Upcoming Events, May-June 2018

If we are in the prelude of the lazy days of summer, why does it feel so busy? No matter, we hope you're finding sunny moments for creating, reading, and celebrating stories. Here's what's coming up this month, starting tonight!

May 24
YA author Sandhya Menon brings us another sweet romance at Third Place Books in Seward Park.

May 26
Wendy Wahman kicks off summer reading at the Barnes & Noble Columbia Center in Kennewick. She has many upcoming events-- check them out!

June 1
Temple Grandin will be at University Temple United Methodist Church to discuss Calling All Minds.

June 3
Help Sarah Jane Marsh launch Thomas Paine and the Dangerous Word at Brick & Mortar Books!

June 3
Wendy Wahman (see above)!


June 5
Join YA authors Kelly Loy Gilbert, Andrew Shvarts, and Tamara Ireland Stone for a discussion at University Bookstore.

June 9
So many of us have taken a writing class from Peggy King Anderson. Here's our chance to celebrate her! Join the party for Peggy's new middle grade historical fiction at Brick & Mortar Books!

June 9
Karen Robbins shares her book creating journey at The Charles Pink House in Port Townsend.

June 10
Wendy Wahman celebrates Nanny Paws, Eastside-style, at Brick & Mortar Books (see above).

June 11
Join YA authors Sabaa Tahir and Renée Ahdieh at Third Place Books in Lake Forest Park to hear about their latest releases.

June 14
Kat Sheperd rolls into town to celebrate her spooky middle grade debut at University Bookstore!

June 16, vol. 1
David Patneaude launches his latest YA novel, Fast Backward, from Brick & Mortar Books!

June 16, vol. 2
Hugo House presents another Write-O-Rama! $60 and a writing implement gets you an afternoon of 5 workshops of your choosing.

June 16, vol. 3

Wendy Wahman at Page 2 Books in Burien (see above). 

June 20

Suzanne Selfors and Dana Simpson visit West Seattle via Page 2 Books for their WordsWest Literary Series.

June 22-23

The Chuckanut Writers Conference returns for two days of writing workshops.

June 29-July 1

Katherine Grace Bond offers her 3rd annual "Full-Bodied Writing" Summer Retreat.

June 30

It's no lie that it's time to party for Laurie Thompson's latest at Brick & Mortar Books.

Events will be added periodically.  Did we miss something? 

Email us at news.scbwiwwa@gmail.com.

Double-check times and whatnot with bookstores before you set out for events. If you snap a great picture, tag us at @scbwiwwa on Instagram and/or Twitter, and we'll try to repost. If you have good news or an event coming up, let us know!

Support book culture.

Support independent bookstores and libraries.

Support authors.

❤️

Sunday thoughts (in advance of our retreat)

"MAKING ART

is like a dog rolling on his back in the grass. 

It's about glory in the commonplace."  
--our own Richard Jesse Watson

Have you thought about your purpose in life? There may be times when the only answer is getting through the day without __ (fill in the blank)__. You may spend a few decades focused primarily on raising compassionate new humans. Not to mention you feel a certain calling to create books.

Most kidlit people want to make books for kids for great reasons, including making the tough business of growing up a bit easier, or to build empathy, for instance. These reasons tend to focus on other people — our society — which is awesome.

But I’m going to say something kind of blasphemous in our circle: I’m not convinced it’s “a final answer” without thinking and talking more deeply about it.

The elephant in the room
I’ve heard both Linda Sue Park and Amanda (A. M.) Jenkins say, in rooms teeming with writers and illustrators, words to this effect: “The elephant in the room is that the vast majority of you will never be published.”

SCBWI focuses on helping you be one of the lucky ones. But.

Regardless of whether we end up in the Widely Read Club, many of us would/will/do continue to create characters and stories. Some find other ways to direct that creative energy, from volunteering for story time to local theatre to baking with abandon. All good. Either way, I think it’s valuable to think about why. Why and why again?

Demons and angels
I raised questions here about considering how your creativity relates to your psyche and your personal demons. An even bigger question — How does your creativity relate to whatever you perceive as a divine power? (Or to the universe or dharma or the Fibonacci sequence or anything else you consider sacred?)

Does your god (or a fecund universe) want you to create? Why? How? What if you don’t accept the first answer that arises, whether from your social or religious (or SCBWI) training, but keep asking why? From this perspective, what counts as good, even sacred, work? What, if anything, doesn’t?

