Your August 2021 SCBWI Houston Newsletter |
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Upcoming Meeting: Monday, August 2 7-9 PM
Next Meeting: Monday, September 13 7-9 PM
Please join us on the first Monday of every month from 7-9 p.m. at the Tracy Gee Community Center, 3599 Westcenter, Houston, or on Zoom if instructed to do so.
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This month:
Emily Mollenkopf and Meredith Hom:
The Pixar Process (of Story Development)
Next Month, September 13. TBD
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Yahoo Listserv has ended. STAY in the loop by joining the new listserv NOW.
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The listserv has proved to be a great way to keep in touch, start critique groups, announce good news, etc. With us not meeting in person in the near future, let's keep in touch virtually.
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In an effort to prioritize our public health and safe community building during the Covid-19 pandemic, we have canceled all 2020 Dinner Table quarterly events and look forward to bringing this program back in 2021. Stay safe and keep creating with open hearts and minds!
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Alda P. Dobbs Debut Book Giveaway |
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In anticipation of the release of Alda's debut novel,
Barefoot Dreams of Petra Luna on September 14,
Giveaway runs August 1 through August 15.
In 1913, during the Mexican Revolution, twelve-year-old Petra Luna and her family flee their burning village. They cross desert plains and battlefields, desperate to escape the wrath of the Federales. Every night, when Petra closes her eyes, she hangs tight to her dreams. In one of them, she can read, and she reads everything – books, newspapers, EVERYTHING. But all of her dreams will have to wait as long as she stays true to her promise to Papa.
Barefoot Dreams of Petra Luna was inspired by the experiences the author’s great-grandmother endured during the Mexican Revolution.
And don't forget: Alda will be presenting to the
Research can be tricky, especially when you’re digging in to your own family history. Author Alda P. Dobbs will draw from her own experience writing her historical middle grade novel, THE BAREFOOT DREAMS OF PETRA LUNA, to provide tools and tips for researching family histories. Learn how to spin family lore into manuscript magic, along with general research resources.
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Virtual Release Party
Susan McCauley is inviting everyone to a Facebook Virtual Launch Party for the third book in her series: Ghost Hunters: Spirit Fire.
Tuesday, September 7, 7-9 pm
GH: Spirit Fire follows Alex and his friends as they investigate a rash of unexplained and mysterious arsons
in haunted New Orleans.
The cover was once again
illustrated by Bill Ferguson.
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August's Virtual Illustration Meetup: Critique Day |
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Calling all creators!
August 21, 10-11 am we will be hosting a critique day.
So bring your writings, illustrations, etc.. and enjoy a session where we all help each other improve our craft.
If you need a creative jumpstart, here is a list of prompts to get those
creative juices flowing
- Illustrate a book cover or write a book blurb of your favorite childhood book.
- Illustrate or describe a still-life/room with a specific narrative in mind.
- Illustrate or describe a protagonist and antagonist of a narrative.
- Illustrate or complete this sentence: “Jacky walked the same path to school everyday and nothing extraordinary ever happened until one rainy Wednesday morning Jacky saw…..”
So come prepared to show something and uplift each other creatively.
Work can still be in rough stages for critique.
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Houston SCBWI NEW Webinar: Writing for Illustrators |
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New Webinars from Austin chapter: |
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Writing won’t necessarily get you published. What? Did you read that right? Yes, yes you did. In a world where people think writing is like eating–as in everybody can do it–you need something special in your story to not only soar over the slush, but to get kids and adults excited about your book. We know you can write, but can you sell? What is separating your manuscript from the thousands of others agents and editors receive each week? Tara Lazar will run through the techniques that make a picture book irresistible.
