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Yes, I am hiding my head in shame for being so late with this post. I have nothing to say for myself, except, here is the rest of this week’s events:

TODAY! NOVEMBER 12, Thursday, 10:00 AM

Blue Willow Bookshop
Kathy Duval, PB Author

Join local author Kathy Duval for a special story time as she read her new picture book A BEAR’S YEAR. In this gorgeous, lyrical celebration about the passing of seasons, readers will follow a mother bear and her cubs through the course of a year. Deep in her den under a snowflake blanket, Mama snuggles her newborn babies. When spring arrives, the bears awaken and emerge from their lair, and as the weather warms to summer, Mama teaches her young ones to fish, gather berries, and dig for roots. Then, in fall, the leaves turn gold, food grows scarce, and the family prepares for hibernation and the coming winter.

TODAY! NOVEMBER 12-NOVEMBER 15, SUNDAY
ERJCC, 5601 S Braeswood Blvd.
Lynn Abrahms, PB Author

Local author Lynn Abrams has been selected to be one of the “Local Literati” who will be featured at the 43rd annual ERJCC Book & Arts Fair. Her new picture book, the fifth in her Ten Dinosaurs series, THE JOLLY DINOSAUR CARNIVAL, will be available in the children’s section of the book store for the duration of the Book Fair. The previous books in the series will also be available. In THE JOLLY DINOSAUR CARNIVAL, The Ten Dinosaurs and their friend Turtle are holding a Carnival. They are having lots of fun playing games, having their picture drawn, and going on cool rides. But one Dinosaur is missing and will only be found at the end of the book.

TODAY! NOVEMBER 12, Thursday, 7:00 PM
Blue Willow Bookshop
Joelle Charbonneau, YA Author

Joelle Charbonneau will discuss and sign her new novel for young adults, NEED. Teenagers at Wisconsin’s Nottawa High School are drawn deeper into a social networking site that promises to grant their every need . . . regardless of the consequences. Soon the site turns sinister, with simple pranks escalating to malicious crimes. The body count rises. In this chilling YA thriller, the author of the best-selling TESTING trilogy examines not only the dark side of social media, but the dark side of human nature?

NOVEMBER 14, SATURDAY, 11:00 AM
Blue Willow Bookshop
Four Authors from Pelican Publishing

Blue Willow Bookshop celebrates 4 Houston-based authors from Pelican Publishing. Jo and Josephine Harper, authors of WHISTLING WILLIE FROM AMARILLO, TEXAS, Roberta Baird, illustrator of RUNAWAY PUMPKIN PIE MAN, and Marci Izard, author of NOURISHING YOUR WHOLE SELF: A Cookbook with Feelings, will meet and greet customers.

NOVEMBER 14, SATURDAY, 10:00 AM-1:00 PM
READ3Zero 6th Annual iWrite Luncheon and Book Signing
Hilton Americas, 1600 Lamar St, Houston
TICKETS: $150 per person
Sponsorship Opportunities Available

The READ3Zero Non-Profit Literacy Organization will hold the 6th Annual I Write Luncheon & Book Signing at the Hilton Americas in Downtown Houston. You are invited to celebrate our 6th Anniversary of publishing children in the 3^rd-12^th grade, thereby furthering READ3Zero’s mission to encourage children to read and write daily.

NOVEMBER 15, SUNDAY, 2:00-5:00 PM
Houston YA/MG Writers Write-In
La Madeleine, Town & Country Village
Cost: FREE; All are welcome!

Grab your laptop or notebook and join us for an afternoon of writing! We’re a group especially for those writing for the middle grade and young adult age groups. We are passionate about helping writers connect with each other, improve their craft, and learn how to market themselves and their work.Our events are always free and are a great place to get plugged into Houston’s writing community. Members include both published authors and those yet to be published from all over the Houston area. Anyone is welcome!

I ♡ critique days! It’s especially nice when we take the time to chat a while before getting into the nitty-gritty of critiques. It seems that having these warm-up talks makes giving and getting critiques a little easier. Plus, it’s just fun to spend a little time catching up with each other. It will soon be the holiday season which is a pretty barren time for author events. Since critique groups often slow down in this busy time as well, I’m storing up my groups’ comments on my current WIP so I’ll have fun revisions to work on in this lean time.

But we’re not there yet, so here’s what’s going on around Houston this week:

NOVEMBER 5, THURSDAY, 2:30-4:00 PM
NASA Johnson Space Center
Marianne Dyson, NF Author

Children’s author, science fiction writer, book reviewer, and former NASA flight controller Marianne Dyson will be speaking to NASA Alumni League about A PASSION FOR SPACE and doing book signing. Marianne will share stories from the first Space Shuttle flights such as the missing tiles on STS-1, the failed fuel cell on STS-2, a space sick crew on STS-3, the first secret payload on STS-4, a fire in Mission Control on STS-5, the Challenger disaster, and future missions to the Moon and Mars. Copies of her memoir, A PASSION FOR SPACE , will be available for sale and signing as well her children’s books. Event is free and at the Gilruth Center, Lone Star Room. Public is welcome, no badge required. Access via Space Center Blvd.

NOVEMBER 5, THURSDAY, 5:00 PM
Outreach Center of West Houston, 725 Bateswood Dr.
Tim Green, J.A. White, Tom Watson, Nate Ball, Annabeth Bondor-Stone, Connor White—MG Authors

The Class Acts tour hits Houston as authors Tim Green, J.A. White, Tom Watson, Nate Ball, Annabeth Bondor-Stone and Connor White play games and talk about their books. To go through the signing line and meet the authors for book personalization, please purchase one of their books from Blue Willow Bookshop. At the time of your purchase, you will be issued a signing line card that indicates your place in line. Your book and signing line card can be picked up at the event.

NOVEMBER 7, SATURDAY, 10:00 AM- 4:00 PM
Writespace
Young Writers Fiction Intensive
COST: $85.00;  Limited to 20 Students Ages 14-19

Instructor Cassandra Rose Clarke will discuss the basics of writing fiction, including getting ideas, creating characters, and telling an exciting story. We’ll talk about some of our favorite works of fiction and discuss what makes those stories tick. And finally, we’ll work through lots of exciting in-session writing exercises that will help spark creativity. With any luck, students will walk away from the workshop ready to tell stories of their own. All fiction genres are welcome, and come prepared to write, read, and have fun!

NOVEMBER 8, SUNDAY, 2:00-5:00 PM
Houston YA/MG Writers Write-In
La Madeleine, Town & Country Village
Cost: FREE; All are welcome!

Grab your laptop or notebook and join us for an afternoon of writing! We’re a group especially for those writing for the middle grade and young adult age groups. We are passionate about helping writers connect with each other, improve their craft, and learn how to market themselves and their work.Our events are always free and are a great place to get plugged into Houston’s writing community. Members include both published authors and those yet to be published from all over the Houston area. Anyone is welcome!

Also, it looks like there might still be time to sign up for Read3Zero’s 6th ANNUAL iWRITE LUNCHEON & BOOK SIGNING on November 14. Tickets are $150 per person. Help celebrate their 6th Anniversary of publishing children in the 3^rd-12^th grade, thereby furthering READ3Zero’s mission to encourage children to read and write daily.

There’s lots going on this week, but I particularly hope you can all come to Blue Willow Bookshop on Saturday for local librarian Sara K. Joiner‘s launch of her debut middle grade novel, AFTER THE ASHES. See you there!

As always, please check the sponsoring bookstore or organization’s website for the most up-to-date information! Here’s what’s going on:

OCTOBER 13, 20, 27, and NOVEMBER 3, TUESDAYS, 7:00-9:00 PM
Writespace
How to Make the Most of a Moment: A Fiction Workshop, with Marian Szczepanski
COST: $95 – $125

Everyone loves a car chase. Or avalanche. Or any rapid-fire action that causes readers to turn pages at warp speed. But sometimes fiction needs to get out of the express lane and allow readers to dwell in—and savor—the moment.

Pace matters when it comes to fully engaging a reader. As the driver of the car that is your story or novel, you decide when it’s time to take a deep breath and slow down. Decelerating from the speed of light to a leisurely stroll, however, shouldn’t cause your narrative to stall. Quite the opposite. If handled correctly, moments of reflection, remembrance, decision-making, and flat-out awe can fuel your plot with greater complexity, enhance your characters with greater depth, and increase overall tension.

OCTOBER 14, WEDNESDAY, 5:00 PM 
Blue Willow Bookshop
Lincoln Peirce, MG Author/Illustrator

Cartoonist/writer and New York Times bestselling author Lincoln Peirce will discuss and sign his new book for kids, BIG NATE: WELCOME TO MY WORLD  . Aspiring cartoonist Nate Wright is eleven years old, four-and-a-half feet tall, and the all-time record holder for detentions in school history. He’s a self-described genius and sixth-grade Renaissance Man who lives with his dad and older sister and enjoys pestering his family and teachers with his sarcasm.

