The 12th Annual SCBWI International Winter Conference

Well I am excited tomorrow starts SCBWI 12th International Winter Conference "two days chock-full of agents, editors, publishers, workshops and networking designed to rocket your writing and illustration to the next level."
I have never been to a conference before so I looking forward to see if the quote above is correct. = )

 Today I drop off  my artwork submission for the Art Showcase it is part of the conference you are allowed one piece (1) art matted and or framed and with a few other rules/ guidelines about size etc...

It was not easy to pick one piece of artwork over others, but there guidelines helped me chose.
One of my first choices was from "The Marshmallow Man" written by Rena Jones the illustration is a two page spread of the fox carrying the Marshmallow dude across the river, the second was also a two page spread from "The Giving Meadow" written by Stephanie Burkhart  it was of all the characters sleeping together (click here to see artwork). But do to size guidelines I thought that both would have lost some of there charm because they would have to be shrunk down to fit.
So I went with an older piece that fit the size requirements better and I felt it is what most Publishers and Editors look for when it comes to artwork submission.    
The title of the piece is called "Hide & Seek" originally published in Stories for Children Magazine March 2009 issue. I would like to thank Susan York Meyers who wrote the poem, allowing me to use her poem as it was originally seen with the artwork back in 2009

RUN RUN

"Run, run as fast as you can;"

How many times in your life have you heard those word?

According to Wikipedia The Gingerbread Boy made its first print appearance

May 1875 in St. Nicolas Magazine

before that the story appears to have been past down from one women to another;

in the introduction they say from "great, great- Grandmother told a little girl ever so many years ago"

So you must of heard it a lot, I know I have. And what makes this version different then the others? I was wondering that myself when I was given the text. Yes the Gingerbread Boy/ Man is now The Marshmallow Man, but it goes beyond that Rena Jones retelling of this children's classic is fantastic! I laugh through the first reading then the second and enjoyed ever word over and over again as I plotted out the illustrations, I was cracking up so much while working on one of the sketches tears were in my eyes.

Let me be honest The Gingerbread boy is not one of my favorites, thinking back I may of been put off by how he was eaten by the fox, even after newer versions came out when he does not get eaten it still bothered me but this story has changed my view of the original story.

(more to come stay tuned)

Also please check out Rena's website for fun activities using "The Marshmallow Man"