Current Scratch: Join Us!, Events, Awards, Shout Out

Hi folks, We have had a few rainy days that make me curl up and write.  I hope that you have had time to expand your creative endeavors. If you are doing NANO, kudos! Achieve those goals!

JOIN US! Our Holiday Party. December 8, 2015 at 6:30 p.m. at Carino's in College Station, 620 Harvey Rd, College Station, TX 77840. Bring books and blankets for Books and A Blanket!  Bring a wrapped book (children's related) for an exchange with other members.   This is our last gathering this year!

EVENTS

SCBWI 17th Annual Winter Conference, Keynote Speakers: William Joyce, Rita Williams-Garcia, Rainbow Rowell, Kate Messner, Linda Urban, Gary Schmidt...Good times ahead.

Webinar. Texas Webinar: Going There: Romance & Sex Writing in YA Literature with Carrie Mesrobian.  01/19/2016, 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm.

AWARDS

The short list for the National Book Award is out! Check out the Young People's Literature Finalists. You might want to add some or all of these to your reading list!

Member Illustrators! Illustrate this year's prompt and Apply for the Tomie dePaola Award. This is due on December 1st!

SHOUT OUT

Our members are fabulous!  Here is some of the genius we have been up to this year. If you are not listed here - PLEASE SEND US YOUR NEWS!!!

Here are some highlights... 

From Linnea Heaney, a toddler-sized poem, ALL GONE, in the July HIGHLIGHTS HELLO! With happy illustrations by Patrick Girouard. Yay!

Upcoming from Jesse Blank, illustration assignment for Texas Parks and Wildlife Magazine!  Sneak peek here. 

Upcoming from Mary Mize, an adorable wordless picture book, LITTLE CHRISTMAS SNAKE. Ilus. Darcy Peters. Available for purchase by Dec. 1.

First-time author Philip Pearce will be making a debut with RUSTI.  Available for purchase by Dec. 1.(Cover coming Soon.  

Upcoming 2nd Edition from Romy Natalia Goldberg, PARAGUAY. (Other Places Publishing)

Upcoming from Sherry Garland, Spring 2016,.Voices of the Western Frontier, illus. Julie Dupre Buckner (Pelican Publishing Co.)

From Kathi Appelt, 2015, COUNTING CROWS, illus. Rob Dunlavey. (Atheneum)

Upcoming from Kathi Appelt, Spring 2016, WHEN OTIS COURTED MAMA, illus. Jill McElmurray. (HMH, Book for Young Readers) 

From Molly Blaisdell, 2015,  homegrown efforts from Caney Creek Books. YA novel, PLUMB CRAZY by Cece Barlow (aka Molly Blaisdell) and CHICKENS DO NOT TAKE OVER HALLOWEEN by Molly Blaisdell. Also THE BIG FUZZY COAT became a HMH ebook, when the MeeGenius! App. was merged with HMH.

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

Current Scratch: Join Us!, Local Events, We Need Diverse Books, Interest

Hi folks!  Welcome to the Scratchpad! Yay, fall is here! Hope you are enjoying temps below 90F. Time to write.  Hope those words are flying against the paper. 

JOIN US!  For our upcoming PARTY in December. Deets to be announced soon!  

LOCAL EVENTS

Webinar: Business Tips and Taxes for Writers and Illustrators with Author, CPA, Carol Topp

Date/Time
Date(s) - 11/10/2015
7:00 pm - 8:30 pm

WE NEED DIVERSE BOOKS 

Big shout out to Natalia Goldberg for sharing a wealth of resources and info below! Natalia is the author of:  Paraguay (Other Places Travel Guide), the indispensable travel guide to Paraguay!

www.discoveringparaguay.com

www.facebook.com/discoveringparaguay
https://instagram.com/discoveringparaguay/

Infographics>

http://i1.wp.com/blog.leeandlow.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Childrens-Books-Infographic-2015-copy.jpg?zoom=1.5&resize=474%2C632 (from: http://blog.leeandlow.com/2013/06/17/why-hasnt-the-number-of-multicultural-books-increased-in-eighteen-years/)

http://www.firstbook.org/images/sfap%20lack%20of%20diversity%20ccbc%20list%202015.jpg

Publishers: 

