Current Scratch: Join Us, Announcement, Local Events, Big News, & Interest

The end of October is upon us, but fear not, folks! There's still time to break out your cauldrons and brew a spooktacular project for the upcoming winter months.

JOIN US!

The Schmooze topic for Wednesday, Oct. 30, is "Revisiting Revision." From picture books to 60,000-word young adult novels, all manuscripts need to undergo revision before they are ready to send to an editor or agent. Learn tips for revising your work and join the discussion! 10 a.m. Wednesday in the College Station Barnes and Noble. Join us for lunch afterwards.

***ANNOUNCEMENT***


The Piney Woods Retreat scheduled for Nov. 15-17 has been cancelled due to low registration. We haven't given up on the idea, but we will use a different format in the future.

LOCAL EVENTS

Children's Literature Book Club will meet on October 24th, Arts Center in College Station, 4:30 PM. The book is ELLA ENCHANTED by Gail Levine. We will also share picture book versions of Cinderella.

Nov. 9--Sherry Garland’s book signing for Voices of Pearl Harbor, Barnes & Noble, College Station, TX. Sherry is scheduled for a Story Time at 10:30am, Saturday November 9 and will continue with a book signing from 11am-12pm, potentially 1pm, if her schedule allows. *Signing time may change.

Nov. 9--Christie Craig will be at Larry J. Ringer Library (College Station) from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. Christie Craig writes contemporary romance, and she writes YA paranormal under the name C.C. Hunter. Christie will present a "Polish me Pretty" editing workshop for teens and adults, and there will be a book signing. You may bring your own copy or purchase a book at the event if you would like to have one signed. Contact Hilary at (979) 764-3416 for more details.

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

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

BIG NEWS, FOLKS!

Kathi Appelt's THE TRUE BLUE SCOUTS OF SUGAR MAN SWAMP made it into the top five for the National Book Award for Young Peoples Literature! You can read about it here. You can read the full review of Kathi's book here. Congrats, Kathi!!

Also, Sherry Garland on Oct. 23 -- will be interviewed by Sharon Colson for her TV Magazine Program on the topic of VOICES OF PEARL HARBOR. The program will be aired three times: Oct. 31, Nov. 2 & Nov. 3 on KAMU-TV, the local PBS station. Congrats, Sherry!!

INTEREST

The Texas Book Festival is this weekend, October 26 & 27. A fun, free, literary event in Austin.

Interested in attending the SCBWI Winter Con? Check out details on the SCBWI blog.

Slick Write is a free online tool to check your writing for potential stylistic mistakes and other features of interest.

Check out this cool announcement. The USPS will issue a Harry Potter stamp this November for the holidays.

November is the month for NaNoWriMo, National Novel Writing Month, where writers can find support and motivation all while writing 50k in 30 days.

If novels aren't your genre and picture books are, check out PiBoIdMo, Picture Book Idea Month in November as well. By generating 30 picture book ideas in 30 days, a fabulous idea (or two) is sure to be in the mix!



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

Current Scratch: Local Events, Good News, Opportunities.

Howdy, folks! Yay, cooler weather is here. Yards are green. Every one's yard is blooming. I hope that your work is blooming too.

JOIN US

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

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)

Nov. 15-17--Piney Woods Retreat, LakeviewMethodist ConferenceCenter, 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 NationalMuseum of the Pacific War (Admiral NimitzMuseum), Fredericksburg, TX.

GOOD NEWS

Kathi Appelt's The True Blue Scouts of Sugar Man Swamp is on the National Book Awards Long List! From the site: "Newbery Honoree and National Book Award finalist Kathi Appelt presents a story of care and conservation, funny as all get out and ripe for reading aloud." 

Molly Blaisdell fangirl rom-com PLUMB CRAZY-- to Georgia McBride at Swoon Romance,a nice deal, a 2-book deal, for publication in May 2014, reported in Publisher's Marketplace.

OPPORTUNITIES

New Imprint -- all digital -- Bloomsbury Spark -- Read about it in PW.

Macmillian Children's Books has opened a new site called Swoon Reads. Read about it at Galley Cat.

Check out Merit Publishing yet another new publishing venture available to authors.  Read about it on PW.  

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

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.

Current Scratch: Interest, Business Buzz, For the Illustrator, & Just For Fun

Howdy folks! As our summer comes to an end, it's time to fall head first into our writing and illustrating projects. Jump on the productive bus! Need some inspiration? See the Join Us section below. :)

JOIN US

For our next Schmooze: On Wednesday, August 28  for "Picture Book Potpourri"--a panel discussion of the best current books, best resources, acquiring agents, picture book development, U Tales etc. 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.

Piney Woods Retreat Nov. 15-17, 2013 for writers and illustrators

Join SCBWI Brazos Valley for a working retreat 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 is available here. 
Online registration is available at Eventbrite.

To register by mail, please indicate whether you are an author or illustrator, make your check payable to SCBWI Brazos Valley and send it to: SCBWI Brazos Valley P.O. Box 9622 College Station, TX 77842

INTEREST

Looking for helpful information about small business deductions?

Read Highlights Fiction Contest guidelines here.

BUSINESS BUZZ

Here's a WOW story for you: Penguin signs a 13-year-old author!

