Austin SCBWI

A note from Liz Mertz, Brazos Valley RA: Registration is now open for the Writing Intensive with Jill Santopolo on Nov. 3, 2012.  We will meet from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Glory Inn (Still Creek Ranch) in Bryan.  Writers for all age levels will benefit from workshops on Story Analysis, Character, Voice, and First Pages. Enrollment is limited [...]

Along with the marvelous rains we’ve been enjoying of late, we have a whole lot to be excited about! Take a quick moment to make note of the many ASCBWI celebrations and exciting events happening in June and beyond. It seems that good times are raining all around us. First of all, words cannot express how over-the-top excited we [...]

“Just Because it Happened Doesn’t Mean it Rings True: a look at the plausible and the possible and the threshold of believability in realistic and speculative fiction.” Greg Leitich Smith is the award-winning author of the middle-grade novels Ninjas, Piranhas, and Galileo and Tofu and T. Rex, and co-author of the picture book Santa Knows and the YA [...]

P.J. Hoover’s SOLSTICE, about a near-future global heating crisis and a Texas teen who uncovers the strange untold ending of the Persephone myth, only to find that she is part of the story — and that her choices in love, in family, and in friendship will determine the destiny of her world and TUT, in which a [...]

“Once Upon a Time in San Miguel de Allende” – A Three-Day Intensive Children’s Writers Workshop DATES (Two different sessions): Friday, Oct. 12 to Monday, Oct. 15 Friday, Oct. 26 to Monday, Oct. 29 DESCRIPTION: This is an intimate, intensive, three-day writers workshop for aspiring writers of picture books – limited to four students per session – who want to develop [...]

TLA’s Texas Lone Star list is a recommended reading list developed by public and school librarians from the Young Adult Round Table. The purpose of the list is to encourage students in grades 6, 7, or 8 to explore a variety of current books. The Lone Star list is intended for recreational reading, not to support a [...]

We are over-the-top excited to announce that Austin’s own illustrator  Patrice Barton has won SCBWI’s coveted Crystal Kite Award for her amazing work in Mine!, a remarkable one-word picture book written by Shutta Crum. The Crystal Kite Award is given by the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators each year to recognize great books from 15 regional SCBWI divisions around the [...]

Introducing the Spirit of Texas Reading Program and Author/Illustrator Directory! The original idea for the Spirit of Texas Reading Program came from Texas author, Andrea White . Mrs. White envisioned a more robust, dynamic relationship between Texas libraries and Texas authors/ illustrators where authors and illustrators constantly came into Texas libraries either in person or via the internet [...]

The Austin Jewish Academy is hosting a Family Night at its spring book fair on Tuesday, May 8. We are seeking 2-3 authors (that’s you!) to do short readings as part of our programming, starting at about 5 p.m. Would love to have a representative for the picture-book set and then also for grades 3-6. If you are [...]

During TLA last week, our very own Cynthia Leitich Smith was granted the first ever  SPOT (The Spirit of Texas Award) for her amazing Tantalize series . The Spirit of Texas Reading Program-High School  is a recommended reading list developed by public and school librarians from the Young Adult Round Table (YART). The purpose of the list is to encourage youths in grades 9-12 [...]

Interested in taking a class with Cynthia and Greg Leitich Smith this summer? Try the 13 Annual Conference of Writing & Illustrating for Young Readers from June 18 to June 22 in Sandy, Utah (apply for the WIFYR Writing Competition & Fellowship Award );   the Southampton Children’s Literature Conference from July 11 to July 15 in Southampton, New York;   or the 17th Annual Postgraduate Writing Conference [...]

A message from Mary Faye Randolph, member of of the Spirit of Texas Committee, Young Adult Round Table of the Texas Library Association.  I am librarian at Paredes Middle School in Austin.  I wanted to make sure that the authors and illustrators of Austin SCBWI were aware of the interactive author/illustrator map created to connect Texas [...]

Monday, April 23rd marks the date for World Book Night, an incredible world-wide outreach of which the Austin SCBWI participated in – BIG TIME! USA Today reports that the U.S. World Book Night was modeled on a British program that began last year. It’s is “like an intellectual Halloween, only better,” says novelist and essayist Anna Quindlen , the program’s honorary [...]

Sharpen your pencil. Grab that calendar. Make note that February 8 to 10, 2013 mark the dates for the ever-so-awesome Austin SCBWI Annual Regional Conference – Kick It Up a Knotch! Authors and illustrators alike, this is a conference that you will not want to miss, we guarantee it. Get set as we two-step ourselves back [...]

