Saturday, September 4, 2010

Children’s Writing Class at UH Outreach

For those interested in writing children's nonfiction, this sounds promising (I'm thinking of going):

Michael Elsohn Ross, a science educator and an award-winning author of more than 40 books for children on nature, science, and art will be teaching a two-session noncredit evening course UH called ‘Writing Your Children’s Book’ (Event ID: P11028). The class will meet on November 4 (Thursday) and 9 (Tuesday) from 6 to 9 p.m. in Kuykendall 303, and the course fee is $65. Michael describes the class as follows: “Discover the wide variety of styles and formats of current books, and pick up some useful writing and publishing tools from an author with extensive experience in the field. Participants will have a chance to write and edit short pieces, as well as get an overview of the publishing process.”
Michael, who works as a naturalist in Yosemite, presents at schools and conferences throughout the U.S. and internationally and teaches writing workshops. See his website at www.bugauthor.com. (While we don’t know Michael personally, he’s an SCBWI member, and the Regional Advisor where he lives recommends him highly.) Register online at www.outreach.hawaii.edu/noncredit/registration.asp, or call 956-8400.

And for those not familiar with SCBWI (Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators) Hawaii's website, check out their online publication, Trade Winds.

This issue features helpful writing and publishing tidbits from the SCBWI Conference in L.A., as well as summary of what local publishers in Hawaii (Island Heritage, Mutual Publishing, Bess Press) are seeking.

Book Launch: Plenty Saimin, by Feng Feng Hutchins

The celebration will begin Sunday, September 26th, 2010 at 3 p.m. inside Native books. Light refreshments, books, friends and family. Fresh noodle packets of saimin from the Sun Noodle Company will be given away with the first 25-signed copies.

Book Launch Celebration And Signing

Native Book/ Na Mea Hawaii
Ward Warehouse (Ewa end)
1050 Ala Moana Blvd, Honolulu, Hi 96814
www.nativebookshawaii.com

Stories, Storytellers and Their Place in Our Lives

Join Mission Houses Museum on Tuesday,  Sept 7 , 2010 at noon for its monthly "Historic Bites" luncheon lecture in the Chamberlain House Kitchen.

Curator Elizabeth Nosek introduces the museum's program theme for the upcoming year - Talk Story: Legends, Myths & Fables.   The museum looks forward to seeing how universal themes and characters appear throughout the world helping us to understand our place in it.

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Whales' Tails and Turtle Trails

Ta-daah...I signed books at Hanauma Bay and got my first glimpse of my new children's book from Island Heritage Publishing, Whales' Tails and Turtle Trails. Created in PhotoShop, which will probably be the medium for my next book as well. Very satisfied with the publisher's color reproduction...Hanauma Bay said they pre-ordered the book and were only able to get 12 copies.

What fun!

Wednesday, July 7, 2010

Origami Folding Robot

This little contraption has been programmed to fold itself into a boat or an airplane. Looks like it will be a long wait before they invent Transformer robots...

For more information, visit Discovery News.

Sunday, June 6, 2010

SCBWI International Summer Conference

SCBWI Conference AttendeesThe 39th Annual SCBWI International Summer Conference features 4 days of agents, editors, publishers, workshps and networking designed to take your writing and illustration to the next level. From individual consultations on your manuscript or portfolio with an editor or agent, to keynotes and targeted workshops from best-selling writers and illustrators, the SCBWI Summer Conference gives you the opportunity to focus on honing your craft while networking with industry decision-makers.

Published or pre-published, you can't afford to miss this opportunity! Get the latest information on the market from the industry leaders in publishing for young people, and be inspired by some of the most well-known authors and illustrators working in children's literature today.

Make sure you're logged in as an SCBWI member, then click on the links above to learn and REGISTER NOW to reserve your place today!

What: 39th Annual Summer Conference
When: July 30 - August 2, 2010 
Where: Hyatt Regency Century Plaza, Los Angeles

SCBWI brings together top professionals in the children's publishing world to share their knowledge and expertise with attendees twice each year. The annual SCBWI Summer & Winter conferences are also excellent networking opportunities for those already established in the children's industry, and for those just starting to enter the world of children's book writing and illustrating.


