Laurie's latest launch!

Can you say...prolific?

Prolific!
Laurie's latest hits the shelves!

Please come help our 2015 Crystal Kite winner, Laurie Ann Thompson (Be a Changemaker, Emmanuel's Dream), celebrate the release of her newest picture book, My Dog is the Best!

WHEN: Friday, June 12 at 7pm
WHERE: University Book Store, University District store

June author/illustrator events

JUNE EVENTS 

 

KEY:
YA = young adult
MG = middle grade

ER = easy reader
PB = picture book
NF = nonfiction



LINKS:
University Book Store
Third Place Books
Elliott Bay Book Company
Secret Garden Books
Seattle Central Library 

June 2, 7PM

Elizabeth George, The Edge of Shadows (YA)

Third Place Books, Lake Forest Park

June 6, 6:30PM

Maureen Doyle McQuerry, The Telling Stone, Beyond the Door (YA)

Third Place Books, Lake Forest Park

June 8, 7PM

Dana Sullivan, Digger and Daisy series (ER)

Third Place Books, Lake Forest Park

June 11, 7PM

Kelly Cook, Mighty-Fine Adventures of Piper and Floyd (PB)

Third Place Books, Ravenna

June 14, NOON

Derrick Coleman Jr, No Excuses, (MG and up)

Third Place Books, Lake Forest Park (Ticketed event: $25)

June 17, 7PM

Ben Thompson, Guts & Glory: The Vikings (NF MG)

Third Place Books, Lake Forest Park

June 5, 6PM

Derrick Coleman Jr, No Excuses, (MG and up)

University Bookstore, University District

June 6, 3PM

Elise Allen and Daryle Conners, Gabby Duran and the Unsittables (MG)

University Bookstore, University District

June 10, 7PM

Camille DeAngelis, Bones & All (YA)

Stephanie Kuehn, Delicate Monsters (YA)

Martha Brockenbrough, The Game of Love and Death (YA)

University Bookstore, University District

June 11, 6PM

Ben Thompson, Guts & Glory: The Vikings (NF MG)

University Bookstore, Bellevue

June 12, 7PM

Launch Party: Laurie Ann Thompson and Paul Schmid, My Dog is the Best (PB)

University Bookstore, University District

June 13, 1PM

Launch Party: Robin Russell, Those Roy’s on Planet Earth, (MG)

University Bookstore, Bellevue

June 20, 5PM

Sarah Ockler, The Summer of  Chasing Mermaids (YA)

Carly Anne West, The Bargaining (YA)

Deb Caletti, The Last Forever (YA)

Kimberly Derting, The Replaced (YA)

Justina Chen, Blind Spot for Boy (YA)

University Bookstore, University District

June 23, 7PM

Launch Party: Jennifer K. Mann, I'll Never Get a Star on Mrs. Benson's Blackboard (PB)

Secret Garden Books


June 27, 4PM

Stephanie Barbé Hammer, The Puppet Turners of Narrow Interior and Inlandia (MG/YA)

University Bookstore, Bellevue

June 27, 6PM

Raziel Reid, When Everything Feels Like the Movies (YA)

University Bookstore, University District

Kid Lit Drinks Thursday!

Hello, Prospective Imbibers!

The weather is looking bike-friendly for Kid Lit Drink Night!  (And yes, you can also drive.)

I've been asked what really happens at a Kid Lit Drink night. Do artsy types sip martinis and look down their noses at you? Do they ask you to summarize your novel in one sentence? Is this––GASP!–– networking?

Absolutely not!

Kid Lit Drink Nights are a chance for those of us in this weird and isolating profession to get together, talk shop or life, and relax. 

Join your peeps this Thursday, May 28, 

at Redhook Brewery in Woodinville 

starting at 6:30pm. See you there!

A star for Jenn

Jennifer K. Mann's new picture book, I'll Never Get a Star on Mrs. Benson's Blackboard, gets a proper launch party!

The author/illustrator of last year's Two Speckled Eggs will read her latest release at Secret Garden Books on TUESDAY, JUNE 23 at 7pm, and on JUNE 27 at Eagle Harbor Books on Bainbridge Island.

Hooray for Jennifer K. Mann (Goodreads image)!!

Congratulations, Jenn!

Plan ahead for the holidays

Calling all children’s authors and illustrators!

Sheryl Hershey is interested in having a children’s book party featuring local children’s authors and illustrators. It is her hope that families will come to meet you and do some holiday shopping at the same time. She has rented the Bellingham Cruise Terminal in Fairhaven on Saturday, December 10 from 5–8pm.

