Check Out This NW SCBWI WWA Author Schedule

Thanks to our very wonderful and talented Dana Sullivan for making this schedule!!!

Northern Network Schmooze--October 5th

Secret… Agent Man!

Secret… Agent Man!

The SCBWI Western Washington's Northern Network is exploring the secrets of agents... literary agents for children’s writers and illustrators, that is. Come spy out the mysteries of agents. Do you need one? How do you get one? What is it that they really do?

It’s no secret that the meet is at Barnes and Noble on Meridian Street in Bellingham.

The date is Wednesday, October 5.

The time is 1900-2000 hours (7:00-8:00).

The password is “Agent.”

Wear a trench coat for a prize!

Questions? Send a secret message to Rebecca VanSlyke, Northern Network Coordinator, at rebecca(at) rollokvanslyke(dot)com.


Want to be added to our Northern Network mailing list? Please email info(at)scbwi-washington(dot)org.

Change of Time & Venue for Cushman/Kvasnosky/Larson panel

Some cyber gremlins wrought havoc with the Northwest Bookfest 2011 schedule on the website and listed a wrong time and location for the "From Idea to Finished Book" panel featuring Karen Cushman, Laura Kvasnosky and Kirby Larson. The panel will be at noon on Sunday, October 2, at Parkplace Books! Hope to see lots of you there!

Another SCBWI WWA Member to See at NW Bookfest

Carole Estby Dagg will appear during NW Bookfest with adult fiction writer, Megan Chance, in a panel on writing historical fiction. Her event is scheduled for 2 p.m. Sunday, October 2, in the lobby of the Peter Kirk Community Center Lobby.

Call for workshop leaders for the May 18-19, 2012 SCBWI Oregon Conference!

We are looking for authors and illustrators who are interested in conducting a workshop, or maybe two, at our upcoming spring event. Here are the opportunities:

Friday May 18: Two-hour intensive workshop on craft (writing or illustrating). This session is broken up into presentation and working/sharing time.

Saturday May 19: One-hour workshop on topic of your choice, from beginning to advanced in nonfiction, picture books, MG, YA, magazine writing, etc.

Two authors chosen for Friday will also be paid to contribute to the WOW session that day.

We are offering: free attendance to both days and you will only work one; $50 per session; $35 per individual critique if you are willing to do those; book sales opportunity with our 20% fee waived; Faculty dinner on Saturday evening; One year membership in the SCBWI.

Please send your topic/s proposal with a brief description along with your experience as a workshop leader to:

Judi Gardiner, judithgardiner@scbwior.com.

While you may not be chosen for the 2012 event, your information will be filed for future events here in Oregon. We hope many of you step up, as we have expanded the agenda and want to include a variety of voices this year!

Deadline: November 1, 2011

Hope to hear from you,
Judi and Robin, conference organizers

Banned Books Week (Sept 25-Oct 1)

Thanks to Janet Lee Carey for sending this post!! Read an interesting post on Library Lions about Banned Books Week.

Lesley James, librarian at Douglass-Truth Branch of the Seattle Public Library roars about Banned Books,

"The serious fact is that every year books are removed from the shelves of libraries when library staff responds to patrons’ official complaints by choosing to censor. Librarians and other educators who consider themselves staunch supporters of the First Amendment want to bring this to the attention of the public so they can appreciate their Freedom To Read. It’s also a great opportunity to examine the issues and emotions that prompt those complaints and the prices we sometimes pay for having the freedom."

She also shows amazing displays, and talks about how she handles the subject of Banned Books when she visits schools. Swing by and read the article. It's only up for this week.

Participate in Page Ahead Fundraiser Wednesday by Dining Out

Going out to eat this Wednesday? You can dine out and help Page Ahead at the same time!! Page Ahead's fundraiser is tomorrow, Wednesday, September 28.

