Arkansas Chapter
Society of Children's and Bookwriters and Illustrators
FALL RETREAT FOR WRITERS OF CHILDREN'S LITERATURE
Voice: The Writer as Ventriloquist
September 28-30, 2007
The Eleventh Annual Retreat for Writers of Children's Literature guides you through a series of exercises to strengthen the voice in your stories. Explore new territory and bring your writing skills to the next level working hand-in-hand with author, Kathi Appelt, and Candlewick editor, Hilary Breed Van Dusen.
Each session will include lecture, discussion, writing practice, and feedback. You know voice is important, but don't understand how to create an appealing, appropriate voice? That's OK. By the end of the weekend, you'll be able to take control of the voice in your story. Let the view from the top of Mount Magazine nourish your writing spirit. See how the camaraderie of other experienced writers gives you the freedom to experiment with new voices.
This year, the retreat will take place at the new Mount Magazine State Park lodge. Gracing the south bluff of Arkansas's highpoint, Mount Magazine, this resort mountain lodge affords a spectacular view of the Petit Jean River Valley and distant Blue Mountain Lake below. We've reserved rooms in the modern, rustic-style lodge for 20 participants. Meals will be on your own : each room is equipped with a refrigerator and coffee maker; or, the full-service restaurant operates all day. Their website provides maps, driving directions and weather information.
AUTHOR-IN-RESIDENCE: Kathi Appelt
Kathi Appelt is the award-winning author of more than thirty books for children and young adults. Her newest picture book, MISS LADY BIRD'S WILDFLOWERS: HOW A FIRST LADY CHANGED AMERICA (HarperCollins, 2005) was recently awarded the "Growing Good Kids Award for Excellence in Children's Literature" and the "Teddy Award," given each year by the Writer's League of Texas . In 2003 Appelt won the Irma and Simon Black Award for Excellence in Children's Literature, given by the Bank Street College of Education, for her picture book BUBBA AND BEAU, BEST FRIENDS (Harcourt Brace, 2002). Her picture book, OH MY BABY, LITTLE ONE (Harcourt Brace, 2000), received the prestigious Parent's Choice Award. Her collection of short stories for teenagers, KISSING TENNESSEE (Harcourt Brace, 2000), was selected as a "Best Book for Young Adults" by the American Library Association. It was also listed as "Top Shelf Fiction for Middle School Readers" by VOYA, a "Best Book for the Teen Age" by the New York Public Library, and was named an "Honor Book" by "Storytelling World."
Her book for teens, MY FATHER'S SUMMERS (Henry Holt, 2004) won the Paterson Poetry Prize for Young Adult Literature and was selected as "Book for the Teen Age," by the New York Public Library, as well as a "Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Readers." In addition, it was a finalist for the PEN USA Award for Children's Literature.
All three of the "Bubba and Beau" books have been selected by the Jr. Library Guild.
She is the author of two volumes of poetry. Her first, JUST PEOPLE (Absey & Co., 1997) was chosen as a "Best Book for Young Adults," by the American Library Association and a "Book For the Teen Age," by the New York Public Library. Her second, POEMS FROM HOMEROOM (Henry Holt, 2002) was named a "Top Ten Book of Poetry," by "Book List."
Her first novel, THE UNDERNEATH, is scheduled to be released from Atheneum in Spring, 2008.
In addition to writing, Ms. Appelt is on the faculty in the Masters of Creative Writing for Children and Young Adults at Vermont College.
She and her husband Ken live in College Station, TX with four adorable cats, Django, Peach, Hoss and Jazz. They are the parents of two even more adorable sons, Jacob and Cooper, both of whom play the double bass and are in the jazz studies program at University of North Texas. For more information, check her website: www.kathiappelt.com.
EDITOR-IN-RESIDENCE: Hilary Breed Van Dusen, Candlewick Books
Hilary Breed Van Dusen, an editor at Candlewick Press, concentrates on middle grade and young adult fiction as well as nonfiction for the same age groups. She works with many authors including Robie Harris, Paul Janeczco, Nicola Morgan, Vivian French, Sally Walker, Kathryn Lasky, Dyan Sheldon, and Beth Kanell. She was previously an editor of children's books at Little, Brown and Company and of professional development books for teachers at Heinemann. She has also edited elementary science curriculum materials for Steck-Vaughn, served as the assistant director of The National Children's Book and Literacy Alliance, and reviewed books for the Horn Book Magazine and Guide.
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
FRIDAY 1:00-2:00 Check-in 2:00-3:30 Hilary: Take Me to the Carnival How does a character's prior experience color their voices and their reactions to what they see at a carnival? 3:30-5:00 Kathi: The Controlling Belief or Attitude What creates the engine that gets a character from the beginning to the end of a story? 5:30-6:30 Supper--on your own. 7:00-8:30 Hilary: Writing What you Don't Know We spend a lot of time in our comfort zone, writing what we know best--let's take a step outside that comfort zone. 8:30-10:00 Kathi: Issues of Form Come to our playground and experiment with "form." SATURDAY 8:00-9:00 Breakfast--on your own. 9:00-10:30 Hilary: Drag Those Enemies Out of the Closet In this two-part exercise write a scene that brings to fictional life someone you hate. 10:30-12:00 Kathi: Goals and Obstacles How can we get our characters out of the "great sagging middle" and back into the game? 12:00-1:00 Lunch--on your own. 1:00-2:30 Hilary: Coming at it From all the Angles Explore voice by approaching a scene from three different points of view. 3:00-5:00 Write/Sleep/Break/Hot tub/Walk 5:00-6:00 Supper--on your own 7:00-8:30 Kathi: Antagonists Aren't Always Bad What can we do to create convincing antagonists without falling into stereotypes. 8:30 Open Mike SUNDAY 8:00-9:00 Breakfast--on your own. 9:00-10:30 Hilary: Authorial Voice versus Character's voice Talk about the choices you make as a writer that contribute to a character's voice. 10:30-11:30 Kathi: Endowed Objects and other Symbols A play can't happen without props, nor can a story happen without objects. Let's explore the uses of objects in fiction and see where they get us.
AR-SCBWI FALL RETREAT REGISTRATION
Name______________________________ Address_____________________________ ___________________________________ Phone__________e-mail____________ Roommate ____________________ Registration fee: SCBWI members $315.00 Includes accommodations (double occupancy)and all sessions. Meals are at your own discretion: each room has a refrigerator and coffee maker; a full-service restaurant is available on-site. Write check to: SCBWI Arkansas Send to:Darcy Pattison, 1309 South Broadway Little Rock, AR 72202 email: ddpattison@aol.com (501) 758-6414 Reservations are on a first come, first served basis. A deposit of $150.00 will hold your place in this retreat. The balance due August 1. No refunds after August 1. If the retreat is full, would you like your name placed on a waiting list? yes [] no [] Prerequisites: * Must be a full SCBWI member with publishing credits.See the Mount Magazine State Park website for maps, driving directions and weather information.