Bring Your Career into Sharper Focus with wik2020! EARLY REGISTRATION

Wik2020—Writing and Illustrating for Kids 2020—is coming March 13th and 14th to Homewood, Alabama! SCBWI Southern Breeze has lots to offer the writer and/or illustrator looking to bring his or her career into sharper focus and we can’t wait for you to join us! Get ready to register on December 15th when we’ll be opening our early registration!

There’s a very good reason why you should register early for wik2020. In fact, there are lots of good reasons so let's focus on...

THE TOP TEN REASONS TO REGISTER EARLY FOR WIK2020: 

10. Have you seen our schedule? It’s amazing! But we’re in a beautiful new space this year so some sessions will have limited enrollment due to the size of the session room. Take a look here at all the sessions and then register early to get exactly what you want!

9. And check out the Intensives! You want to reserve your space there, too! And really, we’d love for each and every person who registers to get exactly what they want at wik2020. But those rooms for each track can only hold so many and you know that old cliché, right? If you want your worm—er, track—then register early!

8. Let’s talk numbers. Because conferences have costs and we do everything we can to keep our costs reasonable. And that includes the discount with early registration. If you want to save money--$25 to be exact!—register early! Because on January 1st, the Early Bird registration flies away!

7. Another way to save money is the RA Scholarship to attend the conference. We’ve answered all sorts of questions about the RA Scholarship over at our new Conference FAQ page here, so take a look and see if you qualify to apply. But only the early birds will get this deal because when they’re gone, they’re gone!

6. And illustrators! Have you sent in your application for the Liz Conrad Award? You have till January 1st so the winner of the award won’t be determined until after the early registration date closes. BUT if you win, your registration fee will be refunded! So technically, it’s not about early registration but it is about saving money. That counts, right?

5. Want to stay at the Aloft Hotel where all the action is? Yep, there’s only a certain number of rooms available at the conference rate. First callers, first served! So register early and reserve a room at the Aloft Hotel at the same time!

4. You know that feeling you get around the holidays when you’re just a teeny bit overwhelmed and you wish you had something relaxing, something just for you? And here’s wik2020, opening registration on December 15th, just when you need it. And you’ll save money, too! Ahhhhh.

3. Not to mention that other feeling, the thrill of marking off something on your To Do List in December. (So I won’t mention it but you know I’m talking about registering early for wik2020, right?)

2. And early registration means $25 in your pocket for something else. Like a manuscript critique or a one-on-one. And I really hate to bring this up, but those one-on-ones fill up fast. The early registration guarantees you a better chance of getting your selection.

1. So not to put too fine a point on it, but the early bird is also the wise and frugal bird. Be smart, be a saver, and get that discount when early bird registration opens on December 15th!

Make 2020 the year that brings your writing or illustrating career into sharper focus. See how at wik2020!

                                                           REGISTER HERE! 

(Early registration opens on December 15th and lasts till January 1st, 2020. All links will go live on that date!)

EVERYONE A WINNER AT WIK'18: Humor Meets Heart

We have such terrific intensives for wik'18, I don't know how anyone's going to choose!

Next up is the dynamic duo of Kami Kinard and Rebecca Petruck, two authors who have managed to combine heart and humor in a couple of wonderful middle grade reads.


Kami Kinard's THE BOY PROBLEM and THE BOY PROJECT (Scholastic) are both laugh-out-loud funny and endearingly charming, capturing the essence of adolescent angst in facing that age-old problem of finding someone special.





Rebecca Petruck's STEERING TOWARD NORMAL is...well, now that I
think about it, both laugh-out-loud funny and endearingly charming, too! And cows! Lots and lots of interesting stuff about cows! Her WILL NOLAN EATS BUGS (ABRAMS/Amulet) is slated for a March release and with a title like that, I expect it to be a big hit with the middle grade crowd.



It's no surprise then that their intensive is "Building Characters With Heart and Humor." Writing funny is not exactly a laugh-a-minute--it's hard work!--but I can promise you that there will be plenty of laughs to share in this intensive. And plenty of know-how from two writers who know how to combine heart with humor to make a winner for publishers!

So, I'm sorry for all of you attending wik'18 because I don't know how you'll choose your intensive. But choose you must, and as soon as possible!

(Though now that I think about it, whatever intensive you choose, you can't go wrong. They are all just write!)


