| Featured Speakers |
| Julie Danneberg |
Julie Danneberg is a local children’s writer. She has spent the past six years building a writing career, and during that time she has published six books, both picture and nonfiction chapter books. She also is a frequent speaker in elementary classrooms and has presented to teachers about the process of writing. Several of Julie's books are award winners. Women Artists of the West won the Mountains and Plains Award in the children's division as well as a place on the VOYA (Voice of Youth Advocates) Nonfiction Honor List. In addition, Margaret's Magnificent Adventure was a 2000 Colorado Book Award Winner and First Day Jitters was featured in Newsweek magazine as one of their "Books of Wonder for 2000." Her newest book, First Year Letters, is a finalist for the 2004 Colorado Children's Book Award.
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| Emma D. Dryden | Emma D. Dryden was born and raised in New York City. During the summer of her junior year of college, she worked as an intern at Viking Children's Books, and after her graduation from Smith College with a B.A. in English language and literature, she worked for four years in the editorial department at Random House Children's Books. She began working at Margaret K. McElderry Books in 1990 and in 1998, upon the retirement of Margaret K. McElderry, became Senior Editor of the imprint. In 1999, Emma was named Executive Editor and in 2001, she became Vice President and Editorial Director of Margaret K. McElderry Books, which is an imprint of the Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing Division. Emma edits picture books, middle grade fiction, young adult fiction, poetry, and non-fiction. |
| Alane Ferguson |
Alane Ferguson has written twenty-four children's books for all ages and is currently working on her third series. A recipient of the 1990 Edgar Allan Poe award as well as the Belgium's Children's Choice Award for Show Me the Evidence, Alane was also nominated for an Edgar on her second young-adult mystery, Overkill. Alane and her mother, author Gloria Skurzynski, have co-authored a series for National Geographic's Children's Book Division. Their novel, Wolf Stalker, was a 1998 Mystery Writers of America's Edgar Allan Poe Award nominee. Alane has won the Children's Crown Classic Award for Cricket and the Crackerbox Kid, American Booksellers Association's "Pick of the List" for her picture book entitled That New Pet, and has been on numerous ALA Recommended Books for Reluctant Young Adult Readers lists and Young Adults' Choice lists. |
| Lisa Findlay | Lisa Findlay is an assistant editor with the Random House for Young Readers Group in New York City. During her four years in children's publishing, Lisa has worked as a marketing and publicity assistant, as well as in the editorial arena. Although currently focusing on middle grade and YA novels, Lisa has worked on licensing programs, leveled readers, nonfiction, and other genres. She is the manager for Pictureback Books, started by Random House over 30 years ago. Lisa has also written over 20 books for licenses such as Disney, Sesame Street, and Thomas the Tank Engine. |
| Mary Peace Finley |
Mary Peace Finley is the author of nine books for children and young adults and numerous television scripts and articles. She is a frequent speaker, workshop leader, and teacher in classrooms and conferences. Her award-winning Western historical novels, Soaring Eagle, White Grizzly, and Little Fox's Secret—The Mystery of Bent's Fort, have become supplemental reading in many schools. Meadow Lark, the third novel of her Santa Fe Trail Trilogy will be published this fall. Another historical novel, Fernitickles, a story set in Scotland in 1617, was published in the educational market. Mary is a past Regional Advisor of RMC-SCBWI, has participated in several critique groups over the past thirty years, and is currently a member of "Chapter One," a long-standing critique group in the Pikes Peak area. |
| Victoria Hanley | Victoria Hanley’s first book, The Seer and the Sword, a fantasy novel for young adults, is published in nine languages, including Spanish and Japanese, and won the 2001 Colorado Book Award in the YA category. It was nominated for the Carnegie Medal in the United Kingdom, and selected for the 2002/2003 master lists for the Texas Lone Star award, the Oklahoma Sequoyah Young Adult Book Award, and the Utah Young Adult Book Award, as well as being named a New York Public Library Book for the Teen Age. Her second novel, The Healer’s Keep, is a New York Public Library Book for the Teen Age, and a Blue Spruce Award nominee this year. It has been selected for the Red House Book Award and the Calderdale Children’s Book of the Year in the United Kingdom. Her third book, The Troubadour’s Voice, will be published in 2004. |
| Donna M. Jackson |
