In and Out
So I'm busy working on the proposal for a new book on Secret Societies with Annick, and the doorbell rings. It's the mailman with a box of books. It's Pharaohs and Foot Soldiers -- hardcover and soft! How can I not stop what I'm doing to check them out? I spent the better part of 2008 researching and writing that book. New books are so exciting, especially when their arrival means they will be showing up in bookstores any day! Woo-hoo!!
Of course, I'm excited about the book proposal too. But what happens to me when I start on research is I discover way more stuff than I can possibly use -- much of which is not suitable for a book for kids. Too much information is a dangerous thing. It's also very difficult to pare down to a size I can actually use.
Many people think that writing for kids is a breeze. Not so. For one thing, you can't snow kids. You have to catch and hold their interest, and you have to be straight with them. They can spot a phoney a mile away, and they don't wait around for explanations or apologies. Adult readers, on the other hand, will plow through a good 100 pages before they jump ship.
So I spent the majority of the day writing and rewriting the overview for one section of the book -- and this is just a proposal! It's not even the real book. Hopefully tomorrow will be more productive. I promised the publisher the proposal by Friday, and I ALWAYS meet deadlines.
Wish me luck.