My Web Site - The Story Board

Kimberly Campbell’s scribbles tend to bend toward southern humor, the everyday lives of country folk, with characters living in the Carolinas or Georgia. She won the 73rd Annual Writer’s Digest writing competition. Newbery author Mr. Richard Peck was the judge.

Her work has been accepted by Chicken Soup, Writer's Digest, Pockets, Kid Zone, Cadet Quest, On the Line, Shine Brightly, The Institute of Children’s Literature, and Blooming Tree Press. She has written two middle-grade biographies for Enslow Publishers.

She attended Emory College during the 2003-04 academic year, taking a creative writing class and an anthropology course. Before that, she took several classes at Georgia Perimeter College.

Besides writing, her other hobby is ALTA and USTA tennis.

www.KimberlyCampbell.net

Story Boarder Syrl Kazlo

SYRL KAZLO

I'm a retired Home Ec teacher. Hubby is a retired PA state policeman. We moved to upstate NY and now we live on a small pond in the Adirondacks.

My writing experience- well I am not one of those people who have been writing since kindergarten, that's for sure. I've been seriously writing for about 4 years now. I've been but published about 4 times in Once Upon A Time. Have been published in Story Friends, Focus on the Family, Clubhouse Jr and an adult mag, Log Cabin Life. Hopscotch for Girls and Club Connection have accepted articles for future publication and I have won 2 honorable mention in Byline magazine contests and the Achieve the American Dream contest. Two more adult mags will be publishing something of mine in the future. I've won a couple of contests. I write mainly short stuff. I say I don't know that many words. I'm in awe of you who write long. A couple of months ago I attempted to write a mg. I have gotten up to about 18,000 words. Quite an accomplishment for verbally challenged me.

Sandra McBride

SANDY McBRIDE

Sandy McBride retired from her day job in June, 2005, and immediately found a hundred new ways to procrastinate. When she did rein in her wayward attention span, she completed work on her middle grade novel, “Finding Goliath and Fred”, a historical fiction piece set in the Revolutionary War. This is the fourth novel she has completed. She’s still seeking publishers for the first three, “Martha and the Redcoat”, “South Flew the Egret” and “Serene of the Woods”. She also has begun work on novel number 5, another historical fiction middle grader with the working title of Riding the Eden Constant, an adventure on the Erie Canal in the Civil War era.

In the past year, Sandy has placed first in NEWN’s annual poetry contest with “Pick-off”, a funny baseball poem, and took an honorable mention in one of ByLine’s monthly contests with “Conversation Over a Bird Feeder”. An article and two poems appeared in Once Upon a Time. Her short story for adults, “Second Chance”, will be published in the January 15, 2006 edition of Her Circle E-zine. Her poem, “Do Not Be Afraid”, was chosen by June Cotner for her daily desk calendar, Everyday Blessings 2006, published by Sourcebooks.

At the urging of her large and lively family (husband, six kids, six “outlaws”, and sixteen grandkids) she published a collection of her poems entitled Mist Upon the Pond in 2005.

“A good critique group is vital,” Sandy says, “and I feel so lucky to be a part of Storyboard. Writing can be a lonely occupation. It is so important to have the support, understanding and objective input of people who know what you’re going through. When you work at something for a long period of time, it’s like you can’t see the forest for the trees. My friends at Storyboard help me to see the forest.

Candie Moonshower

CANDIE MOONSHOWER

I like to tell people I'm a twenty-five year "overnight" success, since I began a novel for teenagers in 1979, and I sold one in 2004--my middle-grade novel, THE LEGEND OF ZOEY, due out in July 2006 (Delacorte Press). In between, I wrote a lot of short pieces, for magazines ranging from BUILDING INDIANA to BUSINESS TENNESSEE, and all points in between!

I've been writing since I learned to read, about midway through first grade. I never took my "talent" seriously, because all the other folks in my (maternal) family are musical prodigies or othewise inclined. "What's writing?" I thought . . . and it took me a long time to get over that condescending attitude toward myself. I returned to school in 1993 to complete my bachelor's degree, and the combination of taking the time to write something besides business articles, along with the feedback on my academic pursuits, helped build my confidence. Add to that the gift from my mother of my father's beautiful letters, written from 1954 until his death in 1968, and I was on my way. His writing talent, evident even under the worst of circumstances, inspired me! From his letters, I wrote a nonfiction book entitled SILENT KNOWING, which is in the process of being rewritten.

