Authors and illustrators will explore character development with Mirka Hokkanen
Author-illustrator Mirka Hokkanen discusses character development for her 2025 book “How The Forest Feels: Sensory Play Nature’s Way” written by Wendy Silvano. From facial features to color choices, shoes and shapes, Mirka will explore the myriad of choices to make and how to take into account requests and requirements from her publisher. This meeting will appeal to both authors and illustrators as it illuminates various aspects of the publishing process.
Mirka has a deep passion for creating books for children. She loves stories with humor and heart and has worked on picture books, graphic novels and non-fiction. Her first illustrated book, Four Otters Toboggan: An Animal Counting Book, came out in March 2019, and she has since published 5 books, with 4 of them being author-illustrated titles. Mirka has three more books scheduled to release in 2024-2025 with Odd Dot and Holiday House.
Mirka moved to the U.S. in 1998 to attend Rockford College in Illinois (BFA 2002). She received both Master of Arts (2004) and Master of Fine Arts (2006) degrees in printmaking from University of Dallas, TX. As a military spouse and many moves into her career, Mirka has had the opportunity to be an active part in many art communities, teaching, speaking, and organizing events.
Mirka works on freelance design/illustration projects and for literary work is represented by Laurel Symonds at KT Literary Agency.
When not creating a menagerie in the studio she takes care of the zoo she has at home: three kids, a cat, a dog and a husband.
Our meetings are free and open to the public. We encourage you to invite members of the Brazos Valley writing community to join us!
Our regional meetings feature guest speakers sharing writing and illustration tips as well as industry news and social time for members to meet and network. Meetings are preceded by a gentle critique (see below). Meetings are streamed via Zoom and available for replay. Login details and replay links are available on each meeting's event page.
Last Wednesday of each month (minus July, Nov & Dec)
11am - 11:30am Gentle manuscript critique
11:30am - 12:30pm Guest speaker/featured activity
12:30pm - social time followed by lunch at a local restaurant (meal not covered by SCBWI)
Zoom and in person at Brazos Valley Arts Council, 4180 Hwy 6 South, College Station, TX 77845
If you’d like to share your work in progress with others and receive or provide feedback, please bring printed copies of up to 5 pages of a manuscript to share. Zoom participants will be allowed to screen share in order to receive feedback. Please see this handy guide on critique etiquette if this will be your first time participating in a critique: https://www.scbwi.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/2014_LA_Dos-and-Donts.pdf
Passionate about a specific kid-lit related topic? Want to practice your upcoming school visit presentation? We’re always looking for guest speakers for our monthly meetings. Our meetings are cozy and supportive - a great place to get your feet wet as a presenter and get to know your local children's literature creators. Feel free to pitch us! Guests can present in person or via Zoom and receive $50 compensation as well as lunch after our meeting. Presentations take place on the last Wednesday of the month from 11am-12pm and can be in the format of workshops, interviews, slideshows… you name it! Pitch us your ideas at brazosvalley-ra@scbwi.org