Join us for our next SCBWI Saturday on April 6, 2013, 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Arts Center in College Station. Author, editor and self-publishing expert Erin Casey will present "Self-Publishing: When, Why & How to Professionally Self-Publish Your Book."

Cost: $20 for SCBWI members/$25 for non-members. Bring your own lunch.

Erin Casey says, "When you self-publish, obviously, you are the publisher. So, you have to make sure that all the things a publisher would normally do get done...and it's a lot. It isn't easy, and it isn't for everyone, but self-publishing can be very rewarding. My goal and my passion is helping people do it right."

Download the flyer with registration form here: [April 6 Workshop.pdf]

"Every block of stone has a statue inside it and it is the task of the sculptor to discover it." Michaelanglo

Join SCBWI Brazos Valley for a workshop to help you discover the story within. How do you refine research to create a story? How do you spin a great idea into a completed work? This half-day workshop will equip you to write the essential story--non-fiction or fiction. Write the story you are yearning to put on the page. Join us!

Our distinguished faculty:

Mary Wade, SCBWI Houston—Non-fiction

Mary Wade has written many books for children with a focus on biographies. Please check out her website: http://www.wadeco.com/author.htm

Jo Whittmore SCBWI Austin—Fiction

Jo is the author of six novels for teens, and she is also one of The Texas Sweethearts. Please check out her website: http://www.jowhittemore.com/



Registration fee: Members $45/Non-members $50

Mail checks to:

SCBWI Brazos Valley

P.O. Box 9622

College Station, TX 77842

[August flyer.pdf] 

 The January 2012 issue of our Scribbles newsletter is posted here: [Scribbles 0112.pdf]

 The December 2011 Scribbles newsletter is posted here:[Scribbles 1211.pdf]

The November 2011 issue of our Scribbles newsletter is posted here:



[Scribbles 1111.pdf]







We would appreciate feedback on the new delivery system, and we always welcome story ideas and member news to share in KUDOS! Deadline the 25th of the month.







All the best,



Liz Mertz



Regional Advisor 



lizbmertz+scbwi@gmail.com

Scribbles, August 2011

www.scbwi-brazosvalley.org

In this issue:

From the RA’s Desk—

Brazos Valley Events

   Conference Early Bird Registration Ends Sept. 8

   Schmooze Schedule

   Children’s Literature Book Club

KUDOS!

Book Basket for Celebrating the Arts

SCBWI Events Elsewhere in Texas and Beyond

Other Events of Interest

From the RA’s Desk

August has been a full month, bookended by SCBWI events.

The 40^th Annual Summer Conference in Los Angeles Aug. 5-8 exceeded all expectations with over 1340 writers, illustrators, editors, agents, publishers and staff in attendance. Blog reports from the conference are still available at http://scbwiconference.blogspot.com/. They read in reverse order, so scroll down to find reports on sessions and keynotes. Meetings and informal discussions with other Regional Advisors, Assistant RAs and Illustrator Coordinators have fueled ideas for our own 20^th anniversary celebrations in 2012.

Molly Blaisdell also attended the conference this year as the winner of the Martha Weston Grant which is given to an SCBWI writer or illustrator who has previously been published in book format and would like to work in a different genre of children's literature other than that in which they have previously been published. Molly has published many picture books, and she is working now toward publishing one of her novels. Congratulations, Molly!

Our Mini-Retreat to Inspire Your Writing Voice accomplished what it promised on Saturday. Jacqueline Gramann led us through exercises that helped us discover what informs our story voices and offered tips for staying in touch with what matters to children at different ages and stages of development. Alicia Clay O’Neill brought definitions and examples of character voice along with steps to work through as we create strong voice in our work.

At our Wednesday Schmooze this month, I will review manuscript format. If you are planning to submit something for the November conference and have questions about how to make the best impression with your manuscript, please join us!

Liz Mertz

Regional Advisor

Brazos Valley Events

Connections & Craft 2011: Early Bird Registration Ends Sept. 8

Register now to attend our fall conference Connections & Craft 2011 on Nov. 12 from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. in College Station. The early bird fee is $115 for members until Sept. 8. After Sept. 8, registration will increase to $135. Manuscript critiques/portfolio reviews are $35.