Back by popular demand! The ASCBWI Digital Symposium II – The Nuts and Bolts of Promotion. That’s right…mark your calendars for Saturday, October 6th from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm, because we’re headed back to St. Edwards’ Fleck Hall for another great digital storytelling event. This year we’re offering a hands-on approach to programming, one in which [...]

Join the Austin School Libraries to help raise awareness for literacy. On Saturday, May 12 at 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm at Reagan High School , 7104 Berkman Drive come celebrate 100 years of school libraries in Austin and learn about the Austin ISD Libraries Endowment Fund with the Austin Community Foundation . The program planned for the day is incredible! Have a look: [...]

A few months ago BookPeople asked if our chapter was willing to particpate in World Book Night , an annual celebration designed to spread a love of reading and books being held in the U.S. as well as the U.K. and Ireland on April 23, 2012. It will see tens of thousands of people go out into their communities to [...]

A note from Linda Arroyo, HEB Self Edge Manager:  We are hosting an event at the HEB in Round Rock on Louis Henna Blvd on Saturday April 28th in honor of Dia de los ninos/Dia de los libros. This is one of the many events we sponsor with the intent to raise literacy awareness. We will be giving [...]

A note from Mark Mitchell , Illustrator Chair: Recently, I spoke with Louise Shelby’s sister Katie to get the details on Louise, who is now in hospice care in her own apartment. Sadly, she’s expected to live only a few more days.  The sinus cancer that has menaced Louise since age 10 returned a couple of years ago and [...]

The Joan Lowery Nixon Memorial Award was established to honor the writer who so generously shared her time and talents with our members. Joan volunteered to mentor a writer whose manuscript submitted for the SCBWI-Houston conference was deemed nearest publication. Following Joan’s death in 2003, Kathi Appelt, Newbery honor winner for The Underneath, graciously took over the role of [...]

The Texas Library Association’s Annual Conference is being held April 17-20 at the George R. Brown Convention center, Houston, TX. Why not take a spin out there and support our local talent? Below is a listing of signings per the Young Adult Round Table (YART). AA notes that the signing will be in the Authors Area and the Exhibitor Booth is listed. For a .pdf [...]

We are pleased to announce that our beloved ARA, Carmen Oliver, is now an agented author.  She has signed with Lit Agent Erzsi Deaks of Hen and Ink Lit Agency . Deaks is a wise woman. She knows Texas-sized talent when she sees it. We’re thrillled for you, Carmen, and wish you all the success in the world. [...]

Author/Illustrator/IC Mark Mitchell will appear at Blue Awning Books on Sat April 7th from 3 to 5 pm. Mark is a wonderful author/illustrator of children’s books. He also teaches at Laguna Gloria. A workshop for adults and children on how to write children’s books will also be held. Please bring markers and paper for the workshop. Mark will sign [...]

The Writers’ League of Texas is gearing up for its annual Agents Conference June 22-24 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in downtown Austin. This event draws hundreds of authors and aspiring writers each year and 2012  promises to be one of the best conferences yet. Attendees will have access to 13 agents, four editors and three experts in [...]

Read Across Doss (RAD) is a program created at Doss Elementary to foster interest in literature. Through author/illustrator visits and numerous ongoing activities, we’re hoping to instill an early and enduring love of reading and writing. We developing our program schedule over the next year and would love to support folks from Austin and Texas. If you are [...]

If you’re interested in joining a carpool to TLA contact Debbie via the website . She’s compiling a list of travelers willing to share in transportation expenses, lodging accomodations, and in the fun! The Texas Library Association will be holding their amazing annual conference on April 17-20 at the George R. Brown Convention center, Houston, TX. Be there! You’ll [...]

As usual, our vibrant chapter is bustling as busily as a basket of springtime bees. Here in the heart of Texas, we’ve got so much happening it’s hard to keep up with it all – and that’s a good problem to have, don’t you think? To begin with on join Greg Leitich Smith on Saturday, Mar 24, [...]

Finalists for the Texas Institute of Letters awards for 2011 have been announced by Darwin Payne, president. Winners from these finalists will be named Saturday, April 14, 2012, at the  annual banquet to be held this year at the Menger Hotel in San Antonio. The Institute was founded in 1936 to recognize literary achievement and to [...]

