SCBWI-MI Spring Conference Presenter Kat Higgs-Coulthard

River Bluff Road, NWP, Get Inked, dogs, and suspenders for pantsing: Author and educator Kat Higgs-Coulthard

Charlie Barshaw coordinates our regular Writer Spotlight feature and interviews writers of SCBWI-MI. In this piece, meet author and  educator Kat Higgs-Coulthard. Kat is also part of the cast of distinguished faculty at the SCBWI-MI spring conference. 


You were born in Niles, MI. How did you end up at the University of Nebraska for your undergraduate schooling? You eventually settled back in Niles. How far are you from where you grew up?

I grew up on the north side of Niles only about a mile from both sets of grandparents. That was a huge blessing, as we were very connected to the extended family. 

One set of cousins lived across the street. They would come over and roller skate on the concrete floor of my basement and we all spent lots of time helping our Grandma Brown snap peas grown in my grandpa’s garden. My other grandmother (Marlin) had a kiln in her basement. One of my favorite things was to paint ceramics with her and help her sell them at local festivals.

While I went away to college in Nebraska, Michigan called me back. I love the rivers and creeks and especially Lake Michigan. Michigan is a great place to raise a family.

You talk about exploring the dump below your house, about the “treasure trove” it held for you.  Did the junkyard below the bluff supply any treasures for JUNKYARD DOGS?

As a child, I lived on River Bluff Road. Our home was literally on a bluff overlooking the river. Families that lived there before us had used that hill as a dumping ground and as I child, I found it fascinating to explore back there—finding old bottles, abandoned appliances, and even a junked-up truck. 

Kat w/Maya

That was part of the inspiration for JUNKYARD DOGS, but an even larger part came from trips with my dad to an actual junkyard. He would go there to drop off debris from my uncle’s construction business and I would be left to roam the huge piles of junk, often finding bits of treasure—like teacups that I could bring home for my mom’s collection. Often they were more like mugs—nothing too special—but she would fill them with soil and grow marigolds in them.

Your family grew up without a lot of money. Your Dad would take the kids to a junkyard to find “treasures” like teacups still fit for drinking. Where many people might be embarrassed by this unusual outing, you were able to embrace the adventure. Why?

It never occurred to me to be embarrassed by it because it was just a normal part of my childhood. My parents worked hard to make sure we had everything we needed, so even though we were right on the cusp of poverty, my brother and I didn’t feel poor. There were certainly many families in worse shape.

It was decided that you couldn’t take a creative writing class because you didn’t excel in English(!?) Later in college you were exposed to the National Writing Project, which helped develop teachers as writers, and as teachers of writing. You even started a novel. Were you different, or was it the attitude of the instructors?

Kat w/Gabi

I have been a writer for as long as I can remember, filling notebooks with world building and character descriptions even in elementary school. My third and fourth grade teacher (Miss Consigny) nurtured that in me and our elementary school librarian (Mrs. Bigford) started a school newspaper so that kids like me could have an outlet for our creativity.

I actually don’t remember why I wasn’t allowed to take creative writing in high school. I think that I didn’t know it was an option or hadn’t been recommended for it. So when I found out that my best friend who didn’t even like to write was placed in the class, I was aghast. I advocated as hard as I could to be let in, but the class was already full and they said no.

When the guidance counselors started talking to us about college, they swayed me away from a career as a journalist and into teaching. Again, I am not sure why—I had great grades and was in the Honor Society, so it wasn’t for lack of talent. I figured, oh, well, at least I’ll be able to share my passion for writing with my own students.

My first year teaching, I was recommended by a colleague to the National Writing Project’s Summer Institute. NWP supports teachers as writers, believing that to be a good teacher of writing, one must write. 

The NWP nurtured the writer in me and helped me bring that into my teaching. I have stayed involved with the NWP and even served on the Hoosier Writing Project’s (Indiana) executive board.

Tell us about the Michiana Writers' Center. What is it? How did it come about? Is there a summer writing camp set for this year? What are the plans for the future?

I founded Michiana Writers’ Center because there just weren’t any writing opportunities in Southwestern Michigan or Northern Indiana. Everything was 3 hours north or 2 hours south of where I lived. 

I knew I couldn’t be the only one in the area that wanted a community of writers, so I started one. I hired local writers and teachers to provide workshops to adults and kids. We ran a summer camp for grades 3-12 for several years. 

Since Covid, more people have turned to online opportunities and our classes weren’t filling, so we’ve turned our energy to one big event each year—the Get Inked Teen Writing Conference, which we cohost with Saint Mary’s College, Notre Dame, where I am a tenured associate professor in the Education Department.

