Pleased to present the official book trailer for IMPOSSIBLE POSSUMS! MUAHAHAHA!
Watch Here:
Written by me
Illustrated by James Rey Sanchez
Published by Disney Hyperion
October 22, 2024 | 40 Pages | 3-7 years
ISBN: 9781368099776
MUAHAHAHA!
I'm going to be published by Disney-Hyperion!
Pumped to unleash this villainous possum's chaos upon the world with fellow henchman, illustrator James Rey Sanchez and masterminds
@franknbooks
and
@JoannHillnyc
. Infinite thanks to partner in crime
@marchsoloway
.
Seeing too many people reveal covers and/or post reviews of books (across formats) without mention of the illustrator. Writers, how would you feel if people credited the illustrator only? This is a team effort.
GIVE. THE. ILLUSTRATOR. THE. CREDIT. THEY. ARE. DUE.
@Writing_Abigail
As a beekeeper, I'm sad to see how many millions? of bees were lost by USPS when the pandemic first began. Lots of dead bees from being lost in transport and delayed times leading to freezing, overheating, and starvation.
The gates of Cucumonga Campground are preparing to open (7/16/24) & something's lurking in the lake . . .
Behold, the cover of my debut pb. Illus. by Pablo Pino w/ art dir. from Lucy Ruth Cummins.
Opening lines, Preorder links, & Goodreads info. in 🧵 below. Rts appreciated. 🙏🏽
You've heard of the Kraken, but prepare to meet . . . 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐐𝐔𝐀𝐂𝐊𝐄𝐍!🦆
PUMPED to unleash this creature feature w/ illustrator Pablo Pino, editor
@kendralevin
& art dir.
@lucyruth
. I pitched this story via
#DVpit
Oct '20,
@marchsoloway
requested & we sold it Sept '21! pt1
In a time when book banning is already a thing, Barnes & Noble made it harder for marginalized creators to attain success and get their stories into the hands of those who need them most.
#Barnesandnoble
, you just s*** on the many creators who help makes your business possible.
I think it's worth pointing out that there ARE children's book creators producing these sorta works. But getting them past gatekeepers, agents, editors, acquisitions, is an additional hurdle. Klassen isn't the only one writing them. But he's 1 of the few who gets to publish them.
2020 hit me with a newly diagnosed auto-immune disorder. Then, it hit me with a scare. Today, that scare is over.
My biopsy came back and I DON'T HAVE CANCER! Months of medical testing are mostly done. It's a great day.
THE BIG ANNOUNCEMENT!!!
We're launching our own mentorship (for authors & author-illustrators) - fiction, nf, & rhyme : D There'll be about 20 mentors, 17 of which are already confirmed. The lineup's INSANE!!! Stoked to reveal them on May 29th. More details to come.
#PBChat
Today feels like a dream. I am now repped by THE Abrams Artists Agency as a voice actor !!!!!! Where's the ground? BC right now all I see are clouds : D
#voiceover
#voiceactor
In the last 10 days, I've logged almost 100 hours of revision on a single picture book revision requested by my agent. What should've been a simple fix on a very polished manuscript resulted in a full deconstruction and reassembly.
There's nothing easy about picture books.
NOVELISTS: I just accepted an offer, received cover art, and announced my deal today. The book hits shelves next year!
PICTURE BOOK WRITERS: I signed my contract last year but we're still searching for an illustrator. Hopefully we can announce & see it on shelves by 2158 🤞😆
With publishing having returned from hiatus and more agents re-opening to queries, more writers seem to be querying. Some of you for the first time. Here are some tips to help you nagivate some of the mental and emotional challenges of the process. A thread: pt1
If it wasn't for Twitter, I might not have become a children's author. It's where I secured mentorships, started
#PBChat
, connected w/ my agent + writing community, & more. I'm seeing this thru until the ship sinks & my frozen fingers have to be pried from a floating door.
When I die, I shall arise from my grave every time I hear "picture books are easy". I will haunt all offenders through each & every one of their dozens of painstaking drafts until they produce a polished picture book that's publication-worthy. Then, I'll make them query it.😆
The
#PBChat
Mentorship
#s
.
Disclaimer: Handcounted some, so they're rough.
2⃣5⃣MENTORS
4⃣8⃣1⃣+ APPLICANTS
COMBINED TOTAL OF 1⃣,5⃣2⃣4⃣+ SUBMISSIONS!
