Tag Archives: Book Festivals

Storm Clouds and Sunny Spirits at LA Times Festival of Books

07 Wednesday May 2025

Posted by in Industry Conferences, Los Angeles, PAL, SoCal, Tri-Regional News

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by Jennifer S. Pitts

“Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds.”

Though originally a tribute to the ancient Persian royal couriers, this enduring phrase also perfectly captures the spirit of SCBWI’s LA and SoCal PAL members, who braved unpredictable weather to complete their own “appointed rounds” at the 2025 Los Angeles Times Festival of Books.

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See You at the LATFoB!

11 Friday Apr 2025

Posted by in Industry Conferences, Los Angeles, PAL, SoCal, Tri-Regional News

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Friday Special Edition

Join SCBWI at the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books!

  • When: April 26–27
  • Where: USC, 3551 Trousdale Parkway, Los Angeles, CA 90089
  • Booth # 826

PAL authors and illustrators from the LA and SoCal regions will be appearing and signing their books in the famed Booth #826. Here’s the weekend schedule of Signing Authors and Illustrators to help you make your plans:

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Treasure Chest: October 2024

02 Wednesday Oct 2024

Posted by in Contests & Grants, Illustrators Day, PAL, Treasure Chest, Tri-Regional News, Writers Days

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

ONGOING
Join the SCBWI Illustration Community in October for 31 days of drawing fun as part of SCBWI Artober 2024! Throughout the month, get inspired with daily prompts to create new art while working in any medium you like. “The goal is to develop a daily practice of creating new art.” Be sure to share your work with the #scbwiArtober2024 hashtag on Instagram and Twitter (X).

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Treasure Chest: September 2024

04 Wednesday Sep 2024

Posted by in Contests & Grants, Illustrators Day, Treasure Chest, Tri-Regional News, Writers Days, Writers' Retreat

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

OPEN NOW
Registration for the popular SCBWI Los Angeles Working Writers Retreat is now open! Join fellow writers from September 27–29, 2024, at the Holy Spirit Retreat Center in Encino “for a weekend of immersive writing, critique, revision and camaraderie.” This annual retreat will have plenty of quiet work spaces, social evenings, and even group critique sessions led by four publishing industry professionals! Spots are filling up very quickly!

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Treasure Chest: August 2024

31 Wednesday Jul 2024

Posted by in Contests & Grants, Illustrators Day, Industry Conferences, SCBWI Summer Conference, Treasure Chest, Tri-Regional News, Writers Days, Writers' Retreat

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

OPEN NOW
Registration is open! Learn about craft and book publishing, connect with professionals in the industry, and mingle with creative people at the SCBWI SoCal Fall Harvest Writers and Illustrators Day! This full-day conference will take place in-person at the California State University Fullerton Titan Student Union OR online, on Saturday, October 5, 2024, from 8:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., and will include agents, an art director, local authors, and an illustrator. There will be critiques, portfolio reviews, pitches, and contests. Click here to register!

OPEN NOW
Join SCBWI in celebrating World Kid Lit Month in September by submitting your book recommendations now! The Official SCBWI Blog is hosting a month-long celebration of “children’s and YA literature from around the world,” and your short book reviews are invited. There will be four blog posts, each focusing on a different continent: the Americas, Africa, Asia & Oceania, and Europe. For more information, click the link here. All submissions should be emailed to World Kit Lit (worldkidlit@gmail.com).

ONGOING
Submit your book now for the SCBWI Impact & Legacy Fund (ILF) Russell Freedman Award or apply for a grant from The ILF Encouragement Fund! No SCBWI membership is required. However, you must be traditionally published. Submissions will close on September 15, 2024.

ONGOING
Sign up for the SCBWI CenCal’s 2024 Writers and Illustrators Day! Regular pricing registration for SCBWI members is $137 and will remain open until all seats are filled. The event will be held in-person at the Camarillo Community Center on Saturday, September 21, 2024. There will be an additional “optional online Pitchfest via Zoom” on Sunday, September 22, 2024.

