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I’m Erin Dealey, and I write books for kids. I’m a teacher, presenter, rhymer, blogger, and proud Drama Mama.

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SCBWI Davis and Style…

May 4, 2009

IMG_0308 Scholastic Art Director Marijka Kostiw's cool shoes sum up one of Golden Books Editor/Author Diane Muldrow's points at Saturday's SCBWI Davis conference: You have to have style.

Muldrow told pb authors to "think cinematically" and dummy their manuscripts to see if the story fits the visual medium of picture books.  

Author Chris Eboch (Her Haunted series debuts in August.)now has me thinking about virtual school visits, a more affordable option for this era of school- budgets-left-behind. Can't beat the commute!

The Persian Storytelling style wherein the narrator points to one character per finger on one hand (thanks Sara Kahn!)might help keep my pb characters to a manageable cast. (It won't work when I start getting material together for my theater kids this summer at Sugarloaf Fine Arts Camp! 40-theater kids per session…)

Congrats to my crit group pal, Linda Joy Singleton, for her successful presentation on Navigating the Blogging World (see her cool Dead Girl Walking book trailer at http://www.youtube.com .)

And speaking of blogs, Curtis Brown agent Nathan Bransford answers all the How-do I? questions and more at http://www.NathanBransford.blogspot.com . NOTE: If he can't answer them, go to http://www.verlakay.com . I sat next to Verla for most of the day and enjoyed all of our asides. Nathan's tip on series submissions: Don't assume it's a series. The first book must work as a stand alone. It's not a series until the second book is published.

But one of the main highlights for me was being able to thank Viking editor Kendra Levin in person for the helpful, encouraging two-page rejection letter she sent me a while back after reading my middle grades manuscript. Thanks for a rejection you ask? Heck yeah. Not only did she take time out of her crazy-busy schedule (Now that's style!), Levin's editorial suggestions helped me to revise and take my ms to the next level. My agent has it now. Fingers crossed. : )

For more details about the SCBWI Davis speakers, hop over to Laure Latham-Guyot's blog at http://www.frog-mom.com . And MANY thanks to RA Tekla White and her committee for a great day! 

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