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Last night in New York City, the ASIFA-East Animation Festival Awards were presented for the forty-fourth year in a row. The Best in Show prize was awarded to the NYU student short Based on a True Story directed by Jacob Kafka. In the Independent Film category, first place went to Celia Bullwinkel’s Sidewalk. Other prizes in the indie category were handed out to films by Mark Kausler, Arthur Metcalf, Bill Plympton, Richard O’Connor and David Chai.

New York veteran Candy Kugel took home first place in Commissioned Films for her TEDEd short Sex Determination, while first place in Student Films went to Michelle Ikemoto’s Tule Lake, produced at San Jose State University.

The complete list of winners is below:

BEST IN SHOW
Based on a True Story
Directed by Jacob Kafka

INDEPENDENT FILMS: FIRST PLACE
Sidewalk
Directed by Celia Bullwinkel

INDEPENDENT FILMS: SECOND PLACE
There Must Be Some Other Cat
Directed by Mark Kausler

INDEPENDENT FILMS: THIRD PLACE (TIED)
It Took A While To Figure Shit Out
Directed by Arthur Metcalf

INDEPENDENT FILMS: THIRD PLACE (TIED)
Drunker Than A Skunk
Directed by Bill Plympton

EXCELLENCE IN ANIMATION
It Took A While To Figure Shit Out
Directed by Arthur Metcalf

EXCELLENCE IN DESIGN
Christmas Day
Directed by Richard O’Connor, designed by Kelsey Stark

EXCELLENCE IN WRITING
A Knock On My Door
Directed by David Chai

EXPERIMENTAL FILMS
The Productive AniJam
Produced by Katie Cropper & Cynthea Diaz

COMMISSIONED FILMS: FIRST PLACE
TEDed: Sex Determination
Directed by Candy Kugel

COMMISSIONED FILMS: SECOND PLACE
Quiet Loud (Sesame Street)
Directed by Bob Boyle

COMMISSIONED FILMS: THIRD PLACE
Sniffles
Directed by David Cowles & Jeremy Galante

STUDENT FILMS: FIRST PLACE
Tule Lake
Directed by Michelle Ikemoto

STUDENT FILMS: SECOND PLACE
Chasing Unicorns
Directed by Deena Beck

STUDENT FILMS: THIRD PLACE (TIED)
The Crawler
Directed by Seth Brady

STUDENT FILMS: THIRD PLACE (TIED)
Good Night Guard
Directed by Janice S. Rim

STUDENT FILMS: HONORABLE MENTION (TIED)
Mirror
Directed by Q-Hyun Kim

STUDENT FILMS: HONORABLE MENTION (TIED)
Register Rap!
Directed by Josh Weisbrod

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Please come celebrate authors Anna Boll and Kathy Quimby, winners of this year's PEN New England Susan P. Bloom Discovery Award. The event starts at 6:30 pm on Sunday, May, 19 at University Hall at Lesley University in Cambridge. It's free and parking is available. Both authors will read from their winning submissions and refreshments will be served afterwards. Come mingle with other authors, members of the PEN NE Children's Book Committee, and the winners. (I'll have the privilege to introduce Anna and her work during the event.)  Hope to see you there!

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I returned a few days ago from the Czech Republic where I judged the feature film categories at Anifilm, a fun festival filled with great people and positive energy that is situated in the quaint lakeside resort town of Trebon. The three-person feature film jury consisted of Portuguese filmmaker Regina Pessoa (Tragic Story with Happy Ending, Kali the Little Vampire), Slovenian festival director Igor Prassel (Animateka International Animated Film Festival) and myself. (That’s us in the photo above.)

The Anifilm organizers smartly divided features into two categories: adult and children’s films. We watched five films in each category. In the Adult category, we awarded the top prize to Chris Sullivan’s sweeping and uncompromising Southern Gothic tale Consuming Spirits, and also gave special mention to Don Hertzfeldt’s feature It’s Such a Beautiful Day. These two films alone don’t make a trend, but add Paul and Sandra Fierlinger’s My Dog Tulip and Nina Paley’s Sita Sings the Blues to the list, and you could argue that American indie feature animation is experiencing a renaissance right now. All of these films utilize animation effectively to express deeply personal visions.

The other three features in the Adult category—O Apóstolo from Spain, A Liar’s Autobiography from the United Kingdom and Fat Bald Short Man from Colombia—each had positive qualities and exhibited the kind of maturity and narrative ambition that is often lacking in mainstream feature animation fare.

The children’s category was less impressive. The five features were European co-productions that relied on cliches borrowed from popular American films. Three of the films featured hot air balloons (UP, of course), and a number of them used the ‘dead parents’ trope that is an all-too-common fallback for lazy animation scriptwriters. We awarded the children’s prize to The Day of Crows (Le jour des corneilles) which was unquestionably the most interesting film of the bunch. The hand-drawn animated film featured appealing (if inconsistent) animation and character designs, along with gorgeous backgrounds. It reached for Miyazaki-style mysticism before attempting to hamhandedly explain everything in the last act. Imperfect, but worth a look.

Animation director Bill Plympton wrote about his recent experience judging the feature animation categories at the Stuttgart Animation Festival in Germany. He watched eight features at that festival, and it’s interesting to note that not a single one of those films was in competition at Anifilm. It’s a reminder that feature animation is a flourishing art form today. The handful of mega-budget corporate-studio films that dominate American multiplexes barely scratch the surface of what’s available in the marketplace.

The good news is that institutional support is growing for more diverse types of feature animation. Most major animation festivals now have feature film categories, and of course, there’s the Oscars, which hands out an Academy Award specifically for animated features. The American distributor GKIDS has made a commitment to distributing foreign animated features, and this site you’re reading attempts to cover independent and foreign animated features as few other major animation media outlets have in the past.

More and more companies are turning their attention to the rich world of feature animation, but there is still plenty of room for others to join. For example, when will Criterion begin releasing art house animated features? When will distributors bring foreign animated features into multiplexes across the country? Exciting times are ahead in the feature animation field.

(Jury photo by Jan Hromádko)

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The 2013 Children's Choice Book Award Winners were announced yesterday by the Children's Book Council and Every Child A Reader at the launch of Children's Book Week. The winners are:

KINDERGARTEN TO SECOND GRADE BOOK OF THE YEAR

Nighttime Ninja by Barbara DaCosta, illustrated by Ed Young (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers)

THIRD GRADE TO FOURTH GRADE BOOK OF THE YEAR

Bad Kitty for President by Nick Bruel (Roaring Brook/Macmillan)

FIFTH GRADE TO SIXTH GRADE BOOK OF THE YEAR

Dork Diaries 4: Tales from a Not-So-Graceful Ice Princess by Rachel Renée Russell (Aladdin/Simon & Schuster)

TEEN BOOK OF THE YEAR

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green (Dutton/Penguin). My review.