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Treasure Chest: July 2024

03 Wednesday Jul 2024

Posted by in Contests & Grants, Illustrators Day, Industry Conferences, SCBWI Summer Conference, Treasure Chest, Tri-Regional News, Writers Days

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

ONGOING
There are lots of opportunities for PAL and self-published SCBWI members in the coming months! Snag one of the few remaining slots at the SCBWI’s Orange County Book Fair booth. The event takes place in Old Town Tustin on Saturday, July 13, 2024. Register here.

The Los Angeles Kids Book Festival has limited seats available for published SCBWI members and will take place in West Hollywood Park on Sunday, September 8, 2024, from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. For more information about registering, click here.

Additionally, if you are a published SoCal member and would like to be put on the waitlist for the SoCal booth at September’s Orange County Children’s Book Festival, email Bev Plass at: SoCal-RA@scbwi.org.

ONGOING
Registration for the Virtual Summer Conference is still open! The online event will take place from August 1–August 4. Registration is $195 for premium members and $295 for non-members. There will be 50 jam-packed sessions to choose from on the topic of craft and the business of children’s book creation. Every attendee will have access to all content sessions for up to one month after the conference.

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2019 Book Festivals, Conventions, and SCBWI Events You Won’t Want to Miss

09 Wednesday Jan 2019

Posted by in Industry Conferences, SCBWI Summer Conference

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By Sarah Parker-Lee and Erlina Vasconcellos

No matter where you are on your career journey, it’s always time to hone your craft and connect with other writers, illustrators, and children’s book industry professionals. Book fests, conventions, and other kid lit events are a great place to start. So grab your calendars and consider this list your compass!

SCBWI’s Biggest Events for 2019:

MARCH 9
Writers Day
Skirball Cultural Center, Los Angeles

This is a full-day to immerse yourself in expert keynote speakers, manuscript critiques, and agent pitch sessions. This year’s event is themed “Who’s Reading? Keeping It Fresh for Today’s Generation.” Knowing your target audience sounds simple but are you really in touch with today’s readers – and editors? Our faculty will share insights, knowledge and advice to keep pace with those savvy end-users. Join us for a morning of keynotes and a panel and an afternoon of informational breakouts. And don’t forget there are awesome contests that have led to great things for previous winners. Learn more about that here. Read author Charlotte Offsay’s recap of last year here. Continue reading →

SCBWI Los Angeles at LA Times Festival of Books: Location, Location, Location

13 Friday Apr 2018

Posted by in Los Angeles

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By R.S. Mellete

In 2015, when we first decided to have a booth at the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books, I had no idea where we should request our booth. When I looked at the map of the festival, I saw Childs Way and figured that’s where the Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators should be, right?

I’m not from Los Angeles. I didn’t go to USC or UCLA. The most time I’ve ever spent on either campus has been working on movie locations, so I had no idea that Child’s Way was the name of a street, not a section of the festival — which ended up being in the “Hero Complex.” Continue reading →

SCBWI Events, Book Festivals, and Conventions Happening in 2018

21 Wednesday Feb 2018

Posted by in Industry News, SCBWI Summer Conference, Tips and Tools, Writers Days

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Hone your craft and connect with other writers, illustrators, and children’s book industry professionals at this year’s book fests and events. Grab your calendars and mark these dates.

Here are the dates for SCBWI’s biggest events for 2018:

Writers-Illustrators-2017-2March 3
Writers Day
Skirball Cultural Center, Los Angeles
This is a full-day to immerse yourself in expert keynote speakers, manuscript critiques, and agent pitch sessions. This year’s event, themed “Time to Level Up!,” offers writers a choice of three different levels based on experience and goals.
Read PB Rippey’s writer’s perspective on 2017’s event. Last year’s event also included illustrators. Read Lynn Becker’s illustrator’s perspective.

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Book Festivals and Conventions Happening in 2017

04 Wednesday Jan 2017

Posted by in Industry Conferences, SCBWI Summer Conference, Tips and Tools

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SCBWI Summer Conference 2016

A panel at the SCBWI Summer Conference 2016.

If you’re the type to make New Year’s resolutions, then your list probably includes goals like finishing that work in progress, launching a blog, or just plain writing or illustrating more often. While all of that will move you toward becoming published, consider adding “attend a book festival or convention” to your list, because nothing fuels inspiration like being surrounded by people who share your passion.

Here are the dates and information for SCBWI’s biggest annual events. Continue reading →