Anjali Banerjee's new middle grade novel, SEAGLASS SUMMER, is available today from Wendy Lamb Books/Random House! In SEAGLASS SUMMER, 11-year-old Poppy Ray, an aspiring veterinarian, spends the summer with her Indian uncle at his animal clinic on a Pacific Northwest island.Here's the description:Poppy is in for big surprises. She loves tending to the dogs, cats,... Continue Reading →
Smells like a book party
Suzanne Selfors is having a party for SMELLS LIKE DOG on Sunday, May 23 at Eagle Harbor Books on Bainbridge Island.The shindig is from 3 to 4 p.m. Be there or, um, be a cat?
Mini-conference with the Whidbey Island Writers Conference Series
You might have to click this to see all the details, but on June 12, you can spend the day with lots of great agents and authors, including the ever-delightful Kirby Larson.ALL STAR LIST OF AUTHORS AND AGENTSHEADLINES WHIDBEY ISLAND WRITERS ASSOCIATIONMINI-CONFERENCE JUNE 12What: Whidbey Island Writers Association 2010 Mini-ConferenceWhen: Saturday, June 12, 2010 9:15... Continue Reading →
COLUMBIAKids turns two with “The Story Behind the Story”
On May 20 from 6:30 to 8 p.m., you can celebrate COLUMBIAKids e-zine at the Washington State History Museum in Tacoma. (1911 Pacific Avenue, Tacoma WA 98402.)Here's the official invite from editor Stephanie Lile:Join us as COLUMBIAKids e-zine turns two! This year we’re exploring “the story behind the story” with amazing PNW authors Kirby Larson... Continue Reading →
Language and how it shapes the way we think
Confession: I love science and love working stuff researchers have discovered into manuscripts (even if they're ostensibly about, I dunno, temporarily possessing the body of a squirrel).My college alumni magazine had a really interesting piece about research being done on language, and whether thought drives language or vice versa. For a long time, scientists have... Continue Reading →
Thanks to our retiring advisory committee members
Here's Dana Sullivan's tribute to Meg Lippert, Laurie Jones, Annie Gage, and Lois Brandt. Thanks for all of your excellent contributions over the years!
Nathan Bransford on voice
In case you missed this post Monday, Nathan Bransford made some good points about the elusive voice: Voice is one of the most difficult writing terms to define and pinpoint. We might know it when we see it, but what's voice made of, really? You hear so often that agents and editors want "new voices"... Continue Reading →
Michele Torrey on story beginnings
Looking over the first pages of your story? Michele Torrey has great advice on where to start: We’ve all read them: books that stupify the senses for the first few pages or — ack! — the first few chapters. Like the literary troopers we are, we wade through those mind-dulling pages, meanwhile muttering incantations, It... Continue Reading →
A possibly insincere book rejection
This comes from a blog called Futility Closet, and was sent my way by Craig Conley, author of One Letter Words (the strangest and most entertaining dictionary I own). The following is said to be an exact translation of the letter sent by a Chinese editor to a would-be contributor whose manuscript he found it... Continue Reading →
Present at a workshop next year
Have you learned a lot from our Professional Series Meetings? Do you have stuff you'd like to share with your colleagues? SCBWI Western Washington is seeking workshop presenters for our 2010-2011 year. Our chapter holds monthly Professional Series Meetings from October through April, and hosts an annual conference each spring. We welcome fresh and compelling... Continue Reading →