12 Wednesday Nov 2025
Posted in Los Angeles, Tri-Regional News, Writers Retreat
Tags
Adam Blackman, Analía Cabello, craft, Events, Jennifer Rofé, SCBWI community, SCBWI members, working writers retreat, writing
by Judy Y Faulkner
It was Halloween. Many of us came in costume. We all bared our souls. We tendered—and tended—our words. Ate, played, and laughed together. This year’s SCBWI-Los Angeles Working Writers Retreat took place from October 31–November 2, and it was a sweet treat.
05 Wednesday Nov 2025
Posted in Ask an Editor, Tips and Tools
Tags
#AskanEditor, author, authors, books, business, Christine Van Zandt, community, critiques, editor, Events, publishing
“Ask an Editor” is a forum wherein SCBWI members submit questions that are answered quarterly as part of our Kite Tales blog.
Hi Christine – I landed a critique from my dream agent at an upcoming writer’s event. I send in the manuscript ahead of time, then have a Zoom with them. Should I submit my best picture book manuscript or one that I’m struggling with?
– Paula, the Valley
Hello Paula – I’m always happy to hear that people are signing up for critique opportunities. How you proceed depends somewhat on your personality. Are you a planner or a pantser (e.g., you like to fly by the seat of the pants)? Pantsers tend to send in whatever story in whatever condition, figuring any feedback is good, and they’re willing to see where that submission takes them.
However, if you’re more of a planner, then consider the following information.
Continue reading29 Wednesday Oct 2025
Tags
author-illustrator, authors, awards, Charlotte and Wilbur Award for Compassion for Animals, Children's Literature Council of Southern California, CLCSC, Comic Arts LA, grants, Great News!, Highlights Foundation, ILF Encouragement Fund, illustrators, middle grade, OC Book Fair, PAL, published, SCBWI Amber Brown Grant, SCBWI Annual Winter Conference, SCBWI community, SCBWI events, SCBWI Independently Published Pre-publication Grant, SCBWI members, SCBWI Russell Freedman Award, SCBWI Spark Award, The Author's Guild, Toot Your Horn!, volunteer, Walter Awards, We Need Diverse Books, Working Writer's Retreat, workshop, young adult
OPEN NOW
Registration for the annual SCBWI 2026 Winter Conference in New York City is officially open! This weekend-long event runs from Friday, January 16, 2026, to Sunday, January 18, 2026, at the Marriott Marquis Times Square. Join us for a weekend full of industry panels, consultations, breakout sessions, and publishing house tours! Sign up now to get early bird discounts! The cost to attend does not include accommodations. For more information on booking your room, click the link here.
22 Wednesday Oct 2025
Posted in Contests & Grants, Illustrators Day, SoCal, Tri-Regional News, Writers Days
Tags
authors, Brett Duquette, Brian LaRossa, contest winners, illustrators, Marie Chan, middle grade, picture book, publishing, Rebecca Sherman, Robert Mellette, Robin Preiss Glasser, Sally Kim, SCBWI community, SCBWI events, SCBWI members, Tina Athaide, YA
by Beverly Plass, SCBWI SoCal Regional Advisor
Our Fall Harvest Writers and Illustrators Day at Cal State Fullerton and online was a huge success. Attendees got to hear a day full of inspiring speakers, enter writing contests and a portfolio contest, sign up for pitches and written critiques, get live feedback during First Pages, display published books, buy books from author and illustrator presenters, and participate in our daylong icebreaker bingo game.
Continue reading15 Wednesday Oct 2025
Tags
CenCal County Mingles, CenCal Writers and Illustrators Retreat, Claire Annette Noland, Gela Kalaitzidis, illustrators, Jessica Woo, Leanne Pankuch, Lee Wardlaw, Patrice Karst, Rebecca Langston-George, SCBWI community, SCBWI events, Trish Heully, writers
by Ann Rousseau Smith, SCBWI CenCal News Liaison
The SCBWI Central-Coastal Region held its in-person Writers and Illustrators Day on Saturday, September 20, at the Pleasant Valley Recreation and Park District Auditorium in Camarillo. A few honors were presented during an inspiring day of speakers and camaraderie, and a fabulous lunch.
Congratulations to all our participants in the writing and illustration contests, including our winners! Each winner receives free entry to next year’s Writers and Illustrators Day.
Continue reading08 Wednesday Oct 2025
Posted in Editor's Perspective, Los Angeles, Tri-Regional News, Writers Retreat
Tags
Adam Blackman, Berrie Torgan-Randall, Cardinal Rule Press, interview, Just Ducky, Lee Wind, Like That Eleanor, publishing, SCBWI community, working writers retreat, writing
by Judy Faulkner
Registration for this year’s SCBWI-LA Working Writers Retreat closes in four days, and the event is only a few weeks away. Retreat faculty member Adam Blackman is Acquisitions Editor for picture books at the Cardinal Rule Press and a freelance editorial consultant on books for all ages. In this interview, he gives Kite Tales a taste of what he brings to a retreat conversation and what he hopes attendees will bring with them and be able to take away. In conversation, Adam listens closely, smiles easily, and laughs often. He also notes, “You can put in brackets, ‘gestured with hands,’ because I speak with my hands so much. It’ll be an art note.” Hooray, an editor with no fear of art notes! This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity. – JF
Continue reading01 Wednesday Oct 2025
Tags
author-illustrator, authors, awards, Charlotte and Wilbur Award for Compassion for Animals, Comic Arts LA, Enchanted Realms Book Festival, Fall Harvest, grants, Highlights Foundation, ILF Encouragement Fund, illustrators, middle grade, PAL, published, Rare Books LA, SCBWI Amber Brown Grant, SCBWI community, SCBWI events, SCBWI members, SCBWI Russell Freedman Award, The Author's Guild, volunteer, Walter Awards, We Need Diverse Books, Working Writer's Retreat, workshop, young adult
OPEN NOW
Register now for the annual SCBWI Los Angeles Working Writers Retreat 2025! This space-limited event will take place from Friday, October 31, 2025, to Sunday, November 2, 2025, at the Holy Spirit Retreat Center in Encino, CA. Throughout the weekend, there will be opportunities to learn from our faculty members: Editor Adam Blackman, Assistant Literary Agent Analía Cabello, Editor Matt Phipps, and Agent Moe Ferrara. Registration closes on October 12, 2025, at noon!
24 Wednesday Sep 2025
Posted in Poet's Perspective
Tags
by Paige Vinten Taylor
Continue reading17 Wednesday Sep 2025
Posted in Toot Your Horn!
Tags
board book, Fantasy Adventure, historical fiction, interactive, MG, middle grade, mystery, nonfiction, nonfiction picture book, picture book, picture book biography, published, publishing, SCBWI community, YA, young adult
SCBWI members’ publishing news is something to celebrate here at Kite Tales! Check out whose book is coming to a platform near you or around the world. Horn-tooting and digital high fives welcome in the comments!
10 Wednesday Sep 2025
Posted in Great News!
Tags
Caroline L. Perry, Dan McCauley, Laura Segal Stegman, Margaret Finnegan, Molly Ruttan, PB Rippey, Rosalind Barden, Sasha Mayer, SCBWI community, SCBWI members, Sherry Shahan, Tim Cummings
SCBWI loves celebrating our members’ successes and noteworthy news, and there are many! Read on to find out who’s got something to shout about. Digital high-fives welcome in the comments!
Continue reading
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