Our faculty includes:

Claudia Gabel, Senior Editor, Katherine Tegen Books

Martha Mihalick, Editor, Greenwillow Books

Kathi Appelt, award-winning author and teacher

Brian Floca, award-winning author/illustrator

Doris Fisher, magazine & picture book author, puzzle creator

Molly Blaisdell, magazine & picture book author, blogger

All the details are posted on our region page at scbwi.org as well as on our site at www.scbwi-brazosvalley.org.

Martha Mihalick appeared in a video interview for WriteOnCon this month and contributed an article on building believable romance as well. Learn more about Claudia Gabel as an author at her website.

Schmooze Schedule

Our meetings are held in the College Station Barnes & Noble in the Science corner at 10 a.m. Check the website regularly for speaker and meeting updates. Open critique time begins at 9:30 a.m.  See the website for guidelines. 

August 31--How to Format a Manuscript with Liz Mertz

What is standard formatting for manuscripts and why is it important?

September 28--Sending and Keeping Track of Manuscripts--Roundtable

Everyone needs to come with ideas about how to keep track of manuscript submissions.

October 26--Critique Group Advantages--Panel

How are our critique groups going? We will share ideas and handouts.

Children’s Literature Book Club

Join in the discussion of the works of Richard Peck at the next meeting on Sept. 29, 4:30-6 p.m. at the Arts Council, 2275 Dartmouth in College Station. The books to read are A LONG WAY FROM CHICAGO and A YEAR DOWN YONDER as well as any other of Peck’s titles.

The book for October is THE WITCH OF BLACKBIRD POND by Elizabeth George Speare.

To receive reminders about the book club subscribe to the Yahoo group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ChildLitbookclub/

KUDOS!

Congratulations to Molly Blaisdell for receiving the Martha Weston Grant that allowed her to attend the Summer Conference in Los Angeles earlier this month.

Book Basket for Celebrating the Arts--Fundraiser for Arts Council Brazos Valley

Tuesday, Sept. 20, 6 p.m. College Station Hilton

As an affiliate member of the Arts Council of Brazos Valley we receive help with publicity and free use of the Arts Center for some of our events. If you would like to contribute a book for a basket to be auctioned at the Celebrating the Arts evening, please contact Liz Mertz as soon as possible. lizbmertz+scbwi@gmail.org

SCBWI Events Elsewhere in Texas and Beyond

Austin  

www.austinscbwi.com

Monthly Meeting—Sept. 16

At BookPeople – 11 a.m. on the 2nd floor.

Spouse panel with George Jones (Sarah Bird) and others

Regional Conference: Something for Everyone

February 17-19, 2012



St. Edward’s University



Houston

www.scbwi-houston.org

Monthly Meeting

Tuesday, Sept. 6, 7 p.m.

SCBWI Los Angeles Conference Attendees Panel Discussion 



Tracy Gee Community Center



3599 Westcenter Dr.



Houston, TX 77042-5213

Big Picture, Tiny Frame: Making the Most of Your Picture Book Manuscripts



Oct. 1—A Picture Book Intensive with Liz Garton Scalon

Registration is open. Submit mss. for critique Sept. 1. Click here for details and registration form.

Southwest Texas (San Antonio)

www.scbwi-swtx.org

Fall Conference

September 17, 2011 8:30 a.m.- 4:30 p.m.

University of the Incarnate Word Conference Center

Full details and registration information are posted at the following:

http://swtxscbwi2011.eventbrite.com/

North Central/Northeast Texas (DFW) 

www.scbwi.org under Regional Chapters

Fall Conference



Fri-Sat Oct 7-8, 2011

Attendance Limited to First 200 Registrants



20 minute Face to Face Critique Sessions - Friday



Keynote and Breakout sessions - Saturday



Oklahoma

www.scbwiok.org

Fall Conference Sept. 10, 2011



9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

With an optional evening session 



Friday Sept. 9, 2011

Complete your on-line conference registration here!

Keynote Speaker: Kathi Appelt, author of over thirty books for children and young adults.

