QR codes are everywhere, including on audiobook packaging and book jackets. Readers can watch the book trailer while they are in the store. The audiobook for Goliath has a QR code linking to a conversation between Alan Cumming and Scott Westerfeld. Book bonuses!

QR Code Bonus Video

I think it’s fantastic. Except when it gets to the library.

Depending on how sticker happy the library system is, the QR code could be covered up with bar codes and branch identification. If an audiobook’s QR code is stuck on the plastic wrapping instead of printed the container, the code never gets a chance to be seen by patrons.

Instead of (or in addition to) codes on covers and packaging, I’ve love to see a “Bonus Content” page with QR codes linked to extras. It would feel like a gift to the reader rather than an ad. And it wouldn’t be lost to library patrons.

With a Bonus Content page:

• Even readers who don’t follow authors online could see the book’s playlist.
• Readers could watch the book trailer while they’re swooning at the end of the book. (And share it with their friends.)
• They could find find the home for your fan club.
• They could buy the sequel.

Or, with a QR code next to a certain passage in the book, readers could hear the love interest recite the poem or make a declaration of love to the main character.

There. Are. Possibilities.

Many books don’t need a whole page for extra content because the author doesn’t write and perform original music for each book. But all books have a bio which could include could include a QR code linked to the author’s website.

And authors should include a QR code on their swag. Because who would to take the time to type in www.i-love-the-shiny-gargoyles-of-ludwickerstein.com when they could scan a code instead?

I love that QR codes have made their way onto book packaging. And I love that they can do more to bring the readers to us as we reach out to them.

Come on in. By now you know the gate is open, welcoming everyone into the realm of children’s literature! It’s not magic. Everyone can…

Crash The Gate!

Sure, sometimes it seems like publishing a book is nearly impossible. But hey, deep down you know that’s not really true! Successfully seeing a book through from idea to reality is a lot like pulling a sward from a stone. Seriously! It takes confidence, persistence, loads of dedicated trying and as the Lucky 13ers know…

A Little Bit Of Luck!

Each and every Lucky 13er had crazy doubts, just like you. Maybe they thought they’d never see their books in print. Maybe they worried they didn’t have what it takes. But, they did, they do, and you do too!

So, push open the gate and come inside. Meet some of the Lucky 13ers and feel at home. Conjure a little magic of your own, pull a sward from a stone, write a book, persist and publish. You know you can!

The Lucky 13ers

2013 Debut Kidlit Authors

Part One

Click the pics for awesome links!

Alex Lidell  

CADET OF TILDOR

1. When did you realize the story in your head was meant to be a book?

 At about 2 in the morning. I realized that I desperately missed late night college dorm room conversations where you’d argue both sides just to consider the perspectives, or else come up with various ethical questions to ponder just for the sake of it (or, err, was that just me?) Anyhow, stuck in the real world and with no victims wanting to come chat in the middle of the night, I turned to my characters. One of them, Savoy, had been around for a while – he was my character in a play-by-email game. Renee was new to me, but she was wonderfully opinionated. And thus, the three of us uncovered our story.

2. Advice to aspiring writers.

Crit partners are gold – but be sure you find the right one for YOU and realize that as your novel matures you may need to shift partners. For example, having my first draft ripped apart for misused commas does not inspire me to revise. When I’m polishing a piece, on the other hand, I need to know which word sounds off – not that I should consider adding another character.

3. The hardest thing about your journey to publication?

The waiting.

 4. The most fun thing?

Crits. Most certainly crits. I was lucky enough to have really great reviewers who stuck with me, chapter by chapter, from the ground up. Knowing that they’d read what I wrote and write me a whole email about it made me excited about finishing each scene. And then I would check my email non-stop… Once, in a chat, my partners got into a debate over which of my characters was in the right. I was ecstatic.

April Tucholke

BETWEEN THE DEVIL AND THE DEEP BLUE SEA

1. When did you realize the story in your head was meant to be a book?

When I read this true story about kids hunting a vampire in a Glasgow cemetery: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/8574484.stm I wanted to read a book about that story…and so I, uh, wrote one.

