Whispering Pines
SCBWI New England
WHISPERING PINES Writers’ Retreat
West Greenwich, Rhode Island
March 21-23, 2013 (Thursday-Saturday)
This retreat, limited to 28 full time participants, is an opportunity
to work intimately with professionals in an idyllic setting.
Three Day/Overnight registration includes accommodations and meals. You will
have the opportunity to work with others who are committed to
quality children’s literature in small groups and will also benefit
from a thirty minute one-on-one critique with your mentor. You will
also enjoy all of our mentors’ presentations (Friday and Saturday) ,
an intimate after dinner Q&A session, Team Kid Lit Jeopardy (no pressure!) with amazing prizes, and a bonfire/s'mores making extravaganza.
The setting allows for quiet meditation, networking,
or attention to your individual project—you design your own retreat!
Friday only participants will enjoy a terrific presentation from illustrator extraordinaire, Kelly Murphy, and uber-talented author, Leslie Connor. The morning will end with a first pages activity with all of our mentors. Afterwards, visit with other professionals over a relaxing lunch that boasts an outstanding menu. Although one-on-one critiques with mentors are not included for day-only participants, group peer critiques take place all afternoon.
Saturday only participants will enjoy presentations from (1) Shauna (Fay) Rossano, Associate Editor, G.P. Putnam's Sons, (2) Bethany Strout, Editorial Assistant, Little, Brown Books for Young Readers and (3) Sara Crowe, Agent at Harvey Kilinger, Inc. Then, enjoy the company and professionalism of other participants over a delicious lunch.
There will be a book sale each day for your browsing pleasure. Sorry! No credit cards accepted.
For more information, contact:
Lynda Mullaly Hunt, Co-Director at Lyndamullalyhunt@yahoo.com (OR)
Mary Pierce, Co-Directer at momeraths@verizon.net
Our 2013 Mentors!!!
Registrations ARE NOT being accepted for Whispering Pines yet. REGISTRATION OPENS ON DECEMBER 1, 2011. Any registrations postmarked *prior to December first* will not be considered and will be returned.
Mentor Information:
Editors:
1) Shauna (Fay) Rossano Associate Editor, G. P. Putnam’s Sons, A Division of Penguin Young Readers Group Shauna works on everything from picture books to young adult novels. She edited the 2010 Children’s Choice Book Award winner, Little Pink Pup by Johanna Kerby, and the 2010 IRA Children’s Book Award winner, Wanted: The Perfect Petby Fiona Roberton, as well as the YA novels, The Vindico by debut author Wesley King and Orleansby award-winning author Sherri L. Smith. While open to books for all ages, she is currently on the hunt for middle grade fiction with a strong voice (magical realism always welcome!), robust historical fiction with a commercial hook, and young, funny/quirky picture books.
2) Bethany Strout,Editorial Assistant, Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. Bethany came to Little, Brown after three years at Writers House. She currently assists Executive Editorial Director Alvina Ling as well as managing her own list. In her time at LBYR and Writers House, she’s worked with authors and artists such as Blake Nelson, Libba Bray, Laini Taylor, Grace Lin, Wendy Mass, Peter Brown, Bryan Collier, and Ed Young. Open to books for all ages, she is especially looking for a unique early chapter book series, and strong-voiced MG/YA—especially if it makes her cry (in a good way!). In her spare time, she is obsessed with country music.
Agent:
Sara Crowe, agent with Harvey Klinger, Inc. where she represents children's fiction and adult fiction and non fiction. Her clients include NYT Bestselling author Jonathan Maberry, USA Today Bestselling author Jeff Hirsch, as well as Nina LaCour, Michael Northrop, Lisa Schroeder, Kristen Tracy, and Dan Wells. After attending the Radcliffe Publishing Course, I started my career at The Wylie Agency in New York, and after two years, moved to their London office as a foreign rights agent. At Trident Media Group in New York, I was a Foreign rights manager and represented rights for Louis Sachar, Michael Ondaatje and Russell Banks. I joined Harvey Klinger in 2005 to build my own list and to develop a children's list for the agency. . Please visit Sara's website: http://www.saracrowe.com .
Illustrator:
Born and raised in southeastern Massachusetts, Kelly Murphy has been globally freelancing across the various fields of editorial, educational and book illustration as well as character design and concept art for the film, theater and toy industries. She earned an E.B. White Read Aloud Award for illustrating the New York Times Best Seller Masterpiece and On the side of these versatile creative achievements, Kelly has engaged in a lasting involvement with art education and has been a member of the illustration faculty at the Montserrat College of Art and the Rhode Island School of Design. To see more, please visit http://www.kelmurphy.com
Author:
Leslie Connor’swriting work spans the children’s genres from picture books to young adult novels, from historical fiction to contemporary themes. Her award winning titles include a picture book, Miss Bridie Chose a Shovel, and young adult novels, Waiting for Normal and Crunch. Leslie lives in a little house the big Connecticut woods with her husband and three rescued Writing Dogs. Leslie likes gardening (but ended up too many cherry tomatoes this year), baking artisan pizzas (with cherry tomatoes on top), and creating art from all sorts of materials (including cherry tomatoes).
Marketing Person/Author:
Erin Dionne writes humorous books with heart for tweens. Her titles, which are very long and have gotten some stars and nice attention, include Models Don’t Eat Chocolate Cookies, The Total Tragedy of a Girl Named Hamlet, and Notes from an Accidental Band Geek. Her forthcoming novel, Moxie and the Art of Rule Breaking: A 14 Days Mystery, has the longest title yet and is based on a real-life art heist. She spends an inappropriate amount of time on Facebook, teaches writing at Montserrat College of Art, and lives outside of Boston with her husband, daughter, son, and a very indignant dog.
Overnight Participant Info:
The cost for a three-day/overnight slot is $525. The cost includes double-occupancy accomodations, meals from Thursday dinner to Saturday lunch, a 30-minute one-on-one critique with your mentor, participation in all workshops/presentations by mentors, peer group critiques, a first pages activitiy, Q&A sessions, a rousing game of Kid-Lit Jeopardy for amazing prizes, and a bonfire/s'mores making extravaganza. An all around fantastic time!
To reserve your place for the weekend retreat, a deposit of $150 and your application are due by December 31, 2012. (Although registrations will not be accepted prior to Dec 1, 2012)
The balance of $375 and your manuscript are due by February 7, 2013.
**Click on "Reservations" button above for printable Registration Form
Check-in at Whispering Pines is between 2:00 and 5:00 on Thursday.
Manuscript submissions can be whole picture book manuscripts or the first three chapters and an additional chapter of a longer work with a limit of 25 pages. Again, these are due by February 7, 2013
Day Event Enrollment Info:
The Friday event fee is $90.
The Saturday event fee is $110.
Both Friday and Saturday--day only--participation is $180.
Tuition is due on the receipt of your application. The due date is
December 31, 2012.
**Click on "Reservations" button above for printable Registration Form
For more information re: registration, contact Mary Pierce, at momeraths@verizon.net