SCBWI
Society of
Children's Book Writers
and Illustrators
The Austin SCBWI Chapter awards the Regional Advisor Scholarship and the Carmen Oliver On-the-Verge Scholarship to pre-published, unagented kidlit or teenlit authors to help them on their writing journey.
This year, our scholarship judges had a tough time narrowing the …
At the March meeting, illustrators learned about “Building a Better Portfolio.” Special thanks go to our distinguished panelists, previous Austin SCBWI Portfolio Showcase winners, Rachel Bostick, Laura Fisk and Eliza Kinkz. 
Congratulations to Austin SCBWI members Jarrett and Jerome Pumphrey, 
brothers and creators of the widely acclaimed picture book The Old Truck, on the publication of their second picture book, The Old Boat! It tells the story of …
Congratulations to Austin SCBWI member Lalena Fisher, who has signed a deal for her debut picture book, Friends Beyond Measure! Lalena, who creates infographics for the New York Times, has applied her expertise in this form …
Congratulations to Austin SCBWI member Melissa Coffey, who just signed a deal for her debut picture book, Fridge-O-Polis! According to the Publishers Weekly announcement, “in this pun-filled picture book that touches on the problem of food waste, …
We’re thrilled to celebrate our 2021 Creators of Diverse Worlds Scholarship winners and honor recipients!
To encourage writers and illustrators to create diverse worlds, we launched our annual Austin SCBWI Scholarship for Creators of Diverse Worlds in 2015 and have …
Congratulations to the numerous Austin SCBWI members who have been honored by the Texas Institute of Letters (TIL) this year as part of the annual TIL Literary Awards! The TIL is “a nonprofit Honor Society founded in 1936 to celebrate …
Congratulations to Austin SCBWI member Varian Johnson, who just signed deals for two new books—a middle-grade novel and a biography—with Scholastic!
The middle-grade novel, Playing the Cards You’re Dealt, “explores themes of toxic masculinity as a 10-year-old card …
Don Tate
Huge congratulations to Don Tate and Christina Soontornvat, 2021 Golden Kite Award winners! Don won the Nonfiction Text for Younger Readers category for William Still and His Freedom Stories: The Father of the Underground Railroad, and …
Congratulations to Austin SCBWI member Evan Griffith on the publication of his 
debut picture book, Secrets of the Sea: The Story of Jeanne Power, Revolutionary Marine Scientist! The picture-book biography, illustrated by Joanie Stone, tells the story of Jeanne …
Congratulations to Austin SCBWI member Susan Kralovansky on the publication of two new picture books, the bilingual The Book That Jake Borrowed / El libro que Jake tomo prestado and We Really, Really Want a Dog! Susan wrote and illustrated …
Congratulations to Austin SCBWI member Patrice Barton—not only has she just released her latest picture book, but she now has some of her art featured at the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art in Amherst, Massachusetts!
Congratulations to Austin SCBWI members Jason June, Cynthia Leitich Smith, and Nicholas Solis, who have all been recently featured in various magazines!
Jason June (author of picture books, chapter books, and an upcoming YA novel) was interviewed …
bestselling author of more than 30 novels. “Hope in the mail” is also a mantra Wendelin …
Photo Credit: Ryan Bilawsky
Congratulations to Austin SCBWI member P.J. Hoover, who just signed a deal for a young-adult nonfiction book about contemporary women working in STEM fields! The deal was brokered by Jacqui Lipton at Raven Quill Literary Agency.
