Author: RosemaryJ

RosemaryJAuthor of novels set in the Forgotten Realms and multiple superhero stories centered in Cobalt City.
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Nebulas Move Into Cyberspace

The Science Fiction Writers of America have moved their Nebula Awards and related conference into cyberspace when California’s “shelter in place” decision put the May event in jeopardy. Originally the 55th Nebula Conference was scheduled to take place in Los Angeles at the end of May,

Now streaming from May 29 to 31, the 2020 Nebula Conference Online will have live panels on such topics as “Being a Creative in 2020: Building Community, Visibility, and Audience in a Virtual World,” “Blades and Badasses: Disability and Swordwork,” and “Writing Middle Grade with This Year’s Norton Award Nominees” along with a self-guided track of pre-recorded presentations, which attendees can view at their leisure.

The organization’s conference mentorship program will continue with private video conversations between early-career writers and established authors. Workshops, forums, chats, and virtual room parties (including a dance party hosted by author John Scalzi) will round out the weekend.

The awards ceremony will be streamed to the public on May 30 in the evening. For more information, see

https://nebulas.sfwa.org/nebula-conference-2020-announcement

Inside Story Still Happening In May

Inside Story, the  twice-yearly celebration of new books by members of Western Washington’s Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, usually occurs in a crowded bookstore or library auditorium. Not this spring!

On May 31, as per the organizers: “we’re gonna Zoom, Zoom, Zoom-a Zoom with booksellers, teachers, librarians, and our book peeps to hear your two-minute presentations about your new masterpiece!”

SCBWI members will be making these presentations on Sunday, May 31, 2020 from 2 to 3 p.m. from their homes. Only books “traditionally published” between between November 18, 2019, and May 31, 2020, can be presented.

The official rules and application can be found at https://wwa.scbwi.org/events/inside-story-nov-2019/

Applications for this event must be received by May 11.

As for this chance to engage booksellers and librarians, the organizers have the following lighthearted advice: “Scared of presenting? You don’t even have to leave your house or wear clothes from the waist down! We’ll help you with the tech if you need it. This is a great way to get your name and your book in the faces of people who want to buy it!”

Find Oregon’s Literary Events Online

Literary Arts, the organization behind Portland’s beloved Wordstock Festival, hosts book events year round. Like everyone else, they’ve now gone online. Find their April events and others of interest at their new calendar page at literary-arts.org here:
https://literary-arts.org/2020/04/upcoming-online-literary-events-and-connections/?

Among the April events that readers, writers, and publishers everywhere would enjoy are:

Comics Relief Festival (First Second Books)
Saturday, April 18
8am – 2pm (PST)

Wordplay Virtual Book Festival (The Loft)
April 6 – May 5 2020

Literary Arts says they are committed to building community through online events, classes, seminars, and discussions. Their website also lets visitors dive into the rich archive of past events hosted by the organization including many well suited to educational projects.

Independent Bookstore Day Postponed But You Can Shop Indie Now

With most independent bookstores shuttered for “stay at home” orders, April’s Independent Bookstore Day has been postponed. Don’t worry, all the fun and prizes will be available on August 29.

Meanwhile, loyal customers can still help out their local friendly independent bookstore. Most stores are offering some type of online ordering through their website. If they can’t ship physical books, they can probably provide gift certificates. Such orders are essential to keeping bookstores afloat during very tough times. Besides it is a great time to get your favorite read or gift a friend with something special.

CNN recently reported that Powell’s Books in Portland was able to rehire 100 laid-off workers to due to a surge in online orders. Smaller stores also appreciate the help–check out Seattle’s Secret Garden and their picks through the Ballard Marketplace, a group of Market Street neighborhood merchants in Seattle that banded together to promote each other’s new online offerings.

Wherever your favorite bookstore is, be sure to visit their website or social media to find out how you can celebrate independent bookstores all April long.

