Meet our 2017 SCBWI Europolitan Mentee Linda Hofke

By Patti Buff


Taking part in a mentor program is a wonderful opportunity to "up your game" by working intensively with a publishing professional. Joining us on the blog today is our very own Linda Hofke, a writer living in Germany to talk about her work and why she chose to apply for a mentorship with Jill Esbaum.

2017 SCBWI Europolitan Mentee
Linda Hofke

We’d love to get to know you a little bit, so please tell us a bit about how you got into writing, how long you’ve been writing and what your preferred genre is to write?



I’ve been writing since childhood. I would make up stories or poems, write them down, and give them as gifts to relatives. In junior high I started writing for the school newspaper. My English teacher liked my creative writing style and gave me some advice, “When you go to high school, don’t get caught up in boys. Focus on writing. You have talent.” Well, though I didn’t go boy crazy, I had a crazy schedule. I took a double major of college prep classes and business classes, was on the newspaper and yearbook staff, secretary of student government, cheerleading captain, and played lacrosse and tennis. There was no time to write. And my new advisors spoke about how risky the writing life can be. I took the safer route and got my Bachelors degree in Elementary Education.

Then I became a mother. You know how that goes. My daughter is the joy of my life, but five years ago I decided to get back to writing. I started writing poetry and flash fiction for literary journals. One editor even nominated me for a Pushcart Prize. But the passion was missing. I took a step back and listened to my heart. It said write what you love most. Write children’s books. So I joined SCBWI and started learning and writing. Picture books are my favorite (both fiction and nonfiction) but I also write children’s poetry and magazine articles and have started a middle grade book.



Where do you like to write? What does a typical writing session look like for you?

Remember that school schedule I mentioned? Well, my life schedule is sort of the same. So my writing session is scattered here and there. I jot down ideas while on the bus, plot in between my various appointments, and write very late at night while my husband and daughter are fast asleep. But my favorite writing spot is anywhere in nature. I often get the best story ideas or figure out key points of works-in-progress while hiking in the woods.

Linda's inspiration?

Can you tell us about the story you submitted to the mentorship program and the reason why you thought a mentor would be able to help you?


It’s a chase story. My young MC must find a way to rid her house of a cute, home-invading squirrel whose funny antics aren’t so funny when her precious school competition invention is threatened.

What’s funny is I wasn’t aware that one of Jill’s first books is a chase story. Estelle Takes a Bath came out in 2006. I haven’t read it yet but, apparently, as Estelle is enjoying a nice bubble bath, a warmth-seeking mouse appears and the chase begins. The house gets trashed but all ends well. There are many similarities between the two stories. In fact, we seem to think along the same lines when it comes to story ideas. I am writing a spoof off the character Frankenstein and this year her book Frankenbunny was published. Last year Jill’s Teeny Tiny Toady was released. I have a frog story. Jill also writes books for National Geographic Kids, and as a nature and animal lover, that caught my attention.



What attracted you to the mentor that you chose? Out of the other three mentors available, what was it about her that made you think ‘that’s the mentor for me’?

Last year I attended the WOW Retreat in Helen, GA. Jill was one of the authors on staff. I found her to be both professional and friendly. But the winning factor was Jill’s story characters. I love scaredy-cow Nadine from I Am Cow, Here me Moo!, her brave toad Teeny, and Stanza, the thug who writes poetry. But the real kicker was when I read Elwood Bigfoot. I fell in love with Elwood, a creature with the same bird-loving heart as me. And so funny. With such fabulous characters, I knew that Jill could guide me in adding an emotional element to my stories through character development. She does it so well and I feel this is something that I need to improve upon in my stories.

Hopefully every writing path is as
lovely as this one. 

And finally, what do you expect to achieve by the end of this mentorship?


Fame, fortune, and the big movie deal. But seriously, the reason is simple. I want to improve my writing. By doing so, I am one step closer to my larger goals—finding an agent and being a published author.

Thank you for joining us, Linda! We wish you lots of luck on your new adventure and we'll check in with you again next spring. And thank all of our readers for joining us on this fun, new adventure. I hope you're just as excited to catch up with all three of our mentees next year! Until then, keep writing!

Meet our 2017 SCBWI Europolitan Mentee Tara O'Dowd

by Patti Buff


Taking part in a mentor program is a wonderful opportunity to "up your game" by working intensively with a publishing professional. Joining us on the blog today is Tara O'Dowd, a writer from The Netherlands to talk about her work and why she chose to apply for a mentorship with Janet Fox.

2017 SCBWI Europolitan Mentee
Tara O'Dowd

Welcome Tara! We’d love to get to know you a little bit, so please tell us a bit about how you got into writing, how long you’ve been writing and what your preferred genre is to write? 

