fall volume number - scbwi ca-los angeles · december 13, 2008 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. st. maximilian...

Fall Volume Number

In This Issue

SCBWI-L.A. Regional News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2

Orange/Long Beach/Riverside/San Bernardino Regional News . . . . . . .3

Ventura/Santa Barbara Regional News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

Remembering Sue Alexander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7

ILLUSTRATOR’S DAY

Sneak Peak at Speakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

WRITER’S PERSPECTIVE

Open Up the Universe with Science Writing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12

ILLUSTRATOR’S GALLERY: Karyn Raz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19

Kite Tales 2 Fall 2008

Who’s Who inSCBWI-Los Angeles

Regional Advisors:Claudia Harrington, Edie PagliasottiYou can reach us at: 310-573-7318 or mail us at: SCBWI-L.A., P.O. Box 1728, Pacific Palisades, CA 90272E-mail Claudia at [email protected],Edie at [email protected]

Conference Coordinators:Illustrator’s Day: Jaime ZollarsWriter’s Day: Claudia Harrington & Edie PagliasottiWorking Writer’s Retreat:

Judy Enderle & Stephanie GordonDown The Rabbit Hole Sunday Field Trip & Critiquenic:

Dawne Knobbe & Svetlana StricklandHalf-Day Writer’s Workshop: Sally Jones RoganSmall Events: Dawne Knobbe & Anne McGeeScholarship Contest: Jennifer De Costa

Schmooze Organizers: Gay Toltl Kinman (Schmooze Advocate) Sara Wilson Etienne & Greg Pincus (Westside)Suzy Block (Westside Illustrators) Jennifer Swain (San Fernando Valley Illustrators)Dorothy Raymond (West San Gabriel Valley)Mimi Greenfield Kaplan (East San Gabriel Valley)Suzanne Gibson (South Bay)

Advisory Board:Lisze Bechtold, Stephanie Jacob Gordon, MarcelleGreene, Claudia Harrington, Caroline Hatton,Dawne Knobbe, Sarah Laurenson, Marilyn Morton,Edie Pagliasotti, Svetlana Strickland, Jaime ZollarsEmeritus: Judy Enderle, Mary Peterson, JulieWilliams

www.scbwisocal.org, webmistress Sarah Laurenson

SCBWI International

Executive (International) Office:Steve Mooser, Lin OliverFor general info, membership & other national SCBWI business. 8271 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90048323-782-1010, [email protected]

Regional Advisor Chairperson: Cheryl ZachRA Chair Assistant: Pat WolfeInternational Regional Advisor Chair: Erzsi Deak

Illustrator Coordinator: Priscilla Burris E-mail: [email protected]

SCBWI-L.A. Regional News

FALL IS A SEASON OF CHANGE. IT TURNS LEAVES FROM A SOFT VELVETY GREEN INTOa vibrant red-orange glow. The air is crisp and clean, and the days are short. It signals a time ofnew beginnings and endings.

This past summer SCBWI lost one of its mighty pillars—author Sue Alexander. Sue workedtirelessly on behalf of the Los Angeles region. Sue was an encourager, a guide, a taskmaster,and a friend. Sue was a true believer that writing and illustrating for young people was the bestjob anyone could have.

Sue made a difference. She mentored countless writers and illustrators, and was never shy tospeak the truth if a story wasn’t working or a piece of artwork was missing a vital detail. As a tal-ented author, Sue knew all too well the hard work and long hours it took to find the “rightwords” to create a story worth telling. Writing to the best of your ability was the torch Suepassed on to every writer she mentored.

Sue was a staunch supporter of librarians and teachers and independent booksellers. Sheseemed to know everyone connected in some way to the world of children’s literature. And,when budget cuts hit the libraries and chain stores rolled over independent booksellers, Suepicked up the phone and asked, “How can I help?”

Her work on behalf of SCBWI is immeasurable. Her perceptive vision of what this organizationcould be and the great writers and illustrators it could produce will continue to have a ripple ef-fect throughout the years. Her legacy is great. There are no words to measure on how much shewill be missed.

We hope those of you who attended the Summer Conference and our own Working Writer’sRetreat found solid information and useful tools to improve your writing and illustrating. Andfor our illustrators, don’t miss Illustrator’s Day on November 8.

To all our volunteers who continue to give of themselves on behalf of the L.A. region, a humblethank you for your dedication and hard work.

Edie and Claudia

Illustration by Mary Peterson


Orange / Long Beach / Riverside / San Bernardino Regional News

GREETINGS FROM FRANCESCA AND Q,

We are celebrating in the OC/Inland Valley with a big Whoo-Hoo! for our member Patricia Can-tor. Patricia took home the gold in the form of the grand prize in the portfolio display at theSummer Conference in Century City. SCBWI will be sending Patricia to New York City and theyalso will be arranging visits for her with NYC art directors. In addition, Patricia will be honoredby her art appearing on the front page of the Bulletin. Congratulations, Patricia! (Patricia is alsofeatured as guest illustrator in this issue of Kite Tales. See Pages 12 and 14.)

We were also so proud this summer when we attended Brenda Bowen’s workshop at the Sum-mer Conference and heard Brenda highlighting our very own Kathryn Fitzmaurice’s new book,The Year the Swallows Came Early. Kathryn’s book was the first place winner in the “Win andYou’re In” contest at our 2005 SCBWI OC Editor’s Day. Kathryn will be doing an Author’s Spot-light at Editor’s Day.

You are invited to join us in the Big Red Barn at the Santa Ana Zoo on October 4, 2008 for ourtenth annual Editor’s Day in the heart of Orange County.

Our guest editors include:Editor, Ben Barnhart - Milkweed EditionsAssistant Editor, Melissa Manlove - Chronicle BooksEditor, Molly O’Neill - Bowen Books HarperCollinsEditor, Julie Tibbot - Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

We are also pleased that Lin Oliver, Executive Producer, Nickelodeon Wayside Series andmiddle-grade series author (Hank Zipper and the new Daniel Funk series) will be joining us togive the inside scoop on what makes a book a great television or movie property. Our Spot-light Authors at Editor’s Day will be YA author, Marlene Perez (Dead is The New Black) and mid-dle-grade author Kathryn Fitzmaurice (The Year the Swallows Came Early).

Each Editor’s Day attendee will have access to the beautiful 20-acre zoo for free. Don’t miss outon the opportunity to brainstorm in a lush, tropical rain forest during your breaks. Or to net-work while strolling through this charming zoo. The baby animals are just precious. Other fabEditor’s Day opportunities include: fifty winners of a random drawing will be seated at aspeaker’s table for lunch! All of our other guests will have the opportunity to eat lunch and chatit up with a published author/illustrator. Our free raffles include zoo passes, elephant rides, freebooks, and loads of other goodies. Plus our writers’ and illustrators’ contest and portfolio display.

Keep your eye out for the November registration for our Annual Spring Retreat at the elegantSouth Coast Winery Resort & Spa. Our guest editors include: Susan Chang, Senior Editor at TorBooks/Starscape; Emily Mitchell, Senior Editor at Charlesbridge Publishing; and AlexandraCooper, Editor at Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers. Other speakers TBA.

Come on out and join us. For more details, go to www.scbwisocal.org and click on Orange.

Cheers,

Francesca Rusackas and Q. L. Pearce

Who’s Who at Kite Tales

KITE TALES is a newsletter published by the L.A. Chapter of the Society of Children’s Book Writ-ers and Illustrators. Information published in KITETALES does not constitute an endorsement bySCBWI and/or SCBWI-L.A.

KITE TALES EditorsCaroline Hatton, [email protected] Arkoff & Bonnie Ferron, SCBWI-LA EditorsAlexis O’Neill, V/SB Editor, 805-581-1906

or [email protected] Rusackas & Q.L. Pearce,

Orange/Long Beach/Riverside/San Bernardino Editors, [email protected] [email protected]

KITE TALES Layout & ProductionMarcelle Greene, [email protected]

KITE TALES ProofreaderJoseph Taylor,[email protected]

KITE TALES SubscriptionsMary Peterson, [email protected]

KITE TALES AdsBonnie Ferron, [email protected]

KITE TALES is free at scbwisocal.org. Snail mail subscriptions cost $18/year (4 issues).

Submission Deadlines:Spring - Feb. 15 for Apr. 1 issueSummer - May 15 for Jul. 1 issueFall - Aug. 15 for Oct. 1 issueWinter - Nov. 15 for Jan. 1 issue

Send comments, articles, great news, questions, etc.to Caroline Hatton at [email protected] (or KITE TALES, P.O. Box 4795, Culver City, CA 90231-4795)

Toot Your Horn: Follow instructions on Page 24 ofthis issue.

Critique Connections: Contact Edith Cohn at [email protected].

Ads: Follow instructions on Page 23 of this issue.

Regular Features:To Market, To Market ......................................................16Bulletin Board ...................................................................20Writing Connections ......................................................22News from the Internet.................................................22Gems from SCBWI.org ...................................................24Critique Connections .....................................................26


Ventura / Santa Barbara Regional News

October 25, 2008V/SB Writers’ Day ‘08

Thousand Oaks. 9:00 am–4:30 pm.

Featuring an editor, agent and art director, Spotlight presenters, free writing contest, First Pages, illustration display, book sales, PowerPoint of published members.

$85 members, $95 non-members$45 for manuscript critique or portfolio review

(See more details in this issue – Page 5.)

December 13, 2008Workshop: “Book Promotion 101”

Westlake Village. 9:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m. Featuring publicity consultant Bella Stander.

$60/$20 for critique.(See more details at left.)

January 16-18, 2009Retreat: “Picture Books – Words and Pictures in the Balance”

Santa BarbaraFeaturing editors from Farrar, Straus & Giroux, Peachtree Publishers;

Clarion Books; and Balzer & Bray/HarperCollins and poetry workshop.

$395 double room. $435 single room. $295 commuter.

