SCBWI - Oregon Spring Conference Wrap Up

This was the success panel for the conference and I was sitting with Estela Bernal, Fonda Lee the author of Zero Boxer, Ray Ballantyne the author of The Last Child of Hamlin, wonderful illustrator Christa Pierce, Christy Peterson, and another wonderful illustrator Abigail Marble and Deborah Hocking.

It was so much fun to be sitting so close to people overflowing with creative energy. I'm just hoping some of it rubbed off.

There were also agents and editors hanging out with everyone. Here's a list of a few of the special guests in Oregon for the Spring SCBWI conference:

Patti Ann Harris, Executive Art Director Scholastic, Inc.
Kerry Sparks, Agent Levine, Greenberg, Rostan Literary Agnecy
Kendra Levin, Senior Editor Viking Children's Books
Paul Rodeen, agent, Rodeen Literary Management
Deirdre Jones, Associate Editor Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Lori Kilkelly, Agent, Rodeen Literary Management
Laura Whitaker, Associate Editor, Bloomsbury Children's Books

There were workshops, first page readings, critique sessions and more.

It was a weekend filled with inspiration. And the one piece of advice I could give anyone  who wants to become a children's writer is to get involved with their local chapter of the SCBWI.

DEMON'S INK - A PERFECT HALLOWEEN STORY

DEMON'S INK

Art that’s more than anyone bargained for . . .

In a city filled with skin artists, Bartos has no trouble dealing with the competition because he's stealing more than customers...he's stealing souls. And his customers fall in love with Bartos Slinderman’s tats but they can’t walk away from his art.

This young adult novel is set in Portland, Oregon and with Halloween coming, you'll want to have a scary story to share...

That’s where DEMON'S INK comes in:

EXCERPT:

DRAKE

Expectations can ruin everything. Like thinking my senior year was going to be something special. What a set up that was.

I should have known better than to get my hopes up.

Ever.

I’d never been lucky. No one in my family was. I was probably only six when I’d heard grandpa say, “We come from a long line of losers.” He was talking to my Dad. I don’t even know about what. But, now, I know I should have listened to him.

Dad had already gone to prison, leaving Mom and me worse off than ever. And we were never good but, at least while he’d hung around, she managed to act like things were okay. Now she wasn’t even trying to pretend. Really it was way worse than that; she wasn’t even getting up off the couch any more.

I’d come home from school to find her passed out. The first couple times it freaked me out. Seeing her face-planted in the front room and not knowing whether she was alive or dead, I didn’t want to be the one to find her like that, to turn her over, to have to check to see if she was still breathing but I did. . . and I had no idea if she was high or drunk. I didn’t even care because what difference did it make? She was out of it. That was all that mattered.

So, after Dad went to jail, I was completely alone until Bartos made me a deal I couldn’t refuse but that was later.

For weeks, I’d come home after class and make a sandwich—if there was bread—otherwise it was a bowl of cereal for breakfast and dinner, sometimes I’d eat it dry because the milk had gone bad.

I knew I was going to have to get a job if I wanted to survive and I’d started looking around but that was right before everything changed.

It was late one Thursday evening. I still remember because I was thinking, “Only one more day…” I just didn’t know how right I was.

I don’t know what woke me up that night. Maybe it was the smell, the heat, the sound of my Mom screaming. I really don’t know. But I opened my eyes to the thick burning haze of a room filled with smoke.

I’d gone down into the basement that night and fallen asleep.

Looking around, I already knew there were no windows. I was trapped.

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Here's a BREW - for you and You and YOU!

Portland is known for its micro beers but this weekend the city will be overRUN with athletes wanting to take the challenge and run the course at the Bridge to Brews! There's a reason this city is lovingly referred to as BridgeCity. We have about 10 of them and this week we'll be mixing bridges with brews...to create a week-long festival.

And that's not all. The entire week is going to be a BrewFest fiesta!

Portland will host the Craft Beer Conference and BrewExpo in Portland. Just click on this link to find the public events, which will include brewery tours, imbibing tours and bottle releases.

All this will take place in Portland the week of April 14-17...I guess they take Monday off. 

So, if you want to run, just come and test your talents on the bridges of Portland and then celebrate with a brew ;D 'cuz here's to you and You and YOU!

Easter Minions - Mwha-ha-ha

It's super simple to make some "devilishly" fun Easter Eggs with these little minions.

First you simply boil the eggs and then dry them off. I used food coloring and added a little white vinegar to help the color set. (I hate buying special food coloring packages...but the colors MIGHT be a little more vibrant if you do).

Then I started dipping.

When one side was blue, I dipped the egg into yellow.

That was the most work. Then I set them up so they could dry.

I had to find perches because I didn't want the drips to discolor the eggs.

Then I pulled out my hot glue gun and glued on some googly eyes.

After that I simply drew little patterns on the "faces"

And WAH-LAH Minions for Easter. And believe me, they are so fun to eat ;D

Mwha-ha-ha!

Beyond Romance: Three Reasons to Read a Viking Romance:

Beyond Romance: Three Reasons to Read a Viking Romance:: By Kim Kasch (Guest Blogger) Want three reasons to read a Viking romance? 1) Ragnar; 2) Lagertha; and, 3) Rollo But s...

Excerpt from The Viking Princess with Coffee Time Romance

If you're looking for something to read over spring break...

Check out my excerpt on Coffee Time Romance it will give you a quick taste of what the book is all about.

And I'm hoping you'll enjoy this historical romance and, even if it's cold outside, I think this story might help keep you warm. ;D

If you do read it, please let me know. I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Happy St. Paddy's Day

There's no doubt that I love to celebrate...just about every occasion and St. Paddy's Day is a fun day to celebrate.

I start out by making a special wreath for the door.

It's simple to wrap a wire frame with some fluffy boa material and then hot glue some shamrocks in place. Any green will do though...you could use fabric, ribbon, or even store-bought garland.

Next, I have to make a few treats...what kind of a celebration would it be without food?

So a store bought cake mix can turn into little pots of gold at the end of the rainbow. Just add some coconut into the frosting and some green food coloring. A pipe cleaner for your basket handle and a chocolate coin wrapped in gold (or two) and you've got a special snack.

Or if you want to do more than that...simply melt some white chocolate.

Add a little food coloring.

And then pour the pretty paste into some molds.

Stick some lollypop sticks into the molds.

Prop them together with rubber bands.

Then stick them into some floral foam and make pretty bouquets.

Then you can take some marshmallows and dip them in the left over chocolate and shake some sprinkles over the top...add a lollypop stick and WAH-LAH! pretty accessory for your food basket.

And if these aren't enough ideas...I've got more.

But let me say again, HAPPY ST. PADDY'S DAY!