P.J. (Tricia), a …
Congratulations to illustrator and Austin SCBWI member Eliza Kinkz on signing with an agent! She is now represented by Stephen Barr at Writers House. In recounting how she landed her agent, Eliza explains: “A good friend, the awesome author/illustrator …
Giant congratulations to Austin SCBWI member Christina Soontornvat for the outstanding success of two of her books for young readers, All Thirteen: The Incredible Cave Rescue of the Thai Boys’ Soccer Team and A Wish in the Dark, each …
Congrat
ulations to Austin SCBWI member Adrianna Cuevas, whose debut novel The Total Eclipse of Nestor Lopez just won a Pura Belpré Honor! The award recognizes outstanding children’s and young adult literature that “portrays, affirms, and celebrates the Latino …
January’s meeting kicked off 2021 with: Take Control of Your Creative Life, 
presented by writer, teacher, and coach P.J. Hoover, author of HOMER’S EXCELLENT ADVENTURE, THE HIDDEN CODE, and TUT, THE STORY OF MY IMMORTAL LIFE, among many …
At November’s Monthly Meeting, illustrator Laura Fisk took us
down a “Different Road to an Illustration Career.” Her debut book, SLEEPING BAGS TO S’MORES, a camping guide by Heather Balogh Rochfort and William Rochfort, was recently published by Houghton …
Congratulations to author-illustrator and Austin SCBWI member Vanessa Roeder, who just 
signed a deal for her next picture book, The Stack, as well as a second untitled picture book! According to the Publishers Weekly announcement, The Stack, “pitched as …
Congratulations to Austin SCBWI member Carol Kim, who within a few weeks both signed with a literary agent and announced her debut picture-book deal! King Sejong Invents an Alphabet, which will be illustrated by Cindy Kang, is set to …
Congratulations to Austin SCBWI member Jennifer Coleman, who just signed a deal for her second picture book, Come ‘N Git It!: Cookie and His Cowboy Chuckwagon’s Day on the Trail! The book will be illustrated by Julie Dupre …
At the online October Monthly meeting, our distinguished panel discussed the nuances of self-publishing. 
Here are some highlights:
P.J. Hoover:
-Experiences with both traditional and self-publishing can be rewarding
–Reasons to self-publish: write what you want; make some
Congratulations to Austin SCBWI member Lindsay Leslie, who just signed a deal for her fourth picture book, So You Want to Build a Library! The story, according to the Publisher’s Weekly announcement, “puts readers in the driver’s seat …
Congratulations to Austin SCBWI member Don Tate on the publication of two new picture books, William Still and His Freedom Stories: The Father of the Underground Railroad and Swish!: The Slam-Dunking, Alley-Ooping, High-Flying Harlem Globetrotters. Don is both author …
Huge congratulations to long-time Austin SCBWI member Cynthia Leitich Smith on winning the 2021 NSK Neustadt Prize for Children’s Literature! This prestigious biennial award connected to the University of Oklahoma and the magazine World Literature Today is given on the …
September’s meeting was hosted by Austin SCBWI member and VCFA faculty member Varian Johnson, award-winning author of nine novels including new middle-grade graphic novel Twins, illustrated by Shannon Wright, from Graphix/Scholastic. TWINS was named a Junior Library Guild …
On September 23rd 2020, the winners of the 2019 Writers’ League of Texas Book Awards were announced, celebrating the best books published by Texan writers during the year 2019—and the Austin SCBWI chapter won big! Six chapter members placed as …
Congratulations to Austin SCBWI member Britta Jensen on the Oct. 1st release of her newest YA novel, Hirana’s War! It’s a story about living with disability, overcoming the ravages of war, and finding hope in the most unusual of …
Congratulations to Austin SCBWI member Varian Johnson, whose new middle-grade graphic novel Twins, illustrated by Shannon Wright, releases Oct. 6th from Graphix/Scholastic! The novel has already been named a Junior Library Guild Selection and received starred reviews from …
Congratulations to Austin SCBWI member Nikki Loftin, whose debut picture book If You Get Lost was just sold at auction to Anne Schwartz Books! The book will be illustrated by Deborah Marcero.
Told in just 144 words, If You …
Congratulations to Austin SCBWI member Bethany Hegedus on the publication of her newest picture book, Huddle Up! Cuddle Up! The book, illustrated by Michael Deas, rele
ased on August 25th from Viking Books for Young Readers.
The picture book features …
Congratulations to Austin SCBWI member Alisha Gabriel on signing with an agent! She is now represented by Heather Cashman at Storm Literary Agency.
Alisha is a music educator and the author of numerous works of fiction and nonfiction in …
Congratulations to Austin SCBWI member Tina Mowrey, whose debut picture book, What a Prickly Pear, released on August 25th from Clear Fork Publishing! The book is illustrated by Sarah Williams.
The story features two clever raccoons, Roxy and …
Congratulations to Austin SCBWI member Cynthia Levinson, whose nonfiction book for children and teens, Fault Lines in the Constitution: The Framers, Their Fights, and the Flaws that Affect Us Today, will be released as a graphic novel adaptation…
At our August meeting, held on Zoom, local author and illustrator Salima Alikhan led a discussion with literary agent and attorney Jacqui Lipton, author of Law & Authors: A Legal Handbook for Writers. 