February 21, 2009Workshop: “Writer’s Workout!”

San Luis Obispo. 9:00 a.m.–12:30 p.m.Featuring author & writing instructor, Val Hobbs.

$40 members. $50 non-members.

February 21, 2009Critiquenic

San Luis Obispo. 1:30 p.m.–4:30 p.m. Bring up to five manuscript pages.

FREE to members. $5.00 non-members.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Alexis O’Neill, SCBWI Regional Advisor 805-581-1906 [email protected]

Promoting Your Book— and Yourself

Right after jumping the hurdle of findinga publisher for your book comes anotherchallenging one — promoting your bookand yourself. It’s wishful thinking that yourpublisher will do it all for you.

In a day-long workshop designed for ourpublished SCBWI members, publicity ex-pert, Bella Stander, will offer practicalstrategies through hands-on activities tohelp you set realistic goals and create amarketing plan that works best for you.

In addition to offering feedback to partic-ipants during the course of the day, BellaStander has agreed to offer personal, writ-ten critiques of your 1) 250-word (or less)bio OR 2) Website home page.

Workshop $60. Optional critique fee $20.

(Submit item and fee with registration. )

Limited space.Published SCBWI members only.

Instructor: Bella Stander

December 13, 20089 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

St. Maximilian Kolbe Catholic Church, 5801N. Kanan Road, Westlake Village, CA 91362

For registration information on all events, go to the calendar at www.scbwisocal.org.

9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (doors open at 8 a.m.)

California Lutheran University, Preus-Brandt Forum60 W. Olsen Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91360

Ventura / Santa Barbara

Writers’ Day ‘08Saturday, October 25

SPEAKERS

Dan Hanna (Illustrator)

The Pout-Pout Fish

(Farrar, Straus & Giroux)

Siri Weber Feeney (Illustrator)Booker T. Washington(Picture Window Books)

Tim Egan (Author/Illustrator)Dodsworth in Paris

(Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)Andrew Smith (Author)

Ghost Medicine

(Feiwel & Friends)

Spotlight

Presenters

Caroline Hatton (Author) The Night Olympic Team(Boyds Mills Press)

Jamie Weiss ChiltonAssociate Agent

Andrea Brown Literary Agency

Patrick CollinsCreative Director

Henry Holt Books for Young Readers

Meredith Mundy WasingerSenior Editor

Sterling Publishing

Also Featuring: Illustration Display, Writing Contest, First Pages, Book Sale, Display of Members’ Books

Member $85Non-Member $95

Lunch included

Registration formand details at

www.scbwisocal.org


Ventura / Santa Barbara Regional News

Writing Humor: SCBWI Summer Conference Reportby Yuki Yoshino

AT THE SCBWI SUMMER CONFERENCE, THE PANEL ON WRITING HUMOR FOR CHILDRENwas lighthearted, informative, wise, and, as one would hope, very funny due to four exception-ally witty authors: Sid Fleischman, David La Rochelle, Lisa Yee, and Lin Oliver. After each au-thor shared insights on writing humor, Lisa Yee skillfully navigated the panel through the Q&A.

Sid Fleischman had three and one-half tips for writing humor. Tip #1: Spring-load scenes withsurprise. It can be done with clever choice of words or physicality. Tip #2: Humor, like fantasy,works well when grounded in reality. Tip #3: Choose basic situations with scenes that can beused for humor. Tip #3 .5: Look at your props and consider what makes them funny. If it is funnyto fall in a bucket of water, consider Lin Oliver’s story, Who Shrunk Daniel Funk? when the maincharacter falls into a toilet. The prop choice adds humor to the scene.

For Lisa Yee, humor comes from character. She looks at real life situations and emotions of thecharacter in those situations, especially noticing embarrassment as a potential for humorouscomplications. She shared a story of her first visit with her son to a skate park frequented byteenagers. It had wry observations, specific details, and ended with a last minute but eventualself-realization. When working with her editor, Arthur Levine, she found that her e-mail voicewas naturally funny versus her manuscript which had a more literary voice.

David La Rochelle passed along advice that he received from other sources. From his editorArthur Levine: Think about what makes you laugh. From Debbie Garfinkle: Exaggeration. In hisexample, La Rochelle increased the level of complications and discomfort for a main character,moving the plot along and raising the emotional stakes. La Rochelle agreed with Sid that theunexpected circumstance makes him laugh. He also laughs when recognizing himself and oth-ers in a book like Mo Willems’ Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus. He further agreed with Yee’s dis-cussion about embarrassment and gave a quick comparison to its less funny outcome,humiliation. Caring about the character and not descending into cruelty keeps embarrassmenthumorous.

Lin Oliver described what works for her. Tip #1: Think and write in scenes. Think what happensin a time and place that moves the story along. Consider the pace — which scenes have humorand which do not. Spread out the humor rather than aim for a relentless intensity. Tip #2: Writ-ing must seem effortless. For humor to seem natural, not pushed, a little goes a long way. Theattitude can be light. Tip #3: Think about what makes you laugh. She is not fond of jokes,clowns, or mimes. She does enjoy observational dry humor and the use of language ala WoodyAllen and Jerry Seinfeld. A good exercise is to write 5-10 things that make you laugh. Analyzewhat they have in common. What kind of humor works for you? Tip #4: Humor is in the details.Write out your story and then substitute words to find the humor.

Ho Hotee hee

ha-ha-ha-ha

chortle

chuckleguffaw

titter

BOOK TALKBook Talk is a monthly book discussion grouptaking place on the Ventura/Santa Barbara/SanLuis Obispo/Kern SCBWI listserv. Discussionsbegin on the first of each month, facilitated byLynn Becker ([email protected]). Readers mayjoin in anytime during the month with com-ments or questions about the featured book.Book Talk is open to all members of SouthernCalifornia SCBWI who are signed up for the re-gional listserv.

To become a member of the listserv, go to:http://groups.yahoo.com/group/

SCBWI-CCal/.

SEPTEMBER: The New Policeman by Kate Thompson

OCTOBER: Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer

NOVEMBER: Peak by Roland Smith

DECEMBER: The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

by Sherman Alexie

JOINOur Region’s

Listservfor industry & member news

Questions?Contact Gwen Dandridge

[email protected]


by Edie Pagliasotti

IT WAS WITH HEAVY HEARTS we heard the newsthat Sue Alexander had suddenly passed away onJuly 3. She was 74.

In a career that spanned over 35 years, Sue wore a numberof literary hats. As a founding member of SCBWI (beforethere was an “I”), Sue had a clear vision of how importantand how necessary this organization was to children’s litera-ture. In its early stages, she was a vital force in establishingits structure, and over the years contributed greatly to thegrowth of the organization that we see today. Her hand-print can be seen in so many ways, from the creation of theSample Book Contract in the Publication Guide (with an as-sist from Mary Flower), to the Golden Kite Awards, to theSue Alexander Most Promising New Work Award, given tothe manuscript deemed most promising for publication atthe Summer Conference. Her dedication and commitmentto SCBWI was boundless.

Sue wrote over 25 books. A spinner of tales, Sue wrote fromthe heart and from experience. She worked long and hardto create the best stories she could. After years of unsuc-cessfully submitting stories to children’s magazines, Suesold her first book in 1973. Published by Scholastic Books,“Small Plays for You and a Friend” evolved from the simpledramas she created for her own children to act out. Successsoon followed with the well-received “World FamousMuriel” series. One of her most beloved books, “Nadia theWillful,” about a Bedouin girl mourning her brother’s death,grew out of Sue’s own grief over the death of her brotherand her father’s unwillingness to talk about it. “Lila on theLanding” recalled her 1940s childhood in Chicago. With thebirth of her first grandchild, Megan Elizabeth, Sue found anew source for storytelling and wrote “One More Time,Mama.” Her last book, “Behold the Trees,” was published in2001. In this poetic, historical picture book, Sue capturesthe significance of trees planted in Israel and how thatchanged a small, but precious piece of earth.

The creator of hundreds of stories aimed at young readersfor magazines and newspapers, Sue was a prolific contribu-tor to the “Kid’s Reading Room” page in the Los Angeles

Times from 1998 to 2007. Sue loved the challenge of con-structing crossword puzzles. She sold her first major cross-word puzzle this year to The New York Sun; entitled“Themeless Thursday,” it ran on April 24. Her last crosswordpuzzle was “Jeepers Creepers–Descanso Creatures” for Des-canso Gardens. It was to be the first in a series of seasonalpuzzles children solve as they walk through the landscapes.

Students of Sue’s UCLA classes remember her as a benevo-lent yet stern taskmaster. Sue did not waste her time ondilettantes. A writer had to be up to the demands of craft-ing a good, well-told story, and willing to revise and reviseand revise in order to get to the story’s nugget of truth, andto earn Sue’s approval. It was all about story — and not theglory — for Sue. It was also about creating “new readers” inchildren — a most worthy goal in Sue’s eyes.

Sue was a mentor to so many — and not just to writers, butto illustrators and librarians and teachers coming up theranks. Sue was instrumental in the formation of the Los An-geles region. The L.A. region was unbelievably fortunate tohave her on their Advisory Board, where her guidance andclear thinking will be sorely missed. Sue could pluck theright guideline to follow out of thin air. Her generous heartwas so wise and so understanding. For the L.A. region, Suewill always be our lodestar.

Sue was all about “service and commitment.” Each year atL.A.’s Writer’s Day, Sue spearheaded the Professional Forum.She also took great pride in announcing the name of the re-cipient of the Sue Alexander Service and EncouragementAward (SASE). This award is presented to a volunteer whohas given his or her time, energy, and expertise in extraordi-nary ways on behalf of the region. Sue honored the com-mitment and hard work of SCBWI domestic andinternational regions in creating programs that enhancedthe knowledge and the craft of writing and illustrating foryoung people. She traveled as a speaker to many of thoseregions.

