Calendar of Events - Northern Ohio Society of Children's Book Writers & Illustrators-NOH SCBWI

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2013 Meeting Schedule

***Watch this page for more information on upcoming chapter events!***
Check our virtual bulletin board for members' book signings, book release announcements and other items that may be of interest to Northern Ohio writers!

May 2013

May 3-5--Midwest conference, Fort Wayne, IN

The first-ever Midwest conference was a Wild West success!

Review the online brochure now at:
http://nohscbwi.org/downloads/WildWildMidwest2013Brochure6.pdf.

June 2013

June 15, 11:00 am - Akron Art Museum Field Trip

Join other authors and illustrators to enjoy the marvelous work of Ezra Jack Keats!! The exhibit only lasts through June, so don't miss this opportunity right in our own backyard.

Details:
View the first major exhibition in the US to pay homage to illustrator Ezra Jack Keats, at the Akron Art Museum. See more than 80 originals, including preliminary sketches, final paintings and collages.

We will meet Saturday, June 15 at 11 am (when it opens) near the ticket counter. Bring a friend, family, etc. Tickets are: $7 adult, $5 student and senior, free under 17.

Please RSVP to Sophie Cayless if possible by Thursday, June 13.
For more info: www.akronartmuseum.org

June 22, 9:00-4:00 - Summer Progressive Writer’s Retreat with Laurie Lazzaro Knowlton at Roots and Wings Ranch in Medina

Need a day to focus on your story? This one-day retreat will be a “progressive” journey through your book’s character’s, setting, story arc, and character growth. We will critique your story and there will be time to write. By the end of the day you will have had a chance to look at your story with fresh eyes and know where your strengths are and what you need to work on.

DATE:    June 22, 2013
TIME:     9:00am – 4:00pm
BRING A LUNCH – snacks and refreshments will be provided
PLACE: Roots and Wings Ranch (Directions will be forwarded to you upon registration), Medina OH.
COST:    SCBWI Member - $100.00, Non-Member - $120.00

See http://www.regonline.com/summerwritersretreat for more information. Registration will open April 15 at 10 a.m.

Bring your manuscript, paper and pencil or laptop (laptop battery fully charged). If we’re having a beautiful summer day this event will be held in a pavilion. If the weather doesn’t allow, the event will take place indoors. Please dress accordingly. Bring a bag lunch. Lemonade and iced tea and an afternoon snack will be provided.

BIO: Laurie Lazzaro Knowlton’s first published work was a note passed to a boy in third grade. You would have thought this most embarrassing moment would have stopped her writing career. But instead, Laurie has gone on to write forty books and is the author/illustrator of two more.

Laurie has been published in the trade, educational, craft, and Christian market. WHY COWBOYS SLEEP WITH THEIR BOOTS ON is Laurie’s best selling picture book. It won the Premier Print Award given by Eastman Kodak. Laurie wrote and illustrated GOD BE IN MY HEART, 1999, and RED, WHITE, AND BLUE, 2002. The Huebner Museum of Children’s Picture Book Art, housed in the Toledo Public Library, honored Laurie by purchasing and exhibiting a piece of art from RED, WHITE, AND BLUE. Martha Stewart’s Radio Station highlighted RED WHITE AND BLUE. The Children’s Book Council invited Laurie to write about America’s freedoms as related to her book, RED, WHITE, AND BLUE, for their premier online magazine. The Children’s Book Committee of Bank Street College of Education selected A YOUNG MAN’S DANCE, as among the best Children’s Books of the year, 2007.

Visit Laurie's web page at www.laurieknowlton.com.

July 2013

July 20--Critique Meet with author Joan Arbogast

LOCATION: Stow-Munroe Falls Public Library (meeting in the conference room), 3512 Darrow Road, Stow, Ohio 44224
TIME: 10:00am – 12:00pm
Registration opens on April 19th – SCBWI members have priority until May 1st. Space is limited to 12 people. See http://www.regonline.com/builder/site/Default.aspx?EventID=1228233 for more details.

GUIDELINES: Joan Arbogast will moderate the July 20, 2013 critique meeting, accepting the first twelve who respond. She is glad to critique manuscripts for both magazine and book markets including picture books (fiction, nonfiction, and concept), middle grade nonfiction, poetry, query and cover letters, and all sorts of magazine submissions. She’ll also critique Activity Book proposals, including overview and 2 sample pages.

