Monday, January 7, 2013

The latest on my picture book “Thirty Minutes Over Oregon”

The quest continues for a publisher for my nonfiction picture book manuscript about a man who flies—but not with a cape. (As was typical for WWII pilots.)

What also continues: praise for that manuscript, called Thirty Minutes Over Oregon (which may be retitled Thirty Minutes Over America).


courtesy of Julia Sarcone-Roach

My determination to bring this story to a wide audience was already sky-high but comments like the following fuel it even more:

“It’s so, so cool, and so moving. In a way, it reminds me of the mega-bestseller Unbroken—but for picture-book readers!” — editor, major publisher

“It’s touching and speaks nicely about ideas of nationalism and patriotism (both here and abroad), and multiculturalism, all in a really interesting way.” — editor, another major publisher

“I am blown sideways, gobsmacked, dumbfounded. What an extraordinarily moving story. It simply must be told. I can’t believe it hasn’t been picked up—that is a travesty! And I love how Marc promotes/pitches it on his blog; why, it’s heroic! His passion for the story is palpable—contagious even. He is a gifted storyteller. This tale zigs, it zags and then…whoosh, it dives and hits!” — writer

“The best argument for continuing to write children’s nonfiction I’ve heard.” — Julie Winterbottom, former Nickelodeon Magazine editor

“The story about World War II, Thirty Minutes Over Oregon, has to be published. I am amazed that the story exists and we don’t know about it. That’s what I mean, his passion is contagious.” — Michelle Haseltine, middle school teacher


collected after my keynote at the Nevada Reading Week Conference (though
Thirty Minutes Over Oregon took up maybe 5 or 6 minutes out of an hourlong presentation, it got more feedback than anything else I discussed):

“Very interesting—this is great history no one knows about. I hope it will be published soon.”

“I am interested in
Thirty Minutes Over Oregon. Hopefully it will be published.”

“Want to read
Thirty Minutes Over Oregon.”

“Especially poignant was the publishing process story of the Japanese [pilot] who bombed Oregon.”

“The Japanese bomber story was amazing.”

“Hope the Oregon book goes public.”

“Loved his story about
Thirty Minutes Over Oregon and hope it gets published.”

“Interesting Oregon bombing story!”

“The sad story of a great story not yet finding a publisher.”


This was not specifically about
Thirty Minutes Over Oregon but is relevant:

“I loved your book [Bill the Boy Wonder: The Secret Co-Creator of Batman], and your #nerdybookclub post. The more middle grade nonfiction picture books, the better.” — Adam Shaffer ‏@MrShafferTMCE

Boys of Steel: The Creators of Superman is about persistence.  


Bill the Boy Wonder: The Secret Co-Creator of Batman is about integrity.  

Thirty Minutes Over Oregon is about redemption, and that’s a theme I can’t recall seeing in picture book nonfiction.

Will it take flight in 2013?

1 comment:

Jolene Gutiérrez said...

I heard about "Thirty Minutes over Oregon" from a fellow teacher who met you at CCIRA yesterday--I'm really hoping it will be published in 2013! I keep hearing from agents and editors that they want fresh, exciting stories, and I can't imagine anything more fresh or exciting than a buried history story that most of us have never heard of! I can't wait to see it available for all of my students--especially the vast numbers of male students I teach who love World War II history!