Purple Dragonfly Book Awards Competition

FIVE STAR PUBLICATIONS UNVEILS NEW LITERARY CONTEST:

PURPLE DRAGONFLY BOOK AWARDS TAKE FLIGHT


CHANDLER, Ariz. — May 21, 2010 – With nearly 25 years of experience under its belt, Five Star Publications knows award-winning books. Its own titles recognized in numerous national writing contests, the Arizona-based publisher is taking its industry expertise to new heights by honoring the work of others. Preparing for its first annual
Purple Dragonfly Book Awards competition, Five Star Publications is raising the bar for children’s books in 19 categories—from stories about families, hobbies and pets to tales about the environment, religion and health.

Submissions must be received by Five Star Publications by June 14, 2010. Winners will be announced at the Arizona Literary Awards Banquet on November 6, 2010 in conjunction with Arizona Authors Association Literary Contest and Book Awards.

“Five Star Publications is proud to announce the Purple Dragonfly Book Awards,” said Linda F. Radke, Five Star founder and president, “because we want to help parents give their children only the best in reading excellence. Geared toward stories for children between the ages of four and 10, the Purple Dragonfly Book Awards are designed to bring families together with great children’s literature, and a Purple Dragonfly seal on a book’s cover lets parents choose new titles for their bookshelves with confidence.”

The Purple Dragonfly Book Awards are currently open to children’s books published between the 2007-2010 calendar years. Exceptions include titles by Five Star’s employees and their immediate family members; contributing editors and writers;
affiliated authors; and close acquaintances and relatives of contest judges. Participation is open to authors of both traditionally published and self-published books from any press except Five Star Publications. A Grand Prize winner and First and Second Place Winners in each category will be selected based on content, originality and overall readability, with emphasis on innovation and creativity.

The Five Star judging panel will include experts from the fields of editing, reviewing, bookselling and publishing. “Being honored with a Purple Dragonfly Award will confer credibility upon each winner, as well as provide extra positive publicity to further their success,” said Radke.

 
Based in Chandler, AZ, Five Star Publications has been publishing and promoting award- winning fiction, nonfiction, cookbooks, children’s literature and professional guides since 1985. For more information, visit www.PurpleDragonflyBookAwards.com.

University of Hawai‘i KIDS FIRST! Film Festival

The award-winning University of Hawai‘i KIDS FIRST! Film Festival returns with four summer Sundays of free family films. KIDS FIRST!, a project of the Coalition for Quality Children's Media, is the largest traveling children's film festival in the world.

Curated locally by Outreach College and free to the public, the UH KIDS FIRST! Film Festival includes an entire program devoted to animations adapted from children's literature by esteemed authors and illustrators and are free of gratuitous violence; race, gender, or religious bias; inappropriate content; and condescension towards children. Age-appropriate groupings of films entertain through a balance of animation and live action, plus varied themes from different cultures. To add to the festivities, door prizes are awarded at all screenings.

What: University of Hawai‘i KIDS FIRST! Film Festival
When: Sundays • June 13 & 27, July 11 & 18 • 3:00pm
Where: UH Manoa Art Auditorium • FREE!
http://www.outreach.hawaii.edu/summer/kidsfirst.asp

Friday, March 26, 2010

Southampton Children’s Literature Conference

July 28 to August 1, 2010
 
The Southampton Children’s Literature Conference provides a unique forum in which to
study and discuss the craft of writing for children. World-renowned authors, illustrators
and editors offer inspiration and guidance through workshops, lectures, group discussions
and special presentations. Open to both established and aspiring writers, the Conference
is located in the Hamptons on the East End of New York’s Long Island—a resort area of
natural beauty.