Cinco Puntos Press (El Paso) http://cincopuntos.com

Lee & Low Books (New York)  http://leeandlow.com/

• TuBooks - middle grade, YA fantasy and scifi
• Children's Book Press - Bilingual
• Shen's Books - focus on Asian cultures

 Arte Publico Press (Houston)  https://artepublicopress.com/

• Piñata Books - Children and young adult imprint

Some Latino Authors:

• Pat Mora http://www.patmora.com/
• Monica Brown   www.monicabrown.net
• Margarita Engle - 1st latina Newberry Award winner 2014   www.margaritaengle.com/
• Gary Soto http://www.garysoto.com/index.html

Some Latino Illustrators:

• John Parra  http://johnparraart.com/
• Duncan Tonatiuh  http://www.duncantonatiuh.com/

Resources:

• www.cbcdiversity.com 
• #drawingdiversity (hashtag from CBC Diversity)
• School Library Journal Diversity Issue http://www.slj.com/features/the-diversity-issue-slj-2014/
• School Library Journal article on positive effects of cross racial scenes: http://www.slj.com/2014/05/diversity/how-cross-racial-scenes-in-picture-books-build-acceptance/

  

Tools and concepts for Writing Diverse Characters: 

• Cultural Relevance Rubric: http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/lesson_images/lesson1003/CR-Rubric.pdf
•   A Checklist to "See" Race/Culture in Kid/YA Books http://www.mitaliblog.com/2014/10/a-checklist-to-see-raceculture-in-kidya.html
• "Casual Diversity"
• Transracial Writing for the Sincere (by Nisi Sawl, author of "Writing the Other") http://www.sfwa.org/2009/12/transracial-writing-for-the-sincere/
• Writing the Other (inexpensive e-book) http://www.aqueductpress.com/books/978-1-933500-00-3.php
• Fundamentals of Writing the Other (with nice illustrations to break up the heavy stuff) http://www.buzzfeed.com/danieljoseolder/fundamentals-of-writing-the-other#.utbKELL6d
• Representing diversity on YA covers: http://www.cbcdiversity.com/post/131494165827/representing-diversity-on-2014-ya-book-covers
• Portraying People of COlor in childrens YA fantasy: http://www.stacylwhitman.com/2009/05/18/portraying-people-of-color-in-childrensya-fantasy-are-we-anywhere-near-there-yet/
• There are a ton useful links at the beginning of this post - head down the rabbit hole and be sure to look at the comments too: http://writeworld.org/post/35452234551/gee-i-dont-know-how-to-research-writing
• Another site with tons of useful links, focused on YA: http://www.yahighway.com/2008/01/diversity-in-ya.html
• Good post that touches on the difficulties of writing people of color when you are white (see point 2."white writers, people will go IN on you"). Another one with good comments> http://www.yahighway.com/2011/02/writing-race-in-ya-guest-post-by-nicola.html

Awards: 

Tomás Rivera Book Award http://riverabookaward.org/

Pura belpre http://www.ala.org/alsc/awardsgrants/bookmedia/belpremedal

Américas Book Award http://www.claspprograms.org/americasaward

Coretta Scott King Book Award  http://www.ala.org/emiert/cskbookawards

Asian Pacific ALA Awards http://www.apalaweb.org/awards/literature-awards/

Stonewall Book Awards http://www.ala.org/glbtrt/award

Native American Youth Services Award http://ailanet.org/activities/american-indian-youth-literature-award/

Book Lists: 

• Children's books with casual diversity: http://blogs.slj.com/afuse8production/2014/02/04/casual-diversity-and-the-childrens-book/
• Tejas Star Reading List (put together by the Latino  Texas Association of School Librarians (TASL), the Children’s Round Table, Public Library Division (PLD), and the Latino Caucus. http://www.txla.org/tejas-star
• http://www.slj.com/2014/05/diversity/culturally-diverse-books-selected-by-sljs-review-editors/

Diversity Initiatives: 

• We Need Diverse Books: http://weneeddiversebooks.org/
• First Book Stories for All: http://www.firstbook.org/first-book-story/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=297
• Multicultural Children's Book Day: http://multiculturalchildrensbookday.com/
• Children's Book Council Diversity Initiative: www.cbcdiversity.com

INTEREST

Did you know this?  Dolly Parton's Imagination Library has provided 60, 000, 000 free books to almost 1 million kids in the US, Canada, Australia, and the UK. Check out the program here.  

