Attending #NY21SCBWI? Join me and some special faculty guests at Tuesday Feb 16th's LGBTQ+ and Allies Social!

It's one of my favorite times of the year... And my favorite safe space gathering of community within the larger SCBWI community!

And even though the SCBWI Winter Conference is an all-virtual event this 2021, there's still going to be an LGBTQ+ and Allies Social!

Are you writing, illustrating, or translating works for kids, tweens, or teens with LGBTQAI2+ characters or themes? Or are you thinking of doing so? Then this is the social for you!

I'm hosting, and you can join in. 

Day: Tuesday February 16, 2021

Time: 4pm Pacific - 5pm Pacific

We'll be gathering in a safe space zoom room, and our special faculty guests will include Jane Yolen (multi award-winning author of 386 books for kids and adults)

The "How Do Dinosaurs..." series may be better known, but this is the most recent of Jane's titles.

Heidi Stemple (author of, most recently, with Jane, I Am The Storm)

Laurent Linn (author/illustrator of the YA novel Draw the Line and art director at Simon & Schuster

along with SCBWI staff moderators April Powers, Chief Equity and Inclusion Officer at SCBWI

Julian Petri,

SCBWI Executive Director Lin Oliver,

Associate Executive Director Sarah Baker,

Director of Special Projects Kim Turrisi,

as well as Claudia Pearson and Debra Schmidt.

Conference registrants will receive a PDF schedule with event links. On clicking to join, you'll have to register for this zoom social with your name and email, and then you'll be welcomed in.

We hope to see you there. Stay safe,
Lee

***UPDATE Tuesday Feb 16, 2021 at 11:30am Pacific: If you're registered for the conference, check your email for a special link to this event.***

DRAW THE LINE - Can The Gay Teen Who Created A Gay Superhero Become A Hero In Real Life As Well?

Draw The Line by Laurent Linn

Here's a video interview I did with Laurent about his debut YA novel...




Here's the official synopsis:

Adrian Piper is used to blending into the background. He may be a talented artist, a sci-fi geek, and gay, but at his Texas high school those traits would only bring him the worst kind of attention.

In fact, the only place he feels free to express himself is at his drawing table, crafting a secret world through his own Renaissance-art-inspired superhero, Graphite.

But in real life, when a shocking hate crime flips his world upside down, Adrian must decide what kind of person he wants to be. Maybe it's time to not be so invisible after all, no matter how dangerous the risk.

Add your review of "Draw The Line" in comments!

If you're at #NY15SCBWI, I hope you'll join me (and faculty friends) at the "Find The LGBTQ in SCBWI" Session!

I'm excited to once more host and moderate this great Q&A session at the 2015 SCBWI Winter Conference, where we'll dive into the dos, don'ts, ins and outs of including LGBTQ characters and themes in writing and illustrating for children and teens.

We'll be joined by faculty guests, including Agent Tina Wexler (of ICM) and Simon and Schuster Art Director (and 2016 Debut Author) Laurent Linn.

The LGBTQ session will be on Saturday February 7th from 8pm - 9pm, right after the Gala party!


More about Tina:

Tina Wexler is an agent at ICM Partners, focused on middle grade and young adult fiction and non-fiction. She is particularly interested in modern folklore, non-linear storytelling, magical realism, humor, weepies, and most anything with a feminist slant. Current and forthcoming titles include Teddy Mars, Almost a World Record Breaker by Molly Burnham, Pointe by Brandy Colbert, Poisoned Apples by Christine Heppermann, Nightbird by Alice Hoffman, and Bone Gap by Laura Ruby. She holds an MFA in poetry from Brooklyn College and is the mother of two boys. On Twitter: @tina_wexler.

Agent Tina Wexler

And here's Laurent's debut book announcement:


"David Gale at Simon & Schuster has acquired world rights for Laurent Linn's debut illustrated YA novel, Draw the Line. Obsessed with superheroes and Renaissance art, 16-year-old Adrian creates his own unique but secret comic-book style superhero... who happens to be gay. Thrust into a dangerous spotlight at his Texas high school, Adrian must use his own superpower - art - in a struggle to discover how to become a true hero. Emmy-winning author Linn, an art director at S&S, also creates the illustrations for the novel. Publication is scheduled for summer 2016. Brenda Bowen at Sanford J. Greenburger Associates negotiated the deal.

Art Director and Author Laurent Linn

It promises to be a great discussion!

Lee

*** UPDATE SATURDAY MORNING FEB 7, 2015 ***

Additional Confirmed Faculty Guest: Agent Jennifer Laughran, Andrea Brown Literary Agency!