Sue was always encouraging, always nurturing, and alwaysdemanding of the best a writer and artist could give to his orher craft. And always self-effacing…In her own words:

“It never occurred to me, as I was growing up, that someday Iwould write books for anyone to read. Strange as it maysound, though I had started reading before I went to school,until I was twelve I didn’t know that books were written by peo-ple. I never thought about where they came from; all I caredabout was that they existed and I could read them. I read allkinds of books; poetry, plays, nonfiction (“true” books I calledthem), but mostly I read stories.”

Sue’s legacy will continue — as storyteller, teacher, and for-ever friend.

Remembering Sue Alexander

It was all about story — andnot the glory — for Sue.

It was also about creating“new readers” in children.


1. Lin Oliver, Clyde Robert Bulla, Steve Mooser2. SCBWI-LA current and former Regional Advisors: Marilyn Mor-

ton, Edie Pagliasotti, Julie Williams, Stephanie Jacob Gordon, Claudia Harrington, Judy Enderle

3. Teacher4. Fairy Godmother5. Comedian6. Newbery recipient Susan Patron

7. Mary Ann Dames and her SASE8. SCBWI-LA Advisory Board: Jaime Zollars, Caroline Hatton,

Mary Ann Dames, Dawne Knobbe, Julie Williams, Mark Fear-ing, Mary Peterson, Edie Pagliasotti, Claudia Harrington, Mari-lyn Morton, Judy Enderle, Svetlana Strickland, StephanieJacob Gordon, Lisze Bechtold. (Not pictured: Sarah Laurensonand Marcelle Greene)

9. SCBWI-V/SB RA Alexis O’Neill

by Jane Smith

Joann HillCreative DirectorClarion Books

Joann Hill is the Creative Director atClarion Books. During her career, shehas worked at Hyperion Books forChildren/Disney Press; Lothrop, Lee &Shepard; and Knopf & Crown Books forYoung Readers. Clarion’s list show-cases diverse styles of illustration fromthe intricate watercolor of David Wies-ner to the graphic found-object col-lage of Javaka Steptoe. Joann is alwayslooking for talented new illustrators.

What makes a Clarion book a Clarionbook? How are Clarion books distinctfrom those of other children’s bookpublishers?

Clarion publishes a wide range ofbooks from picture books for babies tononfiction photo essays suitable forteenagers and a range of fiction in be-tween. There are beautiful booksbeing published all over the industry,

but at Clarion I think that we have akeen eye for detail and we try to pub-lish a book that will last for genera-tions of readers. Also we have the mostamazing production department thathelps us to use fine quality paper andexcellent printers.

Is there a book that you art directedof which you are particularly proud?

I’m so proud of all the books Clarionpublishes. My favorite book is usuallythe one I’m working on at the moment.

When working on a book project,how do you select an illustrator?

If a story is very sentimental, I’ll try topair it with a humorous but tender il-lustrator, so the book doesn’t get too,too sweet. Also I like to give an illustra-tor a project that they might have astrong connection to. For instance, if Ilearn that an illustrator grew up in alarge boisterous family and we get amanuscript of about a large boisterousfamily I would want to use them.

What is your all-time favorite chil-dren’s book?

As a child I loved Big Sister, Little Sisterand Stuart Little. Now I couldn’t possi-bly choose one—they are all so beau-tiful. This week, my three-year-olddaughter LOVES Those Darn Squirrelsby Adam Rubin and illustrated byDaniel Salmieri (Clarion) and Mimi byCarol Baicker-McKee (Bloomsbury).

CONTINUED ...


Sneak Peak at Illustrator’s Day Speakers

Clarion Books showcases the intricate watercolor of illustrator David Wiesner.

Clarion Books embraces a range of illustration styles, such as this

collage by Javaka Steptoe.

Clarion Books cover by Stacey Schuett


Lorena SiminovichIllustrator

Lorena Siminovich, who was born inBuenos Aires, is a San Francisco-basedillustrator. She owns Petit Collage, acompany offering modern art and ac-cessories for children. With a back-ground in graphic design, she was theCreative Director for Mudpuppy/Gali-son in New York for five years, beforerelocating to the West Coast and dedi-cating her time exclusively to art andillustration. Her art is licensed to An-thropologie, Pottery Barn, Gymboree,Chronicle Books, and Crocodile Creek,among others. Lorena has written andillustrated several children’s bookspublished by Templar U.K., Can-dlewick, and Chronicle Books.

How did you get involved in licensingartwork for children’s products?

I was on the other side of the table asthe Creative Director forMudpuppy/Galison. I hired many greatartists and licensed art from classic chil-dren’s books. When I relocated fromNew York to San Francisco due to myhusband’s job, I decided to switch anddedicate full time to my illustration ca-reer. I already had contacts and knewthe licensing world well, and naturally Mudpuppy was my first client!

Tell us about the experience of illus-trating Fiona the Flower Girl forChronicle Books. How was this projectdifferent from your licensing artwork?

I was hired based on a sample pagefor another book that was never pub-lished (yet!). The art direction was verystrong, because the book was writtenby the editor-in-chief of The Knot, awedding magazine. Their logo is in thebook, so the aesthetic is strongly influ-enced by them, especially the colorpalette, but they gave me tons of free-dom with the style.

How has your background as an art di-rector influenced you as an illustrator?

I’m very “to the point” and try not towaste time when I get a job. I think Iknow what sells and I’m aware of themarket and know the players or possi-ble competition of what I’m doing. Ialso try to be super clear withbudget/deadlines, because art direc-tors can be unorganized.

What projects are you working on?

On the book front, I’m writing and il-lustrating the second book of the Alexand Lulu series. I’m also working ontwo more boards books with thosecharacters. The series is published byTemplar in the U.K., Candlewick in theU.S., and Albin Michel in France. I’malso doing my first two books in col-

lage style. They are nature-themedboard books written by Sara Gilling-ham, published by Chronicle forSpring ‘09.

On the licensing front, I keep develop-ing canvas art for Oopsy Daisy, nowavailable in Anthropologie and PotteryBarn Kids and am also working on newproducts for Mudpuppy. I’m thrilledChronicle Books is launching a PetitCollage gift line, that includes a babybook, and stationery, all coming outSpring ’09. Also, Crocodile Creek isdoing a line of baby dinnerware andbibs with Petit Collage art.

As for my own company, Petit Collage,I’m now manufacturing and sellingsilkscreen alphabet posters and mo-biles, all based on my art.

CONTINUED ...

... CONTINUED

Above: Artwork created by Lorena Simi-novich for her Petit Collage gift line .

Left and above: book covers by illustrator Lorena Siminovich


Steve MyhreArt Director,English EducationCurriculum International, Inc.(EECI)

Steve Myhre graduated from LoyolaMarymount University with a degreein Graphic Design. He began collegeas a fine arts major with aspirations ofbecoming an animator or illustrator.However, once he took his first designclass he was instantly hooked. He wasimmediately drawn to layout and ty-pography and quickly got absorbedwith all aspects of design. Steve joinedEECI in 1998 and really had to learnhow to design for a specific audienceand with a specific purpose. Educa-tional publishing can be challenging,but is also very rewarding knowingthat children are learning and havingfun using your materials.

Tell us about the kinds of educationalproducts for children that EECI cre-ates? Who is the primary audience?

We create a variety of materials atEECI, all revolving around teachingEnglish. We develop storybooks andactivity books to enhance the stu-dent’s English and teach them newlanguage concepts. Even our story-books have the very specific purposeof teaching English behind them. Mostof our books are accompanied bygames, learning cards, and audio CDsto give them a complete and compre-hensive experience. A majority of ourproducts are sold in Korea to theschools and parents dedicated toteaching their children the English lan-guage. Our materials range from thepre-K through middle school levels.

When working on a project, how doyou find an illustrator? What kinds ofpromotional materials—postcards,websites, etc.—are most useful toyou as an art director?

We use most of the popular onlineportfolio websites to find new illustra-tors. Websites like the ispot, children-sillustrators.com, and creativeshake.com are great forsearching for new and talentedartists. I like to be able to see at leastfour or five different samples to seewhat the illustrator is capable of. I’moften searching for an artist with aspecific story or character in mind sothe more samples I can see, the bet-ter. I also receive a lot of postcards andtear-sheets in the mail and I keep all ofthem. Keep them simple and nothingtoo elaborate as they usually get filedin a binder, and whatever is on thefront is what’s going to sell the artist. Ifa particular style appeals to us, I’ll lookfor the artist’s website to view a fewmore samples.

Do you have a favorite project thatyou art-directed? Tell us about thestages through which the project de-veloped.

I think one of my favorites is a projectwe just finished and has yet to be pub-lished, entitled “Fun Reading.” It was aseries of 18 books in which we used 18different illustrators to give the series avery diverse feel from book tobook. Each book contained a seven-page story followed by activity pagesthat reinforced what the student hadjust read. In this particular series, wereally gave each illustrator a lot of flex-ibility to compose the stories howthey saw fit, which is sometimes rare

in the education market. We used theillustrator’s artwork to develop the ac-tivity pages, which gave each book aunique feel. It was also challengingbecause we had to subtly tie all thebooks together to make them feel likea cohesive series through our layoutdesign. Our design team and all the il-lustrators did a great job and the se-ries turned out great.

Can you identify some current trendsin educational publishing for children?

The educational market is unique, inthat our teachers and school systemsare very particular about the contentand the clarity of the lessons in theirmaterials. We have to be very carefulnot to “over-design” the page, so thatthe content doesn’t get lost amongstall the visuals and that the main pur-pose of our activities is still clear. Thatbeing said, I have noticed a lot of ESL(English as a Second Language) mate-rials have been requiring a lot moreelaborate art and design in theirbooks. Our materials have been gear-ing more towards a “trade book” feel,so that the students become en-grossed in a story or character beforemoving on to the activityportions. This is great for us becausethis gives us a lot of freedom to usemany unique styles and really lets theillustrators impact the way the bookslook and feel. I remember textbooksthat would have a full page of textwith a little vignette illustration in thecorner loosely relating to thestory. That’s not the case anymore, asteachers and parents are realizing thateven an activity book can be beauti-fully illustrated and still fulfill its pur-pose of educating the students.

