Horses and fudge, big names, plein air, abandoned bra, and a slurpee brain freeze: The Mackinac Island SCBWI-MI fall conference 2014
by Charlie Barshaw
"I was fortunate enough to be Co-Chair of the 2014 Mackinac Island conference."
That's how I started my email to author Candace Fleming, who signs her emails "Candy." I know this because Candy wrote back and said, "I remember that conference like it was yesterday. It was a terrific event."
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| photo courtesy Anita Pazner |
It's the tenth year anniversary, 2014-2024. The other conference I co-chaired was at a convent in Kalamazoo the year before, was limited to 40 writers, and was a live-in, weekend-long workshop/boot camp.The Mackinac Island conference was going to be an extravagant affair. We had a bigger enrollment, as many people as could book a room at the Mission Point hotel or a nearby B&B. Also, we had an "in" because my co-chair, Anita Pazner, knew some island people.
And because it was unique Mackinac Island, the co-RA's Leslie Helakoski and Carrie Pearson decided to swing for the fences. We brought in the premier editor of Scholastic, Arthur Levine. We invited local author/illustrator Laurie Keller and asked her to bring along her famous editor Christy Ottaviano. And we brought author Candace Fleming and author/illustrator Eric Rohmann in because they were partners and children's book pros separately and together.
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| Leslie Helakoski, Arthur Levine, Christy Ottaviano |
So, the cool faculty, cool destination conference happened in September 2014. The faculty got there somehow (Candace and Eric from Chicago-area, Arthur and Christy from NY-area). They all completed the last leg of their trip on a ferry, because (absent helicopter, snowmobile or sled dogs and thick Great Lakes ice) that's the only way to get there.
Everyone had to schlep their stuff from the dock to their room in the Mission Point hotel, or take a carriage/wagon or rent a bike. The place smelled of fudge and horse manure, in a good way.
During the previous Mackinac Island conference (in 2011) master illustrator Matt Faulkner conducted a weekend-long illustrator contest and intensive boot camp. It happened inside a window-less Quonset hut, and the poor artists didn't get to enjoy the island nearly as much as the writers.
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| Lori Eslick |
So this time, they figured to do art outside, and had master plein air watercolor artist Lori Eslick do painting out in nature, which is more or less what plein air means.Also, butterflies!
Perhaps the thorniest Mackinac issue is that Island memories blend together. SCBWI-MI had two conferences there in 2011 and 2014, and the Michigan Reading Association also held conferences there a number of times. Many of these remembrances and photos are of Mackinac Island, but maybe not from 2014. I'll do my darndest to keep them straight.
I've heard from Candace and Arthur. He says his memories are "blurry." Candace Fleming, though, says "she remembers it like yesterday". Most people, myself included, are somewhere in-between.
So far, I've gotten some responses:
Mackinac Island Questions (to Ed Spicer):
What do you remember about the trip to Mackinac Island, and/or the return trip home?
I remember being in a constant state of anxiety because I was presenting to a group of people that I admire, including several who were and still are close friends. I wanted my presentation to be thoughtful and useful and interesting and was so worried I would fall short, antacid pills were consumed.
Equally memorable was the fact that when Ann and I were unpacking for the weekend, Ann found a black bra behind the dresser. I suggested to Ann that we hang it in the room and use it for a hammock. Needless to say it did not fit and we tossed it (but not until we shared it and offered it to several others—no takers). However Ruth Barshaw preserved this memory for the ages!
And finally on a very windy afternoon I did a video interview with Ruth and Matt Faulkner and Kristen Remenar. This was Kristen’s debut picture book and her beloved Matt was working on the illustrations. The video does not have the best audio (wind is such a brat) and it may still exist on YouTube, but right now I remember this lovely time with dear friends as if it were yesterday!
Had you been to Mackinac Island before? What was your initial impression?
Not only did SCBWI use Mackinac Island for conferences but so did the Michigan Reading Association. I’ve been there several times. It’s a beautiful spot and no cars!