AUTHOR OF THE YEAR

Jeff Kinney for Diary of a Wimpy Kid 7: The Third Wheel (Amulet Books/Abrams). My review.

ILLUSTRATOR OF THE YEAR

Robin Preiss Glasser for Fancy Nancy and the Mermaid Ballet (HarperCollins Children’s Books)

From the news release:

"The Children’s Book Council and Every Child a Reader announced the winners of the sixth annual Children’s Choice Book Awards (CCBAs) at a charity gala benefitting Every Child a Reader in New York City last night.  The announcement is an annual highlight of Children’s Book Week (May 13-19, 2013) as the CCBAs is the only national book awards program where the winning titles are selected by kids and teens. Young readers across the country voted in record numbers for their favorite books, author, and illustrator at bookstores, school libraries, and at bookweekonline.com, casting more than 1,000,000 votes. Full video footage of the awards ceremony is available for book lovers of all ages at bookweekonline.com/gala."

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Looking for the best books for your kids and teens? Of course you are! Fortunately, the Canadian Children’s Book Centre  (a national not-for-profit organization founded in 1976) publishes just such a list. And we’re thrilled to share that sixteen Orca titles made the list for Spring 2013.

“All of the titles in Best Books for Kids & Teens have been handpicked by expert committees of educators, booksellers, and school and public librarians from across Canada. The reviewed materials include picture books, junior/intermediate fiction, graphic novels, and powerful teen fiction, in addition to a wide array of non-fiction, magazines and audio/video resources.” —Canadian Children’s Book Centre website

The following Orca titles were selected for the list this season. Congratulations to all the authors on their achievement!

Close to the Heel, Norah McClintock
Dead Run, Sean Rodman
Edge of Flight, Kate Jaimet
High Wire, Melanie Jackson
I, Witness, Norah McClintock and Mike Deas
Jump Cut, Ted Staunton
Kiss, Tickle, Cuddle, Hug, Susan Musgrave
Oracle, Alex Van Tol
Pieces of Me, Darlene Ryan
Prince for a Princess, Eric Walters
Pyro, Monique Polak
Redwing, Holly Bennett
Seeing Orange, Sara Cassidy
Shallow Grave, Alex Van Tol
Three Little Words, Sarah N. Harvey
Uncle Wally’s Old Brown Shoe, Wallace Edwards

CCBC members receive a copy of Best Books for Kids & Teens as part of their membership package, as do subscribers to Canadian Children’s Book News.

Best Books for Kids & Teens can be purchased at select bookstores or online at: www.bookcentre.ca.

 

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Monday is a great day to say thanks and report nice news... THAT IS NOT A GOOD IDEA! is spending it's 2nd week on the New York Times Bestseller list at #5 and the Indie Bestseller list at #6! Here's a nice review of THAT IS NOT A GOOD IDEA! in Bookpage. I'm excited to report that GOLDILOCKS & THE THREE DINOSAURS is a finalist for a Kentucky Bluegrass Award, which will be voted on by kids

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Karen and Philip Cushman Late Bloomer Award

Are you over 50 years old and have not been traditionally published? If so, this is something you should consider.

The Karen and Philip Cushman Late Bloomer Award is for authors over the age of fifty who have not been traditionally published in the children’s literature field.

The grant was established by Newbery Award winner and Newbery Honor Book recipient Karen Cushman and her husband, Philip Cushman, in conjunction with the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators.  Karen published her first children’s book, The Midwife’s Apprentice (winner of the 1996 Newbery Medal), at the age of fifty-three and has gone on to become one of the field’s most acclaimed novelists.

“This award was established to encourage and celebrate late bloomers like me, who didn’t start to write until age fifty.  But then I bloomed, and I’d love to see others do so as well,” said Karen.

SCBWI Executive Director Lin Oliver agreed, “One of the great aspects of writing children’s books is that it’s not age-restrictive. The SCBWI hopes an individual’s creative expression can make a valuable contribution, no matter what his or her age.”

The award is open to both unpublished children’s book authors or author/illustrators over the age of fifty, and one winner will be chosen from the pool of those who have submitted material for the SCBWI Work-In-Progress Grants.

The winner will receive $500 in cash, and free tuition to any worldwide SCBWI conference.  The first winner will be selected this year and announced along with the other Work-in-Progress Grant recipients. Because this grant was started after the applications were due we will be contacting finalists to see if they are eligible for this additional award.

Application Process You do not apply directly for this award, rather it is chosen from among the Work-in-Progress grant entrees. To enter you will indicate on your application that you are over 50 and would like to be considered for the award.  http://www.scbwi.org/Pages.aspx/Work-In-Progress-Grants Must be an SCBWI Member to apply.

About Karen Cushman

Karen Cushman is the author of The Midwife’s Apprentice (winner of the 1996 Newbery Medal), Catherine, Called Birdy (a Newbery Honor book), The Ballad of Lucy Whipple (winner of the John and Patricia Beatty Award), and her latest book, Will Sparrow’s Road (Clarion 2012). Karen lives and writes on Vashon Island in Washington.  To learn more about Karen visit www.karencushman.com .

Talk tomorrow,

Kathy

Filed under: authors and illustrators, awards, Competition, need to know, opportunity Tagged: Karen & Philip Cushman, Late Bloomer Award, Not traditionally published, SCBWI, Work-in-progress Grant

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This wonderful list of thirty titles is selected by a committee of NCTE’s Children’s Literature Assembly. Congratulations to all the honored book creators and to the members of this year’s committee for their fine work: Tracy Smiles, Chair; Donalyn Miller, Patricia Bandre, Yoo Kyung Sung, Barbara Ward, Shanetia Clark, and Jean Schroeder.

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The SCBWI is proud to announce the immediate launch of the Karen and Philip Cushman Late Bloomer Award for authors over the age of fifty who have not been traditionally published in the children’s literature field.  The grant was established by Newbery Award winner and Newbery Honor Book recipient Karen Cushman and her husband, Philip Cushman, in conjunction with the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators.  Karen published her first children’s book, The Midwife’s Apprentice (winner of the 1996 Newbery Medal), at the age of fifty-three and has gone on to become one of the field’s most acclaimed novelists. 

 “This award was established to encourage and celebrate late bloomers like me, who didn't start to write until age fifty.  But then I bloomed, and I'd love to see others do so as well,” said Karen.  

SCBWI Executive Director Lin Oliver agreed, “One of the great aspects of writing children’s books is that it’s not age-restrictive. The SCBWI hopes an individual’s creative expression can make a valuable contribution, no matter what his or her age.”  

The award is open to both unpublished children’s book authors or author/illustrators over the age of fifty, and one winner will be chosen from the pool of those who have submitted material for the SCBWI Work-In-Progress Grants. 

The winner will receive $500 in cash, and free tuition to any worldwide SCBWI conference.  The first winner will be selected this year and announced along with the other Work-in-Progress Grant recipients. 