By the time this piece publishes, the Get Inked Teen Writing Conference will have happened. Tell us about Get Inked, where it sprung from, what you hope to achieve. (And what a cool line-up of faculty you’ve got this year, including a bevy of SCBWI-MI writers!)

The Get Inked Teen Writing Conference grew out of my desire to create a conference for teens modeled after the amazing writing conferences out there for adults. I had just attended the SCBWI annual conference in New York in 2013 and wanted to bring that feeling home to kids in my area. 

Kat presenting

Many school districts have Young Author Conferences for kids, but they peter out once a kid hits 5th or 6th grade. Get Inked takes over from there—inviting writers in grades 7-12 to begin to drive their own growth as writers—selecting which craft workshops they are interested in and which YA authors they would like to work with. 

The other cool thing about Get Inked, is that it brings kids to a college campus so they can see what it’s like. I’m a first-generation college grad and I didn’t even consider many colleges because I couldn’t see myself there. This helps overcome that barrier for some students.

JUNKYARD DOGS is a young adult novel. How much difference between writing a middle grade novel versus one for older teens? Your novel involves housing instability, mental illness, betrayal, and dead bodies. Where do you draw the line for teen readers? Is there a line?

So much of what we create is informed by our own curiosities and that is certainly true for me in my work. I write to answer questions about why people do the things they do—good and bad. (Check out Lifeboat Theory, one of my 1st published short stories for an example: https://www.cleavermagazine.com/lifeboat-theory-by-katherine-higgs-coulthard/#:~:text=He%20said%20rich%20nations%20was,get%20into%20the%20richer%20lifeboats . ) 

What makes one person work three jobs to support a family they didn’t think they wanted while another person walks away? What do we choose to ignore and what can we simply not see? Why do some people never seem to have enough and how do others survive—even thrive—with so much less?

Nothing I write is beyond what actual kids experience in the real world. Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop has said that books should serve as windows, mirrors, and sliding glass doors for readers to see themselves and others—I take that edict to heart. 

Readers need to see other kids struggling with complex family dynamics. It is horrific to think about, but the truth is many kids live in poverty, experience abuse, have lost people they love. 

Where I draw the line is that stories should show a path through trauma. It must provide hope by showing readers an example of a kid who survives—and maybe even thrives—despite the challenges thrown at them. 

But it has to be handled carefully. Putting a big shiny bow of an ending on a difficult story won’t ring true to kids living these situations. The ending has to be believable. How can the characters be okay enough at the end of this book to be there for the next part of their story?

You reference Stephen King in your interview with Danielle DeFauw . His writing advice includes a teacup. A situation may present itself to the writer, but it is only once the writer finds the cup handle that they can proceed. Young you searched the dump for unbroken teacups for your mom. Writer you searches for the teacup handle. How does one find the handle?

I love this question! My approach to writing has been nurtured by many of the writers I admire. Ralph Fletcher says that writers should keep a journal to collect ideas much like a ditch will collect odds and ends over time. You don’t know what will work its way into a story. That connects with what Stephen King has said about letting a story idea sit until you find a handle to pick it up. 

SCBWI event 2024

An example of how this worked with JUNKYARD DOGS: In my notebook I had collected memories about visiting junkyards as a kid, losing our home and everything we owned in a fire when I was in 5th grade, being so nervous to try out for sports in middle school that I was physically ill, observations of a stranger with unique habits walking downtown and seeing him again in a food court. 

All of these pieces seemed unrelated. Then I stumbled on a retrospective of the 2006 Manhole Murders written by reporter Virginia Black and there was my handle—what if a teen was somehow mixed up in the scrapping ring at the center of the murders?

You prefer the drafting part of the writing process. You “pantsed” your first three novels, but now you at least wear suspenders. What metaphor do your suspenders serve?

While I love finding my way through a story by writing, rather than plotting it out, pantsing my way through my first novels created huge headaches for me during revision. 

Now, I try to do a little more prep work—to sketch out my characters a bit in advance, get more of the setting on paper, consider what will need to happen in the story for the outcome I’m writing toward. This has helped streamline my discovery draft, so that more of the pieces make sense in that draft and less has to be worked out in revision. 

I guess I would say I have put suspenders on my pantsing—or another metaphor might be setting out trail markers on the path from blank page to story draft.

You’re another success story of a writer who attended an SCBWI-MI event and eventually published with the editor on the faculty. How did you end up at Peachtree? What steps were involved in getting published?