... CONTINUED

ATTENTION SCBWI-L.A. MEMBERS!

Our 5th Annual SCBWI-L.A. Scholarship Contest for 2009 is fast approaching.

The winner will receive FREE tuition to one SCBWI conference of his or her choice,either the 2009 Summer Conference (LA), or the 2010 Winter Conference (NY).

Check Kite Tales (Jan. issue) for details and look for updates at www.scbwisocal.org.

EVERY STUDENT WHO TOOK SOCRATES ROUSSOS’chemistry class during his 46 years of teaching at Union

Area High School learned the motto: “I am chemistry.”Nearly two decades after graduation, those words still

pop into my head every time I hear or read aboutthis scientific discipline. By showing that chemistry

isn’t an irrelevant school subject but that it’s every-where — even inside us — Mr. Roussos instilled in manystudents a lifelong fascination with science.

Writers can take a cue from Mr. Roussos by showing kidshow science relates to their world. Science is everywhere,from the inner workings of our young readers’ iPods to theinsides of their PB&J sandwiches. When they ride a bike,snap a photo, plant seeds, or rub in sunscreen, kids areusing scientific principles.

Ideas for science books and articles abound, but thatdoesn’t mean science writing is easy. The many challengesinclude informing while entertaining, simplifying withoutcondescending, narrowing a topic from a wide body of in-formation, and writing with authority when you may not bean expert. Writers who underestimate the challenges havelittle chance of making it into print. Writers who meet thechallenges can open worlds of wonder that will affectyoung readers throughout their lives.

Tightrope ActIn their mission to explain scientific concepts, many writersforget the fun factor that keeps kids reading. No matterhow interesting the subject, few young readers will wadethrough an article or book that amounts to a dry lecture.How can writers strike the right balance between informingand entertaining? Editors offer strategies for meeting thechallenge:

Think “story.”Lynne Polvino, Associate Editor at Clarion Books, says, “Aswith any other genre, I am looking first and foremost forstrong writing and a well-told story (yes, story matters,even in nonfiction!).” Without a sense of story, a sciencepiece can read like a cold list of facts.

CONTINUED ...


WRITER’S PERSPECTIVE

Written by Jacqueline Adams

Illustrations by Patricia Cantor

Open Up the Universe with Science Writing


Some of the same storytelling techniques used in fictioncan bring nonfiction to life. Andy Boyles, Science Editor forHighlights for Children and Boyds Mills Press, points to “Red-Crab Invasion” in the December 2005 issue as an example.While presenting information on red-crab migration, authorBarbara Walsh included quotes and anecdotes from her in-terviews with a child and a teacher who live in the crabs’path. Boyles says, “Strictly speaking, it’s not a story becausewe don’t have characters confronting a new challenge and,scene by scene, taking on that challenge with a final resolu-tion. But there is a story-like quality to it because there arecharacters and there is an interesting conflict and we seehow people are still working to resolve it.”

Deborah Vetter, Contributing Editor at Cricket, says, “Welook for well-researched, well-organized, clearly written,lively articles with a premise. Just as cradle-to-grave isn’t themost exciting approach to biographies about people, astraight life-cycle piece isn’t always the most exciting ap-proach to natural science.”

Vetter refers to “Look Out, Spider-Man! Here Comes Gecko-Girl!” in the November 2006 Cricket. Rather than simply ex-plaining facts about geckos, author Nancy Tague presentedthe story of a team of scientists’ research into how geckosmanage to stick to any surface. Vetter says, “We like to seethe scientific method in practice, learn how scientists dotheir research, and how they prove or disprove hypotheses.And since there’s always more to discover, it’s fun to leavethe reader with a sense of possibilities, a sense that thereader could be the one to take the science a step further.”

Narrow the topic.Trying to cover too much material can result in a lacklustermanuscript that falls short in both the information and en-tertainment categories. This is especially true in children’sliterature, where writers must use tight word counts wisely.

Vetter says, “Science writing is often superficial, when we’dprefer a more in-depth look at some narrower aspect of thesubject.” For instance, butterflies is too broad a topic, but re-cently-published children’s articles have zeroed in on scien-tists’ use of tags to monitor monarch butterfly migration, anew study testing whether butterfly eyespots ward offbirds of prey, and makeup that scientists are developing tomimic the way butterfly wings reflect light.

Thinking story helps writers narrow the topic. Boyles says,“The storyline helps the writer identify what to include andwhat to leave out. If you’re telling a story about an effort tomonitor the population of bears in a given region, you maynot need to describe the entire life course of a typical bear.”

Even in book-length projects that set out to give anoverview of a subject, authors must be careful not to cramin too much information. Chris Nasso is publisher for Kid-Haven Press, which publishes books for grades 3-5. Nassosays, “Especially for this age level (and for books that areonly 4500-5000 words long), many authors have troubledeciding what to develop and what to leave out.” Fully de-velop the most important points rather than skim overmany points.

Keep your audience in mind.Get to know your targeted age group. What interests,amuses, or concerns them? Details of your subject that fas-cinate you as an adult might bore your teen readers. Detailsthat delight teens aren’t the same details that grab the at-tention of middle-graders or preschoolers. As you researchand write, constantly look at the material through the eyesof your intended audience.

Elizabeth Lindstrom, Senior Editor of Odyssey, suggests,“First, think about what aspects of the topic would most in-terest our readers. Focus your story around them. Make itpertinent to their lives... Have a child of Odyssey age readyour text, and heed their comments. Or just think of a kidthat you think is cool and bright; would they enjoy readingthe piece?”

Understanding your readers will help you with three ele-ments that keep kids reading, says Vetter: humor, a sense ofwonder, and a twist. “In December 2006 we’ve got JanetHayward Burnham’s ‘The Most Gruesome Fish in the World,’which is about the hagfish, an eel-like creature that burrowsinto other fish and eats them from the inside out. It also ex-pels slime (gobs of slime) to keep itself slippery. When itneeds to clean off, it ties itself into a knot and pulls the knotalong its body. And if that’s not enough of a twist, readerslearn about a group of students who experimented withthe nutritional value of hagfish slime (it’s a lot like eggwhites). They baked scones and claimed they could barelytell the difference. The message? Science is fun!”

The emphasis on fun varies from publisher to publisher.Nasso points out that KidHaven Press publishes books foruse in reports and class discussion, rather than for enter-tainment. Even if these books have a formal style, she en-courages authors to make them interesting by employinganecdotes, quotes, and examples.

CONTINUED ...

... CONTINUED

Some of the same storytelling techniques

used in fiction can bring nonfiction to life.


... CONTINUED

Use examples.Readers can more easily understand difficult concepts whenwriters offer examples, analogies, and anecdotes. Nassoquotes the following passage from the KidHaven Science Li-brary title Molecules, in which author Bonnie Juettner uses fa-miliar objects to help kids visualize the properties of solids:“They will hold their shape unless a physical force makesthem change it. The lead in a pencil point, for instance, willhold together unless someone presses down too hard whilewriting, forcing the tip to break off. Some solids, like the pen-cil lead, are brittle. Others, like clay, are soft and can beworked into new shapes. Even a soft solid like clay, however,will not change its shape unless a physical force acts on it andpresses it into a new shape.”

Shorter examples can also be effective. Vetter points out thata brief analogy such as “relating the size of a dinosaur to thelength of three cars” does the trick.

Respect your readers.Explaining scientific concepts in a simple, clear mannerdoesn’t mean talking down to your readers. Polvino says, “It’simportant to always keep your audience in mind, and pleasedon’t condescend. Remember that the kids you are writingfor are smart and inquisitive — they want to know moreabout the world around them. The topic should be interest-ing enough on its own to hold their attention without havingto over-simplify or resort to gimmicks.”

CONTINUED ...

Neither Over Their HeadsNor Under Their FeetThe other half of the balancing act — informing youngreaders — can seem overwhelming when difficult scientificconcepts are involved. But getting kids excited about sci-ence by making complicated topics accessible is one of thegreatest rewards of science writing. Again, science editorsoffer strategies for success:

Lay a foundation.Be aware of what your audience knows and doesn’t knowabout your subject, so that you can provide the rightamount of background information. Lindstrom says, “Likemath, science builds on an acquired body of knowledge.When you’re trying to explain something like cloning ornanotechnology, you have to build a very basic under-standing of genetics or molecular chemistry for your reader,so that you can then open up a fascinating topic for him orher. I think the greatest difficulty is knowing how much in-formation to give and how much to withhold.”

Explain what’s necessary for understanding, and leave out ir-relevant points. For example, when writing an article aboutthe spread of bird flu, you might lay a foundation by brieflyexplaining what a virus is and how it multiplies. But youwouldn’t turn this into an everything-you’ve-ever-wanted-to-know-about-viruses-but-were-afraid-to-ask exposition.This wouldn’t leave room to sufficiently develop your mainidea sufficiently, and the idea — along with your readers —would get lost in a sea of background information.

Illus

trat

ion

by P

atric

ia C

anto

r


Digging DeeperEven with all these strategies in place, if a manuscript isn’tbased on thorough research, it will crumble like a housebuilt upon the sand. Boyles says, “Many writers work hard tomake sure their story is clever, well-paced, full of imageryand so on, but they’re really not writing from a base ofknowledge that’s deep enough.”

Lindstrom says, “The situation that bothers me most iswhen writers think that because they are writing a shortpiece for a children’s magazine they don’t have to do in-depth research... To write a solid story in a minimum num-ber of words you really have to understand your topic andtalk to the right people.”

