PPBF: The Black and White Factory by Eric Telchin, Illustrated by Diego Funck

TITLE: The Black and White Factory
AUTHOR: Eric Telchin
ILLUSTRATOR: Diego Funck
PUBLISHER: Little Bee Books/Bonnier
PUBLICATION DATE: Fall, 2016

REVIEW BY: Lynne Marie

SNIPPET:

Hello! And congratulations! You've just won a tour of the top secret Black and White Factory.


REVIEW: Love Diego Funck's inviting cover, and then Eric Telchin's enthusiastic first line reels the reader right in. I mean who wouldn't want a tour of a "top secret" black and white factory? I'm pretty sure even adults won't be able to resist, especially when the tour is given by a zebra, a penguin and a panda bear. Of course, once you enter, there are rules. Everything is perfectly clean. Everything has its place. Everything is black and white. But I am sure that you know that in a story, rules are made to be broken or reading would be no fun at all. And there's lots of fun and interactive moments, and rule breaking, for those who take this tour. Don't miss your chance. I'm pretty sure you'll agree that messes, colors and surprises should always be allowed, especially when reading. 

This ultimately colorful picture book is told through words and pictures in an active and engaging way which invites audience participation. A great read-aloud for home, classroom or library. 

Rating: 4.5 Ps

NOTE: The opinions reflected herein are my own.

Massaging the Muse: Exercises in Creativity to Spark Your Imagination and Keep the Ink Flowing

FISHING EXPEDITION 

 by Lynne Marie

As writers, we can be likened to fisherman in that we are fishing for ideas. If you find that your writing lake seems to be dried up, or lacking an ample supply of fish to catch and harvest, I challenge you to explore these creative exercises. Then, choose one to develop into a full piece for submission to a magazine or book market. Enjoy the research (it’s the journey) and triple check your facts! Remember to check particular magazine or book market guidelines before submitting.

1.         Write a story in which your protagonist, antagonist or victim is a fisherman (or fisherwoman – a more unusual spin).

2.         Write about a character who is of the zodiac sign Pisces or is an actual fish!

3.         Set your story in a sea town or aquarium anywhere in the world or otherworld.

4.         Rewrite a fishy fable like Aesop’s “The Fisherman and the Little Fish,” the Greek myth about Poseidon or Norwegian folklore like “The Fish Prince.”

5.         Start your story with the words “Something’s fishy in _____.”(Remember, a similar statement didn’t do too badly for Shakespeare’s continued creativity when he said “Something’s rotten in the state of Denmark” in Hamlet!)

6.         Use a fish for your character’s talisman or good luck charm. Have your character go on “fishing expedition” for a particular item of importance in solving the story problem.

7. If you wish to write a non-fiction piece, perhaps write about how some of the newly discovered fish have escaped discovery for ages and consider slanting the piece for children.

8. Write a story in which the foul smell of fish becomes one of the factors that causes your antagonist’s demise.

Remember, you can use any one of these ideas alone or together.

Good luck and enjoy the fishing trip!  

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED in Writers’ Journal, Perlham, MN July/August 2007

PPBF: A Review of Painting Pepette by Linda Ravin Lodding

REVIEW BY: Lynne Marie

TITLE: Painting Pepette
AUTHOR: Linda Ravin Lodding
ILLUSTRATOR: Claire Fletcher
PUBLISHER: Little Bee Books/Bonnier
PUBLICATION DATE: June, 2016

SNIPPET:
Josette Babett, and her rabbit, Pepette, lived at #9 Rue Laffette, Paris.





REVIEW: First, there's a captivating cover! Beyond, lies an absolutely adorable story of a little girl  searching to find the perfect painter for a portrait of her beloved rabbit to hang in the grand room. This delightful journey takes the reader through the Monmartre streets of 1920s Paris and showcases diverse artistic points of view. Showcased are the styles of Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dali, Marc Chagall and Henri Matisse. Despite brilliant interpretations by these artists, Josette must discover the style which best captures Pepette's personality and exterior.

How did I love this book? Let me count the ways. Claire Fletcher's amazing Art. Linda Ravin Lodding's sweet and satsifying Story. Character(s). Setting, Tone. Take away value. Historical Information. Theme. Message.

Rating: 5/5 Ps - a Perfect Score!

NOTE: The opinions reflected herein are my own.

COVER REVEAL / BELATED BOOK BIRTHDAY and UPDATE for Hedgehog's 100th Day of School

Dear Readers:

I am excited to finally reveal the cover for my latest book, HEDGEHOG'S 100TH DAY OF SCHOOL!

PRE-ORDER:
No need to pre-order as the book is available NOW!

BLOG TOUR:
If you are a picture book blogger and would be willing to host me for a Q&A or Guest Post, please let me know!

