SCBWI and the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books Signing Booth

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Andrea J. Loney, Ashlyn Anstee, authors, Bethany Barton, Chris Robertson, illustrators, Jake Gerdhardt, LATFoB, Laurenne Sala, Los Angeles Times Festival of Books, PAL, Robert Mellette, SCBWI members, Summer

By Jacob Gerhardt

SCBWI members have a legendary reputation for being friendly and supportive. Working the SCBWI LA Times Festival of Books booth with fellow authors proved, as always, that this characterization is well deserved.

I would estimate about half the festivalgoers who stopped by our booth were interested in purchasing our books and the other half curious to learn more about the world of children’s books. We were happy to accommodate on both ends.

SCBWI Central Coast Regional News, Second Quarter 2017

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Donald Maass, Lee Wardlaw, mentors, Robin LaFevers, SCBWI events, SCBWI members

By Ann Rousseau Smith, SCBWI CenCal News Liaison

Congratulations to our 2017 Mentees:

Julie Dillemuth – Picture Book

Karen Jordan – Poetry Collection

Mentor Lee Wardlaw

Our 2017 mentor Lee Wardlaw, award-winning author of 30 books for children and young adults, will communicate with both Julie Dillemuth and Karen Jordan a minimum of twice a month, beginning April 1, 2017. Lee Wardlaw will provide feedback on one complete manuscript, plus comments on revisions.

And drum roll please! The winner of the SCBWI Summer Conference Grant is…

SCBWI SoCal Regional News, 2nd Quarter 2017

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Erin Young, Estelle Laure, illustrators, Imagine 2, John Dadlez, Kate Sullivan, Salina Yoon, SCBWI events, SCBWI members, Steve Bramucci, writers

By CenCal Regional Team

Tahquitz Pines Retreat Center

Spring Retreat

It’s spring in the SoCal region and our Spring Retreat: Finding Gold is coming up soon! We have a few spots left for the perfect writer’s getaway at the Tahquitz Pines Retreat Center nestled in the beautiful Idyllwild mountains. Come join us May 5-7, 2017 as we seek to “find gold” in our manuscripts during this intensive revision weekend. Designed for Middle Grade and Young Adult authors, the retreat will include writing time, revision time, and roundtable critiques in an intimate setting with an editor or an agent, an author, and a few of your colleagues. Staff in Attendance: Kate Sullivan, Delacorte Press; Erin Young, Dystel, Goderich, and Bourret LLC; Estelle Laure, YA author of This Raging Light and But Then I Came Back; Steve Bramucci, MG author of The Danger Gang & the Pirates of Borneo!  Hope to see you there! Register here. And read on for more awesome events you won’t want to miss!

Estelle Laure

Kate Sullivan

 

 

 

 

 

 

SCBWI SoCal Regional News, 1st Quarter 2017

By SoCal Regional Team

SCBWI SoCal has some great events coming up!

May 5-7, 2017 – SCBWI SoCal Spring Retreat 2017: Finding Gold

YA and middle-grade writers, now’s your chance to work on your novel with the support of professionals in a scenic mountain retreat. Our goals? We want you to find the gold in your manuscript and query letter and inspire you to polish your work until we all holler “Eureka!”  Attendees will participate in four critique-group sessions led by an editor, agent, and published author. You will hear speaker presentations on the craft of writing as well as valuable feedback on query letters and what makes them shine. Plus, you’ll get to mingle with the editor, agent, authors, and fellow Forty-Niner writers during happy hour.

SCBWI Central Coast Regional News, 1st Quarter 2017

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awards, community, grant, news, SCBWI events, SCBWI members

By Ann Rousseau Smith, SCBWI CenCal News Liaison

 

2016 WRITERS’ DAY REFLECTION BY IAN FOUTZ:

I have attended Writers’ Days in the past, but the 2016 Writers’ Day was special. Not only because I was awarded a scholarship grant, but also because the day seemed custom-tailored to my current state as a writer. Stephanie Pitts’ amazing talk about “Writing Irresistible Picture Book Characters” provided a lot of wonderful examples from existing PBs that helped to make her points very easy to understand. By addressing topics such as character personalities, voice, and the idea of non-transformative change, she provided actionable advice to authors of all kinds.

Los Angeles Regional News: 2017 Is Your Year!

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community, conferences, critiques, news, SCBWI events, SCBWI members, Working Writer's Retreat

Puppy dogs and fairy queens, stars and wishes and unseen things . . . as a community of writers and illustrators, we have wondrous tales to spin and dazzling visuals to design. Our hope is that you find in this new year your strongest voice ever. For there are children waiting, children who need your stories of hope and love and adventure and triumph in their hands. Tell yourself, for them, that this is your year, and mean it.

All our best to all our Los Angeles SCBWI members from the Regional Team and Board

Upcoming Events

On Saturday, February 25, we’ll once again be at the beautiful Skirball Cultural Center for Writers and Illustrators Day, combining two favorite events into one great day. Morning keynote speakers, lunch, and a choice of two afternoon breakout sessions are included in the price of registration.

Central Coast Regional News, Fourth Quarter 2016

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Ann Cathleen Neumann, book talk online, CenCal Grant, CenCal Writers Retreat, Donald Maass, Drew Daywalt

by Ann Rousseau Smith, CenCal News Liaison

Central Coast Regional News, Third Quarter 2016

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Salina Yoon

by Ann Rousseau Smith, CenCal News Liaison

 

ArtWorks 2016, Report by Tricia Candemeres

LA Regional News – Third Quarter, 2016

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Kim Wildman, Nutschell Anne Windsor, Sally Jones Rogan, Sarah Laurenson

by Nutschell Anne Windsor

SCBWI-L.A.’s New Regional TeamFrom left to right: Sally Jones Rogan (Co-Regional Adviser), Kim Wildman (Asst. Regional Adviser), and Nutschell Anne Windsor (Co-Regional Adviser)

Central Coast Regional News, Second Quarter 2016

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book talk online, mentorship, rejection pity party, save the dates

by Ann Rousseau Smith, CenCal News Liaison

 

SCBWI CenCal’s Mentor Program 

Congratulations to our 2016 Mentees

Picture Book: Laurie Daley, Doreen Maulhardt, and Susanne Whitehouse

Middle Grade: Cindy Marcus

Young Adult: Linda Hearn