The newest, most vibrant category to emerge in the volatile world of book publishing is the Children's Graphic Novel.That's a distinction that may be lost on some folks who may still believe that graphic novels, which are essentially comics printed in book form, are all for children.Fortunately most people are more enlightened these days and realize that graphic novels are, in fact, written for just as many audiences and types of readers as traditional books.The confusion arises because "graphic novel" has been used to describe just about every type of book featuring comics, other than manga (Japanes comics).Unlike other sections of the bookstore, such as "Mystery," "Science Fiction," or "Romance," "Graphic Novels" is not the name of a genre, but a category.Like "Audio Books," which can also encompass a multitude of genres, "Graphic Novels" are not just one type of book.In other words, until recently every type of graphic novel has simply been stacked together in one section regardless of content.The good news is that the Children's Graphic Novel is the first genre to break free from the generic Graphic Novel section.A wise move on many levels, especially because bookstores need to be sensitive to customers needs-particularly parents who don't wish to inadvertently purchase inappropriate material for their kids.So as a new section is carved out of the always-crowded bookstore shelves, astute publishers recognize the need for material to fill this new demand.And that's when ambitious writers start sniffing around to see if they can get in on this new craze.But what do they really need to know if they hope to actually sell a Children's Graphic Novel to a publisher? Let's take a look at, and answer, some of the most commonly asked questions.1) Do I need to be an artist?No, but it doesn't hurt if you are, and your proposal should include either the entire finished Children's Graphic Novel or a sizeable sample.If you're not an artist, then you will need to find one.Comics are obviously a visual medium, so even if you're not an artist, it's important to think visually.If you want to keep a kid's attention throughout your Children's Graphic Novel, it's important to keep the graphics as compelling and as exciting as your script.If either the story or the artwork appears boring, why would any kid want to read your graphic novel? For the best guidance check out Will Eisner's Comics and Sequential Art, Will Eisner's Graphic Storytelling and Visual Narrative, and ScottMcCloud's Understanding Comics. The Invisible Art.2) How do I find a Children's Graphic Novel artist?There are many ways.One is by attending comicbook conventions, especially those in large cities that feature portfolio reviews.Many professional or would-be comicbook artists attend these conventions hoping to find work from attending comicbook editors.Simply introduce yourself to these artists, explain that you're hoping to find an artist to work with to propose a Children's Graphic Novel.Don't feel obligated to work with the first artist who is willing to work with you.It may be best to suggest that you're looking for the right artist for your project, and that you'll need to review the work of several artists to find the one that's right.Another way to find an artist is by reviewing the samples posted on deviantart.Com.3) Do I need a contract with the artist?To be safe, it's probably best to have a written agreement between yourself and your artist before you actually start working together.For the best legal advise it's always best to consult an attorney.But if that's not practical, you should get an agreement in writing between yourself and your artist that spells out as much as possible, as specifically as possible.You want to be as fair, so the goal of the agreement is to your mutual expectations and goals, and to make allowances for either party to be able to walk away if things don't work out.No matter what, you should be clear that the copyright to your story is yours alone.The copyright to the artwork can belong to the artist.4) Is there an app that I can use to format my script?There may well be, but you don't need it.A comics script is similar to play, television, and film scripts, except it's divided into pages rather than scenes.While dialogue scenes can last for pages on end, especially in plays, comics and graphic novels are limited to how much art and dialogue can realistically fit on a physical page.It would be wise to study graphic novels that are similar to what you hope to do to get a clear idea of the word count in the word balloons and captions.Keep in mind, there are no hard and fast rules.If you wish to have sequences told without any dialogue at all, where you let the pictures tell the story (like the many thrilling silent sequences in Alfred Hitchcock films or in the imaginative wordless sequences in Brian Selznick's The Invention of Hugo Cabret), it's important that you give your artist as much information as possible.Unlike most modern movie screenplays that leave out character and set descriptions, as well as detailed information for each and every shot, comics scripts should have as much information for the artist as possible.5) Where can I see a sample script?Like everything these days, you can probably find many comicbook scripts online.The basics are fairly simple, as the short sample page illustrates. Mister Snuggles [Title of Children's Graphic Novel] Page Five [This is the fifth comics page, not necessarily the 5th script page] Panel One. (Mr.Snuggles is running to the front door of the apartment with a teddy bear in his mouth.) [Description of artwork for first panel.] Caption 1. It's 6.00 PM and even though Mr.Snuggles can't tell time, he somehow knows when Cortney is due home.