I’ve been writing since I was a child, sometimes inspired by history, by my beloved dog, or by my cousins. Three years ago when I moved from the US to the Netherlands, I went back to fiction for the first time in many years. Middle Grade feels like my sweet spot as far as age range goes, but I’m not ready to stick with one genre.

A college of images used for inspiration

Where do you like to write? What does a typical writing session look like for you? 

I write in my bed, with chocolate and coffee nearby, or on the train. I usually start with an idea of what I want to write or revise. I may stop in the middle to look at images online or to research. I end when I feel as though I can’t sit still any longer. Sometimes that’s after one hour, other times I can work for eight hours.

Zombie Tara and son as a result of a
scene in her book.

Can you tell us about the story you submitted to the mentorship program and the reason why you thought a mentor would be able to help you?

Think The Princess Diaries meets MacGyver. My son and I have spent hours trying to convince my daughter that being a princess would be horrible—the worst thing ever. This story is my counter-argument in favor of princesses. (It has nothing to do with makeovers, if you’re wondering.) When I learned about this program, I knew I wanted to apply, if any of the mentors seemed to suit me. I felt that I would be better able to see where I need to go with this story and my craft with the help of a thoughtful mentor.

What attracted you to Janet Fox, the mentor you chose? Out of the other three mentors available, what was it about her that made you think ‘that’s the mentor for me’?

I was excited as soon as I read Janet Fox’s bio, particularly by the description of her forthcoming book THE LAST TRUE KNIGHT, described as “a tale of alternative facts and gender identity set in a magical Elizabethan England.” That description covers a number of my obsessions, as well as sounding as though it could go on the same shelf with my story. So I read one of her books, The Charmed Children of Rookskill Castle, and I knew she was the one.

And finally, what do you expect to achieve by the end of this mentorship? 

I’d like to be done with all the big picture work. I suspect that my story still contains too many sub-plots and too many characters, and at times deviates from its strongest points. I’m also hoping to be better at analyzing my work, both at the scene level and overall.

Thank you for joining us, Tara! We wish you lots of luck on your new adventure and we'll check in with you again next Spring.

Wien SCBWI September Meet: Coffee, writing and common love

by Elary Wakefield

from left to right: Paul Malone, Devon Brown,
Keith McGowan and Elary Wakfield

Our little clutch of writers managed to meet up in Cafe Prückel just as a brilliant storm was rolling in. The wonderful old style romantics of the little cafe meshed beautifully with the sound of the pattering rain outside. Inside, it was filled with the smell of fresh pastries, hot coffee and buzzing with banter from all over the world.

Our group has a wide range of talents, from published to first time novel writers. Myself and Devon Brown are pre-published, working hard toward seeing our first books go to print. Keith McGowan, who has two published books; The Witch's Guide to Cooking with Children and The Witch's Curse, will be an amazing resource for all of us. Our grand leader is Paul Malone, who holds a wealth of knowledge about publishing short stores in newspapers and magazines. We are trying to egg him in to his first novel. It’s working.

Surprisingly, the majority of us come from the New York and Boston area, except for Paul who is from Australia. Everyone seems to have come to the beautiful city of Vienna with two common goals: Love and writing. There can be nothing better than that.

We are still open to new members if you are in the area of Vienna. Please contact Paul at paul(dot)malone(at)chello(dot)at if interested. We’ll be having our next meeting on October 7th.

Meet our 2017 SCBWI Europolitan Mentee Kerry Dwyer

by Patti Buff

Taking part in a mentor program is a wonderful opportunity to "up your game" by working intensively with a publishing professional. Joining us on the blog today is Kerry Dwyer, an illustrator from Switzerland to talk about her work and why she chose to apply for a mentorship with Bridget Marzo.

2017 SCBWI Europolitan Mentee
Kerry Dwyer

Tell us a little bit about yourself. When did you start taking your art seriously and thinking that you wanted to illustrate for children? Do you have a preferred theme or topic you love to illustrate?

I am originally from Massachusetts and I lived for many years in California where I worked in television animation and other areas of illustration. I moved to the land of the Alps some years ago where I now live with my husband and two step-children. I always liked to draw, kept sketch books at an early age and used to create my own children’s books, as many children do, in very 1980’s wallpaper. I am really drawn to funny stories and would even like to illustrate more dry-ish humor; but at the same time I love very emotional sweet stories. I like to draw people-they tend to be the focus of my work and am interested in stories that reflect humanity’s quirkiness. Non-fiction and historical fiction content also interests me a great deal.

Sample from Kerry's portfolio

What is your preferred method of creating your illustrations? And how long does it take you to go from a first draft to a “finalized” piece?

