Blog for Middle Grade and Children's Writer A.J. York

Does Size Matter?

5/8/2016

When deciding what to read is the size of a book a factor? Does size matter?

I sometimes visit the author forums just to check in and see if there anything new in the publishing world. The topic that comes up time and again is the size of the book and how to price it. There are a quite a few authors who are upset about other authors publishing a very short book and charging a tidy sum for it. Amusingly, they are calling these very short books ‘pamphlets’.

There is a size classification for books and it is based on word count. It can vary, but here is an approximation.

A Short Story should be under 7,500 words.
A Novelette is between 7,500 – 17,500 words.
A Novella is between 17,500 – 40,000 words
Novel is over 40,000 words.

Word count is important, but I think it depends on your genre. For example, there are many reluctant middle grade readers out there and offering them a hefty novel may just turn them off. But offer them an exciting short story, then they might just give it a chance.

My Delilah Dusticle stories vary from short story to novella, but put together they become a novel. I intend to publish them as an omnibus after I finished Delilah Dusticle's Mission Impossible. I have published Delilah Dusticle, Delilah Dusticle's Transylvanian Adventure and Eliza Bluebell as a story bundle called The Delilah Dusticle Adventures. I am not fond of the cover and I intend to change that over the next few months.

As for pricing, there are no guidelines, except for those issued by the retailers. An author could publish a short story and price it at 7.99, but I doubt that anyone would buy it. However, a children’s story is expected to be quite short and can have the same price of an adult novel. But then children’s stories and middle grade books tend to have illustrations in them too, which is another cost and dimension to factor in.

I can see the attraction with a big fat book and as a reader I would be very disappointed to find myself enthralled in a story, only to find it finished within a few pages. At the same time, I am also tired of books that add in extra text just to extend the books length. The text usually could be omitted from the story and the reader would be none of the wiser. I call this ‘filler chapters’. I like a well fleshed out story, but I get bored if the pace has been drawn out with filler chapters.

I have also noticed this in TV series. It seems that programming now requires at least 6 episodes even if the story is about 3 episodes. I watched a BBC Three TV series called Thirteen recently and there was an episode where nothing happened that effected the storyline. You could have missed that episode out and still been able to follow the story. Even advert breaks seem to be longer. It used to be long enough so you could make a cup of tea. Here in Sweden, advert breaks are so long I can take a shower.

There are stories that warrant an epic length. The BBC also did a great adaptation of Tolstoy’s War and Peace. However, this time the series was criticised for being squished into six episode. I guess when it comes to length there is no one size fits all.

I understand that a thick book could be seen as more value for money, but I am much happier reading a shorter book that is well paced. Fat books that have been padded out do not do it for me. I see this as a bit of con. In conclusion, I guess size doesn’t matter to me, it’s the content that matters. Stretching things out to make a book look bigger or to fill programming demands is just dumbing down. Isn’t it?

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Read Chapter One of Delilah Dusticle and the Cursed Tempest

5/5/2016

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Delilah Dusticle and the Cursed Tempest is now available on Amazon, iBooks, and Kobo. Here is the first chapter to wet your appetite.