Enjoy Edible Books Online

Part of the fun of the Edible Book contest was eating the entries. But with social distancing, you can still admire the entries and vote for your favorites through Sunday, April 5. This year, The Edible Book Festival encouraged photo entries so people could still enjoy the “lighthearted culinary, artistic, and literary celebration.”

Voting is going strong at their website: http://www.shorelinearts.net/ediblebookfestival/

It gives a whole new meaning to Hunger Games (literally) and may inspire some non-stressful baking in your home.

Hunger Games cake

Penelope Wiese’s 2020 Edible Book Edible Book Entry Title: The Hungry Games!

IWG Offers Virtual Literary Lunch

Idaho Writers Guild has canceled all in person events. The annual Idaho Writers Conference is being rescheduled for May 21 and 22, 2021. Those who have already registered for the 2020 conference will receive refunds.

In lieu of their canceled April literary luncheon, IWG will offer a virtual presentation with author Lani Forbes on April 14. This event is free but limited to 100 participants.

Join here at 11:00 AM on April 14: https://us04web.zoom.us/j/972532828

Lani Forbes will share how to enhance emotional intimacy between characters by using marriage counseling theories. Her debut novel, The Seventh Sun, was released on February 18.

Washington’s SCBWI Zooms Into Coffee Klatch

Lisa L. Owens, nonfiction coordinator for the Western Washington chapter of Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) , has turned an April 6 get-together for writers into a virtual meeting. “No need to register,” she wrote in recent email. “As always, nonfiction-for-kids creators at all levels are welcome. Hope to see you there!”

SCBWI WWA Nonfiction Writers’ Coffee Klatch
Time: Apr 6, 2020 10:00 AM Pacific Time (US and Canada)

Link to Join Zoom Meeting:
https://scbwi.zoom.us/j/449605378

Or find a local phone number at https://scbwi.zoom.us/u/agS2tQpI5

Verse Meets Visuals To Celebrate Poetry Month

Seattle’s Northwest Film Forum (NWFF) hosts “Cadence: Video Poetry Festival” in April. Programmed in collaboration with Seattle author Chelsea Werner-Jatzke and artist Rana San, this series of video poetry screenings is entering its third year.

In 2020, Cadence moves online for the first time, given Washington State’s Stay Home, Stay Safe mandate. With works by 83 artists from 20 different countries, selected from an open call for submissions and solicitations, this year’s festival features five themed showcases of short films.

Each screening is priced on a sliding scale, from free to $25 in five-dollar increments. Half an hour before showtime, ticket-purchasers will be sent a password to watch the film on nwfilmforum.org. Each program will remain embedded on the Forum’s website and available to watch for 24 hours from the listed PST showtime. Festival passes to view all five screenings are available. All festival proceeds support NWFF’s move to an online platform. Screenings take place  April 15 to April 19.

Natachi Mez will be NWFF’s 2020 Cadence Artist-in-Residence. When the cinema reopens to the public, the Forum will support Mez in the development of a new video poem.

More information about NWFF and Cadence can be found at nwfilmforum.org.

 

2020 PNBA Tradeshow Call for Authors

Author appearance at PNBA Tradeshow

Author appearance at PNBA Tradeshow.

The Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association opened applications for authors for its 2020 PNBA Tradeshow. The show is expected to attract approximately 300 Northwest booksellers and librarians. It will be held September 30 to October 2 at the Hotel Murano in Tacoma, WA.

PNBA member bookseller input will be heavily considered in determining these lineups. Publishers are asked to donate at least 150 pre-signed books or ARCs, and pay $750 promotion fee (per author) for keynote spots. Other spots require less books and have lower promotion fees.

Proposals should be sent via email to Tradeshow Director, Greg Holmes: greg@pnba.org.  All proposals are due by May 1.

Please indicate author’s residence and provide ISBN, link to the Edelweiss page or alternate publisher listing, and release date of the book.

