Monday, February 27, 2017

Call for Art REMINDER!

CALL FOR ART! March 10 Deadline!


Yes, I’m talking to YOU, our wonderful illustrators! Here’s a reminder that the fine folks at Era Living love the work our members do and are giving us a great opportunity to show it off in an upscale setting. Era Living will also put on a grand party on May 10th with fancy wine and cheese! Not only that, but you get to keep 100% of sales (and free wine and cheese!). Submit up to 6 pieces and a short bio. I’m sure you have some great pieces lying around, so show off your work! Don’t worry if it’s not a book (YET!), it just needs to be children’s book-related.


For questions about submitting, email Anna Macrae at
curatorAnna@aol.com
Please cc me: wwa.ic@scbwi.org
You read down this far? Good on you and get cracking!
Your friendly Illustrator Coordinator, Dalton Webb

Friday, February 24, 2017

Need a Roomie for the Conference?

If you'd like to share a room at the Marriott for our conference, post a "Roomie Wanted" on our SCBWI WWA Facebook page. Never heard of our FB page? Go here now and ask to join our group.

Thursday, February 23, 2017

Reminder: Upcoming PAL event (open to all!)



Just a reminder that we are still taking registrations for our upcoming PAL event, which will be open to all this time!

We'll start out with our "Romancing the Store: How to Make Bookstores and Librarys Love You!" panel of booksellers and librarians, then our last 90 minutes or so will be for any topic you’d like to address in informal “think tank” discussion format with your peers. Feel free to bring questions, war stories, trouble spots, and the like. We’ll do some cat-herding to assign/label tables by popular subject areas.


When: March 4th (National Grammar Day!) from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Where: Cremona Hall 102, Seattle Pacific University

Read the details here, then sign up here! (And remember to send your money as instructed.) 

Hope to see you there!

Wednesday, February 22, 2017

Northern Network Meeting




Getting the Most Out of Your Conference ExperienceMarch 1, 2017
Have you heard? Are you going? What did you register for?We’re getting ready for the 25th Conference of the Western Washington Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators!Are you ready to get the most out of your conference experience? Are there things you should not miss out on? And what about things NOT to do? Come get a head start on conference benefits at the March Northern Network meeting. (And even if you’re NOT going to this conference, chances are that you’ll be going one at some time or other, so this information will be helpful for future conferences.)
Date: Wednesday, March1, 2017
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Location: The Bellingham Barnes & Noble (4099 Meridian Street)
Questions? Call Rebecca Van Slyke at (360) 354-5797, or email her at rebecca_vanslyke@hotmail.com
[That’s rebecca(underscore)vanslyke(at)hotmail(dot)com.]

By the way, here's the Twitter hashtag: #scbwiwwa17 to be sure to get all the latest pre, during, and post conference updates.


Monday, February 20, 2017

Webinar Coming to a Computer Near You!




We've got an exciting webinar coming up on March 14 with Peter Pearson, author of How to Eat an Airplane. I'm opening it up to everyone interested. The information can be found below. It would be great if you could share with your members. They can register at the following link: https://swtexas.scbwi.org/events/webinar-humor-in-picture-books-with-peter-pearson-on-march-14/

Info on Webinar:

WEBINAR: HUMOR IN PICTURE BOOKS with Peter Pearson, author of How to Eat An Airplane, the first book in the Bad Idea Book Club. 

When: March 14, 2017, 7:00 – 8:30 C.S.T. (Central Standard Time)
Where: Any computer with a good internet connection
How much: $10 member, $25 non-member. 
We'll also be having a RAFFLE: Everyone who joins the webinar will be entered into a drawing to win a signed copy of How to Eat An Airplane! (Event if you live far away, we'll mail it to you!)

Tandy Ellen Gutierrez
Regional Advisor - Southwest Texas

Wednesday, February 15, 2017

Hear All About It!

Image result for cartoon graphic megaphone



Curtis Manley's JUST RIGHT: SEARCHING FOR THE GOLDILOCKS PLANET, an exploration of the search for an Earth-like planet, with illustrations by Jessica Lanan, again to Emily Feinberg at Roaring Brook Press, by Ammi-Joan Paquette at Erin Murphy Literary Agency for the author and Edward Maxwell of Sanford J. Greenburger Associates (World). Publication Winter 2019


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Submit your books to the Washington State Book Awards!
 