In order to go through the signing line and meet Lincoln Peirce for book personalization, please purchase BIG NATE: WELCOME TO MY WORLD from Blue Willow Bookshop. At the time of your purchase, Blue Willow Bookshop will issue a signing line ticket that indicates your place in line. Your book and signing line ticket can be picked up at the event.

OCTOBER 17, SATURDAY, 10:00 AM-NOON
Houston YA MG Writers at Writespace
COST: FREE

YA/MG meetings are held the third Saturday of the month at Writespace. Join us for discussions of writing craft and the business of publishing books for young readers. This month’s topic is TBA.

OCTOBER 17, SATURDAY, 2:00 PM 
Blue Willow Bookshop
Sara Joiner, MG Author

Local author Sara Joiner will discuss and sign her debut book for kids, AFTER THE ASHES. In 1883, on the island of Java in the Dutch East Indies, thirteen-year-old Katrien Courtland is determined to prove Darwin’s theory of natural selection. When Krakatau suddenly erupts, Katrien knows her only hope of survival is to flee the jungle with the one person she vowed never to befriend.

In order to go through the signing line and meet Sara Joiner for book personalization, please purchase AFTER THE ASHES from Blue Willow Bookshop. At the time of your purchase, Blue Willow Bookshop will issue a signing line ticket that indicates your place in line. Your book and signing line ticket can be picked up at the event.

OCTOBER 18, SUNDAY, 3:00 PM, DOORS OPEN AT 2:30 PM
Johnston Middle School, 10410 Manhattan Drive, Houston
Stefan Pastis, Cartoonist

Inprint Cool Brains! Presents bestselling author and syndicated cartoonist Stefan Pastis. Mr. Pastis will share his fourth book in the popular TIMMY FAILURE series, TIMMY FAILURE: SANITIZED FOR YOUR PROTECTION, for ages 8 -12. After his presentation, he will take questions from the audience, followed by a book sale and signing*, giving fans a chance to visit with him. Books will be available for sale at the event through Blue Willow Bookshop.

OCTOBER 19, SATURDAY, 12:00am-11:59PM
Read Across the Globe
COST: FREE
Volunteer Opportunities Available

Join The Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation, Deloitte LLP, Points of Light, Volunteer Houston, and The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo  and more as they team up to break the Guinness World Record for the number of children read to within a 24-hour period. The current world record is 238,000 children, and this year’s goal is to smash it by reading to 300,000 children across the globe!

OCTOBER 20, TUESDAY, 7:30 PM
Bay Area RWA
Kirkmont MUD Building, 10102 Blackhawk Road
Dawn Temple: Writing Contests: Giving, Getting and Appreciating Good Advice

Time is running out to sign up for The Essential Workshop for Fiction Writers with the Houston chapter of the Society for Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators! This one-day workshop with Kimberly Morris, author of over 60 novels for teen and middle grade audiences as well as screen writing credits for several television shows, will be held September 26 at the beautiful Lanier Theological Library. This workshop is for writers of any genre of fiction; chapter books, middle grade, young adult and adult. Using over 25 years of professional writing experience, Kimberly will teach us the architecture and engineering of plot, a methodical and organized technique for sequencing events, and much, much more! Go here for more information and to register!

I hope to see you there!

Here’s this week’s events:

SEPTEMBER 15, TUESDAY, 7:30 PM
Bay Area RWA
Kirkmont MUD Building, 10102 Blackhawk Road
With author Christie Craig

SEPTEMBER 18, FRIDAY, 5:00
Blue Willow Bookshop
Eoin Colfer & Jonathan Stroud, MG Authors

Blue Willow Bookshop welcomes two NYT bestselling authors of books for kids, Eoin Colfer and Jonathan Stroud, as they present their newest books. Please visit Blue Willow’s website for important information about this event!

Eoin Colfer: WARP 3: THE FOREVER MAN: Riley, an orphan boy living in Victorian London, has achieved his dream of becoming a renowned magician, the Great Savano. He owes much of his success to Chevie, a seventeen-year-old FBI agent who traveled from the future in a time pod and helped him defeat his murderous master, Albert Garrick. But it is difficult for Riley to enjoy his new life, for he has always believed that Garrick will someday, somehow, return to seek vengeance.

Chevie has assured Riley that Garrick was sucked into a temporal wormhole, never to emerge. The full nature of the wormhole has never been understood, however, and just as a human body will reject an unsuitable transplant, the wormhole eventually spat him out. By the time Garrick makes it back to Victorian London, he has been planning his revenge on Riley for centuries. But even the best-laid plans can go awry, and when the three are tossed once more into the wormhole, they end up in a highly paranoid Puritan village where everything is turned upside down. Chevie is accused of being a witch, Garrick is lauded as the town’s protector, and . . . is that a talking dog? Riley will need to rely on his reserve of magic tricks to save Chevie and destroy his former master once and for all.

Jonathan Stroud: LOCKWOOD & CO., BOOK 3: THE HOLLOW BOY : As a massive outbreak of supernatural Visitors baffles Scotland Yard and causes protests throughout London, Lockwood & Co. continue to demonstrate their effectiveness in exterminating spirits. Anthony Lockwood is dashing, George insightful, and Lucy dynamic, while the skull in the jar utters sardonic advice from the sidelines. There is a new spirit of openness in the team now that Lockwood has shared some of his childhood secrets, and Lucy is feeling more and more as if her true home is at Portland Row. It comes as a great shock, then, when Lockwood and George introduce her to an annoyingly perky and hyper-efficient new assistant, Holly Munro.

Meanwhile, there are reports of many new hauntings, including a house where bloody footprints are appearing, and a department store full of strange sounds and shadowy figures. But ghosts seem to be the least of Lockwood & Co.’s concerns when assassins attack during a carnival in the center of the city. Can the team get past their personal issues to save the day on all fronts, or will bad feelings attract yet more trouble?

SEPTEMBER 19, SATURDAY, 9:00 AM-4:00 PM
Bay Area RWA
South Shore Harbour Resort, League City
Starfish Writers Conference Featuring Sarah MacLean
Cost: Members $30, Nonmembers $50

Mastering the Art of Great Conflict. We know that the wallflower makes the perfect heroine for the rake; that the vampire makes the perfect hero for the vampire hunter; that the thief makes the perfect match for the detective. These matches work because of their innate initial conflict, but how do we keep conflict alive for an entire book?
Dialogue. Effective dialogue keeps your readers reading by keeping your characters talking.
Conquering High Concept. Sarah MacLean will be joined by bestselling author Sophie Jordan as they demystify the term “high concept” and provide concrete techniques, tips, and tricks to keep your stories big, your writing sharp, and your manuscripts selling.

SEPTEMBER 19, SATURDAY, 10:00 AM-NOON
Houston YA MG Writers
Cafe Express, Town & Country Village
COST: FREE

YA/MG Write-In! Join other Houston area writers of children’s and young adult literature. Grab some breakfast to nourish your muse, then the silent writing sessions will start at 10:15. Come early, come late, but come ready to make words!

SEPTEMBER 19, Saturday, 11:00 AM
Blue Willow Bookshop
Audrey Wood, PB Author, Don Wood, Illustrator

Please visit Blue Willow’s website for important information about his event!
Also appearing SEPTEMBER 20, Sunday,2:00 PM
Barnes & Noble, The Woodlands

Audrey and Don Wood will discuss and sign their new picture book, FULL MOON AT THE NAPPING HOUSE. In the wide-awake bed in the full-moon house, everyone is restless. The moonlight is pouring in and no one can get to sleep: not Granny, her grandchild, the dog, the cat, or even a mouse. It’s not until a tiny musical visitor offers up a soothing song does the menagerie settle down, and finally everyone is off to dreamland.

SEPTEMBER 19, SATURDAY, 1:00-4:00 PM
Writespace
Writing Workshop with Cassandra Rose Clarke
COST: $75 Members, $95 Non-members

Nothing keeps a reader turning pages like tension! In this three-hour workshop, we’ll consider how writers can effectively build tension in their writing. Together, we’ll discuss the elements of tension, from cliff hangers to pacing, from character motivations to story stakes. We’ll dissect some high-tension examples from published stories and participate in several writing exercises in order to put these elements to work. Bring a laptop or pen and paper and be prepared to write, share, and try new things!

We’re fresh out of author visits this week, but we have several writing workshops to take up the slack!

AUGUST 18, TUESDAY, 7:30 PM
Bay Area RWA
Kirkmont MUD Building, 10102 Blackhawk Road
Fernanda Brady: Conflict

In this presentation, Fern Brrady will discuss how the four types of conflict can be integrated within individual scenes to add depth and tension. Come prepared with your work in progress, if you want to try the technique out as a revision strategy or come ready to write. The objective is for each participant to be able to use the strategy and discuss its impact on the story.

