The 2012 Crystal Kite Winner Profiles: USA MID-ATLANTIC'S Kathryn Erskine

In the USA Atlantic region (Pennsylvania/Delaware/New Jersey/Washington, D.C./Virginia/West Virginia/Maryland), the 2012 Crystal Kite Member Choice Award Winner was THE ABSOLUTE VALUE OF MIKE, by Kathryn Erskine (Philomel Books.)

I had the opportunity to find out more from Kathy...


Lee:  Please tell us about your Crystal-Kite-winning book! 

Kathy:  THE ABSOLUTE VALUE OF MIKE is about 14 year old Mike who has a math learning disability and a father who's a math genius. His father sends him to relatives for the summer to work on a math project ... which turns out to be something completely different. With his new quirky friends and relatives, Mike is able to discover his own real value. 

Lee:  How long have you been involved with SCBWI, and can you share what you feel you've gained by being a member? 

Kathy:  I joined SCBWI in 1997, I think, as soon as I decided to write for kids. It has been immensely helpful. In addition to the publications on craft, marketing, etc., which are great, the people are what make it such an indispensable organization. When I want to chat with other authors or ask questions, I can go to the site; if you want to take a craft workshop, the SCBWI has many (I'm going to one next week, as a matter of fact!); and when I want a chance to meet other authors, as well as editors and agents, I go to SCBWI regional or national events. And I'm grateful for the numerous contests and grants offered, too--such a supportive organization! 

Lee:  Do you have any advice to share with other children's book writers and illustrators? 

Kathy:  Yes--if you're not yet published, don't give up! Mine was a slow path to publication and I think that's true for a lot of people. I published a book through PublishAmerica (which I would not recommend) in 2004, and Quaking came out with a traditional publisher in 2007, ten years after I took my first class in writing for kids. MOCKINGBIRD and THE ABSOLUTE VALUE OF MIKE have published since, and I'm now fortunate to have a two book contract for my upcoming novels. It takes practice, to be sure, but it also takes determination. Luckily, it's a fun community to spend time in -- both the SCBWI and children's writers in general. 

Lee:  Thanks, Kathy!

I also contacted Regional Advisor Ellen Braaf to learn more about SCBWI Mid-Atlantic and Kathy.  Here's what she shared:

Mid-Atlantic SCBWI serves members living in Virginia and Washington, D.C. We are fortunate to have an amazing cadre of talented and dedicated volunteers. That’s why we can offer such a wide range of programs.  Typically our year is scheduled as follows:

March—Children’s Literature Panel at The Virginia Festival of the Book; April–New Member Welcome/Regional Get-together; May—Illustrator’s Day; June—Novel Revision Retreat, and October—Fall Conference.  As time and resources permit, we offer craft-focused workshops and CritiqueFests for writers and illustrators. Also throughout the year, our PAL Coordinator organizes special events for our Published and Listed members.      

About Kathy Erskine:

A lawyer in search of a creative outlet, Kathy Erskine has been writing for a long time. She joined SCBWI in 1997 and attended our first-ever Novel Revision Retreat in 2004.  I believe she was working on Quaking at the time. Kathy has never said “no” to anything we've asked her to do for our local events. 

MoiraDonohue, whose six-book series VIRGINIA, MY STATE Biographies comes out this month, met Kathy in a Fairfax County “Write For Children” class.  When it was over, they started a critique group together.   

“Kathy showed special talent and promise right from the start.  But when she brought Mockingbird to the group, my jaw just dropped,” Moira said. “Recognition (so deserved) has done nothing to change Kathy.  She is just as generous with her time critiquing her friends and reviewing the work of new writers.  In fact, sometimes I have to remind her to say "no" so that she can get back to creating more of her own, wonderful stories.  She has done a ton of Skype school visits for free and has visited more libraries around the country, also for free, than I can list. She is special, humble, generous, and talented!”

Kathy Erskine and BeckieWeinheimer, award-winning author of CONVERTING KATE, team –taught “Writing the Young Adult and Middle Grade Novel as an on-line course for the Writer’s Center, headquartered in Bethesda, MD.  Beckie said that Kathy’s “care for each student, her ability to edit and critique with grace, generosity, and skill make her a wonderful editor/teacher for anyone wanting to improve their own fiction writing skills. As a friend, she is kind, thoughtful, and very down to earth. She has won so many big awards, but she is still humble, approachable Kathy to me.”

