08 Wednesday May 2024
Posted in Central Coast, LitMingles!, Tri-Regional News
by Ann Rousseau Smith
The SCBWI Central-Coastal California Region offers free meet-ups known as Mingles, where writers and illustrators share knowledge, good news, fellowship, and improve their craft. Four of the Mingles are geared toward our writers, one for each of our four counties—Kern, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Ventura. We also have a Mingle for our illustrators, hosted by Jaime Zollars, CenCal’s Illustrator Coordinator.
Continue reading06 Wednesday Mar 2024
Tags
authors, Comic Orange, contest, craft, illustrators, Los Angeles Times Festival of Books, publishing, SCBWI community, SCBWI events, SCBWI members, Writers Day
Burst into creative bloom this Saturday at Bud to Blossom. How to Grow Stories and Nurture Creative Inspiration, the in-person SCBWI-Los Angeles 2024 Writers Day conference being held at the Skirball Cultural Center on March 9, 2024. An all-star faculty—including speakers Deborah Halverson, Henry Lien, Ariel Richardson, Liz Garton Scanlon, and Karol Ruth Silverstein—will nourish your creative spirit and encourage your stories to sprout and grow. Enjoy keynotes, breakouts, an afternoon book signing, and a patio lunch by the famous lily pond. Event schedule and faculty profiles here. Online registration is now closed. Walk-ins welcome (cash or check only).
07 Wednesday Feb 2024
Tags
authors, CenCal Writers Retreat, contest, craft, illustrators, publishing, SCBWI community, SCBWI events, SCBWI members, Writers Day
Tri-Region Members: Last call! Remember to share your Great News and Toot Your Horn! announcements no later than Friday, February 9, 2024, to appear in this month’s columns. All items submitted after February 9 will run next quarter.
The C. Harrington Scholarship is accepting applications through February 17, 2024. Established in memory of Claudia Harrington—mentor, author, SCBWI-L.A. regional advisor, and friend—the scholarship awards one SCBWI-L.A. member free tuition to either the LA Region Writers Day (see March 9, below) or an Illustrator event of the current year, and includes a free editor critique or portfolio review. Claudia was the recipient of the Sue Alexander Service Award in 2015. Read more about Claudia and this special scholarship here.
03 Wednesday Jan 2024
Tags
authors, CenCal Writers Retreat, contest, craft, illustrators, publishing, SCBWI community, SCBWI events, SCBWI members, Writers Day
Event registration opening soon! From Bud to Blossom: How to Grow Stories and Nurture Creative Inspiration. Join SCBWI Los Angeles for the in-person “Bud to Blossom” Writers Day Conference, March 9, 2024, at the Skirball Cultural Center. An amazing faculty will nourish your creative spirit and encourage your stories to sprout and grow. Already have a flourishing manuscript? Then add an Agent Pitch to your event day! Enter the manuscript contest (see below) for a chance to win a free event plus a free 10-page manuscript review. Come meet fellow SCBWI Los Angeles and Tri-Region members and enjoy a delicious al fresco lunch beside the famous lily pond. See you there!
*Deadline extended!* Submissions are open now, and January 28, 2024, is the new deadline to enter your work into the SCBWI-L.A. Writers Day Contest. If you plan to attend the March 9, 2024, event (see Save the Date above), you can enter the contest now for the opportunity to receive a free written critique from a member of the event faculty PLUS free tuition to next year’s Writers Day (or equivalent event). The contest is open to all who register for Writers Day, and there’s no additional fee to enter. To quote Vincent X. Kirsch, one of last year’s contest winners, “You can do this!”
Continue reading06 Wednesday Dec 2023
Posted in Central Coast, Community Corner
Image by Maddie Sandell
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.
22 Wednesday Nov 2023
Posted in Central Coast, Los Angeles, SoCal, Tri-Regional News
At Kite Tales, we’re thankful for the writers, illustrators, editors, agents, and volunteers who have contributed to the blog this year. And to our readers, thank you for encouraging us with your comments and helping us grow the kidlit community. We couldn’t do it without you! We’ll be back with more content and a big announcement next week.
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.
Illustration by Judy Y Faulkner
11 Wednesday Oct 2023
Posted in Central Coast, Community Corner, Writers' Retreat
by Ann Rousseau Smith, SCBWI CenCal News Liaison
Recharge your writing life beside the sea. Join us January 19–21, 2024. The CenCal get-away-to-write retreat will be held at the Cavalier Oceanfront Resort in San Simeon, overlooking the Pacific Ocean.
Enjoy writing time, beach walks, ten-minute TED-style talks, campfire chats, and optional critique group sessions.
Continue reading27 Wednesday Sep 2023
Posted in Central Coast, PAL
by Ann Rousseau Smith, SCBWI CenCal News Liaison
Save the date: November 4, 2023!
The SCBWI Central-Coastal California Region is hosting a School Visits Workshop. Alexis O’Neill, children’s book author, writing teacher, and school visits expert will present “The Art (and Business) of School Visits: Sharing Best Practices” on Saturday, November 4, from 9:45 am to 1:30 pm. The event will be held at the Camarillo Library, 4101 Las Posas Rd, Camarillo 93016. Lunch will be provided.
Continue reading20 Wednesday Sep 2023
Posted in Central Coast, Tri-Regional News, Writers Days
Tags
Alexis O'Neill Volunteer of the Year Award, Elizabeth Kuelbs, Leanne Pankuch, middle grade, Paulina Hill, picture books, SCBWI community, SCBWI events, SCBWI members, young adult
by Ann Rousseau Smith, SCBWI CenCal News Liaison
The SCBWI Central-Coastal Region held its in-person Writers’ Day on Saturday, September 9, at the Camarillo Public Library. After an inspiring day of speakers and camaraderie, a few honors were presented, with the winners receiving free entry to next year’s Writers’ Day.
Congratulations to all the participants in the writing contest, including the winners:
Continue reading05 Wednesday Jul 2023
Tags
authors, CenCal Writer's Day, editors, illustrators, Jaime Zollars, Jen Rofe, Karen Jameson, Kitty Donohoe, Lin Oliver, Melissa Manlove, Mona Alvarado Frazier, Patrice Karst, SCBWI community, SCBWI members
by Ann Rousseau Smith, SCBWI CenCal News Liaison
Join SCBWI CenCal for Writer’s Day 2023!
WRITER’S DAY: SPARK THE FIRE WITHIN is a two-day event this year. The first day is in-person at a new location, the Camarillo Library, on Saturday, September 9. Doors open at 8:45 am, coffee and pastries for early arrivers. Event begins at 9:30 am and ends at 3:30 pm. Lunch will be provided.
Day One includes writing contests, written critiques, first lines feedback, 4-corners critique meet-up, door prizes, book sales, and a tour of the Camarillo Library Children’s Room, aka the Pirate Ship.
Continue reading
Kite Tales 