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Kite Tales

Tag Archives: novel

Announcing the 2025 SCBWI-L.A. Mentorship Contest Winner!

11 Wednesday Jun 2025

Posted by Judy Y Faulkner in Contests & Grants, Los Angeles, Mentorship Contest, Tri-Regional News

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Julia Edwards, mentorship, Mentorship Award, MG, middle grade, novel, Sherry Shahan, writing, Writing awards

In March, we invited writers to apply for a six-month mentorship with one of our Published and Listed members, and we received a record number of entries! This year’s mentor, Sherry Shahan, joins us to announce the winner and discuss her selection process.

by Sherry Shahan

What a pleasure to spend time with this year’s mentee submissions, written by accomplished playwrights and actors, teachers, artists, music lovers, well-published poets, and other creators. While genres and approaches differed, each writer presented realistic characters with heartfelt desires. Their unique personalities shined through. Stepping into their characters’ worlds at the beginning of their transformations was a remarkable, emotional experience.

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Ask an Editor: Query Letters—When to Start Writing One?

01 Wednesday Nov 2023

Posted by Christine Van Zandt, up next: HOT DOG! in Ask an Editor, Tips and Tools

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#AskanEditor, authors, Christine Van Zandt, editor, middle grade, nonfiction, novel, picture book, publishing, query letters, writing tips, YA

“Ask an Editor” is a quarterly forum wherein SCBWI members submit questions that are answered as part of our Kite Tales blog.

Hi Christine—I’ve finished the first draft of my middle-grade mystery but still have a ways to go before it’s ready for me to submit it to literary agents. When do I start writing my query letter?—Ava, Los Angeles

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Ask an Editor: What Is an R&R?

19 Wednesday Jul 2023

Posted by Christine Van Zandt, up next: HOT DOG! in Ask an Editor, Tips and Tools

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#AskanEditor, authors, Christine Van Zandt, editor, middle grade, novel, picture book, publishing, writing tips, YA

“Ask an Editor” is a quarterly forum wherein SCBWI members submit questions that are answered as part of our Kite Tales blog.

Hi Christine–When I queried my YA novel to a few agents, one sent me an “R&R” (revise and resubmit) request. Should I do this?—Effie, Los Angeles

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Interview with Middle-Grade Author M.G. Hennessey

20 Wednesday Nov 2019

Posted by Christine Van Zandt, up next: HOT DOG! in Author's Perspective, Tips and Tools

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author, Author Tips, child welfare, foster kids, M.G. Hennessey, middle grade, novel, published, The Echo Park Castaways, The Other Boy

Local author and SCBWI member M.G. Hennessey’s new middle-grade book, The Echo Park Castaways, addresses LA’s child-welfare system. The four main characters share the same foster-care home and the story is told from three viewpoints.

CHRISTINE VAN ZANDT: Welcome to Kite Tales! This is such an important topic but you convey the issues in a way a middle-grade reader can understand. Did you write it in an alternating fashion as it’s published, or did you write each character’s piece separately?

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Attention PAL Novelists: Be an SCBWI Mentor in 2020!

01 Friday Nov 2019

Posted by Erik Gonzales-Kramer in Contests & Grants, Mentorship Contest, SCBWI Mentorship Program

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Bethany Barton, Emily Asaro, mentoring, mentors, mentorship, novel, PAL novelists, SCBWI events, SCBWI members, SCBWI Mentor Program, writing

by Karol Ruth Silverstein, SCBWI-L.A. Contest Coordinator

MENTORSHIP1The SCBWI-L.A. Mentorship program alternates between picture book writers, illustrators and novelists. And this year, it’s the novelists’ turn again.

Many folks can attest to the value of having a mentor—but there’s tremendous value in being a mentor as well. From learning more about your own craft to reaffirming your love of storytelling to the simple satisfaction of giving back to the SCBWI-L.A. community, being a mentor can be incredibly rewarding.

We caught up with the SCBWI-L.A. 2019 Mentor Bethany Barton, currently mentoring author/illustrator Emily Asaro, and asked her the following:

KAROL RUTH SILVERSTEIN: What motivated you to be an SCBWI-L.A. mentor? Continue reading →

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What is SCBWI?

Founded in 1971 by a group of Los Angeles-based children's writers, the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators is a non-profit, 501 (c)3 organization. There are currently more than 22,000 members worldwide, in over 70 regional chapters writing and illustrating in all genres for young readers, making it the largest children's writing organization in the world.

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Members of SCBWI receive exclusive access to tools, information, and industry professionals as well conferences, workshops, and critiques. Click HERE to find out more. Join us and take your writing to the next level!

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