SCBWI Local Chapters

Houston SCBWI Newsletter

June 2022

Illustration by Marissa Valdez

HELLO!

NOTES FROM YOUR HOUSTON SCBWI REGIONAL ADVISOR

IMG_2129 2.jpg

Happy Summer!


Hopefully this newsletter finds you cool with a good book and a lemonade!


CO-RA & IC UPDATE

We have a new Co-Regional Advisor! I'm thrilled to announce member Kaye Marc-Charles as Houston's new Co-RA!

Kaye's position is equal to mine, and as such, she will be helping to steer the chapter. It will take some time to get her up-to-speed and work out the logistics of having two RAs. In the coming months we will be developing a division of duties which will be shared with membership. In the meantime, please copy Kaye on any email that you send to me. Her email address is: houston-ra2@scbwi.org.


This is a very new development, so in order to properly introduce Kaye, we will be publishing an interview with her in the July edition. I'm excited to have her join the Regional Team and thank her deeply for stepping up to volunteer with our chapter. THANK YOU and WELCOME, Kaye!


In related news, we are close to finalizing a new Illustrator Coordinator and will hopefully have an announcement on that front in July!


I want to take a moment to thank everyone who reached out after the last newsletter with offers of help. I have noted your names and we will be reaching out in the coming weeks as we begin to determine where we can best use you.


CHAPTER PROGRAMMING

We're hard at work on this year's programming schedule. We have some exciting events (both in-person and virtual) in the works and will share details once we get things nailed down a bit more.


IN-PERSON MEETING UPDATE

Due to SCBWI's current COVID Policy, we have decided to hold off on resuming in-person meetings. The current SCBWI CCOVID Policy States:


To minimize the risk of Covid-19 at all SCBWI in-person events with more than 25 attendees, event organizers are required to implement the following attendance policy:


  • Require attendees to submit proof of vaccination, or proof of a negative PCR test taken no earlier than three days prior to the event, as a condition of attendance.


We understand that members are ready to return to in-person events, but the current policy places a heavy administrative burden on the RT for reoccurring events like our monthly meetings and may further dissuade attendance. To add, we are also booked into the future with out of town speakers. We will continue to look for creative ways to gather (such as our Quarterly Socials!) in the meantime!


SAVE THE DATE

I'm a bit late in planning, but am working on hosting our next quarterly social on June 26th. Due to SCBWI's COVID policy, this event will be limited to a maximum of 25 attendees, so please RSVP once the info comes out. This meeting will be in Katy, so please email me your recommendations for a cool patio where we can hang out and discuss kid lit with a bite and a frosty drink!


Happy Summer,


Meghan Senkel

RA, SCBWI Houston

houston-ra@scbwi.org

she/her/hers

MEMBER NEWS

HH5_3d Mockup - Tracy Borgmeyer.jpg

Tracy Borgmeyer is excited to introduce the fifth and final book of the Halley Harper, Science Girl Extraordinaire series, RACE TO OUTER SPACE.  


9 year old science-loving Halley Harper overhears someone calling her a square peg in a round hole and almost believes it to be true. Then an adventure to science camp takes her on a journey to use her quirky love of science to turn the ordinary into extraordinary.


The series includes the following books: SUMMER SET IN MOTION (2017), THE FRIENDSHIP EXPERIMENT (2018), SECRET ROCK AFTERSHOCK (2019), NATURE CODE BREAKERS (2020), and RACE TO OUTER SPACE (2022).

Treasure Beach_Cover_Front - Tonya Ellis.jpg

Tonya Duncan Ellis announced preorders for her newest book, SOPHIE WASHINGTON: TREASURE BEACH. In this thirteenth book in her bestselling, self-published, middle grade series, a message in a bottle leads Sophie and friends on a seaside treasure hunt. The book released June 3, 2022.

IMG_5138 - Yukon Missi.jpg

Katy author, Sara Harris, has sold her self-illustrated four-book MYSTERIES OF THE ROSARY FOR KIDS series to WordCrafts Press. The first book of the series, THE JOYFUL MYSTERIES, will be available summer of 2022.

