April 2026

Words from your Houston SCBWI Co-Regional Advisor

April is a season of fresh starts—and a perfect time to breathe new life into your creative work. I'm no publishing guru, but I've found that mixing things up works wonders. Sometimes that means finding a new spot to create. Sometimes it means switching mediums entirely. For writers, maybe that looks like setting down the pen and picking up a paintbrush.

If that idea appeals to you, our illustrators are always happy to have you join their events. A couple of Saturdays ago, I joined the IC for a figure drawing class. This past weekend, I drove up to Austin and painted a mural(!). Then I came home, sat down, and wrote out my novel's synopsis, sending it off for SCBWI's WIP contest. I don't think I could have written it as freshly if I hadn't wiped my mind clean with the art first.

Pro tip: if the thought of drawing stick figures feels discouraging, draw the mood instead; the mood of your story, your day, anything at all. It can look like colors and shapes, and that is still art (look up neuro art. We did this at the last retreat. Oh, and a plug—the next retreat is this Aug 28th!).

So, keep your notebook open, your sketchbook ready, and your willingness to try new things wide.

Annie Harmon

Co-Regional Advisor

SCBWI Houston

HOUSTON CHAPTER EVENTS

Critique Grou p s

About Us

Houston Events

We encourage you to view all of our events via our website.

Upcoming Meetings

Houston Chapter

Critique Group

MARK YOUR CALENDAR

Where: Tracy Gee Community Center

When: April 13, 2026

5:30 PM – 6:30 PM CST

What: An informal critique group to meet before most of our chapter meetings.

Details: All written and illustrated works-in-progress intended for the children’s market are welcome.

Please view the group's guidelines prior to attending. Free to all.

Authors and Illustrators are welcome to come to the critique session!

May's Chapter Meeting!!

Click here to register for the webinar

Fuel Your Craft

Houston Liftoff!

With the power of community, we are creating stories and illustrations in just 30 minutes! Join us on April 14 for the next community session. Remember, after the 30 minutes, we open the mics to share.

And maybe one of these stories or illustrations will be added to a Houston Lift-Off anthology.

Next Illustrator Sketch Night - April 16!

How does Illustrator Sketch Night work on ZOOM? We enjoy a quick visit and share for the first 10-15 minutes, and then it is independent work time. I provide an optional drawing prompt in addition to the SCBWI #DrawThis option if you didn't come with a project of your own. When the timer stops, we share our progress! Just think, all the advantages of a group of creatives doing what creatives do, but without the drive in Houston traffic!

Stay In the Know

Click to Join the Self-pub Contact List

Keep an eye on our social media for

announcements about area socials!

Interest Form

A stronger community-together on Discord

This only works if we come together as a community—checking in, sharing ideas, lifting each other up and being lifted up.

Join Our Discord

Space City Scribes Blog

Read Sydney Dunlop's Interview Here!

April Fools

A silly worry on its way.

It will soon be April first.

No limits to the pranks that day.

So, we all expect the worst.

Prank calls and sneaky things.

One day without the rules.

Beware of even small jokes.

Because of April Fools!

Spring is Here

Wake up! Hurry. Wake up!

A squirrel surprised a rabbit.

Winter is turning into Spring.

Let’s change our sleeping habit!

Don’t you feel the warmer weather?

Can’t you smell the newness growing?!

Wake up! You silly rabbit!!

Let’s get our “happy” going!

Squirrel knocked on rabbit’s door again.

Winter’s leaving town, He said.

So loud it woke the family up.

Come outside! Get out of bed!

Squirrel and his family were smiling.

Rabbit's family was too!

Spring is here! It’s busy time.

There’s so many things to do.

Squirrel got the chance to be.

This year’s Paul Revere.

And go to all his friends to say:

Wake up cause Spring is here!!!

Have News? Share It With Us For

Our Members Corner Newsletter!

(published the 10th of each month)

Submit author & illustrator news for the next newsletter by the 5th of each month via this form. Event submissions for member book launches and signings can be added to our regional calendar! Please be sure to include the date, time, and location.

Make Your SCBWI Experience More Local:

Set Your Home Region

The SCBWI has introduced a new "Home Regions" feature that makes it easier than ever to stay connected to your local community.

Why choose a home region?

– Get updates on local events and opportunities

– Connect with your regional volunteers and help them better serve your area

– Strengthen your connection to the SCBWI community

Follow these simple steps to select your home region and follow others that interest you:

Log in and go to Member Home > My Profile > Edit My Profile. Scroll down the settings and click the arrow beside “Set your home region, and add others you’re interested in.”

Go to "Member Home" then click "My Awards" to find monthly opportunities!

SCBWI Regional Events

Remember to check out webinars hosted by SCBWI regions! See the Regional Virtual Events page to see what's coming up for novelists, picture book writers, illustrators, and more.

Our Volunteers

From left to right: Jacob Reynolds, Margaret Lea, Tiffany Obeng, Jennie Smith (above), Sabina Grey was webmaster, now retired (below), Annie Harmon (above) Lynne Kelly (below) Kaye Marc-Charles, and Jim Smolski. Missing: Sydney Dunlap, Sanyu Ntanda, Sam Kelty, Kemi Ogunyemi, Tonya Ellis, Michelle Watts, Annika Royston, and Theresa Villarreal.

Regional Team

Co-Regional Advisor:

Kaye Marc-Charles

Co-Regional Advisor:

Annie Roi Harmon

Asst. Regional Advisor:

Margaret Lea

Illustrators Coordinator:

Jennie Smith

Regional Advisor Emeritus:

Vicki Sansum

Chapter Volunteers

General Webmaster

OPEN!

Newsletter Editor

Neysa Varnum

Critique Group Coordinator:

OPEN!

Newsletter Column Writer:

Jim Smolski

Kidlit Correspondents:

Annika Royston

Margaret Lea

New Membership Coordinator

Michelle Watts

Programming Chair:

Tonya Ellis

Social Event Coordinator

Sanyu Ntanda

Local Event (Pod) Coordinators:

OPENINGS!

PAL Coordinator

Self-Pub Coordinator

Social Media Crew

Discord Moderator

Mentorship Program

OPEN Volunteer Positions

We want to create a chapter that is more involved, engaged, and active, and we need your help to do it!

Click here to apply.

Stay on top of the latest SCBWI News!

Join the conversation in Discord! Sign up here!

Newsletter Tip: Be aware of message clipping! To make sure you're getting the full newsletter, by looking for this message at the bottom of the email:

"[Message clipped] View entire message"

If you're not already, please follow us on social media!

and now on BLUESKY!!

click here to FOLLOW US!

Suggestion Box

Have an idea on how to improve Houston SCBWI?

Leave a suggestion in our Suggestion Box!

Chapter Logo and Header Design by Marissa Valdez

Houston Liftoff Design by Jill Wegner

News and other information may be passed on without attribution; original artwork and writing are the property of their creators and may be reproduced only with written permission.