Announcements

UTAH CHILDREN'S WRITERS AND ILLUSTRATORS

Announcement List--August 6, 2003

New--Starting this month we will be listing, toward the end of this newsletter, websites for Utah Children's Authors and Illustrators. If you're interested in finding out more of any of them, check out their sites.

This month's author interview is with Ken Baker.


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NEW BOOKS

Becky Hall, A IS FOR ARCHES (Sleeping Bear Press).


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COMING SOON

Fall, 2003
Kimberley Heuston, DANTE'S DAUGHTER, a Young Adult novel, from Front Street.
Ron Woods, the Dell Yearling paperback edition of THE HERO.

October, 2003
Ron Woods, the large-print edition to THE HERO. Thorndike Press.

March, 2004
Sharlee Glenn, KEEPING UP WITH ROO, a picture book, from Putnam.

Spring, 2004
Dana Kessimakis Smith, A WILD COWBOY, a picture book, from Hyperion.
Gloria Skurzynski, ARE WE ALONE? SCIENTISTS SEARCH FOR LIFE IN THE MILKY WAY, National Geographic Books.
Gloria Skurzynski, VIRTUAL WAR, paperback edition.
Rick Walton, MINI-MYSTERIES, American Girl.

Summer, 2004
Rick Walton, A VERY HAIRY SCARY STORY, a picture book, from Putnam.

Fall, 2005
Rick Walton, SUDDENLY, ALLIGATOR, a picture book, from Gibbs Smith.

Fall, 2005
Sharlee Glenn, JUST WHAT MAMA NEEDS, a picture book, from Putnam.


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APPEARANCES AND EVENTS

August--all month--Sherry Meidell will have some of her watercolors hanging at the Bountiful Davis Art Center.

August 8, 2003--Jen McVeity, SCBWI regional advisor from Australia, and winner of the Churchhill Fellowship Grant will be speaking on the Professional Piece. She will be focusing specifically on the Hidden Riches in Royalties. Jen has found several thousand dollars of unpaid royalties by learning to understand what her royalty statements are (and are not!) reporting correctly.

She'll also discuss Being Bold and Brave - Getting Paid what you are worth and still remaining friends with your editor. There will be plenty of time for questions and answers. The location for "The Professional Piece" will be The Arbor at St. Rose in Layton, Utah. For registration information, contact Cathi at utidscbwi@juno.com.

August 9, 2003--Jen McVeity will delight us and teach us how to look at our novel manuscripts with a fresh set of lenses - and create the best manuscript we can. The location for "Novel Writing Day" will be The Arbor at St. Rose in Layton, Utah. For registration information, contact Cathi at utidscbwi@juno.com.

August 9, 2003--DreamMakers 2003 Writers Conference, Elizabeth, Colorado. All proceeds from this conference go to the Elizabeth High School music program.

"Our 2003 conference promises to be as amazing as its predecessor. Tom Colgan, (adult editor from PenguinPutnam) will share what it is he is looking for in writer's work - a real treat, since he edits for Tom Clancy! Sue Henry, an adult mystery writer, will fly in from Alaska as a keynote speaker. For an additional fund-raiser (every penny raised goes to Elizabeth High School's music program) she is willing to provide an autographed set of her books as well as a basket of hand-picked Alaskan treats. 

Last month she phoned me up with an even better idea - she generously offered to make the winner of a silent auction into a character in her next book, a gift sure to produce even more funds for our marching band.

Editor Stephen Fraser from HarperCollins will speak and offer manuscript evaluations, as will Renon Hulet, editor-in-chief of a new magazine with an initial run of one million. Suzanne Patrick Fonda (editor from National Geographic Children's Books) will present this year, as will Marsha Marshall (editor from Lerner Books). Other presenters include authors Gloria Skurzynski (co-author and winner of the American Institute of Physics Award among many others), award-winning young-adult writer Carol Lynch William, award-winning picture book author Rick Walton, Alane Ferguson, and Donna Freedman, a freelance writer who has won two first-place prizes from the Society of Professional Journalists and has reviewed books for The Philadelphia Inquirer, The New York Times and Children's Literature web site. Edite Kroll, a successful East Coast agent, has agreed to speak on the writing process as well. 

