Review: Christmas with Norky, the Adventure Begins

Christmas with Norky, The Adventure Begins
By Steve Allgeier
Illustrated by Beatrice Favereau
Visikid Books
November 2007
40 pages

Santa is far too busy delivering presents to keep up with his Naughty & Nice List. So he calls on his flying friend Norky, who is part penguin and part eagle – a Peneagle. Norky’s special job is to look for kids doing good deeds and practicing kindness all year round. However, Norky knows that no kid is perfect. That’s why he created the “FIX-IT” card, which gives a kid a second chance in case he has a bad day.  

Allgeier’s rhyming verse brings to mind The Night Before Christmas with a gentle lesson about doing your best. Favereau’s attractive cartoon-like character illustrations make this an inviting tale for pre-schoolers who love to make Christmas last all year long.

Norky also has a companion website where kids can join the Norky Adventure Club, view photos of the live-action Norky character, and check out Norky gear.

This first book in the Norky adventure series makes a great gift for kids who are crazy about Christmas.

Copyright (c) 2008 by Peggy Tibbetts

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What should I expect when I meet with an editor?

I am about to go to my first writing conference. I submitted my picture book manuscript to the conference director and will have a 10-minute critique session with an editor. Have you ever done this before? What should I expect when I meet with an editor?

Yes, I have attended critique sessions with editors at conferences. My best advice is to be a good listener and be prepared to jot down a few notes. But don’t get so wrapped up in making notes that you appear to ignore the editor. She will probably do one of two things: she will write comments in the margins of your manuscript, or she will provide you with a written critique (usually one-page or less). Remember that the editor is providing a general critique of your manuscript, it is not meant to be an edit, so don’t get bogged down with discussing the manuscript.

In her article, No More Piranhas!: Editors’ Thoughts on Conferences, Marilyn Singer writes: “Stephanie Lurie of Dutton, says one of her pet peeves is when ‘people expect to have an in-depth discussion of a manuscript they brought along or submitted recently’.” Singer’s article provides a unique look at writers’ conferences from the editor’s point-of-view.
 
Think of the experience as an audition or job interview. Some editors use these sessions to get to know writers. Do you take criticism well? If the editor is interested in your manuscript, are you willing to make any changes she suggests? Editors are also looking for writers who are prepared to market and promote their books once they are published. Be personable, but not overbearing. If the editor isn’t interested in the manuscript you submitted, take the opportunity to briefly pitch another project and ask if you can submit it.
 
Also, be sure to read Debbie Ridpath-Ohi’s article, Networking and Promotion Through Writers’ Conferences. You’ll find some excellent suggestions to help you make the most of your conference experience.

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British author offers $5000 for the plot of her next book

In 2007, the highly original Christmas book Christine Kringle
was test marketed in the UK and USA and received outstanding reviews. This year, author Lynn Brittney, is offering readers of the book the chance to win USD$5000 (five thousand) or equivalent in their national currency, if they can come up with a one page synopsis of a plot for book two in the series.

“There are endless possibilities for future adventures for Christine Kringle and her friends,” explains Brittney, “and this competition gives me the unique chance to find out what characters and situations the readers would like to experience in the next book in the series Christine Kringle offers a new slant on the Santa story. It is revealed that there is not just one Santa Claus – in fact there are almost one hundred – each representing their own country and with their own special name. All of them are members of one large family corporation, called the Yule Dynasty and the job of each country’s Gift Bringer is usually handed down from father to son. However, Kris Kringle of the USA doesn’t have a son but he has a very competent teenage daughter called Christine and, at this year’s Yule Dynasty Conference, Kris is going to ask if he can pass his job onto his daughter when he retires. The Dynasty is just about to vote when disaster strikes. A town in England has banned Christmas!

Could this be the end of the Festive Season as we know it? Not if Christine and her friends have anything to do with it! What follows is a sparkling adventure of comic intensity, with larger-than-life characters.

The author of Christine Kringle, Lynn Brittney, is an established writer, whose first young ddult novel, an acclaimed spy thriller set in the Elizabethan era, called Nathan Fox: Dangerous Times, is about to be released in the US under the Feiwel & Friends imprint.

Christine Kringle  is beautifully illustrated by artist Brita Granström, whose outstanding work has garnered many awards and commendations.

Prize: $5,000

Deadline: January 31, 2009

Entry fee: Christine Kringle proof of purchase

How to enter: Click here for online entry forms

For more information go to the Christine Kringle website

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New Market: Kiki Magazine

Kiki is both a fashion magazine and a creativity journal for “tween” girls who are 8-14 years old. We are interested only in articles that help expand our readers’ creative horizons in a wide range of topical areas, including how-to crafts, sewing projects, illustration techniques, sewing techniques, design ideas, business, geography, interviews with people in the industry (particularly students and young people starting their careers), book reviews, product reviews, travel, grooming tips, games, puzzles, and content-related quizzes.

We do not accept articles on sexual topics, puberty, relationships with boys, or other socially oriented content. We are not interested in articles directly about college life. Interviews with college design students are acceptable, however.

WORD LENGTH: 250-750 words, with inset articles of 150 words

PAYMENT: 50 cents to $1.00/word

RIGHTS: “Unless submission is stated to be a possible work for hire, submission will be considered property of Kiki magazine.”

HOW TO SUBMIT: Query first! By mail to:

Manuscript Submission Editor
Kiki Magazine
214 E. 8th Street
5th Floor
Cincinnati, OH 45202

For more information, go to Kiki Magazine submission guidelines.

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