2. Advice to aspiring writers.

Prepare yourself for a fight. You’re going to have to revise your manuscript again and again and again, until you feel like screaming. Suck it up! If your finished ms remotely resembles your first draft, then it’s probably not good enough yet. And, though it’s been said before, READ. Read everything. Not just the genre you write in, but all genres–romance, epic fantasy, mystery, thriller, science fiction, travel writing, poetry, the classics, etc.

3. The hardest thing about your journey to publication?

The rejections. No question. They broke my damn heart.

4. The most fun thing?

 Getting to talk about the book I wrote and not feeling like an a prick because people are (sometimes) genuinely interested, and want to read it. That’s pretty cool.

Elle Cosimano (Ink & Angst’s very own!)

DEAD BLUE

1. When did you realize the story in your head was meant to be a book?

 I knew it was time to put it on paper when I started thinking about my characters as real people. In the car, I’d be listening to set of specific songs over and over, scenes rolling through my head, and I couldn’t stop thinking about them. I knew it was time when they started keeping me awake at night.

2. Advice to aspiring writers.

 Yoda: “Do or do not. There is no try.” You’re either a writer or you’re not writing. Don’t just start. Don’t just aspire. Finish it.

3. The hardest thing about your journey to publication?

Waiting was, is, and probably will continue to be the most difficult aspect of this journey. The timelines seem endless, the rewards uncertain and so far away. The long spans of radio silence are hard when you’re inexperienced and insecure and alone on a strange path.

4. The most fun thing?

The people I’ve met along the way, which strikes me as odd since writing is, for the most part, a very solitary occupation. And yet, the community of writers I’ve met are so accessible, supportive, creative and kind. I’ve waited my entire life for friends like these, and finding myself here feels like coming home.

Kelly Barson

45 POUNDS

1. When did you realize the story in your head was meant to be a book?

Ever since third grade when I learned that Laura Ingalls Wilder’s books were about her life, I imagined every story in my head as a book. I still have homemade books that I made thirty years ago to “publish” my stories.

 2. Advice to aspiring writers.

 What makes a writer a writer is the writing, not the publishing. If you focus on getting published, you’ll have a harder time, both professionally and emotionally, than if you focus on becoming a better writer.

 3. The hardest thing about your journey to publication?

For me, the hardest thing is patience. I’ve rushed stories, both writing them and sending them out too early. Waiting is hard, whether it’s waiting for a story arc to develop, for an agent or editor to email, or for that book to be released. Every part of the process involves time. Being a control freak, I’m happier when I focus on the only part where I have control: the writing.

 4. The most fun thing?

The most fun thing is the flip-side to the hardest thing. Because the whole process takes time, every step is cause for celebration. And since the kidlit community is so supportive, nobody celebrates alone.

Kristen Kittscher

THE WIG IN THE WINDOW

1. When did you realize the story in your head was meant to be a book?

I never consciously did. I sat down very innocently and started writing what I fancied was a novel but was actually more a collection of meandering episodes. From there, little by little I started to see the plot — but only after I’d rambled for several hundred pages!

 2. Advice to aspiring writers.

 I’d recommend not thinking of yourself as an “aspiring” writer. If you love to write, and if you do write, you are a writer. Hold you head up high! Listen to others’ feedback very carefully, of course — but if you rely on external validation of your work, you will inevitably face repeated disappointment, book deal or not. Inform yourself about the business, but let making art be its own reward.

 3. The hardest thing about your journey to publication?

I think it was hard to accept that, to become a better writer, I had to make myself vulnerable and not care about producing awful work. There’s a preconception that genius and creativity just pours out of great artists or writers — and maybe it does for some — but, for me, it’s all about daring to fail miserably first. That’s never easy.

 4. The most fun thing?

Discovering the children’s writing community has been the most fun. I’ve made so many new friends this past year — warm, empathetic, smart, and silly people who I hope to be friends with for life. Nothing is more fun, too, than the instant something clever seems to leap onto the page out of nowhere and delight me. I live for those far-and-few-between moments!