You can see we have quite a line up!
Information about DreamMakers can be found at www.cardinalpride.com and then by clicking on the DreamMaker icon. Those wishing to attend can even sign up on-line!"

August 13, 2003--Sharlee Meidell will be one of the artists participating in the Bountiful Streetfest "Artist in Action"
Wednesday, August 13th, 10 am-9 pm. Participating artists will be donated to Bountiful Davis Art Center and sold at the Gallery Without Walls in Summerfest

August 23, 2003--Rick Walton will discuss Picture Books, good and bad, and give us time to review our own manuscripts, looking for areas we can revise to create the best picture book possible. The location for the "Picture Book Writing Day" will be the Quality Inn in American Fork, Utah, just off I-15. For registration information, contact Cathi at utidscbwi@juno.com.

August 28-30, 2003--Timpanogos Storytelling Festival, Orem, Utah. 
Storytellers include Judith Black, Carmen Agra Deedy, Gay Ducey,
Elizabeth Ellis, Jackson Gillman, David Holt, Bil Lepp, Barbara McBride-Smith, David Novak, and Tim Tingle. For more information
go to www.timpfest.org.

September 8, 2003--Ken Baker will be visiting Northridge Elementary in Orem, Utah.

September 19, 2003--Salt Lake Community College will be holding a Children's Book Festival. The Festival will be held in two sessions 9:00 AM-12 noon at South Campus (1575 S. State Street) and 2:00 PM -5:00 PM at Jordan Campus (3400 W. 9000 So.). 

SLCC has chosen to present this Children's Book Festival to encourage young people to enjoy reading and writing. This year's festival will focus on "Utah Children's Authors". Some of the writers presenting this year will be Rick Walton, Randall Wright, Carol Lynch Williams, Mette Ivie Harrison, Laurel Brady, Trudy Harris, Becky Hall, Ken Baker, Ron Woods, Sharlee Glenn, Sherry Meidell, and many other wonderful authors. 

This year's Festival will cater to students from 1st to 12th grades. The students will attend workshops and readings, as well as will enjoy demonstrations, and visit non-profit community booths. The 7th-12th grade students will have a special track that will focus on improving their writing skills and will give them a chance to interact with published authors. The students will generally attend with their own school class, but are also welcome to attend the festival with parents, or as with the teenage students, they may attend on their own. 

Storybook characters will be roaming the Festival halls, and will be interacting with the children. Prizes will be given out randomly during the festival. Authors will be available for book signings, with their books being sold at both campus locations by the SLCC Bookstore. Scholastic Books will also be on hand to sell books to those attending the Festival. 

If you are interested in attending yourself or with a class or group of students, please get a hold of Pam Burggraf at the contact information listed below. We hope to see you at the SLCC
Children's Book Festival!
Pamela Burggraf
Coordinator, Program Development
Salt Lake Community College
4600 South Redwood Road
Business Building 230
P.O. Box 30808
Salt Lake City, UT 84130
(801) 957-3121
Pamela.Burggraf@slcc.edu

October 3, 2003--Carol Williams and Kim Williams-Justesen will be presenting in Boise to the Idaho Council of Teachers of English, and to the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators.

October 3, 2003--Ron Woods will be speaking at the Idaho Council of Teachers of English, and at Hillside Junior High.

October 18, 2003--Most of the Utah authors and illustrators of books for young readers will be presenting at the UCTE convention.

October 24, 2003--Wendelin VanDraanen, author of the Sammy Keyes mystery books, will be speaking at the BYU Harold B. Lee Library
Auditorium at 10 am. For information on Wendelin and her books, go to www.writerswrite.com/journal/dec01/vandraanen.htm, or
www.randomhouse.com/kids/vandraanen. For more information about the event, contact Janice Card at janice_card@byu.edu.