I like to create work in many ways but for my last portfolio I was mainly using a mixed media technique where I actually collage different painted elements of the characters, foregrounds and backgrounds. I ended up with this technique because I wanted to loosen up with how tightly I was drawing and painting. (from years of work inking in animation) As well, I am working more digitally now in Photoshop now. I also do love drawing with line as well and hope to someday incorporate this as an additional style. As for timing, I tend to sketch and do the color studies rather quickly – the real work comes with the mixed media technique. It takes me anywhere from 1 to 3.5 days to do a piece.  A very detailed piece could take up to 4-5 days.

Character sketches

You had to submit up to 16 pieces of your portfolio for this mentorship program. How difficult was it for you to choose the pieces you ended up sending? What was it about them you felt gave you the best chance?

I submitted most of the pieces featured on my last on-line portfolio. As well, I included a dummy and some artwork from that story I had finished for the Europolitan conference. I thought the pieces would give her a sense of what my style is as of now.

What attracted you to try out for the mentorship program?

Illustration by Kerry Dwyer

Well, I really respond to Bridget’s work- so I thought her feedback would be very valuable. As well- One thing I love about working in illustration is the independence of it but also I like the times of collaboration. I thought it would be very nice to share the process of expanding my portfolio with a mentor and have access to her thoughts and insights.

Kerry's studio in Switzerland

And finally, what do you expect to achieve by the end of this mentorship?

I look forward to seeing what this collaboration will bring. 2016 was a busy time with my other

work- so I look forward to this time of focus on evolving my techniques and getting Bridget’s feedback on some projects and ideas I would now like to illustrate. I have a list of changes I would like to make and I am keen to receive her thoughts on them. I am also interested in getting Bridget’s reviews of some digital pieces. As well as how she would advise varying my portfolio but still keeping it cohesive. It would just be very nice to work with someone of her talent.

Thank you for joining us, Kerry! We wish you lots of luck on your new adventure and we'll check in with you again next Spring.

Europolitan Mentor Interviews Part 4: Jill Esbaum

by Patti Buff


Welcome to our interview series with the Europolitan Mentors! The Europolitan Mentorship program pairs qualified, inspirational mentors with aspiring authors and illustrators, who write in English, to help bring them closer to publication, or to publication at a higher level. Each mentor will select one mentee from all applicants.

This six-month online one-on-one program provides mentees the opportunity to work personally with and learn from a successful professional with teaching experience and a proven track record in children’s literature.

In this series of articles, you will get a closer look at the 2017 mentors; who they are, their writing journey and what potential mentees should know about them. For more information about the program and how to apply, visit the website.


Our next interview is with Jill Esbaum. Jill is mentoring picture books, both fiction and nonfiction.

Jill Esbaum writes picture books filled with humor and heart on her family farm in eastern Iowa, USA. Recent titles include IF A T. REX CRASHES YOUR BIRTHDAY PARTY, TEENY TINY TOAD (starred review, Kirkus; also on their Best Books of 2016 list), and ELWOOD BIGFOOT – WANTED: BIRDIE FRIENDS (NAIBA 2015 Pick of the Lists). Her books have been nominated for state awards (TOM'S TWEET in Iowa and South Dakota; STANZA in Indiana; I AM COW, HEAR ME MOO!, in Nebraska), named to the International Reading Association’s Notable Children’s Book list (STE-E-E-E-EAMBOAT A-COMIN'!) and the International Youth Library’s White Ravens List (I AM COW, HEAR ME MOO!); and featured as a New York Times Editor’s Choice (I HATCHED!). Scholastic Book Fairs have offered both I AM COW, HEAR ME MOO! and ELWOOD BIGFOOT, as well as many of her nonfiction titles. Coming soon are FRANKENBUNNY (Sterling, Nov 2017) and HOW TO GROW A DINOSAUR (Dial, Feb 2018).

Her nonfiction books, all published by National Geographic Kids, include five titles in the PICTURE THE SEASONS series, four ANGRY BIRDS PLAYGROUND books, three titles in the BIG BOOK OF – series, many books in the EXPLORE MY WORLD series, and a picture book with renowned photographer Frans Lanting, ANIMAL GROUPS.

Jill created a group blog of fellow picture book writers and illustrators called Picture Book Builders(www.picturebookbuilders.com). She visits schools, teaches at conferences around the U.S., and co-hosts the Whispering Woods Picture Book Writing Workshop in eastern Iowa each summer. She has twice served as a mentor for SCBWI-Iowa. Find more information at her website, www.jillesbaum.com

Welcome Jill! And thank you so much for being a Europolitan mentor! I always like to know about how people became writers so could you share with us your path to writing. Was this something you’d always done or did you pick it up along the way?