AUGUST 19, WEDNESDAY, 6:00-8:00 PM
Writers in the Schools
Sparrow Bar + Cookshop, 3701 Travis St, Houston, TX 77002
Night WrITerS at Sparrow Bar + Cookshop
Cost: FREE; Cash Bar

Join Writers in the Schools for a free creative writing series. With an interactive workshop led by a WITS writer, Night WrITers is a fun happy hour in support of a creative cause! A special thanks to Chef Monica Pope and Sparrow Bar + Cookshop for generously providing appetizers! Cash bar. No charge, donations always appreciated.

AUGUST 22, SATURDAY, 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Houston YA/MG Monthly Meeting at Writespace
Cost: FREE; All are welcome!

The first page of your story is your first impression, so what makes a good one? We’ll look at some YA and MG first pages that stand out and discuss takeaways to use in our own writing. If you have a first page (or first paragraph even) that you love, bring a few copies to share with the group. Please also bring your own first page to self-evaluate during some writing exercises (sharing is optional).

AUGUST 22, SATURDAY, 2:00-5:00 PM
Museum of Fine Arts Houston, Farish Classroom on the lower level of the Beck Building
Elizabeth White-Olsen: Art + Writing: “Shadow Monsters” & American Art
Cost: $45-$50

Writers have always been inspired by art—from Homer to Dostoyevsky, Herman Melville to W. H. Auden. This writing workshop begins with artist Philip Worthington’s interactive installation Shadow Monsters. Inspired by its improvisational playfulness, participants explore writing prompts. Next comes a visit to the Museum’s galleries of American art to view and create stories about a wide range of paintings and sculptures—some traditional, some innovative.

Whether you are new to writing or looking to infuse your current writing practice with new ideas, this workshop for adults (ages 18 and older) delivers an exciting adventure in writing and art to invigorate creative energies. Meet in Farish Classroom on the lower level of the Beck Building. Sponsored by Writespace.

AUGUST 23, SATURDAY, 11:30 AM-2:30 PM
Writespace
Adrienne Perry: Digging the Well: Building Emotional Content in Our Work
Cost: $30-$45

Why is it that our story ideas sing in our imaginations, but then sound flat when we move to the page? Sometimes we can chalk that discrepancy up to the ups and downs of the writing process; it’s just what happens when we move from the kernel for a story to drafting and revision, and eventually it works itself out. At other times, the gap is due to a lack of emotional content. We’ve generated characters, a setting, they’re talking to each other, they even have some problems, but we find that while we’re accruing details, we’re not accruing depth. Building emotional content isn’t about getting all of our characters on a therapist’s couch. It’s about looking at what we’ve written and finding the traces of deep desire, power play, values, and fruitful contradiction within those pages. From there, we find ways to subtly turn those traces into a source of power and purpose in our story. In the class, we’ll do this through exercises, discussion, and by lending a keen eye to our own work.

AUGUST 25, TUESDAY, 6:30-8:30 PM
The Houston Writers’ Guild
Trini Mendenhall Community Center, 1414 Wirt Rd.
Julian Kindred: Growing the Architectural Writer: Helping “Plotters” Breathe Life into their Plots
Cost:$10 Members; $20 Nonmembers; $5 Students w/ID.

Writers tend to fall into one of two categories: gardeners and architects. The latter group is also called “plotters” for their meticulous plotting and careful structural setup. This workshop is for the second group, and will examine methods and techniques for helping these writers grow their characters into their plots so that they come to life and feel like more than pieces of the plot-machine.

All over the world this week, fans of TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD are celebrating the release of GO SET A WATCHMAN. I haven’t gotten my copy yet, so I’m watching twitter and facebook with one eye closed to avoid seeing spoilers. Instead, I’ve been busy reading and critiquing manuscripts by two of my writer friends. This is one of the best parts of being a writer: getting to see exciting new manuscripts years before the rest of the world gets to see the published book (publishing takes forever). I love this!

We have a couple of author events this week, plus FIVE writing events! Hurray!

JULY 14, TUESDAY, 6:30-8:30 PM
The Houston Writers’ Guild
Trini Mendenhall Community Center, 1414 Wirt Rd.
Julian Kindred: Crafting Characters and What Makes Them Compelling
Cost:$10 Members; $20 Nonmembers; $5 Students w/ID.

Characters are the driving force behind any literary work. No plot is complete without a compelling  individual or  group of individuals  to drive it forward. In this workshop, we will examine the art of crafting characters who engage the reader by examining the use of voice, flaws, and motives. Exercises will explore the creation process and developing your characters and their relationships with the world around them.

JULY 15, WEDNESDAY, 7:30-9:00 PM
Writespace
Andreana Binder: Music and Writing
Level: Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced; Cap: 12
Cost: $20-$25

Many writers find that writing in a room filled with music unleashes new ideas. For some writers music helps them connect with the rhythmic and sonic qualities of language, while for others music relaxes them and opens the door for the subconscious to deliver its wonderful surprises. Whether you write to music often or you have never written to music before, this workshop will help you connect with your story, essay, or poems in new ways. Participants will listen to varying tempos of ambient and instrumental music and free-write about what comes to mind based on the melodies. This will be an opportunity to see how music can inspire, transform, and enhance writing projects. Those with an existing project, please bring a draft. Those without existing projects may use this workshop as a way to inspire their next project. Writers of all experience levels are welcome.

July 15, Wednesday, 7:00 pm
Blue Willow Bookshop
Mary Pearson, YA Author

Mary Pearson will discuss and sign her new book THE HEART OF BETRAYAL. Held captive in the barbarian kingdom of Venda, Lia and Rafe have little chance of escape, and even less of being together. Desperate to save her life, Lia’s erstwhile assassin, Kaden, has told the Vendan Komisar that she has a magical gift, and the Komisar’s interest in Lia is greater than either Kaden or Lia foresaw. Meanwhile, the foundations of Lia’s deeply-held beliefs are crumbling beneath her. Nothing is straightforward: there’s Rafe, who lied to her, but has sacrificed his freedom to protect her; Kaden, who meant to assassinate her but has now saved her life; and the Vendans, whom she always believed to be barbarians but whom she now realizes are people who have been terribly brutalized by the kingdoms of Dalbreck and Morrighan. Wrestling with her upbringing, her gift, and her very sense of self, Lia will have to make powerful choices that affect her country, her people, and her own destiny.

JULY 18, SATURDAY, 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Houston YA/MG
At Writespace
Cost: FREE; All are welcome!

Monthly meeting including a craft talk at Writespace. This month’s program has not yet been announced.

JULY 18, SATURDAY, 1:00-4:00 PM
Writespace
K.J. Russell: The Secrets of Effective Characterization
Cost: $30-$45

When we write, it can be easy to stumble into the trap of creating characters we’ve come across before, but often these characters are stereotypes or caricatures. Populating a story with characters that seem unique and truly alive, that draw readers irrevocably into the story’s fictive world can be a challenge. In this workshop, K.J. Russell will teach you how to easily render fully-formed characters, so that every character, including your minor characters, becomes a chance to add flavor and life. You will learn what makes a character effective, the difference between a character and a caricature, and how to render a fascinating portrayal that takes seconds to write, yet stays with a reader for the length of your work. Come learn the tools you need to vitalize your heroes from page one and to transform your minor characters into major assets.

JULY 18, SATURDAY, 1:30-5:30 PM
Inprint
Jennifer Mathieu: Young Adult Fiction
Cost: $90

Writing Real Teenagers for Real Teenage Readers (and Adult Readers, Too!)
It’s hard to deny that realistic teen fiction is having a moment.  In recent years books like John Green’s The Fault in Our Stars and Rainbow Rowell’s Eleanor & Park have captured the hearts of teenage readers as well as readers whose high school years are long behind them.  But how can an adult writer craft an authentic teenager as protagonist?  How do we, as grown-ups, write stories full of the tension, excitement, longing and frustration that come with being 16?

This four-hour workshop focuses on writing realistic contemporary fiction for young adults.  We’ll spend time in class studying two mentor texts and discussing how and why they work, including analyzing the voice, characterization, setting, structure, pacing and plot.  Participants will have time to write in class, applying our conversations to an existing work in progress, or they may choose to respond to an exercise or two.  Sharing is optional but encouraged.  Participants will leave with a reading list of some of the best contemporary young adult fiction from recent years as well as resources on the querying and publishing process.

July 18, Saturday, 2:00 PM
Blue Willow Bookshop
Kim O’Brien, YA Author

Kim O’Brien will discuss and sign her new YA novel, BONE DEEP. When Paige Patterson travels to Arizona to spend the summer with her archeologist father, she expects answers. Why did her parents divorce? Why did her father choose his career over family? She doesn’t expect to be reunited with her best friend Emily Linton, or to find herself falling for the project manager’s son, Jalen Yazzi. But the summer takes a terrible turn when Emily vanishes. As the police struggle for answers, Paige sets out to find the truth.

