Events, Opportunities, and Resources happening now and coming soon for the Tri-Regions and beyond

UPDATE – EVENT NEXT WEEK! MARCH 25

Award-winning author Matthew Burgess, Caldecott Medalist Doug Salati, and three-time Caldecott Honoree Marla Frazee will join forces for Illustrating the Power of Poetry!, a conversation about collaboration, the power of poetry and the process of illustrating poems for children. This free event takes place on Tuesday, March 25, 2025, beginning at 7:00 p.m., at Once Upon a Time Bookstore, 2207 Honolulu Avenue, Montrose, CA 91020. After the conversation, the creators will be available to sign books. “This gathering would be beneficial to teachers, librarians and anyone who works with children to inspire their creativity.” For more information, visit Once Upon a Time.

OPEN NOW
Join your friends and peers at the 2025 Art Day: Illustrators and Writers Connect, SCBWI SoCal! This one-day hands-on workshop runs from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Laguna College of Art & Design on March 15, 2025. Our fun-filled day near the ocean will include warm-up exercises, “draw off and hands on activities,” as well as presentations from award-winning authors and illustrators.

OPEN NOW
Sign up today for the SCBWI-LA Sketch Safari at The LA Zoo! Pack your drawing materials and wear your comfiest walking shoes as you trek the Los Angeles Zoo with illustrator Alexander Vidal on Saturday, March 29, 2025, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. The cost of registration also includes admission to the zoo. “While this is a sketch event, writers are welcome to share the fun for story inspiration!” Although the event is only two hours long, folks are more than welcome to spend the rest of the day at the zoo!

MARCH 23
Join the SCBWI-SoCal’s monthly Zoom meet-up event with guest speaker Author Paula Yoo on Sunday, March 23, 2025, from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. “Paula Yoo is an award-winning author, TV writer/producer, and musician. Her current YA nonfiction book, Rising from the Ashes: Los Angeles, 1992. Edward Jae Song Lee, Latasha Harlins, Rodney King, and a City on Fire (Norton Young Readers 2024) is the winner of the 2025 YALSA Excellence in Nonfiction Award.” The Zoom link will be sent in March through the bimonthly SCBWI-SoCal email. If you would like to be added to the email list, please contact Bev Plass at SoCal-RA@scbwi.org.

MARCH 31
The SCBWI Work-in-Progress (WIP) Award is now open! This award aims “to assist children’s book writers and illustrators in the completion of a specific project currently not under contract.” One winner in each of the following five categories will be selected: Picture Book Text, Chapter Books/Early Readers/Middle Grade, Young Adult Fiction, Nonfiction, and Underrepresented Fiction or Nonfiction (previously called Multicultural). The deadline to submit is March 31, 2025. “Apply through the MY AWARDS tab in your MEMBER HOME.”

MARCH 31
Submit your work for the SCBWI Karen Cushman Late Bloomer Award! This award is for “a work-in-progress from an unpublished author or author/illustrator over age 50.” The award winner will receive $500, as well as free tuition to attend any SCBWI conference in the world (does not include transportation, hotel, and expenses). Self-published writers may apply. The deadline to submit is March 31, 2025. “Apply through the MY AWARDS tab in your MEMBER HOME. Select the WORK IN PROGRESS AWARD; the Cushman Award is a special category.”

MARCH 31
Calling all illustrators! Turn in your book dummy or portfolio for the SCBWI Don Freeman Grant by March 31, 2025, for a chance to be awarded $1,000. “One grant to a published illustrator and one to a pre-published illustrator. The money may be used in any way to help you complete your project. Acceptable uses include: purchasing art supplies, enrollment in workshops or conferences, courses in advanced illustrating or writing techniques, travel for research or to expose work to publishers/art directors, or childcare.” For more information, click here.

APRIL 23
Submit your work for the annual SCBWI-LA Mentorship Contest 2025! This year’s contest will be a six-month mentorship with author Sherry Shahan and is open to “middle grade authors in the earlier stage of their career.” You must be a Premium, Associate, or Full member in good standing of the SCBWI-LA or CenCal region. For more information about the submission process, click here. Entries must be emailed to scbwilacontests@gmail.com by 11:59 p.m. on April 23, 2025.

APRIL 26–27
There are still opportunities to volunteer with SCBWI-LA and SCBWI-SoCal on April 26 and April 27, 2025, at the University of Southern California for the 2025 Los Angeles Times Festival of Books! While all book-signing slots are completely filled, “premium SCBWI members are welcome to sign up as a volunteer to help set up, take down, and run the booth.” Click here to see the schedule and list of volunteering opportunities. For those who are interested in book-signing slots, you may sign up for the waitlist on the registration page. We will contact you if a space becomes available.

MAY 1–4
All spots for the SCBWI SoCal Tahquitz MG/YA Intensive Writers Retreat are completely filled. If you would like to get on the waitlist, please email Bev Plass at socal-ra@scbwi.org. For more information about the retreat, click the link here.

MAY 10
Stop by the Tustin Library on May 10, 2025, from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. for the 2025 Comic Orange event! The goal of Comic Orange is to celebrate comics, graphic novels, gaming, and popular culture by inviting the community to enjoy a family friendly event. The event is free to attend, so come by and see some of your favorite authors, illustrators, and artists!

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