Illustration Mentorship: Are YOU Ready?

      

Illustrators! Are you ready for a challenge?

The Southern Breeze Region is excited to host Maria Middleton, Art Director for Candlewick Press.  Maria recently joined Candlewick Press where she will provide art direction for the imprints Walker Books U.S., Candlewick Entertainment, Nosy Crow, Templar, and Big Picture Press. She previously was art director at Random House Children's Books.

Maria will lead the Illustration Mentorship: Drawing on Discovery for the first 10 illustrators to sign up for the program.  These illustrators will be challenged to develop the world of a character of their own invention in the act of discovering.  Each artist will imagine, discover, and develop a world for this character as the art director guides them through the process of producing a final picture book spread or middle-grade cover.   

Final designs will be presented during Illustration Day on March 15, 2019. To learn more about how you can uncover and discover a character within you, CLICK HERE to register. 

Registration opens December 1, 2018 for Illustration Day and Mentorship. Slots fill up soon so don't delay!

Making It Happen With Mentorship!

Southern Breeze is one of a handful of regions that offers mentorship to its members, and this year's mentorship program has just wound down. Breezer Lori Choi qualified for mentorship and chose Jo Kittinger to help her with her book. We asked Lori to share a few words about her experience:


I had been working on a book with my husband for over a year, but was in dire need of a professional review. Then I applied for the SCBWI Mentorship Program and was accepted. My mentor, Jo, provided clear, concise feedback that could be immediately implemented. She also helped me think more critically about my target audience, pointing out things that weren’t even on my radar. With each new round of revisions, I gained practical insights for evaluating my own writing. It was awesome to work with someone so experienced and knowledgeable about the industry! Her warm, encouraging spirit was an added bonus. I still have so much to learn, but because of the SCBWI Mentorship, I definitely feel better equipped as a writer.  ~ Lori Choi


Thanks, Lori! We're keeping our fingers crossed for you and your manuscript!

The mentorship program kicks off in the spring, so if you're interested in this program, start working on your words. Attend Springmingle in March and polish up those words. Then keep an eye out here and on the Southern Breeze website for our slate of mentors and the opening of the mentorship program in 2019. We want our members to soar to success, and thanks to our many mentors like Jo Kittinger, we can give you the tools to make it happen!

Breezers in Your Neighborhood: November!

It's starting to get a little nippy in the Southern Breeze region, so pull out the sweaters and pull on the boots. We've got plenty of fun events you don't want to miss!


Saturday, November 3

Heather L. Montgomery's visiting in Georgia, stopping in at two different locations to sign her latest books, Something Rotten: A Fresk Look at Roadkill and Bugs Don't Hug:

When: 11:30 - 1:30
Where: Horton's Books and Gifts
             410 Adamson Square
             Carrollton, GA


When: 3:45*
Where: Foxtale Book Shoppe
             105 East Main Street, #138
            Woodstock, GA

*Breezers are encouraged to gather afterwards for dinner at a local restaurant in Woodstock!



Sunday, November 4

Join Lisa Lowe Stauffer and her monkey friends for storytime and book-signing!

When:  1:00 - 1:45
Where: Books-A-Million
             3372 North Cobb Parkway, Ste 100
            Acworth, GA


Wednesday, November 7

Lisa and Two by Two are together again for a storytime and book-signing!

When: 11:00 AM - 11:45 AM
Where: Liberty Books
             176 West Crogan St.
             Lawrenceville, GA


Saturday, November 10

Nancy Day, along with her newest picture book, Pirate Jack Gets Dressed, will be signing and selling!

When: 1 - 3 PM
Where: G. J. Ford Bookshop
             600 Sea Island Road
             St. Simon's Island, GA

And don't forget about our Southern Breezers collecting books in the Florida Panhandle in the Books for the Panhandle effort going on now. Please see the website here for more details on how you can help get books back in the hands of our Florida kids!


If you have an event in the Southern Breeze region that's open to the public--a book-signing, a storytime, a book festival, an art or illustration event--let us know! Send details by the first of the month to southern-breeze-ara2@scbwi.org and we'll spread the word.