Announcements: 5 Opportunities & Book Winner

The winner of Shannon Hitchcock’s book RUBY AND ME is Betty Ann Reith. Congratulations! Betty Ann, please send me your address. Thanks.  

Call for Valentine illustrations and poems.

Don’t you love this little girl reading on the subway with her book characters brightening up the drab day? Lisa Fields is the talented illustrator who sent this in for us to enjoy. Lisa received her BFA in Illustration from Ringling College of Art and Design in 2006. She was featured on Illustrator Saturday in 2014. Her illustration work has grown so much I will be featuring her again soon with her new work.

Erika Wassell – the New Jersey Farm Scribe is coming back the first Wednesday of each month. Starting March 1st.

We missed Erika’s articles while she was playing 100% of her time with her new baby boy.

Erika Wassall is a writer, a farmer and a liver of life. She is a member of SCBWI and a proud Mad Scientist, bringing science experiments right into children’s classrooms, and hearts. She has a small farm in New Jersey with sheep, chickens, pigs and vegetables. Check out her new website at www.TheJerseyFarmScribe.com where as a first generation farmer, she often takes the long way, learning the tricks of the trade on The Farm. On her website is also The Shop page with tips and a free Q/A from her husband’s mechanic shop, and The Writer page where she shares stories, experiences and characters from the heart. Follow her on Twitter at @NJFarmScribe. She’d love to hear from you!

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The second Tuesday of every month author Dianne Ochiltree will be writing an article to help writers maneuver the road to publication, plus Dianne will address questions writers send in. If you have a writing question for Dianne, you can send it into me. Please put ASK DIANNE in the subject Box.

Dianne Ochiltree is a nationally recognized author of books for the very young. Her books have appeared on numerous recommended reading lists, classroom desks and library shelves.  Her bedtime book, LULL-A-BYE, LITTLE ONE, was a selected for the Dollywood Foundation’s childhood literacy initiative, Imagination Library in 2007. Her picture book, MOLLY BY GOLLY! THE LEGEND OF MOLLY WILLIAMS AMERICA’S FIRST FEMALE FIREFIGHTER, received the Florida Book Awards (FBA) Bronze Medal in the Children’s Literature category in 2012 and was chosen for the ALA’s Amelia Bloomer list of feminist literature for girls. Her picture book, IT’S A FIREFLY NIGHT, won the FBA Silver Medal in 2013. Her 2015 title, IT’S A SEASHELL DAY, was given the FBA Gold Medal/Gwen Reichert Award as well as the Gold Medal for Florida picture book from the Florida Authors and Publishers Association. For more information about Dianne’s books, go to http://www.dianneochiltree.com.

On the third Tuesday Christine or Christy Tugeau of the Catugeau Artist Agency will answer questions from illustrators and talk about things illustrators need to know to further their career. It could be a question about an illustration you are working on, too. Please email your questions to me and put ASK CAT in the subject box.

Christina A. Tugeau Artist Agency LLC is the first mother/daughter agency in the business! A trained artist herself with a BA in Fine Art, Chris Tugeau has been in the children’s illustration industry for over 25 years. Since opening her own agency in 1994, Chris has enjoyed representing many talented artists, and has been an active part of the illustration community; writing and presenting for SCBWI regions around the country. She is also the author of SCBWI Illustrator Guidelines. A veteran artist and rep, Chris is an advocate for ethical fairness and the bright future of children’s publishing. She’s also a mother of 3, a grandmother to 8, and best friend to husband, Bill.

Daughter, Christy Ewers, has been a close observer of the children’s literature industry since Chris started the agency in 1994, and she has been surrounded by artists her entire life. Aside from her mother, her brother, Jeremy Tugeau is an exceptional fine art and children’s illustrator, now represented by his wife, Nicole, at Tugeau 2. Christy’s husband, Chris Ewers, is an artist too, as a talented photographer and cinematographer. 

With a degree in English/Journalism and a decade of experience in various creative fields, Christy gives a different perspective to the agency, while maintaining the enthusiasm and love that her mother brings to the industry.

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On The fourth Tuesday I will answer marketing questions you might have. Please send you questions to me and put ASK KATHY in the subject box.

Hope you take the time to send in a question.

Talk tomorrow,

Kathy