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Here’s a sample of Trade Winds, SCBWI-Hawaii’s online publication:

 

SPRING 2009

CONTENTS

 

• RA Message: Let's Make Books Like Chocolate ~ Sue Cowing
• SCBWI-Hawaii 2009 Annual Conference
• June 20 Program with Bestselling YA Author Ellen Hopkins
• Looking for a critique group?
• Google Class Action Settlement

 

RA Message

Let’s Make Books Like Chocolate

by Sue Cowing

I used to wonder how my family could have started a small-town flower shop in the middle of the Depression and made a go of it. Flowers, when everyone’s adding water to the soup?Apparently people who had even a little money to spare in those days spent it on small luxuries like roses or chocolate to console themselves and lift their spirits. Snickers, the best-selling candy bar in history, got its start in the 1930s, as did Tootsie Rolls, and fine candy shops selling boxes of chocolates or candies by the piece could be found in even the smallest towns.

The movies thrived, too, as people lined up at the box office to buy a few hours of escape. And what an exciting escape it was, with the industry poised for breathtaking innovations: rolling sound cameras, the first color, and the development of true feature-length films in a great variety of genres-gangster movies, musicals, buddy comedy, horror and monster movies, westerns, mysteries. Most of these films were momentary and forgettable, but classics like The Invisible Man, Good-by Mr. Chips, Wizard of Oz, and Of Mice and Men also emerged.

Maybe we could learn something from flowers and candy and movies in the current economic downturn.

Think books for children went by the wayside during the Depression? The 1930’s gave us Bartholomew Cubbins, Madeleine, Babar, Nancy Drew, Ferdinand the Bull, The Hobbit, The Yearling, Caddie Woodlawn, and The Sword in the Stone, to name just a few. Children’s books will still be bought and published this year and next. Publishers may be downsizing their staffs and lists. Schools, libraries, parents, and grandparents may be trimming their book budgets. But kids need us. So do editors–you know, the ones with the shaky smiles waiting at their desks for the axe to fall and praying that somewhere in the teetering pile of new submissions is one brilliant jewel that can save the day.

Maybe this is the time to go for broke (so to speak), to push ourselves to produce our most original and entertaining books yet by taking risks and being true to whatever seriously entertains the child in us, forgetting about “the market.” Let’s send in something that grabs the kid-reader in every good children’s book editor, that makes them cry, “Yes! This is it, an irresistible book, a winner.” Something delicious and chocolaty with Technicolor at its center or rolling sound, or glamour, or mystery, or madcap comedy, or just a deep story perfectly told.

Like chocolate or roses, stories in pictures and words become even more luxurious and satisfying in uncertain times, and even more necessary.

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SCBWI-Hawaii 2009 Annual Conference

On March 7, 41 SCBWI members and nine nonmembers gathered at the Ala Moana Hotel for our annual conference. We heard Martha Mihalick, associate editor at Greenwillow Books, talk about creating a believable fictional world and about voice, and she shared her reactions to participants’ anonymous first pages. Vicki Jamieson, recently a designer at Greenwillow and now pursuing her own illustration career, showed the dummies from her forthcoming book and the many revisions she went through, and did breakouts with illustrators on different looks for different kinds of books and offered her critiques of promotional postcards. And local writing teacher Margaret South did a session on story arc, showing us how a well-crafted story is constructed. See comments from Adria Estribou about Margaret’s session below, followed by general comments about the conference from Robin Racoma.

(l to r) Adria Estribou, Nancy Mower, and Pat Godfrey check out the contents of the conference packets.

From Adria Estribou, writer

Story is Like, Life

 

Margaret South said something in her conference general session called “Secrets of a Good Story” that piqued my interest. Regular life never goes well, she said. It is never what we expect. So don’t make life pleasant for your main character, she advised. I decided to try an experiment and pay close attention to everyday obstacles and struggles as I left the conference.My next stop was a vocal workshop, so I pulled out my digital recorder. I had a few hours of recorded warm-ups and song accompaniments, and I wanted to play some warm-ups on the drive over. One of the recorded tracks was a mistake, so I pushed erase. “Erase all?” it asked. “No” I selected. “Erasing all,” it answered. “Noooooo!” one. Hours of recording irretrievably erased in an instant.