Louisiana

http://members.cox.net/scbwi-no/

October 1 - Workshop with Leslie Helokosi, Author/Illustrator, and Catherine Frank, Freelance Editor formerly Executive Editor with Viking Children's Books.  University of New Orleans, Education Bldg. Room 305Q.  9:00 am - 3:00 pm.

Regular meetings are staggered between Baton Rouge and New Orleans on the third Saturday of every month, unless otherwise notified, from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. The Sept. 17 meeting will be in New Orleans. Check the website for more events.



For more regional events around the world, see http://www.scbwi.org/Regional-Events.aspx

Other Events of Interest

Kindred Spirits:  Landscape Painting and America’s National Parks

Sept. 1, 2011, 6 p.m.

A Presentation by Dr. Jim Gramann at the Brazos Valley Museum of Natural History

Dr. Gramann is an expert on the history of national parks and the influence of Thomas Cole.  His presentation will be followed by  a free reception and gallery viewing of Wild Land: Thomas Cole and the Birth of American Landscape Painting,  a nationally touring exhibition premiering at the Museum.  This

exhibition takes visitors "into the woods" and through Cole’s studio, revealing the ways in which he and other artists of his time pioneered cultural conversations that shaped our national landscape intellectually, physically, and visually.

The Art & Science of Investigation

Saturday, Sept 10. 8:30-4:00, Brazos Center on Briarcrest.

Speakers will be Texas Rangers Evidential Artists Suzanne Lowe and Jorge Molina, Forensic Entomologist Jeff Tomberlin, and Cognitive Psychologist Steve Smith.



They will talk about: How forensics artists give a face to bones and show what a person who disappeared years ago will look like now. How authorities use insects to determine how long a body had been decomposing. How much credence investigators can put in eye witness testimony. And, what writers get wrong when it comes to forensics.



For more information and to register, visit the Brazos Writers website at http://www.brazoswriters.org, or go to http://brazoswriters.eventbrite.com. Cost is $40 with lunch included.

Brazos Writers Booth at Texas Reds Festival Oct. 7-8

Brazos Writers has secured a table for the Texas Reds Festival in downtown Bryan, TX on Oct. 7 & 8 (Friday and Saturday). They have opened the space to our members who would like to sign up for a shift at the table. The cost is $10 for Brazos Writers' members and $15 for non-members. To sign up or to get more details, contact Helen Sheffield at hsheff3218@aol.com or 979-260-1458. 

Call for Submissions

SUCKER  LITERARY MAGAZINE is looking for YA fiction: http://suckerliterarymagazine.wordpress.com/

 Scribbles, July 2011

www.scbwi-brazosvalley.org

In this issue:

From the RA’s Desk—Conference Registration Opens July 15

Brazos Valley Events

SCBWI Saturday Aug. 27: A Mini-Retreat to Inspire Your Writing Voice

Schmooze Schedule

Children’s Literature Book Club

KUDOS!

SCBWI Events Elsewhere in Texas and Beyond



Pockets Annual Fiction Contest

From the RA’s Desk—Conference Registration Opens July 15

Now that we have reached the height and HEAT of summer, it is time to think seriously about November! Make plans to attend our fall conference Connections & Craft 2011 on Nov. 12 from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. in College Station. Registration opens July 15th. The early bird fee is $115 for members until Sept. 8. After Sept. 8, registration will increase to $135. Manuscript critiques/portfolio reviews are $35.







Our faculty includes:

Claudia Gabel, Senior Editor, Katherine Tegen Books

Martha Mihalick, Editor, Greenwillow Books

Kathi Appelt, award-winning author and teacher

Brian Floca, award-winning author/illustrator

Doris Fisher, magazine & picture book author, puzzle creator

All the details will be posted on Regional Events at scbwi.org as well as on our site at www.scbwi-brazosvalley.org.







I am looking forward to the free mini-retreat on Aug. 27. Don’t forget your lunch, and let me know that you are coming so we will have enough chairs! Along with our discussion of manuscript formatting at the August Schmooze, we should have our stories in great shape before conference critique submissions are due in September.

Having the open critique time before the Schmooze worked well at the June meeting, so we will continue the new schedule—9:30 a.m. Open Critique and 10 a.m. Schmooze. Sherry Garland will coach us through writing query and cover letters at the July meeting.