For more information, you can contact Sheryl at (360) 961-2949 or email her at thelilabooks@yahoo.com .

Submit to Wordstock by July 31

Author! Author! 

Wordstock: Portland’s Book Festival is accepting applications for inclusion. The Festival will re-launch as a one-day event at the Portland Art Museum on Saturday, November 7, 2015.

The 2015 Wordstock Festival submission period is January 5 to July 31, 2015.

The Wordstock Festival will consider books in the following genres:

• Fiction — all genres
• Narrative nonfiction — history, biography, memoir, and essays
• Cookbooks and food writing
• Poetry
• Children’s literature, including middle-grade and young adult
• Art and architecture

Wordstock: Portland’s Book Festival focuses on the promotion of literature and literary culture; books on the topics of self-improvement, how-to, or books strictly of academic or religious interest will not be considered. Click here for full guidelines.

Kidlit writers wanted for app

Thanks to Alison Weatherby, for passing along this opportunity she heard about through a friend whose husband runs a mobile app company. They're developing an educational app for kids and looking for children't book writers to help them write stories for it. (Official email follows.)


Hello,

If you are reading this email, it is because someone thinks you are amazing, creative, talented and might be interested in a cool new project to help children learn to read.This is a call for authors and illustrators/photographers to produce some wonderful new books for children. These will be commissioned works (Yes, you will get paid for your work!) that will be purchased by Page One Reading Solutions, Inc. and connected with an iPad app that will be used in elementary school classrooms. If this is something that might be of interest to you, kindly provide me with your contact and interest information via this very brief SURVEY (https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/QM37DHX). If you would like to learn more, read the FAQs below. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out via email or phone (727-858-2509). 

Why is Page One doing this?

My name is Janine Caffrey. For over 30 years I have been an educator with a commitment to helping kids learn to read. All too often (about 66% of the time) American children complete third grade without the reading skills they need. In order to solve this problem, my company (Page One Reading Solutions) is developing a new reading app called Classhopper. Classhopper will contain original "decodable" books. 

What is a decodable book?

A decodable book is designed to only include the letters, sounds and spelling patterns that a student has already learned. As a student learns new letters, sounds and patterns, s/he is provided with books that include these new letters, sounds and patterns. A small number of "sight" words might also be included in some books. These are words that may be exceptions to typical spelling patterns, such as "was." Sight words may also include words that do follow a pattern, but that the student has not yet learned. If you are interested in understanding the sequence of skills, please feel free to take a look at a DRAFT of the sequence of letters, sounds and spelling patterns (https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1jLtWcgVYPp-kyDcyTeFU9L8Fv7JTkFVxEn3zZB32RKI/edit?usp=sharing) that will be used in our Classhopper books. As you can see on the spreadsheet, the first book of the series will only include the letters a, m, s, t and the sight word "the." Each book will add letters, sounds, patterns and/or sight words. Each book can contain everything that is contained in the previous books. By the time students can read Book 57, they will be able to read just about anything you put in front of them. This sequence is open to revisions, which may come from the writers themselves. If for the sake of a particular story, we need to alter the sequence, we can do that.

How will Classhopper books be different?

Decodable books are nothing new. However, they are usually not very exciting. These will be different because of you. We are tapping into communities of writers and artists who want to create really amazing books, that happen to adhere to a sequence. The books can be fiction or non-fiction, using any types of images that would be engaging for children in kindergarten through 2nd grade. The entire series will have lots of different kinds of books for all different kinds of readers. This means overall, the characters and settings should be diverse and representative of all American children. If you have a book that you can write AND illustrate, WONDERFUL! If you want to team up with other people to create a book, that would be great. Of course, you can also opt to write OR provide the pictures. In that case, we will assign a partner for your book. If there are multiple people in a particular geographic area, we might be able to put a group together to brainstorm. Chicago and NYC are likely places - but there may be people based in other areas as well. 

What should I do next?

If this is something that might be of interest to you, kindly provide me with your contact and interest information via this very brief SURVEY (https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/QM37DHX). If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out via email (janinecaffrey@gmail.com) or phone (727-858-2509). 

Janine Caffrey

JanineWalkerCaffrey.com

727.858.2509

Maureen McQuerry's book launch

SCBWI friends!

Maureen McQuerry (SCBWI InlandNW ) will celebrate the release of The Telling Stone, sequel to Beyond the Door in the Time Out of Time series.

WHERE/WHEN: 

Third Place Books (Lake Forest Park), June 6 at 6:30pm 

Queen Anne Book Company, June 7 at 2pm


When characters from Celtic mythology invade the lives of a 12-year-old science and book nerd and his dancer sister, they are compelled to partner with the school bully in a quest to prevent the Dark from controlling the future and changing the stories of the past.