It started to rain. Should I bring my umbrella? So far it was only raining lightly, and if I brought the umbrella I’d have to deal with it inside But if I didn’t bring it and it started to pour, I’d get soaked.

I pulled into the parking garage. It had one of those electronic pay stations. Parking cost $2, so I inserted a $5 bill and waited for change. A parking receipt came out, but no change. I bent down to look at the machine more closely. “Exact change only.” I wasn’t getting my $3 back.

All that in only the first ten minutes after I left the conference! Hmm, maybe I’ve been too easy on my main character…

 

Sue Cowing offers her comments and suggestions to Zipporah Fischer during the post-conference critique session.

 

From Robin Racoma, illustrator

 

As an illustrator, I’m always interested to learn as much as possible about my craft and found Victoria Jamieson to be engaging and informative. The postcard “first look” critique and the portfolio review afforded me a wonderful opportunity to receive feedback directly from a publishing professional. I was greatly encouraged and inspired to continue my pursuit as an illustrator in the world of children’s books.In addition, the perspectives that Martha Mihalick and Margaret South both shared on the mechanics of good story-telling was helpful information that shed light on the author’s difficult task. The conference also provided me a glimpse of the work others are doing and a chance to network within our local author and illustrator community. I’m so impressed with all the talents that were shared.

I’m very glad to have attended SCBWI Hawai’i’s 2009 conference and would like to thank all those who devoted their time and efforts to ensure its success.

 

Martha Mihalick (l), associate editor at Greenwillow Books, and Vicki Jamieson, designer and picture book illustrator, field questions at the close of the conference.

 

It was a busy, information-packed, and inspiring day that also included plenty of time for schmoozing and getting to know each other. If you weren’t there, we missed you! And we’ll do it all again next year, with another crew of great speakers. Mark your calendar now for Saturday, February 27, 2010.

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June 20 Program with Bestselling YA Author Ellen Hopkins

 

Ellen Hopkins will be our guest for a morning program at Sue Cowing’s house on Saturday, June 20. Ellen is the author of five New York Times bestselling young adult novels-in-verse: Crank, Glass, Burned, Impulse, and Identical. She has also had published 20 nonfiction children’s books. Space will be limited, so be sure to sign up as soon as we send out the registration/cost announcement. See more about Ellen (and check out her writing tips) at www.ellenhopkins.com.

 

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Looking for critique group?

In response to requests at the conference, we’re offering to match up people who are looking for critique groups. (Actually, we provide the platform and you do the matching up.) If you are interested in finding critique partners, please send the following information to Lynne Wikoff at lwikoff@lava.net by May 15.

• Name
• Your critique interest: writing, illustration, or both; if you are a writer, the genre you want to critique (picture book, middle grade fiction, YA fiction, nonfiction)
• A very brief indication of your experience writing and/or illustrating for kids
• Where you live (island/town), and your phone number and email
• An indication of your exchange preference:
  -in person-include whether you prefer daytime or evening meetings
  -via email

After the deadline, we’ll compile all the responses and email the entire list to everyone who expressed interest. Then you’ll be able to follow up with your own inquiries and arrangements.

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Kudos

(Don’t forget to send TRADEWINDS your good news about publications and honors. Your fellow SCBWI-Hawaii members want to hear and cheer.)

• James Rumford’s book SILENT MUSIC received the 2009 Zolotow Honor Award and was named a 2009 ALA Notable Book. Congratulations (again!), Jim.

Please send items for the next newsletter to Sue Cowing (niuiki@hawaiiantel.net) or Lynne Wikoff (lwikoff @lava.net).