The search takes Paige from the Cliffside ruins of prehistoric Native Americans to the Navajo Nation to the horrifying possibility that the answer is much closer to home. Her father has no alibi for the night Emily disappeared. An intern with the motive insists he’s innocent. And Jalen has secrets of his own. Old bones might not be the only things buried in the ruins. As Paige digs deeper into Emily’s disappearance, she realizes that uncovering the truth may cost her everything—even her life.

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It’s finally here! This weekend is the SCBWI Houston conference! All the details are in place, agents, editors, authors and illustrators will be flying and driving into Houston for the big weekend. If you haven’t registered, there is room for walk-ins Saturday morning. Come to the Westin at Memorial City and find out what it takes to be an author or illustrator for children’s and young adult literature! (Art by Diandra Mae.)

The Houston Public Library is offering an exciting opportunity:

Win a Lunch with Jon Scieszka!

Create an art masterpiece inspired by one of the many books written by the award-winning, world-famous author Jon Scieszka! Fifty winners and one adult guest each will be treated to a catered lunch 
with Jon Scieszka and receive an autographed copy of “Frank Einstein & the Antimatter Motor!” This once-in-a-lifetime opportunity is scheduled to take place prior to the kickoff of the 6th Annual Books Alive! Children’s Book Celebration on Saturday, May 16, 2015.

Deadline: Friday, May 1, 2015
Winners will be notified by Friday, May 8, 2015.

For more information visit the Books Alive! Contest.

Now for this week’s author visits:

April 14, Tuesday,  5:00 PM
Blue Willow Bookshop
Kimberly Willis Holt, MG/YA Author

Kimberly Willis Holt will discuss and sign her newest novel for kids, DEAR HANK WILLIAMS. It’s 1948 in Rippling Creek, Louisiana, and Tate P. Ellerbee’s new teacher has just given her class an assignment–learning the art of letter-writing. Luckily, Tate has the perfect pen pal in mind: Hank Williams, a country music singer whose star has just begun to rise. Tate and her great-aunt and -uncle listen to him on the radio every Saturday night, and Tate just knows that she and Hank are kindred spirits.

April 16, Thursday, 6:30PM
Murder By The Boook
David Baldacci, YA Author

Worldwide bestselling novelist David Baldacci will sign and discuss THE FINISHER (Scholastic). Vega Jane has never left the village of Wormwood. But this isn’t unusual, nobody has ever left the village of Wormwood. At least not until Quentin Herms vanishes into the unknown. Vega knows Quentin didn’t just leave, but that he was chased. And he’s left behind a very dangerous trail of clues that only she can decode. The Quag is a dark forest filled with terrifying beasts and bloodthirsty Outliers. But just as deadly are the threats that exist within the walls of Wormwood. It is a place built on lies, where influential people are willing to kill to keep their secrets. Vega is determined to uncover the truth. But the closer she gets, the more she risks her life.

Thursday, April 16, 7:00 PM
Brazos Bookstore
Meredith Moore, YA Author

Houston author Meredith Moore will sign her debut YA novel, I AM HER REVENGE. She can be anyone you want her to be.
Vivian was raised with one purpose in life: to exact revenge on behalf of her mother. Manipulative and cruel, Mother has deprived Vivian not only of a childhood, but of an original identity. With an endless arsenal of enticing personalities at her disposal, Vivian is a veritable weapon of deception.

And she can destroy anyone.
When it’s time to strike, she enrolls in a boarding school on the English moors, where she will zero in on her target: sweet and innocent Ben, the son of the man who broke Mother’s heart twenty years ago.

Anyone…except for the woman who created her.
With every secret she uncovers, Vivian comes one step closer to learning who she really is. But the more she learns about herself, the more dangerous this cat and mouse game becomes. Because Mother will stop at nothing to make sure the truth dies with her.

April 16, Thursday, 7:00 PM
Texas A&M, Langford Building
The Neuland Concept Designers
Cost: FREE!

SCBWI Brazos Valley Illustrator Event: The Neuland Concept Designers

Concept designers Margaret Wuller and Patrick Hannenberger will discuss their work for film projects such as The Croods, Rise of the Guardians, Monsters vs. Aliens, and How to Train Your Dragon. The free public lecture begins at 7 p.m. in the Geren Auditorium at the College of Architecture on the A&M campus.

April 18, Saturday, 10:00 AM
Houston YA/MG Writers
Writespace: Silver Street Studios – Studio 212

Cassandra Clark: Workshop: Engaging Your Reader Through Tension
Cost: FREE!

Tension may be a bad thing in our personal lives, but it’s a necessity in our writing. Nothing engages a reader like tension! This month, YA and adult science fiction and fantasy writer Cassandra Rose Clarke will show us how writers can effectively build tension throughout their work. We’ll consider how to up the tension through the internal and external elements of the story, from cliff-hangers to pacing and from character motivations to story stakes. We’ll leave with the tools to keep readers turning pages until late into the night!

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Sorry I forgot to post this yesterday! It was a busy critique day

Here’s what’s going on this week for readers and writers:

February 21, Saturday, 10:00 AM
Writespace
Writers’ Workshop, Diane Salerni
Cost: FREE

Houston YA/MG Writers presents a free workshop with YA Author Dianne Salerni: Crafting A Series for Teens And Tweens

February 21, Saturday, 1:00-4:00 PM
Writespace
Writers’ Workshop with Cassandra Rose Clarke
Cost: $30.00 – $45.00

Writespace presents Crafting Effective Prose. All stories require fascinating characters and a compelling plot to be successful. But how do we reveal those characters and stories? Movies get images, music, and sound. Comic books get art and writing. Prose fiction, though, just gets words.

In this workshop, we’ll examine these powerful building blocks of fiction by focusing on the importance of effective prose. How can the prose of a story highlight and enhance classic story elements like character, structure, and plot arcs? How many metaphors are too many?  Should we all just be trying to write like Hemingway? Through a combination of writing exercises and discussion of classic examples of effective prose, we’ll answer these questions and more.

February 21, Saturday, 9:00 AM.-4:00 PM
Lone Star College – Montgomery, Conroe, TX
Montgomery County Book Festival

The Montgomery County Book Festival is an annual free event for all ages. YA author Ellen Hopkins will give the keynote address. There will be three author discussion panels featuring Texas children’s/YA authors Dianna H. Aston, Kari Anne Holt, Lara Chapman, Lindsay Cummings, Emily McKay, Michelle Madow, Meg Gardiner, Kim O’Brien, Joy Preble, A.G. Howard, Victoria Scott, Beth Fehlbaum, Jennifer Mathieu, Julie Murphy, Varsha Bajaj, Lindsey Lane, C.C. Hunter, Kristin Rae, Rachel Harris and Mari Mancusi. For a full list of participating authors, please see the festival’s website. Topics being discussed include romance, mysteries, writing children’s literature, graphic novels and censorship. There will also be two workshops for writers/illustrators: Creating Comics: Words Pictures Comics! and How to Engage Readers with the Teams Writing Strategy. Murder By the Book will be on hand to sell the authors’ books.

February 21, Saturday, 10:00 AM
Blue Willow Bookshop
Polly Holyoke , MG Author

Polly Holyoke will discuss and sign her novel THE NEPTUNE PROJECT. Nere has never understood why she feels so much more comfortable and confident in water than on land, but everything falls into place when Nere learns that she is one of a group of kids who, unbeknownst to themselves, have been genetically altered to survive in the ocean. These products of “The Neptune Project” will be able to build a better future under the sea, safe from the barren country’s famine, wars, and harsh laws.

But there are some very big problems: no one asked Nere if she wanted to be a science experiment, the other Neptune kids aren’t exactly the friendliest bunch, and in order to reach the safe haven of the Neptune colony, Nere and her fellow mutates must swim through hundreds of miles of dangerous waters, relying only on their wits, dolphins, and each other to evade terrifying undersea creatures and a government that will stop at nothing to capture the Neptune kids…dead or alive.

Fierce battles and daring escapes abound as Nere and her friends race to safety in this action-packed aquatic adventure.

February 22, Sunday, 1:00 PM
Barnes & Noble, River Oaks Shopping Center
Ella Leya, YA Author

Join us young adult author Ella Leya for a reading and signing of her new novel. Set at the crossroads of Turkish, Persian and Russian cultures under the red flag of Communism in the late 1970s,  THE ORPHAN SKY reveals one young woman’s struggle to reconcile her ideals with the corrupt world around her, and to decide whether to betray her country or her heart.

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I think these will be the last events for 2014. December is a tough month for special events, so I hope each of these has a great turnout. I want to say a big THANK YOU! to all the stores, libraries and organizations that have hosted writer/illustrator events in the Greater Houston Area this year.

