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High-Concept Books and Covers |
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Thursday, 02 September 2010 07:13 |
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Hi, folks, this just in...I stumbled upon a Publishers Weekly blog where it's talking about books that are high-concept and have the cover art to go along with it, and what do you know, my upcoming YA, The Second Base Club is included. Good eye, Publishers Weekly.
Here's the PW post.
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Wednesday, 30 June 2010 18:09 |
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As some of you know, the latest (yay!) and final (wah!) Melvin Beederman, Superhero adventure was released this week. As you may also know, this series was my entry into the children’s book field.
Here’s a little history of the series…
Years ago I had written a picture book called Superhero Bob about a superhero who loses his cape at the dry cleaners. A little girl, who has the lead role in her school’s production of Little Red Riding Hood, gets it by mistake. He loses his powers; she gains them, just as the bad guys bust out of prison. The manuscript was rejected, then sat on my desk for five years until I realized that it needed more room. I wrote it in chapters, called it Melvin Beederman and the Curse of the Bologna Sandwich—and lucky me—it was picked up by Henry Holt and Company and made into a series. I thought I was writing a stand-alone book, but my publisher had other ideas. Smart other ideas.
Here’s what Rhode Montijo, the illustrator of the eight Melvin books has to say on the experience, and he reveals a secret about the series that very few know.
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Wednesday, 30 June 2010 18:03 |
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As some of you know, the latest (yay!) and final (wah!) Melvin Beederman, Superhero adventure was released this week. As you may also know, this series was my entry into the children’s book field.
Here’s a little history of the series…
Years ago I had written a picture book called Superhero Bob about a superhero who loses his cape at the dry cleaners. A little girl, who has the lead role in her school’s production of Little Red Riding Hood, gets it by mistake. He loses his powers; she gains them, just as the bad guys bust out of prison. The manuscript was rejected, then sat on my desk for five years until I realized that it needed more room. I wrote it in chapters, called it Melvin Beederman and the Curse of the Bologna Sandwich—and lucky me—it was picked up by Henry Holt and Company and made into a series. I thought I was writing a stand-alone book, but my publisher had other ideas. Smart other ideas.
Here’s what Rhode Montijo, the illustrator of the eight Melvin books has to say on the experience, and he reveals a secret about the series that very few know.
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Sunday, 18 April 2010 18:21 |
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I while back I set up a Google Alert for Melvin Beederman. Yesterday I received an alert that referred me to the Barnes and Noble website, where it said that the eighth (Yay!) and final (Wah!) Melvin book will be released on July 22nd. Did you hear that, world?…July 22nd, 2010. The final book in the series. Aliens from outer space. Lots of underwear sightings. Funny how B & N knows more about my publishing career than I do. Thanks, Google Alerts. |
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Saturday, 17 April 2010 11:16 |
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Over on Facebook I noticed that people were posting their favorite lines or paragraphs from their works-in-progress. Sounded like a good idea. Here’s something from my current middle grade novel entitled Blah Blah Blah (code for only my agent knows for sure).
You might think since my name is Max Odor that I sit around all day eating chili, then I unweight a cheek when the time is right. This is not the case. I don’t even like chili. And I don’t unweight my cheeks any more than the next guy.
Got a favorite line or paragraph from your WIP? Post it here; share it with the world.
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Author and Illustrator Reunion |
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Monday, 05 April 2010 09:10 |
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In June of 2006, Rhode Montijo and I were sent to Napa, California to launch the first two Melvin Beederman books. This week and now with seven books in the series, Rhode and I are headed to Napa once more. A lot has changed in four years. Rhode, who used to live in Oakland, CA, now lives in NYC…and me?…I have more wrinkles and less hair (but it’s all relative, right?).
Looking forward to visiting schools with Rhode—and then it’s off to Sacramento for more of the same. Stay tuned…I’ll post some pictures.
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Friday, 12 March 2010 20:58 |
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Hi folks, fellow children’s book writer and all-around cool blogger Sherrie Petersen interviewed me recently. I met Sherrie at the SCBWI national conference last summer. Turns out, her son is a raging Melvin Beederman, which is always good to know. Check out the interview here, and until next time…Greg. |
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Wednesday, 27 January 2010 17:30 |
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Are you working on the Great American Novel (or great global one)? If so, can you summarize the plot in a sentence or two? If not, you may lose your way somewhere along the line (says the guy who loses his way most of the time). Having a detailed outline is great, but can you boil it down? Which brings me to Name That Synopsis. Can you name some of the following titles by their boiled-down synopsis? (What’s the plural of synopsis?)
1. A sixteen year old boy’s first year at a private school includes good friends and great pranks, but is defined by the search for answers about life and death after a fatal car crash.
2. As further evidence of his family’s bad fortune which they attribute to a curse on a distant relative, a boy is sent to a hellish correctional camp in the desert where he finds his first real friend, a treasure, and a new sense of himself.
