We sometimes hear from former mentees about the sale of their manuscripts to publishers or about honors and awards they have received. We thought we'd pass along the good news to other aspiring writers.

Congratulations!

Summer 2008

Rebecca Barnhouse's middle grade historical novel, tentatively titled The Book of the Maidservant, has been bought by Random House and will be on their spring 2010 list.

Rebecca writes:

How can I ever thank you enough? You have changed my life. For years, I have been sending out manuscripts and getting encouraging rejection letters, often letters that asked me to revise and resubmit, but that always ended with another rejection. Then I applied for your conference, and the second time around, you accepted me. You paired me with Diane Landolf. . . . Diane asked me to send me the entire manuscript of the sample she had read—and then she accepted it.

But wait—there’s more! On the basis of Diane’s offer, Anna Webman at Curtis Brown offered me representation. She is currently working out the details of a second contract with Random House, for a novel to be published the following year.

Without your conference, I would never have known about Diane and I would currently be adding to my stack of rejection letters—not to mention thinking about whether I should try to quit my writing habit. I am so glad I applied. I am so glad you accepted me. And I am thrilled beyond belief that you introduced me to Diane Landolf.

Thank you.

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Former mentee, Bob Krech, author of Rebound (see Winter 2006 below), tells us that he has two more books coming out:

Bob writes:

Two more books are now under contract. Upper grade novel, "Love Pupplies, Corner Kicks, Haggis, and Me" with Dutton Children's Books, slated for Spring 2010 and a YA novel, "One Leaf Turning" also with Dutton Children's Books, Fall 2011. Thanks for all your help.

Spring 2008

Gayle C. Krause has sold her picture book Rock Star Santa to Scholastic Book Club.

Gayle writes:

It was at the 2006 Conference where I met my editor, Jenne Abramowitz. So, thanks to the Rutger's Conference on Children's Literature I will be published with a major house.

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Kami Kinard recently sold two early chapter books to G. P. Putnam's Sons. 
 
Kami writes: 

Susan Korman, my mentor at Rutgers, helped me realize that my characters were under developed.  After much revising, the manuscripts were purchased by Putnam.  Thank you for organizing a great event that not only helps writers meet successful people in the industry, but that also helps us to become better writers.

Winter 2007-08

Jessica Dimuzio has won the Kimberly Colen Memorial Grant for fiction.

Jessica writes:

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Selene Castrovilla's first picture book, By the Sword was published by Calkins Creek Books/Boyds Mills press last Spring. Her second picture book, Upon Secrecy, currently being illustrated, is also being published by Calkins Creek Books/Boyds Mills Press.

Selene writes:

I want to thank you again for the incredible opportunites you afforded me in the children's writing field.


Spring 2006

Marie Lamba's first YA novel, What I Meant (Random House), was published this past summer (2007).

Marie writes:

Your conference is truly a gift to aspiring writers. Where else can you spend so much time with so many professionals who are all there with the sole purpose of helping you succeed? I've attended the conference twice, and last time I was paired with the very kind Alvina Ling, editor at Little Brown. Alvina was generous with her time and her advice, and because of her recommendations, I was able to land a fantastic agent. My agent negotiated a two-book deal with Random House, and as a result, my first YA novel WHAT I MEANT... will be coming out summer 2007. Endless thanks.

Winter 2006

Sudipta Bardhan recently sold two picture books, one to HarperCollins and one to Putnam.

Sudipta writes:

. . . Actually, Harper liked the manuscript so much that they offered me a 2 book deal. I have to say, the suggestions that my mentor made at Rutgers were instrumental to the sales – thank you!

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Paul Acampora's first novel, Defining Dulcie (spring 2006) has already received several starred reviews. He also has a short story in Every Man for Himself: Ten Short Stories about Being a Guy (Dial), which was published last September.

Paul writes:

I attended the One-on-One Plus conferences in 2001, 2002 and 2003. Each time, I have been assigned the most wonderful mentors in the world (Susan Korman, Nancy Mercado and Leann Heywood.) Their help plus the advice and encouragement from guests, mentors and attendees like Tracey Adams, Joyce McDonald, Sally Keehn, Karen Riskin, Bob Krech, Gail Carson Levine, David Lubar, Laurie Halse Anderson, and many, many others have been invaluable to me. I have had the pleasure of seeing many of these same people outside the conferences and now count them as friends. Thank you so very much!

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Crissa-Jean Chappell's YA novel, tentatively titled Happiness of the Garden Variety is under contract to HarperCollins.

Update: Crissa-Jean's novel first YA novel, now titled Total Constant Order is available from HarperTeen.

Crissa-Jean writes:

I just wanted to share my happy news with you. Thanks for encouraging me!

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Bob Krech's YA novel, Rebound, was recently published by Marshall Cavendish.

Bob writes:

I would like everyone involved with the One-on-One Plus Conference to know
that as this book developed I received input from four different editors, all of
whom I met at One-on-One Plus. I received encouragement from them as well as
my one-on-one pairing from two years ago--Elvira Woodruff. . . . I think the professional network and support available to mentees is unmatched anywhere.

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Many One-on-One Plus mentees have gone on to major success and many have returned as mentors. Some have been guest speakers for our annual One-on-One Success Story, and others have served on our Council. A few of our former mentees include:

Marcie Aboff, Laurie Halse Anderson, Susan Campbell Bartoletti, Pat Brisson, Pamela Jane, Denise Lang, Gail Carson Levine, Dianne Ochiltree, Coleen Paratore, Pamela Curtis Swallow, Rita Williams-Garcia, Kay Winters and Elvira Woodruff.

If you are a former mentee and would like to share your own success story, we'd love to hear from you. Please contact us at

ruccl.org@nac.net