[Text for first caption.] Panel Two. (Close-up of Cortney's hand inserting her key into the apartment's front door lock.The key is on a key chain containing other keys and a small figurine of a dog that looks very much like Mr.Snuggles.) SFX. K-CLICK [Sound Effect.] Panel Three. (The apartment door opens, and Cortney is thrilled to see Mr.Snuggles.Snuggles is also visibly happy to see Cortney and she bows down to pet him.Mr.Snuggles has dropped his teddy bear so that he can lick Cortney's face.) Caption 2..And he's always there to give her a warm welcome.[Note numbering of captions and word balloons is by the page, not by the panel or throughout the entire book.So Caption 2 indicates that this is the 2nd caption or word balloon on the page.] Cortney 3. Hey, I'm happy to see you too, little feller! SFX. SLURP!6) How do I know how many panels to place on a page?It depends on how big your printed page size will be, and how much you have happening within your panels.European graphic novels tend to be larger than American graphic novels, and contain far more panels per page, yet the format has not proven to be that popular in the United States.Even classics such as Tintin have been reformatted into smaller books in recent years.Standard American comics, which are about 6 " x 10" tend to average from four to six panels per page, which is fewer panels per page than was the norm decades ago.Manga or digest-sized comics will either have fewer panels per page or far more simplified page layouts.But again, there are no rules-as soon as an uncommonly sized Children's Graphic Novel becomes a bestseller, it's guaranteed that other Children's Graphic Novel publishers will start publishing at that size.7) What type of subject matter is taboo?That's a tricky question, and the answer truly depends on the publisher.Most major publishers hope to sell as many Children's Graphic Novels as possible, especially to schools and libraries, and are not too eager to test the boundaries of what's acceptable and what's not, preferring to play it safe.Other more daring independent publishers may be more willing to tackle controversial issues, in a politically correct fashion, to generate publicity and attention.Because Children's Graphic Novels are so visual, they're quite often even more conservative than many traditional Children's Books.While certain questionable words or scenes exist in such classics as Mark Twain's Tom Sawyer or Daniel Defoe's Robinson Crusoe, they're buried in the book's text, while any type of controversial scene could easily be taken out of context, by holding up the page before TV news cameras and pretending to be shocked at what the evil publishers are feeding to our innocent children.As a result, most of the people who buy Children's Graphic Novels for bookstores, schools, or libraries are careful to avoid ordering anything risky or controversial.The end result being that many kids may find the content in certain Children's Graphic Novels to be far too tame or juvenile for them.This poses is a constant challenge to publishers-to provide Children's Graphic Novels that can get past the overly protective gate-keepers and still be entertaining and hip enough for today's kids.8) Do I need an agent?While many traditional publishing houses still insist on exclusively dealing with agents, many graphic novel publishers are willing to work directly with authors and artists.Because this is still such a relatively new development in the world of traditional book publishing, the doors still remain open to creators without agents.Even literary agents haven't quite figured out how to respond to the demands of this new category.Children's Graphic Novels aren't quite the same thing as Children's Books.In fact, most Children's Books editors will not even look at a Children's Book proposal that comes with an artist attached, while editors looking at Children's Graphic Novel proposals wouldn't know how to find an artist for a graphic novel at this point.9) How do I find a publisher?If you have an agent, that would be the agent's job.Without an agent you need to be willing to do a lot of research.Many authors make the mistake of considering only existing Children's Graphic Novel publishers as their only potential publishers.The truth is that many traditional publishers may consider publishing a Children's Graphic Novel if it's something they believe they're uniquely suited to publish.For example, a business book publisher may have no interest in publishing a Children's Graphic Novel about a squad of dragon-fighting pixies, but they may be interested in publishing a graphic novel that attempts to explain basic business concepts-how a checking account works, for example-to children.Publications such as Publishers Weekly can offer a good overview of the book-publishing field and can provide invaluable information on countless publishers.Also, self-publishing has become far more common as the technology for print-on-demand has advanced.No longer is there a stigma attached to what used to be called "vanity press" publishing as more and more authors eliminate the middleman and self-publish.10) Does my Children's Graphic Novel have to be published as a physical book?No, it could be published as an ebook, especially as such technological breakthroughs as Apple's iPad make it possible for full-color, lavishly illustrated Children's Graphic Novels to be viewed on a screen as they were meant to be seen.Of course, it's still very early, and the question is-do enough children possess this kind of expensive hardware to make it financially worthwhile to be available exclusively in such a format? At this point, it makes more sense to have a digital version available as an additional option, and not the exclusive format.If ever there was an opportunity to break into publishing, creating a Children's Graphic Novel could be it.Good luck!