SCBWI-MI rocks! I still remember how excited I was to find out there was such an organization. I’d been working on a middle grade book and the only support system I had was through NWP—which is great, but most of my colleagues were writing for adults. 

Then I met Cynthia Furlong Reynolds at a Barnes and Noble event and she brought me to my first SCBWI conference. My whole world changed! I met so many kind, talented writers and illustrators. Going to an SCBWI event has always felt like a big family reunion to me.

Flash forward to April 2021. Peachtree Teen editor, Jonah Heller spoke at the SCBWI-MI spring conference. I was drawn to his approach to publishing because of what he said about the need to center our audience. 

Kat kayaking

I had been revising a book about a teen basketball player hiding his poverty from everyone at school and believed Jonah would connect with the teen voice and important issues in the story. His submission policy at the time was to physically mail the query, synopsis, and first few chapters. 

I loved this quirky throwback to before email and Query Tracker became the norm, so I printed out my materials and sent them off in the mail. A month or so later, I received his email requesting the full. Luckily, I was allowed to email that. By October I had an offer!

Working with Jonah and the team at Peachtree on JUNKYARD DGS (2023, hardcover; 2024 paperback) has been a dream come true. They involved me in many of the decisions, such as the cover art and selecting the narrator of the audio book (Robbie Daymond!). 

Presenting at the ALAN conference

Peachtree has a devoted marketing team that even made possible one of my biggest dreams. I have attended NCTE’s ALAN conference for several years because I love the insightful author panels and the 40-pound box of books each attendee receives (It’s like Christmas for teachers/librarians.) In 2023, Peachtree secured me a spot on a panel at ALAN and put copies of Junkyard Dogs in the ALAN boxes!

It was very different from my experience working with a smaller press to publish HANGING WITH MY PEEPS (2016). That press did not have the resources to promote the book and didn’t involved me in any of the decisions about cover art or the internal line illustrations.

What’s next for Kat?

I spent three rejuvenating weeks in March at South Porch Artists Residency. (Thanks to writer-friend Dawne Webber for suggesting I apply!) 

During that time, I completed the latest revision of a YA ghost story about a girl who moves into a house already occupied by two ghosts who are in a perpetual game of hide and seek. 

I also began drafting my next project, a YA speculative fiction about a kayak trip on a Michigan creek that goes horribly wrong.

Please share any social media platforms:

Website: https://writewithkat.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kathiggs/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kathiggscoulthard/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15141419.Katherine_Higgs_Coulthard

Memories of Mackinac Island

Beautiful spaces, 2011 or 2014?, medicinal fudge, wet bike rides, Arthur Levine, plein air painting, and butterflies: the SCBWI-MI 2014 Mackinac Island conference

Compiled by Charlie Barshaw

Disclaimer:  There were two SCBWI-MI conferences--2011 and 2014--as well as a number of Michigan Reading Association conferences around the same time. So we're going with Mackinac Memories. It may not have happened in 2014, but it happened on Mackinac Island. Thanks to everyone who contributed. 

First memory begins here:

I blame the Mackinac Island conference for my addiction to writing in beautiful spaces. Until then I had been content to labor away in my office or the dining room table at home. Now, I look for every opportunity to write in places wooded and wondrous.

The Mackinac Island Bridge
photo courtesy of Ann Finkelstein

My favorite thing about writing conferences is the community. Getting to chat with other people who love stories the way that I do is a rare treat. Being on Mackinac with that particular group of writers was incredible. Time just slows down on Mackinac. I loved going on walks with other writers, strolling along the shore, down the streets through town, and feeling like we were outside of time. That this space was sacred and we could write and share and never run out of time.

Since that conference, my writing life has really taken off! My debut book, Hanging with My Peeps, was published in 2016. I met the editor for my second book, Junkyard Dogs (Peachtree Teen, 2023), at a MI SCBWI conference. Junkyard Dogs has been a huge success for me--with the audio book being narrated by Robbie Daymond! and the story making the shortlist for the Indiana Author Awards (since I work in Indiana). 

One really cool thing that's happened: As a teen I used my babysitting money to pay for a subscription to Writer's Digest, which I read cover to cover. Just last month, I was asked to write an article for them! What a full circle moment!

