News

Publisher Tamarind Books has called for more writers and illustrators to tackle multicultural issues in their work, pointing to a lack of strong writing in this area.

Tamarind (originally established by Verna Wilkins) is now part of the Random House group and, although previously focused on picture books, it is extending its list in 2012 to include more fiction for children aged eight years plus and young adult readers.

“Authors themselves don’t need to come from a mixed community,” says fiction editor, Parul Bavishi. “I am essentially looking for strong stories and a good mix of ages. It has to be a beautiful story – not a focus on the fact that the main character is not middle class or white.”

To coincide with their search for writers Tamarind are running a competition. For full details click on the link http://www.tamarindbooks.co.uk/blog/?p=815

Meadowside Children’s Books plans to grow its Young Adult fiction list in 2013 and has announced a number of acquisitions. These include three debut authors – Rose Mannering, who has penned a Rom-com It’s All Make Believe, Lorrie Porter with a werewolf adventure and Titania Krimpas whose novel centres around gang crime.

Meadowside may also launch into junior fiction with stand-alone titles for the nine plus market.

For submission details click on the link Meadowside_Submissions.webarchive

A brand new comic launches on 7th January. The Phoenix is aimed at eight to 12 year-olds and will feature serialised and stand-alone comic strips as well as puzzles.

The comic will be distributed nationally by Waitrose as well as local booksellers in London and Oxfordshire. It aims to have 3000 subscribers within the first year and already has 600 signed up before its launch in the New Year.

For details about submissions click on the link Phoenix.webarchive

Entries are now open to our 2012 children’s story competition which, fittingly, has an Olympic theme. First prize is £100, a written critique and a chance to have your work put forward to an agent or publisher.

Please click on the link for full details and an entry form Entry_Form12.doc

Writers’ Advice Centre author Susan Imgrund (writing under the name of S.P. Moss) has found success with her 21st century adventure novel The Bother in Burmeon. Launch date is 11th April and full details can be found at www.circaidygregory.co.uk

And we are pleased to announce another success for a Writers’ Advice Centre author. We won’t be able to announce full details until after London and Bologna book fair but this second author has received a two-book Picture Book deal with a major publisher. Watch this space!

Having referred several writers to Ben Cameron (pictured) during his stint at the London Book Fair we are pleased to announce that Ben is still on the lookout for good new writers for Pavilion Children’s Books.

Ben prefers hard copy submissions and points out that Pavilion only publish books for babies, picture books, early fiction and illustrated classics.

“If it’s a picture book or something under 10,000 words then send the whole thing,” says Ben. “Anything else the first three chapters is fine.”

For further information check out www.anovabooks.com/imprint-pavilion-childrens

Shami Chakrabarti, director of Liberty (The National Council for Civil Liberties) and author, Alex Wheatle, have joined the judging panel of the Frances Lincoln Diverse Voices Award.

Entrants – who must be unpublished – have until December 2012 to enter the award, which is for the best work of fiction featuring diversity for readers aged eight – twelve years.Helen Limon won the 2011 Frances Lincoln Diverse Voices Children’s Book Award for Om Shanti,Babe.

For further details click on the link Diverse_Voices.webarchive

The Writers’ Advice Centre is in discussions with Matador to publish a small list of books under a dedicated Writers’ Advice Centre imprint.

“We are becoming increasingly frustrated at seeing good manuscripts failing,” says Louise Jordan, Managing Editor. “We would like to cherry pick our most promising authors and give them the start they deserve. We have been looking for a publisher for some time and Matador seems the ideal choice.”

Details as to how the new imprint will be organised is still under discussion so watch this space! In the meantime The Writers’ Advice Centre recommends Matador to anyone interested in self-publishing.

For more details about what Matador offer visit www.troubador.co.uk/matador

Nosy Crow is a new independent children’s publisher with a two-fold mission – to publish traditional stories in print and to create innovative apps.

Their first picture book app The Three Little Pigs gets young readers involved through interactive content.

“We’re not talking about books that are just squashed onto a phone,” says managing director, Kate Wilson.

Nosy Crow have already bought books from writers who have submitted to them directly and are very happy to accept further submissions of what Kate describes as ‘great books and great app content’. For full submission guidelines visit www.nosycrow.com/contact/submission-guidelines