Reflections and Takeaways from the Marvelous Midwest Conference

The Marvelous Midwest took place April 12-14, 2024 in Davenport Iowa. Below, some Michigan attendees share some of their thoughts and key takeaways.

Writers from Michigan at the Marvelous Midwest Conference

Dave Stricklen's Takeaways

It was a bit of an undertaking to drive to Davenport, Iowa, but I hadn’t seen any of my writer buddies for years (except on a small screen).  I remember feeling inspired after conferences and thought it would be nice to get back to that. I drove with Suzette Garvey.  As writers, we have a lot to talk about and when we tell a story… we tell a story! No joke we told life stories back and forth for five straight hours without as much as a 30 second break. Before we knew it, we were pulling up at the hotel. 

The hotel reminded me of “The Shining” (in a creepy but cool way) the place had atmosphere. My conference high point was Gary Schmidt’s keynote. I told him face to face that it was the best keynote that I had ever heard. I then realized that he wasn’t one of the speakers we flew in from either coast. He lived a just few miles south of my home address. Yes, we do have talent right in our back yard if we take a closer look.

After getting home and looking at my takeaways, I had eight great things to follow up on. I came to the realization that these great ideas came predominately from other writers while simply chatting over lunch or in the hotel lobby.

For me, it stressed the importance of in person meetings. I truly got more from my casual writer chats and connections than in the break outs. It stresses the importance of getting to the in-person shoptalks or seminars more than ever. Sitting across from someone with a cup of coffee is a different experience. You can find a YouTube video on basically any subject, but true connection and inspiration is built on in person meetings.

More than one writer expressed to me that they would be leaving the conference with their passion for writing fully recharged.

Interviews with BookSmitten

Heather and Kelly

The children’s book podcast BookSmitten was recording on-site at the SCBWI Marvelous Midwest 2024 Conference in Davenport, Iowa. Follow along with Kelly J. Baptist and Heather Shumaker as they gather wisdom from keynotes and attendees, and even glean insight from soup.

Mentioned in this episode:

SCBWI Marvelous Midwest 2024
Gary D. Schmidt
Sherri L. Smith
James Solheim
 

Interviewees:

Aaron Fox (MO)
Debbie Gonzales (MI)
Kat Higgs-Coulthard (MI)
Leslie Helakowski  (MI)
Danielle Defoe (MI)
Kathy Halsey (OH)
Amy Flynn (OH)
Sheila Willobee (MI)
Kathy Groth (WI) -  Sunken Shipwrecks of Lake Michigan, Ocean Party (Illustrated by Becca Hart)
Joyce Uglow (WI) - Stuck: The Story of the La Brea Tar Pits (Illustrated by Valerya Milovanova )

BookSmitten Podcast Enters Season Two

We’re excited for the new season of BookSmitten, the podcast dedicated to children’s books. BookSmitten is hosted by four Michigan SCBWI authors: Kelly J. Baptist, Jack Cheng, Patrick Flores-Scott, and Heather Shumaker. We see a hopeful, human world through children’s literature, and hope you’ll join us.

This season: We’re writing picture books!

We’ve launched the Picture Book Challenge. Listeners can learn along with us as we uncover the craft of picture book writing. As novelists, we’re used to writing much longer works. There’s so much to learn about what actually goes in to writing a child-worthy picture book. We hope you’ll take the #booksmittenchallenge and create your own publishable picture book.

It’s quite a challenge for a novelist to distill a story idea into a picture book. It’s all new territory for us. We’re primarily Middle Grade and YA authors, and only Kelly has published a picture book before. To help us out, we’ve invited some wonderful guests to join the show. Guests like:

          Shutta Crum, author

          Darnell Johnson, illustrator

          Yuyi Morales, author and illustrator

          Betsy Bird, from Fuse 8 ‘N Kate, all-star children’s librarian

          Lisa Wheeler, author (check out her episode on rhyme)

       

We’re using Ann Whitford Paul’s book “Writing Picture Books” to guide us through the process, and even brought Ann on the show to give us extra insights.

Whatever kind of books your write, you can find fun, friendship, and fellowship here with the BookSmitten crew as we learn together and push our creative boundaries.  

We hope you’ll join us! Or if picture books aren’t your focus, delve into past episodes where we cover a wide range of children’s book topics, including BookSmitten interviews with YA authors Angeline Boulley and Paula Yoo.

 

Interested? Check out the 5-minute Season 2 teaser.

