The LitMingle Minute: West San Gabriel Valley

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pitching, SCBWI community, SCBWI events, SCBWI members

Written by Heather Banis and Ronna Mandel

Hot dogs! Peanuts!

The 2016-2017 WSGV Mingle World Series, led by Ronna Mandel and Heather Banis, is coming to a close in July with the annual, celebratory, planning picnic in the park. It may not be Dodger Stadium, but the plays we’ve seen all year have kept our fans coming back month after month. Starting in September with “The First Pitch,” minglers pitched new story ideas to one another in a workshop format. Racing ahead to “1^st Base” in October, our focus was on the creation of a big-screen-worthy team of characters. As so often happens in the world of sports, unavoidable date and venue changes kept our minglers on their toes. In November, our plotting workshop moved us collectively forward to “2^nd Base” and minglers with plotting problems were coached on ways to best remedy plot issues.

Judges Award Sue Alexander Grant, SCBWI-L.A.’s Top Writing Prize

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Andrea Custer, Debbie Friedman, Julia Edwards, SCBWI events, SCBWI members, Sue Alexander, Sue Alexander Grant

By Marcelle Greene, SCBWI-L.A. Contest Coordinator

Our anonymous judges were unanimous in their opinion that awarding this year’s Sue Alexander Grant was one tough decision. But after three rounds of whittling more than one hundred entries, there emerged this clear winner:

I do my best thinking in my underwear. Mamma always understood that about me.

 “We Rockfort women are at our best when we’re wearing the least,” she’d say. But Lord in Heaven, I don’t think she had in mind that I’d be wearing a man’s jockey shorts, standard Army issue, second-hand no less. And I’ll say it plain, as much time as men have spent getting into my drawers, I can’t quite get right with walking around in theirs.

Author Catherine Linka on Community for Introverts, Critique Tips, What Sells, & Balancing Romance with Wonder Woman

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A Girl Called Fearless, A Girl Undone, Author Tips, Catherine Linka, community, romance, SCBWI community, SCBWI events, SCBWI members, Wonder Woman, writing tips, YA

Catherine Linka, author of the A Girl Called Fearless series, joins this year’s LA SCBWI Working Writer’s Retreat faculty. She is a world traveler, former buyer for an independent book store, and was almost thrown out of boarding school for being “too verbal.” She spoke with me about her work, your work, Wonder Woman, and the kid lit community’s place in the world.

Linka first became involved in SCBWI “forever ago.” It was the first time she’d found people interested in the same kid lit things as her. Later, she added her Vermont College of Fine Arts MFA community and then the debut author community. “Everyone was so generous and warm and inclusive.” That’s why she believes it’s so important to give back. “It costs me nothing but time to help someone else out, really, so why not?”

True to that ideal, Linka is a huge supporter of SCBWI and an active SCBWI mentor and member. She knows every writer needs a supportive community. “It can take years to develop your craft, and you need people to cheer you on, point out opportunities, open doors, celebrate successes and mourn defeats. We really can’t do this alone, and it is so much more fun and satisfying to do it together.”

Linka acknowledges that writers who are often introverted, herself included, may feel overwhelmed in social situations, even when taking advantage of SCBWI’s group activities and professional development opportunities. This can also make it harder when we eventually have to do our own marketing. Her biggest advice:

The Power of Pen-Ultimate: 4 Critique Group Tips

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critique groups, critiques, illustrators, SCBWI members, writers

By Cheryl Bommarito Klein and Kara B. Wilson

Kara & Cheryl, 3rd from the left

Editor’s Note: Cheryl and Kara, who are in the same critique group, both won manuscript awards at this year’s Los Angeles Writers & Illustrators Day. I asked them to share their critique-group-secrets with us because they are definitely doing it right!

We all want the kind of support that keeps us motivated to create and improve our craft. For us, a well-organized critique group was exactly what we needed! Here are four tips we have learned over the last year that will help you to enhance or build the kind of group that fits you as illustrators/authors.

Volunteer Spotlight: Gwen Dandridge

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CenCal, Central CA, Gwen Dandridge, listserv, SCBWI members

By Gwen Dandridge

I’m the manager of the listserv in the CenCal region.

For those of you unfamiliar with a listserv, let me explain: a listserv is a program that automatically redistributes e-mail to names on a mailing list. This allows the quick flow of information to like-minded people. On an SCBWI listserv you get information about local children’s writers’/illustrators’ events, achievements, sorrows, and joys.

Toot Your Horn!

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authors, illustrators, published, publishing, SCBWI members

SCBWI members’ publishing news is something to celebrate here at Kite Tales! Check out whose book is coming to a platform near you or around the world. Horn-tooting ad digital hi-fives welcome in the comments!

How the Stars came To Be, written and illustrated by Michael Bayouth, Self-Published, ages 6-10, Picture Book, ISBN: 978-0692711224, released 12/01/16. (Stars Photo)

 

 

Great News!

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SCBWI members

SCBWI loves celebrating our members’ successes and noteworthy news, and there are many! Read on to find out who’s got something to shout about. Digital high-fives welcome in the comments!

 

 

On April 29, 2017, Maria Alexander’s debut YA novel, Snowed, won the 2016 Bram Stoker Award for Superior Achievement in a Young Adult Novel. Presenting the honor at the 2017 Bram Stoker Awards banquet were authors Gretchen McNeil (Ten, I’m Not Your Manic Pixie Dream Girl) and JG Faherty (Ghosts of Coronado Bay, The Cure). Snowed, a paranormal mystery, was published by Raw Dog Screaming Press on November 2, 2016. Maria is repped by Alex Slater at Trident Media Group.

 

SCBWI and the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books Signing Booth

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Andrea J. Loney, Ashlyn Anstee, authors, Bethany Barton, Chris Robertson, illustrators, Jake Gerdhardt, LATFoB, Laurenne Sala, Los Angeles Times Festival of Books, PAL, Robert Mellette, SCBWI members, Summer

By Jacob Gerhardt

SCBWI members have a legendary reputation for being friendly and supportive. Working the SCBWI LA Times Festival of Books booth with fellow authors proved, as always, that this characterization is well deserved.

I would estimate about half the festivalgoers who stopped by our booth were interested in purchasing our books and the other half curious to learn more about the world of children’s books. We were happy to accommodate on both ends.

The LitMingle Minute: Santa Clarita Writers

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SCBWI events, SCBWI members

By Cindy Kobler and Mia Turner

Mia Turner and Cindy Marcus have taken over leadership of the Santa Clarita chapter of SCBWI, after Laurisa White Reyes and Mary Cerny stepped down. Laurisa and Mary are a hard act to follow–both warm and supportive advocates for all things writing–but Mia and Cindy will do their best.

SCBWI Central Coast Regional News, Second Quarter 2017

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Donald Maass, Lee Wardlaw, mentors, Robin LaFevers, SCBWI events, SCBWI members

By Ann Rousseau Smith, SCBWI CenCal News Liaison

Congratulations to our 2017 Mentees:

Julie Dillemuth – Picture Book

Karen Jordan – Poetry Collection

Mentor Lee Wardlaw

Our 2017 mentor Lee Wardlaw, award-winning author of 30 books for children and young adults, will communicate with both Julie Dillemuth and Karen Jordan a minimum of twice a month, beginning April 1, 2017. Lee Wardlaw will provide feedback on one complete manuscript, plus comments on revisions.

And drum roll please! The winner of the SCBWI Summer Conference Grant is…