The Longstockings

Big Changes and Big Thanks

2009-10-20T13:05:00.003-05:00

We’ve had such fun here at the blog dissecting the writing process, reflecting on the publishing industry and discussing all things kidlit. It’s been awesome hearing from all of you these past years and getting to know so many of you in the kidlit community. But we’ve now decided that the time has come for a change. We have a few new things in the works that we will definitely keep you posted about (so be sure to check back in the next few months!), but from here on out this blog space will no longer be for active discussion but a place to check in and find out what’s new in the lives of the Longstockings. So come back for updates and news, and feel free to drop us a line anytime! And if you miss us, you can always find us on Twitter at Longstockingz.

Thanks for making this blog such a fun place for us to come to every day!

Love,

The Longstockings

Come see me and 5 other authors!

2009-10-13T14:13:00.001-05:00

As part of this year's KidLitCon, there will be a group book signing Sunday, October 18th with 6 great authors at Hooray for Books in Old Town Alexandria.

1:00pm- Cynthia Cotten presents Rain Play
Jacqueline Jules presents Unite or Die!
Sue Corbett presents Last Newspaper Boy

2:00pm- Caroline Hickey presents Isabelle's Boyfriend
Elizabeth Scott presents Something, Maybe
Paula Chase-Hyman presents Flipping the Script

If you're in the hood, please come by!

*caroline hickey

Another win for the Wimpy Kid

2009-10-13T04:04:00.003-05:00

Did anybody else see this in today's New York Times Health section?

Here I thought they were just fun to read: child psychologists are endorsing the books for giving grown-ups "a rare glimpse into a child's ethical mind."

Even better than a column dedicated to the idea that "you can learn something about your kids by reading the books they love," are the comments in the related post on the Well blog. A few moralists sniff that Kinney is letting the side down by creating a main character who often does the opposite of what parents would want their children to do. But they're outvoted by the people who love reading the books with their kids, and whose kids read a lot more of all kinds of books now that Wimpy Kid has gotten them into the habit.

--Kathryne

I'm so excited...

2009-10-01T08:06:00.001-05:00

to be going to this !!!

I'm an author sponsor which basically means I will have a table there with giveaways. I'll get to chat with the tween girls and I'm helping a few girls with their travel and hotel costs.

YAY!!!!!!

xoxox lisa gw

An Office to Envy

2009-09-24T18:28:00.002-05:00

This is the Berkshires vacation hideaway/office of the fabulous author/illustrator Jan Brett. It was just featured in the NY TIMES Great Homes and Destinations.

Sigh. Isn't it dreamy??? I have a very lovely office and I'm still greening over this one! Here's the full article if you want to see more.

*caroline hickey

Banned Book Week

2009-09-24T09:38:00.001-05:00

Hey all,

I stayed home from school today because I have this annoying cough/cold. But I'm working from home and looking for middle school lessons for Banned Book Week.

Anyone out there have any good ones?

Thanks for the help! It's good to be back blogging.

xoxoxo lisa gw

SVH -- The Movie???

2009-09-23T14:32:00.005-05:00

According to Variety, Diablo Cody has been signed to write the screenplay for a movie version of SWEET VALLEY HIGH.

Hmmm, I'm not sure about this one. I don't know if I'd go see this movie unless Diablo is able to really bring something new to these characters -- get a lot deeper -- AND write a story that's not as light and fluffy as the original books.

Don't get me wrong. Back in the day, I loved the books. But what kind of movie could this be???

What do you think? Could this possibly be good?

~Coe~

Tweet with Us!

2009-09-23T12:23:00.002-05:00

The Longstockings are now on Twitter (yep, it took us long enough!).

Please follow us! @longstockingz (NOTE the "Z")

Kidlit Bloggers Conference

2009-09-14T19:54:00.002-05:00

Please come see me in DC!! This fine city will be hosting this year's KidLitosphere Conference on October 17th, 2009. The conference is open to bloggers — and wannabe bloggers — in children’s and young adult literature — which includes YA/Kidlit authors, illustrators, editors, and publishers who blog or would like to blog.

I'll be speaking on a panel with several awesome authors including my pal Sara Lewis Holmes, whose new book OPERATION YES should be on your to-read list.

Sign up and come!!