We hope you become BookSmitten! Listen through Apple podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google, or Overcast. Find out more at booksmitten.us. Add a review! Or write to us with ideas for new episodes you’d love to hear hello@booksmitten.us.

BookSmitten is on Twitter @booksmittenpod. You can use the tag #booksmittenchallenge this season.

Podcast webpage:  https://booksmitten.us/

 

Bios

Kelly J. Baptist hails from Berrien Springs, MI. She’s the author of three Middle Grade books ISAIAH DUNN IS MY HERO, ISAIAH DUNN SAVES THE DAY, and THE SWAG IS IN THE SOCKS, plus the picture book THE ELECTRIC SLIDE AND KAI. Kelly is also the author of a short story in the Middle Grade collection FLYING LESSONS AND OTHER STORIES.

Jack Cheng lives in Detroit, MI. He’s the author of the Golden Kite award-winning Middle Grade novel SEE YOU IN THE COSMOS and THE MANY MASKS OF ANDY ZHOU, forthcoming in June 2023.

Patrick Flores-Scott is from Ann Arbor, MI. Patrick is the author of two Young Adult novels: JUMPED IN and AMERICAN ROAD TRIP.

Heather Shumaker lives in Traverse City, MI. She’s the author of three books for adults, plus the Middle Grade adventure THE GRIFFINS OF CASTLE CARY.

BookSmitten Producers: 

Josie and Corey Schneider, Kansas City, MO

Music by Duck, Duck Chicken

 

 

Becoming BookSmitten: Creating a Collaborative KidLit Podcast

 

BookSmitten is a brand-new podcast focused on children’s books, co-hosted by four Michigan authors and SCBWI members: Kelly J. Baptist, Jack Cheng, Patrick Flores-Scott, and Heather Shumaker. The first episode launched in February 2021, and I tuned in. It made me wistful for our pre-pandemic days of gathering with writer friends at a coffee shop, and I found myself nodding and smiling and wanting to join in their discussion. I even jotted down some notes, including this quote, "The pain of discipline or the pain of regret. You're going to have either one. Which one do you want?"

Read on for my interview with Heather, and then experience the podcast for yourself. Look for new episodes on your favorite podcast site every other Wednesday. It's guaranteed to lift your mood!

~ Kristin Lenz

Tell us how the idea for the podcast began and then took shape.

I’d met Kelly, Jack, and Patrick at various SCBWI events and conferences and was immediately impressed. Basically, these were people I wanted to keep talking to. I remember heading home, thinking “I wish she lived in my home town.” or “I wish we could keep talking about books together.” With this podcast, we can! Both Jack and I had hosted podcasts before, and knew how fun they could be. So we gathered together by Zoom during 2020 and discussed the idea for the pod. Everyone was enthusiastic. We discovered the four of us shared a big-hearted, hopeful view of the world. Fueled by Jack’s prior knowledge of pods, and Kelly’s contagious enthusiasm, we launched into our opening episode of BookSmitten: “We’re here, we’re happy, we’re human, and we’re BookSmitten!”

Are there a lot children’s book podcasts out there?

Not that many! We were surprised, especially given how many people love children’s books. A few children’s book podcasts have come and gone, and several focus on reading to children. BookSmitten really fills a niche, and although we’re all from Michigan, it’s intended for a national audience of librarians, parents, teachers, grandparents, book lovers, children’s book writers, and interested kids.

What can we expect from the upcoming episodes? 

Oh gosh, we have a growing list of topics. We’ve already recorded four episodes and will be diving into topics surrounding “all things kid lit.” Kelly has a new picture book out in March, THE ELECTRIC SLIDE AND KAI (Lee & Low Books), so an episode in March looks at her creative process. Jack and Patrick both wrote road trip novels, so we’re focusing an episode on road trip / journey stories. Other topics on the brainstorm list are: exploring non-white heroes in fantasy / sci-fi books, books that bridge differences, how we got serious about writing, the connection of sports and writing, portrayals of grandparents, encouraging child writers, short stories in kid lit, and so much more. We also plan to feature guest authors and amazing librarians from time to time, as well as invite child writers on to the show.

One wonderful development is that all four of us bring a unique perspective. We’re sharing from our family backgrounds, sharing our voices, and learning together. It’s a journey we’re excited to share with listeners.

What’s the format? Will each of the authors take turns or will you all be talking together?