                                  REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN! CLICK :::HERE:::TO REGISTER!

   

ATTENTION: Illustrator DEADLINES!!!

Hello everyone.

I want to encourage you to IMAGINE, CREATE & PREPARE for the journey of creating marvelous products for kidslit. There are some wonderful opportunities for you to take advantage of in our region.  

Just a little reminder:
Liz Conrad Scholarship and Art Director Mentorship
DEADLINE:  January 15th!  
It's right around the corner and this cold weekend will be a great time to write something up and submit.  Loraine Joyner, Art Director of Peachtree Publishers, is excited about assisting the awardee in their own career development.  Take advantage of the guidance.  It's valuable and....it's FREE! #nobrainer 

For more information, please go to the Southern Breeze website: http://southern-breeze.scbwi.org/for-our-illustrators/liz-conrad-portfolio-scholarship/


Jim Hoover's, Art Director with Viking Children's Books, Illustration Project 
DEADLINE: Sketches must be submitted to Jim via email by February 10This one will require a little more preparation, so don't miss the boat!  Make sure you follow the directions in the link below and prepare to submit by the deadline.  It's a great opportunity to have a review of your work at the conference.  Shine big ya'll and be seen! 
http://southern-breeze.scbwi.org/jim-hoover/

For more information, please go to the Southern Breeze website: 
http://southern-breeze.scbwi.org/jim-hoover/

For more informations about Southern Breeze & Springmingle:
http://southern-breeze.scbwi.org/

OK, all that being said, we look forward to seeing all of the great work you will put out in the world.  Southern Breeze has so much talent....let's show them who we are!

See you soon! Stay warm!

TeMika Grooms

SCBWI Southern Breeze Region
Illustrator Coordinator 

Southern-Breeze-IC@scbwi.org

PAL Luncheon at #SpringMingle - #SBreeze17

PAL Luncheon at SpringMingle
from Cathy C. Hall

As the PAL Coordinator for Southern Breeze, I get to hobnob with a lot of VIPs!

Oh, wait. You’re thinking “Very Important People” and I’m thinking “Very Interesting PALs.” That’s why I love our conferences. At Springmingle’17, I’ll catch up with the latest news from that author whose book has just released or the writer whose poem landed in Baby Bug or the illustrator whose work is highlighted in…well, Highlights!

But perhaps more importantly for our PALs is the opportunity Springmingle’17 provides for them. We’ll get together at the close of the conference, Sunday at 12:30 in the 4^th Floor Conference Room, Decatur Library, for the PAL Lunch. When you register, don’t forget to order your lunch ‘cause we have lots of upcoming events for our PAL members to discuss!

And if you’re not sure whether you are a PAL member, look for me or any PAL member. We’re the ones wearing a blue button and we’ll try to answer any questions you have. Because in SCBWI, everyone is a Very Important Person! 

REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN! Click  :::HERE::: to log in and register.

~See you in March~

Come Soar at #SpringMingle with Informal Critiques! - #SBreeze17

Come Soar at #SpringMingle with Informal Critiques!

Manuscripts in hand, you sit down with a group of your peers. They all write the same genre. They all are as eager as you to improve your manuscript.

SpringMingle offers the opportunity for you to do that!

After the conference, you'll have the opportunity to sit with other writers / illustrators and chat about your story (and theirs), where it needs improving, where it is strong, suggestions on the tone.

These informal critique sessions are a great way to meet others in your field. Maybe make a lasting friendship. To learn about your craft and to improve yourself on your way to publication.

Not sure how to critique? 

Here are is one way to look at it. Think of critiquing someone's work like a sandwich. You have bread, filler, and bread.

• Bread - Start off with something nice and squishy. What you really like about the story or the writing in general.
• Filler - Get to the meat of what you think. Are there places that can be taken out? Do you see pov shifts? Are there rabbit trails that need to be fixed? Does their work zip and zag in all the right places? How is the plot? Character development?
• Bread - Finish off by saying something nice again. Let them know you appreciate their hard work and give some encouragement.

REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN! Click  :::HERE::: to log in and register.

~See you in March~

#SpringMingle Conference Book Signing - #SBreeze17

SpringMingle In-Conference Book Signing

Southern Breeze not only offers great workshops, but we also offer the opportunity to meet our faculty authors and illustrators, buy their books, and have them signed! What better way to show our speakers how much you've enjoyed what they have said? 