Chapter One - Bombay Dreams

Dev wiped the sweat from his forehead and gasped at the hot, soupy air. Footsteps pounded on the flimsy roofs above, echoing all around the slum. The smell of rubbish and waste was overpowering.
He pushed himself further out of view into a crevice between two frail dwellings. The Bombay sun was setting, but the heat was stifling and swaddled his body like unwanted fur.
The sound of footsteps melted away and a door slammed in the distance. The slum was unusually quiet. The paths that snaked around the makeshift houses were empty. All doors were firmly shut and those lucky to have windows had covered them up.
Squeezing himself out of the crevice, Dev began to run. Shadows loomed around a corner and he changed direction. He disappeared into a dark passage and stood flat against the wall, breathing hard.
“Welcome, Dev. We have been expecting you,” whispered a soft female voice from an open door.
Dev looked over. Standing in front of him was a short, elderly Indian woman with blue eyes, dressed in a blue sari. She led him inside. The room was bare and, sitting on the dirt floor, were three grey-haired women dressed in saris and four elderly men in tunics. They sat in a circle around a fire.
“I had a dream,” said Dev to the blue-eyed woman in front of him. “They plan to take her. They plan to sacrifice Kirin.”
“We know, Dev,” said the woman. “We, the elders, sent you the dream. It was the sign to come to us. They have already taken her.”
Dev stood shocked for a moment and then made long strides to the door.
“I shall go and…”
“No, Dev,” said the woman. “That is why we are meeting here, in the slums of Bombay, and not in our village. I knew you would try to rescue her. It is difficult to understand, but you are not to do this. There is only one now who can save Kirin, who can save us all. Do you have it with you?” She led Dev back to the fire.
Devastated, he gripped the locket hanging around his neck. “Yes,” he whispered.
“Come sit with us,” said a voice from the circle, “and we will see if she is the one.”
Dev sat down and opened the locket. The speck of dust inside glistened as he placed it on the tip of his finger. The blue-eyed woman sat beside him and then blew the speck from his fingertip. They all watched as it floated gently into the fire. There was a moment when nothing happened. Suddenly, white shooting flames exploded from the fire, up through the chimney and into the sky like fireworks.
“Feisty,” said a voice from within the circle.
The blue-eyed woman turned to Dev. “You must bring her here. It is your destiny. If you fail, Kirin will not survive and nothing will change.” Dev nodded silently. The blue-eyed woman looked out of the window.
“It is dark enough that you will be hidden. Go, save my granddaughter, save your sister,” she said placing her hand softly on Dev’s cheek. Dev kissed his grandmother’s hand and then jumped out the window.

Get you copy now! Click the relevant button below!

Kobo

Not read the first two stories yet? No problem, you can get the Delilah Dusticle Adventures story bundle by clicking the link button below.

The Delilah Dusticle Adventures Story Bundle

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Where does Delilah Dusticle's magic come from?

5/1/2016

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Spoiler alert! I recommend missing this post if you have not read Delilah Dusticle and Delilah Dusticle’s Transylvanian Adventure.

I have written many times about how a bad cleaning experience gave me the idea for writing a story about a magical maid. However, I have never written about where her magic comes from. When I came up with Delilah Dusticle and her magical ability to eradicate dust, I had not completely formed who she was, where she was from and where she was going. It seemed obvious that she would work as a maid in a big house. I just needed to fill in the other details.

In the first story, Delilah gets her heart broken, she looses control of her dust disappearing magic and begins to shower dust everywhere. When she breathed she would exhale dust. When she walked across the room she would leave a trail of dust. At her most miserable, the dust would fall around her like snow. Making more mess than she could clear away she is let go. This is when her journey of rebuilding her life begins. She makes an unlikely friend and they start a business called Dustbusters and employ a team of Dustbusters. Delilah starts to control her ability to make and eradicate dust.

Here is their company logo. Pulvis et Servitium is Latin for Dust and Service.

So, where does this crazy dust magic come from? Well, Dustbusters becomes famous, and weird and wonderful offers to clean grand houses start to come in. Delilah and the Dustbusters accept an offer to go abroad to Transylvania to clean Dracula’s castle. Actually, this is what they think they have been invited over to do. When they arrive they find it quite the opposite. I can't give any more away so, I leave that to your imagination.

While in Transylvania, Delilah finally discovers from Count Dracula who she is. She discovers that she is a Brownie. This is where I need to explain, as I expect some of you reading this might be thinking of a chocolatey treat or even the girl guides/scouts (in the UK, a Brownie is a girl scout). But did you know a Brownie is also a type of house elf that helps out around the house or on the land? They are seldom seen by normal humans and exchange their hard graft for gifts of food. Brownies features in folklore all over Europe.

I grew up knowing about this mythical creature because in Sweden we have Tomtes. They are mainly represented at Christmas time, but they do chores around the house or on the farm in exchange for porridge.

Here is a picture by Swedish artist Jenny Nyström

In the UK, Brownies were mainly associated with the North of England and Scotland. They were also known as Hobs (hobgoblins).