So far we’ve been co-hosting together. There’s a nice balance of voices, with two male and two female hosts, so it’s easy to tell who’s talking. Going forward into the future, we may have episodes where just two or three of us host, especially given deadlines and busy schedules, but for now, no one wants to be left out. We’re having too much fun creating camaraderie in this new kidlit space! We hope it’s a space where everyone will feel welcome.

What have you already learned from the process?

Creating the podcast has reinforced just how creative and thoughtful my fellow authors are. Being together adds a dash of goodness into the world, and keeps us - and hopefully our listeners - buoyed up. We even recorded one episode on Jan. 6th, the day of the U.S Capitol attacks. Being together helps. It’s also continually inspiring - seeing Kelly’s prodigious output (two new books out in 2021!), Jack’s creative process, and Patrick’s goal of reaching struggling readers. We have something to share with anyone who loves children’s books.

We also learned how time-intensive bringing a podcast to life can be. Thankfully, we’ve teamed up with children’s librarian Josie Schneider, from Missouri, to produce the show for us. She shares our passion for children’s books and volunteered to do the back-end editing and technical stuff. We’re so grateful to have Josie! She makes us shine.

Anything else you'd like us to know?

For people in Michigan, you’ll see there’s a Mitten hiding in the BookSmitten name. A nod to our Michigan connection. And, if you look closely, you’ll find another Mitten hiding in the logo Jack designed for us. 

Where can you find the BookSmitten podcast?

You can listen to BookSmitten through Apple podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Google podcasts and hopefully everywhere you get your pods. If you like it, leave a rating on Apple. We hope you become BookSmitten! Join us and suggest new episodes at hello@booksmitten.us.

Here are some helpful links:

The booksmitten.us landing page: https://booksmitten.us/

Jack Cheng’s recent blog post introducing the podcast. 

Heather Shumaker's recent 5 minute YouTube video below:

Learn more about each of the podcast authors:

Kelly J. Baptist hails from Berrien Springs, MI. She’s the author of the Middle Grade book ISAIAH DUNN IS MY HERO and a new picture book THE ELECTRIC SLIDE AND KAI. Kelly is also the author of a short story in the Middle Grade collection FLYING LESSONS AND OTHER STORIES.

Jack Cheng lives in Detroit, MI. He’s the author of the Golden Kite award-winning Middle Grade novel SEE YOU IN THE COSMOS.

Patrick Flores-Scott is from Ann Arbor, MI. Patrick is the author of two Young Adult novels: JUMPED IN and AMERICAN ROAD TRIP.

Heather Shumaker lives in Traverse City, MI. She’s the author of three books for adults, plus the Middle Grade adventure THE GRIFFINS OF CASTLE CARY.

BookSmitten Producers: 

Josie and Corey Schneider, Kansas City, MO

Music by Duck, Duck Chicken

Coming up on the Mitten Blog:

Hugs and Hurrahs! We want to trumpet your good news. Please send your writing/illustrating/publishing news to Sarah LoCascio by Tuesday March 16th to be included.

Registration is open for the SCBWI-MI Spring (Virtual) Conference and critique slots are going fast. Don't delay! Register today for this jam-packed yet flexible conference where you can participate in real time via Zoom or watch recorded sessions later at your convenience. Everything you need to know is here: https://michigan.scbwi.org/2020/05/01/spring-conference-2021/

From Classroom to World’s Greatest Writing Group by Robin Pearson

The Class:

I doubt I’m like anyone else in SCBWI. I didn’t set out to write a children’s book. Oh I daydreamed about it and had various topics rolling around in my head. I thought I’d tippy toe around the notion indefinitely, but then Heather Shumaker happened!

I signed up for Heather’s children’s book writing class on a whim, and as my fellow classmate Dorie stated, “It was two days packed with valuable information for beginning writers on both writing and publishing. I would take any class Heather offered on any topic. She did not mince words or waste our time.”

Throughout the class Heather mentioned how valuable it could be for classmates to continue to meet following her class. Her nudging must have worked because before I knew it we were collecting each others’ email addresses and I was offering to find a meeting place and time for our newly formed writing group. As classmate Cathy put it, “The biggest takeaway I received from Heather’s class was the importance of not only being part of a writer’s group, but making sure that the others in the group are at the same level of dedication as myself.”

The Group:

Since I knew nothing about writers groups, I researched what they are and what they do. Using what I learned at our first meeting we made a list of what we wanted our group to be and here’s what we decided.

