What a terrific weekend.
Award-winning author Kathleen Duey and editors Caitlyn Dlouhy, Abigail Samoun, and Mary Kate Castellani shared knowledge, insight, warmth and charm with more than 150 attendees at our SCBWI Southern Breeze Springmingle.
Last year, all our speakers' flights were cancelled because of winter weather in New York, and we scrambled to get them rebooked and here. THIS year, most of our speakers' flights home were cancelled because of winter weather in Atlanta (and then New York)! Their stay in the sunny (ha!) South was slightly extended. Guess that's what we get for having a Spring Conference which technically starts in February.
Local talent was also abundant. Daniel Powers, award-winning author/illustrator and SCAD professor, showed illustrators how design decisions expand the narrative. Liz Conrad, who has illustrated 20-plus wonderful books, shared how to find hidden treasures in the text to bring life to characters. Shelli Johannes-Wells threw out marketing tips as fast as we could catch them.
Here are a couple of my favorite quotes:
"Novels are life with all the boring stuff taken out." - from Caitlyn Dlouhy's talk
"Craft is the toolbox you use to carry the art." - Kathleen Duey
Special fun for me this year was participating in the book launch. WOLVES was one of 10 new books by Breezers introduced to the audience and receiving its "Kudos Kite" for our growing display.
I've been honored and blessed to coordinate this conference for the last three years. I look forward to using what I've learned this weekend as I hunker down and write, and soaking up everything NEXT year as an attendee!
Award-winning author Kathleen Duey and editors Caitlyn Dlouhy, Abigail Samoun, and Mary Kate Castellani shared knowledge, insight, warmth and charm with more than 150 attendees at our SCBWI Southern Breeze Springmingle.
Last year, all our speakers' flights were cancelled because of winter weather in New York, and we scrambled to get them rebooked and here. THIS year, most of our speakers' flights home were cancelled because of winter weather in Atlanta (and then New York)! Their stay in the sunny (ha!) South was slightly extended. Guess that's what we get for having a Spring Conference which technically starts in February.
Local talent was also abundant. Daniel Powers, award-winning author/illustrator and SCAD professor, showed illustrators how design decisions expand the narrative. Liz Conrad, who has illustrated 20-plus wonderful books, shared how to find hidden treasures in the text to bring life to characters. Shelli Johannes-Wells threw out marketing tips as fast as we could catch them.
Here are a couple of my favorite quotes:
"Novels are life with all the boring stuff taken out." - from Caitlyn Dlouhy's talk
"Craft is the toolbox you use to carry the art." - Kathleen Duey
Special fun for me this year was participating in the book launch. WOLVES was one of 10 new books by Breezers introduced to the audience and receiving its "Kudos Kite" for our growing display.
I've been honored and blessed to coordinate this conference for the last three years. I look forward to using what I've learned this weekend as I hunker down and write, and soaking up everything NEXT year as an attendee!