Creative Gifting

All around us, people are using their creativity to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic. Medical staff are finding new ways to treat patients. Grocers, farmers, restaurants, non-profits, and neighborhood groups are finding new ways to supply and deliver food and partnering to help vulnerable and struggling residents and businesses. Teachers and parents are finding new ways to educate children. We’re all in this together, but not equally; the reality looks very different even within the same city. I could go on and on, but I know you're all discovering new partnerships being created every week in your area.

Everyone is coping in their own way depending on their circumstances. Some of my author friends are writing up a storm, while others are literally and figuratively stuck in place. But creativity takes many forms, and I’m appreciating the various ways people are giving back when they've been gifted with safety and time at home - from quilting clubs making masks to chefs filming free virtual cooking lessons from their home kitchens. For those of you who attended my "Salted Book Launch Party" a few years ago and sampled my friend Laura's cooking, she's been sharing recipes and hosting daily Live at Five real-life cooking demos with limited ingredients, hungry teenagers, and the family dog barking in the background.

For some of us, being busy is a healthy coping mechanism; for others, our pace needs to slow. Here are a few of the ways our SCBWI-MI members are coping with the quarantine.

https://www.neallevin.com/

*  Remember Neal Levin’s Kiddie Litter cartoons? He created them many years ago when this blog was a newsletter printed on paper and snail-mailed to members around the state. Now, he’s created a number of quarantine cartoons. I had a hard time choosing just one to share here! You can see more on his Facebook page.












*  Author and SCBWI-MI Indie Coordinator/Shop Talk Administrator Dave Stricklen has been working on his 2020 ArtPrize non-partisan entry, The Spirit of America (come together and overcome together) about how we as Americans work together to overcome difficult times.

What to look for: The first view is how the painting appears to move as you walk by. The final stills show the detail when standing in place.

Did you notice? The doors open and close, the striped hallways stretch, and the spirit’s face follows you. Also, the shadows from the doors move as the doors open and the planes near the end move through the sky. If you ever get a chance to see it in person, be sure to move up and down (the face will also smile at you).

Many SCBWI members have created and shared activities to help teachers and parents with homeschooling kids.
*  Here’s one from author/illustrator, Amy Nielander.

CREATE A CHARACTER
Ages: Kindergartner to Adult

Families/kids can download a CREATE A CHARACTER activity sheet every Monday on my blog. Four BLOBS (inspired by real objects) are on each sheet. Kids can turn the BLOBS into any character they like using a medium of their choice. Amy will share her character designs on Friday (and encourages others to post their designs via social media using #theblobblog). Families can check the Blog Archive to see previous designs and Guest Artist’s artwork.This activity encourages creativity, imagination, design and problem-solving skills.

*  Here's a virtual 3D modeling class from author/illustrator/sculptor
Jeff Jantz:
"The organization that I work for is currently running interactive after-school activities through several different themed channels Monday through Thursday including an Arts and Craft channel, a Travel channel, a Health and Fitness channel and more. Also, homework help with certified teachers. I am working a lot with the MAKER channel, where we will be facilitating interactive engineering and design activities. Here's a link to our virtual page so you can see all the great things we have going on:
https://c2pipeline.wayne.edu/virtual  
I'm very proud to work for an organization that is so willing to make changes quickly to find ways to serve our students even in these uncertain times."

FREE Virtual 3D modeling class for kids. "3D modeling Mondays featuring TinkerCAD"
This Virtual class will be taught by author/illustrator Jeff Jantz and is sponsored by WSU C2 Pipeline in response to school closers across the country due to COVID 19. To join simply click on the Zoom Meeting link below during the scheduled time.

What is TinkerCAD? It's a 3D modeling program for kids. It can be used for 3D printing, lego builds or simply designing a project.

Who can participate? Kids and Teens age 6 and up. Kids who play Minecraft tend to catch on to TinkerCAD very quickly.