Anne Marie Pace, a host of the 4:00 Book Hook—a free newsletter for people who share books with kids—and author of the forthcoming VAMPIRINA BALLERINA, perhaps captured Kathy Erskine best when she said, “Kathy is the kind of friend who brings you chocolate when you need it. Sometimes, she brings you chocolate before you even know you need it.”

Congratulations, Kathy!   

You can check out Kathryn Erskine's website and blog, and find out more about SCBWI Mid-Atlantic at their website here. 

My thanks to Ellen for rounding up the great insights, and Cheers to Kathy for winning the Crystal Kite Member's Choice Award for her novel, THE ABSOLUTE VALUE OF MIKE!

Illustrate and Write On,
Lee

Crystal Kite Winner Interview Week Two: Kathryn Erskine, MOCKINGBIRD

We wrap up week two of winner interviews with Kathryn Erskine, whose book MOCKINGBIRD won the 2011 Crystal Kite Award for the Pennsylvania/Delaware/New Jersey/Wash DC/Virginia/West Virginia/Maryland region. (Her book also won National Book Award for Young People's Literature.) To learn more about today's award-winning author, visit her website, check out her blog,  follow her on Twitter, or find her on Facebook.

Please tell my readers a little about your winning book.

In MOCKINGBIRD, Caitlin seeks closure after the death of her brother, Devon, a process made more difficult by the fact that she has Asperger's, and Devon was key in helping her understand and navigate the world. I know, it sounds incredibly heavy and depressing, doesn't it? And yes, there are sad parts, but it's actually an uplifting book with a fair amount of humor. I write about heavy subjects but my goal is to write "hopeful." I don't care for depressing books, myself, so I work hard to ensure that, despite the tough topics, it's still an enjoyable read.

How does it feel to receive an award voted on by your peers? What does this award mean to you?

Since I think we as writers can be our own harshest critics, I feel particularly honored for my work to be recognized by my peers.

How long have you been a member of SCBWI? How has your SCBWI membership been helpful to your career?

Wow, I think I've been a member of SCBWI since 1997, when I took my first class in writing for children. I've attended so many wonderful SCBWI events I've lost count! I've volunteered at our mid-Atlantic conference and spoke at the event last fall. It's a wonderful, supportive organization.
The workshops and retreats I've attended have taught me much about craft, the online information and publications have taught me about the business side of writing, the conferences have given me access to editors, agents, and other professionals in the field, and the members have become my advisers and good friends.

What will we see from you next?

THE ABSOLUTE VALUE OF MIKE (Philomel) comes out June 9, 2011. "When his genius father sends him to live with relatives and help with an engineering project, Mike, who has a math learning disability, discovers there's more to life than meeting his father's expectations." With wacky characters, MIKE is lighter and funnier than MOCKINGBIRD, but still addresses the need to accept people's differences--especially your own.

SCBWI Announces the 2011 Golden Kite Awards & Sid Fleischman Humor Award Winners!

2011 Golden Kite Award Winners

	FICTION: TURTLE IN PARADISE by Jennifer Holm Random House Books for Young Readers
	NONFICTION: THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE BARBIE by Tanya Lee Stone Viking Juvenile
	PICTURE BOOK TEXT: BIG RED LOLLIPOP by Rukhsana Khan Viking Juvenile
	PICTURE BOOK ILLUSTRATION: A POCKETFUL OF POSIES by Salley Mavor

2011 Golden Kite Honor Recipients

	FICTION: MOCKINGBIRD by Kathryn Erskine Puffin
	NONFICTION: FORT MOSE by Glennette Tilley Turner Abrams
	PICTURE BOOK TEXT: INTERRUPTING CHICKEN by David Ezra Stein Candlewick
	PICTURE BOOK ILLUSTRATION: BUNNY DAYS by Tao Nyeu Dial

2011 Sid Fleischman Humor Award Winner

MILO: STICKY NOTES AND BRAIN FREEZE by Alan Silberberg Aladdin

In the News This Week

Weekly on the SCBWI blog, I share snippets of and links to some of the publishing/media-related news I've read during the last week that I found interesting, helpful, and/or fun. I've been doing this on Fridays since the blog debuted, but look for Saturday news round-ups occasionally in the next couple of months (due to a hefty freelance writing gig).

