwine - "Pillow" in NIGHT WISHES (2020)
Josh Funk - SHORT&SWEET (September 2020),  WHERE IS OUR LIBRARY (October 2020), IT'S NOT LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD (October 2020)
Marlo Garnsworthy - THE TRUTLE DOVE'S JOURNEY, (Illustrator),  PIKA COUNTRY (Co-author)
Susan Novich - GUESS WHO IS BEHIND THE DOOR (October 2020)
Warren Ross - PODGE
Heidi Stemple and Jane Yolen - I AM THE STORM (October 2020)

FRIENDS AND ANEMONES may be ordered from Bookshop (https://bookshop.org/shop/thewritersloft​), and  will be available at your local indie bookstores and Barnes & Noble, November 20, 2020.

A virtual launch will be hosted by THE BLUE BUNNY BOOKSTORE on November 15 at 4 pm! Details and links will be posted on http://www.bluebunnybooks.com.

The Writers' Loft is a community organization in Massachusetts, which provides education programs, quiet work and meeting space, and general book making support. See some of the illustrators' work in our Illustrator Bonanza feature Illustrating for a Collaborative Project.
To learn more, visit https://www.thewritersloft.org.

In June, 2017, this appeared in my inbox:

If you’re intrigued by magazine writing, the first step is to find magazines to write for. There’s a list in The Book, available to members on the SCBWI website. Parents’ Choice Award-winning magazines are listed on their website (https://www.parentschoice.org/product-category/magazines/). If you are really serious, get an account on submittable.com, where you can Discover and Follow magazines, get on their email lists, and keep track of your submissions.
 
Next, go to a magazine’s websites and click on “submissions” (often cleverly hidden in the “contact” section). There, magazines list how to submit material, what format they want it in, and most importantly, what the magazine is currently looking for.
 
Finally, read a few issues. Get an idea of the tone of the articles and what kinds of topics they cover. Check your local library or request a sample issue.
 
If you write fiction, you’ll submit a full article. If you write nonfiction, most magazines ask for a query or pitch.
 
A pitch consists of a paragraph or two describing the scope of your proposed article, an outline, and a list of references you will use. Write your pitch in the format requested by the magazine. Your cover letter (or email) should include your qualifications and a hook: why are kids interested in this? Why is this piece right for Magazine X? As with querying agents and editors, your pitch and cover letter should be your best work and reflect your voice. When you’re starting out, submit pitches that are aligned with your career, hobby, or education.
 
If your pitch is accepted, make sure to meet your deadline (say no if you can’t) and write the number of words asked for, in the agreed-upon outline.
 
If your pitch is rejected, remember that most magazines are fewer than 50 pages, and there are other writers submitting their work. Pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and submit some more pitches. Or submit the pitch somewhere else!
 
Not only is magazine writing a great way to get published before you get published, but you will also gain an understanding of the publishing process. You’ll experience working with an editor, meeting deadlines, writing to spec, researching, and writing concisely. All skills that editors and agents appreciate.
 
For a more detailed look at the children’s magazine market, check out The Book, the SCBWI Non-Fiction & Work for Hire blueboard thread, and http://evelynchristensen.com/mags.html.

Meg Thacher’s debut book, Sky Gazing: a guide to the Moon, Sun, stars, eclipses, and constellations (Storey Publishing) comes out on October 13, 2020. Find her—and more magazine info—at megthacher.com.

To purchase a copy of Meg's debut book click here. 

Priscilla Alpaugh: Working on the Anthologies was a rare chance to work with such a large group of artists. It was wonderful to see each other’s work and be able to share constructive criticism with one another. It’s a treat to read the poems that the Lofters wrote. So many talented writers! It’s energizing to know that everyone is working towards the same goal.
It is always a challenge to combine different poems on one page or spread. I was lucky and got one of the easier combinations. In each case I went in with a pretty clear idea of what I wanted in the image. Starting with thumbnails for composition and then sketches for content led to a final sketch where I could also consider value. I typically combine watercolor and pencil digitally, but this time it was mostly all digital.