Page Ahead is Washington state's leading provider of children's literacy programs, serving 55,000 kids. Local restaurants will donate a percentage of sales tomorrow for Dish Up Literacy. Fellow SCBWI WWA member Julie Reinhardt's restaurant, Smokin' Pete's BBQ, is participating as well as locales in the greater Seattle area.

It's an easy fundraiser - all folks have to do is go out and eat! For the full list of restaurants and more information about Dish Up Literacy, go to their website.

Good News & Happy Book Birthday for Kiki Hamilton

Happiest Book Birthday wishes and a big HIP HIP HOORAY for Kiki Hamilton!! Her debut novel, THE FAERIE RING, releases today, Tuesday, September 27!!!

Victorian London, pickpockets, orphans, faeries, stolen rings, mysteries and a bit of romance – visit Kiki’s website for more information on Kiki, and her work!!

Seattle Graphic Artists Guild Workshop

What: Seattle Graphic Artists Guild presents Jason Hoppe and Retouch Live!

Why: Join us for Jason Hoppe and Retouch Live! Jason will take an audience member's photo and correct it right on the spot. You will be amazed at the difference this software can make. Check out the videos of the process on Jason's website.

Jason Hoppe is an Adobe Certified Expert in InDesign, Photoshop and Acrobat. Skilled in photo retouching, color correction and creative workflow consulting, Jason also is experienced in high-end electronic production.

When: September 28, 2011 12 p.m.

Where: EAFA Gallery at the Seattle Design Center, 5701 6th Avenue S. Ste. P292, Seattle

More info is available on their website.

Illustrator(s) Needed!

826 Seattle is in need of an illustrator to help with their Space Adventure Comic Book field trips. 826, located in a secret lair behind the Greenwood Space Travel Supply Company, is a nonprofit writing and tutoring center dedicated to helping youth, ages six to 18, improve their creative and expository writing skills.

On the first Thursday of each month, from 10 to noon, you will work with students to craft original space adventure stories. Their job is to shout out creative ideas; your job is to decipher what they are shouting and quickly draw it on a huge white board. Quick draw and conceptual skills a must, good hearing a plus. You will be helping each student create their own comic book to take back to school with them. Having fun with these creative little dervishes is incredibly rewarding, plus there's always the chance that they will love books and comics so much that they will buy yours.

Fellow 826 volunteers include Kevin Emerson, author of the wildly popular OLIVER NOCTURNE series and Lish McBride, author of HOLD ME CLOSER, NECROMANCER, recent winner of the Washington State Book Award. Coincidence? Volunteer and find out for yourself.

For more information or to say "Sign me up!" contact Alex Bleeker, Programs Coordinator, 826 Seattle. 206-725-2625, alexb@826seattle.org

Lois Harris Booksigning and NW Bookfest Event

Lois Harris will be signing her CHARLIE RUSSELL: TALE-TELLING COWBOY ARTIST book on October 1, at 2 p.m. in SCBWI’s booth at Northwest Bookfest in Kirkland. There will be other SCBWI members at the booth throughout the weekend as well.

In addition Lois, Clare Hodgson Meeker and Katherine Kirkpatrick will discuss Children’s Nonfiction as panelists during Northwest Bookfest, on Saturday, October 1, from 12-1 p.m., at the Kirkland Community Center, Room 2, 12421 103rd Ave. N.E. Tina Hoggatt will be moderating the panel. For more information on Lois, and her work, visit her website.

Good News for Erik Brooks

Cupcakes and Sunshine for Erik Brooks!!! Eric's fall 2010 book, POLAR OPPOSITES, won the 2011 Washington State Book Award for picture books!! You can read about it here on Erik's blog. Congratulations Erik!!

Kid Lit Drink Night!!

Want to schmooze and mingle with fellow SCBWI WWA members? Then make sure to mark your calendar that next Tuesday, September 27 is Kid Lit Drink Night!! It's from 7-10 p.m. at the Noble Fir in Ballard!! It's a great chance to get to know the wonderful writers and illustrators from our region!!!

