Your July 2021 SCBWI Houston Newsletter |
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Upcoming Meeting: Monday, July 12 7-9 PM
Next Meeting: Monday, August 2 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:
Author and School Visit Expert Alexis O'Neill
Next Month, August 2. Emily Mollenkopf and Meredith Hom: The Pixar Process (of Story Development)
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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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Denise Ditto Satterfield Launching Third Book in Series |
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Joining her Tooth Collector Fairies series, is
Tooth Fairy Day Celebration. Officially releasing August 22,
also known as Tooth Fairy Day we are told!
Every year, to honor all of the children in the world who have lost baby teeth, the citizens of Brushelot organize a Tooth Fairy Day Celebration with a festival that includes carnival rides and a talent show competition. As the Tooth Collector fairies on Batina’s cheer team prepare to audition for the show they make an amazing discovery. A small creature, unlike anything they have ever seen, is spotted outside Batina’s hut. Will this discovery impact the day?
Tooth Fairy Day Celebration is the third book in the "Tooth Collector Fairy" series. The lessons learned in this story are responsibility, compromise and teamwork.
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Austin's Samantha M. Clark's Newest Book Available for Pre-order
From the author of The Boy, the Boat, and the Beast comes a lush and timely tale about a boy who’s grown up as the only human in an enchanted rainforest and what happens when people from the outside world... For the first 500 books sold, a tree will be planted. Learn more at SamanthaMClark.com/Arrow
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Kate McCormick Has Brought StoryWalk
to Houston
There have been two installations so far: Plant the Tiny Seed at the Southside Place Community Garden in May and the most current installation, Hats Off for the Fourth of July, was at Friends Park in West University Place through July 4th.
A StoryWalk is a page-by-page presentation of a children’s picture book along an outdoor path. Visitors follow the numbered signs, reading the story along the way. They end the trail as they end the book. StoryWalk promotes early literacy, physical activity and family time together outdoors.
The StoryWalk Project was created by a librarian in Vermont. Kate experienced her first StoryWalk last summer while visiting her sister in Massachusetts, and was inspired to try it here. She secured a private grant and started contacting parks near where she lives. This is a community service with another volunteer so there is no cost to the venue in terms of dollars or staff time associated with having a StoryWalk.
Seen above are sisters Ripley and Leela McLeod reading
Hats Off for the Fourth of July! at Friends Park.
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Alda P. Dobbs will be presenting to the
Barefoot Dreams of Petra Luna.
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July's Virtual Illustration Meetup: The Octopus |
Houston Chapter's Regional Illustrator Coordinator, Yousef Balat, invites everyone who loves to draw to the next virtual meetup on July 17th, 10-11 am. Calling All Creators! Writers, Illustrators, or the coveted combo, all are welcome for July’s 3rd Saturday meetup.
OBSERVE THE WONDERFULLY VERSATILE CEPHALOPOD IN JULY. COME AND JOIN US AS WE WATCH THE OCTOPUS DANCE, SOLVE PROBLEMS, PRACTICE ITS HOUDINI ACT AND MORE.
IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN DRAWING OR WRITING ABOUT THIS ENIGMATIC CREATURE FROM DIRECT OBSERVATION WITH FELLOW CREATIVES THEN CLICK THE LINK AND STOP ON BY.
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Houston SCBWI Giving Grants to
Attend Big Five-OH Conference
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We understand it's been a difficult year for so many of our members, both financially and emotionally. In an effort to lessen the burden and help keep our members reaching for the stars, the Regional Team has created five need-based grants to support our member's attendance to this year's Big Five-Oh Conference. Each grant will cover the full cost of tuition to this amazing national conference!
Who: Any current member for whom the cost of attending is prohibitive
To Apply: Please fill out this form and we will be in touch shortly. If you are an illustrator and need additional assistance in order to participate in the Portfolio Showcase, please indicate that on the form.
Deadline: Grant applications close at midnight on Friday, July 17th.
Important Notes
- Grants are open to current members only and will be given on a first come first served basis.
- Those selected will need to register as usual through the regular conference registration process, and we will cut you a check to reimburse your costs. Grants only cover the base tuition cost and the Portfolio Showcase fee (if applicable).
- Please do not register until you have received confirmation that you have been selected.
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Houston SCBWI NEW Webinar: Writing for Illustrators |
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Cricket Media is calling for submissions for their children's literary magazines. Cricket Media seeks fiction, nonfiction, folktales, poetry, and more for our literary magazines for children and teens: Babybug (ages 0-3), Ladybug (ages 3-6), Spider (ages 6-9), and Cricket (ages 9-14). Especially welcome are works by LGBTQIA+ writers/artists, writers/artists with disabilities, and writers/artists of color. We are sensitive to issues of cultural appropriation and misrepresentation.
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MoMA's Favorite Children's Books About Art
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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.
June 2021 Kelly Starling Lyons
July 2021 Alexis O'Neill
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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