Conference Updates & Kidlit News April 4
Don’t you love webinars? Learning from home wearing comfy clothes and sitting in your favorite comfy chair? This past weekend, I attended a free webinar called Reawaken Your Voice, with author and playwright Shelley Souza. I’ve been working on my current manuscript for a while and the talk with Shelley was just what I needed to re-inspire me as I finish up my revisions. Thanks, Shelley!
I heard about this webinar on the SCBWI Blueboard from my friend, Vijaya Bodach, author of the adorable novelty board books, TEN EASTER EGGS (Scholastic), illustrated by Laura Logan. Vitaya is also the author of 50 supplemental science books for children, and over 60 articles, stories and poems in leading children’s magazines. There’s a great interview with her on illustrator/author Debbi Ohi’s blog, InkyGirl, about how Vijaya’s manuscript for TEN EASTER EGGS turned into a novelty book as a result of a post on Debbi’s blog. Also, another Blueboard friend, picture book author Sharon Chriscoe, is having a giveaway for TEN EASTER EGGS. All you need to do to be included in the drawing is leave a comment on the post. Go! Enter!
Buy it now for Easter Baskets! Blue Willow Bookshop Brazos Bookstore Indiebound Barnes & Noble Amazon
By the way, the Texas chapters of SCBWI have a webinar coming up, Beyond the Query Letter: Finding an Agent through Conventional, and Not-so-conventional, Methods with Agent Carrie Howland. This webinar will be held April 18, 7:00 PM-8:30PM Central Time. Registration is open!
Congratulations to SCBWI Discussion Board member Dianna Winget! Her MG novel, A MILLION WAYS HOME, has won the Mark Twain Readers Award from the Missouri Association of School Libraries. This award is for a recently published book written by an author living in the U.S. The winner of the Mark Twain Readers Award is selected annually by Missouri students in grades four through six.
In A MILLION WAYS HOME, Poppy’s life has been turned upside down after her grandma (and guardian) had a stroke and ended up in the hospital. But Poppy is working on a plan to help Grandma Beth so their life together can go back to normal. But when she witnesses an armed robbery, “back to normal” slips even further out of her reach. To keep Poppy safe, the budget-strapped police devise an unusual “witness protection program,” wherein Poppy will stay with Detective Brannigan’s mother. Soon Poppy is feeling almost at home, even making sort-of friends with a girl named Lizzie and definitely friending Gunner, a beautiful dog with an uncertain fate. But it’s still not home. So while she and Lizzie navigate a rocky friendship and plot to save Gunner’s life, Poppy also tries to figure out a new plan to save Grandma Beth and their home, all while avoiding a dangerous robber who might be searching for her. But what if Grandma Beth can never come home and the robber is put behind bars? What will happen to Poppy then?
Buy it now in paperback! Blue Willow Bookshop Brazos Bookstore Indiebound Barnes & Noble Amazon
Local Events
Here’s what’s going on around the Greater Houston Area this week. If you’d like to be notified of these weekly updates, please use the Subscribe to Updates form on the sidebar!
For Readers
APRIL 8, SATURDAY, 9:30 AM-6:00 PM: BAYOU CITY BOOK FESTIVAL 
Local authors Miriam King and Laura Edge will be selling books at the Bayou City Book Festival at Lone Star College in Kingwood. It should be a fun day with lots of visiting authors, workshops, and children’s activities. The Bayou City Book Festival is a new initiative coming out of Lone Star College’s (LSC) Center for Civic Engagement.The Center 
desires to effectively and efficiently integrate literacy and literary works within the lives of their students and the wider Houston-area. BCBF seeks to create the venue for nationally and internationally known authors to speak to audiences about unique ideas, meet with attendees on an individual basis, provide free literary programming, promote diverse works of literature and their authors, and focus attention on literacy within the City of Houston.
For information on more events and locations of this festival, please see their website.
APRIL 8, SATURDAY, 10:30 AM: CYNTHIA LEONOR GARZA, PB AUTHOR 
This week’s storytime features Cynthia Leonor Garza, who will be reading her picture book debut, LUCIA THE LUCHADORA, illustrated by Alyssa Bermudez.
From the publisher: Lucía zips through the playground in her cape just like the boys, but when they tell her “girls can’t be superheroes,” suddenly she doesn’t feel so mighty. That’s when her beloved abuela reveals a dazzling secret: Lucía comes from a family of luchadoras, the bold and valiant women of the Mexican lucha libre tradition. Cloaked in a flashy new disguise, Lucía returns as a recess sensation! But when she’s confronted with a case of injustice, Lucía must decide if she can stay true to the ways of the luchadora and fight for what is right, even if it means breaking the sacred rule of never revealing the identity behind her mask.
Cynthia Leonor Garza and LUCIA THE LUCHADORA will also be at the Jungman Neighborhood Library April 8, Saturday, 3:00-4:00 PM.
SATURDAY, APRIL 8, 2:00 PM: TOM ANGLEBERGER, MG AUTHOR 
COST: FREE: Admission: In order to go through the signing line and meet Tom Angleberger, please purchase ROCKET AND GROOT: KEEP ON TRUCKIN’! from Blue Willow Bookshop.
Tom Angleberger will discuss and sign his novel ROCKET AND GROOT: KEEP ON TRUCKIN’! Rocket and Groot are taking it to the next level as they continue their journey through the cosmos defeating baddies. Expect more zaniness, more chaos, more Rocket doodles, more—I am Groots—, and tons of Veronica—the totally awesome butt-kicking tape dispenser Oh, and expect another drawing or two from Groot.
