SCBWI New Mexico
Welcome to the SCBWI New Mexico Creative Community!
SCBWI New Mexico is a committed community of children's book writers, illustrators, and translators located throughout the state of New Mexico and in the El Paso area of Texas. We are here to support one another on the arduous but joyful journey of creating children's books. Click through this carousel to see what's happening in the region, or scroll down the page to catch up on the latest news and resources.
Utilizing Conflict to Create Impactful Stories
INCLUDED IN SEASON PASS or available a la carte. ❖ In this workshop, author Danielle Herzog explores how meaningful conflict drives compelling storytelling. Participants learn to identify internal and external conflicts, raise stakes, and build tension that keeps readers engaged. Through guided exercises, writers practice transforming character struggles into powerful narrative momentum. We’ll examine examples of effective conflict, discuss common pitfalls, and explore techniques for deepening emotional impact. By the end of the session, attendees will understand how to craft purposeful conflict that shapes character arcs, enriches plot, and strengthens overall story structure. This webinar will be recorded and will remain available to registered attendees for 30 days following the event.
Write Here, Write Now
Are you struggling to find dedicated time to write? Looking for like-minded folks and accountability? Our monthly writing group meets the last Wednesday of the month from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Mountain Time at the North Domingo Baca Multigenerational Center in Albuquerque and spends two hours writing. No prompts, required sharing, or critiquing– just writing.
Kidlit Community
The Danger of a Single Story
In her informative and inspirational TED talk, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie reflects on the power of children's literature to expand horizons and shape how young people think about the world. But what happens when we've only read or heard one story about a particular community? That's how stereotypes take root. Adichie shares how she has both made assumptions about others based on stories she was told and had assumptions made about her by people who have only heard one story about Africans. She says that "the problem with stereotypes is not that they are untrue, but that they are incomplete." In encouraging authors to make space for the "many stories" that make up any given community, Adichie challenges creatives to dig deeper when depicting characters from communities beyond their own, especially from historically marginalized communities, and to give their characters and the children who relate to them the "dignity" and "equal humanity" that comes from nuanced representation.
Member News
Reading the West Long List Announced
Congratulations to our New Mexico kidlit creators who were long-listed for the Mountains & Plains Independent Booksellers Associations "Reading the West" Awards: Laurel Goodluck for FIERCE AUNTIES; Ruby Martinez for AN EMBROIDERY OF SOULS; Susan Metallo for REASONS TO HATE ME; and Diane Stanley for THE HIGH-FLYING, DEEP-DIVING ADVENTURES OF KATHY SULLIVAN. Shortlists will be announced later this Spring and public voting begins in May
New Publication: WHAT WE HAVE TAMED by G.S. Harrington
Pitched as Noah's Ark in space, (Grace) G.S. Harrington's genre-bending debut YA sci-fi follows a team’s troubled attempt to relocate animals to Martian settlements in 2107, blending climate fiction with suspense, a slow-burn romance, and animal conservation. Optional nonfiction between chapters highlights the science and the real animal test subjects behind the story, with ties to New Mexico's space history. Ebook preorders are live; print options can be ordered on release day, March 10th, 2026.
Congratulations Alexandra Diaz!
Alexandra Diaz received praise for her forthcoming middle grade novel from both Kirkus and Publishers Weekly! Camp Big Top, "a sweet and tidy friendship story that will make readers want to join this inclusive circus family" (Kirkus), comes out May 26th.
Cover Reveal: REASONS TO HATE ME by Susan Metallo (Paperback)
Reasons to Hate Me got a new cover for its paperback edition, and Susan Metallo loves it! The paperback will be released September 22, and it is available for preorder now.
Keep in touch
To inquire about local events, awards, or opportunities, please email { [email protected] }