Jacqui founded Raven Quill Literary Agency…
At the July meeting, Jenny Elder Moke, author of YA novel HOOD (Disney/Hyperion, June 2020), spoke to a well-attended Zoom gathering about the three pillars necessary for a first draft.
HOOD is about the daughter of Robin Hood and …
Congratulations to Austin SCBWI member Candy Wellins, whose debut picture book Saturdays Are for Stella releases August 11th from Page Street Kids! The book, which is illustrated by Charlie Eve Ryan, has already received a glowing starred review from …
Congratulations to Austin SCBWI member S.G. Wilson, whose debut MG novel Me Vs. the Multiverse: Pleased to Meet Me releases on August 4th! The humorous action-adventure novel, the first in a series, will be published by Random House Children’s …
Congratulations to Austin SCBWI member Holly Green, who just sold her debut novel! 
In the Same Boat is a YA novel about a teenager named Sadie who is determined to finish an epic canoe race one year after another race …
Congratulations to Austin SCBWI member Jenny Elder Moke, who in the past month released one novel and sold another!
Her debut novel, Hood, a YA historical adventure that reimagines the story of Robin Hood through the perspective of …
Congratulations to Austin SCBWI member Christina Soontornvat, who had two new books come out in June!
The first, Slush Puppy Love (released on June 2nd by Scholastic), is the fifth book in the Diary of an 
Ice Princess chapter …
This month, authors Cindy Baldwin, Bethany Hegedus and Catherine Stier discussed writing about difficult topics for young readers.
Cindy Baldwin’s middle grade novel, WHERE THE WATERMELONS GROW, includes a parent with mental illness, and her newest book, BEGINNERS WELCOME, …
Rivkah LaFille
Austin SCBWI has a new Illustrator Coordinator! Please join us in welcoming Rivkah LaFille to this role!
Rivkah is a long-time volunteer for our chapter, helping to run a critique group, sketch meetups, our conference portfolio showcase, as …
Austin SCBWI has a Crystal Kite winner in its chapter for the third consecutive year!
Middle-grade nonfiction book, HER OWN TWO FEET: A RWANDAN GIRL’S BRAVE FIGHT TO WALK by Meredith Davis and Rebeka Uwitonze won the 2020 Crystal Kite …
Congratulations to Austin SCBWI member Jacquetta Nammar Feldman on selling her debut middle grade novel to HarperCollins. Here’s the recent announcement from Publishers Weekly:
Antonia Markiet and Megan Ilnitzki at HarperCollins have preempted Jacquetta Nammar Feldman’s debut middle grade …
Congratulations to the winner and finalists of Austin SCBWI’s 2020 Cynthia Leitich Smith Writing Mentor Award!
The finalists are chosen by the critiquing faculty at our annual conference. Each faculty member may nominate one of the manuscripts they critiqued, …
Congratulations to Austin SCBWI Member Anne Wynter on receiving an individual artist award from the Sustainable Arts Foundation. Anne was one of 20 winners selected from a field of nearly 1,800 applicants. The judges commented, “Anne Wynter delighted and …
Congratulations to Austin SCBWI member Lindsay Leslie on the upcoming publication of her third picture book, DUSK EXPLORERS, illustrated by Ellen Rooney and published by Page Street Kids, due out June 2, 2020.
DUSK EXPLORERS received a starred review …
Cynthia Leitich Smith
Austin SCBWI member Cynthia Leitich Smith has been announced as a finalist for the NSK Neustadt Prize for Children’s Literature. The prize recognizes significant achievement of a writer or illustrator, either over a lifetime or in …
Publishers Weekly recently announced Austin SCBWI member Gloria Amescua‘s debut picture book biography, Child of the Flower-Song People: Luz Jiménez will be published by Abrams. The story is about the Indigenous Nahua woman who grew up in Mexico during …
Austin SCBWI member author Donna Janell Bowman will teach Writing Picture Book Biographies from the Inside Out, a six-week online class beginning May 9.
The class will be an introspective and pragmatic deep-dive into writing picture book biographies from the …
Tips and Tricks for Pitching Agents and Editors was this month’s Zoom meeting topic, in anticipation of our chapter’s upcoming (virtual) annual conference. 
