Current Scratch: Local Events, Shout Out, Awards, App, New Adult

Howdy, folks!  Spring is in the air! Proof positve: my redbud tree is covered with buds. I hope that you are springing up with new projects, too. I've heard there are bluebonnets in North Bryan already!

Mark your calendars. Our next Schmooze will fall on 3-27-13 at the College Station Barnes and Noble. Bring copies (up to 5) for gentle critique at 9:30 a.m.  Our Schmooze program begins at 10 a.m. This month: Kid-lit discussion boards - Why? What? How? See you there!

LOCAL EVENTS

Children's Literature Book Club
Date: March 28
Time: 4:30 PM
Place: The ArtsCenter

Please learn more by following this link: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ChildLitbookclub/

SHOUT OUT!

Congrats!  Beautiful new cover of Sherry Garland's book, Voices of Pearl Harbor. Available locally at Barnes and Noble.

AWARDS

This year's SCBWI Golden Kite has been announced along with Sid Fleischman Award winners and honorees. The Golden Kite for fiction goes to: The Five Lives of Our Cat Zook by Joanne Rocklin. For the complete list of winners, follow this link.

Check out the Charolotte Zolotow Award for picture book text awarded by the Cooperative Children's Book Center. This year's winner is  Each Kindness, written by Jacqueline Woodson and illustrated by E. B. Lewis. Follow the link to learn the rest of the honorees.

APP

Here is an app that may be of some interest to you. Check out Scholastic's Storia.

New Adult

One buzzing genre out there is a new adult and may be of some interest to those who write books for readers between teens and adults. Here is an article discussing this new genre. Check out this article about  a "new adult" imprint.


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

Current Scratch: Marketing, Good, RIP

Howdy, folks. I hope the rain has helped you spend some time working on your stories.  

Our next Schmooze will fall on  7-25-2012  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: Historical Fiction for Children.

SCBWI-BV Region has two upcoming events and we now have ONLINE REGISTRATION.  The links are to the left. Here are brief details. Follow the links to learn more.

SCBWI-BV Saturday Workshop: Finding the Story
SPEAKERS: Mary Wade (non-fiction) and Jo Whittmore (YA).

DATE: August 18, 2012
TIME/LOCATION:: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Arts Center, 2275 Dartmouth, College Station, TX
COST: $45 SCBWI members, $50 Non-members.

SCBWI-BV Writing Intensive with Executive Editor of Philomel, Jill Santopolo.

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-Members

MARKETING

Want some spot on, sensible advice about social media marketing. Check out this post on Writer Unboxed featuring advice from Elizabeth Law, Vice President and Publisher of Egmont USA.

I think this guy Michael Hyat is a smart cookie. I go to his sit often for practical advice about marketing, social, media, platform building, etc. Consider giving some of posts a read.

Do you know about KidLitosphere Central --The Society of Bloggers in Children’s and Young Adult Literature. Go here to learn you know everything about kid-lit. !


GOOD

Hey, book sales were up in May. Check it out here.

Texas author Varian Johnson just landed a deal with Scholastic!  Check out the details here.  

RIP

Were you a fan of Encyclopedia Brown? I know I was. Author Donald Sobol has passed away. Here is a thoughtful article about his passing in Mediabistro.  

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

Weekly Scratch

Hi folks, I've gathered together a few tidbits that you may wish to check out.

Here is a great way to fritter time.  Check out your recent books sales. Here's an article in the LA Times about the new Nielsen BookScan info available to authors on Amazon. Head over to Amazon's Author Central to find out about your sales. :) 

You want to read a good book? The best book lists keep rolling in...

Here's the Best Illustrated Books of the New York Times: http://events.nytimes.com/gift-guide/holiday-2010/best-illustrated-childrens-books-2010/list.html

From the New York Times Library blog: Children's Books 2010: 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing.

Just keeping an eye on the emerging markets.  Another article from PW about "Children's Books in an iPad Age".  Want to check out a digital publisher? Here's one: Callaway Digital Arts.

Have you dreamed of going to Chautauqua and the Highlights Foundation Writer's Workshop?  That dream can come true.  Check out Chautauqua alum Vijaya Bodach's blog for an insider's story.