As the Social Media Coordinator for the SCBWI Oklahoma Region, I host a monthly Twitter Chat for our members (and anyone else who’d like to participate) where we talk for an hour with someone from the children’s publishing world, be it agent, editor, author, illustrator, etc. The conversations are always lively and enlightening.
We meet from 7-8pm CST using the hashtag #okscbwichat. If you’ve ever been curious about a Twitter Chat, stop on by! We love meeting new people.
This month’s chat session was Tuesday, October 27th.
CLICK HERE to view our full #okscbwichat 2020 schedule.
I was thrilled to have Tammi Sauer back for a third time to talk with us this week during our last Twitter chat of the 2020 season. She’s our first “threepeat” guest and after spending any time with her you’ll know why we enjoy having her with us for an evening of conversation. It was a fantastic way to close out the year.
Here’s an introduction to Tammi:
October 27th – Tammi Sauer – Children’s Author
Tammi Sauer is a full-time children’s book author who presents at schools and conferences across the nation. She has 25 published picture books (along with many more under contract) with major publishing houses including Disney* Hyperion, HarperCollins, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Penguin Random House, Scholastic, Simon & Schuster, and Sterling.
In addition to winning awards, Tammi’s books have gone on to do great things. NUGGET & FANG was made into a musical and is currently on a national tour, WORDY BIRDY was named a Spring 2018 Kids’ Indy Next pick, an Amazon Best Book of the Month, and a Barnes & Noble Best Book of the Month, and YOUR ALIEN, an NPR Best Book of the Year, was recently released in Italian, Spanish Korean, and French, which makes her feel extra fancy.
Learn more about Tammi by visiting her website: https://www.tammisauer.com
Her Twitter handle is @SauerTammi
We had another outstanding conversation with Tammi. She discussed her favorite experience while being a published author and which of her characters she’d invite to a sleepover. She also discussed the inspirational power of farm animals.
Tammi shared some great advice for beginning writers and how she managed her expectations for manuscripts she sends out – yes, she still receives rejections!
She shared what elements make a great picture book and she also shared her key to writing the perfect rhymer – MARY HAD A LITTLE GLAM, which Kirkus gave a starred review.
***Interested in the rest of our conversation with Tammi?
View the full chat recap HERE.
We had an amazing #okscbwichat Twitter chat season! Thanks again to all of our wonderful guests! We’ll see you all back on Twitter in January!
You can read the recaps for all of our chats, from this year and from those in years past, HERE.
Ruben Pingk is an author and illustrator living the small town life in Clinton, Utah, with his wife, two rowdy boys, a peckish pug, and a scheming cat. Some of his books include SAMURAI SANTA and LITTLE THOR GETS MAD. He’s the creator of the webtoon A Boy and His Ghost and he moderates the Twitter chat 
Frances Gilbert works at Random House where she is the Editor-in Chief at Doubleday Books for Young Readers. She started her career with books in high school when she worked in the children’s department of her town library. After graduating from university with an M.A. in English, her first job in publishing was as a Book Club Editor at Scholastic Canada in Toronto. She moved to New York in 2000 to set up a children’s editorial division at Sterling Publishing.
Janee Trasler writes and illustrates funny books for kids. Including the popular CHICKIES board book series and other great picture books like I AM NOT A CHAIR, CAVEMAN A.B.C. STORY, and the newly published titles FROG MEETS DOG and GOAT ON A BOAT.
Kelly Starling Lyons is a children’s book author whose mission is to transform moments, memories and history into stories of discovery. She is a founding member of The Brown Bookshelf and an advocate for kidlit diversity.
Brad McLelland was born and raised in Arkansas. He spent several years working as a crime journalist in the South before earning his MFA in creative writing from Oklahoma State University. A part-time drummer and singer, Brad lives in Oklahoma with his wife, stepdaughter, a mini-Aussie who gives hugs, and a chubby cat who begs for ham.
Barbara Lowell is the author of nonfiction and historical fiction picture books, nonfiction early readers, and nonfiction educational market books. Her books include GEORGE FARRIS WHAT A WHEEL, DARING AMELIA, ALEXANDER HAMILTON AMERICAN HERO, and more books for children.
Stephanie Stein is an Editor at HarperCollins Children’s Books, where she acquires middle grade and YA fiction for the Harper and HarperTeen imprints. In her eight years at Harper, she has worked with authors including Anna Bright, Rena Barron, Misa Sugiura, Rin Chupeco, Kiera Cass, Cynthia Hand, and Temre Beltz. She also edits the #1 bestselling Warriors series by Erin Hunter.
Amy Brewer is a Senior Literary Agent with the 
Megan Beatie is a veteran book publicist with more than two decades of experience. She has designed and executed publicity campaigns for a wide range of books, including literary and commercial fiction, mysteries & thrillers, science fiction, fantasy, and graphic novels, as well as nonfiction covering the topics of pop culture, film, entertainment, health, lifestyle, parenting, and relationships.
valerie r lawson 