• A place to share ideas
• A place to share information and resources
• A place of support
- To create a safe environment to share work
- To create structure and accountability
- To critique each others work
- To motivate each other to finish projects

At our second meeting we gave our group a name and listed activities for upcoming meetings. Our newly formed group will now be referred to as WG2 or “The World’s Greatest Writers Group.” Our group prides itself on being welcoming and encouraging. In fact, Cathy remarked “They have already encouraged me to step out of my comfort zone when reading a piece of my work, which was both terrifying and exhilarating! I am happy to be embarking on this journey with my dedicated and driven WG2 friends.”

WG2 Member Make-Up:

Here are just a few of the amazing members of WG2, which proves why we’re so excited and energized by the variety and level of talent our group has.

• Heather Johnson is planning a book about her blind, rescued dog Finn that will highlight his capabilities, not just his disability.
• Dorie is an amazing artist/illustrator who already had the group critique her story, “Science of the Cecropia Moth,” and has met with Mission Point Press
• Marty is a retired teacher and lesson planner who has so many great book ideas that we told her she should do them all.
• Cathy is a Pre-school teacher who read a draft of her story about a girl who handles her bully on the playground that blew us away.
• Kendall wants to fill a niche by getting children excited about poetry especially boys
• Ellen has become my personal cheerleader when after apprehensibly describing my two book ideas she exclaimed “Just do it!”

Heather Shumaker and her class were the glue that brought us together. What we do as a group from here is all on us and the future looks pretty bright for WG2!

Robin Pearson is retired from Dept of Natural Resources, a professionally trained voiceover actress, a mixed media artist and new to children’s book writing who lives in Northern Michigan with her husband Dan, rescued dog Roxy and Cosmo the cat.







Editor's note: In response to the pandemic stay-at-home period, Heather Shumaker created "a weekly author chat to kids and families designed to boost spirits, keep kids engaged with the power of stories and books, and give everyone something to look forward to each Friday." You can find the Fiction Friday author chats on Heather's website: https://heathershumaker.com/2020/04/07/fiction-fridays-author-chat/

SCBWI-MI reminders:

The submission window for the two Nonfiction Mentorship Competitions opens in just a few days!
SCBWI-MI members may enter the competitions on May 5th, and the submission window will remain open until May 26th or whenever we receive 30 applications. Everything you need to know is here: https://michigan.scbwi.org/2019/10/23/non-fiction-mentorship-2020/

New extended deadline for the Member For Members Scholarship Fund!
Applications will be accepted through June 1st, and the winner(s) will be announced on June 15th. Everything you need to know is here: https://michigan.scbwi.org/2020/01/26/members-for-members-scholarship-fund-2/

Free Zoom webinar this Sunday, thanks to Jay Whistler!
Go here:
https://michigan.scbwi.org/events/scbwi-mi-community-wide-shop-talk-may-3/














Save the Dates!
The Fall 2020 Conference has been moved to Spring 2021, and plans are underway. Mark your calendar for April 23-25, 2021 and stay tuned!

Ten Tips for a Successful Book Launch Party by Heather Shumaker

I’ve just wrapped up my 4th book launch. THE GRIFFINS OF CASTLE CARY, my first Middle Grade book, came out in March, and we launched it with a “Book Birthday Party” bash. Kids love birthdays, so we had cake, balloons, and even sang “Happy Birthday” to the book.

Send Personal Invites

I always like to pack the room. My launches typically have standing room only, with 50-120 people, and the Griffins launch may have exceeded the room’s fire code capacity at 175 people. To draw a large crowd, I put my efforts into personal emails. When I receive generic “Dear Friend” emails myself, I don’t feel invited and included, the way I would to a party. This book launch is your party! So take the time to personally invite. I also ask people to RSVP and I send a friendly reminder message a few days before the event if they express interest. Most of the message can be cut and pasted, but I do add personal notes. Knowing how many people are likely to come also really helps with planning, from chairs to food.

 

Let the Launch Fit the Book

We invited a giant, live Newfoundland dog to the Griffins book launch, since there’s a Newfoundland dog in the book. The kids loved meeting the dog and crowded around him. Also an excellent photo opportunity! Make it unique to fit your book.