About Karen Cushman 

Karen Cushman is the author of The Midwife’s Apprentice (winner of the 1996 Newbery Medal), Catherine, Called Birdy (a Newbery Honor book), The Ballad of Lucy Whipple (winner of the John and Patricia Beatty Award), and her latest book, Will Sparrow's Road (Clarion 2012). Karen lives and writes on Vashon Island in Washington.  To learn more about Karen visit www.karencushman.com. 

General Information 

Founded in 1971, the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators is one of the largest existing writers’ and illustrators’ organizations, with over 22,000 members worldwide. It is the only organization specifically for those working in the fields of children’s literature, magazines, film, television, and multimedia. The organization was founded by Stephen Mooser (President) and Lin Oliver (Executive Director). 

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Alicia Schwab has worked as an illustrator and designer for nearly twenty years and holds a BFA from the University of Wisconsin-Stout. Her career began in Hannover, Germany where she co-founded and co-owned a graphic design company. During those years she developed her illustrative voice producing illustrations for newsletters and books. After returning to the States, she continued working at design firms in Minneapolis, Minnesota as well as producing illustrations for newsletters, websites, and food packaging. For more than a decade, Alicia has concentrated on illustrating for the editorial and children’s book market. She is a member of SCBWI since 2001, and in 2012 she became the SCBWI-Minnesota Illustrator Coordinator for that region. Outside of the studio, Alicia enjoys speaking to the community and schools about her work.

I  begin with an idea in my head and start sketching on paper to figure out who my characters are and what they want. Let your subconscious have a say too. Try to let ideas flow without judging them. This sketch was drawn on a large sheet of tissue paper and I used the lower edge to redraw a character from another piece. When I scanned it into the computer a funny accident happened. I noticed the little person looks as if she is trying to tell the audience a secret. A lightbulb flashes and I have a new direction, the girl gives the boy butterflies whenever he sees her.

There is a lot of body language that need to be worked out between the two of them. I tried several different ways of how they hold their hands and position their arms. Some things look great in the sketch stage but then don’t work when fleshed out into solid shapes with the paint.

I sketched several different arms and hands separately and pasted them in place in Photoshop to see what works and get the proportions right. I also chopped up the original sketch and spaced the two a little farther apart.

For the purpose of this example, I have gone back into the final art to simulate the color studies I did for the background areas. Normally, I work this out as I paint. Three areas: the far hill with the tree, the path and the foreground.

I am fairly happy with everything. I went back into Photoshop and fiddled with his right arm some more.

How long have you been illustrating?

I have loved drawing all my life. As a child, my art allowed me to express the ideas I had not yet learned the vocabulary for. This would prove to be a useful tool later in life. But professionally, I started taking illustration jobs a year after college.

When did you decide you wanted to illustrate a children’s book?

Growing up, I loved drawing and I was surrounded by great picture books. It only seemed natural to me, to try to make my own picture book as soon as I learned how to write words (at about age seven). My passion for children’s books continues to this day.

I see you attended the University of Wisconsin-Stout. Do you think the art classes you took in college helped you develop an illustration style?

I hold a BFA in Graphic Design. The program has a strong foundation in studio (fine art) classes. I took extra painting classes that helped a lot with color theory and composition. I also acquired a strong knowledge of computer graphics skills that has enabled me to stay competitive as an illustrator/designer. The program did not offer illustration courses at that time, so I have learned on my own and taken additional children’s book illustration classes through MCAD, in Minneapolis.

What was the first thing you did where someone paid you for your artwork?

After college, I moved to Germany co-founded a graphic design company. I began by doing editorial illustration and my work won an award, the “1997 Chicago Athenaeum Museum of Architecture & Design” back in the States. Each spread featured a pop-up with a riddle to solve.

How did you end up starting a graphic design company in Germany?

I’ve always had a curiosity for what is over the next horizon. I had studied abroad for a semester in college and was  looking for a way to go back. I figured if I could support myself, I might be able to travel in my free time.

What made you leave Germany and move to Minneapolis?

It was a great experience, I enjoyed living, working and traveling in Europe. But the time came when I wanted to live back in the States near my family.

Have you done any work for children’s magazines?

Not yet, but I have done work for the children’s section of a newsletter: “Just Coz” for Smiths Medical.

How did you get to illustrate the book titled, Great Group Skits?

I acquired this project through a networking connection. I had a great experience working with Search Institute Press on the book, GREAT GROUP SKITS, written by Lynn Grasberg and Gina Oldenburg. I enjoyed working with the text and creating chapter head illustrations in black/white.

How did you get involved in illustrating Good Grief, Finding Peace After Pet Loss?

This project also came to me through a networking connection. Although the author, Sid Korpi self-published this book, I did not work directly with her on this project. Sid had a clear vision and marketing plan for the book that worked out really well.

Have any of your books won any awards?

The book Good Grief, Finding Peace After Pet Loss has won 4 awards: 2011 Green Book Award—(Category: Animals).
2010 Premiere Book Award—”Best Book of the Year”, (Category: Self-Help).
2010 Reviewers Choice Award from Reader Views (Category: Inspiration/Spirituality).
2010 IPPY—Independent Publishers Book Award (Category: Pets/Animals).

Is Good Grief, Finding Peace After Pet Loss a self-published book? How is the book doing?

Yes, it is and it has done really well. It is still receiving good reviews from readers as well as the recipient of several awards. The book is not only well written but is well designed which lends itself as a reliable source to comfort those who are grieving the loss of an animal companion. Having been through this a few times myself, I was able to connect the illustration with the audience.

How did you get the job to illustrate St. Catherine University: Guide to Reflective and Intentional Giving?

Through word of mouth from networking. The Twin Cities creative community is like a small town, everybody knows everyone. It is vital to network and stay connected. http://www.aliciaschwab.com/books/book01.html

How long is the book? How many illustrations did you do for the book?

I created seven full bleed, campus scene illustrations to enliven nostalgic, fond memories of alumni experiences at the university. I was asked to incorporate a circular theme into the artwork. I always love a challenge, so I worked the theme into the gesso ground.

I see you became the illustrator Coordinator for the Minnesota SCBWI chapter in 2012. How did that happen?

I have been a member of SCBWI since 2001. I have volunteered for several organizations over the last +twenty years. I started volunteering for SCBWI a few years ago and found it a rewarding experience. When the position became available I applied for it and have been the IC for over a year now. I feel strongly about being part of a supportive community that helps people find their potential as a children’s book writer and/or illustrator.

What is your favorite medium to use?

Currently, my favorite is acrylic paint.

As Illustrator Coordinator, what types of things have you done with the MN SCBWI chapter members?

