What a delight it’s been in the last ten days to collect news from our Hamline alums about their writing successes with agents, book contracts and new books. We salute you all. I am sure that some news has been missed, so please add to comments. I listed in order of pub date, so keep reading. So much good news, that I had to keep it short. Congrats to all. You inspire us.

Susan Latta is now represented by agent Karen Grencik of the Red Fox Literary Agency. She also published an article “When the Sun Set” in the September issue of Appleseeds Magazine and signed a work for hire contract with Heinemann.

Diane C. Mullen signed with agent Ammi-Joan Paquette at the Erin Murphy Literary Agency.

Tracy Maurer has signed with Kendra Marcus at BookStop Literary Agency and has published numerous books in three different series at Rourke Publishing, Inc. with many more in the works.

Ann Matzke is represented by agent Michelle Andelman at Regal Literary in New York and in September had three books released by Rourke Publishing, Inc. in their Little Math series and is writing three more for Social Studies series.

Molly Beth Griffin’s picture book Loon Baby came out this past spring (2011) with Houghton Mifflin. Her first YA novel Silhouette of a Sparrow comes out next April (2012) with Milkweed Editions. Molly is also critiquing and teaching at the Loft in Minneapolis. Check out her new web site: www.mollybethgriffin.com.

Loretta Ellsworth’s new YA novel Unforgettable recently received a Kirkus starred review and a Kirkus Critic’s Pick for September. Her previous novel In A Heartbeat was picked up by Scholastic Book Club and translated into Japanese and Korean.

Naomi Kinsman’s Shades of Truth and Flickering Hope, the first two books in the From Sadie’s Sketchbook series (Zondervan) will be released November 18, 2011. The final two books in the series, Waves of Light and Brilliant Hues, will come out in 2012.

Debra McArthur: A Voice for Kanzas, middle grade historical novel, January 2012, with Kane Miller. Her new website/blog: www.debramcarthur.com.

Christine Hepperman’s nonfiction book City Chickens with Houghton Mifflin (which she worked on while a grad student at Hamline) will be published in May 2012- web site – www.citychickensbook.com. She also has an author site www.christineheppermann.com, where she has published some of her poems, recently published a few poems in literary journals for grownups and completed a work-for-hire book about the Bush v. Gore Supreme Court case.

Jamie Swenson has sold three picture books since signing on with Sean McCarthy at the Sheldon Fogelman Agency. Jamie met Sean at the July 2010 Hamline residency.
BIG RIG – Disney-Hyperion fall 2013, illustrated by Ned Young
BOOM BOOM BOOM – FS&G – spring 2013 illustrated by David Walker
IF YOU WERE A DOG – FS&G – pub date TBA, illustrated by Chris Raschka

Tamera Will Wissinger’s GOING FISHING (tentative title) is a middle grade novel in verse that tells the story of a boy’s fishing day through a variety of poetic forms and patterns. It’s scheduled for publication with Houghton Mifflin in Spring 2013. The manuscript has already gone to copyediting and the editor is searching for an illustrator.

Cheryl Bardoe (our blogger) recently sold her fourth book to Charlesbridge – Behold the Beauty of Dung Beetles, Fall 2013. Her second book Mammoths and Mastodons: Titans of the Ice Age was named a 2011 NCTE Orbis Pictus Award for Outstanding Nonfiction Honor book.