Tag Archives: Illustrations

WORLDCON 76 SAN JOSE 2018

July 20, 2018Literary, Writing Conferences & Getaways76th, Art, Artists, August, Authors, books, Bram Stoker Award, California, Chelsea Quinn Yarbro, Coffee, Creators, Critics, David D Levine, Editors, Fans, Fantasy, Guests, Horror, Hotels, Hugo Award, Illustrations, John Picacio, Meals, Mingling, Musicians, Mystery, Nebula Award, novels, Participants, Peter S Beagle, Publishers, San Jose, Sci-Fi, Science Fiction, Scientists, Spider Robinson, Stories, Thrillers, Worldcon, Writerspdpabst

WorldCon76

San Jose, California was selected to host the 76th Worldcon on August 16th through 20th 2018. Worldcon is an annual gathering of science fiction and fantasy fans, writers, artists, musicians, editors, publishers, critics, scientists, and other creators.

GUESTS OF HONOR

Spider Robinson is an American-born Canadian Hugo Award- and Nebula Award-winning science fiction author.
Chelsea Quinn Yarbro is an American author of science fiction, fantasy, horror, mystery and thriller novels, and winner of Bram Stoker Award for Lifetime Achievement.
John Picacio is an American artist specializing in science fiction, fantasy and horror illustration. He has won the Hugo Award for Best Professional Artist twice!

There are over 300 authors, artists, musicians, editors, publishers, critics, and scientists attending. You’ll find David D. Levine, Peter S Beagle, and many more as featured participants! So, you never know who you’ll be having coffee with in the morning. Check out the complete list here.

If you want to go, rooms are filling up fast at nearby hotels. So, hurry if you plan on attending. As always, have fun and happy mingling and learning.

P.D. Pabst
Blogger and writer of MG/YA fiction.

Arthur A. Levine Books (Scholastic) Submissions

June 4, 2018Literary, Publishing OpportunityArt, Arthur A. Levine Books, Author, books, Contract, Fiction, Illustration, Illustrations, Illustrator, Limitation, Manuscripts, Material, Middle Grade, Monthly, novels, Open Call, Opportunity, Picture Books, Publishing, Quota, Reading, Scholastic, Submissions, Unsolicited, Writer, Young Adultpdpabst

Arthur A. Levine Books

Did you know you could submit your manuscript or illustrations to Arthur A. Levine Books, an imprint of Scholastic? But they don’t take unsolicited material, you say? This is true. However, they will look at the following samples:

Picture Books: Query letter + the full text
Novels: Query letter + the first two chapters + synopsis
Other: Query letter + 10-page sample + synopsis/proposal
Illustration: Three sample illustrations and/or links to online portfolios

Currently (subject to change) they are accepting submissions every month, but have a limitation. If you are met with the message “There are presently no open calls for submissions,” they have reached their monthly limit on queries. Please wait until the first day of the next month to submit your query. And since Harry Potter is associated with this publisher, I imagine they meet their quota pretty fast!

If you read this post and get a publishing contract, please let me know. I’m always eager to know when someone learns about an opportunity from my blog and scores! Good luck!

P.D. Pabst
Writer and blogger of MG/YA Fiction

Don Freeman Grant for Illustrators

March 19, 2018Contests, LiteraryArt, Art Supplies, Authors, Contract, Don Freeman Grant, Enrollment, Illustrating, Illustrations, Illustrator, March, Members, Monetary Prize, Opportunity, Picture Book, Portfolio, Published, SCBWI, Techniquespdpabst

According to the webpage, the Don Freeman Grants are available to all members of the SCBWI, regardless of membership level, who are working on a picture book or their portfolio. They are not available for projects on which there is already a contract.

Two grants of $1,000 each will be awarded annually. One grant to a published illustrator and one to an pre-published illustrator. The money may be used in any way to help you complete your project. Acceptable uses include: purchasing art supplies, enrollment in workshops or conferences, courses in advanced illustrating or writing techniques, travel for research or to expose work to publishers/art directors, or childcare.

Enrolment is open and ends on March 31, 2018. Visit the webpage to for complete information and guidelines to submit. As always, good luck.

P.D. Pabst
Blogger and writer of MG/YA fiction.

Books I’ve Recently Read and Enjoyed!

