Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen's Blog About Whatever She Feels Like Writing About

Can you believe I STILL cannot announce my news because I STILL do not have contracts.

Grrrrrrrrr.

So I’ve been shopping for mom clothes. It has not been easy. But I have had some success, and a great story to share.

For those of you who have asked, NO, I will not be modelling the clothes. Because that would be waaaaaaay too narcissitic.

Here’s my story: I took my girls to go shopping with me, back-to-school for them and non-Mom clothes for me. I ended up in Express, a store that for a long time was waaaaaaay to, shall we say, “youthful” for me (though the years it seemed too youthful may have coincided with the years I was overweight after having 2 babies in 14 months). But I went in there (I had a coupon) and found a skirt I really liked. I grabbed one and went to the fitting room.

The first nice thing was that the skirt I brought to the fitting room was too big. The skirt rack was maybe 10 feet from the fitting room, so I asked my older daughter to take the first skirt out and get me another of the same one in a smaller size. I cracked the door open and pointed her in the right directions.

Some of you know my kids. Those folks will recognize that while my girls are absolutely fabbity-fab, my oldest is a bit on the lazy side. Her philosophy: why do something myself when I can get someone else to do it for me?

So she goes out and not 2 feet from the fitting room she sees some of the sales clerks. And promptly shouts: “MY MOM NEEDS A SIZE ZERO!”

I have never loved that child more. I only wish she could have told more people that her mother needed a size 0.

Did I mention that I’m wearing a size 0?

OK, enough of that. So, here’s the outfit that I bought last week:

Little bit of cheating … the belt is mine from before. But that’s totally allowed, right? Here’s some more cheating (since the boots are also mine from before:

I think anything that lets me rock out patent boots is a keeper.

And I did not cheat on the pricing — the top was $10 and the skirt was $34.50 (with coupon), both from Express. So that means I still have $5.50 to buy a pair of earrings and be under my $50 limit. Even though I really meant for the $50 to apply to each piece instead of the whole outfit.

How did I do?

Oh, I’ve been gone so long. But now that the kids are in school, I will endeavor to be better with this blog. Though I’d like to remind everyone that I predicted that this experiment was doomed to failure.

This past weekend, I was at a Book Festival in Princeton. It was an interesting day, got to catch up with a number of folks, and even got hit on by a teenager (not sure if I am flattered or creeped out). But here is one of the best highlights:

 As I was sitting at my table, a little boy walked up to me and this is how our conversation went:

Him: “I saw you read THE MINE-O-SAUR at Barnes and Noble!”

Me: “Really? Did you like it?”

Him: “I bought it and you signed it for me! Don’t you remember me?”

Me: “Umm, well, wait! That was a few years ago, right?”

Him: “Yes.”

Me: “That’s right! I remember you now. You were smaller, then, right?”

Him (excitedly): “Right!”

Me: “You were a bit shorter, but you were sitting in front of me and I read the book to you.”

Him (very excited): “You remember!”

Me: “Of course I do, I was just a little confused because you are taller now.”

Him: “That’s true. You have a good memory.”

Then he gave me the biggest smile and asked me to autograph HOG PRINCE. These are the priceless moments.

OK, I get that there’s nothing more imporant that I will ever do than be a good mother to my children. But where is it written that if you are a mom, you should be identifiable as such from space — mainly because of the shapeless, muumuu-type clothes we are expected to wear?

I’m absolutely not dissing anyone else’s fashion sense. By all means, if you disagree with me, that’s great. I just know for me, it is getting increasingly difficult to find clothes that fall between matron and h**chie-mama (edited in case that term offends anyone).

This has been my recent quest: to find reasonably-priced, well-made clothes that make me look more 30-something-hip than dried-out-mother-of-three. For the purposes of this quest, I’m going to define “reasonably-priced” as below $50 (for those of you gasping at that, I don’t know what to say!) (also, if you know me, obviously, shoes do not have to follow these strict rules).

This has NOTHING to do with children’s books, but if I succeed at finding anything, I will post my progress here.

Grrrrrrrr.

I’ve been waiting very long to make two announcements, and I’m still waiting. Can’t give any details yet since ink is not on paper. BUT… I’ve got two contracts in my hands, waiting for the final tweaks. So get ready to celebrate for me.

Who says the picture book market is soft?

In honor of The Prego-saur (see Gambler), here are ten more really, really bad ideas for picture books:

1. American Pigolo: proof that adding a pig doesn’t always make it better

2. High School Moo-sical: Rise of the Heifers: “heifers” and “rise” in the same title – not a good idea

3. The Day Morgan and Stanley Got Bailed Out: though I’d definitely like to hear how that story will end (because right now, I’m thinking, disaster)

4. Gulls Gone Wild: it would be like those scenes from Nemo – but for 32 pages. Can’t take it.

5. A Puppy for Michael (Vick): it could be a sweet redemption story?

6. Happily Ever After on Uranus: funny to say, though

7. Cooking with Poo (No, Not Winnie): don’t remind me how popular that farting dog book was

8. Womb Raider; or, I’m Having a Baby Sister: not the most original bad idea, but it’ll do

9. Grandpa’s Balls Are Lost: this one wasn’t even my idea. Really.

10. Hogs Who Snog: no.Just, no.

Tell me — what are your favorite bad ideas? (By the way, I have sooooo many more, but too many fell into the same theme as number 9. And I thought that would get old.)