Lastly? Lunch with my editor at the St. Regis Hotel in New York wasn’t bad. Not bad at all!

Lydia Kang

THE FOUNTAIN

1. When did you realize the story in your head was meant to be a book?

 There were several little moments, but one of the most memorable was after I’d finished the first draft and sent it to my beta readers. One of them was cussing and gushing all over the email, like “This is f**** fantastic, holy s*** this needs to be published and **** this is better than the *insert top selling YA book here*” etc.

I thought, wow. Wow! That’s a lot of cussing! I think I finally did it!

 2. Advice to aspiring writers.

 With the onset of the e-publishing model, people are getting their stuff out there very quickly. Deals are announced left and right. It’s so hard to be patient and write your best book when all this is happening. Do your best to ignore that white noise and write the most kick-ass novel you can, and be generous with your time to do it. Do not query your manuscript when it’s freshly finished! Let is sit, rest, and come back to it and revise. Believe me, I learned the hard way.

3. The hardest thing about your journey to publication?

Not knowing if I was really going to get published. I’m a control freak. Everything I did to achieve my medical career happened in a very orderly, predictable way. Hard work and dedication worked to achieve my goals. When I was trying to get traditionally published, hard work and dedication was no guarantee. Once I wrote the best book I could, there was nothing else I could do but wait for an agent to nibble, and then a publishing company. That was very hard for me.

 4. The most fun thing?

The validation of signing an agency contract, and soon after, a publishing contract. I’d like to say “holding my book in my hands” but that will be later!

I’ve been to all sorts of different conferences, but never anything on this scale. AWP (Associated Writers & Writing Programs) is a massive conference that switches location every year. This year it happened to be in my hometown, Chicago. My college had an essay contest selecting students who would get free registration to the conference. You would also be required to spend some time manning a booth for the school, talking to people about our writing program.

I turned in an essay. I got in. Then I started looking into the scale of the conference.

The largest conference I have ever been to is SCBWI’s annual one in the summer. Anyone who has been to it knows it can get crowded, especially if you’re trying to see a popular event. Several amazing presenters. Awesome dance party one night. People are everywhere. On the escalators, by the pool, on every seat at the bar. I didn’t know conferences got any bigger.

I was wrong.

I started to realize how big AWP was going to be when I received my 384 page digital copy of the schedule. Let me type that again. 384 page schedule.

We were informed that there would be over 10,000 registered participants attending, and since the bookfair was open to the public we would have even more coming in from the street. The bookfair itself had over 550 booths. There were over 400 events set to go off during the four days, and tons of off site stuff like readings and receptions. 43 scheduled presenters and a nighttime keynote by Margaret Atwood (author of Handmaid’s Tale etc.). The conference had to be divided between two beautiful hotels. The Hilton and the Palmer House. A shuttle bused you back and forth.

It was easy to get overwhelmed. With dozens of events happening at the same time, how do you choose? For someone like me (and like most of you), my interest was in panels about writing for children. While there were a few, you definitely got the sense that it wasn’t a focus for AWP. As a result, I spent almost all my time at the bookfair, talking to small presses, big presses (Penguin) and universities about MFA programs.

Here are some excerpts from my notes:

“A lack of respect for children’s literature is often a lack of respect for children.” – Julie Schumaker

“Children’s writers are held to a higher standard because parents care about what their children read.” – Margaret McMullin

A possible exercise for learning or teaching others about description is to incorporate contour drawing into writing. Have one person describe an object in front of them to another person who is drawing it. Only the describer can see the object and must convey in words what they are seeing. It forces a person to really look at every aspect of an object or a photo.

Greet the reader (in your book) with the section you’d read aloud if you were put on the spot.

Here is a list of all the places I talked to about MFA programs. I’m tossing them on here in case any of you might want to know more about them:

Notre Dame, Northwestern, Johns Hopkins, Rutgers, Butler, Carlow University, University of Winchester (UK), Vermont College, Fairfield University and Sam Houston State.