Manuscripts (except for Activity Book proposals – see above), 4 pages max, double-spaced, 1” margins, must be submitted to vselvaggio@windstream.net by May 19, 2013. Critiqued manuscripts will be returned at the meet.

BIO: Author Joan Marie Arbogast believes writing for the magazine market is as meaningful as landing the next book contract. As a matter of fact, her first two book contracts were directly related to her having worked with two editors who work the “magazine side” as well as the “book side” of publishing companies.

With more than one hundred magazine credits, Arbogast’s stories, articles, poems, crafts, and recipes have been published in or purchased by: Highlights for Children, Highlights High Five, Highlights Hello, Cobblestone, Humpty Dumpty, Pockets, Boys’ Quest, Hopscotch for Girls, and Fun for Kidz. A former contributing editor with My Friend, The Catholic Magazine for Kids, Arbogast penned the Q&A column, "Are You Bugged?" as well as initiated the monthly feature, "Making a Difference in Our World." Her poetry and verses have also appeared in greeting cards and two gift book anthologies titled Wishing You Well and Dog Blessings, edited by June Cotner.

Her children’s books include: Buildings in Disguise: Architecture That Looks Like Animals, Food, and Other Things (Boyds Mills Press), recipient of an IRA award for middle grade nonfiction, and My First Communion Remembrance Book (Pauline Books & Media). Her activity books full of crafts, activities, recipes and more include: The Advent-Christmas Book, The Lent-Easter Book, Feast Days & Holidays, all published by Pauline Books & Media and written for parents/teachers to use with children.

A member of SCBWI since 1994, Arbogast has served for years on both the Executive Board and Conference Committee of NOHSCBWI. A conference, school, and library presenter, as well as live radio show guest, Arbogast enjoys sharing the ups and downs of a writer’s journey with those newer to the challenging path. Check out her website at www.joanmariearbogast.com.

August 2013

August 17: No More Excuses ... Time Management for Writers

Want to examine how successful writers and you use time? In this event, learn how to jumpstart and complete a writing project with ten essential writing tricks of the trade.

DATE: August 17, 2013
LOCATION: North Olmsted Library (big meeting room on first floor), 27425 Butternut Ridge Road, North Olmsted, Ohio 44070
TIME: 10:30am – 12:30pm
COST: Free! (Event co-sponsored by NOH SCBWI and CCPL) RSVP is appreciated – email NOH SCBWI Regional Advisor, Victoria Selvaggio at vselvaggio@windstream.net

Carole Calladine, MSSA, LISW-S is in the second half of life. She writes out of innate fascination about relationships, life stages, and choices. As a gifted family life educator and workshop leader, she enjoys sharing and learning with others. Her master’s degree in social service administration is from Case Western Reserve University and her undergraduate sociology degree is from the State University of Iowa.

Her interest in writing has produced three books: Raising Siblings…Raising Brother and Sisters without Raising the Roof (Delacorte & in trade paperback, Winston Press), on family harmony' One Terrific Year: Supporting Your Kids Through the Ups and Downs of Their Year (Winston Press) on the annual, repetitive themes of childhood; Second Story Woman (Bird Dog Publishing, Inc) on needed midlife changes triggered by a diagnosis of diabetes. For seven years, she wrote You and Your Teen-Ager for the Sunday edition of The Plain Dealer. And she was the guest blogger for one year for Diabetes Sisters.

Carole is the Director of Senior Services for the Rocky River Senior Center. She became a Soul Collage® facilitator in 2011 combining her love of Jungian psychology and mining for personal insight through images and words. Carole belongs to three writing groups for camaraderie, critiques, and courage. Carole is on the executive board for the Northern Ohio Society of Children’s Books for Writers and Illustrators where she serves as the photography coordinator.

Carole resides in Rocky River, Ohio with her husband, Andrew, and their cat, Hank.

Questions? Email Victoria Selvaggio, NOH SCBWI Regional Advisor at vselvaggio@windstream.net.

September 2013

September 20-21--11th Annual Conference at Sheraton Cleveland Airport Hotel

The board has been busy planning N. Ohio SCBWI's annual fall conference! We're letting the cat out of the bag with a sneak peek at some new and exciting features.

*Not 1, not 2, not even 3 ... BUT 5 INTENSIVES.