--Kat Higgs-Coulthard

I don't think I did a presentation then. I was really new to the group. I think I just attended as a participant. And, yes...it was glorious!
--Deb Gonzalez

Boats and dock
Photo courtesy of Vicky Lorencen

I remember being overwhelmed by all the talented people around me, and surprised by everyone’s kindness! Most meaningful of all was a wonderful walk and talk time that Heidi Sheffield and I shared. She is such a wonderful person!
--Elizabeth McBride

I recently remembered that at that Mackinac Island SCBWI conference I had a fabulous critique by Candace Fleming. I remember she told me that manuscript would definitely one day be a book. And finally two years ago it was published. My Christmas book.
--Lindsey McDivitt


My 2014 conference memories are muddled - nothing stands out! Was I even there, lol! Strangely, I remember the Mackinac conference before that more clearly, not even sure when that was (2010?) when I roomed with Terry Lynn Johnson from Canada and she entertained us with her funny adventure stories.
--Kristin Lenz

Scenic view
courtesy Ann Finkelstein

You've asked me to take a trek down memory lane, and to the 2014 lane to be exact. I'm flattered that you think I might have a good memory. Haha.
At my age, my memory kinda goes in and out, so I'm not sure what I can dredge up from the 2014 conference.

So, I went to THE MITTEN blog and to 2014 and found a treasure trove of pictures and summaries from shadows and others who were in attendance.

September/October might have had lead-in articles, but the Nov blog has a lot of pictures. (See posts HERE, HERE, and HERE.)

Sorry that I can't offer more to you. I, seriously, remember being there and working hard. I didn't sightsee, or take a carriage ride. Didn't even get to buy fudge.
--Rachel Anderson

plein air in the butterfly house

What I remember most is the 1st Mackinac Island Conference with Donna Jo Napoli, Beverly Horowitz and Tamra Tuller.

Couple memories from that conference (even though you didn't ask.) Donna Jo's dinner speech was a hoot. She had us all in stitches. It had something to do with starting out in the field and making all the mistakes when it came to submission.

Sunday afternoon after the conference ended Donna Jo, her husband Barry (?), Kristin Nitz and I took a walk around the island - through the interior if I remember correctly. Somehow we ended up near the Grand Hotel and snuck in through a side door. It wasn't as grand as expected but somewhat shabby - at least the part we saw. (Maybe that's where the help stayed and not the public part?)
--Pat Trattles

Arthur and Heidi
courtesy Heidi Sheffield

The Mackinaw Conference was one of my most cherished SCBWI-Michigan conferences of all time. I think my favorite remembrance was buying a raffle ticket and getting the prize of a manuscript critique and phone conversation with Arthur Levine. I was SOOOO EXCITED!!!! At the time, ICE CREAM FACE was unpublished, so Arthur took a look at the manuscript and we discussed it on the phone. 

Later that year, I was in NYC for the SCBWI Winter Conference and visited Scholastic with a group of illustrators. We got to see “the great wall,” (I think that was the name) a place they would pin favorite illustrator postcards. I couldn’t believe one of mine was there and was practically tearing up. :)) I had brought a mockup of ICF with me and gave it to Arthur, who ultimately passed on it, but he gave me some feedback that helped me refine it that much more. 

Heidi and Ruth

At the LA conference in 2017, Nancy Paulsen from Penguin/Random House saw it and offered a contract the next week to buy ICE CREAM FACE, which is now a Dolly Parton Imagination Library Book. I encourage members to keep their minds and hearts open to the revision process, going to conferences when possible and meeting folks like Arthur and Nancy. When preparation meets opportunity, it is a beautiful thing.
--Heidi Sheffield

From the best of my recollection, Dana Atnip, Kara Marsee, Nina Goebel and I drove up to the docks in my show van I used to sell my books, often referred to as the Book Mobile. After getting to the island Dana, Nina, and I got an extra roommate to share with, and that was Beth Rayner! 

We shoved all our gear into that room for the SCBWI conference, which was a hoot and a half! Four women and one bathroom! I remember Dana and I renting bikes to take an island round trip ride and headed back up for more conference doings after buying fudge in town. The fudge was for medicinal purposes only, 

I was slated to speak at the conference on self-publishing, a new venture and turn for SCBWI. I remember being extremely nervous but with the help of friends and fudge I was able to deliver. I was happy to meet some great authors and illustrators, some whom I've kept in touch with since then, such as Doris Holik Kelly.

I have been to Mackinac Island before and recently as last summer, 2023 to do research for my book. It's truly a magical place especially off the beaten or paved path. 

photo courtesy Heidi Sheffield

I remember that the trip went by far too quickly, but I did sneak time in to get down to the Mission Point shore to observe and sketch a mother beaver and her clan working on their lodge. This was all that stayed in my mind from that trip. The industrious beaver family and the overcrowded room. 

Sadly, last summer at the island the beaver lodge had been torn down and the family not seen. Some say that they are secretly housed safely up further on the eastern side of the island, I should go back again to look for them! 