What's needed? An internet connection and a computer (preferably with a mouse). You can join Zoom from a computer or a phone. It would be best to set up a TinkerCAD account beforehand and explore it on your own before the class. To set up a free account go to https://www.tinkercad.com/

When? Every Monday, 3:30 to 5:00 PM eastern time, till May 25, 2020

How do I get on? Just follow this link during the scheduled time:
Join Zoom Meeting https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYoce6srT8vprs6LnCE7o4kLrApEJfwrA 
Or use the Meeting ID: 825-674-345

Find more educational resources from SCBWI members in Michigan and around the world:

• https://michigan.scbwi.org/2020/03/18/scbwi-michigan-educational-resources/

• https://www.scbwi.org/digital-directory-for-remote-learning-resources/

*  You might have heard the inspiring story of how Ruth McNally Barshaw’s sketchbook journal of an SCBWI conference experience helped her find an agent and publish her popular Ellie McDoodle series. In recent weeks, Ruth has been keeping an "isolation journal" and sharing the sketches on her Facebook page. Her entries are full of humor and heart. Most of all, they speak the truth.

https://ruthexpress.com/

Thank you everyone for sharing your creative gifts in myriad ways. We'd love to hear more about what you're doing; please let us know in the comments. Whether it's working on the front-lines of healthcare or staying home and hugging your family members, we appreciate you. Here’s a gentle, encouraging post from Vicky Lorencen which sums it up beautifully: https://vickylorencen.com/2020/04/15/give-your-words/.

Stay safe and take care,
Kristin Lenz

Hugs and Hurrahs!

Sarah Perry aka S.J. Lomas is celebrating the release of DREAM FREQUENCY, the sequel and conclusion to the DREAM GIRL duology. What a gorgeous cover! 

Neal Levin's poem BROTHER FOR SALE was published in the April 2017 issue of SPIDER. Cheers, Neal!

Monica Harris continues her steady sales (16 pieces!) to Data Recognition Corporation in various states which provide content for school state wide assessments. The specific topics are confidential, but here's a sample from her Wisconsin work:
*  Grade 4 Listening assessment - kids listen to the passage and then answer questions concerning the topic.

*  Grade 3 Informational assessment - students read about the nonfiction topic and then answer questions concerning their understanding. 
Congrats on your steady work, Monica!

Rebecca Grabil signed a contract with Eerdmans Books for Young Readers for the picture book, MAMA EARTH'S NEW YEAR, to be published early 2019.

Plus, her picture book with Atheneum, HALLOWEEN GOOD NIGHT, will be released July 25th! AND, it earned a starred review from Publishers Weekly!

Jean Alicia Elster has been selected to receive a 2017 Kresge Artist Fellowship in Literary Arts, awarded by Kresge Arts in Detroit, a program of The Kresge Foundation. We're so proud of you, Jean Alicia!

Shutta Crum, Jean Alicia Elster, Jack Cheng

On May 3rd, SCBWI-MI members Shutta Crum, Jean Alicia Elster and Jack Cheng joined fellow-author Ruth Behar at Nicola’s Books in Ann Arbor for a special Children’s Book Week middle-grade authors panel. Shutta served as panel moderator and guided the authors in a discussion on a wide range of topics from diversity to character motivation. What a great event!

Buffy Silverman wrote four titles for Lerner Publishing's SHARK WORLD series. TIGER SHARKS IN ACTION, ANGELS SHARKS IN ACTION, GREAT WHITE SHARKS IN ACTION, and MAKO SHARKS IN ACTION are swimming out this month. Way to go, Buffy!

On June 24th, Kazoo Books in Kalamazoo hosted a reception for the Oakwood Neighborhood Association’s annual Oakwood Neighborhood Reunion. Local writers attending this reunion and autographing their books for children included SCBWI-MI members Janet Ruth Heller and Kate Seifert.  

Plus, Janet Ruth Heller was interviewed about her books and advice for writers on author Mindy McGinnis's website. 

Mary Vee's junior fiction book for elementary readers, WILLIAM WORTHINGTON WATKINS III, featuring a boy main character, veterans, and mystery with humor was published in May and is available on Amazon.

Amy Nielander

Amy Nielander's picture book THE LADYBUG RACE earned a Bronze Medal in the Independent Publisher Book Awards, Children's Picture Books category. See all of the winners here. We're thrilled to see your book and artwork continuing to earn accolades!