*Manuscript critique got a facelift: Select EITHER a face-to-face critique of up to 10 pages (including synopsis and/or query letter) OR a written critique of up to 15 pages (including synopsis and/or query letter). The price is the same for either choice. You pick your faculty. For shorter works, such as Picture Books, you may send in up to 2 projects to meet the maximum pages allowed. GET BUSY NOW on writing that manuscript for a critique.

*If you do not wish to select an Intensive on Friday, we have the place for you!! Come join small group sessions in the Grand Ballroom. A couple of potential topics surfacing are: HOW TO INTERPRET YOUR CRITIQUE (Kleenex and cookies included!) and SELF-EDITING AND REVISION (Come on, you know you have to do it.)

*Friday afternoon will continue to sport its 3 Q&A sessions, but we are adding faculty panel discussions for the second half. The format may be an open Q&A or more topic specific. Either way, here's your chance to hear it from the experts.

*Don't forget the Publication Celebration. Last year we moved the event to Friday evening of the conference. It was a HUGE SUCCESS! More information will come on who is eligible to participate in the Publication Celebration. Everyone who pays a conference fee (excluding Saturday-only conference fee) is welcomed to attend the Publication Celebration.

*Our wonderful Bookstore continues to grow with an added feature this year of ordering books through the online conference registration! Pick up your books at the conference! No more waiting in line. No more missing Bookstore hours. Get the editors' choice books before they sell out. But don't worry. The Bookstore will be open during the conference to shop for last minute titles or if you did not order books through the conference registration. There will be a limited time during online registration to order books to allow for shipping and bundling.

*Illustrators - you are not forgotten. The popular CALENDAR CONTEST is back. Last year over 60 copies of the calendar were ordered which included the conference faculty. This year, contact information for each winner will be added to the back of the winning illustration(s)! More information will come from Sophie Cayless, N. Ohio SCBWI Illustrator Coordinator. And, there is the PORTFOLIO CRITIQUE.

Phew! It's going to be a great conference this September. And please note that items may change without notice as we continue to plan.

October 2013

October 19--Critique Meet with illustrator/author Mike DeSantis at Barnes & Noble in Fairlawn, 10 am - noon

LOCATION: Barnes and Noble, 4015 Medina Road, Akron, Ohio 44333
TIME: 10:00am – 12:00pm

RSVP opens on September 1st and is a first come, first served basis. SCBWI members have priority until September 19th. Limited to 20 submissions – attendance is not limited.

Mike DeSantis prefers to critique picture book text and/or illustrations. All projects must be received by October 2nd to vselvaggio@windstream.net to be reviewed before the meeting. (Note – Deadline is firm. Nothing will be accepted after date above.) Please note: at the time you RSVP, you will need to note if you are pre-submitting or not.

Copies: A few days before the critique meeting we will have a good idea on how many copies to bring (optional) and will email that information (if you are reading). They will be returned to you at the meeting.

If you are reading and have secured a spot: Send 4 pages (4 pages MAX) - double-spaced for text (standard 1" format) – in Microsoft Word (no other formats, please) to me at vselvaggio@windstream.net.

Please note: Mike is not doing a line edit or written critique. These pre-submissions allow him to have ample time to review your work to better advise you on improving the project.

BIO: Mike DeSantis creates puzzles and illustrations for children's books and magazines. He attended the Cleveland Institute of Art and received a BS in Management from Case Western Reserve University. Mike lives near Cleveland with his wife, three wonderful children, and two barking dogs. Samples of his work can be found at www.MikeDeSantis.com.

November 2013

November 16--Marrying Creativity and Business with Carol Topp, CPA and Steven Grant, Sr. Attorney
In this paneled session, learn valuable tools from professionals on how to navigate through the “business” side of writing and illustrating. Registration is tentatively set to open on October 5th. This event is still being finalized – more information to come!

TIME: 9:00am – 12:00pm – Refreshments will be provided. *Event includes both Presenters and will not be separated.

PLACE: Holiday Inn STRONGSVILLE (please note - this IS NOT at Independence), 15741 Royalton Road, Strongsville, OH 44139 www.histrongsville.com

COST: SCBWI Member - $56.00, Non-member - $66.00. Additional Consultation by Carol Topp, CPA   - limited to 6 @ $20.00 each

Registrations will be processed on a first-come, first-received basis. Northern Ohio SCBWI is not responsible for non-received items. Registration begins on October 1, 2013 and ends November 6, 2013. No REFUNDS after November 6, 2013.

