#kidlit news, updates and what I'm reading from Sheila M. Averbuch

Spring 2019: still writing

Happy spring, if you're in my hemisphere! Happy April, if you're not. This is the new-look newsletter from my website - I've changed from spacekidsbooks to sheilamaverbuch.com. Read on for some tidbits of news about #kidlit, writing and reading. Need to unsubscribe? No worries, just see the link at bottom.

Writing like no one's watching at Moniack Mhor

In late February I went on the week-long writing retreat at Moniack Mhor that's part of the Scottish Book Trust New Writers Awards.

I was full of nerves about what the week would hold, but I needn't have worried. Read more here in the piece I wrote for the Moniack Mhor blog.

What I'm reading

Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi is classic YA fantasy with a lush, kingdom setting in an alternative West Africa, including a horse-sized cat with fangs and horns. Loving this.

I had no idea that Adeyemi was mentored in the famous #PitchWars program. PitchWars opens for submission in June. If you're unagented and would like to test the waters with your pitch, there's also #PitMad on Twitter from the same organisers (see more below).

Twitter pitch contests

I got my agent shortly after I entered a twitter pitch contest called #KidPit; I didn't meet Jennifer through the contest, but it did let me road-test my concept before I fully re-entered the query trenches with my revised MS. These contests can be a good way to see if you have a honed idea that fits the 280-character limit and that garners interest. I just heard that #PitMad is coming in June:

Keep Reading

SCBWI events

I'll be attending the SCBWI Southeast Scotland agent & editor panel in Edinburgh in May: the event is sold out but I'll do a write-up on Words and Pictures. The UK national conference has also been confirmed for 2 November, and Undiscovered Voices opens on 1 June 2019. See more SCBWI UK events here or find those in your area.

And finally: Arlo is a four-month-old Romanian rescue from Small Dog Rescue Scotland who now snoozes helpfully in the corner of my office. I am in love. See more Arlo (possibly too much) on Instagram.