I took all these details about house elves one step further and came up with the idea that each Brownie would have one special magical skill. Delilah can eradicate dust, but her brother can make things grow from nothing. Other Brownies would be able to bake amazing dishes from a few ingredients. Anything domestic, then there would be a Brownie that would be able to charm it into being.

I came up with a reason why humans rarely saw a Brownie and this was because they would take advantage of them. There is a house gnome in Germany called Heinzelmännchen and the story goes that the people of Cologne had gnomes working throughout the night, so they could be lazy during the day. I considered that Brownies all around the world felt tired of being used for their skills and wanted their freedom. They ran away into hiding and as far as Delilah knows, she and her brother are the only ones left.

So there you have it! Delilah is a Brownie, a mystical being, and that is where her magic comes from. Her adventures are fun, mystical and weird. Her friends are loyal, hilarious and complex. Her origin is written in folklore and she is quite possibly the only one left of her dust making kind. Or is she?

To read the first chapter of Delilah Dusticle, click the button!

First Chapter

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Cover Reveal - Delilah Dusticle and the Cursed Tempest

4/24/2016

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Ta da! There has been a lot of blood, sweat and tears shed on this cover. It has been redrawn several times, but the design concept has stayed the same.

In this exciting instalment, Delilah Dusticle and the Dustbusters travel to the vibrant and mystical land of India. On arrival, they are tasked with a quest to overcome a powerful curse and save a life. It soon becomes clear that it is Delilah, who must find the strength and the power to defeat the curse. This is the third in a series of stories following Delilah and the Dustbusters on adventures around the world. Get ready to join the fun and experience the magic!

There are sixteen chapters in this book and so far, fourteen of the sixteen illustrations have been completed. I am aiming for an end of May 2016 release for the eBook and the paperback will follow shortly after. Fingers crossed!

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Doodle Art and Zentangles

4/18/2016

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I met a friend from work the other day to talk about blogs, careers and inspiration. She mentioned that she had tried an adult colouring book and was hooked. I like the idea of art books for adults. Just because we are no longer at school doesn't mean we can't enjoy a crafty session now and then.

I can really see why an adult art book would be popular. The outline for the design it already there and you just have to make it stunning. For me though, I think I would like to be the one to create the design as well as be the one who colours it in. The adult colouring books I have looked at are also really expensive. So I was really pleased when I covered an art class at school where I had to introduce Zentangles.

It is a technique where you are doodling, but with structure. It doesn’t matter whether you think you are artistic or not. I think anyone could create a striking Zentangle. All you need is a fine black marker pen and paper.

Here is the video clip of how to create them.

The students and I had a great morning creating these doodles and I felt zen for the rest of the day. I have even starting writing a short story, which is great. I definitely recommend doodling for inspiration.

Here are my Zentangles.

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Every Object has a Story, Part Two

4/12/2016

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Last week, I set myself a challenge to write about two objects in my home. This has come from me thinking about inspiration and ideas. I am interested in how an object can tell a story and how it can convey emotion.

I have chosen this picture. How I got it is not that interesting. I was in Ikea and as always was drawn to the sale signs. Poking out of a box was this picture. I am not a fan of mass produced decoration, but I instantly liked it. It is by Nadia Taylor and called, Lido.

It hangs right in front of my bed. It is the first and last thing I see each day. Each time I look at it, I think or feel something different. The image of the girl under water takes me right back to being a child and gliding under water, feeling free. For a few moments I am in another world. The sounds of the world above are distorted and then I return to the surface, gasping for breath. The memory makes me feel happy.

Other times when I look at the picture it makes me think about how sometimes in life, I glide through my days, seamlessly. Luckily, there are many day like this. The repetition of the images is quite soothing, but there is also something a bit more sinister hiding between the lines. I also see a subtext and this is when she starts to come alive.

There are times when I look at this picture, I see her treading water, spluttering, trying to get back to normal and trying to get back to seamless. Perhaps from a disappointment or something that didn’t go well at work. Then, unfortunately, on black days I see her clinging to driftwood, exhausted, floating until she can swim again. For me, this is overcoming loss of loved ones.