I didn’t begin writing until the youngest of my three kids was in kindergarten. We’d always read lots of picture books and had moved into chapter books. The more kid lit I read, the more I itched to try it myself. Once I began, I was hooked! About that time, my mom found a story I’d written at age 7. Talk about serendipity. That story brought back a rush of memories. As a child, I’d loved storytelling. I felt like I was coming back to my real self somehow––after a 30-year absence. Oh, wait. This is what I was supposed to do with my life? How had I let myself get so sidetracked?!


Another late-bloomer! I love it! Since writing and publishing are two different beasts, could you share with us how you first became published and what you’ve learned over the years about publishing?

I took a basic how-to-write-for-children night class (one evening/week for 6 weeks) at a local community college, and when that was finished, a handful of us continued meeting monthly to critique one another’s work. The class instructor, author David Collins, was part of the group, too. When he saw me subbing picture book manuscript after picture book manuscript and getting nowhere, he gently suggested I back up the truck and try to crack the magazine market. That worked out beautifully for me. Those acceptances of my poems, stories, and nonfiction convinced me that I was on the right track––or nearing it, anyway.

I kept submitting picture book stories, of course, making every mistake possible.

• I sent out stories too soon. Habitually. 
• I once sent out an unfinished story, because it was so clever and funny an editor would surely help me come up with an ending, right? 
• I carefully submitted to two editors who had asked for more of my work…and learned two weeks later that I’d mixed up the cover letters in which I’d detailed why I thought each of those particular editors was the perfect match for my story. (One returned the mismatched package to me. The other did not.) 
• I made a fool of myself at my first in-person editorial critique. (Exhausted from two sleepless nights, I slammed a Coke right before my time slot, then couldn’t shut up.) 

But every mistake brought me closer to an acceptance. Four and a half years after I started submitting, I got the phone call that FSG wanted to buy my Stink Soup.

I hyperventilated. The editor laughed and told me he’d wait while I found a paper bag. Unbelievably, this was the patient editor with whom I’d botched my first one-on-one the year before.

Twenty years of writing and submitting to a bazillion markets has taught me too many things to list, but the most important would likely be this: We MUST develop the ability to see our own work with objective eyes. It’s tough, tough, tough. What helped me the most in that area was five years of teaching for the Institute of Children’s Literature. Every week brought 15-18 student submissions that I always critiqued before working on my own writing. By the time I finished those, I was tired and crabby, and if anything in my own work wasn’t “perfect,” I had no trouble trashing it.

The most important thing I’ve learned about publishing itself is that it’s impossible to guess what editors/publishers want to see. We simply have to put our best work out there and hope good things follow.


Those are horror stories, but with a twist happy ending! What role did mentors, critique groups or an MFA program play in your creative career?

Jill and her dog, Brodie

Two early teachers/mentors of mine (sadly, both gone now) were David Collins, who, in that original
night class, stressed the necessity of developing thick skin, and nonfiction author Mel Boring, who led three or four summer workshops I attended. Both saw promise in my writing, and Mel even went so far as to corner my husband at an end-of-the-week workshop dinner to tell him I had what it took. That was when I’d only sold a few poems, and it did more to boost my confidence (and my husband’s confidence in me) than anything prior.

I have neither a four-year degree nor an MFA. Everything I know about writing was learned through my own reading, through practice and failure, and through SCBWI. There has been nothing––nothing––that has helped me more in my career than attending conferences. I’ve met some of my best friends, met editors I’ve later worked with, and soaked up untold amounts of writing wisdom from agents, editors, and authors/illustrators. I know for a fact I would not be where I am today if not for SCBWI conferences. I even met my first editor at a retreat! Whether you’re published or not, there’s absolutely nothing like walking into a big room filled with people who share your passion of writing for kids. People who get you.

These days, my online critique group, made up of fellow SCBWI members I admire, respect, and trust, includes Andrea Donahue, Pat Zietlow Miller, Lisa Morlock, and Norene Paulson. They. Are. Awesome.


Yay for SCBWI! What excites you most about being a mentor for the SCBWI Europolitan Mentor Program?

Working with and encouraging a promising new talent! I used to do private picture book critiques, and there isn't much that beats the feeling of learning that a story I critiqued has gone on to find a publishing home. Too cool! Always makes me feel like a new auntie or something.

What else should potential mentees know about you?

I hope this interview convinces potential mentees that I was once in their shoes, wanting to be published, searching for that elusive “secret,” and not sure how I was falling short. My critiques are kind, but I will not lie to you and will do the very best I can to get your stories to the point that an editor won’t be able to resist.

