It is Monday morning and I am in New York City getting ready to go to the airport and return to Spokane, Washington. I just attended The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) Winter Conference that was held in New York City at the Grand Hyatt Central Hotel. The conference attracted visitors from all over the world. This was my first time at this particular conference, and it was very worthwhile. I had never attended any children’s book writers conferences before, as I had been enrolling in writers conferences for books for adults. They are two totally different markets, and as an author and writer, it is important to keep up with the trends and what is going on in each market.

I met a lot of wonderful writers as well as the teachers and speakers at the seminars. They talked about what is going on in the world of illustration, picture books, chapter books, middle grade books, and of course the ever-popular and growing teenage and young adult market. The expansion of the market of these books was also discussed, with everyone trying to find the next breakthrough topic.  

I was inspired by the wonderful keynote speakers that they had scheduled for the conference. Author R. L. Stine, the children’s book writer of the Goosebumps series turned out to be quite a comedian. Everyone had expected him to look like a person who writes horror stories for children (whatever that would look like), but instead everyone was surprised by his refreshing sense of humor and his inspiring thoughts for children’s book writers. His message to all writers was to only think “yes.” By saying “yes” writers are exposed to many different possibilities in the writing industry. For example, he worked as an promotional writer for the bottling industry in the United States, which was something he never set out to do. This job led him to other writing jobs. His goal was to become a comic writer and to have his own magazine, but he had to go through different hoops and jobs to get there. He never thought he’d be an author of horror fiction for children, and yet that is what he ended up doing.  R.L. Stine has sold over 450 million children’s books, and they are currently becoming more popular on the international scene. “You never know what life has in store for budding authors” was his message.  That will now be my plan … that is to say “yes” to all writing possibilities out there, including contests that I find.

Well, it is time to zip my bags and head downstairs to the taxi. The taxi will take me to LaGuardia Airport. From there I fly to Denver. After a short layover in Denver, I will board a plane to Spokane, returning to the wonderful Northwest, the land I appreciate so much.

It is unfortunate that New York City is going through such difficult times. When I was there they were arguing over budget cuts and were talking about laying off 15,000 teachers! That put people up in arms, as they didn’t think that’s where the cuts should be. The cold snap had caused problems with garbage pickup. They had gotten the streets plowed but the garbage was still stacked up on sidewalks. I heard that people were complaining about garbage on some sidewalks, but I must say I was pretty shocked to see it when I was visiting there. New York City is wonderful for the busy, exciting life, but it’s definitely going through some stressful times now as they try to figure out how to run the city with a small budget. But of course those problems are being dealt with in other cities of the country.  It’s just that in New York City budget cuts are on a much larger scale.

I compliment all of the people of New York, but I must admit I’m a Northwest country girl, born and raised in Montana and currently living in Washington State. I enjoyed my time and the education I received at the writers conference  in New York City, but I’m very glad to return home. You’ll be seeing more news about my children’s writing and children’s book releases in the near future. Thanks again, and please comment and join in on my blogs. Hope to hear from you soon.

Thank you.

Karen Jean Matsko Hood

More than any other time of the year, St. Valentine’s Day fills our hearts and minds with special feelings of tenderness and appreciation for that special person in our lives. We enjoy doing something out of the ordinary that shows our loved one that we truly value them and are pleased with who they are.

A gift basket full of goodies is one way to let our sweetheart know you care. Send a message of love this Valentine’s Day with our “Love You Much” Gift Basket. It has a charming bear couple stuffed with hugs and good wishes. Embroidered with the saying “I love you this much!” their arms surround a sweet Valentine pail of treats for your someone special. In the pail are 2 Love saying pops, Hershey Kisses, Old Fashioned fudge, toffee & chocolate covered cookies, 1.67-oz. box of jelly belly beans, 2 Ghirardelli squares, and 2 marshmallow cream chocolate hearts.

Cook up a special Valentine meal for your sweetheart this year!

