Austin SCBWI » Events

2012 Conference Schedules of Events

Debbie Gonzales — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 21:18:46 +0000

How does one keep two key note addresses, three major presentations, nine small group intensives sessions, two market analysis panel discussions, one full-day writing intensive, one first pages session, two wine and cheese socials, readings, a portfolio display, an auction, bookstore hours, meals and all of the trimmings in order? Through careful scheduling, my friend…very careful scheduling.

To access the action-packed Schedule of Events for the Friday evening and all day Saturday conference sessions being held at St. Edward’s Ragsdale Hall click here.

And, click here for Sunday’s Full Day Writing Intensive with Lisa Yee will be held at the Wyndham Gardens Hotel in the Amphitheatre. Attendance to this session is limited to those who have previously registered for it.

Feel free to look over the Schedules of Events. If you have yet to register for the Friday and Saturday fun, there is still room for you.

Come on out. We’d love to have you join us!

What’s for Eats? – The Conference Menus

Debbie Gonzales — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 19:25:55 +0000

You’d best come to the conference hungry, because we’ve got a delicious gourmet menu guaranteed to tickle your taste buds as our speakers tantalize your creative souls.

For our Friday night and full-day Saturday dining pleasure Bon Appetit Caterers of St. Edwards will be serving us. To access a .pdf printout of the menu for the Friday and Saturday, Feb, 18 and 18, click here.

And, for the Sunday, Feb. 19th Full Day Writing Intensive with Lisa Yee, being held at The Wyndham Gardens Hotel, we’ll be enjoying mid-morning coffee and tea and a delicious Potato, Soup, and Salad Bar. For more information about the meal specifics click here.

Hope to see you there!

Registration for Small Group Intensives to Close Feb. 10

Debbie Gonzales — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 20:32:01 +0000

In effort to offer “Something for Everybody”, in addition to a stellar lineup of presentations and speakers throughout the General Assembly, we are offering a wide variety of specialized small group intensive sessions at an additional cost with topics ranging from understanding the legalities of contract negotiation to shameless self promotion. Please make note that registration for these sessions will close on Friday, February 10.

There are some spaces available in these sessions. If you have previously registered, feel free to access our PayPal on-line account and sign up for one or more at any time prior to 2/10.

The speakers and their session topics are as follows:

Erin Murphy & Ammi-Joan Pacquette: The EMLA Agency and YOU!
Kirsten Cappy: Shameless Self Promotion
Patti Ann Harris: An Art Director’s Search for Excellence
Jill Corcoran: Crafting a Stellar Query & Synopsis
Anastasia Suen: Perfecting the Picture Book
Tricia (PJ) Hoover: Design a Dynamic Book Trailer
Barry Furrow: Contract Negotiations
Bonnie Bader: Leveled Readers & Chapter Books
Erik Kuntz: Creating a Stellar Web Persona

Small group session or not, we’re looking forward to seeing you there!!!

Conference Silent Auction Items

Debbie Gonzales — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 19:45:36 +0000

The Conference Auction Committee consisting of ARA Carmen Oliver, Merdith Davis, and Shelli Cornelison – The Dynamic Trio – have been hard at work gathering the most amazing items for our Conference Silent Auction. Below is a list of just a few of the cool things they’ve scoured up for us and they promise there are more items to come!

Actually, this list serves as a testimony for the wonderful way our creative community bands together by sharing talent, treasure, and support for one another. Are we blessed? The answer to that question is a resounding YES!

You must be present to win, so if you haven’t registered for the conference do it now!!!

Audio Book Basket donated by Jeanette Larson.
Critique Basket stuffed with goodies including a critique by one of the Texas Sweethearts & Scoundrels.
Basket donated by Lindsey Lane, Liz Garton Scanlon, Anne Bustard, Bethany Hegedus.
Basket donated by Don Tate, Donna Bowman Bratton, Shelley Ann Jackson, Carmen Oliver and Marsha Riti.
Basket donated by Jerri Romine and Meredith Davis.
Basket donated by Brian Yansky’s critique group.
Writer Toolkit Basket donated by Austin SCBWI.
$100 gift certificate from BookPeople.
Male and Female Kenneth Cole watches donated by Debbie and John Gonzales.
Retreat donated by the Wyndham Garden Hotel in Austin which includes two-night stay at the hotel, 2 continental breakfasts and a bottle of wine to help you celebrate.
Picture book manuscript critique by author/illustrators Shelley Ann Jackson and Jeff Crosby.
Picture book manuscript critique by author/illustrator Don Tate.
Two vintage necklaces from Nanci Stevenson.

And more to come!!!!!

Call for Conference Auction Print Donations

Debbie Gonzales — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 17:08:25 +0000

This year at the conference, there will be a silent auction/raffle to raise funds. Donations of prints (originals are accepted, as well), framed (preferred) or unframed, are being requested. Please choose your favorite illustration, slap it in a frame and donate it to the cause! This not only shows your generous spirit, but it is yet another way to get your art in front of the faculty at the conference. Who knows, maybe they’ll bring your work home to display in their office! Furthermore, the proceeds from all art sales go toward the chapter’s illustration budget, so that we can continue to have great illustrator events in the future. It’s a win-win!

