Words from your Houston SCBWI Assistant Regional Advisor | | | | |
A Farewell, Sort Of
No, I'm not going anywhere, only shifting roles from Assistant Regional Advisor to a regular SCBWI member. After ten years (!!!) as Houston's ARA, the time has come for me to step aside. I'm so happy to have been part of this chapter and have enjoyed getting to know our members and working with the wonderful team, past and present, to plan programs and events. Thank you all for making our chapter a strong and friendly one! I look forward to seeing you at our future events.
Though the official role is ending, I plan to still be active in SCBWI, while spending more focused time on writing books and being a grandma.
I know you'll give a warm welcome to Margaret Lea, our volunteer who's stepped into the ARA position.
Wishing everyone a joyous and peaceful holiday season!
Lynne Kelly
Assistant Regional Advisor
SCBWI Houston
| | | Tonight: December's Chapter Meeting!! | | |
We're excited to finally meet in person again! Our annual holiday party will be tonight at the Tracy Gee Center at 6:30pm. Join us for an evening of food, games, and social time with your Houston SCBWI community.
If you’d like to participate in the gift exchange, please bring a fun or thoughtful gift valued at $20 or less, and if you're bringing food to share, you can sign up using our SignUpGenius link.
Of course, if you just want to come to socialize and enjoy the company, that’s wonderful too!
We will also have a donation box for new and gently used books (picture books through YA) to be sent to Books Between Kids, a Houston-based nonprofit dedicated to getting books into the hands of children who need them most. Learn more about this book drive by visiting The Storyteller's Shelf Podcast.
| | For our first meeting of 2026, we're delighted to host award-winning author Julie Hedlund, who will present "How to be a Prolific Picture Book Creator." Two things make a difference in determining whether (and how often) you'll get picture books published. We'll talk about both of them in this session so you can start the year ready for success! | |
Fuel Your Craft
Sign up for our region's many activities below!
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The SCBWI Houston Critique Crew Connection is now open for sign ups. Connect with fellow children’s book creators in a supportive, online-only critique group tailored to your genre, experience level, and schedule. This SCBWI-exclusive program matches 3–6 members for a 6-month feedback journey, starting with a “Critique Basics” webinar and guided monthly check-ins. Whether you write picture books, middle grade, YA, nonfiction, or illustrate, you’ll find your story circle here.
Registration is open through December 15, 2025, and groups begin in February 2026 with a kickoff webinar.
This is a fantastic opportunity to receive consistent feedback, connect with other Houston writers and illustrators, and improve your manuscript in a professional and engaging environment.
Learn more and sign up on our website.
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Houston Liftoff!
With the power of community, we are creating stories and illustrations in just 30 minutes! Join us on December 9th 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.
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December 18th, 6:00 - 9:00 pm
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!
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Sunday afternoon FIGURE DRAWING session-- who wants to go?
Now that class is back in session, so are the figure drawing classes!
Come and play with us at
Art League Houston
The human figure has been the subject of art since the beginning of time. Every week, a live model is available for all to freely sketch, draw, or paint. Participants will be able to observe the model and explore different techniques of approaching the human form on paper or canvas. A proctor will be present during the class.
Open sessions are $20 per session for members or $25 per session for non-members and meet weekly on Thursday and Sunday from 1:00 – 4:00 PM, with all costs going directly back into the program. No pre-registration required – this is a drop-in program.
We will be going on...
Sunday, December 7th - 1:00 - 4:00pm
Click here to RSVP for Figure Drawing Field Trip!
Email Jennie for more information: houston-ic@scbwi.org
(limit of 10 people)
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Central Houston Social
e
Our next area social is coming up on Thursday, December 4th at 5pm at the Lorraine Cherry Nature Preserve. Member Laura Bradham will read Jane Yolen's classic picture book, Owl Moon. Bring a chair or blanket and a cup and spoon to enjoy some soup along with the story time!
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Keep an eye on our social media for
announcements about area socials!
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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.
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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.
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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! | | 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. | | 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. | |
Stay on top of the latest SCBWI News!
Join the conversation in Discord! Sign up here!
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"[Message clipped] View entire message"
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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.
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