Then the picture returns to what it once was. I see her again, swimming seamlessly. The picture reminds me to feel grateful for the times when I glide though my day. It reminds me to keep swimming and to be happy.

I wish you a seamless day!

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Meet my Writing Mascot, Grumpy Stone

4/8/2016

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Just in case you haven't met, I would like to introduce Grumpy Stone, my writing mascot. He was found on Frinton Beach in Essex, England, Grumpy Stone is the inspiration behind the character Grumpy Sponge, who appears in the Delilah Dusticle stories. He really enjoys living in Gothenburg and can be regularly found hanging out in cafes.

He also likes hanging out with his friends. Click the stop motion animation below to see them hanging out together.

I definitely recommend getting a writing mascot. Whenever I am looking for some fun inspiration, all I have to do is look at Grumpy Stone. Does anyone else have a writing mascot?

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Every Object has a Story, Part One

4/6/2016

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I am always thinking about ways to stimulate new ideas and stories. In the small town I grew up in, there is a main shopping street with a post office, supermarket and a few cafes. At least eight of the shops on that street are charity shops, selling second-hand goods like clothes, albums, books and bric-a-brac. There is an aging population in my old town, so most of these items would probably have come from a house clearance after someone has passed away. Or they would be things from the 70s/80s/90s, which were now being replaced with modern versions.

I used to go around these charity shops mesmerised by all the different objects on display, from paste necklaces to 80s food mixers and dainty tea sets. I would think about what the story was behind the object. Was the tea set a wedding present that was always saved for best, but the best never happened? How many cakes were made in the old mixer? Were there children who would lick the bowl clean? I have my theatre head on now, and this would make a great interactive play. The audience would pick an item from the charity shop and the actors would then perform a short sketch about its story. This would also work well in a museum, using relics to create a story about the time the relic is from.

I have now started to think about the objects around my home and what they mean. Is there a story and is it interesting enough to tell? Does it hold enough emotion to touch the reader? Is there something poignant that could be said? This has got my imagination whirring and I have set myself a challenge to write about two objects from my home.

This is my first object.

Looking at it, it is not very special. I could easily imagine this on a shelf at a charity shop, being sold for a £1. It would probably sit on the shelf for months, even a year, until someone comes along with the vision to changes the handle or perhaps paints it to suit their modern house.

This wooden bowl with lid belonged to my Swedish Great Grandmother, who I used to call Ninni. Her real name was Esther. She lived to nearly a hundred and I never really knew her that well. I only spoke English and she only spoke Swedish. I was also very young and more interested in dolls. Later on, I found out she had worked as a waitress and lived in a house my Great Grandfather built.

As a little girl, I would go to visit Ninni with my mother and grandmother. She had moved from her house to an apartment. There were no toys and they all spoke Swedish, so I would go off and explore. That is when I came across the wooden bowl and what was in inside. My Great Grandmother had once been fortunate enough to travel abroad by train to Austria. She bought back embroidered buttons and sugar lumps wrapped in paper from a café as souvenirs. Me, the naughtiest child on earth, removed the lid, unwrapped the sugar lumps and ate them.

I should really have been told off, but instead a tradition formed between me and my Great Grandmother. When I came to visit, I would go straight to her wooden bowl and remove the lid and inside would be a handful of sweets. When Ninni passed away I asked for that bowl. We were two relatives who could not speak to each other because of language, who were also separated by age, but found a way to connect through an object that today probably would just sit on a charity shop shelf collecting dust.

You might be wondering what I now keep inside the bowl. Well, I wanted to keep up the tradition of bringing back sugar from special trips abroad. There are some sugar sachets that I picked up in Rome and Barcelona. It is actually really hard finding sugar that has the cafes own branding on it.

I admit there are some other things hiding in there too. Things that I do not want to throw away, but do not know where to put them. Some items have mundane stories and some bring out mixed emotions. The plaque bearing my surname, ‘York’. This used to be displayed on the front door of my family home in Great Holland, England. A relic from before my parents' divorce. The white dial is from my bedroom radiator. Weirdly, the radiator only works without it. Two carved stone hearts from my Mum. An old lip balm. A necklace I no longer wear. I guess I should put some sweets in there too.

