HELLO!
Notes from your Houston SCBWI Co-Regional Advisors
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Let's talk Critiques, Baby!
Let's talk about you and me,
Let's talk about all the good things
and the bad things, edits we need
Let's talk about critiques!*
I'm happy to say that 2023 is off to a strong start. We're getting the band, er- critique group back together with the help of our new Critique Group Coordinator, Nancy Blair! Nancy has already been hard at work editing and updating our Critique Opportunities page on the website. Not only has she revamped the page and cleaned up our Established Critique Group list, but she's also helped us launch two *BRAND NEW* features!
First up is The Critique Connection, a way for active SCBWI members in our region to search for critique partners. All you have to do is fill out a short form and you'll be granted access to a list of other creatives who are also looking for partners. See someone who might be a good fit? Just send them an email! Think of it as the literary version of online dating!
The second feature is the Critique Group Catalogue, a list of participating kidlit-focused critique groups who operate in our region. With Nancy's help we'll be regularly updating the listings, so you'll know which groups are open to new members and which are not. If you have an existing group in the Houston Region and are not on the list we encourage you to join. Even if your group is closed, a listing will provide exposure should you have future openings. It also showcases all that Houston has to offer kidlit creators! Add your group today!
For questions related to the above, please feel free to contact Nancy at: critiquegroups.scbwihou@gmail.com.
Next, and separate from the role of Critique Coordinator, we are very excited to announce that our Houston Chapter Critique Group will be restarting this month! This informal critique group will meet before all in-person/hybrid chapter meetings which are also held at the Tracy Gee Community Center. All written and illustrated works-in-progress intended for the children’s market are welcome, and participants do not have to be SCBWI members to participate. Keep reading for more information!
Lastly, we have also launched TWO sets of scholarships to both our retreat in May and the upcoming Austin Conference! Further details are below.
I think we can officially call this the month for critique groups! We hope to see you in-person at the chapter group or online in our Critique Connection. May you have a very productive and well edited March!
Meghan Senkel
Co-RA, SCBWI Houston
houston-ra@scbwi.org
she/her/hers
*My deepest apologies to Salt, Pepa, Spinderella, and all children of the 90's.
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Meet Nancy:
Critique Group Coordinator
Nancy Blair has been a SCBWI Houston Region member since 2019. Her area of focus is Picture Books and she is working on stories that tell the experience of immigrants or historically underrepresented perspectives. She grew up in Houston and after moving to FL, NJ and NY, she moved back to the Houston area with her husband and two sons. She worked for many years in corporate marketing and recently founded her own consultancy. Some of her favorite children's books are: Also An Octopus, The Book With No Pictures, Ferdinand and Drawn Together.
We are thrilled to have Nancy join our team of volunteers and thank her for stepping up to serve our chapter! Thank you, Nancy!!
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Marissa Valdez wins a Golden Kite Honor Award!
The Golden Kite Awards are given annually by the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators to recognize excellence in children’s literature.
Instituted in 1973, the Golden Kite Awards are the only children’s literary award judged by a jury of peers. Eligible books must be written or illustrated by SCBWI members, and submitted either by publishers or individuals.
Congratulations Marissa!
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Board Book Announcement
Share the Joy: A Christmas Lift-the-Flap Book is a rhyming, faith-based board book that encourages young children to discover the excitement of sharing throughout the festive Christmas season.
Written by Houston SCBWI member Valerie Ellis and illustrated by Sergio De Giorgi, the book releases October 3, 2023 from Paraclete Press.
Click here for more Info and to preorder
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Language Rights Deal
Houston SCBWI member Susan McCauley recently sold world-wide Russian language rights her Ghost Hunters series to one of the biggest publishers in Russia.
She hopes her books will bring joy and compassion to all children.
Congrats, Susan!
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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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WHAT'S HAPPENING HOUSTON?
CHAPTER EVENTS & NEWS
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Houston Chapter Critique Group
When: Prior to all in-person/hybrid meetings at the Tracy Gee Community Center, 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM CST
What: An informal critique group to meet before all in-person chapter meetings which are also held at the Tracy Gee Community Center. All written and illustrated works-in-progress intended for the children’s market are welcome.
Please view the group's guidelines prior to attending.
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March HYBRID Meeting
with Author Sydney Dunlap and Agent Ann Rose!
Where:
In-Person
Tracy-Gee Community Center
3599 Westcenter Dr - Houston
On Zoom
https://scbwi.zoom.us/j/92627508301
Meeting ID: 926 2750 8301
One tap mobile
+13462487799,,92627508301# US (Houston)
When:
Monday, March 6, 2023
7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
As authors we learn that to get an agent we must write not just a great query letter but also an amazing story. But what we never hear about is, what happens next?
Middle grade author Sydney Dunlap and her agent Ann Rose from The Tobias Literary Agency will discuss the nuance of the author/agent relationship—speaking about Sydney’s journey to publication, how to approach “tough topics” in MG, and what it’s really like “after the call.” They will also open the discussion up to the audience and take any burning questions you might have about, what happens after.
