The New Jersey Children’s Writer’s Guild

Do you need a special outfit or prop for those school visits or book signings for kids?  Then maybe you can find just what you need at The Shakespeare Theatre of NJ Costume and Prop Sale.  Not a bad idea for Halloween, too!  All the world’s a stage, look like a player!

Our own Tony Siniscalco and his grandson have entered the Hunterdon County Library photo contest in the month of October.

If you’re in the area, drop in and vote.  The photographs will be on display in the library lobby through the month of October.  Tony’s grandson is entry #28, and Tony is #29.  Voting ends October 10th, with the awards ceremony being held on the evening of the 10th.  As Tony said, “Maybe you’ll see a photo that will inspire a new children’s work - or maybe a thought for an illustration in something that you are now working on.”

A photography tips program will also be presented at the awards ceremony by photographer Walter Choroszewski, www.walterc.com

In the third installment of his series, member Marvin Mayer continues recounting his experiences attending the 2010 Highlights Foundation Writers Workshop.

This month, I want to “take” you inside some of the sessions I attended and offer a “snippet” I picked up here and a “gem” I garnered there; words of wisdom from some of those uniquely qualified folks I introduced to you last month.

Our conference began on Saturday night with a Welcoming Banquet in the dining room of the Atheneaum Hotel. After being served an excellent dinner, we were officially welcomed to Chautauqua and told just a “smidget” of what we might expect in the week ahead. Then Donna Jo Napoli took the podium to deliver our keynote address. (more…)

In the second installment of a monthly series, member Marvin Mayer writes in with his experiences attending the 2010 Highlights Foundation Writers Workshop.

Last month, I shared with you the “experience” that was Chautauqua. I listed the various individual workshops and general sessions, and talked about the daily social interactions with editors, publishers, multi-published and often award-winning authors, and other registrants.

In this article, I want to focus on specifics of some of those gifted people who were there to mentor us. Where else but at a workshop can “unknown” authors like me get to visit with people of this stature?

And when I say visit, I mean face-to-face, one-on-one, no limitations time with the “pros” in the industry.

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Member Sandra K. Lee has written in with several fun recommendations for little trick-or-treaters and their parents this fall. Thanks Sandra!

© Sandra K. Lee

In the first installment of a monthly series, member Marvin Mayer writes in with his experiences attending the 2010 Highlights Foundation Writers Workshop.

It was a financial stretch for me, but by flying at “off peek” times, sharing hotel rooms, and with the help of some scholarship funds, I managed to attend the 2010 Writers Workshop. This was the 26th year that the Highlights Foundation has sponsored their week-long workshop at Chautauqua. Highlights Foundation is the parent organization for the Highlights For Children and Highlights High Five magazines, along with book publisher Boyds Mills Press and their various subsidiary imprints.
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Congratulations to member Al Walker, whose work took first place in The Hot Pink Hubcaps Writing Competition!

The competition was founded this year by NJCWG member Danielle Ray, and she has offered to make this an annual event for Guild members. This year’s winner received a three day paid trip to BookExpo America in New York City.

To read Al’s winning entry, and to learn more about Danielle’s journey as a writer, visit bookremarks.net.

Our thanks to Danielle for her generous support of The New Jersey Children’s Writer’s Guild, and congratulations to Al on his big win!

Member Marvin Mayer reminds us not to rely too heavily on our word processor’s spell check feature with this clever submission. Thanks, Marvin!

Marvin’s article, The Good Humor Man, is tentatively scheduled to appear in the July 2010 issue of The Good Old Days.

Member Danielle Ray has written a review of Kate DiCamillo’s The Magician’s Elephant. You can read it now on her Write-Ups page on blogspot.

You can visit Kate DiCamillo on the web at www.katedicamillo.com.