Creating a Newbery Honor Book, an Interview with Victoria Jamieson

12 Friday Feb 2016

Posted by Christine Van Zandt HOT DOG! 2026 JLG gold-standard selection in Author's Perspective, Illustrator's Perspective

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In honor of Valentine’s Day weekend, we’re going to share the love and offer our readers a chance to win Victoria Jamieson’s awesome book, Roller Girl. Post a comment through February 19, 2016, to be entered in this random drawing.

SCBWI member Victoria Jamieson shares her process for creating the Newbery Honor book, Roller Girl. This middle-grade graphic novel has scored more than a dozen accolades including New York Times best seller, Publisher’s Weekly Best Book of 2015, and an ALA Notable Children’s Book of 2016.

Roller Girl is Jamieson’s fourth children’s book and her third publication with Dial Books, a division of Penguin Young Readers Group. Her three picture books are Bea Rocks the Flock (Bloomsbury USA Children’s Books, 2009), Olympig! (2012) and Pest in Show (2013).

CHRISTINE VAN ZANDT: Welcome! Why did you change your focus from picture books to a graphic novel?

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Robin Reul: How I Write

10 Wednesday Feb 2016

Posted by Sarah Parker-Lee in Author's Perspective

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authors, My Kind of Crazy, Robin Reul, tools, writing tips

Robin Reul has been writing stories since she was old enough to hold a pen. Though she grew up on movie sets and worked for years in the film and television industry, she ultimately decided to focus her attention on writing contemporary young adult novels. Learn “How she writes” and get some great tips to add to your own writer’s toolbox!

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Coloring Outside the Lines with Drew Daywalt

05 Friday Feb 2016

Posted by Christine Van Zandt HOT DOG! 2026 JLG gold-standard selection in Author's Perspective, Community Corner

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best seller, crayons, Drew Daywalt, local, parent, writer

We all love a success story. By success, I mean Drew Daywalt’s book, The Day the Crayons Quit, with over 1.1 million copies in print in 17 languages. TIME magazine named this book one of “100 Best Children’s Books of All Time.” It was on the New York Times best-seller list for 100+ weeks (No. 1 in its category for more than half that span) until recently, when bumped from this spot by its sequel, The Day the Crayons Came Home.

It gets better! This talented, amazing author is an SCBWI member who writes, lives, and raises his kids here in Los Angeles. You may have seen him on the cover of this month’s Writer’s Digest magazine.

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SCBWI Community Corner with Sarah Parker-Lee

03 Wednesday Feb 2016

Posted by Sarah Parker-Lee in Community Corner

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critiques, SCBWI events, SCBWI members, writing tips

The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators is a dynamic community of professionals and aspirings. Here’s one member’s story about how SCBWI has influenced their work and connected them to publishing professionals, life-long friends, and the tools they need to share their stories with children of all ages.

SCBWI 2013 Summer Conference

My name is Sarah Parker-Lee. I joined the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators in 2013, at the suggestion of an editor from Simon and Schuster, who is also a member. She told me, if I was serious about writing for children, and I wanted publishers and agents to know it, I needed to be here. And she was right. Nothing has influenced my work more or guided me on my career path like the SCBWI.

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Central Coast Regional News

27 Wednesday Jan 2016

Posted by Christine Van Zandt HOT DOG! 2026 JLG gold-standard selection in Central Coast, Tri-Regional News

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by Ann Rousseau Smith, CenCal News Liaison

Writer’s Retreat, January 15-17, 2016

SCBWI CenCal Announces Its First Mentor Program

The SCBWI CenCal Digital Mentorship intends to match well-published, knowledgeable local CenCal PAL members* with promising mentees to provide one-on-one writing feedback and guidance. Three mentorships will be offered in 2016: one each for picture book, middle grade, and YA.

