Florida RA Linda Bernfeld!
As Lin said of Linda, "She's launched more careers... than you could count."
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| The standing ovation for Linda |
Congratulations, Linda!
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| A well-deserved honor |
On a personal note, I'm so delighted for Linda, who gets the crown after me…
Okay, while it doesn't come with a Tiara, winning SCBWI Member of the Year is a huge honor, and I'm so happy for you -- Congratulations!
Ignore the fact that SCBWI Miami took place in January--I've finally downloaded/uploaded my pictures, and I want to post them. (Click to make them larger.) I was not only an attendee, but I also appeared as a speaker on the First Books Panel, along with Marjetta Geerling and Debbie Reed Fischer.
Linda Bernfeld, SCBWI Regional Advisor of Florida, (on the right) is ready to party down after months and months of planning! It paid off, Linda! From left to right, the other conference attendees are Lynne Hansen, Shannon Hitchcock, me, and Angelina Dunbar. Lynne writes YA horror and gave me great tips on how to drum up book signings. Shannon and I had some great conversations, and Angelina was my conference buddy.
I'm standing next to Marjetta Geerling, Alex Flinn and Mindy Weiss. Marjetta wrote Fancy White Trash and signed my copy with a fancy pink pen. She told me YA doesn't have to be depressing and she was right! I read her book, loved it, and saw positive themes throughout the novel even in the midst of serious subject matter. Alex Flinn is the author of many books and the recipient of many awards. Go Alex! Mindy is a Blueboard friend and it was nice to meet her in person.
The great Lisa Yee! What can I say? I loved Millicent Min! Don't let Lisa's small stature and cuteness fool you--she's sharp as a razor and really funny (very quick texter, too).
Gaby Triana worked behind the scenes for months to get the conference going. Not only is she the author of several award winning novels and a nice person to boot, she's hot, too!
Donna Gephart wrote As If Being 12 and 3/4 Wasn't Bad Enough, My Mother is Running for President! My daughter snagged this book from me when I got home and she loved it! Donna and I had exchanged a few emails before the conference, and I was eager to meet her. She is a warm and caring person, and I love her for that.
I had a blast hanging out with Debbie Reed Fischer. She introduced herself as a military brat like myself, and said we had much to talk about. The author of Braless in Wonderland and Swimming with Sharks, Debbie is quick, funny, and just as pretty as the models she writes about.
This is what it looks like when children's writers party! Kimberly Lynn constructed all the decorations, and she did a fantastic job!
Me: I'm a little nervous about the workshop. I want to talk with other writers, but I don't know them and I don't know what to say.
Him: Here's how I do it--if I see a kid outside on a Ripstik, I say, "Can you do tricks on that?" and then I say, "Can I have a turn?" Then we start talking about Ripstiks and stuff and then we're friends. You should just ask people what book they're writing now. That's what you should do.
Me: You are a very smart boy.
* * *
First off, thank you and congrats to Linda
Bernfeld and a host of others who pulled off another fantastic workshop in O-town. Linda called me last week and asked me if I wouldn't mind picking up an editor from the airport and driving her to the hotel. Ha! An hour alone with an editor.
Yes, Linda, yes, I would be more than happy to help, mwahahaha.So that's how I got to meet Nancy
Siscoe, Associate Publishing Director and Executive Editor for Knopf & Crown Books for Young Readers. You will be proud to know that I did not ply Nancy with possible stories, not even once! But I did play an endless loop of my middle-grade ideas, recorded on CD at a pitch so high, only the subconscious could hear it. Nancy should be writing out that six-figure contract even as we speak.
People I met (as in, I actually spoke with):Michael
Stearns, Firebrand Literary--Michael sported the best accessory in the house--a cast. I was so happy to meet him, I forgot to ask him what happened to his foot. I shook Michael's hand, so now if he goes back to New York and shakes my agent's hand, well, you know, six degrees of separation and all that. In any case, Michael was witty and informative and very approachable.
Andrea
Tompa, Associate Editor, Candlewick Press--Andrea was cool and funny, and I caught her as we were all packing up. More on what Andrea likes later.
