SCBWI Conference Journal

"Become a collector. Not just of things, but of experiences." ~Judy Schachner

SCBWI Conference Journal

"Put your characters through scenes, dialogues, situations.  Observe their responses." ~Megan McDonald & Mary Lee Donovan

SCBWI Conference Journal

"If you think all the ideas are inside you, think again. Ask someone else [for ideas]. Every once in a while, you'll hear something that feels right, and that's your talent: you know how to fish through all the noises."  ~Aaron Becker

SCBWI Conference Journal

"I love the ability to get the emotions with as few lines as possible."  ~Tomie dePaola

SCBWI Conference Journal

"Have someone else read out loud your manuscript, and pay attention to where they stumble."  ~Linda Sue Park

SCBWI Conference Journal

I am very honored to participate as a SCBWI conference blog illustrator journal contributor this year.  Thank you for having me, SCBWI blog!

http://scbwiconference.blogspot.com/2014/08/maple-lam-conference-illustrator.html

The End of A Great Summer Conference

I cannot believe it's over!  To many of us illustrators and writers for children's books, the SCBWI Summer Conference is the best and most intense four days of the summer.  (There are also the 3 best days in the winter for the Winter Conference in New York.)  These are the days we reconnect wholeheartedly with the Children's Book God.  We meet up with similar minds, inspire each other, encourage each other, and learn from each other.

I love you, SCBWI!  Thank you!

(Photo courtesy of Pat Cummings, my wonderful mentor.)

New York! New York!

 
Two of my talented fellow mentees posted excellent recaps of the SCBWI New York winter conference.  They said it so well and precise!

Lisa Anchin
http://lisaanchin.blogspot.com/2013/02/scbwi-winter-conference-recap.html

Jessica Lanan
http://jessicalanan.com/new-york-scrapbook


My FAVORITE QUOTES from the conference:

•  "You have to pass through some bad stuff to get to the good stuff." ~David Ezra Stein

•  "Books are not immediate, unlike a tech object.  It goes from black-and-white to color to dimension, then it brings you to a special place." ~Meg Rosoff

•  "Don't be afraid, and stay interested." ~Shaun Tan

•  "Bestseller is only the cherry on a sundae.  Don't forget you audience – it's the children!  You touched their hearts." ~ Tomie dePaola

• "Are we lucky or what?" ~Julie Andrews

• "Just getting published is not a dream.  Have a better dream.  Dream to change the world for the better."  ~Mo Willems


SNAPSHOTS of the wonderful time~

Fellow mentees at Grand Central. (Andrea Offermann, Lisa Anchin, Maple Lam, Aarre Chung, Jen Betton Rogers, Jessica Lanan)  (Photo courtesy of Debbi Ohi.)

With Tomie dePaola!!!

Andrea Offermann won NY Portfolio Award!!!!

With Brook Boynton Hughes; Lisa Anchin; Elizabeth Rose Stanton; Jessixa Bagley (winner of Runner-Up Portfolio Award!)  My talented talented friends!!!  (Photo courtesy of Debbi Ohi.)

Post-conference.  We chilled and relaxed in Debbi's room.  (Photo courtesy of Debbi Ohi.)

Learning from dear mentor David Diaz. (Photo courtesy of Debbi Ohi.)

In front of Books of Wonder.  LOVE this bookstore!!! (Photo courtesy of David Diaz.)

Visiting Abrams.  (Photo courtesy of David Diaz.)

SCBWI Jan/Feb – Spot Illustration

Excited to see my work published in the SCBWI Bulletin~ :)

The spot illustration

This is in the issue where they featured an illustrated cover of one of my favorite illustrators: Mike Lowery.  I LOVE his work!

Lost Weekend 2012

Thank you, David!  You are the best!
(Here's Super David with Super-dog Lily.)

Last weekend, one of our SCBWI mentor David Diaz invited the Mentorship Award winners and guests over to his house for a four-day weekend in San Diego (aka Lost Weekend).  Four fabulous days with all these amazing artists?  If this were a dream, don't wake me up!

SCBWI 2012 Los Angeles Summer Conference

Oh, where to begin?

If you have never attended a SCBWI Summer Conference and is an aspiring children's book writer or illustrator, trust me, you have GOT TO GO.  I learned TONS, and have met so many talents!