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Local meetup at the Lorraine Cherry Nature Preserve
Save the date for the next social meetup! Stop by the Lorraine Cherry Nature Preserve at 5pm on December 4th to chat with local members and hear Laura Bradham read Jane Yolen's award-winning picture book, Owl Moon.
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Brookwood Community Open House
The Brookwood Community's annual open house is coming up on December 5th and 6th, and a few of our members will be there with their books! This year's event includes the Jingle Bell Book Stop, where you can see authors Crystal Allen, Sydney Dunlap, Tonya Ellis, Lynne Kelly, Kristen Kiesling, and Cathey Nickell. Books will be available to purchase on site from Blue Willow Bookshop.
While you're visiting the lovely Brookwood Community, you can enjoy an amazing lunch buffet and get all of your holiday shopping done!
(This event is not organized by SCBWI and we are not liable for the information presented)
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Three Blue Hearts is a USA Today bestseller!
Lynne Kelly is happy to announce that her new novel, Three Blue Hearts, debuted on the USA Today bestseller list. Read more about the book here. Lynne enjoyed a fun book launch at Blue Willow Bookshop and book tour stops in Milwaukee, Indianapolis, and Philadelphia.
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Michele Olinde invited to introduce new ABC book in statewide festival
As illustrator for the new release, What Do You Want To Be? ABC, Michelle Olinde says she's usually second pick for prestigious events, but this time was different. The Louisiana Book Festival in Baton Rouge was a success, and Michele was featured by Arcadia/Pelican Publishing. She spent the morning introducing her book and artwork to the book-loving public. She also had time to meet authors and other illustrators of books for all ages and editors of publishing companies who eagerly shared their information. This was a huge benefit to her professionally! She also learned the dos and don’ts of book selling.
@micheleolinde
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God's Gift of Guardian Angels Little Golden Book Release
Katie Wray Schon's author/illustrated Little Golden Book, God's Gift of Guardian Angels, is now available for preorder! It's a sweet rhyming book full of adorable kids and angels and releases on January 6th.
@katiewrayschon
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Congratulations to 2026 SCBWI Work-in-Progress Underrepresented Voices Award Winner, Kaye Marc-Charles!
We are proud to congratulate the 2026 WIP winners, whose work made us smile, shed a tear, and think more deeply about our world. These five winners, chosen from a pool of nearly one thousand manuscripts, will have their work launched in the first ever Award-Winning Authors Showcase at the SCBWI Industry Party in New York City.
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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.
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The November prompt is: BUTTONS!
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
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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.
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Events that look too good to miss
You can scroll through all virtual SCBWI events by clicking here
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SCBWI Houston: “Critique Basics” webinar & Critique Group Connection
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 premium members for a 6 month long 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.
📅 Timeline
Registration: Nov 15–Dec 15, 2025
Matching Period: Dec 15–Jan 15, 2026
Groups Launch: February 2026
Learn more here
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From Draft to Deal: Your Publishing Bootcamp with SCBWI Austin
CAN'T MAKE IT DAY-OF? IT'S RECORDED.
Don't miss out on this valuable bootcamp hosted by our friends at the SCBWI Austin chapter.
Ready to turn your manuscript into a published book? This intensive bootcamp walks you through the entire publishing journey—from polishing your draft to landing a deal. Whether you’re aiming for traditional or indie publishing, you’ll get expert guidance, insider tips, and actionable steps to move your book from finished pages to bookstore shelves.
Join us on November 15th, from 8 AM to 1:40 PM CST for this event designed specifically for children's book authors and illustrators! This bootcamp is a power-packed session designed to guide you step by step from a polished manuscript to a publishing deal, whether you're going indie or aiming for traditional.
Read more and register here.
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Copyright © 2025 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.
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