Sydney is the author of the debut middle grade novel, IT HAPPENED ON SATURDAY.
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Next Meeting: April 3rd (VIRTUAL) | | | |
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Word/Art Balance:
Navigating Illustrating and Writing as a Book Creator
Where:
On Zoom
(details to cm)
When:
Monday, April 3, 2023
7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
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Creating the words and the art for a book is an exciting though daunting challenge for any creator. In this presentation, Anne will discuss how they came to be an author/illustrator, how they approach writing and illustrating in their own process, the pros and cons of doing both, and what this looks like when working with an agent or editor.
Anne Appert (they/them) is a queer, nonbinary author/illustrator who spent their childhood with their nose stuck in a book, while their wild imagination transformed their New Jersey backyard into faraway places. Anne wrote and illustrated their debut book BLOB, which was published by HarperCollins in Fall 2021. Their second picture book WHAT IF YOU WISH? publishes with HarperCollins in 2024.
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NOW OPEN: Houston Retreat & Austin Conference Scholarships!
In order to help members attend our upcoming retreat and Austin's upcoming conference, the Regional Team has put together TWO sets of scholarships! These scholarships are open to member authors and illustrators who live within the Houston region and need assistance in order to attend. Members can apply to one or both scholarships.
For information on the Houston Retreat Scholarships click here.
For information on the Austin Conference Scholarships click here.
The deadline to apply to both is March 12, 2023 at midnight CST.
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Website Now LIVE!
We're happy to say we've got the retreat website up! Click here for more information
When: May 19-21, 2023
Where: Camp Allen, Navasota, Texas
Join us for a fun mix of craft, work time, and socials as you Choose-Your-Own-Adventure!
Houston Member registration opens Monday, March 20th!
Help us plan!
Click here to complete a short survey of local interest in the retreat.
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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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Where:Slowpokes
6725 Stella Link Rd
Houston, TX 77005
When: Sunday, March 19
1PM – 2:30PM CT
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Illustrator Sketch Sesh
Come sketch, write and meet your fellow local kidlit creatives!
Our Illustrator Sketch Sesh meetups are meant for anyone (yes, writers too!) to work alongside fellow Houston SCBWI members. Bring your current WIPs, start something new and/or brainstorm ideas with other members!
In an effort to host these meetups more regularly and diversely (all corners of our region and at all times!), we need YOUR help volunteering to host these events. Please email Lisa, Houston SCBWI Illustrator Coordinator, at houston-ic@scbwi.org if you are interested in
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BEYOND HOUSTON
CONFERENCES, WEBINARS, AND WORKSHOPS
Find many more Regional Virtual Events from the SCBWI website.
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Virtual Marketing Panel
Where: Virtual
When: March 20, 2023 @ 8pm EST
Please join us as we learn tips on marketing new and existing books from
SCBWI Westchester PAL members Veera Hiranandani, Susanna Reich and Eric Rosswood. There will be time for Q&A at the end. This will be recorded.
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Cozy Literary Festival
Where: Behind Blockhouse Coffee & Kitchen, Richmond, Texas
When: April 23
Open to authors, illustrators. We will have an open mic and. a small stage for short readings or presentatons.
Interested in participating, please contact Jillian at: Jillian@litbookbar.net
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Digging Deeper with Eileen Robinson: Stuck in the Middle
Where: On Zoom
When: March 11, 2023 @ 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm EST
Eileen Robinson, Executive Editor, Charlesbridge, will help us Dig Deeper to tackle that "Stuck in the Middle" problem that many writers face. It’s easy to get stuck in the middle with the nagging thought, “What happens next?”
Books can get stuck in the middle, but these hands-on exercises will help you get unstuck.
Registration deadline: midnight on March 10.
Send questions to Alma Fullerton at canadaeast@scbwi.org
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Houston SCBWI Retreat Scholarships Now Open!
The Regional Team is excited to announce that we've opened applications for TWO scholarships for our upcoming retreat!
These scholarships are open to members of SCBWI who live within the Houston region and need assistance in order to attend.
One author and one illustrator will be selected. Winners will receive:
- 50% off the cost of member registration to the retreat; which includes two nights in a single occupancy room and all meals, plus all of the retreat activities
- AND a one year membership to SCBWI!
The deadline to apply is March 12, 2023 at midnight CST.
Click here for more information and to apply!
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Austin Conference Scholarships Now Open!
In order to help members attend the Austin 2023 Writers & Illustrators Working Conference, the Houston Regional Team has put together TWO scholarships!
These scholarships are open to members of SCBWI who live within the Houston region and need assistance in order to attend the Austin Conference.
One author and one illustrator will be selected. Each scholarship will cover the FULL cost of member early-bird registration to Austin SCBWI's 2023 Conference.
The deadline to apply is March 12, 2023 at midnight CST.
Click here for more information and to apply!
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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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Do Again
If I had it all, to do again.
With an option to delete.
There are some things I would leave out.
Much more I would repeat.
Certain I would make things worse.
I’m turning out okay.
I’ll leave it all just as it was.
And work on my “today”.
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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.
Click here for more information or to apply.
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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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