Emma Walton Hamilton – Will Write for Cookies

Posted on March 15, 2014 by viviankirkfield

WILL WRITE FOR COOKIES

INSIGHT – INFORMATION – INSPIRATION FOR WRITERS

TODAY’S GUEST

EMMA WALTON HAMILTON

We are so very lucky! Our guest today is one of those rare people who has attained success and then is anxious to reach out and generously help mentor others.

EMMA WALTON HAMILTON is a New York Times bestselling children’s book author, editor and educator, and the host of the Children’s Book Hub. She has co-authored 20 children’s books with her mother, Julie Andrews, including THE VERY FAIRY PRINCESS (#1 NY Times bestseller), JULIE ANDREWS’ COLLECTION OF POEMS, SONGS AND LULLABIES (illustrated by James McMullan) and the DUMPY THE DUMP TRUCK series of picture books and board books and her own award-winning book, RAISING BOOKWORMS.

She offers unique resources for children’s book authors, including editorial services, workshops and courses and an online writers salon. Emma has graciously given her time and expertise to the 12×12 community with her query critique sessions…she definitely knows how to make your query sing. I’m thrilled to have her join us here.

Thank you so much for participating, Emma. I know everyone is excited to greet you!

We talk about how important books are for young kids. Who were your favorite authors/illustrators when you were a child?

So many! And this list will date me, of course… but, in no particular order:

Dr. Seuss, Marguerite Henry, Enid Blyton, Beatrix Potter, Roald Dahl, Mary Norton, Beverly Cleary, E.B. White, A.A. Milne, C.S. Lewis, Mark Twain, Laura Ingalls Wilder, Gerald Durrell, Madeleine L’Engle.

Other books I loved – The Secret Garden, The Wind in the Willows, Anne of Green Gables, Watership Down, The Black Stallion, Pippi Longstocking, the Nancy Drew books and, probably my all time favorite, The Phantom Tollbooth. That was my rainy-day book, and it taught me how delicious – and powerful – words could be.

What do you know now that you wish you had known when you first started writing for children?

How hard it is to do well – and how important it is to assess (and re-assess!) every single word for its right to exist on the page. Writing for children and young adults is so much harder than it seems. We have to be masters of economy and action. The kinds of indulgences one can get away with in adult fiction (lots of exposition, for instance) can kill a children’s book. Kids are much Continue reading →

Author Emily Lim – Will Write for Cookies

Posted on February 15, 2014 by viviankirkfield

WILL WRITE FOR COOKIES

INSIGHT – INFORMATION – INSPIRATION FOR WRITERS

TODAY’S GUEST

EMILY LIM

There are many reasons to blog…for me, one of the most important is to reach out and connect.

And that is how I connected author Emily Lim. Two years ago, while searching for articles on the importance of picture books, I discovered Mum Mum’s The Word, Emily’s blog. I didn’t know who she was…I only knew that someone had written a darn good post about a topic near and dear to my heart. I linked my post to hers…and the rest is history.

I met Emily when I was in Singapore last year at the Asian Festival of Children’s Content. She is kind and generous and smart and beautiful and talented and a true friend. As one of the festival directors, Emily was directly responsible for my being there. I was thrilled and honored to go…and I am equally thrilled and honored to shine the Will Write for Cookies spotlight on one of Singapore’s leading picture book authors, Emily Lim!

Welcome, Emily…thank you so much for agreeing to the interview. I know everyone is anxious to hear all about you.

Who were your favorite authors/illustrators when you were a child?

Emily: Enid Blyton was my all time favourite. I dreamt of finding a faraway tree and wishing chair which could take me to magical places. When I was older, my girlfriends and I all chanted Judy Blume’s recommended… ahem…exercises.
What do you know now that you wish you had known when you first started writing for children?

Emily: I wish I knew how helpful it is to have critique partners and Continue reading →

Singaporean author David Seow – Will Write for Cookies

Posted on January 17, 2014 by viviankirkfield

WOW! DO I HAVE A TREAT (IN MORE WAYS THAN ONE) FOR YOU TODAY!

When I got the opportunity to travel half-way around the world to attend the 2013 Asian Festival of Children’s Content/SCBWI Conference, I was excited, and somewhat anxious. What would I find there? How would it be? Where would I stay? When would I ever get back? Who would I meet?

Those questions were soon answered…all very positively. I found a beautiful country, with amazing facilities, an awesome hotel and had no problem getting back (although I didn’t want to leave). I met the most incredible people – and today, on WILL WRITE FOR COOKIES, I’m honored to introduce one of Singapore’s leading picture book authors, DAVID SEOW.

That is David on the left and Enrico Sallustio, one of the illustrators he works with, on the right…and lucky me behind them).

I asked David five questions – here are his answers:

WHO WERE MY FAVORITE CHILDHOOD AUTHORS

When I was little, my favorite authors were Eric Carle Jean de Brunhoff, Roald Dahl, Astrid Lindgren and Oscar Wilde.

WHAT I KNOW NOW

I wish I had known a lot more than I did when I first embarked on this crazy adventure in children’s publishing. Like most first-time authors I was relatively idealistic about writing and publishing. I have to admit that it was a dream to have my first book published. After 15 years I’m a bit wiser and a lot less idealistic. It’s a tough industry and you’ve got to be prepared to handle disappointment and rejection on a regular basis.