And I said...This newest chapter book series is hush-hush since Anastasia and Kira came up with a new concept that is not yet on the market and we know will be a huge hit with middle grade girls.
Well, hush-hush is over and I am thrilled to let you all in on the secret....
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ALL- STAR CHEERLEADERS website is now up and running. Read an excerpt from BOOK #1 now!
So how does a deal like this come about? Over lunch in sunny San Diego, Kira mentioned a concept for a chapter book that she'd love to publish and I immediately thought of Anastasia. After researching the topic we realized that a new series was in the works from another publisher so it was back to the drawing board for Kira and Anastasia. They met at IRA and brainstormed ideas until Kira's aha moment and Anastasia's extensive research proved they had stuck gold with a ultra-popular activity for middle grade girls and yet not a single chapter book with this subject on the market. I think this is whatDonny Deutsch would call The Big Idea:)
A Series Proposal and three written chapters later, a new, fabulous chapter book series is born!
Anastasia Suen is the author of 129 books for children and adults, a literacy blogger, a children's literature consultant for several publishers, a former K,1,5, & 6 teacher who visits schools to teach the six traits of writing, and a workshop instructor for SMU and online who teaches adults how to write for children. http://www.asuen.com/
So has getting the sale always been a slam-dunk for Anastasia? Take heart, breaking in is tough for everyone. From her bio on the Herman Agency Website:
Children's books have always been a part of my life. My mother started reading to me when I was a baby and we went to the library every week. I wrote my first picture book when I was eleven and I've been writing books for children ever since. I wrote hundreds of manuscripts and collected rejection letters for years...and then it happened. On my fortieth birthday, the phone rang. After writing for twenty-nine years, I sold my first book! Today I've sold 129 books: board books, picture books, easy readers, and chapter books (including a book for adults about how to write children's books). I've also written articles, poems, and stories for textbooks, magazines, and the web.
In 1995 I began working as a children's literature consultant for Sadlier-Oxford. Later I joined the Rosen Publishing Group Reading Advisory Board and became a "Classroom Connections" reviewer for Book Links. I have also consulted for Brown Books Publishing Group, Lee & Low Books, National Geographic School Publishing and Scholastic. Today I write about children's books in my monthly Hot Topics column for Booklist's Quick Tips for Schools & Libraries and Monday through Friday on my booktalk blogs.
CONGRATS TO ANASTASIA AND KIRA!
A Series Proposal and three written chapters later, a new, fabulous chapter book series is born!
Anastasia Suen is the author of 129 books for children and adults, a literacy blogger, a children's literature consultant for several publishers, a former K,1,5, & 6 teacher who visits schools to teach the six traits of writing, and a workshop instructor for SMU and online who teaches adults how to write for children. http://www.asuen.com/
So has getting the sale always been a slam-dunk for Anastasia? Take heart, breaking in is tough for everyone. From her bio on the Herman Agency Website:
Children's books have always been a part of my life. My mother started reading to me when I was a baby and we went to the library every week. I wrote my first picture book when I was eleven and I've been writing books for children ever since. I wrote hundreds of manuscripts and collected rejection letters for years...and then it happened. On my fortieth birthday, the phone rang. After writing for twenty-nine years, I sold my first book! Today I've sold 129 books: board books, picture books, easy readers, and chapter books (including a book for adults about how to write children's books). I've also written articles, poems, and stories for textbooks, magazines, and the web.
In 1995 I began working as a children's literature consultant for Sadlier-Oxford. Later I joined the Rosen Publishing Group Reading Advisory Board and became a "Classroom Connections" reviewer for Book Links. I have also consulted for Brown Books Publishing Group, Lee & Low Books, National Geographic School Publishing and Scholastic. Today I write about children's books in my monthly Hot Topics column for Booklist's Quick Tips for Schools & Libraries and Monday through Friday on my booktalk blogs.
CONGRATS TO ANASTASIA AND KIRA!
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7 comments:
INSPIRATIONAL. I AM A SELF PUBLISHED AUTHOR HOPING TO ACHIEVE THIS SOMEDAY. NOW A LOYAL STALKER OF THIS BLOG... http://theseven-piecestone.blogspot.com
Thanks SO MUCH for this inspiring post, Jill! And CONGRATULations, aNASTASIA!! :)
Anastasia Suen is AWESOME!! She did a manuscript critique for me at a conference, and she really got me going on my manuscript--I would have never sold my book without her advice.
I can't wait for this series!! It sounds like so much fun!!
Cheerleading is big stuff with those little girls.
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I love reading about success stories! Congratulations Jill, Anastasia, Kira and Hazel!! Can't wait to read the series.
Congrats. It's fun to write about cheerleaders. Whe. I did it the research was a real undercover adventure. Enjoy!
You need to go to one of those cheerleader conferences. I was in Columbus OH staying at a big Hyatt Hotel where there was a middle grade cheerleader conference. The conversations between moms and girls in the public bathrooms were sooooo revealing.
Big congrats to the three of you; Hazel, Anastasia and Jill. Sounds like a real winner.
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