*caroline hickey

PS- Yes I know the Longstockings have been on posting hiatus. News coming soon!

Are there any omniscient narrators anymore?

2009-07-27T08:50:00.003-05:00

I'm popping back in from vacation to ask for book recommendations:

I'm just getting properly started on the Great High School Theater Epic. This means I have an outline and I finally know who my characters are, so I'm digging into the writing.

Voice is always the hard part, isn't it? And this one's proving trickier than most, because I have several main characters. I have a dream of writing it from an omniscient point of view, but I'm so used to writing in either first-person or third-person-limited that I'm having trouble feeling it. I need to see how it's done.

Does anyone out there have any good examples of recent (well, recent-ish--say, since 1960) teen books with an omniscient narrator? Or, at least, a shifting point of view among multiple important characters?

I know you won't let me down!

--Kathryne

Even Blogs Deserve A Vacation

2009-07-22T08:48:00.004-05:00

Due to travel schedules and deadlines, The Longstockings blog will be on vacation for the rest of the summer. You might see the occasional post, but for the most part we'll be pretty quiet.

(Online, at least. We're never really QUIET. Certainly not in person. What? Quiet? Us? Who?)

ENJOY THE SUMMER!

*caroline hickey

Save Pennsylvania Libraries! Yet Another Call for Action!

2009-07-21T11:20:00.002-05:00

Hello friends!

I'm here to send out another SOS for help in fighting proposed budget cuts to the libraries in the great state of Pennsylvania!

This week is the state wide Call In, and I'm asking...NO BEGGING...residents to please visit PA LIBRARIES DOT ORG for telephone numbers for their particular representatives. Please take five minutes out of your day and support this vital resource!

Thank you thank you thank you!

-=siobhan=-

Retreat! Conference! Powwow!

2009-07-20T09:25:00.008-05:00

This past weekend SIX of the Longstockings were reunited at a terrific SCBWI conference hosted by McDaniel College. Not only were we able to mingle with writer folk, consume vats of coffee and danish, and display our wondrous PowerPoint skills, we also got to just sit around together and shoot the breeze. The reunion was sorely needed, by this Longstocking at least!

We did a group panel where we discussed the ups, downs, ins and outs of a writing group, and in particular how ours has evolved over time. We also spent some time at a very classy establishment called the Texas Roadhouse, where we acquired a glass mug shaped like a cowboy boot that is now officially our mascot. (See pic above)

Siobhan and I had dinner Friday night before the NYC girls arrived, and sorted out each other's WIP plot problems over some carafes of wine. If you haven't tried this technique, it works. It also makes it hard to have a writing date afterwards, though we tried.

Check out the Longstocking books, all together!

I have a writing date with myself (aka, babysitter for the kid) today, but after a weekend of such fun with my girls, it will be hard and lonely slogging.

*caroline hickey

Harry Potter Fans -- DVR alert!

2009-07-16T00:02:00.001-05:00

ABC is airing a special TODAY (THURSDAY!) about J.K. Rowling and the journey of the woman "who came from 'nothing' and created all of her own success."

According to abcnews.com:
The woman who created an imaginary world for millions, J.K. Rowling, allowed cameras extraordinary access during the year before the seventh Harry Potter book was published. From the one bedroom apartment in Scotland where it all began to a hotel room where viewers watch her type the last words of the Potter saga, Rowling lets millions of fans into her world. The documentary exposes her childhood sorrows, visits the church where she and her sister worked after school as janitors, and allows people to see her now as both the queen of a magical, alternative universe and an everyday mom.

Watch "J.K. Rowling: A Year in the Life" Thursday, July 16th at 8PM EST on ABC.
:-)
~Coe~

A few words about Author Signings

2009-07-15T12:56:00.003-05:00

In Publishers Lunch today there was a link to this somewhat contradictory article about local bookstore signings and how authors can contribute to making an event go well.

The article starts out saying bookstores can't do it all themselves! Promote yourself! Do all you can! Then it says, don't step on the bookstores' toes, they know what they're doing, trust them, back off, etc! Well, as an attendee or participant in quite a few bookstore signings, my opinion is that it's all a crap shoot, even with the best, most organized stores. I'm VERY hesitant to agree to do signings because getting a crowd in when you're not a bestselling author is incredibly difficult. It usually ends up being a few family and friends, and 2 or 3 people who happen to be in the store already. Even with a big store, even with big promotion, even with much bigger authors than I.

