June 7-9, 2013 – Princeton, NJ

The 2013 June Annual Conference is just a month away - gadzooks!

Leeza Hernandez (RA) and the NJ SCBWI team.

Where did the story for BOY + BOT come from?

BOY + BOT is a smoosh-up of some of my favorite things: friendship-despite-difference stories (especially the fabulous FROG AND TOAD books), robots, and good old-fashioned playtime. I wondered what would happen if a kid was playing roll-down-the-hill with a robot and the robot got switched off, only the kid didn’t understand what happened because their new robot friend was the first robot they ever met! How would they help? The story just grew from there.

The book has been received so well since publication. What do you think it is that kids love so much about the book?

Awww, thank you! I think a huge part of why BOY + BOT connects with little readers is because of Dan’s wonderful illustrations. (I know I smile every time I see them, and I love to watch kids see them for the first time and smile, too!)  And it seems like I’m not the only one who wishes they had a robot buddy!

That’s another smoosh-up!  I’m ecstatic, relieved, and above all, grateful to everybody who helped shape and encourage (Yay, NJ SCBWI!) and spread the word about our book!

Any words of advice for writers in general or those with a debut book releasing?

For kidlit writers in general: get involved with your local SCBWI chapter, learn from your critiques (especially those tough ones!), read MOUNTAINS of books in your genre, and don’t give up! For about-to-debut authors: CONGRATULATIONS! Stock up on energy drinks and Pixy Stix now—the next year or so is going to be one crazy-fun ride!

What's next for you?

My next book, TEA PARTY RULES, releases this Fall. It’s a funny compromise-during-playtime story between a savvy little girl and the cookie-craving bear cub who crashes her backyard tea party, with amazing art by 2013 SCBWI Golden Kite-winning illustrator K.G. Campbell. It was a laugh-out-loud riot to make, and I hope everybody loves it as much as we do! 

Mark your calendar:

June 7-9, 2013

The Crowne Plaza-Holiday Inn Express (Formerly the Wyndham)

Princeton, NJ

Keynote speakers:

Caldecott Honor Illusrator/Author Peter Brown

Times Best-selling Author Lauren Oliver

Are you brand new to the kidlit world and don't know where to start? There's a workshop for that!

Have you had trouble fleshing out a main character, atagonist or plot for your story? There are several worshops for that!

Jenne Abramowitz, Senior Editor, Scholastic

Heather Alexander, Editor, Dial BFYR/Penguin

Elizabeth (Betsy) Bird, Librarian, NYPL/SLJ

Erin Clarke, Senior Editor, Random House

John Cusick, Agent, Greenhouse Literary

Melissa Faulner, Editorial Assistant, Abrams

Louise Fury, Agent, L. Perkins Agency

Julie Ham, Editor, Charlesbridge

Erin Harris, Agent, Folio

Janine Hauber, Agent, Sheldon Fogelman

Ginger Harris, Agent, Liza Royce Agency

Lexa Hillyer, Editor/Co-Founder, Paper Lantern Literary

Connie Hsu, Senior Editor, Little, Brown

Simone Kaplan, Editor, Picture Book People

Janet Kusmierski, Art Director, Scholastic

Tricia Lawrence, Agent, Erin Murphy Literary

Steve Meltzer, Executive editor, Penguin BFYR

Rotem Moscowich, Senior Editor, Disney/Hyperion

Meredith Mundy, Executive Editor, Sterling

Rachel Orr, Agent, Prospect Agency

Jessica Regel, Agent, Jean V. Naggar Agency

Shauna Rossano, Editor, G.P. Putnams' Sons/Penguin

Martha Sikkema, Senior Designer, Charlesbridge

Christina Tugeau, Agent/Art Rep, Cat Tugeau Agency

Carolyn Yoder, SeniorEditor, Calkins Creek Books

Marietta Zacker, Agent, Nancy Galt