As you peruse the articles beginnings below, click titles to get to read the rest of the stories.

This week's stories include Google eBooks launch, trends courtesy of Scholastic, research tips from the recent NBA winner, a best YA list from GalleyCat, bookscan stats on Amazon, hard times for Borders, why teens don't tweet, eBook predictions, trouble for GLBT teens, and more.

Google Launches Google eBooks, Formerly Google Editions (PW)
After months of anticipation, Google today launched its long-awaited cloud-based e-book program, Google eBooks. Rebranded from its original moniker, Google Editions, Google eBooks overnight becomes the largest e-book provider in the world, at least in terms of its offerings, launching with nearly three million books available for purchase or download, including “hundreds of thousands of e-books” available for purchase and over two million public domain titles available for free.

Research Advice from National Book Award Winner Kathryn Erskine (GalleyCat)
Kathryn Erskine tackles tough subjects through children’s books. Her debut novel, Quaking, responded to the Virginia Tech tragedy. Her second novel, Ibhubesi: The Lion, dealt with apartheid. Her third book, Mockingbird, featured a character with asperger’s syndrome–winning this year’s National Book Award for Young People’s Literature. We caught with her to learn about her writing process. Here are some highlights from the interview.

Best YA Books of 2010: A Literary Mixtape (GalleyCat)
What’s the best young adult book you’ve read this year? Share it in the comments and we’ll add it to our new literary mixtape of the Best YA Books of 2010. This GalleyCat editor makes an annual mixtape (CD actually, but the idea is the same) collecting his favorite songs from the year–allowing his friends and family to sample some of the year’s best music. We love reading “Best Books of …” lists, but we want to build a list focused exclusively on sample chapters. Using your suggestions, we will create a giant directory linking to sample pages from your favorite YA books from 2010–allowing readers to sample the books like a literary mixtape. 

What Children's Publishers Are Doing in the Apps Space (PW)
Last week we looked at how some adult trade houses view the potential market for apps, finding that most publishers are cautiously moving into this area. While adult and children’s divisions face many of the same questions about apps—costs, sales potential, and whether they should drive profits or market books—children’s content is generally more suited to this space. Still, like their adult counterparts, children’s publishers are developing apps slowly. PW contacted a number of children’s divisions and houses and found that many publishers are experimenting with different formats—some are creating heavily educational material (which occasionally doesn’t even link to a specific title), others are investing in games, and still others are looking for more direct ways of adapting existing fiction into an app.

Scholastic Experts Issue List of ‘Ten Trends in Children’s Books from 2010’ (Scholastic.com)
Scholastic, the largest publisher and distributor of children’s books, today released a list of 10 Trends in Children's Books from 2010. The list was compiled by editors from Scholastic, including children’s literature experts from Scholastic Book Clubs and Scholastic Book Fairs, divisions of Scholastic that distribute books from all publishers through schools nationwide. "We've seen some exciting innovation in children’s publishing in 2010, including new formats and platforms for storytelling that are helping more and more kids become book lovers," said Judy Newman, President of Scholastic Book Clubs. "At the same time, we’re seeing a rejuvenation of some classic genres, which I think is evidence of the timeless power that stories and characters have on the lives of children."

5 Useful Tools to Monitor Twitter Hashtags (AllTwitter)
Want to know what’s being talked about on Twitter right now? Or how about what people are saying about your or your brand? Monitoring hashtags is a great way to get in on a conversation on Twitter, whether it’s a trending topic or a few tweets per day. We’ve compiled 5 useful tools that will help you monitor hashtags on Twitter, so you can keep up with the conversation.

'Get the Xanax ready': Authors respond to BookScan on Amazon (LA Times)
Authors responded to Thursday's news of Amazon making Neilsen BookScan's sales numbers available with both enthusiasm and trepidation. "Get the Xanax ready," tweeted David MacInnis Gill, author of "Black Hole Sun," a sci-fi thriller for young adults. In an e-mail, he explained: "Authors worry. We worry about writing. Worry about our editors, our agents, our reviews, and our readers. We worry about everything, including all forms of social media including blogs, Facebook, Twitter, and personal websites. The one thing we haven't been able to obsess about is real-time sales numbers."