Yes, all in all, a great conference with great connections and would love to rejoin the SCBWI gang to return to the island for another conference.
--Lori Taylor

Plein air and visitor
courtesy Ann Finkelstein

What do you remember about the trip to Mackinac Island 2014, and/or the return trip home?

Arthur Levine who was with Scholastic… (the publisher of the Harry Potter Series) was visiting some friends in Saugatuck and wanted to get to the conference (as a speaker) a day early. Anita called from her up north cottage and asked if I could drive him up to the island. I explained that Saugatuck is not a close drive for me and I would not be going up for another day. Anita is so personable and nice that you just can’t say no to her, so I came up with an alternate plan. I said, “If you can get him to my driveway, I will meet someone halfway.”

Arthur’s friends dropped him in my driveway. He commented on how much yard I had and how uncluttered and organized everything was. I imagined that in a New York City apartment things are a bit more cramped. I drove him up in my 350Z to make it fun. We had interesting conversations. He said my books exceeded the national average but would never publish them as they had already been published.

That halfway person was the wonderful & good friend Jay Whistler, whom I didn’t yet know at the time. He bought us lunch before she drove him the rest of the way.

Had you been to Mackinac Island before? What was your initial impression?

It is a magical place. Yes, I have been there many times. On this trip the sky broke loose and it poured. Water was gushing out of the eaves. Christine Grabiel & Linda Barley rode bikes from Linda’s cottage on the other side of the island. They were soaked to the skin however, they were still all smiles and laughter.

Any of the presenters or presentations leave an indelible mark on you?

I think I spoke with three others on indie publishing. Sandy Carlson, Julie Hedlund & (sorry I can’t recall the 3rd one maybe Lori Taylor?). I only had 10 minutes to speak and wanted to get a lot in and thus probably spoke way too fast. I was impressed that RA’s Carrie and Leslie sat in on the session.

Anita and me
courtesy Anita Pazner

Ha! I remember that you and Anita dressed up in 18th century garb.

Did you get a chance to sightsee? What did you seek out? What did you stumble upon?

My wife also came to this one. We didn’t do too much walking around due to the rain.

Any interactions with faculty or fellow attendees that stood out?

I recall Kirbi showing me her amazing artwork portfolio. I was very impressed.

I felt like I knew Arthur pretty well after the long car ride. We talked shop nonstop. He had many questions about indie publishing.

What do you remember about the ferries? The horse-drawn wagons? The bicycles?

Having been there before I don’t recall. I think we may have ridden a bike around the island on a dry day.
--Dave Stricklen

In the butterfly garden
courtesy Anita Pazner

What do you remember about the trip to Mackinac Island 2014, and/or the return trip home?

I live in Marquette in the UP, so I drove south to the ferry marina. I remember thinking that most of the attendees from Michigan would be driving north to get to the same location. And lucky me, I got to experience three of five Great Lakes in one day: Superior, Michigan, and Huron. The ferry boat is the coolest (literally) transport method! You can see for miles across pristine freshwater oceans, and as Mackinac Island approaches, slowly leave behind the normal hustle and bustle of cars and trucks and enter the beguiling magic of a simpler time.

Had you been to Mackinac Island before? What was your initial impression?

I had been to Mackinac Island as an enthralled child (biking! horseback riding! fudge eating!), a moody early teen (“can we go now?”), and finally as a woman in her late twenties vacationing with her long-term boyfriend. I left that trip engaged!

Any of the presenters or presentations leave an indelible mark on you?

They were all fantastic. So giving and authentic. I believe they all loved leaving their real lives behind for a few days and sharing what they knew with attendees. 

Arthur Levine floored me with his description of editing the Harry Potter series for the US market. Greatness in our midst! Then, he floored me again in our one-on-one critique of my middle-grade novel manuscript. I had a big inferiority chip going into it (did I mention he was the US Harry Potter editor?), but he nudged me out of that unhelpful mindset and treated me respectfully. The gems he gifted that day are still part of my writer toolbox.

Eric Rohmann, Anita, Candy Fleming and me
courtesy Anita Pazner

Did you get a chance to sightsee? What did you seek out? What did you stumble upon?

We were too busy with the conference to do much sightseeing, but one delightful memory involved Arthur again. As we walked to dinner on Thursday night with faculty and volunteers before the conference started, he sang show tunes a capella. He had a great voice, but his enthusiasm was unparalleled.

Any interactions with faculty or fellow attendees that stood out?