This year in-conference book signings schedule will include:

Patricia MacLachlan  is the author of many picture books, poetry books, and novels for children.  She is best known for the Newbery Medal book Sarah, Plain and Tall.  She later wrote the Hallmark Hall of Fame screenplays for the Sarah, Plain and Tall characters, starring Glenn Close and Christopher Walkin.Her newest books are the picture books The Iridesence of Birds, Someone Like Me, and The Moon’s Almost Here.  Her newest novel is The Poet’s Dog, and the 1017 books Barkus and Just Dance.She has lectured and taught Children’s Literature at Smith College.She lives on a hilltop in Western Massachusetts.

Jacquelyn Mitchard  is the number one New York Times bestselling author of twelve novels for adults, including The Deep End of the Ocean, which was the inaugural selection of the Oprah Winfrey Book Club and also made into a major feature film. The editor of a realistic Young Adult imprint, Merit Press, Mitchard also is the author of seven novels for Young Adults. Her work has won the Bram Stoker and Shirley Jackson awards, as well as the UK’s Walkabout Prize and was short-listed for the Orange Broadband Prize for Fiction. She is a professor of Creative Writing at Vermont College of Fine Arts and a contributing editor for More magazine. Mitchard grew up in Chicago, and now lives on Cape Cod with her family.

Along with several of our Book Launchers!

Don't forget to visit our book store at the conference to purchase your books!

REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN! Click  :::HERE::: to log in and register.

~See you in March~

Come Soar at #SpringMingle with a Book Launch - #SBreeze17

Come Soar At SpringMingle with a LIVE Book Launch!

So you have a new book that's come out since our last conference? First of all, CONGRATULATIONS!!!!! *throws confetti* That is an amazing thing that you've done! Really. Truly! Now what about getting it in front of people? Yikes! Does that sound intimidating? It doesn't have to be. At the Southern Breeze conferences we offer the opportunity to do a LIVE Book Launch. Yes, you read that right. A LIVE Book Launch!!!
So what does that mean? What do I do?
Well, let me tell you...
At our conferences we give new books (and their creators) center stage. You get three minutes to tell us about your book, why you wrote it, how SCBWI help you get to where you are, and anything else you can think of to help get the objective of your book across. We have had several people perform, talk, and teach at our book launches. Here are some of their tips to help you think of what to say, and even go outside of the box.

"Pick one fact or event in your book that will be the most interesting to OUR audience and start with that. With my book on snakes I started with the fact that kingsnakes eat other snakes. It hooked the audience enough that an editor in the crowd later asked me to submit to her even though she isn't into science at all."

- Heather Montgomery

www.HeatherLMontgomery.com

"Prepare a written script and practice, practice practice! Engage your audience with something fun from your book like singing or acting out a favorite scene."

 Delia Blackstone & Lucyann Wagner

The Groovy Grandmas

www.thegroovygrandmas.com

"Hours, months, years have passed and now it is time to . . . LAUNCH.
Cathy Hall says you only have three minutes. Seriously?! Yes. 1. Be yourself. You know your book. You are the only one who can pitch it. 2. Be creative~think, Lucyann Wagner and Delia Blackstone, co-authors of “Norah Bedorah and the Pink Doughnut with Sprinkles.” (Pink Tutu’s and big smiles!) Bring the book to life. 3. Science or non-fiction book; try doing an experiment from the book. (I love to see gooey-goo!) 4. If you choose to read an excerpt; be brief and be animated. 5. Relax. You are pitching to your friends. Writers love books; we will love you."

  - Amy McCoy Dees

www.amymccoydees.wordpress.com

"The biggest thing I can say to relax. The people you are telling your book to are your tribe. They are proud of you! They want you to succeed. So smile. Show off your book. Make a joke about where you live... You heard about my neighbors, right? And enjoy. This is your 15... errrrrr 3 minutes ;) in the spotlight!"

- Tracey M. Cox

www.traceymcox.com

"Follow the directions given for the book launches, especially that time allotment for your launch! And though it might make you crazy to get everything you want to say down to two or three minutes, it's actually a great exercise. It will help you figure out the most important thing you want to say about your book.  And that's something you'll appreciate for all those times outside a conference when you want to promote your book!"

