Happy Spring everyone!
The season has changed, perhaps a bit more rapidly than usual, which only serves to remind us that there are lots of opportunities to take advantage of in the SCBWI community.
General SCBWI Information
Crystal Kite voting is now open! This annual award is a peer-given to recognize great books from 15 SCBWI regional divisions around the world. Support your fellow members by voting in the first round before April 14th. Round two voting starts April 18th.
To vote, visit your member page on SCBWI.org and scroll to the bottom of the links on the left-hand side.
Books for Readers
Nominations for worthy organizations are now being gathered for SCBWI’s new initiative.
If you know a local cause (or a cause in the US or UK) with readers in need (e.g. hospitals, libraries, literacy organizations, schools, and sites of man-made or natural disasters) that you believe would be worthy SCBWI BOOKS FOR READERS recipients for 2017, compete this entry form or print it and send via snail mail to
SCBWI
4727 Wilshire Blvd, Suite 301
Los Angeles, CA 90010
USA
Snail mail and online entries must be received by April 30, 2017.
The regions will review the nominations and submit their final nomination(s) to SCBWI headquarters by May 22, 2017.
This book drive will
• Help increase book access for readers in desperate need of books by collecting and donating books that SCBWI members create…
• Help promote our authors, illustrators, and their books…
• Help highlight the work of SCBWI and its members as both book creators and literacy advocates for children and young adults…
Or…
If you have an English language book you would like to donate to the cause, members can send their published (and signed) books to SCBWI HQ from July 12-September 4, 2017.
If members are interested in recreating this book drive on a more local level with German language books, please email me directly.
Upcoming Events:
The Europolitan Conference 2017 in Brussels is now sold out! As one of the organizers I am so pleased with the reception this conference has had over the years and am positive that this one will be no different. Quite a few members from Germany and Austria will be coming so it will be a good chance to meet some new faces and make new connections within our region.
If you weren’t able to register for the conference, there are also a series of webinars with the Europolitan Conference faculty.
The first, Illustrating Middle Grade, Young Adult and Graphic Novels with Laurent Linn of Simon & Schuster, has a few spots left.
Date: Friday April 7 from 8:30 pm – 10:30 pm
About the Webinar:
As readers get older, the way they interpret stories through words and art changes. The purpose of illustrations in creating characters and worlds can vary dramatically between age groups and book formats, even though some aspects remain the same. In this webinar we’ll be exploring this in detail and discuss how to approach each format in new ways.
To register visit: https://europolitan.scbwi.org/events/webinar-illustrating-middle-grade-young-adult-and-graphic-novels/
Registration is also now open for our second Europolitan webinar: Rejection, Criticism, and Resilience: How to process rejection and feedback with Kendra Levin of Viking Children's Books.
Date: Friday April 21 from 8:30 pm – 10:30 pm
About the Webinar:
In this interactive discussion, executive editor and life coach for writers Kendra Levin will tackle every writer’s favorite topic: rejection. She’ll help attendees translate the vague language of rejection letters into practical advice to inform their writing, discuss methods for processing and criticism, and offer psychological techniques for extracting value—and jettisoning stress—from feedback. You’ll come out of the webinar with a better understanding of agents’ and editors’ sometimes cryptic language of rejection, better equipped to dig constructive feedback out of rejection letters, and with increased confidence and resilience.
NOTE: Registration on all webinars is limited to 15 attendees to keep the intimate, friendly atmosphere we are so pleased to offer you at the Europolitan.
The next two webinars scheduled are:
Query Letter 101 with Catherine Coe, freelance editor and author on Thursday June 1, 2017 at 21:00 pm
and
Sub to Pub with Robin Stevens, author of the internationally best-selling Murder Most Unladylike series on Thursday June 22, 2017 at 21:00 pm
For more information on these events and to register, check out the Europolitan Region website: www.europolitan.scbwi.org
New Group Meet-up for Northern Members
Catherine Masek, a new transplant to Hamburg, is looking for SCBWI members and other creatives in the area to start monthly meetings for in-person critiques/creative sessions. If you are interested, please email Catherine at: catherine.l.masek@gmail.com
Stuttgart Group:
The next two upcoming meetings are Saturday April 29th and Saturday May 27th. Meeting place is the children’s section of the Stuttgart Library at 10:30 am followed by lunch at a local restaurant. If interested, please email Catherine Friess at: cjfriess@gmx.com.
Munich Group:
Join Australian author/illustrator Caroline Magerl, (http://www.carolinemagerl.com/childrens-books/) myself, and other members for lunch this coming Saturday, April 8 for a chance to talk shop, exchange tips and stories and just plain old fun. Exact place and time to be still determined, but if interested, please email me (germanyaustria-ra@scbwi.org) for reservation purposes.
News from Illustrator Coordinator Sanne:
There are lots of events coming up for illustrators and author/illustrators. Hope to see you at one of these soon!
11.4.2017: Tübingen Scrawl Crawl with Caroline Magerl: Let's take our sketchbooks and pens and discover the beautiful ancient town of Tübingen. Please let me know if you are interested in having lunch together afterwards, so I can book a table.
9.5.2017: Inking: Which pen, which paper do we use in order to create which effect? Let's learn from each other here, too!
13.6.2017: Character Design: When working on illustrations, we all struggle to make a character consistent. This morning, we want to share the techniques we use to develop a character, develop our skills and look at our work together, focusing on character design.
On Saturday, June 15, we'll have our first whole day art date. We'll be working all day on Picture Book Dummies from 10:30 am to 4:30 and will have a lunch break at a local restaurant.
The previously advertised event Black and White Drawing/Painting , originally planned for Tuesday June 11 will be cancelled to make room for the Saturday event listed above.
If you are interested in attending any of these events, please contact me at: germanyaustria-ic@scbwi.org
Future events to keep in the back of your mind.
· The annual region BBQ in either June or July.
· A creative retreat for everyone Fall 2017.
· An illustrator’s retreat Fall 2017.
Plus many online events hosted by SCBWI regions around the globe that you are always welcome to take part in. Visit SCBWI.org for more information.
Happy creating!
Patti and Sanne