Anita and Heidi
courtesy Anita Pazner

Conference coordinators Charlie Barshaw and Anita Pazner thought of all the details that would make the weekend special, organized, and memorable. They were effective, funny sidekicks who modeled partnership at its best.

What was your biggest surprise?

I was surprised that so many people made the effort to drive, ferry, horse taxi, and walk to be together and learn. Our community of bookmakers is truly remarkable.

Thanks for the trip down memory lane, Charlie!
--Carrie Pearson

I’m afraid I am mixing up the two events we had on the island. One with me and Monica as RAs and one with me and Carrie.

What do you remember about the trip to Mackinac Island 2014, and/or the return trip home?

I remember we got a late request from Arthur to pick him up a day earlier than we had planned. The planners were already near the straights. We ended up contacting Sue Thoms and Dave Stricklen and Jay Whistler, who coordinated picking him up and driving him north. Ask Jay about this, her memory is probably better.

Had you been to Mackinac Island before? What was your initial impression?

I had been there a few times. Always magical

Leslie, Arthur Levine, and Christy Ottaviano
courtesy Anita Pazner

Any of the presenters or presentations leave an indelible mark on you?

Donna Jo Napoli—a class act. Not about her work, which I love, but about her manner and capacity for sharing with attendees.

Did you get a chance to sightsee? What did you seek out? What did you stumble upon?

Several of us rented bikes and rode around the island. We visited the library and sat on the back deck with books, visited the school and walked up and around the Grand Hotel grounds.

What was your biggest surprise?

I remember the tulips and getting everyone to hold up their arms to invoke good weather

Leslie plein air-ing
photo by Anita Pazner

--Leslie Helakoski


What do you remember about the trip to Mackinac Island 2014, and/or the return trip home?

I enjoyed spending time with the illustrators in the butterfly house.

Had you been to Mackinac Island before? What was your initial impression?

I had been to Mackinac Island before, but I hadn’t stayed at the Mission Point Resort.

Any interactions with faculty or fellow attendees that stood out?

I remember talking to Sandy Carlson, PJ Lyons, Lori Eslick and Heather Shumaker.

What do you remember about the ferries? The horse-drawn wagons? The bicycles?

I remember the gardens were gorgeous.
--Ann Finkelstein

What do you remember about the trip to Mackinac Island 2014, and/or the return trip home?

When I attended this conference, it was my first at Mackinac. I was fortunate enough to be invited to a friend’s cabin for the night before the conference so that I wouldn’t have to drive so far. 

While there, a bit of a situation arose: presenter Arthur Levine’s transportation fell through. The RAs and conference organizers were having a tough time finding someone so last minute, especially because he needed to be picked up in South Haven (or maybe Saugatuck). Wherever we had to collect him, there didn’t seem to be anyone in that area attending the conference the next day to bring him along. 

plein air painting
courtesy of Anita Pazner

Instead, we cobbled together a solution. Dave Stricklen would drive from Grand Rapids to pick him up, and then I would meet them halfway to Mackinac (near Big Rapids). This meant I had to drive 1.5 hours south of the cabin, meet Dave and Arthur, drive north to St. Ignace for three hours, take the ferry across, and get Arthur to Mission Point in time for the Friday night opening activities. All this after having driven four hours the day before to get to my friend’s cabin.

Needless to say, I was wiped out, so I don’t remember much about the conversations Arthur and I shared on the drive. I do remember asking him some specific questions about publishing in general, and he was gracious enough to share his thoughts. At one point, he said, “Tell me about your current WIP.” I almost drove off the road…maybe. I don’t recall. I was very tired. But it seems likely, doesn’t it? THE Arthur Levine wanting to chat about my work? He offered some great advice that helped me with some sticky spots in the plot. I will always be grateful for that.

When I told my husband about all this when I got home, he said, “Isn’t that nice,” and I could practically feel him wanting to pat me on the head. So I explained who Levine is and how huge a deal this whole thing was, and that it would be like a non-writer being asked to chauffeur Tom Hanks somewhere. My husband finally understood and honestly got happy for me.

Had you been to Mackinac Island before? What was your initial impression?

Lori Eslick
plein air leader
courtesy of Anita Pazner

I had been to Mackinac about six years earlier, when my husband and I took our daughters there while on vacation. Though we only spent the day, I remember walking through the streets and marveling at how lovely the gardens were. It seemed the neighbors competed to win “Most Beautiful,” but I don’t know how anyone would be able to choose. I also thought it was remarkable because all the flowers were annuals, which they probably couldn’t plant until June, and yet here they were, in the middle of July, a glorious riot of a rainbow.

