We are very fortunate to have RANDI LYNN MRVOS with us to share some information about the ezine Kid's Imagination Train. Randi is Editor of KIT, in addition to being the author of many published pieces herself. Welcome, Randi! Kid's Imagination Train debuted with its first issue in January of this year. Randi, can you please share a little with us about why you decided to start this new ezine? For the last five years, many beloved children's magazines have closed. As a result, there has not been as much content for young audiences. The Kid's Imagination Train was created to encourage children to read and learn by providing a wide selection of entertaining and educational stories. What's your favorite part of your job? By far, receiving artwork from kids is the favorite part of my job. I am amazed by the creative ways children interpret a story. In addition, I enjoy working with authors during the revision process so that we can make a manuscript the best it can be. For those who might not be familiar with Kid's Imagination Train, please tell us a little about it. What makes Kid's Imagination Train special as an ezine? Kid's Imagination Train is a magazine for children ages five through twelve. It offers a book review each month as well as fiction and nonfiction from writers around the world. KIT is unique in that it encourages children to read and engages them by providing the opportunity to illustrate their favorite features and have those illustrations published online. What do you particularly look for in a submission? What gets you excited? I'm always on the lookout for lively pieces that entertain or educate and inspire children. Specifically, I love receiving submissions that have the potential for illustration. What things turn you off to a submission? Any pet peeves? 1. Bibliographies that aren't formatted properly or don't have reliable sources. 2. Poems that lack consistent meter and don't achieve perfect rhyme. 3. Stories that are mean-spirited or fail to set a good example. Any tips for writers who might want to get published in Kid's Imagination Train? Suggestions that will increase their chances of acceptance? Read previously published pieces to get a feel for what we publish. The easiest way to get published is to submit a well-researched, expert-reviewed nonfiction article. I'm dying to get my hands on kid-friendly nonfiction. Do you have any new plans for Kid's Imagination Train in the near future? The future plans for KIT include publishing more stories and articles each month and having a themed poetry contest. We also plan to reach more authors interested in advertizing their books on our homepage. Ultimately, we hope to draw more children to all that the Kid's Imagination Train has to offer. Thank you so much, Randi, for taking the time to share with us this helpful information, and for creating this fun, educational publication for children. For you writers who are now inspired to submit something to Randi for this fledgling ezine, the website with submission guidelines is here. KIT pays $5 for fiction and poetry and $10 for nonfiction articles. Writing for Children's Magazines, September 2013