Picture Book Sale! THERE WAS AN OLD LADY WHO GOBBLED A SKINK

I’m happy to announce that I’ve sold a second picture book to Sky Pony Press. Here is the announcement from the July 7 Publishers Lunch Weekly Deluxe: 

Tamera Will Wissinger and illustrator Ana Bermejo's THERE WAS AN OLD LADY WHO GOBBLED A SKINK, pitched as a take on the timeless children's song "There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly" in which a little old lady swallows all of her fishing gear -- even the anchor!, to Julie Matysik at Sky Pony Press, in a nice deal, for publication in February 2016, by Mark Mills at Plum Pudding Illustration for Ana Bermejo (World).

07.08.14

THIS OLD BAND Goes On Tour!

Now that we've celebrated Memorial Day 2014, summer is approaching quickly, and so is the release of THIS OLD BAND with Sky Pony Press. It officially arrives next Tuesday, June 3! Several author and teacher friends are helping me celebrate online with a series of interviews and features over the next several weeks, starting today!

I'm imagining that by next week bookstores all over the country may look like this:

 Idea courtesy of Vero Beach Book Center

I'm feeling like this:

Closeup of Matt Loveridge's THIS OLD BAND Cover Image

Yes, I feel like singing and dancing with the band! But I'll hold on for a moment to tell you where you can find me rolling out THIS OLD BAND. 

THIS OLD BAND TOUR SCHEDULE:

05/27/14  Mindy McGinnis helps me kick off the tour with a Successful Author Talk at Writer. Writer. Pants on Fire. 

6/02/14 Hamline MFAC faculty extraordinaire Marsha Qualey interviews me at The Storyteller’s Inkpot. 

06/03/14 Meet me back here at The Writer's Whimsy on release day where I'll be celebrating THIS OLD BAND all week long!

06/03/14 Lydia Kang is planning a release day interview at her blog The Word is my Oyster.  

6/06/14 Publishing house and release date mate Kate Louise, AKA Kate Ormand is featuring a top ten list across the pond at Kate Louise Author.

(Kate’s YA DARK DAYS releases with Sky Pony Press the same day as THIS OLD BAND, and she has three forthcoming picture books with SPP.)

06/09/14 Peggy Eddleman and I are chatting at Will Write for Cookies.  

06/09/14 Kate Hannigan featured me in an Author Of interview.

06/25/14 One of my first children's writing instructors, Ester Hershenhorn, invited me to participate in a Wednesday Writing Workout at Teaching Authors.  

07/01/14 Michigan teacher Colby Sharp asked me his 5-4-3-2-1 interview questions.

07/04/14 Poet friend Michelle H Barnes is hosting me for her July “Spotlight ON” at Today’s Little Ditty. 

That's what I know for now...back to my singing and dancing! I hope you'll jump on the THIS OLD BAND tour with me!

Clang! Clang! Boodle-Bang! THIS OLD BAND Has A Cover!

Hello, and thanks for stopping by!

I've been looking forward to sharing the cover art that Matt Loveredge has been working on for my new picture book, This Old Band. Here is the Sky Pony Press description from Goodreads:

What kinds of instruments would you imagine a band of cowboys playing? Surely nothing fancy, but they can still make do with what they have, like jugs, combs, boots, and whatever else they can find. Out on the open range, with no one to tell them to quit their hollerin’, a cowboy band counts from ten to one in a tune children are familiar with. Silly phrases, toe-tapping rhythms, and the occasional twist make these cowpokes a great addition to any story-time or bedtime lineup.

Featuring a ragtag group of cowboys from author Tamera Will Wissinger, and colorful, offbeat illustrations by Matt Loveridge, This Old Band is sure to delight children and adults alike (and teach kids a few things about counting and noises) with a fun take on a popular nursery rhyme.

And here is the beautiful cover artwork: 

I love that the old band looks so playful, bright, and entertaining. What do you think?

Here's a link to GOODREADS if you'd like to add it to your to-be-read list: This Old Band on GR

THIS OLD BAND will arrive on June 3, 2014 from Sky Pony Press.

10.22.2013

THIS OLD BAND Picture Book Update

Great news! My picture book, THIS OLD BAND, has an illustrator and a release date! The illustrator is talented Matt Loveridge and the release date is June 2014 from Sky Pony Press! Here is the Publisher's Marketplace announcement:

"Tamera Will Wissinger and illustrated by Matt Loveridge's THIS OLD BAND, in which a cowboy band counts down from ten to one all day (and night) long in this Western take on a classic children's song, to Julie Matysik at Sky Pony Press, in a nice deal, for publication in Summer 2014 (World).”

I’m really looking forward to seeing the illustrations that Matt develops for THIS OLD BAND. To give you an idea of his style, here’s a link to his website: http://www.mattloveridge.com/ 

I love the joy and whimsy of Matt's art and I'm so excited to see what he develops for my cowboy band. (I've seen one sketch drawing - and I just love where the illustrations are heading!) He’s working on cover art now, and he’ll begin working on the interior illustrations soon. I’ll share more when I can.

06.06.2013