Hope to see you there!

Liz Mertz

Regional Advisor

Brazos Valley Events

SCBWI Saturday: A Mini-Retreat to Inspire Your Writing Voice

Aug. 27, 2011, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Arts Council of the Brazos Valley

2275 Dartmouth St., College Station, TX

SCBWI Brazos Valley Children’s Literature Book Club co-coordinators, Jacqueline Gramann and Alicia Clay O’Neill, will team up and present A Mini-Retreat to Inspire Your Writing Voice. They are combining their professional backgrounds to inform and inspire beginning and seasoned writers. Jacqueline and Alicia will present new ways to look at writing for children and have several writing exercises to unlock your writing obstacles.







Jacqueline will lead off with “Informing Your Story Voice,” and Alicia will present “Voicing Your Characters.” The event will be free. Bring a work-in-progress and/or a notebook as well as a sack lunch. In order to arrange enough seating, please respond to lizBmertz+scbwi@gmail.com by Aug. 24.

Schmooze Schedule

Our meetings are held in the College Station Barnes & Noble in the Science corner at 10 a.m. Check the website regularly for speaker and meeting updates. Open critique time begins at 9:30 a.m.  See the website for guidelines. 

July 27--Query and Cover Letters with Sherry Garland

We will learn about the tricky tasks of writing winning query and cover letters.

August 31--How to Format a Manuscript with Liz Mertz

What is standard formatting for manuscripts and why is it important?

September 28--Sending and Keeping Track of Manuscripts--Roundtable

Everyone needs to come with ideas about how to keep track of manuscript submissions.

October 26--Critique Group Advantages--Panel

How are our critique groups going? We will share ideas and handouts.

Children’s Literature Book Club

Join in the discussion of the works of Richard Peck at the next meeting on Sept. 29, 4:30-6 p.m. at the Arts Council, 2275 Dartmouth in College Station. The books to read are A LONG WAY FROM CHICAGO and A YEAR DOWN YONDER as well as any other of Peck’s titles.

The book for October is THE WITCH OF BLACKBIRD POND by Elizabeth George Speare.

KUDOS!

Kathi Appelt has an article in the newly published Writing Young Adult Fiction for Dummies by Deborah Halverson (Wiley Publishing, 2011). 

Sherry Garland has a new picture book contract with Pelican for VOICES OF PEARL HARBOR. Layne Johnson from SCBWI Houston has signed on as the illustrator.

SCBWI Events Elsewhere in Texas and Beyond

Austin  

www.austinscbwi.com

Monthly Meeting—July 16

At BookPeople – 11 a.m. on the 2nd floor.

Pat Anderson will speak on marketing for children’s book authors and offer tips for working more effectively with school librarians, teachers and booksellers.

Workshop: Beyond the Basics

July 30 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

REI Round Rock, 201 University Oaks Blvd, Suite 1100, Round Rock, TX

One day workshop – Beyond the Basics: Applying and Analyzing Constructive Criticism with the Texas Sweethearts

Houston

www.scbwi-houston.org

Monthly Meeting

Monday, Aug. 1, 7 p.m.

Work for Hire & Packagers: Getting Paid to Pursue Your Passion with Wendy Lanier 

Tracy Gee Community Center

3599 Westcenter Dr.

Houston, TX 77042-5213

Big Picture, Tiny Frame: Making the Most of Your Picture Book Manuscripts

Oct. 1—A Picture Book Intensive with Liz Garton Scalon

Registration opens July 25, 2011 for SCBWI members. Click here for details and registration form.

40th Annual Summer Conference

Aug. 5-8 in Los Angeles

The summer conference is so full that the executive office is closing registration as of 5pm next Monday, July 18. There will be absolutely no part-time registration and no walk-ins. Anyone who has been thinking about going should act quickly.

Southwest Texas (San Antonio)

www.scbwi-swtx.org

Fall Conference

September 17, 2011 8:30 a.m.- 4:30 p.m.

University of the Incarnate Word Conference Center

Full details and registration information are posted at the following:

http://swtxscbwi2011.eventbrite.com/

Early bird registration is $100 until July 20! $125 after July 20.