Monday, September 24, 2012
Writing and Selling a Children's Graphic Novel - Writer - The 10 Most Common Questions
The newest, most vibrant category to emerge in the volatile world of book publishing is the Children's Graphic Novel.That's a distinction that may be lost on some folks who may still believe that graphic novels, which are essentially comics printed in book form, are all for children.Fortunately most people are more enlightened these days and realize that graphic novels are, in fact, written for just as many audiences and types of readers as traditional books.The confusion arises because "graphic novel" has been used to describe just about every type of book featuring comics, other than manga (Japanes comics).Unlike other sections of the bookstore, such as "Mystery," "Science Fiction," or "Romance," "Graphic Novels" is not the name of a genre, but a category.Like "Audio Books," which can also encompass a multitude of genres, "Graphic Novels" are not just one type of book.In other words, until recently every type of graphic novel has simply been stacked together in one section regardless of content.The good news is that the Children's Graphic Novel is the first genre to break free from the generic Graphic Novel section.A wise move on many levels, especially because bookstores need to be sensitive to customers needs-particularly parents who don't wish to inadvertently purchase inappropriate material for their kids.So as a new section is carved out of the always-crowded bookstore shelves, astute publishers recognize the need for material to fill this new demand.And that's when ambitious writers start sniffing around to see if they can get in on this new craze.But what do they really need to know if they hope to actually sell a Children's Graphic Novel to a publisher? Let's take a look at, and answer, some of the most commonly asked questions.1) Do I need to be an artist?No, but it doesn't hurt if you are, and your proposal should include either the entire finished Children's Graphic Novel or a sizeable sample.If you're not an artist, then you will need to find one.Comics are obviously a visual medium, so even if you're not an artist, it's important to think visually.If you want to keep a kid's attention throughout your Children's Graphic Novel, it's important to keep the graphics as compelling and as exciting as your script.If either the story or the artwork appears boring, why would any kid want to read your graphic novel? For the best guidance check out Will Eisner's Comics and Sequential Art, Will Eisner's Graphic Storytelling and Visual Narrative, and ScottMcCloud's Understanding Comics. The Invisible Art.2) How do I find a Children's Graphic Novel artist?There are many ways.One is by attending comicbook conventions, especially those in large cities that feature portfolio reviews.Many professional or would-be comicbook artists attend these conventions hoping to find work from attending comicbook editors.Simply introduce yourself to these artists, explain that you're hoping to find an artist to work with to propose a Children's Graphic Novel.Don't feel obligated to work with the first artist who is willing to work with you.It may be best to suggest that you're looking for the right artist for your project, and that you'll need to review the work of several artists to find the one that's right.Another way to find an artist is by reviewing the samples posted on deviantart.Com.3) Do I need a contract with the artist?To be safe, it's probably best to have a written agreement between yourself and your artist before you actually start working together.For the best legal advise it's always best to consult an attorney.But if that's not practical, you should get an agreement in writing between yourself and your artist that spells out as much as possible, as specifically as possible.You want to be as fair, so the goal of the agreement is to your mutual expectations and goals, and to make allowances for either party to be able to walk away if things don't work out.No matter what, you should be clear that the copyright to your story is yours alone.The copyright to the artwork can belong to the artist.4) Is there an app that I can use to format my script?There may well be, but you don't need it.A comics script is similar to play, television, and film scripts, except it's divided into pages rather than scenes.While dialogue scenes can last for pages on end, especially in plays, comics and graphic novels are limited to how much art and dialogue can realistically fit on a physical page.It would be wise to study graphic novels that are similar to what you hope to do to get a clear idea of the word count in the word balloons and captions.Keep in mind, there are no hard and fast rules.If you wish to have sequences told without any dialogue at all, where you let the pictures tell the story (like the many thrilling silent sequences in Alfred Hitchcock films or in the imaginative wordless sequences in Brian Selznick's The Invention of Hugo Cabret), it's important that you give your artist as much information as possible.Unlike most modern movie screenplays that leave out character and set descriptions, as well as detailed information for each and every shot, comics scripts should have as much information for the artist as possible.5) Where can I see a sample script?Like everything these days, you can probably find many comicbook scripts online.The basics are fairly simple, as the short sample page illustrates. Mister Snuggles [Title of Children's Graphic Novel] Page Five [This is the fifth comics page, not necessarily the 5th script page] Panel One. (Mr.Snuggles is running to the front door of the apartment with a teddy bear in his mouth.) [Description of artwork for first panel.] Caption 1. It's 6.00 PM and even though Mr.Snuggles can't tell time, he somehow knows when Cortney is due home.