Are you a Schmoozer?

On Tuesday evening, we had our monthly New Mexico SCBWI chapter schmooze. I almost never miss. We have the BEST Schmooze Coordinator, Brian Herrera - or as we lovingly call him The Schmoozinator!

I first met Brian two years ago - hmm, or was it three April's ago? - at our annual NM Handsprings SCBWI conference (go to the link for this year's Handsprings with some FAB editors/agents/art director in October) and we ended up at the same table. Brian started writing for children and teens fairly recently, but he's a multi-published professor in the Theatre Dept at UNM, and has been on the road with his one-act play, I WAS THE VOICE OF DEMOCRACY - a terrific one-man show! My husband and I thoroughly enjoyed it! (Go to this link for future performances - he'll be in Chicago in August!). 

Brian has become a warm and supportive writer friend of mine and I'm excited about the YA novel he's working on - and about which I just *have this feeling* will one day be well-published and receive tons of awards. He's just that kind of talented!

Every month we have a great topic for our schmoozes and it's always a terrific discussion and conversation. Our Schmoozes started to die a bit and with Brian we sometimes have nearly 30 people there now.

"To Blog or Not to Blog - that is the Question!" was our topic this month.
Or you could say
"To Facebook or Not to Facebook"
"To Goodreads or Not to Goodreads"
"To Twitter or Not to Twitter"
"To Google + or Not to Google +"

I personally fell into blogging 5 years ago when it was just getting off the ground. Writers and illustrators were migrating away from MySpace and doin' the blogging thang. I figured I'd better jump in, but wish now that I'd waited and figured it out. Hopefully that doesn't matter so much anymore.

Our discussion made me think about why I Blog/Facebook/Goodreads/Occassionally Twitter - although my brain starts contorting into strange shapes and I feel screams of panic coming on after about 10 minutes of trying to keep track of conversations on Twitter.

Reason #1: Writing is a lonely, solitary occupation. I've been at it for more years than I care to count, and even though I'm actually pretty shy and LOVE being a homebody, I do like talking and reading about the craft of writing and publishing VERY MUCH and being a part of the community, and getting inspired by all of you - and know what's going on with other writers around the country.

Reason #2: I'd parted ways with my agent of 10 years (amicably and I will always love her) and I found myself panicked that I would ever get another agent or sell another book. Especially with the way the children's and teen literature has been changing the past few years. I used blogging in a very systematic, purposeful way to find and research and compare literary agents. I made up a huge list, emailed other writers, and finally found my PERFECT MATCH THAT I HOPE WILL BE FOREVER!!!!

So how did YOU fall into blogging? Do you still like it? Will you continue? Would you like to see it change in any way?

At one point I was trying to keep up with hundreds of bloggers/blogs who posted daily and I admit I got burned out. With all the deadlines the past two years and book launches, I read my favorites now, only comment occasionally, but always hope to do better! Lots of *KimberleyBloggerFail* going on in 2010 and 2011.

I sorta wish I could shout out to everyone: Please only post once or twice a week so I can keep up!!!!!!!!!

Tell me what you think!

SCBWI New Mexico Handsprings Conference 2009

We had a fabulous conference this last weekend! One of our best in a couple of years. The visiting agent, Chris Richman from Firebrand Literary and Ruta Rimas, asst editor from Balzer and Bray imprint were fun and fantastic and well prepared. (Hit the link for a FAB interview with Ruta - she is WAY FUN and KNOWS YA).

It was Chris Richman's VERY FIRST conference and he did great. He was funny and friendly and gave some of my friends very encouraging critiques on their work. YAY!

Here are a few pics. I actually remembered to bring my camera! Course it's my NEW SPIFFY LUMIX camera I was tellin' y'all about a few days ago . . . how could I possibly leave it at home?!



Me and Lauren Bjorkman who is a member of the Class of 2009 with her book, MY INVENTED LIFE



Here is upcoming writer, Kris Conover, who is way fun and you can see me laughing at what she just said. (Are you working on your revision, Kris???)



Carolee Dean and moi! caroleedean blogged about the conference, too.
She was a presenter and is a good friend and critique partner. Her new YA, THE ROAD TO HUNTSVILLE, will be out in 2010 with S&S!!!



Shirley-Raye Redmond just sold her 21st book!!!
Her Random House Step-into-Reading books have sold about 200,000 copies!!!



Kersten Hamilton during her presentation on characters - showing off new tennies! Both caroleedean and I caught Kersten's glowing shoe laces in our photos. We must have *magic* cameras . . .

Why, here is Carolee's MAGIC CAMERA RIGHT HERE!!!



A good time was had by all!!!

Moi funny?

I found out I could write humor last Friday night at our local SCBWI New Mexico Handsprings conference.

My favorite event at Handsprings is the Friday evening EDITOR PANEL (this year with editor Alisha Niehaus at Dutton and Rebecca Sherman, agent from Writers House, and Tim Gillner, Art Director from Highlights/Boyds Mills Press.)

Attendees get to send in a first page from their YA novel, MG novel, or picture book and have it read anonymously for the panel to make comments on. The visiting agents/editors give tips, pointers and helpful information about what makes a good first page. What happens when and editor or agent reads that first page? What are they thinking, feeling – and will they want to turn the page?

I sent in the First Page of my WIP, IN A PARIS MINUTE, which I am completely revamping at the moment; a total restructure of the time line and events.

I was biting my nails wondering if the panel was going to tell me to go get a new day job. I envisioned comments like, “This writers thinks she can write YA chick lit from a teenage girl’s POV? Ha, ha, ha! It’s obvious she hasn’t seen her teen years in about 3 decades.”

I was worried I’d be laughed out of the room.

But the room laughed at my story, my writing instead - at least 3 times - during just one page! They laughed at parts I didn’t realize were even funny. I was dumbfounded and thrilled. Perhaps it was the deadpan voice of the SCBWI woman who was reading, I dunno, but I’ll take it anyway.

Then Agent Rebecca Sherman said, “This first page does all the things right we’ve been talking about. Establishes, setting, character, voice, situation. It’s a GOOD first page. No, it’s a GREAT first page. I’d want to keep reading.”

Alisha Niehaus heartily concurred - and said she loves anything to do with Paris. Score a big one for me. My first page got the best comments of the whole evening. I'm so psyched to finish this book now!

Here it is, dear blog readers:

In a Paris Minute

by

Kimberley Griffiths Little

I have a confession to make: I’ve become a total idiot over French pastries.

They’re my new favorite food.

My new favorite souvenir.

My new favorite sin.

The Eiffel tower, the Louvre—all of them must-sees like the tour books claim—if you don’t mind heights that make you dizzy and enough paintings to saturate your brain for the rest of your life—but once I discovered La Patisserie the rest of Paris became mere backdrop for my indulgence.

Drizzled chocolate, sugar-dusted raspberries, flaky crusts with perfect crimped edges. I’ll have to run the New York City marathon when I get back just to burn off my new five pounds. French beignets are the worst temptation, like Prada handbags call to my mother from Fifth Avenue. Dunkin Donuts—so yesterday.

Kara and I even ate warm, oozing chocolate crepes for dinner one night while we analyzed French boys on top of the Arc d’Triomphe. If you’ve heard the expression, they’re to die for, well, I’m here to tell you, it’s true. Trust me. The crepes, I mean. Not necessarily French boys.

I've restrained myself from checking out Parisian males because I'm already taken--by Mathew Perotti, the hottest guy at Eleanor Roosevelt High via Lubbock, Texas.