Mazza Memories - A Conference You Should Know, Really! by Kathy Halsey

While many GROG buddies took to the Georgia mountains for the WOW Retreat, I traveled the byways to Findlay, Ohio for the Mazza Summer Conference. My conference goals this year included new venues and getting beyond my comfort zone. The Mazza Museum at the University of Findlay has amassed the largest collection of original picture book art in the WORLD! Many children's writers know of the Eric Carle Museum, but not this hidden gem. One can visit anytime of the year, tour the museum, attend educational programming, shop the gift shop, and see the Havens Resource Center that lends themed and artist story kits to teachers. 

Stellar Keynotes and More

Attendees were treated to morning and afternoon keynote speeches by these luminaries: Chris Barton, Rosemary Wells, Barney Saltzberg, Marie-Louise Gay, Lizzy Rockwell, Steve Light, Lita Judge, Elly McKay, Randall de Seve, Steve Swinburne, Jim Averbeck and Jason Chin. During our evening hours, we dined with the authors who were very kind and approachable. I sat across the table from Rosemary Wells one evening and next to the President of the College and her husband at a haunted mansion another night. Book buying, autographing, selfie snapping, and breakout strands filled the other hours. The writing strand is included in the affordable price. Professor of Education and children's writer Melissa Cain facilitated our week of writing. Our amazing author/teacher for the week was best seller Sherri Duskey Rinker! Two hours daily with Sherri and Professor Melissa Cain, plus a critique with them both made this writer ecstatic. 

Shazam! The Writing Strand

Most of the writers focused on picture books, yet our group included middle grade writers and published nonfiction writers such as Michelle Houts. Sherri orchestrated an amazing array of kid lit professionals who skyped with us, too. Our guests included editors, illustrators, agents and Caldecott winners. I missed a few of these sessions due to my pullout presentation, Nonfiction Is Bewitchin'. (This is where I moved out of my comfort zone, but my audiences seemed to enjoy my sessions.) 

For the sessions I did attend, here's a round-up of some writerly wisdom:

1. Brendan Wenzel told us to let all ideas surface. This freedom let him play with the concept for THEY ALL SAW A CAT. (We all 

saw the F&G of this book!)

2. Molly Idle assured us that kids are so smart that we, as writers, just need to tell the story, they will get the message easily.

3. Neither Molly nor Sherri Duskey Rinker felt it was essential to have an agent for your first book. We should be working on our writing.

4. Agent Lori Kilkelly suggests that if one is new to submissions, send out a manuscript to just a few agents at first. Wait to see if there is feedback, then do another round of submissions. 

5. Lori also shared some heartening information for beginners. She believes that "writing is muscle memory. Look at your earlier writing, it may feed your work now. That effort and craft is never a waste."

The Mazza Summer Conference was food for my writer's soul in so many ways. I even received some encouraging words on my manuscript critique from Sherri! (Of course she found my beginning in the middle of my story.) Check out this stream of flickr pictures to see more. But wait...I haven't yet shared the twenty-three pages of handwritten notes from the keynotes! On September 22, I'll post more Mazza Memories, and meanwhile, circle your calendar for mid-July, 2017 for a trip to Findlay, Ohio.