Skibby camp

A week ago I traveled with author Lyn Smith to Rockywold-Deep Haven Camps in Holderness, New Hampshire for the NESCBWI Squam Lake Writer’s Retreat.

My little picture book dummy taking shape over many months was ready for review!

We checked into our rustic room, giddy as campers.

After mingling a bit and meeting our gracious event coordinator/Co-Regional Advisor Denise Ortakales we headed to the dining hall. The warren of lodges and cabins has lined the northern shores of Squam Lake since 1897, nestled beneath birches and pines.

Such a treat to meet simpatico folks and find out what genre each one was writing! Our group of 30 convened at long tables for every meal.

Lyn Smith and Franceska Bower

After Friday’s dinner, we gathered in Greenwood Lodge for a Pitch Party, a warm-up exercise to practice our book pitches.

Saturday’s schedule was full of presentations by the mentors in attendance, plus individual critiques, genre critique groups, and pockets of free writing time.

Julie Bliven, editor at Charlesbridge, gave a compelling talk about Developing Your Character’s Emotional Growth, using specific picture books, middle grade chapter books, and young adult novels to make her points. I scribbled copious notes and sketched, too.

sketch by Jamie Hogan

Directly after her presentation, individual meetings began. Out on the porch, I met with Liz Bicknell, Executive Editorial Director at Candlewick Press. I am grateful for her insightful feedback on Dark Matters, my story about an urban boy who encounters the Milky Way for the first time. Her detailed notes have given me the map I need to revise!

With a little spare time I set off for a short hike. I got lost, though, and wound up at another end of camp.

Fortunately I made it back in time for Liz Bicknell’s fascinating presentation, Creating Texture in Fiction.

sketch by Jamie Hogan

While texture can be hard to define, Liz discussed how to recognize it, through voice, setting, names, and all the various threads that are woven into a consistent pattern to form a bigger narrative.

Meanwhile, campers were shining!

Pam Vaughan, Lyn Smith, and Cathy Stenquist

After lunch, Emily Mitchell, Agent at Wernick & Pratt, read a picture book to us, Ida, Always, bringing me to tears. It was the best opener to her talk, Sweet Emotion: Creating Moments of Emotional Resonance, about those bear-sized feelings in little kids’ bodies.

Emily used several books at other levels and the science of behavioral development to illustrate her points about the emotional lives of young people. Bravo to Emily, Liz, and Julie for filling me to the brim with their book wisdom!

Next I joined a picture book critique group with four other writers, Franceska Bower, Elizabeth Ellor, Cynthia Jenkins, and Kathleen McClaskey. After each reading our work, we gave and got specific feedback and encouragement.

WHEW.

Some folks got right to it on the porch. Some of us just sprawled in our room with some wine:)

But wait, there’s MORE.

Open mic readings at the Playhouse, where I delighted in Christopher Darke’s sung poem about donuts.

Kudos to all the brave readers, whose story telling made my day.

We strolled back to the lodge and marveled at the moonlight sparkling on the lake.

Only picture book makers would notice a little critter face watching over our beds.

Sunday morning’s Q & A panel with Emily, Liz, and Julie gave us more food for thought on the publishing industry. Liz reads 50 – 100 submissions a WEEK, and “on a numbers level has to be ruthless” because Candlewick is a small publisher. They have to reject about 98% of submissions. Not a fun fact to learn, but one that gave me new determination to craft better stories.

Thanks to all for a fruitful weekend of immersion, insights, and inspiration. Time to dive into revision!