​To learn more about Priscilla, visit http://priscillaalpaugh.com/

Leanne Leutkemeyer: I enjoyed the feeling of community. I love the energy and excitement of being in a room with creative people. I enjoyed being part of the team. This project introduced me to so many wonderful and talented writers and illustrators. The timing of this project was perfect for me. It took my mind off the world and let me escape into oceans, play with whales and stingrays, and make art. The Zoom meetings helped fight feelings of isolation.
However, getting art direction from a group can be a challenge. It can be intimidating to sit shoulder to shoulder with artists you admire. In a meeting full of voices, it’s hard to catch and absorb all of the suggestions as they fly by. I scribbled many notes. It’s more challenging to have group input, but also exciting and inspiring to see the incredible work everyone was putting out.             
In which ways did it stretch me?  I developed new painting techniques to work large and discovered different scanning techniques. I’m excited about the new photoshop skills I’ve picked up through this project. In the past I’ve always fixed mistakes on the illustration as I painted or started over till I got it right. It’s pretty mind-blowing to be able to add an extra tail on a stingray while painting and know that I’ll be able to take the earlier one out that wasn’t working, and not have to repaint the whole illustration.

​To learn more about Leanne, visit ​https://www.leanneluetkemeyer.com/

​Amanda Davis: I was honored to have the opportunity to illustrate several poems in this year’s anthology. It’s the first time my illustrations are appearing in a published children’s book alongside many other talented creators to boot! For this particular anthology, illustrators brought to life the fun and crazy creatures of the sea. I knew I wanted to garner a likeness to the creatures in the poems while also putting my own original spin on them. Typically, my process involves drawing from my imagination or from real-life models or scenes. Since I didn’t have access to real-life models of vampire squids or narwhals, I knew this part of my process was going to be a challenge. With the help of the Loft team, I learned more about properly using reference images, avoiding copyright issues, and finding creative ways to craft original models using materials such as clay.  Because I was illustrating for publication, I also felt an added pressure to get it right. This meant practice, practice, practice and revise, revise, revise! I enjoyed working collaboratively with the other artists and design team who provided me with valuable feedback that helped polish my work. The whole experience was a learning process, and I’m grateful for the knowledge and patience of the Loft community. I can’t wait to share our beautiful, seaworthy collection with the world! 
To learn more about Amanda Davis, visit https://www.amandadavisart.com

Joy Nelkin Wieder: Working as a team was the most exciting and educational process in working on an anthology with other Lofters. I learned so much about marketing a children’s book from others on the team that I was able to apply everything I learned when my own book launched in January. Everything from writing up a press release, to making contacts at local bookstores and media outlets, to participating in book signings and presentations, to creating marketing materials such as flyers and posters. During the marketing of An Assortment of Animals, I took the lead in putting together art exhibitions of our original artwork from the anthology. Our framed illustrations were displayed at the Art and Frame Emporium in Westborough and the Hopkinton Art Center in Hopkinton. We currently have an online exhibit of illustrations with the Acton Memorial Library – check it out here: https://www.actonmemoriallibrary.org/events-programs/art-exhibition/ 

​Visit Joy's website at http://jnwieder.com/ to learn more.

Doreen Buchinski: ​I was honored to design An Assortment of Animals. It was a wonderful opportunity and a chance to challenge myself. As a graphic designer, I’ve created brochures, logos, promotional materials, etc., but hadn’t explored designing picture books. I was excited and terrified of the herculean project ahead. Applying principals of good design to the book layout—like alignment, balance, repetition, contrast, type, and space—was priority. Tasks included: researching fonts, colors, and on-demand printing, managing art files, emails, edits, and file prep, while also completing my own anthology illustrations. Yes, there were days when the project felt overwhelming—but I stayed focused on each day’s priorities. With superb anthology editors, Kristen Wixted and Heather Kelly, the Writers' Loft founder, at the helm, the development and completion of the book was successful. Collaborating with talented illustrators and authors, and displaying their beautiful art and poetry on the pages of the book were experiences I will always treasure. 

​Visit Doreen's website at ​https://www.doreenbuchinski.com/

Sarah Brannen: For me, the first step was picking the creatures I was going to illustrate. I went back and forth with the editors as they sorted out who would make art for which poem. I specifically requested jellyfish and they were kind enough to make that work. I also thought I’d like to do sea glass. I was an avid collector as a child and I still have a jar of my very best pieces, which include even rare colors like yellow and pink. 