Jennifer's bio:

Jennifer Laughran is a senior agent at the Andrea Brown Literary Agency. She joined ABLA in 2007 after many years as a buyer and event coordinator for an independent bookstore. Jenn is always on the lookout for sparkling YA and middle grade fiction with unusual and unforgettable characters and vivid settings; the common thread in all her favorite stories is an offbeat world-view. She loves funny books, thrilling books, romantic books, books that make her cry, and all-around un-put-downable books.

Agent Jennifer Laughran

*** UPDATE SATURDAY EVENING FEB 7, 2015 ***

CONFERENCE FACULTY & BEST-SELLING AUTHOR JANE YOLEN TO JOIN US!

Jane Yolen is the author of well over 350 books, including Owl Moon, Devil's Arithmetic, and the How Do Dinosaurs books. A past president of SFWA (Science Fiction/Fantasy Writers of America) she's written books and stories that have won two Nebulas, a World Fantasy Award, a Caldecott, two Golden Kite Awards, three Mythopoeic awards, two Christopher Medals, a nomination for the National Book Award, and the Jewish Book Award, among others.

Best-Selling and Award-Winning Author Jane Yolen

*  *  *

A sneak peek of the LGBTQ Q&A conference faculty guests at this year's sold-out SCBWI Summer Conference!

One of my favorite events of the year, the SCBWI Summer Conference starts today! I'm once again heading up SCBWI's Team Blog, and we'll be tweeting (follow the hashtag #la14scbwi) and blogging live from the conference floor over at the Official Conference Blog.

Among the conference events I'm most excited about is getting to host the LGBTQ Q&A session this evening (Friday August 1, 2014), from 7:30pm - 8:30pm in Olympic II.

Our faculty guests this year are fantastic, and will be joining us with enthusiasm, encouragement, and answers to attendees' questions about the fears, challenges and triumphs of including LGBTQ characters and themes in works for children and teens.

Who are they?

Tim Federle, 2014 Golden Kite For Fiction Winner for his Middle Grade novel, "Better Nate Than Ever." I did a fun pre-conference interview with Tim here.

Author Tim Federle

Agent Danielle Smith, of Red Fox Literary

Agent Danielle Smith

Agent Adriana Dominguez, of Full Circle Literary

Agent Adriana Dominguez

Art Director Laurent Linn from Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers (who worked on Tim's cover!)

Laurent Linn and a friend

and legendary author Bruce Coville (who has published over 120 books and whose "Am I Blue?" short story back in 1995 gave the title to the ground-breaking Marion Dane Bauer-edited anthology, "Am I Blue?: Coming Out From the Silence."

Author Bruce Coville

If you're attending the SCBWI Summer conference, I hope to see you there. Otherwise, if it's of interest, stay tuned to the conference blog and to twitter for a tapas-like taste of what's sure to be an amazing event, in a weekend of superlatives!

** UPDATE SAT AUG 2, 2014, 6:33AM **

We were also joined by "Freakboy" Author Kristin Elizabeth Clark and Editor Emma Dryden.

You can read my session summary here at the Official SCBWI Conference Blog.

***

Namaste,
Lee

Laurent Linn Gives Us The Scoop on Patricia Polacco's 25th Anniversary Edition of "The Keeping Quilt"

The Keeping Quilt, 25th Anniversary Edition by Patricia Polacco

“We will make a quilt to help us always remember home,” Anna’s mother said. “It will be like having the family in backhome Russia dance around us at night.”

And so it was. From a basket of old clothes, Anna’s babushka, Uncle Vladimir’s shirt, Aunt Havalah’s nightdress, and an apron of Aunt Natasha’s become The Keeping Quilt, passed along from mother to daughter for almost a century. For four generations the quilt is a Sabbath tablecloth, a wedding canopy, and a blanket that welcomes babies warmly into the world.

In strongly moving pictures that are as heartwarming as they are real, Patricia Polacco tells the story of her own family and the quilt’s further story that remains a symbol of their enduring love and faith. This anniversary edition includes fifteen pages of original material describing the quilt’s journey and its home at the Mazza Museum in Findley, Ohio.

As part of the quilt's -- and her family's -- history, Patricia has two children who marry under a canopy formed by the quilt. One, a son who marries a woman. And the other, a daughter who marries a woman. It's a moment of inclusion that's woven in beautifully, and makes this absolutely a picture book I wish had been read to me when I was a little kid.

My thanks to Patricia for creating (and updating) and sharing this book with the world, and to Laurent Linn, Art Director at Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers and Paula Wiseman Books, for letting me know about it.

Laurent Linn: An Exclusive SCBWI Team Blog Pre-Conference Interview!

Another wonderful reason to attend the upcoming SCBWI 2010 Winter Conference in New York City (January 29-31) is the opportunity to meet and learn from Laurent Linn.



Laurent will be giving a workshop (three times!) on Saturday January 30th.

He's funny. (For anyone who hasn't seen Laurent in the SCBWI Tribute video by Kimberly C. Baker, check it out now!)

He's smart.

