An idyllic summertime Great Critique

Amidst rumors of 15-mile freeway backups, many participants set out tentatively to last weekend's Great Critique in Olympia, only to arrive early at the Evergreen State College campus on a pristine late summer morning, ready to share a few pages of their latest project. The soothing breeze blowing in from the north served everyone well as the sun heated things to a perfect 75 degrees.

By noon most everyone had arrived and small knots of people conversed noisily while seated on lawn chairs or plastic and steel numbers provided by the college. They brought brown-bag lunches, potluck desserts, sandwiches and fresh veggies, or Starbucks drinks to prepare for soul-baring critiquing. 

At 1:00 p.m., organizer Tony Dorrough introduced faculty members and then each group split off. “One group disappeared down a flight of concrete steps and behind a building, another found the shade of an exquisite tree, and still another climbed a manicured bluff overlooking all of the others,” says Tony. “My group decided to hang fairly close to others that remained in the college’s famed Red Square. We spent the rest of the afternoon in idyllic conditions, surrounded by the park-like scenery and summer smells, listening to stories, and discussing illustrations and layouts. It was a sunny slice of writer heaven, and I can't wait for next year.”

Among the positive feedback the event received afterward was this comment, “Thank you for putting together a really great critique. I've been to quite a few, but have not enjoyed any as much as I did ours today. I got very valid and useful feedback. And it was fun.”

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.

Fall Inside Story is coming!

Do you have a new book or one coming out soon? If so, you may be eligible to present at Inside Story, SCBWI Western Washington’s twice-yearly celebration of new books.

We invite our members, area booksellers, and librarians to view three-minute presentations from eligible PAL (Published and Listed) members. The application deadline is September 30, 2014, and the event will be held Tuesday, November 4 from 7:00-9:00 p.m. at Park Place Books.

A limited number of applications will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. To be eligible, you need to be able to say "yes!" to all of the following:

• You are an SCBWI member at the PAL (published and listed) level and your profile at SCBWI.org is updated to reflect this.
• You live in the official Western Washington region. (Check your profile if you're uncertain.)
• Your publisher is on SCBWI’s list of recognized (traditional) PAL publishers. You can find the accepted publisher list by going to your SCBWI member profile page, clicking “Add” in the “Books” section under “Publications.” Find “Publisher” (not “Other Publisher”) and type in your publisher’s name in the box that says, “Start typing…” Exceptions to PAL published books include self-published books that were originally published by a PAL publisher, books that are a continuation of a PAL published series, and Spark Award books.
• Your book is released between three months before and three months after the month of the Inside Story event (August 2014 to February 2015).
• Your book is readily available through normal trade channels (e.g., Baker & Taylor).

Find the application form here. And even if you're not planning to present this time around, please mark this event on your calendar. You won’t want to miss it!

A thousand plus one...

We already suggested about a thousand book events you might want to make this month. Here's another: Mike Curatio, author and illustrator of Little Elliot, Big City, will be at Third Place Books in Ravenna this coming Monday night, September 22, at 7:00 p.m.

Need a kick in the Muse?

Member Lois Brandt is teaching her popular “Write a Novel in a Month” class at Bellevue College North Campus starting October 14. Join this class as it hooks up with 100,000 writers worldwide for National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo). The first class sessions prepare you for the process, with practice in characterization, setting, plot, voice, and dialogue. Then we're off and writing 50,000 word manuscripts. During the last class we plan for revision. This is a great way to write your novel in a supportive environment.  Cost $195.

Tuesday evenings, 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

October 14 to December 9

Bellevue College North Campus

Register or contact Lois (the author of the new Maddi's Fridge) with questions.

October preview: Agent Brianne Johnson

Brianne Johnson, an agent with Writers House, will be SCBWI Western Washington's featured October speaker in about a month, on October 16. She'll also be presenting a master class called Essential Elements of the Middle Grade Novel and giving limited manuscript consultations on the following day. The consultations are already sold out, but it's not too late to sign up for the master class — and you'll definitely want this season's Professional Series programming passport, so you can come to her keynote! Get more info about these opportunities and our whole season. You'll find the link to register there, too.

Read brief interviews of Brianne here or here or here or here, or check out her bio on Publisher's Marketplace.

Lois and Laurie in PW!

Lois Brandt, you earned a shout-out for a fantastic spotlight appearance of your book, Maddi's Fridge, in today's Publisher's Weekly/Children's Bookshelf! Lois' book shows up as a "click to win a copy" promotion, and it's smack in the middle of today's Children's Bookshelf news section. To see it in all its glory, click here.

