All the rain we had here in southeastern Wisconsin would have made today the perfect day to curl up with a good book. Instead, however, I had the great pleasure of previewing books about to be released, talking about books, mingling with some of the state’s best authors, seeing old friends, and making new ones at the SCBWI-WI Spring Luncheon. The annual event brings Wisconsin authors and illustrators together to share lunch and hear from a professional in the publishing world.

     Our guest speaker was Kendra Levin, editor at Viking Children’s Books, which is an imprint of Penguin. Kendra’s shown left, and I’m on the right.

     She spoke on a slew of issues, including how the economy is affecting acquisitions, which I found particularly interesting. Kendra assures us that publishers are still acquiring books (after all, that is what they do), although they’re being pickier and taking fewer risks. As such, she encourages authors to aim for specificity in their work: in hook, plot, target audience, and, later, the agent or publisher to which you submit.

     Good talk and very encouraging.

     It’s been a great week. A respected figure in publishing is interested in turning one of my works into a series, and we’re moving ahead on that path. There are still revisions to be made, but it’s a very promising step that I’m pleased to share with you all!

     Also, my young adult novel is coming along nicely. I’ve gotten some excellent feedback from my critique group and have incorporated quite a few of their suggestions into the manuscript. Extra eyes really do improve the work.

     That’s the latest! Happy writing!