The Telling Stone is the second book in The Time Out of Time series following Beyond the Door, which was a Booklist Best Fantasy and SciFi for Youth 2014. 

 

BONUS: Seattle piper Tom Creegan will be on hand to help celebrate the release with the Uilleann pipes!

 

Help wanted: Mockingbird Books

From Alison Post, Manager

Mockingbird Books

7220 Woodlawn Ave NE, Seattle, WA 98115 

206-518-5886

Hi!

We are looking to hire a part-time bookseller and trying to 
get the word out to people that have interest and experience.  We have 
hosted the Inside Story here at the shop a number of times, but I don't 
think we are members.  I am the new manager and just trying to get a 
feel for things!
 
Thank you,
 
Alison 

May meeting this THURSDAY!

A friendly reminder to one and all:

Please join us! Hope to see you there!

The children have chosen

This just in....

The International Literacy Association's Children's Choices Reading List for 2015 is out.

And how!

In the complete list of all the chosen books for all ages, there are a few familiar names––such as Dana Sullivan, Bonnie Becker, and Dori Butler.

Very cool list, very cool to see familiar names on it, and very cool timing––right before the Summer Reading rumpus begins!


Kudos, you all!

Reminder: Janet Lee Carey's workshop

THIS WEEKEND! 

WORLD-BUILDING WORKSHOP: FROM ELVES TO ALIENS With YA Fantasy Author Janet Lee Carey 

Are you creating worlds for fantasy novels, sci-fi novels or games? Considering terrain, ecosystems, beings, cultures, societies, and languages? There’s a lot to cover, but when you design a world from a central theme, adding history and conflict, you create the tension your story world demands. Come to this dynamic PowerPoint workshop. Be ready to discuss ideas and do an interactive world-building activity.

Date: Saturday, May 23, 2015
Time: 1-3
Location: University Bookstore, Bellevue, 990 102nd Ave NE, Bellevue, WA 98004
Sign up at http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/1360728
Price includes workshop, refreshments, handouts and a signed copy of In the Time of the Dragon Moon, or choices of other books by Janet Lee Carey, Orson Scott Card or others.

Laurie, fly that kite!

Congratulations and loud clapping is in the air today, as the SCBWI announced its wonderful slew of winners
of the Crystal Kite Award!

(To see the list of all the 2015 winners, please click here.)

AND: Our very own Laurie Ann Thompson has been voted by YOU as our region's Crystal Kite winner, for her inspiring book, Be a Changemaker: How To Start Something That Matters.

[Insert roaring of crowd here.]

Be a Kite winner: Or, How to Write a Book that Matters!

The book that earned your vote!

We at the Chinook and, on behalf of our entire AdCom, SCBWI-WWA membership, and your devoted readers,
offer our congratulations! Well done, you!

SCBWI Oregon Conference in late May

Did you miss our SCBWI-WWA conference last month? Our neighbors to the south (Oregon) still have openings for their May 30th-31st conference, although registration closes in 10 days. Keynote speaker is Richard Peck. For full details or to register, go to https://oregon.scbwi.org/events/2015-annual-spring-conference-2/

Hope to see some of you down here!

Sue Ford
SCBWI Oregon Co-Regional Advisor and Newsletter Editor

writing for children as Susan Uhlig
www.susanuhlig.com
@susanuhlig on twitter and facebook

Good news roundup

Hey, now! Here's a happy trio, worth of some attention. Some of our peeps are making some commotion. And they deserve a huge HOLLERING HOORAY!


Jessixa Bagley and Laurie Thompson are authors chosen for a major Presidential initiative to get diverse books into the hands of children in need. The DC-based literary nonprofit First Book, Corporate Partners will make a whopping 60,000 paperback books from a selection of six titles available to kids. And on that select list? Boats for Papa (Roaring Brook/Porter), written and illustrated by Jessixa Bagley and Emmanuel’s Dream: The True Story of Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah (Random/Schwartz & Wade), written by Laurie Ann Thompson, illustrated by Sean Quails. Kudos!

Stacey R. Campbell, author of ARGH!, received a Mom's Choice Award for her middle-grade tale of plunder and pirate-y adventure.

Conrad Wesselhoeft's young adult book, DIRT BIKES, DRONES, AND OTHER WAYS TO FLY, made the shortlist for the "Reading the West" Award. 

