Inland Northwest Conference

The Inland Northwest SCBWI region is just over the mountains, and their conference is around the corner! Early registration discounts end Tuesday! Grab a friend and get ready for a road trip.

Whether you’re a salty skipper or just looking to test the waters of children's publishing, even if you’re feeling a little lost at sea, the Inland Northwest SCBWI conference is for you. 

On September 16th at our beautiful new location in the Montvale Event Center, two literary agents, a children’s book editor, and a panel of published authors will provide information, options, and new directions to help you navigate your journey. 

So climb aboard! Visit our website for more information and registration, but don’t delay!  Early-bird pricing won’t last forever and personal manuscript/portfolio consultations fill up fast.

Early-bird registration until August 1:

SCBWI Members Early-bird  119.00

Non-member Early-bird 145.00     

After August 1:

SCBWI Member 155.00

Non-member 185.00

Wanted: Your upper MG and/or YA titles from 2015!

We still have space for authors of upper MG and YA books in the middle- and high-school "Behind the Books" session at Washington Library Association's October 15, 2016, conference! SCBWI-WWA is co-hosting this presentation to give our PAL members an opportunity to present their recent books to area teacher/librarians. 

We didn't fill all of our available time slots with 2016 books, so we're now opening up our middle- and high-school session spaces to authors with books published in 2015 or 2016. (Sorry, the elementary school session for picture books and younger MGs is full up). So, if your PAL book works for readers in 6th grade or up, and was published in 2015 or 2016, please consider joining us for a fun, easy way to help raise your book's visibility among these book lovers (and school visit influencers)!

It'll be similar to our Inside Story events, but with a greater opportunity to mingle with attendees and talk about school visits, hand out swag, etc. Learn all the details here.

Then sign up here right away, because this opportunity won't last long! 

SCBWI Oregon Conference

Plan on heading south for a spring conference to remember!

The Oregon SCBWI Spring 2016Conference, BETWEEN THE PAGES, is an event you'll definitely want to book. Come and mingle with fellow writers and illustrators. Connect with editors and agents on Saturday and Sunday, May 21 & 22, 2016. CLick on the above link to see the schedule and amazing faculty. Hurry, before they sell out!

 

SCBWI Oregon spring conference registration

Our SCBWI sister to the south is holding their annual conference in May, and registration is now open! From the looks of things, it is going to be FABULOUS. Click HERE for all the details!

Faculty includes: Newbery Award winner Matt de la Pena, Newberry Honor Award winner Victoria Jamieson, our very own Kevan Atteberry, and many more stellar authors, illustrators, agents, editors, and special extras. 

What's a three-hour drive/train when you can partake in all this kidlit goodness? Get in on this while the getting is good!

Inland NW Annual Conference

Our sister chapter, SCBWI Inland NW, will be hosting their annual conference on September 19, 2015 in Spokane. To learn more about the location, panels, and registration details, please click HERE.

Mary Cronk Farrell, the chapter RA, promises a wonderful day of learning and communing with fellow kid-lit folks. And, she so temptingly shared two special guests who will be coming, as well as SCBWI-WWA's wonderful author/illustrator Jennifer K. Mann:

Associate Editor  Joanna Cardenas, Viking

Agent John Cusick, Greenhouse Literary

If you want to share rides or want to find out if your fellow Western WA neighbors are heading East in September, please use our SCBWI-WWA Facebook Group page and connect in a more timely way.

It's going to be a GOOD one! And, in knowing that our own regional conference won't be held again until 2017, you might be inclined to take advantage of this chance to share your work and get some nuts and bolts served up by the experts. Just saying....

 

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

PNWA annual conference

The Pacific Northwest Writers Association needs YOU!

 

 

 

The PNWA has some marvelous opportunities for the right authors and illustrators at their annual conference July 16. Specifically, they are looking for:

• one author to speak about picture and chapter books for main conference panel 

• one illustrator for the panel 

• 6 authors or author/illustrators for Young Author’s Day, preferably people who have experience presenting in schools

For details, please contact Pam Binder at pambinder@pnwa.org and check out their website at http://www.pnwa.org

Best of luck for a wonderful conference!

BREAKING NEWS

We have a late-breaking news flash about our 

SCBWI Western Washington Conference!

 

After this year, we will be producing our beloved conference EVERY OTHER YEAR. 

 

Don't worry––we will be creating other valuable and exciting programming for next April in place of the conference. However, if you have been on the fence about signing up for this year's conference, NOW IS THE TIME TO REGISTER! 

