Banana Peelin' with Tammi Sauer

Don't you ever just wish you could go back to the good ol' days when life was a little more simple?  When we didn't have to worry about things like traffic jams, computer malfunctions, too many choices on the shampoo aisle or tiny, wild children tugging at parents' heart's strings over wanting certain, eccentric pets?

What? Kids did that back then too? Nevermind. I guess the brilliant children's author, Tammi Sauer has discovered evidence from way back, when we all lived in caves and communicated by shifting our bushy unibrows up and down while shouting "Ooga!". Her new book, Me Want Pet!  offers some extremely rare, illustrated documentation of an actual cave boy wanting to bring inappropriate animals home to live as pets.


What's that? The same Tammi Sauer has also had some humbling/embarrassing experiences in her writing career? 

I'm impressed!

From cave boys to banana peels, let's give a big cave people welcome to the well rounded Tammi Sauer, today's Banana Peel Thursday guest author! (Ooga!)


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Banana Peels:

Whew. I’ve been in this business since 2003, so I have had a lot of banana peels. Let me just share three:

I drove over an hour to get to a school visit only to arrive and realize I was wearing mismatched shoes.

At my daughter’s basketball game, a lady recognized me from a newspaper article. She brought her son over to me and said, “Garrett, this lady is an AUTHOR!” I pretty much did a hair toss in front of my friends because it was cool for them to see me in my author groove. Then Garrett said, “Are you ROSEMARY WELLS?!” Uh, no.

The Oklahoma SCBWI RA is Anna Myers. Anna does countless things for our group, including having her good-spirited husband Johnny help out behind the scenes at every conference.  Our most recent one was held at the First Baptist Church in a small Oklahoma town. Prior to the start of the conference, Anna and I were visiting in the church parking lot when a pick-up truck pulled up next to us.  Glancing at the driver and assuming he is Johnny, I say, “Hey, handsome. Come join us.” Turns out the driver wasn’t Johnny. He was the minister.

And now I’m forever known as the person who tried to pick up the minister at the SCBWI Conference.

Bio:

Tammi Sauer has sold eleven picture books to a number of major publishing houses. In addition to winning numerous awards, her books have gone on to do great things. Cowboy Camp was developed into a musical by the Katy Visual & Performing Arts Center in Katy, Texas. Mostly Monsterly was selected for the 2012 Cheerios Spoonfuls of Stories® program. And Chicken Dance was recently released in French which makes her feel extra fancy.

Tammi’s latest book is Me Want Pet!, illustrated by Bob Shea. OOGA!

Bawk and Roll, illustrated by Dan Santat, will be available at a bookstore, library, or barnyard near you on April 3, 2012.

www.tammisauer.com

Tammi’s Books:

Cowboy Camp (Sterling, 2005)

Chicken Dance (Sterling, 2009)

Mostly Monsterly (Simon & Schuster, 2010)

Mr. Duck Means Business (Simon & Schuster, 2010)

Me Want Pet! (Simon & Schuster, 2012)

Bawk and Roll (Sterling, 2012)

Oh, Nuts (Bloomsbury, 2012)

Princess in Training (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2012)

The Twelve Days of Christmas in Oklahoma (Sterling, 2012)

Nugget and Fang (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2013)

TBA!!!(TBA, 2014)

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 Did you notice a trend on Ms. Sauer's book list starting with Me Want Pet!? The year 2012 seems to be a pretty busy year for Tammi!  I am so grateful that she agreed to share her experiences on the Banana Peel Thursday series. 

This is just one of the stops she is making along her week-long blog tour. Please make sure to check out the other sites to learn more about the author and to enter to win her new book....Wait, what? Others are giving away her book, Me Want Pet?  Maybe I should too! 


BOOK GIVEAWAY....


Here is the deal. The thing that I have really liked about communicating with Tammi is that she has a great sense of humor. I have never seen or participated in so much cave man talk since buzz of her book began. 

So.... as a person that:

a) is fascinated with languages
b) loves to laugh

I am proposing that the person who creates the most humorous comment in reaction to Tammi's post in "cave man" language will win this wonderful new book!

(You can just devote a piece of your commentary for this purpose. Please indicate if you are interested in the book giveaway. Just post it below in the comment section by the end of Sunday, March 11th, PST.)

FINE PRINT: Contest results will be measured by a laugh-o-meter bought especially for this event. Know that objectivity is highly valued. Any complaints in regards to conduct or suspicions of foul play must  be directed to Lana Pinebane, official spokesperson for BPT.

Me Want Pet! Blog Tour

Monday, March 5th:       Literary Friendships

Tuesday, March 6th:      Writing for Kids (While Raising Them)

Wednesday, March 7th:  Random Thoughts

Thursday, March 8th:     Banana Peelin’ ...(That's me! Eeek! I mean, ooga!)

