|
|||||
| SMART PIGGY'S NEWSLETTER By Audrey Wood Compiled by Heath Uliasz May 2000 Issue #15 Dear Friends, NEWS FLASH! JUBAL’S WISH, the new Don and Audrey picture book to be released this fall, is off to a great start. By the time you receive this newsletter, a 100,000 first print run will be underway. This is a tremendous investment for a publisher, and graphically represents their confidence in our book. We are extremely gratified. This total beats the largest print run in our careers, which was PIGGIES. A large print run does not, however, guarantee that the demand will be met. To be safe, place your orders early while JUBAL’S WISH is being printed. Bookstores will reserve your book and ask for payment when you have your book in hand. -AW ****************************************************************** LAUNDRY DAY WAS ART DAY FOR DON WOOD! Don wood was born and raised on a farm in the great Central Valley of California. His father ran the family farm and his mother was a popular elementary school teacher. By the time Don was in the sixth grade, he had forty acres of potatoes to take care of by himself. It was also in the sixth grade, that Don definitely decided he wanted to be an artist. Perhaps there is a correlation. Since Don was so busy during the summers, winter was his time to draw. To learn why laundry day was art day for Don Wood – Enter The Clubhouse at www.audreywood.com. Then click on the "Don Wood" link. From the Don Wood homepage, click on the "Don Wood’s Biography" link. ****************************************************************** JUNE, JUBAL & SMART PIGGies! Smart Piggies will get a sneak peek at JUBAL’S WISH before it’s offered to the public! Starting next month we’ll post images from JUBAL’S WISH on our web site, THE CLUBHOUSE, and you’ll be the first to learn all sorts of advance information and behind-the-scenes secrets about our new book. Only you, you smart Piggies, will have access to this advance information. ****************************************************************** LET IT REST! Writers Tip: One of the most important ingredients in my process of writing stories is to have the patience to let my work "rest." After finishing a rough draft of a story, I find I must distance myself from it by putting it away for at least two to three days. When I come back to it, I have fresh eyes and a more objective viewpoint and am able to see strengths and flaws in my story that were invisible to me earlier. I often write up to fifty drafts of one manuscript, and for each draft, I allow a period of "rest." As my story approaches its final draft, I extend the rest periods, allowing my story to rest a week, or even several weeks. "Resting" a manuscript inevitably stimulates new insights. Because each manuscript has many rest periods, and many revisions, a seemingly simple story often takes me up to a year to perfect. So what do I do while my story is resting? Work on another one and go back to the first one when it's "ready!" I usually have at least three stories underway at the same time, each at a different stage of development. -AW ****************************************************************** A HAPPY FROG, AND HIS PARENTS, GO ON A TOUR! Our fall 2000 book tour is being scheduled right now by SCHOLASTIC. At this point we don’t know yet which regions of the country we’ll be visiting, but don’t worry Smart Piggies, we’ll let you know if we will be in your area. In fact, you’ll know long before anyone else. ****************************************************************** TO FOLLOW OR TO LEAD? To get published, should a writer study publishing trends (such as historical events, cultural trends, humor, ecology) and follow them? In my opinion, a good story will generate it’s own trend. In 1987, when I wrote THE NAPPING HOUSE, the only other cumulative book available in children’s literature was THE HOUSE THAT JACK BUILT. Since THE NAPPING HOUSE was published, many more step-and-repeat, or cumulative titles have appeared. Create a trend by writing that which excites you. Be original. Strive to write a good story -- not follow a trend. ****************************************************************** DO YOU WANT TO BE AN ARTIST? All artists start by observing nature. It’s important to observe how light and shadow create and change colors on objects, landscapes, and people. You'll need to know what textures look and feel like if you are going to draw them. Spring is a good time to get outside and take some art notes. You don't have to write anything down, or sketch, if you don't want to. Just go for an art walk and look closely at the world around you. Perhaps you'll notice how the orange light of a sunset turns a brown tree trunk gold, or a pond lavender and pink. When you get back home, write some notes or do some quick sketches. Before long you'll have a journal that will help you get ideas for your next art projects. ****************************************************************** IV’E ALWAYS WANTED TO WRITE OR ILLUSTRATE A CHILDREN’S BOOK. WHAT SHOULD I DO FIRST? This is the single most important piece of advise we can give any potential author or illustrator - join the SCBWI (the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators). Why? You’ll learn everything you need to know to get started writing and get your story into the hands of a real editor, not into the "publishers slush pile!" VALUABLE LINK OF THE MONTH SCBWI = www.scbwi.org ****************************************************************** SILLY SALLY PUZZLE AVAILABLE! If you’re looking for a Silly Sally puzzle, Lakeshore Learning Materials (www.lakeshorelearning.com) has just released a Silly Sally puzzle for young children. The puzzle features all of the characters in my book. ****************************************************************** AND THE WINNER IS... Congratulations to Stacy Kubis of Lancaster, Pennsylvania! She won a free autographed copy of BIRDSONG from Audrey and David Florczak! THE APRIL CONTEST QUESTION WAS: In Audrey Wood’s book, BIRDSONG (illustrated by Robert Florczak), which bird makes the noise "KEEYER, KEEYER, KEEYER?" ANSWER: The Hawk Thanks for all of your entries. Enter our May contest and you could win 1 of 3 SILLY SALLY Story Puzzles. ****************************************************************** MAY CONTEST!!!!!!!!! DON'T MISS OUT! This month three lucky persons will win a SILLY SALLY Story Puzzle. To enter the contest go to the CLUBHOUSE at http://www.audreywood.com and click on the "Contest" banner. If you answer the question correctly you will be entered into a random drawing. The winner will be drawn at the end of the month. Good Luck! ****************************************************************** NEW SUBSCRIBERS! Check out our past Smart Piggy's Newsletters! Enter THE CLUBHOUSE at http://www.audreywood.com and click on the "Parents and Teachers" link, then click on "Smart Piggy's Newsletter Past Issues" link. ****************************************************************** Keep your questions and suggestions coming! Warmest Regards, Audrey Wood Info@audreywood.com http://www.audreywood.com |
|||||
 |
|||||