For Writers
APRIL 3-8: BAYOU CITY BOOK FESTIVAL
All Lone Star College College Campuses
COST: FREE
The Bayou City Book Festival is a new initiative coming out of Lone Star College’s (LSC) Center for Civic Engagement. The Center desires to effectively and efficiently integrate literacy and literary works within the lives of their students and the wider Houston-area. BCBF seeks to create the venue for nationally and internationally known authors to speak to audiences about unique ideas, meet with attendees on an individual basis, provide free literary programming, promote diverse works of literature and their authors, and focus attention on literacy within the City of Houston. Exhibitors consist of book sellers, authors, presses, non profits, and unique specialty items relating to literacy and literary works. See list of events here.
APRIL 8, SATURDAY, 8:30-NOON: WEST HOUSTON RWA MTG: SHERRY THOMAS WORKSHOP
Memorial Drive Christian Church, 11750 Memorial Dr., Houston
COST: *FREE
*Writers and industry professionals interested in joining West Houston RWA can attend two meetings before deciding whether to join or not.
USA Today Bestselling author Sherry Thomas presents a workshop on Revisions: How I Hate, Hate, Hate, But Ultimately Love. Love, Love, My Critique Partner.
Doors open at 8:30 for check in and PRO workshop, What’s Your Style? The business meeting is from 9:00-10:00 followed by a networking break. The workshop presented by Sherry Thomas begins at 10:30.
APRIL 8, SATURDAY, 10:00 AM-NOON: CLEAR LAKE WRITERS MEETING
Clear Lake City-County Freeman Library
COST: FREE
Conference Updates
For more conference information and links, visit the main conference pages. If you’d like to be notified of these weekly updates, please use the Subscribe to Updates form on the sidebar!
Agents & Editors @ Conferences
AUGUST 18-20: WRITERS DIGEST ANNUAL CONFERENCE, NEW YORK, NY
AGENTS: Claire Easton—Painted Words
Kurestin Armada—P.S. Literary
Sonali Chanchani—Folio Literary Management
Ashley Collom—DeFiore and Company Literary Management
Reiko Davis—DeFiore and Company Literary Management
Marisa Corvisiero, Cate Hart, Veronica Park, & Kelly Peterson/Corvisiero Literary
Rachel Crawford/Wolf Literary
Jess Dallow/Brower Literary & Management
Kaylee Davis/Dee Mura Literary
Kimiko Nakamura/Dee Mura Literary
Linda Camacho/Prospect Literary Agency
Diana Finch/Diana Finch Literary
Caitie Flum/Eliza Dawson Associates
Mark Gottlieb/Trident Media Group
Wendy Gu/Greenburger Associates
Serene Hakim/Pande Literary
Brita Lundberg/Irene Goodman Literary Agency
Bibi Lewis/Ethan Ellenberg Agency
Amaryah Orenstein/GO Literary
Quressa Robinson/D4EO Literary Agency
Eric Ruben/Eric Ruben Literary Agency
Caitlen Rubino-Bradway/LKG Literary
Lauren Bieker/Fineprint Literary
Debbie Carter/Waverly Place Literary Agency
Steven Salpeter/Curtis Brown, Ltd.
Alec Shane/Writers House
Kari Sutherland/Bradford Literary Agency
Blair Wilson/Park Literary & Media
Retreats & Writing Workshops
AUGUST 13-20: YIDDISH BOOK CENTER TENT: CHILDREN’S LITERATURE, AMHERST, MA
Application Deadline: April 24, 2017
INSTRUCTOR: Josh Lambert, Academic Director, Yiddish Book Center/Visiting Assistant Professor, UMass Amherst
NOVEMBER 9-12: THE LITERARY PAGE TURNER: ADVANCED WRITER WEEKEND, AUSTIN, TX
AUTHOR: Katie Bayerl
AGENT: Erin Harris/Folio
Workshops for Young Writers
JUNE 4-10: THE YOUNG WRITER WORKSHOP #1, ARCHER CITY, TX
JUNE 18-24: THE YOUNG WRITER WORKSHOP #2, ARCHER CITY, TX
Residential: Spur Hotel and other host homes around town with their chaperons, college students from nearby universities.
Application deadline: Midnight, May 7, 2017. Admission letters will be sent out by email before May 14.
This two-week workshop is for Texas high school students— entering freshmen through graduating seniors are eligible to apply—interested in developing storytelling skills through multi-genre exercises in writing, drawing, acting and filmmaking. Students will be guided through hands-on exercises designed to develop a strong foundation in the story-building process. They will learn to use storytelling elements such as sound, image, movement and words, and practice how they work together to bring a project to life. They will learn how to develop a unique voice with something powerful to say in a supportive environment surrounded by good writing examples, discussions about the creative process and mentors to guide them. It is more than creative development, it is leadership training at its best. Read about workshop session leaders here.
If you like this information, please share it!
The amount of info on your site is amazing, Vonna! Thank you for all the effort! And a special thanks for your mention of A Million Ways Home 🙂
You’re welcome! A Million Ways Home was one of my favorite MG reads this year!
Vonna, so that was your voice on Shelley’s webinar! I thought it was you because I don’t know another Vonna 🙂 I got to hear a recording. Thank you so much for sharing Ten Easter Egg events and interviews.
Hi, Vitaya! (waves madly) Too bad you couldn’t make it to the webinar live. I’m sure Shelley would have loved to have you join in the conversation. I’m happy to share your adorable Ten Easter Eggs!