Nevada SCBWI Mentor Program - Here I Come

Exciting news: I recently found out that I was accepted into the Nevada SCBWI Mentor Program for 2013-2014. In this program, ten notable children's writers and illustrators mentor 2-3 aspiring writers and illustrators each for six months.

The program kicks off with a writing and illustration retreat in October in Lake Tahoe, Nevada. It is followed by six months of assignments and critiques from one's mentor, and it is capped by a final retreat in Virginia City, Nevada, in April.  This year's class of 24 mentees come from 11 states and 4 countries.

David Diaz is My Mentor


My mentor will be illustrator David Diaz. I am really excited to be working with him. He has illustrated over 35 books and won the 1995 Caldecott for SMOKY NIGHT, by Eve Bunting, a book I've had on my bookshelves for over a decade:



Some other acclaimed books he's illustrated include:

ME, FRIEDA, by Amy Novesky, a Pura Dupré Honor book:



THE WANDERER, by Sharon Creech, a Newberry Honor winner:


THE LITTLE SCARECROW, by Margaret Wise Brown, and named the New York Times Best Illustrated Book in 1998:


And many more:


 I'll be blogging more about my experience with David as the year goes on. I can't wait!



My previous blog post 


I was originally assigned to E.B. Lewis, but was switched early in the program. This was my original post:

My mentor is illustrator E.B. Lewis. I am thrilled to be working with him. He has illustrated over 50 picture books, including the 2005 Caldecott Honor Book, COMING HOME SOON, written by Jacqueline Woodson:


Nikki Grime's TALKIN' ABOUT BESSIE: THE STORY OF AVIATOR ELIZABETH COLEMAN, which won the 2003 Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award:


Alice Schertle's DOWN THE ROAD, an ALA Notable book:


Tolowa Mollel's MY ROWS AND PILES OF COINS, an ALA Notable Book and a Coretta Scott King Honor book:


Garvin Curtis's THE BAT BOY AND HIS VIOLIN, a Coretta Scott King Honor Book:



And many more.

Some of my fellow writers and illustrators have blogged about his appearances and classes:


  • Tanja Bauerle: Tuscon Festival of Books (where E.B. Lewis was part of a panel of Caldecott-winning illustrators discussing their craft)







I will post more about the mentorship as the year goes on.





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