& this was/is our inaugural year⁉️🙏 Thx for answering the call. You all rock!
Chosen mentees announced July 31. Stay tuned...
To the editors who send pass emails, thank you! Really. We know you're inundated and overworked, and so a simple and swift 'not a fit' means a lot and gives great closure to many of us creators.
WHAT?! How could I forget?! Today is PBChat's birthday! We're one year old 🥳🎂🎉
To celebrate, let's do a GIVEAWAY! Comment below with a number between 1 and 1,000,000. Winner receives a picture book of their choosing. Closes tomorrow at 12pm EST.
Plz rt.
#PBChat
Ahhhhh!!!! I am now working with Innovative Artists as a voice actor (and possible for on-camera commercials, too). I have always wanted to work with an agency of this caliber. 10 years of hustle and struggle, but today is a day of gratitude, progress, change, and celebration.
📢The lack of Latinx representation in publishing, esp. children's lit, is very disappointing. Few Latinx agents. Few Latinx editors (esp for pbs). & not nearly enough Latinx stories being acquired from latinx creators. We matter yr-round, not just during Hispanic Heritage Month.
WHAT?!?!?!?! Just got AWESOME NEWS! Best news of 2020 so far. Just woke the entire family up and they all panicked thinking something terrible happened. My bad. 😆
#PBChat
I began reading and writing picture books when my little brother was 4, right before he entered kindergarten . Today is his last first day of elementary school. My first picture books will publish when he is going into seventh grade.
🧵
On Tues, I'll launch The Kidlit Hive's website & open registration. In the meantime, here's a small snippet of the 2023 program. The remaining lineup will be posted in the coming weeks and months. Events are planned for writers & illustrators of all formats & genres. pt1
I apologize to all whose children will want vampire kittens in 2026. Because this feline is going to sink her fangs into their hearts. (It's not her fault she can fly & summon an army of spiders)
Honored to team up with
@lunartcy19
&
@janine_omalley
on this spooky, lyrical tale.
Some of my favorite stories are not yet published, by creators who are not yet agented. I am eager for them to find their people and honored I got to know them and read their work early on. Because one day. they will leave an impression on the world as they have on me.
ARCS of The Quacken have arrived! Here's a sneak peak at one of my favorite spreads . . .
[Illustrated by Pablo Pino. Publishing July 16, 2024 via Simon & Schuster BFYR. Available for pre-order at ]
Never done this before, but why not? Want to hear some
#PBChat
Mentorship news about this year's program? Get this tweet to 200 likes and I'll share : )
🧵
Dear PBChat community,
It is with both sadness and immense pride, that I have decided, after lots of consideration, to permanently end
#PBChat
, to include the annual mentorship program. For four years now the program has been wildly successful and evolved into something pt1
🗞️💥🤯I have some
#PBChat
news of my own.🤯💥🗞️
I'm going to be a mentee myself! Stoked to announce that
@taralazar
will be mentoring me, helping me to develop my craft even further and polish my manuscripts as I prepare to begin querying in a few months!
One week until the
#PBChat
Mentees are announced and prizes are awarded to the runner-ups and honorable mentions. Please check out the document below for important information on how to follow the event:
1st day on submission as an author:
My agent: Prepare yourself. Things are slow out there. Glacially slow.
Me: I fully understand.
::Checks email every hour until bed to see if I have an offer yet.::
PBCHAT MENTORSHIP NEWS/UPDATES:
(Agented & Pre-agented pb creators, you'll want to read 'til the end)
The
#PBChat
Mentorship is happening a month earlier this year. It'll take place from July 1st - Oct. 1st. Beg. today, I'll announce the 1st of 25 mentors. 1 reveal per day. pt1
Proud to announce 19/38
#PBChat
mentees selected are maringalized creators who identify as being from the Black, Latinx, Asian, Indigenous, &/or LGBTQIA+ communities.
#PBChat
's committed to promoting diverse voices & assuring all children see themselves reflected in books.
