I know everyone says this, but honestly, didn’t that summer whiz by? Seems like I was just planning the menu for our 4th of July picnic (cherry pie, anyone?) and now it’s October. This picture is the view from my kitchen window.
Ready or not, I do love autumn. It’s always been my favorite time of year, even when I was a kid and it meant going back to school. Maybe because it meant going back to school. After a long, sticky summer, I always felt invigorated by the crisp, cool days and the new challenges that awaited me in the classroom. If I may quote from You've Got Mail once again (oh come on, it's my blog!), Tom Hanks tells Meg Ryan that fall weather "makes me want to buy school supplies [and] send you a bouquet of newly sharpened pencils.”
It’s a feeling I need to muster up again, because I am now under contract with Pauline Books & Media for two Anna Mei sequels! A few months ago I submitted story ideas to Diane, my editor. She took them to her Editorial Board, who then took them to Acquisitions. After we worked 
through some details, they sent contracts for two more 28,000-word manuscripts. The books are tentatively scheduled to come out in February 2011 and April 2011. “Hey, it’s a trilogy,” one of my friends said when I told him the news. “Just like Star Wars.” Heh.
through some details, they sent contracts for two more 28,000-word manuscripts. The books are tentatively scheduled to come out in February 2011 and April 2011. “Hey, it’s a trilogy,” one of my friends said when I told him the news. “Just like Star Wars.” Heh.So now, with summer over and the excitement of the new contracts behind me, it’s time to sharpen my pencils and get down to the hard part—actually writing the books. But before I move on to the sequels, I wanted to share some news about the original:
1. PBM has selected an illustrator for the front and back covers. His name is Wayne Alfano, and he has just the style I was hoping for—colorful and lively but not cartoony. Here’s a cover he did for a Scholastic sports book for the same age group. I can’t wait to see how Anna Mei looks through his eyes.
2. Diane asked me to contribute three last things to the original manuscript: a back cover blurb (meant to entice readers but not spoil any of the plot), a short author bio, and a dedication. I know it sounds crazy, but in a strange way, these were harder to write than the book itself!
3. And finally, Anna Mei, Cartoon Girl is now officially registered with the Library of Congress. I visited the LoC when I was a kid, never in a million years believing I would have a book there one day. It’s just an incredible feeling.
Grund, Carol A.
Anna Mei, cartoon girl / by Carol A. Grund.
Summary: When eleven-year-old Anna Mei, who was adopted from China, moves from Boston to small-town Michigan, she finds herself questioning her identity, family history, and more as she seeks a way to fit in.
ISBN 0-8198-0788-5 (pbk.)
[1. Moving, Household--Fiction. 2. Adoption--Fiction. 3. Chinese Americans--Fiction. 4. Schools--Fiction. 5. Identity--Fiction. 6. Individuality--Fiction. 7. Family life--Michigan--Fiction. 8. Michigan--Fiction