Pick a Partner

Partnering can help draw a bigger crowd and share the cost. Some authors partner with fellow authors. This works well if you each have a book coming out around the same time. I partnered with the youth services department of my local library. This was a natural partnership, since I’d relied on the children’s librarians to be early manuscript test readers. As a partner, the library hosted the party, provided staff and refreshments, and did advanced promotion and graphic design help. They even concocted a GRIFFINS OF CASTLE CARY scavenger hunt for kids two weeks leading up to the event.

The Griffins of Castle Cary launched at the Traverse Area District Library hosted by the wonderful youth librarians.

Only Give a Start Time

Tell guests the event begins at 10am. Or 3pm. If you plan to give a presentation, don’t give an end time. If people see an invitation for 3-4:30pm, they often think it’s a drop-in event and might miss your whole presentation.

Bring Extra Books

Invite a local bookstore to supply books, but then be sure to have an extra supply in your trunk. Twice I’ve had bookstores sell-out, and they are always grateful when I announce I have extra copies. Book sales vary at a book launch. Some guests show their support by showing up. Others buy three or four books. For a crowd of 150, I usually sell about 80 books. Let the bookstore know how many RSVPs you have so they order enough books.

Collect Emails

Pass around a sign-in list for guests to add their emails. This helps you build your author email list for newsletters and other promotion. People are generally eager to be in-the-know and learn about new books. It also helps you remember who’s there since it’s a busy day.

Sign Photo Release Slips

If you plan to use photos later on your website, for social media, and other promotion, ask guests to sign a short photo release form. This is especially important for children. Have forms available at the door for parents, and make a short announcement. Parents are usually happy to give permission.

Your book launch is an all-ages affair. Ask for volunteers and get the kids involved.

Give the Audience Fun

With a children’s book, you’re bound to have an audience of all ages. Make it interactive, give everyone some information and fun. Consider your book launch as an audition for future school visits – there are sure to be school librarians and other speaker-seekers in the audience. You never know what invitations you’ll receive afterwards. Launches should generate excitement.

Explore New Venues

Bookstores are easy, friendly and obvious choices. Many authors like to hold the launch itself at another venue and invite a bookstore in. Make it a space that fits your book. For example, an author friend held hers in a barn. My land conservation book launch was held in an event space overlooking a lake. The children’s department of your library is a great choice for a children’s book.

Ask for Funding

Answers vary, but it never hurts to ask. If you’re traditionally published, ask your publisher for help with funds for refreshments or more. I’ve had publishers pay for all the catering, plus the cost of renting event space.

Get a Cake!

There’s nothing quite like seeing your book cover on a cake. After all that hard work producing a book, make sure you celebrate.

Heather Shumaker is the author of THE GRIFFINS OF CASTLE CARY (Simon & Schuster, 2019) and three books for adults (IT'S OK NOT TO SHARE, IT'S OK TO GO UP THE SLIDE, and SAVING ARCADIA). She hosts the Traverse City-based northern Michigan Shop Talk for SCBWI-Michigan and frequently speaks about her books at conferences and schools.

Learn more at http://heathershumaker.com/.

Coming up on the Mitten Blog: 

Hugs and Hurrahs! We're inspired by your good news. Please send your writing/publishing accomplishments to Patti Richards by April 23rd to be included.

Calling all SCBWI-MI Picture Book Writers!

April 22nd is the deadline to enter the PAL mentorship competition with picture book author Kelly DiPuccio. Next we'll be gearing up for the non-PAL mentorship with Lisa Wheeler. Everything you need to know is here on our SCBWI-MI website.

SCBWI Crystal Kite Award

Voting for round two has begun! Go to www.scbwi.org and log in to vote in your region.

The 2018 SCBWI Winter Conference in New York - Takeaways From First-Time Attendees

In early February, a small group of SCBWI-MI members traveled to New York for the SCBWI Annual Winter Conference. Attending this large, two-day conference is a special opportunity, and we asked a few of our members to share their experience with us. Read on for brief takeaways from Meline Scheidel, Emily Vander Ark, and Heather Shumaker - all first-time NY conference attendees.

Meline Scheidel:
The Golden Kite Awards
I dressed in a flashy gold sequined sweater and cherished the fact I was able to attend. The ballroom buzzed with excitement and anticipation. The ceiling glowed gold along with the celebrities and the guests of the evening. Being in the company of talented award winners, along with hundreds of like-minded peers is the epitome of pure elation. Life doesn’t get much better for a writer.