North Central/Northeast Texas (DFW) 

www.scbwi.org under Regional Chapters

Fall Conference

Fri-Sat Oct 7-8, 2011

Attendance Limited to First 200 Registrants

20 minute Face to Face Critique Sessions - Friday

Keynote and Breakout sessions - Saturday

Oklahoma

www.scbwiok.org

Fall Conference Sept. 10, 2011

9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

With an optional evening session 

Friday Sept. 9, 2011

Including...

The SCBWIOK Fall Illustration Contest

Download contest details and instuctions 

Prize: Paid registration to 2012 SCBWIOK Spring Conference

Submission Deadline: Aug 22, 2011

Complete your on-line conference registration here!

Keynote Speaker: Kathi Appelt, author of over thirty books for children and young adults.

Louisiana

http://members.cox.net/scbwi-no/

Regular meetings are staggered between Baton Rouge and New Orleans on the third Saturday of every month, unless otherwise notified, from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. The Aug. 20 meeting will be in Baton Rouge. Check the website for more events.

For more regional events around the world, see http://www.scbwi.org/Regional-Events.aspx

Pockets Annual Fiction Contest

Pockets magazine is accepting entries for its annual contest. Submissions must be postmarked no later than Aug. 15, 2011. There is no set theme and no entry fee. The winner will be announced Nov. 1 at pockets.upperroom.org. Award: $500 and publication in the magazine. Visit their website for further details and guidelines.

 

In this issue:

From the RA’s Desk

   Changes Ahead for Scribbles Newsletter Delivery

   Connections & Craft Conference Nov. 12, 2011

Brazos Valley Events

   SCBWI Saturday Aug. 27: A Mini-Retreat to Inspire Your Writing Voice

   2011 Monthly Schmooze Schedule

   Children's Literature Book Club

Young Poets on the Brazos

Crystal Kite Member Choice Awards

SCBWI Events Elsewhere in Texas and Beyond

Other Events of Interest



From the RA’s Desk

Changes Ahead for Scribbles Newsletter Delivery

The SCBWI Executive Office recently informed the regional advisors that our regional newsletters must be considered as a perk for our SCBWI members. Here in the Brazos Valley, while we rework the newsletter delivery system, we will continue to email Scribbles to members and subscribers through December 2011. We will no longer have regional subscriptions after December.



The plan is to post Scribbles on the Regional Chapter page at www.scbwi.org and members will be able to log in to read it. (Click here to see how it works.) Within the next year or so, our website will switch to being hosted by the main website as well.



I will continue to send Schmooze reminders and event updates to anyone who requests them. As always regional SCBWI members will receive the first notice when registration opens for our conferences or other special events.



Connections & Craft Conference Nov. 12, 2011

Registration for our fall conference will open in July, with a Sept. 8 postmark deadline for critique submissions. Watch your inbox and Facebook for links to the conference brochure and registration information. Our speakers will be Kathi Appelt, author; Doris Fisher, author; Brian Floca, author/illustrator; Claudia Gabel, Senior Editor with Katherine Tegen Books; and Martha Mihalick, Associate Editor with Greenwillow Books.



Meanwhile, I hope to see many members at our summer Schmoozes and SCBWI Saturday Mini-Retreat on Aug. 27 (details below).



All the best,

Liz Mertz, Regional Advisor



Brazos Valley Events

SCBWI Saturday: A Mini-Retreat to Inspire Your Writing Voice

Aug. 27, 2011, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Arts Council of the Brazos Valley

2275 Dartmouth St., College Station, TX



SCBWI Brazos Valley Children’s Literature Book Club co-coordinators, Jacqueline Gramann and Alicia Clay O’Neill, will team up and present A Mini-Retreat to Inspire Your Writing Voice. They are combining their professional backgrounds to inform and inspire beginning and seasoned writers. Jacqueline and Alicia will present new ways to look at writing for children and have several writing exercises to unlock your writing obstacles.



Jacqueline will lead off with “Informing Your Story Voice,” and Alicia will present “Voicing Your Characters.” The event will be free. Bring a work-in-progress and/or a notebook as well as a sack lunch. In order to arrange enough seating, please respond to lizBmertz+scbwi@gmail.com by Aug. 24.








