Category Archives: Writers Days

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

24 Wednesday Nov 2021

Posted by in Central Coast, Tri-Regional News, Writers Days

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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!

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Announcing the Winner of the 2021 Sue Alexander Grant!

11 Wednesday Aug 2021

Posted by in Contests & Grants, SAG, Writers Days

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

Christine Van Zandt, 2021 Sue Alexander Grant winner

We’re thrilled to announce this year’s Sue Alexander Grant winner—Christine Van Zandt—for her nonfiction picture book, Butterfly Dreams. The book’s inspiration came in May 2020, when Van Zandt and her daughter bought their first milkweed plant, “unaware that a mother monarch had sent us home with a surprise—actually 26 surprises,” she says. “Soon, our plant was covered in adorable caterpillars. We excitedly watched them grow, . . . until all perished.”

The sad turn of events led Van Zandt to research monarch declines, plant milkweed, and educate others by writing this lyrical story. 

Here’s what our judges had to say about her manuscript: 

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Save the Date! Cen-Cal Writers’ Day 2021

14 Wednesday Jul 2021

Posted by in Central Coast, Writers Days

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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:

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A Playful Writers Day

30 Wednesday Jun 2021

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By Jorjeana Marie

Photo Credit: Shelby Bond

The SCBWI-L.A.Virtual Writers Day this year, on June 12-13, was incredibly special indeed. Perhaps because I had waited over a year for it. It was my first opportunity to present with one of the most welcoming and genuine organizations I have ever had the honor to be a part of. I thought after my session: “Definitely worth rescheduling, despite unusual circumstances and constraining parameters. Magical moments showed up for us. In droves.”

Thank you to Nutschell Windsor, Sally Jones Rogan, and all the volunteers and team members for paving the way for a day of productivity and group inspiration and creating such a positive, uplifting place to gather. Events like this and the opportunities therein make the loneliness that creeps up sometimes (okay, maybe a lot, recently) in writing easier to move through. Even though this was different from events in the past, there was again, those magical moments to be gained.

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SCBWI-L.A. Writers Day Contest: And the Winners Are…

23 Wednesday Jun 2021

Posted by in Contests & Grants, Writers Days

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By Brenda Scott Royce, Contest Coordinator

The event was virtual, but the excitement was still palpable as the winners for the 2021 Writers Day Contest were announced at the end of Writers Day on Saturday, June 12. First place winners in each category (Picture Book, Young Adult, Middle Grade, and Nonfiction/Other) will receive free tuition to next year’s Writer’s Day, as well as a manuscript critique from one of this year’s faculty members. Excerpts from the judges’ comments are included in the list of honorees below. If you’d like to contact any of the winners to request their manuscript or discuss publication, please let us know!

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Sara Schonfeld on Making the Most of Rejection

26 Wednesday May 2021

Posted by in Editor's Perspective, Tips and Tools, Writers Days

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Jumping from journalism to editing, Sara Schonfeld never strayed far from children’s stories. She joined Katherine Tegen Books in 2019 and has recently taken on the role of Associate Editor for the imprint. Her list includes everything from picture books to young adult novels from authors such as Alice Walker, Cristina Fernandez, and Ally Malinenko (author of the forthcoming Ghost Girl).

A rabbit lover and fan of anything Marvel, this “Bunny Boss” is looking for stories that are uplifting and affirming, showing the power of relationships, identity, and self for young readers.

Sara will be sharing insights on rejection letters and how to make the most of them in her presentation during SCBWI-L.A.’s Writers Day 2021. She has given us a preview of some of those tips here on Kite Tales, but you can still register for the event here to get the full scoop.

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

12 Friday Mar 2021

Posted by in Contests & Grants, Tri-Regional News, Writers Days

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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. 

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SCBWI CenCal Writers’ Day 2020: The Winners Are…!

04 Wednesday Nov 2020

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by Ann Rousseau Smith, SCBWI CenCal News Liaison

This year’s Writers’ Day consisted of three separate webinars. On Saturday, September 26, after a fabulous presentation by Erin Siu, associate editor at Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group’s imprints, Square Fish, and Feiwel & Friends, the winners of our writing contest were announced.

Thank you to all our anonymous judges, who were chosen from outside our region. The judges’ comments are included in the list of honorees below. Most Promising will receive free entry to next year’s CenCal Writers’ Day. Special Mention will receive half-off Writers’ Day admission.

Congratulations to all our contest participants, including our winners!

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SCBWI-L.A. Twitter Banner Contest Winner: Illustrator Nancy Whitesides

22 Wednesday Jul 2020

Posted by in Writers Days

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In this year’s SCBWI-L.A. Twitter Banner Contest, illustrators were asked to submit their most creative response to our prompt: In the Wild. The winning contestant’s artwork is featured on the Los Angeles Region SCBWI Twitter Profile until the next contest, with a feature article published here on Kite Tales. 

We’re excited to announce illustrator and author Nancy Whitesides won! Nancy is an author and self-taught illustrator born and raised in the Philippines. Her middle-grade fantasy novel won first runner-up at the 2016 SCBWI-L.A. Writer’s Day. She loves nature and has participated in environmental causes for more than ten years.

Read on to learn more about Nancy, her tips and tools, and her own illustration prompt for anyone looking for some inspiration.

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An Interview with Kirsten W. Larson, Nonfiction Author

22 Wednesday Apr 2020

Posted by in Central Coast, Writers Days

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by Ann Rousseau Smith, SCBWI CenCal News Liaison

Kirsten W. LarsonKirsten W. Larson, former NASA employee, is the author of numerous nonfiction books and magazine articles for curious kids. Her most recent book is a nonfiction picture book biography. Wood, Wire, Wings: Emma Lilian Todd Invents an Airplane (Calkins Creek, February 2020) explores the failures and successes of self-taught engineer Emma Lilian Todd as she tackles the challenges of designing an airplane in the early 1900s.

Kirsten agreed to take a few moments from her busy schedule promoting her book to answer a few questions on the origins of her riveting new book. Continue reading →