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

Current Scratch: Join Us, Road Trip, Social, Webinar, NANOWRIMO, Neil, Writing Opportunities, Warm Fuzzies

Wow, another conference!  Kudos to Liz Mertz for setting up such a fantastic event this year.  We are all buzzing with ideas.  Blue skies overhead and lovely temps, I still hope you take some time for your writing. 

JOIN US Wednesday October 28 at 10 a.m. in the College Station Barnes & Noble for our monthly meeting for a TBA program. We'll also discuss news and provide encouragement. Gentle critique begins at 9:30 a.m. Bring copies of 5 double-spaced pages of your work in progress. Those who have time may go to lunch at a local restaurant. Members and friends welcome!

ROAD TRIP to the Texas Book Festival. Molly Blaisdell has a small car Four people can squeeze in for a tight fit trip to Austin. Anyone want volunteer a better car? Deets: Saturday Oct 17, 2015 at 7 a.m. from Tower Point HEB 949 William D. Fitch Pkwy, College Station, TX 77845 because Margaret Atwood speaks at 10 a.m. Bring water bottles and lunch because food is hard to find. We will picnic at the capitol.  Want to come? email molly@mollyblaisdell.com. 

OCTOBER SOCIAL

7-8 p.m. Monday, Oct. 19
Starbucks on Hwy 6 at Rock Prairie
Join other SCBWI members and friends in the Starbucks at the corner of Hwy. 6 and Rock Prairie Rd. This will be a chance to meet other writers and illustrators, maybe gossip a bit about our work, and encourage each other. Email Liz Mertz at brazosvalley@scbwi.org for more information.

WEBINAR

Webinar: Chapter Book Craft 101 with editor Amy Cloud

10/20/2015
7:00 pm – 8:30 pm
Aladdin Books editor Amy Cloud helps us create amazing chapter books in this webinar and will offer a limited number of written critiques.
Member Tickets are $10.00, Non-member $35.00.

NANOWRIMO?This stands for National Novel Writing Month. Write a novel in in a month. Begins November 1, 2015. Join with writer across the world to write your masterpiece.  Our local Brazos Valley Region has almost one thousand participants! You have no excuses.   

NEIL GAIMAN IN AUSTIN

For tickets click on this link. On November 13 at the Long Center.

WRITING OPPORTUNITIES

Some people like to pay it forward!
Author Jennifer Armentrout Wants to Help Aspiring Writers. YA and adult romance author Jennifer Armentrout has run a contest to send one unpublished author to the RT Booklovers Convention. .Check out this link. 

Did you know that Balzer and Bray are open for submissions.  Read about it here. 

WARM FUZZIES

Milton Glaser offers genius advice to creative folk. If you want to be a professional read this. 

Advice from the creator of Calvin and Hobbes. Grab your tissues. 

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

Current Scratch: Join Us, Texas Book Fests, Book Buzz, From One of our Members, Hot Topic, Writing Opportunities, & Just for Fun

"Exercise the writing muscle every day, even if it is only a letter, notes, a title list, a character sketch, a journal entry. Writers are like dancers, like athletes. Without that exercise, the muscles seize up."

– Jane Yolen

JOIN US

Join us Wednesday Sept. 30 at 10 a.m. in the College Station Barnes & Noble for our monthly meeting, featuring an open reading. Share your work in progress and hear what others are creating. Participants will each have 5 minutes to read, followed by 2 minutes of gentle feedback/critique, if desired. As usual, we'll also discuss news and provide encouragement. There's still room in the Novel Workshop on Oct. 10, and registrations will be accepted on Wednesday as well. Gentle critique begins at 9:30 a.m. Bring copies of 5 double-spaced pages of your work in progress. Those who have time may go to lunch at a local restaurant. Members and friends welcome!

2015 Connections and Craft Workshop Mark your calendars! October 10! 

October 10 Novel Workshop

8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Held at the La Quinta Inn & Suites in College Station

Join us for a day-long workshop focused on the craft of novel writing. Featured speakers will be award-winning author, Kimberly Willis Holt; the Book Doctor, Robyn Conley; and Balzer + Bray (HarperCollins) editor, Kelsey Murphy.

