I've Got The Torch... And Here We Go!

Lee Wind, mid-air

I am honored and thrilled to be the new official SCBWI blogger and Captain of Team Blog!

Look for updates here on things going on in our kid lit industry and inside looks at the many SCBWI offerings of information, networking, publications, grants & awards, being a collective voice for authors and illustrators, and of course our amazing SCBWI Annual Conferences!

Your SCBWI Team Bloggers will be diving into pre-conference interviews to give you the scoop on what you can look forward to at our upcoming Lucky 13th Annual Winter Conference in New York City, Jan 27-29, 2012.  I mean, have you checked out the lineup of speakers?  The break-out workshops?  The number of agents and editors on faculty?  The gala dinner, a new mingling and networking event for Saturday night?  The portfolio showcase?  And the Friday day of intensive sessions on marketing for writers, marketing for illustrators, and writers roundtables?  There's so much great stuff!

But the conference blogging by Team Blog couldn't happen without our amazing team:

Martha Brockenbrough, one of the funniest people I've ever met.  And she can write funny, too.  Her book on grammar  had me laughing out loud (yes, grammar and laughing) and I can't wait to read her upcoming titles from Arthur A. Levine books ("Devine Intervention" sounds amazing!) Martha is deep and insightful and snort-milk-out-of-your-nose funny.  She's also a wonderful blogger, both at her own blog, and for our SCBWI Team!

Jolie Stekley is awesome. A YA writer bursting with creativity and energy, she imbues everything she does with heart and insight.  I love re-reading her conference posts (like this one), because they are personal and universal at the same time - and with all the photos and quotes the whole feel of the conference comes back to me in a wonderful rush!  She's a great blogger at her own blog, Cuppa Jolie (check out her fabulous weekly writing prompts!) and for our SCBWI Team!

Jaime Temairik, our resident illustrator on the team, changes things up for all of us by stretching the form and having fun with it all.  Like her commercial breaks and zombie sock puppet sketches, Jaime is wacky in the most wonderful of ways!  When I first met her, I thought she was Yoda-like, as in still-waters-run-deep.  What I discovered is that Jaime is deep - and she's quieter than me because she's busy planning all this amazing stuff while I'm chattering away!  She's a treasure of a blogger at her own blog, Cocoastomp, and for our SCBWI Team!

Suzanne Young is zany, charming, and prolific - with three YA titles out (her latest is the supernatural romance,"A Need So Beautiful!)" and more books coming soon...  Suzanne is also really innovative in her marketing efforts, and I recently saw her speak with Novel Novice's Sara Gundell about their super-fun and well-received do-it-yourself campaigns for her books.  Suzanne is a bright light and a super blogger, both at her own blog and for our SCBWI Team!

What all these amazing bloggers share is a huge sense of heart and passion.  (And twitter accounts:  follow them at
 @mbrockenbrough
 @cuppajolie
 @jaimetem
 @suzanne_young)
I'm beyond grateful for their friendship and support - and so glad to continue Team Blogging the SCBWI Annual Conferences with them!

And I have to take this opportunity to offer my heartfelt thanks to Alice Pope, who not only had the vision to create Team Blog with Aaron Hartzler (and bring me on board) but for believing in me and now passing me the torch.  Thank you, Alice! 

So I'll raise the flame high and run with you all, as we explore the grandeur and endorphin-rush of our passion - writing and illustrating and editing and agenting and art-directing and publishing and blogging and bookselling and teaching and librarian-ing (!)  and marketing and innovating...  as we create and celebrate creative content for children and teens.

Run with me!
Lee

ps: You're welcome to follow me on my home blog, "I'm Here. I'm Queer. What the Hell do I Read?" and on twitter at @leewind
pps: My photo above was taken by the wonderful writer and photographer Rita Crayon Huang.

Passing the Torch: My Final SCBWI Blog Post

Dear Readers,

Today, in a swirl of mixed emotions, I offer this post announcing that I will no longer be blogging for SCBWI.

I happily started this gig in May of 2010, a month after leaving my position as the long-time editor of Children's Writer's & Illustrator's Market. I was so grateful and excited that SCBWI gave me the opportunity to continue to communicate via the blogosphere with the amazing community I'd come to know and love throughout my 18 plus years at Writer's Digest Books.

While I was an editor at WD, I attended countless SCBWI events all over the country. Without a doubt, my favorite event has always been the Annual Summer Conference in Los Angeles. I learned so much, made so many terrific contacts, saw success stories unfold, and, most importantly, became lifelong friends with some tremendous people.

So of course I was beyond thrilled with the formation of SCBWI TEAM BLOG in 2009. The brainchild of former SCBWI Director of Communications Aaron Hartzler, the team--including me, Jaime Temairik, Martha Brockenbrough, Jolie Stekly, Suzanne Young and Lee Wind--brought you pre-conference interviews with conference faculty and exhaustive as-it-happens coverage of the LA and NYC conferences. We blogged and social networked our fingers to the bone, with joy.

I'm thrilled to announce that the SCBWI blog and TEAM BLOG will survive--and thrive--under new the leadership of Lee Wind.