“If I can do it, you certainly can!” said Adrianna Cuevas, debut author of middle grade …
Chris Barton spoke to us this month on Zoom while celebrating his 20th book: FIRE TRUCK VS. DRAGON (Little, Brown Books For Young Readers, 2020). 
We thank Chris for embracing the new format for our monthly meetings during the COVID-19 …
Congratulations to our member Christina Soontornvat on the release of her newest middle-grade book A WISH IN THE DARK.
The book is a Thai-inspired fantasy twist on Les Miserables and was published by Candlewick.
Christina is faculty for Austin …
Congratulations to our member and former Assistant Regional Advisor P.J. Hoover on the release of her new middle-grade book HOMER’S EXCELLENT ADVENTURE.
The book was published by CBAY Books is billed as Homer’s Odyssey meets Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure. …
Congratulations to Austin SCBWI member Noah Weisz, who was recently awarded a Magazine Merit Award in the fiction category for his short story “A Forest Full of Stars.”
The story was published in the July 2018 issue of Highlights…
Daniela Weil and her new book THE DIARY OF ASSER LEVY
Congratulations to Austin SCBWI member Daniela Weil on the release of her new book THE DIARY OF ASSER LEVY: FIRST JEWISH CITIZEN OF NEW YORK. Here’s more about the …
Congratulations to Austin SCBWI member Shachi Kaushik who has signed with agent Lynnette Novak of the Seymour Agency!
We asked Shachi if she’d tell us about her journey, and here’s what she said:
HOW I GOT MY AGENT
Your manuscript …
Congratulations to our own Noah Weisz, who was recently awarded a Magazine Merit Award in the fiction category for his short story, “A Forest Full of Stars,” which appeared in the July 2018 issue of Highlights.
Noah …
Introducing a new flexible online critique group option for members of Austin SCBWI.
Can’t make it to a ZOOM meeting or regularly scheduled critique group? No problem. The Austin SCBWI Blueboard Critique Group will take place the full third weekend …
The Carmen Oliver On-the-Verge Annual Austin SCBWI Conference Scholarship is awarded each year to a children’s book writer who has the passion and desire to pursue a career in this industry. It is designed to give the winning writer a …
The Austin SCBWI RA Scholarship is awarded each year to children’s book writers who have the passion and desire to pursue a career in this industry. It is designed to give the winners a good foundation from which they can …
Author-Illustrator and Instructor Mark Mitchell designed his talk around color palettes at February’s vibrant meeting. 
Mark wrote and illustrated the award-winning RAISING ‘LA BELLE’: THE STORY OF THE LA SALLE SHIPWRECK, Eakin Press, 2002. He is also a contributor to …
Congratulations to our member Vanessa Roeder on her picture book, THE BOX TURTLE, being included on the Spring 2020 Kids’ Indie Next List!
Here’s a description of the book: Terrance the turtle was born without a shell, so he …
Congratulations to our member Cynthia Leitich Smith on winning the 2020 American Indian Youth Literature Young Adult Award for her latest novel HEARTS UNBROKEN.
The award is given by the American Indian Library Association.
Here’s the description of the book:…
Since 2015, the Austin SCBWI chapter has awarded conference scholarships to authors and authors who are creating diverse worlds. The scholarship was inspired by our February 2015 monthly meeting, when author Cynthia Leitich Smith gave an amazing seminar on the …
This January, Meredith Davis gave us an “Extreme Makeover—A Case Study of Revision.” Meredith is co-author of the touching, true story entitled HER OWN TWO FEET: A RWANDAN GIRL’S BRAVE FIGHT TO WALK (Scholastic, 2019). 
Using her own book, about …
As we all gathered ’round for November’s meeting, Jason June presented
“A Picture is Worth 1,000 Words: Writing Illustration Notes in Picture Books.” A skilled wordsmith, Jason is the author of WHOBERT WHOVER, OWL DETECTIVE, Margaret K. McElderry Books/Simon & …
Those working on middle grade and young adult fiction got healthy doses of inspiration and instruction from four multi-published novelists at the recent Austin SCBWI Novel workshop.
Varsha Bajaj, author of COUNT ME IN and ABBY SPENCER GOES TO …
Both writers and illustrators were inspired and energized by the recent workshop presented by James and Lesa Ransome for Austin SCBWI.
