Notes from the Slushpile Counts Down to Christmas!

Here at Notes from the Slushpile, we've thrown off economic gloom, dispensed with bah-humbug and we've embraced the warm, fuzzy spirit of Christmas. It is with delight that we give you, dear readers, the gift of insider knowledge.

Great Expectations - the SCBWI Winchester Conference and Candy Gourlay

by Addy Farmer & all the rest of the Slushpile gang, except one: surprise, Candy!!

Stand up for the outstanding Candy Gourlay!

Thanks to Kathy Evans for the pic!

That's what we did in a packed conference hall - we stood and applauded Candy as she was awarded the Crystal Kite Member Choice Award which is given by the SCBWI to recognise great books from around the world.It is chosen by other children's book writers and illustrators and is a testament to Candy's fizzing creativity, her warm and generous spirit and that great thing she has, stickability.

Great Expectations at the SCBWI Conference 2011

All the links and photos you ever wanted about the 2011 Great Expectations Conference of SBWI British Isles

This past weekend we slushpilers five congregated with other devotees to the children's book craft at the Great Expectations conference of SCBWI in the British Isles. It's a generous and friendly conference. Over the years a sense of community has grown, and for many in attendance, this was a chance to hook up with friends made over SCBWI's social platforms - the Ning, Twitter and Facebook - a bit like blind-dating between children's book obsessives!

When some of us started attending the annual event in early 2000, the tables of conference bookseller P&G Wells were rarely graced by the books of members. This year it was stacked high with books by SCBWI authors. We were so proud!

There's a lot of buzz about the conference in the blogosphere, here are Candy's photos (and thanks to Steph, Kathy, Paul and Sue for the other pics) plus links that we will be updating as people put up their reports ... but really, you had to be there!