REVAMPED WEBSITE:
Please visit my updated website for more information on me and my books.

www.LiterallyLynneMarie.com




AUTOGRAPHED COPIES AVAILABLE:
E-mail me at LiterallyLynneMarie@Gmail.com for details on how to get a signed copy of HEDGEHOG GOES TO KINDERGARTEN, HEDGEHOG'S 100TH DAY OF SCHOOL, or both!

MORE NEWS from MY WORD PLAYGROUND
:

Please look for my preschool activity, MITTEN MATCH-UP in the February, 2017 issue of Highlights High Five!

Hoping your year is filled with fun and fantastic picture books!

Why the term "Writer" Should be Changed to "StoryWriter" by Lynne Marie

By Lynne Marie 

Storytellers are considered so because they "tell" stories. One would not be considered a storyteller by virtue of speaking or talking to another person, he/she must tell a story. 

So why is it that writers are not considered "Storywriters"? After all, storywriting it is not only about the writing in the same way storytelling is not about only the speaking. 

If you have already honed your writing skills and have become a great writer, now is the time to shift your focus and become a great storywriter! 

Learn the elements of a story -- and sharpen your storywriting skills. I assure you it will be an important key to your success! 

Wishing you all the best of success in the coming year.

Please leave your comment in the comment section to share  your thoughts and/or show me that  you have visited. From time to time over the year I will be giving away free books, critiques and facetime consultations. 

Follow Me on Facebook: Lynne Marie
Follow Me on Twitter: @Literally_Lynne 

The BEST of Resolutions for Writers and Authors by Lynne Marie

Whether published or unpublished, the New Year provides a wonderful opportunity for you as a writer/author to evaluate your current game plan and renew your publication goals.

Here are some "renewable" resolutions that have worked well for me, no matter which stage of my career I have been at.

1. Sign up to participate in Stormstorm, formerly PIBOIDMO (registration ends 1/7/17). Details can be found at www.taralazar.com. When you are finished, you will have at least 30 ideas to choose from and flesh out over the year. Good ideas are essential. Pick your 5-10 best to pursue over the course of the year.

2. No matter what genre you write in, read at least 100 books each year. If you are a picture book writer, challenge yourself to read 1000 books! I did this again in 2016 and fulfilled my goal. Having a wide knowledge base of what's currently out there, which publishers are publishing *what* and the knowledge of any potential comp books out there will inform your publishing success. I read between 25- 50 related books for every manuscript that I write with an eye toward publication. Cross-reference by title, subject matter, related subject matter, etc.

3. Resolve to write every day.

4. Improve your craft via online classes like the Pacing Picture Books to WOW class given at www.kidlitcollege.com. I mention this one because it is my absolute, all-time FAVORITE class of all those I have taken in my career. It gave me tools to put in my Writer's Toolbox and helped me to sharpen ones that I already had!

5. Attend in-person conferences given by Highlights Foundation (www.HighlightsFoundation.org) and/or your local SCBWI. Here in Florida we have both a local (South Florida) and a State (Florida) SCBWI, both of which I am very involved in.

5. When your work is ready to share, join a critique group. Members of KidLit College on FB who write PBs can sign up to join the Manuscript Critique and Exchange, for which I am a moderator. I am also a Moderator for two local SCBWI South Florida critique groups.

6. Be open to feedback, no matter where it comes from. Sometimes you will have to take a step back and give it a few days to settle.  I have found any and all critiques to be helpful, at least in some small way, whether they were from published or unpublished writers. If you don't particularly like a critique, just look for that one grain of sand that will inspire a new word, a new sentence, a new scene or a new direction.

7. When your critique group encourages you to send your manuscript out into the world, get a
professional critique to make certain it's all it can be to catch that editor or agent's eye. Check out www.KidLitCollege.com (and KidLit College on FB) for some wonderful editor and agent critique opportunities.

If you are looking for an author critique, I am offering a 2017 New Year's Special Pricing of $20.17 for your first critique of 2017 with me. This price includes a written critique with big picture comments, as well as line-by-line suggestions with time up to 1 hours time spent (usually around 20-40 Minutes).

Any additional time will be spent in a follow-up telephone conversation wherein we can discuss the critique, the manuscript, your career path or any other picture book writing related topic. If you wish to take advantage of this year's introductory offer, please contact me to schedule and mention CODE: 2017.

8. Did I mention - Read, read, read!

9. Did I mention -- Write, write, write! Even "shitty first drafts are fine. You can't revise what you haven't gotten down on paper.

10. Did I mention -- Revise, revise, revise!

Please feel free to share any resolutions you may have in the comments! Have a wonderful writing year with much publication success!

And as always feel free to contact me with any questions you may have.

Best, Lynne Marie

Please leave your comment in the comment section to share  your thoughts and/or show me that  you have visited. From time to time over the year I will be giving away free books, critiques and facetime consultations. 

Follow Me on Facebook: Lynne Marie
Follow Me on Twitter: @Literally_Lynne 

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