Kristin Bartley Lenz's article, THE POWER OF CONTESTS: CREATE YOUR OWN LUCK, was published on the Writer's Digest Guide to Literary Agents Blog.

YARN (Young Adult Review Network) published Heather Smith Meloche's short story, TRIFLES, about complicated sisterly love and tough choices. Bravo, Heather! Read the story HERE.


Kirbi Fagan won the Jack Gaughan Award for Best Emerging Artist 2017 (Presented by the New England Science Fiction Association) and she's a Muddy Color Rising Star 2017! She's also our 2017-2018 SCBWI-MI Illustrator Mentor!

And we saved the best news for last: Charlie Barshaw has officially joined the Mitten blog team! Charlie has been a frequent contributor for some time, and now he's taking over the quarterly Writer Spotlight feature for Patti Richards. Stay tuned - he might be reaching out to interview YOU!

Coming up on the Mitten Blog: Nina Goebel unveils our new summer blog banner and introduces our next Featured Illustrator!

SCBWI 2016 Magazine Merit Award Winner: an Interview with Neal Levin by Charlie Barshaw

Neal Levin is a freelance children's writer and illustrator in Michigan. As a writer he specializes in poetry and short stories (mostly for magazines and anthologies), and as an illustrator he specializes in cartooning. He has had over 250 stories, poems, articles, puzzles, and cartoons published in a variety of places, ranging from Highlights For Children to The Saturday Evening Post.

Question in rhyme (limerick-style):
There once was a poet named Neal
His limericks were the real deal
He’s published the most
In The Sat. Evening Post
Now tell me, Neal, how does it feel?

Thanks for asking, Charlie. It's a lot of fun! For those who don't know, The Saturday Evening Post has a limerick contest in every issue (six times a year) where you have to write a limerick to go along with a certain picture. I think I won about 15 times so far, although only four were official "winners" and the rest were runners-up. Although this is not actually a children's publication, it's still good writing practice. Anyone who wants to try it can find the contest online: www.saturdayeveningpost.com/limerick-contest

And, a follow up: do you have a special affinity for limericks?

Not necessarily. I love writing children's poems, but I don't write a lot of limericks, apart from that contest.

Okay, on to normal questions:
Who were your favorite poets when you were young?

Shel Silverstein, of course! But to be honest, I didn't read a lot of poetry as a kid. I did write poems starting at a young age, however.

Tell us more about the SCBWI awards. You won a Merit Plaque for poetry for your poem Cavemanners, which appeared in Spider. You also won (the only name to appear twice in the announcement, congrats!) an Honor Certificate for Messy Messages a poem appearing in Highlights.

SCBWI gives out an annual Merit Award and Honor Award in five different categories for magazine work published during the previous year. The categories are fiction, nonfiction, illustration, poetry, and YA. They also give out a few Letters of Merit. In 2015, I received a Letter of Merit for poetry (and coincidentally, the poem that won the Merit Award that year was one I had illustrated, but didn’t write). Then in 2016, I received the two awards you mentioned above. Any SCBWI member who publishes original magazine work is eligible, and again you can find information online: www.scbwi.org/awards/magazine-merit-award/

Aside from originating from the mind of Neal Levin, how are your cartoons and your poetry related?

That's a good question, because they often aren't. Most of the poems I've had published were illustrated by other people, as assigned by the editors. I always enjoy seeing how other illustrators interpret my writing -- sometimes in ways I didn't anticipate. I also enjoy seeing how different illustrators interpret the same poem when it's republished in more than one place. There have even been times that I've been assigned to illustrate poems other people wrote. I hope to get around to illustrating more of my own poetry one day.

In a Debbie Diesen interview, you mentioned doing cartooning workshops after school for kids. What do kids gain when they learn to cartoon?

The cartooning workshops I teach are usually one-day classes, so they serve as an introduction to drawing and hopefully inspire kids to practice more on their own, which is how I learned to draw. Since many of the students have never drawn cartoons before, I think the biggest thing kids gain is the discovery that cartooning is actually not that difficult to learn, as well as the confidence that they can create finished drawings on their own by the time they leave the class.

You’ve been published in a number of poetry anthologies, especially ones edited by Bruce Lansky. Can you tell us about your working relationship with Bruce?

