Jessixa Bagley book launch

 Come help Jessixa celebrate!

 

 

Jessixa Bagley

 

 

Following on the heels of her much lauded debut picture book, BOATS FOR PAPA, the amazing Seattle-based author/illustrator Jessixa Bagley returns with her latest, BEFORE I LEAVE. The touching story of friends who have to say goodbye, this is sure to get plenty of attention as well.

 

 

 

 

WHEN: Tuesday, February 16 at 7pm

WHERE: Secret Garden Books, Ballard

 

 

 

 

 

Writer/illustrator mentors wanted!

Hello, SCBWI of Western WA:

 

I teach a career choices class at Chief Sealth High School.  I am looking for an illustrator and/or writer to host a few students for an hour and a half for each student. Students could meet writers and illustrators on our campus or students could meet them where ever it would be convenient.  The class focuses on job readiness and career exploration. I have a few students who are really interested in illustration and writing.  

 

Thank you!

Diane White-Shaw

Chief Sealth International High School

Seattle, WA

206-252-8712

206-310-6596

 

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 .

Caldecott Honor winner Aaron Becker visits

On Friday, September 19, Aaron Becker, the Caldecott Medal Honor winner for the wordless picture book Journey,  will appear at Ballard's Secret Garden Books at 7pm.

Aaron's follows his beautiful debut with Quest, the second picture book in a planned trilogy.

Digital mentorship opportunity

The CA North/Central SCBWI chapter has opened registration for its first ever digital mentorship for picture books. The mentors are Rick Walton, Tammi Sauer, our own Laura McGee Kvasnosky, Shutta Crum, and Mike Boldt. Together they represent both authors and author-illustrators. For author mentees, the mentors will critique the text of a picture book twice over the period of six months. For author/illustrators, mentees will have a text critiqued twice, as well as thumbnails and then a dummy.

The cost is $350 (including a $50 deposit that will be returned to members not selected to participate). Registration goes through January 10. Get more information now.

Seattle Times NW holiday book buying guide

Our local news rag just ran a nice spread on local kids' books that'd make great holiday gifts. First up is Turkey Tot, written by local legend George Shannon and illustrated, in her debut, by our WWA illustration coordinator, Jennifer Mann. If you missed it, check out the whole list!

"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?

3… 2… 1… LAUNCH!

VivaScriva is a new website dedicated to critique, the writing process, and the nuances of collaboration. Launched by a tight-knit group of children’s book authors and illustrators, we believe effective critique can make your writing sing and your career soar.

More About the Viva Scrivas: We are eight women writers, from our thirties to sixties. We are writers of picture books, middle grade, YA, textbooks, graphic novels, fiction, historical fiction, fantasy, folklore, and nonfiction. We are also mothers, artists, geneticists, lawyers, ski instructors, magazine editors, teachers, students, librarians, linguists and book lovers. We speak French, Romanian, Spanish, German, and a smidgen of Portuguese, Swahili, and Ancient Greek. We have published over 20 books and have articles in many well-known magazines.