What's Orange and Crunchy and ...Coming for You!

Huge congrats to Aaron Reynolds whose cute, quirky CREEPY CARROTS just hit #7 on the NY Times bestseller list.  This clever story, with fabulous art by Peter Brown, is a must-have in any picture book collection.

And lucky for you, I accidentally pre-ordered it twice!  So I am giving away a copy.  Just "like" my Facebook author page:  Corey Rosen Schwartz- PB Ninja.   Leave me a comment there and you are entered.

I'm a Crammer

Last year, I challenged myself to read 52 books in 52 weeks.  Some time in late August, I realized I had only read 11 books.  So I put the pedal to the metal.  In the end, I reached about 43.  I was short of my goal, but I had a good final stretch there.

In 2012, I signed up for Julie Hedlund's 12 x 12-  write 12 picture books in twelve months.  Well, we are more than halfway through the year, and I am at... uh, let me see here... um, that would be zero.  (Okay, my writing partner would argue that we have one very rough first draft. but I don't like it enough to count it)

Can I still do it?  It's possible.  I wrote many a term paper in the wee hours of the morning.

 But then again, there was no Internet in 1986.

The Meter Maids are on Patrol (+ Giveaway!)

A few weeks ago, Tiffany and I gave an SCBWI workshop called Meter Maids: Sparkling Rhyme, Every Time.  

Based on the awesome feedback and interest we got from that event, we've decided to start a blog called, The Meter Maids.   The blog will include all sorts of insider tips and tricks of how to write great rhymes, citing loads of examples, so you can see techniques in action.

In celebration of our launch, everyone who follows us and leaves a comment will be automatically entered to win a signed arc of Tiffany's debut picture book, THE MONSTER WHO LOST HIS MEAN! 

The best way to become a good rhymer is to read GREAT rhyme!  Tiffany is a master of techniques such as internal rhyme.  Just take a look at her first stanza!

Monsters are a  spooky bunch-

a scary, hairy group.

They run in packs, leave giant tracks, 

and dine on eyeball soup.

Adorable, huh?

Little Red is Alive and Well

A few years ago, I was at a conference, and I overheard someone in the bathroom tell her friend, "I just had my one-on-one and the agent told me that the fractured fairy tale market is completely flooded."   He had basically told that fractured fairy tales were no longer selling.  But what he was really saying was "Fractured fairy aren't selling...  unless they are kick-ass awesome!"

I am not the only one who sold a Little Red  spin off this month.   Tara Lazar just sold Little Red Gliding Hood to Heidi Kilgras at Random House.

And she wouldn't have had the idea if I hadn't come up with the title during PiBoIdMo 2010.

And I would never have written GOLDI ROCKS AND THE THREE BEARS or NINJA RED if it hadn't been for Tara's PiBoIDMo 2009!

Tara and I definitely have a symbiotic thing going here.

But my real point is...  there is always room in the market for something if it is GOOD.

Big Ninja News and a Giveaway!

Okay, I have been MIA for the past couple of months.

It's not because I didn't have anything to say.   (I did)

And it's not because I have a big mouth and I was afraid I would let the cat out of the bag too soon.  (though I do... and I already did... on Facebook!)

It's because I was preparing to give my first-ever workshop at the NJ SCBWI annual conference, and I am completely incapable of multi-tasking! 

I can't even talk and drive at the same time.  Just ask Tara Lazar!  (I gave her a ride to the conference)

But now that the SCBWI event is over, I am back with some big news:

I have hit the trifecta!

I am thrilled to announce that Putnam has taken a third fractured fairy tale-  NINJA RED.

To celebrate, I am giving away a copy of THE THREE NINJA PIGS 

Two ways to enter:

1)  Follow me here and leave a comment on this post.
2)  "Like" my author page on Facebook and leave a comment there.

I will draw one winner on Thursday June 14th at 8:00 PM (EST) and pre-order a copy of the book which will arrive on its release date, September 27th.

Kiya!

April Fool, Phyllis!

We got a new puppy two weeks ago.  It's been infinitely harder than I had imagined.  The problem isn't the waking up in the middle of the night to let him out.  And it isn't the picking up after him.  The problem  is... how to keep him entertained!

If I try to play with him, he ends up biting me.

If I try to walk him on a leash, he sits down and refuses to budge.

If I give him one of those expensive bones to chew on, he buries it.

There seemed to be no good way to keep him busy!

Just when I was ready to give up...

Phyllis arrived!

Cruzer was riveted.  He loved the spunky protagonist and had loads of fun trying to solve the riddles.  Cruzer insisted on re-reading the story several times. It kept him engrossed for hours.

And I got a much needed break.

 So, thanks to Susanna Leonard Hill for including us in the April Fool, Phyllis World Tour!   Cruzer recommends this engaging picture book for all  kids and canines.

Celebrating with a PB Giveaway!

April 1st came and went and I was so busy I didn't get a chance to pull any pranks.  Dagnabbit!   (I just love that word)

But there's LOADS to celebrate, so I am doing the first of many PB giveaways!

In no particular order, here are some of the things I am excited about:

• The launch of my new site!
• HOP! PLOP! turns six tomorrow!
• Ame Dyckman's debut picture book BOY + BOT releases next week!
• Our puppy comes on Saturday!
•  Sarah Frances Hardy's debut picture book PUZZLED BY PINK comes out April 12th! (two good friends debuting in the same week!)

And as if that isn't enough, there may be more top secret Ninja news coming soon!

So, I am giving away a copy of HOP! PLOP!  (with BOY + BOT and PUZZLED BY PINK giveaways coming later this month)

There are two ways to enter.  Follow me here and leave a comment on this post.

Or follow me on Facebook and leave a comment there.

Or do both for two entries.

Kiya!