Want to join a really cool club? Okay, fine. A really cool professional association? Check out SCBWI - membership offers access to development events, marketing opportunities, networking with industry professionals, and resources for writers and illustrators. Members also benefit from exclusive discounts, awards, and grants - so, yea, it's pretty awesome.
I am not 100% sure if I can *officially* share the cover of my latest picture book, ALL THE WAVES I LOVE YOU, but I just received the file in my inbox, so I simply must give you a sneaky peek (because #patienceofatoddler). But ... you guys ... it is SO good. And all the credit goes to the talented illustrator Bhagya Madanasinghe and the entire fabulous team at Charlesbridge Publishing.
What does a faith-based imprint have to do with a really
(really) fun Saturday night I had in June 2025? Let me tell you - it's all
about Leeanne Morgan. She is a brilliant comedian that I had the good fortune
to see in person last summer, and her latest book will debut from Convergent in
August 2026. These people just happen to publish the most wonderful books, and
I can't wait for my copy. (No, it's not a picture book, but it will be fabulous
nonetheless).
I have a lot of heroes, like Jesus (obviously) and Dolly Parton and
whoever invented Diet Coke, and that list also includes Harold Underdown. If you
want to write children's books, you need to know about Harold (genius) and his
website (so good). I attended one of his conferences years ago, and it led to a
book deal. Want to know more, check out the link below:
THIS! This is one of teh most common issues I see when I am hired to critique a pictuer book manuscript. Mary explains on her website, "[o]ne of the biggest challenges I encounter in my editorial practice is picture books that show character change in a clumsy or overbearing way. Picture books, more than any other category of kidlit, are about character change, a moral, or a lesson. A strong takeaway is expected because we want our young readers to be eating a little bit of medicine (the moral) with their syrup (the story). Like those cookbooks for moms who want to sneak veggies into brownies. But how do we do this effectively, without turning readers (and agents and publishers) off with too much lecturing? It’s all about character!"
According to their website, "The Children’s Book Council (CBC) is the nonprofit trade association of children’s book publishers in North America, dedicated to supporting the industry and promoting children’s books and reading." So if you want to write for children, you shodul know these people. Link below for more information.