We can be timid about tackling such questions. In fact, in some cultures and traditions, creativity is circumscribed, with some kinds of art off limits. There’s also some pretty interesting research about the relationships between the practice of religion and creative expression, and how they interact. When you think about such questions and perspectives, do you get sad, or curious, or defensive — or motivated?

For many people, the answers are private. But I think others of us can help each other by respectfully sharing our views and intuitions. So I hope you’ll sign up for our ninth annual Weekend on the Water retreat, Inspiration & Motivation for Creatives, which we’ll hold Oct. 13-15, and think about coming to what will likely be the most unusual (and perhaps unattended!) session at that event: Spiritual Connections. We’re also doing some other wild new things this year, including creativity workshops and other ways to create more resonant work. Registration is open now. Go sign up! — and keep musing.

Tiny Tootsie people on retreat!

Imagine biting into a Tootsie Roll… the taste, sensation, satisfaction... (or revulsion, I guess, if you don’t like Tootises). If you had to act out those sensations to someone who could see or hear you but couldn't taste or feel anything themselves, how would you do it?

Okay, now imagine shaping a little person out of clay. You are its creator. What will happen to your clay person? Do you turn it into a trophy or a playmate or a voodoo doll? Why?

What do these weird questions have to do with your writing or illustrating — or specifically with your work-in-progress — and how you can make it better?

Lots! Trust me. Though you might need a pointer or two to see just how much and how to put that insight to work. If these ideas sound both fun and challenging— and they will be! — consider registering for our ninth annual Weekend on the Water retreat, which we’ll hold Oct. 13-15. We’re doing some wild new things this year, with many sessions on creative jumpstarts and ways to dig in for more resonant work. Including, yes, the activities I’m teasing you with here. Registration is open now. Go sign up! — and get ready to mine rich veins of creativity while having a great time with friends.

Inspiration and Motivation for Creatives

Registration is now open! 

How do we foster and sustain creativity? Sometimes it takes a step away from the everyday. This year’s Weekend on the Water retreat is all about finding inspiration—whether you’re a writer or an illustrator, a seasoned pro or a pre-published beginner. The whole event—from setting to programming to the nourishment and extra activities—has been designed to help us delve deep into the sources of our work.

This intimate, creativity-focused retreat—appropriate for both writers and illustrators—will give you a step back from the daily grind to examine the emotional and psychological drivers of your work and how to capitalize on them. Highlights include:

• Explore your creativity and jump-start your inner muse with our powerful Insight Book session, other creativity workshops, and specific NaNoWriMo support.

• Connect with other writers and illustrators to address your most pressing concerns in spontaneous, peer-led sessions

• Bring a picture book manuscript and work on laying it out in a dummy in IslandWood’s art studio. 

• If you like, you can sign up to read your work to the group or exchange manuscript pages with a small group of peers. 

• If none of that activity appeals, and all you need is time to create, bring your laptop or sketch pad, find a cozy spot, walk in the woods, or take advantage of our yoga studio. 


Setting: Inspirational IslandWood

IslandWood’s mission is to foster children’s education and environmental stewardship. With 250 acres of natural forest, meadows, ponds and pathways, it offers the perfect setting for inspiration. The facilities offer comfort and opportunities for rejuvenation. Everything at IslandWood is sustainably built with beautiful, natural materials.

IslandWood is just a 35-minute ferry ride from downtown Seattle. But while in the cozy buildings and quiet woods, you’ll feel like you’re a million miles away. The retreat comes complete with special IslandWood programs, including:
    •    Hiking trail maps

    •    Fireside programs with s’mores

    •    Instructor-led yoga ($25 fee additional)


Accommodations
Some of the best experiences come from small moments, like quiet conversations with friends, both known and new. We offer both single rooms and shared rooms (with one, or at most two, roommates). All rooms have private baths, plus access to cozy common areas ideal for chatting, relaxing, reading, critiquing, or creating.

(We aren't using the top bunks -- unless you want one!)

IslandWood is designed to provide access to all. If you require special accommodation, please let us know and we'll work to ensure your comfort. IslandWood specializes in accommodating dietary restrictions, too.

The retreat fees, which start at $525 for the whole weekend, include all programming, two nights’ accommodations, six delicious meals, and s’mores by the fire, and we can help arrange transportation from the ferry dock, too.
 

Registration now open!

Get more details and register now for this great opportunity taking place starting on Friday, October 13 through Sunday, October 15, 2017. Registration will close when the retreat capacity is reached or September 27, 2017, whichever comes first.

Pre-Retreat Interview with Wendy Wahman

The brilliant Wendy!