The list of proposed authors will be submitted to the Tradeshow Selection Committee, which will return a prioritized list by May 13. PNBA staff will begin sending invitations the week of May 18.

Publicists may request authors be featured at specific events, but invitations will be influenced by the Tradeshow Selection Committee rankings as well as PNBA commitment to providing a wide variety of authors at each event.

For more information, and detailed descriptions of each event, see the Author/Publicist page under Tradeshow on the PNBA website: pnba.org/authors–publicists.

 

Seattle Public Library And Others Cancel March Events

Seattle Public Library

Seattle Public Library’s Central Branch in downtown Seattle (Wikimedia Commons image)

Following the outbreak of COVID-19 or coronavirus in King County, a number of organizations have announced the postponement or closure of events. So far, these announcements only impact events scheduled for March.

In an announcement on Friday, March 7, the Seattle Public Library said that all branches would remain open but all events and meetings were canceled through March.

“Due to current guidance from public health officials and in the interest of protecting the high-risk populations we serve and the high-risk populations who volunteer for us, as of Saturday, March 7, we are canceling all programs and events for the month of March, including Homework Help, tech classes, story times, Tax Help, book clubs and author events. The Library has also canceled all Bookmobile service. All external meetings scheduled in Library meeting rooms will be canceled or rescheduled,” stated Marcellus Turner, Executive Director and Chief Librarian of The Seattle Public Library, in a letter sent to patrons.

The Friends of the Seattle Public Library also announced that their popular giant used book sale was moving from March to May. This event had been scheduled for March 13 to 15 at the Seattle Center.

The Emerald City Comic Con, which draws more than 90,000 fans to Seattle, announced the event will be postponed. Scheduled for March 12 to 15 at the Washington State Convention Center, it will now take place in the summer of 2020. Earlier in the week, Portland publisher Dark Horse Comics had announced that they were canceling their appearance at the event. New York publishers DC and Penguin Random House also announced that they were not sending artists, writers, or staff to conventions in March.

University Book Store’s events calendar shows a long list of postponed readings and books signings for early March. On Friday, March 6, the University of Washington announced that all classes were moving to online only until the quarter concludes on March 20. Seattle University and Seattle Pacific University have announced similar steps to limit student, faculty, and staff exposure.

Due to SPU’s campus closure, the Western Washington Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) Professional Series Program monthly meeting scheduled for March 14 is canceled. “The good news is that [literary agent] Linda Camacho will conduct her Saturday, March 14 Master Class Workshop, Starting and Ending Stories with a Bang,  via Zoom meeting. The time for this event will remain the same, from 1:30-4 pm. Additional registration spots for the Workshop are available,” announced Holly Huckeba and Julie Artz, Co-Regional Advisors for Western Washington SCBWI in a letter to members.

Third Place Books is showing a mix of author appearances going forward as planned and those postponed. Among those postponed are a March 11 reading  by Adam Hochschild at their Ravenna location and E. Latimer’s appearance on March 11 at Seward Park.

Richard Hugo House in Seattle, a popular writing center, says that it will hold classes as scheduled for now but  continues to monitor the situation. “We are taking additional measures to ensure our surfaces are clean and disinfected, and we have plenty of hand sanitizer available for visitor use. Please help out by washing your hands before you go into class, and stay home if you are sick or feeling unwell,” they stated on their website.

Those planning to attend literary events in the Puget Sound region should check organization websites, social media, or emails to see if events continue as planned.

King County Public Health recommendations include that people at higher risk of severe illness should stay home and away from large groups of people as much as possible, including public places with lots of people and large gatherings where there will be close contact with others. A large gathering has been defined in some statements as 10 or more. People at higher risk include:

  • People 60 and older
  • People with underlying health conditions including heart disease, lung disease, or diabetes
  • People who have weakened immune systems
  • People who are pregnant

All people should not go out when they are sick.

More current information from King County Public Health can be found here.