August 24, 7-8:30
$10 SCBWI members $55 non-members
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We humans need stories. We are hard-wired to interpret our own lives and experiences through the experiences of others, and a well-told story with a fully developed character provides us with a template for living. As writers, we know that creating that “fully developed character” is one of our greatest challenges. Psychology tells us that our views of life are formed by early “wounding”, and that the adult bases life decisions on revisiting the “wounded child”. Thus, as writers, it behooves us to understand the nature of our characters’ backstory wounds as they manifest in our characters’ story arcs. This workshop by author Janet Fox will explore the nature of backstory wounds and how to develop and use them to create fully rounded characters, using a range of exercises, templates, and take-aways.
September 14 7-8:30
$10 SCBWI Members $55 Non-members
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Nonfiction has been gaining traction in recent years in children’s publishing, especially as authors and publishing houses have broken out of the traditional “textbook” model and have looked to create informational and fact-filled texts that are engaging, interactive and just plain fun. A particular advantage of taking a more creative approach to nonfiction is that you can potentially position your book for both the trade and educational markets and interest a greater variety of editors and ultimately readers.
In this interactive workshop we will look at the nuts and bolts of proposing a nonfiction project, focusing on writing a polished proposal, and accompanying query, for middle grade and YA crossover nonfiction. We’ll also talk a little bit about strategies for presenting nonfiction picture books in newer and more original ways than the traditional “PB bio” format that has filled—some would say overfilled—the market in recent years.
October 19 7-8:30
$10 SCBWI Members $55 Non-members
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This webinar is a walk-through of the design and art production process involved in
preparing a picture book for upload to a self-publishing site. The intent of this session
is to demystify the process. Whether you aim to prepare the files yourself, or will be
hiring a consultant or designer, knowing the steps involved will be beneficial in
helping to get you across the finish line.
$10 SCBWI Members, $20 Non-Members
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Monday, September 20, 2021 @7:00pm EST
Get published! If you enjoy writing about new topics, both fiction and nonfiction, consider writing for the educational market. Participants will learn about this market and how to approach publishers with a work-for-hire package. Get publishing experience with books and other resources for children (K-12) without the slush pile. A limited number of written critiques are available.
$15 SCBWI Member $25 Non Member
Critique=$50
Hosted by (Region Info) – Eastern Pennsylvania
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Finding the Perfect Agent: Webinar with Saritza Hernández |
September 23, 2021
from 7:30– 9:00 pm Central Time
Now that you’ve got that polished manuscript or picture book dummy, it’s time to take the next step in your publishing career. In this webinar you’ll learn how the “art” of finding the perfect agent is as creative a process as your storytelling. With expert advice, top-industry literary agent Saritza Hernández will cover the basics of researching, vetting, and collaborating with the agent who will best represent your work.
Following the webinar, participants will have the opportunity to query Saritza, who is otherwise closed to submissions.
$15 for SCBWI members
$35 for non-members
Hosted by (Region Info) – Nebraska
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From BookBub:
Thanks to the rapid rise of TikTok and Clubhouse, as well as new features on existing platforms like Instagram and Twitter, we often hear from authors wondering how many social media platforms they should be using — and who feel like they can’t keep up.
But authors don’t need a full-fledged presence on every social media platform. In fact, many authors choose one to three platforms on which to focus and grow a following, rather than spreading themselves too thin across a half-dozen or more social media channels. So the question is: Which social media platforms should you choose to build your author brand?
Instagram can be a great platform for promoting books or an author’s brand — it has more than 1 billion monthly active users, and according to Rival IQ, brands have a 13.5x higher median engagement rate on Instagram than on Facebook, and 27x higher than on Twitter.
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2021 Version of The Book now available.
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THE BOOK is updated with invaluable, up to date market surveys, and several new articles including Bringing Your Backlist Forward, Putting Together a Winning Virtual Presentation, and Beware Author Self-Publishing Scams. Whether you are published or pre-published, there are many helpful articles to jump-start your career and/or provide the encouragement and knowledge you need moving forward.
