Here's an article all about it.
Dayton Daily News 1 Sep 2019
Sharon Short Literary Life - Sharon Short writes historical mysteries under pen name Jess Montgomery (www. jessmontgomeryauthor. com).
Martha Dunsky, a Daytonarea children’s book author (“Fire and Forgiveness,” www.marthadunsky.com) recently shared that the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (www.scbwi.org) now has a Dayton group, part of the Ohio Central-South Chapter, which also has groups in Cincinnati and Columbus.
Dayton-area children’s book writers, and those interested in writing or illustrating for younger readers, can now meet with fellow writers and professionals from the genre in Dayton. (Writers are also welcome at the Cincinnati and Columbus group meetings.)
Dayton group meetings are the first Tuesday of each month, 6:30-8:30 p.m., at the Dayton Metro Library, Main Branch, 215 E. Third Street. The meetings are open to the public; it is not necessary to be an SCBWI member to attend.
The next meeting will be Tuesday, September 3, 6:30 p.m., Conference Room 3A, 3rd Floor, at the Dayton Main Library. Guest speaker will be Dave Richardson, manager and book buyer for Blue Marble Books, a children’s bookstore in the Cincinnati area. He will discuss latest trends in publishing, and more.
You can learn more about SCBWI’s Ohio Central-South Chapter at https://ohiocensouth.scbwi.org
Dunsky says that she and another children’s author (Peggy Reiff Miller of Englewood), “found it difficult to drive to the Cincinnati and Columbus nighttime meetings, especially during bad weather, and craved some local networking and support. We decided to try to form a Dayton group. After getting the okay from SCBWI Central-South Ohio, we expected only that handful of people. Instead, 14 people turned up (in June) thanks to an announcement in SCBWI’s regional newsletter.” Dunsky adds that since then, “twenty-four children’s writers and illustrators have attended our meetings from the Greater Dayton area. These include traditionally published, self-published, and non-published writers and illustrators of picture books, middle-grade, and young adult fiction and non-fiction.”
The group offers support, networking, advice, information sharing, manuscript critiques, and programs of interest to local writers and illustrators.
Jennifer Sommer, Kettering, becomes the Dayton group leader as of September. She is a member of SCBWI and retired Children’s Librarian from the Wright Memorial Public Library, with an MFA in Creative Writing for Children from Hamline University in St. Paul.
I recently asked Sommer to share her thoughts about leading this new Dayton group.
What inspired you to lead the Dayton group?
“I have been a SCBWI member and attended the meetings in Sharonville since 2013, so I have a good idea of how our meetings can work. As well, I’ve attended many SCBWI writing conferences and Highlights Workshops which have provided me many contacts and topic ideas that I believe will help get our group established.”
In addition to your MFA, what is your own writing background?
“I write picture books, non-fiction picture books, Middle Grade Fantasy, and Young Adult Historical Fiction. I am currently agented by Stephen Fraser of Jennifer De Chiara Literary Agency and hoping for my first book contract!”
Why is this group important for the Dayton area?
“There is an interest by a number of writers and illustrators in the area who are looking for the structure of a meeting and camaraderie of like-minded people that this group can offer. Our central location provides an opportunity for these people to participate in SCBWI.”
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