December 9, Tuesday, 4:00-6:00 PM
River Oaks Barnes & Noble
Dee Leone, PB Author

Dee Leone will be signing BIZZ & BUZZ MAKE HONEY BUNS for the William B. Travis Elementary School book fair. Book fair purchases that day will benefit the school.

December 13, Saturday, 11:00AM-4:00 PM
Teacups & Tadpoles, The Woodlands
Sandra Howatt, PB Author

Author Sandra Howatt will be signing her sweet, snuggly, and silly bedtime book SLEEPYHEADS.

The sun has set, and sleepyheads all across the land are tucked into their cozy beds.
Rabbit is snoozing in the weeds, and Duck is snuggled in the reeds.
Bear is nestled in his cave, and Otter is rocking on a wave.
But there’s one little sleepyhead who’s not in his bed.
Where, oh where, could he be?

December 13, Saturday, NOON- 4:00 PM 
Loosecan Library
Houston YA/MG & Houston Writers’ Guild
Workshop: “Software Will Save your (Writing) Life: Using Scrivener Effectively”

Think Microsoft Word is sufficient for your manuscript? Wondering if you need specialized creative writing software? Downloaded Scrivener but not sure where to start? Using Scrivener but want to take it up a level?

Regardless of where you are, Jess Capelle and Sharon Morse will help ease you out of your comfort zone and see how much easier your writing life can be with Scrivener, whether you’re starting from scratch on a new project or importing an existing one. They’ll cover how Scrivener can help with every step of the writing process from brainstorming to formatting for e-books, demystifying the program and helping you get the most out of it. Jessica and Sharon will cover basic and intermediate level tips for both PC and Mac.

While previous knowledge of Scrivener is not a requirement for this presentation, please visit http://www.literatureandlatte.com/scrivener.php and read a little about the features and download a trial version of the software. We will be doing live demonstrations during the presentation which you’ll be able to follow along with on your own computer.

December 13, Saturday, 1:00-4:00 PM
Writespace
Joy Preble, YA Author, Workshop: How to Find an Agent
Cost: $35
CAP: 14

For those serious about publishing a novel with a traditional press, the next step after writing a polished manuscript is to find a literary agent to represent you and your work. This two-hour workshop will break down the often daunting and highly competitive process of seeking representation. We will examine what an agent does and doesn’t do when he or she agrees to represent your work, as well as what exactly it takes to find the perfect match between author and agent. In this workshop, we will cover the most crucial aspects of the process of finding and your dream agent, from networking to research to query letters and more.

December 13 & 20, Saturday, 2:00 PM
Express Theatre
Patricia Barry Rumble’s Holiday Play, Little Scrooge 
Tickets: $10, $9 for seniors, $8 each for groups of 10. RSVP: 713 682 5044

In Little Scrooge, Patricia Barry Rumble’s adaption the Dickens’ classic A Christmas Carol, an adolescent boy strikes it rich by inventing a popular phone app but loses sight of what really matters in life; Love & Friendship. Visited by three ghosts of Christmas, Little Eben soon realizes the true meaning of Christmas. Suitable for All Ages/Recommended for Pre-Kindergarten and up.

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It’s another full weekend, and what better way to spend a chilly Saturday than hanging out with authors and their books? Perhaps all the bookstore-hopping will inspire you to join the NaNoWriMo write-in on Sunday!

November 15, Saturday, 9:00 AM
Barnes & Noble, Westheimer
George Arnold, MG Author

Author George Arnold signs his new book for young readers, KREMLIN KERFUFFLE: KOSHKI OF THE CIA , the seventh book in his ‘Cats of the CIA‘ series.In this seventh story in the Cats of the CIA set, Buzzer Louis, Cincinnati the dancing pig, Dusty Louise, and the kitten twins—Luigi and Luisa—are dispatched secretly to Moscow to help the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) track down the opium smuggling panda from China, Ar-Chee. In Moscow, our secret agents confront a spy-turned-traitor, turned-patriot named Natasha, who presents an ongoing puzzle for them. With the help of Boris Alexandrovich, head of the FSB, and Vladimir Putin, president of the Russian Federation, our heroes set a trap for the panda. A trap designed by Luigi and Luisa that’s sure to snare Ar-Chee.

In the process of tracking down Ar-Chee, the heroes learn to speak considerable Russian. You will, too, with a 750-word and–phrase vocabulary and pronunciation guide in Russian, built right into the story.

November 15, Saturday, 9:00AM– 6:00 PM
Houston Book Rave

Houston Book Rave is a unique experience where readers  can meet with their favorite authors in person. YA authors Rose Garcia, Dax Varley, Rachel Harris, Cheyanne Young, Brooklyn Skye, Jordan Deen, Julie Cross, Lara Chapman, Ted Goeglein, Venessa Kimball, Joy Preble and Colleen Houck will be in attendance. There will also be a Special Discussion Panel with Jennifer L. Armentrout and cover model Pepe Toth between 4:00-5:00PM. There will also be entertainment, exclusive giveaways, exclusive early book releases and delicious food.

November 15, Saturday, 10:00 AM
Writespace
Houston YA/MG Writers Workshop
Cost: FREE

Getting to the Heart of Your Story: Strategies for Pitching and Summarizing
What is the heart of your story? One skill all writers need is the ability to distill stories into the basic elements, whether it’s to submit to an agent or editor, or to re-focus before starting a revision. In this meeting, the Houston YA/MG Writers will be looking at three examples of this: the short pitch or logline, the query description, and the one-page synopsis. We’ll study examples (both what to do and not to do) and learn some tips and tricks for working with our own manuscripts.

November 15, Saturday, 2:00-4:00 PM   
Barnes & Noble River Oaks
Three Children’s Authors

Dee Leone (BIZZ AND BUZZ MAKE HONEY BUNS), Mandy Broughton (THE ALPHABET GIRLS Series), and Rebecca Nolen (THE DRY) will be signing their books as part of a book fair to benefit River Oaks Elementary School. The school gets credit for any books bought all that day that are turned in with a slip designating it is part of the book fair.

November 15, Saturday
SketchCrawl

For illustrators who would like to participate in a SketchCrawl, this month’s location is Trader’s Village: 25th Annual Native American Championship Pow Wow. For information, contact the SCBWI Houston Illustrator Coordinator, Diandra Mae at: scbwi (dot) hic (at) gmail (dot) com.

November 16, Sunday, 2:00-5:00 PM
Town & Country La Madeleine, 770 W Sam Houston Pkwy N
NaNoWriMo Write-Ins

Join the Houston YA/MG Writers for a NaNoWriMo write-in (even if you don’t write YA or MG)! Bring your muse, writing materials, and enough money for a cup of coffee. We’ll have 50 minute silent writing sessions with 10 minute chat breaks. No commitment required; come when you can, leave when you must. Words written and sessions attended will be counted. At the end of NaNo, the highest word counts and attendance will be rewarded! Look for the group sitting near the back staring at their laptops!

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We have three great authors coming to Houston this week and a free writing workshop, plus a fist-time event which we hope will become an annual tradition. As always, please check the sponsoring bookstore or organization’s website for the latest, most accurate information.

October 16, Thursday, 7:00 PM
Barnes & Noble The Woodlands
Garth Nix, YA Author

Join Garth Nix to discuss CLARIEL, his thrilling prequel the Old Kingdom series. Clariel is the daughter of one of the most notable families in the Old Kingdom, with blood relations to the Abhorsen and, most important, to the King. She dreams of living a simple life but discovers this is hard to achieve when a dangerous Free Magic creature is loose in the city, her parents want to marry her off to a killer, and there is a plot brewing against the old and withdrawn King Orrikan. When Clariel is drawn into the efforts to find and capture the creature, she finds hidden sorcery within herself, yet it is magic that carries great dangers. Can she rise above the temptation of power, escape the unwanted marriage, and save the King?

October 16, Thursday, 7:00 PM
Blue Willow Bookshop
Scott Westerfeld, YA Author

Scott Westerfeld will discuss and sign AFTERWORLDS, his newest novel for young adults. Darcy Patel has put college on hold to publish her teen novel, AFTERWORLDS. With a contract in hand, she arrives in New York City with no apartment, no friends, and all the wrong clothes. But lucky for Darcy, she is taken under the wings of seasoned and other fledgling writers who help her navigate the city and the world of writing and publishing. Over the course of a year, Darcy finishes her book, faces critique, and falls in love.

Woven into Darcy’s personal story is her novel, AFTERWORLDS, a suspenseful thriller about a teen who slips into the “Afterworld” to survive a terrorist attack. The Afterworld is a place between the living and the dead, where many unsolved—and terrifying—stories need to be reconciled. Darcy’s heroine Lizzie falls in love, but a new threat resurfaces, and Lizzie’s special gifts may not be enough to protect those she cares about most.