Janet Lynn Eystad's fourth book, WHAT IS YOUR COSTUME? A FALL FESTIVAL TALE, was released April 10, 2015 and is now available on Amazon in hardcover, paperback, and Kindle. This is her debut eBook. Dedicated to young trick-or-treaters everywhere!

Call for submissions

Thanks to Wendy Wahman for this timely information:


She wrote, "I got a note from Samantha Upgrave, nonfiction editor of Soundings Review. They are accepting Children's YA submissions for their upcoming issue. Reading period ends 6/1."

Click here for more information.



BONUS: They pay for accepted pieces!


Thanks so much, Wendy! 

AND: Be sure to send good news to the Chinook if you get accepted!

Graphic Artists Guild May workshop

Graphic Artists Guild Workshop
New Web Design Tools for Visual Thinkers
with Erik Fadiman





Don't you wish there was a tool that let visual thinkers "draw" their ideas, yet still produced quality code that developers could use?

We'll look at two different desktop applications, Blocs and Pinegrow, which are easy to learn and output perfect html and css from the popular bootstrap framework. We'll also look at a two web-based prototyping tools called UXPIN and InVision which allow you to rapidly prototype a website and demonstrate interactivity to clients.

WHEN: THURSDAY, May 21,  7-8:30pm   

WHERE:
Seattle Central Creative Academy 1701 Broadway, 5th floor
www.seattlecentral.edu


Advance tickets: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/1585647

Kelly gets cracking!

Bawk, bawk!!

 

It's time to launch Kelly Jones’ debut, Unusual Chickens for the Exceptional Poultry Farmer

WHEN: Friday, May 15, 6:30 p.m.

WHERE: Queen Anne Book Co. 

 

 

If you saw Kelly on the Local Success Panel at our conference or at last week's Inside Story, you know what a great speaker she is. Now, let’s see what kind of party she throws! Will she bring chickens? A typewriter? Eggs?

 

Come find out THIS FRIDAY! Whatever happens, we're all in for a literary scramble and plenty of fun, sunny-side up.

THE Peter Brown. Yes, him!!

Caldecott Honor-ed author/illustrator Peter Brown is coming to Seattle!

He'll read his newest book, My Teacher is a Monster! (No, I am Not.) 

 

WHEN: Thursday, May 28 at 7pm

 

WHERE:  Secret Garden Books (2214 NW Market St, Seattle)    

 

               

Call for presenters!

Any would-be presenters out there?

SCBWI Western Washington is planning our monthly programming for the 2015/2016 season. If you have a presentation pitch, we need to hear from you by June 1! Click here for details and to apply. Thanks for helping to make our chapter one of the most vibrant, inclusive and fun chapters on the planet!

We hope to hear from YOU!

With thanks and in anticipation, 

The Danas

Inside Story! TONIGHT!

TONIGHT!!! 

(Tuesday, Cinco de Mayo)

Get inside their minds! Get inside their stories!

Bask in the creations of our talented members!

We hold this party twice a year to celebrate new and upcoming books by local authors and illustrators, who will share three-minute "stories behind their stories" with you, our favorite booksellers, librarians, and children's book lovers.

Please join us for a fascinating evening of community, book chat and Inside Stories!
Tuesday, May 5 from 7:00-9:00pm
University Book Store, 990 102nd Ave NE, Bellevue, WA 98004

Kid Lit Drink Night!

Because it's never too early to plan ahead....

 

Save the date! 

Join us on Thursday, May 28 

for 

Kid Lit Drink Night: Eastside Family Edition

beginning at 6:30pm!

Kids and dogs are welcome to join us as we meet at the Redhook Brewery in Woodinville. The Redhook is located right off the Burke-Gilman trail. Take off work early to bike with your family up from Bellevue or over from Seattle, or drive and find easy parking right at the brewery. 

The beers are great and the wines aren't bad.  

Kids can sit at their own table, if they prefer, and share notes on what it's like to have their most embarrassing moments appear in a book. 

Redhook Brewery & Forecasters Pub

14300 NE 145th St

Woodinville, WA 98072

Mysterious May meeting

Here's the next item to mark on your calendar! Because the SCBWI-WWA wheels keep on turning. And because we don't want to go too long without being with our peeps and learning more about interesting  aspects of writing for kids. 

This one's going to be a humdinger! Don't miss it!

Date/Time
Thursday, 5/21/2015
7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Location
Seattle Pacific University
3307 3rd Ave. W. - Seattle, WA 98119

Feature Presentations: Drawn to Whimsy, Illustrator videos and Q&A featuring author and illustrator Wendy Wahman and illustrator Richard Jesse Watson. Also, How to Create the Perfect Crime for Kids, mystery writing with author Dori Hillestad Butler.
Location: Seattle Pacific University, Demaray Hall, Room 150
Cost: Passport membership covers admission. Tickets will be available at the door for individual passport events: $9 for SCBWI International members and $15 for non-members.