- Cathy C. Hall

c-c-hall.com

"1.     Tell us WHAT the book is about and WHY we need to buy it.

Example: This is a hilarious adventure book about a young Marco Polo, and is a great choice for boys and girls, 9 – 14 years old.  The chapters are short and easy to read – perfect for reluctant readers.Or, “Looking for a YA romance that you’re not embarrassed for your teen to read? Then read this!”

Keep it simple and give us a reason to purchase. Don’t forget to bring a copy with you to share from the stage!

2.     Toot your own horn. I know it seems unseemly, but you owe it to yourself and your publisher to give your book it’s due.  Did you get a good review? Win an award? Sell it at auction? Share the accolades!

3.     Use your (and your books) strengths. Is your book about science? Tell us an interesting fact that makes us want to know more. Is it funny? Then make us laugh. If you’re funny, we’ll assume the book is too.

4.     Think creatively. Some authors in the past have dressed as their characters, passed out brownies made from bugs, and brought props to the stage.  If you have a fun marketing idea for your book, go for it!

5.     Practice. Three minutes will go by fast and you want to make sure you’ve used it wisely. Practice with a timer in front of the mirror. Say it to your family and friends. The more you practice, the more confident you’ll be when it is time to take the podium.

6.     Have fun! You did it - you published a book. Now go up there and enjoy!"

- Lisa Lewis Tyre

www.lisalewistyre.com

What I did to prepare?   Wrote a few lines of a short blurb about my book. Tried to make it fun, interesting, and yes a bit quirky. Going for humor is always good when presenting something.
Did I use props?   Nope. But I did ask questions. My books lend themselves to the sort of "Did you know" type of thing. I love to give people a tiny bit of trivia. Everyone loves that. That's why Jeopardy is so popular.
Most of all, HAVE FUN with it!! 

- Jen Swanson

www.JenniferSwansonBooks.com

REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN! Click  :::HERE::: to log in and register.

~See you in March~

Come Soar at #SpringMingle with Formal Critiques! - #SBreeze17

Come Soar at #SpringMingle
with Formal Critiques! 

People in this industry tend to be very nice, and that can make it difficult to remember that publishing is a "bunny-eat-bunny" world. As difficult as it might be, however, it is important to learn what we need to know if you really want to get published.

Has your manuscript been critiqued by your critique group, is your prose polished and honed, your plot peeled away and re-layered, is it is as good as it can get? How can you be sure?

When writers submit work to an editor or an agent, their submissions land on an editor or agent's desk, or in their email inbox, and are read in batches. The submission must stand on their own, no author sitting there to add anything or answer any questions. Even worse, in today's publishing world, when a submission is rejected, typically there is no feedback - often not even a polite "Thank you, but we are not interested."

Registering for a written only critique not only guarantees that your work will be critiqued by an acquiring editor or agent, it simulates the real world process but also allows you an opportunity to receive valuable feedback and learn what you might do to make it even stronger before you send it out again. It focuses exclusively on what is on the page, which is what happens in the real world of children's publishing.

Sometimes face-to-face critiques may be a better choice, for example, if you have a specific question to ask about plot and character choices. That is what I did at my last face-to-face critique: how old should my main character be, given the nature of the story and the things she would be doing?

What is really great is that you don't have to choose - you can register for both face-to-face and written only critiques!

REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN! Click  :::HERE::: to log in and register.

~See you in March~

Come Soar at #SpringMingle with 1-On-1 Critiques! - #SBreeze17

Come Soar at #SpringMingle with 1-On-1 Critiques!

What Can One-on-One Sessions Do for You?
by Tay Berryhill 

WIK attendees have three golden opportunities to receive feedback from agents: face-to-face critique, written manuscript critique, and one-on-one meetings with an agent. I’ve been fortunate to participate in all three. Each has helped me grow as a writer in different ways; all have advantages.

All written-only critiques are conducted by agents or editors who keenly target craft and marketability issues. Face-to-face critiques offer the same, but with the added benefit of a twelve-minute meeting with the expert who conducted the critique—although that person may not be an agent. One-on-one brings even more to the table—twenty minutes with an experienced agent to discuss anything. Anything. At WIK14, I spent my one-on-one time with literary agent Courtney Miller-Callihan of Greenburg Associates. Prior to our meeting, I submitted elevator pitches and one-paragraph synopses of three works-in-progress for Courtney to read in advance. I also put together a “goodie bag” of queries, first pages, and a full page synopsis of a finished draft, in case time allowed us to expand the discussion.