One feature of this year’s fall retreat, Inspiration and Motivation for Creatives, will be the option to take part in two sessions with local author/illustrator Wendy Wahman. Our region’s creativity coordinator, Joni Sensel, asked Wendy a few questions about those sessions so you can get a sense of how exciting they’ll be.

Joni: How did you come up with your Insight Books process? 

Wendy: I learned how to make the books from my friend Arni Adler, who learned them from Darwin Nordin. One change I made was adding collage. It’s a simple concept, these little books, but each one blossoms into something entirely unique. And I have enough lesson plans for these babies for a 6-week course.

Joni: It sounds like a launch point for a lot! Maybe we can do more with them sometime soon. What’s your favorite thing about the process?

Wendy: They surprise me. It’s hard to take yourself unawares after decades of doing art, isn’t it? Though, wait. I’m lying. I surprise myself daily. But these little books begin with surprise. You take the random lines you’ve drawn and tie them together. Or maybe you untie them? You definitely untie something in yourself – and they’re way cheaper than therapy.

Joni: Ha ha, I actually think there may be a lot of inadvertent therapy happening at this retreat. We’ll see! Do you have other favorite things you turn to when you need inspiration or feel discouraged?

Wendy: Besides crying and snivelling? I take a walk, weed, pick up poo in the backyard. Yoga or meditation. Call someone. Look through books. All kinds of books, not just kid's or art books. The thesaurus is a dear friend.

But generally, I don’t struggle with motivation. I’ve always been a workhorse. I just get to work. Although, I do get very anxious and fearful. Exercise and meditation helps that enormously. (Say, it would be really cool to offer a group guided meditation at the retreat for anyone who wants to do it.)

Joni: I’ve been toying with that idea, actually. Our schedule’s packed with choices already but it’s designed for small groups following their heart and instincts, so we’ll see what folks are interested in and maybe we can fit it in.

Another of those choices is your two-part session for creating a picture-book dummy, of course. What’s your favorite part of that process?

Wendy: Oh, well, talk about surprise! Surprise, surprise, we just *think* we know the story that’s our little darling! Even if you do the art yourself, you can't see it all in your mind. We’re short-selling our darling by not letting her stretch out full length in her very own dummy, bon bons and all. 

Dummies are a great tool for unearthing “The 3 Ps” — pictures, page turns, and pacing. When you create a dummy, you see where pictures can tell the story, so automatically you see where you can trim words and even scenes. A picture’s worth a thousand words. Use the art to your story’s advantage. You see the flow of the story – where the pacing is off, the climax comes too soon, too much up front or behind. You find your page turns. Then you find better places for a page turn. It’s fun.

Joni: We can’t wait! In the meantime, what’s your next book coming out?

Wendy: I’m very excited about Pony in the City, which releases Sept. 12. The launch party (please come! Bring your pony!) is at 3:00 p.m. on Sept. 17 at University Bookstore in Seattle. There’s a book trailer! And right now I’m working on the color and cover art for Nanny Paws, which is coming out in the spring.  After that, I’ll be working on sequels for both.

Joni: Thanks for the, er, insights, Wendy! 

We’re looking forward to more at our Inspiration and Motivation for Creatives: Weekend on the Water retreat, which will take place Oct. 13-15 at an exciting new venue we've been eyeballing for years. Registration will open soon; watch your email and this space for details!

Novel Retreat with Janet Lee Carey and Katherine Grace Bond

Full-Bodied Novel Summer Writing Retreat

Hoping to take your writing to another level? Join Janet Lee Carey and Katherine Grace Bond for the Second Annual Full-Bodied Novel Retreat, July 21-23. Explore the writer's mind-body connection in a peaceful, relaxing setting at St. Andrew's House on Hood Canal. Authors Katherine and Janet invite you to explore your characters, plot, and setting using physical prompts, group interaction, and private reflection. Learn the practice of Deep Characterization and enter your story in a way you never thought possible. Katherine and Janet will offer one-on-one consultation on your manuscript. A professional massage therapist will provide a relaxing massage (included in retreat cost).

Earlybird discount: Use the code MAY12 to get $105 off when you register by May 12th.

Find more information here. 

Weekend on the Water message

 IMPORTANT MESSAGE FOR WEEKEND ON THE WATER APPLICANTS!

Here's a quick message from Lois Brandt, Weekend on the Water co-coordinator:

Acceptances have gone out for this fall's fabulous Weekend on the Water retreat. 

If you applied and have NOT heard back from the retreat, please email Lois Brandt (Lois@LoisBrandt.com).

