SCISA, SCCSS and GCSS conference updates

I called the SCISA today to find out if I could get more information about their teachers' conference or workshop coming up in November. They are going to email me the information as soon as they have everything fixed up. She also said she would love to have me do a presentation. So now the wheels are turning on what to present to a group of teachers. As a writer, I don't really feel I have much to offer teachers, but I'm going to go for it - a writing workshop for teachers. This one will be held at Ben Lippen School in November. So I'll make the trip to Columbia the first week of November.

As I'm not coming up with the funds for either of the state Council for the Social Studies conferences, I've decided to forego them this year and hope that maybe next year I can afford them and hook up with the social studies teachers. I'm happy with being able to get involved in a teachers' conference.

I'll keep plugging away, doing what I'm doing - homeschool conferences, independent school teachers' conferences and hopefully the council for social studies conferences with an occasional book festival thrown in there (can't let the Savannah one go because that is an opportunity to do school visits before the event).

Stay tuned for more updates as I get them. Ma America & the JGDS

SC Geographic Alliance newsletter

Last year I hooked up with the SC Geographic Alliance during the SCHEA convention in Sumter. That led to Geofest in September and February. The quarterly newsletter came out today. I love finding new leads for my books. Not only does the SC Geographic Alliance provide information and resources for SC teachers and schools, but they provide other leads that help me expand. I just checked the resources listed and they have a listing of children's literature that can be used in schools, so my next project is to find out how to get listed as a resource - lol.

The biggest news pertains to the new SC Social Studies standards and that definitely helps me with my study guides and other aspects of the books.

The calendar was showing an entry for the SC Independent Schools Association on November 4. So what do I do? I explore. I find the website and explore it. It seems that November 4 is the date of the State Teacher's Conference. Guess where I'm going to try to be with my books? You guessed it - at the SCISA teacher's conference. With over 1100 teachers in attendance, I should have a pretty good turnout at my table.

Also in November it shows SEDAAG. Again, I had to explore but don't think they have exhibitors at the conference but when I can find out who to contact, I'll see. The biggest problem with this conference is that I will be in Savannah for the Savannah Children's Book Festival the days before so I would be there already but I don't know if I can afford to stay three or four extra days. Everything will be dependent on how things go at events in the next couple of months.

I also found out that Geographic Awareness week is November 13 through the 19th. I'm planning on some activities during the week with some giveaways, so stay tuned as Geography Awareness week approaches.

See you all in the postings - Ma America (Mrs. E) & the JGDS

SCBWI Carolinas conference bound

SCBWI = Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators. As a member of the local group, the Carolinas, we have a conference in the fall. This year's is in Charlotte, NC (my guess is this is fairly central to both states). The workshops will be held at the Marriott on Tyvola Road. I came up early so I wouldn't have to get up like at 5 in the morning and head up the road. I checked in sometime around 7ish this evening and was heading to the lobby to get my dinner microwaved since there are no microwaves in the room and none available to be brought to my room. Getting off the elevator, I met up with a friend - someone I actually know. I can't wait for the workshops this weekend. What I'm taking are geared for marketing to the educational market and marketing in general and the PAL (SCBWI has a group of members who are published and listed (PAL) and so that intensive will be geared more towards marketing too.

I'm open to new ideas on getting my books out there.

Sunday, two of the books in the series (State of Reservations and State of Sucesses) will be reviewed on J. Aday Kennedy's blog. She will also be running a marketing idea on the 29th, so come see what she has in store for us (even I don't know what she is planning to do on the 29th, other than to say she has an idea for getting something for free having to do with my series). Guess we will find out next week what she has up her sleeve. See you all in the postings - Mrs. E & the JGDS - :)