“...I mentioned a graphic novel I was outlining. Courtney gave me the name of her agent friend who represents graphic novels...”

During our first ten minutes, Courtney addressed the marketability of my WIPs, offering generous feedback on what was appealing and why, as well as potential pitfalls. Her input quickly gave me a clearer picture of which projects merited my attention. I then showed her a first page of the front runner, and she spent the rest of the session suggesting ways to improve it. All good. Before leaving, I mentioned a graphic novel I was outlining. Courtney gave me the name of her agent friend who represents graphic novels. I’m pretty sure that I danced out the door. For writers with a manuscript that needs detailed feedback, the formal manuscript critiques are invaluable. But for those also seeking individualized advice on queries, marketing, rejections, Internet presence, or any other topic an agent can enlighten, one-on-one is an ideal venue. Besides great advice, the meeting gave this tongue-tied writer the chance to relax and “talk shop” in a stress-free exchange with a fellow lover of words. Agents want to help us succeed. Let them. 

ABOUT TAY BERRYHILL:

Tay Berryhill writes young adult novels while also trying her hand at graphic novels and picture book illustrating. She lives in Birmingham with her husband and three dogs.    

REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN! Click  :::HERE::: to log in and register.

~See you in March~

#SpringMingle - Last Day for Early Bird Registration! - #SBreeze17

Last Day for Early Bird Registration

You know how the early bird always get the worm? Well, the early registers get a sweet discount on the conference! And today is the last day to get it!
So what are you waiting for? Click over and register!!!

REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN! Click  :::HERE::: to log in and register.

~See you in March~

#SpringMingle - Portfolio Set Up & Viewing - #SBreeze17

Portfolio Set Up & Viewing

Are you an illustrator wondering how to set up your portfolio? Maybe you would like some new tips to incorporate into what you are already doing? What better way than to learn from a pro! Elizabeth O. Dulemba is a former Illustrator Coordinator for Southern Breeze. Check out what she has to say...

Present Your Portfolio Like a Pro

by Elizabeth O. Dulemba 

     "It seems simple once you know how it’s done, but at some point you do have to actually learn how to correctly prepare and show an illustration portfolio. Despite being used for such different purposes as interviews, presentations, or shows, there are some basic rules most professionals follow.

      First, size matters. Most portfolio shows have limitations of about 17” x 22” (closed). Keep to that size or smaller and you’ll be able to travel easily with your portfolio and use it anywhere..."

Continue reading over on Elizabeth's blog:   http://dulemba.com/index-portfolio.html

Registration IS NOW OPEN for SCBWI members! 

Click  :::HERE::: to log in and register.

~See you in March~

#SpringMingle - Come Soar with Stephanie Fretwell-Hill - #SBreeze17

Come Soar with Sally Apokedak

Conferences have an added benefit of actually getting to meet agents, editors, & art directors. The people in the industry who know the ins and outs. The ones who determine which direction publishing will take. 

Southern Breeze's Spring Mingle is no exception to this! This year we have Sally Apokedak, with Leslie H. Stobbe Literary Agency, as an added bonus. Ms. Apokedak will be at this year's conference offering formal consultations and critiques. If you are interested in signing up, please note that these are an added fee to the normal conference registration. Please click the link below to take you to the SpringMingle conference registration page and sign up.

Stephanie Fretwell-Hill started her publishing career in 2004 at Walker Books Ltd. in London, where she sold foreign language rights. Working in a design-led company with legendary artists such as Helen Oxenbury and Lucy Cousins sparked her love of illustration, while her sales role gave her an international perspective on children’s publishing.

In 2011, Stephanie moved back home to the United States, where she joined Peachtree Publishers as an editor. During her four years there, she acquired fiction and non fiction picture books, middle grade, and young adult titles. Her acquisitions received such honors as YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults, Bank Street Best Children’s Books of the Year, Parents’ Choice Awards, and numerous starred reviews from major trade magazines.

