Middle Grade Journey

THE CONNECTICUT RIVER VALLEY GROUP and NESCBWI presents:

Space limited to 65 writers

$75.00 SCBWI members includes lunch
$80.00 non-members includes lunch

SCHEDULE  (Doors open 9:30am)

• 9:30 am – 10:30 am   Registration, Networking, Shop, Book Signing
  10:30 am – 10:45 am   Welcome – Susan R. Waide & Victoria Reed, Conference Coordinators
• 10:45 am – 11:00 am Encouraging Words by Jane Yolen, Author
  11:00 am – Noon Middle Grade Author Panel 
• Rob Buyea, Leslie Connor, Jeanne Zulick Ferruolo, Kimberly
  Behre Kenna, Lee Y. Miao, and Jane Yolen.
• Noon – 1:30 pm   Lunch, Networking, Buy Books, Book Signing, Visit Westerly
  Shops (2 assigned lunch shifts at The Café.)

  • Email your menu choice to Srwaide@cs.com after you register.

    • 1. Hummus Wrap – alfalfa, cucumber red onion, roasted garlic hummus, feta, olives.
    • 2. Fried Green Tomato BLT – garlic aioli, country white bread
    • 3. Turkey Sandwich – roasted turkey, roasted red peppers, arugula, avocado, herbed
      balsamic.
    • 4. Gluten Free option is available.
    • Lunch includes chips, pickle, filtered water, and cookie.
    • Any other beverages/food ordered will be charged to the guest directly at the time of service.

• 1:30 pm – 2:30 pm    Middle Grade Agent/Editor Panel: Sunita Apte (Editor, Reycraft Books/Benchmark), Erica Bauman
  (Agent, Aevitas Creative Management), Stephen Fraser (Agent, Jennifer De Chiara Literary Agency), and Eileen Robinson (Editorial Director, Charlesbridge Move Books)
• 2:30 pm – 3:00 pm     Break, Book Sales, and Networking
• 3:00 pm– 4:00 pm     Middle Grade Pitch Party (Agent, Editor, Author Panel)

  • If you’re submitting a pitch, up to 40 words, please email it to Srwaide@cs.com by March 31, 2023. Type Middle Grade Pitch in the subject line. Include your name, email address, and phone number with your pitch. Panelists will critique top pitches at the pitch party. Agents and editors will receive all pitches after the event. Please have at least three polished chapters completed and an outline ready.

• 4:00 pm – 4:30 pm      Closing, Networking, Book Signing

(Free parking/Nearby train station/La Quinta Hotel discount: Writers Conference)

About The Connecticut River Valley SCBWI Critique Group

The Connecticut River Valley Critique Group welcomes all children book writers and illustrators. Our small all volunteer group is an offshoot of the New England SCBWI. We write and illustrate board books, picture books, easy readers, chapter books, middle grade novels, young adult novels, and graphic novels. We normally meet on zoom the second Monday of each month and the fourth Thursday of each month. We hold live monthly critique events at local Connecticut libraries, historical buildings, or other locations. For more information contact Susan R. Waide at Srwaide@cs.com