Sample of Jill's Books

Dial Books for Young Readers, 2014

Nadine can talk a blue streak, and one day she tells a real whopper: she isn't afraid of anything--no siree! Then her friends call her bluff, and Nadine must enter. . .The Deep. Dark. Woods. Only the woods aren't so scary after all, until the sun sets, that is, and Nadine can't find her friends. What is this boastful bovine to do? Run around in blind terror? Plummet off a cliff? Crash into a stream? Check, check, and check. But is all lost? Doubtful. After all, she is cow, hear her MOOOOOOOOO!


*2015 Crystal Kite Award winner, Midwest Region, SCBWI

*Cooperative Children’s Book Center (CCBC) Choices (Best of the Year List), 2014

*Louisiana Reading Assoc. Children’s Choice nominee, 2014-2015

*Picture Book Oscars - Best Female Character in a 2014 Picture Book: Nadine

http://coreyschwartz.blogspot.com/2015/02/the-2014-picture-book-oscars.html

*2016-2017 Nebraska Golden Sower award nominee

*2015 White Ravens List

*Selected for Scholastic Book Clubs

Sterling Publishing 2016

You never know what will happen when a T. Rex crashes your birthday party. Sure, you'll be super excited when he turns up at your door. But then he’ll stomp. He’ll ROAR. He’ll look at you as if he’s wondering how you taste with a little mustard. In the end, though, you just may find yourself asking him to come back next year! This delightfully whimsical picture book has a fun twist kids will love.

National Geographic Children's Books 2015

Introduce young readers to some of the world's most interesting and important people in this bold and lively first biography book. More than 100 colorful photos are paired with age-appropriate text featuring profiles of each person, along with fascinating facts about about their accomplishments and contributions. This book inspires kids about a world of possibilities and taps into their natural curiosity about fascinating role models from education advocate Malala Yousafzai to astronaut Neil Armstrong.

National Geographic Children's Books July 2017

In this charming picture book, little kids will learn all about sea otters, including their social behavior, communication, diet, and, of course, playtime! These engaging Explore My World picture books on subjects kids care about combine simple stories with compelling photography. They invite little kids to take their first big steps toward understanding the world around them and are just the thing for parents and kids to curl up with and read aloud.

Europolitan Mentor Interviews Part 3: Bridget Marzo

by Patti Buff


Welcome to our interview series with the Europolitan Mentors! The Europolitan Mentorship program pairs qualified, inspirational mentors with aspiring authors and illustrators, who write in English, to help bring them closer to publication, or to publication at a higher level. Each mentor will select one mentee from all applicants.

This six-month online one-on-one program provides mentees the opportunity to work personally with and learn from a successful professional with teaching experience and a proven track record in children’s literature.

In this series of articles, you will get a closer look at the 2017 mentors; who they are, their writing journey and what potential mentees should know about them. For more information about the program and how to apply, visit the website. 

Our next interview is with Bridget Marzo. Bridget is mentoring author/illustrators and illustrators.

Bridget Strevens Marzo is an award-winning children’s book illustrator and author of over 20 children’s books published in the UK, US and France and co-edited internationally. She has also had a long experience of inspiring adults in their own creative ventures, as the first ever SCBWI International Illustrator Co-ordinator, mentoring at the SCBWI Summer conference in LA, and running picture book workshops across Europe. For over a decade in addition to illustrating, she taught children’s book illustration and design at Parsons Paris. Since her move back to London from France, she has resumed writing alongside illustrating, under her author name Bridget Marzo.

Bridget began by studying art history then fine art. Copying old master paintings and translating art books helped her develop a range of techniques around her own love of lively character drawing and bold use of colour. Her versatile, child-centred illustrations range from the mark-making of her latest picture book story, TIZ AND OTT'S BIG DRAW (Kirkus starred review) to the graphic BIG BOOK FOR LITTLE HANDS (PW starred review) and character-driven perennials like Kirsty Dempsey’s MINI RACER (SLJ starred review) and Margaret Wild's KISS, KISS!(PW starred review and SNCF book award) She has also exhibited in personal and group exhibitions including at the Original Art Show at the Society of Illustrators, New York.

Bridget sees the content of each book or project as more important than sticking to a single brand or style. She has learnt from her critique group, her work as a features editor for the UK Association of Illustrator’s magazine Varoom!and in mentoring others, that what matters in the children’s book world is finding enough confidence in your own ‘voice’ to outlast stylistic trends – to say what you want you want to say, with what you love doing most.

Publishers include: Tate UK/ Abrams US, Bayard Jeunesse France, Bloomsbury, Harper Collins, Little Hare Books, Simon & Schuster.

