Next Creative Salon on August 26th!

Eastsiders, mark your calendars!

Come have some creative fun in the sun. Join SCBWI Creativity Liaison Joni Sensel for our next informal Creative Salon on Sunday, Aug. 26, 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m (or thereabouts) at Lewis Creek Park in Issaquah (5808 Lakemont Blvd SE). Bring a phone or other device capable of taking photos. (Like those old-fashioned… whattaya call ‘em? Cameras.) No need to RSVP; just show up, dressed for being outdoors. Kids 10 and up are welcome, if you like (with you! Not alone). We’ll meet just outside the visitor’s center for a nature-infused spa session for your imagination and a chance to play with kidlit friends. If you’re new, welcome! And look for someone waving an SCBWI sign.

For those who plan too far ahead: October’s Creative Salon will be in the Tacoma vicinity with our South Sound Network; stay (loosely) tuned for details.

December meeting footnote

If you missed the December meeting, well, we're sorry, because it was spectacular! Not only did we have the annual holiday cookie contest, the book swap, some creative caroling, and a bit of comfortable mingling, but we also welcomed back our own Joni Sensel to SCBWI-WWA. Joni presented a talk titled "Here Abide Monsters," which was based on her Vermont College of Fine Arts MFA thesis, about using in-between spaces to create tension and suspense in our writing. Joni explained that spaces that are between--such as hallways, stairs, cliffs, even graveyards and key dates and times--make us uneasy because danger can come from more than one direction and the rules we are used to following may be in flux. They can also, however, represent opportunity or freedom, so there's a natural tension between risk and reward. She presented advice, examples, a handout, and an exercise to help us think about applying these concepts to our works in progress. I know many of us went away inspired to put these new ideas into practice!

And, looking ahead to our January meeting, stay tuned for previews on our fabulous pair of presenters, Holman Wang and G.G. Silverman. Wednesday, January 20 at 7pm! Be there!

Oh, what a night! - part two

And then there was Joni.
(Yes, she's in shadow. But, one might argue, her power point was off the hook. Because, Joni.)

Joni Sensel, goddess of the liminal.
We came, we heard, we left with full bellies and brains.

Joni's presentation, the evening's main attraction, was a brilliant exploration of liminal settings in storytelling. By "liminal" Joni meant "transitional," from the Latin limen, or, literally, threshold. She carefully delineated the ways in which settings of stories can provide extra meaning or tension by placing scenes in transitional places: a car, the water's edge, a cliff, an elevator, etc. The dynamic of a scene when the characters are located in a semi-permanent setting sets off their own transformation, and so their quests/journeys are deepened.

In short, this was a heady, dizzy, and mind-blowing theme. We all spent about 15 minutes on our own works in progress using this idea and plugging it into our major scenes and conflicts. There certainly were some epiphanies crackling all around the auditorium.

We are so lucky to have Joni back, and luckier still that her brain opened up and let us have a peek at its machinations. It was a truly sensational talk, and it is sure to reverberate for attendees for months to come. Yes, folks, it was THAT GOOD.

So, yes, it was quite a night––celebratory, revelatory, and gustatory!

Wednesday Meeting!

NOM NOM NOM NOM NOM NOM NOM NOM NOM!

In case you didn't recognize it, that's the sound of cookies. Being eaten. Potentially by YOU!

In case you didn't remember, it's THIS WEEK. Wednesday, December 16, to be exact.

In case you didn't read your email, the fabulous JONI SENSEL will be speaking about Setting!

In case you can't make it, fear not:We'll miss you! We will eat your cookies.

NOM NOM NOM NOM NOM NOM NOM NOM NOM!

P.S. Don't forget to bring your books for the annual Book Exchange! Take as many as you bring, and let's rotate our collections. All leftover books will be given to charity.

The Cookie Meeting is coming....

...and bringing the incredible JONI SENSEL with it!

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 16, folks!

It's less than a week away.

It's going to be fabulous.

It's going to send your taste buds into orbit.

It's going to challenge and inspire you.

It's going to be loud.

It's going to be fascinating.

It's going to involve a lot of crumbs.

It's going to involve a lot of friends.

It's going to be AMAZING.

What: SCBWI-WWA Monthly Programming Meeting

When: Wednesday, December 16 at 7pm (6:30 if you want more cookies!)