We (Columbia College Chicago) closed off the event by hosting a “Literary Rock & Roll” at the hotel. There was live music and readings. A couple of our readers were Audrey Niffenegger (Time Traveler’s Wife, Her Fearful Symmetry) and Irvine Welsh (Trainspotting, Filth).

All in all, I’m glad I went, but I couldn’t imagine traveling to the conference if I was only interested in kidlit. You wouldn’t find a lot for your money.

Happy Sunday once again and welcome to our Linda Boyden interview!

Linda is an author, illustrator, poet, teacher and performer. She fell in love with storytelling at a young age and considers learning to read the most important discovery of her life. Her books include THE BLUE ROSES, POWWOW’S COMING, and GIVEAWAYS: AN ABC BOOK OF LOANWORDS FROM THE AMERICAS. Read more about her on her website.

1. If you had walk-on music (a song that plays when you enter a room), what would it be? Why?

Hands down, this was the hardest question, like name your favorite book or movie––impossible to choose only one. I surveyed friends & family who suggested “Pomp & Circumstances,” “Here She Comes, Miss America,” to Pink’s “Get This Party Started,” all of which sorely tempted me. However, I must go with “Imagine” by John Lennon because of the line, “You may say I’m a dreamer…” To be an artist is to dream.

2. Do you have certain rituals to help you write? Such as writing at a specific time in the day, a certain amount of time a week, or particular places?

I’m up at 4 or 4:30 every day. By my second cup of coffee, I’m writing. For 2012, I start with a poem as a warm-up exercise. My goal is to write a poem a day for the year. I’m more or less on target, having filled up notebook #1. After that, I attack the WIP of the day.

3. Your books feature Native Americans. What draws you to this subject above all others?

I am of mixed-blood Cherokee/Irish/French Canadian ancestry, although not enrolled in the Cherokee Nation. I am a long time member of Wordcraft Circle of Native Writers & Storytellers (www.wordcraftcircle.org) and SCBWI, the Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators (www.scbwi.org). What comes out in my writing, all of it begins in the heart of me; the person who I am. I define that as a writer/illustrator/teacher; only now I’m a “recovering” teacher, and that means just because I’m not in a classroom full-time doesn’t mean I won’t try to teach you something. Life is all about cause & effect: because I taught, I know there are books still on school or public library shelves that portray Natives in the tired stereotypical way of “noble savages,” or the “I is for Indian” nonsense; because I’m immersed in children’s literature, I also know many contemporary publishers are diligent about publishing better books about American Indians. In all my work, I am committed to teaching others that Native Americans are a living force, making a stand for their individual cultures.

4. You said that the plot of THE BLUE ROSES came from your own life. Why did you feel that experience was what you wanted to write about?

In 1978, my maternal grandfather passed on and I couldn’t attend his funeral. I lived a couple of thousand miles away and was about to have my third baby. This set of grandparents was an integral part of my childhood, and so I grieved until Grandpa came to me in a dream. He stood in a garden of the most beautiful flowers, and his face was smooth, not wrinkled! Imagine that…kids only know their grandparents as old and wrinkled. He looked radiant and told me to stop crying because he was happy. I woke and still have that radiant feeling harbored in my heart. I knew using a garden would be a gentle metaphor to talk to kids about the difficult topic of death. Years later, I finally had the time to write it down and then was lucky that Lee & Low Books shared my commitment.

5. Did you always know that it would be a picture book or did you try a few different forms?

Absolutely. THE BLUE ROSES couldn’t be anything else. Even though it had been a dream, it was such a visual experience it had to be a picture book. Lee & Low then paired me with Amy Cordova as the illustrator. Her art perfectly matched my words.