As the newest agent to join Red Fox Literary, Stephanie represents both authors and illustrators of board books, picture books, middle grade, and young adult. She will consider stories in any genre, but looks for a strong voice, rich and multi-layered plots, and stylish, classic, or quirky illustrations. Most of all, she loves anything that really makes her laugh.

Stephanie lives in Atlanta, Georgia with her English husband, brand new baby girl, and a border collie named Rooney. When her nose isn’t in a book, she can often be found changing diapers, renovating a house, traveling someplace new, or cooking dinner.

REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN! Click  :::HERE::: to log in and register.

~See you in March~

#SpringMingle - Come Soar with Sally Apokedak - #SBreeze17

Come Soar with Sally Apokedak

Conferences have an added benefit of actually getting to meet agents, editors, & art directors. The people in the industry who know the ins and outs. The ones who determine which direction publishing will take. 

Southern Breeze's Spring Mingle is no exception to this! This year we have Sally Apokedak, with Leslie H. Stobbe Literary Agency, as an added bonus. Ms. Apokedak will be at this year's conference offering formal consultations and critiques. If you are interested in signing up, please note that these are an added fee to the normal conference registration. Please click the link below to take you to the SpringMingle conference registration page and sign up.

Sally Apokedak is an agent with the Leslie H. Stobbe Literary Agency. She is the agent for a small, but brave group of writers, which includes the best selling authors Hannah Hall and Tayrn Souders, as wells as the Multi-Award-Winning author Mark Waxman. Sally's first book as an agent released in February 2015 and sold over 30,000 copies in the first month. But her favorite thing about being an agent may be the Southern Breeze pals she's made over the years. She's proud to have several clients who are Southern Breezers.

REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN! Click  :::HERE::: to log in and register.

~See you in March~

#SpringMingle - Come Soar with Janell Walden Agyeman - #SBreeze17

Come Soar with Janell Walden Agyeman

Conferences have an added benefit of actually getting to meet agents, editors, & art directors. The people in the industry who know the ins and outs. The ones who determine which direction publishing will take. 

Southern Breeze's Spring Mingle is no exception to this! This year we have Janell Walden Agyeman, with Marie Brown Associates, as an added bonus. Ms. Janell will be at this year's conference offering formal consultations and critiques. If you are interested in signing up, please note that these are an added fee to the normal conference registration. Please click the link below to take you to the SpringMingle conference registration page and sign up.

Janell Walden Agyeman is an agent with Marie Brown Associates, where she represents a diverse roster of authors who write for young readers and adults.  Her clients include New York Times bestselling author Sharon M. Draper, (Out of My Mind, Stella by Starlight and Pulitzer Prize-winner Leonard M. Pitts, Jr., (Freeman, Grant Park). Previously, she held editorial positions at Doubleday and Company and at Howard University Press, where she also administered their book publishing institute. She was a contributing author to the groundbreaking project, Contributions of Black Women to America, 1777-1976.  In 2013 she was named “Agent of the Year” by Black Pearls Literary Magazine. Apart from her literary work, which includes educational outreach targeting new and emerging writers, she especially enjoys her family, singing with her community’s choir and learning to grow fruits and vegetables.

REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN! Click  :::HERE::: to log in and register.

~See you in March~

#SpringMingle - Come Make Your Illustrations Soar w/ Loraine Joyner - #SBreeze17

Come Make Your Illustrations Soar with Loraine Joyner

Southern Breeze is pleased to announce that Loraine Joyner, former Art Director for Peachtree Publishers, will be the judge for the Liz Conrad Scholarship for Springmingle and Illustrators Day '17, and will participate in the Quickfire Portfolio review on Illustrators' Day. She will also be available for private portfolio reviews.

An added bonus for this year's Liz Conrad Scholarship includes a mentorship with Loraine for the winning illustrator. The winner of the scholarship will work with Loraine to complete the following in accordance with specified formatting and deadlines:

● a picturebook storyboard, including main character sketches and selection

● roughs for a selected scene

● final drawing of a scene

● final finish of a scene

● 3 character finishes of the main protagonist showing 3 distinctly different emotions, each from a different angle or point of view, but with no settings or secondary characters

The Mentorship will include meetings in person, skype, email or phone and will reflect what it would be like to work with an AD on a picture book project complete with required format specifications and deadlines to meet.

What an amazing opportunity for a lucky illustrator!

REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN! Click  :::HERE::: to log in and register.

