The Joan Broerman Book Basket

If you've attended a Southern Breeze conference in the last twenty years or more, then you've seen the Joan Broerman book basket. You might have even donated a book or two to the basket. But have you ever wondered what the story is behind the book basket?

I love a good mystery, and so a little sleuthing around Southern Breeze was necessary to track down the origin. It all began when then Regional Advisor Joan Broerman (Yep, the basket is named for her!) heard Harold Underdown give a keynote speech at a conference, exhorting attendees to support library funding. And so the idea for the basket was born: at each Southern Breeze conference, attendees are invited to donate books to a basket. At the end of the conference, one lucky winner is awarded the basket, but the real winner is the library or school that receives all the books!

This year at wik'18, Laura Tucker, herself a librarian, won the basket. She delivered books--and there are a ton of books collected!--to three libraries at Homewood elementary schools: Hall Kent, Edgewood, and Shades Cahaba. In Laura's words, "They were beyond delighted by the books and did not have them in their collection due to limited book budgets."

And so the Joan Broerman Book Basket brought a happy ending to lots of readers!

Southern Breeze is proud to support literacy for children, and you can be a part of providing books to kids in Alabama, Georgia, and the Florida Panhandle, too. Check out SCBWI's website for more information and to find members near you. Join us today and bring your story to kids (and maybe donate one of your very own books to our Joan Broerman Book Basket!)

EVERYONE A WINNER AT WIK'18: Friday Dessert Party and Booksigning!

Books and Cookies. Cookies and Books.

Children’s books.

Children’s authors and illustrators.

Desserts. (Lots of cookies.)

What an unbeatable combination!

Bring your kids. Invite friends and neighbors to bring their kids.

March 9, 3:30-5:30 at the Homewood Public Library, 1721 Oxmoor Rd., Homewood, AL 35209

Join our SCBWI Southern Breeze region’s kick-off celebration of Writing and Illustrating for Kids (WIK) at a new time of year.

If you love books for kids, member of SCBWI or not, registered WIK attendee or not, you are invited to meet over 30 authors and illustrators and see their latest books. Little Professor Book Store is handling sales and authors and illustrators will be happy to autograph them in person.

If you are registered for the conference, pick up your registration materials early. Skip the lines on Saturday. If you aren’t able to attend the conference this year, come see all your writing buddies and catch up on writing news. Free! Students from the neighborhood (including schools) will be walking over from school or stopping in car pools on the way home. This means YOU can meet your future fans.

Cookies and books. Books and cookies. Friends and future fans. How can you stay away? Oh—lots of free parking.

Joan Broerman, RAE, Southern Breeze, has contributed to more than a dozen books on the business and craft of writing. The first Southern Breeze Regional Advisor, she now serves as an Emerita. A picture book and a middle grade novel are on editors’ desks. With fingers crossed, she’s finishing another novel.

Light Your Imagination at #SBreeze16 WIK with Joan Broerman

Light Your Imagination at #SBreeze16 WIK
with Joan Broerman

Joan Broerman, Southern Breeze RAE and 1998 SCBWI Member of the Year, writes for all ages across the spectrum of newspapers, magazines, and books. She has contributed to more than a dozen books on the craft and business of writing for children. Her project, “Take a Librarian to Lunch” thanks our tireless partners in research. She blogs about children’s books for busy parents, joanbooklog.blogspot.com.

WORKSHOP

• Rejecting Rejection   Like characters in your book, rejection is layered, not one dimensional. It plays a vital role in the writing process. Reject what rejection does TO you and make it work FOR you to improve craft and redirect marketing energy. audience: Writers and illustrators, all levels. 

 

REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN!

 CLICK HERE to be directed to our registration page! 

~See you in October~