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.

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SCBWI International Summer Conference

The 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.

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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.

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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

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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

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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!

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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

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2010 Lorin Tarr Gill Biennial Writing Competition

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SCBWI (Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators) Hawaii Annual Conference

Saturday, February 27, 2010, 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

Ala Moana Hotel, Garden Room

Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned pro, you’ll benefit from this banner program. Polish your skills and hone your talents as you plunge into the world of children’s books!

Featured speakers:

Nancy Siscoe

Kathi Appelt

James Rumford

Margaret South

Tammy Yee

Scott Goto

• Nancy Siscoe: Associate Publishing Director and Executive Editor, Knopf & Crown Books for Young Readers

• Kathi Appelt: multi-award-winning author of both picture books and novels

• Margaret South: Hawaii-based writing teacher

• James Rumford: multi-award winning picture book author/illustrator

• Tammy Yee: author/illustrator of numerous picture books

• Scott Goto: illustrator of several picture books, and now an author/illustrator

Sessions:

For all:

• general session with Nancy Siscoe, executive editor at Knopf on character development in both text and illustration.
• after-lunch panel with representatives from Mutual Publishing, Island Heritage, and Bess Press who will talk about what kinds of manuscripts they are looking for and how to submit to them.
• optional manuscript and portfolio critiques.

For writers:

• hands-on session with Newbury honoree Kathi Appelt on “Endowed Objects–What’s in your Character’s ‘Magic Box?’”
• first-pages session
• session on “The Art of Story” with Margaret South, who wowed us all at last year’s conference.

For illustrators:

• hands-on session with James Rumford, “Now That’s Another Story: the Art of the Picture Book”
• presentation with Tammy Yee on “The (Happy) Marriage of Illustration and Technology”
• presentation with Scott Goto “Working from References and Other Tricks of the Trade”

And, for conference attendees,

Kathi Appelt Fiction Workshop: Friday, February 26, 2010
On the day before the annual conference, author and teacher Kathi Appelt (THE UNDERNEATH) will lead an all-day, limited-attendance fiction workshop at a location to be determined.

For more information, visit SCBWI-Hawaii's Website or contact Lynne at lwikoff@lava.net

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8th Annual Big Sur Writing Workshop for Adult Fiction, Young Adult and Middle-Grade Fiction

Writing Workshop for Adult Fiction, Young Adult and Middle Grade Fiction, March 12-14, 2010.

A weekend packed with experts in publishing to help writers polish their manuscripts.

Special Saturday evening program with New York Times bestselling thriller author, Barry Eisler!

Congratulation to Vanitha Sankaran who attended the Big Sur Writer's Workshop in 2008. Her book, Watermark: A Novel of the Middle Ages, will be coming out from Avon this April.


Testimonies from the last workshop:

"This is the first conference I have walked away thinking this was worth every penny. I actually feel like I have something of value, and I am a better writer for going."

"The critique groups were amazing. The editors, agents, and authors were very approachable, and their comments/edits were invaluable. The writers in both critique groups shared fresh/unique perspectives, with an uninhibited ear/eye for what was and was not working. I stayed up nearly all night on both nights to create a revised first chapter that's both immediate and evocative...
...kick your butt in a good way workshop. It was inspiring."

"The best part was the intensity. The editors/agents are so down to earth & accessible. I like that serious writers were here to discuss work. It raised the standards for people!"

______________________________

The Henry Miller Library is a non-profit arts organization.

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2010 Biennial Writers' Conference: Write Where You Are

When:

Friday, April 9, 7:30-9:30 pm
Saturday, April 10, 8-5 pm

Where:
Punahou School

1601 Punahou Street
Honolulu

Workshops that inspire discussions that stimulate...a conference for all writers and aspiring writers.

Keynote Address and Special Workshop by Lisa Yee, award-winning young adult author.

See flyer below.

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Another Opportunity for Writers: July 12-16 and July 19-23, 2010

Passing along info about the Oregon Coast Children's Book Writers Workshop...sounds like a great reason to travel to the Northwest!

OREGON COAST CHILDREN'S BOOK WRITERS WORKSHOPS, SUMMER 2010
www.occbww.com

Next summer, July 12-16 and July 19-23, 2010 we proudly will present the eighth Oregon Coast Children's Book Writers Workshops, www.occbww.com, in the exquisite Oregon coast town of Oceanside.  The instructors for each workshop will include five established children's book authors (between them, specializing in YA and middle school novels, picture books, non-fiction, magazine pieces, and poetry), two children's book editors from major houses, and one children's book agent.  Summer Workshops 2010 promise to be our best yet because

- The instructor-student ratio will be a maximum of one to six,
- Each day, you will meet with an instructor for at least one comprehensive consultation, and
- You can have one-on-one informal meetings with instructors each day as well, and
- Every student who wishes can have an anonymous first page manuscript critique by all eight instructors in front of the class, and
- We will offer at least twelve instructional lectures on various aspects of writing and publishing, and
- There will be two evening readings/discussions by instructors, and
- Out-of-class consultations with instructors are available, and
- There will be at least three guest lectures, and
- There will be two wonderful parties (quite appropriate for friends, partners, spouses, children)

If you are ambitious to publish a children's book (or simply adore children's books), this is the workshop for you.   It will allow you to connect directly with authors, editors, agents who are active in the children's book business. If you go to the website and look under Evaluations, you'll see that it's received extraordinarily high praise (some listed below).