Friday: March 9th:         Jama’s Alphabet Soup 

Banana Peelin' with Ann Haywood Leal

I don't know about where you are, but where I live, the weather has been absolutely amazing. Yesterday, as I was riding my bike home from work, with the warm sun shining on my back, the cool air hitting my face, my half-filled insulated mug of coffee spilling onto the most inconvenient of places, I thought, what better a time to host a banana peelin' author who writes so beautifully, than this? 

Welcome Ann Haywood Leal!

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We all have ways to clear out the sticky literary cobwebs, and one of the ways that I “up” the sanity meter in my writing life, is by running.

I’m not trying to give anyone the impression that I’m some fabulous fitness goddess or anything.  In fact, I am so slow, passersby have told me to have a good “walk”.  But I’m sprinting, I want to tell them. 

I ran the New York Marathon one year in a torrential downpour.  It took over five hours, and I’m sure the elite runners had already showered, packed, and flown home to a faraway country by the time I finished.  Race volunteers passed out orange wedges and bananas along the route, and I was so slow, the wet ground was completely saturated with orange and banana peels (great segue, huh?!) from the runners before me.  I was slipping and sliding all over the place.

So I’m using this sad little metaphor to illustrate the fact that there really is no right way, and part of the fun of the process is in the slipping and the muddling.  At least it gives you something to laugh and cringe about later on with your friends, right?

I went to my first SCBWI conference way back when my youngest was still in a stroller.  It was at P.S. Number-Something-or-Other on the Upper West Side, and I schlepped the entire family along.  They went in search of hot chocolate and to play in the park, and I unwittingly went inside to make a fool of myself.

I’m pretty sure that the SCBWI office has a poster in their back room with my face on it.  It’s of the What Not to Do variety. 

I had my manuscript in tow, which I fully planned to hand deliver to some poor, unsuspecting editor or agent.  I actually approached an agent with my rambling, unintelligible story pitch.  She was gracious as she searched out an opening in the crowd and got away from me as quickly as possible.  The only thing that makes me feel a little better now, is that I remember her as being elderly, meaning she may no longer be with us, or she’s deep in the throes of dementia and has no recollection of me.  Or she’s in the old folks home, still doing imitations of me for her friends.

But the embarrassment didn’t end there.  Ahead of time, I had submitted a query letter for a panel.  I was thrilled when mine was chosen!  …Until I realized they were using it as an example of What Not to Do.  I had even included a bit about how my kids had liked my manuscript, so I knew that other kids would like it, too.  The crowd was roaring by the time they finished reading it. 

So here’s the good that came out of all of it.  First and fortunately, I hadn’t put my name on that sample query letter!  Second, I didn’t let all of the banana peels give me a concussion.  I joined SCBWI and learned how to write a good query letter. I kept going to conferences and became an SCBWI sponge.  I’m still slipping on the peels, but I’ve learned to look for the dry pavement in between!

--Ann Haywood Leal     

 

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Ann Haywood Leal comes from a long line of musicians, artists, and teachers.  Since she’s never been able to carry a tune, she was always given plenty of writing supplies and allowed to use the sharp scissors.  Eventually, she put those writing supplies to good use and wrote her middle-grade novels, ALSO KNOWN AS HARPER and A FINDERS-KEEPERS PLACE. 

Originally from the Pacific Northwest, Ann now lives, writes and teaches elementary school in southeastern Connecticut.

           

ALSO KNOWN AS HARPER was chosen by the Chicago Public Library for their Best of the Best List of 2009-2010 and was an ABC Good Morning America Summer Reading Choice for 2009.  It is currently on the Arkansas Charlie May Simon Master List, the Iowa Children’s Choice Award Master List, and the South Carolina Book Award Master List.  

Thank you SO much Annie for sharing your banana peel experiences. I am so glad to hear you have not suffered a concussion as a result of those slips.  Thank you for the SCBWI sponge analogy and for the tip to not mark anything submitted for What Not To Do workshops with our names! =) I am so incredibly grateful for your contribution to this series! Thanks again.

Introducing.... Banana Peel Thursdays!

Hello world!

So excited you could join me.  Well, today is the DAY! I would like to present to you my new weekly feature...Banana Peel Thursdays! 

What the heck does that mean?

Well, long, long ago...in December, I started this blog to document my own experience of becoming a writer of children's books, the ups, the downs and the down-right embarrassing. I have met some amazing individuals along the blogging way and have been very impressed by what they contribute to the online writing community. I was so inspired that I decided I wanted to contribute in some way as well. Having virtually no experience under my belt, I was at a loss. Then it hit me (it flew across the kitchen) ... a banana peel! That was it!