Lee, always an enthusiastic and energetic TEAM BLOG member and award-winning blogger at I'm Here. I'm Queer. What the Hell Do I Read, is taking over as the official SCBWI blogger and is the new captain of TEAM BLOG! (He's being fitted for his SCBWI cape as I type.)

Lee will will begin posting here in a few days (at which time the blog will get a bit of a makeover), and he'll tell you a little more about himself. So please be sure to visit the blog often to read Lee's posts and watch as he clues you in on the pre-conference fun and offers his terrific faculty interviews as the date for the SCBWI Annual Winter Conference in New York draws nearer. (I'll be popping in frequently here and at the Official SCBWI Conference Blog to enjoy things from the other side.)

So I bid you farewell, but not goodbye. (We can keep in touch on Facebook and Twitter afterall.) Thank you for reading both the SCBWI blogs. Thank you Lin and Steve for allowing me to be a part of them. Thank you Jaime, Martha, Jolie, Suzanne and Lee for all your hard work and for your friendship. I love you guys.

Now I leave you the same way I greeted you...

More TEAM BLOG Pre-Conference Interviews. Plus: REGISTRATION CLOSES TODAY!

I just got back from a week-long vaca with the fam and it seems I've missed lots of action.

SCBWI TEAM BLOG has been busy bringing you more interviews with fab conference faculty.

Suzanne Young talked with agent Steven Malk and editors Alessandra Balzer and Julie Strauss-Gabel. Here is a bit of conference-related insight from each of them. Click on their names below to read the complete interviews.

• Steven Malk on the conference mind-set: I think the key to making the most of the conference experience is to go in with an enthusiastic but relaxed attitude and not to put too much pressure on yourself.
• Alessandra Balzer on her conference session: I’m going to debunk some myths that authors have probably heard about the publishing process and be very honest about the process that editors go through in-house for acquisition, and what my particular imprint (Balzer + Bray) is looking for.  
• Julie Strauss-Gabel on picking conference sessions: I think it’s important to mix in some attention to craft, not just focus on selling.

Martha Brockenbrough chatted with author Bruce Hale. Here's a bit from their interview. Click his name to read it in full:

• Bruce Hale on taking your writing to a new level: Get in touch with your passions, your hopes and fears from childhood. Chances are, what moved you then will move you now. Write about these things, not teen dystopia or vampires or whatever's currently trendy.

Last but certainly not least, Jolie Stekly had a conversation with Laurie Halse Anderson. Here's a snippet. Click her name to read the entire post:

• Laurie Halse Anderson on challenged books: The first couple of dozen times my books were challenged, I took it very personally. I bawled like a baby and wasted untold days paralyzed by the thought that anyone would think I'd ever seek to harm a child. Then I got over myself.

Finally...it's now or never time. Conference registration CLOSES TODAY at 5PM Pacific time. If you'd like to hear Steve, Alessandra, Julie, Bruce, Laurie and the other tremendous faculty at the 40th Annual SCBWI Summer Conference, click here to register. (Tomorrow it will be too late.)

And whether you attend or not, don't forget to visit the SCBWI Conference Blog for play by play through the event from my super-awesome TEAM BLOG.

SCBWI Annual Winter Conference in New York: A Roundup of Roundups

I think I've finally recovered from my eight days in New York for Digital Book World and the 2011 SCBWI Annual Winter Conference. After sleeping in beds in two different hotels, toting a 47-pound suitcase and a heavy laptop, tons of tweeting, boatloads of blogging, a few too many cocktails and conversations, and so not enough sleep I needed a chiropractic adjustment, a massage, a manicure, a facial, two yoga classes and a few days not involving alarm clocks.

Now that that's all taken care of, I've been enjoying clicking around reading blog posts about the Winter Conference. It's enlightening to hear other people's perspectives and learn what they take away from events. After all, a conference is a different experience for each and every one the attendees--and with 1100-ish people in the audience for the NYC event, there are a lot of perspective to be shared.

Below is a roundup of Winter Conference roundups--including recaps, a tweet roundup, takeaway lists, and even some photos. Whether you attended the event or not, there's plenty to learn from these bloggers.


I've included a snippet of each post. Click on the titles to read the full reports.  

And if you haven't checked it out, please be sure to visit the Official SCBWI Conference Blog and read through the complete coverage of the event courtesy of TEAM BLOG. (While you're there, check out the video interviews with conference goers to hear even more perspectives.)


Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators Conference (PW)
The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators Winter Conference in New York City is one of my favorite writerly events of the year. After all, what writer could resist the opportunity to hear legends of the children’s book world speak about writing? And then there’s the energy. When you fill a room with over one thousand writers, illustrators and industry professionals who are passionate about children’s books, you can feel the sizzle and excitement in the air. Here are some of the highlights.

SCBWI 2011, Part II: Beyond Picture Books, to New Media! (Walking in Public blog)
Everyone – and I mean, EVERYONE (that’s right, NPR) – is talking about e-books and new media. While adult e-readers are already a major part of consumer culture, childrens’ apps and e-books are still in their infancy (pun intended). People seem to have a special concern and defensiveness reserved for the future of kids’ books – after all, who wants their kids’ future reduced to bedtime stories curled up with an IPad?