Where: Seattle Pacific University, Demaray Hall

(NOM NOM NOM NOM NOM NOM NOM NOM)

Joni on location! Be there!

Spooky spaces... dangerous places… awe-inspiring locations. They’ve got something in common, and with a little insight, you can use that secret to make your stories and illustrations more gripping. Come to our Professional Series Meeting next Wednesday, December 16, when our featured speaker and amazing former Regional Adviser Joni Sensel will hand over a (slightly) magic secret to creating settings that will give your work extra oomph. 

 

Set the scene with Joni Sensel!

 

Just a few of the books she’ll be using as examples include The Dark by Lemony Snicket, The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater, and The Man Who Walked Between the Towers by Mordicai Gerstein. If you already have these books at home, take another quick glance to see if you can spot what they have in common. (Which is pretty cool when you realize one is a fictional picture book, one is a novel, and one is nonfiction.) If not, several of these and other exemplary titles will be for sale that night by our pals at Secret Garden––so you can learn about that common magic and then pick up the books to see it in action yourself. (And grab some holiday gifts while you’re at it!)

Finally, a wee bit of advance prep will help you get the most of out the night, which is going to be partly discussion and partly a mini-workshop. So come with either a short list of your WIP’s most important settings or have those locations (and times) in mind.

Plus don’t forget it’s our annual cookie contest that night! Enter to win or just plan to enjoy your fellow creators’ labors! Cookies and magic — what more could you ask for this time of year?

 

 

 

 

 

 

December meeting: JONI! COOKIES!

MUNCH ADO ABOUT EVERYTHING!

COOKIE CONTEST!

JONI, JONI, JONI!

Our most crowded meeting of the year (did someone say COOKIES??) features our former RA Joni Sensel, who is now returned to the Pacific Northwest after earning her MFA. Hooray!

Concerning Cookies:

Make at least one dozen cookies. (2 dozen is puh-LENTY.)
Please bring them before 6:30pm. You will be directed to the setup area.
Label them with your name and the cookie's name.
Always: Points will be given for presentation!
Winner will receive PRIZES. FAME. GLORY! 
Contest closes at 7pm, so that the judges' tasting may commence.

 Get baking! The judges are getting HUNGRY!

Read this: Ursula K. LeGuin on "Go Set a Watchman"

Thanks, Joni Sensel, for sharing this fantastic tidbit from the inestimable Ursula K. LeGuin: It centers on the sequel (prequel?) to Harper Lee's GO SET A WATCHMAN, which has raised considerable questions within the writing community and well beyond. In fact, this whole blog is fantastic. Subscribe. Peruse. Soak in the wisdom and the perspective on books, reading, and life. Enjoy!

Good luck, Joni!

Joni's 1000-watt smile!

Sigh.....

 It's time to pay homage and offer up some monolithic high-fives to the incomparable Joni Sensel, our former Regional Advisor and Chinook Editor and...and...and...well, what DIDN'T she do for SCBWI-WWA? Joni's thoughtful and deeply entrenched involvement with our chapter is the stuff of legend. She is dedicated, hardworking, knowledgeable, organized, efficient, and continued to leave her mark long after moving to Ohio.  But now––sigh––a MFA program and future greatness beckons, and there's only so much one person can do! With resignation, and understanding, we understand that this is Joni's time to focus on her next chapter.

Kim Baker, Laurie Thompson, Joni

In short, we want to recognize Joni's extraordinary efforts, her incredible can-do spirit, her intelligence and her ability to let her hair down and have a great time. Joni, you will be missed. We anticipate great things from you as you enter this next phase of your life. We wish you well and thank you for all your passion, friendship, rigor, encouragement and professionalism. To follow Joni as she rides off into the sunset, check out her great web site.

 Go forth and conquer! We can't wait to read your next novel!
And all the ones after that!

With love and best wishes,

SCBWI WWA AdCom!
SCBWI WWA members!
SCBWI in general!