Kristen Wixted and I talked a lot about how to group the poems. It was her idea to do a spread of things found on the beach, so that I could do a trompe-l’oeil image of everything spread out on the sand. At the last minute Kristen asked me to illustrate the very last poem in the book, Sea Serenity. My most recent book, A Perfect Day, is set on the ocean and it opens with a very calm image of the ocean at dawn. We both felt that something similar would be perfect to close the anthology as well. I sketched a very old wooden lobster pot buoy that I’ve had since I was little, although I changed the colors to white, blue and green. It’s meant to evoke, in some way, the earth itself. Old buoys have numbers carved into them so I put “2020” on the one in the illustration. 

​My web site is www.sarahbrannen.com.

Jodie Apeseche: When illustration assignments were divvied out, I was super excited. I felt that everything was in my wheelhouse-lobsters, cuttlefish, crabs, sea otters, seahorse and sea dragon-yup those would be fun.
 The tricky part was how to make my illustrations connect to the  poems while keeping in my style of painting. For example, after reading Lobster Rainbow more carefully, I was faced with a predicament. I had not realized that I would have to paint 6 different colored lobsters.  I couldn’t figure out how to do that without making a very cluttered illustration. 
 Solution, I created a lobster grid a la Andy Warhol. Problem solving is such a big part of illustration and I owe gratitude to author, Jean Taft, for pushing me to that end.

​For more about Jodie, visit  jodieapeseche.weebly.com or http://art-jam.net/

FRIENDS AND ANEMONES: OCEAN POEMS FOR CHILDREN is set to launch in November and is chock-full of whimsy, fun, and freaky animal facts that will delight children and adults. To learn more about the Writers' Loft visit  www.thewritersloft.org/ and www.thewritersloft.org/anthology for information regarding previous anthologies.

~ by Amanda Smith

​​24 Carrot Writing celebrates with
Kristine Asselin
as her new Young Adult novel, 
Falling for Wonder Boy 
hits shelves today! 

Kristine shares the inspiration behind the novel, as well as her path to publishing:

​Falling for Wonder Boy has truly been a labor of love for me. When I started writing in 2006, I was drafting mostly picture book texts for my toddler—they were okay, but not great. I got some nice feedback, but nothing more. When a friend reminded me of an anecdote from our teen years, I had an epiphany. It would make a great YA short story.

My parents managed a golf course in the 1980s. They bought it when I was in the 6th grade. For my entire teen years, we lived, worked, and played golf. When I was in high school, I was the only girl in my four years to go out for the golf team. It just wasn’t a sport girls played in my world.

After I wrote the short story, I shared it with a few trusted friends. And the overwhelming response was that people needed to know more about the characters. That short story ended up being published in Golfer Girl Magazine in 2008 as “The Knight in Tan Khakis” and is more or less Chapters 9 and 10 in the book—where Scott tosses Kate a sweatshirt to cover up a see-through wet t-shirt. 

Since 2008, that short story has evolved. For a long time, the title of the novel was The Sweet Spot. It’s been through a dozen revisions, it landed me my agent (more than once). It was acquired by a publishing company and then rejected after the decision was made that golf wasn’t something that would sell to teens. I’ve written other things, including a ton of nonfiction and two published novels (Any Way You Slice It and co-written The Art of the Swap). In fact, Any Way You Slice It was a direct result of that failed acquisition.

The Sweet Spot was shelved for years, but in late 2018, after ten years of close calls, I decided to work with K.R. Conway at Wicked Whale Publishing to independently publish the book. I changed the title to Falling for Wonder Boy and I haven’t looked back.

I’ll be honest, in some ways it’s scarier than anything else I’ve ever published. There are pieces of my heart on display for all to see—it’s mostly fictionalized, but there are moments that really happened (like the sweatshirt toss). Emotions that were real.

This book is truly the book of my heart. Not only is it firmly grounded in my own history, it’s also been the backbone of my writing career. Working on this book taught me how to write. It opened doors for me professionally. It deserves to be out in the world.
​
I’m grateful to K.R. Conway for her support, guidance, and amazing design skills. I could not have imagined a better skin for Kate and Scott to live inside. I’d love to engage with readers. Please let me know what you think!  

