February 2026

Words from your Houston SCBWI Illustrator Coordinator

I am sitting by my fireplace and feeling very thankful for many things but on the top of my list would be SCBWI. What an outstanding group this is!

Attending the Winter conference really reminded me of the true goodness in the people of our group. There was not one person I met in New York that did not genuinely want to help you foster and grow your craft. Authors and Illustrators alike, they all have this collective positivity and helpfulness about them. Sharing notes, giving directions, offering advice or even sharing a cab ride!

Our leadership is some of the most approachable people I know and they genuinely want to get to know us! Joining SCBWI was a home run for me, and will definitely be one of the reasons I make a career out of illustration.

If you get the chance, volunteer, be a part, get involved - the benefits will come back two-fold to bless you in return! Keep reading to see what all our HOUSTON chapter is doing and come join the fun!

Jennie Smith

Illustrator Coordinator

SCBWI Houston

Houston-ic@scbwi.org

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: In Person

3599 Westcenter Dr, Houston, TX 77042

When: February 2, 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!

March's Chapter Meeting!!

Every would-be author or illustrator has faced rejection in their quest to find a literary agent and/or land a book deal. Those passes can tear you down or propel you towards achieving your goals. Author Susan Johnston Taylor will share the sanity-saving strategies she used over her seven years in the query trenches. Want to hear how she sold her first two books to a publisher without an agent? Or see examples of other authors using rejection art to keep their creative spark alive? Don't miss this candid discussion on dealing with rejection.

Fuel Your Craft

Houston Liftoff!

With the power of community, we are creating stories and illustrations in just 30 minutes! Join us on February 10th 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.

February 19th, 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!

Click here to register for Sketch Night

2026 Mentorship Program – Now Accepting Applications!

Calling Houston home region MG & YA writers!

Our 2026 mentorship program will pair two emerging writers with an experienced mentor for 8 personalized sessions over one year, providing the kind of focused attention that can transform both your manuscript and your career.

This Year's Mentors:

Joy Preble and Caroline Leech

Eligibility Requirements:

Resident of the Houston home region (county map on the website)
Premium member of SCBWI
Completed middle-grade or young adult novel
Unagented

Application Opens: Feb 1, 2026

Mentees Deadline: Feb. 22, 2026

Click here to register: https://www.scbwi.org/events/houston-2026-mentoring-program

Don't miss this February Social!

Please join us for a Connect Over Coffee on 2/14 at 10am at First Cup Coffee, 26403 Oak Ridge Dr., Spring, TX

Optional gentle critique at 9:30 am

As a conversation starter, bring something that you LOVE or that inspires you in your craft.

Hope to see you there!

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 Kristen Kiesling's Interview Here!

Pencil

I’ve been using a sharp pencil.

I measure and mark the boards.

Lately I’ve been using it

For a career I’m heading towards.

A carpenter, for many years.

Marking wall locations……

But I love to write so maybe

I chose the wrong vocation.

Oh, sure I have ability.

Building things on plans or not.

My pencil’s always ready, when

I need to mark the spot.

But I sharpen it more these days.

Writing is causing much more drive.

Night or day brings inspiration.

I jot them down as they arrive.

So, I’m a carpenter with a pencil.

What I use it for just depends.

Marking wood, writing a poem, no problem.

Cause I keep it sharpened on both ends….

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.