saturday REPORTS	LA '07
	fri, 8/3
	sun, 8/5
	mon, 8/6

saturday
august 4, 2007
Nancy D. Lewis, Metro New York Regional Advisor

(L-R): Tracey Adams, Kate Schafer

On Saturday, August 4, 2007, the conference continued with the viewpoints of two agents. Kate Schafer and Tracey Adams discussed the differences between working for a large agency with a support staff and running a small agency. Topics included how sub rights are handled, the type of contract they will have with an author or illustrator, and why they might exclusively submit a manuscript to one editor. They both agree that they have to love a book to take it on. It needs to speak to them, make them laugh, and make them want to spend time with it.

Kadir Nelson

Award-winning illustrator Kadir Nelson also has to love a manuscript in order to be willing to spend a year illustrating it. He looks for well-written manuscripts that give him the opportunity to do something new. Once he's taken on a manuscript he reads it several times getting images in his mind and making little sketches directly on the manuscript. When he is done he has the basic sketches for the book. When he was young, Nelson had trouble drawing freehand. He turned to “how-to-draw” books to learn about his craft.

Tamora Pierce

Children turn to many kinds of books for answers and encouragement. Author Tamora Pierce shared how fantasy shows readers that even in a created world it is normal to screw up. Things go wrong and then get worse, but somehow it works out okay. Fantasy also deals with honor and courage, which are tough subjects today. A successful book shows the complexities of life, lets children know that they are not alone, and, in many ways, prepares them for reality.

Rubin Pfeffer

Publisher Rubin Pfeffer considers a book successful if it makes money for everyone, if readers like the book and are glad they bought it, if it has sellable subsidiary rights, and if it has a foreseeable backlist life. Books with great content will help improve literacy, create lifelong readers and enrich lives while making money. Although profitability is important, the bottom line is to get children reading. Pfeffer encouraged attendees to support literacy programs and reading initiatives and to help spread the message that reading is cool.

 

Ellen Wittlinger

Author Ellen Wittlinger discussed creating content for teen novels. She suggested a number of ways to find out what's hot for teens, such as hanging out in the mall food court. However, to find the deepest secrets, writers should go back in time to when they were confused teens. Teens are looking for answers and direction, and they often find both in books. To make the stories real, writers must have their teen memories in their hearts and guts not just in their heads.

Ashley Mims	©2007, Ashley Mims

The Juried Portfolio Showcase became a celebration for several illustrators who found work as a result of showing their portfolios. Congratulations to the 100 artists who displayed their portfolios and to the award winners: Patricia Cantor, third runner up; Stephanie Roth, second runner up; David Hohn, first runner up; and Ashley Mims, the 2007 Grand Prize Winner. Mims received a trip to New York to meet interested art directors. The day ended “By the Light of the Silvery Moon” at the 2007 Poolside Gala, where amidst the laughter, music, and dancing, outfits glittered, gowns glowed, and jewelry flashed.