I develop workshops to help members learn the craft, marketing and business of children’s book illustration. We have been also exploring newer areas of the industry by offering workshops on Picture Book Apps and Ebook publishing. Last year, we hosted our first Portfolio Show at our regional conference, which was well attended. For the future, we are looking at doing a One-Day-Intensive for illustrators and one for writers. It has been a rewarding experience to work with Quinette Cook, RA and Jessica Freeburg, ARA of the Minnesota SCBWI chapter.

Have you taken advantage of showing off your portfolio at one of national conferences?

This last February, I participated for the first time at the New York Conference and Portfolio Show. I would recommend any SCBWI member to take part in this event or the portfolio opportunities at LA Conference. You will learn a lot.

Do you see yourself writing and illustrating your own book someday?

I have held fast to my childhood dream of becoming a published author/illustrator. I am in several critique groups for writers and for illustrators.

Do you have representation from a artist rep or an agents?

I am currently not under representation but am actively seeking an agent.

Not counting your paint and brushes, what is the one thing in your studio that you could not live without?

I love my sunny studio, but it is chilly most of the year being that it is located in our basement, so I drink lots of hot tea.

Do you take pictures or do any research before you start a project?

I do, I use myself as a model with a big mirror. Because the client is local, I was able to make my own reference photographs for the book for St Catherine University. This helped tremendously to understand the campus layout, the position of the sun, the building proportions and the greenery.

Do you think the Internet has opened doors for you?

Sure, social media, blogging and access to information via search engines has really helped me grow as an illustrator.

Do you use Photoshop with your illustrations?

I currently use Photoshop in the sketch stage of the project and the fiddle with a few things for the finish. It is a deep program and enables me to utilize it in a variety of ways.

Do you own or have you ever tried a graphic Drawing Tablet?

I use a small Wacom Bamboo tablet when I need to draw on the computer. I would love to upgrade someday to a larger unit.

Do you think your style has changed over the years? Have your material changed?

My style has changed a lot since the mid-90′s, but so has my target market. The type of editorial illustration I sold in Germany is different than what was being bought stateside at the time. It taught me to be flexible. I used to work in ink and watercolor, then dabbled vector art while working traditionally in acrylic.

How do you market yourself?

I do blogging, social media as well as send out promotional postcards. I also advocate networking and getting involved in a professional organization such as SCBWI.

What are you working on now?

I am currently writing/illustrating a picture book about a very curious dinosaur.

Do you have any material type tips you can share with us? Example: Paint or paper that you love – the best place to buy – a new product that you’ve tried – A how to tip, etc.

Currently, I paint in acrylic paint on watercolor paper. I use forks and different things to scrape into the gesso to create the background texture. Experiment. Play. Make a mess. Acrylic is forgiving in that you can edit out the areas you don’t like by painting over it.

Any words of wisdom on how to become a successful illustrator?

Draw everyday. Study what children’s book art is being published by visiting the library and the bookstores. Join a critique group. Read voraciously in the genre you want to illustrate in. I learned in Germany the best way to get to know a culture and its people is by learning the native language. Illustration is not just “pretty pictures” but is also a form of communication. The “culture” that it conveys is the specific use of language in the written word. For example, you wouldn’t create the same kind of illustration for picture books as you would for the young adult fiction genre. Understand what age group you are aiming for, and you will better understand your audience through the way they communicate.
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Filed under: Advice, authors and illustrators, awards, Illustrator's Saturday, Interview, Process Tagged: Alicia Schwab, Featured Illustrator, Good Grief Finding Peace After Pet Loss, MN SCBWI Illustrator Coordinator

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This will be a short post because I'm busy preparing to attend the SCBWI Wild, Wild Midwest Conference. In fact, I've written this post in advance and scheduled it to publish right about the time I'll be hitting the road. :-)

For those of you unfamiliar with SCBWI, it stands for the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, the premier organization for those interested in writing and/or illustrating for children. SCBWI holds two national conventions every year., The summer conference, held in Los Angeles, will be Aug. 2-5 this year, and the winter conference, held in New York, will be Feb. 21-23, 2014. (Click here to see photos from last year's winter conference.) I've never been able to attend either of these events, except virtually, via the official SCBWI conference blog, so I'm especially excited to participate in this weekend's Midwest conference. I'm hoping it will be the first of many.

Speaking of SCBWI, congratulations to all the winners of the SCBWI Crystal Kite Member Choice awards, which were announced this week. If you're not familiar with this award, you can see the list of winners on the SCBWI website and read about how they were chosen. And for more children's publishing news, be sure to check out the official SCBWI blog.

In other good news, I've found a new home for the Girls Write! summer camps I taught at the Hinsdale Center for the Arts for nine years. (Sadly, HCA closed last year due to lack of funding.) The camps will now be held at the Mayslake Peabody Estate in Oak Brook, Illinois. If you know any budding girl writers who live in the area, please help spread the word. The camp for girls entering grades 4-5 will meet June 24-June 28, 9:30 am–noon and for those entering grades 6-8 will meet July 15-July 19, 9:30 am–noon. For details, see the right sidebar on this page of my website.

Finally, don't forget: there's still time to enter our blogiversary giveaway for a chance to win one of four $25 gift cards to Anderson's Bookshops. See this post for details.

After you've entered, hop on over to Elizabeth Steinglass's blog for this week's Poetry Friday round-up.

Happy writing!
Carmela

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THE SOCIETY OF CHILDREN’S BOOK WRITERS AND ILLUSTRATORS ANNOUNCES THE WINNERS OF THE ANNUAL CRYSTAL KITE MEMBER CHOICE AWARDS

The SCBWI is excited to announce the winners of the 2013 Crystal Kite Member Choice Awards for our fifteen regional divisions: 

Africa

• Neil Malherbe – The      Magyar Conspiracy (Tafelberg Publishers)

Australia

• Meg McKinlay – Ten Tiny Things (Fremantle Press)

California/Hawaii

• Katherine Applegate – The One and Only Ivan (HarperCollins Children’s Books) 

Florida/Georgia/South Carolina/North Carolina/Alabama/Mississippi

• Augusta Scattergood - Glory Be  (Scholastic)

Kansas/Louisiana/Arkansas/Tennessee/Kentucky/Missouri

• Sharon Cameron – The Dark Unwinding (Scholastic)

Middle East/India/Asia

• Benjamin Martin – Samurai Awakening  (Tuttle Publishing)

Minnesota/Iowa/Nebraska/Wisconsin/Illinois/Michigan/Indiana/Ohio

• Aaron Reynolds – Creepy Carrots (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers)

Nevada/Arizona/Utah/Colorado/Wyoming/New Mexico

• Jean Reagan – How to Baby Sit A Grandpa      (Alfred A. Knopf (Random House Children’s Books)

New England (Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire. Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island)

• Jo Knowles – See You At Harry’s (Candlewick Press)

New York

• Kate Messner – Capture the Flag (Scholastic)

Pennsylvania/Delaware/New Jersey/Wash DC/Virginia/West Virginia/Maryland

• Ame Dyckman – BOY + BOT  (Alfred A. Knopf (Random House Children’s Books)

Texas/Oklahoma

• Lynne Kelly – Chained (Farrar, Straus & Giroux, Inc.)

