Writers from Oregon have been meeting and offering signed copies of their books for sale at the Oregon State Fair for 30 years. Last year, according to coordinators, 28 authors sold 6,000 books at the Oregon Authors Table. To offer books for sale at the State Fair, Oregon authors must apply to have their books juried. Fair organizers are particularly interested in books for children, books of local interest, and books about local history.

A $100 fee covers one seat and 2 feet of table space. Only books may be offered for sale in this space. Authors should be prepared to commit to staffing their seats for all hours the fair is open, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. weekdays, and 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. weekends. (Substitutes are permitted, but seats must be fully staffed for all hours the fair is open.) Apply no later than mid-June by contacting Wayne Petersen at wayne.petersen@state.or.us, or call (503) 947-3246.

AC Gilbert House celebrates Eric Carle's birthday
The popular children's destination, AC Gilbert Discovery House in Salem, will celebrate the birthday of renowned children's author and illustrator, Eric Carle on June 25. Author and illustrator of over 70 books, Carle's best-known work is "The Very Hungry Caterpillar," which has sold over 25 million copies since first being published in 1969. Carle is also the author of "The Very Lonely Firefly," "The Very Busy Spider," and "A House for Hermit Crab"

Visitors can join in the celebration by attending storytime and by making their own Eric Carle caterpillar. Carle's work was of particular interest to event planners at AC Gilbert House, says, because of the way children.

"His illustrations are fun, comical, and kids can imitate them. And, his books are about science, which make them a great fit for a science museum," AC Gilbert Assistant Director Kim Baldwin said. AC Gilbert House is located at 116 Marion St. NE. For information, visit www.acgilbert.org or call (503) 316-3485. The celebration will take place between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. and is free with the price of admission.

Children's writers network throughout summer
The Oregon regional chapter of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators offers writers and illustrators in the mid-Willamette Valley the opportunity to network and grow professionally in a series of events in the coming months:

An SCBWI "Writers' Workshop" group meets monthly at the West Salem Public Library, usually on the fourth Thursday of the month from 7-9 p.m. This group focuses on generating new ideas and learning about various aspects of the writing craft. The group also studies children's literature from current bestseller and awards lists. The group meets again on June 26, 7-9 p.m. No fee. Please contact Shannon Riggs at shannon.riggs@yahoo.com for more information and to RSVP. Bring a notebook and come prepared to write.  

The SCBWI Annual Summer Picnic takes place on June 21, starting at 10:30 a.m. at the Garden Home Recreation Center, 7475 SW Oleson Road in Portland. The guest speaker will be Oregon author David Slater, who will deliver a speech on "Getting Your Foot in the Door and Keeping it There." Slater is the author of nine picture books, including "Cheese Louise," "The Ring Bear" and "Jacques & Spock." For more information, and to RSVP, please contact Dawn Prochovnic dawnp@smalltalklearning.com or visit www.scbwior.com. Attendees should bring their own picnic lunches and folding chairs or blankets.

SCBWI's Annual Retreat will convene at the Silver Falls Conference Center October 9-12. Interested writers who are not already members will need to contact the event organizer, Robin Koontz, prior to August 18, when registration forms will be mailed. The fee is $325 for SCBWI members who register before September 9. This year's workshop presenters will include Larry Rosler, editor, Boyds Mill Press; Barbara Seuling, author; Julie Romeis, editor, Chronicle Books. To become an SCBWI member, visit www.scbwi.org. To learn more about the retreat and other events hosted by the Oregon regional chapter, visit www.scbwior.com.

Writing class for grown-up stories
Beginning June 19, certified Amherst Writers and Artists method instructor Joanne Scharer will offer a 6-week workshop titled "Awaken the Voice." Scharer is a freelance writer, editor, and has been a consultant for over ten years.

Scharer explains the AWA philosophy.

"Every person is a writer, and every writer deserves a safe environment in which to experiment and learn -- about writing and about themselves."
Scharer adds that the AWA method has been equally effective in helping those whose voices have traditionally been silenced by poverty, discrimination, illness, age or other obstacles to achieving the powerful combination of language and confidence.

Participants may attend the first workshop free of obligation, but do need to register first. The 6-week series meets at the Woodland Chapel Library, located at 582 SE High Street in Salem and begins on June 19. The group will not meet July 3. The fee is $115 and a sliding scale is available. To register, visit www.allwritingmatters.com, email joanne@allwritingmatters.com, or call (503) 409-9910.         

If you have an event that would be of interest to mid-Willamette Valley writers and readers, please contact Shannon Riggs at shannon.riggs@yahoo.com.
Writer Shannon Riggs lives in Salem. Her picture book, Not in Room 204, won the 2007 Oregon Book Award for Children's Literature. Visit Shannon on the web at www.shannonriggs.com.