I met Roxy, Susan, Syrl, Eileen and Barbara (now deceased)--the original members of the Story Board--in February 2001, after joining SCBWI, and I cannot stress enough how our critique group has contributed to my growth as a children's writer! Now, with the addition of Sandy, Kim, Lisa and Kathy, our group is a wondrous talented dynamo! I started submitting my stories in October 2002, won the Sue Alexander Most Promising New Work Award in October 2003, sold THE LEGEND OF ZOEY in April 2004, and I've just completed a new young adult novel, ABSENT WITHOUT LEAVE, as well as a category romance, working title SHUT UP AND KISS ME. In addition to all that, I am working on a middle grade series proposal. In 2006, I hope to sell another novel, and I'm excited to be finishing my Master's degree in English Literature at Middle Tennessee State University.

Please visit me at www.CandieMoonshower.com!

EILEEN REISS

I'm a retired employee of the NYC Finance Dept. Writing good short stories has been a long time dream of mine. During my working days I went to college at night to get myself started. It helped, but not enough because I'm still unpublished. However, the Storyboarders keep prodding me along. So I'm hanging in there to see I can make it or they dump me. Just kidding everyone. I'm working on a YA novel, JOHANNA'S CHOICE.

Kathy Witt

KATHY WITT

My book, Contemporary American Doll Artists and Their Dolls (Collector Books), featuring 25 original one-of-a-kind doll artists, was just released. Richard Simmons, featured in the book recounting his introduction to the world of figurative doll art, says the the book is "beautiful." (Thanks, Richard!) The book will be seen beginning September 26, 2004, on HSN (Home Shopping Network) with an artist's limited edition resin doll. My second book about dolls, The Doll Directory (also by Collector Books), will be released in October, 2004. I am now writing my third book on dolls, plus another book with a theme of Christmas nostalgia.

I write a monthly column on international figurative doll artists for Doll Magazine in England and am a freelance writer for a variety of newspapers and magazines in both the United States and the United Kingdom, including many doll magazines (Contemporary Doll Collector, Doll Crafter, Doll Reader, Dolls). Favorite and frequent topics are travel, art and antique dolls and doll museums and history.

I have written 30 children’s books for Malaysia’s ESL program and am about to begin writing a 10-book series for beginning readers. I really want to break into the U.S. market with one of my picture books (I've written quite a few) and then happily publish one after another. . .

Visit my website at www.kathywitt.com

Lisa Rondinelli Albert
photo by Sara Chars

LISA RONDINELLI ALBERT

Lisa Rondinelli Albert hung a Do Not Disturb sign on her bedroom door and began writing songs and poetry at the age of seven. Her desire to write continued throughout high school, where her first published poem appeared in the school newspaper. She branched out to write ‘slice of life’ articles and received her first rejection letter at the age of seventeen from Cosmopolitan Magazine. (she still has it!)

After Lisa had her children, she realized that she was meant to write for kids. Having read voraciously as a child herself, rediscovering children’s literature with her kids was like finding a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow.

Lisa’s biography of author, Lois Lowry, will be released in 2007. (Enslow Publishers, Authors Teens Love series) She writes picture books, chapter books, middle grade novels and young adult novels. Her YA novel, Mercy Lily, was a finalist for the 2001 SCBWI Contemporary Novel Grant. She also received an Honorable Mention in ByLine Magazine’s First Chapter of a Novel Contest. Her articles have appeared The Children’s Writer’s and Illustrator’s Market editions 2003 and 2004. She has had the honor of interviewing Newbery Award winning authors, Lois Lowry and Kate DiCamillo, along with several other prominent authors and editors.

In 2003, Lisa was awarded a grant to attend the Society of Children’s Book Writer’s & Illustrator’s National Conference in Los Angeles. SCBWI also awarded Candie Moonshower a grant, saying they couldn’t chose between the two. Lisa became a member of the StoryBoard the following year and it’s been a blessing. "This group is comprised of knowledgeable, insightful and productive women. We motivate one another, cheer each success, rise above rejection and strive to write our very best."

Visit Lisa’s website at www.LisaAlbert.com

Author Susan Turner Mathew on a recent research trip to Europe

SUSAN TURNER MATHEW

I'm Susan Turner Mathew, an attorney practicing in Phoenix, Arizona and grad student in the Northern Arizona University Master's in Counseling program. I grew up in small town central Illinois. Shelbyville, to be precise, home of the only stoplights in the county.

In 1981, I received her Bachelor's degree from DePauw University and my law degree from Arizona State University in 1989. Despite my preference for corduroy and cold weather, I've lived in Phoenix since 1983.