I have to give credit to Bruce Lansky (and his former poetry editor Angela) for starting my professional poetry career, as they were the first ones to publish my poems and encourage me to keep writing them. This was about 10-15 years ago, when Bruce's company Meadowbrook Press was putting out a number of anthologies and eventually included around 18 of my poems in eight different collections. Some of those poems were also resold through Meadowbrook Press, and through their agreement I retain copyright and also get royalties from resales. Since then I've had poems published in anthologies from other companies, including Disney/Hyperion, Little Brown, Scholastic, Pomelo Books, and Chicken Soup For the Soul.

Have you considered publishing an anthology of your poetry? Possibly interspersed with your cartoons?

I would love to do that! However, selling a poetry collection is a lot harder than selling individual poems.

Tell us about being published in Mad Magazine For Kids. Was it a lifetime dream, or just another magazine sale?

Mad Kids was a short-lived magazine that only put out a few issues around 2007-2008. It was a younger kids' version of Mad Magazine with the same style of humor. This was one of those instances where other people illustrated my work. I had three poems published in three different issues and then was assigned a special feature: a whole set of funny poems about food to satirize the movie Ratatouille. It's unfortunate that the magazine folded, although the regular Mad is alive and well.

You were published in the anthology, Poems to Learn by Heart, apparently edited by Caroline Kennedy. The Caroline Kennedy? Did you get to meet her or talk to her?

You're right, that book was edited by President Kennedy's daughter, although I did not get to meet her. Apparently she had discovered my poem Baby Ate a Microchip and eventually decided to include it in her book.

Last, your website mentions that you retreat Up North all summer to work on a daily newspaper at Camp Walden. Can you tell us more?

It's true! I won't say how many years I've been going there -- okay, it's been 32 -- and yes, I put out a daily "newspaper" for the campers and staff. It's no more than a two-sided sheet of paper run off on a copy machine, but it gives me the chance to write funny stuff, draw pictures, and be creative all summer long. And, of course, the campers and staff help contribute. If you put together all those newspapers over the years, it would amount to over 3,000 pages of material! The majority of it, however, would only make sense to you if you went to that camp.

Read some of Neal's poems here:
Creepy Pizza
Swimming Lessons
Help the World

I began this interview with a question in rhyme, so here's a silly doodle ending:
There once was a group, smart and spry
Who'd create poems and stuff on the fly.
They're writers and drawers
Not ooh-ers and aw-ers
And they're called ess see bee douba you eye.

Charlie Barshaw loves to write posts for The Mitten, and interview people who really do something, like Neal Levin. This gives him an excuse for still struggling to finish the stubborn first draft of his YA novel. Thanks to editor Teresa Crumpton, his SCBWI-LA critique group, and The World's Greatest Critique Group, he's still plinking away at it.







Thanks for all of your hard work, Charlie! Pssst, Charlie has some book news. He has several stories published by Amazon's new children's reading app. Learn more at https://rapids.amazon.com/ or https://www.facebook.com/amazonrapids/.

Have you seen Neal Levin's kidlit inspired cartoons for adults? He has his own special page, Kiddie Litter, right here on the Mitten blog.

We'd also like to extend congrats to SCBWI-MI member Lori McElrath Eslick. She won a 2016 SCBWI Magazine Merit Award for Illustration. Kudos, Lori!

***Important Deadline***
Dec. 15th is the last day to apply for the SCBWI Annual Winter Conference Shutta Crum Scholarship. 
(Michigan members only.)
This scholarship will fund one Michigan SCBWI member's tuition for attendance at the Annual SCBWI Winter Conference at the Grand Hyatt in New York, NY. Dates: February 10-12, 2017. (Info: http://scbwi.org .) Early bird registration starts Oct. 24th. (Full early-bird registration fee only: $430.) Note: MI-SCBWI will fund transportation for the recipient up to $400.

And we have another busy weekend full of SCBWI-MI Merry Mitten Holiday events!

