Kate Hannigan tells us about her Golden Kite Award-Winning "The Detective's Assistant"

In which Kate tells us about how she first heard of the first female detective to work for the famous Pinkerton's National Detective Agency...


Thanks, Kate! And cheers for winning the Golden Kite Award for fiction for your MG historical novel, "The Detective's Assistant."

Congratulations also to blog reader Christina Wilsdon for the great question! Christina, please email me your mailing address at leewind (at) roadrunner (dot) com so I can mail you the copy of "The Detective's Assistant" that Kate signed right before recording our interview!

Illustrate and Write On,
Lee

Molly B. Burnham tells us about her Sid Fleischman Award-Winning "Teddy Mars: Almost a World Record Breaker"

In which Molly reveals her comedy secret...


 Thanks, Molly! Cheers to your winning the coveted Sid Fleischman Humor Award!

And congratulations to blog reader Laurie Theurer for coming up with the winning question! (Laurie, email me your mailing address to leewind (at) roadrunner (dot) com and I'll send you the copy of "Teddy Mars" that Molly signed right before we did this interview.)


Illustrate and Write On,
Lee

Neal Shusterman tells us about "Challenger Deep" and answers a blog reader's question

Here's my interview with Neal...


And cheers to jpetroroy for asking the winning question, and for winning the copy of "Challenger Deep" that Neal signed just before our interview.

And of course, congratulations to Neal for winning the Golden Kite Award For YA Fiction!

Illustrate and Write On,
Lee

ps - jpetroroy, please email me your mailing address at: leewind (at) roadrunner (dot) com.

Jessixa Bagley Tells Us About "Boats For Papa" and answers a blog reader's question...

Here's Jessixa...


Congratulations to Kathy, whose question was used and who has won the copy of "Boats For Papa:" that Jessixa signed!

And of course, congratulations to Jessixa for winning the Golden Kite Award for Picture Book text!

Illustrate and Write On,
Lee

ps - Kathy, please email me with your mailing address at: leewind (at) roadrunner (dot) com

Twitter Highlights of #LA16SCBWI

What a conference!

There are so many great tweets to check out - here are ten that resonated for me. Check out the twitter stream for so much more inspiration!

Martha Brockenbrough ‏@mbrockenbrough Jul 31 "Make sure everything you put into a story has at least two reasons to be there." - Neal Shusterman #la16scbwi

Anna ShinodaVerified account ‏@AnnaShinoda Jul 30 "As writers, how do we change the world? One reader at a time." -@NealShusterman #LA16SCBWI

Devas_T (Don Tate) ‏@Devas_T Jul 30 Marie Lu, advice for writing outside of your experience: listen. Learn from other’s stories. When wrong, don’t defend. Listen. #LA16SCBWI

Lee Wind ‏@leewind 24h24 hours ago It's NOT 'send me your gobbled-gook, you said you were an editorial agent.' Submit only your best. @Tina_Wexler #LA16SCBWI

Vivian Lee Mahoney ‏@VLeeMahoney Jul 31 THIS --> RT @leewind: finish that 1st draft! "You can't perfect something that doesn't exist." - @Marie_Lu #LA16SCBWI

Jolie Stekly ‏@cuppajolie Jul 31 "If our readers don't like the first line then they'll never read the second."-Richard Peck #la16scbwi

Bree Barton ‏@BreeBartonYA Jul 31 Los Angeles, CA "Writing is a joy. It's also a privilege. We might as well own it and love it and enter it from a place of joy." @Mollybburnham #la16scbwi

Corinna Luyken ‏@CorinnaLuyken Jul 31 "It's not being in the light, it's being there before it arrives" -Toni Morrison via @SophieBlackall #LA16SCBWI

Heather Zenzen ‏@heatherzenzen Jul 31 In yoga, it never gets easier bc you’re always pushing limits, stretching a further. Writing books is the same. -Sophie Blackall #LA16SCBWI

Jessica Gruner ‏@Gruner23 Jul 30 "The better the character, the worse the trouble, the better the story." @brucecoville at #LA16SCBWI

okay, one more that I tweeted:

"Diversity is not a trend... It needs to be the norm." -Justin Chanda at #LA16SCBWI #WeNeedDiverseBooks


And for more detailed reporting from the conference floor, check out The Official SCBWI Conference Blog here.