Banana Peel Thursdays are about validating the experiences of all authors (pre-published and published), recognizing that we are not alone in defeat and comprehending the fact that we ALL are susceptible to slipping on banana peels. This weekly feature will contain stories straight from the mouths of talented, published authors who are willing to describe their not-so-perfect experiences in their careers as writers. Each week I will post the story of a different children's author detailing their most humbling moments, often accompanied by other fascinating realizations they've faced along the way. 

I feel so lucky to have been in contact with such talent and that their work has graced my email inbox! They are truly great sports!  I hope that not only will these authors' stories humanize the experience for all of us who choose to write for children, but that these posts will allow the participating writers to be recognized and appreciated in the craft to which they have so wholly devoted themselves. 

Thank you so very much for joining me for the FIRST Banana Peel Thursday! Please be sure to subscribe to the blog or have posts emailed to you so that you don't miss out on all the greatness coming your way!

With that said, ehh hemmmm....I would like to introduce the first children's author to be featured...the wonderful Susanna Leonard Hill!

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Elizabeth had this inspired idea.  "Let's get published authors to entertain up-and-coming writers with stories of when they were humbled, embarrassed or hit over the head with an aha moment."  Well who am I to say no to that?  The only question is which one of my MANY humiliating, embarrassing moments to share :)  Perhaps instead of one banana peel, I'll share a whole bunch.

My first book signing: I arrived at a local public school's book fair and sat before a cafeteria table that was FAR too big for my one little book. 

 I was not the only author in attendance.  Amy Axelrod was to my left.  Her table groaned under the weight of her numerous books, in hardcover and paperback, so many that the table couldn't hold them all and she had to stack some on the floor.  Charles Smith was to my right.  Same situation - countless amazing, very popular books.  Two other authors had fewer books than Amy and Charles, but way more than me!  Children and parents flocked to Amy and Charles and the others.  I sat there, hoping someone, anyone, would ask me to sign at least one copy of my little book.  I felt so small.  I remember hoping that a day would come when my table didn't look quite so empty!  Maybe I wouldn't have as many books as Amy and Charles - but at least two would be nice :)

My first school visit: Nobody told me what was involved in a school visit.  My friend, owner of a local bookstore, signed me up for the gig.  "What do I do?" I asked him.  "Just go and read your book," was his glib reply.  Well, this was hard enough.  What if they didn't like my book?  After all, they were in kindergarten and The House That Mack Built was really intended for preschool.  But I could read a book.  Except it turns out? it only takes about 4 minutes to read Mack.  I was supposed to keep 40 kindergartners entertained for 30 minutes.  I read the story and then we stared at each other.  I had no idea what to do next.  My hands began to shake.  My mouth was so dry I could barely articulate.  My teeth began to chatter with nerves and I had to clench my jaw to keep it under control.  You cannot rely on kindergartners to have useful questions to ask that you can take time answering.  The responses to "How old are you?" and "My uncle has a truck" are fairly limited :)  I found out the hard way exactly how long 30 minutes can be.  But the next time I went on a school visit you can bet the farm I was prepared!

My first conference: I was invited to speak at a conference for teachers.  Yikes!  I had grown fairly used to doing presentations for kids and was comfortable with that, but grown-ups!  That was a whole other thing!  The conference got off to a great start, though.  As I stood beside my table (now thankfully with a few more books on it!) a group of teachers approached purposefully.  Wow!  I thought.  They're coming over to look at my books!  How wonderful is that?  "Excuse me," said one of the ladies.  "Can you tell me where the rest room is?"  Oh.  A few minutes later, another woman approached.  She held a copy of someone else's picture book.  "How much is this?" she inquired.  "I'm sorry," I said.  "I don't know."  "Don't you work here?" she asked.  Well, actually, no.  Did my little name tag saying children's author and presenter not let her know who I was?  Did the sign saying "Author Signing" not clue her in?  You will be happy to know that I was able to point many visitors to the rest room that day.

Future Submissions:  After I got my first contract I was filled with confidence.  I was going to be a published writer!  I had written something that someone valued!  Well!  I was full of ideas.  I had plenty more where Mack came from.  I wrote and wrote and wrote.  And I waited for the next call with an offer.  Surely it would come soon!  Except you know what?  It didn't.  Turns out being published once is no guarantee of future publishing contracts.  I'm sure you all know this, but it came as a surprise to me.  At this point I have sold 9 books in the US and 1 in the Netherlands over the course of 10 years, which works out to about one a year, although that's not how it actually happened (I had 3 in one year once.) 