New events and books: www.bridgetmarzo.com

Illustration and book archive: www.bridgetstrevens.com

Welcome to the blog, Bridget! And thank you so much for being Europolitan mentor! I always like to know about how people became creative so could you share with us your path to illustrating for others and then writing and illustrating your own books. Was this something you’d always done or did you pick it up along the way?

I’ve always drawn and painted – and had ideas for characters which I took into stories. I must have been around 5 when I made my very first ‘book’ with lots of scribble-writing and drawings of a mad professor.

At university I started getting commissions to illustrate posters for plays, the odd poetry magazine and cartoons for student newspapers but after several jobs in Paris, I begun to earn a living as a translator of art history books. Through that connection I heard that a well-known US publisher was about to start a UK imprint with a children’s book section.

Since illustrating and writing for yourself and publishing are two different beasts, could you share with us how you first became published and what you’ve learned over the years about publishing?

Developing your own stories is the easiest way in to a career in picture books. And that’s how I first got published. If you think in pictures and stories, and create your own visual worlds, that is a great help. And since I didn’t know about SCBWI, but did have a collection of picture books, I studied them. I sketched out every page of my favorite books in storyboard form to learn how and why the story worked across full spread, half page or vignette illustrations.

Then I heard through my translation network about a US publisher that had just started a UK branch. I sent off a very detailed storyboard (almost as developed as a dummy with lots of clear, highly detailed black and white pictures corresponding to each double page spread) for a picture book adventure set in Paris and inspired by my own 5 year old son. They liked the idea I had of including food and local color in the story along with a few foreign words and they asked me to develop the story some more, which I did.


What is your preferred medium to work in?

A glimpse of Bridget's work in progress

Ah ha – that’s a tough question! My story, Tiz and Ott’s Big Draw, is all about how Tiz draws and Ott paint their way through a story - they are both ‘me’. Every time I start a project I want to experiment. I love trying out new techniques. Though I particularly love a 3B Tombow pencils, I find drawing directly in ink with a Pentel brush pen or fine line pen, keeps me focused because any mistake shows. I also love the strong color of gouache and colored inks. Being able to scan work in and correct the odd line or color on screen adds a new level of freedom to experiment.


What role did mentors, critique groups or an MFA program play in your creative career?

Like many illustrators, I like working to a deadline and in a team and feedback is important to me. That’s why my SCBWI critique group is important to me. It keeps me on track each month, even when I don’t present anything to the group myself. It’s good to know I am not the only one obsessing on why a character behaves in a particular way or why a picture should be darker or spread out across several pages. Each of us has strengths – I really appreciate the global view of plot structure that some of the writers have.

And every time I start a new project it feels like I’m starting from scratch.

I hate to say it doesn’t get any easier once you are published.

A critique group is therapy too. We share our successes and more publishing frustrations and disappointments.

What excites you most about being a mentor for the SCBWI Europolitan Mentor Program?

I’m always excited by other people’s work – however different from mine. If my own experience of what works and what doesn’t can help them get to the next level then I’d be more than delighted.

What else should potential mentees know about you? 

I am a ‘details’ person – be warned!

Tate Publishing May 2015

Tiz and Ott are drawing themselves a house. With the scritch scratch of her crayon, Tiz busily plants some seeds for the garden. Meanwhile Ott lies back lazily and makes a huge splodge for the sun. Then Tiz has a big idea. With a zig, a zag and a crash, she jolts Ott awake with a huge bolt of lightning! Together Tiz and Ott whip up a storm but as they soon find out, a storm isn’t just lines on a page.

Get carried away with Tiz and Ott as they use their imaginations to brush and doodle and scribble and scrawl and splatter their way out of trouble and safely back home.

Kirkus starred review.

Bayard Jeunesse, France

Follow a funny furry family going through their ordinary day from breakfast, to school, a birthday party and finally to bed. Discover over 200 nouns English words and lots more surprises under 30 flaps including dad under the shower curtain singing Heads and Shoulders, Knees and Toes. There are plenty of observation games for children to play in the supermarket or on the way to school. They can count pencils, crayons and rulers hidden under the books in the classroom and name all the colours on the bottles of paint hidden in the cupboard… Fun even for English-speaking children who might learn a few words of French from the glossary at the back.

For samples of Bridget's illustrations, visit her website.

Europolitan Mentor Interviews Part 2: Janet Fox

by Patti Buff


Welcome to our interview series with the Europolitan Mentors! The Europolitan Mentorship program pairs qualified, inspirational mentors with aspiring authors and illustrators, who write in English, to help bring them closer to publication, or to publication at a higher level. Each mentor will select one mentee from all applicants.

This six-month online one-on-one program provides mentees the opportunity to work personally with and learn from a successful professional with teaching experience and a proven track record in children’s literature.

