I hestitate to share this info because every person who reads this book will become a better writer which creates more competition for me! Luckily, good triumphs over evil today and I've decided to pass along a recommendation for Cheryl Klein's new book on writing called Second Sight. Cheryl (see how I'm on a first name basis with her since I read her book?) is senior editor at Arthur A. Levine Books (edited the Harry Potter series among other wonderful books), a highly successful imprint of Scholastic. Here is a blurb about Second Sight from her website: http://cherylklein.com/second-sight/

Whether you dream of writing a book for children or young adults, or you want to take a finished manuscript to the next level, it always helps to get a fresh point of view. Try a little Second Sight. In this collection of talks, a professional editor offers insights from the other side of the publishing desk on a wide range of writerly topics:

+ Terrific first lines and how they got that way
+ What makes a strong picture book manuscript
+ Why the Harry Potter series was such a tremendous success
+ Worksheets and checklists for building characters and bolstering plot
+ Finding the emotional heart of your story
+ The Annotated Query Letter from Hell
+ And an Annotated Query Letter That Does It Right

Go ahead and read it -- if you must.