Craig's golden news!

 

The Benjamin Franklin Award.

Illustrator Craig Orback learned that the book he illustrated, Gifts From the Enemy, won a 2015 gold level Benjamin Franklin Award! The award is from the Independent Book Publishers Association and recognizes excellence in book editorial and design and is regarded as one of the highest national honors for independent publishers. Written by Trudy Ludwig and published by White Cloud Press, they won in the young reader / nonfiction category (8-12 years).  

You can read about it here. 

The award-winning book also received a starred review from the Jewish Book Council. Here is a quote from the review:

"Wiener’s story is simplified and depends on the dramatic illustrations for their impact. The text starts out sparse and simple and becomes more ample and mature as the story progresses. The art is the story, however, and it is prize-worthy."

Congratulations, Craig! 

May author/illustrator events

MAY EVENTS

KEY:
YA = young adult
MG = middle grade
PB = picture book
NF = nonfiction



LINKS:
University Book Store
Third Place Books
Elliott Bay Book Company
Secret Garden Books
Seattle Central Library 

May 5, 7PM

Michael Buckley, Undertow (YA)

University Bookstore, U-District

May 5, 7PM

SCBWI Inside Story

Participating authors and illustrators:

Kevan Atteberry, Martha Brockenbrough, Dori Hillestad Butler, Stacey R. Campbell, Andrea Gabriel, Kathryn O. Galbraith, Joanna Gorham, Shannon Grogan, Brenda Z. Guiberson, Steven Henry, Patrick Jennings, Kelly Jones, Doug Keith, Karen Kincy, Sara Nickerson, Margaret Read MacDonald, Craig Orback, Julie Paschkis, Katherine Pryor, Tom Robinson, Jeanne Ryan, Suzanne Selfors, Rori Shay, Dana Sullivan, Derek Sullivan, Laurie Ann Thompson, Carly Anne West, and Toni Yuly

University Bookstore, Bellevue

May 5, 7PM

Rosamund Hodge, Crimson Bound (YA)

Mockingbird Books

May 8, 7PM

Sassafras Lowery, Lost Boi, (YA)

Elliot Bay Book Company

May 8, 11AM

Nikki McClure, IN (PB)

Mockingbird Books

May 9, 11AM

Megan Morrison, Grounded: The Adventures of Rapunzel (MG)

Burien Library

May 15 6PM

Swoon Reads Tour Featuring: Sandy Hall, A Little Something Different (YA)

Katie Van Ark, The Boy Next Door (YA)

Temple West, Velvet (YA)

Kimberly Kraals, Love Fortunes and Other Disasters (YA)

University Bookstore, Bellevue

May 16, 3PM

Northwest Author’s Panel 

Participating YA Authors:

Fabio Bueno, Singularity Series (YA)

T.M. Franklin, MORE Trilogy (YA)

Billie Grable, The Weeping Willow Sings (YA)

University Bookstore, Mill Creek

May 16, 6PM

M. J. Beaufrand, The Rise and Fall of the Gallivanters (YA)

University Bookstore, U-District

May 23, 1PM

Janet Lee Carey, In the Time of the Dragon Moon (YA)

Workshop: Elves to Aliens: Creating Believable Sci-Fi and Fantasy Worlds

University Bookstore, Bellevue

Tickets Tickets are $19.70 and include a 2-hour workshop, snacks and refreshments, and a signed copy of Carey's latest book, In the Time of the Dragon Moon.

May 26, 7PM

Dana Simpson, Unicorn on a Roll (MG)

University Bookstore, U-District

SAVE THE DATE!

FRIDAY • JUNE 12 • 7PM

Launch Party

Laurie Thompson and Paul Schmid, My Dog is the Best (NF, PB)

University Bookstore, U-District

Crafting a character webinar

This might be just the post-conference solution to solidifying that character you're trying to nail down:

Our co-Washington State SCBWI group, Inland NW, is sponsoring a webinar with the longtime editorial consultant Elizabeth Law. This will take place NEXT SATURDAY, May 9, from 9:30–11am.

Titled "A Craft Workshop on Character," Elizabeth will discuss how to develop a character in picture books, novels, and biographies. She will end with a Q&A about aspects of the publishing industry, which she was a part of for many years.


For ALL the scoop, and to register for this webinar, please click here.