From Kim Baker, former Regional Advisor and Assistant Regional Adviser with Joni:

Joni has been such an AMAZING friend and asset to the region. She was one of the first people that I met when I joined, and always so warm and helpful to newbies and pros alike. She’s worn so many hats and brought her amazing skills to benefit so many. I’m not sure most people realize how hard she’s worked to make SCBWI Western Washington so special. Spreadsheets, budgets, brainstorming, coaching, delegating, managing, advising, planning- a lot of that done while the rest of us slept. It was an honor to serve as Assistant Regional Advisor while Laurie and Joni were at the helm. She makes a great leader-- always levelheaded, respectful, and take charge. It won’t be the same without her, and she will be missed! Can’t wait to see what she does next.

Uh-oh! That looks fun/like trouble! (Joni, Laurie, Kim)

From Laurie Thompson, co-RA with Joni:  "I can't imagine anyone I would've enjoyed working with as co-RA more than Joni. She's compassionate yet level-headed, creative yet logical, hard-working yet fun-loving. I can't wait to see what she does next!"

Find a Trusted Reader for Your Middle-Grade Novel

Writing the middle-grade novel means writing in that fine line between the mind of a child and the uncharted territory of an adolescent. At the Whole Novel Workshop, we offer trusted readers on our faculty who are also published authors and editors working on fiction targeted for middle school children. If you have a manuscript that you think deserves a trusted reader, join Tami Lewis Brown , Sarah Aronson , Melanie Kroupa, Kent Brown -- and our own Joni Sensel -- in July for the Whole Novel Workshop for Middle Grade Fiction. One of the faculty will read and critique your novel to tell you what's working and what needs work. Then, we'll spend a week writing, talking, and working together to make your story better. After it's all done, we'll send you home with a plan to keep the good work flowing.

For more information about the Whole Novel Workshop, which takes place near Honesdale, PA, contact Jo Lloyd at 570-253-1192, or email Jo at jo.lloyd@highlightsfoundation.org or visit their website.

Good News for Joni Sensel

Congrats and a big round of applause to our own Joni Sensel!! Joni is one of five winners for the She Writes "Young Adult Novelist" contest.

The five winners will get feedback on their synopses and excerpts, as well as guidance about next steps toward publication from agents ELIZABETH KAPLAN (Elizabeth Kaplan Literary Agency) and KIRBY KIM (William Morris Endeavor), and editors MICHELLE H. NAGLER (Bloomsbury), LANIE DAVIS (Alloy), and STACEY BARNEY (Penguin Putnam).

You can visit She Writes here. You can also visit Joni's website to find out more about Joni, and her work.

The Write Path Review and Giveaway

Fellow SCBWI WWA member Dorine White has posted a review of Joni Sensel's new book, THE SKELETON'S KNIFE, on her blog. Plus, she's giving away a signed copy! Here is the link. The contest runs for eight more days. Thanks Dorine!!!

To learn more about Joni, and her third book in the Farwalker Trilogy (which I can't wait to read!), you can check out her website.

Whidbey Writers Workshop January 2012 Residency Opportunity

The Whidbey Writers Workshop MFA Program is offering a holiday special!

Participation in the January 2012 Residency Only Program at The Captain Whidbey Inn, plus a water view cabin for 9 days and nights for only $1500.

For details about the Residency, including twice as many guest speakers as ever before, see the website.

The Residency begins with orientation sessions on Friday, January 6, with classes beginning January 7 and ending January 15, 2012. Our own amazing Joni Sensel will be one of the speakers on the first weekend!

For more information about the program content, contact Wayne Ude at ude@nila.edu.

For sign up and registration information, contact Asharaine Machala (Student Services Coordinator) at nila(at)whidbey.com.

Free Workshops with Joni Sensel

Need more words to meet your NaNo challenge? A little world-building is a great way to do it, while adding depth to your work at the same time. Joni Sensel will lead a couple of workshops on world-building in mid-November, and they’re all FREE:

• November 15, 4 – 5 p.m., Lake Forest Park library (adults or teens welcome)
• November 17, 7 - 9 p.m., PNWA monthly meeting, Chinook Middle School, Bellevue (If you’re not a member, PNWA allows guests to attend one meeting a year) ETA: Actually, this one's a public event sponsored by the King County Library System, so all are welcome!
  

