I’m sure some of you could see this coming. Long story short: I’m going to be branching out with not one but two new blogs. One now, one next month. I don’t expect a lot of my Kidlit audience to transfer over, because of the new blogs’ (in one case) slightly related and (in another case) not-at-all-related subject matters, but I’m writing about them here so that you know what I’ve been up to lately and so you can see some new directions in my career. I’m also telling you about my other online dalliances so you’ll come visit me and tell your friends.
The first blog, which I’m launching right this second is an extension of the Kidlit site but for digital children’s books and story apps, called…drumroll please…
An obvious choice, right? You’ll see and immediately recognize the playful matching header by my client Josh Ferrin. Here, I’ll be posting app reviews, tech news, developer thoughts, industry insights, and the things I learn from diving headfirst into the digital book side of publishing, both as an agent as as a former dot-commer from the Silicon Valley. My goal for this blog is to ask a lot of digital book questions from the publishing/client advocate perspective. I’m breaking it out into a separate site because I think some of you guys would quickly tire of all the tech blah blah blah in favor of my usual writing/publishing/agenting tips.
The second blog is one I won’t talk about yet. It will keep the “…lit.com” branding of the other two blogs, but it will be about a totally different area of publishing and, gasp, one that lies outside the children’s book realm. (No, don’t worry, I will never, ever leave children’s books!) This will be about a special niche that is a sweetheart love of mine, and that I am going to start working on in the near future. This change isn’t inspired by anything major, really, or anything bad. My career in kidlit is going really well. I’m super happy. I love my kidlit contacts. So why this change? I’m sick of ignoring my life’s other great passion. More on that soon. Cue the mysterious music…
Out of wild curiosity, I’d love to know what my readers think this area of publishing might be. It’s something I have mentioned on this blog before. And, no, it’s not Green Day publishing. (Though I did go see American Idiot with Billie Joe Armstrong last night… I still hate the “story” of this one, but seeing Billie Joe on a stage again gave me crazy teen flashbacks.) Or Stephen Sondheim publishing. (I wish!) There’s not a large enough market sector of books about Green Day or Sondheim to keep a literary agent productive, unless you’re Green Day’s or Sondheim’s agent, though Sondheim’s Knopf books (FINISHING THE HAT is the first) are gorgeous. Please leave your guesses in the comments! 
How does that change things here at Kidlit? You’ll hardly notice. But it will change my schedule, effective immediately. Before this, I blogged at Kidlit on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. In order to make these new blog ventures work, I’ll have to take one Kidlit day away. My new blogging schedule will be:
Monday: Kidlit
Tuesday: KidlitApps
Wednesday: Kidlit
Thursday: KidlitApps
Friday: Secret Project of Mystery and Wonder / The occasional article round-up, conference post, or random thing over at Kidlit
Plus, I have about two years of older posts here on Kidlit that are evergreen. I’m going to do a better job of highlighting those for my new guests while still adding content for my loyal, longtime readers. This way, I also won’t run out of things to talk about! More soon. In short, I’m ambitious and maniacally excited, as usual, and can’t wait to see what other mischief I can cause on “teh interwebs.” We’ll see how it goes, and you’ll hear more soon. In the meantime, check out my latest over at KidlitApps.com!
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Tags: About Me
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Well, Mary, I’m *hoping* (but not necessarily expecting) that your new mystery blog will be graphic novels for the MG and YA market. Even better if it were to include graphic novel apps!
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I’m excited for the techy kidlit–not that I’ll understand everything, but there’s no better way to learn. Best, Lois
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Hooray! A new Mary post ever day!
My guess: books on craft or getting published?
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This may sound like a crazy question, but I don’t see a “Subscribe to Feed” button anywhere on the other blog (which looks way cool, btw) …. so will I see entries for both blogs in my google reader without actually subscribing to the new apps one OR is the “subscribe to feed” coming soon?
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My guess: something photography related.
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Ooh, what a great way for us to learn about all that cool techy stuff. Thanks, Mary!
My guess is maybe a site for kid lit writers who write theater (plays) or screenplays for the kid audience.
Can’t wait to read the new articles!
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Related only to American Idiot,
I saw it in previews, and yeah, I’m not a fan of the story. It felt like RENT light. Suburban kids get into trouble, poor babies, RENT has been done, and done better. But I understand what they were getting at. Suburban kids do need an incentive to revolt….
But the music was worth it.