The course is available for graduate credit.

For complete information we welcome you to visit our website at www.occbww.com

We always tend to fill up early and turn many people away who wish to attend simply because there isn't space.  So, if this is of interest, you may want to register sooner than later.  There's a generous refund policy (described at the website) if you decide not to attend.

If you have any questions, feel free to ask.

Oregon Coast Children's Book Writers Workshop
www.occbww.com

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Editing/Revision Workshop for Honolulu Writers

Here's a workshop I would advise Honolulu residents and visitors to look into. I've known Lynne Wikoff for years. In addition to being the Co-Regional Adviser of the Hawaii Chapter of SCBWI (Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators), Lynne is a gifted writer and editor whose support and advice I have come to respect and cherish.

Edit my own work? Me??? Revision Secrets of the Pros

When: Saturdays, February 6 and 13, 2010, 9 a.m. to 12 noon
Where: Honolulu, Hawaii
Cost: $60 Enrollment is limited.
Contact: lwikoff@lava.net

Instructor Lynne Wikoff:

"Over the past three decades, I’ve written columns in both the Advertiser and Stat-Bulletin, published several articles in national magazines, worked in corporate communications and PR, and been a free-lancer editor and writer. I’ve had two books published by Island Heritage and currently have a completed novel under consideration by agents."

Workshop Description:

Today’s harried editors are demanding close-to-perfect manuscripts. That means the task of revision falls to writers. (Yes, you.) Whether you’re ready to refine a completed novel draft or you want to temporarily switch from writing to editing, I can help.

In two 3-hour sessions, I’ll reveal the tricks of the editor’s trade—revision techniques sure to make your manuscript stronger. (Maybe even strong enough to sell!)

• Session 1 – The Best Story: Overview Editing
  Structure/plot/scenes; character inventory; believability; where to expand, where to contract; timelines; format
  
  
• Session 2 – The Best Words: Content Editing
  Tighten and strengthen; dialogue; description; a good start; Q & A

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Writing Workshop with Pat Wood, November 14

Best selling author, Pat Wood, will be holding a one-day writing workshop on Saturday, November 14, at the University of Hawaii Lab School Campus.

8:30-12:30: WRITING WORKSHOP
Bring writing samples and Pat will work with students on pitch and synopsis, plus give sample critiques. The morning session will be geared toward writers of all genres of FICTION (literary, mystery, historical, YA, romance, supernatural, etc.) and those who write memoirs. $85

1:00-3:30: THE BUSINESS OF WRITING
Lecture format talk about publishing and the business of publishing. Find out how to query, if you need an agent? Should you have your complete manuscript written? Q&A to follow. $50.

Take both sessions for $125 ($10 discount) plus an opportunity for individualized feedback on your revised piece (after the conference) from author Patricia Wood by email.

For more information, contact Jacqui Pirl: 224-4008 or tropicalparadise@hawaii.rr.com.
Limited openings. Only 25 openings left.

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creating a digital albatross for my latest children's book, feather by feather

The Laysan Albatross (Moli, or Phoebastria immutabilis), with an 80 inch wingspan, breed in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands.




1. Creating feathers using a general leaf template.




2. Next, grouping feathers together.



3. Now it's time to create a framework on which to paste my feathers.










4. Finally, colorizing the feather patterns completes the albatross.





5. Now that I've established the distinctive markings of the albatross, it's time to stylize the bird so that it's more appealing to children. I've enlarged the eyes and the beak, and have added a lei:



©2009 Tammy Yee
All rights reserved.

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Ed Rondthaler:The nonsense of english spelling

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all work and no play in monterey (hey, that rhymes)

Walked the beach twice...gulls, pelicans, kelp, a dead cormorant, sand dollars, strange mole crabs...surfers in 4mm wetsuits braving the cold. Met a couple of surfers. Was hoping for fodder for fiction...alas, none had seen a great white up close and personal, though they did know surfers who drowned. Sadly, everyone in Hawaii knows of surfers who drowned...



Big cross to mark the bicentennial of Don Gaspar de Portola ("You killed my father, prepare to die.") calling it quits in Monterey and returning to San Diego for "lack of provisions."



Spent most of the time indoors, working and revising. Submission was 20 pages for a one-on-one consultation and two faculty-led critique groups. Each critique group (6 people max) met twice, for 2-2.5 hour sessions. You were expected to return to your room and WORK. There was a business center and a Staples where you could print and make copies of your revisions.

Faculty was outstanding. Editors, agents, established authors. Excellent feedback, not just some cursory review. Best of all, the faculty made themselves accessible and were easy to approach.



Brain frazzled.



Thank God for ground squirrels.



And purdy flowers.

Would I recommend? YES. But be prepared to write. Big Sur Children's Writing Workshop

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preparation and panic...the big sur writers workshop

Checklist of things to do...

1. Hold seance to channel successful authors (preferably not those who died young and destitute)...

2. Make desperate offering to Great Publishing Gods (clams and urchins work best)...



3. Kiss babies for good luck (can never hurt)...



4. Groom self, make good impression...



5. Prepare for constructive criticism...



6. Network ("Girl, you let him touch your clams?!")...



7. Make new friends (he smell funny, but he creative genius, and gots nice socks)...



8. PANIC!

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