SCBWI Dakotas Blog

Polar Books

2008-02-01T14:41:00.000-08:00

From time to time, I'll be writing about hot-off-the-press books.

Yesterday morning (while the temp was still below zero), I read I, Matthew Henson by Carole Boston Weatherford (Walker, 2008. 32 pp.)

What an incredible book! Henson accompanied Robert Peary on seven expeditions over a span of two decades, finally arriving at the North Pole on April 6, 1909.

One of the book's most impressive features is the pounding prose rhythm that reflects Henson's determination. Equally powerful is the ongoing racism that haunted his life. (Don't miss the Author's Note!)

What nonfiction books have you been reading? What features have touched you? Respond to this post so the rest of us will know. Thanks!

Jean

Jean Patrick
SCBWI Regional Advisor, Dakotas
jean@santel.net

Winter Blogging

2008-01-22T20:30:00.000-08:00

I hope you're staying warm these days. It's frigid down here in South Dakota. I can't even imagine what it's like for those of you who live on the northern side of the border!

Lately, I've been learning about blogging from "The Blog Squad" (a great online resource) and from Dakotas SCBWI member Roxane Salonen. She recommended an interesting site from Writers Digest. http://www.writersdigest.com/writersperspective/

How many of you are blogging these days? If you have any advice (or insights about how it helps writers and illustrators), please post your comments. As always, we can learn a lot from each other.

By the way, here's a link to Roxane's blog: http://www.roxanesalonen.blogspot.com/

New Year - New Blog - New Conference

2008-01-16T18:04:00.000-08:00

Hello Children's Writers and Illustrators

It's a new year...and a new beginning for this blog. (Let's see if I can be a little more faithful!)

As most of you know, I'm Jean Patrick, the Regional Advisor for the SCBWI Dakotas region. I'm the author of several books for children, including The Girl Who Struck Out Babe Ruth.

I'll do my best to spread news about conferences and events in the area and to provide advice and insight about writing and illustrating for children. (And since I also write a weekly children's book column, I'll also throw in opinions about new titles, too!)

As we speak, we're planning another conference in Sioux Falls, likely on Saturday, March 29, 2008. Let me know if you have any ideas or if you'd like to help. Thanks!

Jean L.S. Patrick

Regional Advisor, Dakotas

Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators

Guinea Pigs and Deadwood

2007-09-13T17:40:00.000-07:00

Hi, Everyone!

Many thanks to Patti Kurtz for starting this blog for me! I'm unfamiliar with the whole blogging experience, so you'll get to be my guinea pigs.

Don't worry -- I won't be spilling the secrets of my personal life. Instead, I'll be using this blog to talk about the writing life and to keep you updated with happenings around the region.

Coming up on September 28-30 in Deadwood is the 5th Annual South Dakota Festival of Books. More than sixty authors will be present, including Nancy Koupal, SCBWI member from Pierre. (She's director of the South Dakota State Historical Society Press.) I'll be there also.

Are there other members of SCBWI Dakotas who will be speaking in Deadwood?

Jean Patrick
SCBWI Regional Advisor, Dakotas

Welcome to Our New Blog!

2007-09-13T09:21:00.000-07:00

We've created this blog so that our RA Jean can share news and other info with all of you! Enjoy and feel free to comment!