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By Laurie Young

After two-plus years as our marvelous co-coordinator of the Westside Writers Mingle, Lori Snyder stepped down in December 2017. We are so grateful for her invaluable energy and spirit, and her contributions to our group. She leaves us with these parting words: “I’m happy to say that it was really fun to do and to work with you, and I’m excited to get to come as a participant again.”

When Lori and I were thinking about who could fill her very large shoes, we immediately thought of Rebecca Light. Her intelligence and enthusiasm, as well as an eagerness to volunteer, made a big impression on us from her first Mingle. Rebecca was a natural and obvious choice.

Rebecca has been an SCBWI member for three years. She knew she wanted to be a writer from the time she first started to read and thought that it would be easy to write and publish her stories. As she got older and learned the hard truths about the publishing business, she turned to theatre as a creative outlet. But she came back in earnest three years ago and found a renewed interest in writing picture books and a middle grade novel.

Laurie and Rebecca

Rebecca’s favorite authors are Herman Melville and Mac Barnett. She could read Moby-Dick over her entire lifetime and continue to find more to it. For her, there is something magical about it; it is a living, breathing work of art.

Extra Yarn is a big influence on her, as well. She is inspired by Mac Barnett’s economy of words and strives to achieve his balance of brevity, heart, and humor in her own work.

Some fun facts about Rebecca:

  • used to be a competitive baton twirler
  • loves SCUBA diving and finds it inspirational
  • is also an actor, coming from a family theater background, and uses her theater training to inform her writing
  • her ideal writing place is the lobby of the Grand Californian Hotel in Downtown Disney

Westside Writers LitMingle at Writers Day

Rebecca brings fresh energy and ideas to invigorate the Westside Writers Mingle. We welcome her talent and unique perspective. And we welcome you! All are invited, from well-published pros to new writers looking to find their tribe, SCBWI members and non-members alike.

 

When: from 7:00 PM to 8:45 PM, the first Wednesday of every month from September through June, with a break for some R&R in July and August
Where: Ocean Park Branch Library, 2601 Main St., Santa Monica, CA 90405
Updates, Parking Info, Emails: Visit the LitMingle Calendar

 

For more fantastic content, community, events, and other professional development opportunities, become a member today! Not sure if there is a chapter in your area? Check here.

 

Laurie L Young has an MFA in Fine Arts from UCI and works in publishing as an art director. Laurie has written six books for the novelty market, including, I See a Monster. She has been a member of SCBWI for fifteen years, a co-coordinator of the Westside Writers Mingle for three years, and writes picture books and middle grade.

Rebecca Light began writing picture books at age seven, and dreamed of being published by age eight. Several, (several, several) years later she discovered SCBWI and now believes she can make that seven-year-old’s dream a reality. She holds a BFA in Acting from Boston University and writes picture books and middle grade.

 

Images provided by the Westside Writers Mingle