Council for Wisconsin Writers

Supporting Wisconsin writers from 1964 to 2022

Kashmira Sheth

by

Boswell's Features Children's Authors During Children's Book Week

Boswell Book Company in Milwaukee (2559 N. Downer Avenue) is celebrating Children’s Book Week with three days of great local children’s authors and SCBWI members discussing their books:

Thursday, May 7, at 6:30 p.m., features a panel of Middle-Grade genre writers that includes Julie Mata, whose Kate Walden Directs: Night of the Zombie Chickens   Kate Walden Directs

is being followed by Kate Walden Directs: Slug Man from Mars, which is being published this spring; Sandy Brehl, whose Odin’s Promise    Odin's Promise: A Novel of Norway

came out last fall, and Emily Demuth Ishida, whose Hattie’s War also debuted last fall.

Hattie's War

On Friday, May 8, at 7 p.m. Young Adult author Sylvia Acevedo, whose God Awful Loser 

  is just out will present.

Saturday, May 9, wat 2 p.m. Picture Book authors Janet Halfmann, whose Animal Teachers

 is the most recent of her many books, Kashmira Sheth, whose most recent book  Sona and the Wedding Game

came out earlier this month, and Jamie Swenson, whose most recent book If You Were a Dog

 was published last September, are on the schedule.

 

by

Wisconsin Children's Writers Celebrate Good News

The first of each month, members of Wisconsin’s chapter of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators shares their good news, which includes, among other things, their newly published books, awards and glowing reviews. Here is what got posted this month:

From prolific author Ann Bausum whose books published by National Geographic include Freedom Riders, Marching to the Mountaintop, Muckrakers, Our Country’s Presidents, Our Country’s First Ladies, among others: 

“My twin books Stubby the War Dog (for young readers) and Sergeant Stubby (for adult books), which go on sale May 13, are already earning praise from reviewers. The kids book has received starred reviews from Booklist and School Library Journal with such comments as “a triumph on three fronts: educational, emotional, and inspirational” (Booklist, April 15, 2014) and “a moving thoughtful dog story….a choice offering for dog lovers and history buffs alike” (School Library Journal, April 15, 2014). Kirkus praised the children’s book as “an absorbing read,” commenting that the book presents “a story that reads like fiction” (Kirkus, April 1, 2014). An early review for the adult title observed “the book’s charm simply radiates off the page” (Booklist, April 15, 2014). In short, so far, so good.”

Georgia Beaverson reports”

“I’m so happy to be able to share some good news this month. The Wisconsin Media Lab has contracted with me to serve as editor for 6 children’s books they plan to publish this year. Last year they published bios of such historical Wisconsin luminaries as Chief Oshkosh and the Harley-Davison duo. The 6 I will edit are also bios and will be free for classroom use.”

Kashmira Sheth says:

“Tiger in My Soup is nominated for Georgia Book award as well as Ohio Book award.

Also, in conjunction with National Library Week, the State Library of Ohio, Ohioana Library Association, and Ohio Center for the Book, Tiger in My Soup is selected as one of the 20 books for Choose to Read Ohio 2015 & 2016.”

Relative SCBWI newcomer Angie Stanton‘s new book Royally Lost, was released this past Tuesday.

“There was a great article today in the WI State Journal about my publishing journey” Angie says. Here’s the link.http://host.madison.com/entertainment/arts_and_theatre/books/a-fairy-tale-journey-madison-writer-finds-her-voice/article_a4266a87-f624-5a33-8572-55da487a810c.html.

Angie is having a book signing at A Room of One’s Own bookstore, 315 W. Gorham St., in Madison on Monday, May 12 at 6 p.m.

Congratulations to one and all!

 

by

Wisconsin Children's Writers Rock!

Ann Bausum (Marching to the Mountaintop, Unraveling Freedom, Denied Detained Deported, Muckrakers, Freedom Riders, With Courage and Cloth, Our Country’s Presidents, Our Country’s First Ladies) surfaced last week, explaining her recent absence from SCBWI events to announce two firsts in her illustrious writing career: The upcoming publication of her first adult book and her first book contract with a New York publishing house. Her adult book is a companion title to her children’s publication about World War I service dog Sergeant Stubby. The adult and children’s book divisions of National Geographic, which has published her previous books, will publish both “Sergeant Stubby” books in May. Her contract with Viking is for Stonewall: Breaking Out in the Fight for Gay Rights, about the 1969 riots that helped to spark the gay rights movement. Ann also added to her impressive string of awards. Her  Marching to the Mountaintop, a biography about the final months of the life of Martin Luther King, Jr., has received the Jane Addams Children’s Book Honor Award (for older readers) and the Carter G. Woodson Award (Middle Level category) from the National Council for the Social Studies.

