Here are the goings on around the Brazos Valley for SCBWI.
Gentle critique of 5 double-spaced pages begins at 9:30 a.m. Group lunch following the meeting.
Waco Area Critique Group April 7 at Hewitt Public Library-Led by author Naomi Canale, this group meets 3-5 p.m. on the first Saturday of the month in the Hewitt Public Library, 200 Patriot Court, Hewitt, TX. Writers and illustrators, members and non-members, are welcome. Newcomers, bring a first chapter or first ten pages of what you're working on -- double-spaced and in 12-point font size.
**VENUE and DATE Changed**Brazos Valley Book Festival May 19 in Bryan-SCBWI Brazos Valley will join authors from around the area for the Brazos Valley Book Festival hosted by Texas Authors Inc. at the Palace Theater in downtown Bryan, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 14. The book festival offers authors and illustrators opportunities to meet readers and autograph copies of their books.
The SCBWI BV table will promote our members’ work as well as the organization by giving away SCBWI folders stuffed with bookmarks and postcards. Members may bring give-away items to the meeting Wednesday or contact Liz Mertz at brazosvalley-ra@scbwi.org to arrange drop-off or mailing.
KUDOS!
The cover reveal of Susan Fletcher’s new novel, Journey of the Pale Bear (McElderry, Oct. 2018), was featured on Cynthia Leitich Smith’s Cynsations blog March 17.
In February, PW announced Mirka Hokkanen’s current work-in-progress: “Zoe Burke at PomegranateKids has acquired world rights to Four Otters Toboggan: An Animal Counting Book by Vivian Kirkfield (l.), illustrated by Mirka Hokkanen. Readers follow wildlife through the day in this counting book that introduces endangered species. Publication is scheduled for spring 2019; Essie White at Storm Literary Agency represented the author and the illustrator.” Mirka moved to Hawaii from the Brazos Valley last summer. Follow her work on Instagram @mirkahokkanen.
Another far-flung former member, Ellen McGinty, who moved to Japan last May, has been invited to speak on the faculty of Write a Novel 2018. The conference will be held May 11-13 in Chengdu, China.
Illustrator Jessica Blank is now represented by Carrie Hannigan at HSG Agency. Follow her on Instagram @jessicablankdraws.
WIP Grants.
You are awesome creators and need support, but you are running out of time to apply for this year's SCBWI work-in-progress grants. Get to it!
Contests!
4/1: Wergle Flump Humor Poetry Contest – Enter one humor poem, up to 250 lines. First prize of $1,000, second prize of $250 & ten Honorable Mentions will of $100 each. Submit via Submittable.
4/25: #DVPit – Open to Children’s and Teen Fiction and Nonfiction “from marginalized voices that have been historically underrepresented in publishing.” Pitch your work using the #DVPit hashtag between 8am & 8pm ET.
Beautiful Covers
Disclaimer: The views expressed here are my own, and not necessarily those of the SCBWI.
