Writers and Illustrators Meet & Greet: Afterword

Wakefield—The Writers and Illustrators Meet & Greet held in the Teen Room at the Boys & Girls Club of Wakefield on Monday, February 20th was a refreshingly casual and cordial opportunity to meet some local artists. The Room to Write would like to extend a thank you to all the talented artists in attendance as well as to the Boys & Girls Club of Wakefield and to SCBWI for their support. There was a wonderful mix of writers and illustrators already established or published as well as writers whose talents have lain dormant while starting families and working to pay the bills. Connecting in person remains an invaluable exercise—a source of both inspiration and motivation. There was even mention of notebooks being unearthed from closets and dusted off, reminding us that we can only go so long before something begins to gnaw at us until we can no longer ignore it and realize we need to nourish our minds, bodies and that sleeping giant within—our souls.

This event was sponsored by The Room to Write with encouragement from the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators and was held in meeting space generously provided by the Boys & Girls Clubs of Stoneham and Wakefield. The event was free of charge but attendees were asked to bring a children’s book to donate to the Boys & Girls Club of Wakefield’s member library. The writers and illustrators who gathered brought with them nearly 40 books, two that were signed by the authors and illustrators who created them, that will be enjoyed by the young people who benefit from the Wakefield Club as a home away from home. There are few greater gifts than that of words and a comfortable, safe place within which to read them.

For more information about this event or to receive updates for future writer/illustrator events, please contact Colleen Getty at colleen@theroomtowrite.com or visit www.theroomtowrite.com.