Kashmira Sheth (My Dadima Wears a Sari, Monsoon Afternoon, No-Dogs-Allowed Rule, Boys Without Names, Blue Jasmine, Keeping Corner, Koyal Dark, Mango Sweet) reports that her Tiger in My Soup is on the Kirkus Best Children’s Books of 2013 list.

Kashmira will be joining children’s and adult writer, poet and former children’s librarian Evie Robillard on Saturday, Dec. 7, at Mystery To Me bookstore in Madison where Evie will be giving a “book talk and read aloud” as part of its “take your child to a bookstore day.” Her forthcoming chapbook of adult poetry–called The Willow-slip–is now available for preorder at FinishingLinePress.com.

There are so many writing and writing-related courses available to and offered by Wisconsin writers, that it would be impossible to include them in this blog. I’m making an exception, however, with a four-week online course called “Put Your Fear to Work” that award-winning middle-grade and YA writer Pat Schmatz will be offering in March. Writing with fear was the topic of the closing session Pat presented in October at the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators-Wisconsin’s Fall Conference. It was one of the most compelling, insightful and beneficial conference sessions I’ve encountered. “It’s not just for kid writers,” Pat says, “it’s for anyone. … Scholarships are available and there’s an early-bird discount. Here’s the link for more details and to register:  https://www.loft.org/classes/detail/?loft_product_id=55401. “Meanwhile,” Pat adds, “welcome to the dark and cold days – perfect time for fear excavation.  Happy writing!”

Another link to visit is www.wiswriters.org, which contains information and entry forms for the Council for Wisconsin Writers’ 2013 writing contests. Entry deadline is Jan. 31, 2014. The link for a list of and information about the eight contests is http://www.wiswriters.org/awards.htm

—

by

News From the Children's Corner

Following are details about a Carthage College event, “Wisconsin Women Write for Children”,  from 6:30-8:30 p.m. on May 14 at the Women’s Club of Wisconsin

Wisconsin Women Write for Children Event

Come for desserts and coffee in a beautiful historic mansion. 

The Woman’s Club of Wisconsin is the setting for this presentation.
Writers include:  Carole Barrowman, Ann Bausum, Lois Ehlert, Janet Halfmann,
Barbara Joosse, JoAnn Early Macken, Lisa Moser
Where:
The Woman’s Club of Wisconsin
813 East Kilbourn Avenue
Milwaukee, WI 53202
(Free valet parking available)When:
Tuesday May 14th
Doors open at 6:00 pm
Program is from 6:30-8:30 pm

Registration:
Registration fee is $15, with $5 for students.
Registration

Registration is open. Walk-ins
are welcome at the event itself
Make checks payable to The Center for Children’s Literature

Mail to: Carthage College, 2001 Alford Park Drive, Kenosha, WI 53140

or pay at the event
Jstewig@carthage.edu          262-552-5480
Carthage College Center for Children’s Literature
*     *     *

The first of each month, members of Wisconsin’s chapter of the Society of Children’s Books Writers and Illustrators announce their good news of the previous  month, generally good reviews, honors and awards, and newly published work. Here in their own words is their news  from the month of April:

JoAnn Early Macken

In addition to the Wisconsin Women Write for Children event, I'll be
teaching picture book classes in both Milwaukee and Madison over the
next couple of months. Here are the details:

Writing a Children's Picture Book, 5 Thursday evenings starting May 9 at
UW-Milwaukee School of Continuing Education (downtown in the Grand
Avenue mall). Details and registration info are at
http://www4.uwm.edu/sce/course.cfm?id=24087

Children's Picture Books: Write and Submit Your Stories, Jun 17-21, 9:30
a.m.-12:30 p.m. each day at UW-Madison. More info is at
http://continuingstudies.wisc.edu/lsa/writing/wbtl/wbtl-sessions.htm

Ann Angel

There are also some interesting writing courses available this summer at Mount
Mary College that children's writers might find appealing. These include a
six-week Writing Healing Stories workshop, a course for fiction and nonfiction
writers called Pushing Boundaries which will be taught by Madison's Chris Mohar,
and a picture book workshop that is in-person on Wed evenings and includes an
online component. For more information, you can go directly to the website: http://www.mtmary.edu/summerschool.htm
or email me personally.