[Text for first caption.] Panel Two. (Close-up of Cortney's hand inserting her key into the apartment's front door lock.The key is on a key chain containing other keys and a small figurine of a dog that looks very much like Mr.Snuggles.) SFX. K-CLICK [Sound Effect.] Panel Three. (The apartment door opens, and Cortney is thrilled to see Mr.Snuggles.Snuggles is also visibly happy to see Cortney and she bows down to pet him.Mr.Snuggles has dropped his teddy bear so that he can lick Cortney's face.) Caption 2..And he's always there to give her a warm welcome.[Note numbering of captions and word balloons is by the page, not by the panel or throughout the entire book.So Caption 2 indicates that this is the 2nd caption or word balloon on the page.] Cortney 3. Hey, I'm happy to see you too, little feller! SFX. SLURP!6) How do I know how many panels to place on a page?It depends on how big your printed page size will be, and how much you have happening within your panels.European graphic novels tend to be larger than American graphic novels, and contain far more panels per page, yet the format has not proven to be that popular in the United States.Even classics such as Tintin have been reformatted into smaller books in recent years.Standard American comics, which are about 6 " x 10" tend to average from four to six panels per page, which is fewer panels per page than was the norm decades ago.Manga or digest-sized comics will either have fewer panels per page or far more simplified page layouts.But again, there are no rules-as soon as an uncommonly sized Children's Graphic Novel becomes a bestseller, it's guaranteed that other Children's Graphic Novel publishers will start publishing at that size.7) What type of subject matter is taboo?That's a tricky question, and the answer truly depends on the publisher.Most major publishers hope to sell as many Children's Graphic Novels as possible, especially to schools and libraries, and are not too eager to test the boundaries of what's acceptable and what's not, preferring to play it safe.Other more daring independent publishers may be more willing to tackle controversial issues, in a politically correct fashion, to generate publicity and attention.Because Children's Graphic Novels are so visual, they're quite often even more conservative than many traditional Children's Books.While certain questionable words or scenes exist in such classics as Mark Twain's Tom Sawyer or Daniel Defoe's Robinson Crusoe, they're buried in the book's text, while any type of controversial scene could easily be taken out of context, by holding up the page before TV news cameras and pretending to be shocked at what the evil publishers are feeding to our innocent children.As a result, most of the people who buy Children's Graphic Novels for bookstores, schools, or libraries are careful to avoid ordering anything risky or controversial.The end result being that many kids may find the content in certain Children's Graphic Novels to be far too tame or juvenile for them.This poses is a constant challenge to publishers-to provide Children's Graphic Novels that can get past the overly protective gate-keepers and still be entertaining and hip enough for today's kids.8) Do I need an agent?While many traditional publishing houses still insist on exclusively dealing with agents, many graphic novel publishers are willing to work directly with authors and artists.Because this is still such a relatively new development in the world of traditional book publishing, the doors still remain open to creators without agents.Even literary agents haven't quite figured out how to respond to the demands of this new category.Children's Graphic Novels aren't quite the same thing as Children's Books.In fact, most Children's Books editors will not even look at a Children's Book proposal that comes with an artist attached, while editors looking at Children's Graphic Novel proposals wouldn't know how to find an artist for a graphic novel at this point.9) How do I find a publisher?If you have an agent, that would be the agent's job.Without an agent you need to be willing to do a lot of research.Many authors make the mistake of considering only existing Children's Graphic Novel publishers as their only potential publishers.The truth is that many traditional publishers may consider publishing a Children's Graphic Novel if it's something they believe they're uniquely suited to publish.For example, a business book publisher may have no interest in publishing a Children's Graphic Novel about a squad of dragon-fighting pixies, but they may be interested in publishing a graphic novel that attempts to explain basic business concepts-how a checking account works, for example-to children.Publications such as Publishers Weekly can offer a good overview of the book-publishing field and can provide invaluable information on countless publishers.Also, self-publishing has become far more common as the technology for print-on-demand has advanced.No longer is there a stigma attached to what used to be called "vanity press" publishing as more and more authors eliminate the middleman and self-publish.10) Does my Children's Graphic Novel have to be published as a physical book?No, it could be published as an ebook, especially as such technological breakthroughs as Apple's iPad make it possible for full-color, lavishly illustrated Children's Graphic Novels to be viewed on a screen as they were meant to be seen.Of course, it's still very early, and the question is-do enough children possess this kind of expensive hardware to make it financially worthwhile to be available exclusively in such a format? At this point, it makes more sense to have a digital version available as an additional option, and not the exclusive format.If ever there was an opportunity to break into publishing, creating a Children's Graphic Novel could be it.Good luck!
