Check Out This NW SCBWI WWA Author Schedule

Thanks to our very wonderful and talented Dana Sullivan for making this schedule!!!

Northern Network Schmooze--October 5th

Secret… Agent Man!

Secret… Agent Man!

The SCBWI Western Washington's Northern Network is exploring the secrets of agents... literary agents for children’s writers and illustrators, that is. Come spy out the mysteries of agents. Do you need one? How do you get one? What is it that they really do?

It’s no secret that the meet is at Barnes and Noble on Meridian Street in Bellingham.

The date is Wednesday, October 5.

The time is 1900-2000 hours (7:00-8:00).

The password is “Agent.”

Wear a trench coat for a prize!

Questions? Send a secret message to Rebecca VanSlyke, Northern Network Coordinator, at rebecca(at) rollokvanslyke(dot)com.


Want to be added to our Northern Network mailing list? Please email info(at)scbwi-washington(dot)org.

Change of Time & Venue for Cushman/Kvasnosky/Larson panel

Some cyber gremlins wrought havoc with the Northwest Bookfest 2011 schedule on the website and listed a wrong time and location for the "From Idea to Finished Book" panel featuring Karen Cushman, Laura Kvasnosky and Kirby Larson. The panel will be at noon on Sunday, October 2, at Parkplace Books! Hope to see lots of you there!

Another SCBWI WWA Member to See at NW Bookfest

Carole Estby Dagg will appear during NW Bookfest with adult fiction writer, Megan Chance, in a panel on writing historical fiction. Her event is scheduled for 2 p.m. Sunday, October 2, in the lobby of the Peter Kirk Community Center Lobby.

Call for workshop leaders for the May 18-19, 2012 SCBWI Oregon Conference!

We are looking for authors and illustrators who are interested in conducting a workshop, or maybe two, at our upcoming spring event. Here are the opportunities:

Friday May 18: Two-hour intensive workshop on craft (writing or illustrating). This session is broken up into presentation and working/sharing time.

Saturday May 19: One-hour workshop on topic of your choice, from beginning to advanced in nonfiction, picture books, MG, YA, magazine writing, etc.

Two authors chosen for Friday will also be paid to contribute to the WOW session that day.

We are offering: free attendance to both days and you will only work one; $50 per session; $35 per individual critique if you are willing to do those; book sales opportunity with our 20% fee waived; Faculty dinner on Saturday evening; One year membership in the SCBWI.

Please send your topic/s proposal with a brief description along with your experience as a workshop leader to:

Judi Gardiner, judithgardiner@scbwior.com.

While you may not be chosen for the 2012 event, your information will be filed for future events here in Oregon. We hope many of you step up, as we have expanded the agenda and want to include a variety of voices this year!

Deadline: November 1, 2011

Hope to hear from you,
Judi and Robin, conference organizers

Banned Books Week (Sept 25-Oct 1)

Thanks to Janet Lee Carey for sending this post!! Read an interesting post on Library Lions about Banned Books Week.

Lesley James, librarian at Douglass-Truth Branch of the Seattle Public Library roars about Banned Books,

"The serious fact is that every year books are removed from the shelves of libraries when library staff responds to patrons’ official complaints by choosing to censor. Librarians and other educators who consider themselves staunch supporters of the First Amendment want to bring this to the attention of the public so they can appreciate their Freedom To Read. It’s also a great opportunity to examine the issues and emotions that prompt those complaints and the prices we sometimes pay for having the freedom."

She also shows amazing displays, and talks about how she handles the subject of Banned Books when she visits schools. Swing by and read the article. It's only up for this week.

Participate in Page Ahead Fundraiser Wednesday by Dining Out

Going out to eat this Wednesday? You can dine out and help Page Ahead at the same time!! Page Ahead's fundraiser is tomorrow, Wednesday, September 28.

Page Ahead is Washington state's leading provider of children's literacy programs, serving 55,000 kids. Local restaurants will donate a percentage of sales tomorrow for Dish Up Literacy. Fellow SCBWI WWA member Julie Reinhardt's restaurant, Smokin' Pete's BBQ, is participating as well as locales in the greater Seattle area.

It's an easy fundraiser - all folks have to do is go out and eat! For the full list of restaurants and more information about Dish Up Literacy, go to their website.

Good News & Happy Book Birthday for Kiki Hamilton

Happiest Book Birthday wishes and a big HIP HIP HOORAY for Kiki Hamilton!! Her debut novel, THE FAERIE RING, releases today, Tuesday, September 27!!!

Victorian London, pickpockets, orphans, faeries, stolen rings, mysteries and a bit of romance – visit Kiki’s website for more information on Kiki, and her work!!

Seattle Graphic Artists Guild Workshop

What: Seattle Graphic Artists Guild presents Jason Hoppe and Retouch Live!

Why: Join us for Jason Hoppe and Retouch Live! Jason will take an audience member's photo and correct it right on the spot. You will be amazed at the difference this software can make. Check out the videos of the process on Jason's website.

Jason Hoppe is an Adobe Certified Expert in InDesign, Photoshop and Acrobat. Skilled in photo retouching, color correction and creative workflow consulting, Jason also is experienced in high-end electronic production.

When: September 28, 2011 12 p.m.

Where: EAFA Gallery at the Seattle Design Center, 5701 6th Avenue S. Ste. P292, Seattle

More info is available on their website.

Illustrator(s) Needed!

826 Seattle is in need of an illustrator to help with their Space Adventure Comic Book field trips. 826, located in a secret lair behind the Greenwood Space Travel Supply Company, is a nonprofit writing and tutoring center dedicated to helping youth, ages six to 18, improve their creative and expository writing skills.

On the first Thursday of each month, from 10 to noon, you will work with students to craft original space adventure stories. Their job is to shout out creative ideas; your job is to decipher what they are shouting and quickly draw it on a huge white board. Quick draw and conceptual skills a must, good hearing a plus. You will be helping each student create their own comic book to take back to school with them. Having fun with these creative little dervishes is incredibly rewarding, plus there's always the chance that they will love books and comics so much that they will buy yours.

Fellow 826 volunteers include Kevin Emerson, author of the wildly popular OLIVER NOCTURNE series and Lish McBride, author of HOLD ME CLOSER, NECROMANCER, recent winner of the Washington State Book Award. Coincidence? Volunteer and find out for yourself.

For more information or to say "Sign me up!" contact Alex Bleeker, Programs Coordinator, 826 Seattle. 206-725-2625, alexb@826seattle.org

Lois Harris Booksigning and NW Bookfest Event

Lois Harris will be signing her CHARLIE RUSSELL: TALE-TELLING COWBOY ARTIST book on October 1, at 2 p.m. in SCBWI’s booth at Northwest Bookfest in Kirkland. There will be other SCBWI members at the booth throughout the weekend as well.

In addition Lois, Clare Hodgson Meeker and Katherine Kirkpatrick will discuss Children’s Nonfiction as panelists during Northwest Bookfest, on Saturday, October 1, from 12-1 p.m., at the Kirkland Community Center, Room 2, 12421 103rd Ave. N.E. Tina Hoggatt will be moderating the panel. For more information on Lois, and her work, visit her website.

Good News for Erik Brooks

Cupcakes and Sunshine for Erik Brooks!!! Eric's fall 2010 book, POLAR OPPOSITES, won the 2011 Washington State Book Award for picture books!! You can read about it here on Erik's blog. Congratulations Erik!!