October 18, Saturday, 10:00 AM
Writespace
Houston YA/MG Writers Workshop
FREE

Whether you’re participating in National Novel Writing Month or not, fall is a great time to get started on a new project. For the October meeting, we’ll discuss how to plot a new project, including three-act structure, brainstorming, and outlining. We’ll even have some advice for the “pantsers” in the group, and tips and tricks to stay motivated all the way to “The End”. Come ready to discuss what’s worked for you (or not worked for you) in the past and get ready to pick up some new techniques!

October 19, Sunday, Noon-5:00 PM
Rice Village: Greenbriar to Kirby, Rice to University
Better Block Houston

Join local authors to celebrate Houston by re-imagining our public spaces. The Better Block project provides a one-day living workshop of how a “Complete Street‟ works, by actively engaging the community, helping them to visualize better outcomes for the future, and empowering them to provide feedback in real time. Better Block is a fun and interactive demonstration of a “Complete Street” —and what it can do for a neighborhood.

October 19, Sunday, 3:00 PM; Doors open at 2:30 PM
Johnston Middle School, 10410 Manhattan Drive, Houston
Inprint Cool Brains! Series: Author Roland Smith

Inprint Cool Brains! Series presents Roland Smith, author of numerous picture books and young adult books, including the I, Q series, the Storm Runners series, Jack’s Run, Zach’s Lie, Peak, and the riveting Cryptid Hunters saga. In MUTATION, the final thrilling title in Roland Smith’s popular Cryptid Hunters series, monsters of legend come to life!

Marty and his best friend, Luther, have managed to rescue Marty’s cousin Grace from the clutches of the nefarious pseudo-naturalist Noah Blackwood, but their most dangerous mission lies ahead of them. Marty’s parents have been missing in Brazil for months and their trail has all but run cold. With time running out, Marty and the Cryptos Island crew race off for Brazil—where they discover that Noah Blackwood has twisted the natural order of things beyond their wildest, most terrifying dreams.

*Please note that the book signing will be conducted on a first-come, first-served basis. For more information, please see Inprint’s Event Page.

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We have a lot of exciting events this we, from early readers to young adult, authors and illustrators. There is also a free writing workshop, so take notes and mark your calendars. While you’ve got your calendar out, be sure to put a big circle around September 27th for Tweens Read 2014!

September 17, Wednesday, 5:00 PM  
Blue Willow Bookshop
Kelly Light, Author/Illustrator

Kelly will also be appearing at Barnes & Noble, The Woodlands, September 18, Thursday, at 7:00 PM

For fans of Olivia and Eloise, this stunning debut from Kelly Light is an irresistible story about the importance of creativity in all its forms.

Meet Louise. Louise loves art more than anything. It’s her imagination on the outside. She is determined to create a masterpiece–her piece de resistance!

Louise also loves Art, her little brother. This is their story.

September 18, Thursday, 5:00 PM
Blue Willow Bookshop
Michael Fry, Cartoonist/MG Author

Michael Fry will discuss and sign KING KARL (Disney-Hyperion), his newest novel in the ODD SQUAD series for kids. Nick, Molly, and Karl have nowhere to turn but to each other in KING KARL, the latest Odd Squad adventure, and they’ll need every ounce of wit, resourcefulness, and help they can get in order to rise above their biggest challenge yet.

Visit Michael Fry’s website to read the first four chapters of KING KARL.

September 18, Thursday, 6:30 PM
Murder By The Book
Melissa Marr, MG, YA & Adult Author

Melissa Marr will sign and discuss MADE FOR YOU (Harper Collins). Eva Tilling wakes up in the hospital to discover an attempt has been made on her life. But who in her sleepy little North Carolina town could have hit her with their car? And why? Before she can consider the question, she finds that she’s awoken with a strange new skill: the ability to foresee people’s deaths when they touch her. While she is recovering from the hit-and-run, Nate, an old flame, reappears, and the two must traverse their rocky past as they figure out how to use Eva’s power to keep her friends—and themselves—alive.

Visit Melissa Marr’s website to read an excerpt of MADE FOR YOU.

September 20, Saturday, 10:00 AM
Writespace
The Houston YA/MG Writers
Writing Workshop: “More Than Words: Crafting Dialogue with Impact”

Join the Houston YA/MG Writers and YA author Kathleen Bagley for this free workshop! Dialogue is the backbone of character, but it is also notoriously hard to get right. It can be too long, too short, too wordy, too sparse, and, worst of all–sometimes dialogue just doesn’t work. But how does one know if one’s dialogue is working? In this hands-on workshop/lecture, Kathleen will show you several examples of dialogue that DOES work, and we’ll focus on what is done right. I’ll also show you how to cut out lengthy, unnecessary dialogue, and, most importantly of all, how to work with the most important aspect of dialogue: what is left unsaid. (Bring a writing utensil, because you’ll definitely be writing and sharing.)

September 20, Saturday, 1:00 PM 
Blue Willow Bookshop
Mari Mancusi, YA Author

Mari Mancusi will discuss and sign SHATTERED ( Sourcebooks Fire), her newest novel for young adults. Trinity, Connor, and Caleb are holed up in an abandoned West Texas farmhouse. Their only problem is Emmy, a baby dragon who is growing like crazy. When Emmy is caught on tape and the video goes viral, they find themselves on the run again. Their only hope comes from an old map leading to a man who has come from the future to help them.

September 23, Tuesday, 5:00 PM
Blue Willow Bookshop
Cynthia Kadohata, MG Author

 Cynthia Kadohata—author of the Newbery Medal–winning book KIRA-KIRA, the National Book Award winner THE THING ABOUT LUCK, the Jane Addams Peace Award and Pen USA Award winner WEEDFLOWER—will discuss and sign new novel for children HALF A WORLD AWAY. (Atheneum Books for Young Readers).

Eleven-year-old Jaden is adopted, and he knows he’s an “epic fail.” He’s sure that’s why his family is traveling to Kazakhstan to adopt a new baby—to replace him. And he gets it. He is incapable of stopping his stealing, hoarding, lighting fires, aggressive running, and obsession with electricity. He knows his parents love him, but he feels…nothing.

But when they get to Kazakhstan, it turns out the infant they’ve chosen has already been adopted, and literally, within minutes, they are faced with having to choose from among six other babies. While his parents agonize, Jaden is more interested in the toddlers. One, a little guy named Dimash, spies Jaden and barrels over to him every time he sees him. Jaden finds himself increasingly intrigued by and worried about Dimash. Already three years old and barely able to speak, Dimash will soon age out of the orphanage, and then his life will be as hopeless as Jaden feels now. For the first time in his life, Jaden actually feels something that isn’t pure blinding fury, and there’s no way to control it, or its power.

Looking for a writing group in or around Houston? I don’t recall what made me start looking for these groups, but once I got started, I was amazed at how many organized writing groups there are in and around Houston. The groups listed here range from large organizations like SCBWI and The Writers’ Guild to small critique groups, and most of them  have writers of various genres. Many are open to new members, so if you see one in your area that looks like it might be a good fit for you, give them a holler.

Bay Area Writers League (BAWL)
Clear Lake Area Writers (CLAW)
CyFair Writers
Dawn Ireland’s Critique Group
Get Trapped In A Book Writers Group
Houston Science Fiction/Fantasy Writers
Houston Storytellers’ Guild
Houston Writers’ Group at Rice Village
Houston YA/MG Writers
Houston Writers’ Guild
Island Scribes
Monday Night Writers Houston
Mystery Writers of America
Northwest Houston Science Fiction/Fantasy Writers Workshop
Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI)
Texas Comic Creators Consortium
The Final Twist Writers
The Woodlands Writers Guild
The Write Stuff Houston
West Houston Writers Group
White Oak Writers
Write Inside the Loop
Writers and Storytellers Conroe Group
Writers of the Woodlands
Writers on the Storm, ACFW

Don’t quite fit with any of these groups? Grab a few friends and make your own! Name yourselves and get a blog. If you know of others (that have an internet presence) in or near Houston, let me know. I’ll revisit this page from time to time with updates.

We don’t have a lot of author/illustrator events for readers this month, but for writers, it’s a windfall! In case you haven’t heard, we have a new writers’ workshop venue in town Write Space, and they are launching their events this summer with a lineup of workshops for writers of children’s and young adult books.

Also, I want to pass on the news that the Houston Writers Guild Fall Contest is open for submissions July 1 – September 1, 2014. The contest is open to all writers (regardless of publishing status) with original, unpublished work. First place in each category wins $75. Winners will be announced at the 2014 Houston Writers Guild Winter Conference (November 8; details TBA). Everyone will receive score sheets with feedback via email after the winners are announced.

Please note that the first workshop listed is for children; all others are for adults writing for children.

