Picture Book Remix (or Short and Sweet and Funny)

Tip of the Day: This has been seen in the wilds of B&N! Pick up your paperback copy and laugh hysterically today.

My first Book Nook column is up in the February edition of Genesee Valley Parent Magazine! I am very excited about this for a number of reasons:

1. It is my first review writing gig that is paying me in actual dollars

2. GVPM is a fantastic locally owned and run publication with quality articles, relevant ads, and great distribution. Plus they are a sponsor for the Rochester Children's Book Festival.

3. I was "forced" to spend time reading picture books

Some of you may be thinking, "Forced to read picture books? Don't you work at the Children's Reference Desk for seven hours each week in your library? How are you not reading picture books? Besides, don't they take about two minutes each to read?"

The answer to all of these questions is YES. But the truth of the matter is:

a. When I work in the Children's Center, people usually ask for books about a certain thing (trains, dinosaurs, trucks, etc.), not for general recommendations about anything...and if they do, I have some go-to titles that I love (books by Tammi Sauer, Audrey Vernick, Anna Alter, and Jean Reidy to name a few).

b. Believe it or not, librarians do not actually sit around and read all day at work. Not even if each picture book only takes two minutes each. Those two minutes add up to time you are supposed to be spending on ordering, doing reference, answering emails, doing PR, running programs, planning events, etc.

c. I focus most of my reading on YA and MG because they DO take longer to read, and patrons can more easily flip through a picture book to see if it appeals to them than a novel.

That said, reviewing picture books for GVPM has been so much fun! Article due dates have driven me to check out and read lots of them at home, compare them, and actually know and love some of the Caldecott Winners this year. And you know what else about picture books?

They are so stinkin' cute and funny! Don't believe me? Or do? Either way, try some of these:

Will this make me want to try my hand at writing a picture book text? I only have once and it was a disaster, but perhaps if inspiration strikes, I will now have some masters in mind to use as inspiration and motivation....

Deena, Miss Subbing for Pubbing

That Obligatory 2013 Recap Post (or Writing Related Reality Check)

Tip of the Day: Want to see a author/businessman's trailblazing predictions for 2014? Check out J. A. Konrath's 12/28/13 blog post. Wild and crazy, or spot-on? Time will tell!

Welcome, readers, to 2014!

I thought I'd go back and update my post from about one year ago on my goals for 2013, but, um, I guess I never did one. So, starting from scratch, and so I have something to ruminate over at this time, here are the fab readerly/writerly/librariany things that happened in the past 12 months:

1. I read 180 books! To see my faves, check out my LiveJournal post here.

2. I attended the NYC SCBWI Conference with three other ROC ladies and had a great, inspirational, fun time.
3. I wrote a fast draft of a new MG novel, and mostly rewrote the second draft.
4. I launched my website www.DeenaLipomi.com.
5. I self-e-pubbed my YA novel, BLACKOUT -- and people actually bought and read it! (THANK YOU!) (Of note: I've been writing fiction seriously for 9 years, and this is the first time I've made any money from it and am so glad I took the epub plunge.)

6. My husband created a book trailer for BLACKOUT with original music and it rocks.
7. I wrote more of the BLACKOUT sequel.
8. Teen Book Fest volunteering. Need I say more?
9. I signed with a fab agent after she read my MG novel -- which is still on submission...fingers crossed! She totally helped me nail the revisions and I am hopeful that an editor will fall in love with Joanie and Anna in 2014.
10. I met up in Dublin, OH with Tina, Em, and Kate for a writing/gossiping retreat.
11. I was offered and accepted a gig writing kidlit reviews for Genesee Valley Parent Magazine; they should go live in print starting next month! (Of note: this is my third review gig, but the first in which I will be paid in actual dollars! I am moving up in the world! :-D)
12. My husband bought me a MacBook Pro to replace my dear but failing Dell laptop that has been with me for the past five years. Man, is this machine slick!
13. I did YA Best Book presentations for Rochester BOCES and Wayne County/Finger Lakes Library Leadership Academy -- and got to see Steve Sheinkin do a keynote speech at the latter! Cool guy.
14. I got a YALSA grant for Teen Read Week and hosted A. S. King for the Fourth Annual Greater Rochester Teen Read. It was an amazing week!
15. I bought an iPhone and downloaded Candy Crush. Oh, wait, that's actually an anti-writing device....

Am I forgetting anything? Probably, but that's OK. It's been a busy year and I look forward to 2014. Thanks to all my friends, family, and colleagues who have helped make it great!

Writing things I plan to do in the coming 12 months:
A. Polish my next MG novel (hint: tween library volunteers + Native American artifacts!) and get to my agent for thoughts.
B. Finish writing and revising DESERTED, the BLACKOUT sequel, and epub it.
C. Read through two YA mss, run by my agent, and either prepare them to sub or epub.
D. Start rewrite of new MG novel, a rewrite of an old YA (hint: haunted cottage in the Adirondacks + Ouija Board + water wraith)
E. Anything that an editor asks me to do if they want to buy my MG (!). Just putting it out there for the universe! :)

Phew! Can I do it? Maybe with the new MacBook Pro I can!

And less Candy Crush....

Happy New Year!

Deena, Miss Subbing for Pubbing