Just One More Book!!

Last week, in part one of a two-part series, I spoke with Jason Wells, Director of Marketing and Publicity for Harry N. Abrams Inc. about the role and career path of the publicist, the high turnover rate in the industry and the evolution of book marketing and publicity in the digital age.

On this edition of Just One More Book!!, part 2 of my conversation with Jason Wells. This time, we talk about digital marketing and publicity and the future of children’s books in the age of MySpace, Facebook, blogs and podcasts.

 

 Interview with Jason Wells (part 2 of 2) [14:20m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

It takes a team — an author, illustrator, editor and publisher to name a few — to publish a children’s book. There’s still the matter of getting the word out.

On this edition of Just One More Book!!, Mark speaks with Jason Wells, Director of Marketing and Publicity for Harry N. Abrams Inc. in the first of a two-part series. In this part, Mark and Jason speak about the role and career path of the publicist, the high turnover rate in the industry and the evolution of book marketing and publicity in the digital age.

In part two of this series (due out on May 12), Mark and Jason speak about digital marketing and publicity in the age of MySpace, Facebook, blogs and podcasts.

 

 Interview with Jason Wells (part 1 of 2) [14:14m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Children’s books are a phenomenal way to share the remarkable stories of real people. It makes you wonder how generations before us managed to enjoy stories exlusively through the oral tradition, without the combined talents of storytellers and artists.

On this edition of Just One More Book!!, Mark speaks with author Kyra Hicks about magazine articles inspiring books, emphasizing the positive to move a story forward and how Kyra herself has become passionate about the subject of her book.

Relevant links

• Kyra Hicks’ blog
• Liz Burns’ review of Martha Ann’s Quilt for Queen Victoria
• Lee Edward Fodi

 

 Interview with Kyra Hicks [12:37m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

It can be easy to overlook how much enjoyment a young bear and an obsessive student can derive from life. That’s probably why we invented picture books and creative writers.

On this edition of Just One More Book!!, Mark speaks with author Andrea Beaty (Andrea Beaty’s blog), who’s book Iggy Peck, Architect was one of Time Magazine’s top 10 children’s books of 2007, about writing light picture books and a deep young reader novel, working with different illustrators and not preaching to readers.

Books mentioned:

• When Giants Come to Play
• Iggy Peck, Architect
• Doctor Ted
• Cicada Summer (coming Spring 2008)

Photo: Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators

 

 Interview with Andrea Beaty [15:39m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Writing a great story is about knowing the role you’re taking on as the author, the audience you’re trying to reach and the media you’re using.

On this edition of Just One More Book!!, Mark speaks with Lizann Flatt, former editor of the Canadian children’s magazine chickaDEE and the author of four children’s books, about her interest in non-fiction, the difference between stories in magazines and picture books, and balancing being an author of one format and an editor of another.

Books mentioned:

• Let’s Go: The Story of Getting from There to Here
• The Nature Treasury: A First Look at the Natural World
• Backgammon for Kids
• India (Facts About Countries)

Photo of Lizann Flatt from Lizann’s blog, The Flatt Perspective

 

 Interview with Lizann Flatt [14:30m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Some people have the gift of being able to communicate ideas and inspire audiences in several industries, in both text and images. It’s particularly exciting when those people draw on their many talents to inspire children with books.

On this edition of Just One More Book!!, Mark speaks with computer artist, illustrator and author, Bob Staake about the role of children’s books in his childhood, how his energy and style helps him produce a picture book in a week and the important relationship of words and images.

Books mentioned

• My Little ABC Book

Selected books by Bob Staake

• The Red Lemon
• Hello Robots
• Pigs Rock
• Mary Had a Little Lamp

Photo of Bob Staake from bobstaake.com.

 

 Interview with Bob Staake [18:47m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Just One More Book! is a regular contributor to the online Children’s Literature Monthly Journal, The Edge of the Forest. This information-packed online resource includes book reviews (from picture books to young adult), interviews, the latest news from the online children’s/YA literature community and much more.