Any of the presenters or presentations leave an indelible mark on you?

I’ll be honest that I don’t remember much about the presentations. That was partly because I had volunteered to run the conference bookstore, and there was a huge issue with the spreadsheet, messing up all the calculations. I spent a large portion of the conference trying to fix the issue, and eventually had to do things by hand. That meant I wasn’t able to attend as many sessions as I would have liked. It was also the last time I did the bookstore. To those of you who do it now, there is a special place in heaven for you.

Did you get a chance to sightsee? What did you seek out? What did you stumble upon?

Photo courtesy Ed Spicer

I did not sightsee, which I was sad about. I had hoped to spend some quality time along the water, but the bookstore debacle commanded all my free time.

Any interactions with faculty or fellow attendees that stood out?

Several people stepped in to keep the bookstore moving while I dealt with the technical issues. Jennifer Rumberger and Dave Stricklen were especially helpful, and Cynthia Mathes, an SCBWI member from Louisiana, offered her support by running to the local bookstore to pick up some speaker books that hadn’t been delivered. I would never have been able to manage without their help. If there is anyone else who helped out and I have forgotten, please accept my apologies, but know that I am truly grateful for all the support.

What do you remember about the ferries? The horse-drawn wagons? The bicycles?

I love a good ferry ride, unless it’s the kind where I am stuck in my car the whole time. Then I freak out that the ferry will capsize and my car will become a coffin. This is what happens when you have anxiety. ;) Thankfully, the weather over was nice, just a bit chilly, but not too cold. Arthur wanted to sit on the upper deck to enjoy the view of the Mackinac Bridge and the fall air. He seemed to be basking in the moment.

more plein air
courtesy Anita Pazner

He also commented on the buggies and bikes and was fascinated by an entire island with no motorized transport. He asked questions about when this happened, why they decided to do this, how people traveled in the winter, etc. I realized that, despite being a nearly life-long Michigan resident, I didn’t know the answers to these questions. So I looked it up to be able to share it with Arthur. (In case someone needs that history, here’s a link to it.)

What was your biggest surprise?

My biggest surprise was probably the bat I would see every morning and evening in a back hallway as I walked to breakfast and back to my room at night. To be clear, the bat was outside, so I was safe, but I loved being able to watch it through the window. Sometimes it spread its wings to stretch (perhaps between naps?), other times it didn’t move at all. But he was my little companion for the entire conference. And it seemed like the perfect time of year to spend a few days with him.

What's happened to you over the past 10 years?

Since that conference, although Arthur helped me see through a sticky plot issue, I've put that novel on a shelf. Actually, I've put that novel in the trash. I can hear the collective gasp right now. But it was the right move. What I realized that it wasn't just the plot that was stuck. It was me. (All the Swifties now have the lyrics to "Anti-Hero" running through their brains.) Although I spent years on it, I got what I needed out of it. When I started, it was the novel of my heart. As the years went by, it became the albatross on my back. (I may be mixing metaphors here, but you get what I mean.) And while it will never see the light of day, it is the novel that taught me how to write.

It was also holding me back because it showed me that I had gone as far as I could on my own. I no longer knew what I didn't know. I needed a different approach. As soon as I deleted all my files, shredded all my pages, and let it go emotionally, my writing path changed in a big way. 

butterfly and flower
courtesy Anita Pazner

First, I went back to graduate school and got my MFA in creative writing from Vermont College of Fine Arts. After graduation, I started my own editing business, helping other authors develop their manuscripts and their skills. I have spoken at conferences here in Michigan, around the country, and internationally. 

I became a submissions reader for three different literary agencies and two literary journals. I've judged multiple writing competitions. But even more importantly, I am now a published author with two MG titles, one short story, and a second soon-to-be-published short story coming out. I'm currently working on another MG, this time historical.

Deleting an entire manuscript was a scary step, but it was what I needed to move forward. And though it may seem trite or hyperbolic, it's fair to say that Mackinac was the tipping point, so I took a leap and changed my life.
--Jay Whistler

Had you been to Mackinac Island before? What was your initial impression? 

Yes. We’d been there a few times. Loved the facility we were at. Perfect!

Any of the presenters or presentations leave an indelible mark on you? 

Yes. But for some reason I can’t remember her name. She had me in tears at one point, I remember. She kinda wore old hippie clothing. And I had read her most famous book. God! My memory is slipping . . . who were the presenters at that conf.? Tell me, and I can pick her out.

Did you get a chance to sightsee? What did you seek out? What did you stumble upon? 

