21 Wednesday Jan 2026
Posted in Critique Day, Los Angeles, Tri-Regional News
by the SCBWI-Los Angeles Regional Team
Don’t miss this great opportunity to share your words or illustrations with a supportive small group who will give you feedback on your efforts.
Bring 5 pages of your work-in-progress to our Zoom Critique Day, and meet friends and fellow creatives as we read and react to each other’s manuscripts. You might find new critique partners!
Continue reading14 Wednesday Jan 2026
Posted in Central Coast, Tri-Regional News
Tags
Alexis O'Neill, Cavalier Oceanfront Resort, CenCal Writers and Illustrators Retreat, illustrators, Kayla Cichello, Rebecca Langston George, SCBWI community, SCBWI events, Trish Heully, writers
by Ann Rousseau Smith, SCBWI CenCal News Liaison
Join us for a weekend of adventure, pursuing creativity at the Cavalier Oceanfront Resort in San Simeon along the beach – March 6-8, 2026. You decide how much you want to participate. Choose to do as much or as little as you wish.
The early-bird price of $350 includes all meals, a short introductory talk by literary agent Kayla Cichello of Upstart Crow, inspirational critique groups, plenty of time to write and create, and evening campfire fun – perfect for those who just want to get away and concentrate on writing or illustrating.
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 reading25 Wednesday Jun 2025
Posted in Central Coast, Tri-Regional News, Writers' Retreat
Tags
Andrea Brown Literary Agency, CenCal Writers and Illustrators Retreat, David Caplan, East/West Literary Agency, Farah Shaw, Harshini Vankineni, illustrators, Jim Averbeck, Joan Bransfield Graham, Kristie Choi, Lee Wardlaw, Little Brown and Company, Sally Kim, SCBWI community, SCBWI events, Simon & Schuster, writers
by Ann Rousseau Smith, SCBWI CenCal News Liaison
Join us for Writers and Illustrators Day 2025!
CATCH THE CREATIVE WAVE will be Saturday, September 20, 2025, at the Pleasant Valley Recreation and Park District Auditorium, 1605 E. Burnley Street in Camarillo (same as last year). Lunch is provided. In addition to our speakers and first pages panel, we’ll be offering written critiques, writing contests, prizes, and a chance to mingle with other writers and illustrators. There will be an optional pitchfest the following day on Sunday, September 21, 2025, online.
Continue reading07 Wednesday May 2025
Posted in Industry Conferences, Los Angeles, PAL, SoCal, Tri-Regional News
Tags
Ann Suk Wang, Annelouise Mahoney, authors, Book Festivals, Dan McCauley, Events, Glenda Galvan-Garcia, illustrators, Janie Emaus, Jennifer S. Pitts, Joy Hwang Ruiz, Judy Campbell-Smith, Kimberly Tso, Kobina Commeh, Kumiko Yamada-Yuge, LATFoB, Lauren Gallegos, Lori Polydoros, Los Angeles Times Festival of Books, Molly Ruttan, PAL, PAL events, R.S. Mellette, Sasha Mayer, SCBWI community, SCBWI events, SCBWI members, W.R. Miller, writers
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.
Continue reading11 Friday Apr 2025
Posted in Industry Conferences, Los Angeles, PAL, SoCal, Tri-Regional News
Tags
authors, Book Festivals, Events, illustrators, LATFoB, Los Angeles Times Festival of Books, PAL, PAL events, writers
Friday Special Edition
Join SCBWI at the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books!
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:
Continue reading09 Wednesday Oct 2024
Posted in Central Coast, Tri-Regional News, Writers' Retreat
Ann Rousseau Smith, SCBWI CenCal News Liaison
Join us for a weekend of pursuing creativity at the Cavalier Oceanfront Resort in San Simeon along the beach. Enjoy plenty of unstructured writing or illustrating time, plus short inspirational gatherings and optional critique groups.
The retreat begins Friday, January 24, 2025, at 4:00 pm and continues through Sunday, January 26, 2025, at 11:00 am. Four meals are included: Friday dinner, Saturday breakfast, Saturday dinner, and Sunday breakfast.
As a no-speaker event, flexibility and abundant time to focus on your projects can be combined with community gatherings at meals and optional opportunities for feedback.
Bring your critique group!
The hotel will be offering special rates. Local commuters are also welcome. Full information will be posted on the CenCal Website by October 15, 2024. Make sure you are following SCBWI CenCal on your SCBWI profile home in order to receive an alert when information about this event is posted.
Volunteers Needed for 2025!
SCBWI CenCal is looking for volunteers. Contact Regional Advisor Rebecca Lanston-George at cencal-ra@scbwi.org.
Images provided by the SCBWI Central-Coastal Region and Cavalier Oceanfront Resort, San Simeon
19 Wednesday Jun 2024
Looking for more ways to get your voice out?
Whether you’re a PAL member, independently published, or pre-published, Kite Tales wants to hear about your stories and experiences in the kid lit world. Writers, illustrators, translators, editors, publishers, agents, teachers, librarians, and more welcome!
Continue reading11 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 reading13 Wednesday Sep 2023
Tags
agents, authors, editors, Kokila, publishing, Sera Rivers, Speilburg Literary Agency, Sydnee Monday, writers
Welcome back to Meet the Faculty! In anticipation of the SCBWI-L.A. Working Writers Retreat on September 29–October 1, we’re getting to know the agents and editors who will be sharing their time and expertise at the event. This week we spoke with agent Sera Rivers and editor Sydnee Monday. Read on to discover what they look for in books and tips for making the most of the retreat!
(And if you’re inspired and would like to hear more from Sera and Sydnee, you can register for the retreat here! Registration will close at 11:59pm on Thursday, September 14.)
Continue reading
Kite Tales 