New Agent

Marissa Walsh has joined the Fine Print Literary Agency as an agent focusing on children's picture books, middle-grade and YA.
http://fineprintlit.com/about-the-agents/marissa-walsh/

We Give Books

Donate a book through a literacy organization by reading online one of these children's book titles from Penguin and DK.
http://www.wegivebooks.org/

Posting Work Online

Is it a good idea to put your writing up on a blog or website?
http://www.guidetoliteraryagents.com/blog/Be+Slightly+Afraid+Of+Posting+Your+Work+Online.aspx

Children's Book Week

Celebrated since 1919, Children's Book Week runs from May 10-16, 2010.
http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/457009-New_and_Familiar_Events_Headline_Children_s_Book_Week.php?nid=2788&source=link&rid=17392217

Questions to Ask a Prospective Agent

What you know about an agent before you sign up.
http://www.guidetoliteraryagents.com/blog/10+Questions+To+Ask+An+Agent+Before+You+Sign.aspx

Rutgers One-on-One Plus Conference

Registration is open for this mentoring workshop (application deadline: June 15, 2010)
http://www.ruccl.org/

New Agent

Bree Ogden will be representing graphic novels, young adult, and children's books at Martin Literary
http://www.martinliterarymanagement.com/bree-ogden.htm

SCBWI - L.A. Conference, Jul 30-Aug 2, 2010

Registration is now open. Early registration ends May 31st.
http://www.scbwi.org/Conference.aspx?Con=6

Tips for Promoting Your Books

Publisher Simon and Schuster lists online tips and tools.
http://simonandschuster.biz/author-resources/tips-for-promoting-your-books

Winning Pitches

Tips on how to prepare and deliver the perfect pitch.
http://www.alanrinzler.com/blog/2010/03/29/insider-tips-for-preparing-and-delivering-a-winning-pitch/

Author Interviews

Over 100 author interviews on the Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast blog.
http://blaine.org/sevenimpossiblethings/?page_id=1045

Picture Book Checklist

Author Lill Pluta gives 13 reasons why your picture book may have been rejected.
http://www.verlakay.com/boards/index.php?topic=43380.msg555682#msg555682

Writing a Synopsis

Kathy Temean gives helpful hints.
http://kathytemean.wordpress.com/2010/03/31/writing-a-synopsis-for-your-manuscript/

Skype Visits

Author Kate Messner gives tips about Skype author visits.
http://donnagephart.blogspot.com/2010/03/skype-with-kate-messner-top-6-12-list.html

New YA Agent

Sarah LaPolla of Curtis Brown will be representing YA Authors.
http://www.curtisbrown.com/lapolla.php

Query Letters

Agent Jill Corcoran gives the basic formula for a query letter.
http://jillcorcoran.blogspot.com/2010/04/formula-for-query-letter.html

Book Formats and Age Levels

From Harold Underdown's book The Complete Idiot's Guide to Publishing Children's Books
http://www.underdown.org/cig_3e_ch08a.htm

Making a Book Trailer

How to make a basic book trailer.
http://www.thecreativepenn.com/2008/12/03/book-trailers-11-steps-to-make-your-own/

Book Store Secrets

How you can market your book in bookstores.
http://internspills.blogspot.com/2010/04/guest-post-divine-secrets-of-brick-and.html

Free YA/MG Edit

Author Deborah Halverson is giving away a free substantive edit of one manuscript (submission deadline 4/14/10).
http://dear-editor.com/

Book Publicists

List of book publicists and the specialties they represent.
http://www.publishingtrends.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/Publicists-2009.pdf

The Times/Chicken House Competition

The winner of Chicken House's (UK publisher) annual contest for unpublished writers will receive a publishing contract. (submission window - August 2 through October 29, 2010)
http://www.doublecluck.com/submissions

15 Days to Stronger Characters

Author Darcy Pattison gives ideas on how to strengthen your characters.
www.darcypattison.com/revision/15-days-to-stronger-characters/

New Canadian Children's Book Imprint

Toronto-based Cormorant Books is launching Dancing Cat Books, which will focus on literary fiction, nonfiction and poetry.
http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/454264-Cormorant_Books_to_Start_Children_s_Imprint.php?nid=2788&source=title&rid=17392217

Children's Literature Across the Curriculum

Patricia Stohr-Hunt blogs about using children's literature to teach math, science, and social studies.
http://ow.ly/1fjlg

Chapters

Agent Scott Eagan discusses how to choose chapter breaks.
http://scotteagan.blogspot.com/2010/03/question-from-writer_16.html

Author Blogs

Why it's important to have a blog if you're an author.
http://www.thecreativepenn.com/2009/01/24/authors-should-blo/

Carolrhoda Accepting YA submissions

For a limited time (until 4/30/10), Carolrhoda will accept unsolicited YA submissions as described in the link below.
http://carolrhoda.blogspot.com/2007/11/solicted-submissions.html

Pitching

Agent Scott Eagan gives hints on how to pitch your manuscript.
http://scotteagan.blogspot.com/2008/06/art-of-pitching.html