Illustrators! Share your #LA16SCBWI Conference Journal Images...

It's an open call. Are you an illustrator attending #LA16SCBWI?

If you'd like to share a photo of your conference notes/sketches, you can leave a link here in comments, or tag your image on either twitter or instagram with #LA16SCBWI.

We can't wait to see - and share - what inspires you, and how you express it!

What are you doing here? The #LA16SCBWI Conference is Happening NOW

So visit the Official SCBWI Conference Blog to follow along!

And, on social media (like instagram and twitter) follow and use the hashtag #LA16SCBWI

"MARVELOUS CORNELIUS: HURRICANE KATRINA AND THE SPIRIT OF NEW ORLEANS" Golden Kite Illustration Award-Winner Giveaway and Conference Countdown

#LA16SCBWI starts tomorrow!

To celebrate, we'll be giving away a copy of the Golden Kite Award-Winning book for picture book illustration, Marvelous Cornelius by John Parra, written by Phil Bildner (Chronicle Books)

In this inspiring book about a real garbage man, John Parra depicts the story of a humble man and the heroic difference he made in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

To enter, just leave your best question for John about the illustrations in this picture book in the comments below, and I'll choose one winning question to ask John at the conference. The author of that winning question will also win a copy of "Marvelous Cornelius: Hurricane Katrina and the Spirit of New Orleans."

Ready to play?

Okay, Go!

"TEDDY MARS: ALMOST A WORLD RECORD BREAKER" Sid Fleischman Humor Award-Winner Giveaway and Conference Countdown

Only two more days until #LA16SCBWI!

To celebrate, we'll be giving away a copy of Teddy Mars: Almost a World Record Breaker by Molly B. Burnham (HarperCollins)

Told in short sections for young readers, this hilarious new series is about a determined ten-year-old boy from a big family who dreams of making it into The Guinness Book of World Records.

To enter, just leave your best question for Molly about the book for young readers in comments below, and I'll choose one winning question to ask Molly at the conference. The author of that winning question will also win a copy of "Teddy Marx: Almost a World Record Breaker."

Ready to play?

Okay, Go!

"ENCHANTED AIR: TWO CULTURES, TWO WINGS" Golden Kite Award-Winner Giveaway and Conference Countdown

Only three more days until #LA16SCBWI!

To celebrate, we'll be giving away a copy of the Golden Kite Nonfiction winner, Enchanted Air: Two Cultures, Two Wings: A Memoir by Margarita Engle (Atheneum)

In this poetic memoir, acclaimed author Margarita Engle tells the story of growing up as a Cuban-American child, balancing two different cultures during the Cold War.

To enter, just leave your best question for Margarita about the memoir in comments below, and I'll choose one winning question to ask Margarita at the conference. The author of that winning question will also win a copy of "Enchanted Air: Two Cultures, Two Wings."

Ready to play?

Okay, Go!

"THE DETECTIVE'S ASSISTANT" Golden Kite Award-Winner Giveaway and Conference Countdown

Only four more days until #LA16SCBWI!

To celebrate, we'll be giving away a copy of The Detective's Assistant by Kate Hannigan (Little, Brown)

Based on the extraordinary true story of America's first-ever female detective, this fast-paced adventure recounts feats of daring and danger, including saving the life of Abraham Lincoln!  

To enter, just leave your best question for Kate about the novel in comments below, and I'll choose one winning question to ask Kate at the conference. The author of that winning question will also win a copy of "The Detective's Assistant."

Ready to play?

Okay, Go!

"FOREST HAS A SONG" Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award-Winner Giveaway and Conference Countdown

Only six more days until #LA16SCBWI!

To celebrate, we'll be giving away a copy of Forest Has a Song by Amy Ludwig VanDerwater, illustrated by Robbin Gourley (Clarion)

VanDerwater makes a stunning debut with twenty-six inviting poems leading readers through a vibrant tour of forest-wonders---ferny frondy fiddleheads, a grandfather fossil, a fawn, an owl's first flight. Poetry filled with metaphors, imagery, alliteration and personification show what poetry for children of all ages is about.

To enter, just leave your best question for Amy about the poetry collection in comments below, and I'll choose one winning question to ask Amy at the conference. The author of that winning question will also win a copy of "Forest Has A Song."

Ready to play?

Okay, Go!