Consult a variety of reliable, up-to-date sources, especiallyprimary sources. In a bibliography, Boyles looks for evi-dence that a writer is “up on the latest scientific literatureon the subject. Did the writer read any peer-reviewed pa-pers on the subject? Did he or she find a chapter in an aca-demic book that reviews the field? Did the writer interviewa scientist? Does he or she have some firsthand experiencewith the subject?”

Common complaints include manuscripts researched en-tirely on the Internet or in out-of-date print resources, au-thors who use other children’s books as sources rather thanseeking out the primary sources these books are basedupon, and failure to consult with experts.

The authority that expert consultation lends to a manu-script is so important at DNA Press that Dr. Alexander Kuk-lin, Managing Editor, believes manuscripts lacking thiselement are “doomed from the beginning.” He wants to seeteamwork between an author and an expert, without whichhe feels a book would be difficult to market. He says, “It’s ascientific book; it should have some backup.”

Besides providing authoritative, up-to-date information, ex-pert interviews offer fringe benefits. Firsthand details,quotes, and anecdotes add a new dimension by givingreaders something they can’t find at the library or on the In-ternet. An interview also raises interest by introducing areal-life character. (Again, think story.) Vetter says, “I thinkyou’ll find that most scientists are passionate about theirwork, and many of them have lively senses of humor. If youbring in the person doing the science, then you’ve auto-matically got a vital human connection.”

Writers who work hard to meet the challenges of sciencewriting may earn the reward of seeing their material inprint. But the greatest reward is that of opening the uni-verse to young readers — possibly even changing theirlives. After all, one of the reasons I became a science writeris that when I was a kid, Mr. Roussos showed me that I amchemistry.

This article first appeared in the Children’s Writer Guide to2007. Jacqueline Adams’ latest book is Obsessive-CompulsiveDisorder (Lucent Books, 2008). She has won the 2003 and2005 Highlights for Children Fiction Contests and the 2004SCBWI Magazine Merit Award for Nonfiction.

Illustrator Patricia Cantor was the grand prize winner of theSCBWI 2008 National Conference Juried Portfolio Showcase,and was third runner-up in 2007. Visit her website at www.patriciacantor.com.

... CONTINUED

Consult a variety of reliable, up-to-date sources, especially primary sources.

Wanted: Illustrators

If you would like to be called upon to provide illustrationsfor Kite Tales articles, please e-mail

[email protected]

All illustrations will be credited. This is a great chance to show

the world what you can do!

Illustrated by Karyn Raz.See more work by Karyn in the Illustrator’s Gallery, Page 19.


To Market To MarketEdited by Vicki Arkoff

Books

CREATIVE EDITIONSP.O. Box 227, Mankato, MN 56002. Independent publisherconcentrates on nonfiction book series for children gradesone through eight, and this fall will begin publishing high-school nonfiction as well. “The nonfiction series proposalthat catches our interest is the one that finds a new ap-proach to a topic,” says Senior Editor Aaron Frisch. “We gen-erate most publishing ideas in-house, since we know betterthan anyone which topics we haven’t published, but we al-ways look for well-thought-out series or sharp stories thatare not run-of-the-mill.” TIP: “We get at least 30 picturebook submissions for every nonfiction submission,” saysFrisch, who publishes 110 nonfiction titles annually, but justfour or five illustrated picture books. “The odds of accept-ance are much more favorable for nonfiction submissions.”Pays royalty and advance for picture books; work-for-hireflat fee for nonfiction. (CW: 7/08)

GIBBS SMITH 1877 E. Gentile St., Layton, UT 84040. For the children’s list,Senior Editor Jennifer Grillone is seeking nonfiction activitybooks, cookbooks, and teen nonfiction. No picture booksare currently being considered, as they are moving awayfrom that format. Mail cover letter, table of contents, marketanalysis, and two sample chapters. No e-mail submissionsaccepted. Receives 40-50 children’s book submissions perweek, so be patient for reply. Pays advance and royalty.(CW: 7/08)

GRAPHIA BOOKS222 Berkley St., Boston, MA 02116. This Houghton MifflinHarcourt publishing imprint produces a list of fiction andnonfiction titles for ages 12 and up. TIP: Although Graphiais primarily a paperback reprint list, Editorial Director JuliaRichardson is “always looking for novels that are smart,commercial genre fiction, such as horror, fantasy, or chicklit—but it would be nice to see something that is not avampire story.” Submissions that stand out include uniqueconcepts and graphic novels. Query with synopsis and firstthree chapters. Pays advance and royalty. (CW: 8/08)

HOUGHTON MIFFLIN COMPANY 222 Berkeley St., Boston,MA 02116. Major publisher of fiction and nonfiction for pre-school-YA readers, is currently accepting unsolicited manu-scripts by mail. Publishes 100 hardcover and paperbacktitles annually. Address to Submissions Editor. Respondsonly if interested, within 12 weeks. Artists can submit bymailing non-returnable samples to: Art Department, Chil-dren’s Trade Books. For more details, phone the informationrecording at (617) 351-5959. (P: 8/08)

KAEDEN BOOKSP.O. Box 16190, Rocky River, OH 44116. This educationalpublisher produces book for preschool through secondgrade. “We publish leveled books and early chapter booksto be used in guided reading, reading intervention, and inclassroom libraries,” says Editor Lisa Stenger. Most books arefiction. Stenger seeks “stories with well-developed plots,humor, surprise endings, and interesting characters.”Lengths range from 25 to 2,500 words. No queries. Submitcomplete manuscript and be prepared for a long wait:replies take up to one year. Pays royalty or flat fee. (CW:8/08)

MILKWEED FOR YOUNG READERS 1011 Washington Ave.South, Suite 300, Minneapolis, MN 55415. Publisher of liter-ary fiction, nonfiction about the natural world, poetry, andnovels is currently accepting unsolicited manuscripts. Pub-lishes 18 middle grade fiction books annually for readers 8-13. Editors do not consider picture books or poetrycollections for young readers. After checking catalog tomake sure your manuscript fits their list, mail completemanuscripts or sample chapters from full-length novels be-tween 90 and 200 pages to Children’s Reader. Replies in ap-proximately six months. (P: 8/08)

PLEASANT ST. PRESS P.O. Box 520. Raynham Center, MA02768. New picture book publisher welcomes submissionsfor published and unpublished writers for its first publishedlist. “As a new press, we’re wide open in terms of subjectmatter,” says Jean M. Cochran, Managing Editor and Direc-tor of Creative Development. Desired topic include, but arenot limited to: history, adventure, animal stories, conceptbooks, contemporary fiction, fantasy, folktales, holiday sto-ries, humor, and multicultural topics. Not interested in text-books or strictly educational nonfiction, explicitly religioussubjects, fairy stories or board books. TIP: “Make your writ-ing consistent throughout your manuscript by keepingyour audience in mind at all times. This sounds obvious butit can be easy to lose focus. Edit, edit, edit before sendinganything in.” Replies in 4–5 months. Pays advance and roy-alty. (CW: 8/08)

TUTTLE PUBLISHING 364 Innovation Dr., North Clarendon,VT 05759. Specializing in books that explore aspects ofAsian culture, Tuttle is open to varied submissions includingcraft books aimed at teaching traditional Asian crafts orcooking, collections of Asian folktales, history titles, and pic-ture books. Non-returnable art samples are also sought. Seedetailed submission instructions at website and followthem closely to avoid a quick rejection. (CW: 8/08)

Key to Information Sources: A = agent, CW = Children’sWriter, P = publisher, PL = Publishers Lunch, PM = PublishersMarketplace, PW = Publishers Weekly.


Magazines

ALFRED HITCHCOCK MYSTERY MAGAZINE 475 Park Ave.S, New York, NY 10016. Many well-known authors launchedtheir careers in the pages of this magazine, founded in1956. Original mysteries and crime fiction appear eachissue, plus stories in the subgenres of suspense, courtroomdrama, and espionage. Each monthly issue features 7–8new short stories. “We are always on the lookout for goodstories, and we welcome submissions from new writers,”says Editor Linda Landrigan. “We look at all sorts of stories,from humorous and light to hard-boiled. Send completemanuscript. Payment varies. (CW: 8/08)

ASIMOV’S SCIENCE FICTION475 Park Ave. So., 11th Floor, New York, NY 10016. Specializ-ing in science fiction short stories and poetry, this veterangenre magazine considers material from published and un-published writers. TIP: Editor Sheila Williams looks for “char-acter-oriented” stories where the characters, not thescience, drive the story. “Serious, thoughtful, yet accessiblefiction constitutes the majority of our purchases, but there’salways room for the humorous as well.” Borderline fantasy isfine, but not “sword and sorcery,” or explicit sex or violence.The magazine is read by adults and teens, so YA protago-nists are fine as long as their stories resonate with all audi-ences. Submit complete manuscript up to 15,000 words,poetry to 40 lines, and a brief paragraph about yourself andyour credentials. Payment for fiction varies. Poetry pays $1per line. (CW: 8/08)

JACK AND JILLP.O. Box 567, Indianapolis, IN 46206. Targeting ages 7-10,this magazine makes “fun items educational and educa-tional items fun, with everything presented in a wholesomebut interesting manner,” says Editor Daniel Lee, who notesthat he is buying more material than ever from freelancers.He is looking for profile pieces about ordinary kids who areinvolved in extraordinary activities, including science,sports, culture and the arts, or health-related areas. Avoidoverused story themes about kids who are new in town,has parents going through divorce, are bothered by sib-lings, excluded from sports teams, etc. “We especially avoidstories about kids who learn not to be afraid of the spookyold house or person at the end of the street. Would youwant your kids to explore such a situation on their own?”TIP: “In fiction, anyone interested in renewing our old BabaYaga the Russian Witch stories is welcome to give it a go,”says Lee. Complete manuscripts are preferred, but queriesare accepted. Submit with photos if possible and when ap-plicable. Max 600 words. Pays 17-25 cents per word. (CW:7/08)

