Celebrating Clare Helen Welsh!

I am delighted to share Clare's story of how she met her editor at Maverick...and how 'The Aerodynamics of Biscuits' (Silver medal winner in the 2015 Greenhouse Funny Prize) is to be published later this year...









The Maverick Team came highly recommended to me and the first time I met Managing Director Steve Bicknell, was in 2013 at the SCBWI Winchester Conference Mass Book Launch. I wasn't disappointed (telling myself I would submit to them as soon as my manuscript was polished and ready!).

The first time I met Maverick Editor, Kimara Nye, was in the toilets of The Old Thatch Inn in Cheriton Bishop, Exeter! Due to a nasty accident on the A30 I waited quite a while (over two hours!) for my 'Big Meet,' during the course of which, my head was telling me ... 'Just go… they could be ages… you can meet them another time.. it's a Friday evening, they'll just want to get back'.


The first time I met Maverick Editor, Kimara Nye, was in the toilets of The Old Thatch Inn in Cheriton Bishop, Exeter! 


But my excited, newly clothed, fashionably coiffed and freshly manicured 'heart' was determined not to pass up this opportunity. By the way, getting to your meeting venue early is really good for nerves. You can't possibly sustain being nervous for that long, and you might meet some lovely locals while you wait - which I did.


 My excited, newly clothed, fashionably coiffed and freshly manicured 'heart' was determined not to pass up this opportunity


I am so glad I waited! As it turned out, I needn't have been so nervous. Steve and Kim loved 'Aerodynamics of Biscuits', the tale of Captain Sneaky McSqueaky and his crew of pirate mice who are trying to fly to the moon to steal cheese, and they wanted to publish it in September 2015. Eeeek! And it was to be illustrated by Sophia Touliatou.

This is what Maverick have to say:

Clare has a huge amount of passion and talent for writing children's books and we are very pleased to be publishing her first book

 "At Maverick, we are very excited at having Clare join our team with her wonderfully imaginative text Aerodynamics of Biscuits. We loved the story from the start and thought that it would make a fantastic Maverick title.  Clare has a huge amount of passion and talent for writing children's books and we are very pleased to be publishing her first book. "

Hand on heart I could not have done it without SCBWI and its lovely members, not least the organisers of the Conference where I first met Maverick and my lovely critique group!


Hand on heart I could not have done it without SCBWI and its lovely members


Need more proof SCBWI is amazing? At 2014's Winchester Conference  I had a one-to-one with the lovely Alice Williams of David Higham Associates. She gave some fantastic feedback on another story and was interested in seeing other work.

Two months later we met at the David Higham Offices in London, and although the meeting was straightforward (i.e no delays or trouble with phone signal) it wasn't any less exciting and I was thrilled when Alice offered to represent me and my future work:

Clare Welsh at David Higham

I'm not exactly sure what the future holds but I am so grateful for what I have achieved so far and I am eternally thankful to my family and friends, SCBWI and others, for putting up with me whilst I tormented myself with… 'Am I good enough?' I promise to keep you posted.

www.clarehelenwelsh.com

Twitter ID:  ClareHelenWelsh


Editor's note: Clare, you are clearly more than good enough! And it's so wonderful to see your lovely photos, both here and on your webpage, that capture your unadulterated excitement. Please do keep us posted. We want to hear all about Captain Sneaky McSqueaky and his crew of pirate mice, soon as the cheeky cheese-stealers come in to print.





11 comments:

  1. Thank you SCBWI and Nancy! You really are a wonderful bunch! Goodness knows where I'd be without your insight, support and friendship... probably driving my husband insane! Feeling very grateful :-))

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  2. Well done, Clare, really pleased for you. You deserve it x

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  3. Fantastic stuff! Well done, Clare, you really deserve this success.

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  4. What an exciting journey! Congratulations. Well deserved.

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  6. So proud of you Clare. Never mind the mice, you must be over the moon! X

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  7. Well done Clare- it is a great book and I can't wait to buy copies for everyone I know, and maybe even some people I don't!

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  8. This is wonderful news! Congratulations :)

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  9. This is wonderful news! Congratulations :)

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