 

We won't be offering this kind of experience again until 2017.

Why is this happening, you may wonder…. In order to create a schedule that our hardworking volunteers can sustain, we've decided to alternate retreats and conferences. Another advantage to this alternating schedule is that we know it's often difficult to choose which special event to spend your dollars on. If you've only been able to attend one event per year, you can do so without needing to make the choice between two great options.

 

 

WWU Conference recap

The 11^th annual Western Washington University Children’s Literature Conference was held last weekend in Bellingham. For those who haven’t attended, this conference is generally aimed primarily at the teacher/librarian crowd and the speaker line-up is packed with big-name authors and illustrators. This year’s speakers shared fascinating stories about their process, their research, and their books. A couple of fun tidbits from each presenter:

From Jennifer Holm: The biggest stumbling block she sees for young authors is that the first time they do something, they want it to be perfect. Helping kids get over that hump, helping them learn that writing becomes good through revision, is the best way to help them with writing. True for writers who are grown too, no?

From Laura Vaccaro Seeger: She broke all the rules to break into publishing. She called the president of the publishing company she wished to work for, out of the blue, at his home, at 6:30 a.m. his time, to ask if he wanted to see her work. Really! And it worked! It’s probably not a strategy to repeat, though...

From Nic Bishop: He takes all the photography for his non-fiction nature books himself often using custom-built cameras with laser-sensitive triggers to catch animals at just the right action-filled moments. He does much of his research by working directly with the animals as he takes photos. He’s a great author to learn more about if you are interested in field research for nonfiction.

From Steve Sheinkin: As a textbook writer, Steve gathered lots of interesting facts his editors never let him use because nothing in a textbook can be controversial. Now Steve uses this sort of fact in his narrative nonfiction to make history come alive for readers. Steve also sometimes gets ideas by surfing the Smithsonian’s website, which is full of interesting, inspirational tidbits.

Save the date for next year's WWU Children’s literature conference on Feb. 28, 2015. Speakers will include Yuyi Morales, Matt de la Peña, Peter Brown, and Joyce Sidman.

Conference registration is now open!

Registration for SCBWI Western Washington's 23rd Writing & Illustrating for Children Conference, which will be held April 12 – 13, 2014, is now open!

This year's event will feature:

• 3 award-winning & bestselling keynote speakers, 3 publishing staff members, and 3 agents
• A Kid Lit Drink Night on Friday
• A variety master classes on Saturday
• Roundtable critiques on Saturday
• Conference keynotes and breakout sessions on Sunday
• New lower rates and the opportunity to attend only on Sunday
• Art portfolio displays and published attendee celebration

Get all the details and register here.

AWP comes to Seattle

If flying to New York for the mid-winter SCBWI conference is out of your budget, you might want to consider registering for the Association of Writers and Writing Programs (AWP) conference here in Seattle for a fraction of the cost. It's happening this month at the Washington State Convention Center from February 26 through March 1 and registration is open NOW. There are loads of breakouts geared toward writing for children and amazing faculty including E. Lockhart and our own Laura McGee Kvasnosky and Tina Hoggatt.

Even if attending the conference is not in your plans, join us for Kid Lit Drink night on Saturday, March 1, at Rumba from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m.

Ready for conference registration?

Registration for SCBWI Western Washington's 23rd Writing & Illustrating for Children Conference, which will be held April 12 – 13, 2014, is right around the corner! We expect registration to launch this weekend or early next week. In the meantime, refresh your memory about who will join us:

Award-winning & bestselling keynote speakers:
Kim Baker, author
Franny Billingsley, author  
Renata Liwska, author/illustrator

Publishing staff:     
Justin Chanda, publisher, Simon & Schuster BFYR
Claudia Gabel, executive editor, Katherine Tegen Books
Lauren Rille, associate art director, Simon & Schuster 

Agents:       
Alexandra Penfold, agent, Upstart Crow
Susan Hawk, agent, The Bent Agency
Holly McGhee, agent, Pippin Properties

This year's event will feature:

• A Kid Lit Drink Night on Friday
• A variety master classes on Saturday
• Roundtable critiques on Saturday
• Conference keynotes and breakout sessions on Sunday
• New lower rates and the opportunity to attend only on Sunday
• Art portfolio displays and published attendee celebration

Watch your email inbox closely over the coming days for your registration invitation; the most popular opportunities typically fill quickly.

