Eastern PA Webinar: Mastering the Dual Role of Being an Author-Illustrator
May 21, 2026
Online event
Webinar description: Being both an author and an illustrator places you in a specific creative position—one where story and art can be developed side by side, in conversation with each other. That combination comes with real opportunities, but also real decisions about where to focus, what to show, and how to shape your work for the market. In this webinar, we’ll explore how to use your dual role intentionally when building dummies, developing portfolio pieces, and presenting your work to agents and editors. We’ll look at how writing and illustration can support one another without competing, and how to make choices that serve the project rather than trying to do everything at once. This session is about understanding how to work from the position you’re in as an author-illustrator—using both skills together to strengthen your storytelling, elevate your materials, and put forward work that feels cohesive, confident, and true to you. A limited number of PB & CB CRITIQUES available at an additional cost.
Quick Facts
HOST REGION: Eastern Pennsylvania
CONTACT: Kristen Strocchia [email protected]
COST:
- Premium Members: $15 USD
- Preview Plan: $25 USD
CRITIQUES: available at an additional cost; scroll down for more information
RECORDING
The webinar will be recorded, and the recording will be available for one month following the event. Attendees will receive a link and a password by email about two days after the event.
REGISTRATION CONFIRMATIONS
Upon completion of payment, you will receive a payment confirmation by email. You will also find a registration confirmation on the website that will include event-specific details. Go to your Member Home and click on My Events under the black bar at the top of the page. All events you have registered will be displayed on this page. If there are additional meeting details (i.e. Zoom links for virtual events or materials required for the event), this information will be found under the green Meeting Info button.
REFUND POLICY
Registration fees for webinars and virtual events are nonrefundable because recordings are available for 30 days following the broadcast. For more information on our refund policy, click here. By registering for this event, you agree that you have read and understand the refund policy for this event.
Meet the Faculty
About Christie
Christie Megill joined The CAT Agency in 2022. She’s overjoyed to be working with artists and children’s book authors, offering long-term support in their careers and creative journeys. Storytelling is her passion, no matter the medium. Christie comes from a background in elementary education, and previously worked as an editor at an academic press in New York City, as a volunteer at the Housing Works Bookstore in SoHo, and as a bookseller at the bygone Borders Books and Music in Columbus Circle. She holds a BA in English Literature from Fordham University.
Illustration Portfolio/PB (manuscript or dummy) & CB Critiques Available: (at an additional cost)
ADDITIONAL COST:
- Premium Members: $60 USD
- Preview Plan: $65 USD
For all submissions, format your work in 12 point font, with one-inch margins, and double spacing. (US Letter paper size-Include all materials in the same document; please don’t send two documents.)
- For Picture Book (PB): Please send entire manuscript or dummy and a 1- to 2-sentence pitch (in the same document). Translator submissions should include a brief note about the source work (also in the same document).
- For Chapter Book (CB): Please send up to 10 pages of your manuscript AND a one-page, single-spaced synopsis (in the same document). Translator submissions should include a brief note about the source work (also in the same document).
⇒Please include your name on every page of your work as a header or a footer, as well as identifying information on page one: first & last name, email address, title, genre.
⇒Please SAVE YOUR FILE as Webinar Faculty Last Name_Your Last Name_TITLE OF MANUSCRIPT as a PDF or DOC or DOCx.
Example: Megill_Strocchia_PURPLE CARROTS
⇒Then send your file to Kristen at [email protected]. The subject should read: Webinar Faculty Last Name_Your Last Name_TITLE OF MANUSCRIPT (same as saved file name).
Submission deadline: Friday, May 22, 2026.
We anticipate critiques to be returned on or about Tuesday, June 23, 2026.