Greetings, all, from Cape Cod, where my family and I are spending a few days, after a week in Boston. Yes, we got to see the 4th of July fireworks in Boston, and hear the Pops play. Great experience! I'm also just back from ALA, the American Librarians' Association conference which was in New Orleans this year. There, I ran into Lin Oliver and Sara Rutenberg, cruising the stacks. Always fun to bump into someone you know at a major event, and good to see SCBWI so well represented there.



I know many of you will be in Los Angeles in a couple of weeks. Be sure to say hi if you see me or Suzy, or any Nevada members you know. We are having a gathering of NV members, friends, former mentees, mentors, conference attendees, etc.... (in other words, Nevadans and honorary Nevadans) on Sunday evening, 7 p.m. at Bar Noir, which is a short walk from the conference hotel. Please join us!



And don't forget about our upcoming one day conference in Las Vegas, September 10th. You'll find info here, and more info on our website, www.nevadascbwi.org 



Happy July! Hope your summer is bringing you much joy.



Ellen

 Life is fluid. Ever-changing. Never static. Change can be scary or exciting or even mind-blowing but one thing is certain. There is no such thing as the status quo. And things are changing here in Nevada. My co-regional advisor, Suzy Williams, has given much to the Nevada chapter of the SCBWI. Without her, I might never have come on-board as a regional advisor. But here I am. Together, Suzy and I have created amazing programming in the Silver State, and I will always be grateful, not only for our partnership, but much, much more, for our friendship.



So I am a bit saddened to say that life is calling Suzy elsewhere. As of July 1st, she is stepping down as co-regional advisor to pursue her career more diligently, and devote more time to her family. She promises she won't go far, however, and I plan on tapping her experience, energy and smarts as I move the Nevada chaper of the SCBWI into the future. Helping me as assistant regional advisor will be Jenny Mackay, who has been our co-northern Nevada coordinator and newsletter editor for some time. She is young, brilliant and organized, and I am genuinely grateful that she has agreed to step into this role.



In other supporting roles are Tracy Clark and Heather Petty, co-northern Nevada coordinators; Sharon Mann and Bri Wilson, co-southern Nevada Coordinators; and Cindy Kremsner, our illustrator coordinator. Each is valued for her insight, oversight and vision. Thanks so much, ladies.



Together we will forge ahead. Our highly successful Nevada SCBWI Mentor Program, novel retreat  and annual conferences will continue, along with some new programming specifically targeted toward illustrators and published members. None of this would be possible without the support of the SCBWI International organization, nor without the framework built by my friend, Suzy Williams. Godspeed, m'dear. And you can bet I'll be calling you for advice very soon.



To the future!

Ellen Hopkins







 

So this has been an SCBWI sort of day. Catching up on all sorts of things. The Zephyr is up (thanks Jenny MacKay), the rooms are in place for the retreat at Granlibakken, this calendar is updated, my husband, Reed, updated our website, schedules and plans are in place. So. . . I'm thinking ahead to the Mentor Project. I am so happy with the slate of mentors we have this year. What an opportunity for all SCBWI members to apply to work with some great, professional people. The best thing about the Mentor Program is the way you will feel at the end. It's a lot of work but it's satisfying and for me, it's been very fun. If you are interested, all the info is on our Nevada SCBWI website at www.nevadascbwi.org open the Mentor Program button. And please, take some time to consider the mentors you will apply to. We have some famous and influential people that you've heard of and we also have some great professionals that you may not have heard of - but who will be spectacular mentors. Remember that each mentor picks two or three people to work with. If you apply only to the best known people you may be limiting your chances to be picked. If one mentor has three times as many applicants as another, then the competition for those slots is three times as tough. Think about it, and then make your best decision. We look forward to hearing from you.  Suzanne Morgan Williams - Co RA- Nevada

Wow. Can't believe it's December already. What a great year personally, professionally, and for our SCBWI region here in Nevada. Las Vegas is growing. Hurrah! It's been great helping that happen, but Suzy and I couldn't have done it without our fabulous Vegas coordinator, Ann Kimbrough, and some wonderful volunteers in Clark County. To all our southern Nevada members, please know that we'll continue to work for your benefit. The upcoming Start the New Year Write conference on January 9th will be the kickoff to a wonderful year for SCBWI in Vegas. Please join us.