Did you have a book published in 2016? Make sure it was nominated for a 2017 Washington State Book Award! You can email the State Book Awards at wsba@spl.org and ask if your title was received yet, and we’ll let you know. Publishers or authors can submit four copies of a book, along with the entry form, in one of these four categories for books for youth: Picture books, books for ages 6 to 8, books for ages 9 to 12, and young adult books. 
 
The deadline isn’t until April 1 (for books published in 2016), but we would appreciate having entry forms for nominated titles and books in hand by February 10.
 
The Washington State Book Awards are administered by the Washington Center for the Book at the Seattle Public Library. SCBWI WWA member Linda Johns can answer any questions you have at wsba@spl.org.
THANKS! And get those books in!
  
Linda Johns 
Librarian – Reader Services
The Seattle Public Library |  206.386.463
 
Currently reading: Malice by Keigo Higashino
Just read:: Dietland by Sarai Walker 
 
Schedule note: I work Sunday through Thursday each week.


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Announcing the SCBWI WWA Inclusivity ScholarshipTwo scholarships, awarded to one author and one illustrator, will cover the full cost to attend the April 8, 2017, day of programming at our Spring Conference. Applications are open now. Click here for details.

Call for PresentersAre you interested in presenting at one of our 2017-2018 Monthly Meetings? Click here for details and application.

Call for ArtistsSubmit your work for an amazing opportunity to showcase your work in a juried group show of WWA SCBWI illustrators at Aljoya Thornton Place. Deadline for submission is March 10, so get drawing.

Stay Informed With the Chinook UpdateClick the “Join Our Blog” button at the bottom of our homepage to get to the Chinook Update blog. Scroll down to the “Get the Chinook Update by e-mail” box on the left. Enter your email address, hit “submit” and you will start getting local and relevant kid-lit news, including reminders of our monthly meetings and other SCBWI-related events sent directly to your in box.
Thanks, see you Wednesday night! You won’t want to miss it!
Dana Arnim and Dana SullivanCo-Regional Advisors, SCBWI Western Washington   
 
SCBWI-WWA Banner-black w/kite* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *If you do not wish to receive future emails from SCBWI Western Washington, please click the link below. Please note that you will no longer receive notification of upcoming events, including the annual conference, master classes, regional programming, and more.Opt-Out
 
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Stay tuned for interviews of our conference faculty. First in the lineup is Patricia Hruby Powell, author or picture books, poetry, and middle grade - fiction and non fiction, and  dancer and choreographer! Ohhh, I can't wait myself to finally get the Skype with her.

That's all for now,

Kathleen

Tuesday, February 14, 2017

Sign-up Today! KidLit Class with Deb Lund!!




Starting this Thursday!

A Kidlit Class with Deb Lund


Are you a seasoned author? Or wondering if writing for kids is for you? No matter where you are on the kidlit spectrum, these six weeks will provide you with accountability, critiques, mini-lessons, writing exercises, group discussions, a safe place for asking questions, and a lot of laughs and snacks. We will explore strategies for finding ideas, getting stories on the page, evaluating and revising your writing, and keeping your writing going.


And the best part is —it’s an easy island outing!


Grab a friend or three, carpool to Mukilteo, walk on the 12:00 Whidbey Island ferry, hop on the free northbound bus, arrive at Bayview Park & Ride at 12:30, and Deb will walk you across the street to Bayview Senior Center.

Here are the Particulars:


Thursdays 1:00-4:00
February 16, 23 & March 2, 9, 16, 23

Limited class size

Cost: $240

Register now! Information at http://ow.ly/YeBx308Wo6x



SCBWI members who register receive a free Fiction Magic: Card Tricks & Tips for Writers card deck and guidebook set, or a pair of dinobooks.