Inside Story: You're Invited!

The Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators is delighted to invite you to our Fall 2011 Inside Story, a party we hold twice a year to celebrate new books by local authors and illustrators.

Please join us at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 26 at the Sunset Hill Community Association in Ballard, 3003 NW 66th Street.

Secret Garden Books will be our bookseller at this warm and friendly celebration, which features new works by:
Helen Landalf
Pam Withers
Laurie Isop
Bonny Becker
Jim Whiting
Carole Lexa Schaefer
Margaret Read MacDonald
Jesse Joshua Watson
Wendy Wahman
Holly Cupala
Stasia Ward Kehoe
Heather Davis
Lois V. Harris
Kevan Atteberry
Louise Spiegler

All bloggers, librarians, teachers, booksellers, book buyers, and media are invited to join us and learn the inside stories behind all these wonderful new books.

To help us plan the best possible party, please RSVP to Suzanne AT Secretgardenbooks.com.

Feel free to share this invitation with anyone who might be interested.

Writing Class with Rebecca Agiewich

Author and fellow SCBWI member Rebecca Agiewich is teaching a class at Seattle's Richard Hugo House this fall. This popular class has sold out each time it's been offered at Hugo House so reserve your spot now!

Roughing It: Write a Rough Draft of Your Book in Just Six Weeks

Wednesdays, 4- 6 p.m., October 5 to November 9
Even the most successful authors write crummy first drafts. In this class, we will do the same: writing 50,000-word first drafts of a novel in six weeks. Geared towards beginning fiction writers, but memoirists and writers of all levels are welcome. Individual conference with teacher included. Required text: “Writing for Story” by Jon Franklin.

General public: $230.00
Hugo House members: $207.00

For more information, go to the Hugo House catalog link. For more information on Rebecca, and her work, you can visit her website.

Good News and Author Event for Clare Hodgson Meeker

A big WOOHOO and good news for Clare Hodgson Meeker! Clare received a great review for SOCCER DREAMS in a popular Seattle School Librarian's blog. Check it out here!!

Clare will doing an author event for SOCCER DREAMS at Mockingbird Books on Friday September 30, from 4-6 p.m. For more information on Clare, and her work, visit her website.

Classes with Rollin Thomas and Doug Keith

This year Rollin Thomas and Doug Keith are offering their picture book course in two places. At Edmonds Community College as a certificate course and at Pratt for a slightly shorter version. See the notices below.

And Rollin Thomas is offering for the first time, a three term course in Creating Your Own Graphic Novel at Pratt.

Please go to the web site to find his class under Drawing and Painting and register. Starts Wednesday September 28 from 1:30 to 5:30 p.m.

Explore how pages are put together and stories are told sequentially. Find out how fun it is to write dialogue using the back-story-method. Structure stories, characters, and action to carry the story in each panel. Work in pencil, pen and ink, or on the computer. We will also cover the reproduction and publishing industry and all of the many ways you can get it to market. Prerequisite: Just your desire to tell a story.

______________________________________________________

CHILDREN’S PICTURE BOOK ILLUSTRATION the start of three terms

Instructors – Doug Keith & Rollin Thomas

Pratt Fine Arts Center

http://www.pratt.org >register for courses>drawing and painting

Wednesdays starting September 28 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Introduction to Children’s Picture Book Illustration Part one--Fall

Do you have a children’s book you want to create? This course will guide you through visual storytelling, creating characters, drawing storyboards and making dummies. You will create at least one finished illustration and learn how to find your place in the children’s illustration market. The artwork you create will enhance or begin your professional portfolio. This course is the first of three that will develop your skills and style.

Storytelling through Picture Book Illustration Part two—Winter

This Illustrator Goes to Market Part three—Spring

_______________________________________________________

Edmonds Community College

http://www.campusce.net/edmondsarts/Category/category.aspx?C=&S=9

Picture Book Illustration Certificate Series NEW!