TWENTY-THREE
#PBChat
applicants are now mentees and don't yet know it. At least ten more of you will be mentees. Multiple mentors took on 2-3 mentees each : ) Some of you are runner-ups or honorable mentions from last year. Some of you considered not applying this year pt1
Humor is often treated like the horror genre. Fetches $$$ for its entertainment value but too often not given the level of respect it deserves. It takes skill to pull it off. Not all stories have to be serious &/or heavy. I'd love to see more awards love for it in kidlit. Esp pbs
I'm stoked to share that one of last year's most requested mentors is back by popular demand. Let's give it up for returning
#PBChat
mentor. . . . 🥁🥁🥁
@viviankirkfield
!!!!
Be sure to comment below and show her some love. 🥳🙌🎉😃🎊✍️📚
💥My 1st two picture books, debuting fall '24💥
Prepare for:
Broken rules
Lovable characters up to no good
Non-stop chaos
Silly shenanigans
Written & illustrated by Latino creators (
@JamesReySanche1
& Pablo Pino)
Original tweets:
You've heard of the Kraken, but prepare to meet . . . 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐐𝐔𝐀𝐂𝐊𝐄𝐍!🦆
PUMPED to unleash this creature feature w/ illustrator Pablo Pino, editor
@kendralevin
& art dir.
@lucyruth
. I pitched this story via
#DVpit
Oct '20,
@marchsoloway
requested & we sold it Sept '21! pt1
Every October I build life-size Halloween props. This year the lil bro chose 'cemetary' as the theme. Here's that start of it: The Reapers. 1/3 (process shots)
The final
#PBChat
mentee was just selected. Nobody selected will know until June 30th when the mentees are announced live through
@pbchat1
.
23 mentees:
12 marginalized creators.
19 non-illustrators.
2 author-illustrators.
2 illustrators.
After 6 1/2 yrs of writing for children & almost 3 since receiving that 1st 'offer of publication' call, it's finally time to . . .
RELEASE THE QUACKEN!!
It's silly. It's spooky. It's suspenseful. & it's now on shelves—my debut picture illus. by Pablo Pino & pub'd by
@SimonKIDS
🦆THE QUACKEN: OFFICIAL TRAILER🦆
Written by me
Illustrated by Pablo Pino
Publication Date: July 16th
Publisher:
@SimonKIDS
🔊Audio on (you may recognize a familiar voice narrating)
Please retweet
This is a pretty niche tweet, but today I opened my beehives for the first time in months and not only did I get to see the queen I grafted hard at work, I got to see her lay an actual honey bee egg, which is like a one in a million chance even for beekeepers.
Our villainous possum, Carl, has arrived. MUAHAHAHA!
STOKED to reveal the cover of IMPOSSIBLE POSSUMS illustrated by the incredible
@JamesReySanche1
! Thank you,
@MrSchuReads
for hosting!
Be sure to check out our interview in Mr. Schu's og post. Pre-order link in thread below.
I've given it a lot of consideration and I'm not leaving Twitter, though I understand and respect anyone who wants/needs to. Ignorance and hate won't win. It's my mission to continue helping connect and amplify the kidlit community and opportunities within it.
The 1st batch of webinars & classes are now open for registration via !
GIVEAWAY: RT by 1/12 11:59pm ET for chance to win 2 free webinar passes. 3 winners to be chosen. Subscribe to mailing list on website & double your chances. (that's 12 passes total!)
TRUE STORY: I'm shortlisted for several voiceover projects as the voice of a teenager. I was also told recently (after I read for an adult role) that I'm "not a convincing adult." 😆🤔🤨
Congratulations,
@safajarwrites
!!!
@HannahWHolt
has chosen you as her
#PBChat
mentee!!
Fun fact: You were selected by two mentors and were the runner-up for a third.
From
@viviankirkfield
to all of her
#PBChat
Mentorship applicants: I plan to respond to all of the people who applied to me with a few thoughts and a bit of feedback on their beautiful manuscripts.
FINAL
#PBChat
MENTOR REVEAL
You may've heard of today's mentor. I heard she writes really funny books and likes to help other writers out on occasion. 😜
Give it up for the one, the only... 🥁🥁🥁
@taralazar
! 🥳🎉🎊🤲🦸♀️🤘
Okay, I'll hop on the bandwagon . . .
It's my debut year! Both The Quacken and Impossible Possums (cover reveal coming later this month) will publish in 2024.
I am hearing stories of clients leaving in mass exodus from their agent/agency as well as another agency or two dropping clients. If you need me to pull agent info from Publisher's Marketplace for you, hit me up. I can also share a document about questions to ask on the call.
