No, it’s not Christmas yet… it’s CONFERENCE TIME!!!!!

Can’t you hear the “clang, clang, clang” of reclusive writers and artists everywhere, busting open the manacles that bind to them their keyboards? Friday, they’ll be brushing the confetti of shredded stories off their sleeves, crawling out of their caves, and blinking up into the dazzling LA sunshine.

Did I mention it was CONFERENCE TIME?

The Society for Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) holds an annual summer conference here in LA and it’s by far the most spectacular event of the year. For me at least. I get giddy just thinking of all those kids and young adult books just waiting to be bought. Precious signatures to be inked across the title pages. Editors to be Schmoozed. AUTHORS to be Q&Aed. BUSINESS CARDS TO BE HANDED OUT!!!!

Okay, just let me just catch my breath for a minute…

So, this year, the highlight for me is Tamora Pierce. Can you say Trickster’s Choice? The Immortals Series? Strong women? Amazing fantasy settings? She’s one of my absolutely favorite authors and I can’t wait to hear her speak. I even sent her a fan email, when I heard she was coming to the conference. Shhhhhh….. don’t tell anyone!

She’s doing a talk in the main room on Saturday, but what I’m super looking forward to, is her smaller talk on ‘Developing Cultures in the Fantasy Novel.’

I’m also excited to see John Green, who wrote Looking for Alaska.

Susan Patron, LA’s most famous children’s book librarian, will also be there. She has the distinction of being this year’s Newbery Award winner and infamous user of the word ’scrotum’ on the first page of a middle grade book. Ah, fickle fame!

Other notables, Walter Dean Myers, Sonya Sones, Arthur Levine (check the spine of your Harry Potter books), Linda Sue Parks and so, so, so many more awesome writers, illustrators, editors, agents, bloggers, poets, and, of course, attendees. We’ll all be partying together Saturday night!

Last, but not least, I’ve submitted a chapter to be critiqued by some random, unknown Book Person. Could be an author, editor, agent, or, perhaps, a yeti. I’ll make sure to tell you how the critique goes. I’m glad tear stains don’t show up on computer monitors… though there’s the much more disastrous possibility of shorting out my laptop!

See you on the flip side!

Posted in SCBWI, Nifty happenings, Books, Writing

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