For kids, RedOak writers summer writing camp is again offering the camp on Mount
Mary's campus. For more information on that camp, please go to http://www.mtmary.edu/camps.htm
Pat Zietlow Miller
I've sold two picture books. One, The Quickest Kid in Clarksville, sold to Chronicle Books. It's fiction, but it's inspired by Olympic sprinter Wilma Rudolph. The other, tentatively titled Roads, sold to Little, Brown. It's a lyrical look at the roads we take in life -- both literal and metaphorical.

Dori Chaconas
I've been fortunate enough to be offered a contract from Viking for a tenth book in the easy-reader series, Cork and Fuzz.

Emily Kokie

Personal Effects is a finalist for the Lambda Literary Award (the winner
will be announced in June). As part of the celebration leading up to the
award presentation, on May 22 I will be doing a reading in Chicago with 8
other finalists. Details:
http://www.windycitymediagroup.com/lgbt/Lambda-Literary-Awards-finalist-reading-May-22/42576.html
Miranda Paul
My second picture book went to auction, and my agent and I have accepted an
offer from Neal Porter at Neal Porter Books! Roaring Brook and Neal Porter
Books have produced some of my very favorite picture books, and this is a
significant honor for me. I'm also proud of the fact that it's a rhyming
book, and non-fiction!

Kate Heling
Debbie (Hembrook) and I are pleased to announce that our picture book CLOTHESLINE CLUES TO JOBS PEOPLE DO (Charlesbridge) was named to the 2013 Best Children's Books of the Year list by the Children's Book Committee. We've also recently received word that this book will be coming out in paperback in Spring, 2014.
And even more exciting........we've been offered a contract for CLOTHESLINE
CLUES TO SPORTS PEOPLE PLAY, publication date of August, 2015.  We
anticipate that the new CLOTHESLINE CLUES book will have the same
illustrator, Andy Davies from the UK.

Janet Halfmann

Eggs 1, 2, 3: Who Will the Babies Be? (Blue Apple Books) won the Lupine Picture Book Honor Award from the Maine Library Association. The award recognizes an outstanding contribution to children's literature of Maine.

Plus, Little Skink's Tail is on the Just Read, Florida! 2013 Summer Recommended
Reading List for K-3.

Becky Wojahn

My news is that MALCOLM AT MIDNIGHT won a 2013 Friends of American Writers
Literary Award (http://www.fawchicago.org/)

Kashmira Sheth

I have a book signing coming up for Tiger in My Soup and I hope some of you
can make it. It is on the 14th of May at 7:00 PM at Barnes and Noble west (in Madison).
Michael Kress-Russick

Cricket has asked me to generate four illustrations for a piece of historical fiction to be run in their 75th anniversary issue (Sept).

Please check back after the CWW Awards Banquet next Saturday, May 11. I hope to be able to post some pictures from it on this blog.  Meantime, please visit the CWW website at www.wiswriters.org.



 




 by   
Wisconsin Children's Writers Share News


The Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators Wisconsin chapter's members report the following recent good news:




    

  • Stuart Stotts says, “At long last, after years of rewrites, Father Groppi: Marching for Civil Rights is being published by the Wisconsin Historical Society. More information is at www.FatherGroppi.com
    • 



 


    

  • Kashmira Sheth's picture book, Tiger in My Soup, which is on Peachtree Publishers' April 2013 list, received starred reviews from Kirkus and Publishers Weekly. Here's what Kashmira says Kirkus wrote in its March 1 review: "In the current run of titles about older siblings feeding younger ones, this one stands out for its inventive imagery."
    • 



    

  • Pam Beres has a story in a forthcoming issue of Pockets Magazine for Kids. The magazine is also reprinting one of Pam’s stories that it initially published 20 years ago. 
    • 



Congratulations to all!


Get more news about and for Wisconsin writers at the Council for Wisconsin Writers at www.wiswriters.org.


 by   
Book Festival Features Children's Authors


Children’s author Kashmira Sheth entertains 3rd and 4th graders at Madison’s Pinney Library with her new middle-grade novel, The No-Dogs-Allowed Rule.




Janet Halfamm, talking about her award-winning picture book, “Star of the Sea”, wasn’t lying on her side when she participated with three other 2011 CWW award winners in a panel discussion, “How Can Wisconsin Writers Support Each Other,” at the Overture Center in Madison.  The picture came out sideways when I emailed it from my iPhone to myself and the rotated picture doesn’t show up on this blog when I try to paste it in.