ODYSSEY30 Grove St., Suite C, Peterborough, NH 03458. Theme-based magazine covering science and technology, includ-ing the future of science for 10-16-year-old readers. EditorElizabeth Lindstrom seeks “Q&A interviews with top scien-tists (pertinent to a theme); articles that present science asan unfolding mystery; and original, workable activities withkid appeal.” Query following detailed guidelines on thewebsite. Queries must demonstrate that the writer is famil-iar with the magazine’s style and content. For science-re-lated fiction, submit complete manuscript. Writers shouldalso send clips or, in lieu of that, a complete manuscript.Pays 20–25 cents per word on publication for all rights. (CW:7/08)

Agents

FLETCHER PARRYAgent Emma Parry has left “to pursue new challenges.” Part-ner Christy Fletcher will take over Parry’s clients and con-tinue to work non-exclusively with U.K. agents alongsideMelissa Chinchillo, recently promoted to full agent andrights director. “New additions” to the agency’s staff areplanned for the fall and Fletcher will retain the name for thetime being. (PL: 7/08)

Contests

MILKWEED NATIONAL FICTION PRIZE1011 Washington Ave. South, Suite 300, Minneapolis, MN55415. Milkweed is looking for manuscripts of high literaryquality that embody humane values and contribute to cul-tural understanding. The publisher has restructured theprize: they are no longer soliciting manuscripts specificallyfor the contest. Instead, they will award the National FictionPrize to the best work of fiction Milkweed accepts for publi-cation during each calendar year by a writer not previouslypublished by Milkweed Editions. Submissions directly tothe contest are no longer necessary. All manuscripts sub-mitted to Milkweed will automatically be considered for theprize. Judging will be by Milkweed Editions editors, and thewinner of the prize will receive a $5,000 cash advance aspart of any royalties agreed upon in the contractualarrangement negotiated at the time of acceptance. (P: 8/08)

Key to Information Sources: A = agent, CW = Children’sWriter, P = publisher, PL = Publishers Lunch, PM = Publishers

Marketplace, PW = Publishers Weekly.

... TO MARKET TO MARKET


Changes

ABRAMS: Charles Kochman has been promoted to execu-tive editor. He now reports directly to publisher Steve Tager.(PL: 7/08)

BEACH LANE: Former Harcourt editor-in-chief Allyn John-ston, who joined Simon & Schuster in March after 22 yearswith Harcourt, has named her new imprint Beach LaneBooks. The imprint is based in San Diego and will debut insummer 2009. Andrea Welch, who had worked with John-ston for eight years at Harcourt, has joined the imprint as aneditor. Their aim is to produce 18 to 20 books a year, with aprimary focus on “lyrical, engaging picture books for youngchildren.” Though Johnston says they will also publish fic-tion for middle-graders and young adults, “that won’t bethe driving force.” The first list will include books by MemFox, Lois Ehlert, Cynthia Rylant, M.T. Anderson. A logo forBeach Lane Books is being designed by Marla Frazee. (PW:8/08)

DISNEY BOOK GROUP: Scott Piehl has been nameddirector, design for Disney Global Book Group, a newly cre-ated position. He will oversee the design for all Disney BookGroup imprints, including Disney Editions, Disney–Hyper-ion, Disney–Jump at the Sun, Disney Press, Disney Learningand custom publication titles. Piehl was previously withSterling Publishing, and Harcourt Trade Publishers. (PW:8/08)

HARPER CHILDREN’S BOOKS: Helen Boomer joins as ex-ecutive director of subsidiary rights. She was subsidiaryrights director for Viking and Puffin Children’s. (PL: 7/08)

HOUGHTON MIFFLIN/HARCOURT: Now that Harcourt’sNew York team has moved into the Houghton Mifflin of-fices, the two units have coordinated e-mail protocols. E-mails to the old addresses will be automatically forwardedfor a while. Update your address books to reflect this newprotocol: [email protected]. (PL: 6/08)

KIDSBOOKS: Privately-owned Chicago-based Softplay, amarketer of interactive books and related toys, has pur-chased Boston children’s book publisher Kidsbooks, onundisclosed terms. (PL: 7/08)

PUBLISHER’S INTERNATIONAL: PI is selling its children’sbook division to RC2 for $163 million in cash. The line,which had sales of approximately $112 million and operat-ing income margin “in the mid-teens” as of their most re-cent full fiscal year will be used to bolster RC2’s LearningCurve brand and early learning platform. (PL: 6/08)

SCHOLASTIC: Several new hires and promotions were an-nounced. Debra Dorfman returned to Scholastic’s tradepublishing division in the new position of VP & publisher forpaperbacks, Cartwheel, and licensed publishing for theScholastic Trade Publishing division. Dorfman was presi-dent and publisher at Penguin Children’s Grosset & Dun-lap/Price Stern Sloan division. Arthur A. Levine has beennamed publisher of his imprint Arthur A. Levine Books; hewas editorial director. Zachary Clark has joined Scholasticas cross-channel assistant; he was previously an intern withScholastic Press. Greg Rutty was promoted to associateeditor, Scholastic Press; he was an assistant editor atScholastic Paperbacks. Jonathan Valuckas has joinedScholastic Paperbacks as editorial coordinator; he was pre-viously executive assistant at Scholastic. (PW: 7/08. PL: 5/08)

We do our best to provide current market information, but wedo not guarantee its accuracy. Please verify needs, names, ad-dresses, etc. before submitting and follow the publisher’sguidelines. Never send original art. It has long been traditionalto include a SASE, however please note that many major pub-lishers have changed their policy: most no longer return man-uscripts or contact authors/illustrators unless interested intheir submissions.

Key to Information Sources: A = agent, CW = Children’sWriter, P = publisher, PL = Publishers Lunch, PM = PublishersMarketplace, PW = Publishers Weekly.

Vicki Arkoff is a regular contributor for MAD Magazine, MADKids, Girls Life, Nickelodeon, Sweet 16, Midwest Book Review;HowStuffWorks.com and others. She’s also an authorized biog-rapher and co-writer for such ’tween & teen stars as Drake Bell,The Cheetah Girls, Kelly Clarkson, Miley Cyrus, Hilary Duff, JoJo,Jonas Brothers, Jesse McCartney, Kyle Massey, Hayden Panet-tiere, Emma Roberts, Carrie Underwood, and the “High SchoolMusical” cast. Her manuscripts have won two SCBWI-L.A. “BestNonfiction” awards; her books include the “Sinatra” bestseller(DK/Penguin), “Orange County Choppers: Dynamic Designs”(Modern/Discovery Channel), and “How to Deal,” a spring 2009title for Disney-Hyperion. She’s currently co-writing a bookwith filmmaker Chris Paine based on the documentary “WhoKilled the Electric Car?” [email protected].

... TO MARKET TO MARKET


Karyn Raz recalls working in her mother’s art studioas a girl. “I have a strong memory of her helping mesculpt the digestive system for the fifth grade sci-ence fair, which included Cap’n Crunch Berriesglued into the esophagus in a meticulous pattern.”On family vacations, Raz would make color pencilrenderings of Elle models and watch her mom workon her art. “She made it seem fun and relaxing.”

As an adult, Raz seeks that same feeling of joy andchildlike exploration in her art. Her gouache andacrylic paintings have been commissioned byclients such as Hadassah Magazine, Vans, andMazon, and featured in the annuals of the Societyof Illustrators of New York and Los Angeles.

Raz was born and raised in Los Angeles, and gradu-ated from Brown University and the illustrationprogram at Art Center College of Design. She is onthe arts faculty at New Roads School, and works ina studio in Santa Monica, where she lives with herhusband.

Karyn Raz’s Art EvokesJoy, Childlike Wonder

ILLUSTRATOR’S GALLERY

www.karynraz.com e-mail: [email protected] studio: 310-850-0095


Bulletin Board

Great News

Vicki Arkoff has had four coverstories published by the leadingtween magazine, Girls Life, in fourconsecutive issues: Cheetah Girls,Jonas Brothers, and two upcom-ing issues featuring Miranda Cos-grove, and the cast of “TheSisterhood of the Traveling Pants2,” namely America Ferrera (“UglyBetty”), Blake Lively (“GossipGirl”), Amber Tamblyn (“Joan of

Arcadia”) and Alexis Bledel (“Gilmore Girls”). Also, her satiri-cal Q&As with Robert “Iron Man” Downey Jr. and Aly & A.J.are in the current issue of Mad Kids.

Judith I. Jefferies had another story published in the LosAngeles Times Kids’ Reading Room, “Remembering,” on May25, 2008.

The 2008 edition of the Best Children’s Books of the Year(chosen by the Children’s Book Committee, Bank Street Col-lege of Education) includes Theodosia and the Serpents ofChaos by our very own Robin LaFevers, in the Fantasy cat-egory for readers ages 9-12. The book was also an AgathaAward nominee, an honor book for the 2007 Michigan Li-brary Association’s Mitten Award, and one of Booklist’s Top10 Crime Fiction for Youth: 2008 books (May 1 issue).Robin’s first two titles in a new illustrated chapter book se-ries, “Nathaniel Fludd: Beastologist,” in which Nathanielloses his parents, is shipped off to a distant cousin, adopts agremlin, and begins his travels as a Junior Beastologisttending to the world’s mythological creatures, were sold toKate O’Sullivan at Houghton Mifflin Harcourt by agent ErinMurphy of Erin Murphy Literary Agency.

Considering graphic novels? Study the article, “Children’sGraphic Novels - Formatting & Submitting Proposals” byMac McCool, in the 2009 Children’s Writer’s & Illustrator’sMarket, available now.

C. Leigh Purtill appeared on the nationally-syndicatedcable television show, “Connie Martinson Talks Books” todiscuss her YA novels Love, Meg and All About Vee (both Pen-guin/Razorbill). Connie is a well-respected book reviewerwith thousands of amazing interviews in her archives, in-cluding Barack Obama, Al Gore, Ray Bradbury, TC Boyle, GigiLevangie Grazer, Lisa See, and many more. The episodeaired on July 17 in the L.A. market and will air at variousother times throughout the country.