Yes. Went for walks. Always loved going up over the hill and through the woods. Past the cemetery.

Any interactions with faculty or fellow attendees that stood out? 

Heidi 
courtesy Heidi Sheffield

Got to know Heidi a bit more. But always, loved seeing folks.

What’s writing life been like for you these past ten years? 

(What! You want a treatise? It’s always been full of ups and downs. I have a new agent now, after 21 years with my old one. I’ve immersed myself in writing a lot of poetry as I wait to hear about book manuscripts. And after about 10 years just submitted a new novel manuscript to my agent. We’ll see if it sells. Still loving the process, even without any major sales lately.)
--Shutta Crum

To close out the Mackinac Memories, prolific author and esteemed faculty member, Candace Fleming:

What do you remember about the trip to Mackinac Island 2014, and/or the return trip home?

The moment I remember most was when one of the participants sang OH, NO to me in the lobby.  He used the book’s text and put it to the tune of “Froggy Went A-Courtin’.”  Then other attendees chimed in, and suddenly I was being serenaded with my own words.  How amazing!

Had you been to Mackinac Island before? What was your initial impression?

I’d been to the island before, so I was excited to return.  I remember being charmed by the hotel… and the fudge.

Any of the presenters or presentations leave an indelible mark on you?

Christy Ottaviano’s talk resonated with me.  Her words inspired me to be a better writer.  Arthur, I remember, made me laugh.  And I met Jodell Sadler there… the beginning of a friendship that continues to this day.

Did you get a chance to sightsee? What did you seek out? What did you stumble upon?

It was rainy so I don’t think I did a ton of sightseeing.  I did eat a lot of fudge.  Yup, I know.  I’ve mentioned that already, but let’s face it, the fudge is memorable.  I love that little knife that comes with one’s brick of chocolate.

What do you remember about the ferries? The horse-drawn wagons? The bicycles?

It was wet going home on the ferry.  I didn’t ride in the horse-drawn wagons.  I did, however, take a ride around the island when I first arrived.  It’s such a beautiful place, and so different from one end to the other.   

What was your biggest surprise?

Ruth plein air painting
courtesy Anita Pazner

I was delighted by the conferees – smart, kind, hard-working.  I wished I’d lived closer so I could make them all my best friends.  Honestly, I remember it being one of the coziest, companionable conferences I’d ever attended.  And I met you and Ruth there!!

--Candace Fleming

 

Charlie Barshaw conducts interviews for The Mitten. He co-chaired conferences in 2013 and 2014. He is fortunate to know so many talented and giving creators in the Children's Literature community.

It Starts with Hello with Kat Higgs-Coulthard

Hello used to be hard for me.

It's one of the reasons I started writing--in the high school cafeteria, bending over a notebook, pen in hand, made me look busy instead of lonely. Creative, not terrified. I wrote words to avoid speaking them.

Until...one day at a bookstore I overheard a group of women analyzing the moves an author had made to build suspense in the book they were reading. After the group dispersed, I approached one woman who remained behind gathering her things and asked the name of the book they'd been discussing.

She introduced herself as Cynthia Furlong Reynolds and shared that her book group was composed of writers who analyze the work of other writers in order to inform their own writing. She shared that she was also a writer. PROFESSIONALLY. Until that moment, that was something I did not think was actually possible. She was kind and friendly and told me I should consider joining SCBWI. She belonged to the Michigan Chapter and because I lived in Michigan, I could too. In fact, I should come with her to the meeting next month.
I was terrified.
But I went.
It was tempting to sit in the back and hide in my notebook. But before I could, Cynthia introduced me to one person, then another. The hellos piled up; conversations began. I couldn't tell you who I met that day or what we talked about, but the message was overwhelming and clear: YOU BELONG.

I'm still afraid to say hello. But every time I do there's a new friend saying hello back. I've met some amazing people through SCBWI and I look forward to meeting even more.

Hello :)

Kat Higgs-Coulthard has been a writer as long as she can remember. She became a teacher out of a desire to help others share their words and has been a teacher for more than 20 years, first as an elementary teacher, then as a teacher educator at Saint Mary’s College, Notre Dame. Her latest YA book, Junkyard Dogs, is due out in March 2023 from Peachtree Teen.

Thank you, Kat, for sharing your Hello story marked by these descriptions of authentic emotion. I think many of us can relate to your experiences. From being terrified to looking forward to meeting more amazing people through SCBWI—may our greetings and smiles welcome the new faces we encounter virtually or in person! Pass it on!

Do you have a Hello story you want to share? Send me your submission at ohaginib@gmail.com (300 words or less).