WORKSHOPS
The Children’s Writing Workshops are led by authors and editors of the first rank. The
distinguished faculty includes:
• Caldecott Medal-winning author/illustrator Ed Young
• Award-winning middle-grade author Tor Seidler
• Accomplished editor and novelist Cindy Kane
• Best-selling author/editor Emma Walton Hamilton
• Award-winning YA author Margaret McMullan

GUEST SPEAKERS AND SPECIAL EVENTS
In the afternoons and evenings, participants choose from a wide range of elective sessions
presented by notable authors, editors, publishers, and agents. The schedule of formal and
informal gatherings is rich—from author receptions to open-mic night—with a few
surprises, too.

Among the guest presenters scheduled to appear this year are Arlene Alda and Lisa
DeSimini, Jim and Kate McMullan, Amy Krouse Rosenthal, Catherine Creedon,
and Whiting Award-winning poet Julie Sheehan.

We’re pleased to offer three graduate credits to eligible students.

Workshop size is limited; some scholarships still available. Apply now!

http://www.stonybrook.edu/writers
http://www.facebook.com/SouthamptonWriters?ref=ts

Monday, March 22, 2010

Peachtree Publisher's Blogspot: The Development of a Book Cover

My dear friend and colleague, Shan Correa, just came out with her middle-grade novel, Gaff, and I am so proud of her!

As an author and illustrator, I am well aware of the challenges faced in developing a book cover, and have sometimes wished I could "do-over" a cover.

Peachtree's Blog, Judging a Book by its Cover, features Shan's novel as a demonstration of how a cover was selected:
"When creating anything, especially book covers, changes are going to happen and first ideas will become third ideas or even sixth ideas.  But, with every change or every new idea comes a more polished and a more cohesive cover, so that the end result is something that we are all proud of and something that highlights the story."
Congratulations, Shan!

Monday, March 15, 2010

Poetry advice to lighten your day

"I have a new method of poetry. All you got to do is look over your notebooks...And think of anything that comes into your head, especially the miseries...Then arrange in lines of two, three or four words each, don't bother about sentences."

~Allen Ginsberg, American Poet

Saturday, March 13, 2010

National Children's Book Week Art Display

May 6 to June 16, 2010
Kapiolani Community College Library

To celebrate National Children’s Book Week in May, SCBWI-Hawaii will put on its first-ever exhibit of children’s book art by Hawaii artists.  All members and friends are invited to the opening on May 6, 2010, from 4 to 6 pm In front of the Kapiolani Community College Library.

Artists exhibiting will be Scott Goto, Yuko Green, Jeff Langcaon, James Rumford, Esther Szegedy, and Tammy Yee.  David Behlke of Koa Gallery will curate.  The exhibit will be up in the library gallery until June 16 and will be open during weekday hours (for specific times, see http://library.kcc.hawaii.edu/libraryinfo/hours or call 808-734-9268)


Wednesday, March 3, 2010

SCIENTISTS DISCOVER NEW ELEMENT

Oxford University researchers have discovered the heaviest element yet
known to science. The new element, Governmentium (symbol=Gv), has one
neutron, 25 assistant neutrons, 88 deputy neutrons and 198 assistant
deputy neutrons, giving it an atomic mass of 312.

These 312 particles are held together by forces called morons, which
are surrounded by vast quantities of lepton-like particles called
pillocks. Since Governmentium has no electrons, it is inert. However,
it can be detected, because it impedes every reaction with which it
comes into contact.

A tiny amount of Governmentium can cause a reaction that would
normally take less than a second, to take from 4 days to 4 years to
complete. Governmentium has a normal half-life of 2 to 6 years. It
does not decay, but instead undergoes a reorganisation in which a
portion of the assistant neutrons and deputy neutrons exchange places..

In fact, Governmentium's mass will actually increase over time, since
each reorganisation will cause more morons to become neutrons, forming
isodopes. This characteristic of moron promotion leads some scientists
to believe that Governmentium is formed whenever morons reach a
critical concentration. This hypothetical quantity is referred to as a
critical morass. When catalysed with money, Governmentium becomes
Administratium (symbol=Ad), an element that radiates just as much
energy as Governmentium, since it has half as many pillocks but twice
as many morons.

2010 Lorin Tarr Gill Biennial Writing Competition



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