❓Picture book writers...❓
Is there a weekly Twitter chat similar to
#kidlitart
&
#mgbookchat
where pb writers get together, discuss a weekly topic, share news, hear from industry guests, and/or participate in challenges/contests?
If not, is this something you'd want?
#kidlit
💥The 2020
#PBChat
Mentorship submissions are now open!💥 Please visit for more info and to apply.
➡️MARGINALIZED CREATORS ARE ESPECIALLY ENCOURAGED TO APPLY! ⬅️
Open to picture book authors, illustrators, and author/illustrators. 🎨✍️📚pt1
The cure for food poisoning's apparently a stellar review from
@KirkusReviews
!
My debut picture book, The Quacken (illustrated by Pablo Pino,
@SimonKIDS
) to be described as "pitch perfect tension" & "a hilariously over-the-top read-aloud." WHAT?!
Presenting . . . the master schedule/lineup for PBFest, which kicks off at midnight
@emilyanndavison
@FatherReading
@MindyAlyseWeiss
& I are hosting different events in diff. time zones (EDT/BST). Be sure to check out our pages tmw and/or follow the
#PBFest
feed. WHO'S READY?!?!
As someone who runs a paid program for creators of children's books, I want you to know that the most valuable resources you can find are FREE. While some may promise you "secrets" to attain success in publishing, there are no such secrets. YOU are the secret.
To all
#PBChat
applicants who applied to
@ArielBBooks
... She has sent me miniature critiques for each and every manuscript that was submitted to her. Over the next few days, I'll send ach applicant their critique from her.
#PBChat
The hour has arrived...
It's time for The FIRST
#PBCHAT
MENTOR REVEAL OF 2020 : D Without further ado, let's give it up for our newest PBChat mentor . . . 🥁🥁🥁
@kellydipucchio
!!!! 🥳🎉👋👏🎊📚
Whatever you do, do not diminish and/or censor your dreams. People are already going to try and do that on their own. Don't let your inner resistance aid their effort. Dream big dreams and create a specific plan of action to achieve them. No holding back.
This year,
#PBChat
Mentorship runner-ups and honorable mentions [only] will receive query and manuscript/dummy critiques donated by agents, editors, authors, and illustrators : ) They'll be awarded on July 31st.
*The runner-ups & honorable mentions are determined by the mentors.
2021
#PBChat
Mentorship updates:
1) This year applicants can apply to up to three mentors (and ultimately work with one if chosen).
2) The mentorship page (with mentor questionnaires, FAQ, rules, etc) will go live this Thursday
3) Applications open Friday
As a beekeeper, horror lover, & author, this was inevitable . . . Honored to team up w/ fellow
@ABLA
/
@marchsoloway
client,
@kalyquarles
& bring these undead bees to life in in this Colón/Quarles creature feature.
*Sound on
🧵Some fun openings lines, images, and thanks below.
I am stoked to share that The Quacken (written by me and illustrated by Pablo Pino) is already going to another printing. Thank you for your support, everyone!
The 2022
#PBChat
Mentorship program is returning for its 4th year and beginning even earlier this time around! It'll now run from June 1st - September 1st. I'll be announcing the mentors next month. Applications will open on or around April 1st. pt1
Never done this before, but why not? Want to hear some
#PBChat
Mentorship news about this year's program? Get this tweet to 200 likes and I'll share : )
My apologies. We have one more mentor to reveal for the 2021
#PBChat
Mentorship. Consider today a double-header. This next creator is a 2019/2020, returning mentor. Give it up for . . . 🥁🥁🥁
@GomezWrites
!
What?!?!? I can't share details but please send good vibes. The lil bro is in the final running to play a major Hollywood star's son in a huge blockbuster we put him on tape for last week. 2nd time we've gotten this close. By next week could be filming in another country
Picture book writers,
If you name the author of a comp. title within a query letter or submission, be sure to name the illustrator, too. While some industry might not take notice or care, this is how we can shift power dynamics and make it a habit of crediting illustrators.
Who could use some Monday morning motivation? How about a
#PBChat
MENTOR REVEAL?! Well, I have one for you : ) Let's welcome to the 2020 lineup . . . 🥁🥁🥁
@PatZMiller
!!! 👏🥳🎉🎊🦆👶✍️📚
Be sure to comment below and show her the love.