Borders Sales Disappoint, Loss Soars; Liquidity Issues Arise (PW)
Borders third quarter results, released just after the market closed Thursday afternoon, provided little sign that the company is turning around as total revenue fell 17.6%, to $470.9 million and comparable store sales dropped 12.6%. The loss from continuing operations was $74.4 million compared to a loss of $37.7 million a year ago. CEO Michael Edwards called the results disappointing, adding they reflect “the business challenges facing Borders and the industry at large.”

Gay and lesbian teens are punished more at school, by police, study says (WashPost)
Gay and lesbian teens in the United States are about 40 percent more likely than their straight peers to be punished by schools, police and the courts, according to a study published Monday, which finds that girls are especially at risk for unequal treatment. The research, described as the first national look at sexual orientation and teen punishment, comes as a spate of high-profile bullying and suicide cases across the country have focused attention on the sometimes hidden cruelties of teen life.   

Why Teens Don't And Won't Tweet (ReadWriteWeb)
I'm 16 and, unusually, I use Twitter quite a bit. I say unusually because perhaps you've heard that teens don't tweet. This first came to light last year when a 15-year-old Morgan Stanley intern wrote a report [PDF] where he explained that teens "realize they are not going to update it," and that "no one is viewing their profile, so their 'tweets' are pointless. Teens' lives are entirely built around their actual friends. Quite simply, why would teenagers bother using Twitter when Facebook exists, and offers so much more? Teens want a platform that allows easy, fully-functional communication to an exclusive social circle. That is, solely to their friends and peers. Twitter is a platform built for inclusive broadcast (to everyone), and to teenagers it offers no obvious value.
 
Figment Looks to Attract Young Writers (PW)

Founded by New Yorker staff writer Dana Goodyear and former New Yorker managing editor Jacob Lewis, Figment.com is an online writing community aimed at attracting a membership of young people, ranging from kids to teens and older, to post, share and comment on each other’s original writing. Launched this week, the site is also teaming with YA author Blake Nelson, author of the well-received 1994 adult novel Girl, who is serializing Dream School, a long unpublished YA sequel to Girl, on the Figment site. 

eBook Readership Will Grow To 30 Million Readers Globally By 2013 (eBookNewser)
eBook readership is predicted to grow to 30 million readers globally by 2013, almost double the predicted 2012 total, according to ABI Research. According to ABI analyst Jeff Orr, a number of these people will come from Western Europe followed by China. Orr had this statement: ““In two or three years we will enter a period in which much more digital printed matter will become available in other countries and regions. Western Europe will be first, followed by Eastern Europe and Asia, especially China.”

eBook Predictions Are Futile (HuffPo)
It's the end of the year, which means prophets will soon be flooding every possible venue with predictions for the future. Most of them will end up being laughably wrong. And because it's the end of the decade, they'll be wrong about what happens for the next ten years. The publishing industry is especially difficult to speculate about because it's undergoing so much upheaval.

In the News This Week

Fridays on the SCBWI blog, I share snippets of and links to some of the publishing/media-related news I've read during the last week that I found interesting, helpful, and/or fun. Click titles to get to the full articles.

This week's news includes PW's coverage of NBA winner Kathryn Erskine's acceptance speech, goodbye to Tricycle Press, a pair of some studies on the teens' dating habits and buying habits (including books), MySpace/Facebook partnership, help with e-reader holiday shopping, and more.


Erskine Wins NBA in Young People's Literature (PW)
Kathryn Erskine was filled with gratitude as she stepped up to the podium on Wednesday night to claim the National Book Award for Young People's Literature, for her novel Mockingbird (Philomel), about a 10-year-old girl with Asperger’s syndrome. She thanked the National Book Awards "for supporting reading and our culture," as well as the judges, her publishing house Penguin, and "readers and friends and supporters and family." She also thanked educators, for teaching children "to think critically and deeply, and think for themselves." And she saved special thanks for her mother, for teaching her not only the "what" of the world, "but also the 'why.'"