THE BOOK is one of your most invaluable member resources that should be within reach at all times. Check out each section for information and insights: Preparing & Submitting Your Work, Published and Listed (PAL), Self-Publishing, SCBWI en Español, SCBWI Market Surveys, SCBWI Directories and Resources, Publicizing Your Published Work, SCBWI School Visits, and SCBWI Legal Questions.
To view THE BOOK, just log into your profile page and click on PUBLICATIONS, then on The Book in the dropdown menu. You must be logged in to download or order THE BOOK.
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SCBWI YouTube Featuring The Vault Let's You Relive Wondrous Moments with Best-Selling Icons of Childrens Publishing -- Or Experience Them For The First Time
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We are so proud to introduce you to the all-new SCBWI YouTube featuring the Vault which launches today with a treasure trove of exclusive never-before-seen videos that put you smack in the middle of the greatest children’s book creators of our time. Culling the best moments from SCBWI conferences---from the early days in the 1970s all the way up to this year, the Vault holds the advice, teachings, and musings of the biggest and brightest names in children’s publishing over the past 50 years. Even if you never got the chance to be there originally, you can now have a front row seat to all the SCBWI conferences---the profound, the moving, the funny, the goofy, the heart-stopping moments that are at the center of this brilliant creative community.
It's easy to step into our new YouTube channel and watch featured video clips from award-winning creators including:
Kwame Alexander Laurie Halse Anderson Judy Blume
Bruce Coville Karen Cushman Paula Danziger
Sid Fleischman Gordon Korman Meg Medina
Vanessa Brantley Newton Linda Sue Park
Jerry Pinkney David Small Jerry Spinelli
Shaun Tan Richard Jesse Watson
Before Newbery medals, before National Book Awards, before the adulation, there were young writers and illustrators on the path to legend status. The awards and praises of the book industry and book lovers worldwide were heaped on the giants of the industry seen here. All of them shared the stage at our conferences over the years. You’ll be inspired, captivated, and enamored.
And that’s just the beginning! Each week we will be bringing you stunning archival footage to watch and share with your friends, family, and colleagues. SCBWI is giving its members and book lovers everywhere an opportunity not found anywhere else, to witness the history of contemporary children’s books in the making.
SCBWI members will see exclusive clips pulled from the vault just for them in Insight, the monthly e-newsletter, and in Pro Insider the e-newsletter for published members. You can follow all the fun on our social media – Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook – with sneak previews and only-on-this-platform content. Subscribe to our YouTube channel here https://www.youtube.com/user/TheScbwi/ so you don’t miss out. And check in regularly, to keep the inspiration flowing.
For anyone interested in children’s books, for anyone who values creativity, for anyone wanting a direct hit of inspiration and joy, SCBWIYouTube featuring the Vault is the place to be. See you there, friends.
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Have an idea on how to improve Houston SCBWI?
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Information and Procedures
The SCBWI Emergency Fund has been established to provide assistance to SCBWI members of at least
six months’ standing in times of emergency or hardship. The emergency or hardship could involve,
for example, matters of health, family issues, or natural disasters that are in any way restricting
or preventing an SCBWI member’s ability to work as an author or illustrator.
The fund is also running low due to the high number of applications.
If you wish to donate to the fund, you may do so on the website or by mail:
Please send a check to:
SCBWI Emergency Fund
6363 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 425
Los Angeles, CA 90048
Your contribution will be announced in the following SCBWI Bulletin. Dollar amounts will not be listed. If you wish to remain anonymous please indicate so in your letter.
There is a $1,500 cap on any given grant, and no member may receive the grant more than twice.
SCBWI does not expect to be reimbursed for grants made from the Emergency Fund.
Applications for assistance can come from the individual member seeking the aid or from someone noting their member friend or associate is in need of assistance. Applications are confidential and not shared outside the organization.
Members should fill out the application, which can be found here. The applicant will receive an electronic confirmation and all communications will be by email unless the applicant indicates no access to a computer.
To learn more about the Emergency Fund, please click here to read the FAQ.