The Americas (Canada/Mexico/Central & South America)

• Jennifer Lanthier - The Stamp Collector  (Fitzhenry and Whiteside)

UK/Europe

• Dave Cousins – Fifteen Days without a Head  (Oxford University Press)

Washington/Oregon/Alaska/Idaho/Montana/North Dakota/South Dakota

• Kim Baker – Pickle  (Roaring Brook Press (Macmillan Publishers)           

About the Crystal Kite Awards

The Crystal Kite Awards are given by the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators to recognize great books from the seventy SCBWI regions around the world.  Along with the SCBWI Golden Kite Awards, the Crystal Kite Awards are chosen by other children’s book writers and illustrators, making them the only peer-given awards in publishing for young readers.

About SCBWI

Founded in 1971, the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators is one of the largest existing writers’ and illustrators’ organizations, with over 22,000 members worldwide. It is the only organization specifically for those working in the fields of children’s literature, magazines, film, television, and multimedia. The organization was founded by Stephen Mooser (President) and Lin Oliver (Executive Director), both of whom are well-published children’s book authors and leaders in the world of children’s literature.  For more information about the Crystal Kite Award, please visit http://www.scbwi.org, and click “Awards & Grants.”

Congratulations to everyone, but big Kudos to Pennsylvania/Delaware/New Jersey/Wash DC/Virginia/West Virginia/Maryland – my regional winner Ame Dyckman!

Talk tomorrow,

Kathy

Filed under: authors and illustrators, awards, children writing, Competition, Contest, Kudos Tagged: 2013 Award Winners, Crystalkite Member Choice Awards, SCBWI announces Crystalkite Awards

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The Stuttgart International Festival of Animated Film announced their winners last Sunday. The grand prize, which included a 15,000 Euro award (approx. $19,500), was awarded to Oh Willy… by Emma de Swaef and Marc James Roels. The film’s continuing success on the international festival circuit means little for its Oscar hopes since it was already entered for consideration last year and was completely overlooked by the Academy.

Other winners at Stuttgart include Ryo Okawara’s short Kara No Tamago which won the prize for animated short, and Hisko Hulsing’s Junkyard which won the audience award. The animated feature prize was awarded to the French film Ernest and Celestine, which will open in the United States this fall.

International Competition Grand Prize (15,000 euros)
Oh Willy… directed by Emma de Swaef and Marc James Roels

Lotte Reiniger Promotion Award for Animated Film (10,000 euros)
Kara No Tamago (A Wind Egg) directed by Ryo Okawara (Japan)

SWR Audience Award (6,000 euros)
Junkyard directed by Hisko Hulsing (The Netherlands)

Young Animation Award/Best Student Film (2,500 euros)
Eine Murul (Breakfast on the Grass) directed by Erik Alunurm, Mari Pakkas, Mari Liis Rebane, Mihkel Reha (Estonia)

AniMovie Award for Best Animated Feature
Ernest & Celestine directed by Benjamin Renner, Stephane Aubier and Vincent Patar (France, Belgium, Luxembourg)

Tricks for Kids Award for Best Children’s Feature (4,000 euros)
Schrecken ohne Ende (Nearest and Dearest) directed by Michael Sieber and Max Stöhhr

Tricks for Kids Award for Best Animated Series for Children
Roy: “Foot Fat Fit” directed by Alan Shannon (Ireland)

Cartoons for Teens award for Best Animated Series (2,500 euros)
Der Notfall (Déjà-moo) directed by Stefan Muller

German Screenplay Award (2,500 euros)
Molly Monster: The Movie written by John Chambers

Animated Fashion Award (2,000 euros)
Freitag X-Mas Movies directed by Claudia Rothlin and Yves Gutjar (Switzerland)

German Voice Award (2,500 euros)
Rick Kavanian for Knight Rusty, Yesterday’s Hero Recycled (Universum, Germany)

Animated Com Awards (Awards for the best applied animation in the fields of advertising, technology and spatial communication 
sponsored by Mackevision Medien Design GmbH, Animation Media Cluster Region Stuttgart, Daimler AG, U.I. Lapp GmbH)

Main prize
The Real Bears directed by Lucas Zanotto

Advertising (2,500 euros)
MTV EMA 2012 Opener directed by Mate Steinforth (Germany)

Technology (2,500 euros)
Mass Effect 3 – Take Earth Back directed by Istvan Zorkoczy (Hungary)

Spatial Communication
Swiss Pavilion Expo Yeosu: “The Source–It’s In Your Hands” directed by Marc Tamschick (Switzerland)

Special Prize Mercedes-Benz Classic: Silver Arrows (2,500 euros)
A Racers Sketchbook directed by Falk Schuster (Germany)

Special Prize Lapp Connected Award (2,500 euros)
Pinball directed by Darko Vidackovic (Croatia)

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This week I would like to introduce you to Kary Lee. I think you will enjoy hearing about her journey, her watercolors and process. Here is Kary:

I see things in pictures. I always have. It wasn’t until college that I realized not everyone did. It explained a lot. My need to solve problems visually made sense. Being artistic gave me a pass with the linear world. I could show through my art that I do get it. I just go about it differently.

I’ve worked with different mediums and as an art director and designer but it was through motherhood that things began to resonate. I rediscovered the wonder and magic of the world as a child sees it, the ordinary as extraordinary. This and my passion for picture books and my new found love as a watercolorist fueled me. I started out creating personal student work as a traditional fine artist.

That journey brought me to book illustration. Five published books and several awards later personal circumstances caused my work to be inturupted. But in finding my way back, my current successes have come from commercial illustration, creating pieces that visually solve problems for external intities. I now find my work coming full circle, returning to more traditional fine art with a new and  passionate sense of purpose.

My niche is the human figure and more specifically, children. My goal, to capture the innocence, curiosity and sense of wonder for the things adults take for granted. The hidden agenda is to subtily imply that regardless of our ethnic, cultural and physically challenging differences that make us all unique, we’re all the same on the inside. The message may or may not be loud and clear and that’s okay.

My execution involves using light and it’s play on the subject matter to mold my images. I use pure transparent watercolor pigments and whenever possible have them mix and blend on the paper to keep my colors vibrant and alive. These elements are the glue that hold together the feel and personality of the my composition. I work in a realistic style so it’s important to keep my images fresh.

To be successful requires an element of interest that can’t be achieved through a photograph. It has to look effortless even though every brushstroke is calculated. The fewer brush strokes, the fresher the feel. Too many and it becomes overworked, flat and boring.

I prefer displaying my work in public venues over galleries. I like the challenge of capturing the attention of people who may not realize the beauty of my art or any art for that matter. I want to tell a story to someone who didn’t know they were going to care until they see the image.