As a children's author, I find school visits an infinitely less nerve-wracking experience. I sell more books, and the crowd is built-in.
Who's with me??

*caroline hickey

Writing Spot of the Week

2009-07-15T06:29:00.000-05:00

Sorry I took a short break from this, but I'm back. And I bring to you an awesome new writing spot. Brooklyn Bridge Park.

Picture this: a comfy bench to sit on, sunshine on your face but not so much that you can't see your keyboard, a view of the river and the sounds of water crashing against the rocks. Amazing, right?

I'm in love with writing outside. I get my best writing done when I can take momentary breaks to people watch and reflect. A window will do, but outside and fresh air is even better.

Even though my WIP takes place in the middle of winter, during a blizzard, I'm still finding that writing in the warm weather, outside, with sunshine leads to writing happiness.

xoxo Lisa GW

It Will Reach You

2009-07-14T08:04:00.004-05:00

Back in the fall my writing buddy Rebecca Stead lent me the ARC of her second book that was coming out this summer. It’s a terrific story, as is her first book FIRST LIGHT, and I read it in one sitting, then told her all about how much I loved it and how I was sure it was going to get lots of good attention. Turns out I’m a genius because man, is WHEN YOU REACH ME getting attention! I mean real attention. You can’t look at a blog about Newbery possibilities without seeing her book mentioned as a big contender and it got five stars. Five! You can’t get more than that. As a result of this there are all kinds of fun ads for the book on the SLJ website, a spread in their magazine and a feature in Time Out New York Kids. I think this is just the beginning too. Because the thing is, the book is so terrific it truly deserves all this attention and love. Here’s the official description:

By sixth grade, Miranda and her best friend, Sal, know how to navigate their New York City neighborhood. They know where it’s safe to go, like the local grocery store, and they know whom to avoid, like the crazy guy on the corner. But things start to unravel. Sal gets punched by a new kid for what seems like no reason, and he shuts Miranda out of his life. The apartment key that Miranda’s mom keeps hidden for emergencies is stolen. And then Miranda finds a mysterious note scrawled on a tiny slip of paper:

I am coming to save your friend’s life, and my own. I must ask two favors. First, you must write me a letter.

The notes keep coming, and Miranda slowly realizes that whoever is leaving them knows all about her, including things that have not even happened yet. Each message brings her closer to believing that only she can prevent a tragic death. Until the final note makes her think she’s too late.

Sounds terrific, right? Today is its release date and I urge all of you to get your hands on a copy as soon as you can- because trust me, it’s that good!

* daphne grab *

I know it's wrong, but it feels so right

2009-07-13T03:51:00.004-05:00

Pretty much the first thing that happens when you submit for your first MFA workshop, someone--probably a few someones--will circle all of your very descriptive dialogue tags ("he laughed," "she exclaimed," "he wondered") with the note "distracting--use SAID." And I'm told when you finally get your book accepted by a publisher, you can get the same notes from your intrepid copy editor.

Well, either no one told P.G. Wodehouse that non-said tags were a bad idea, or they did and it really ticked him off:

But I need not worry you with a detailed recital of these men's grievances; it is enough to say that they all had it in for Ferdinand, and one night, after dinner, they met in the lounge to decide what was to be done about it.

A nasty spirit was displayed by all.

"A mere lad telling me how to use my mashie!" growled the Scooper. "Smooth and unhurried my left eyeball! I get it up, don't I? Well, what more do you want?"

"I keep telling him that mine is the old, full St. Andrews swing," muttered the Whip-Cracker, between set teeth, "but he won't listen to me."

"He ought to be taken down a peg or two," hissed the Snake-Killer. It is not easy to hiss a sentence without a single "s" in it, and the fact that he succeeded in doing so shows to what a pitch of emotion the man had been goaded by Ferdinand's maddening air of superiority.

"Yes, but what can we do?" queried an octogenarian, when the last remark had been passed on to him down his ear-trumpet.

"That's the trouble," sighed the Scooper. "What can we do?" And there was a sorrowful shaking of heads.

"I know!" exclaimed the Cat-Stroker, who had not hitherto spoken.