December 27, 2017Literary, ReviewsAnimation, Authors, Beloved, books, Caraval, Children, Elly Blake, Enjoyed, Fantasy, Fiction, Fireblood, Foods, Frost King, Frostblood, Game, Giggles, Goodreads, Grandson, Grover, Heartbreak, Illustrations, Jon Stone, Josh Funk, Kids, Lady Pancake & Sir French Toast, Magic, Magical, Monster, Readers, Reading, Rhymes, Rhythm, Ruby, Scarlett, Sequel, Sesame Street, Stephanie Garber, Stories, Storytelling, Storytime, Tella, The Hunger Games, The Monster at the end of theis Book, The Night Circus, Writers, Young Adultpdpabst

As I said last month, I don’t often blog about what I’ve read, mostly because Goodreads has my list if anyone is interested. But, I realize some of my blog readers may not be part of Goodreads. I will try to do this more often. So, here are a few books I’ve read recently and enjoyed.

Frostblood by Elly Blake. Okay, so I actually listened to the audio book. But boy was I sucked into the world of Ruby hiding her fire gift in the cruel world of the frost king. And of course, like all creatures who try to hide things, they get found out. But when frostbloods rescue her from the frost king’s prison, she must learn to trust them and help save them from the evil king. Oh, and she just might fall in love with her enemy. What a fantastically imagined world! I enjoyed it so much, I had to listen to the sequel immediately afterwards:

Fireblood by Elly Blake. For those who might’ve skimmed the previous paragraph, this is the sequel to Frostblood. Again, Ruby’s world lured me in as she left her frost king–her love–to learn about her homeland of fire, a world she never knew growing up. In this book, her powers grow stronger and she risks never seeing her beloved frost king again. Oooh, this story was just as good as the first. How many times can you say that about sequels? My only complaint is that I have to wait until June 5, 2018 for the third book in this saga. Waaaaaa!

The Monster at the end of this Book by Jon Stone. Yeah, I read to my grandson people! Find a youngster and read this Sesame Street book. My grandson laughed and asked me to read again and again and again. Of course, when Grover says not to turn the page so the reader will never get to the end of the book because he’s afraid of seeing the monster at the end, I kept asking my grandson, “What do you think? Should we turn the page?” And of course, after some giggles, he’d say yes. What fun we had!

Caraval by Stephanie Garber. Entertainment weekly described this as The Hunger Games meets The Night Circus. Needless to say, I HAD to read it! The blurb says it best as Scarlett becomes “enmeshed in a game of love, heartbreak, and magic” as she searches to find her sister before Tella disappears forever. Loved it and can’t wait for the sequel!

Lady Pancake & Sir French Toast by Josh Funk. (No, not the Josh Funk I went to school with. LoL) This was a wonderful rhyming book that reminded me of some of the Dr. Seuss books I’ve read. My grandson loved the rhythm and seeing the illustrations of some of his favorite foods animated. Grab a kid and get to reading!

And there you have a quick view into what I’ve read lately. Let me know if you have any recommendations! Have a fantastic day.

P.D. Pabst
Blogger and writer of MG/YA fiction.

#PBPitch is Tomorrow!

June 21, 2017Contests, LiteraryArt, Authors, BookEnds Literary, Bradford Literary Agency, Chilldren's Books, Design, Dunham Literary, Fiction, Guidelines, Illustrations, Illustrators, Jennifer Dechiara Literary, June, Liza Royce Agency, Manuscripts, Marketing, Opportunity, PBPitch, Picture Books, Pitches, Pitching, Red Fox Literary, Sarah Freymann Literary, Stories, The Innovation Press, Thompson Literary, Twitter, Writerspdpabst

It’s time for another picture book twitter party using the hashtag #PBPitch! So, if you write or illustrate picture books, this is the event for you. This party will take place Thursday, June 22, 2017 from 8am-8pm EST. But remember, anyone can trawl the feed, so be sure and do your research! There will be legit agents and editors popping in and out, including those that haven’t confirmed attendance. But those that have confirmed are:

Liza Fleissig, Liza Royce Agency
Stephanie Fretwill-Hill, Red Fox Literary
Natascha Morris, BookEnds Literary
Kari Sutherland, Bradford Literary
Erica Rand Silverman, Stimola Literary
Cindy Uh, Thompson Literary
Jessica Sinsheimer, Sarah Freymann Literary
Rena Rossner, Deborah Harris Literary Agency
Editors from The Innovation Press
Roseanne Wells, Jennifer DeChiara Literary
Jennie Dunham, Dunham Literary

Be sure and only pitch once before 2pm and once after! (Yes, twice is all you get per manuscript!) If you’re an illustrator, you can attach an image to the pitch. For complete rules and proper hashtags, go here.

