Congratulations to the 2019-2020 Mentees of the SCBWI-WWA Mentorship Program

The volunteers who have worked hard managing the the 2019-2020 SCBWI -WWA Mentorship Program are pleased to announce its mentees for the 2019-2020 season. In the program’s third year, thirty-five writers and illustrators will work one-on-one with twenty-four published mentors to analyze every aspect of their manuscript for a six-month period.

This year, we also have four winners of our Inclusivity Scholarship. They are Candice Kim, Preeti Gopalan, Ariana Cantu, and Rae Rose. 

Thanks to all the entrants! It was difficult for the mentors to choose from so many excellent applicants. We look forward to reading more fabulous work by local writers next year and foster talent by establishing relationships with great mentors.

Roster of mentees and mentors, by category:

Category	Mentee	Mentor
Illustration Portfolio	Candice Kim	Jing Jing Tsong
Illustration Portfolio	Ruthie Nicklaus	Jo Gershman
Illustration Portfolio	Leslie Dresdner	Kevan Atteberry
Illustration Portfolio	Laurena La Porte	Amy Hevron
Middle Grade	Shari Duffin	Dan Gemeinhart
Middle Grade	Ron Pellegrino	Kirby Larson
Middle Grade	Courtenay Schurman	Kristin Halbrook
Middle Grade	Julie Artz	Kim Baker
Middle Grade	Laurel Hendrix	Kirby Larson
Middle Grade	Carla Kessler	Jeanne Ryan
Middle Grade	Allison P. Lee	Kirby Larson
Middle Grade	Sarah Hager	Ailynn Collins
Middle Grade	Colleen Stump	Kevin Emerson
Middle Grade	Beth Bacon	Mark Maciejewski
Middle Grade	Preeti Gopalan	Kelly Jones
Middle Grade	Joanna Garritano-Roger	Sundee Frazier
Middle Grade	Anthony L. Aragon	Suzanne Selfors
Picture Book Text	Erin Bond	Brianna Caplan Sayres
Picture Book Text	Amber Borner	Rae McDonald
Picture Book Text	Keith Harrell	Wendy wahman
Picture Book Text	Tim (T. P.) Jagger	Terri Cohlene
Picture Book Text	Kate Kieffer	Peggy King Anderson
Picture Book Text	Liana Kim McKeen	Peggy King Anderson
Picture Book Text	Chrissie Wright	Rae McDonald
Picture Book Text	Rachel Epstein	Terri Cohlene
Picture Book Text	Katrina Nye	Peggy King Anderson
Picture Book Text	Alison Merz	Brianna Caplan Sayres
Picture Book Text	Theresa Ford	Rebecca Van Slyke
Picture Book Text	Lily LaMotte	Rebecca Van Slyke
Picture Book Text	Keely Butters	Terri Cohlene
Picture Book Text	Karrie Zylstra	Curtis Manley
Young Adult	Ariana Cantu	Michele Bacon
Young Adult	Jennifer Pontius	J Anderson Coats
Young Adult	Rae Rose	Kelly Jones
Young Adult	Elizabeth Goode	Kelly Jones