~See you in March~

#SpringMingle - Agent Adriana Dominguez - #SBreeze17

Come Soar with Andriana Dominguez

Ready for your query to soar? Then fly to sign up for Springmingle and catch a session with one of our awesome agents!

Adriana Domínguez is much more than an agent at Full Circle Literary. She has 20 years of experience in publishing!

Prior to becoming an agent, she was Executive Editor at HarperCollins Children’s Books. Before that, she was Children’s Reviews Editor at Críticas magazine, published by Library Journal. She’s also done editorial work for both children and adult publishers and she’s a professional translator, a member of the Brooklyn Literary Council that organizes the Brooklyn Book Festival, and one of the founders of the Comadres and Compadres Writers Conference in New York City.

Whew! All that experience makes Dominguez one of our awesome agents! She represents children’s books for all ages, and select adult fiction and nonfiction. She has a long trajectory of publishing underrepresented authors and illustrators, and welcomes submissions that offer diverse points of view. Books that she has edited or represented have been awarded the Pura Belpré Medal, the Coretta Scott King Honor and the MPIBA’s Reading the West Award among others, and been finalists for the National Book Critics Circle Award and the NAACP Award.

Her session on Saturday is “The Query Quandary: Acquiring an Agent.” But if you want to know more about this quandary, you’ll just have to join us in Decatur, March 10th-12th at Springmingle, the only conference in Southern Breeze for 2017!

REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN! Click  :::HERE::: to log in and register.

~See you in March~

#SpringMingle - Tackling the Tough Topics with Michael Joosten - #SBreeze17

Tackling the Tough Topics with Michael Joosten

Want your illustrating to soar? Then fly to sign up for Springmingle and catch a session with one of our super artsy speakers!

Michael Joosten has been working in children's publishing for a decade, having started his career in the Cross Channel division of Scholastic Books. Now, he’s at Random House Children's Books where he works as an editor on such classic properties as Dr. Seuss, Little Golden Books, The Berenstain Bears, Richard Scarry, and Little Critter.

In addition, Michael also works on original picture books. And so he knows a lot about covers, so you’ll want to hear his Illustrator's Day session, “Lovers of Covers: All You Need to Know About Creating a Memorable Book Cover.”

He’ll also be presenting a Saturday session, “Well This is Awkward: Tackling Tricky Topics in Picture Books.” Having recently acquired picture books about the Gay Pride Flag and the Stonewall Riot, Joosten will discuss how you can tackle tricky topics in your work.

That’s a session you won’t want to miss! So join us in Decatur, March 10th-12th at Springmingle, the only conference in Southern Breeze for 2017!

REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN! Click  :::HERE::: to log in and register.

~See you in March~

#SpringMingle - Look, Illustrators, It's Jim Hoover! - #SBreeze17

Look, Illustrators. It's Jim Hoover!

Want your illustrating to soar? Then fly to sign up for Springmingle and catch a session with one of our super artsy speakers!

Jim Hoover is an Associate Art Director at Viking Children’s Books, and he’s been publishing books for over fifteen years. He’s designed and directed the art behind hundreds of picture books and he’s illustrated for DreamWorks as well as for many novel jackets and interior art. Now, he’s coming to Springmingle for Illustrator’s Day!

Visual Story Telling in Two Spreads 

Great picture books are a harmonious marriage of words and picture. A story’s magic happens when these two components work in tandem. For this assignment, please pick a text to work up two spreads for. The story can be something you are actively working on, or an idea you have been hoping to get the time to draft into a more fleshed out story. Or you can do two spreads from a classic story or fairytale you’ve always loved. The spreads don’t need to be consecutive, but think about how to best present this portion of your picture book to your audience—which in this case, is an art director. At the end of the assignment, you will have two pieces for your portfolio which means that your audience will also be editors and agents. How can you hook your audience with two spreads from a picture book?

Sketches will be submitted to Jim via email and are due no later than February 10. Jim will then give you feed back via email for you to incorporate into your final pieces of art—which will be discussed as a group in person the day of the session.

Please note: There is limited enrollment and an additional fee for those participating in the Illustration Project. The preliminary and final work will be presented and discussed at Illustrator’s Day.

