It's 2 p.m. on a Tuesday and I'm still exhausted! But yet I slave away here at my computer, putting together a final live blog for you guys on the final day of the SCBWI National Conference... keep reading for the final blog...

Above is a picture of Steve Malk of The Writers House and his clients - from L-R:  BEN ESCH, SONYA SONES, STEPHANIE HEMPHILL, PAULA YOO (me), STEVE MALK, LISA WHEELER, DEANNA CASWELL, KELLY DIPUCCHIO, and Hyperion editor DONNA BRAY. We attended Steve and Donna's panel, "What We Talk About When We Talk About You: How Agents & Editors Negotiate and Collaborate." It was a very informative panel about how they sold certain books based on their communication and collaboration on certain projects, including the Sara Pennypacker/Marla Frazee "Clementine" series (Hyperion '06), Adam Rex's "The True Meaning of Smekday" (Hyperion '07), and Kelly Dipucchio's "Grace For President" (Hyperion '08).

For the "Clementine" series by Sara Pennypacker and Marla Frazee, Steve said he actually "packaged" the two together because he thought Sara's interesting long picture book would be best illustrated by Marla. He showed a slide presentation featuring real emails between himself and Donna Bray of Hyperion about each book project. For the "Clementine" series, Ben Esch pretended to be an assistant calling Donna and "tricking" her into talking with Steve so Steve could pitch her the "Clementine" books. It was really funny and Ben deserves an Oscar nod for his comedic timing. Donna's email revealed her suggestion to make the "Clementine" book longer rather than shorter, and thus was born the "Clementine" series that sold and became a bestselling series!

For Adam Rex's debut novel, "The True Meaning of Smekday" (Hyperion ' 07), Steve showed an email pitch he sent Donna where he attached 125 pages along with a synopsis. His email was fascinating to me because it shows how our book agents have to be effective sales people - they can't "over pitch" our books because they sound, as Steve said himself, "like used car salesmen." Plus, they run the risk of creating too high expectations for the editor. Instead, Steve's strategy was a straightforward email simply saying Adam's book "transcended" sci fi with a funny, likeable narrator that would appeal to both boys and girls. He also let Donna know he was submitting this sample to other publishers, because agents have to let their editors know that. (It's an ethical thing - you have to let the editors know if this is a multiple submission or not.) Donna sent a funny email response: "Tell me again why other people have to see this? I really think it's unnecessary. Me-ow!" (Both Steve and Donna love cats. I have a feeling they talk more about their cats than they do about their authors! LOL! )  Anyway, Adam's book went to auction and is now an acclaimed hit novel! Yippee!

Speaking of Adam Rex, and I'm jumping ahead here, but we got a chance to chat on the shuttle ride from the hotel to SCBWI co-founder Lin Oliver's house for the faculty dinner. We also hung out at the party and talked about how much we like vampires but aren't too crazy about the chick lit vampire craze. We just like our vampires old school. Anyway, we chatted about the "True Blood" HBO series from "Six Feet Under" creator Alan Ball about vampires living side by side humans in the South based on a popular book series. He mentioned the funny beer commercial for fermented blood that's been on youtube as part of the TV series' viral marketing campaign. I mentioned these SUPER SCARY but funny posters I saw recently while driving around LA. He hadn't seen the posters yet, so Adam, when you get a chance to read this blog, I found the posters! Here they are... aren't they scary/funny?! (PS. That's me and Adam to the right below!)

Getting back to the Steve Malk/Donna Bray panel: They then discussed my awesome friend Kelly DiPucchio's "Grace for President" picture book (Hyperion '08). Turns out it was an idea Donna had back in 2004 and asked Steve if Kelly would be interested in turning her idea about a girl president into a picture book because she enjoyed working with Kelly and thought Kelly would be the perfect writer. They showed more email exchanges in which an enthusiastic Kelly delved into the project and created a great draft. Then Donna had some new ideas, including the idea of having Grace growing up and becoming the real President. Steve then showed Kelly's email response - and poor Kelly blushed in the audience! - Kelly didn't think a grown-up Grace would work. But Donna and Steve both said that Kelly's instincts were RIGHT... and Kelly's ultimate solution of having the book focus on teaching kids how the electoral college works turned the book into an "evergreen" - in other words, a book that will always be needed in the school systems because it teaches a concept that is timeless. As a result, "Grace For President" became a New York Times bestseller! Bravo, Kelly!