In this series of articles, you will get a closer look at the 2017 mentors; who they are, their writing journey and what potential mentees should know about them. For more information about the program and how to apply, visit the website. 

Our next interview is with Janet Fox. Janet Fox is mentoring fiction and non-fiction for middle grade and young adult.

Janet Fox writes award-winning fiction and non-fiction for children of all ages. Her published works include the non-fiction middle grade book GET ORGANIZED WITHOUT LOSING IT (Free Spirit, 2006), and three YA historical romances: FAITHFUL (Speak/Penguin Group, 2010), FORGIVEN (Penguin, 2011), and SIRENS (Penguin, 2012). Janet's debut middle grade novel THE CHARMED CHILDREN OF ROOKSKILL CASTLE (Viking, 2016) received starred reviews from Kirkus, Booklist, Publishers Weekly, and Shelf Awareness, is a Junior Library Guild selection, a 2016 Indies Next pick, and an ALA Notable Books nominee. Her next novel, the middle grade THE LAST TRUE KNIGHT (Viking, 2018) is a tale of alternative facts and gender identity set in a magical Elizabethan England. Future projects include a non-fiction picture book, a contemporary YA novel set in Montana, and a middle grade fantasy set in a future Pacific Northwest.

Janet is a 2010 graduate of the MFA/Writing for Children and Young Adults program at Vermont College of Fine Arts, and is a former high school teacher. She lives in Bozeman, Montana with her husband and their rambunctious yellow lab. She's been involved with SCBWI for almost 15 years and is currently assistant Regional Advisor in the Montana region. She's represented by Erin Murphy, Erin Murphy Literary Agency, and you can also find her at www.janetsfox.com

Welcome Janet and thank you so much for being a Europolitan mentor! I always like to know about how people became writers so could you share with us your path to writing. Was this something you’d always done or did you pick it up along the way?

Janet's workspace

I've been "writing" since I was about five years old. When I was in third grade, my teacher, Mrs. Weber, sent one of my poems to the town paper, and it was published. I can still remember the excitement I felt when I saw my name in print for the first time.

I majored in English in college, wrote poetry and short stories, wrote a novel, even won a couple of contests with my poetry and short fiction...and then I went on to study geology and get my master's in marine geology. And then...I studied architecture and landscape architecture. I became a mom. We moved. I moved - away from writing fiction, fiddling with all these other interests and distractions.

But when my son was five, it became clear he was dyslexic, and I began making up stories to try and teach him to read. At about the same time, my mom passed away, and I found a stack of children's books among her things, and I hadn't known she was writing. These two things combined to make me wonder what stories for children were like today, as opposed to the ones I read when I was a child. Could I find a publisher for my mom's stories, or for the ones I was inventing for my son?

In a turn of great good fortune, we had moved to College Station, Texas. Kathi Appelt lives there, and while I searched for answers to my writing questions I met Kathi, one of the most generous people on the planet. She became a friend and a mentor, encouraged me to join SCBWI, encouraged my writing, and encouraged me to attend Vermont College of Fine Arts.

Everyone's path is unique, and there's no such thing as "too late."


How great that first your mom and then you wrote for children! Since writing and publishing are two different beasts, could you share with us how you first became published and what you’ve learned over the years about publishing?


SCBWI is absolutely critical to my success. I met my critique partners through SCBWI, attended conferences and writing workshops, and learned about both craft and industry through SCBWI.

It was at an SCBWI conference that I met my first agent during a 10-page critique, so I would whole-heartedly encourage everyone to sign up for those critiques. And no, it was not my first - I'd had several before, and they were nerve wracking and discouraging, until I learned the craft skills and wrote something that caught someone's eye.

I'll add that I also met my current agent through SCBWI, at a very early critique, before I was ready as a writer, so those circuitous paths often have meaning only in hindsight.

As a writer, your goal should be to write the best novel/picture book/story you can write. Hone your craft skills and understand the market. Publishing should not be a writer's goal, because publishing is an industry that sails in changeable winds. But if you pursue craft with determination, you will be published.

And for me, having the support of my agent and agency, and my editor and publishing house, has made a huge difference. I've been fortunate to find myself in a supportive community of writers - through SCBWI, Vermont College of Fine Arts, and my agency - who are there for me when times are tough and also when they are good.



What role did mentors, critique groups or an MFA program play in your creative career? 

Janet and her dog

I've already mentioned Kathi Appelt. There were others in the SCBWI writing community in Texas who also encouraged me at every step. In fact, I can say firmly that I've never met a children's writer who was not wonderful, and I mean that. The kidlit community is awesome.

I've had a couple of critique groups through the years, and I've been so lucky there, too. My first group met weekly. We were all published by the time I moved away from Texas. Here in Montana I have an equally supportive and talented group.