Bio
​Kristine is the author of sixteen works of children’s nonfiction as well as the YA novel Any Way You Slice It and co-author of the middle grade novel The Art of the Swap.
 
She loves being a Girl Scout leader and a Library Trustee, and volunteering with the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. Her alter-ego is The Query Godmother and she loves critiquing queries and helping people with submission packages. She lives on the outskirts of Boston with her teen daughter and husband, and is represented by Kathleen Rushall of the Andrea Brown Literary Agency.​
​
Visit her at ​ www.kristineasselin.com/

FALLING FOR WONDER BOY is available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Kobo and other online vendors.

 Congratulations to Dee Romito with the release of her new middle-grade novel, POSTCARDS FROM VENICE,
​a companion to THE BFF BUCKET LIST. We are honored that Dee took a break from the book birthday celebrations to talk about writing timelines.

Guest blog by Dee Romito

One of the questions I’m often asked is how long it takes me to write a book. The thing is, it’s not a simple answer.

My first manuscript took a year to write, and I’ve always thought of it like working on a Master’s Project. I was learning how to write a book with that manuscript. My next one took six months. The next, four months. During that time, I was also exchanging with critique partners. Which means those time frames include waiting for feedback.

Being able to complete a project in less time was definitely good practice for when I’d have actual deadlines. And while you may or may not write faster as you grow as a writer, remember that becoming a stronger writer is really about practicing and continuing to learn your craft.

Most of my books have sold on proposal, which means I wrote sample chapters and a synopsis and was then asked to write the rest. In those cases, I had between 4-7 months to turn in a somewhat polished draft to my editor. And for me, that means leaving time to have my trusted critique partners give me feedback, and then revise based on their notes.

However, my new release, POSTCARDS FROM VENICE, took longer. Maybe … eight months for that first draft? And it took much longer in revisions too.

This book was different. For one thing, I was still at various stages in the process with two other books, so I was essentially working on three books at the same time. It was like a revolving door of stories that I had to keep track of. I couldn’t devote all my writing time to any one project. Not to mention the time I spent working on promotion for the other books.

There was also a lot I needed to learn for this book. It takes place in Venice, where I’ve never been. There’s some Italian in the book, but I took Spanish in school. And there’s an Australian boy, who I wanted to be sure was authentic. And did I mention I’ve never been to Venice?

So it took time. It took Google Earth and Pinterest and Tripadvisor.com’s reviews of tourist sites and travel blogs. It took critique partners and reaching out to friends of friends who had been to or lived in Venice. It took lots of questions and lots of videos of Italy. It took listening and reading and researching. And with all of that to think about, sometimes I needed to step away from the project and work on something else.

So how long does it take to write a book? The real answer is that it depends. Which means it’s up to you to answer that question on your own, without a preconceived notion of how long it should take.
I asked a few published middle grade author friends, and the responses to “How long does it take you to write a book?” ranged from a month to two years.

It takes what it takes, and many factors come into play—the category, the genre, the word count, how complex the project is, if you plot extensively or spend more time in revisions, if there are deadlines, if critique partners or agents need time to read, if you have other books to work on or have other life-related things going on, how fast you can write, etc. The time it takes you to write a book could be years or it could be months. And how fast you write does not determine how good the book will be.

Having a general idea of ranges when it comes to the publishing world is helpful. But always know that you will have your own challenges and goals, and your own path. Finishing a book is one thing, but starting one … Well, now that’s something you can accomplish right now. 😊
 
Dee Romito is a former elementary teacher and is the author of THE BFF BUCKET LIST, NO PLACE LIKE HOME and co-authored BEST. NIGHT. EVER. Always a traveler at heart, she's sent postcards of Big Ben from London, of snow-capped mountains from Switzerland, and of majestic castles from Ireland. Although she's only been to Italy once for a quick plate of pasta, sending a post card from Venice just might be on her bucket list. You can visit her website at DeeRomito.com 
​Dee is also the Scrivener Queen.  For Scrivener advice, writers can head over to her blog
 www.writeforapples.com/p/write-book.html