Sold my first book to a publisher!

Sold my first book directly to a publisher: Roger Mantis.

After 78 rejections.

Never give up.

“Gobsmacked”

Memories of editing Roald Dahl’s The Witches.

“I must keep reminding you that this is a book for children and I don’t give a bugger what grown-ups think about it. This has always been my attitude.” – Roald Dahl

(From “Publishers Weekly.”)

Looks like I picked the wrong week to start pitching a YA vampire book…

(“Tales From the Slush Pile” is by Ed Briant, and you can find it on the Publishers Weekly children’s page.  Cartoons from Feb. 7 and 14, 2013)

“New Study: 55% of YA Books Bought by Adults”

Publishers Weekly article here.

“According to a new study, fully 55% of buyers of works that publishers designate for kids aged 12 to 17 — known as YA books — are 18 or older, with the largest segment aged 30 to 44, a group that alone accounted for 28% of YA sales. And adults aren’t just purchasing for others — when asked about the intended recipient, they report that 78% of the time they are purchasing books for their own reading.”

I certainly enjoy YA books, and not just Harry Potter. I mean, how could I write YA books otherwise? My wife is running through the various series that Rick Riordan is generating, and (fortunately) she likes my books too. Well, so far.

For that matter there are a lot of middle-grade books I like, especially the classics. Mary Poppins. Doctor Dolittle. The Mushroom Planet books. Anything by Roald Dahl.

And why not keep going? I like Dr. Seuss, anything by Robert Munsch, and lots of other picture books.

I like comic books, too. But that’s another story.

When it comes down to it, I even like reading cereal boxes. They used to be a lot more interesting, though.

The Freshman Class: Kids’ Fall 2012 Fiction Debuts

I caught this article on my Publishers Weekly e-mail update.

It’s encouraging to see success stories like this, but I’d be lying if I said there wasn’t just a little touch of envy there, too. But the important thing to remember is that it’s still possible to make it in the publishing world.

Good luck to all the aspiring writers out there, and keep on trying!

(P.S. I’ve just realized that looking at those author pictures also makes me feel pretty damn old!)