Current Scratch: Young Poets, News

Howdy, folks.   I hope you are taking time to create master works! 

Our next Schmooze will fall on  5-30-2012  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: Children‘s Magazine Publishing.  

April 28 -- Jeanette Larson, SCBWI member from Pflugerville, will be speaking about hummingbirds at 11 a.m. in the Clara B. Mounce Library, 201 E 26th St in downtown Bryan.  Her children's book, Hummingbirds: Facts and Folklore in the Americas (Charlesbridge, 2011), is illustrated with quilts, and she is bringing some samples of the art.

http://www.jeanettelarson.com/Books.htm#Books for Young People

http://www.charlesbridge.com/productdetails.cfm?PC=5433

Apr 28 --Brazos Valley's Sherry Garland will be signing her new book, Voices of the Dust Bowl (Pelican, 2012), 3:30-5:30 p.m. at Katy Budget Books. 

http://sherrygarland.com/  and http://www.pelicanpub.com/proddetail.php?prod=9781589809642

Apr 28 -- Washington-on-the-Brazos State Historic Site and the Star of the Republic Museum for free on Saturday, April 28. See details below from the Arts Council of Brazos Valley. As an affiliate member of the ACBV our group is included in the event.

May 12 -- Brazos Writers presents Law & Disorder: Tales from the Street, Body Farm & Criminal Mind.  Brazos Center, Bryan, TX. 9 to 2:30. Here is the link. A little birdie might have told me that YA thrillers are hot, and this might help you out.

May 23 -- "Lessons from a Bestseller," writer’s workshop with New York Times bestselling author Steve Berry (The Jefferson Key, The Romanov Prophecy, The Amber Room) from When: 1:30 to 5:30 p.m. at St. Paul’s United Methodist Church Fondren Hall. Follow this link for more info.

My (Molly Blaisdell) YA novel advanced to the semi-finals of the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Contest. Follow this link to download the novel excerpt. I also have another story on an app called Farfaria. The story is "Waiting for Princess Tea."



YOUNG POETS

Winning young poets across the Brazos Valley joined to celebrate National Poetry Month on April 24 at the College Station Conference in BV-SCBWI annual poetry contest. Great thanks to Alyson Greene for doing such a great job chairing this event. Thanks to our volunteers Mary Mize, Kathy Whitehead, ARA Jacqueline Gramann, and everyone else who helped encourage the 6th, 7th and 8th graders of the Brazos Valley to explore the world of poetry.  Highlights included readings, snack and poems for your pocket. Follow this link to learn more about poems for your pocket. Contact Liz Mertz for additional copies of the poem books on sale for $5.00 each. Here are some pics from the event:

 A big crowd showed up. We have many fine poets in our area!

 Thanks to efforts of  program coordinator Alyson Greene the event was perfect!  She did a fabulous job!

Thanks Andy Sherrod for serving as MC. Thanks always to our SCBWI regional advisor, Liz Mertz.  And thanks to local educators, like 6th grade English teacher, Andrew Maly, of the Odyssey School in Bryan, Texas (on left) for encouraging participation.
 

NEWS

 

Capstone has launched a new trade division called Capstone Young Readers.  Read about it in PW.

 

An income avenue for publisher writers. Check out the honorarium deal from Audible.com

 

Catch up on who is moving where at Harold Underdown's site, The Purple Crayon.

 

Mystery writers, the 2012 Edgar Award winners have been announced. Click here for the nominees. Here are the two chidren's winners: BEST JUVENILE: Icefall by Matthew J. Kirby (Scholastic Press) and BEST YOUNG ADULT: The Silence of Murder by Dandi Daley Mackall (Random House Children’s Books – Knopf BFYR.

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

Current Scratch: Trends, Edit, Poetry

Howdy, folks. Tough to work when the weather is perfect. Let the wildflowers inspire you some!  We have oodles of stuff going on in the Brazos Valley in the coming weeks. 

Our Schmooze this month will fall on  4-25-2012  at the College Station Barnes and Noble.  Bring copies up to 5 copies for gentle critique at 9:30 a.m.  Our program begins at 10 a.m. and the discussion topic will be: Elements of a Mystery" . 

April 7—Kelly Bennett, author of Your Mommy Was Just Like You and Dance, Y'all, Dance  reads at College Station Barnes & Noble Storytime, 10 a.m.—noon (also signing books)

April 17-20—Texas Library Association Conference at George R. Brown in Houston
            “Exhibits Only” pass allows a visitor to see publisher’s new books and authors' signings.

April 24—Young Poets on the Brazos poetry reading/award night, 7 p.m. at College Station Conference Center on George Bush Drive

April 28—Jeanette Larson, author of Hummingbirds: Facts and Folklore from the Americas will speak at Bryan Public Library, 11 a.m. to noon, family event

All April -- Script Frenzy is on, like NANOWRIMO for scripts. You might want to join in with the script writers at the Bryan/College Station Library events. Here is the link.

May 12 -- Brazos Writers presents Law & Disorder: Tales from the Street, Body Farm & Criminal Mind.  Brazos Center, Bryan, TX. 9 to 2:30. Here is the link. A little birdie might have told me that YA thrillers are hot, and this might help you out.

TRENDS

Here's the recap of Bologna Children's Bookfair and some enlightening news on trends. PW reports.

EDIT

Need some advice on how to edit a novel. Here's a useful article over at Writer's Digest.

POETRY

I know poetry is a big deal in the Brazos Valley. I mean we are having our yearly contest.  Why? It's National Poetry Writing Month!  Perhaps you want to write a poem. If you like children's poetry, this is a name you want to know: Lee Bennet Hopkins. Check out his website. Wonder who is the Children's Poetry Laureate?  For inquiring minds that want to know.  Check out NaPoWriMo too...

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