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!

Pamela K Witte
WRITER OF 27 POSTS | WEBSITE

My favorite place to breathe, write and read is my middle-of-nowhere cabin in the mountains where I live with my husband, dogs, deer, elk, bears and mountain lions. Currently I'm obsessed with my new novel for young adults (YA). A dystopian action adventure. I love being an author of action and adventure books for YA and middle-grade (MG). I dig tombs, treasure, pharaoh kings, mummies, Aztec warriors, magic and mayhem. My hobbies include hiking, river rafting, skiing, sailing, SCUBA, exploring, caving, rappelling, treasure hunting, spelunking, archeology, and introducing kids to faraway places like Egypt, Mexico and China. As Production Manager for an Independent Film company, I’ve learned the importance of developing vivid, action packed scenes and fast-paced believable dialogue. As a psychiatric practitioner specializing in youth issues I’ve gained unique insight into a world that aids me in the development of strong, memorable, teen characters! If my characters do exciting, extreme things like repel off mountainsides or explore subterranean crystal caves, you can be sure, I tried it first! My books are guaranteed, the real deal!

Getting The Latest Tweet...