Thanks!

SCBWI Oregon Fall Retreat

Here's a message from one of SCBWI-Oregon's Regional Advisers, Judith Gardiner:

 
To SCBWI-WWA members! We would love to extend an
invitation to your members to join us for SCBWI-Oregon's Annual Fall Retreat!

Dates: October 15–18, 2015




Faculty:

 

Heather Alexander, Agent, Pippin Properties

Marie Lamba, Associate Agent, The Jennifer De Chiara Literary Agency

Andrea Welch, Senior Editor, Beach Lane Books

Tiffany Liao, Associate Editor, Razorbill/Penguin Random House
Susan Blackaby, Author
Carolyn Conahan, Author/Illustrator

Come one, come all! 

REGISTRATION CLOSES OCTOBER 5, 2015!

Last chance: Weekend on the Water!

Last Day to Register for the Retreat! + A Teaser if You've Already Registered

Are you sharpening those pencils and hard drives?  Here are descriptions of two of our retreat workshops. Katherine and Noa are especially excited about the first workshop, which they will be teaching together: 

Structure, Plot, and Pacing: Revising for More Emotional Payoff

Rhythm and beats, cliff-hangers and red-herrings, climax and resolution--we'll discuss all of these plot elements and more as we look at building a story that never lags in the middle. Includes a discussion of a case study: Holes by Louis Sachar.

And here's one of Katherine's workshops:

The Body Electric: Creating Characters that Spark with Life

Learn how to create characters with rich inner lives, clear motivations, and problems that drive the plot. Look at examples and analyze why they work. Come away with concrete ways to make your characters into people that hold the reader's attention through the murky middle. 

If you haven't registered yet, click here.

See you in November!!

Lois & Allyson

Weekend on the Water

It's coming! Time to get applying, and fast!

Click here for all the details, in case you didn't get your email already! See you in November!

Weekend on the Water, 2015 edition

Wow! Do we have a retreat for you!

The 2015 Weekend on the Water Retreat
November 13–15
Dumas Bay Centre

 

 

 

The theme: "Shedding Light on the Murky Middle"

 

We are incredibly fortunate to be joined by: 

 

Katherine Jacobs, Senior Editor, Roaring Press Books

Independent Editor Noa Wheeler (formerly with Henry Holt Books for Young Readers)

Through lecture and workshops, Katherine and Noa will tap into their wisdom and experience to throw you the lifeline you need to drag your manuscript back from the Murky Middle—or better yet, keep it from getting there in the first place.

In addition to excellent tutelage and superb companionship, Weekend on the Water provides:

- Two nights’ lodging in a private room with a writing desk.

- Private half-baths available for an additional fee, on a first-come, first-served basis.

- A limited number of openings for writers who would prefer to lodge elsewhere, again, first-come, first-served.

- Six catered meals (with great respect paid to dietary restrictions)

- Opportunities to engage with faculty

- Free time for writing, walks, resting, and networking

- Optional peer critique groups

- Planned social activities

Retreat costs range from $300 to $500. The application process opens on August 7. Watch your email for the announcement. 

NOTE: Apply early for the greatest range of housing options.

 

Questions? Email Lois Brandt (Lois@loisbrandt.com)

Register NOW for Ilustrator's Retreat!

Weekend in the Woods!

October 1–4, 2015 at the Silvers Falls Conference Center, OR.

SCBWI OR/WWA Joint Illustrator Retreat
Registration opens July 1

Don’t miss out on this amazing event with our friends from Oregon, featuring
award-winning illustrators LeUyen Pham and Eric Rohmann. 

Click here for full details and to register on July 1. 

Only 24 spaces are available to each region, so don’t delay!

The perks of being a writer/illustrator....

Writers and Illustrators: 

Apply for a retreat at Centrum!

Spots are available in February and March, as well as through June, for Artist and Writer Residencies at Centrum in Port Townsend. Residents are given an apartment and access to the grounds and beach. The fee is $400 for the week. This is a marvelous opportunity to get away and work in a beautiful environment, near to the beach and woods. To apply contact Martha Worthley or apply online. 

For more information: http://centrum.org/residency-faq/

PS: If you and a buddy want to share a space and split the cost, that's okay!

PPS: What are YOU waiting for?

Only got a weekend?

SCBWI Oregon has opened weekend-only spots for their Oct. 16-19 retreat. (In other words, for Oct. 18 and 19, which means you could still hit Western Washington's kickoff on Oct. 16 and book down to Oregon for even more fun.) For those who can only come Saturday & Sunday, the SCBWI member cost is $250. That gets you all meals on Saturday, a shared room Saturday night, breakfast on Sunday, and retreat sessions both days.

