HELLO!
Notes from your Houston SCBWI Regional Team
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Hello Kidlit Creatives!
Do you know what time it is? It’s back-to-school time! Freshly sharpened pencils, crisp new notebooks, a new pack of crayons with their tips still intact - it's a season of learning, possibilities, and goals! And we've got just the lineup to help you get into that new school year spirit.
Bring those early pages of that story you've been working on to our next chapter meeting for our peer critique workshop. Only have blank pages? This is also an excellent opportunity to hone those critiquing skills.
Seeking inspiration and insight? Join us at our next Illustrator Sketch Sesh - it’s a really special one! We’ll be viewing the Mo Willems’ exhibit at the Pearl Fincher Museum and moving next door to a library to chat and work. Writers, translators, and all kidlit creatives are welcome!
Lastly, our illustrator community is thriving, as evidenced by our popular monthly meetups, the critique group connections that have been made, and all the awesome art I've had the pleasure to witness! I'm always looking for opportunities to show off our illustrators, so send me your latest masterpieces for a chance to be featured in an upcoming newsletter!
Happy creating!
Lisa Chow
Illustrator Coordinator, SCBWI Houston
houston-ic@scbwi.org
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A big SCBWI welcome to Annie Harmon as she was appointed the Houston Co-Regional Advisor role! She has already put a lot of work and passion as the event coordinator. We know she will continue to build our Houston community. (Official start date at the end of the year.) | |
We Need YOU: Chapter Survey
We continue to work toward creating amazing experiences for our chapter members, but we need your help! You're the key to shaping the future of our chapter, so we encourage you to share as much information as you're comfortable with. Tell us about yourself and what you hoping to get out of future events by taking a short survey. Thank you for participating, your input will guide us in making our chapter even better!
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Bread-baking Prank Boosts Book Sales for Roberta Wright!
After posting a photo of her bread allegedly baking in her mailbox, Roberta was overwhelmed with media requests from CNN, Fox Weather, and French Presse.
She began each interview with a statement about being a children's book author, and it paid off!
Book sales and website traffic had hit a plateau during the summer but are now enjoying the 'rise' in sales and interaction due to the free publicity, proving that a little creativity and lightheartedness can go a long way. Cheers to Roberta!
Contact: www.thewrightbooks.com
Instagram: @readwrightbooks
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Tonya Duncan Ellis Book Featured in Kirkus Reviews
Sophie Washington: Treasure Beach, the 13th book in Tonya Duncan Ellis' Sophie Washington chapter book series, was recently featured in Kirkus Reviews.
Just ten percent of reviewed, self-published books are included in the magazine.
Congratulations, Tonya!
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Have News? Share It With Us!
Submit author & illustrator news for the next newsletter to Angela Yeh by the 25th 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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When:
Monday, August 7, 2023, from 7-9 PM
Where:
Tracy Gee Community Center
3599 Westcenter Dr, Houston, TX 77042
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August In-Person Monthly Meeting
First Pages Workshop!
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Join our monthly meetings -- THE place to practice your craft and network with other kid-lit creatives! Bring your first pages and your A-game! Take your writing to the next level with kind and insightful feedback from your peers.
To participate, you may bring 4-5 copies of your work-in-progress's first three pages (single-sided, double-spaced, standard font).
Pages are not required to participate, as we will be working in small groups to critique one another's work.
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September Monthly Meeting | |
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When:
Monday, September 11th, 2023, from 7-9 PM.
Where:
Online! Zoom link will be posted.
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*NEW* Middle-Grade Critique Group
Accepting new members!!
*Meets every Tuesday evening on Zoom
*Seeking authors with manuscripts or beginning a project for critique.
Contact: Lindsay Morgan at lindsayjasminemorgan1@gmail.com
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August Chapter Critique Group:
What: An informal critique group that meets before our monthly chapter meetings. This month we are meeting in person. All written and illustrated works-in-progress intended for the children’s market are welcome.