Much of my inspiration to write comes from my search for compelling age-appropriate literature for my two children, ages 12 and 10. In particular, I am interested in writing middle grade and young adult novels featuring strong, creative female characters who face challenges with spirit and determination. Since my daughter was born, I've been frustrated and saddened by the plethora of male characters and dearth of interesting female characters in the books I read to my children - even Winnie-the-Pooh stories only have one female character, Kanga. I made Piglet, a primary figure in most of the stories, female, until my son could read - then he kept correcting my pronouns!

Unfortunately, my work and family demands have been extreme this year putting my writing temporarily (I sincerely hope) on the proverbial back burner. However, the women of Storyboard are incredible sources of inspiration and strength in my life, whether or not I have anything for them to critique. This group encourages, reinforces, prods, surrounds and nurtures like nothing I've ever encountered before.

It is truly my privilege to be a part of Storyboard. I'm delighted to know these talented, kind and very spirited women. I have to look no further than my critique group for inspiration for my strong female characters.

Author Mary Cronk Farrell

MARY CRONK FARRELL

My first book, DAUGHTERS OF THE DESERT: STORIES OF REMARKABLE WOMEN FROM THE CHRISTIAN, JEWISH, AND MUSLIM TRADITIONS, just came out in April 2003. This young adult collection of eighteen stories is a collaborative effort by five women. We met in a children's writing group and discovered we had a common interest in women's faith stories.

I have also written newspaper and magazine features for adults and children, and spent ten years as a newsreporter for television and radio.

I live in Spokane, WA with my husband and three children. Come see my Web site: http://www.MaryCronkFarrell.com.

THE CRITIQUE GROUP
by Syrl Ann Kazlo

We are a diverse bunch, the eight of us. We hail from the balsam scented forests in the Adirondacks of upstate New York to sunny California with a few southern stops along the way. We are various religions. Races- we don't know and who cares. Only a couple of us have met face to face. We are mothers, grandmothers, retired teachers, a lawyer, a Web designer, and a school district employee. What do we have in common? Our love of writing for children.

The eight of us - we call ourselves The Story Board - huddle around our computers every Tuesday night to share our thoughts about another's work submitted to the group the week before. True, this is a critique group, but oh, so much more.

In the past two years we have shared our dreams, hopes, family problems and health worries. What started out as a group of strangers hoping to be published has turned into a sisterhood that truly cares about one another. We try to shape one another's work into a publishable masterpiece. We may not always agree, because we love our words so much, but we do appreciate the advice. We share publishing information in hopes that it will be the right house for a member's manuscript. We even share our rejections, usually responding with "What does that editor know? It was their loss."

Recently, one member of the group challenged all of us to enter the Highlights Fiction Contest. A few of the members who write long felt intimidated by the 800-word limit. They rose to the occasion though, each submitting a different take on the "friendship" theme from the historical to the contemporary. Each submission seems like a winner to me. They sent goose bumps up my spine and elicited a "wow" at the end. Even if none of us wins we are all winners in that we encouraged each other to write and submit.

If you aren't a member of a critique group join one soon, real soon. It is the best thing you can do for your writing career.

Thank you Storyboarders for being my writing soul. Now onto the next challenge: the Pockets fiction writing contest.

This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it writes children's fiction and non-fiction in beautiful upstate New York and is a charter member of The Story Board, which has been meeting weekly since March 2001.

In loving memory of BARBARA GREENE

We lost one of our charter members in the summer of 2005. Barbara was an amazing writer, but more, she was a very talented and generous editor and used her special "squint" to help us see our work in a whole new light, often giving us just the little kernel of gold that helped us make our stories fabulous. She was one of the best critiquers I've ever had the pleasure to work with. She is remembered with great fondness and a good bit of laughter, and now, when we critique in our weekly online gatherings, we often "pull a Barbara" and offer up some off-the-wall brainstorming of new ideas that really push the work to a whole new leve.

Barbara, thank you for your thoughtful critiques over the years. Much love, my friend.

The profile that Barbara wrote long ago, when I first built this page:

"I am a stern grandmother (the Grandmother from Heck, according to the youngest grandchild), living in Houston, Texas, known widely as Humidity City. I "write short" - mostly stories for young children. Personally, I think it's difficult to write for young children. The emotions are stark and dreadful (look at "Are You My Mother" for the worst situation a child can find himself in) and the vocabulary is limited.

Posted over my computer:

          If you tell me, it's an essay. If you show me, it's a story.

About writing short,

          You think it's easy, writing for children?
          Nobody writes for children.
          Everybody writes for editors.
          You think it's easy, writing for editors?"

Named one of the Top Ten Writer's Web Sites by Writer's Digest, October 2004.
Created by Roxyanne Young. All content Copyright 2000-2006 Roxyanne Young except where otherwise noted. All rights reserved. No part of this Website may be reproduced without express written permission of the owner.
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