Monthly Schmoozes

Our meetings are held in the College Station Barnes & Noble in the “Science” corner at 10 a.m. on the last Wednesday of the month, January through October. Check the website regularly for speaker and meeting updates. Starting in June, open critique time will begin at 9:30 a.m. See the website for guidelines.



June 29 : Writing Fiction from Life with Kathy Whitehead

Writing Fiction from Life will take a look at how to use real life experiences in creating story.



July 27: Query and Cover Letters with Sherry Garland

We will learn about the tricky tasks of writing winning query and cover letters.



Aug. 31: How to Format a Manuscript with Liz Mertz

What is standard formatting for manuscripts and why is it important? Here's a quick review before manuscripts are due for fall conference critiques.



Sept. 28: Sending and Keeping Track of Manuscripts--Round table

Everyone needs to come with ideas about how to keep track of manuscript submissions.



Oct. 26: Critique Group Advantages--Panel

How are our critique groups going? We will share ideas and handouts.



Children’s Literature Book Club

Join in the discussion of the works of Richard Peck at the next meeting on Sept. 29, 4:30-6 p.m. at the Arts Council, 2275 Dartmouth in College Station. The books to read are A LONG WAY FROM CHICAGO and A YEAR DOWN YONDER and any other of Peck’s titles.



The book for October is THE WITCH OF BLACKBIRD POND by Elizabeth George Speare.



Crystal Kite Member Choice Awards

Given by the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators to recognize great books from the 70 SCBWI regions around the world, the Crystal Kite Awards were announced May 2. The Texas/Oklahoma Divistion winner is MOSTLY MONSTERLY by Tammi Sauer. Other finalists in our division were: KEEPER by Kathi Appelt, SAVING MADDIE by Varian Johnson, SHARK VS. TRAIN by Chris Barton and THE BATTLE OF THE SNOW CONES by Lupe Ruiz-Flores. Along with the SCBWI Golden Kite Awards, the Crystal Kite Awards are chosen by other children’s book writers and illustrators, making them the only peer-given awards in publishing for young readers.



Young Poets on the Brazos

This was our 16th year for the Young Poets on the Brazos contest. On April 26 in the College Station Conference Center we congratulated the 33 winners who have 36 poems in this year’s anthology. We received over 575 entries written by sixth, seventh and eighth graders representing six area schools. Once again we owe a huge “thank you” to Mary Mize for coordinating the contest along with her helper Shirley Hoskins.

 

SCBWI Events Elsewhere in Texas and Beyond

Austin

www.austinscbwi.com

Saturday, June 11

Nick Alter: Social Media

11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

BookPeople, 603 N Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX 78704



Saturday, July 16

Jerry Wermund: The Perils of Self Publishing

11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

BookPeople, 603 N Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX 78703



Workshop: Beyond the Basics

Saturday, July 30, 2011, 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM

REI Round Rock, 201 University Oaks Blvd, Suite 1100, Round Rock, TX

One day workshop – Applying and Analyzing Constructive Criticism with the Texas Sweethearts



Houston

www.scbwi-houston.org

Monthly Meeting

Tuesday, July 5 at 7 p.m.

Simple, Cost Effective Promotions

Presenter: Mandy Watson, BSIS (Ed), MLS & Media Consultant

Tracy Gee Community Center

3599 Westcenter Dr

Houston, TX 77042-5213



Big Picture, Tiny Frame: Making the Most of Your Picture Book Manuscripts

A Picture Book Intensive with Liz Garton Scanlon, author of Caldecott honor book ALL THE WORLD

Saturday, Oct. 1, 9:30am-4:30pm

St. Martin's Episcopal Church, 717 Sage Road at Woodway, Houston, TX 77056

Registration opens July 25.



Sky-high expectations and very little real estate: Today's picture book market is tighter than ever—and you have to find your place in it with fewer than 1,000 words. During this one-day intensive, we'll answer that daunting proposition by investigating the form and practicing the craft—from idea-making to storyboarding to wordsmithing—so you can give your picture book manuscripts the edge they need.



Early bird rate for SCBWI members through August 15 is $30.