The registration deadline is September 30th. Check it out.

Oregon retreat opportunity

Can't make our Western Washington retreat in November? Oregon still has spaces and manuscript critique spots at their south-of-our-border retreat on October 16-19, which will be held at Oregon Gardens Resort in Silverton (near Salem). Faculty will be Ariel Richardson and Matt Ringler, editors at Chronicle and Simon and Schuster, respectively, plus agents Fiona Kenshole with Transatlantic Agency and Danielle Smith with Red Fox Literary. Get full details or register here.

The deadline approacheth!

We're nearing the end of the submission period! If you're interested in joining the always-spectacular Weekend on the Water writer's retreat, please click here.

You will NOT be sorry!

Last chance to apply!

You've still got time!

Apply for this year's fantastic SCBWI Western Washington Weekend on the Water Professional Writers' Retreat. You just must have your application submitted by August 30.

The retreat will be held November 7 - 9 at Dumas Bay Centre. Our faculty will be Andrew Karre,  Editorial Director at Carolrhoda Books, and Sara Crowe, literary agent with Harvey Klinger, Inc. 

Plus, this is the opportunity many of you have been asking for: a more budget-minded professional writing retreat, with equally great faculty and learning opportunities but slightly simpler accommodations than at some of our past extravaganzas.

Get more details and apply.

Illustrators' Retreat is almost full!

Can we get a "woof-woof"?

Our Illustrators' Retreat is two spots shy of a full kennel...er, roster!



If you are still on the fence, what are you waiting for? Let us throw you a bone:


It's going to be FANTASTIC. No, it's going to be OFF THE LEASH!

To register, click here.

Register now for Weekend on the Water

It's that time of year, when you think ahead to the fall. That said, our annual Weekend on the Water writing retreat is now open for registration. Deadline for submissions to be received is August 30. We'll be in a new venue, with fabulous faculty, and we hope to see you there!

Join a bevy of fellow writers November 7–9, 2014, at the Dumas Retreat Centre in Federal Way. You will hone your craft under the expert tutelage of Andrew Karre, editorial director at Carolrhoda Books, and literary agent Sara Crowe of Harvey Klinger, Inc.

The theme of this year’s retreat: Know Thyself: Crafting a Durable and Personal Identity as a Writer. Through lecture and hands-on workshops, Andrew and Sara will convey how important and helpful it can be for a writer to know what his or her work is about—independent of trends or the broader market—and how this knowledge can help an individual manuscript and a writer’s long-term success.

At the retreat you will have:

Kindred souls. An inspirational setting. Time to write and learn.   

You will not have:

Dirty dishes to deal with. Meals to prepare. A dog that needs to pee at 6 AM.

Weekend on the Water also includes:

• Two nights’ lodging in a private room with writing desk at the Dumas Bay Centre in a spectacular natural setting.
• Six catered meals.
• Free time for writing, walks, resting, and networking.

Participation is selective and requires an application. Acceptance will be based on a blind screening of a brief application and manuscript sample.

To register and see additional information, please click here.

Illustrators, plan now to get away!

It’s time to start planning for SCBWI Western Washington and SCBWI Oregon's exciting, brand-new joint Illustrators' Retreat, which will take place this October 3-5, 2014, at the beautiful Dumas Bay Centre in Federal Way, WA. We'll welcome award-winning illustrators Kelly Murphy and Sergio Ruzzier to lead us in a weekend of sleeves-up craft, camaraderie, hard work, and relaxation. We will orchestrate both fun and some quiet for those needing that, too. It’s bound to be a fruitful weekend, and we can’t wait to spend it with you.

We have a limited number of spots available and a lot of interest, so be ready to register the minute registration opens. Affordable pricing options will be based on single or double occupancy and will include seven meals, small group workshops with both retreat leaders, optional ad hoc peer-led workshops, and optional evening programming.

Please make a note of these important dates:

July 14: Registration will open to SCBWI members in Western Washington and Oregon. Watch  your email for the invitation. Each of the two sponsoring regions have reserved 25 spots apiece. 

July 28: Registration restrictions end, and any spots remaining will be available to SCBWI members from any region and non-members.

August 11: Last day to cancel registration for a full refund (minus a small processing fee).

August 18: Registration closes (if we're not already sold out).

All this means you’ve got to be ready to act if you want to play! So mark your calendars, and we’ll see you in October!