Join the phun!

Illustrations by Dana Sullivan

Are you ready for our Phantastic February meeting this Thursday? Besides the usual catching up with friends and sharing our good news, you don’t want to miss:

• April conference announcements
• Deb Lund sharing how you can "Be a Fiction Magician! Tips & Card Tricks for Writers"
• A final raffle for free tuition to our April conference
• Screening of the documentary film, The Phantom Tollbooth: Beyond Expectations

Thursday, February 6
Schmoozing at 6:30 p.m.
Program starts at 7:00 p.m.
Demaray Hall 150, Seattle Pacific University
Pay at the door: Members $8, Non-Members $10

See you there!

2014 Children's Literature Conference in Bellingham

You've got until February 3 to take advantage of the early-bird discount for this year's Children's Literature Conference in Bellingham, which is sponsored by Western Washington University. The event will be Saturday, March 1, and will feature Nic Bishop, Jennifer Holm, Steve Sheinkin, and Laura Vaccaro Seeger. Get more information or register here.

Conference success story

Member Shannon Grogan Brochu reports that she's sold her first YA manuscript with help from Greenhouse Literary agent Sarah Davies, whom Shannon met during a manuscript consultation at our 2011 Annual Writing & Illustrating for Children Conference last spring. Shannon subsequently signed with Sarah and — voila! Her book, From Where I Watch You, was acquired by Soho Teen and tells the story of a girl who dreams of becoming a professional baker, but finds herself haunted by the ghost of her dead sister as well as a mystery stalker whose cryptic notes suggest he knows far too much about her. Publication is planned for spring 2015. Yay, Shannon!

Stuff your own stocking

Looking for the perfect holiday present for yourself? How about 5 mini-conferences you can attend in your jammies?

Register for SCBWI Michigan's 2014 Webinar Series, From Manuscript to Submission. Sign up for each webinar individually or bundle them for a discount. Seats to the live webinars are limited, but if you have a conflict for one, you can still register and you'll receive a link to the recorded video that is viewable for three months.

In this series, fabulous speakers will share their industry knowledge and help you move your work toward publication. Monica Harris, Harold Underdown, Julie Hedlund, and Literary Agent Sean McCarthy will show you how to put your best foot forward, research the right agent or publisher fit, become a successful book entrepreneur, and maneuver through the crowded marketplace. In addition, Michigan co-RAs Leslie Helakoski and Carrie Pearson will offer a nuts and bolts session for beginners. The series culminates in an opportunity (limited to the first 35 people to register) for a critique with agent Sean McCarthy and a second agent or editor who will be announced soon.

Get more information or register, or contact Carrie Pearson at carrieapear@aol.com with questions.

Conference sneak preview!

Kerri Kokias,  conference coordinator for the SCBWI WWA Annual Conference for Writing and Illustrating for Children, is excited to begin announcing our faculty lineup! The event will be on April 13, 2014, with optional Master Classes and Critique Round Tables on April 12. We’re going to tease you a little bit and reveal our faculty slowly throughout the winter.

First, our keynoters:

• Picture book author and illustrator Renata Liwska, originally from Poland and now residing in Calgary, Canada. Renata is perhaps best known for her work illustrating Deborah Underwood’s THE QUIET BOOK. She’s also soon to be world famous for illustrating our own Nina Laden’s ONCE UPON A MEMORY, coming out in December. If you’re not familiar with Renata's work, you’re definitely going to want to check it out. Be sure to watch the video called, “A Quiet Look: How to Become a Children’s Illustrator in One (Not So Easy) Step,” which is an inside look at her incredible sketchbooks over the years.

• Franny Billingsley, the author of picture book, middle grade and young adult publications, who we're bringing from Mexico, were she recently moved to live is a quant mountain town. Frannie is  best known for her YA book, CHIME, which was a 2011 National Book Awards finalist and received 6 starred reviews. She is also on faculty for the MFA program at the Vermont College of Fine Arts.

• Kim Baker, from right here in our region. Kim’s middle-grade novel, PICKLE,  was a finalist for the 2013 Children’s Choice Award for the fifth/sixth grade Book of The Year the recipient of SCBWI’s 2013 Crystal Kite West award, which we will have the privilege of presenting to her at the conference.

You've got plenty of time to check out these keynoters' publications, since registration will open in early February. Stay tuned in the meantime to hear more about a really awesome lineup of agents, editors, and art directors, too.

SCBWI-Inland NW Conference