2002 - 10/2002 Meeting

Page Created: 09/23/10. Last Update: 09/23/10. Last Google Group Page Update: 06/08/08.

SHARYN NOVEMBER

Ms November's website is: http://www.sharyn.org/.

Firebird Books website is: http://www.firebirdbooks.com/.

MEETING SUMMARY:

Meeting Date: October 12, 2002.

Meeting Site: Bergen Highlands United Methodist Church, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey.

Official Attendance: 32.

Meeting Program: Talk by Fire Bird Books YA Editor.

Notes:

Meeting Memories:

Newsletter Account:

The October meeting of the Science Fiction Association of Bergen County was held at the Bergen Highlands United Methodist Church in Upper Saddle River, New Jersey on Saturday, October 12, 2002. Editor Sharyn November of Firebird Books was the featured speaker.

Pre meeting activities consisted of a screening COWBOY BEBOP by our Anime Associates and a very animated discussion of STAR TREK guilty pleasures, episodes you knew were bad but enjoyed anyway.

The Firebird imprint of Penguin Putnam Books is the brainchild of our guest, Sharyn November. Ms November has been involved with publishing childrens and YA books since 1986. She is a senior editor for two other imprints within the corporation, Puffin Books and Viking Childrens Books.

The Harry Potter phenomenon has made the publishing community quite receptive to the idea of targeting the readership of Young Adult fantasy. Ms November proposed much more than simply publishing some additional young people's titles, but rather a new imprint with a distinctive editorial and marketing philosophy.

Some spadework had to be done before than could happen. To launch an imprint you begin with a name. Firebird was chosen because it ties in with other avian imprints of the company like Penguin and Roc. Then came the design of a logo and a website. Actually, Sharyn basically set up a Firebird site on her own and then turned it over to the company. She is often up till midnight answering email from readers.

Integral to the identity of Firebird is the concept of cross marketing. Firebird books are designed to be placed on both the Childrens/Young Adult sections and on the regular Science Fiction/Fantasy racks. They must be of interest to both sets of potential buyers. If a great children's book is received that is too young for adult enjoyment, it will be passed over to another Penguin imprint.

Sharyn November has two editorial advisory boards which help her select titles. Prospective acquisitions are run past both groups. One is comprised of young adults, the other of professional writers like Lloyd Alexander and Madeline Robins.

At the mention of Ms Robins, Bill Wagner made a comment about her from the audience. Sharyn paused a moment and asked "Who ARE you?" After a moment of hesitation, Bill replied, "I'm Bill Wagner." At that point, a light went on over her head. Literally. A previously dead light in the room flashed into brilliance. I'm not making this up. Really.

Getting back to Firebird. The imprint was launched in January of this year. Most titles are reprints, often of books originally published by other Penguin Putnam divisions. Marketing decisions determine whether a particular title is issued in mass market, trade, or hardcover. Cover art is normally done by artists from the science fiction genre, as opposed to those who do work primarily for children.

Among the authors scheduled for publication next year are books by Brian Jacques, Meredith Ann Pierce, Patricia Mc Killip, Pamela Dean, and Robin Mc Kinley. When someone in the audience pointed out that these were mostly fantasy, and not science fiction, our guest responded, "Send me some. Almost no one is writing YA science fiction."

Sharyn November was a non stop talker with strong opinions and an interesting perspective. We enjoyed her both at the meeting and at Matthews Diner afterwards. Her URL is <firebirdbooks.com or sharyn.org>.