Lots of other writers. I asked them what books they were writing and now we are friends.
What Happened in the Middle-Grade Track:Bruce Hale, author of the popular Chet Gecko series, Michael
Stearns, and Andrea
Tompa sat at the head table for the Middle-Grade Track. One thing that always surprises me at conferences is how well the speakers work together and how they play off each other.
For me, the first page critiques provided an excellent education. Humorous pieces elicited the best comments from the judges. (At this point, I was thinking of them as Paula, Randy, and another Randy (two
Randys because no one was
snarky enough to be Simon).) They advised us to avoid
frontloading--making an info dump in the beginning so your reader has the whole thing right away. Instead, feed in the necessary information through dialogue and other bits and pieces.
Bruce told us to let the manuscript cool off between revisions, a month if you can do it. I must say my cooling off periods have been much shorter, but I like the idea of leaving the manuscript long enough to stop editing it in my sleep.
Michael showed us how to pace a novel by outlining a YA
chicklit novel in which a guy named Bruce was the loser in a romantic triangle.
Andrea reminded us to make sure to bring into play things you introduce. Everything should serve a purpose. Although Candlewick is a closed house, she reads manuscripts from conference attendees for a specified period of time.
If you know me from somewhere, like this conference, she said,
open [your query] with that. Andrea likes literary science fiction and stories that feature an outdoor challenge.
The mood at the workshop was one of
camaraderie and excitement. Writers were buying books and signing books and everyone looked happy. Even the lunch was good. What can I say? I had a great time. Now I'm looking forward to Miami!
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By: Lee Wind, M.Ed.,
on 7/29/2016
By: Danette Haworth,
on 3/20/2009
Linda Bernfeld, SCBWI Regional Advisor of Florida, (on the right) is ready to party down after months and months of planning! It paid off, Linda! From left to right, the other conference attendees are Lynne Hansen, Shannon Hitchcock, me, and Angelina Dunbar. Lynne writes YA horror and gave me great tips on how to drum up book signings. Shannon and I had some great conversations, and Angelina was my conference buddy.
I'm standing next to Marjetta Geerling, Alex Flinn and Mindy Weiss. Marjetta wrote Fancy White Trash and signed my copy with a fancy pink pen. She told me YA doesn't have to be depressing and she was right! I read her book, loved it, and saw positive themes throughout the novel even in the midst of serious subject matter. Alex Flinn is the author of many books and the recipient of many awards. Go Alex! Mindy is a Blueboard friend and it was nice to meet her in person.
The great Lisa Yee! What can I say? I loved Millicent Min! Don't let Lisa's small stature and cuteness fool you--she's sharp as a razor and really funny (very quick texter, too).
Gaby Triana worked behind the scenes for months to get the conference going. Not only is she the author of several award winning novels and a nice person to boot, she's hot, too!
Donna Gephart wrote As If Being 12 and 3/4 Wasn't Bad Enough, My Mother is Running for President! My daughter snagged this book from me when I got home and she loved it! Donna and I had exchanged a few emails before the conference, and I was eager to meet her. She is a warm and caring person, and I love her for that.
I had a blast hanging out with Debbie Reed Fischer. She introduced herself as a military brat like myself, and said we had much to talk about. The author of Braless in Wonderland and Swimming with Sharks, Debbie is quick, funny, and just as pretty as the models she writes about.
I miss Miami! I spent a year there when I was 17 and still remember so many things about it I liked, the main one being that it wasn't my hometown...
This too is one of the perks of being an author -- meeting other authors! It sounds like you had a great time.
Wow, that looks like a great time. How did I miss the Miami SCBWI Con?!
Well, I was at the NYC one. And I'll definitely be going to the one in LA so I can meet some of my crit partners.
Glad you had a good time.
Thank you so much for your kind words and for sending me the pix! I'm so glad I met you and your book is wonderful in every way. I thoroughly enjoyed it and can't wait to read your next one. Hope to see you in Orlando in June. :) xoxo deb Love your blog!
Great photos. Thanks for sharing.
Is that what you call a "Babble" of Writers?"
Great pics! I live in FL and I've never been to Miami. Must go. :)