Up here in the north, we have seen many new members as well. But we miss some of our favorites who have moved on because of busy lives or moves to other regions. Come back! Suzy and I have created some great programs, ones I'm sure you'll benefit from. We just finished up our third mentor program, and have already seen success, with mentee Holly Thompson's recent two-book deal. We held our first novel retreat last spring, and have planned another one for May. This one has really special faculty guests (see regional events for more info), and offers an amazing opportunity that I can speak to you privately about. If someone from another region is reading this, our Nevada programs are open to everyone, not just Nevadans. With our last mentor program, we had mentees from Florida, New York, Illinois, Washington, Ontario Canada, California, and even Japan!

Finally, there will be a holiday party at my house, Saturday, December 19th. Get hold of me for directions  and details. Happiest holidays to our friends near and far!

Ellen

 What an exciting few months it's been for my co-regional adviser, Suzy Williams, and me. Both of us have been busily promoting our books, which means traveling the country to do school and library visits, booksignings, writers conferences and other events. Fall is a big time for author travel because it encompasses Teen Read Week (this week, in fact) and Banned Books Week. The latter came into heavy play for me this year, with a challenge and subsequent school visit cancellation in Norman OK.



Rather than go into detail here, I'll direct you to my blogs about it: http://ellenhopkins.livejournal.com. Do take some time to read them if you have a few minutes, as the story is interesting. But the takeaway I'd like to leave for you here is this: NEVER write with would-be censors in mind. NEVER self-censor, if it doesn't suit your story. Kids today face ever more difficult challenges. They need, and expect, books that can help them deal with those challenges.



And if, per chance, one of your books is one day challenged, face the challenge head-on. No one person has the right to decide what everyone else can or can't read. Write with courage, and stay courageous. A child out there (or maybe thousands of them) needs your courage.



Ellen Hopkins

A big shout-out to Nevada member Tracy Hughes Clark, whose Circle Journal recently won one of four 2009 SCBWI Work-in-Progress grants. Tracy won in the category "Unpublished Novel." This is the same manuscript she is currently working on with her mentor, Susan Hart Lindquist, as part of the 2009 Nevada SCBWI Mentor Program.

Tracy, who will receive a check for $1500, says, "Joining SCBWI was the best thing I've ever done as a writer! I feel so honored and grateful that I have friends like you who have helped me and boosted me over the last couple of years. Yay!"

It's been a pleasure, Tracy. Every success for one of our members feels very much like success for Suzy and me.

Ellen Hopkins
Suzanne Morgan Williams
Co-Regional Advisors

In Cabo this week, with San Fran South co-RAs Amy Laughlin and Kristen Howell, plus former SF RA Jim Averbeck and former SF ARA Lynn Hazen. Are you seeing a theme here? Amy has an amazing villa here, complete with an "Adolfo" who comes in three times a day to chop veggies and wash dishes for us. We are all getting a lot of writing/revision done, around beach, pools, hot tubs, margaritas, salsa and guacamole. (Not to mention Adolfo!) Just one more reason to love SCBWI and the extended family we get to know. Viva Cabo!

So here's the downside of going home. Flight delay. Two hours. Maybe more. At least I don't have a connecting flight. Suzy's flight was also delayed, but it included a stop in Sacramento on the way to Portland, and somehow Southwest got her on another flight to Portland that will likely get her in earlier than she would have otherwise. Unlike me. Argh! Guess RA Sydney Salter's flight home to Salt Lake City also was delayed. Jeez. What happened to Southwest's on time record?

Oh well. Except for being really tired, I'm satisfied, I guess. The conference was amazing, and our regional adviser retreat seemed to yield some real positive decisions. All that is gratifying. I just want my own bed and to see my dogs. I'd say my family, but they're in the Bay Area, doing theme parks before school starts in a couple of weeks. Two days, with the house to myself sounds like major writing time. If I ever get there, that is!

OK if you aren't here you might not know we're in a website workshop - and of course she already posted - she can't resist that networking. We're so excited about having an easy way to communicate with you. Imagine RSS, blog photos, updates on the blog. OOOOhhhh. Communication. More to come - Suzy (Suzanne Morgan Williams)

Wow. What an incredible conference we shared in LA this summer! I was honored to keynote, along with the amazing Sherman Alexie, Ingrid Law, Kathleen Duey and other wonderful speakers. Four days of workshops, panels, awards and (best of all) not a small amount of partying sent us all away tired, inspired and ready to return to our computers or drawing pads. If you didn't make it this year, be sure to join us next summer. See you then!