Thank you and as always, Happy Writing and Drawing!

Gotta admit. This is awkward.

I’ve been staring at my computer for the past twenty minutes, trying to figure out how to title and start this blog post without sounding too dramatic in a parting is such sweet sorrow, don’t cry for me, Argentina kind of way. At the same time, however, I don’t want to sound blasé because As The Eraser Burns has been a part of my life since … wow, January, 2011, over seven years! But after much careful thought, I’ve decided to step down as our regional blog coordinator.

Part of me already regrets this decision … the territorial, stubborn part who believes I could handle everything on my plate if I just worked harder and focused. Writing this post alone makes me want to roll my sleeves up with renewed spirit but the time has come for me close this wonderful chapter of my life and focus on my own writing.

As for the future of As The Eraser Burns, the site will be undergoing some changes to better meet the region’s needs. And now that I’m finished doing clean-up work including adding links in the menu to our most informative posts, there’s nothing left for me to say other than thank you for allowing me to be a part of your life! I have truly enjoyed blogging for As The Eraser Burns and will miss it dearly.

Thank you and as always, happy writing and drawing!

Hmm. That’s not a bad title, actually….

This Weekend’s Events: Gaithersburg Book Festival and Webinar!

There’s going to be some awesome writer things going on this weekend!

First up, the Gaithersburg Book Festival is this Saturday at the City Halls grounds in Gaithersburg! It’s been far too long since I’ve gone to this charming (and FREE) festival so I’m hoping to go. And if I can, then I will most certainly be visiting our regional MD/DE/WV booth where various authors are set to sign!

Come visit our booth at the @GburgBookFest this Saturday and pick up signed copies of books by @vbartles @Patricia_Writer @kathys_quill @debschaumberg @RebeccaEvansArt @StevenClarkCunn
and learn about all the great stuff we events we have in store!

— SCBWI MD DE WV (@SCBWI_MD_DE_WV) May 14, 2018

Also, critiques have sold out for this Sunday’s First Pages Webinar with Editor Karen Chaplin but you can still register to view the webinar only at the cost of $15.00 for SCBWI members and $25.00 for non-members! Registration closes on May 19th so head on over to our regional website to sign up. The event on May 20th starts at 3:00pm EST, 2:00pm Central, 1:00pm Mountain and 12:00pm Pacific. Hope to “see” you there!

Learn how to create a first page that hooks readers instantly! Register now for First Pages Webinar with Senior Editor Karen Chaplin @CapChapReads of HarperCollins
Sun 5/20 3PM Eastern/2PM Central/1PM Mountain/12PM Pacifichttps://t.co/kiI1VRnGYM pic.twitter.com/0z3envb4uv

— SCBWI MD DE WV (@SCBWI_MD_DE_WV) May 8, 2018

Happy writing and drawing!

Upcoming Events: ABCs and Webinars and Retreats, oh my!

Happy Friday, everyone! I hope you had an amazing week and are gearing up for an even more amazing weekend. And speaking of the weekend, we have another great event coming up on Saturday and so many more throughout the upcoming months, so get those calendars out!

Authors Book Club: How to mess up, give up, and still create books for kids with Jonathan Roth

When? Saturday, April 14th from 3:00 to 4:00pm

Where? Rockville Memorial Library, 21 Maryland Avenue – Rockville, MD 20850

Coffee and Conversation with Literary Agent, Quressa Robinson!

Happy Friday, everyone! Today, I’m sharing another Coffee & Conversation with a presenter from our recent SCBWI MD/DE/WV 25th Annual 25 and Still We Revise conference that I had missed. (Oh, the shame!!) Yesterday, we chatted with Laura Shovan, today it’s Literary Agent, Quressa Robinson in the cyber chair!

Quressa Robinson

Quressa joined the Nelson Literary Agency in 2017 after working at a previous agency and as an editor for five years. She is originally from San Francisco, but has been living in New York City for over a decade. As a New York based agent, she is eager to build her YA and Adult lists. When not curled on her couch reading, she plays video games, enjoys too much TV–mostly Sailor Moon and Harry Potter (Slytherin!), eats delicious things, drinks champagne, hangs out with her very clever husband, and adds another “dramatic” color to her lipstick collection.

Coffee and Conversation with Laura Shovan!

Well, this is embarrassing.

You know how I posted all those pre-conference interviews with faculty and presenters? Well, I missed a couple of them: Quressa Robinson’s because I had moved her email to the wrong Outlook folder and Laura Shovan‘s because of issues opening the Google drive file.

