A major New York book publisher is collaborating with a small magazine publisher in Minnesota to promote an author and her work in innovative ways. Both companies predict that this partnership will aid the two in reaching middle-grade female readers.
HarperCollins and New Moon Publishing in Duluth, Minn., the publisher of New Moon: The Magazine for Girls and Their Dreams announced in early March that they are joining forces to promote popular children's book author Sharon Creech and her publications on New Moon's Web site and in the bimonthly print magazine.
The Web site (www.forgirlsandtheirdreams.org) is featuring both a Sharon Creech book club and a writing club. The two publishers just concluded a month-long "Name That Book Club" contest and a "Love That Dog" Poetry Month contest, with prizes being children's books from HarperCollins.
An exclusive excerpt from Creech's March 2004 release, Heartbeat, was featured on the Web site; New Moon's March/April issue also contains the excerpt. "These girls got to read Heartbeat before everyone else," said Michelle Rowley, New Moon's communications coordinator.
Josette Kurey, senior manager of publicity for HarperCollins Children's Books, believes that HarperCollins is breaking new ground in this venture. "It's very rare that we sell serial rights on middle-grade novels," she said. "In fact, this is the first time we've done it. I don't know of anyone else doing this kind of collaboration with middle-grade novels."
The two publishers' ultimate goals are to hook New Moon readers onto Sharon Creech, while hooking Sharon Creech fans onto New Moon. According to Kurey, "New Moon readers are strong readers. We want them to become a larger part of the world of Sharon Creech. Plus, New Moon encourages girls to be strong, creative individuals, which is what Sharon Creech's books are all about. It's a good fit."