6. For POWWOW’S COMING you did your own illustrations. What was that experience like?

Being a trifle OCD, when I sent my POWWOW’S COMING submission to the University of New Mexico Press, I included a couple of samples of what I thought the art should look like… to “help” the illustrator get my point? For example, the text called for a primary color palette because it’s a book about an important Native tradition, so the colors had to stay true to the tradition. When my editor said they wanted me to do the art, my initial reaction was, “Nooooooooo! I’ve never been to art school.” But he insisted and I am grateful he did. I spent a lot of time terrified, but studying; terrified, but asking advice from illustrator friends; terrified, but going ahead anyway. I learned to let go of the fear and trust my instincts. A few years later, I pitched the same editor a new book concept: an ABC book about loanwords from Native languages into English. I had read a delicious book, “O Brave New Words” by Charles S. Cutler and was astounded at how many English words have their origins in Native languages. Kids need to know the great contribution Native languages have made to our language, too. This time, doing the art was just a lark; a pure joy. I had 26 words from many languages of North, South and Central American indigenous nations, reflecting many topics from animals to food to sports. I’m a cut-paper collage artist so anything goes: extraordinary kinds of paper, real feathers, tiny beads, embroidery work, bark and other natural substances. So in 2010, my third book was released, GIVEAWAYS, AN ABC BOOK OF LOANWORDS FROM THE AMERICAS (University of New Mexico Press). Since then it has been the recipient of three Finalist Awards from the International Book Awards, Finalist in two categories in the 2012 New Mexico Book of the Year Award, and was included in the California Reading’s Association’s 2012 California Collections list of recommended Middle Grade titles. POWWOW’S COMING made Reading Is Fundamental’s 2011 Multicultural Books list so my head is still spinning.

7. Both your children’s books and your adult poetry have won awards. How do balance both?

I have been in love with words since first grade when I discovered this little squiggle stands for that sound…magic! Words to be read and words to be written are like two forks of a river, separate, but together at the heart of the matter. When I do school visits, I tell students a Gary Paulsen quote: “Read like a wolf eats.” Writers have to read and readers should also write so the circle can be complete. I cycle through the genres and levels at whim, unless I’m on a contract deadline. Once a month I attend a local Spoken Word/Open Mic night so I try to produce something “grown-up” for that. I had been neglecting my poetry, which is 99% for adults, so that’s why I’m doing one a day.

8. How important is performing your own work? What do you learn when performing?

I am a ham, no denying that, but with a memory faulty enough that pursuing acting would have been a dismal career move. Teaching is a performance art, at least on the level I chose, the primary grades (ages 5-8). Once I left teaching, I had to fill that niche, so began storytelling at my local library. I still perform monthly at the Redding (CA.) Barnes & Noble store and the Redding Library, as well as whenever I do a school author visit. The value of these, besides the personal joy, is they keep me current. I research the newest books to share; pick up each age group’s current jargon, what’s cool and more important, what isn’t…vital information if you write for kids.

9. Do you have a current work-in-progress?

One? Only one? What? I have many WIPs: I want to break into the middle grade genre so I’m working on a two book, fantasy adventure set with protagonists who are modern kids who also happen to be Cherokee. I have any number of picture book manuscripts; an adult level collection of poetry and prose; a YA historical biography in free verse, and that’s just the top of the heap.

10. Who do you read for inspiration?

For kidlit inspiration: Margaret Wise Brown on the primary level and Joseph Bruchac for middle grades plus all the other authors I’ve read. For adult writing? Ditto, every author I’ve ever read.

11. Do you have any events coming up?

I am blessed with being busy. On the horizon are school visits on the writing process and my Beat Test Stress program designed with second graders in mind to help them not fret over their first experience with standardized testing. One thing I stress is they have been preparing for this test all year, and I do this via my puppet-type props, Fretta (the worry- wart) , Zoom (doesn’t worry at all), and Picky Otter (a great role model and cute, too). I’ll be presenting at our Barnes & Noble’s Teacher Appreciation night in April as well as planning my regular preschool storytelling monthly events, and doing two local Summer Reading programs at libraries. Life is good.

I just finished the greatest game!  Change Write Now, it was a challenge, a support group, a fun idea, and a major motivator all wrapped into one.  Authors and bloggers Corrine Jackson, Sarah Nicolas, and Gina Rosati  were the brilliant divas behind the idea.  There is still time (by TODAY) to sign up for round two but more on that later.