Where: Tracey Gee Community Center
When: August 7th, 2023 at 6:00-7:00 PM CST
(Before the Monthly Meeting)
For more info, please email our Critique Group Coordinator, Nancy Blair, at critiquegroups.scbwihou@gmail.com
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Illustrator Corner
Calling all illustrators! We want to feature you! Please submit your completed works to newsletter.scbwihou@gmail.com for a chance to be featured in an upcoming newsletter.
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Email Lisa Chow with any questions. | |
Featured Illustrator Opportunities
Open each month to members.
Featured Illustrator Interviews
DrawThis Prompt!
The August prompt is: Librarian
Every month we develop a long list of potential #scbwiDrawThis prompts to choose one word or phrase that will challenge our illustrator members to dig deep and draw. Our goal is to find words rooted in a unique action, mood, point of view, or character theme. We also hope this practice will help you develop new art for your growing portfolios. Share your work with us! Share it often online and in your member profile page on https://www.scbwi.org/galleries. We want to see what you create!
Official Hashtag: #scbwiDrawThis
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Featured Illustrator: Kerrisa Treanor
Since I can remember, I’ve always loved to draw. My dad handed me a Pentax K1000 when I was a kid, and I never looked back. I went to art school in search of how to combine my beloved mediums, where I earned a BFA in photography & digital media. You could say I'm a photographer with a doodling problem.
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BEYOND HOUSTON
CONFERENCES, WEBINARS, AND WORKSHOPS
Find these events and many more Regional Virtual Events from the SCBWI website.
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Summer Virtual Conference 2023
Explore the many aspects of children’s book creation, from writing to illustrating to storytelling and character development.
There are sessions specifically for illustrators, traditionally published & self-published authors, nonfiction writers, picture book writers, and more!
Every attendee has access to the content of all 50 sessions for up to one month after the conference concludes.
Summer Conference 2023
Aug 04, 2023 - Aug 06, 2023
26 events
Online event + Unlimited seats
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Draw This Award!
A monthly art prompt, part of the SCBWI publication Insight.
All submissions shown on the online gallery, and two winners featured in Insight, the website, and social media.
Check for submission guidelines.
Click for More Info
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Golden Kite Award
Authors/Illustrators must be a current member through December 2023 to have a book submitted to the Golden Kite Awards.
Books must be published by PAL publishers.
The book submitted must be published in 2023.
Click for More Info
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Charlotte and Wilbur Award
For Compassion for Animals
Initiated in 2023 awards one winning book and one honor book for their dedication to promoting compassion and respect for animals in their readers.
Submissions open July 1st, 2023 and will close on October 1st, 2023.
Click for More Info
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FOLK WISDOM & OTHER THOUGHTS
By Jim Smolski
The smallest ray of sunshine can start a leaf to turn and look with hope. I want to be the sunshine that creates that moment for at least one leaf every day. -Jim
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There is an art to a conversation.
Brush strokes creating each word.
I paint a story or an idea.
It’s a picture to be heard.
You add color and concept.
The canvas soon becomes ours.
Sharing the words, creates a vision.
As colorful as flowers.
The discussion lends its beauty,
to the picture the words have made.
A canvas showing what we say.
Conversation art, relayed.
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OPEN Volunteer Positions
We want to create a chapter that is more involved, engaged, and active, and we need your help to do it!
Open Positions:
Event Webmaster & Ticketing Manager, Membership Coordinator, and PAL Coordinator.
Email Megan or Kaye for more information or to apply.
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Stay on top of the latest SCBWI News!
https://www.scbwi.org/regions/houston
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Suggestion Box
Have an idea on how to improve Houston SCBWI?
Leave a suggestion in our Suggestion Box!
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Copyright © 2022 SCBWI-Houston, All rights reserved.
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.
Write to Angela Yeh at newsletter.scbwihou@gmail.com.
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