After the panel, I hung out with my very close author friends. I was very sad to see them go home, and I miss them already. Here's our last pictures from the conference:

(First picture above, L to R: acclaimed and bestselling picture book authors Kelly DiPucchio, Lisa Wheeler, acclaimed YA novelist April Young Fritz, and me)

(Second picture above: Me and the critically acclaimed and hilarious picture book author Carolyn Crimi) 

In addition, a shout-out to our beloved friends, critically acclaimed and lyrical poet/children's picture book author HOPE VESTERGAARD and the acclaimed and whimsical children's book illustrator and author JANIE BYNUM who could not make the conference this year. We hope to have a full reunion next year!!!! Please check out their books and websites (all linked in this blog and on my links site).

Afterwards, I had to sign books.

I met a lot of cool people, including...

LINDA ZUCKERMAN (picture above): She sat next to me, also signing books. She is the author of "I Will Hold You 'Til You Sleep" (Scholastic '06) and "A Taste For Rabbit" (Scholastic '07). Check out her website at: http://www.arthuralevinebooks.com/author.asp?authorid=67

I also met picture book poet/author ANN WHITFORD PAUL (pictured below). Her latest book is "If Animals Kissed Good Night" (Farrar Straus Giroux '08). Check out her website at: http://www.annwhitfordpaul.net/  She is also the sister of actor Bradley Whitford, who played Josh on "The West Wing" on NBC. I worked with her brother when I was a staff writer on The West Wing back in 2002-03! How cool is that?

I had to take a picture of the very awesome Arthur Levine, editor extraordinaire of his own imprint Arthur Levine Books at Scholastic (pictured above to the right of Ann Whitford Paul). You can find out more about his books at http://www.arthuralevinebooks.com/  He bought a copy of my HarperCollins novel, Good Enough, and I got a kick out of that because he had the receipt and everything! I learned he was an accomplished musician (clarinet) and we have a lot in common regarding our experiences growing up as classical musicians. Rock on, Arthur!

I also met the following soon to be published authors who showed up to get their copies of Good Enough signed! (L to R): Sydney Salter Husseman and Katia Novet Saint-Lot ("Amadi's Snowman," Tilbury House '08).

I also met a lot of other very cool aspiring writers who bought my book. It was a pleasure to talk all of you about your own books and writing dreams, and I wish everyone I met at the conference the best of luck on your own writing journeys! I'm sure I'll be attending one of your panels at a future SCBWI conference - so keep writing and keep the faith! 

Meanwhile, Lisa Yee was signing books to my right. She had Peepy with her. My travelling bear Bartlett loves to hang out with Peepy. People have asked me who came first. I have no idea how old Peepy is, but my Bartlett Bear has been with me since 1997. I think he might be slightly older than Peepy? Anyway, here they are enjoying some of Lisa's cupcakes...

And then Peepy got a little belligerent and started wrestling with Bartlett over the last cupcake...

But Bartlett being older and wiser soon put Peepy in his place...

I also hung out with fellow Yalie and writer and photographer and crazy dancer RITA CRAYON HUNG. She and writer pal/screenwriter/author GREGORY K. PINCUS had corralled me on Saturday night and begged me to be the "7th penguin" for the costume party. Every time I saw them during the conference, I would just say, "Penguin!" Here they are below (L to R: Rita and me, then Gregory and me, and yes, I know I should be saying Rita and I and Greg and I but I'm really tired so leave me alone, Grammar Police....)

Greg and I talked more at the faculty dinner about our writing, the LA real estate market, and the writer's strike because we are also both screenwriters. He's a really cool guy and you can find out more about his screenplay credits (which includes "Little Big League") at this imdb.com website: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0683912/  His blog is also here at: http://gottabook.blogspot.com

The faculty dinner was a lot of fun. We had to ride a shuttle bus from the hotel to Lin Oliver's house. I sat next to MICHAEL REISMAN, author of "Simon Bloom the Gravity Keeper" (Dutton '08) and we ended up playing a game where we tried to beat each other in seeing who knew more about the LA landmarks we were driving by.... Michael claims he won and I demand a recount. Sara Pennypacker sent around a bag of Swedish fish that we all devoured (although Bruce Coville didn't believe me when I said I accidentally had two at once because they were stuck together, LOL). We sat near Lisa Yee and Adam Rex and oh boy... I am name dropping now, huh? hahaha!

The dinner featured tri tip and barbecued chicken and lots of chocolate sweets and peach cobbler. It was a great dinner and we had a lot of fun. Afterwards, I went back to the hotel and ran into the every sunny and always smiling SUZANNE YOUNG (pictured below), whose novel "Smitten Kittens" comes out in 2010 from Razorbill. Isn't "Smitten Kittens" the best. novel. title. ever?!

Well, phew. That was my final blog. I will actually put together picture galleries later this summer featuring more photos from SCBWI, my book tour, and other events I keep promising to do. Stay tuned. And please feel free to leave comments! Now, I must take a nap, I am exhausted like Oreo my cat below... zzzzzzz...