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Picture Book Manuscript Wins Sue Alexander Grant

24 Sunday Jan 2016

Posted by Christine Van Zandt HOT DOG! 2026 JLG gold-standard selection in Contests & Grants, SAG

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By Marcelle Greene, LA Contest Coordinator

Sue Alexander

After three years of favoring novels, the judges for the region’s most prestigious annual contest have awarded the Sue Alexander Grant to a picture book:

Woodland Dreams by Karen Lyn Jameson

In rhythmic writing that is sparse and word perfect, Jameson develops a gentle repetitive call to a range of forest creatures to bed down for the night. The text is “more than a bedtime story,” judges say, “offering just enough flora and fauna to spike a young listener’s interest and to create wonderful illustration potential.” Following are the first two stanzas:

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Thérèse Makes a Tapestry, Part 2: Author, Alexandra S. D. Hinrichs

22 Friday Jan 2016

Posted by Christine Van Zandt HOT DOG! 2026 JLG gold-standard selection in Author's Perspective

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Alexandra S. D. Hinrichs, Getty, historical fiction, nonfiction, parent, picture book, Two Views, Same Book, writer

Today, we present Part Two of the series featuring the author and illustrator of the historical fiction children’s picture book, Thérèse Makes a Tapestry.

Alexandra S. D. Hinrichs, an SCBWI member, is the author of this beautiful book. Set in the time of King Louis XIV’s reign of France (1643-1715), Thérèse’s father is a painter who travels with the king; their family lives at the Gobelins Manufactory where world-famous tapestries are made (and are still being made today!). Although women and girls are not permitted to weave, Thérèse practices at home. The book reveals how Thérèse surprises those around her.

Alexandra’s background includes historical researcher for American Girl, substitute youth services librarian, and children’s bookseller. She has two young boys. This is her debut children’s picture book.

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Thérèse Makes a Tapestry, Part 1: Illustrator, Renée Graef

20 Wednesday Jan 2016

Posted by Christine Van Zandt HOT DOG! 2026 JLG gold-standard selection in Illustrator's Gallery, Illustrator's Perspective

≈ 11 Comments

Tags

Getty, historical fiction, illustrator, local, nonfiction, parent, picture book, Renee Graef, Two Views, Same Book

Today, we present Part One of the series featuring both the illustrator and author of the historical fiction children’s picture book, Thérèse Makes a Tapestry.

Renée Graef, an SCBWI member, is the illustrator of this beautiful book. Set in the time of King Louis XIV’s reign of France (1643-1715), Thérèse’s father is a painter who travels with the king; their family lives at the Gobelins Manufactory where world-famous tapestries are made (and are still being made today!). Although women and girls are not permitted to weave, Thérèse practices at home. The book reveals how Thérèse surprises those around her.

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Interview with Brenda Drake of Pitch Wars

13 Wednesday Jan 2016

Posted by Christine Van Zandt HOT DOG! 2026 JLG gold-standard selection in Community Corner, Great News!, Industry News

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Each quarter we try to spotlight something helpful to writers and provide them with appropriate information. This week I have an interview with BRENDA DRAKE, founder of PITCH WARS. Read on to find out more about this interactive and free service for writers.

Brenda Drake

CHRISTINE VAN ZANDT: What is Pitch Wars?

BRENDA DRAKE: Pitch Wars is a contest where published/agented authors, editors, or industry interns choose one writer each, read their entire manuscript, and help the writers to shine it up for agents. The mentors also help with their mentees’ pitches to get them ready for the agent round. Writers send applications (query and first chapter of manuscript) to the four mentors that best fit their work. The mentors then read all their applications and choose the writer they want to mentor for the next two months. Then we hold an agent round with tons of amazing agents making requests.

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LA Regional News

06 Wednesday Jan 2016

Posted by Christine Van Zandt HOT DOG! 2026 JLG gold-standard selection in Los Angeles, Tri-Regional News, Writers Days

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Happy New Year to all of our Los Angeles SCBWI Members from the Regional Team and Board!

This year, Writer’s Day has an exciting new format that you won’t want to miss.

On Saturday, March 12th, we will be at the beautiful Skirball Cultural Center. Registration opens January 10th. Click on this link for the full details: http://losangeles.scbwi.org/events/la-writers-day-16/.

Main Stage: In the Magnin Auditorium, there will be a morning of talks by publishing professionals and author presentations in the afternoon. Each talk will allow time for questions from you, the audience. We will also have door prizes and the Sue Alexander Service and Encouragement Award.

Some of our faculty and their presentations: