2019 Book Festivals, Conventions, and SCBWI Events You Won’t Want to Miss

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Book Festivals, conferences, contests, PAL, PAL events, retreats, workshops

By Sarah Parker-Lee and Erlina Vasconcellos

No matter where you are on your career journey, it’s always time to hone your craft and connect with other writers, illustrators, and children’s book industry professionals. Book fests, conventions, and other kid lit events are a great place to start. So grab your calendars and consider this list your compass!

SCBWI’s Biggest Events for 2019:

MARCH 9
Writers Day
Skirball Cultural Center, Los Angeles

This is a full-day to immerse yourself in expert keynote speakers, manuscript critiques, and agent pitch sessions. This year’s event is themed “Who’s Reading? Keeping It Fresh for Today’s Generation.” Knowing your target audience sounds simple but are you really in touch with today’s readers – and editors? Our faculty will share insights, knowledge and advice to keep pace with those savvy end-users. Join us for a morning of keynotes and a panel and an afternoon of informational breakouts. And don’t forget there are awesome contests that have led to great things for previous winners. Learn more about that here. Read author Charlotte Offsay’s recap of last year here.

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SCBWI Events, Book Festivals, and Conventions Happening in 2018

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Andrea Custer, Book Festivals, Book Fests, Claire Moore, conferences, Conventions, Helena Ku Rhee, Jacob Gerhardt, Lynn Becker, PB Rippey, Sarah Parker-Lee, SCBWI Annual Summer Conference, SCBWI members, Summer Conference

Hone your craft and connect with other writers, illustrators, and children’s book industry professionals at this year’s book fests and events. Grab your calendars and mark these dates.

Here are the dates for SCBWI’s biggest events for 2018:

March 3
Writers Day
Skirball Cultural Center, Los Angeles
This is a full-day to immerse yourself in expert keynote speakers, manuscript critiques, and agent pitch sessions. This year’s event, themed “Time to Level Up!,” offers writers a choice of three different levels based on experience and goals.
Read PB Rippey’s writer’s perspective on 2017’s event. Last year’s event also included illustrators. Read Lynn Becker’s illustrator’s perspective.

SCBWI Central Coast Regional News, Fourth Quarter 2017

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conferences, illustrator tips, Lynn Becker, SCBWI events, SCBWI members, Tammi Sauer, Tricia Candemeres, writing tips

By Ann Rousseau Smith, SCBWI CenCal News Liaison

SCBWI Summer Conference Report, by Tricia Candemeres

The 46^th SCBWI Summer Conference was quite a special one. I won an SCBWI grant that covered the expenses, and I wanted to both live up to the honor and embrace the opportunity.

Vanessa Brantley Newton started us off and lifted us up – first with the hokey pokey, then with her stories of diversity, adversity, and dreaming bigger, and ended with the most stunning rendition of “You’ve Got to Be Carefully Taught.”

From that high bar, it became one amazing keynote or breakout after another. My friends and I split up and compared notes later.

Some highlights:

• Sean Qualls reminding us to keep showing up.
• The “Transforming Life into Art” writers sharing tough, deeply personal stories.
• The sneak preview for the movie based on “Shades of Gray” by Ruta Sepetys.
• Marvin Terban’s funniest words for kids: underpants, poop, and fart!
• The awe-inspiring Portfolio Showcase.
• And of course, tea with Judy Blume.

Illustrator Raúl Colón demonstrates his color layering technique during his intensive.