The afternoon event started with a co-presentation from the couple sharing how they got into children’s publishing. James had …
HarperCollins Children’s Books recently announced the launch of Heartdrum, a new Native-focused imprint led by award-winning and New York Times bestselling author Cynthia Leitich Smith (Muscogee Creek), and Rosemary Brosnan, Vice President, Editorial Director, HarperCollins Children’s Books.
Heartdrum’s first …
Congratulations to Austin SCBWI member and picture book writer Melissa Coffey! She is now represented by Charlotte Wenger at Prospect Agency.
More about Melissa: She grew up in Wisconsin toting around an overstuffed book bag and a dog-eared …
Austin SCBWI’s Regional Advisor Samantha M Clark has sold her second middle-grade novel to Paula Wiseman Books/Simon & Schuster. The announcement was made in Publishers Weekly last month.
Samantha’s next novel, called ARROW, tells the story of a boy who …
Austin SCBWI member Susie Kralovansky and six of her writing friends from across the US – the Nonfiction Chicks, are organizing a nonfiction version of NaNoWriMo.
NF Fest will begin in February. Each day there will be a post from …
Congratulations to Austin author Samantha M Clark, winner of the 2019 Crystal Kite Award for THE BOY, THE BOAT AND THE BEAST (Simon & Schuster).
During our September chapter meeting, SCBWI Board of Advisors member Cynthia Leitich Smith presented …
At the September 2019 meeting, Austin SCBWI member Christina Soontornvat, author of the recently published chapter book series, DIARY OF AN ICE PRINCESS (Scholastic, 2019), shared her insights on writing for emerging readers.
Here are a few of her …
Austin SCBWI Regional Advisor Samantha M Clark is teaching a class on characters and conflict for the Writers League of Texas on Oct. 5, 10am to 1pm. The class is called “Throw More Stones: How to Build Your Character Through …
Congratulations to Austin SCBWI member Lauren Flake, whose picture book WHERE DID MY SWEET GRANDMA GO? is featured in the movie Ode to Joy, starring Martin Freeman and Morena Baccarin.
Check out the trailer and keep your eye …
Cate Berry, Samantha M Clark, Kendra Fortmeyer, Vanessa Roeder and Gayleen Rabakukk
July’s meeting featured authors Cate Berry, Samantha M Clark, Kendra Fortmeyer and author/ illustrator Vanessa Roeder sharing insights on being newly published, moderated by ARA Gayleen …
Austin SCBWI wishes a big congratulations to Romy Natalia Goldberg, who has won our 2019 Cynthia Leitich Smith Writing Mentor Award. Natalia wins a year’s mentorship with author Varian Johnson.
Varian is a Vermont College of Fine …
Austin SCBWI sponsored a booth at the recent Texas Library Association’s Annual Assembly.
PAL members were invited to sign and sell books, while RA Samantha Clark and ARA Gayleen Rabakukk shared SCBWI resources including the Speakers Bureau with its searchable …
Nineteen writers gathered at the Writing Barn for the Protagonist on the Page, led by literary agent Jennie Dunham, founder of Dunham Literary.
Jennie reminded attendees that the protagonist drives the story, so consider carefully which character you’ll …
Austin SCBWI has a Crystal Kite winner in its chapter for the second consecutive year!
Middle-grade novel THE BOY, THE BOAT, AND THE BEAST by Samantha M Clark won the 2019 Crystal Kite Award for the Texas/Oklahoma region. Samantha is …
More than 215 people attended the Austin SCBWI 2019 Writers & Illustrators Working Conference on May 18-19 and left inspired and ready to create.
Author P.J. Hoover moderates the publishing panel. Photo: Susan Johnston Taylor
Three large publishing houses were …
More than a dozen Austin SCBWI members braved the rain to enjoy a sneak peek at Lark & Owl Booksellers in Georgetown last month. Founder and general manager Jane Estes led a tour of the new independent bookstore a few …
Trisha de Guzman at FSG has acquired world rights to Adrianna Cuevas’s debut middle grade novel, Nestor’s Guide to Unpacking, about a Cuban-American boy named Nestor with a secret ability to speak to animals. Nestor and his mother move to …
Congratulations to the recipients of Austin SCBWI’s first RA Scholarship.
The scholarship was started this year by Regional Advisor Samantha M Clark to lift up a voice that shows great promise in children’s books.
We were thrilled to see the …