Deb Lund is an author, teacher, and a creativity coach who partners with people who want more joy and meaning in their lives. Her master’s project a few decades ago focused on teaching writing, and she has taught teachers and writers of all ages ever since. For more information, contact Deb at deb@deblund.com

I tell ya, if I weren't working my day gig, I'd be on the island with Deb learning and writing. So, go in my place and I can experience vicariously.

Happy Writing,

Kathleen


Monday, February 13, 2017

Inside Story Is Coming To Town!


Check your e-mail! Invitations to apply for the Spring Inside Story have already gone out. In case you missed it, here are the event details:

Tuesday, May 9, 2017 from 7:00-9:00pm
University Book Store
4326 University Way NE
Seattle, WA  98105

Please carefully read and follow the information below. To be eligible, you need to be able to say "yes!" to all of the following:

•    You are a CURRENT SCBWI member at the PAL (published and listed) level and your profile at SCBWI.org is updated to reflect this.

•    You live in the official Western Washington region. If you’re a member and uncertain which region you’re in, please email us and we’ll check for you.

•    Your publisher is on SCBWI’s list of recognized (traditional) PAL publishers. You can find the accepted publisher list by going to your SCBWI member profile page, clicking “Add” in the “Books” section under “Publications.” Find “Publisher” (not “Other Publisher”) and type in your publisher’s name in the box that says, “Start typing…”  
Exception: If your self-published book is a continuation of a PAL published series and/or a Spark Award winner, you are still eligible to participate in Inside Story

•    Your book is brand new (released between November 2016 and May 2017) and has never been published before. (Reprints/new editions do not qualify for Inside Story)

•    Your book is readily available through normal trade channels (e.g., Baker & Taylor).

The application form is here. Please fill in all areas. Deadline to apply is Wednesday, March 1, 2017. You will hear back a week or two after the application deadline with further information.

If you're not planning to present this time around, please mark this event on your calendar anyway. You won’t want to miss it!

Sincerely,
Dori Butler, Inside Story Coordinator                                        
dhbutler@kidswriter.com                       

ICYMI: February meeting with Claire Rudulf Murphy and Mark Cronk Farrell

What an inspiring and informative meeting we had last week!


First up was Building Great Sentences presented by Claire Rudolf Murphy. Claire showed us many different approaches to line editing and wordsmithing.

Some of the key takeaways from her presentation were:
  • Look at both the order of your words within a phrase and your phrases within a sentence. Try different arrangements to see which one works best. Every different arrangement contains a slightly different meaning, and the most important word and/or phrase should usually come at the end.
  • Nouns should be interesting and specific. Strong verbs activate a scene. Adverbial clauses can be used to great effect.
  • Use other poetic devices for impact, including the Power of Two (rhythmic sound bites like teeny-weeny), the Rhythm of Threes, Paradox and Oxymoron, Reflecting Sounds, Caesura (a strong pause within a line), Alliteration, and Assonance (repetition of vowel sounds).
Claire also recommended two books for writers who wish to explore these ideas further:
  • Building Great Sentences: How to Write the Kinds of Sentences You Love to Read (Great Courses) by Brooks Landon, and
  • Word Magic for Writers by Cindy Rogers

Next up was The Hidden Architecture of Compelling Nonfiction with Mary Cronk Farrell.

Mary says that although structure and form may seem boring, having a strong narrative arc helps readers connect with nonfiction and allows us to touch not only the minds of young readers but their hearts as well.

Mary reminded us that there are two pillars of every story: the action (what happens) and the emotion (why we care). What sparks emotions are small, but specific, details.

Mary shared examples from her award-winning nonfiction book for teens, Pure Grit. She showed us how almost every detail came from a different source, but then she synthesized them all into a single, compelling narrative.

How does a nonfiction writer turn a humongous pile of research into a well-put-together book? We have to find the narrative arc first, then we can choose the specific details that will spotlight the necessary moments in that arc. The form is necessary to make meaning from the mess.

To find that form, Mary recommends trying different things to see what works. Pay close attention to what drew you to the story in the first place and emphasize that in your arc. And most of all, trust your gut!

Thank you so much to Mary and Claire for coming from the other side of the state to talk to us! We so appreciated the lessons they shared and the wise words of wisdom gleaned from both of these fine writers.