So much to take in. I’ll just fill in some of the gaps with favorite conference quotes:

• “If your dreams don’t scare you, they’re not big enough.” – Vanessa Brantley Newton
• “Teach children humor as a vital life skill.” – Marvin Terban
• “The secrets that make you feel alone in the world are the very things you need to share in stories.” – Kat Yeh
• “Storytellers have been part of the human experience from the very beginning – and I truly believe that even the ones drawing the pictures on the wall of the caves had imposter syndrome.” – Zareen Jaffery
• “Your story matters. Great minds don’t think alike.” – Nancy Paulsen
• “Will I still love this manuscript AGAIN and AGAIN and AGAIN?” – Rubin Pfeffer
• “Kids are ready to take stuff on – go there.” – Alex Gino
• “Make the Mommy Promise. Mommy will not save the day in my story.” – Tammi Sauer
• “You can have all the talent in the world, and if you’re not determined, you’re going to let something stop you from doing it.” – Judy Blume

And finally:

“Team Marla” and friends: Top row: Danielle Heitmuller, Heidi Aubrey, Gail Buschman, Nicole Allin, me (Tricia Candemeres), Judy Faulkner, Molly Ruttan, and Nina Moldawsky,  Front row: Helen Yoon, Joy Dabby, Annelouise Mahoney, and April Zufelt

• Courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes courage is that quiet voice at the end of the day saying, “I will try again tomorrow.” – Mary Anne Radmacher, as quoted by Laurie Halse Anderson in her closing keynote.

On Monday, the Illustrator’s Intensive was an information packed day of demonstrations and hands-on activities, featuring Ramon Hurtado, Vanessa Brantley Newton, Marla Frazee, John Rocco, Leuyen Pham, Raúl Colón, and Javaka Steptoe.

Over the past few years I’ve connected to a tribe of incredibly supportive SCBWI illustrators and authors, (we all met through a Marla Frazee workshop, so we call ourselves Team Marla), and I thoroughly enjoyed sharing this conference with them. We really are all on this journey together!

Tricia Candemeres is a children’s book author and illustrator living in southern California with her husband and two children. She worked in broadcast and graphic design before making the leap to illustration. A NYC transplant, she studied at FIT and School of Visual Arts in NYC as well as Art Center College of Design in Pasadena. You can visit her work at triciacandemeres.com and follow her on Instagram @tcandyart.

 

CenCal Writer Retreat 2018:

Bravely Crafting Picture Books with Heart
January 12-14, 2018
La Casa de Maria Retreat and Conference Center, Santa Barbara

Join Tammi Sauer, award-winning author, for a productive and fun picture book retreat. She will unveil her favorite picture book writing secrets. You will delve into the most important picture book components (character, conflict, word choice, among others) through discussion, examples, and engaging exercises.

Learn to build heart and humor into your manuscript.

For more information, go to https://cencal.scbwi.org/events/cencal-writers-retreat-2018/

 

SAVE THE DATES!

For information, go to http://cencal.scbwi.org

December 2, 2017
Holiday Party, Bakersfield

December 10, 2017
Holiday Party, Santa Barbara

January 12-14, 2018
Writer Retreat: Bravely Crafting Picture Books with Heart, Santa Barbara

BOOK TALK ONLINE

Book Talk is a monthly book discussion group taking place on the SCBWI Central-Coastal California listserv. Discussions begin on the first of each month, facilitated by Lynn Becker. To become a member of the listserv, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/groups/SCBWI-CCal/

NOVEMBER: Clayton Byrd Goes Underground, by Rita Williams-Garcia (MG)
Clayton wants to play harmonica in Cool Papa Byrd’s band but, when his grandfather dies, his mom forbids him to play the blues.

DECEMBER: My Sister Rosa, by Justine Larbalestier (YA)
Che loves his brilliant younger sister, even though he seems to be the only one who knows how dangerous she really is.

JANUARY: Leave Me Alone! by Vera Bristol (PB)
An old woman wants a quiet place to knit, but grandkids, goats, bears, and aliens won’t leave her in peace.

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.

 

Images provided by SCBWI Central-Coastal Region and Tricia Candemeres.