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New email address? Moving? Remember to update your SCBWI profile!

Our means of staying in touch with you is the roster we receive from SCBWI’s main office. If you change your email address or move, we won’t know unless you update your information with that office-which you can do with a few keystrokes online. Haven’t used the website before? No problem! Your user ID is your email (your old one, if yours has changed since you joined), and if you don’t have a password, you’ll be prompted to select one. Once you are logged in, click on “For Our Members,” then on “Update Your Info,” which is third on the listing on the left side of the screen.And while you’re logged on, check out all the terrific resources at your disposal.

 

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Class Action Settlement Regarding Google’s Scanning and Use of Books and Other Writings

Authors and publishers filed a class action lawsuit claiming Google violated the copyrights of authors, publishers and other copyright holders (”Rightsholders”) by scanning in-copyright books and displaying excerpts, without permission; Google denies the claims. The parties agreed to a settlement, summarized below. See www.googlebooksettlement.com for complete information, including the full Notice. Or you may call 888-356-0248, or write to Google Book Search Settlement Administrator, c/o Rust Consulting, P.O. Box 9364, Minneapolis, MN 55440-9364Settlement Provisions. The settlement, if Court-approved, authorizes Google to scan in-copyright books and inserts in the U. S., and maintain an electronic database of books. For out-of-print books and, if permitted by Rightsholders of in-print books, Google will be able to sell access to individual books and institutional subscriptions to the database, place advertisements on any page dedicated to a book, and make other commercial uses of books. At any time, Rightsholders can change instructions to Google regarding any of those uses. Through a Book Rights Registry (”Registry”) established by the settlement, Google will pay Rightsholders 63% of all revenues from these uses.

Google also will pay $34.5 million to establish and fund the initial operations of the Registry and for notice and settlement administration costs, and at least $45 million for cash payments to Rightsholders of books and inserts that Google scans prior to the deadline for opting out of the settlement.

People Included in the Settlement. The settlement class includes all persons worldwide who own a U.S. copyright interest in any Book or Insert. The meaning of “U.S. copyright interest” is broad. Read the full Notice to determine whether you are included in the settlement. There are two Sub-Classes: the “Author Sub-Class” (authors of Books and other writings, and their heirs, successors and assigns), and the “Publisher Sub-Class” (publishers of Books and periodicals, and their successors and assigns).

Material the Settlement Covers. “Books” include in-copyright written works, such as novels, textbooks, dissertations, and other writings, that were published or distributed in hard copy format on or before January 5, 2009. U.S. works must be registered with the U.S. Copyright Office to be included in the settlement. Not included: periodicals, personal papers, sheet music, and public domain or government works.

“Inserts” include any text and other material, such as forewords, essays, poems, quotations, letters, song lyrics, children’s Book illustrations, sheet music, charts, and graphs, if independently protected by U.S. copyright, contained in a Book, a government work or a public domain book published on or before January 5, 2009, and, if U.S. works, registered (alone or as part of another work) with the U.S. Copyright Office. Not included: pictorial content (except for children’s Book illustrations), or any public domain or government works.

What Should You Do? Your options include:

• Remain in the settlement. If you do, you will be bound by the Court’s rulings, including a release of your claims against Google.
• Object to or comment on the settlement, which must be done in writing by May 5, 2009.
• Opt out of the settlement and keep your right to sue Google individually, which must be done in writing by May 5, 2009.
• File a claim for a cash payment (if you are eligible to do so), which must be done by January 5, 2010.

 

The Court has appointed Class Counsel to represent the two Sub-Classes. If the settlement is approved, Class Counsel for the Author Sub-Class will request attorneys’ fees and expenses that Google has agreed to pay. You can also hire your own attorney at your own cost.The Court will determine whether to approve the settlement at a Fairness Hearing on June 11, 2009, at 1:00 p.m.

The full Notice, which contains a more detailed information about the settlement, is available at http://www.googlebooksettlement.com.