(From The Heart of a Goof, 1926)

This is what they mean when they say "rules are made to be broken."

--Kathryne

A Working Retreat

2009-07-09T18:53:00.007-05:00

Next weekend, six of the Longstockings will be speakers at the SCBWI's MD/DE/WV Summer Conference at McDaniel College. We'll be doing a group panel about how we run a successful workshopping group, as well as each leading our own breakout session. (If you're in the area, come by!)

Since it's pretty rare these days to get six of us in one place, we'll also be doing some shop talk (hopefully over drinks) and discussing our latest projects and pitfalls. This is the stuff writers live for! It's solitary work, people!

Even though this'll be more of a working weekend than some of our previous get-togethers (the June 2007 retreat at the B&B with the pool and barbecue comes to mind...), I plan to make sure we leave some time for Longstocking-esque fun. Stayed tuned for updates.

P.S. These pics from that famed retreat. Sigh.

*caroline hickey

Kristof Keeps Recommending

2009-07-09T03:34:00.002-05:00

In the comments on Siobhan's Monday post, Augusta Scattergood points out that Nick Kristof has followed up on his recommendations from Sunday's column. Best quote: "And of course Pippi Longstocking books were cited frequently, and she was my hero as well."

On the whole, though, the follow-up kind of provides us with more to grumble about. Kristof compiles the recommendations that popped up again and again in the comments, and while the recommended books are all terrific, none of them were published in the last ten years.

I've heard over and over again over the last five years that we are living in a New Golden Age of Kid Lit. If that's true, shouldn't the readers and writers of the New York Times know about it? I'm starting to worry that our New Golden Age is only shining on those of us already in the know. How do we get the word out past the kidlitosphere?

--Kathryne

Nicholas Kristof's Best Children's Books

2009-07-06T08:32:00.004-05:00

In one of Saturday's NYT Op-Ed, Nicholas Kristof waxes on the subject of summer reading. He says...

In educating myself this spring about education, I was aghast to learn that American children drop in I.Q. each summer vacation — because they aren’t in school or exercising their brains.
This is less true of middle-class students whose parents drag them off to summer classes or make them read books. But poor kids fall two months behind in reading level each summer break, and that accounts for much of the difference in learning trajectory between rich and poor students.
A mountain of research points to a central lesson: Pry your kids away from the keyboard and the television this summer, and get them reading. Let me help by offering my list of the Best Children’s Books — Ever!

Unfortunately, Kristof's list (save for the Alex Rider and Harry Potter series) weighs heavily on the classics. Anne of GG, Charlotte's Web, Tom Sawyer. I read it and wished Kristof did a little more homework, maybe presented parents some option that were not the obvious reading list choices....perhaps a book or two specifically targeting the underprivileged youth he mentioned above.

I don't know. Just sayin.

-=siobhan=-

*UPDATE - Super sleuth Kathryne mentions in the comments that a bunch of these books are out of print! Everyone get thee to the library stat. How very useful, Kristof! *grumbles*

This Summer's Reading Controversy

2009-07-06T08:05:00.005-05:00

Update: In light of Siobhan's excellent point above, I'm going to delete the top third of my post and just leave the important bit:

Teaching definitely changed the way I recommend books. Kristoff's list may have put me off recommending together. So here's my advice to parents who want to make sure their kids have some fun reading this summer:

1. Go to the library.

2. Let your kids loose (age-appropriately, of course).
2a. Do not hover.
2b. No matter how old your child is, do not send them back to the shelves with "oh, you've already read that one--pick something else." Some of us like to re-read.
2c. Do not under any circumstances say to your child, "oh, that one's too easy/hard/popular/controversial for you--pick something else." (If your kid wants to read a book that makes you nervous, you can read it too, or even just invite them to tell you about it.)

3. You may check out the books that you loved as a child, but if the kid isn't into it, DO NOT FORCE ANYTHING.

4. Plan for some reading time after the library. Go to the park or out for ice cream, or even home to the air conditioning, and give everyone a couple of hours to read their library books.
4a. EVERYONE reads. That means if your kids are reading independently, so are you.

5. Repeat step 4 as often as possible between library visits.

6. If you're going away on vacation this year, make picking out vacation books as important a part of the process as buying swimsuits and sunscreen.