Topics include:

“Develop Your Character”

“After the First Draft”

“Self-editing without Self-destructing”

"Cross Marketing Story Elements for Cross Selling"

Register online (link above) and use the drop down menu to choose PayPal or Mail a Check. Continue with PayPal to pay by credit card or PayPal account. Choose the mail option to complete your online registration and pay by check. $115 for members; $155 for non-members.

A small block of rooms is reserved at La Quinta Inn & Suites. Make your reservations by Sept. 1 by calling Group Reservations Department at 1-866-527-1498. Identify yourself as a member of the SCBWI and give Reservation Block confirmation number 656954.

Email Liz Mertz at brazosvalley@scbwi.org regarding questions.

Webinar: Chapter Book Craft 101 with Amy Cloud

Date: 10/20/2015 Time: 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm

Aladdin Books editor Amy Cloud helps us create amazing chapter books in this webinar and will offer a limited number of written critiques.

NEIL GAIMAN IN AUSTIN

For tickets click on this link. On November 13 at the Long Center.

TEXAS BOOK FESTS

Both free admission!

Texas Teen Book Fest

Texas Book Festival

BOOK BUZZ

10 Titles Make the Longlist for the 2015 National Book Award for Young People's Literature

SENT IN FROM ONE OF OUR MEMBERS...

Top Ten Most Unexpected Words Added to the Online Oxford Dictionary

(Article from The New Yorker) Is Amazon Creating a Cultural Monopoly?

SCBWI INSIGHT LATEST HOT TOPIC

Anything for Content

WRITING OPPORTUNITIES

Lee & Low New Voices Award (Deadline Soon!)

Sparkle Magazine (Christian theme based)

JUST FOR FUN

Writing for Chipotle

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

Current Scratch: Join Us, Pub News, Pub Help, For Fun

JOIN US

Monthly Meeting. On August 26, 2015, we will have discussion, news, and encouragement. Topic: New Adult Books: What You Need to Know. Speaker: award winning and prolific author Sherry Garland. Meet us at Barnes & Noble in College Station. Gentle critique begins at 9:30 a.m. Bring copies of 5 double-spaced pages of your work in progress. Those who have time stay for lunch at a local restaurant. Members and friends welcome!

2015 Connections and Craft Workshop. Mark your calendars! October 10! Full announcement soon. We have exciting speakers: award-winning author, Kimberly Willis Holt; the Book Doctor, Robyn Conley; and Balzer + Bray editor, Kelsey Murphy. A few hotel rooms will be available for our attendees. Registration is open! Watch your email! Email Liz Mertz at brazosvalley@scbwi.org if you don't think you are on the list. This will be a MUST NOT MISS event!

Webinar: Chapter Book Craft 101 with editor Amy Cloud

Date: 10/20/2015 Time: 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm

PUB NEWS

HMH acquires ebook assets from Meegenius, an award-winning ebook subscription service for children ages two through eight years old. For more info, check out this article at Digital Book World. 

Macmillian adds kids ebooks to Epic, an ebook subscription service for kids up to 12.

Want to know more about ebook subscription services?  Here is an article that might interest you.  

Do you write children's nonfiction? This might be the hour to get that book completed.  Check out this article in Publisher's Weekly. 

Children's best sellers lists in the New York Times has been tweaked.  Hardcover middle grade and YA books will be a list in print.  Ebooks and paperback middle grade and YA are lumped together and only found online. Read here. 

PUB HELP

Do you want to be published? Here are some helpful sites for publisher researching.

SCBWI.org -- SCBWI offers trusted information about children's publishers. Check out the resources page.  Also check out the SCBWI's Blueboard for up-to-date information and to ask questions.

VonnaCarter.com -- Author Vonna offer comprehensive lists of  agent and author appearances.

Literaryrambles.com -- Spotlights agents of all children's genres.

What publishers accept unsolicited submissions? Here is a good list. Remember this is a jumping off place verify. Do your own research.

Independent children's editor Harold Underdown offers many publishing resources to writers. Check out his site. 

FOR FUN

Kwame Alexander's Newbery speech.  This is inspiring and fun. 

Interesting facts about classic children's book author. Check it out. 