In Valentine Delights Cookbook, author Karen Jean Matsko Hood presents her collection of more than 260 exciting Valentine recipes and some charming ideas on the subject to titillate the romantic and creative imagination in us all. Inside, you will also find fascinating reading regarding this special day’s history, folklore, symbols, and much more. Also included is a collection of Valentine poetry by the author.  Find just the right flower to express your sentiments in the Language of Flowers list. With recipes using readily available ingredients, Valentine Delights Cookbook will be a valued addition to any chef’s bookshelf.

Time is running out so order your gift basket or cookbook now by using our cart below! Or visit the Valentine’s Day Shop on Karen’s Collectors Cottage Store to find more gift baskets, games, and gifts. Make this Valentine’s Day extra special!

by Heather Fawcett
Source: Suite 101

The teen fantasy genre of 2010 and beyond isn’t about escapism; as The Globe and Mail‘s Kelly McManus writes in her article “Changeling So Fast,” it’s about “strong characters grounded in the here and now.” Teens are discerning readers, and books have to be believable and relevant to their lives to be successful, even those with supernatural storylines.

So what are some of the trends in the YA fantasy genre? And what currently popular books exemplify these trends?

Fantasy with a Reality Check: What’s Hot in YA Fiction

In an interview with About.com, Paula Brehm-Heeger, former President of the Young Adult division of the American Library Association, notes that the popularity of fantasy novels among teens is only continuing to rise. Books that combine fantasy with other elements teens find relevant to their lives, says Brehm-Heeger, are proving to be particularly successful. Think Twilight rather than Tolkien.

So what are some examples of this type of novel? There’s the recent trend towards zombie high school stories, for one (for a list of some of the most popular YA zombie books, click here). The high school experience itself (perhaps unsurprisingly) is a common feature of the YA fantasy genre today; popular series like Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr and The Immortals by Alyson Noel are about magical teens who still have to deal with homework, peer pressure, and other high school woes. Much contemporary teen fantasy is not so much an “escape from reality” as it is a portrayal of reality with the added burden of a supernatural threat.

Supernatural Characters: A YA Fantasy Genre Trend That’s Here to Stay

If there’s one trend in the young adult fantasy genre that won’t be disappearing anytime soon, it’s supernatural protagonists. The Boston Globe‘s Liz Rosenberg writes in her article “Where the Coolest Kids are, Like, Undead” that supernatural characters are so appealing to teens partly because they work as metaphors for the teen experience. Rosenberg writes that not only do vampires (to choose one example) sleep all day, but they demonstrate an impressive ability to brood, often yearning for what they can’t have. I would argue that the supernatural character also embodies the outsider persona with which all teens, given the stress they undergo to “fit in,” can identify.

For proof of the popularity of books with supernatural protagonists, look no further than a recent New York Times Children’s Bestseller List (paperbacks), where six of the top ten novels star magically “gifted” main characters (Lauren Kate’s Fallen; James Patterson’s Witch and Wizard; Neil Gaiman’s The Graveyard Book; Becca Fitzpatrick’s Hush, Hush; Ingrid Law’s Savvy; Maggie Stiefvater’s Shiver).

What supernatural figure is gaining popularity with writers and teens? It seems that vampires have had their time in the sun, and angels are stepping in to take their place. Two of the books listed above (Fallen and Hush, Hush) explore the theme of the fallen angel while adding a healthy dose of teenage romance. Whether this trend will last is another question. If the reviews of Fallen on such websites as Goodreads.ca are any indication, many young adult readers are tiring of the Twilight-esque girl-meets-superhero romance plotline that typifies many of the new teen fantasy novels.

My prediction? Romantic relationships will never disappear from teen novels, but they may take a backseat to stronger plotlines, while the relationships themselves will become more complex and less idealized (A Curse Dark as Gold is a great example of this phenomenon; you can read my review here). At the same time, expect teen fantasy as a genre to continue to embrace the issues that today’s teens – even the ones with supernatural powers – deal with on a daily basis.