January - February 2003

UCLA Extension will again be offering a wide range of classes in Writing For Young People. Classes in picture book writing, writing the middle grade novel and picture book revision are among those being offered starting in January and March. Details from UCLA Extension at 310-825-9415 or visit their web site at www.uclaextension.org…

An interview with Judy Blume was in the October X-Rated Children’s Book Newsletter edited by Judith Kreitzer. Visit their web page at www.AbsoluteWrite.com/XratedChildrensBooks.htm…

Darlene Douthit is teaching a class in illustrating children’s literature March 8 and another on cartooning Feb 1 at Cal State University, San Bernardino(CSU-SB). Details are availalbe from the CSU-SB website or by emailing Darlene …

SCBWI Members are reminded that the Authors Guild sponsors an Authors League Fund to help authors in need. The Fund always welcomes donations, and is also open to authors or illustrators whether they are a member of the Authors Guild or not.….

On June 19 Press-Tige Publishing filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy. If granted, a Chapter 7 petition calls for liquidation of the company. If you were ever a Press-Tige author and were not part of the original suit against the company and if you ever paid money to Ivery/Odonnell or Press-Tige, please contact the Clerk of Court at US Bankruptcy Court, James T. Foley Courthouse, 445 Broadway, Suite 330, Albany, NY 12207 (518-257-1661) for instructions on how to file a claim…

Small presses may be interested in a new soft and hard cover binding machine made by ExactBind Corporation. For details call them at 800-822-3890 or visit them at www.exactbind.com…

The Ezra Jack Keats Foundation is offering $40,000 in mini-grants of $350 each to innovative and imaginative programs in public school and public libraries designed to combat literacy. Applications for proposals can be downloaded from the Keats website at www.ezra-jack-keats.org….

The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art opened November 22 in Amherst, Massachusetts. The $22 million dollar interactive museum’s first exhibit featured the art of Maurice Sendak and Eric Carle….

Dominic Catalano is chair of the new Center for the Art of the Picturebook at the Columbus College of Art and Design in Columbus, Ohio. On April 5 the Center will host a one day conference on “The Art of the Sequence: Telling the Visual Narrative” featuring talks by three picture book artists and three cartoonists/graphic novelists. For details and registration contact Dominic at 614-251-0552 or email catalano.15@osu.edu.