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Good luck with the blogs, Mary! The tech one looks like it’s going to be great.
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Hmm. I was thinking “craft” based on your Writer’s Digest seminars and desire to have written Regina Brooks’s book. But that’s technically kid lit-related. And you mentioned an interest in art, but that could *still* apply to this blog. I am stumped and intrigued…
Kellie’s guess is a good one!
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Could it have to do with the culinary arts–cooking? Second guess would be theatre. Then again, could it be a book authored by Mary Kole on the craft of writing? If it is, I’ll be first in line!
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How exciting! The KidApps blog looks beautiful.
I’m with the others who guess theater. You did say you wanted to learn more about theater once. Then there’s art, but I’m not sure how to fit that in with publishing. Stumped.
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My guess is multicultural lit.
Related to Priscilla’s comment above, I’m currently working my way through Regina Brooks’s book and LOVING it. Thanks for the great recommendation!
Hoping for a multicultural lit blog….
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Holy excitement, Mary! Lots of stuff in today’s post.
First- huge Green Day fan here. Haven’t managed to see American Idiot yet, but I’d like to.
Second- looking forward to checking out the KidlitApp blog. For myself, & for my kids (ages 3 – 11).
Third- your mysterious-waiting-in-the-wings blog. I’m thinking something artistic?
Fourth- how on earth are you finding time to write this year?! Wasn’t that on your 2011 agenda? Or…hmmm…is that related to your coming blog?
So fun and mysterious…
Good luck on all your good stuff! And you are so right–your archived posts are evergreen. Even if I’ve read them before, sometimes I go back and read them again. It’s like finding that leftover peppermint in your jacket. Still sweet, and full of flavor.
Happy blogging. -
Changing my guess. . . I think Lisa Frischhertz nailed it with her guess.
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Congrats on the new blogs, Mary! I’ve followed your blog posts on and off over the last year or so and they’ve alwys been very helpful in my writing journey . . . My guess for the blog that’s NOT kid lit related: cookbooks or something food-related?
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Lynne — I KNOW! I again am scheduling myself out of time to write! Gah! But I am going on a writing retreat with my critique group this summer. Perhaps…perhaps…
Lisa, Kellie, Crystal —
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Congrats on the new blogs! I’m excited to follow the tech one. There’s so much happening in that area, and what better way to learn
As to your mysterious blog, Im dying to know what it is but can’t hazard a guess – I’m too new a follower! -
Wow! A daily fix of Mary Kole! It’s a good day!
Hmmm…my guess for the mystery blog is that it is horror-related. Not horror as in paranormal romances, or “The horror, the horror” related, but for-true bug-eyed creepy stuff. -
Congrats on the new blogs. I’m excited to see what new area of publishing you’re delving into!
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I don’t know, but you like to help people so much I think it has to be on those lines. Maybe helping people with edits or encouraging children who want write? You are really a person who is diverse, so that vague hint is like imagining the plot of a novel from one paragraph – Lol
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I’m voting for theatrelit.com. Or something like that. Do we win something if we guess correctly?!
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Very psyched about the kidlit apps blog, not just from the writer part of me but also from the mom part. It’s so difficult to cull through the apps to find the gems from the duds. Perfect time to launch such a blog – congrats!
Can’t wait to find out what the mysterious “other” blog is!
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oh my – completely stumped but very excited for you and the new branches you’re stretching out! I thought the idea in earlier comment about writing theater/screen for kids was a nice blend of possible. Very curious about the new Friday blog!
Best in all you’re doing,
Corinne -
You dig theatre? And cooking? I *knew* you were a cool chica!
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Client Books: Picture Books
PELLY AND MR. HARRISON VISIT THE MOON by Lindsay Ward (March 2011, Kane/Miller)
BUGLETTE, THE MESSY SLEEPER by Bethanie Murguia (May 2011, Tricycle Press)
WHEN BLUE MET EGG by Lindsay Ward (February 2012, Dial/Penguin)
ZOE GETS READY by Bethanie Murguia (May 2012, Arthur A. Levine Books/Scholastic)
Client Books: Middle Grade
A SMIDGEN OF SKY by Dianna Winget (Fall 2012, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)
Client Books: Young Adult
WILDEFIRE by Karsten Knight (July 2011, Simon & Schuster)
MERCY LILY by Lisa Albert (Fall 2011, Flux)
THROUGH TO YOU by Emily Hainsworth (October 2012, Balzer+Bray/HarperCollins)
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