Saturday, December 10th

Book Beat

Lincoln Shopping Center  26010 Greenfield Rd, Oak Park, MI 48237 (248) 968-1190

Saturday, December 10th, 1PM-3PM

Jean Alicia Elster

Bookman

715 Washington Ave, Grand Haven, MI 49417 (616) 846-3520

Saturday, December 10 12PM-2PM

Lori Eslick

Amy Nielander

Kim Childress

Kazoo Books

2413 Parkview Ave, Kalamazoo, MI 49008  (269) 385-2665

Saturday, December 10 11-2pm

Ruth McNally Barshaw

Leslie Helakoski

Deb Pilutti

Kristen Remenar

Matt Faulkner

Heather Smith Meloche

Buffy Silverman

Schuler Books & Music: Grand Rapids 
2660 28th Street SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49512 616.942.2561

Saturday, Dec. 10 2PM-4PM

Erica Chapman

Janet Heller

PJ Lyons

Sunday, December 11th

Book Beat

Lincoln Shopping Center  26010 Greenfield Rd, Oak Park, MI 48237 (248) 968-1190

Sunday, December 11th 1PM-3PM

Patrick Flores-Scott

Schuler Books & Music: Okemos

Meridian Mall 1982 Grand River Ave Okemos, MI 48864 517.349.8840

Sunday, December 11 2PM-4PM

Erica Chapman

Peggy House

Kristin Lenz

Coming up next on the Mitten blog: The final Hugs and Hurrahs of 2016! We want to trumpet your success. Send your writing, illustrating, and book related good news to Patti Richards by Tuesday, December 13th to be included.

Cheers!

Kristin Lenz

Flashback Friday: Neal Levin's Kiddie Litter Cartoons

We have 10 years of Neal Levin's Kiddie Litter cartoons in our SCBWI-MI newsletter archives. It's a shame to keep them tucked away. Enjoy these Friday funnies, and find more here.

Neal Levin writes short stories and poetry for children as well as drawing cartoons. His work has appeared in several national magazines and collections. You can find out more at www.neallevin.com.

Coming up on the Mitten blog: It's almost time for another Writer Spotlight. It could be you! 

The Mitten blog editors are off to the SCBWI Wild, Wild Midwest Multi-Chapter Spring Conference! It's going to be a great weekend. Hope to see you there!

Flashback Friday: Neal Levin's Kiddie Litter Cartoons

We have 10 years of Neal Levin's Kiddie Litter cartoons in our SCBWI-MI newsletter archives. It's a shame to keep them tucked away. Enjoy these Friday funnies, and find more here.

Neal Levin writes short stories and poetry for children as well as drawing cartoons. His work has appeared in several national magazines and collections. You can find out more at www.neallevin.com.

Flashback Friday: Neal Levin's Kiddie Litter

We have 10 years of Neal Levin's Kiddie Litter cartoons in our SCBWI-MI newsletter archives. It's a shame to keep them tucked away. Enjoy these Friday funnies, and find more here.

Neal Levin writes short stories and poetry for children as well as drawing cartoons. His work has appeared in several national magazines and collections. You can find out more at www.neallevin.com










Coming up on The Mitten blog: reports from the Hook of the Book conference, the conclusion of Dawne Webber's Beyond the Book series, a new 3 part craft series on developing voice, and another round of Hugs and Hurrahs. Send your good news to Patti Richards at pgwrites5@gmail.com by June 21st.

Flashback Friday: Neal Levin's Kiddie Litter

We have 10 years of Neal Levin's Kiddie Litter cartoons in our SCBWI-MI newsletter archives. It's a shame to keep them tucked away. Enjoy these Friday funnies, and find more here.

Neal Levin writes short stories and poetry for children as well as drawing cartoons. His work has appeared in several national magazines and collections. You can find out more at www.neallevin.com

Coming up on The Mitten blog: coverage of the SCBWI New York conference, small press success, writing character emotions, and another round of Hugs and Hurrahs. Send your good news to Patti Richards (info@pgwrites.com) by March 25th to be included.

Subscribe to our chapter blog and you'll never miss a post. Simply enter your email under the "Follow by email" heading at the top of the blog's sidebar.

Have a great weekend!

Kristin Lenz

Throwback Thursday: Neal Levin's Kiddie Litter cartoons

Neal Levin has been sharing his Kiddie Litter cartoons with SCBWI-MI for 10 years! Here are a few favorites from our newsletter archives. Enjoy!