I want to share how much this group helped to motivate me.  First a big shout out to my group “Authors a Go-Go.”  The Go-Gos (Shawna, Alexa, Heather and Amy) helped me make a major and important shift in my life.  I should add that we WON the competition.  What?  What was our final team score?  I have no idea.  I checked the groups scores once halfway through and we were somewhere near the bottom.  I actually don’t know which team actually had the highest group score.  No, what I mean is we WON the competition.  We all checked in almost every day for two months, gave a lot of support, received support, got to know each other, never passed judgement, learned to be gentler with ourselves, improved our health and basically kicked game ass.

Yeah.  We.  Won.

The thing I am most proud of and most grateful for is that the Go-Gos gave me the support to go to my first Overeaters Anonymous meeting.  It is a twelve step group similar to Alcoholics Anonymous.  I went to a meeting at the end of 1998 and was “sober” from eating sugar for a year.  I was sober, but I never got a sponsor, I never did any step work, I just went to meetings and stopped eating sugar.  Don’t get me wrong.  That was a major accomplishment for me.  I did not realize it at the time but I had no foundation.  I was just white knuckling it.

The fall of 1999 I took a trip to Italy and the gelato called to me.  OMG have you ever had gelato off the streets of Italy?!  One bite turned into another and a few gelatos turned into several and several gelatos turned into a rationalization that I could handle eating sugar.  By the time I came back to the states I was mired in a deep shame of failure.  I had blown a year of sobriety.  I could not face going to OA meetings and admitting my shame or failure.  I stopped going.

I stopped going.  I have been overeating for the last twelve years.  Because I could not deal with my shame, my feelings, my compulsion, my pride.

For almost 6 months before Change Write Now I had been considering going back to OA.  Instead I joined Weight Watchers.  It didn’t work.  I went back to thinking about OA.  It was clear to me that my eating was out of control.  I was literally stuffing my feelings down.  I was gaining weight.  I know how to eat nutritionally but knowledge did not help me.

I started the Change Write Now challenge and it occurred to me maybe I could get the group to help me get to my first OA meeting.  I started talking about it.  They supported me.  I committed to find out when the meetings were.  Not to go mind you.  Just to find out when I could go.  More time passed.  I made the big commitment to go to my first meeting.  The Go-Gos cheered me on.  I missed the meeting.  The Go-Gos said “You can do this!”  I made another commitment.  I was a wreck that Saturday.  A freaking wreck!  Seriously.  Panic attack city.

I asked my wife Rose to go with me to the first meeting.  I did not want to chicken out.  Today was the day.  She drove.  I sweated.  I walked in the room.  Everyone smiled and welcomed me.  Twelve years of shame lifted off my shoulders.  I was back.

The first few weeks were hard.  It was like my major defense mechanism jutted out it’s hip, snapped it’s fingers in my face and said “Ohhhhh no you didn’t.  I’ll show you who’s the boss.”  Yep.  I was going to OA and binging my brains out on every piece of sugar that was not nailed down.  The Go-Gos cheered me on.  My OA group cheered me on.  I opened up and shared more feelings.

I did not want another twelve years to go by.  I kept with it.  The Go-Gos kept cheering me on.  I got a sponsor.  I started setting boundaries for myself, ones I could succeed at.  I found that if I expressed how I felt about something (anger, loneliness, shame) the driving compulsion to eat would leave me.  It has been almost three weeks and I have not overeaten as a way to deal with my feelings. I have been sticking with my food plan.  I am doing the step work.  I talk to my sponsor every day.  I go to meetings.  This time I’m building the foundation.  I feel a lot better about myself.

I won.

Thank you Heather, Amy, Alexa, and Shawna.  Thank you Cory, Sarah and Gina.  Thank you Rose.  I’m doing the work but you all helped me get here.

I signed up for round two of Change Write Now.  If your craving a “win” in your life then join me.