<<Buries head and blushes with shame.>>

Considering the time these ladies took to answer my interview questions, I’m feeling pretty rotten about this. So despite our lovely conference is over, I’m still sharing them with my deepest apologies. If you’ve missed any previous Coffee & Conversations, head on over to this recap and for more awesome regional upcoming events, check out our website!

Laura Shovan

 

Laura is an award-winning poet, children’s author, editor, and educator. Her debut middle grade novel, The Last Fifth Grade of Emerson Elementary, was a NCTE 2017 Notable Verse Novel, a Bank Street College of Education Best Children’s Book of the year, and won a Cybils Award for poetry, as well a Nerdy Book Club award. She is a longtime poet-in-the-schools and the author and editor of three books of poetry for adults. Her second middle grade novel, Takedown, publishes in June, 2018 from Random House Children’s Books.

25th Annual And Still We Revise SCBWI Conference Recap!

Wow. I don’t know about you, but my head is still spinning in the most delicious way from this past weekend’s 25th Annual SCBWI MD/DE/WV Conference! I must confess, though. Sometimes I have a hard time doing conference recaps because I’m so fired up to WRITE and CREATE and REBOOT that I just want to move forward with sleeves rolled up and fingers curled over my keyboard.

Which to me, is the sign of a really excellent conference and this year’s was no exception!

SCBWI MD/DE/WV 25th Annual Still We Re(vise) Conference: Tips, Reminders, and More!

Our annual conference starts tomorrow, y’all. Tomorrow! Yikes! It feels as though our 25th Annual Still We Re(vise) Conference has crept up from behind us and jumped out to scream HELLO! Or maybe that’s just me because I feel so utterly unprepared. Maybe you already have your bags packed, notepads ready, and book money ready to be spent.

For those of you who feel as unprepared as me, no worries, here’s a giant post on everything you need to know!

New Book Release: Quiet as a Mouse: And Other Animal Idioms by Chiêu Anh Urban!

A belated congratulations and mighty woo-HOO to Chiêu Anh Urban for the January 2nd release of her latest title, Quiet as a Mouse: And Other Animal Idioms!

 

Are you hungry as a bear? Sly as a fox? Stubborn as a mule? Introducing ANIMAL IDIOMS!

Coffee and Conversation with #Stillwerevise Presenter, Alex Ulyett

Time for the final Coffee & Conversation with presenters from our 25th annual SCBWI MD/DE/WV 25 and Still We R(ev)ise 25th Annual Conference! Joining us today is Associate Editor, Alex Ulyett, who’s going to be quite busy at the conference with three presentations! But first, if you’ve missed any of the other previous interviews, here’s the links:

• Author Laura Gehl
• Mary Barrows, Conference Logo Competition Winner
• Author Sue Macy
• Author Megan Wagner Lloyd
• Author-Illustrator Courtney Pippin-Mathur
• Closing Keynote Speaker, Hena Khan
• Author Meg Eden
• Author Maria Gianferrari
• Author Leah Henderson
• Author John Micklos, Jr.
• Author Carollyne Hutter

Alex Ulyett

Alex is an Associate Editor at Viking Children’s Books, where he acquires and edits fiction and nonfiction for kids and teens. Some of his current authors include David Arnold, Deborah Noyes, Lisa Bunker, Cristina Moracho, and Arvin Ahmadi. Before coming to Viking, Alex studied English at Princeton University and worked at Basic Books and Writers House. 

Coffee and Conversation with #Stillwerevise Presenter, Carollyne Hutter!

Wow, is there really only eleven days until 25th annual SCBWI MD/DE/WV 25 and Still We R(ev)ise 25th Annual Conference? January and February has just cruised on by and we’re on the homestretch of Coffee & Conversation chats. In the cyber chair today is author Carollyne Hutter! Need to catch up? Here’s links to previous #stillwerevise interviews:

• Author Laura Gehl
• Mary Barrows, Conference Logo Competition Winner
• Author Sue Macy
• Author Megan Wagner Lloyd
• Author-Illustrator Courtney Pippin-Mathur
• Closing Keynote Speaker, Hena Khan
• Author Meg Eden
• Author Maria Gianferrari
• Author Leah Henderson
• Author John Micklos, Jr.

Carollyne Hutter

Carollyne writes on the environment, science, the arts, and international topics for children and adults. Carollyne has written more than 30 articles for award-winning children’s magazines and 5 books.

She loves talking with leading scientists, researchers, and artists about their work. Originally from Wisconsin, she lives in the Washington, DC area and the Eastern Shore of Maryland.