I love being an illustrator and sharing my stories. It makes everything else in my crazy life fall into place. Some years ago my daughter’s play group was discussing what their parents did for a living. “Well,” my daughter stated, “My mommy colors for a living.” Silence fell over the room. I’m totally cool!

Where did you grow up and where do you live now?

I grew up in sunny Southern California. I spent my early childhood barefoot and in a perpetual bathing suit.  On hot days we would      mix powdered tempera paints with the garden hose and use the sliding glass door as our canvas. On rainy days we would snuggle in the happy chair and read.  My mother’s love for books had a profound impact on me. Now I live in Pullman, Washington, in the South Eastern region of the state and home to Washington State University.

How did you decide to attend Washington State University for Communication and Graphic Design?

I am a fourth generation WSU Cougar (Washington State University).  So, attending WSU was always my first choice. Communications with an emphasis in Advertising made sense because it was a creative career with the hope of job security.

Can you tell us a little bit about the classes you took while at WSU?

WSU has a prestigious communications program; The Edward R. Murrow school of Communications, Murrow’s alma mater.  There were many interesting and informative classes. Ironically, my most practical experience came through my involvement with a volunteer club, National Student Advertising Competition (NSAC).  It mimicked an ad agency campaign and we competed with other universities.  I learned that I loved conceptual thinking, and problem solving I realize now that the process is similar to story telling.  My fine art classes centered on traditional graphic design. It was the early 80’s, before computers were part of any curriculum.  So I learned ‘old school,’ studying traditional typography and layout methods.

You don’t usually think watercolor with Graphic Design. Did WSU have a fine art class that you took?

My final year as an undergrad I took an illustration class from John Christ, an adjunct professor from Atlanta (spelling is to the best of my memory).  He spent extra time with me, taught me to see think critically and really see things before I drew.  He helped me to understand how and why to draw with purpose, to know my subject and the importance of good characters. The experience was wonderful! He was wonderful!  But, my focus at the time was to be an art director.  I turned down his offer to go to a portfolio school in Atlanta. I had no money left.  Hell of a time for me to be practical! But he went back to Atlanta and I lost him. It took years for me to admit that this was a grave career error.  What can I say?  I was barely 21.  I goofed!  John, if you’re out there, it took me 20 years, but I am finally taking your advice and going for the dream!

Did you try other mediums before you decided watercolor was what you enjoyed using?

Not really. Unless you include pencil and ink, because I’ve always loved to draw.  I played around with acrylic, oils and      watercolor in high school, but it was a small school and there was nobody to teach me.  It didn’t come up again until I decided to try book illustration.  And watercolor seemed my natural choice.  I took some classes while my kids were in school.  The instructor was good, but I was the only person under 60 and we spend a LOT of time with flowers and fruit. All humor aside, it was a tough time for me and watercolor gave me an outlet I needed.  I had finally found the my it.       And, as refreshing and empowering as it was, I knew still life’s were not gonna cut it!

How did you find your way from there to Dallas, Texas for an art director job?

It was actually my third job out of college. I was an artist at a local T-Shirt shop the first year. Based on my daughter’s terms, I think I was a hipster before hipsters were cool! It was great. Then I married to my high school sweetheart.  He took a job with Texas Instruments and we moved to Dallas. The art direction job came after six months working for a banner company specializing in Car Dealership Point of Purchase marketing.  Can you say ‘character builder?’  I set type for used car bumper stickers and cut rubylith for vinyl signs. We also had those fun hoola skirt flags that drape every dealership.  It was grueling but looking back, a great experience!  Every designer should have to squeeze Lewis and Clark Auto Sales into a 5” x 2” space that can be read from 40 feet. Ironically the typeface Impact became my best friend!  I could crank out a mean mechanical in nothing flat.  After 6 months of the sweatshop I landed the graphic designer job and worked my way up to art director.

What types of work did you do with that job?

I got to do everything; design, layout, illustration, photo direction and even some AV work. It was amazing. It was the type of environment where I was gonna sink or swim.  The story of my life!  So I swam!  I loved the work, the teams, and creative challenges.  Our team worked with a free-lance illustrator and I soon realized I secretly wanted her job.  She was a mom with a studio in her back yard and among other projects, illustrated kids books.  How cool was that?  We became fast friends and I was very jealous!

What was the first thing you did where someone paid you for your artwork?

It was at an art show during my still life phase.  I did a whimsical painting that involved Hewey, Dewey and Louie and a color wheel (…you had to be there).  But, it sold for $165.  I couldn’t believe it!

How long have you been illustrating for a living?

I’ve been illustrating for about 14 years now.  Once the kids got old enough for me to breathe I made the decision to go for it.  I got the studio in my back yard, balancing my career as a stay-at-home mom. Things were going swimmingly until I suddenly found myself as a single-mom.  All emotions aside, the timing for my career was terrible.  I juggled my first book tour with my newly acquired real estate career! I remember attending BEA and signing books beside Judy Blume by day (I know, right?) and arguing escrow dates and appraisals over the phone with my broker by night. My plate was a bit full. Something had to give. I knew it would be temporary, but I turned down the next book and dug in to real life.  As I said earlier, I swim even if sometimes it’s upstream!  It was so hard to see that project completed without my name on the cover.  I vowed that I would return as soon as it was possible.  And, here am! I’m back on track with a newfound appreciation for everything! What doesn’t kill us makes us stronger, and it’s so true. It also gives me ton’s of subject matter. My passion has only gotten stronger.

When did you decide you wanted to illustrate a children’s book?

I was 8.  Yes, that’s right. I wrote, illustrated and constructed my first children’s book when I was in the second grade. I guess you could say I was self-published.  I had an old typewriter, paper, pencils, and crayons.  I folded an old scrap of material over cardboard, folded it in half for a cover, glued it with Elmer’s, punched holes in spine with my pencil, and tied it all together with some yarn from the junk drawer.  Ta Da… “’Me and My Dog Ralph.’  Written and illustrated by Kary Lamb, grade 2.”

I see you have illustrated and published four books with Perfection Learning. How did you connect with PL?  

I met an editor, Susan Wilner at a local SCBWI workshop and gave her my card.  Much to my surprise, she called me a few months later!

Can you tell us a little bit about them?

They are actually pretty big educational publisher out of Iowa. The early readers I worked on are just one small division.  They do all types of educational books.  My connection was through Susan and when she hired me she owned her division, Lucy’s Letters out of Seattle, Washington.  In the interim, PL bought her out and my connection was lost.  I did one more book with one of their editors but he had his own group of illustrators, and things fizzled out.  All of the books are still in print.  There are links on my website.

Are they 32 page picture books? When were they published?

No, they were early readers; 1-3^rd grade.  They focused on phonics and letters in 8 page simple stories. They were published in 2005 and 2006.

