Good News Party!!

Who can't use lots of Good News!! We've got many talented and amazing SCBWI Western Washington members! It's a Good News party!!!

Congratulations to Lois V. Harris! Cowboys & Indians Magazine reviewed CHARLIE RUSSELL: TALE-TELLING COWBOY ARTIST book in their December issue (Holiday Gift Guide, Kids’ Bookstall). Visit Lois's website to find out more about her books!

In addition to that news, CHARLIE RUSSELL: TALE-TELLING COWBOY ARTIST book has also made the Accelerated Reader List of Renaissance Learning! Here's the listing!
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A big yahoo for Curtis Manley! He received a Letter of Commendation from SCBWI's Barbara Karlin Grant committee for his picture book manuscript THE CRANE GIRL. The story is a retold version of the Japanese folktale about a crane who takes human form out of love for the person who saved her life. Integral to his retelling are haiku in the voices of each of the characters.

SCBWI's announcement is on their website.
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Hip Hip Hooray for Anne Belov! One of her cartoons, The Panda Ranch Experience, appears in Henry Nicholls new book, THE WAY of the PANDA (published by Profile Press in Great britain, publication date September 30, 2010).
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And last but not least, here's a big Woo Hoo for Elizabeth Blake! She has an illustration that is being published in the U.S. and at least one other country. The illustration is called "Life is Fragile".
The idea was to make an image to remind families to use child safety seats. It is being used in Washington state as a poster, it is in process of becoming a booklet. It is being used by hospital nurseries and pediatric clinics in Washington, in child safety seat programs in the U.S. and Guam.

You can find out more about Elizabeth's work on her website.

New network for illustrators

Elizabeth Blake has set up Rendered Speechless, an online social network. Many illustrators in our region have already joined. Check it out here.

Studio tours: Elizabeth Blake

Elizabeth Blake sends along these two shots from her lovely, zen studio:




Here are a couple of pictures of my workspace, which is called "Tin Can Studio" as the space is in a metal building. I have two main tables, a small drafting table and a larger stainless one, so I can spread pages out while I work. It helps continuity of the images to have the sketches, roughs, and final art all visible at the same time. There is a 2x4 board that runs along two walls. It has a channel routed in it to hold the pages along the wall. That way illustrations can be visualized around the room following the storyboard order. This is a great way to find what doesn't work well as well as what does!

Check out Elizabeth's beautiful art here.

Elizabeth Blake has a new website

I snagged this fine illustration from the snazzy new website of our colleague Elizabeth Blake. Check out the rest of her work here.

Port Townsend artist studio tour coming

Elizabeth Blake has passed on word that the Port Townsend Artist Studio Tour has at least two SCBWI members' studios included this year, Elizabeth's and Richard Jesse Watson's.

Why not enjoy a peaceful weekend in Port Townsend and visit as many studios as you like. There are 47 on the tour this year.

The tour runs the weekend of October 10-11 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Check the website for more details.