Also, thank you to Milagros Welt for the amazing Valentine's Day-themed snack spread!

Sunday, February 12, 2017

ICYMI: Nonfiction Workshop with Mary Cronk Farrell

Last Wednesday, dozens of SCBWI-WWA writers (and illustrators!) attended a special workshop, Talking with the Dead… and Other Secrets to Writing Nonfiction for Today’s Readers, presented by award-winning author and former journalist, Mary Cronk Farrell.

Mary Cronk Farrell headshot

Mary started out by sharing an uplifting message for all of us:
“Story has made us who we are, and story can save us.”
But is nonfiction "story?" Indeed! Great nonfiction always comes from the heart, and kids often tend to seek out nonfiction specifically.

Mary shared some interesting data about how our brains our changing thanks to the internet. Whether this is good or bad can be debated, but what matters most is that we use this knowledge when we're writing in order to grab, and keep, the attention of our readers.

Mary then broke down how some of the big nonfiction award winners from 2016 succeeded in doing just that. She analyzed each of the following titles:

  • March: Book 3 by John Lewis
  • Animals by the Numbers by Steve Jenkins
  • Some Writer! by Melissa Sweet
  • Samurai Rising by Pamela S. Turner 
  • Giant Squid by Candace Fleming 
  • I Dissent by Debbie Levy

She also talked about how to research and find the necessary details to bring our stories to life, including primary source documents and interviewing people, and how to synthesize a huge pile of information down into a coherent story arc.

It's not easy, but if you're following your passion and pursuing a story that matters to you, it will ultimately be worth it--to you AND to your readers!

A huge thank you to Mary for venturing over the pass to share so much of her knowledge and expertise with us! If you haven't yet, be sure to check out some of her fabulous nonfiction titles. You won't regret it!

Pure Grit coverFannie Never Flinched coverIrena's Children coverJourney to the Top of the World cover

Saturday, February 11, 2017

Git yer bookstore & library secrets here!

Open to all: Don't miss the March 4 Think Tank, "Romancing the Store: How to Make Bookstores and Librarys Love You!"

Designed for PAL members but open to all, this event still has a few spaces left. Read the details, then sign up here! (And remember to send your moola as instructed.) See you there!

Tuesday, February 7, 2017

Monthly Meeting Wednesday February 8th

Feb2017meeting_580x400
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

7 – 9 p.m.
Monthly Programming (snacks and schmoozing start at 6:30)
Where: Seattle Pacific University, Demaray Hall 150 (#8 on the map)
Cost
: Free for Passport Holders
$10 for SCBWI members
$15 for non-members


Program

Presentation 1: Claire Rudolf Murphy,  Building Powerful SentencesNo more boring sentences! Claire will share techniques to making our sentences sing, dance and jump off the pages. Bring three of your own sentences that could use a little jazzing up!
Presentation 2: Mary Cronk Farrell,  The Hidden Architecture of Compelling NonfictionIn writing non-fiction, you gotta get the facts right — and then knock some socks off with those facts. Mary will demonstrate how action and emotion reinforce the narrative structure of your story to reach the minds and hearts of your readers.

Hope to see you!

Kathleen

Sunday, February 5, 2017

Writing Webinar!


Join Us For A Writing Webinar

The Real Writing: Techniques on Tackling Tough Revisions
by Author Susan AdrianThursday, February 16, 2017
12:00 Noon Mountain Time

SCBWI Members: $15
Non-Members: $25
(Webinar will be recorded and available for registrants to view any time for a week after the presentation)
“That’s the magic of revisions—every cut is necessary, and every cut hurts, but something new always grows.”
Kelly Barnhill
First drafts are where the story gets its start, but revisions are where it becomes something real, something whole and alive. But how do you tackle this seemingly impossible task? How do you simultaneously deepen characters and cut extraneous scenes, refine language and improve pacing? How do you even know where to begin? Whether you're working on your own or tackling a 10-page edit letter, this webinar will go over strategies for revision, for shaping that messy draft into a polished book.



Kiri Jorgensen
SCBWI Montana Regional Advisor

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