3. Main character is a normal boy, except that he has been raised by ghosts and other denizens of the graveyard.
4. The life and times of a boy who would not grow up.
5. A boy helps a runaway slave and has many adventures as they sail down the Mississippi.
6. Twelve year old boy moves to a prison island and has to contend with his extraordinary new environment in addition to life with his autistic sister.
7. A grumpy individual tries to stop Christmas from coming to a nearby town.
8. A husband and wife (both dogs) attempt to rescue their fifteen puppies from the clutches of an evil woman.
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Friday, 22 January 2010 07:59 |
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I've mentioned before that I have a young adult novel, His Boy Elroy, coming out in the fall. The latest news is that the marketing staff at Holt wants to change the title to The Second Base Club. I must admit I have a little twinge of sadness to lose my title, but their argument is that today's teen won't relate to the reference to a 60s cartoon. I agree with them...The Second Base Club it is.
I few days ago I received the layout of the novel, and as I read through the pages, I'm not only seeing various little typos that need to be changed, but there are also a few areas where I feel like I'm holding back, areas that might need a bigger tweak to pack the necessary emotional punch. I'm going to experiment with writing freehand, which is not my usual way. Maybe this will force me to dig deeper. We'll see.
So here's my question. Do you write directly into your computer, or do you write with a pen or pencil first? Serious revisers want to know...Greg
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Wednesday, 20 January 2010 12:44 |
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Recently I spent time at the Santa Barbara Mission at the Cyber Book Promotion Retreat. The event hosted some of the current gurus of social networking, Harold Underdown, Greg Pincus (otherwise known as the other Greg, Anastasia Suen, and famed blogger Lisa Yee. One of the things that developed over the weekend was that we were encouraged to find the one thing we'd take away—whether it was Twitter, Facebook, blogging, etc. Find one thing that appeals to us and jump in.
Here's my one thing...Google Alerts. Many of us have Google Alerts set up on our names and book titles, but it also makes sense to use them in other areas of interest...in my case, YA and middle grade novels or humorous kids' book. Find not only where people are talking about us and become a part of those conversations, but join in other conversations that are related. Great stuff.
By the way, if you're ever in the area, the Santa Barbara Mission is a must see. Built in 1886, it can house hundreds of people (folks in the know call them retreatents). I'd like to make a private retreat there some day, both for spiritual and creative writing renewal...Greg |
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Monday, 18 January 2010 09:09 |
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Yes, ladies and gentlemen, the ALA awards have been announced. I don't know about you, but I have lots to read in the coming months...and it looks like my publisher, Henry Holt and Company, is fairly well represented. Check out the list below and then hit the book store. I'll see you there...Greg.
John Newbery Medal for most outstanding contribution to children’s literature
“When You Reach Me,” written by Rebecca Stead, is the 2010 Newbery Medal winner. The book is published by Wendy Lamb Books, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books.
Four Newbery Honor Books also were named: “Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice” by Phillip Hoose and published by Melanie Kroupa Books/Farrar Straus Giroux, an imprint of Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group; “The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate” by Jacqueline Kelly and published by Henry Holt and Company; “Where the Mountain Meets the Moon” by Grace Lin and published by Little, Brown and Company Books for Young Readers; and “The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg” by Rodman Philbrick and published by The Blue Sky Press, An Imprint of Scholastic Inc.
Randolph Caldecott Medal for most distinguished American picture book for children
“The Lion & the Mouse,” illustrated and written by Jerry Pinkney, is the 2010 Caldecott Medal winner. The book was published by Little, Brown and Company Books for Young Readers.
Two Caldecott Honor Books also were named: “All the World,” illustrated by Marla Frazee, written by Liz Garton Scanlon and published by Beach Lane Books; and “Red Sings from Treetops: A Year in Colors,” illustrated by Pamela Zagarenski, written by Joyce Sidman and published by Houghton Mifflin Books for Children, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
Michael L. Printz Award for excellence in literature written for young adults
“Going Bovine,” written by Libba Bray, is the 2010 Printz Award winner. The book is published by Delacorte Press, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, a division of Random House.
Four Printz Honor Books also were named: “Charles and Emma: The Darwins’ Leap of Faith” by Deborah Heiligman, published by Henry Holt Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group; “The Monstrumologist” by Rick Yancey, published by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing Group; “Punkzilla” by Adam Rapp, published by Candlewick Press; and “Tales of the Madman Underground: An Historical Romance, 1973” by John Barnes, published by Viking Children’s Books, a division of Penguin Young Readers Group.
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Page 1 of 11 |
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Greetings!
Welcome to my blog:
On writing, children’s literature, and chocolate!
Name: Greg Trine
Home: California
Favorite Quote: Have you saved the world lately? – Melvin Beederman
Favorite Reads: Bloody Jack series,
Favorite Movies: Shawshank Redemption, Back to the Future, Princess Bride, It’s a Wonderful Life,
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