How to Prep for a Summer Con

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authors, conferences, Cons, illustrators, networking, Summer, tips, Wonder Con, WonderCon, writers

I went to Wonder Con this year and it was the messy, funny, crowd-filled, creative mish-mosh that it always is. I also realized that as I get a little older, enjoying a convention, or “con,” requires a bit more preparation. But cons are great places to network with other authors, illustrators, editors, and publishers, not to mention the kid lit audience, so they’re worth it. Since there are several more cons and festivals coming up this year in our area, I thought a little “How to Prep for a Summer Con” guide might be in order. The more you know about what you’re getting into, the less intimidating it will be and the less you’ll feel like a grumpy-gus shaking your fist at those darn kids to get off your con-lawn.

Book Festivals and Conventions Happening in 2017

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Book Festivals, Book Fests, conferences, Conventions, SCBWI Annual Summer Conference, SCBWI Annual Winter Conference, SCBWI events, SCBWI members, Writer's and Illustrator's Day

A panel at the SCBWI Summer Conference 2016.

If you’re the type to make New Year’s resolutions, then your list probably includes goals like finishing that work in progress, launching a blog, or just plain writing or illustrating more often. While all of that will move you toward becoming published, consider adding “attend a book festival or convention” to your list, because nothing fuels inspiration like being surrounded by people who share your passion.

Here are the dates and information for SCBWI’s biggest annual events.

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.

SCBWI Community Corner with Stephanie Olivieri

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community, conferences, SCBWI events, SCBWI members

SCBWI Summer Conference 2015

The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators is a dynamic community of professionals and aspirings. Read on for a member’s story about how SCBWI has influenced their work and connected them to publishing professionals, life-long friends, and the tools they need to share their stories with children of all ages.

The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators has changed my life for the better in many ways. It’s hard to explain how a group of book writers and illustrators can do that, but they have. I’m not sure where to start, so I’ll start at the beginning: I’m a writer, who also draws. I worked in animation for many years and have recently worked in children’s books both as a writer and an illustrator.

Illustrator’s Gallery: Anne Berry

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awards, conferences, illustrator, illustrator tips, illustrators, picture book, portfolio tips, portfolios, SCBWI members

SCBWI member Anne Berry is an illustrator living and working in Huntington Beach, California. She’s been doodling ever since she found paper and pencil, and could get her cats to sit long enough for a portrait. At the 2015 SCBWI Summer Conference, she won the SCBWI Mentorship Program award and the Portfolio Honor Award. Read on for her valuable tips about perfecting your own portfolio and to check out her awesome illustrations!

SCBWI Members at Wonder Con: Where Many of Us Have Gone Before

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authors, Comics, conferences, Graphic Novels, illustrator tips, illustrators, local, middle grade, networking, picture book, publishing, SCBWI members, Wonder Con, WonderCon, writer, writing tips, YA

Do the words “comic book convention” sound scary to you? Overwhelming? Completely irrelevant to you as a children’s book author or illustrator? Think again. Even if your work isn’t “in genre,” you can still learn a lot. If you want to know what kids are into right now, or your creative juices need a boost, there’s no better place to go than a Con.

This year Wonder Con, the smaller, gentler, but just as fun little sister of the San Diego Comic Con, was held in Los Angeles. In addition to sneak peaks of superhero movies, geektastic T.V. shows, and panels about everything from new anime to the real science in sci-fi, there were kids everywhere!

Debbie Ridpath Ohi: Author/Illustrator Perspective

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agents, authors, conferences, critiques, Debbie Ohi, Debbie Ridpath Ohi, how-to, illustrator tips, illustrators, Inky Girl, InkyGirl, middle grade, picture book, SCBWI events, SCBWI members, writing tips

Debbie Ridpath Ohi writes and illustrates books for young people in Toronto, Canada. Her first solo picture book, Where Are My Books?, debuted from Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers in 2015. Her illustrations appear in picture books by Michael Ian Black and in Judy Blume chapter books and middle grade reissues, as well as many others. She gave a challenging and insightful keynote at this year’s SCBWI Los Angeles Writer’s Day as well as a “master class” on social media for authors. She was kind enough to do a follow-up interview with Kite Tales to share her perspective on being an introverted author, networking, and how to attract that magical publishing lightning.