Hi Spring Fling Kidlit Contest hopefuls!

(If you haven’t heard about the Spring Fling Kidlit Contest yet, check it out here, and get ready to win some awesome prized like the one below.)
Today, for our fourth Prize Donor Feature, we have Blue Whale Press editor, award-winning author, and just the kindest person…

🎉Alayne Kay Christian🎉

Alayne is offering a package of her webinars to learn directly from her! https://alaynekaychristianauthor.com/webinars

We asked Alayne some spring-themed questions, and here’s her responses:

• What is your favorite thing about spring?

Alayne: I’m sorry. I had to pick two.

The way the world seemingly turns green overnight.

The way the birds seem so happy.

• Spring is full of surprises bursting forth, what’s something you’ve found surprising about the publishing industry?

Alayne: Honestly, I’ve been in the business so long that almost nothing surprises me anymore 😉 I think the top three surprises when I first entered the arena were:

3. How hard it is!
4. How long everything takes.
5. The business end of how many people get a piece of the pie when it comes to publication and book sales—the impact of seller discounts and returns, among other things, on the bottom line— and how it all impacts authors and illustrators. How’s that for a weird run-on sentence 😉

• Can you tell us a bit about your current book(s) or any book(s) you are working on?

Alayne: LATEST BLUE WHALE PRESS BOOK

Blue Whale Press is about to open pre-orders for our first middle grade novel The Misadventures of a Magician’s Son written and illustrated by Laurie Smollett Kutscera.

Twelve-year-old Alex was taught illusion by the best. Misadventures of a Magician’s Son tells the story of Alexander Finn’s personal journey dealing with the death of his father, a celebrated magician, and the extraordinary gift he left behind. Uprooted from his childhood home for the seemingly hokey town of Orchard, Maine, Alex refuses to unpack and wants nothing to do with his new surroundings. But when he discovers an unusual deck of animated cards tucked in the back of his father’s old desk, things begin to unravel and Alex’s true adventure begins.

https://www.amazon.com/Misadventures-Magicians-Laurie-Smollett-Kutscera/dp/1732893543

We have lots of new picture books coming in 2020, and they are all listed on the Blue Whale Press website.

ALAYNE’S FORTHCOMING BOOKS

Alayne has three new books coming in 2020.

Coming very soon! An Old Man and His Penguin: How João Pereira de Souza Became an Honorary Penguin, a picture book illustrated by Milanka Reardon. When João rescues a lifeless, oil-covered penguin (Dindim) and nurses him back to health, Dindim adopts João as an honorary penguin. The steadfast friends do everything together. They swim together, fish together, and stroll the beach together. But there are real penguins somewhere across the sea. So one day, Dindim leaves João. The villagers tell Joao the penguin will never come back. João cannot say if he will or will not until he does . . . again and again.

Coming soon. Sienna, the Cowgirl Fairy: Cowboy Trouble, a chapter book and the second in the Sienna series, illustrated by Blake Marsee. Aunt Rose is getting married, and guess who she’s asked to be her flower girl. Sienna’s sadder than a coyote without a howl. “I’d look mighty silly in a dress. I’d trip over my own feet in them fancy shoes. And I ain’t much good at manners neither.” Ma signs Sienna up for cowgirl charm school where Sienna discovers she’s even worse at being elegant than she thought she’d be. To make matters worse, Billy Bob and his band of bullies see Sienna in her charm school clothes and raise a ruckus. Maybe Sienna can teach those cowboys a thing or two about manners and poise. But can she learn enough at charm school to walk down the aisle without embarrassing herself and Aunt Rose?

Coming late summer 2020. The Weed that Woke Christmas: The Mostly True Story of the Toledo Christmas Weed, a picture book illustrated by Polina Gortman. The story of a small gesture that turned into a phenomenon that was seen around the world. Partly truth and partly fiction, it is based on the inspiring true story of how the Toledo Christmas Weed helped spread the giving spirit far beyond its traffic island home. All Weed wants is to be seen, but people are in too much of a hurry to notice each other, let alone Weed. Weed watches, wishes, and waits until finally someone does see it. But Weed discovers that there is something far bigger and more important than a little weed being noticed.

Alayne’s Bio

Alayne Kay Christian is the acquisitions editor for Blue Whale Press and an award-winning children’s book author. She is the creator and teacher of a picture book writing course Art of Arc. In addition, she shares her knowledge with writers through free and affordable webinars at Writing for Children Webinars. She has been a picture book and chapter book critique professional since 2014, and she worked as a 12 X 12 critique ninja for three years. Alayne has spent the last thirteen years studying under some of the top names in children’s literature. Alayne’s focus at Blue Whale Press is content editing, creative direction, and working with authors and illustrators to coordinate the path to quality books.

https://alaynekaychristianauthor.com/
https://www.bluewhalepress.com/
https://alaynekaychristian.wordpress.com/

Art of Arc http://www.alaynekaychristian.com/contact.html
Webinars https://alaynekaychristianauthor.com/webinars

Alayne is one of the 18 wonderful prize donors for the Spring Fling Kidlit Contest 2020, make sure to follow her on social media, read her books, and review them to show your support!

And get gif-searching or creating!

Tell us in the comments your favorite Alayne Kay Christian book. Can’t think of a favorite? Tell us your first Alayne Kay Christian book, or the one you’re most looking forward to!

Sincerely,
Kaitlyn and Ciara

PS. If you need more info on the Spring Fling Kidlit Contest, check here and if you want to check out the other Prize Donors, go here. Finally, make sure to share with all your writing friends!