HELLO!
Notes from your Houston SCBWI Co-Regional Advisors
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Hello Houston Creatives,
I’m still beaming from all the fun from May’s Choose Your Own Adventure Retreat! I knew it was going to be a blast, but it went beyond my expectations. A huge thank you to all the campers who attended. Your enthusiasm and participation made the weekend unforgettable. We can’t wait to start planning the next one! (We will share pictures during our June monthly meeting.)
With summer approaching, it's the perfect time to embrace your creative side and practice your craft. As the kids head home and work responsibilities (hopefully) ease up a bit, the season provides a golden chance to immerse yourself in your passions.
Lastly, June marks my one-year anniversary as CO-RA! It’s been a wonderful experience working alongside the regional team and getting to know my Houston peeps! Thank you all for your inviting arms!
Don't forget to check out the updated site: https://www.scbwi.org/regions/houston
We are still loading pages.
Keep Creating,
Kaye Marc-Charles
Co-RA, SCBWI Houston
houston-ra2@scbwi.org
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If you have any questions about school visits or about Authors & Audiences, Caroline would love to hear from you at caroline@carolineleech.com.
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Want to do school visits? Joy and Melissa will tell you how!
The latest episode of the Authors & Audiences podcast features two of Houston SCBWI's wisest members, Joy Preble and Melissa Buron, who talk to host Caroline Leech about how authors can best organize author visits to schools.
Joy has organized many school visits for herself and for visiting authors, and as one of Houston ISD's library services specialists, Melissa Buron has so much advice from the perspective of the school staff.
You can listen to their interview via the Authors & Audiences website at www.authorsandaudiences.com or on Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or any other podcast providers.
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Susan McCauley, Jacquetta Nammar Feldman, and Sydney Dunlap will be signing together at Buy the Book in The Woodlands on:
Saturday, June 10, 2023, at 2:00 PM
25162 Grogans Park Drive
The Woodlands
Please join the fun, bring your middle-grade readers, and meet Luna, the bookstore cat!
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Member Kelly Bennett will be at Blue Willow Bookshop to sign copies of her new book, The House that Ruth Built!
Thursday, June 8, 2023, at 5:00 PM
Blue Willow Bookshop
14532 Memorial Drive, Houston
*There will be a social dinner following. For anyone interested, you can email Kaye at Houston-ra2@scbwi.org
Click here for more info!
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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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Monday, June 6, 2023 from 7-9 PM | |
June Meeting
All the Feels and Then Some – Social-Emotional Learning in the Classroom with Michelle Nott
Michelle Nott is a former educator (pre-K to 12 and university levels, French, and Creative Writing) and is currently a freelance editor, poet, and children’s book author. She writes fiction and nonfiction in prose and verse. She has authored two early readers, Freddy, Hoppie and the Eyeglasses and Dragon Amy’s Flames. Her debut picture book, Teddy, Let’s Go!, was published in December 2022 by Enchanted Lion Books.
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July's Meeting - Trends and Recent Favorites in Kids Books with Cathy Berner
Cathy Berner, a former school librarian, is the Children’s/YA Specialist and Event Coordinator at Blue Willow Bookshop, an independent bookstore on the west side of Houston, Texas.
Cathy also serves as the programming coordinator for three literary festivals: Bookworm, TweensRead, and TeenBookCon, all of which promote reading and literacy by connecting young readers and authors.
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When:
Monday, July 3, 2023
7:00-9:00 pm Central
Where:
Tracy Gee Community Center
3599 Westcenter Dr, Houston, TX 77042
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Houston SCBWI Retreat 2023 - An Amazing Creative Time | | |
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June's Chapter Critique Group
When: June 5, 2023 at 5:30-6:30 PM CST
What: An informal critique group that meets before all of our monthly chapter meetings. This month we are meeting on Zoom. Look out for a blast email. All written and illustrated works-in-progress intended for the children’s market are welcome.
Where: Zoom Meeting
Zoom Link
Meeting ID: 953 3839 5128
Passcode: 053693
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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. | |
BEYOND HOUSTON
CONFERENCES, WEBINARS, AND WORKSHOPS
Find these events and many more Regional Virtual Events from the SCBWI website.
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Work for Hire: A Teacher’s Journey as a Freelance Writer
Webinar Intensive presented by author, Jennifer Prior.
In this presentation, Jennifer Prior shares her experience going from classroom teacher to freelance writer.
She will share how to make contact with publishers, how to make yourself indispensable, and tips for managing a freelance writing business full-time.
Saturday June 3, 2023
1:00 pm - 2:30 pm Arizona Time
Virtual
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Powerful Portfolios with Author-Illustrator Dow Phumiruk | |
Join Author/Illustrator Dow Phumiruk for part one of the EPA SCBWI “Portfolio Polooza.”
Dow will discuss elements of a successful portfolio for children’s book illustrators.
She’ll also show examples of strong pieces and describe features that will grab the attention of editors and agents. Lastly, she’ll address Q&A at the end of the session.
Tuesday June 6, 2023
7:00 pm - 8:15 pm EST
Virtual (Free)
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Amber Brown Award
One school is awarded each year with an author or illustrator visit and new books.
Opens June 1, 2023
Closes June 30, 2023
Announced Sept 15, 2023
Click for more information
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A. Orr Fantasy Award
Awarded to middle grade and young adult writers working in the fantasy or science fiction genre.
Opened April 1, 2023
Closed April 30, 2023
Announced June 15, 2023
Click for more information
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Ann Whitford Paul Award
An annual award given to the manuscript of a Most Promising Picture Book manuscript.
Opened April 1, 2023
Closed April 30, 2023
Announced June 15, 2023
Click for more information
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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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I put the bird seed in the feeder.
I put some on the ground.
Rabbits and squirrels come to eat.
They do not make a sound.
Doves and robins enjoy the seeds.
Blue jays join in as well.
All of them are there to eat.
But blue jays; I can’t tell.
They barely get a mouth-full in.
They can’t for all their squawking.
Seems they like to tell the rest.
It’s hard to eat while talking.
So, I watch them come and go.
But this, I have no doubt!
Blue jays are silly choosing gossip.
Over birdseed I put out.
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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
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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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