May 2026

Join us in celebrating our members' news!

Good News !

#Draw

This!

Regional Events

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

"[Message clipped] View entire message"

Reading the West Awards

Two of our members, Katie Wray Schon and Lynne Kelly, are on the Reading the West Short Lists!

Independent booksellers from 14 states read the 226 nominated books and narrowed them down to their five favorites in each category. Voting for the winners is open to the public throughout the month of May.

See all the nominees and vote for your favorites here: https://readingthewest.com/36th-annual-shortlist-titles/

Kaye Marc-Charles is Speaking at the Storytellers Marketing Summit

The Storytellers Marketing Mastery Summit is a live virtual event happening June 12–14, 2026 for kidlit creators who are ready to market with more clarity, confidence, and purpose. Created for children’s book authors and illustrators across board books, picture books, chapter books, middle grade, and young adult, this summit is designed to support aspiring, traditionally published, hybrid, and self-published creators alike.

Kaye is speaking on the topic: The Conference Toolbox: A Practice Roadmap.

To learn more about the summit, click here.

Have News? Share It With Us!

Submit author & illustrator news for the next newsletter 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.

#DrawThis Prompt!

The February prompt is: SEA CREATURE

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! We want to see what you create!

#scbwiDrawThis

Illustrator Gallery

Adding your illustrations to your SCBWI profile is a great way to showcase your talents, build a portfolio, and connect with industry professionals.

Visit: https://www.scbwi.org/galleries to view the SCBWI illustrator gallery.

Events that look too good to miss

You can scroll through all virtual SCBWI events by clicking here

SCBWI Houston: Six Steps to Submission with Caroline Leech

May 30th, 2026:

Premium Members: $15

Preview Members: $30

Are you ready to query? Houston's very own Caroline Leech will take you through the six key steps every author needs to prepare their writing for submission to agents, editors and contests. This webinar will cover the best ways to present yourself and your story, and who best to present it to. It'll include tips to include and pitfalls to avoid, and will help you approach your own submission process with all the professionalism you'll need to grab the attention of the right people.

Learn more here

SCBWI Long Island: Characters That Drive the Plot with Vicky Weber

May 28, 2026

Premium Members: $15

Preview Members: $25

May 28, 2026 (registration closes): Great plots become extraordinary when driven by characters who feel real and whose choices shape the action. This interactive masterclass will show you how to integrate character depth with plot development, creating stakes that resonate and stories that captivate—no matter your genre. This program is geared more towards novels. Registered participants who attended or had access to the live presentation may view the recording for up to 30 days after the event. Optional Critiques on Sunday, May 31.

Stay on top of the latest SCBWI News!

Join the conversation Discord! Sign up here!

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

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

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.

newsletter.scbwihou@gmail.com.