HOUSTON CHAPTER EVENTS

June-Month-Meeting.jpeg

MONTHLY MEETING


This month's topic: HOW DO I GET MY BOOK INTO A BOOK STORE?

Monday, June 6th

7pm-9pm CT (via zoom)


A downstream retail perspective and insights into what it takes to get retail placement of your book.

 

Jacques Oppinger has a 28 year career as the Store Manager with Barnes & Noble/Cluster Commercial Support (local buyer). 

WEBINARS AND WORKSHOPS

SCBWI Maryland, Delaware, West Virginia

PRESENTING YOUR PUBLIC FACE


Wednesday Evenings

June 8 - July 27 6:30PM CT


FOR AUTHORS: Learn how to present yourself professionally and with confidence as an author in this eight-week series. Topics include:

• speaking effectively in public

• reading confidently

• planning and promoting book launches/events

• creating speeches and workshops for presentation in schools/conferences/book clubs

• creating newsletters and blog posts

• getting yourself interviewed on podcasts, radio and TV, and presenting as an interesting and professional author in these interviews


More information and register here.

Springboard graphic 1 - Caroline Leech.png

SCBWI Alabama, Georgia, Florida Panhandle

SELF-PUBLISHING DIY

June 10-12


Are you ready for an online deep-dive into self-publishing? Three day discussion covering legal aspects of self-publishing, nuts & bolts, how to find an audience, marketing and how to submit for awards consideration.


More information and register here.

IMG_1897.jpeg

SCBWI Indiana

GRAPHIC NOVEL 101


July 25th 9AM ET


Understand the nitty-gritties of getting started with GNs, you won’t want to miss this event! With four amazing presenters for what will be a graphic novel masterclass: agent Janna Morishima, author-illustrator Rivkah LaFille, illustrator-designer Sylvia Bi, and editor Rachel Sonis! Plus, agent Alexandra Weiss will be critiques-only faculty! 


More information and register here.

WEB-SCBWIIndiana-GraphicNovels101-PROCESS-02.png

SCBWI Maryland, Delaware, West Virginia

COME PAINT YOUR PUBLIC FACE


Thursday

July 28th 9:30AM CT


FOR ILLUSTRATORS: With special author/illustrator guests, Houston’s own Marissa Valdez and Austin’s own Emma Virján. Exciting strategies for presenting yourself as a professional illustrator. Sharing top tips on how to plan the most effective and fun book launch events, both online and in-person, and cover topics such as:

• planning and promoting your own book launch and other events

• collaborating with your publishers and authors so you can play an active part in their marketing plans

• creating interactive talks and hands-on workshops for presentation in schools and libraries

• how to utilize your own community of illustrators and other book professionals to create buzz around your books


More information and register here.

202207_SSFI28_Slider.png

Find many more Regional Virtual Events from the SCBWI website.

FOLK WISDOM

& OTHER THOUGHTS


By Jim Smolski





On the Couch


I was on the couch and drifting off.

While taking a midday break.

I would set a time limit on my rest.

But how much longer should I take.

 

This thinking made me restless.

And uncomfortable lying there.

On just one side the whole time.

Did not seem very fair.

 

So, I made a big decision.

I’d roll over and not worry.

It's a midday break for goodness sake.

I thought. So whats the hurry.?!

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

Have News? Share It With Us!

Please submit your author/illustrator news for the next newsletter to Lisa Chow by the 25th of the month via this form.

Suggestion Box

Have an idea on how to improve Houston SCBWI?

Leave a suggestion in our new Suggestion Box!

Our Volunteers

Regional Team

Regional Advisor:

Meghan Senkel

Asst. Regional Advisor:

Lynne Kelly

Illustrators Coordinator:

Joe Balat

Regional Advisor Emeritus:

Vicki Sansum

Chapter Volunteers

Newsletter & Webmaster:

Lisa Chow

Monthly Program Chair & Evite List:

Cheryl McCosh

Critique Group Coordinator:

Vacant

Social Media Chair:

Heather Walters   

Chapter Logo and Header Design by Marissa Valdez

Join our conversations on the SCBWI Texas discussion board


Copyright © 2022 SCBWI-Houston, All rights reserved. 

Facebook  Instagram  Twitter