Sunday, September 23, 2012
The Hardy Boys Books Cheapest The Clue Of The Screeching Owl (Hardy Boys, Book 41) Online
The Hardy Boys Books See The Clue of the Screeching Owl (Hardy Boys, Book 41) Details
List Price : Price :
as of 2012-09-23 10:05 PM
What is a Ghostwriter?
Do you believe in ghosts?They are mostly unseen.Unnoticeable.And believe it or not they are moving behind the scenes in the publishing industry.If you're lucky you might catch a fleeting glimpse.They are officially called 'ghostwriters'.A ghostwriter is a writer who writes on an assigned topic under someone else's name, with their consent.They often write books completely from scratch but sometimes their work involves rewriting or polishing an existing work.Most books by famous personalities are actually written by ghostwriters.When you see an autobiography or memoir from a politician, businessperson, or celebrity, chances are that it has been written by a ghostwriter.Here are a few examples.The autobiography "Ronald Reagan. An American Life" was ghosted by Robert Lindsey."Learning to Sing", the autobiography of American Idol star Clay Aiken, was written with ghostwriter Allison Glock.The autobiographies of Doris Day and Sophie Loren were written by A.E.Hotchner.So how popular is ghostwriting? Statistics are hard to come by since many people don't want to reveal that their book is ghosted.Some industry estimates suggest that up to fifty percent of all non-fiction books are ghostwritten.A client may decide to hire a ghostwriter because the client does not have any writing talent or because they are too busy.Ghostwriters, for their part, are usually well-established writers already, and are selected on that basis.What do Ghostwriters Write?Ghostwriters are hired to write many types of documents, from autobiographies for famous personalities to e-books for internet marketing gurus, and even letters for politicians.They also write fiction.Sometimes it is for a series of books written by several ghostwriters under one name, as with the stories of Nancy Drew or The Hardy Boys.Ghostwriters also continue to write novels under the name of popular authors who have died, as in the case of Robert Ludlum.Is Ghostwriting Ethical?Although ghostwriting is a widely accepted practice within the publishing industry, some people outside of the industry complain that ghostwriting is deceptive.But that is not necessarily true.Consider for a moment the ghostwriting process.The client is the author of the work in that they are the person who is really behind the content.It is the client's ideas, the client's stories and experiences.It is the client's words recorded on hours of interview tapes.The ghostwriter is a professional consultant providing expertise in the area of bringing together all the information, organizing it, and writing it up in a way that will produce a marketable and readable masterpiece.What Skills does a Ghostwriter Need?A ghostwriter must be a good writer.He or she should also have good interviewing skills, since they will spend many hours and days interviewing clients.They should have the ability to ask good questions that will draw out the best aspects of a story.Another skill - which may need to be developed - is the ability to maintain the client's voice so that the book reads like the client, not the ghostwriter.How is a Ghostwriter Paid?Ghostwriters usually charge a flat fee for their work.Sometimes they will reduce their ghostwriting fee in return for a percentage (perhaps 25-50%) of the royalties, or in rare cases they may waive their fee in return for a percentage of royalties.The advantage of a flat fee is that a ghostwriter knows exactly how much he or she will be paid.The risk of relying on royalties is that even if the book is well-written, the ghostwriter has no control over the book's marketing and promotion.Does a Ghostwriter get Any Credit?More often than not, the public never knows that a book was ghostwritten.Sometimes ghostwriters are even legally bound to not reveal that they have ghosted a particular book.Occasionally ghostwriters will receive some credit.The writer's name may appear on the cover as a co-author or it might read "as told to Jenny Ghost." Another way to thank the ghostwriter is under the acknowledgements, for example ".And thanks to Joe Ghoul without whom this book would never have been completed".Are You Thinking of Becoming a Ghostwriter?It could be an excellent career move.You've probably heard it said that everyone has a book inside them.Well, the fact of the matter is that not everyone has the time or the skill to write it.As long as there is a story to be told, ghostwriters will continue to be in demand.