October 25, 2003--Rick Walton will be discussing picture book writing, from 10-11 am, at the Salt Lake Public Library, Conference Room B.

November 4, 2003--Several Utah authors and illustrators will be speaking at the BYU HBLL Auditorium, at noon.

November 15, 2003--Ron Woods will be speaking at the Utah Council of the International Reading Association.

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UTAH AUTHOR AND ILLUSTRATOR WEBSITES

Ken Baker -- www.bravemonster.com
Ann Edwards Cannon -- www.aecannon.com
Chris Crowe -- www.chriscrowe.com
Alane Ferguson -- www.alaneferguson.com
Mette Ivie Harrison -- www.metteivieharrison.com
Sherry Meidell -- www.sherrymeidell.com
Julie Olson -- www.jujubeeillustrations.com
Gloria Skurzynski -- gloriabooks.com
Will Terry -- www.willterry.com
Rick Walton -- www.rickwalton.com
Carol Lynch Williams -- www.carollynchwilliams.com
Randall Wright -- www.booksbywright.com


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AUTHOR INTERVIEW--KEN BAKER


1-- Why did you decide to become a writer?

It's simple. I love to write. I love the fun and excitement of creating and exploring my own imaginary worlds and characters.

2_--Who is your favorite character that you have written?

My favorite character is from a book yet to be published. His name is Benny Buffoni. He's the kind of guy that always gets picked last for games and such. He acts like a class clown, but hardly anyone ever laughs at his jokes. Even though he doesn't have a lot of friends, he's friendly, thoughtful of others and has a lot of determination to try to succeed.

3--If you could change one thing about being a writer, what would it be?

It's probably the same wish of many writers, to not be at the mercy of publishers in deciding which of my books will or will not be published.

4-- Do you remember the very first piece of fiction you wrote?

The first piece of serious fiction that I wrote was shortly after I graduated from college. It was a high fantasy novel geared toward the YA or Adult market. However, I'm not sure that was the first fiction that I wrote. In high school I wrote a lot of lyrics for songs that I played on my guitar. When I was really young, I wrote a lot really awful poems that made their way into birthday and Christmas cards for my parents.

5-- Who are your favorite authors?

Some of my favorite children's authors include Jon Scieska, C.S.
Lewis, Roald Dahl, and Barbara Park.

6--Do you have any specific goals as a writer?

Yes, to some day actually make aliving writing children's books.

7-- What was your favorite book as a child?

As a teenager, my favorite books were the Lord of the Rings books.
As a young child, before I could read, I loved the Curious George books. Every time my Mom would take me to the library I would head straight for the Curious George books and take several home.

8-- What are you working on now?

I'm always trying to develop new ideas for picture books and reworking ones that I've already written. I'm also in the middle of working on a middle grade fantasy book.

9--Do you ever write about UT?

Not really, but sometimes I take ideas from the different places I visit inside and outside of Utah for the settings of my stories.

10--What is the hardest thing about being a writer?

To keep on writing when you get rejection letter after rejection letter. I haven't decided what kind of rejection letter is worse, the form letter rejection or the personal rejections that state how much they love your book, but they can't publish it because the publisher is changing their focus, or their list is already full, or whatever other reason seems to stand in the way.

11-- What is the easiest thing about being a writer?

Is there anything easy about being a writer?

12--What good advice do you have for people who want to be writers?

Develop your writing skill through writing, reading, and research. Join critique groups and attend conferences to learn from others. Lastly, believe in yourself, keep on working at it and never give up.
 

For more about Ken check out his website at www.bravemonster.com
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Are you, or do you know an author or illustrator of books for young readers? Are you sponsoring a children's literature related event? Is there something else related to this list that we should announce? Send announcements to rick@rickwalton.com.

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