How did you connect with Stonehorse Publishing?

It’s a very small publisher. Usually one book a year.  And, again, I met my publisher through SCBWI.  This time it was at the Winter NYC SCBWI Conference. Dizzy is one of a series of three fiction books.  But all included fun non-fiction facts about the animals the characters were created after. In our case, Pacific White-Sided Dolphins.

Do you have representation from an artist rep or an agent?

I definitely want an agent, but the right agent.  I have recently had some great feedback and a couple positive leads.  I am hopeful that things will come together and I will acquire representation soon.

Do you have any desire to write and illustrate your own book?

Yes. I actually have one of my stories written and blocked into a dummy, The Race.  It’s a historical fiction story (circa 1880; Kansas) based a story by great-grandfather, a published poet. I’ve had positive feedback from critique groups with award winning authors. But, I am focusing on getting established with an agent before I pursue it further.

Have you taken advantage of showing off your portfolio at one of nationals conferences?

Yes, and I won!  Runner Up; Realistic Category at the LA Conference in 2003.  It was amazing!  It was early in my career and I didn’t really know how cool it was. I had been upgraded from still life and fruit bowls but most important, I had found ‘my people.’  From that day on my dream turned to goal: to ‘make a living’ as an author/illustrator.

Not counting your paint and brushes, what is the one thing in your studio that you could not live without?    

Can I say two?  My natural light view and my music! Both are essential.

Do you try and spend a certain amount of hours every day working on your art?

Yes. But it’s always a challenge. It’s like exercise.  If I skip, it shows.  Staying in ‘shape’ is the key to improving skills and perfecting your craft.

Do you take pictures or do any research before you start a project?

Yes, lots of research, in conjunction with sketching and creating characters.  For example, my current book project      involves a deaf girl, so I am trying to learn sign language.  My older work is more realistic and photos were imperative. Now I take photos but try to work more from imagination.  But, even if I’m not using likeness of the model, it always helps to have images, especially with strong light sources because luminosity is sort of my trademark.

Do you think the Internet has opened doors for you?

No question!  Early in my search it was Verla Kay’s website that opened the biggest door.  That’s where I learned about SCBWI, the single most important external impact on my success. That’s a mouthful, but it’s so true!

Are you willing to work with a self-publish author?

No.  It’s a good fit for some, but I choose not to focus my energy there.

Do you use Photoshop with your illustrations?

Yes, but sparingly and at this point only as a production tool.  I love the traditional process of paint on paper, and it’s also what gives my work my look.

Do you own or have you ever tried a graphic Drawing Tablet?

I have an old WACOM from about 7 or 8 years ago.  I was curious when I first got it, but the concept was still abstract and the process seemed clunky.  It didn’t really save me any time.  But the new versions seem amazing.  So, I have it on my wish list.

Do you think your style has changed over the years?

I would describe it as my ‘evolving.’ I find my work loosening up, becoming more ‘painterly.’  The thing that remains constant in my technique is the underlying glazes of primary colors to create the luminosity.  As I said earlier I believe this sets my work apart and gives it the depth and life.  It’s not overly obvious but more like a ‘feel.’  The changes in my style have come simply in my gaining experience and knowledge, hence drawing and painting as much as I can.  It’s      quantity that creates the quality. There’s really not any big secret.  If you want to do this, then do it…. A      lot!

How do you market yourself?

With my graphic design/marketing background, I have been pretty good at creating marketing materials. Although I am a terrible client. I can’t seem to decide on anything for myself.  It’s a good thing I don’t have to pay myself.  I couldn’t afford it! I use social networking and attend conferences as often as I can.  I have a website, blog, and am active on Facebook, Twitter and most recently my girls are showing me the benefits of Instagram. Yikes! There are so many choices.  It can be overwhelming.

Do you have any career dreams that you want to fulfill?

Being able to do this full time, ‘for a living.’   I have so many stories to tell!

What are you working on now?

So glad you asked!  I am very excited to be starting a new book project this month!  A Good Sign for Alice; Guardian Angel Publishing, projected release – early 2014.  Alice is a deaf dog rescued from a shelter by Marie, a little girl who is also deaf and bombarded by two brothers who don’t understand girls.  It is written by Rachelle Burke.  I’m in the thick of research, learning sign language.  The challenge I’m finding will be to ‘illustrate’ deafness.  But hey, it’s the problem solving that I love about this job, right? I’ll be posting progress on my blog if anyone is curious. www.karyleeillustration.blogspot.com .

Do you have any material type tips you can share with us?

Professional grade paint and paper are a must if you’re serious about this medium.  My paints of choice are Windsor Newton and Danielle Smith with little exception.  Arches cold press is my choice for paper.  When trying something else I once found my self frantically waving my paintbrush in the air with one hand, the other propped on my hip and shouting with attitude, “What is this crap? I can’t work this way!” …with a French accent!

It’s not really a material type, but my wonderful new Epson Photo R2880 printer definitely affects how I use my materials.  It is oversized and takes watercolor paper.  I can now take sketches, scan them and print directly on the paper. It saves time and frees me up to try without worrying about ruining anything.

Any words of wisdom on how to become a successful illustrator?

For me this answer has two parts:

1.         Philosophical:  Stop for a minute and think about WHO you are WHEN you are creating.  That’s your muse; the inner voice you should be listening to if you want to be true to your work.

2.         Practical:  Paint or draw EVERYDAY! Go to conferences! Do your research on publishers, art directors and agents.  Find where your work fits best. Ask questions. But remember the answers are based on that person’s situation.
The truth? There is NO RECIPE! And success for one person is different than another.  At first I would ask questions and get a little annoyed when the answer was, what to YOU think. I have received some amazing help from some very well known authors, illustrators and industry professionals, but it’s still my journey.  And yours will be different than mine!

We a have all heard this:  ‘Do what you love and the money will come.’

For me I suggest a slight change: ‘Do what you love and the happiness and success will come.’  (maybe money too….but that’s just a bonus.)

Kary’s work hangs in public venues and private residences throughout the Northwest. She is currently writing and illustrating a historical fiction book entitled, The Race. It is inspired by a poem written by her great-grandfather.

AWARDS & PUBLICITY

In 2009 she was featured in Washington State Magazine for a University of Washington athletic event project, The Windermere Cup. The link is on my website, www.karyleeillustration.com . In 2008, Dizzy the Dolphin received the Mom’s Choice award for Children’s Picture Book Adventure. And, she was a national portfolio finalist at the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) Summer Conference in Los Angeles, CA in 2003.

Thank you Kary for sharing you expertise, process, and journey with us. Please make sure you continue to share you successes with us. We looking forward to following your career.