Donations need to be dropped off by Friday, February 17^th at 5pm at St. Edward’s University, where the conference is being held. If you don’t think you’ll make that deadline, feel free to contact a Girllustrator or Assistant Regional Advisor Carmen Oliver to set something up.

Conference Portfolio Showcase Details

Debbie Gonzales — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 16:58:20 +0000

Illustrators, to participate in the portfolio display and contest bring a portfolio that measures a maximum of 30 inches width and a fistful of business cards or postcards to be on display. Your portfolio will be placed on a table with others to be viewed openly by conference attendees and our esteemed professional guests. Not only will you have the opportunity to win prizes and impress the crowd, you just might get noticed and land a contract! It’s happened before. It could happen again…to YOU!

This year we are thrilled to announce the Girllustrators are coordinating all facets of the Portfolio Showcase. At Registration, look for representatives of this enthusiastic band of accomplished illustrators for they will steer you straight toward success. A Girllustrators member will be there for you when you drop off your portfolio on Friday evening or Saturday morning in the Mabee Ballroom B, found on the 3rd floor of Ragsdale Hall. There your portfolio with be proudly labeled with a very special placecard mounted on a stand.

Our Esteemed Guests will be judging the portfolios throughout the conference. After combining their scores, the illustrator judged as Best of Show wins a free registration to the 2013 Austin Regional Conference! (Should you desire that your portfolio not be judged simply let the assisting Girllustrator know and they will make note of this on your portfolio placecard.)

Portfolios will be judged based on criteria such as (all aspects have been clarfied on the Girllustrator website):

Composition
Color
Character development/sequencing
Continuity of style(s)
Pictoral readability or narrative clarity
Professional presentation

The Girllustrators have been generous with helpful hints, all of which have been provided on thier website. If you have any question at all regarding the Portfolio Showcase, feel free to contact either our Illustrator Chair Mark Mitchell or The Girllustrators via their website.

Stroll Down Memory Lane – 2011 Conference “Three Words” Pictures

Erik Kuntz — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 16:32:59 +0000

With our 2012 Regional Conference – Something for Everybody – right around the corner, we thought it might to be fun to enjoy a pictorial reminiscence celebrating great fun we had together last year. A set of wonderful pictures were taken during the 2011 Austin Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators conference. People were asked to write down three words that summed up the conference for them, then pose with those words.

While last year’s conference was amazing, 2012′s promises to be even better yet! If you haven’t registered yet, what are you waiting for? The 2012 Austin Regional is going to incredible…especially with you there with us!

Keep reading to see the full gallery of pictures.

Bajaj and The Writer’s Journey – March 10

Debbie Gonzales — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 19:30:40 +0000

The Writer’s Journey is fraught with triumphs and travails. The triumph of a well-written sentence, the sale of a book or a glowing review are touted and shared as Facebook statuses and Twitter feeds. The travails of self-doubt, rejection, and loneliness are harder to bear. Varsha will share her journey and talk about strategies that have helped her cope with the more difficult moments of being a writer. She will facilitate a discussion with the audience on their unique journeys.

Varsha Bajaj is the award winning author of How Many Kisses Do You Want Tonight? Illustrated by Ivan Bates (Little Brown, 2004) and T is for Taj Mahal: An India Alphabet book illustrated by Robert Crawford (Sleeping Bear Press, March 2011). Born in India, Varsha went to graduate school in Illinois, and worked as a counselor in St. Louis, Mo. She moved to Houston in 1998, where she lives with her husband, two children and adorable dog.

Getting Organized with Brian Yansky – Jan. 14

Debbie Gonzales — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 19:35:51 +0000

Note! New monthly meeting time:

Getting Organized with Brian Yanksy from 10:00 am to 11:00 am on Saturday, January 14 at BookPeople’s 2nd floor.

A note from Brian Yansky:

I admit this is often my New Year’s Resolution. “Going to have to get organized this year.” I may even make a few half-hearted plans toward that goal, but, alas, life gets in the way of organizing life. However, I have become much better at organizing my novel manuscripts over the years. While each story is different, there are some general strategies everyone can try to get their fictional world organized. My talk will focus on the elusive nature of giving structure to a novel.

Brian Yansky has published three novels, most recently ALIEN INVASION & OTHER INCONVENIENCES, Candlewick, 2010. A fourth novel, a sequel to ALIEN INVASION & OTHER INCONVENIENCES will be published by Candlewick in 2012 or 2013. He has an MFA in Writing from Vermont College and teaches at Austin Community College.

Lane Presents “Out on the Bendy Branches” – Nov. 12

Debbie Gonzales — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 16:06:13 +0000

On Saturday, November 12th at 11:00 join us at BookPeople to hear author Lindsey Lane speak about Out On The Bendy Branches: Shifting The Paradigm From “Write What You Know” To “Write What You Think You Can’t”

In her 2008 commencement address to Harvard graduates, JK Rowling said, “It is impossible to live without failing at something unless you live so cautiously that you might as well not have lived at all. In which case, you have failed by default.” When we face our fears and give ourselves permission to crawl out on to the unknown and daring areas of our stories, we chance achieving a new point of equilibrium in our stories and a greater sense of balance within ourselves as writers. Besides, even if we slip and fall, we’ve landed in a whole new place.

Lindsey Lane is the author of Snuggle Mountain, a graduate of Vermont College of Fine Arts and lives in Austin with her teenage daughter.