Instructors: Doug Keith and Rollin Thomas.

Saturdays from 10 am to 2:30 pm starting Sept 24th

Would you like to illustrate children's books, contribute artwork to children's magazines or reach other potential markets? This three quarter certificate course will help prepare you for just such a career.

Part 1 - Fall Quarter - Introduction to Picture Book Illustration Learn how to create characters, use pictorial space to make the reader see what you want them to see, and choose the right images to best tell a story.

Part 2 - Winter Quarter - Storytelling and More

Part 3 - Spring Quarter - Getting Your Work to Market

Books by the Bay Literacy Fundraiser

Please help us continue the good work of the South Sound Reading Foundation by attending our 11th annual Books by the Bay Literacy Fundraiser. Meet children’s book authors Brenda Guiberson, Trudy Ludwig, Margaret Lippert, Kurt Cyrus and Margaret Read MacDonald*. Enjoy live music, refreshments and a silent auction to benefit the South Sound Reading Foundation’s many outreach programs. Last year, SSRF gave away more than 40,000 free books to low income children, and provided outreach (through presentations to families and story times to kids) at schools and community venues throughout the South Sound region.

Thursday, September 22
5:00-7:00 p.m.
Olympia Golf and Country Club
3636 Country Club Dr. NW
Olympia, WA 98502

Ticket Cost: $30

Grier Jewell is offering free tickets to the first five SCBWI members who contact her: grierjewell@comcast.net. It’s a great opportunity to meet educators from school districts throughout South Sound.

For more information about the South Sound Reading Foundation and Books by the Bay, visit:http://www.readingfoundation.org/southsound/news/1077

* Books available for sale by Barnes & Noble Booksellers

Good News for Mindy Hardwick (and Classes too!!)

First, the good news!

Mindy Hardwick is happy to report that her middle grade novel, STAINED GLASS SUMMER, has sold to Musa Publishing with a December 2011 release date. Musa is an royalty paying, e-publisher and they are open to middle grade and young adult submissions. You can find out all about the long, ten-year journey to publication on Mindy's blog.

The classes:

On Saturday, October 8, Mindy will be teaching "Writing the Picture Book" at the University Branch of the Seattle Public Library. The class runs from 2-4 p.m. and is free.

On October 3, Mindy will be teaching an on-line workshop, "Plotting the Romance for Teens and Tweens." The workshop is a part of the Muse On-Line Conference, and registration is free! Once you register, you'll be able to access the conference (including Mindy's workshop) through a Forum. The Muse Conference is a week-long conference in which you can participate in one-day workshops, week-long workshops, and chat rooms. You can also sign up to pitch to an agent including: Caryn Wiseman of Andrea Brown and Laurie McClean of Larsen Pomada Agency. Muse-It-Up Publishing, the Sponsor of the Conference is a royalty paying e-publisher who accepts middle grade and young adult submissions. They will also be taking pitches!

Registration ends September 25, 2011.

Sign up and find out more here.

For more information about Mindy, and her work, make sure you visit her website.

Children's Book Illustration Classes with Craig Orback

Local illustrator Craig Orback has some new Children's Book Illustration classes starting soon in Bellevue and Seattle. For more information on Craig, and his work, visit him at his website and blog.

Children's Book Illustration I
Immerse yourself in the world of children’s book illustration with this introductory course. Through in-class assignments using a variety of media, you'll learn basic techniques to complete illustrations for young readers. Also learn the business side of children’s book illustration, including what it takes to get your work seen by the right people. Character consistency, portfolios, contracts, and other topics are also covered. Craig Orback is an award-winning illustrator of over 15 children's books. Basic drawing skills are helpful but not required. Homework is required.

Bellevue Community College, Saturdays, 8 Sessions, October 1- December 3, from 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Cost is $149 Call (425) 564-2263 or register here.

North Seattle Community College, Wednesdays, 8 Sessions, October 5- November 23, from 6:30-9 p.m. Cost is $155, register here.