My Three Master Class Experiences
1. Showmanship for Introverts

• Present with confidence
• Hold attention of your audience
• Creative ideas - props, skits, and advertising

2. How Voice Makes the Character

• Book examples of powerful voice
• Why soft voice works too
• Interactive prompts

3. All You Need to Know about a Picture Book 

• When an award winning author of over 350 books, talks – we listened and took notes.
• When the presenter’s successful daughter spoke about how to fix a manuscript that isn’t working – writers listened and took notes.

I recognized the winning of the Shutta Crum scholarship, along with SCBWI-MI’s generosity, to be a personal sign. I was meant to be in NY for a reason. There were more signs. The caterpillar and butterfly mosaics in the subway brought an immediate thought. That’s a perfect icon for the SCBWI. A reminder of how far we’ve all come and that there is magnificence about to emerge in our future. The dragonfly mural touched my soul. The manuscript I brought in hopes of some attention is about a dragonfly nymph - metamorphosis.

I’m forever grateful for this inspiring incredible experience. I will one day pay it forward.

Meline Scheidel is from the Metro Detroit area, holds three diplomas from the Institute of Children’s Literature and is an active member of SCBWI attending conferences annually. She is the Vice President of the Shiawassee Area Writers group and is the author of two blogs. She writes for a variety of magazines and has one book published, THIS SIGN WAS MINE, a YA/Adult novel under the pen name of Patti Rae Fletcher. Follow her blog at https://writingnaturally.wordpress.com/.






Emily Vander Ark:
I wasn’t sure what to expect going into SCBWI’s annual winter conference in New York. Would it feel like a close-knit community full of camaraderie, like the Michigan conference I attended last fall? Would it be craft focused and inspiring like my MFA program’s low-residency weeks? Or would it be something new entirely? I looked forward to a closer look at the publishing side of the industry.

When my flight from Chicago was canceled just a few hours before takeoff, my weekend of travel woes had just begun. But every person I interacted with at the conference was friendly and engaging, making the adventure more than worth it. While there were craft-focused sessions due to a new format for the conference (I was so excited to attend a session led by Gail Carson Levine!), there was also a sense of writing as the business that it is. Agent and editor panels were full of helpful information and submission tips, but the highlight for me was a 5-page group critique with Arthur A. Levine! Feedback from that level, even on just 5 pages, proved insightful and illuminating.  I’m quite pleased that I took the opportunity to attend, and looking forward to how I might make use of new tools and ideas in future writing endeavors.

Emily Vander Ark lives in Southwest Michigan where she teaches writing at a community college. She is seeking representation for a middle-grade novel, and this was her first trip to SCBWI New York. 
















Heather Shumaker:
Being at a big conference like NY is like being in a huge roomful of kindred spirits. Everyone’s friendly. Besides the regular sessions, which included some on-fire, outstanding ones, there’s the moments you don’t expect. These unexpected moments are what attending a conference is all about. There’s an energy in the air that makes good things happen. For me, that was meeting a new critique partner who I can tell is going to be a new writing friend for life. And hearing Jane Yolen speak and inspire. Getting insights from panels of agents and editors. And smiling in surprise when a fellow author offered to blurb my next book. I even learned a new way to say S-C-B-W-I. The Australians pronounce it “Swihbie” and the British members call it “Scoobie.” Now that rolls off the tongue!

Heather Shumaker, first time NY conference attendee and author of the upcoming MG book THE GRIFFINS OF CASTLE CARY (Simon & Schuster, spring 2019). Heather is also the author of three adult titles: IT'S OK NOT TO SHARE, IT'S OKAY TO GO UP THE SLIDE, and SAVING ARCADIA. Learn more at www.heathershumaker.com.

Thanks for sharing your experiences with us Meline, Emily, and Heather! More NY conference fun:
This year, SCBWI-MI expanded on Shutta Crum's generosity, and two scholarship winners were selected. Congrats again to Meline Scheidel and Betsy McKee! Here they are with our Regional Advisors, Leslie Helakoski and Carrie Pearson. Photo bombing by Lisa Rose! 😜

More Michigan congrats: Jack Cheng's novel, SEE YOU IN THE COSMOS, was the 2018 Golden Kite Award winner for Middle-Grade Fiction. Jack was presented with the award at the Golden Kite Gala at the NY conference.

Cheers, Jack!

Registration is now open for our SCBWI-MI spring conference in Detroit. Many of our past conferences have sold out - don't delay! Learn more and register here.

https://michigan.scbwi.org/2018/02/11/unearth-your-funny-bone-getting-serious-about-writing-humor/