She’ll also be leading a free workshop in writing for middle-grade and YA readers on November 19, from 2-3 p.m., Richmond Beach library. This one’s an intro session. Questions? Email joni (at) jonisensel.com

Happy tidings for The Farwalker’s Quest

Here's proof that even a book that’s been out more than a year can still get a little attention: Joni Sensel’s THE FARWALKER’S QUEST (Bloomsbury, 2009) was just named on the 2010 Bank Street Best Books list and will also be featured on Education.com’s 2010 Summer Reading Guide, which highlights only 10 titles per age category. (See that whole list here.)

Congratulations, Joni! I don't know how you do all you for SCBWI and still have time to write books people love--you're an inspiration for us all.

Daniel Handler/Lemony Snicket event postponed

Daniel Handler, the genius behind Lemony Snicket, was coming to Benaroya Hall on March 5 at 7:30 p.m. as part of the Seattle Arts & Lectures series.

It's been postponed till fall, though. This means we can all go to Joni Sensel's book launch on Friday without worry that we're missing out on an Unfortunate Event.

On plagiarism and "mixing"

Joni has a great post on a new plagiarism scandal--this time involving a German teen who's getting praise for her work, despite ripping parts off wholesale from another author.

Read what Joni has to say. (And right on, Joni!)

Celebrate Joni Sensel's new book

Our very own RA, Joni Sensel, has a new book coming out--and you'll definitely want to be part of the experience.

Librarian Betsy Bird called the first book in the series, THE FARWALKER'S QUEST, a book that will touch readers and stay with them "for years and years."

The sequel, THE TIMEKEEPER's MOON, is on its way, and Joni's having a party to celebrate at Secret Garden Bookshop in Ballard.

The party's at 7 p.m. on March 5 at Secret Garden, which is at 2214 NW Market St.

Joni promises moony trivia with prizes and Farwalker flat apple pie. Yum!

5th Annual Field’s End Writers’ Conference

Lots of familiar face presenting at this conference--it sounds great!

Registration is open for the 5th Annual Field’s End Writers’ Conference to be held Saturday, April 17 at Kiana Lodge, on the shores of Agate Passage just north of Bainbridge Island. Enjoy a day of camaraderie, inspiration, and learning about the art and craft of writing.

This year’s keynote speaker is environmental journalist Bruce Barcott, 2009 Guggenheim Nonfiction Fellow and author of The Last Flight of the Scarlet Macaw, named one of the best books of 2008 by Library Journal. Award-winning poet and performance artist Dr. Gloria Burgess will be opening speaker, discussing “Creative Perseverance: For Such a Time as This.” Founder and Principal of Jazz, Inc., her books include Legacy Living and Dare to Wear Your Soul on the Outside.

Several authors for children and young adults will offer presentations: Anjali Banerjee on “Knowing When to Stop Revising”; David Patneaude on “What If? What Then?”; Alma Alexander on “It’s Not Just Harry’s World”; Carmen T. Bernier-Grand on “Writing Vivid Biographies for Children”; and Joni Sensel on “Green and Growing: Ecology Topics for Children’s Fiction.” Children’s book author George Shannon serves as Master of Ceremonies.

Publicist Alice B. Acheson will present a workshop, “A Dozen Steps to Find a Literary Agent or Publisher.”

Other features this year include a professional panel of three industry experts examining the topic “Writing Outside the Lines: State of the Industry,” a “Writing Aerobics” hands-on workshop with Kathryn Galbraith that will jump-start your writing by using all of your senses, and an open reading session. The event also includes a continental breakfast, delicious salmon or vegetarian lunch, and a cheese and wine book signing reception.

Please visit www.fieldsend.org to register.

Assorted bits of good news

Joni Sensel's THE FARWALKER'S QUEST is a finalist in the middle grade fantasy category of the Cybils award (right between Laini Taylor and Neil Gaiman--what a talent sandwich).

Our former member Joan Holub has an easy reader on the list: SHAMPOODLE.

Justina Chen is on the list in the YA category for the oft-starred NORTH OF BEAUTIFUL.

Our honorary member Lisa Schroeder also gets a nod in the YA category for FAR FROM YOU.

And in other bits of happiness, Brenda Z. Guiberson's LIFE IN THE BOREAL FOREST is featured today on Anastasia Suen's site (and it was featured last night in my living room; my 9-year-old wanted to know how Gennady Spirin did the fantastic illustrations).

http://6traits.wordpress.com/2010/01/04/nonfiction-monday-life-in-the-boreal-forest/