Biographies of our Mentors

	Ailynn Knox-Collins started working life as a lawyer, then moved on to be a teacher, and is now a writer of children’s books. She has an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Hamline University. She mentors young writers through the Society of Young Inklings and has been a member of SCBWIW-WA since 2008. She has published a series of 6 MG science fiction books called Redworld, and is working on 2 more for another series, coming out next year. She has a graphic novel, and a nonfiction picture book out in the world, seeking a home.
	Sundee T. Frazier is the Coretta Scott King Award-winning author of Brendan Buckley’s Universe and Everything in It, The Other Half of My Heart, and the Cleo Edison Oliver books. Her heartfelt, entertaining stories address subjects close to her heart: biracial/bicultural identity, growing up in interracial families, and multi-generational dynamics. Her books have been nominated for twelve state children’s choice awards, appeared in Seattle Public Library’s Global Reading Challenge, and been nominated for the WA State Book Award. Frazier, a graduate of the Vermont College of Fine Arts, lives in Renton, WA. Learn more about her and her work at www.sundeefrazier.com
	Suzanne Selfors is a national best-selling author who writes for kids of all ages. She’s received six Junior Library Guild awards, earned starred reviews from Kirkus, School Library Journal, Library Media Connection and Publisher’s Weekly. The Sasquatch Escape won the WA State Book Award, was an Amazon Best Children’s Book. She’s won a Cybils award and been on numerous state lists including the Texas Bluebonnet list. Though her books can be found all over the world, she lives on an island in the Pacific Northwest where she hopes it is her destiny to write stories forever after.
	Kristin (K.D.) Halbrook is the author of several critically-acclaimed middle grade and young adult novels, including the forthcoming MG series, SILVER BATAL AND THE WATER DRAGON RACES (June 5, 2019; Henry Holt BFYR/MacMillan). She is also a former literary agent, representing children’s fiction and non-fiction. In 2010, she co-founded the website YAHighway.com, a resource for writing and reading YA. She has taught and appeared as a guest at numerous book festivals, universities, and conferences, and enjoys working with emerging writers to develop their craft and talent. Kristin lives in Seattle and, when not writing, loves sports, gardening, baking, travel, and ugly crying over books and movies.
	Kirby Larson is the acclaimed author of the 2007 Newbery Honor Book, Hattie Big Sky, and its sequel, Hattie Ever After. In addition to the Dogs of WWII series– which includes Duke,Dash (Scott O’Dell Historical Fiction Prize), Liberty, and Code Word Courage— she has written The Friendship Doll, The Fences Between Us and Audacity Jones to the Rescue andAudacity Jones Steals the Show (an Edgar award nominee). With good friend Mary Nethery, Kirby has written the award-winning Two Bobbies: A True Story of Hurricane Katrina, Friendship and Survival (illustrated by Jean Cassels) and the New York Times bestseller, Nubs: The True Story of a Mutt, a Marine and a Miracle. Follow her on Twitter, @KirbyLarson, Facebook, @KirbyLarsonAuthor, or read my blog atkirbylarson.com/blog.
	Mark Maciejewski is the author of I Am Fartacus, and the Kirkus Starred I Am Fartacus: Electric Boogerloo. In his spare time, he enjoys reading, gardening, watching movies, and napping. His love of comics and graphic novels is a major influence on his work. He lives in Seattle with his wife, kids, three dogs, two frogs, and a bunch of glow-in-the-dark fish. You can find him at MarkMaciejewski.com or on Twitter @Magicjetski
	Kim Baker’s first middle grade novel, PICKLE, about a secret middle school prank society, has been selected for many reading lists and was a Children’s Choice Awards Book of the Year finalist, one of Mamiverse’s Top 50 Latinx Children’s Books, and the recipient of the SCBWI Crystal Kite award. She is a former SCBWI Western Washington regional advisor, teacher, and crisis counselor. Her next middle grade novel, THE WATER BEARS, about wishes, maybe-magic, and a taco truck, will be out April 2020 from Wendy Lamb Books/Random House. See more at www.kimbakerbooks.com.
	Dan Gemeinhart is a teacher-librarian and father of three daughters. His debut novel, The Honest Truth, was a New York Times Editors’ Choice selection, an Amazon.com Best Book of the Month, and an Indie Next List pick. His follow-up, Some Kind of Courage, was met with critical acclaim, garnering two starred reviews. Dan’s other ravely reviewed books are Scar Island, Good Dog, and The Remarkable Dan lives with his family in Cashmere, Washington. Visit him at dangemeinhart.com.