Random House to Shutter Tricycle Press (PW)

As of January 31st Random House Children’s Books is discontinuing the frontlist publishing program of Berkeley-based Tricycle Press, the 18-year-old children’s book imprint. As part of the change, v-p and publisher Nicole Geiger and her four-person editorial team will leave the company on the 31st as well. Tricycle marketing and publicity manager Laura Mancuso will stay on in the same capacity at RHCB.

A study confirms every suspicion you ever had about high-school dating (Slate)
In the Darwinian world of high-school dating, freshman girls and senior boys have the highest chances of successfully partnering up. Senior girls (too picky!) and freshman boys (pond scum!) have the least. These are truisms known to anyone who has watched 10 minutes of a teen movie or spent 10 minutes in a high school cafeteria. Now, however, social scientists have examined them exhaustively and empirically. And they have found that for the most part, they're accurate. So are some other old prom-era chestnuts: Teen boys are primarily—obsessively?—interested in sex, whereas girls, no matter how boy-crazy, tend to focus on relationships. Young men frequently fib about their sexual experience, whereas young women tend to be more truthful. Once a student has sex, it becomes less of an issue in future relationships.

Teen Girls as Avid Shoppers (AdWeek)
 Don't blame teenage girls for the sluggishness of consumer spending. In a survey just released by Varsity Brands (which sells cheerleading apparel) and Ketchum Global Research Network, girls age 13-18 identified shopping as their favorite pastime. And the list of purchases they've recently made confirms this isn't just talk. But other parts of the survey may leave you wondering how the girls' immersion in new media leaves them with time to buy things.

You Can Now Log in to MySpace with Facebook (Mashable)
In a move that has been rumored for nearly a year, MySpace users can now log in to the once dominant social network using Facebook. At a press event this afternoon, the two companies announced an expansion of their existing partnership that puts a connect with Facebook button on the MySpace homepage and enables a wide range of personalization and sharing features on MySpace.

Closing the book on Harry Potter (NYT)
A LOT has happened since the screenwriter Steve Kloves began working on his adaptation of the very first Harry Potter book, “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone,” in the late 1990s.
The three central characters — Harry (Daniel Radcliffe), Hermione (Emma Watson) and Ron (Rupert Grint) — have grown up on screen, enduring the twin horrors of Voldemort and adolescence before our very eyes. The stories have become progressively darker and more complicated. And Mr. Kloves has immersed himself so deeply in the world of Harry Potter that by the time J. K. Rowling’s seventh and final volume, “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows,” came out in 2007, he said, he knew the characters almost as thoroughly as she did herself.

Holiday Gift Guide To eReaders (eBook Newser)
The holiday shopping season is here and eReaders and tablets are poised to be the hot items of the season. To help you navigate through all of the devices out there, we have compiled a Holiday Gift Guide To eReaders featuring the latest eReaders on the market. The below list includes eReaders that have come out over the last year and will be hot this season:

Great Holiday Expectations for E-Readers (NYT)
E-readers will be widely available at stores like Target, Best Buy and Wal-Mart, the nation’s largest retailer, and offered at prices that make sense for Christmas gifts—less than $150. Publishers and booksellers are expecting that instead of giving your mother a new Nicholas Sparks novel or your father a David Baldacci thriller in the hardcovers that traditionally fly off the shelves and into wrapping paper at this time of year, you might elect to convert them to e-reading.

And the 2010 National Book Award for Young People's Literature Goes to...

...Kathryn Erskine for her book MOCKINGBIRD!

Here's the complete lists of Finalists in the Young People's Literature category:

• Paolo Bacigalupi, SHIP BREAKER (Little, Brown)
• Kathryn Erskine, MOCKINGBIRD (Philomel)
• Laura McNeal, DARK WATER (Alfred A. Knopf)
• Walter Dean Myers, LOCKDOWN (Amistad/HarperCollins)
• Rita Williams-Garcia, ONE CRAZY SUMMER (Amistad/HarperCollins)

This year's judges YLP Judges were Laban Carrick Hill, Kelly Link, Tor Seidler, Hope Anita Smith and Sara Zarr. (Here's a link to their bios.)

Here are links to some reviews of all the NBA finalists:

• School Library Journal's reviews
• Review by Liz at A Chair, A Fireplace & A Tea Cozy

Congratulations to all the wonderful nominees and to winner Kathryn Erskine!