Friday, May 16, 2014

Children's Book Week


I can't believe this is Children's Book Week and I haven't posted about it.

They are celebrating their 95th year! I think that deserves a round of applause.

CBW Poster-small 

I guess why I haven't been posting about it is because I have been busy writing children's stories -  and learning all about rhyming picture books, watching a webinar, editing a rhyming PB that I wrote a number of years ago as a poem and editing other people's manuscripts - and reading picture books at the library to a group of people, attending my writer's meeting, and etc., etc.

Being a children's writer keeps you busy. But, I love it.

It seems fitting that this week I finally submitted one of my children's manuscripts to CreateSpace to get published. I didn't think this particular manuscript had a chance to get published by regular publishers, so I decided to self-publish it.

I have been writing a children's column for over four years for Two-Lane Livin' magazine. I gathered the columns together, added a few more recipes and poems and I now have a 150 page book called, Fun Through the Seasons!  Recipes, Crafts and Fun Facts for Kids. It is divided into months. It was a challenge, but I used their downloadable book cover template and downloadable template for the interior of the book and went to work.

I had times when I stayed up late at nights, times when I felt like pulling my hair out and times when I thought I wouldn't do it. But, I did it! And the PDF online looks really good. My son did the cover for me.

I am now waiting for the proofs to arrive in the mail for me to check for mistakes. I so hope the book looks okay. But, if it doesn't, I'll just have to work on it and re submit.

So - Happy Children's Book Week everybody! Celebrate by reading a children's book. We got a lot of laughs and applause when my friend Max and I read at the library this week. I read Roar of a Snore, Chicks Run Wild and Moose's Loose Tooth.

Let's celebrate middle grade books, too.

I love Because of Winn Dixie, A Year Down Yonder, Sarah, Plain and Tall, and many more! And, the two that I have written! Which reminds me, I need to get those out there. They aren't going to get published sitting on my computer desktop.

What are some of your favorite children's books?









14 comments:

  1. How exciting for you. Congratulations. Fingers are crossed that it's perfect and you won't have to do any more to it. Sounds like a neat idea that kids will enjoy.

    I knew it was Children's Book Week and meant to post about it, but have never caught up with writing, reading and reviewing, so missed this one.

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    1. Hi Beverly. Thank you. I've found a few small mistakes in the PDF of it, but they can be easily fixed.

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  2. Recent favorites include Turn Left at the Cow, When You Reach Me, and Dead End in Norvelt. Good luck with your rewrites.

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  3. Congrats on the up-coming book!
    I think I have a lot of favorite children books. Anything by Sheila Turnage for example, or Diana Wynne Jones.

    ~Akoss

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    1. Thanks! Like you, I have lots of favorites, too.

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  4. How exciting, Janet! That's a HUGE step. All best to you. Favorites are hard to narrow for me, but The Girl from Felony Bay is one of mine (and has a follow-up book coming soon!).

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    1. thanks, Barb. I hope it turns out nice. I'm anxiously awaiting their arrival. I've never heard of The Girl from Felony Bay. I'll have to check it out.

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  5. Good luck to you on your new venture! Of recent middle-grade books that I love -- Saving Lucas Biggs and Steering Toward Normal among others.

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  6. Congratulations upon the publication of your book, Janet. This is great news. I hope it does very well. Thanks for sharing about Children's Book Week. I didn't know it was that time again. I enjoy your blog very much.

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  7. That's great about your book, Janet! I didn't know it was Children's Book Week either, for most of the same reasons you gave! Favorites? This tends to be whatever jumps into my mind at the time, but I'll go with When you Reach Me, The One and Only Ivan, and Splendors and Glooms.

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  8. Hi Marcia. Writer's stay busy, don't we?

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Thank you for your comments. I love comments!