Children's Book Illustration II
Explore in greater depth your passion for children's book illustration. In this intermediate course, you will learn, step-by-step, how to create a children's picture book dummy that, when finished, can be submitted to publishers for possible publication. From developing an initial story board to completing full page sketches, this is the perfect course if you have a children's story you have longed to illustrate and potentially publish!

Bellevue Community College, Saturdays, 8 Sessions, October 1- December 3, from 1:30-4:30pm, $149, Call (425) 564-2263, Register here.

North Seattle Community College, Thursdays, 8 Sessions, October 6- December 1, 6:30-9 pm, $135, register here.

The Magic of Writing Classes with Peggy King Anderson

There’s room for a few more in Peggy King Anderson’s writing classes, starting soon. See the information below and come join us! This is your opportunity to bring your writing to a new level, and have fun doing it!

The Magic of Writing for Children,( Beginning )

8 week series of classes, Tuesday evenings, 6:30-9:30

First class Sept 20

North Campus, Bellevue College

The Magic of Writing for Children, (Intermediate/Advanced)

8 week series of classes, Wed evenings, 6:30-9:30

First class Sept 21

North Campus, Bellevue College

Cost $195 for either series

Sign up online here.

Questions? Call or email Peggy

peggy@peggyking.com

To find out more about Peggy, head for her website.

It’s a fun place to visit—be sure to check out her blog when you get there.

Creative Notes from an Illustrator

Fellow SCBWI WWA member Lida Enche was at our first regional SCBWI meeting and had a great time listening to Victoria Rock of Chronicle Books give advice as well as taking notes. She created this illustration using quotes from Victoria, and adding a few from Maurice (the despondent Vampire), Dr. Brain and Lady Hourglass. She was very gracious to share with us!! Thanks Lida! You can find out more information about Lida by visiting her website.

Hey, Seattle Times, don't forget us!

Anytime books, readers, and writers are in the news, it's a good thing -- but as noted area author Kirby Larson points out, we get 'em first, and the many children's authors who will be participating in Bookfest deserve notice, too. Read more, or just come to Bookfest in Kirkland on Oct. 1 and 2. See you there!

A List of Upcoming Author Events!

It's the season for book events!

There are quite a few new releases and author events that you might want to note on your calendars. Support bookstores! Support your fellow authors and illustrators! And always confirm dates and times with the bookstore.

• Tera Lynn Childs, SWEET VENOM, 9/21, Secret Garden
• Kurt Cyrus, THE VOYAGE OF TURTLE REX, 9/23, Third Place, LFP
• Lisa Mantchev, SO SILVER BRIGHT , 9/23, UBS, U district store
• Anna Dewdney, LLAMA LLAMA HOME WITH MAMA, 9/24, Secret Garden
• Jez Alborough, HUG, 9/29, Sammamish Library; 9/30, Third Place, LFP; 10/2 Secret Garden; 10/3 Covimgton Library
• Carson Ellis and Colin Meloy, WILDWOOD, 10/4, Seattle Public Library, Central
• Peter Brown,YOU WILL BE MY FRIEND, 10/4, B&N, Alderwood; 10/5, UBS, Mill Creek
• Lauren Oliver, LIESL & PO, 10/7, 7 pm, B&N, Alderwood
• YA FALL EXTRAVAGANZA w/Alyson Noel, Mary Pearson, Jessica Brody, Alexandra Adornetto, & Gabrielle Zevin, 10/12,Third Place, LFP;10/13, B&N, Alderwood
• Scott Westerfield, LEVIATHAN TRILOGY: GOLIATH, 10/7, Seattle Public Library, Central
• Laini Taylor, DAUGHTER OF SMOKE AND BONE, 10/12, Secret Garden
• James Dashner, THE DEATH CURE (MazeRunner #3), 10/16, B&N, Alderwood
• Karma Wilson, BEAR LOSES A TOOTH, 10/16, Secret Garden

Who are you most looking forward to seeing? Did I miss any? Let me know!