Someday, this bowl may end up in a jumble sale, a flea market, a car boot sale or just get thrown away. All the bowl's secrets will be forgotten. So, I am glad that I managed to tell its story today.

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Learning Curves, Illustrations and Progress

4/1/2016

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Three years ago, when I sat down to write Delilah Dusticle, I had no idea I would publish the story, let alone write sequels. I excitedly asked my friend, Anna, a journalist to cast her eye over the text. She proofread the story and gave me huge encouragement to publish. So I did, on Amazon. I then researched how to let people know that my little story was out there. I contacted book blogs asking them to read and review my story. To my surprise, they replied saying, “yes please”. They also encouraged me, by saying they hoped for a sequel. The main critique I got was that there were no illustrations and they wished it could have been longer.

That is when I roped in my partner in life, Gavin to create some illustrations. I was very lucky to be living with an artist and his style fits the middle grade genre so well. I then set about to write the sequel and that story ended up being over twice as long. I felt much more confident and the ideas for the story just came in waves. It bought me a huge amount of joy and I giggled throughout the writing stage.

Fortunately for me, Gavin enjoyed creating the illustrations just as much. With each book we collaborate on, the more detailed and exciting his illustrations become. The first story for us both was a learning curve, and I feel that all the books we have produced since show huge progression.

We both work on the books in our spare time. Gavin, works as a design teacher and in the past has worked as a set designer too. He has even designed for a BBC children’s programme called Playbus. Currently, he teaches label design, film making, animation, comic books design and so on. He is using the animated book trailers he has created as examples in his lessons. There is nothing like showing your students that you can actually do the things that you are teaching.

Right now, we are working on getting the illustrations finished for Delilah Dusticle and the Cursed Tempest. The book has now been proofread and I am formatting it for publishing. It is an exciting time! Here is a glimpse of what is come. I hope you like it.

You can see Gavin’s other illustrations, set designs, book trailers and photography on www.gavinchilds.com

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Happy Easter, Happy Spring, Happy Everything!

3/26/2016

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Spring is here! The beautiful Scandinavian lighter days have returned. Easter in Sweden is a big deal. People buy birch branches and decorate them with feathers and eggs. When I was growing up in the 80s my Mum would do this. I think my English friends must have found it a bit unusual. Today, I seem to see it everywhere in the UK.

Last week, Gothenburg and the surrounding towns started to decorate for Easter. There are feathers everywhere,

An unusual part of Easter in Sweden are the witches. Little girls will dress up as a witch, putting on old clothes with a head scarf, and then go door to door asking for treats. Very similar to Halloween. The tradition is said to come from the old belief that witches would fly to a German mountain the Thursday before Easter to cavort with Satan. On their way back, Swedes would light fires to scare them away. People still light bonfires and set off fireworks leading up to Sunday.

I have sent my mum a postcard wishing her a Glad Påsk (Happy Easter) that looks very similar to the one below.

Another little factoid for you, Easter eggs in Sweden are usually made of paper mache and are filled with all types of sweets. There are sweet shops in Gothenburg that remind me of Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory. They are a child's dream come true. Here is my local sweet shop.

I was at this sweet shop today filling my paper egg. I have already eaten quite a few. I should really hide my egg away until tomorrow.

On another note, the clocks go forward tonight, so my mornings will be even lighter. I am very much looking forward to the rest of spring and publishing the next Delilah Dusticle story.

Glad Påsk!

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Forward>>

Does Size Matter?

Read Chapter One of Delilah Dusticle and the Cursed Tempest

Chapter One - Bombay Dreams

Where does Delilah Dusticle's magic come from?

Cover Reveal - Delilah Dusticle and the Cursed Tempest

Doodle Art and Zentangles

Every Object has a Story, Part Two

Meet my Writing Mascot, Grumpy Stone

Every Object has a Story, Part One

Learning Curves, Illustrations and Progress

Happy Easter, Happy Spring, Happy Everything!

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