Joseph Taylor’s “Flying Balloons: The Story of the Mont-golfier Brothers,” which appeared in the April issue of Cricket

magazine, has been picked up as a short-story selection byEncyclopedia Britannica.

Marne Ventura sold a story, “Amanda’s Idea,” to Highlightsfor Children. It’s an easy reader about a girl who solves theproblem of being chased at recess. It’s Marne’s second saleto Highlights and her third sale ever.

Classes

UCLA Extension Writers’ Programwww.uclaextension.edu/writersAs the largest and most comprehensive university-relatedwriting program in the nation, the UCLA Extension Writers’Program equips new and practicing writers with the toolsthey need to tell their stories and to seek out publicationand production. The program offers more than 500 annualonsite and online writing courses in writing for the youthmarket, as well as fiction, memoir, personal essay, poetry,playwriting, publishing, feature film, and television writing. For more information, call 310-825-9415. To enroll, call 310-825-9971 or 818-784-7006.

Advanced Workshop in Writing for Children and Young Adults, Sonia Levitin Oct. 2–Dec. 11, Tues. 7–10 p.m., Thurs. 7– 10 p.m. (Reg# U4631U)

Intermediate Writing for Sequential Art: Comics, Manga, and Graphic Novels, Nunzio DeFilippisSept. 24–Dec. 10, Wed. 7–10 p.m. (Reg #U4353)

Writing and Illustrating Picture Books for Children,Barney SaltzbergOct. 1–Dec. 17, Wed. 7–10 p.m. (Reg# U2692U)

From Slushpile to Bestseller: Breaking Out of the Pack and Getting Published, Lisa YeeDec. 6, Sat. 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. (Reg# U2693U)

Writing for Children: A Beginning Workshop (online),Catherine Ipcizade, Oct. 1–Dec. 3 (Reg# U4770U)

Writing Picture Books for Children: A Beginning Workshop(online), Sherry Shahan, Sept. 25–Nov. 26 (Reg #U4769)

Art Center College of Design Night Program626-396-2319 or www.artcenter.edu/atnight

Children’s Book Illustration, Marla FrazeeSept. 11-Dec. 11, Thur. 7-10 p.m.

Illustration for Comic Books, Bernard ChangSept. 10-Dec. 10, Wed., 7-10 p.m.


... BULLETIN BOARD

Otis College of Art and Design Evening College310-665-6850 or www.otis.edu

Illustrating Children’s Books, Deborah Nourse LattimoreSept. 6-Nov. 8, Sat. 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

California State University, Northridge866-873-6439 or tsengcollege.csun.edu

Santa Monica City College310-434-4000 or www.smc.edu

Events

NEW! Monthly children’s writers coffee and discussion:Writer2Writer. Location: Flintridge Bookstore and Coffee-house, 964 Foothill Blvd., La Canada. First meeting:Sun. Oct. 5, 4-5 p.m. Joyce Lee Wong, author of SeeingEmily, will talk about “Novels in Verse” and lead a discussionand writing exercises. Also Sun. Nov. 2: Autumn Cornwel,author of Carpe Diem – Sun. Dec. 7: Paula Yoo on “Plottinga Novel.” For info or to RSVP, contact Catherine Linka with“Writer2Writer” in the subject line or call 818-790-0717.

Save the Date!

Saturday, Nov. 8, 2008 — Illustrator’s Day

Saturday, April 18, 2009 — Writer’s Day

Sept. 11-13, 2009 — Working Writer’s Retreat

Toot Your Horn

Compiled by Bonnie Ferron

Toot Your HornIn the Spring issue of Kite Tales!

Twice a year, Kite Tales lists new books written orillustrated by members for the benefit of booksellers

and librarians.

Send us info about the book you’vewritten or illustrated:

� Title by author, illustrator� Ages ? and up

� Genre and publisher� Author or book website� Is author SCBWI member?

� Is illustrator SCBWI member?

Sorry, no self-published, print-on-demand or subsidy/vanity press books

per SCBWI guidelines.

email to: [email protected] or mail to Kite Tales c/o SCBWI,

P.O. Box 4190, West Hills, CA 91308

Deadline: February 15

Naomi Hirahara, 1001 Cranes: A novel, middle-grade,Delacorte Books for Young Readers, ISBN9780385735568

Sara Louise Kras, Galapagos Islands, nonfiction, Won-ders of the World series, Marshall-Cavendish, ISBN-10:0761428569, ISBN-13: 978-0761428565

Alexis O'Neill, The Worst Best Friend, picture book,ages 4-8, Scholastic Press. ISBN-10: 0545010233, ISBN-13: 978-0-545-01023-8

Jean Reagan, Always My Brother, Ill. Phyllis Pollema-Cahill, ages 4-8, Tilbury House Publishers.

Illustration by Svett


Present PerfectWriting and Editorial Services

Specializing in:� Grammar and punctuation� Verse rhyme and scansion� Dramatic structure

Detailed critiques$4.50 per page

$45.00 minimumDiscounts above 20 pages

Evelyn HughesPhone/fax (562) 433-5554

[email protected]

Writing Connections

THE SCBWI SUMMER CONFERENCEhas again set my head swimming, noOlympic pun intended. I rememberingmy conversation with Sue Alexanderat the Los Angeles Writer’s Day inApril, when she told me how shenever failed to learn something fromevery writer. She had heard Sid Fleis-chman talk twenty years ago and itwas only recently that she found aplace to use his suggestion. So at theSummer Conference, I took her adviceand soaked it in.

Several editors mentioned that they were looking for charac-ters, plot, and a story that they couldn’t put down. And the se-cret that propels them to the end: subtext.

Former literary agent Durant Imboden, in his article “Subtext:The Delicate Art of Doublespeak”says, “Subtext — what char-acters are saying between the lines — is what separates the am-ateurs from the pros in dialogue writing. Dialogue is what ourcharacters say. Subtext is what they really mean.”

Publisher author Deborah M. Hale, in her article “Subtext: WhatLurks Beneath” at her website says “that a character who al-ways says exactly what he or she truly thinks will probably strikereaders as phony or boring. Nothing brings internal conflict intosharper focus than when characters’ words are at odds withtheir thoughts and feelings.”

Screenwriters and playwrights write words for actors to createtheir characters. Several examples can be found at mystery-manonfilm where Mary An Batchelor provides an examplefrom Casablanca.

RICK: I congratulate you.VICTOR LAZLO: What for?RICK: Your work.VICTOR LAZLO: I try.RICK: We all try. You succeed.

Rick means what he says, but he also means more. He’s also talking about Victor’s relationship with Else.

CONTINUED ...

News from the Internet by Narda Lacey Fargotstein

Subtext: More than Meets the Eye


Charles Deemer, a contributor to the Northwest Film Schoolsite, relates Sol Stein’s take on subtext: “What is the purpose ofthe exchange? Does it begin or heighten an existing conflict?Does it stimulate [our] curiosity?” Does the exchange createtension? Does the dialogue build to a climax or a turn of eventsin the story or a change in the relationship of the speakers? An-other example is:

“How are you?”“Fine.”

Boring. In contrast:

“How are you?” “Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t see you.”

This creates interest because the person does not answer thequestion, and this establishes subtext.

Now use your dialogue to propel your story by adding subtext,something more than meets the eye.

Narda Lacey Fargotstein is working on making the leap from non-fiction to children’s books. She is author of The Whole ComputerCatalog and Articles on Women Writers, Vol I and II. Her articleon the Dodo bird in Alice in Wonderland was recently cited in TheMore Annotated Alice. Narda is always looking for new websitesand suggestions for future columns. E-mail [email protected].

... CONTINUED

To Place an ad in Kite Tales:

Contact Bonnie Ferron [email protected]

� Ads must be submitted in pdf or jpgformat

� 300 dpi preferred, black & white orcolor OK.

� Link to your website at no extracharge

� Ad costs are for one calendar year (4 issues) as follows...

� Business card size : 3.5”w x 2”h = $30� 1/4 page: 3.5” w x 3.75”h = $60� 1/2 page : 7”w x 3.75”h = $90� Full page: 7” w x 8”h = $120� Make checks payable to: SCBWI-L.A.

mail to: Kite Tales c/o SCBWIP.O. Box 4190, West Hills, CA 91308

Announcing the NEW

Sue Alexander Scholarship Contest!

In loving memory of an irrepressible, untiring

force of nature, a true champion of

children’s literature.

This contest will be forpicture book text only.

Further details will be announcedlater at www.scbwisocal.org

and in Kite Tales.


Writing Connections

Bring Your Books to Life!Connect your books to the curriculum.

Provide handouts with activities related to your book for teachers at school visits.Get help from a retired school librarian/educator with 35+ years of experience increating book-related classroom activities

Contact: Sandy Schuckett – [email protected]

Gems from scbwi.orgby Angie Azur

This feature reminds members about free SCBWI publications.Packed with professional info, the articles often contain answersto common, burning questions. We’ll highlight one or morepublications in each issue of Kite Tales.

The Give and Take of CritiqueWritten by Linda Sue Park

For the full, four-page text: Log on to www.scbwi.org, using your spassword. � Click on Publications. � Click on SCBWI Publications. � Click on: MEMBERS: click here for the complete list of publications

and ordering information.� Scroll to: Preparing and Submitting Your Work� Click on: From The Give and Take of Critique

Take it like a … professional writer! Gracefully receiving criticismof your work takes guts, but it’s worth the pain to get to thepleasure of making your writing the best it can be. And just asvaluable is learning how to give a good critique to fellow writers.It will help you get better at critiquing your own work.

The Play – provides rules for superior critiquing.

Giving – explains how to critique a writer’s work and what to look for regarding plot, characters, and overall writing.