July 12, Saturday, 10:00–3:00 p.m.
Houston Children’s Museum
Melissa Williams, PB Author
Workshop For Kids Ages 8-14
Cost: $135.00

Exercise Your Imagination at the Houston Children’s Museum with Melissa Williams, author of the picture book series, IGGY THE IGUANA, TURTLE TOWN and LITTLE MISS MOLLY! Workshop Includes: Take Home Brainstorming Notebook; 16×20 Painted Canvas; Lunch; Goodie Bag. Register online here.

July 12, 9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
Write Space
Jen Mathieu, YA Author
Workshop: How to Find Your Character’s Voice
Cost: $45.00

Jen Mathieu, author of the runaway hit, THE TRUTH ABOUT ALICE, will lead this writers’ workshop. Heart-stopping plots and detailed settings are important to any memorable story, but a character who becomes real in the heart and mind of the reader leaves a permanent mark. In this three-hour workshop, we’ll spend some time reading and dissecting examples of terrific character voice and complete several writing exercises intended to help develop a character whose story demands to be told. All levels of experience are welcome. Students will leave with a handout of exercises for uncovering a character’s personality, motivations, fears, and dreams as well as a list of suggested readings. Please bring a laptop or notepad and pen/pencil, depending on which instrument you feel most comfortable using for quick writing exercises.

July 19, 10:00-4:30 p.m.
Write Space
Kathy Duval, PB Author
Workshop: Make It Shine! Polish Your Picture Book
Cost: $85.00

Five hundred words— no problem, right? Wrong!
A successful picture book is an art form combining lyrical language and dynamic images, each dependent on the other.  To compete, your work must shine, as well as follow the conventions of today’s crowded market.

This hands-on revision workshop led by Kathy Duval, author of TAKE ME TO YOUR BBQ (Hyperion/Disney) and THE THREE BEARS’ CHRISTMAS and THE THREE BEARS’ HALLOWEEN (Holiday House), will take a fresh look at your characters, setting, plot, and picture book language. Participants will complete exercises to polish their prose, as well as create a dummy to see how your text fits into a picture book format.  Feedback in small groups will help you take your picture book to the next level. Participants will be asked to bring three copies of the same completed picture book manuscript. You will be notified closer to the workshop date about the other supplies you will need for making a dummy.

July 19, Saturday, 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Houston YA/MG Regular Meeting
Community Room at the H.E.B. at 9710 Katy Freeway
Emily Evans, YA Author
Workshop: Tips, Tricks, & Secrets of the Millionaire Author
Free!

Pre-published? Traditionally published? Indie Published?

Employ millionaire-author strategies now so your future is more “party at the Capital” and less “welcome to the Hunger Games.” Houston YA/MG’s own Emily Evans will lead the discussion. Emily has made $150 K indie-publishing her YA novels. Where’d she go wrong? What’s she doing right? Emily will brush off her psych degree and analyze marketing trends, best-seller habits, and pretty much anything else you want to throw out there. So change out of those writing pajamas and join us…

Saturday, July 26, 1:00-4:00 p.m.
Write Space
Workshop: The Power of Point of View
Joy Preble, YA Author
Cost: $45.00

Joy Preble, author of  the Dreaming Anastasia series (Sourcebooks) and the Sweet Dead Life series (Soho Press), will lead this workshop. Point of view is one of the most important choices an author can make because it impacts how readers see and respond to the story. Through whose eyes is the story being told? Through the eyes of a character as he experiences the story’s events (1st person present), through an unnamed narrator (3rd person omniscient), or through a narrator who shares the thoughts of just one character (3rd person limited)?

If a story doesn’t seem to be going anywhere, often the problem lies in point of view. For instance, perhaps we aren’t telling the right character’s story. Or, we are telling the right character’s story, but we aren’t telling her story in the right point of view. When the story is told (before or after events), why it is told, and who does the telling are all powerful decisions each writer must make. It’s easy to give attention to the more glamorous aspects of craft such as character arcs, plot, and tension, but profound discoveries await those willing to explore point of view.

All levels of experience are welcome in this hands-on workshop. To help free up our stories, we will read and analyze examples of point of view in successful novels, and then apply our newfound knowledge to our own writing.

Come prepared to write, revise, and experiment. Please bring the first three to five pages of a novel or short story you’re working on, as well as a laptop or a notepad and pen or pencil.

In celebration of the 95^th annual Children’s Book Week, authors and illustrators showed up at local indie bookstores nationwide to read stories aloud. I’m so glad I had the chance to see the four Texas authors—Crystal Allen, Nikki Loftin, Kathy Duval and Varsha Bajaj—at Blue Willow Bookshop in Houston as they shared their favorite picture books. This event was big fun! All four authors were amazing laugh-out-loud readers and the diversity of the books they selected added so much flavor to the event. Kathy Duval shared SOPHIE’S SQUASH, written by her friend Pat Z. Miller. Nikki Loftin read one of her favorite books from her own childhood, FREDERICK, while Crystal Allen chose a new favorite MY COLD PLUM LEMON PIE BLUESY MOOD and Varsha Bajaj read a book her children had loved, SIXTEEN COWS.

I barely had time to run home and get a few errands done before it was time to be back at Blue Willow for the launch of Joy Preble’s new YA novel, THE A WORD. As usual for Joy’s events, it was a packed house. I think nearly every YA author in Houston (and one from Austin!) was there. After Joy’s lively discussion and book signing, we all headed to Ooo La La for cupcakes, gelato and coffee. A yummy day!

The only downside was that with everything else that was going on, I missed the Houston YA/MG Writers meeting where Jessica Capelle was talking about world building. The good news is that this summer, Jessica will be giving a full day workshop on this topic at Houston’s new hot spot for writers, Writespace.

Coming up this week…

May 20, Tuesday, 5:00 pm
Blue Willow Bookshop
Jarrett Krosoczka, PB Author/Illustrator

Award-winning picture book creator Jarrett Krosoczka will sign his books, including PEANUT BUTTER AND JELLYFISH, his latest picture book—a funny and touching story of friendships old and new, and about being brave enough to apologize. Peanut Butter and Jellyfish are best of friends and swim up, down, around, and through their ocean home. Crabby is their neighbor. He is not their best friend. But when Crabby gets in trouble, will Peanut Butter and Jellyfish come to the rescue? You bet they will!

Wednesday, May 21, 5:00 p.m. 
Blue Willow Bookshop
Chris Gall, Author/Illustrator

Illustrator and author Chris Gall will discuss and sign his newest picture book for kids, DOG vs. CAT. Dog and Cat do not get along. But when they’re forced to share a room, they agree to be on their best behavior…until Dog won’t stop “sniffing.” Cat won’t stop “primping.” Dog won’t stop “howling.” Cat won’t stop “scratching.” And when it comes to the litter-box…sharing is “not” an option! What will it take to bring Dog and Cat together? Find out in Chris Gall’s comic clash that brings out the best (and worst) in two very different pets.

We don’t have any KidLit Author/Illustrator events this week, (although super-writer Brandon Sanderson who has a new YA novel STEELHEART  is at Murder By the Book tonight promoting the newest book in his current series for adults) so I thought I’d let you in on what’s going on around Houston for those who write books for kids and teens.

March 15, 9:00 a.m. Recurring: Third Saturday of each month
Bunker Hill HEB Community Room, 9710 Katy Fwy, Houston, Texas 77055
Houston YAMG Writers Group

Houston YAMG Writers Group is happy to have Elizabeth White of The Writer’s Studio of Houston speaking this month on How to Wow Readers on Page One!

To get an agent’s or an editor’s attention, yes, you need a “hook” that draws them in. Yes, you need flawless prose. And, yes, you need a style of your own and an idea so unique, your readers won’t let go. And, you need something else: you need a terrible problem that catches any reader’s heart, and a character whose pain and desire are achingly evident from the start. Come learn to let the deeper elements of character arise in your first words, so that you hook not just readers’ minds, but their souls. Elizabeth has asked that everyone try to bring in an example of a well-written first page from a novel they love.
Follow Houston YAMG Writers on Twitter!

March 20, Thursday, 7:30 p.m. Recurring
Barnes & Noble, Baybrook II, Webster, TX
BAWL (Bay Area Writers’ League) Critique Group

Members of the Bay Area Writers’ League meet on the first and third Thursday of each month to improve their writing efforts.

March 22, Saturday, 10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
Brazos Valley SCBWI Workshop with Martha Wells
Registration: $20 for SCBWI members /$25 non-members. Seating is limited. Please r.s.v.p: [email protected]

“Writing Speculative Fiction for Kids and Teens,” a morning workshop with acclaimed fantasy author Martha Wells. She will offer her expert overview of speculative fiction, including tips, resources, exercises and practical advice. Bring your questions for a time of Q&A. Copies of Martha’s books will be available for purchase—cash or check only.

March 24, Monday, 7:30 p.m. Recurring
Barnes & Noble, Baybrook II, Webster, TX
SCBWI Critique Group

The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators meets on the second and fourth Monday of each month. Join us as we give and receive feedback on our writing projects!