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Don't Get SCAMMED!
Are you aware of Writer Beware? It's a good site to check on complaints about publishers. This 2019 roundup covers the year in review. If you're not familiar with how "vanity publishers" scam authors, be sure to study the links under SAVE YOUR CASH and ADVICE YOU CAN USE. It also touches on how awards can take advantage of authors.
Use the SEARCH THIS BLOG function to look up specific publisher and agent names.
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FREE On-demand webinars from SCBWI MD/DE/WV! |
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Creating Your Portfolio with Rebecca Evans
• Formatting Your Manuscript for Submission with Kathy MacMillan
• A Conversation with Picture Book Authors 1 (Read Local Challenge webinar featuring
J.H. Diehl, Amy S. Hansen, and Rebecca Evans)
• A Conversation with Picture Book Authors 2 (Read Local Challenge webinar featuring
Ann McCallum, Karen Leggett Abouraya, and Lezlie Evans)
• Conversation with Picture Book Authors 3 (Read Local Challenge webinar featuring Veronica Bartles, Sue Fliess, and Megan Wagner Lloyd)
• A Conversation with Middle Grade Authors 1 (Read Local Challenge webinar featuring
Laura Shovan, Leah Henderson, and Barbara Carney-Coston)
• A Conversation with Middle Grade Authors 2 (Read Local Challenge webinar featuring
R.D Henham and Deborah Kalb)
• A Conversation with Young Adult Authors (Read Local Challenge webinar featuring
Kathy MacMillan, Linda Budzinski, Meg Eden, Pintip Dunn, and Christina June)
We are pleased to offer these free webinar recordings, available anytime
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SCBWI Podcast Goes Public
In a bold expansion to new platforms, SCBWI has made the first season of its popular podcast, SCBWI Conversations, available to the public. Our library of in-depth, insightful episodes feature the best of editors, agents, authors, and illustrators in the children’s book industry. As of today, we have over nine thousand listeners on six continents who have joined us since our public launch in May. The most current season will remain exclusive content for SCBWI members only. It is available for streaming from our website here.
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An Ongoing and Updated List of Webinars |
The Nevada SCBWI chapter has a new feature listing and updating webinars of interest to our members. Be sure to bookmark this page to stay abreast of new opportunities...
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Austin's Cynthia Leitich Smith Is Compiling
an ever growing list of Texas children's-YA
authors and Illustrators.
Howdy! Texas is bursting with talented children’s-YA book creators.
Once again, my Cynterns and I are updating the ever-growing list of
Texas children’s-YA authors and illustrators at:
It’s a popular resource for event planners, gatekeepers and Texas book lovers.
listings or updates to existing listings.
Those who currently live in Texas or have previously lived in Texas are
eligible for inclusion.
Please reply with byline, official website URL, preferred titles to
highlight, and current city and/or state of residence.
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Monthly Meetings
When: Meetings are held on the first Monday night of each month (first Tuesday if first Monday is a holiday), 7-9 pm. Fiction, Nonfiction and Illustration critique groups meet from 6-7pm.
What: All regular monthly meetings are open to all at no cost or obligation. To suggest speakers or topics and/or to be added to our monthly meeting reminder e-mail list, contact Program Coordinator via our Contact Us page.
Where: The meetings are held at the Tracy Gee community center, located at 3599 Westcenter Dr, Houston, TX 77042. Please note: Due to the Covid-19 Pandemic, meetings will be held online through Zoom until further notice.
August 2021 Emily Mollenkopf and Meredith Hom: The Pixar Process (of Story Development)
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Our Staff
Regional Advisor:
Asst. Regional Advisor:
Lynne Kelly
Illustrators Coordinator:
Monthly Program Chair:
Cheryl McCosh
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Listserv Coordinator:
Twitter Coordinator:
Newsletter & Website
Art Credit
Header Design:
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Copyright © 2021 SCBWI-Houston, All rights reserved.
Our mailing address is:
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