As always, good luck!

P.D. Pabst
Blogger and writer of MG/YA fiction.

Monthly Mumbles: Book Covers (or Lacking)

February 15, 2017LiteraryAdult, Advertising, Artists, Authors, Book Blurb, Book Covers, books, Cover Art, Create, Designs, Digital Art, Digital Editing, Drawings, Editing, Eye Candy, Fiction, Illustrations, Illustrators, Imaging, Inspiration, Manuscripts, Marketing, Middle Grade, Non-Fiction, Photography, Photos, Professional, publisher, Stimulate, Stories, Titles, Words, Writer, Young Adultpdpabst

Please note, these are solely my thoughts and nothing more. But, I had to share, regardless of how shallow my readers might think me to be. Recently I got asked to select a free book from a publisher to read. It was my choice, so I could’ve selected anything. I was slightly familiar with the publisher, since I know someone that edits for them. Thus, I was thrilled to take my freebie! (Besides…booooooks people!)

Now, we’ve all heard the phrase “don’t judge a book by its cover”. And sure, this holds true for many things, especially humans. But in marketing, what’s in front of a consumer must be visually stimulating. And I confess, I am a consumer that needs roused to pick up a book before I’ve ever read the blurb. But from a marketing standpoint, this is just smart business!

So, imagine my dismay as I perused unpleasant cover art from various titles to select my awarded freebie. Most looked cheaply done or simply didn’t mesh with the title. And forgive me for this, but I judge the lack of detail given to a book’s cover as indication of the lack of editing probably given to the story. My eyes will roam over the cover and move along to the next. And with technology today, there simply isn’t a good reason to have bad cover art!

As authors, we don’t always have control over the cover art, but I’d stress to stand ground when something seems extremely off or comes across cheap in appearance. Should a writer want a lovely embracing couple on their horror book? No, this would lead readers to think it’s a love story and could result in bad reviews from romance readers. And authors wouldn’t want a picture of an ocean if their entire story is set within a magical forest. Why would authors expect anything less than perfect for their book baby? This is even more important for authors self publishing. Take the same amount of time on the cover art as you spend on editing. If you hire out the art, be sure to check previous work before settling on the artist or company. This is about proper marketing. Give the reader a reason to pick up the book BEFORE they’ve read the blurb!

That’s it. Rant over.

P.D. Pabst
Blogger and writer of MG/YA fiction.

L. Ron Hubbard’s Writers & Illustrators of the Future

December 28, 2016LiteraryAmateurs, Animation, Artists, Authors, Contest Rules, Entrants, Fantasy, Illustrations, Illustrators of the Future, L. Ron Hubbard, Manuscripts, Monetary Prize, Pictures, Science Fiction, Stories, Submissions, Visual Art, Words, Worldwide, Writers, Writers of the Futurepdpabst

L. Ron Hubbard’s Writers and Illustrators of the Future contest entries end at 5pm on December 31, 2016. So, hurry and get your submissions in.

Writers

L. Ron Hubbard’s Writers of the Future Contest is an opportunity for new and amateur writers of new short stories or novelettes of science fiction or fantasy. No entry fee is required. Entrants retain all publication rights. All awards are adjudicated by professional writers only. Prizes every three months: $1,000, $750, $500, Annual Grand Prize: $5,000 additional! If you have not read the contest rules, please click here before submitting. To enter, go here.

Illustrators

L. Ron Hubbard’s Illustrators of the Future Contest is an opportunity for new science fiction and fantasy artists worldwide. No entry fee is required. Entrants retain all publication rights. All judging by professional artists only. $1,500 in prizes each quarter. Quarterly winners compete for $5,000 additional annual prize! If you have not read the contest rules, please click here before submitting. To enter, go here.

As always, good luck!

P.D. Pabst
Blogger and writer of MG/YA fiction.

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