Top Valentine's Day Gifts For Boyfriends
Valentine's Day is coming and it is really a good chance for you to express your heartfelt feeling to your boyfriend.And what you really need now is a perfect gift! But what kind of gift will please your boyfriend? You may have discussed this question with many of your friends but still can not decide what to buy.This article lists down some awesome and sound gift ideas for boyfriends.Surly it will give you some hints.DIY Gifts.No matter what kind of gift you send to your boyfriend, it must be full of love, letting him feel that you do love him and want to be with him.So if you do something by yourself, such as preparing his favorite dishes or knitting a muffler according to his style and preference, etc.He will be very glad.Besides, writing a song or poem for him is also a great idea!Tickets for a Music or Concert.If your boyfriend is obsessed with art or music, then a ticket for a music or concert would turn to be a wonderful gift for him.Don't forget to buy another ticker for yourself since his Valentine's Day would not be complete without you.Clothes - Limited Edition Ed Hardy T-shirt.Maybe you just want to choose some finished gift that is exquisite and distinctive for your boyfriend.Then you really have to think carefully since you have too many choices which may bring you into a dilemma.What you need is something special and meaningful.So gift, such as limited edition T-shirt from Ed hardy is a great choice.Just make sure that the gift you choose is based on his preference.Tiffany Jewellery.Nowadays, jewelry is no longer the exclusive ornament for women, men also love wearing jewellery.Therefore, choose a piece of great jewellery for your boyfriend is also a perfect gift idea.And such brand jewelry as Tiffany jewelry would be the top choice for its fashionable design and affordable price.Hope you can get the perfect Valentine's Day gift for your boyfriend and enjoy a great Valentine's Day in 2010.
The Hardy Boys Books Buy Hardy Boys Complete Series Set, Books 1-66
The Hardy Boys Books See Hardy Boys Complete Series Set, Books 1-66 Details
List Price : $456.99 Price : $382.99
as of 2012-09-23 10:05 AM
Product Description
The Penguin Hardy Boys Complete Set: Available for the first time in one complete collection only at Amazon.com.
The Hardy Boys have been America's favorite detective duo for over 75 years. Now, for the first time, you can purchase all sixty-six classic Hardy Boys titles in one complete set!
#1: The Tower Treasure
#2: The House on the Cliff
#3: The Secret of the Old Mill
#4: The Missing Chums
#5: Hunting for Hidden Gold
#6: The Shore Road Mystery
#7: The Secret of the Caves
#8: The Mystery of Cabin Island
#9: The Great Airport Mystery
#10: What Happened at Midnight
#11: While the Clock Ticked
#12: Footprints Under the Window
#13: The Mark on the Door
#14: The Hidden Harbor Mystery
#15: The Sinister Signpost
#16: A Figure in Hiding
#17: The Secret Warning
#18: The Twisted Claw
#19: The Disappearing Floor
#20: Mystery of the Flying Express
#21: The Clue of the Broken Blade
#22: The Flickering Torch Mystery
#23: The Melted Coins
#24: The Short-Wave Mystery
#25: The Secret Panel
#26: The Phantom Freighter
#27: The Secret of Skull Mountain
#28: The Sign of the Crooked Arrow
#29: The Secret of the Lost Tunnel
#30: The Wailing Siren Mystery
#31: The Secret of Wildcat Swamp
#32: The Crisscross Shadow
#33: The Yellow Feather Mystery
#34: The Hooded Hawk Mystery
#35: The Clue in the Embers
#36: The Secret of Pirates' Hill
#37: The Ghost at Skeleton Rock
#38: Mystery at Devil's Paw
#39: The Mystery of the Chinese Junk
#40: Mystery of the Desert Giant
#41: The Clue of the Screeching Owl
#42: The Viking Symbol Mystery
#43: The Mystery of the Aztec Warrior
#44: The Haunted Fort
#45: The Mystery of the Spiral Bridge
#46: The Secret Agent on Flight 101
#47: Mystery of the Whale Tattoo
#48: The Arctic Patrol Mystery
#49: The Bombay Boomerang
#50: Danger on Vampire Trail
#51: The Masked Monkey
#52: The Shattered Helmet
#53: The Clue of the Hissing Serpent
#54: The Mysterious Caravan
#55: The Witchmaster's Key
#56: The Jungle Pyramid
#57: The Firebird Rocket
#58: The Sting of the Scorpion
#59: Night of the Werewolf
#60: Mystery of the Samurai Sword
#61: The Pentagon Spy
#62: The Apeman's Secret
#63: The Mummy Case
#64: Mystery of Smuggler's Cove
#65: The Stone Idol
#66: The Vanishing Thieves
To Text Or Not to Text - That is the Question
Leading nicely on from my last piece about how to "tool up" to communicate properly in your relationship, I find myself compelled to mention the wonderful world of non-verbal communication, in particular, texting.Daily life seems to cocoon us more and more within the world of laptops and virtual relationships with others and as well as the plethora of benefits in terms of connecting us with ever larger circles of people, it can, in intimate relationships, kill some of the essence of good old fashioned face to face dialogue.Now I am not saying texting is bad because indeed it has its benefits.For example, sending a sweet nothing to your loved one as they journey through their day, just to show you care, is lovely.Or to wish them luck when they are just about to head into an interview.It saves money on a phone call and sometimes for a quick word or two, it's