Announcing the 13th Annual Writing & Illustrating for Young Readers Conference to be held on June 18th to 22nd in beautiful Sandy, Utah. There are a variety of workshop tracks  available for both the advanced or novice writer to choose from such as a Writer’s Boot Camp, an Illustration Class, Morning and Afternoon sessions. And, the conference faculty is phenomenal! Included in the list of accomplished authors, [...]

A note from Jo Virgil, Community Outreach and Information Coordinator – Texas Governor’s Committee on People with Disabilities: Austin, Texas – March 19, 2012 – This month, the Coalition of Texans with Disabilities (CTD) announced the third year of Pen 2 Paper, an annual disability-focused creative writing contest. Pen 2 Paper calls on Texan writers of all ages [...]

A note from Jo Lloyd of the Highlights Foundation : We are thrilled to announce that Rich Wallace and Kathy Erskine will lead our YA Bootcamp: What Young-Adult Readers Expect from You , June 7-10, 2012. Learn the ins and outs of writing for young adults through lectures, hands-on writing sessions, and one-on-one manuscript critiques. In order to connect with young-adult readers, adult writers must [...]

 August 3 – 6, 2012  |  Los Angeles, California Get ready for an unforgettable experience with the very best in the field of children’s literature! Mark your calendar for April 18th at 10:00am to be one of the first to register. Whether you are an author or illustrator, published or unpublished, create picture books or young adult novels, you won’t want to miss [...]

Each year, the SCBWI sponsors four conference scholarships for full-time graduate or undergraduate students studying illustration.  Each scholarship will provide: Admission to all conference events including keynotes and breakout sessions Entry in the Juried Portfolio Showcase.           *Note: The winner of the Los Angeles portfolio showcase receives a trip to New York City to meet with art directors The Illustration Master Class (Los Angeles) or [...]

A Note from SCBWI Headquarters : Bologna is nearly upon us and here is the link to the SCBWI Bologna 2012 Illustrators’ Gallery. The SCBWI Showcase provides an international stage for SCBWI regions and PAL members to showcase their work at the SCBWI stand at the world’s largest rights fair dedicated to children’s books. At the 2012 SCBWI Showcase you can [...]

A note from the Capital Area Master Naturalists: At 6:30 (for social hour) and 7:00 (for program) on March 28, our monthly meeting will feature Jeanette Larson, author of  Hummingbirds: Facts and Folklore from the Americas , speaking on that topic . She will be happy to sign books for you and will have some to sell as well. Regular Monthly Meetings are normally [...]

“Not Succumbing to Writerly Despair: How to be Inspired, Rather than Crippled, by Criticism”: Learn how to develop healthy, constructive self-criticism from self-doubt, which can be crippling. Take what you hear and put it to good use, rather than let it feed your writerly despair. Salima Alikhan has illustrated three picture books, “Pieces of Another World” (Sylvan [...]

From the SCBWI website: The Crystal Kite Awards are given by the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators each year to recognize great books from 15 regional SCBWI divisions around the world.  Along with the SCBWI Golden Kite Awards, the Crystal Kite Awards are chosen by other children’s book writers and illustrators, making them the only peer-given [...]

A note from Ava Barrett of the the Art Center of Corpus Christi: I am from the Art Center of Corpus Christi and we having a Book Festival here at the Art Center on May 12th and with that we are planning for a Children’s book illustration Exhibit.  Submission guidelines for the exhibit are printed below. Submission Guidelines: [...]

From Publisher’s Marketplace : Debut author Lindsey Scheibe’s RIPTIDE, pitched as Jennifer Echols/Simone Elkeles meets the movie BLUE CRUSH, in which a seventeen-year-old is training for a big surf competition — her ticket out of an abusive household — and trying desperately to keep from falling in love with her best friend, to Brian Farrey at Flux, in a [...]

Texas Book Festival members are invited to attend the O’Reilly Tools of Change Conference in Austin, for free! Mini TOC Austin is a one day event of conversation focusing on Austin’s thriving publishing, tech, and bookish-arts community. This conference provides an opportunity for publishing and tech luminaries from Austin and around the globe to share how they [...]

The world premiere of KL Going ‘s, FAT KID RULES THE WORLD (yes, the Printz honor book a couple years back),  will be a showcased at SXSW this weekend. The run begins on Friday, March 9th. Check the SXSW schedule for the a listing of viewing times. KL Going will also be doing a signing on Monday, March 12th at 2:00 pm in the Barnes & [...]

 This is a new service from TLA at no cost to the author or illustrator who hails from Texas! What is it? It’s a website aimed at increasing the interactions between Texas libraries and Texas authors/ illustrators by library visits, internet visits and more.   How do you sign up? Go to http://www.yartspot.com/ You do need to register [...]