Spencer G. Shaw Endowed Lecture Series

The UW iSchool's Spencer G. Shaw Endowed Lecture Series presents Pam Munoz Ryan on October 27, from 7-9 p.m. The event will be held at the University of Washington.

To register and for more information visit the event calendar page. Thanks to Peg Cheng for the tip!

Do You Want to Be Interviewed?

Library Lions interviews youth librarians and gives a Roar for School Libraries and Public Libraries across the US. We also have special Author Spotlight posts. Kirby Larson is up on the blog now telling to tell us about her Library Love. You don’t have to be a Newbery award-winning author like Kirby to do a Library Lions interview.

We’re looking for authors with Library Love stories, who do school visits, and if you attend or speak at library conferences (local or national like ALA) that’s even better.

We’re scouting authors now for 2012. If you would like to do a Library Lions interview, contact Janet Lee Carey. jlcarey@hotmail.com

Come Roar with us!

Lois Brandt Writing Class

Is this the year that you’re going to write that novel? Lois Brandt is teaching her “Write a Novel in a Month” class at Bellevue College starting in October. Details about the class are below.

If you don’t have time for a class, read Lois’s quarterly “Mew’s Letter” for writing tips and prompts. Send an email to Lois@LoisBrandt.com with SUBSCRIBE in the subject line to receive this free newsletter.

Write Your Novel in a Month
Saturdays, October 8 – December 3
10:00 a.m. – 12 noon
No class 11/26

Is writing a novel one of your life-long dreams? Join this 8 week Bellevue College class as it hooks up with 100,000 writers worldwide for National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo). The first classes prepare you for the noveling process, with practice in characterization, setting, plot, voice, and dialogue. Then we're off and writing our 50,000 word manuscripts. During the last class we plan for revision. This is a great way to write your novel in a supportive environment. Cost $189.

Questions? Contact Lois@LoisBrandt.com.
To register go to Bellevue College continuing education click here.

Red Pencil in the Woods- A Conference for Editors and Other Word Lovers

The Northwest Independent Editors Guild is pleased to present Red Pencil in the Woods, a conference for editors and other word lovers, on Saturday, September 24, at Bastyr University in Kenmore.

The featured speaker is Chicago-based Carol Fisher Saller. Carol is an author of children's books as well as the editor of The Chicago Manual of Style Online Q&A and the author of THE SUBVERSIVE COPY EDITOR. Her latest book for middle-schoolers is the newly published EDDIE'S WAR, a historical novel inspired by a diary her father kept during World War II, when he was 12.

Red Pencil in the Woods will bring together editing, publishing, and marketing experts from around the Northwest to share their knowledge on such topics as e-book publishing, Twitter for word lovers, marketing and branding for freelancers, technical editing, and writing and editing for board and video games. It's a full-day conference, which includes a continental breakfast and lunch. Registration is open now at this link.

"Will books, as we know them, come to an end?"

Take a look at this article from www.guardian.co.uk entitled "Are Books Dead, and Can Authors Survive?"

As Chris Anderson said in his book Free: Why $0.00 is the future of business: "Every industry that becomes Digital will eventually become free."

The reason why a living wage for writers is essential is that every industry that has become digital has seen a dramatic, and in many cases terminal, decrease in earnings for those who create "content". Writing has already begun its slide towards becoming something produced and consumed for free.

Visit the Annoyed Librarian for an interesting take on this article, full of snark and wisdom.

Betteridge’s Law of Headlines usually gets confirmed with every instance of a question mark in a headline I see. The problem with this headline is that it has two questions. Are books dead? No! Can authors survive? Yes, at least depending on what you mean by an author.

Why couldn’t the Guardian just ask if authors were dead? No!

What do you think? The Guardian article does seem focused more on adult publishing--but could children's publishing be headed that way as well?