I will say that my Vermont College MFA is one of the crucial aspects of my development. The faculty are the best in the industry. The students are talented, every one. The college curriculum is designed to push writers to hone their craft skills to a fine point. And the connections through the college can help make a writer's career. Plus, it was a ton of fun. If I could do it again, I would in a heartbeat.



What excites you most about being a mentor for the SCBWI Europolitan Mentor Program?
I love helping other writers hone their craft. And I love sharing what I've learned through many years, now, of practice and study. I taught English to 8th and 9th graders for several years just before my first book came out, and I love to teach - to watch someone develop a skill, to see them light up with the "aha!" moment of understanding.

More importantly, so many people have had a hand in my success that I love the idea of giving back - of helping a writer find their voice and their place in the community. That's certainly what Kathi did for me, and I would love to do for someone who is just beginning their journey.



What else should potential mentees know about you?

Just that I will be thorough and fair and that if I weren't a writer, I'd be an editor. That's what I'll give to a mentee - a serious edit that will hopefully help him or her take their work to the next level.

Some of Janet's Books

Viking, 2016

“Keep calm and carry on.”

That’s what Katherine Bateson’s father told her, and that’s what she’s trying to do: when her father goes off to the war, when her mother sends Kat and her brother and sister away from London to escape the incessant bombing, even when the children arrive at Rookskill Castle, an ancient, crumbling manor on the misty Scottish highlands.

But it’s hard to keep calm in the strange castle that seems haunted by ghosts or worse. What’s making those terrifying screeches and groans at night? Why do the castle’s walls seem to have a mind of their own? And why do people seem to mysteriously appear and disappear?

Kat believes she knows the answer: Lady Eleanor, who rules Rookskill Castle, is harboring a Nazi spy. But when her classmates begin to vanish, one by one, Kat must uncover the truth about what the castle actually harbors—and who Lady Eleanor really is—before it’s too late.

Receiver of four starred reviews (Kirkus, Publisher's Weekly, Booklist, Shelf Awareness) 

Other awards/honorable mentions include:

• 2016 Junior Library Guild selection
• Spring 2016 Indies Next pick
• ALA Notable Books Nominee 2016
• 2017 Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association Shortlist Honor Book
• 2017 Texas SPOT (Spirit of Texas Award) selection
• 2017 Wisconsin State Reading Association selection
• 2017 Maine Student Book Awards list
• Booklist Top 10 Books For Youth Fantasy/Horror 2016
• Brightly Best Books 2016
• Bank Street Best Children’s Books 2016

Speak/Penguin Group, 2012

Josephine Winter, seventeen, is sent to live with relatives in New York City after her bootlegging father receives a threat, but bookish Jo harbors her own secrets. She finds friendship with lively Louise O’Keefe and romance with sweet jazz musician Charlie. But haunted by the spirit of her missing brother, Jo uncovers a nest of family lies that threaten everyone she loves, and Lou, in the thrall of the dangerous, seductive gangster Daniel Connor, is both Jo’s best friend and potential enemy. As Jo unlocks dark mysteries and Lou’s eyes are opened, the girls’ treacherous paths intertwine. Jo and Lou together will have to stand up to Connor in order to find their hearts and hang onto their souls in the “decade of decadence.”

Kirkus review: “Yes, there’s a mystery here. It involves Jo’s supposedly dead brother, Lou’s gangster boyfriend, bootlegging, a bombing, missing pages from a journal, and more than a few Dark Secrets. All of which was quite fun, though it’s not why Sirens was a stand-out for me….Sirensis a celebration of girl power, sisterhood, and hope for the future.”

Speak/Penguin Group, 2010

In 1904 Margaret Bennet has it all – money, position, and an elegant family home in Newport, Rhode Island. But just as she is to enter society, her mother ruins everything, first with public displays, and then by disappearing. Maggie’s confusion and loss are compounded when her father drags her to Yellowstone National Park, where he informs her that they will remain. At first Maggie’s only desire is to return to Newport. But the mystical beauty of the Yellowstone landscape, and the presence of young Tom Rowland, a boy unlike the others she has known, conspire to change Maggie from a spoiled girl willing to be constrained by society to a free-thinking and brave young woman living in a romantic landscape at the threshold of a new century.

Amelia Bloomer List Selection for 2011

YALSA 2011 Nominee: Best Fiction for Young Adults

Booklist: “Fox combines mystery, romance, and a young girl’s coming-of-age in this satisfying historical tale.”

School Library Journal: “The wilderness of Yellowstone…is lovingly and beautifully depicted…the gradual revelation of the truth about Maggie’s mother, the developing relationship between Maggie and Tom, and the thrilling episodes sprinkled throughout will engage readers.”