Ho Ho Ho, Another Year Has Flown By.

It’s time for the Annual AuthorYOU Holiday Party

Join your fellow authors for some fun, laughter, great food, interesting gifts, schmoozing and networking. No need to cook, Judith will have her chef hat on, and will be providing a buffet lunch. Of course there will be plenty of wine and beer to go around.  

Just bring an unmarked gift to exchange in the off-the-wall Wacko Pick and Steal after lunch. If there are two in your party, bring two gifts so that everyone can leave with something. Be creative! The gifts tend to get pretty wild and fun. 

Date: Saturday, December 21st from 12:30 to 4:00

Location: Judith and John’s Home: 8122 S Quatar Cir, Aurora, CO 80016, USA

Gifts: We do an exchange–the Wacko Pick and Steal exchange to be exact; please keep your cost value to less than $20—hot items in the past: wine; nifty gadgets from Home Depot and Costco; sports stuff; movie tickets; goofy and quirky can be fun … as long isn’t is not a clear reject from something past.

Donation: Please also bring a new toy or book for the Chris Alexander Xmas toy drive for Children’s Hospital.

Cost: $20 per person or $30 per couple

$20 per person

or $30 per couple

Whether you are currently writing books for kids … or you hadn’t thought about it … January will kick off our Author Year of Possibilities. And why not start with books for kids? If you write for the adult reader, did you know that the book you have already written speaks to all ages when presented in another format?

• What message is in your book that children need to hear?

• • Fantasy can be changed to be appropriate for all ages.
  • Villains and Heroes softened for younger audiences.
  • The plot and theme can be used to share life lessons

• Because words change the world, you have an opportunity to change the lives of children. Changing your audience is simply talking to short people without big words.

• • The Giving Tree- teaches about selfishness and selflessness
  • Historical novels- teach about history (which our kids are not getting)
  • Oh the Places You Will Go- Can your novel teach about challenges

• Your characters are already developed. By changing them to animals, dragons, trolls, or children- the novel takes a different approach

• • Trolls are grumpy
  • Butterflies are freedom
  • An older child is a good mentor for the younger one reading

• Stories for the younger crowd are from one point of view

• • The cast of characters are fewer
  • Much will be shown in action
  • Shorter pieces of dialogue

• Scenes you have written can be shortened and enhanced with illustrations.
• Children’s books have the same conflict, climax, and resolution that your novel has.

• • The length of the conflict is sorter
  • The black moment will be midway through
  • The resolution is longer because you will explain more at the ending

• Most people think that you are dumbing down the story to write for children, but you are actually going to crank it up a notch.

• • You have to fit more content in fewer words.
  • Every word has to work harder to get the meaning across.
  • Be conscientious about word choice

Who should attend the January 4^th program? Authors who are already writing for kids. Authors who have been thinking about writing for kids. Authors who didn’t think they could or just hadn’t thought about it beyond their current book.

Show up, have fun, and learn with the guidance of multi-bestselling, award-winning children’s and adult author, Lisa Reinicke.

When: Saturday, January 4, 2020
Where: Smokey Hill Library, 5430 S Biscay Circle, Centennial, CO  80015
Time: 9 am to Noon
Cost:  $25 for AuthorYOU members, $35 for NonMembers. Price increases $ 10 on December 31^st.

AuthorYOU Members $25 (Only Register here if you are a paid VIP AuthorYOU Member)