Any of the presenters or presentations leave an indelible mark on you?
Every time I meet with book creators my life is changed for the better. I think this was the conference in which Debbie Diesen did a poetry program that was great. Ann and Debbie also really bonded. A bunch of us had dinner at the Pink Pony and laughed a healing and healthy hard laugh all night long. We were with our crew and life felt good.
Did you get a chance to sightsee? What did you seek out? What did you stumble upon?
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| Kris Remenar, Ann Perrigo, me, Matt Faulkner, Ruth McNally Barshaw, Ed Spicer trespassing |
Of course we visited the gorgeous public library and we did weasel our way into the Grand Hotel for drinks and heavenly views of the water.
What sticks out in your memories when you think of the 2014 Mackinac Island conference?
This was before the pandemic and before the really ugly, divisive political world of today. I loved working with my first graders. I loved my committee work. I loved my growing group of smart, kind, funny friends. This conference felt divine. The mood was hopeful and filled with kindness and laughter.
What was your biggest surprise?
That black bra was HUGE!
.jfif) |
| From Ruth's sketchbook |
What was your role with the conference? What kind of prep work did you have to do? How did it go?
I was a keynote speaker and I had to wait until the very end to give my talk. Of course I wrote and rewrote and tweaked and obsessed and panicked MANY times before I got up to speak (as is the case EVERY time I present). I remember feeling good with how it went and I received several compliments from a good number of people). So I guess it went well! Fun conference!
While author Vicky Lorencen sent this along:
Like a Slurpee-induced brain
freeze
Painful memories of a
conference past
By Vicky Lorencen
I had nearly withdrawn the last fudge-stained reminder of the
SCBWI-MI 2014 Fall Conference from my memory bank when that Mr. Barshaw demanded
I recollect one of the most excruciating three weeks of my tender literary
life. (Pardon? It was three days. Really? Hmm.) Anyway, thanks a lot,
Chuck.
.jfif) |
| photo courtesy Ed Spicer |
To those of you who missed the 2014 conference on
Mackinac Island, you can cancel your FOMO. I mean, I wish I’d missed out! All
in all, it was H-E-double hockey sticks on a land lump surrounded by water,
blue skies and puffy clouds. Claustrophobic. That’s what I was. Be glad you
didn't have to endure it. And let’s get this out of the way. The speakers? All boars.
(What’s that? I mean bores (most likely).) Presenters like Candice Fleming,
Arthur Levine, Christy Ottaviano, and Eric Rohmann—every last one of ‘em—were
dripping with condensation. (What now? Yes, yes, I meant condescension.) But it
was in that witty, smart, warm-hearted, I’m-here-because-I-love-children’s-books-and-the-people-who-create-them sort
of way. Yikes. You know the type.
The attendees? Um. Too welcoming and friendly if you ask me
(and I believe you did). Most offered far more hugs and smiles than
absolutely necessary. And, who knows why, but the conference organizers gave us
big blobs of time for long chats, brainstorming and creativity. Madness! Yes, I
took advantage of their gift (but only to be polite, you understand).
By the time the whole Alcatrazesque weekend came to a
welcome halt, my brain had that uncomfortable, post-Thanksgiving
feeling. (And no, milk chocolate pecan fudge squares had nothing to do with
it.) It was induced by all the encouragement and insights I had to stuff
in it. But again, out of my overt sense of politeness, I will extend another
BIG thank to everyone who helped to plan, oversee and execute this very
special conference, which is to say, 72-hour nightmare. I’m afraid (as in
deeply concerned) I’ll always remember it as one of the best worst weekends I'd
had in a long time.
P.S. Are you happy now, Charlie?
The answer is YES.
We're going to gather memories and photos, and hear from some of the truly stellar producers of children's books. If you have photos or memories you're willing to shares email me at cjbarshaw523@aol.com
Watch this space.
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Anita and Charlie
retro |
.jfif)