He's designed books across all genres. Picture books like Chaucer's First Winter, by Stephen Krensky, illustrated by Henry Cole:



Chapter books, including the Melvin Beederman Superhero series by Greg Trine, art by Rhode Montijo:



And even Young Adult novels. Check out this incredible cover he did for Joyce Sweeney's Headlock!



Especially for illustrators, it's an amazing opportunity to meet and learn from an Art Director who, in his own words, "works with artists all the time and is always on the lookout for fantastic illustrators of various styles and experience." And the bonus - Laurent is an artist himself, so he has insight into the process from all sides!

Here's our interview:

Lee: Hi Laurent! First of all, since it's a season of gift giving and being grateful, let me thank you for the gift of agreeing to this interview in the run-up to the upcoming Winter SCBWI conference in New York City.

Laurent: Hi Lee, I’m so happy to get the chance to chat with you about books and what we’ll be diving into at the NY Conference. This conference is always a fun one, if overwhelming, so getting the opportunity to think about things in advance is great.


Lee: I want to start off with asking, what advice do you have for illustrators and writers who are planning to attend the Winter Conference?

Laurent: No matter if this will be your first conference or your 25th, it’s always overwhelming and fun. The overwhelming part can be daunting -- after all, so many people are interested in doing what you want to do. But that’s the great part, too! It’s a vibrant community of creative people with the same interests and passions. While there are so many others there, I think it’s also true that each voice and vision is unique. So, while you may experience a bit of a reality check, let that be a time for reassessment of your direction and strategy, as well as a great big energy boost! There’s nothing more exciting than one of these conferences. Plus, it’s a great way to network and meet new people who speak the same creative language.

And, more than anything else, just relax and have a good time. If you soak up the good energy, it’ll keep you going for a long time.

Oh, and bring warm clothes!!! It’s freezing here in NYC!


Lee: There's a lot of talk for writers about finding the "voice" of a project, the "voice" of a character. What are the things that make an artist's visual "voice" stand out?

Laurent: It’s truly the artist’s overall style, really. The medium, the color palettes, composition, character and scene design . . . All these elements, put together with the artist’s personal vision and talents, add up to one’s unique “voice” or “style.” Because it’s visual, it’s a bit tricky to describe. And, as with writing, we each see things differently, so one reader’s reaction to an illustrator’s style will be different from another reader’s. That’s what makes it art!


Lee: That's a good point, that everyone responds differently. Can you share the story behind the cover design for Joyce Sweeney's Headlock? - it's amazing!

Laurent: Designing teen novel covers is always tricky, because so many people are involved in approving them on the publishing side. And, unlike with picture books that already have an illustrator as a part of the book, novel covers are truly a blank slate, which is actually a lot of fun for the designer!

The book you mention, Headlock, by Joyce Sweeney, was a big challenge. It’s a wonderfully written, multi-layered novel for teens, especially boys, about a boy who wants to be a professional wrestler, costume and all, but is dealing with some very complex issues at home and socially.

In trying to figure out how to approach the cover design (should it be photographic, illustrated, simple image, complex images telling aspects of the story, type only, a combination?), I must have done about 45 concepts — no joke. We didn’t want it to look like just a book about wrestling, which it’s not, nor did we want it to look too lofty/literary — we were trying to appeal to a lot of different potential audiences, which is why it was tricky. Plus, the sales and marketing groups had a lot of input, so there were a lot of eyes on it. In the end, I have to say, everyone was thrilled with the final cover, as was I. And, I should add, so was Joyce, who was such a fantastic trooper through the whole process. Once I found the right image I was able to compose the other elements in the right way. It’s hard to describe, but it’s a lot like solving a math puzzle . . . it’s instinct and experimentation.


Lee: Is there some homework you'd like to give - a couple of books that people should read before they attend your "Real Deal About Visual Storytelling" Workshop, so they can get the most out of your session?

Laurent: Interesting thought. I can’t think of any particular books, but I think that it’s always a good idea to revisit your absolute favorite picture books from when you were a kid and go through them with the eyes of an illustrator. Step back and analyze if it really flows and works as visual storytelling, and, if so, how? Sometimes you’ll be surprised that some classic books really do work so well, but others don’t. Of course, kids lead much different lives now than when we were kids, and their way of seeing art is quite different — they see in camera angles and quick transitions — but good storytelling doesn’t go out of fashion.

In my workshop, I’ll have lots of visuals to show, so no real prep work is needed. But the more picture books you read in general means the more you know!


Lee: Great advice! Okay, here's a Bonus Holiday Question: Eggnog or Hot Chocolate?

Laurent: Oh, hot chocolate — anything with chocolate wins out over anything else as far as I’m concerned!

I'm excited to see Laurent at the SCBWI Conference - and I hope you grab this opportunity as well! Remember, the discount for early registration ends on January 4, 2010.