SCBWI winter conference, NY (Tina Burke's blog)
I've just returned from a fantastic trip to New York, where I finally made it to the SCBWI (Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators) annual winter conference. I'd been wanting to attend one of these since we moved to Toronto.
This one enticed me for three main reasons:
A) The Friday, full-day Illustrator's Intensive focused on "Books and Beyond" (particularly ebooks and apps); something that's of interest to all of us. (I know there's info and discussions all over the internet about this stuff, but sometimes it's more fun to be told in person.)
B) Mo Willems was speaking
C) I ♡ NY
So I booked my ticket.

Gems from the SCBWI Winter Conference 2011 (Amy Writes...) (A Tweet Roundup!)
Huge discovery this weekend: Twitter isn’t only for organizing revolutions. It’s also good for keeping tabs on what’s happening at that awesome conference across the country you weren’t able to attend.
Who knew?
OK, in all honesty, I did know that. But the coolness of Twitter hit home this weekend while I was here in Arizona and a slew of my writer friends were cavorting at the SCBWI conference in New York.

A Conference in Pictures: SCBWI NY 2011 (Suzanne Young's blog)
Another excellent SCBWI conference has finished, but if you missed any of the action, hop on over to the TEAM BLOG official conference blog to catch up on EVERYTHING!! It was a great time, it was crazy weather, and there were even some shenanigans. Here are my pics from behind the scenes!

Notable moments from SCBWI's Winter Conference (Red Room)
Recently, I attended the 2011 SCBWI Winter Conference in NYC. It's always interesting to hear about trends, publishing shifts, new editors and art directors, and learn from the veterans, such as illustrator and writer, Jules Fieffer, and editor, Patricia Lee Gauch. I love running into other writers I know, as well as meeting new ones. Since I tend to remember things in bullet points, I created a list. I hope some of these will amuse and inspire you too.

#NY11SCBWI: My Top 16 Things (Lee Wind's blog)
Okay, I tried to make this a "Top 10" list about my take-aways from the 2011 SCBWI Winter Conference, but there was just too much good stuff to share!

SCBWI TEAM BLOG Pre-Conference Interview: Agent Jim McCarthy

Author and blogger Suzanne Young bring us the latest in our series of SCBWI TEAM BLOG interviews with Annual Winter Conference Faculty. Suzanne talked with agent Jim McCarthy. (We hope our interviews get you excited for the event!)

Here's a bit from Suzanne's interview with Jim.

In a Team Blog pre-conference exclusive, I'm chatting with fabulous agent (who also happens to be my agent) Jim McCarthy. Jim is vice president at Dystel & Goderich Literary Management and he will be speaking at the SCBWI Annual Winter Conference in NYC being held January 28^th-30^th. Check out the lineup HERE.

Jim, thanks so much for taking the time to answer my questions. To start, I was wondering if you could tell us what your talk at the conference will focus on? 

This one’s easy! I’m doing the same break-out session three times, and it’s What Makes Your Work Publishable: Today’s Market in Children’s Books. I was asked to present on what our agency accepts, what my taste is, what makes something stand out as something I want to represent, how I perceive the marketplace now, and where I see it going.

Click here to read the full interview with Jim McCarthy.

And click here for Annual Winter Conference registration where you can attend insightful What Makes Your Work Publishable sessions with Jim, other agents, editors, and art directors!

And be sure to visit my blog tomorrow for my IN THE NEWS THIS WEEK feature one day late.

SCBWI's 2011 Annual Winter Conference Registration Opens Tomorrow!

Mark your calendars! Synchronize your watches! Start planning your outfits! At 10 AM Pacific time tomorrow, registration will be open for the 2011 SCBWI Annual Winter Conference in New York City. The event takes place January 28-30, 2011, at the Hyatt Grand Central and features a fabulous lineup up of publishing professionals to instruct and inspire conference goers.

In addition to Saturday and Sunday workshops and keynotes, attendees can also opt for Friday pre-conference Writers or Illustrators Intensives--a day-long critique-a-thon with editor and agents for writers and day-long workshop for illustrators. If you're interested in one of these, don't doddle. They sell out amazingly quickly. 

The full faculty line-up will be revealed tomorrow when registration opens, but I can tell you that among them will be Mo Willems, Sara Zarr , Lois Lowry, Jules Feiffer and R.L. Stine! (Have I used too many exclamation points in this post yet? Don't worry! There will be more! I'm excited!)

SCBWI TEAM BLOG will again offer live coverage of the event on the Official SCBWI Conference Blog, as well as loads of pre-conference faculty interviews on our individual blogs.

TEAM BLOG is:

• Martha Brockenbrough (Twitter: @mbrockenbrough)
• Jolie Stekly (Twitter: @cuppajolie)
• Jaime Temairik (Twitter: @jaimetem)
• Lee Wind (Twitter: @leewind)
• Suzanne Young (Twitter: @suzanne_young)
• Me (Twitter: @alicepope)

The official Twitter hashtag for the event is #NY11SCBWI. 

Click here to register for the Annual Winter Conference.  Hope to see you there!