Current Scratch: Join Us!, Piney Woods Retreat, Local Events, Big News, & All About Middle Grade

Howdy, folks! There's something invigorating about the first cool spell of fall. Cooler weather seems to lighten the mood. Wouldn't you agree? It's time to plan your winter book projects. So put on a pot of chicken n' dumplings and let's get to writing and / or illustrating!

JOIN US

Read any good middle grade books lately? Five middle grade titles are among the ten books on the new longlist for the National Book Award for Young People's Literature! 

Join us on Sept. 25 for a discussion of current middle grade titles, topics, and trends. We'll meet at 10 a.m. in the Science corner of the College Station Barnes & Noble. Come early for a gentle critique session that begins at 9:30.

 

B.V. EVENT

 

Piney Woods Retreat, Nov. 15-17, 2013 for writers and illustrators in the pines of East Texas at Lakeview Methodist Conference Center near Palestine, TX. This event is for working writers and illustrators who need time, space and encouragement to move forward with their works in progress. Additional information here. And you can register at Eventbrite.

LOCAL EVENTS

Sept. 26--Children's Literature Book Club, 4:30 p.m. at Arts Center, College Station, TX. Read The Great Unexpected by Sharon Creech, plus any picture book illustrated by David Diaz.

Sept. 29--Fantasy author Cinda Williams Chima reading and signing, 4 p.m. at Barnes & Noble, College Station, TX

Oct. 26-27--Texas Book Festival, Austin, TX

Oct. 30--Schmooze: “Revisiting Revision”--10 a.m. at Barnes & Noble, College Station, TX

Nov. 9--Sherry Garland’s book signing for Voices of Pearl Harbor, Barnes & Noble, College Station, TX  (time to be set around the football game)

Nov. 15-17--Piney Woods Retreat, Lakeview Methodist Conference Center, Palestine, TX (info above)

Dec. 3--Holiday Celebration, 7 pm. Location TBA

Dec. 7--Sherry Garland and illustrator Layne Johnson will sign Voices of Pearl Harbor at the National Museum of the Pacific War (Admiral Nimitz Museum), Fredericksburg, TX.

 

BIG NEWS!!

 

THE SOCIETY OF CHILDREN'S BOOK WRITERS AND ILLUSTRATORS DEBUTS THE SPARK AWARD FOR INDEPENDENTLY-PUBLISHED WRITERS AND ILLUSTRATORS

The SCBWI is pleased to announce the creation of The Spark Award, an annual award that recognizes excellence in a children’s book published through a non-traditional publishing route.  The award is open to current writer and/or illustrator SCBWI members who have independently-published a board book, picture book, chapter book, middle grade, or young adult novel through an established self- publishing enterprise or individually self-published. 

SCBWI Executive Director, Lin Oliver, and President, Stephen Mooser, strongly believe that, “it is time that SCBWI recognize that there are new models for publishing. The Spark Award is one way we can reward those authors and illustrators who are pursuing independent and self-publishing in a legitimate and high quality way.”

 

Check out the SCBWI guidelines for the Spark Award here.

ALL ABOUT MIDDLE GRADE

 

Find out what MG titles are on the New York Times Bestseller list.

 

Author William Alexander on writing MG books.

 

Writer's Digest List of MG Literary Agents

 

Two agents discuss everything you wanted to know about MG.

 

A few differences between MG and YA.

 

And a few more differences between MG and YA.

 

 

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

Current Scratch: Join Us!, Local SCBWI Events, Local Author Events, PB Blogs, PB Best Sellers, PB Awards, PB Agents, PB Digital Markets

Howdy, folks!  Fall is on! We have tons of stuff to cover on the blog. Pull out your calendars and pens. Lots of upcoming events. Also here is the PB love.  As promised a mega-load of picture book resources is below. Set aside a day for research.  Enjoy!

Remember, if you have an event, we want to know about it. Let us know about your news! We like to shout it out.  Please email us. Thanks!

JOIN US!

For our next Schmooze: Wednesday, September 25, 2013  and our topic is: “What is Middle Grade Today". We meet at 10 a.m. in the College Station Barnes & Noble, 711 Texas Ave.

