NESCBWI Redux

I've been attending NESCBWI (Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators--New England) conferences since 2008. The first two years I attended in Nashua, and I commuted. I dropped my daughter with my parents and only spent the days on site.

In 2010 and 2011, in Fitchburg, even though it's close to home, I convinced my husband that since FOUR of us would be sharing a room, it would be worth it. That I'd get more out of the conference by spending the night. And he believed me. After the first year of conference, I volunteered--first at the registration table, then as a handler.

This year, was my sixth conference. The second in Springfield. Two years ago, Joyce Shor Johnson asked me if I'd like to co-chair with her. Having had conference experience (I chaired the NACA New England--aka National Association for Campus Activities--in 2000), I was interested. I came home from Fitchburg that year with a big question. Did I really want to co-chair this conference?

Well, most of you reading this know the answer. Yes. I did. We hosted Grace Lin, Sharon Creech, Kate Messner, Jo Knowles, Hazel Mitchell, and countless other amazing and talented authors and illustrators. We hobnobbed with agents Jennifer Laughran, Brooks Sherman, Linda Epstein and Lauren MacLeod (and more). Editors Melissa Miller, Allison Weiss, Adah Nuchi, and Taryn Albright graced our conference.

How does it really get better than this???

Well it did.

I spent ten minutes chatting with agent Brooks Sherman outside the Ballroom. Sharon Creech said my name (OMG and she followed me on twitter!!). Joyce and I spent an hour gossiping with Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen, I ate dinner with Jennifer Laughran, Lauren MacLeod, Brooks Sherman, Sarah Albee, Nova Ren Suma, Taryn Albright, and Linda Epstein...and actually managed not to freeze in the headlights. I mean can you imagine??? I got a chance to see twitter friends for the first time in person. Someone called me fashion plate (and if you know me, you know how unlikely that is!).

The process for NESCBWI is that you spend a year shadowing, then you're co-chair, then you're director. So I'm gearing up this coming year to direct in 2014. I've already got some ideas. If you've got some, send them to me at nescbwi14@gmail.com.

Six years and a few months ago, I didn't know this organization existed. How did I ever survive without it?

I've been procrastinating writing this post, because I don't think I can begin to do justice to the awesomeness that was SCBWI - New England this year. As the co-director, the conference went by in a frenetic blur, but people tell me the workshops were awesome, the agents and editors were amazing, the volunteers were kick-ass...I'm so grateful to Joyce Johnson for choosing me as her co-director. Save the date for next year--May 2-4, 2014 in Springfield...FYI, call for proposals will be out in early July.

Some highlights:

Jonathon Arnston came all the way from Michigan.

 And Taryn Albright came all the way from Kentucky.

 And Sharon Creech was one of our keynote speakers (w/ Joyce Johnson, my amazing co-director).

And I got to meet twitter friends in real life (@kiperoo and @MonicaYAWriting aka Kip Wilson and Monica Ropal).

And I went to Nova Ren Suma's workshop on first chapters and met some awesome new writer friends. (And Nova is as wonderful as you would think she is!)

And my friend Ansha had her first signing.

And I'm so excited that NEXT year we'll be working together on the 2014 conference.

Author Bio and Cover Art for WORST CASE OF PASKETTI-ITIS

I'm still putting my thoughts together about this past weekend's NESCBWI conference. I'm hoping to have a post and pictures up soon. In the meantime, I wrote my new author bio for the picture book last night. My original one was boring and not kid friendly...so this is what will be in the back of the book.

The blurb for the book:

Pasta is the perfect food! There are so many different varieties! Why should Petunia eat anything else? Her mother, her teacher, and even the lunch-lady, warn that she might turn into pasta if she doesn’t try something new. Could she really turn into pasta? Would it be farfalle? Or maybe fettuccini? Petunia finds out, to her dismay, that “you are what you eat.”

What do you think?

Updated Bio for Worst Case of Pasketti-Itis Author Bio

Kristine Carlson Asselin has been eating pasta for more than 40 years. When she was a little girl, her family ate pasta at least once a week. Her favorite varieties were spaghetti with ketchup and her grandma’s baked macaroni. Kristine’s daughter is the inspiration for Petunia’s case of Pasketti-Itis

Kristine is the author of more than a dozen children’s books for school libraries and classrooms. She lives with her husband and daughter in a suburb near Boston. You can find out more about Kristine on her website (www.kristineasselin.com).

SCBWI - New England. Pre-conference thoughts

Off to Springfield tomorrow.

I'm so excited I can hardly stand it. NESCBWI starts on Friday. I'm heading out tomorrow for some last minute meetings and to be ready to start bright and early on Friday morning.

In 2008, I attended my first NESCBWI conference, a nervous and excited newbie. In the past five years, I've published my first nonfiction, I've had two agents for my fiction, and I've made lifelong friends who I can't imagine not knowing. I've learned about the craft of writing--I've truly become a writer thanks to SCBWI. In 2013, I'm a different person and a different writer because of this wonderful organization.

This weekend, I go into the conference as the co-director. Part of me is still that shaking and nervous newbie, but I've had a blast this past year working with Joyce Shor Johnson, learning the ropes and working with her to plan and promote. We have a great conference; amazing faculty; great agents and editors; and great team.

I hope to see many of you there. PLEASE say hello! I hope to tweet during the weekend, and process things on the blog next week!

Woot!

Interview with J. R. Krause, author/illustrator of POCO LOCO

I’m happy to have J. R. Krause, author/illustrator of POCO LOCO (available on April 30, 2013 from Two Lions / Amazon Children’s Publishing). John also happens to be an old friend and high school classmate.

