More A.C.
Gearing up to visit Mr. Wade's fourth grade classroom today. The focus will be on A.C. Gilbert, whose birthday is this month. We'll do a riveting activity to get going, the read-aloud by the author (me), followed by a kinesthetic comprehension check. All systems are go.
For those of you who don't have a copy of the The Magic of A.C. Gilbert you're welcome to download the Readers' Theater script I wrote, based on the book. It is located under the Workshops tab on the home page of this website. I'll be taking it down soon, so don't wait if you'd like it. Of course, books are still available, too. Print copies can be purchased on this site (see Books tab) and e-copes can be purchased online at Amazon or Barnes and Noble sites.
More Poems
Okay, back to work. Well, actually fun, to be more accurate. I'm headed back into the classroom today and will be adding more poems from 4th graders at Willagillespie School here in Eugene. Watch them as they grow right here.
Sunshine
Just returned from a week in Arizona, a perfect place to renew energy and hope. The clear sunny skies are a welcome contrast to Oregon's slate-grey skies and endless rain. Oh, it's really not bad here. The green is outrageous, and then there's the mountains, and the rivers. No complaints, really, except that it's fun to travel and see what it's like elsewhere.
Any writing ideas while traveling? Of course! Spending time in the southwest always inspires my interest in Native American history and the plight of the tribes that lived there. It's a history that disturbs me, and I find myself angry over the wrongs that were committed in the name of expansion and nation-building. I know every story has more than one side to it, but the way the tribes were treated by the U.S. government may be the exception to the rule.
Winter visits the Grand Canyon
Driftwood Reading Council
'Twas a grand visit to the coast and the enthusiastic teachers of the Driftwood Reading Council. The weather was stellar, the company inspiring, and the topic...well, it was my favorite. As usual, I left with more ideas and schemes for learning than I came with. Thank you, folks, for your good humor and your willingness to be active participants. And many thanks to Ann Marineau for organizing the event.
The magical Driftwood Reading Council
To The Sea
I must go down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the sky,
And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by,
And the wheel's kick and the wind's song and the white sail's shaking,
And a grey mist on the sea's face, and a grey dawn breaking.
- John Masefield
Off to "the sea" today, well really the bay - Coos Bay - which is adjacent to the sea (Pacific Ocean). I'm headed there to work with the fine teachers of Coos and Curry counties (southwest Oregon). The topic? You guessed it: Nonfiction. Real writing. I'm looking forward to sharing with them and learning from them. And, of course, visiting the sea, which I don't get to often enough.
And…we’re back!
I'm not sure what happened exactly, but I did a little monkeying around and it appears the site pages and blog are back to normal.
Independent Bookstores
There are fewer and fewer of them. Independent bookstores, that is. If your town still has one, consider it a blessing. These stores tend to be small and quirky. You're greeted by friendly people and the distinctive scent of books. Heaven.
I visited one - Tsunami Books - in my hometown of Eugene, OR yesterday as I continued my marketing swing to local businesses I thought would be interested in carrying my book. I had been to Tsunami before, attending events and buying books, but never as an author pedaling my own work. I thought this might be quite a different experience, but it really wasn't. I was still greeted amiably, and the proprietor - Scott Landfield - took a genuine interest in the work I had done. Despite not discussing it directly, he seemed to know the rigor involved in producing a book. When it was decision-time, it wasn't about "if" he would buy any books but rather "how many?" He didn't hedge his bets with consignment, either. He went for it.
I left Tsunami feeling hopeful, not only for my book but for other local authors who struggle to find an outlet for their work. I am also hopeful for readers who want the personalized experience of shopping at a place where people know your name and are more than willing to help satisfy your reading proclivities.
The number of bookstores like Tsunami is steadily decreasing, but you can stop that by finding the independent bookstore where you live and patronize it. It's not too late.
Road Trip
Writing a book is one thing. Selling it is another. Authors write books because we love to write. Being a sales person doesn't have quite the same appeal. But sale persons we are - all of us (even non-writers) in one way of the other. And there's nothing wrong with that, as long as we believe in what we're selling.