I am thrilled beyond measure to be able to say this.  Proud of my accomplishments.  But confident?  Not so much.  Published or not published, writers (and this is probably true of all creatives) are subject to discouragement, self-doubt, worry that they'll never have another good idea, or that they'll never publish a book (or another book).  Getting published doesn't make those things disappear.  In fact, sometimes, it makes them worse because you think, I did it before, why can't I do it now?  On the other hand, getting published really is magic.  It's a dream come true.  And I wish it for everyone reading this.  There is nothing, and I mean nothing, that compares to that phone call telling you an editor loves your story and is making you an offer to publish it :)  It won't make the writing easier.  It won't change who you are.  But it will certainly make you feel, at least for a while :) that all the hard work is worth it.

Thank you so much for inviting me to be part of the inaugural Banana Peel Thursday!

Susanna Leonard Hill is the author of  The House That Mack Built (Little Simon 2002), Taxi! (Little Simon 2005), Punxsutawney Phyllis (Holiday House 2005), No Sword Fighting In The House (Holiday House 2007), Not Yet, Rose (Eerdmans Books For Young Readers 2009), Airplane Flight (Little Simon 2009), Freight Train Trip (Little Simon 2009), Can't Sleep Without Sheep (Walker 2010), April Fool, Phyllis! (Holiday House 2011), and Beer Is Zo Moe (Veltman Uitgevers, 2010)  For general interest, Phyllis was translated into French for Scholastic Canada and published as Debout Marmotte.  Airplane and Freight Train are available in Japanese (I'm not even going to try to write the titles :))  Not Yet, Rose is available in Dutch as Een broertje of een zusje, Roos?  And Can't Sleep is supposed to be coming out in Korean one of these days... 

Please support Susanna by checking out her delightful books!

If you would like more information on Susanna and her work or should you wish to contact her, you can visit the following sites:

 Website: http://www.susannahill.com

 Blog: http://susannahill.blogspot.com

 Face Book Page:  http://www.facebook.com/pages/Susanna-Leonard-Hill/246146107330

Thanks so much for visiting and a special thank you to Susanna for putting yourself out there and for even considering opening my email regarding this project! =)

Gumption Junction

     Okay folks. This is it. 2012 is here. It will not go down in history as the year the world ended as my husband unfortunately believes to be true ("Why paint the kitchen? The world is going to end this year anyways")...Oh, no. It's much bigger than that. This is the year of Gumption Junction.

     Gumption, which happens to be my favorite word because I like saying -gump-, is practically  my middle name passed down to me a generation from my paternal father. Yes, my father and I are both genetic recipients of this thing called gumption. A person with gumption often possesses a thing I like to refer to as the gumptious focus. This focus can also be described as mono-vision, having your blinders on, etc. As I see it, the gumptious focus can be a wonderful and beautiful thing. It'll  get you where you want to go that's for sure. With this focus, I have:

• believed myself capable of singing solo at my sixth grade graduation (sorry class of '92)
• traveled to the ends of the earth to study Spanish (Que barbaridad!)
• become a skilled gardener (thank you Home Depot for your dead plant return policy)
• learned to sew (here's to you stitch taker-outer thingy)
• found the most rustic and perfect and beautiful kitchen table complete with two leaves, a bench, four chairs that we can guarantee won't tip over on our poor guests (story for another time), all at a bargain of a price. If you don't believe how glorious my table is, just see for yourself. Cue the singing angels:

See how it shines? It's magical. You can sit and eat there ALL DAY LONG.

The point is, once I set my mind to it,  I just can't stop myself people. I get things done. Is it productive? Yes. Is it annoying to all around me? Why, yes. Is it normal? Definitely... not?
With that said, Gumption Junction, I have plans for you.

Not only do I promise in 2012 to be a better:

wife
mother
daughter
sister
brother
student
recyclist
bicyclist

...I am determined to go full force into the world of children's literature. If you doubt my gumptious focus, I have just ordered a set of 250 free business cards to prove it. They read something along the lines of...

                            Elizabeth Stevens Omlor
                           Children's Literature Author and Enthusiast

 These mail order business cards (that also mention how they were free on the back, by the way. I didn't dare spend the extra $3.50 to have the plain, white back option), will be ready to be tossed into lonely, street gutters and mingle in trashcans with half finished Diet Cokes at SCBWI conferences (Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators- that's right. I'm now a member! P.S. Should I have said half-full Diet Cokes? Does that qualify me as a pessimist? Shucks.)

     And thanks to the current state of the California budget, I will be taking a semester off from school and therefore have a little extra time on my hands to not only read, write and participate in challenges such as Julie Foster Hedlund's 12 x 12 in 2012 , but to...find an agent! I will submit and submit and submit some more until I find one poor soul to represent me. That's right! This I do know. How do I know? Not only did my Yahoo! horoscope tell me so, but this is the year of Gumption Junction.

Happy New Year!