Donna M. Jackson writes creative nonfiction books for children ages 8 and older. Her latest book, Hero Dogs: Courageous Canines in Action, was published by Little, Brown and Company in August 2003 and is a Junior Library Guild Selection. The book follows the work of the search and rescue dogs and their handlers at the World Trade Center site after September 11, 2001, and takes an in-depth look at the roles dogs play in our lives. Her other nonfiction books all have been named Outstanding Science Trade Books for Children by the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA), and her first book, The Bone Detectives, was an ALA Notable Children's Book as well as an IRA Teacher's Choice selection. Find out more about Donna and her books at www.donnamjackson.net. |
| Cyd Moore | Cyd Moore graduated with a BFA from the University of Georgia with an emphasis in graphic design. Her only “real” jobs were as an art director at a television station, and later in the advertising art department of a newspaper. She sometimes filled in for the editorial artist, which was much more fun than laying out grocery store ads. When her first son was born, she left the corporate world, and never returned. For 20 years, she has worked as a freelance illustrator, and graphic designer. Jobs have included McDonald’s Happy Meal boxes, Burger King and baby food ad campaigns, editorial illustrations for numerous national magazines and her most favorite job, children’s books. Her very successful books include I Love You, Stinky Face, Alice and Greta, and Good Night, Princess Pruney Toes. With over 30 books published and 7 more coming up in the next 2 years, she just thanks her lucky stars and the rest of the universe for giving her such a cool job! To learn more about Cyd, check out www.cydmoore.com |
| Lori Kiplinger Pandy |
Lori Kiplinger Pandy is a relative newcomer to the field of children’s book illustration. She spent the first 20 years of her career painting and sculpting for the interior design industry and fine art galleries. She first began attending RMC-SCBWI in 1998 where she won the Best Book Dummy award. Since then she’s been published by Humpty Dumpty's Magazine, Through the Bible Publishing, and Group Publishing among others. Her first hardcover book, The Pony Express, was published by Rourke Publishing in the fall of 2002, and she recently completed a cover job for McGraw-Hill. Lori has enjoyed working with self-publishing authors as well, designing and illustrating 5 children’s books and 3 adult book covers for the independent publishing industry. A graduate of Ringling School of Art and Design, Lori's work can be seen at www.kiplingerpandy.com. |
| Gary Raham | Gary Raham, a former biology teacher, writes both science fact and science fiction. He has also illustrated much of his own work in both fields. His most recent book, Teaching Science Fact With Science Fiction (Libraries Unlimited, 2004), provides middle school science teachers with references and lesson plans for using the literature of science fiction to stimulate student interest in the science that inspired it. He worked directly with middle school science and English teachers in northern Colorado in adapting curriculum for use with his fact/fiction book, The Deep Time Diaries (Fulcrum, 2000). |
| Barbara Steiner | Barbara Steiner is the author of over sixty books for children, young adult, and adults. She has been teaching writing classes and workshops in the Denver metro area and in Mexico for over twenty years. Many of her students are published authors. Her new book is Mystery at Chilkoot Pass from American Girl (Pleasant Company), and it was on Book List's top mysteries for youth for the past year. |
| Joyce Mihran Turley | Joyce Mihran Turley is a self-taught illustrator and designer, having spent many years studying and creating all kinds of art. Trained as an engineer, Joyce also attended art classes at CSU and The Cleveland Institute of Art. Her experience in business and technology remains valuable as she puts her computer to use as a design tool and for self-promotion as well. Specializing in book illustration for the past six years, Joyce's illustrations have been published by small presses and independent publishers across the country. Her newest book for children, Loons, Diving Birds of the North, will be released in September by Mountain Press Publishing. She has been active with RMC-SCBWI for five years. Joyce's varied works may be viewed at www.dixoncovedesign.com. |
| Denise Vega | Denise Vega has learned many of the ins and outs of the children's publishing world over the years. She is the author of two computer books for kids, several short stories and articles for publishers such as Highlights for Children, Discovery Channel School, and Meadowbrook Press. She was the Honor Winner in the 2001 Lee & Low New Voices Award for a multicultural picture book manuscript, and has two toddler books coming out from Cartwheel/Scholastic in 2004 and 2005. Her first middle grade novel was recently acquired by Little, Brown & Co. in a two-book deal and will be published in Spring 2005. Find out more at www.denisevega.com. |