June 2026

Words from your Houston SCBWI Illustrator Coordinator

June brings a new chapter for me...RETIREMENT from teaching! 38 years ago, I graduated from Baylor University on fire to be the best teacher I could be! I spent most of my years in the "littles" K and 1st, but did a respectable amount of time in the older grades too. Now, mind you, I had some time off in the middle while I was raising my 3 kiddos, but I can honestly say without a doubt I did it! Not only did I touch the lives of those kids, but my own kids and, maybe most importantly, the lives of the teachers I have mentored over those years as well. The notes, cards, and messages from all my "school daughters" have touched me and reminded me how important it is to invest in people! That is what we do with KID LIT. Never stop doing what you do best, gang, it DOES make a difference, and it DOES matter, now more than ever! Wanna know the best part of this chapter? I am now a FULL-TIME ILLUSTRATOR! I hope all of you take some time this summer to remember what your focus is and set some goals to make it happen! Cheers!!

Jennie Smith

Illustrator Coordinator

SCBWI Houston

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 (Tracy Gee)

When: June 1, 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!

July's Chapter Meeting!!

Space City Scribes Blog

Read all about Tonya Ellis here!

Fuel Your Craft

Houston Liftoff!

Join us on June 9th for the next session.

With the power of community, we are creating stories and illustrations in just 30 minutes! Remember, after the 30 minutes, we open the mics to share.

Next Illustrator Sketch Day - June 25!

How does Illustrator Sketch Day 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 don't have 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!

Upcoming Dates

Click here to register for the webinar

The Summer Retreat at Camp Allen is almost here!

This long-awaited retreat is one of our most requested events, but this year we’re keeping the group intentionally small to create a more focused, supportive experience. If you’ve been thinking about joining us, now is the time to reserve your bed before spaces are gone.

Writers will have the freedom to work in the way that suits them best: settle into a shared quiet room for deep focus, join the roundtable room for discussion and peer critiques, spread out in the cozy common areas of the retreat center, or find inspiration in solitude—whether in your room or somewhere peaceful on the beautiful grounds of Camp Allen.

Come ready to create, connect, and recharge.

Click here to sign up for the retreat!

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

Alphabet Poem

A poem about a certain,

Bee in flight for nectar

Carry it all from plant to plant.

Demanding flower inspector.

Exacting decisions on the fly.

Fearing nothing on its mission.

Good things come to those who do.

Hold off wasting time on wishing.

Idle hands are the devil’s tools.

Just watch that bumble bee.

Keen to check on every rose.

Loves it’s work we all agree.

My thoughts move on to something.

No bee can help me, do.

Only I can start writing things.

Publishers might review.

Quick to think it’s good enough.

Rewrites can take too long.

Silly thinking. Even a bee.

Takes time because it’s wrong.

Understanding writing is tough.

Valued critiquing on it, depends.

With corrections made you can now.

Xerox it to friends.

Yearning to be published.

Zero doubt. I’m like that bee.

My book gets closer with each flower.

On a shelf someday? We’ll see.

JCS 1/8/2023

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!

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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.