SCBWI CenCal Writers’ Contest Winners 2022!

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Anita Perez Ferguson, CenCal Writer's Day, contest winners, Eloise Freeman, Judith Torres, middle grade, nonfiction picture book, picture book, Rachel Waterstone, SCBWI events, SCBWI members, young adult

By Ann Rousseau Smith, SCBWI CenCal News Liaison

The SCBWI Central-Coastal Region held its Writers’ Day webinar, Perfect Your Pitch, on Sunday, July 10. Lynn Becker, author of Monsters in the Briny, and Lisa Kerr, author of Wake, Sleepy One: California Poppies and the Super Bloom, were our Spotlight Speakers, sharing their paths to publication. Agent Joyce Sweeney from The Seymour Agency offered advice on composing pitches and gave live feedback on a handful of pre-selected pitches.

A highlight of the event was the announcement of the winners of the writing contest.

Lisa D. Kerr, Picture Book Author and Spotlight Speaker

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Lisa D. Kerr, nonfiction, nonfiction picture book, picture book, picture book author, Wake Sleepy One

by Ann Rousseau Smith, SCBWI CenCal News Liaison

Lisa D. Kerr is the debut author of Wake, Sleepy One: California Poppies and the Super Bloom, illustrated by Lisa Powell Braun (West Margin Press, April 2022), a nonfiction picture book about the California poppy super bloom. The story includes details such as the life cycle and plant parts of poppies, the desert habitat and its food web, as well as some early California history.

Lisa was a Spotlight Speaker at SCBWI CenCal’s How to Pitch to an Agent event on July 10. She took a moment to answer some questions for Kite Tales.

An Interview with Lynn Becker, Picture Book Author

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author, CenCal Writer's Day contest, June Moon, Lynn Becker, Monsters in the Briny, picture book, picture books

By Ann Rousseau Smith, SCBWI CenCal News Liaison

Lynn Becker is the author of Monsters in the Briny, illustrated by Scott Brundage (Sleeping Bear Press, April 2022). What do you do with a grumpy kraken, a sickly sea serpent, and a tearful gigantic tortoise? You sing them a tune! The verse in this debut picture book follows the sea shanty rhyme of “What Do You Do With . . . ,” as the ship’s crew face each creature’s demand for comfort or attention.

Lynn Becker, former resident and volunteer member of the SCBWI Central-California Region, now lives and writes in Colorado. She took a moment to answer some questions for Kite Tales.

ANN ROUSSEAU SMITH: Congratulations on your debut picture book Monsters in the Briny, illustrated by Scott Brundage (Sleeping Bear Press, April 2022). What was the inspiration for writing about sea creatures?

Happy Holidays from Your SCBWI Regional Team

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SCBWI community, SCBWI members

Did you know that studies have shown that expressing gratitude induces feelings of pleasure and contentment, which in turn can impact your overall health? We are all about expressing gratitude—for our amazing volunteers, for our wonderful members, and for being part of an industry that cares so deeply.   

Happy Holidays from SCBWI Cen-Cal!

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SCBWI community, SCBWI members

Image by Laura-Susan Thomas, SCBWI CenCal Regional Illustrator Coordinator.

SCBWI CenCal Writers’ Day 2021: The Winners Are…!

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CenCal Writer's Day, contest winners, SCBWI events, SCBWI members

By Ann Rousseau Smith, SCBWI CenCal News Liaison

This year’s SCBWI CenCal Writers’ Day Creating with Hope! was a hybrid event. Saturday, October 30, was an in-person event with several author speakers. Day two, Sunday, November 7, was a webinar featuring Megan Ilnitzki, editor at HarperCollins Children’s Books, and an illustrator’s gallery. Our fabulous writing contest winners were announced at Sunday’s event.

Congratulations to all our contest participants, including our winners!

SCBWI CenCal’s Bounce Back Writers’ Retreat

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revising, SCBWI community, SCBWI events, writing, writing retreat

By Ann Rousseau Smith, SCBWI CenCal News Liaison

Need a boost to your creative juices? Join us for a weekend of writing and revising beside the sea on January 21 to January 23, 2022.

Our get-away-to-write retreat will be held at the Cavalier Oceanfront Resort in San Simeon, overlooking the Pacific Ocean.

Save the Date! Cen-Cal Writers’ Day 2021

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Annelouise Mahoney, CenCal Writer's Day, critiques, Jamie Emaus, Kristen Nordstrom, SCBWI events, writing contest

By Ann Rousseau Smith, SCBWI CenCal News Liaison

SCBWI Central-Coastal California has set a date for Writers’ Day 2021. Please mark your calendars for Saturday, October 30.

This year’s Writers’ Day will be in two parts. The first will be in-person at California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks with spotlight speakers. A featured guest will also speak on this day. The writing contest recipients will be announced and critiques distributed at this half-day event.

Spotlight speakers include:

An Interview with STEM Author, Kristen Nordstrom

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Biomimicry, CenCal, Eiji Nakatsu, interview, Kristen Nordstrom, Mimic Makers, nonfiction, Paul Boston, STEAM, STEM

by Ann Rousseau Smith, SCBWI CenCal News Liaison

Kristen Nordstrom is the debut STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) author of Mimic Makers: Biomimicry Inventors Inspired by Nature, illustrated by Paul Boston (Charlesbridge Publishing, July 2021). The picture book profiles ten real-life scientists, engineers, and designers who copy nature to create amazing new technology. Thank you, Mother Nature!

Kristen teaches biomimicry and other topics to elementary-school students in a gifted science program, and is a member of NSTA, the National Science Teaching Association. She has written innovative curriculum, and has been honored with two writing awards from SCBWI for outstanding STEM manuscripts. Kristen took a moment from her busy schedule to answer some questions for the Kite Tales blog.

Need a Writing Boost? Enter the 2021 Writers Day Contest!

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Celia Viramontes, Jim Cox, Virginia Pooler, Wakako Rollinger, Writers Day, Writers Day 2021, writing contest

by Brenda Scott Royce, SCBWI-L.A. Contest Coordinator

Photo by Suzy Hazelwood on Pexels.com

“The more things change, the more they stay the same.” — novelist Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr

While our annual SCBWI-L.A. Writers Day will look somewhat different this year (we’ll be meeting virtually!), one thing that hasn’t changed is the contest. As usual, the manuscript contest is open to all who register for the event, and there’s no additional fee to enter. Submissions will be accepted in four categories: Picture Book, Middle Grade novel, Young Adult novel, and Other (which includes non-fiction and poetry). Winners receive a free written critique from one of the Writers Day faculty members PLUS free tuition to Writers Day 2022 (or equivalent). Winners and runners-up will be acknowledged in Kite Tales.