Gentle critique begins at 9:30 a.m. Bring 5 copies of 5 double-spaced pages to share. Feel free to join us for lunch afterwards.

LOCAL SCBWI EVENTS

Sept. 26--Children's Literature Book Club, 4:30 p.m. at Arts Center, College Station, TX. Read The Great Unexpected by Sharon Creech, plus any picture book illustrated by David Diaz.

Nov. 15-17--Piney Woods Retreat, Lakeview Methodist Conference Center, Palestine, TX.

Dec. 3--Holiday Celebration, 7 pm. Location TBA

LOCAL AUTHOR EVENTS

Okay, it's time to pull out your calendars because we have stuff to do this fall! We are one on fire region!

Sept. 13--Texas Word Wrangler Festival, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Giddings, TX
(Candy Fite and Connie Grudzinski will be appearing.

 Sept. 15--Kathi Appelt’s Book Release Party & Signing for The True Blue Scouts of Sugar Man Swamp, 3:30-5:30 p.m., College Station, TX

Sept. 21--Kelly Bennett’s Launch Party for Vampire Baby, 11 a.m. at Blue Willow Bookshop, Houston, TX

Sept. 29--Fantasy author Cinda Williams Chima reading and signing, 4 p.m. at Barnes & Noble, College Station, TX

Oct. 26-27--Texas Book Festival, Austin, TX

Nov. 9--Sherry Garland’s book signing for Voices of Pearl Harbor, Barnes & Noble, College Station, TX (time to be set around the football game)

Dec. 7--Sherry Garland and illustrator Layne Johnson will sign Voices of Pearl Harbor at the National Museum of the Pacific War (Admiral Nimitz Museum), Fredericksburg, TX.

PB (PICTURE BOOK) BLOGS

 http://theartofchildrenspicturebooks.blogspot.com/ - A blog that focuses on the art and artists of vintage children's books, largely from the 1950's through 1980's.

http://designofthepicturebook.com/ - Carter Higgins's blog, a writer (mostly picture books and middle grade novels) and graphic designer (mostly motion). She's also the Children's Book Editor at Design Mom.

http://paulayoo.com/napi/ - NATIONAL PICTURE BOOK WRITING WEEK (AKA “NaPiBoWriWee”) will take place May 1-7, 2014.

http://wwwpamcalvert.blogspot.com/p/picture-book-university.html -- This is a free self-paced to help you improve your creation of picture books. 

http://picturebookillustration.blogspot.com/ -- this blog celebrate the art of picture books worldwide is a feast for the imagination. Brought to you by Shelley Davies & Julie Fortenberry.

http://www.picturebookparty.co.uk/ -- Discover the best new Walker picture books and go behind the scenes with the authors and illustrators.

http://planetesme.blogspot.com/ Esme Raji Codell – The Wonderful World of PlanetEsme!. A self proclaimed professional readiologist™ who thinks children's trade literature and read-aloud is our best hope for equalizing education in America. 

http://susannahill.blogspot.com/p/perfect-picture-books.html -- Author Susanna Hill sorts through the best of the best picture books.

PB BEST SELLERS

New York Times Children's Picture Book Best Sellers.
Children's Illustrated Best Seller list from Indie Bound.

PB AWARDS
http://www.scbwi.org/Pages.aspx/2013-Golden-Kite-Award-Winners
http://www.carnegiegreenaway.org.uk/greenaway/current_shortlist.php
http://www.education.wisc.edu/ccbc/books/zolotow.asp
http://www.bookweekonline.com/2013Finalists
http://www.ala.org/alsc/awardsgrants/bookmedia/caldecottmedal/caldecottmedal

PB AGENTS

http://wwwpamcalvert.blogspot.com/p/picture-book-agents.html -- offers a list of literary agents that are currently accepting picture books.

From Chuck Sambucino's Guide to Literary Agents.New Literary Agent Alert:

Kathleen Zakhar of Harold Ober Associates
Fiona Kenshole of Transatlantic Agency
Danielle Smith of Foreword Literary


PB DIGITAL MARKETS

The universe of PBs is expanding. The following links will help you on your journey of exploration.

http://www.meegenius.com/faqauthor
http://storybird.com/artists/
http://xistpublishing.com/
http://utales.com/

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