Our monthly audio segment is called Sounds from the Forest.

This month we contribute extra footage from Mark’s conversation with author and literacy advocate, Sharron McElmeel.

You can check out the entire March/April 2008 issue of The Edge of the Forest, March/April 2008 here.

More than a few parents — mostly fathers — have long dreaded that fateful question: Where do babies come from? It’s a stress that’s been handed down like an heirloom from generation to generation. Why are we so uncomfortable?

On this edition of Just One More Book!!, Mark speaks with Laurie Krasny Brown and Marc Brown about their book What’s the Big Secret?, their decision to write the book as a fact book instead of a story book, and their experiences working on books together.

As a bonus, listen to the very end of the show, after the theme music, to hear a humourous story about Laurie and Marc’s first collaboration and how it earned Laurie a speeding ticket.

Other books mentioned

• Dinosaur series
• The Bionic Bunny Show

Photo of Laurie Krasny Brown and Marc Brown provided by Marc Brown.

 

 Interview with Laurie Krasny Brown and Marc Brown [16:36m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Children’s books are well known to be portals to worlds unknown, entertainment and new ideas. They can also be — and are increasingly becoming — a great tool to help children understand the real world of which they are a part.

On this edition of Just One More Book!!, Mark speaks with author Shannon Riggs about the use of stories in issue books, character decisions for her book Not in Room 204 and using books to raise awareness of issues including child sexual abuse.

Other books mentioned

• Faithful Elephants

 

 Interview with Shannon Riggs [12:31m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Imagine finding treasure in your attic, or the attic of a loved one. I’m not talking about a trunk filled with gold and precious stones. I’m talking about a box filled with the pieces of an amazing and true story.

On this edition of Just One More Book!!, Mark speaks with Lita Judge, author and illustrator of One Thousand Tracings — a children’s book which tells the true story of the generosity of real people following World War II — about finding an incredible story in her grandparents’ attic, choosing to tell the story in a picture book and how her nomination for a Cybils online book award turned her into a blogger.

 

 Interview with Lita Judge [18:44m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

If you’ve ever wondered:

• why we record our shows in a coffee shop,
• how we pick our books, or
• why we don’t accept sponsorship,

Well, wonder no more!

All is revealed this week as we chat with Christina Lemmey as guests of Wonder Years Radio on the Mom Talk Radio Network. You can listen to the interview here.

If you’re a Wonder Years Radio listener who’s popping in for the first time, welcome! We hope you find some new favourite children’s books — and that you’ll tell us about some of your old ones.

According to the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, Character education involves teaching children about basic human values including honesty, kindness, generosity, courage, freedom, equality, and respect.

Sharron McElmeel is a leading expert in this field and she’s done just about everything including publishing a 220-page book called Character Education: A Book Guide for Teachers, Librarians and Parents.

As part of a discussion on character education and her other projects, Sharron McElmeel answers questions that help reveal some of her powerful advice which includes make your house a “book house”, include a book on every gift-giving occasion and we must all move out of our classrooms and living rooms to spread the joy of reading everywhere we can.

Links to Ms. McElmeel’s resources and books mentioned:

• Sharron McElmeel’s website
• McBookWords - a resource for schools, educators and librarians
• McBookWords blog
• Character Education: A Book Guide for Teachers, Librarians and Parents
• Authors in the Kitchen: Recipes, Stories and More
• Authors in the Pantry: Recipes, Stories and More

Children’s books mentioned:

• Where the Wild Things Are
• A Snowy Day
• Mike Mulligan and his Steam Shovel
• Value Tales Series
• Pink and Say
• Nail Soup
• Stone Soup
• The Gingerbread Boy
• A Ghost, a Witch and a Goblin

Photo: http://mcbookwords.blogspot.com/

 

 Interview with Sharron McElmeel [21:11m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download