Connecting at Bologna Children’s Book Fair 2011

By Rana DiOrio, Founder

Last year, I attended The Bologna Children’s Book Fair (which is the largest children’s book fair in the world) for the very first time as an observer, a sponge. This year, I will be attending the fair as a participant, a doer, and to forge connections to take Little Pickle Press to the next level of growth and expansion. Here’s what I hope to accomplish:

Identify foreign rights partners for our titles. We have selected Foreword Reviews to represent our five titles. They have hired Sylvia Hayse of Sylvia Hayse Literary Agency, LLC to host meetings with prospective rights buyers. Sylvia just happens to also represent Little Pickle Press in ordinary course and has landed foreign rights deals for us in Korea and China. If you are a publisher or co-agent interested in pursuing the foreign rights to print our award-winning titles, please set up a time to meet with Sylvia Hayse by sending her an email.

Identify titles published in other geographies and/or languages that we may wish to acquire foreign rights to publish in the United States or all English-speaking countries. We will be on the hunt for high quality children’s books for which we can acquire the rights to publish. Specifically, we’d be seeking children’s picture books or middle grade chapter books that convey meaningful messages to children. Themes of particular interest include fiction or nonfiction stories about: adoption, altruism, divergent (vs. convergent) thinking, entrepreneurship, fostering creativity, forgiveness, and health/wellness. Award-winning content would be our first choice. If you have a title or titles for us to consider, please contact me at rana@littlepicklepress.com.

Identify digital applications partners for our content. We are developing world class content for children. We are seeking innovative technology partners to extrapolate our content into best-of-breed applications for mobile devices and computers. For example, we have forged a partnership with MagicBlox, a subscription-based, online, digital library, and we showcase our e-books and audio books in their library. We are about to ink a deal with SachManya, a state-of-the-art SAAS mobile publishing platform.  Their product, Yapper (Your APP makER), is an easy-to-use, web-based service for publishers and authors to build mobile applications and to derive revenue by selling their books, magazines, and other premium content within the apps. If you are a purveyor of technology or if you have a platform that needs high quality children’s media content, please let me know via email.

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Don't forget that today is the last day of our February 25% off all our award-winning books - use code LPPLOVE at check-out. Click here for the shopping cart to see these and more titles.