Great opportunity for aspiring writers.

I wanted to let ya'll know about a wonderful opportunity for children's writers. You can submit your manuscript to be reviewed by a real live published author, editor, or agent at the upcoming Rocky Mountain Society of Children's Book Authors and Illustrators conference. Here is a link for the details:

http://www.rmcscbwi.org/html/conference_info.html

Once there, click on "manuscript critiques." The deadline is soon, so sign up ASAP.

For anyone who feels like they want to move on to the next step, this is a great opportunity. Going to a conference similar to this one is how I found my agent. There really is no substitute for a one on one meeting with a pro. You'll get invaluable (and unvarnished) advice, and you may even get an invitation to submit once your manuscript is ready. This is the kind of thing that can lead quickly to publication, if you're showing them your very best work. At the very least, you could make a contact with someone who may be in a position to help you out in the future.

You don't have to be a member of SCBWI to do this, either, I don't think, though I strongly recommend that any aspiring young adult author join. It's a great organization, and it's really not that expensive.