After August 15: SCBWI members $40, non-members $50



A limited number of written critiques will be available for a special conference fee of $70. For the written critiques, you must mail your manuscript by September 1. The critiques will be written, there are no

face-to-face critiques.



Southwest Texas (San Antonio)

www.scbwi-swtx.org

September 17 – Southwest Texas SCBWI Conference

Registration is now open.



Featuring:

Andrea Welch - Editor, Beach Lane Press (Simon & Schuster)

Elena Mechlin- Agent, Pippin Agency (HarperCollins)

Kristin Daly Rens - Editor, Balzer and Bray

Author Diane Gonzales Bertrand

Kim Murray, Online Media Specialist with Piccolo Media

Richard Johnson, InteractBooks



Breakout Sessions:

1st Pages Session with our Editors & Agent

Writing Workshop with Diane Bertrand Gonzales

New Media and Social Media Workshops



Critiques will be available for the first 40 registrations.



North Central/Northeast Texas (DFW)

http://www.scbwi.org/Regional-Chapters.aspx?R=47

Traditions & Technology: The Transformation of Children’s Publishing

Oct. 7-8, 2011

Fielder Road Baptist Church

2011 S. Fielder Rd, Arlington, TX 76013

(Space limited to 200. Early registration ends July 23.)



Conference faculty includes:

Bruce Coville, Katie Carella, Quinlan Lee, Tammi Sauer, Holly Root, Grace Kendall, Wendy Loggia, Jamie Weiss Chilton, Christine Ford, Kathryn Lay, Laurent Linn, Alan Stacy, and Sue Marshall Ward.



For details on critiques, conference agenda, & book sales, please download the conference brochure: [NCNETexas_Conference_Brochure.pdf]



40th Annual SCBWI International Summer Conference

August 5 - 8, 2011 -- Hyatt Regency Century Plaza, Los Angeles

http://www.scbwi.org/Conference.aspx?Con=8



Oklahoma

2011 Fall Conference

Saturday, Sept. 10, 2011

9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Chandler, Oklahoma

With an Optional Evening Session Friday, Sept. 9, 2011

REGISTRATION OPENS JUNE 20, 2011 at www.scbwiok.org



Keynote Speaker:

Kathi Appelt, author of over thirty books for children and young adults. Kathi's first novel, THE UNDERNEATH, was a National Book Award Finalist and a Newberry Honor Book.



FRIDAY SESSION

"Plotting--What's a Character To Do?" Kathi Appelt will discuss how motivation affects plot. This session has an additional cost not included in the Saturday conference price. Dinner is included. Seating is limited to the first thirty people who register.



SATURDAY CONFERENCE

Saturday morning, Oklahoma authors and illustrators will set the tone with some light-hearted fun, followed by concurrent breakout sessions. You'll choose two sessions from:

• ABCs Of Picture Book Writing with Tammi Sauer

• What A Character with Susan Meyers

• Dialogue with Sonia Gensler

• Digital Illustration with Jerry Bennett

• ABCs Of School Visits with Darleen Bailey Beard

• Will Work For Hire with Gwendolyn Hooks

After a visualization exercise to get you in touch with your characters, we will spend the afternoon with Kathi Appelt learning how to add emotion to our writing.



More SCBWI regional events around the world at http://www.scbwi.org/Regional-Events.aspx



Other Events of Interest

Highlights Foundation Founders Workshops

Workshops are scheduled throughout the year. Details are available at http://www.highlightsfoundation.org/pages/current/founders_top.html

 SCBWI Saturday Mini-Retreat

August 27, 2011, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Arts Council of the Brazos Valley

2275 Dartmouth St., College Station, TX

 

A Mini-Retreat to Inspire Your Writing Voice

 

            SCBWI Brazos Valley Children’s Literature Book Club co-coordinators, Jacqueline Gramann and Alicia Clay O’Neill, will team up and present A Mini-Retreat to Inspire Your Writing Voice. They are combining their professional backgrounds to inform and inspire beginning and seasoned writers.

 

 

Our Spring SCBWI Saturday workshop will feature novelist and editor Bethany Hegedus presenting Create Your Own Canon. This will be a fun and informative look at reading children's literature like writers to inform our own writing. Please join us for this special Spring Saturday.