Reading Waterstones were our hosts for Picture Book Club #16 with Lou Treleaven on 8.5.18. I was so excited to be meeting Lou for the first time in person after I had used her professional critique service. I had been very impressed by the structured, sensible feedback that she gave so I was looking forward to saying thank you, especially as one of the stories she worked on is being published in November!
Lou explained how she has spent many years writing, honing her technique and submitting doggedly for 15 years before getting her first break with Maverick Arts. I’m not sure I’d have that amount of stamina! Hearing stories like this though, especially if you’re in the middle of a seemingly endless cycle of submission and rejection, emphasises the importance of just keeping going. You’ve got to be in it to win it and the picture book world is a richer place because Lou did eventually win it and continues to do so! She told us that she still submits a new story to pretty much every Maverick editorial meeting. That’s one a month! Respect!
We were also treated on the night to a taster of Lou’s school presentation of Professor McQuark and the Oojamaflip, costume and all, before we finished for the customary cake, book signing and chat.
Welcome to the new members who came along this month. Hope to see you again at the next meeting in Oxford.
You can view Lou’s Picture Book Club session on our facebook page. Find out more about her excellent critique/editing service on Lou’s webpage. Lou has a new book out now, Homework On Pluto, which is a junior fiction title rather than a picture book but we’ll forgive her because it’s very good and we’re sure the next picture book can’t be far behind!