AND DON”T FORGET!
There is still time to sign up for the awesome writers’ conferences coming up in April:

The Houston Writers Guild Annual Agents & Editors Conference: April 12
Registration
Join

Keynote Presenter—Nikki Loftin (Penguin/Razorbill author of The Sinister Sweetness of Splendid Academy and Nightingale’s Nest)
Pre-conference Workshop (Power Revision, editor Meghan Pinson)
Post-conference Workshops (Author Platform, author Joy Preble).
Agent/editor pitch sessions (Eddie Schneider— JABberwocky, Jennifer Udden—Donald Maass, Pooja Menon—Kimberley Cameron, Stella Riley —Soul Mate Publishing, Dawn Dowdle—Blue Ridge Literary Agency, Jessica Kirkland—Blythe Danield Agency

2014 HOUSTON SOCIETY OF CHILDREN’S BOOK WRITERS AND ILLUSTRATORS CONFERENCE: April 26-27
Registration
Join

Keynote Presenter: Two-time Newbery Honor Winner and NAtional Book Award Finalist Gary D. Schmidt,
Agents: Stephen Barr—Writers House; Stephen Fraser—Jennifer DeChiara Literacy Agency; Natalie Lakosil—Bradford Literary Agency
Editors: Kendra Levin—Senior Editor, Viking Books for Children, Penguin; Jocelyn Davies—Editorial Assistant, HarperCollins;
Julie Ham—Associate Editor, Charlesbridge
Art Director: Jim Hoover—Associate Art Director, Viking Children’s Books, Penguin Group
PLUS: There is still time to sign up for a critique with authors Kathy Duval, Sherry Garland, Joy Preble, and Ana María Rodríguez.

Hey everyone, I want to pass on some tasty info:

Item #1

In case you missed her announcement, Lynne Kelly, author of the upcoming middle grade novel CHAINED, is offering a book club kit giveaway for teachers and librarians. The kit will go to a classroom or reading group and includes ten books, a tote bag, a Skype visit, and bookmarks and signed bookplates for each kid in the group. Lynne will also send bookmarks to everyone who enters. Details and instructions are here in this blog post. Lynne’s contest is open from now until May 1st.

Item #2

If you are in the Houston area, mark your calendars for Saturday, February 18. The Houston YA/MG Writers are hosting a FREE workshop by award winning, multipublished author, Kimberly Ivey.

Purpose, Power and Pizazz!
Learn to organize the components of your book, beginning with visualization of your story’s structure, followed by dividing those components into chapters with purpose and punch. Discover how to avoid trouble spots and fine tune tension, pacing, and hooks like the pros.

We start at 9:30 but come at 9 if you’d like to chat. The meeting is in our permanent location- the Community Room at the H.E.B. at 9710 Katy Freeway, on the north side of the freeway. For questions, please email Jessica Capelle at [email protected].

IMPORTANT: Bring one full chapter of your work in progress for brief exercises, plus pen, paper and laptop for notes. If you don’t have a full chapter to work with, bring what you’ve got or just take notes- this will be valuable for us all.

Item #3

If, after the Austin SCBWI conference on February 17-19, the Houston SCBWI conference on March 31-April 1, and the Houston Writers Guild conference April 13-14, you are still hungry for more, check out West Texas A&M University’s Writers’ Academy on June 18-22. Sherry Garland, award-winning and best-selling author of thirty books for children, teens and adults, will teach Writing for Children and Young Adults.

Yesterday, Blue Willow Bookshop hosted the debut launch of Mary Lindsey’s SHATTERED SOULS! As you can see from the photo above, a lot of folks in Houston have been eagerly awaiting this launch.

Mary originally wrote the book in third person with both the male and female main characters’ points of view. Her agent asked her to rewrite it in first person, from just Lenzi’s (the female main character) POV. In one of our Houston YA/MG Writers meetings, Mary talked about how she wrote from the senses to create such a deep POV for her main character.

She rewote her novel in first person, and SHATTERED SOULS sold. The acquiring editor had made it clear that there would be significant revisions, so Mary was expecting to be busy with rewrites but she never expected what she called the “5000 word Letter of Doom.” For a great post on this fourteen page revision letter, read Mary’s blog tour post at I Am A Reader Not A Writer.

And for a real treat for all you writers, Mary’s editor, Jill Santopolo, posted some of her actual revision notes for SHATTERED SOULS on Books Complete Me.

Mary brought several photos of preliminary designs for the cover. The original plan for the cover was to have an origami rose on glass (pictured here). As is usual with a big publishing house, the author had no input on her book’s cover, but after going through many changes, SHATTERED SOULS ended up with a gorgeous cover.

For the launch of her debut novel, Mary did a whopping 123 stop blog tour I’ve posted links to a few of my favorites here, but here is the entire list if you’d like to catch up.

Review from Patricia’s Particuliarity
Review from Reading Vacation
Interview with Lenzi, the main character in SHATTERED SOULS on

This wonderful cold weather we’re having is getting me in the mood for the holidays. I’ve got Renaissance music playing on Pandora, a fire in the fireplace and a chocolate tart baking in the oven to take to our Houston SCBWI holiday meeting tonight. Of course, I may not be quite so merry tomorrow when I am chopping down my bougainvillea and hibiscus bushes to cover them for the freeze we are expecting in a couple of days, but those are the lumps.

This week, the fans and writers of young adult literature are gearing up for a long-awaited event. Mary Lindsey, one of the organizers of the Houston YA/MG Writers, is having her launch for her debut YA novel SHATTERED SOULS this Saturday! Scroll down for the info on Mary’s launch. See you there!

December 8, Thursday, 6:00-9:00 PM
The Woodlands LearningRx, 4840 West Panther Creek, Suite 205.
Holiday Open House

Holiday Open house featuring local children’s book authors Lauri Rosen author of Pixie and Trixie Bug, Wanda Dionne author of Little Thumb, Margaret McManis author of Ima and the Great Texas Ostrich Race, Debbie Frontiera, author of the Eric and the Enchanted Leaf series and Stacey Jata author of My Mom Has Eyes in the Back of her Head! After reading selections from their works, the authors will be available to autograph their books. Guests may bring these books from home or purchase them at the Open House.

Kim Bellini, owner and director of The Woodlands LearningRx, believes that the best gift parents can give a child is to spend time together reading aloud. “Reading is the best way to build cognitive skills in children,” Bellini said. She suggests that parents and family members place fun books at the top of their holiday shopping list.

We had a surprise guest speaker at the Houston YA/MG Writers meeting this month. Diane Holmes, the creative brain behind Pitch University, talked with us about how to come up with an effective live pitch to agents and editors.

Over the next week, Pitch University is hosting a Young Adult, Middle Grade, & Romance PitchFest “Feedback Week” with seven agents (submissions to this event have closed) who will give feedback on video pitches from authors. If you aren’t familiar with Pitch University, head over there for a minute and look around. One of the great posts you’ll find there is words of wisdom from one of Houston YA/MG Writers own members:
5 Genius Steps to Crafting Your Pitch (a.k.a. How Lynn Lorenz Changed my Life)

One of the points Diane made during her talk with us was that most pitches and queries are wildly incorrect and give a wrong impression of their book. If a writer is not employing the right structure, the reader will not find their reading experience satisfying.

According to Diane (and to agents who have suggested a similar approach, like Elana Johnson, and Kristin Nelson) the query should focus on the first 50 pages of a novel. The agent or editor will be reading these pages with the query in mind. If the story in these pages does not match the story put forth in the query, the reader will be disappointed. This goes for the tone of the story as well as the content. The same is true for live pitches.

For pitches, writers must also consider their ability to deliver the pitch in an appealing way. For live pitches, Diane advises writers to memorize their query letter, but to also take notes into the pitch session. It is best not to read the pitch, but better to read it than to freeze, forget your pitch, then have nothing to say! Another of Diane’s tips is to stop talking if the agent or editor says yes. Nervous writers are often so relieved at this point that they babble and ruin the good impression they made with their polished pitch. If the agent or editor says no and there is still time left in the interview, writers should set hurt feelings aside and take the opportunity to ask how they might improve their pitch.

Our host for our Houston YA/MG meetings, Mary Lindsey, wrote a great post on this topic for Query Tracker’s blog.

Further advice from Diane on queries was to send out no more than five at a time, then revise the query based on feedback (or the lack of feedback) before sending out more.

Thanks, Diane, for being such a great guest speaker and for all the work you do to help writers over at Pitch University. I’m looking forward to hearing the agents’ feedback on this month’s Pitchfest. And thanks, as always, to Mary Lindsey for hosting us and to all our great authors who so generously share their experience and expertise at these meetings.

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By: Vonna Carter, on 5/24/2011
Blog: VonnaCarter.com (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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