Taking – explores how to listen when your work is critiqued.

Once you understand how a critique session works, you will be abetter participant and become a better writer. Don’t be shy. Sub-mit your work for critique and critique others with confidence.

Grassroots Book PromotionWritten by Kerry Madden

For the full, four-page text: � Following the first four steps listed above� Scroll down to: Publicizing Your Published Work� Click on: Grass Roots Book Publicity

Whether you are publishing your first book or your tenth, checkout this article. Kerry Madden lists 25 ways to keep your bookselling, along with websites and blogs. Make choices that areright for you. Try something new. There is a lot you can do foryour book, “actions you can take to prolong its life in print.”

You got this far, don’t let your book wilt on the shelves. And don’tforget the little people. “Tell the kids you meet that one of thegreatest highlights of being a writer is the honor of meetingthem, the future storytellers, artists and writers!”

Writing Connections Disclaimer:Kite Tales accepts members’ ads for writing and illustratingbusinesses and activities. An ad in Kite Tales does notimply endorsement by SCBWI, and members arereminded to request brochures or additional informationfrom advertisers. We retain the right to refuse and tosuspend ads.


Writing Connections

LISA ROJANY BUCCIERIEDITORIAL SERVICES OF LOS ANGELESEmail: [email protected] EditorialServicesofLA.com

Lisa Rojany Buccieri is a publishing executive with 18 years’ experience in the industry. Lisa has also written over 100 children’s books. She was lead author on Writing Children’s Books for Dummies (Wiley, 2005), and co-wrote the New York Times bestseller, Fund Your Future (Berkley, 2002) with Julie Stav. Her books have received various accolades, such as reaching#1 on the Publishers Weekly Bestseller List two years in a row (Make Your Own Valentines, PSS/Putnam), and winning theAmerican Bookseller’s Pick of the List (Giant Animal Fold-Outs: Kangaroo & Company, PSS/Putnam). Most recently, she spearheaded the Intervisual Books launch of their first grown-up publishing program for Spring 2007. She was the founding V.P. & Publisher of Americhip Books, a children’s book packaging company focusing on adapting tech-nologies such as light, sound, paper-engineering, and animation for books. Lisa has also been Editorial/Publishing Director for Golden Books, PSS/Penguin Group, Intervisual Books, Gateway Learning Corp (Hooked on Phonics), and others. She charges by the hour for her editorial services, depending on the length of the manuscript or project. References available upon request.

EDITORIAL SERVICES OF LOS ANGELES (ESOLA) is devoted to helping writers make their work the best it can be.

EDITORIAL SERVICES OF LOS ANGELES has been in business for over 18 years, and has helped many writers—of both children’s and grown-up books—get published or improve their chances for publication.

ESOLA offers personalized, detailed services, everything from line editing to ghostwriting:

• Detailed line editing and critique letter • Book doctoring • Creative and publishing list development • Copy editing • Proposal writing and editing • Ghost writing • Literary consultations • Proofreading • Writing workshops

ESOLA can also help you craft a great query letter— so include it if you want help with that as well!

EDITORIAL SERVICES OF LOS ANGELES (ESOLA)

OITEDITTOOF OOLLLOLO

ORIAL SERIAS ANGELSOO

VICESERRVLES (ES

S SOLA)

VICORIAL SORIAL SERRVEDITEDITTOTOoted to helpingted to is dev

ORIAL VICORIAL SERRVen in

EDITTOhas been in business

th ch s and’’senof both childrre

OLAESOLA sosos pers perrsrserrsofffe

etailed line edetailed line editin• D• D

CEShe

vices, ev

OF S ANGELES (ESOLork the e their w

A

s makg writerrs

CES OF S ANGELESyb

OL

bybn-up b

or ovffoet pubkown-up books—gge

8 ye s, and has heer 18 yearrs

onalized,

d grro

vices, ev

ue let

onalized, detailed ser

ng and critique letter

SOLA)best it can be.

s—rsd or e their chan

p ybli h d i ovblished or imprro

any welped many writer

erything from line editing toerything frrovv

• Book doctor

(

• Book doctor

or publication.nces ffo

o ghostwriting:

)

J

e

AN

pd i

OA RROLIS

d bl • D • D

• C pl i i

etailed line editineativ • Crre

• p gl

e and publrro • P

k h

oposal writing a • Literra

orkshopsary consultat

riting w • W

ESOLAi l dde it so include it

helpcan also h

CIEERINY BUCN

lq

d elopment i

g qi hi li dg

d di i

ng and critique letter que

iditing

st devishing list dev

ns nd editing

s tions

q yi h h

yh

gh l

p afftp yif

rat if you want help with that ast if you want help with that as

eat query letery lett a grp rep you cr

deadinfoofr• rerroP

ll!s well!tter—

ddpyh

py gh i i

Book doctor• Book doctor

gd

Copy edi• Copy editing

eading• Ghost writingGhost writing

AANJVIC

OA RROLISVRORIAL SERRVRVd

EDITTOoad

pl

Email: esola@rrovicesoEditorialSer

plw

Lisa Relhh saweehSSSS

eri is a pk

r.sk

yb oob

j’s’’s

ojany Buccieri is a pnerredlihc

,rellestseb ruuY tuFFuruoYYoddk

nuFFulkhhlbh

CIERIERINY BUCNESCE OF GELES ANGELES

drunner.com OL

drunner.com

h

ofLA.com

s’ e with 18 yearrsho norohh

publishing executttd uu

ead iae ooBs’’snerreddrliilhCChgniinttiiiiWrriWWr

publishing executiv

errrere B .vatSeiluJhtiw)2002,yl

eeylkreB((lylly

m seimmuuDDrooffoskkso anas

,5002,yeey(W((Wouok iravdeviecerevahskoooobbreH

(

dce in

)liexperience in the

et tetoorrrorowwo-o sc meesmiiimw TTikrrkooYYoweg

NNegnnir hcaerrec sahcus,sedalocca

d h/ )/

hd

lW keeWssrrrsrseehhssilbuPehtno1#ciPs’’srelleskooBnaciremAetnIehtdedaehraepsehssilbuP&.PP..VV.g

hnidnuofeht

uos,thgilsahgcusseigolon

kooBnedloGrofforotceriDbsgerrgahcehS.srehtodnanopuelbaliavasecnereffeeR

w

d

oranisrrsaeyowttwtsiLrellestseByk (tsiLehtfok

yc -dloFFolaminAtnaiG

srifriehtfohcnualskooBlausivred

mlihca,skooBpihciremAforehsnin

uadna,gnireenigne-rep

/ap,dnu

v sivv

retnI,puorGniugf

nePPe/p

SSPPS,sks reslairotiderehroffo

gruohehtyb

.tseuqern

( ,w sss,k enittinelaVVanwwnOruoYYoekaMMMa Sy

SPPSyn: apmoC&ooragnaKKa:ssuttsuO S-o

SPPS,margorg pgnihsilbuppu-nworgttss

ffm ynapmon cgnigakcapb

koobs’’snb

erooa slasahm asiL.skoob

proffonoitam

ooCggh

a ninru eLyawetaG,skooBlauffoth

gtgggtgtl nelev htnognidneped,seciv

een htgninn/ iwdna,)mantuP/c

S,yltnece/ rtsoM.)mantuP/s

Ssh awehSf .7002gnirpSroffo-hhccn etg

lnig

dtpadanognniissu

hcoffo

gnihssiblg

buut P/lairotie dg

Eneeh

b,)scinohPPnno odkeooH

.(p

hro

t tcejoojrprotppiirrccssum namf ehptf


Critique Connections OnlineLonging for a critique group? Why not join Critique Connections On-line to find a buddy or two? It’s easy and open toSCBWI members who reside in the Tri-Regions. It is not an online critique group or a manuscript exchange, but a way tolink up with like-minded people. Best of all, it’s free!

Below is a sample from the ever changing list that you will find at Critique Connections Online. To access the contact infor-mation or start your own group, join by e-mailing your request to [email protected]. Questions can be ad-dressed to the same e-mail.

Once you’ve joined the Yahoo! Group, you will be asked to provide information about yourself as part of a database andalso in an introductory e-mail. Others in the group can connect directly with you or you with them.

— Edith Cohn, Critique Connections Online Coordinator

Name Location Start/Join Online or Genres*Face-to-Face Group

AUTHORSErin Glendora Join Online MGTara Camarillo, Ventura County Either Online PB, YARebecca Los Angeles Either Online Jewish fictionErica Tustin Join Face-to-face PB, MGJaclyn Newport Beach Join Online or face-to-face PB Jeni Long Beach Either Either PB, short stories, YAJulia PasadenaEither Either PBKen Culver City Join Either MG, YAPhillip Los Angeles Either Either MG, YADiana Los Feliz Either Either, prefer face-to-face PB, poetry, MGLisa Los Feliz Join Face-to-face YAJanet LA Join online MG, YAJulie LA Either Online/Face-to-face Fantasy, Biography

AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATORSTerry South Pasadena Join Either PB, MGErin LA Join Either, prefer online MG, PB

ILLUSTRATORSJennifer Corona Join Face-to-face PB

Free!

*PB: picture books; MG: middle grade; YA: young adult

Got a New Book Coming Out?

Tell your publisher’s publicity person which state awards it’s eligible for.

Go to the Central Los Angeles Public Library downtown,to the Children’s Literature Department.

Ask the librarian to help you pull up Awards and Prizesfrom the Children’s Book Council.

The Library will maintain the subscription only if it’s used. It’s the only resource of its kind!

To look up each state award individually, you would haveto know the name of the award or sponsoring agency.

(Verified by Caroline Hatton 10/07)

Read more about Clarion’s Creative Director

Joann Hill and other speakers lined up for Illustrator’s Day (Page 9)!

Clarion Books coverby Carll Cneut.

fall volume number - scbwi ca-los angeles · december 13, 2008 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. st. maximilian...

Documents