With that firmly in mind, I took off yesterday for a road trip in order to...you got it...sell my A.C. Gilbert book. My aim was to find book and gift stores that would carry the book. Believe me, this is not my favorite way to spend time -"Good day, I'd like to share with you my latest book for children..." - but I have to admit it was a lot better than I anticipated.
Writers (at least the ones I know) have to steel themselves for rejection because the simple fact is that most things that are written never even get published. So, coming from a rejection mindset, it's a challenge not to carry that into the stores you enter. What a pleasant surprise, however, when booksellers greet you amicably, make positive comments about your work, and then order on the spot. Cool! I'm not saying this happened in every store I went, but it did in most. What this did was reinvigorate me about the work I've done.
If you live in or around Corvallis and Salem, Oregon, here are some great places to find The Magic of A.C. Gilbert:
Corvallis - OSU Bookstore, Grassroots Bookstore
Kaiser - Booksmart
Salem - A.C. Gilbert's Discovery Village, Mission Mill Museum
Carrying books and inflated confidence, I will continue on.
p.s. I'll keep writing, too.
In The Classroom
The act of writing is the key element for any writer. But, it's important to put that activity in context. In the case of writing for children, it's essential to interact with the audience - with kids. That's why I'll be working in some classrooms this year at a local elementary school as a visiting author and fellow writer. I'll be sharing my ideas and work as well as listening and providing feedback to kids. My first visit was yesterday; I introduced myself and some of my books, then the kids wrote introductions. I am enjoying reading them, and I look forward to working with the fourth graders at Willagillespie Elementary School, in Eugene.
Publishing #4
Producing a book with a publisher has advantages...and disadvantages.
The major advantage that I see is that the publisher takes the financial risk of producing the book. They are responsible (and pay) for everything: the artwork, design, editing, printing, and marketing. That's quite huge, and there's more. They pay for your words, too. They may pay you a flat fee or a royalty, a percentage of the sale of the book. My preference is a royalty and, if possible, a royalty on the retail cost of the book rather than the "net" (what they sell it for, which is usually less than retail). I feel much more a part of the "team" when getting a royalty, and I operate on the hopes on many different printings, which will yield more money. Reality check-in: This does not always happen.
Finding a publisher willing to take on your book in this highly competitive market is very challenging. If you are fortunate to get one, I see two main disadvantages. The first is that, since the publisher has the main responsibility for producing the book, they also are going to make most of the decisions about the book (size, what it looks like, number of copies, hard or soft cover). My experience has been that most are open to feedback from the author, but the ultimate decisions will be theirs. It makes sense, though, given they are the ones taking the risk.
However, the decisions publishers make can cause repercussions for authors. Case in point: I wrote a beginning bio of Christopher Columbus. In it, the editor had cut out some of the text about when Columbus and his crew landed in the "New World." The deleted text had to do with the people (Tainos) who were already living. In addition, the illustrator did not show any of those people in his artwork. Result: I was criticized for the oversight. Was it my fault that this happened? No. But people assume that the person whose name is on the book is responsible for all its contents. Lesson learned for me.
The other main disadvantage of working with a publisher is that the author only makes a small percentage of the price of each book. With self-publishing, all the money goes to the author. However, much of that money will be going to pay the costs of producing the book.
My personal preference has been to work with a publisher in producing books, but to keep an open mind and be willing to "put your money where your mouth is" when appropriate. I am grateful to have had positive experiences in both realms, and I am very pleased that the stigma of self-published books (low quality, unprofessional) has improved over time. Some highly successful authors are now choosing to self-publish despite lucrative contracts offered by publishers. The popularity of e-books is making a huge impact on the publishing industry and I would suggest exploring that avenue as you consider options for your work.
In the end, as in the beginning, anyone can get a book published. It's all about how you want to do it. And I hope you will. Good luck!
Hard at work on the next book.