Current Scratch: Local Tale, Opportunities, Hot, Fun

Our next Schmooze will fall on  9-26-2012  at the College Station Barnes and Noble.  Bring copies (up to 5) for gentle critique at 9:30 a.m.  Our program begins at 10 a.m. and the discussion topic will be: Schmooze: Happy 20th Birthday SCBWI BV!

Local events:

ChildLitbookclub CLBChttp://groups.yahoo.com/group/ChildLitbookclub/cal
This month's books: When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead and A Wrinkle In Time by Madeleine L'EngleDate: Thursday September 27, 2012
Time: 4:30 pm - 6:00 pm
Location: Arts Center

SCBWI-BV Writing Intensive with Executive Editor of Philomel, Jill Santopolo.
ONLINE REGISTRATION HAS BEEN EXTENDED!  THERE ARE ONLY A FEW SPOTS LEFT!  

DATE: November 3, 2012

TIME/LOCATION:  8 a.m. to 4:30 a.m. The Glory Inn on Still Creek Ranch, Bryan, TX 77808COST: $150 SCBWI Members and $175 Non-Member.

RED WASP FILM FESTIVAL
DATE:  Friday, October 26, and Saturday, October 27, 2012, Doors open at 7.
TIME AND LOCATION: Stage Center Theater (201-B W. 26th St.) in downtown Bryan, TX.
COST: Tickets are available at the door: $25/both nights, $15/one night; with student ID, $15/both nights, $10/one night.

Brazos Writers is also offering a screenwriting workshop in conjuction with this event a three hour workshop, learn the basic of screenwriting from industry expert BEN WIGGINS founder and Development Executive at AccessFilms.

Date: Saturday, October 27, 2012. 
Cost: $10.00, tickets available at the door.  
Place: Stage Center Theater (201-B W. 26th St.) in downtown Bryan, TX

Creative Thinking for Productive Writing. Saturday, November 10, 9:00 am to 3:30 pm. Creativity experts Hector and Suzanna Ramos will lead participants in exploring basic creative thinking skills such as exploration, ideation, idea selection, idea development, and attribute transfer. Creative skills help writers develop insight and resilience in their writing, as well as overcome the dreaded writer’s block. More info to come. www.brazoswriters.org

LOCAL TALE

Local author Sherry Garland's picture book Children of the Dragon: Selected Tales from Vietnam has found a new home. Back in 1989, Sherry wrote a children's non-fiction book about Vietnam (her first children's book). Some of the tales were so good, she rewrote them in her own words, using everything she'd learned about the Vietnamese culture. She sold the resulting picture book to Harcourt in 1990 and it came out in 2001 to rave reviews! (Ya, 11 years.) Caldecott-winning illustrator Trina Hyman provided the art.

When Harcourt was bought out by Houghton Mifflin, this book was a victim of inventory reduction and went out of print in 2011. Sherry requested her rights back and contacted Pelican Publishing, who agreed to reprint it in a shorter format.  Instead of six folk tales in 48 pages, it's now three folk tales in 32 pages.  This all took quite awhile.  But now the new version is available.

Yay, Sherry! Yay for your persistence and belief in your book!

OPPORTUNITIES

Point of View and Psychic Distance in Fiction for Young People

Before the first word of a story can be written, a writer must decide on point of view.  Before the story can evolve, the writer must discover how close in to the character she wants to stand.

A free, live in-depth webinar with author Marion Dane Bauer.
Date: Wednesday, September 26, 2012
Time: 7:00 EST
Can't make the webinar, but really wish you could?  Not to worry!
There will be a free replay of the webinar available to those who register, for the 24 hours following the webinar.  You must be registered to gain access.

More info and registration: http://www.writingforchildrenlive.com/Marion_Dane_Bauer.html

YA Sci-fi/fan Authors, Check This Out

Do you have an original GAME OF THRONES or FEED type book in your ready to submit pile? For the first time in over a decade, Harper Voyager (a fantastic fiction imprint) is opening the doors to unsolicited submissions in order to seek new authors with fresh voices, strong storytelling abilities, original ideas and compelling storylines. Submission window is October 1 to October 14, 2012.

http://harpervoyagerbooks.com/harper-voyager-guidelines-for-digital-submission/

HOT

Here is a link to a SLJ article listing the top picks of the Junior Library Guild.

Here is a link to an PW article. Who is reading YA?  PW reports.

Kathy Dawson gets a new Imprint at Penguin's Young Readers Group. PW reports.

FUN

Is reading healthy? Can it save your life?  Check out this fun acticle. :) 

The views expressed here are my own, and not necessarily those of the SCBWI.