	J. Anderson Coats is the author of The Wicked and the Just, one of Kirkus’s Best Teen Books of 2012, a 2013 YALSA Best for Young Adults (BFYA) winner, and a School Library Journal Best Books of 2012 selection. It also won the 2013 Washington State Book Award for Young Adults. Her newest book is R is for Rebel, a middle-grade novel about coercion and resistance in a reform school in a fictional occupied country. She is also the author of The Many Reflections of Miss Jane Deming, a 2017 Junior Library Guild selection and one of Kirkus’s Best Historical Middle-Grade Books of 2017.
	Kelly Jones worked as a librarian and a bookseller before becoming an author. Her first book, the middle grade contemporary fantasy Unusual Chickens for the Exceptional Poultry Farmer, was an Indies Introduce Pick, an ALA Notable Book, an SLJ Best Book, and a Kirkus Reviews Best Book. Her second book, the YA Regency fantasy Murder, Magic, and What We Wore, made the 2018 Amelia Bloomer List of the best feminist books for young readers and received a starred review from School Library Journal. You can find her at her website: curiosityjones.net, or on Twitter and Instagram: @curiosityjones.
	Kevin Emerson is the author of numerous middle grade and YA novels, including the Chronicle of the Dark Star series, and the forthcoming ANY SECOND. His recent release, LAST DAY ON MARS received starred reviews from Kirkus and Booklist, and was selected for ALA’s LITA List for science fiction and the TLA Lone Star List. Kevin is a former K-8 science teacher and teaching artist with Writers in the Schools and Richard Hugo House. He has won a spelling bee, lost a beauty pageant, and once appeared in a Swedish TV commercial. Learn more at http://www.kevinemerson.net/.
	Jeanne Ryan writes young-adult thrillers that could take place next week–but let’s hope they don’t! Her first novel NERVE, about an online game of truth or dare taken to dangerous extremes, was adapted for film by Lionsgate, spent six months on the NYT bestseller list, and has been published in twenty countries. Her second novel, CHARISMA, is about a cripplingly shy girl who accepts an underground gene therapy to transform herself from meh to magnetic, with unintended, and possibly lethal, consequences. You can find out more at www.jeanneryan.com.
	Michele Bacon writes novel-length fiction for young adults and older adults. When she’s not writing, she’s skiing, playing tabletop games, traveling, or dreaming of travel. She lived in Christchurch, New Zealand for over a year, and is eager to return. Today, Michele lives in Seattle with her partner and three children. She is also the author of Life Before.
	Curtis Manley grew up in Pennsylvania, where he read science fiction about aliens and long trips to other star systems. Later, he wrote poems, studied volcanoes, and learned about the geology of our solar system’s planets and moons. In the high desert of Idaho, he mapped huge lava flows similar to ones on Venus. His background in both science and poetry helps him include nonfiction elements in both fiction and nonfiction stories that entertain while making the universe a little more understandable. Curtis now lives near Seattle with his wife, their daughter, and a cat.
	Peggy King Anderson has taught writers of all ages for 35 years. She loves it!  She was awarded the SCBWI (W. WA) Lifetime Achievement award in 2012. She’s taught creative writing both in colleges, and in conferences ranging from SCBWI, to the Highlights Foundation Writers Workshop in Chautauqua, New York. She has four published books, including THE FALL OF THE RED STAR (co-author, Helen Szablya), featured on Children’s Book TV. Her MG historical fiction novel, TWO MOON JOURNEY, is due for publication in fall of 2018. She writes a monthly fiction series, TREE FROG TRAIL, for Pockets Magazine. Check out Peggy’s website at www.peggyking.com
	Brianna Caplan Sayres is the author of the bestselling picture book, WHERE DO DIGGERS SLEEP AT NIGHT?, which has now become a series of vehicle bedtime books. Brianna is also the author of NIGHT NIGHT, CURIOSITY (coming soon), TIARA SAURUS REX and ASTEROID GOLDBERG’S PASSOVER IN OUTER SPACE (coming soon). Brianna has been published in magazines, including Highlights for Children, Highlights High Five and Cobblestone, Brianna is thrilled to be living her childhood dream of being a children’s book author, and she is looking forward to helping another author by being a mentor!