not necessary to speak.I guess I just want to explore and share my thoughts on using texting to communicate when you really do need to talk.I have been guilty, if I can call it that, of trying to get my point across when I was peed off about something in my previous relationships.My intention? To tell him how I feel and then shut him out because I need to run away for a while! My defence plan "You are gonna know how I feel, but you are gonna have to run after me to fix it!" Crazy huh! But that's me.Think about how you use texting when you want to say something but are and this is the point, afraid to speak the words.I have learnt about two styles of behaving in conflict in relationships.I will call these two folk, minimisers and maximisers for the purpose of illustration.Maximisers in conflict are usually the more emotionally flowery people who want to talk about everything to sort problems out and they only feel connected when their partner listens and hears them.Maximisers can be overbearing and intense and sometimes can scare their partners with huge outbursts of emotional lava.Texting trends tend to be "hot pursuit" style.A new client said of his girlfriend recently, "She freaks me out sometimes and literally stalks me on text! I feel trapped and pretty intimidated and can't escape, so I shut her out to get some peace." This is classic!The opposite style, minimising, is when in conflict, that person's style is to shut down and not talk about what's bothering them in the moment.They believe they are the logical rational ones that never start the rows and they feel they are often the more mature partner in the relationship.Their texting style is often short and sweet and boy, lots of minimisers use texting to keep their maximising partner, at bay.I have a friend who loves texting when her man "starts" cause she can tell him how she feels then turn the phone off to control his octopus style clinging.Sounding familiar? So in this way texting can nurture your tendency in conflict to remain where you are in your style of learned behaviour i.E.Maximising or minimising.My main point is that texting in conflict will usually inflame rather than smooth, because we can so easily take the words the wrong way.I will agree that sometimes a quick text to say "darling, I feel a little emotional about what you said earlier, can we talk later?" is ok, because it is stating how you feel rather than chucking a great big hang grenade criticism.But remember with texting, it is the words you use that can aggravate or smooth.So if you feel utterly compelled to text.Explain how you feel, NOT what your beau is doing to pee you off.Blaming and shaming never works and on text it's a very detached way of putting your point across.I had an emotionally intense relationship 3 years ago, where most of my more difficult conversations were on text because I felt afraid of his response.I can't talk for his feelings about it, but it was almost like I couldn't face him for fear that he would leave me at some point.I used to get really upset if he blocked me out and shut down when he was angry, so I would "fire" a text to try and wound him in his rabbit hole, then I would shut down and retreat hoping and praying he would come get me and make it better.Oh what a survival strategy!Let me go on to use an analogy here.Your world of you, is like an island.On your island, with all your thoughts and feelings and the way you see life, your partner cannot possibly know exactly where you are at because they are on their own island.When you send a text, imagine if you will that it is a flare, it lands on their island and can and will be received with their views and feelings and opinions about what the message is that you have sent.Not how you originally intended.Get me? The only way to really hear your partner or for them to hear you, is to visit the other's island and be fully present with them, leaving your island behind.This is what I teach in my work.Good old fashioned, heart centred connection where verbal communication, face to face, is the only true way to achieve a healthy conscious relational space.So often texting can be muddled in its "received" mode.Taking it the wrong way is common.How many times have you got it wrong when someone has texted you and how many times did your receiver take it the "wrong" way from you? Easy to do.Our previous experiences create a filtering system in our minds and certain words or messages will be absorbed, filtered and according to your values and beliefs you will react according to what your resulting "output" is.Having a conversation with your partner can ease the ability to take it the way to choose, rather than the way they meant it.Our stories about what we think is coming from our partner can be way off the mark, so please, if you to need to say something delicate, say it don't text it.It saves a lot of hassle in the long run!Finally.The next time, as you start to send a text to your loved one in a bad moment, perhaps after a row or even before one, stop and think a little.Does your relationship deserve to have you contributing in this way or would it be better to tell your loved one face to face how you feel about what is happening?Enjoy texting for the fun of it.Leave the tougher bits to the bravery of talking.Go on.You can do it!