What are your tips for raising readers?

--Kathryne

24 hours

2009-07-03T15:44:00.001-05:00

My new book takes place over the course of 24 hours and I'm feeling a little stressed about the pacing. I'm only on the first draft and I know I won't have a great sense of the whole flow until I'm done but of course I'm stressing now.

What are some good MG or YA books that take place over the course of one day? I want to study their pacing and make sure I'm on the right track.

Thanks for your help and Happy 4th of July!
xoxoxo Lisa GW

Toe to Toe with Suzanne LaFleur

2009-06-30T07:37:00.006-05:00

Today’s Toe to Toe interview is with Suzanne LaFleur, author of the gorgeous and poignant middle grade LOVE, AUBREY. Suzanne is not only a wildly talented author with a great debut novel, she is an alum of the New School Writing for Children program, so we are all especially pleased to see how well her book is being received out in the world! Publishers Weekly says, “LaFleur's moving debut offers a convincing first-person narration of a girl coping in the wake of tragedy,” and Kirkus says Aubrey’s “detailed progression from denial to acceptance makes her both brave and credible in this honest and realistic portrayal of grief.” Read on to find out Suzanne’s favorite ice cream flavors (and the runners up) as well as her most annoying habit.

1. What’s the worst job you've ever had?

Not that this was actually a bad job—but it was a bad job for me—I used to work at a summer camp as a lifeguard and the guards all rotated among three different positions. A third of my shifts were spent at a boat house. I actually liked being at the boat house on the lake because it was a beautiful, secluded spot; I was great at shelving canoes to dry, bailing sailboats, and making sure everyone had life jackets, but part of the job was lifeguarding from a motor boat that I had to drive around the lake. I was AWFUL at driving that motor boat. I never went where I wanted to, and once I had to rescue a few kids who tipped their boat over; pulling them into the motor boat and towing their full canoe back was quite an ordeal. When I got back to the dock with the kids and without the canoe, the other guards and my boss made a big deal out of the whole thing. I didn’t really care if we lost a canoe in the lake as long as the kids were safe, but other people didn’t really share my view and had to form a rescue mission to retrieve the canoe.

2. What is your favorite ice cream flavor?

Honorable Mention: Haagen-Dazs’s Dulche de Leche
Runner-Up: Ben&Jerry’s Mint Chocolate Cookie
Best-ever in the Whole Wide World: Gifford’s Black Raspberry

3. What’s your favorite movie?

Honorable Mention: Moulin Rouge
Runner-Up: Finding Neverland
Best-ever in the Whole Wide World: Searching for Bobby Fisher

4. What is your most annoying habit?

I seem to enjoy asking someone a question, not listening to the person answer, and then asking the question again…several times.

5. What is your favorite way to procrastinate writing?

I like to play computer games. I tell myself that I’m getting my brain ready to write, and sometimes it’s true, but other times it’s just plain not. I will also tell myself I need to clean the kitchen floor first, or go grocery shopping, or go to the gym—those things are important, right? I can always start writing later…basically, I only write when I feel ready, and I will do almost anything to delay feeling ready. It’s not really the worst thing, because when I do sit down to write, I can write ten or twenty pages in one go. Procrastinating seems to be a vital part of the game for me.

6. What is the first thing you would buy if your next advance was a million dollars?

A piece of pizza. I also considered saying a panini press (the next item on my wish list) or airfare to Europe (my favorite place to travel), but a piece of pizza feels like a very wise choice because I can get it and be happy even if my next advance is only ten dollars.

7. What's something very few people know about you?

I don’t have a driver’s license. I learned to drive and took driver’s ed when I was a teenager, but I really hated driving. I don’t even like riding in cars, to be honest. So I never took the driving test and I moved to New York City where I happily ride the subway every day.

To learn more about Suzanne and her marvelous book, go here, and if you just want to buy it ASAP (and why wouldn’t you?) go here.

* daphne grab *

In case you missed it...

2009-06-29T22:03:00.002-05:00

... there's a very interesting discussion on John Green's blog about the publishing industry -- specifically, big advances vs. small advances, and why John thinks smaller advances are better!

Read the post here, and definitely check out the comments too. As you can imagine, lots of authors have weighed in on this debate!
:-)
~Coe~