Speaker: Carol Topp, CPA, will cover the subjects below:
“Business Structures for Writers”: Understanding your choices using pictures
How to read and understand a tax form
Easy record keeping for people who hate numbers
Marketing: What works for one author
Social Media: Can we avoid it? Creating a Blog for your writing life
Carol hopes that writers see themselves as business owners. Through her presentation, attendees will better understand the business and tax terms they hear. They will also gain some practical ideas on how a blog or social media can be used. Supplies needed – bring a highlighter, paper, pen/pencil, and laptop (full battery).

Additional Services offered: Carol has offered to do up to 6 private consultations after the event. This consultation will allow an author to bring their record keeping or tax return (or questions and/ or other related business paperwork) and receive tips and advice from a professional. This consultation will allow for “more” private questions on taxes or record keeping that one may not want to discuss or ask in a Q & A session. Each consultation will be 20 minutes and a charge of $20.00.

If interested – register for this additional option where noted on the registration.
Biography: Carol Topp, CPA (http://TaxesForWriters.com and http://CarolToppCPA.com) is an author and accountant specializing in tax preparation, small/micro business accounting, and nonprofit accounting.

Through her writing, speaking, and consulting, Carol converts tax rules and business language into clear, easy-to-understand English for readers. She is the is the author several books including Business Tips and Taxes for Writers, the Micro Business for Teens series, Homeschool Co-ops: How to Start Them, Run Them and Not Burn Out.

Carol is a member of the Ohio Society of CPAs Speakers Bureau and has presented numerous workshops on money management, business start up, taxes, and budgeting to various writers groups and community organizations.

Carol was born and raised in Wisconsin and graduated from Purdue University with a BS in Engineering. She worked for the US Navy as a cost analyst before obtaining her CPA license in 2000. Carol lives in Cincinnati, Ohio with her husband and two daughters where she enjoys walking, traveling, good conversations with friends and books!

***
Speaker: Stephen Grant, Senior Attorney, will focus on legal issues facing writers and illustrators in today’s rapidly changing publishing industry. This presentation will be a freeform manner so that the group can get as advanced in the topic as the attendees are prepared to get. Stephen is particularly interested in how writers and illustrators are compensated. No supplies needed – paper, pen/pencil or laptop (full battery) for notes.

Biography: Stephen Grant received his Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering from The Ohio State University and his Juris Doctorate (cum laude) from the University of Akron. Steve is admitted to the practice of law in Ohio, before the United States Patent and Trademark Office, the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio and the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals. Stephen is a member of the Ohio State Bar Association. He is also a member of the Columbus Intellectual Property Law Association, where he served as president in 2007-08 and is a member of the Ohio State Bar Association Intellectual Property Law Section council. He has over twenty years of experience in intellectual property law practice.

Prior to law school, Steve spent over ten years with The Standard Oil Company of Ohio, where he had a number of corporate positions, including research, human resources, business planning and technical procurement. He is an inventor of two United States patents.

Steve has been a frequent speaker at conferences and continuing legal education seminars, especially in the area of copyrights. He is currently an adjunct professor at Capital University Law School and the Moritz College of Law at The Ohio State University. He has taught as an adjunct law professor at the University of Akron and Ohio Northern University. He has taught classes in copyright, patent, intellectual property and art law.

Steve is a frequent speaker at continuing legal education seminars and at seminars on intellectual property subjects directed at writers, artists and inventors. He has written several articles on intellectual property topics for the Ohio State Bar Association.

Steve focuses his practice on the preparation and prosecution of chemical, mechanical and medical patents, copyrights and trademarks. He has particular experience in the prosecution in the United States of patent applications originating in Europe and Canada, as well as in the prosecution of foreign patents under the Patent Cooperation Treaty. For more information view www.standleyllp.com

December 2013

December--No meeting

2013 In Review
We've had a great year so far with presentations on a wide variety of topics. A special thanks to the four authors who agreed to serve as moderators for our critique meets this year. We look forward to topping off the year with our 11th annual conference in September.
January 19--Critique Meet with Author Mary Ryan
March 2--Speaker meet with Charles Colman (combined Feb/Mar meeting): THE MAGIC OF PUBLICATION: A Personal Story of Two Paths Taken

March 18 (or as determined by class members) - Soup to Nuts! Creating a Children's Book from Scratch with Sandra Philipson
April 20--Critique meet with author Judith Irvin-Kuns at Parma Heights Library

Would You like to become involved in helping to plan and facilitate meetings or events? Learn more about becoming a volunteer...

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