Laurie Thompson, not to be outdone, also appears in the In Brief section, which shows a photo from last weekend's terrific launch party for Be a Changemaker.


To see the fabulous visual, click here.


So exciting to see our local talent recognized and shown to such a huge audience! High fives!

About a thousand book events you'll want to attend

Sept. 15: Mac Barnett discusses and signs Telephone. 6 p.m., University Book Store, Bellevue. Yep, tonight! Go get him.

Sept. 15: This just in! Mike Curato, author and illustrator of Little Elliot, Big City, will be here on Monday night for a special event. 7 p.m., Third Place Books/Ravenna. _________________________________________________________________________________

Sept. 17: Karen Finneyfrock and Elissa Washuta. WordsWest Literary Series hosts Finneyfrock, author of Starbird Murphy and the World Outside, and Washuta, author of My Body Is a Book of Rules. 7 p.m., C & P Coffee Company.

Sept. 19: Aaron Becker discusses and signs Quest. 7 p.m., Secret Garden Bookshop.

Sept. 22: Obert Skye signs Katfish. 6:30 p.m., Third Place Books. Signing line ticket with book purchase required.

Sept. 23: Obert Skye discusses and signs Creature From My Closet and Katfish. 6:30 p.m., Secret Garden Bookshop.

Sept. 24: Frank Portman discusses and signs King Dork. 6 p.m., University Book Store, Bellevue.

Sept. 25: Kazu Kibuishi and Raina Telgemeier discuss and sign their graphic novels. 7 p.m., University Book Store. Or don't miss them at SPL and KLDN the next day.

Sept. 28: Gayle Forman and Jandy Nelson discuss and sign Forman’s If I Stay and Where She Went and Nelson’s I’ll Give You the Sun, respectively. 3:30 p.m., University Book Store.

Sept. 29: Karma Wilson reads from her new book, Bear Sees Colors. 7 p.m., Secret Garden Books.

Sept. 30: Diane Muldrow discusses and signs Everything I Need to Know About Christmas, I Learned from a Little Golden Book. 7 p.m., Secret Garden Bookshop.

Sept. 30: Our own Lish McBride discusses Firebug. 7 p.m., Third Place Books.

Kazu, Kartoons, and KLDN

Kazu

Raina

Itching to meet and tip a bev with famous graphic novelists? Here's your chance. New York Times bestselling graphic novelists Kazu Kibuishi (Amulet: Escape from Lucien) and Raina Telgemeier (Sisters) will read from their new books at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, September 26, at the Northeast Branch of the Seattle Public Library.

Flush with all of your public acclaim, they'll join our Kid Lit Drink Night at 8:00 p.m. at the Pub at Third Place. Come chat and chill!

You can read more about both graphic novelists at the links above or through Kazu's video and Raina's website.

Lois Harris writing class

Writing for Children: Polishing for a Successful Submission 

Do you have a rough draft of a children's article or story? Improve and revise your manuscript for submission by learning self-editing tips, the correct format, structural elements, and important first-page essentials. Learn how to research and choose the right magazine or book publisher for your particular work, create an effective cover, proposal or query letter and what to include, and how to keep track of your submissions. Taught by Lois Harris, author of Maxfield Parrish: Painter of Magical Make-Believe.

 

Location: Skagit Valley College, Mount Vernon Campus. 

Dates: October 9, 2014 and October 16, 2014 (Thursdays) 6:30 PM to 8 PM

Cost: $49 

 

Register for 6089 CENGL 056.

Attention, Great Critique-ers!

Since there are quite a few of you heading south to Olympia on Saturday, PLEASE BE AWARE OF TRAFFIC CONDITIONS on I-5 this weekend and plan your trip accordingly!

Excerpted from this article:

Drivers who cannot avoid I-5 in Olympia at these times are advised to:

• Consider traveling through the area before 10 a.m. or after 8 p.m.
• Stay informed by checking WSDOT traffic alerts webpage, following WSDOT’s regional Twitter account and calling 5-1-1.
• Expect considerable delays with miles of stop-and-go traffic.
• Be prepared: Have a full tank of gas, have diversionary games for children traveling in the car, and pack patience.
• Allow plenty of extra time to reach travel destinations.

And then comes Tom

Local author Tom Brenner will read his newest picture book, And Then Comes Christmas, which is a must have holiday book and a beautiful follow-up picture book to And Then Comes Halloween. Please come celebrate Tom Brenner’s second book at Mockingbird Books in Green Lake.

WHEN: Saturday, September 13 at 11am