A success story about a picture book, a girl named Sophie, and a butternut squash, emerging from the slush pile. Too cute!

FOR THE ILLUSTRATOR

 Self-Promo Tips

JUST FOR FUN

Love poetry? Neil Gaiman? Watch this!

Neil Gaiman - Crazy Hair

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

Current Scratch: CANCELLED Critiquenic!, Statewide, Middle Grade, Recaps.

Howdy, folks! School is around the corner. Gearing up for a new school year inspires me. Hope your pencils are sharpened and you are ready to do great work!



JOIN US

 Need a break? SCBWI-BV Schmooze with us August 28, 2013. Picture Book Potpourri is the topic!
Stay for lunch if you have the time. Gentle critique begins at 9:30 a.m. Bring 5 copies of 5 double-spaced pages of a work in progress to share.

KEEP THE DATE

CANCELLED --August 17th SCBWI Critiquenic  CANCELLED!!!! 

We recommend that you consider attending the BRAZOS WRITERS' MINI-Workshop: Crime 101.
Date: August 17, 2013
Time: 9 to 11:30 a.m.
Place:Ringer Library in College Station

Should be very interesting for writers in all genres: stories from the front lines of law enforcement here at Texas A&M, followed by award-winning mystery writer Reavis Z. Wortham, who will share his journey to writing success. He will have copies of his Red River mystery series for sale as well.

Cost is just $20 and there is no preregistration--just show up!

Piney Woods Retreat

November 15-17, 2013 @ Lakeview Methodist Conference Center, Palestine, TX. Join us for a working retreat in the pines of East Texas. Registration fee covers two nights and six meals:
SCBWI Members--$295 per person for single room; $245 per person for double occupancy
Non-members--$315 per person for single room; $265 per person for double occupancy
Stay tuned for more details.

STATEWIDE

We have SCBWI events statewide. Here are a couple of upcoming events that might fit you.

 

SCBWI  SouthWest Texas -- San Antonio ...Richard Jesse Watson for a full-day picture book workshop on October 19, 2013. Register here: EventBrite registration page.

 

SCBWI North Texas -- Dallas...SCBWI North Texas 2013 Regional Conference, Creating Kids Books That Soar. September 21, 2013. For more details follow this link.

SCBWI Austin -- St. Edward University Austin. Graphic Novel Workshop 2013, October 5, 2013. Follow this link for more details: http://www.austinscbwi.com/graphic-novel-workshop-2013/ .

 

 

MIDDLE GRADE

 

Here is some middle grade writing advice from Peter Lerangis, author of 160 books for kids. Check it out at Galley Cat.

 

Ever wanted to see how a relationship works between a writer and editor. Check out this article from Stephen Roxburgh at PW. Gobsmacked! is an eye-opening experience.

 

Here is a Letter of Note from E.B. White.  On Charlotte's Web, a book is a sneeze. You will love this. It will make you happy.  

 

Current NY Times middle grade best sellers.

 

RECAP

 

SCBWI Summer conference was a couple of weeks ago. Here is the official recap. Another.

Another.

 

WRITE-ON-CON was just the other day. Here is the link to the content. Check it out. :)

 

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

Current Scratch: Schmooze, Keep the Date, Publishing, Interest, & Just For Fun

Howdy folks! What're you doing to beat the heat? Hopefully y'all have pens to paper, fingers to keyboards, and / or brushes to canvas. It's the only way to go when the temperature's a risin'!

JOIN US

SCBWI: Need a break? Schmooze with us July 31

Taking the right kind of break from one’s work can make a difference in keeping creativity cranking. “Spend & Restore: Create & Rejuvenate” is Candy Fite’s topic for the Schmooze, Wednesday, July 31, at 10 a.m. in the College Station Barnes & Noble. Come join the discussion about balancing work and restorative activity and rest. Stay for lunch if you have the time.

Gentle critique begins at 9:30 a.m. Bring 5 copies of 5 double-spaced pages of a work in progress to share.

KEEP THE DATE

August 17th SCBWI Critiquenic in the Bryan / College Station area. At the event, we will break into groups by audience/genre with the aim of four in each group. Groups may stay at the cafe or choose to move to another venue nearby. Groups will critique from 10 to 12 and reconvene for lunch at the cafe. Candilynn shares: I attended a Critiquenic in Austin in June; it was highly effective & fun! Details for venue are in the works. Stay tuned!

Piney Woods Retreat

November 15-17, 2013 @ Lakeview Methodist Conference Center, Palestine, TX.  Join us for a working retreat in the pines of East Texas. Registration fee covers two nights and six meals:
SCBWI Members--$295 per person for single room; $245 per person for double occupancy
Non-members--$315 per person for single room; $265 per person for double occupancy
Stay tuned for more details.

PUBLISHING
Find out what books will bloom in spring 2014! Go here to get a sneak peek.

INTEREST
Baffled by snazzy literary terms? Think the term "Kill fee" is a secret advance in pay for mystery writers? Stay on top of literary talk here.

When it comes to he said / she said, do you get confused? Darcy Pattison shares the how-to on dialogue here.

JUST FOR FUN
Scholastic has a cool, literary tasty treat for us!

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