March 15, 2012 marks the receipt deadline for the following SCBWI grants: For illustators, The Don Freeman Memorial Grant-in-Aid – Don Freeman was a renowned illustrator and an early supporter of SCBWI.  He established this award to help picture book artists further their training and work towards publication. This Grant is available to both full and associate members of the SCBWI who, as [...]

Notes from the SCBWI website:

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Notes from VCFA’s Hunger Mountain website : What is the Katherine Paterson Prize for YA and Children’s Writing? An annual prize for Young Adult and Children’s Literature. A chance for your YA and Children’s Lit to be read by Hunger Mountain editors and guest judges! What will the winner receive? One overall first place winner receives $1,000 and publication! Three [...]

  Notes from the SCBWI Website: ” The Jane Yolen Mid-list Author Grant  grant gives $3000 to midlist authors to honor their contribution and help raise awareness about their current works in progress. A winner will receive $2000 and two honor recipients will each receive $500. Jane hopes the grant will help boost the careers of Mid-list authors [...]

DATE: March 24, 2012 CONTACT: Liz Mertz LOCATION/TIME: Gander Mountain, 2301 Earl Rudder Freeway South, College Station, TX. 10 AM to 1 PM What Makes a Good “Boy Book” and Why Should We Care? with Andy Sherrod Too often boys who are labeled reluctant readers would read more if they found books more interesting. On March 24, boy book expert Andy Sherrod will [...]

People are still talking about the over-the-top amazing ASCBWI 2012 Regional Conference – Something for Everybody that was held at the lovely St. Edwards University campus on Feb. 17th to 19th. Authors and illustrators alike gathered together to share creative support for their craft and, most importantly, for each other. We worked, played, and celebrated our creative community in true Austin [...]

A blog post written by Carmen Oliver, ARA: Another  Austin SCBWI  conference has come and gone and the inspiration and motivation are burning through my veins! As the ARA for the Austin SCBWI chapter, I saw the results of many months of hard work pay off and that in itself is one of the greatest rewards. Seeing the [...]

The Institute of Children’s Literature website is hosting The Editor, Feb 21-23 for a 3-day Q&A-format workshop, part of their on-going free writers’ workshop series. The workshop takes place on the ICL’s message board at http://bit.ly/xRUHVr, which anyone can read (no registration required). If you want to post a question, you do need to register (yes, [...]

A note from Cynthia Bermundez; Writer in Residence Director, Miami-Dade, Florida: The Miami-Dade Public Library System is proud to announce its 2012 Young Adult Writer-in-Residence program funded through a grant from the James L. Knight Foundation. We are seeking a dynamic and engaging Young Adult author who will encourage local teens, 12-18, in the creative writing process. The [...]

Congratulations to Mari Mancusi on Gamer Girl being named to the 2012 YALSA Popular Paperbacks list.

And…The New York Times touts Cynthia Levinson’s We’ve Got a Job a “riveting, significant work of nonfiction.”

Way to go, ladies! You’re doing us proud.

Hard to believe that the 2012 ASCBWI Regional Conference – Something for Everybody is just one week away, isn’t it?  If you’ve yet to register time is tick-tick-ticking away. Don’t wait much longer. Here’s why: * Enjoy a Friday night social, readings, a full Saturday of amazing speakers and presentations, and another evening social to wind up all of the festivities. [...]

“100-Year Celebration of AISD School Libraries” 2-6 p.m. Sat May 12, Austin (location TBA) Austin’s elementary, middle school and high school librarians are working on a special fundraiser to raise awareness of the importance of school libraries and celebrate the 100 th anniversary of Austin’s first public school library. The celebration will feature storytelling, author presentations [...]

A quote from Nicole Villalpando of the American Statesman : “ We’ve Got a Job: The 1963 Birmingham Children’s March ,” by Cynthia Levinson , is the story of 1963, when 4,000 black elementary, middle and high school children in Birmingham, Ala., went to jail to fight for Civil Rights. “We’ve Got a Job,” tells the story of four of these children [...]

The 2012 Austin SCBWI Something for Everybody Regional Conference just can’t get here soon enough! If you haven’t registered, there is still room for you during the Friday, Feb. 17th, and Saturday, Feb. 18th, events which will take place at St. Edwards University in Ragsdale Hall . This conference has all the makings of being absolutely unforgettable! We’ve gathered together the industry’s finest professionals – agents, [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]