Here’s the blurb from Goodreads:

Meet Poco Loco. He’s a very unusual ratón. He likes to invent wacky things. When Poco Loco’s Waffle Iron–Weather Forecaster predicts mal tiempo, Poco Loco runs to tell his barnyard friends. But it’s still sunny out, and the other animals don’t believe him. Then a roar of wind whips through the picnic, and Poco Loco and his friends fly up, up, and away. But never fear! Poco Loco will use his wits (and one crazy invention) to save the day!

John and I were in the same teen church group a lifetime ago. Somewhere in the depths of my basement, I’ve got a group photo of our confirmation class. We graduated together from Chelmsford High School—and no, I’m not going to tell you the year. I remember joking around with John in the church classroom and hanging out in the high school library during free time. I remember him as an amazing artist, and a funny kid. You knew you were going to laugh if John was around.

You may not realize it, but you’ve probably already seen John’s artwork. He has been a designer and design supervisor for the Simpsons  (yes, that Simpsons) for many years. So it doesn’t surprise me that he has teamed up with his talented wife Maria Chua to create an adorable picture book that kids (and parents) are going to love to read again and again. I’m so proud to introduce you to my friend J. R. Krause.

K: Welcome to my blog, John! This is your first picture book. Can you tell us a bit about your journey to publication?

J.R.: Once upon a time, Maria and I created a story titled POCO’S PRESENT. The response from publishers was, “We love the illustrations, but not the story”. In 2007, I joined SCBWI and attended their National Conference. I displayed my portfolio and Brenda Bowen from Harper Collins contacted me. She loved the illustrations from POCO’S PRESENT and requested a story. Maria and I began writing new Poco stories for Brenda. Mary Kole, an agent with Andrea Brown Literary Agency (ABLA) came on board and polished our submission. Brenda eventually passed on Poco and Marilyn Brigham, then with Marshall Cavendish, made an offer. Marshall Cavendish was acquired by Amazon and Two Lions / Amazon Children’s Publishing and is releasing POCO LOCO.

K: SCBWI is a great organization, I love that they were involved in your journey! How did you and Maria come up with the idea—which came first the text or the illustrations? How do you work together?

J.R.: Ten years ago Maria wrote a story about a cat named Sam who worked in a tea house. I sketched drawings of Sam and added a mouse for kicks. We named the mouse Poco. He was so cute that we wrote a new story about him and that became POCO’S PRESENT. As I mentioned, Brenda Bowen took interest in the illustrations, but not the story. We wrote four new manuscripts. One had the phrase “¡Ay, Poco Loco! He’s one crazy mouse!”. We liked the read-aloud quality and only then started thinking about a bilingual book.

Poco means small in Spanish. In hindsight, a bilingual book seems like Poco’s destiny, even though it took many years to get there. I should add that Maria and our two daughters speak Spanish and we have many Spanish picture books. All of this helped inspire POCO LOCO. 

K: I love the idea of a bilingual book and I think it's wonderful that your whole family is involved. Have you teamed up on any other projects? Do you have any other books coming out?

Two Lions ACP made an offer for a Poco sequel. On my own I have two new picture book proposals. That being said, Maria sees everything at every stage and gives me vital feedback, even with my own stories.

K: Congratulations on the sequel! That's great news! I love that you guys are true partners--very cool!

My blog audience is mostly other children’s writers and they often like to hear about the different paths to getting a literary agent—I know you recently signed with Jennifer Mattson of Andrea Brown Literary. Can you tell us how you and Jennifer connected?

J.R.: For several years I submitted proposals on my own. I found the process so frustratingly slow I began looking for an agent. When Mary Kole of ABLA offered representation, I gladly accepted. She played a big role in making POCO LOCO a book. Mary left ABLA for another agency and we parted ways. We are still friends and keep in touch. Andrea Brown had several agents review my materials. Jennifer had a strong connection to my work and contacted me. She has been great!

K: Having an industry pro at your back is awesome. I wish you and your agent the best of luck together! Before I close out this interview, I’ve got to ask about The Simpsons. How does your work on The Simpsons impact your artwork? Working on the same subject for such a long time, how do you keep things fresh?

J.R.: Despite his stupidity, Homer J. Simpson has taught me much. Staging, storytelling and acting are vital parts of animation and these elements also apply to making picture books. That being said, I approach The Simpsons and my own illustration style differently. I don’t want them to look similar.

As for keeping things fresh after so many seasons, that’s something our crew strives for, otherwise the show will suffer. We’re always trying to create new situations and gags. I did leave The Simpsons for several years. I worked on other television shows and at several design firms. I was happy to have the opportunity to return as it’s a fun place to work. We’re like a family. Plus Homer still cracks me up.

K: Guilty pleasure question: 80’s music or music from today? Favorite band?

J.R.: I’m a nostalgic fellow, thus 80’s music gets a leg up. Today I love what The Shins and Janelle Monáe are doing, just as much as I loved Def Leppard back in the 80’s. Favorite band? This evening it’s Bob Marley & The Wailers. This morning it was… (cough)… Hanson.

K: I love your eclectic musical taste. :) I LOVE Def Leppard. Thanks so much, John, for joining me today! Best of luck to you and Maria with POCO LOCO and all of his (and your) adventures. 

As the credits roll, let's hear a little Def Leppard. This song is best enjoyed as loud as possible on a Sony Walkman.