Taking a minute to leave Kary a comment is greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Talk tomorrow,

Kathy

Filed under: authors and illustrators, awards, illustrating, Illustrator's Saturday, inspiration, Interview, Process Tagged: Dizzy the Dolphin, Illustrator Kary Lee, John Christ Professor from Atlanta

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One of my favorite literary involvements in New England is serving on the Pen New England Susan P. Bloom Children's Book Discovery Award Committee. This year, I was delighted that two of my writing buddies, Katherine T. Quimby and Anna J. Boll, won the award.

The best entries were all about voice, and these two accomplished Vermont College graduates absolutely nailed their main characters' respective voices. If you're in the area, join us at Lesley University in Cambridge, MA on May 19 at 6:30 p.m. to hear the authors read their work, snack, schmooze, and celebrate children's books.

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After no Pulitzer Prize for fiction winner last year, the Pulitzer jury picked The Orphan Master’s Son by Adam Johnson for the fiction prize in 2013. See all the finalists at this link.

Disgraced by Ayad Akhtar won the drama prize. Embers of War: The Fall of an Empire and the Making of America’s Vietnam by Fredrik Logevall won for history.

The Black Count: Glory, Revolution, Betrayal, and the Real Count of Monte Cristo by Tom Reiss won biography and Stag’s Leap by Sharon Olds won poetry. Finally, Devil in the Grove: Thurgood Marshall, the Groveland Boys, and the Dawn of a New America by Gilbert King won general nonfiction.

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

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Among the most popular features on CartoonBrew.com is our annual coverage of the Academy Awards. Our 2013 Oscar coverage recorded the highest traffic ever in the site’s history, hitting a single-day record for pageviews on Monday, February 25.

The animation community’s interest in the awards is justified for many reasons. Foremost, the Oscars serve as a barometer of the general public’s attitudes toward animation. The films that are nominated (as well as those that aren’t) tell us a lot about how animation is evolving as an art form and its acceptance into the mainstream.

The Oscar’s animation categories, however, have long been marginalized in the entertainment media, and lacked the informed coverage and analysis that accompanies the live-action categories. Cartoon Brew sets out to change that with its new ANIMATION OSCAR TRACKER, which is the animation industry’s first and only resource devoted to year-round coverage of contending films.

Our broad focus on both mainstream and independent films will help the film community parse through the ever-growing number of feature and short entries. We aim to provide Academy voters with an indispensable tool for making informed decisions when it comes time to nominate films and select winners for these prestigious animation honors.

The new ANIMATION OSCAR TRACKER, which is readily accessible through Cartoon Brew’s top navigation bar, will be updated regularly with lists of films in contention. More features will be added in the weeks and months to come including Oscar predictions, interviews with filmmakers, and coverage of other animation-related Academy Award categories like visual effects.

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Kenyatta Leal has won the Quora Answer of the Year award at the annual Shorty Awards. He provided a moving answer to the question: “What does the first day of a 5+ year prison sentence feel like?”

Below, we’ve included links to all five finalists for the Best Quora Answer of the Year award. Leal accepted his award from prison. Here is an excerpt from his Quora essay:

I remember my first day because it was my worst day. I was sentenced to life in prison on September 25, 1995 and about a week later was transferred from the San Diego County Jail to RJ Donovan Prison for intake into the state prison system. The morning of my transfer a deputy came to my cell and told me that I was “catching the chain” to the pen.  I had just made it to sleep as my cellmate and I had stayed up late playing chess and talking. He was a 19 year old 1st termer headed to the joint with a life sentence and every night he would ask me a gang of questions about prison life. I felt compelled to answer his questions in as much detail as possible because I knew he didn’t understand the danger he was headed into and he needed all the help he could get.

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The New York Public Library is a finalist for the Social: Education and Discovery award at the upcoming Webby Awards.

If you think that libraries are a valuable resource online, you should vote for the New York Public Library. It faces some stiff competition, as other nominees include NASA’s Curiosity Mars Rover Social Media, TED’s site, National Geographic Education and Medium. Here’s more about the awards:

Established in 1996 during the Web’s infancy, The Webbys is presented by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences (IADAS) — a 1,000+ member judging body that includes Executive Members comprised of leading Web experts, business figures, luminaries, visionaries and creative celebrities, and Associate Members who are former Webby Award Winners and Nominees and other Internet professionals.

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Craig Childs has won the 2013 Orion Book Award for his book, Apocalyptic Planet. Read free samples of all the finalists below…

The prize honors both nonfiction and fiction, producing a unique mix of authors. Here’s more from the judges:

Childs’s perspective is humbling, his position one of awe and respect for the powers of nature that humans have only partially come to understand. And his writing is rich in scientific thinking but also lifted to a level of literary grace, which, coupled with his sheer exuberance, ensures that the reader is never left behind. Concerning humans’ place amid the small and large catastrophes explored in Apocalyptic Planet, Childs is neither alarmist nor complacent, as he considers the human effect on the planet in a context many times greater than our day-to-day lives.

continued…

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we’ve shared with you before one of our artists Priscilla Burris’s wonderful truly heart felt young characters and their special worlds.  Well one of them Heidi Heckelbeck is a most popular little girl as it turns out!

Heidi won 1st place for fiction series at the New York Book Show!!!
They announced it last night at the event. Exciting!  WAY TUGEAU (ooops To Go!) Little Simon and Priscilla!  wow and wow!

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“THE ANTI-BULLYING NOVELIST,” ELAINE WOLF, WINS 2013 COMMUNITY UPSTANDER AWARD

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For the first time in ten years, Granta has revealed its list of the Best of Young British Novelists. Below, we’ve linked to free samples of all 20 novelists.

The winners were chosen from among 150 novelists by a panel of judges: John Freeman, Ellah Allfrey, Romesh Gunesekera, Stuart Kelly, A.L. Kennedy, Sigrid Rausing and Gaby Wood. Here’s more from the release:

At a celebration to be held at the British Council, on the evening of 15 April 2013, Granta will announce its once-in-a-decade selection of the twenty best British novelists aged under forty. Granta’s first generation-defining list of writers was published in 1983 and set the bar for the following decades.

Daughters of the North by Sarah Hall

The Liar’s Gospel by Naomi Alderman

The Good Muslim by Tahmima Anam

The Teleportation Accident by Ned Beauman

The Panopticon by Jenni Fagan

The Quickening Maze by Adam Foulds

A Concise Chinese-English Dictionary for Lovers by Xiaolu Guo

The Raw Shark Texts by Steven Hall

The Birth of Love by Joanna Kavenna

Childish Loves by Benjamin Markovits

Black Mamba Boy by Nadifa Mohamed

Mr. Fox by Helen Oyeyemi

Waterline by Ross Raisin

Ours Are the Streets by Sunjeev Sahota

Ghana Must Go by Taiye Selasi

Kartography by Kamila Shamsie

NW by Zadie Smith

Spring by David Szalay

Politics by Adam Thirlwell

After the Fire, A Still, Small Voice by Evie Wyld

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

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