13 Wednesday Mar 2024
by Roya Asgari
Since becoming a working illustrator seven years ago, I’ve come to understand that creating charming book illustrations requires more than artistic skill. It also takes creativity, storytelling ability, and an understanding of a book’s themes and audience. Here are some tips I’ve learned from working with art directors and self-publishing authors.
Continue reading20 Wednesday Dec 2023
Posted in Community Corner, Los Angeles
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Gail Buschman, Kim Wildman, Lisze Bechtold, Nutschell Anne Windsor, Sally Jones Rogan, SCBWI community, SCBWI members
As 2023 draws to a close, we look back and celebrate our connections with friends and industry professionals, enjoying warm memories of events past. We look forward to future joys found in the myriad ways we and our colleagues bring stories to young people everywhere. And we anticipate the fun of offering programming in the coming year that will inspire, energize, and illuminate your creative path.
Continue reading16 Wednesday Aug 2023
Posted in Author's Perspective, Editor's Perspective, Tips and Tools
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ADHD, authors, Blackstone Publishing, CamCat Books, Christine Van Zandt, editing tips, editors, publishing, publishing tips, Sara Hosey, Summer People, writing, YA
The editorial process is a give-and-take experience between two equal, essential partners. Kite Tales listens in as YA author Sara Hosey and freelance editor Christine Van Zandt discuss working together to bring a book they felt was both crowd-pleasing and socially significant to market. Summer People, published by CamCat Books and released August 8, 2023, tells the story of seventeen year-old Christmas Miller. Over the course of a summer, as Christmas tries to navigate sudden friction in her closest friendship and fathom a violent attack on another of her friends, she learns that the ADHD she’d thought was a liability is actually a superpower. Here are Sara’s and Christine’s reflections on the path to publication. – KT
26 Wednesday Jul 2023
Posted in Writers' Retreat
From September 29–October 1, 2023, writers will once more gather at the beautiful Holy Spirit Retreat Center in Encino, CA, for the first Los Angeles Working Writer’s Retreat since 2019. Attendees will have the opportunity to get feedback on their work from five faculty members who are either literary agents or editors. Between scheduled critique sessions, attendees will have time to write and revise (or nap, if they so choose!).
Continue reading12 Wednesday Apr 2023
Posted in Author's Perspective, Contests & Grants, SAG, Writers' Retreat
Tags
Christine Van Zandt, Milkweed for Monarchs, picture books, SCBWI members, Sue Alexander, writing contests
by Christine Van Zandt
The 2023 Sue Alexander Grant contest opens tomorrow, April 13, offering one SCBWI-L.A. writer a guaranteed spot and free tuition to the Working Writers Retreat (to be held at the Holy Spirit Retreat Center in Encino, September 29 to October 1, 2023). This will be the first time this popular event has been held in person since 2019!
We asked last year’s Sue Alexander Grant recipient, Christine Van Zandt, to talk about her winning manuscript:
The idea for Butterfly Dreams began in May 2020, when my daughter and I bought our first milkweed plant unaware that a mother monarch had sent us home with a surprise—actually 26 surprises! Soon, our plant was covered in adorable caterpillars. We excitedly watched them grow … until something came along one night and ate every last one.
Continue reading21 Wednesday Dec 2022
Posted in Los Angeles, Tri-Regional News
In October, we were inspired by our wonderful members who brought energy and enthusiasm to our first in-person event since 2019. Seeing faces, both new and familiar, chatting craft with faculty, answering questions for each other… this is SCBWI at its best. We hope that in this holiday season, you’re able to recharge your creativity by drawing close to your family and friends, and by celebrating all that is good and precious to you. Looking forward to seeing even more of you in 2023. Happy Holidays!
Continue reading28 Friday Jun 2019
Posted in Tri-Regional News, Volunteer in the Spotlight
Sometimes doing a good thing, even a very good thing, is not necessarily the best thing for us. It’s hard to know when boundaries need to be placed, when risks need to be taken, when the unknown is better for us than the relative safety of routine. It’s hard to change. But as writers and illustrators, we must be protective of our time, our creative mental space, and recognize when a good thing, even a very good thing, could be getting in the way. Continue reading
21 Wednesday Oct 2015
Posted in Contests & Grants, Mentorship Contest
The best advice aspiring author-illustrator Matthew Rivera received during the mentorship he won from SCBWI-L.A. was to wear a short tie. That’s because he’s working on a story about a dapper, yet fussy giraffe who finds a tie he really likes, but it’s too short for his long neck. Mentor Deborah Nourse Lattimore suggested that Matthew wear a short tie and, as he went about his day, ask himself questions: “How do I feel when I see myself in the mirror? Do I feel self-conscious in public? How do people look at me?” The exercise proved tremendously helpful for putting Matthew into the mind of his main character in order to better illustrate personality.
From The Dapper Giraffe, a work-in-progress by Matthew Rivera
14 Wednesday Oct 2015
Posted in Central Coast
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SketchCrawl at the Santa Barbara Zoo
June 7, 2015
Creative individuals met for a day of sketching, writing, and sharing.
02 Friday Oct 2015
Posted in SoCal
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It’s hard to believe that autumn is here! That means that Editor’s Day 2015 is right around the corner. It will be held at the Titan Theater, California State University Fullerton (located inside the Titan Student Union) on Saturday, October 3.
Our wonderful editorial speakers include: Erica Finkel – Editor at Abrams Books, Taylor Norman – Assistant Editor at Chronicle Books, Becky Shapiro – Associate Editor at Scholastic Books, Jeffrey Salane – Editorial Director of Little Simon – Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing Division and Kristine Brogno – Children’s Design Director at Chronicle Books. They will be joined by our terrific local talent: Jennifer Grey Olson, Spotlight Author/Illustrator, Henry L. Herz, Spotlight Author and Rodolfo Montalvo, Spotlight Illustrator. The delightful Sara Sciuto of Fuse Literary Agency (formerly Foreword Literary) will be joining us for panels and pitches. Our speakers will be focusing on craft so if you plan to join us be prepared to take lots of notes!
Kite Tales 