Opening Keynote: How to Develop a Thick Skin: Rejection and Determination in Children's Books by Emily Feinberg, Editor
After earning her master’s degrees in Children’s Literature and English Literature from Simmons College in Boston, Emily joined the editorial team at Roaring Brook Press. She works mostly with picture book, middle grade, and nonfiction titles. She edited Elisha Cooper’s Big Cat, Little Cat, which earned five starred reviews, Lily Williams and Karen Schneemann’s groundbreaking graphic novel Go With the Flow, Jessica Lanan’s Jumper: A Day in the Life of a Backyard Jumping Spider, a Sibert Honor winner, and Ann Bausum’s White Lies: How the South Lost the Civil War Then Rewrote the History, among others. While she is always looking for solid, voice-driven picture books and middle grade, she also particularly loves nonfiction for young readers of all ages. Emily is not an editor of fantasy.
Midday Keynote: Finding my Wings with SCBWI by Kristy Boyce, Author
Kristy Boyce will share how joining SCBWI helped her through the ups and downs of her publication journey from a shy and nervous writer to a New York Times bestseller. Kristy Boyce is the New York Times bestselling author of Dating and Dragons, Dungeons and Drama, Hot British Boyfriend, and Hot Dutch Daydream. She played her first role-playing game in high school and has been friends with that group ever since. In fact, she even married the DM. Nowadays, she teaches psychology as a senior lecturer at The Ohio State University. When she’s not spending time with her husband and son, she’s usually writing, reading, or watching happy reality TV. Kristy lives in Pickerington, Ohio.
Closing Keynote: We Are the Light (How to Become Authors and Illustrators in Uncertain Times) by Daria Peoples, Author-Illustrator
Daria’s first job was shelving and reading picture books in her hometown library. Today, she writes and illustrates stories for children and visits schools and communities throughout the country to teach art. As a Diversity Fellow for the Highlights Foundation, she was mentored by Floyd Cooper. Daria has illustrated the works of others and is the author-illustrator of five picture books, including and America My Love, America My Heart and Hello, Mister Blue and her latest release, BE THE LIGHT:How She Became Angela Davis. She lives in Northern Virginia with her GoldenDoodle Zeus.