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

Current Scratch: Join Us, Volunteer, Business Buzz, & Opportunity

During the dog days of summer, there's nothing better than hunkering down indoors working on your creative projects. Stay cool, my friends!

JOIN US!

Monthly Meeting. On July 29, 2015, we will have discussion, news, and encouragement. Topic: Meet Illustrator Garrett Hines. Meet us at Barnes & Noble in College Station. Gentle critique begins at 9:30 a.m. Bring copies of 5 double-spaced pages of your work in progress. Those who have time stay for lunch at a local restaurant. Members and friends welcome! Want a sneak peek of Garrett? Twitter: @garretthinesart!   Website: http://garretthines.com/

2015 Connections and Craft Workshop. Mark your calendars!  October 10! Full announcement soon. We have exciting speakers! A few hotel rooms will be available for our attendees. Registration opens soon! Watch your email! Email Liz Mertz at brazosvalley@scbwi.org if you don't think you are on the list. This will be a MUST NOT MISS event!

Follow this link to find out about our next regional webinar:  Date/Time 08/11/2015, 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm. Webinar: Children's Book Marketing with Kristen Cappy

VOLUNTEER

Do you have a desire to help young writers?  SCBWI Brazos Valley needs a new coordinator for our annual  Brazos Poets Contest for students in 6th through 8th grade and held in April of each year in conjunction with National Poetry Month. Contact Liz Mertz at brazosvalley@scbwi.org if you are interested.

BUSINESS BUZZ

What are thoughts on audio books? Find out what's new for the future of audio books.

Need some assistance writing emotion in your main character? IBM's new feature for its super computer Watson analyzes the language to determine emotion.  How cool is that?!

OPPORTUNITY

Have a story about witches? Just in time for Halloween. Cicada Magazine is looking for them! Deadline Sept. 9, 2015.

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

Current Scratch: Join Us, Volunteer, Inspiration

Hi folks! Lazy summer days in full swing. It's HOT! You need: iced tea, sliced watermelon, and fruity drinks with umbrellas. Also take  some time to write your masterworks.

JOIN US!

Monthly Meeting. On July 29, 2015, we will have discussion, news, and encouragement. Topic: Meet Illustrator Garrett Hines. Meet us at Barnes & Noble in College Station. Gentle critique begins at 9:30 a.m. Bring copies of 5 double-spaced pages of your work in progress. Those who have time stay for lunch at a local restaurant. Members and friends welcome! Want a sneak peek of Garrett? Twitter: @garretthinesart!   Website: http://garretthines.com/

Kid Lit Coffee Klatch, 7-8 p.m. Monday, July 20, Starbucks on Hwy 6 at Rock Prairie. Starbucks Coffee and hot topics at the corner of Hwy. 6 and Rock Prairie Rd. Meet other writers and illustrators, gossip about your characters, and offer and receive boatloads of encouragement. Email Liz Mertz at brazosvalley@scbwi.org for more information.

2015 Connections and Craft Workshop. Mark your calendars!  October 10!  Full announcement soon. We have exciting speakers! A few hotel rooms will be available for our attendees. Registration opens soon!  Watch your email!   Email Liz Mertz at brazosvalley@scbwi.org if you don't think you are on the list.   This will be a MUST NOT MISS event!

Follow this link to find out about our next regional webinar: Webinar: Children’s Book Marketing with Kirsten Cappy; Date/Time 08/11/2015, 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm.

AGENTS

Do you want an agent?  Here are some links that might help you on your journey.

Heather Ayris Burnell: Monster list of children's picture book agents. 

Chuck Sambuchino's Guide to Literary Agents.    -- Middle grade literary agents.

Nancy I Saunders Children's Books literary agents' list

Another list of children's agents.

Manuscript Wish List Blog,

VOLUNTEER

Do you have a desire to help young writers?  SCBWI Brazos Valley needs a new coordinator for our annual  Brazos Poets Contest for students in 6th through 8th grade and held in April of each year in conjunction with National Poetry Month. Contact Liz Mertz at brazosvalley@scbwi.org if you are interested.

INSPIRATION

Winning one of the ALA Media Awards is a unique, awesome and inspiring experience for creative folk.  Here is a link to the winner speeches for the 2015 ALA Media Awards. Soak up the inspiration.

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