	Terri Cohlene is the author of nine picture books, including Won’t Papa Be Surprised!, Something Special, and Witch’s Brew~Wicked, Wacky Poems for a Dark, Dark Night. She was Senior Editor/Art Director for an independent children’s book publisher, and is an SCBWI PAL member, Madness!Poetry authlete, and freelance editor in Olympia, WA. A past-president of the Seattle Chapter of SCBWI, Terri has experience coaching/consulting/teaching the craft of writing for children for over 30 years. Her current project is co-designing Best Friends Forever!, a story game about ‘tween girl friendship.
	Rebecca Van Slyke has an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts. She writes picture books, easy readers, nonfiction, and poetry. Her picture books MOM SCHOOL and DAD SCHOOL, LEXIE THE WORD WRANGLER, and WHERE DO PANTS GO? are on bookshelves near you. LANA LYNN HOWLS AT THE MOON, THESE ARE MONSTER’S TRUCKS!, and GOODNIGHT, ALLIGATOR are due to be published. Besides teaching writing to adults, Rebecca is also a second-grade teacher in Lynden, where she lives with her husband and two very spoiled dachshunds.
	Rae McDonald has viewed life from many bridges as teacher, librarian, author, and artist. For Rae, creating books is wonderful work, and a good day is always a creative day whether it’s working out the bones of a story or digging into art. Rae’s picture books, often nature inspired, include A Fishing Surprise, a buoyant mystery, and Gran, Gran, Granny celebrating an ancient fir tree. A rascal Northern Flicker is soon to debut inWicky. SCBWI, a long-standing critique group, and numerous classes guide her travels in writing and illustrating for children. Web: raemcdonald.com  Blog: http://bluebirdchirpings.blogspot.com  Facebook: RaeMcDonaldauthor Instagram: RaeMcDonaldaut
	Kevan Atteberry is a writer and illustrator of award-winning children’s books. Before breaking into picture books —a lifetime goal of his—he spent decades running a graphic design studio, owning a greeting card company, and toying with fine art. . His books include, Bunnies!!!, Puddles!!!, and the recently released I Love You More than the Smell of Swamp Gas. Among books he has illustrated for others are Halloween Hustle by Charlotte Gunnufson, Tickle Monster by Josie Bissett, and Frankie Stein by Lola Schaefer. But Kevan’s biggest claim to fame may be creating Clippy the Paperclip, the Microsoft Word helper. At one point it was annoying hundreds of millions of people a day. He finds an odd kind of pride in this…
	Wendy Wahman is a former Seattle P-I newspaper artist who now writes and illustrates children’s books. Her debut picture book ,”Don’t Lick the Dog,” was selected as a 2010 Bank Street Best Children’s Book of the Year, starred for Outstanding Merit and accepted to the Society of Illustrators Original Art show. Other books include “A Cat Like That,” “Rabbit Stew,” “Pony in the City,” and “Nanny Paws,” and coming Fall 2021, “Old Pearl.” Wendy’s editorial illustrations have appeared in major publications such as Harper’s Magazine, The New York Times, and The LA Times.  www.wendywahman.com
	Amy Hevron draws inspiration from wildlife, nature, and travel. She is a two-time winner of the Portfolio Honor Award from the SCBWI National Conference. Amy illustrated picture books TREVOR by Jim Averbeck, MOON BABIES by Karen Jameson, and DUST BUNNY WANTS A FRIEND which she also wrote. She is currently writing and illustrating the non-fiction picture book THE LONGEST JOURNEY: AN ARCTIC TERN’S MIGRATION which comes out Spring 2021 from Neal Porter Books. Previously, Amy worked as an art director and designer at design firms and game companies.
	Jing Jing Tsong’s illustrations marry traditional print making techniques and digital collage. Of her illustrations for Trees (by Verlie Hutchens, published by Simon and Schuster, March 2019), The School Library Journal writes, “The artwork is full of sensitivity and whimsy and highlights the interconnectedness of all life; this is where the book truly shines.” Trees was recently featured in the New York Times Book Review article, “Enchanted Poetry Picture Books”. Her first picture book, A Bucket of Blessings ( by Kabhir Sehgal and Surishtha Sehgal, published by Simon and Schuster, April 2014) was a New York Times best selling Picture Book. website: Jing Jing Tsong, instagram: @jingjingtson Jing and Mike Co.
	Jo Gershman is an illustrator and book designer living in Seattle, WA. She has illustrated over 35 books for children and adults, working with publishers including Feiwel and Friends (Wind Dancer Series) and Peter Pauper Press (The Nutcracker Ballet, Welcome to the White House).  Also working with self-published authors, she has designed and illustrated five children’s picture and chapter books, winning multiple awards including the IPBA Benjamin Franklin Gold Award for Children’s Books (Mommy, Daddy, I Had a Bad Dream).  Originally an English major, she loves the interplay of text and art on a page. You can view her work at www.jogershman.com.