Thursday, September 20, 2012
Ways to Get Ideas For a Children's Graphic Novel
The one question every kind of writer is asked sooner or later is-where do you get your ideas? Author Harlan Ellison supposedly replied "Poughkeepsie." Author Neil Gaiman more candidly reveals "'I make them up,' I tell them.'Out of my head.'".The answer, it turns out, is different for just about every writer, and for almost each idea.For the relatively new field of Children's Graphic Novels, the answers are just as varied.A graphic novel is itself a relatively new idea-comics in book form.While comics have been around for over a hundred years, and often collected in books, the idea to call books containing original comics stories "graphic novels" has only been around since the 70s.And comics for children have been around for about as long as comics themselves, but believe it or not, Children's Graphic Novels is now the latest new idea in the world of book publishing.Some Children's Graphic Novels have even been around for decades-Herge's Tintin, for example.But now the publishing industry believes it has discovered a new category for potential growth in the ever-decreasing world of book sales, and publishers are looking to find the next Diary of a Wimpy Kid series.How can you possibly create the next big thing? Here are six suggestions on how to get an idea for your Children's Graphic Novel..1) Everything old is new again.Andy Warhol once remarked that he simply took old ideas and made them seem new.Since Children's Graphic Novels are really just an old idea with a fancy new name, why shouldn't you explore taking old successful comicbook ideas and reinventing them for a new generation? Hollywood is constantly remaking old movies-a few years ago Warner Bros.Produced a new Nancy Drew movie based on the Girl Detective who was originally created back in 1930.Television recycles ideas all the time.The TV series Veronica Mars was really an updated version of Nancy Drew.Finding a once popular kid's concept and recreating it as your own Children's Graphic Novel, requires both creativity and cleverness.It can't be too much like the original-you don't want to get sued.But if you pull it off, you may become the creator of the next Harry Potter, and reap the tremendous rewards.2) Be alert to trends.Publishers love to hop on whatever the latest bandwagon may be in their never-ending quest to find the next big thing.The trick is to move fast, before the trend fades away and kids move on to the next trend.It helps if your idea isn't completely dependent on the trend, but merely incorporates certain elements of that trend into your Children's Graphic Novel concept in an original way.3) Read the New York Post.Best-selling author Jackie Collins recently admitted on Chelsea Lately that she gets her ideas from Rupert Murdoch's tart-tongue tabloid.You don't need to specifically subscribe to the Post, any newspaper or news source will do.The trick for the Children's Graphic Novel writer would be to find the stories that would be of greatest interest to kids.For example, on the front page of a recent Post there's a story on the Tiger Woods scandal.Obviously, that story is far too racy for children, but the idea of a kid being a golf champion has potential.Be careful, sometimes truth really is stranger than fiction, and the idea you choose may seem too outlandish in fictional form.4) It works for Hollywood.Many major motion pictures are often based on something called a "high concept." While many movies may seem like they were dreamed up by stoned movie executives, that's not what "high concept" means.The idea of "high concept" is to create a compelling idea for a movie that can be communicated to the potential audience in just one sentence."The son of a pair of murdered witches seeks to avenge his parents by becoming a master wizard" could've been the pitch for Harry Potter.The original pitch for Star Trek, the TV series, was "Wagon Train to the stars." That pitch was brilliant in that it took an old idea, and dressed up with the then-modern hopes and dreams of America's love of the NASA space program.Having a high concept is helpful to potential publishers as it greatly helps them figure out how to promote and market your Children's Graphic Novel.5) Mix and match.This is basically a slight variation on the "high concept" idea.Often a "high concept" pitch may be nothing more than combining two previous successful concepts.Usually the pitch sounds similar to the title of that old Universal classic "Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein." The trick is to pitch these ideas with a straight face- "Star Trek meets Harry Potter" or "The Addams Family meets Meet the Parents." The pitch is not meant to be taken literally, although Hollywood did give us Aliens Vs.Predator (which was originally pitched and produced as a series of comicbooks).6) This is your life.And lest we forget the age old advice "write what you know," there are always ideas that come from your own personal experiences.Mark Twain certainly found a wealth of material from his childhood to form the foundation for Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn.Many graphic novels created for adults have been semi-autobiographical, and the best-selling Diary of a Wimpy Kid certainly proves the formula can work with children too.Gene Luen Yang created a graphic novel, suitable for all ages, which borrowed heavily from his childhood and created the award-winning American Born Chinese.Is there something unique in your past that would provide a wealth of great story material? Then by all means, use it.The above idea-starters are presented as examples of how many Children's Graphic Novel writers may get their ideas.On the other hand, some of the very best creative ideas seem to just come to writers, oftentimes even in dreams.The trick is to be open to such ideas when they do come.Keeping a pad and pencil handy is always a good idea!
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