CELEBRATIONS April 2018

The days are getting longer and brighter, so more time for our talented authors and illustrators to find inspiration out in the sun. As we welcome in April 2018 with lots of inspiration and excitement, B B Taylor begins the month by helping to inspire you with all our SCWBI celebration news. 

New Releases 

On the 5th April 2018, SCWBI members took the world by storm with multiple books by our amazing members all released on the same day. Here's some of the fantastic talent SCWBI is lucky to be able to share with you this April.

Ally Sherrick, award-winning children’s author, time traveller and bookworm is jumping into her time machine once again to celebrate her second middle grade WW2-set adventure story, The Buried Crown, published by Chicken House (Released 5 April 2018).

Candy Gourlay had every reason to celebrate on April 5th when her first ever picture book Is it a Mermaid? was released. The author of such titles as Tall Story, she is very excited to unleash this beautiful picture book on the world, but we're all asking one important question ... Is it a Mermaid?  

Em Lynas made her return on April 5th, with her bright and vibrant second book Get me out of Witch School, published by Nosy Crow. Her first book, You can't make me go to Witch School, had readers of all ages rolling with laughter as they followed Daisy through her adventure as she desperately wanted to show everyone her bottom ... in the play. But now she is ac-chew-ally a real witch, will she want to stay at Toadspit Towers?

Elaine Wickson unleashed Planet Stan on April 5th, published by OUP. Stan loves a calming, ordered environment. His dinosaur-loving younger brother, Fred, is the opposite: chaotic, messy, prone to leaving snails under Stan's bed. As Stan struggles to cope with his high maintenance brother and his hair-brained schemes, he charts all the ups and downs of his life in a series of hilarious infographics. A unique book for your April shopping list! 

Rowena House takes us back in time with her debut novel The Goose Road, published by Walker Books on April 5th. This powerful coming of age quest follows a remarkable girl as she journeys across France during WW1.

So, 5th April was certainly a big day for SCWBI members releasing books ... but that's not the end of the story. Here's news of yet more book releases scheduled for this month. Those "to be read" piles won't be running out any time soon! 

Cherry Cobb is releasing her debut novel on the 26th April. Will's War follows young Will, who accidentally travels through time to WW2 London. Lost and alone he tries to fit in, whilst trying to find his way home.

Lorraine Hellier will be releasing her second novel in her beautiful fantasy set on the 28th April. The Elf Quest follows Sweet Pea as she continues her adventures with her brother, Bay Leaf, on his journey to become the Elf King.

Corinne Timmer is excited to tell us that after a four-year journey into self-publishing, she is happy to finally present Djabali’s Journey, an illustrated storybook for ages 5-9, up to 100. The story, set in Spain, is about a wild boar piglet who gets lost, but finds his way home with a little help from a couple of unlikely friends. Her first ever radio interview was on 14 March on KISS FM Algarve and her second school visit will be on April 23.

Up-coming Books 

Clare Helen Walsh has every reason to be excited this month, now that she is finally able to tell the world about her first picture book with Little Tiger, which was revealed at the Bologna Stand. Sadly, she couldn’t be there in person, but in true SCBWI spirit, members Lucy Rowland and Mary Hoffman photographed it in all its glory! The Tide is illustrated by the amazing Ashling Lindsay and will be published in 2019.

Awards 

Emma Dykes certainly has a lot to celebrate so far this year, as she was shortlisted for the Bath Novel Award, getting to attend a very glamorous celebration in Bath!

Agents 

Maisie Chan is definitely feeling lucky this month after she signed with Alice Sutherland-Hawes of the Madeleine Milburn Literary, TV and Film Agency. Maisie is excited to work with Alice on her forthcoming teen novel and has plans for follow-up teen novels as well as middle-grade and picture books.

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Julia Tuffs is also feeling the excitement this month as she has been signed with Helen Boyle from Pickled Ink for her YA novel, she has been super excited since the announcement on twitter a few weeks ago.

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Emma Dykes and her faithful sidekick (pictured below) have certainly had a very exciting start to the year, being signed with the lovely Lauren Gardner, of Bell Lomax Moreton.

New Members 

We love welcoming new members into SCWBI and watching them grow and succeed in chasing their goals. If you're a new member, let us know so we can welcome you too. SCWBI has so much to offer its members - celebrating their successes is just part of the fun! And if you're too shy, or not quite ready yet to give us a wave, remember we are always here to support you along your adventures!

Good News

Imogen Foxell has every reason to be celebrating this month, she has been illustrating GCSE English Literature revision cards for flipscocards.com. This is her first big illustration project and has involved drawing everything from witches and ghosts, to the general strike of 1926, we even got a sneaky peek!

Zoe Armstrong, who was duelling her way to success last month, has won the SCBWI Duelling Illustrators Manuscript contest! She was really excited to have her story, When The Huggalumph Hullabalooed, read to an audience at Bologna, and she couldn't wait to see how the illustrators interpreted the text! The crowd was cheering for uber illustrators John Shelley and Paul O. Zelinsky as they drew pictures based on Zoe's winning manuscript.

Suzie Wilde is partying in style down in Chichester this April with the Book of Bera. Chosen as one of The Guardian's top 5 Fantasy books last year, The Book of Bera is now available in paperback. Suzie celebrated the launch with a sneak preview of the sequel, Obsidian. Book of Bera is a viking fantasy book that Lee Child said was "A terrific historical novel … instantly captivating and compelling" For more information on how to get involved and see book two, Obsidian first, check out https://unbound.com/books/obsidian/

*All images courtesy of authors mentioned above. 

Have you got good new to share? New book? New agent? Award nominee or winner? Are you a new member? Say hi and let us know. Why not send an email over with your good news, a picture and any links so we can shout and celebrate too :)

celebrations@britishscbwi.org