Listen to SCBWI's newest podcast: A Conversation with Nancy Paulsen

Nancy Paulsen is the President and Publisher of Nancy Paulsen Books, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers. The imprint publishes fifteen books a year and focuses on eye-opening, often funny picture books and middle grade fiction from diverse and distinct voices, especially stories that are inventive and emotionally satisfying. New York Times bestsellers she has edited include National Book Award and Newbery Honor Winner Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson, Fish in a Tree by Lynda Mullaly Hunt, and Miss Maple’s Seeds by Eliza Wheeler. Other award-winning titles include Coretta Scott King Honor Winner Each Kindness by Jacqueline Woodson and E.B. Lewis; Looking at Lincoln by Maira Kalman and Leaves by David Ezra Stein.

In this two-part conversation with Theo Baker, Nancy discusses editing, her list, diversity, first chapters, the process of revising a middle grade novel, what goes into publishing a picture book, and so much more!

Listen to the episode trailer here.

Current SCBWI members can listen to the full podcast here (log in first!)

Illustrate and Write On,
Lee

KidLitforKidsLives - a movement of letters from children's book creators to the students of "Parkland & Beyond"

There are over 35 letters so far at the KidLitforKidsLives website, and it's a rising up of support and encouragement from our community for the students fighting for gun control in the United States. As a sampling, here are two of the letters:

Letter from Supriya Kelkar

Letter from Nancy Castaldo

Most importantly, you can share your own letter with the students as well - link at the bottom of the kidlitforkidslives site.

Illustrate and Write On,
Lee

Golden Kite Winner for Picture Book Text Carolyn Crimi tells us about "There Might Be Lobsters"

I spoke with Carolyn at the #NY18SCBWI Autograph Party...


Thanks, Carolyn! And congratulations again!

Learn more about Carolyn and "There Might Be Lobsters" here.

Illustrate and Write On,
Lee

Sid Fleischman Humor Award Winner Crystal Allen tells us about "The Magnificent Mya Tibbs: The Wall of Fame Game"

The Sid Fleischman Humor Award is an award for authors whose work exemplifies the excellence of writing in the genre of humor. The SCBWI established the award to honor humorous work, so often overlooked in children’s literature by other award committees.

I caught up with Crystal Allen at the #NY18SCBWI autograph party...



Find out more about Crystal and the rest of "The Magnificent Mya Tibbs" series at Crystal's website here.

Illustrate and Write On,
Lee

PW profiles the first picture book to come from the We Need Diverse Books mentorship program: "The Field"

The point made in Claire Kirch's article, "It Takes a Village: NorthSouth Publishes WNDB Grant Recipient" should resonate loudly for us all:

"The picture book’s backstory to publication is one of serendipitous personal connections, demonstrating what most of those in the publishing industry have long known and what WNDB is successfully tapping into: this is an industry built upon relationships just as much as love for the written word."

The book is "The Field" by Baptiste Paul, illustrated by Jacqueline Alcántara.

As the book's editor at NorthSouth Beth Terrill put it,

"I hope this story encourages other writers of color to join the WNDB program."

From the PW article: "The Field tells the story of a girl and her younger brother, who rouse their Caribbean community—family, friends, even the local fruit vendor—to play a friendly game of soccer after clearing a field of the cows grazing there. While the book is primarily written in English, Creole words and phrases are sprinkled throughout the text, giving it an international flavor. Besides the English/Creole and German/Creole editions, a Spanish/Creole edition will be published this spring."

Cheers to debut author Baptiste Paul,  his wife Miranda who met Beth at the SCBWI conference in Los Angeles a few years ago and introduced the editor to her husband's work, debut illustrator Jacqueline Alcántara, Alcántara's agent Adriana Dominguez, Alcántara's We Need Diverse Books mentor Author-illustrator Carolyn Dees Flores, NorthSouth, and the whole WNDB team! Wow - it really does take a village!

Read the full article here.

Illustrate and Write On,
Lee

Golden Kite Winner Jack Cheng Tell Us About His Middle Grade Novel, "See You In The Cosmos"

I caught up with Jack Cheng at the #NY18SCBWI Autography Party...


Thanks, Jack! And congratulations again!

Learn more about Jack and "See You In The Cosmos" here.

Illustrate and Write On,
Lee

10 Sparkling moments from #NY18SCBWI (even if you couldn't attend)

Champagne after the Golden Kite Awards!

10.
"The only thing you have control over is writing the best book you can." –Jane Yolen

9.
"Download your own fight song and know there's a Jordan out there waiting for your story." –Carolyn Crimi, on her process and the young reader who wrote her to say thank you.

8.
Crystal Allen thanking her character Mya Tibbs, "for teaching me to walk the walk, not just talk the talk."

7.
The absence of a trend in the YA space means more opportunity for individual stories. –Brooks Sherman

6.
...And how when there's room for everyone to speak, it means you sometimes have to ceed the floor. – Marietta Zacker

5.
“If you can look at your earlier work and cringe a little, that means you’ve improved.” –Dan Santat

4.
"Diversity is not a trend."  –Angie Thomas

3.
"'No' is not a rejection of you." –Emma Dryden

2.
"The illustrations are the unfiltered storytelling for the child." –Laurent Linn

1.
 “Make a pair of wings. The best way to work creatively is to fly somewhere new.” –Jane Yolen

Now take that inspiration, and illustrate and write on!
Lee

The SCBWI Golden Kite Awards at #NY18SCBWI

It's our awards season moment, and there's one question on everyone's minds...

Not "who are you wearing?" but

"Who are you reading?"

Follow all the excitement Friday night February 2, 2018 with the hashtag #NY18SCBWI...

Illustrate and Write On,
Lee