Sprinkled by Stardust...
Trying to break into the children’s publishing world is a daunting process. There are many facets of the craft to learn, numerous rejections to collect, many heart-thumping risks to take. Then there are the people who reach out a hand to the new, the nervous, the striving. I’ve seen very accomplished writers take “newbies” under their wing, offering advice, critiques, or a valued opinion. I’ve seen confident writers, close to breaking through with their own first book, offer a warm welcome and a few words of advice to a first-time attendee at a writing conference. And I’ve seen how the SCBWI can facilitate all of these connections.
The Kimberly Colen Memorial Grant is a great example of this “paying it forward.” The Grants were established in 2004 by the family of the late Kimberly Colen, who was an active and dynamic member of the SCBWI in New York City. After Kimberly passed away, her family chose to commemorate her by creating the Colen Grants, which are designed to help authors and illustrators get their first books published. Yes, these grants are specifically for the unpublished-for those writers who are at work on a manuscript, who show promise, originality, and creativity. It is a generous grant of $2,500, plus reimbursement for tuition, travel, and transportation to the SCBWI Conference in NYC. Each year, the grant is given to one picture book manuscript (K-3) and one for older readers (4th grade and up).
Marvin Terban is the coordinator of the Kimberly Colen Grant.
I was lucky enough to win this grant in the picture book category in 2007 for my poetry collection about firefighting, TRUCKS, BOOTS, AND BELLS. I felt like I'd been sprinkled with a little bit of stardust. I was thrilled to meet Kimberly Colen's brother Randy at last year's New York conference:
I returned to the conference this year, and had the chance to meet the two new winners. Jessica Dimuzio of Pennsylvania has written BARK, BARK, BARK FOR MY PARK, a picture book manuscript based on a true story of how her dog helped to save a park from being turned into a golf course. Sandra Jackson-Opoku, on the faculty of Chicago State University, won the grant for SEA ISLAND SUMMER, a novel of historical fantasy about two African-American siblings who are magically transported back to the past, to South Carolina slave life of the 1800’s.
At the conference-- me, Jessica Dimuzio, Marvin Terban, and 2005 Colen Grant winner Emily Jiang.
On the Saturday night of the New York conference, we had our own impromptu Colen dinner… I dined on lovely Thai food with current winners Sandra and Jessica, and Emily Jiang. We toasted the memory of Kimberly Colen, the generosity of the Colen family, and their belief in extending a hand to emerging writers.
At the restaurant-- me, Emily, Sandra, Jessica, and her dog Johnny Angel!
I felt lucky to be among such wonderful writers, and to have benefited from the opportunities that the Colen grant has brought me. I continue to be moved by existence of the Colen Grant, and I encourage all of you who are unpublished to apply for this grant.
The Kimberly Colen Memorial Grant is a great example of this “paying it forward.” The Grants were established in 2004 by the family of the late Kimberly Colen, who was an active and dynamic member of the SCBWI in New York City. After Kimberly passed away, her family chose to commemorate her by creating the Colen Grants, which are designed to help authors and illustrators get their first books published. Yes, these grants are specifically for the unpublished-for those writers who are at work on a manuscript, who show promise, originality, and creativity. It is a generous grant of $2,500, plus reimbursement for tuition, travel, and transportation to the SCBWI Conference in NYC. Each year, the grant is given to one picture book manuscript (K-3) and one for older readers (4th grade and up).
Marvin Terban is the coordinator of the Kimberly Colen Grant.
I was lucky enough to win this grant in the picture book category in 2007 for my poetry collection about firefighting, TRUCKS, BOOTS, AND BELLS. I felt like I'd been sprinkled with a little bit of stardust. I was thrilled to meet Kimberly Colen's brother Randy at last year's New York conference:
I returned to the conference this year, and had the chance to meet the two new winners. Jessica Dimuzio of Pennsylvania has written BARK, BARK, BARK FOR MY PARK, a picture book manuscript based on a true story of how her dog helped to save a park from being turned into a golf course. Sandra Jackson-Opoku, on the faculty of Chicago State University, won the grant for SEA ISLAND SUMMER, a novel of historical fantasy about two African-American siblings who are magically transported back to the past, to South Carolina slave life of the 1800’s.
At the conference-- me, Jessica Dimuzio, Marvin Terban, and 2005 Colen Grant winner Emily Jiang.
On the Saturday night of the New York conference, we had our own impromptu Colen dinner… I dined on lovely Thai food with current winners Sandra and Jessica, and Emily Jiang. We toasted the memory of Kimberly Colen, the generosity of the Colen family, and their belief in extending a hand to emerging writers.
At the restaurant-- me, Emily, Sandra, Jessica, and her dog Johnny Angel!
I felt lucky to be among such wonderful writers, and to have benefited from the opportunities that the Colen grant has brought me. I continue to be moved by existence of the Colen Grant, and I encourage all of you who are unpublished to apply for this grant.