Tuesday, May 8, 2012

The Story Behind the Writing of One Pelican at a Time for Children's Book Week


A note before the post...Please take a look at the PBS GulfWatch video on the writing of One Pelican at a Time at the bottom of the post.  Please don't forget to vote, and the other authors' blog addresses are below as well!
One Pelican at a Time is a book that should not have been written.   Strange thing, one might think, for an author to say about her own book.  It is, though, quite true.
The first book in the Bella and Britt Series, Bella Saves the Beach, was slated to launch within weeks, when a major ecological catastrophe occurred in the US.  It was the Deepwater Horizons oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico on April 20, 2010. 

My publisher Lynda Burch at Guardian Angel Publishing and I agreed that a book had to be done about such an event.  She thought the Bella and Britt series was the perfect vehicle to use and she was right.

  Lynda shelved "Beach Bella," and I went to work on Pelican.  (It was yet to be named.)  We both wanted the book to be the first one in the US, and it was!  We're very proud of that.

Normally, a book takes months or more to complete.  I worked night and day on the manuscript and finished it in six weeks.  Actually, I don't know if I should be proud or embarrassed about it!

One Pelican at a Time turned out to be a labor of love.  I had lots of encouragement from our wonderful publisher, Lynda.  And though I worked flat out, I never once felt under anyone's "gun" except my own.

I am delighted to say that Pelican stayed on Amazon's Bestseller List for Children for18 weeks.  It won the Children's Classics Seal of Approval and was nominated for a Global eBook Award.  PBS Tampa did a feature on my writing of Pelican for their series GufWatch.  It can be viewed at the very end of this post.

I would be remiss if I did not mention the fabulous artwork by Samantha Bell.  She is a much sought after watercolorist, and the work she did for the whole series is beyond belief.  What a magical talent is hers.

Pelican, then, led the way for the Bella and Britt Series to come.  And what about Bella Saves the Beach?  That is the next book to be published.  A little late but all due to a good, but tragic, cause.


Nicole Weaver - www.mysisterismybestfriend.blogspot.com


Disclaimer:

Entry during the Children's Book Week celebration by Guardian Angel Publishing does not guarantee winning the FREE tote bag of Guardian Angel Publishing books, or the FREE picture book manuscript critique by Margot Finke. Winner of the FREE picture book manuscript critique by Margot Finke shall not hold Ms. Finke liable in publication success of submitted picture book manuscrip


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16 comments:

  1. JoannaMay 9, 2012 at 4:59 AM

    Nancy, I loved reading this story behind the story. May I put a link to this post onto my One Pelican at a Time book review?

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    Replies
    1. UnknownMay 9, 2012 at 7:18 AM

      Hi, Joanna,

      I'd be delighted to have you add the backstory yo your review, and thank yoy very much!

      All best wishes to you.

      Delete
  2. Mayra CalvaniMay 9, 2012 at 9:26 AM

    I love the video , Nancy! I bet your book got lots of great exposure from that.

    Mayra

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    Replies
    1. UnknownMay 9, 2012 at 3:51 PM

      Thank you so much, Mayra. It came out of the blue, and I was so grateful for the exposure.

      I really appreciate your support!

      Delete
  3. Donna McDineMay 9, 2012 at 10:43 AM

    Hi Nancy,

    You've done an absolutely wonderful job with your book. The video is outstanding!

    All the best,
    Donna

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    Replies
    1. UnknownMay 9, 2012 at 3:52 PM

      Thank you very much, Donna! I so appreciate it and your continued support.

      Delete
  4. Kai Strand, AuthorMay 9, 2012 at 12:44 PM

    The success you've had with Pelican is inspiring and well deserved. I'm certain it will migrate to your new books as well. I love the video. It is always fun to hear a book read in the author's voice.

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    Replies
    1. UnknownMay 9, 2012 at 4:16 PM

      Thank you so much, Kai! I appreciate your support--and agree with you about the author's voice. I recently heard Gary Paulson read part of Hatchet, and it was awesome.

      Delete
  5. Sharon StanleyMay 9, 2012 at 1:30 PM

    What an interesting back story. Isn't it funny how things somehow work out as they should? Now you can look forward to another in the series.

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    Replies
    1. UnknownMay 9, 2012 at 4:19 PM

      Thanks, Sharon! So nice of you. I agree that it is strange, and this one was quite amazing the way it all worked out.

      Delete
  6. Magic Carpet of 16x BooksMay 9, 2012 at 2:44 PM

    Super post, Nancy, about a wonderful and timely book - One Pelican at a Time. Read it everyone - it is really a great story, and educational as well.

    BOOKS for KIDS - Manuscript Critiques
    http://www.margotfinke.com

    ReplyDelete
  7. Magic Carpet of 16x BooksMay 9, 2012 at 2:47 PM

    By the way, what do we have to vote for? I could only find the entry form for the FREE tote bag of books and the PB critique.

    BOOKS for KIDS - Manuscript Critiques
    http://www.margotfinke.com

    ReplyDelete
  8. BarbaraBMay 9, 2012 at 3:41 PM

    Thanks for sharing the reading, Nancy.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Connie ArnoldMay 9, 2012 at 5:25 PM

    It is an amazing book! Congratulations on your great success with it, Nancy, and the lesson it offers children!

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  10. Nicole weaverMay 9, 2012 at 8:06 PM

    Nancy,

    Great post about your bestselling book. Thanks for sharing.

    Nicole Weaver
    Trilingual Children's Author
    http://mysisterismybestfriend.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete

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