I’m happy to announce that I will be leading a Picture Book Writing Intensive Workshop in Princeton, NJ on November 15, 2009. How intense? FOUR HOURS. It should be great. Or horrible. One of the two.

Here’s some more info:

The New Jersey SCBWI is happy to announce a Picture Book Writing Intensive Workshop led by author Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen. The idea behind this 4-hour intensive is to introduce and discuss effective techniques for developing publishable picture book manuscripts, and then to apply those techniques to the participants’ manuscripts in concrete ways. Emphasis will be on discussion rather than lecture, and the participants’ previously submitted WIPs will be frequently used to demonstrate workshop topics (both as examples of successful approaches and of unsuccessful attempts – the bashful need not apply!). This intensive is aimed at intermediate and advanced picture book writers who understand the basic form of the book.

Space is limited, so please register early! 

Course Overview

Introduction

• Topic and theme selection
  • Topic vs. theme
  • Choosing popular topics
  • Choosing timeless themes
  • Marrying the popular to the timeless
• Understanding the manuscript’s potential marketability
  • Identifying marketing hooks
  • Balancing marketing and artistry
  • Identifying difficult sales
• Conducting market research
  • What is too similar?
  • Creating something fresh from an older idea

Character

• Deciding on the best character for your story
  • When is an animal appropriate, and when is it out of place?
  • When is multicultural an asset, and when is it overkill?
  • Other selection criteria
  • Leaving room for the illustrator’s perspective
• Creating endearing characters
  • Blending flair with flaws
  • Avoiding common pitfalls

Beginning

• What makes a strong narrative beginning?
  • Grounding the story and the world
  • Getting the reader’s attention
• Whose story is it?
  • POV
  • Voice
  • Defining the main character in the mind of the author
  • Establishing an enticing quest

Middle

• Structural integrity
  • Repetition
  • Ebb and flow of tension
  • Using the page turn as a narrative device
• Action
  • What “counts” as picture book action?
  • Internal vs. external turmoil
• Creating emotional attachment to the MC
• Wrapping up the action before the book ending

End

• Writing the twist
• Leaving a question unanswered without leaving the reader unsatisfied
• Finding ways to make the book re-readable

Extras

• Humor
  • The big guffaw
  • The constant smile
  • Kid-appropriate humor
• Heart
• Understanding your readership
  • Addressing the needs of the child
  • Addressing the needs of the adult reader (and buyer)
• Self-editing

Marketing tips

• Writing a picture book query letter
• Understanding the market
• Investing in your career
  • Networking
  • Agents

How many of you will I see there?

This past week, I took my kids to Washington, DC. For the most part, it was hot, crowded, and miserable, BUT… there was one little glimmer of goodness.

Years and years ago, I submitted a picture book to Sterling and mentioned in my cover letter that I had a couple degrees in biology. They rejected the picture book (it was awful) but asked if I wanted to write a science experiment book. That actually became my first trade children’s book.

I’ll be honest, I HATED writing that book. HATED IT. But over the years, that little book continues to give me joy in little ways. I still see it on the shelves at B&N. I still get royalty checks (apparently, it sells well!). And then this week, it gave me the biggest packet of joy I’ve gotten from a book in a long time.

I took the kids to the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History, and at the end of the visit, we hit the gift shop. As we’re browsing around, we see this:

Do you see what I see?

That’s right, I am now officially a Smithsonian-endorsed author.

Oh, I’ve been on vacation. And its summer. I’m sorry to have been gone so long. I know you all missed me. But I have A LOT to share now, and news, and everything. So let’s get started.

Hello, my faithful blog readers. I have a little bonus for you.

How many of you struggle with marketing hooks? “How do I figure out what is hot and trendy?” you ask yourselves. “Where do I begin?”

Here’s my answer (well, there are a few, but here’s one answer): the Pottery Barn Kids catalog.

Do you want to know what kids like? What parents like to buy for kids? What topics are perennial favorites? Check out the catalog, it is like a cheat sheet for children’s books.

Here’s what a quick browse (of their website, because I am green) revealed to me today:

Hannah’s Fairy Bedroom: girls like fairies (and princesses might be overdone, no princess bedroom this season)

Liberty Bedroom and Star Bedroom: patriotism is hot

Jeremy Construction Bedroom: boys love trucks

Super Sauras Bedroom (their spelling error, not mine): dinos rock, and boys don’t learn to spell too early

Christopher Construction Truck Bedroom: boys REALLY love trucks

Sweet Lambie Nursey: increase your sales potential by cutesie-ing up your animals

B is for Bunny and G is for Giraffe Nurseries: what parent won’t buy an alphabet book?

C is for Cars Nursery: boys like cars, too

Z is for Zebra Nursery: somebody at PBK got lazy with the new line names

So… were you inspired by anything here?