Claira Jo
Children's author and RA (SCBWI Scotland)

SCBWI SCOTLAND

and my role in it.

Are you a writer, illustrator or in fact do you know anyone in the children's book industry? Well, being the Regional Advisor for the Scottish region for SCBWI (Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators), it's my job to make sure SCBWI Scotland shows the world our talent. Any details for upcoming events I'm organising will be posted on here and ...

www.bebo.com/clairajo
www.myspace.com/clairajo
www.authorsden.com/clairajo
www.scbwi.org

NEW SCBWI SCOTLAND WEBSITE LAUNCHED: -

www.scbwiscotland.co.uk

old website, still active, but not updated for a long time www.wordpool.co.uk/scbwiscotland/

A few updates still need to be done on the SCBWI web, but my bio is up now.

Some events will be open to members only while some to both members and non-members, but all details will be clearly stated at the time. I will update all sites as and when I can with dates, prices guest speakers etc. In the meantime, please email me or comment here if you require any more information. That includes details on how to become a member, submitting articles, reports or illustrations for the newsletter as well as anything else you wish to ask me. I'll also be contacting libraries and schools in the near future, so make sure you look out for me.

Before I really get things off the ground in my new role though, I'd like to know who you are. So, if you live in Scotland and even if you're not a member yet, please contact me so I can put your name in my address book and keep in touch personally. We don't have to meet at this stage, but being your RA, I just need your contact details for my records.

We've all heard of Robert Louis Stevenson, JM Barrie, Arthur Conan Doyle and Kenneth Grahame to name a few. All great Scottish wordsmiths, I'm sure you agree and what an honour you've been given to be from the same nation as them. So let's get ourselves heard and become a region of SCBWI that them themselves would be proud to be members. I have a zillion ideas that will help put us on the map, so why don't you join me in not just promoting yerselves, but our beautiful country also. At present, I fear I'm the only Scottish member out there shouting our cause, but I know we're all Bravehearts deep down. So, like Bruce at Bannockburn, let's show everyone what we've got and become triumphant proving that our pens are just as mighty as anyone elses.

Cheers and I hope to meet some of you very soon.

CJ
x