| Carleton professor publishes children’s book |
By: BRENDA WARD, Staff Writer
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Posted: Tuesday, September 16, 2008 10:39 pm
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It’s a common thread shared by nearly every aspiring author: finish manuscript, query publishers, watch rejection letters trickle in. With any luck, one day a publisher finally sees it for the gem that it is.
For Laura Goering of Northfield, the process contradicted the norm.
“I never received a rejection letter for this book and sold it to the first publisher it was sent to,” said the author of a new children’s book titled “Whistling Wings.”
Good fortune or good research?
Goering spent a great deal of time researching the Internet to learn about writing for children and children’s book publishers. She was drawn to Sylvan Dell’s style of combining fictional stories with educational opportunities.
“I wrote ‘Whistling Wings’ for this publisher,” said Goering.
“Whistling Wings” is the story of Marcel, a young tundra swan, who hides in the rushes of a lake rather than make the 1,000-mile migration south with his parents and the flock. With the lake nearly frozen over, Marcel is at a loss when it comes to survival. Other animals try to help, but their means of survival don’t work for a swan. Hungry and scared, he falls asleep then awakes to a happy surprise.
Children’s literature has long been of interest to Goering, a professor of Russian studies at Carleton. Several years ago, she began translating children’s books from Russian to English, but found a high level of difficulty in when it came to rhyming words and variations in reading levels. She set the project aside and stuck with the writing of humorous poetry for special occasions.
Then she gave birth to a child.
Goering’s daughter, now 9 years old, had a strong interest in books from the beginning. “She learned that there is a lot of fun in fiction,” Goering said, though Goehring believes educational books are important as well. Thus, she was prompted to try her hand at writing a book herself.
“Whistling Wings” was first written in her head — ideas often coming to her when in bed — and then in long hand during her spare time.
An illustrator was chosen by the publisher.
Goering also writes for magazines like Highlights, which will publish a short story of hers in its December issue.
The public will have an opportunity to meet the author and have a copy of her book signed at noon Sept. 27 at River City Books.
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