Brandify Those Giveaways
Every time you do an event (be it a signing or a launch party) make sure you have something to give to everyone, regardless of whether they buy or not. And, of course, brand it. Do you have to go to one of those fancy imprinting companies? Perhaps… But with an Avery label and a bit of lay out patience, you can make a very cheap giveaway. Jamie Hogan’s Seven Days of Daisy opens with Daisy gazing through a red magnifying glass. What a better giveaway for a book about summer exploration. Magnifying glasses? ...
read moreRaj at your Story Hour
Remember the days when there were SO many posters produced by publishers for children’s books? I was just recalling how my wonderful boss at the Wheaton College Library, Jean Callahan, would come back from ALA with armloads. She would take little student me into her office and allow me to secret them away to line my dorm room walls. That, of course, is the trouble with creating a poster for a book–the posters often do not end up places where they will advertise the book. But what did I just do? I created a...
read moreI write in blood because…
So many other blogs and individuals carry the important news and releases in the mighty children’s lit universe, so I tend not to. BUT, occasionally there is a something that reaffirms what I so passionately believe–that children’s lit and its creators are the Deliverers of Our Country (thank you E. Nesbit for that title). The brilliant piece from the equally so Sherman Alexie reminds Curious City why we exist and why we continue to muddle on… “…I write books for teenagers because I...
read moreThe Charlie Joe Jackson Vs. the Book Bloggers Tour
The Charlie Joe Jackson Vs. the Book Bloggers Tour July 5 – August 25, 2011 “IF MY BOOK INSPIRES JUST ONE KID TO BECOME A READER…THAT’S TOO MANY.” — Charlie Joe Jackson Charlie Joe Jackson, he’s clever, he’s charming, he’s persuasive…and how does he use these skills? To avoid EVER reading a book. Now Charlie Joe Jackson has taken his middle school non-reading crusade too far–he will published Charlie Joe Jackson’s Guide to Not Reading. The book features tips for other middle schoolers...
read moreSeven Days of Daisy Beach Party
Author/Illustrator Jamie Hogan and Curious City created a journey into the Peaks Island picture book, Seven Days of Daisy (Down East Books). Families hopped on the Casco Bay Lines bound for Peaks Island. Stepping off the Ferry, they turned down the hill to Ferry Beach to Hogan’s launch party. We celebrated the picture book about island summers with book making (make your OWN Seven Days…) a rowboat picture booth (an image from the book)… …giveaways (the magnifying glass from...
read moreJoe and Sparky, Superstars!
Joe and Sparky are getting the superstar treatment from Curious City in honor of their book launch! Jamie Michalak and Candlewick Press have just released the second book in the early chapter book series illustrated by Frank Remkiewicz, Joe and Sparky, Superstars! To celebrate we are holding… Educator & Librarian Giveaway! Enter here before 6/15/11 for a chance to win one of Joe and Sparky’s books. Activity Kit! Three madcap activities for public librarians, school librarians, educators, and other swell...
read moreBases Loaded
David A. Kelly has the bases loaded on the Ballpark Mysteries series (Random House). With Fenway Foul-up and Pinstripe Ghost out now and L.A. Dodger hitting this summer, David is hitting homers. Curious City was happy to be called from the dugout to shape and design the character driven website, The Dugout Scoop: The Dirt on Ballpark Mysteries. (Isn’t great how you can make a zillion cheezy baseball references?) Share...
read moreMemento Nora Project
THE MEMENTO NORA PROJECT Publishing Student Comics Inspired by Teen Novel “You said someone needs to remember. I was thinking maybe we could do it with a comic book. Okay, maybe more like a comic strip. With our stories. And maybe other kids could tell us their memories before they are erased.” -from the novel, Memento Nora by Angie Smibert The upcoming teen novel, Memento Nora by Angie Smibert (Marshall Cavendish) is set in a near-future dystopian world where daily attacks by a terrorist Coalition (as well as...
read moreJunior Musher Video Contest
Attention Junior Mushers! Attention Readers! Terry Lynn Johnson’s novel, Dogsled Dreams is based on her own aspirations as a teenager to become a champion dogsled racer. What are your aspirations? Do you have ‘dogsled dreams’? Produce a video or photo slideshow for YouTube featuring your personal ‘dogsled dreams’ and you could, Win $100 from Komatik Outfitters. This contest is open February 1, 2011 – April 1, 2011 Everyone will be invited to VOTE of their favorite video from...
read moreSavvy Bunch at 2K11
If you have not found your way to the environs of this savvy group of writers, take a trip over. The Class of 2K11 is a self-proclaimed “group of 19 debut middle grade and young adult authors working as a team to promote our books and reading in general.” I am quite impressed with their collective support for each others work and for their joint navigation through the foggy seas of promotion. I hardily thank them for inviting me to respond to a series of their marketing questions in a Guest Blog Post. Share...
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