Hoover will also present two sessions on Saturday, including “Marrying Text and Pictures to Tell a Great Story” and “All About the Cover!” For his cover session, he’d like you to do a picture book cover, especially if you attend on Friday (two spreads AND a cover! You are practically there!) You can bring a few thumbnails and discuss—if you want feedback on direction, or a final piece of finished art. If you bring a finished piece of art, please do bring a few thumbnails as well—it’s like math—he wants to see your process. Show the work!

A ton of feedback for our illustrators from Jim Hoover! But you can’t get it unless you join us in Decatur, March 10th-12th at Springmingle, the only conference in Southern Breeze for 2017!

REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN! Click  :::HERE::: to log in and register.

~See you in March~

#SpringMingle - Jacquelyn Mitchard and the YA Connection - #SBreeze17

Come Soar with Jacquelyn Mitchard

Want your writing to soar? Then fly to sign up for Springmingle and catch a session with one of our super speakers! Next up, Jacquelyn Mitchard, the number one New York Times best-selling author of novels for adults, including The Deep End of the Ocean, the inaugural selection of the Oprah Winfrey Book Club.

Did you know that Mitchard is also the editor of a realistic Young Adult imprint, Merit Press, and the author of seven novels for Young Adults? Her work has won the Bram Stoker and Shirley Jackson awards, as well as the UK’s Walkabout Prize. And when she’s not writing, she’s teaching Creative Writing at Vermont College of Fine Arts.

We’re lucky to have her for our Friday Intensive, “A Whole Day of Beginnings and Endings,” where writers will consider the elements that go into a great ending, and how those elements are so much more than tying up the loose ends.

She’ll have a breakout session, too, called “Why YA? (And How)” on what does and does not comprise YA writing, and why those elements and traditions are so important. But you’ll never know if you don’t join us in Decatur, March 10th-12th at Springmingle, the only conference in Southern Breeze for 2017!

REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN! Click  :::HERE::: to log in and register.

~See you in March~

#SpringMingle - Illustrator's Day - #SBreeze17

Illustrator's Day

SCBWI Illustrators and Writers across the Southern Breeze region will gather in Decatur, Georgia for the love of children’s literature on March 10-12, 2017.  Our region boasts of many talented and awarded illustrators and authors.  Join us for Illustrator’s Day and Spring Mingle weekend to learn new skills and network with art directors, editors and agents. 

In case you haven’t heard, Illustrator’s Day is a day geared towards the craft and professional development of visual storytellers of all levels.  The day always includes valuable interactions through informative sessions, critiques and industry connections.  This year has special opportunities you will not want to miss!

Michael Joosten, Editor for Random House, will present a session titled,Lovers of Covers:  All You Need to Know About Creating a Memorable Book Cover.  Because we do often make our book choices because of their covers, attendees will learn about what publishers, art directors, editors, sellers and buyers are looking for in a stellar cover. 

Jim Hoover, Associate Art Director at Viking Children’s Books, will also challenge us to make magic with pictures and words through the Illustration Project: Visual Story Telling in Two Spreads.  Figure out how to hook your audience and present dynamic visual storytelling in only two spreads.  Who is your audience?  The Art director, editors and agents who will provide valuable feedback during the unveiling at Illustrators Day 2017.  What a way to be seen! For more information on the project please visit: http://southern-breeze.scbwi.org/jim-hoover . A limited number of participants will be accepted. Register Early!

And the icing on the cake is that this year, Loraine Joyner, retired Art Director of Peachtree Publishers, will be judging our annual Liz Conrad Scholarship.  The scholarship opened on December 1^st  and will be awarded to one budding illustrator in the children's book field to attend our Illustrators' Day and Springmingle Annual Conference in Atlanta. Loraine has also graciously decided to offer a free mentorship to the winner! Don’t miss this opportunity.  Details can be found at http://southernbreezewriters.blogspot.com/p/scholarship.html.  Deadline is January 15, 2017.

Many Illustrator Day attendees choose to extend the weekend by joining in on Spring Mingle.  The weekend will feature keynotes, breakout sessions, many critique opportunities to encourage skill development and a Saturday night gala to let your hair down.  (Who said book nerds weren’t cool, right?).  Tell a librarian, a teacher and your friends. We’ll see you soon for the big Spring Mingle in Decatur!

REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN for SCBWI Members! 

Click  :::HERE::: to log in and register.

~See you in March~