A favorite post from 2009:
Kate Fletcher was my core group editor at the Santa Barbara Mission retreat in January. She was funny, kind and gave great feedback on everyone's picture book manuscripts. I also had the opportunity to hang out with her at the Saturday night party and discuss our favorite books of the year. I am so pleased to interview Kate Fletcher.
When and why did you start editing for children?
After I completed the Columbia Publishing Course in 2003, I interviewed with the President and Publisher at Candlewick Press. Visiting the office and learning more about Candlewick made me want to be a part of creating books for children.
What is the most valuable advice you can give to a newly published writer?
Don't rely on your publisher's marketing team to do all of the work--you need to get out there, whether through school visits, on the web, or calling stores for book signings. Your publisher will do its best to sell your book, but you also need to make sure your book does well--that will help ensure that you get to publish another one!
What is one of your favorite children’s books that you'd like to recommend?
This is a hard one--there are so many! I think I must have read every Lucy Maud Montgomery book when I was young. For picture books, I loved Blueberries for Sal (Robert McCloskey) and Barbara Cooney's Miss Rumphius.
What are you working on now?
A photo-essay about rice, a picture book about an immigrant girl and her aunt, and a picture book about a man who takes care of little elephants-- just to name a few !
What is your favorite dessert and why?
Chocolate!! Usually I will order anything that features chocolate as its main ingredient. A good molten chocolate cake is hard to beat....
Kate Fletcher is an associate editor of Candlewick Press, one of the largest independent children's book publishers in the world. She assisted president and publisher Karen Lotz, with such authors and illustrators as Timothy Basil Ering, Charles Smith, David Ellwand and Giggi Amateau. She now works on books by Meg Medina, Leslie McGuirk, Richard Sobol and Sam Stern. She is also the US editor of the Templar Books.
Great interview, Tina! Thanks for sharing.
Posted by: Annette Gulati | February 11, 2009 at 09:17 AM
Nice interview, Tina! Kate was everything you described. We were fortunate to have her participate in our retreat.
Posted by: Terry P. | February 10, 2009 at 08:08 AM
great interview -0 thx
Posted by: s | February 10, 2009 at 06:07 AM