Events and Activities for Southern California Writers
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2006 events • Past 2007 events • Past 2008 events
GENERAL MEETING
Kid Lit: More than the ABCs of Writing for Children
Monday, May 19
7:30 SHARP to 9 p.m. (networking follows the program)
Journey through the exciting world of writing children’s literature and getting it published with a distinguished group of seven children’s book authors. Panelists will discuss developing characters, back stories, weaving compelling plots and story lines, use of age-specific language, and other tools Kid Lit writers need and what publishers are looking for.
The Panelists:
- SONYA SONES’s first book "Stop Pretending: What Happened When My Big Sister Went Crazy" won a Christopher Award, the Myra Cohn Livingston Award for Poetry, and was a finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize.
Sones’s third book "One of Those Hideous Books Where the Mother Dies" (Simon and Schuster, 2004) was chosen a Best Book and a Quick Pick. It was voted Best Book of the Year by teens from Rhode Island, Tennessee, Iowa and New Hampshire. It received a Cuffie Award from Publisher’s Weekly for the Best Book Title of 2004. The American Library Association voted it a Popular Paperback.
Her latest book "What My Girlfriend Doesn’t Know" was chosen by Booklist as a Top Ten Romance of 2007. Her website is SonyaSones.com.
- LISA DUNN-DERN is a children’s lifestyle expert, writer, author, and television and radio personality. Her two books are "Dr. Duncan Dog on Duty!" and "Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow." For Ethiopian Television (ETV), she produces and hosts “The Lisa and Winston Show,” a series of educational spots where she and her bird-puppet sidekick, Winston teach Ethiopian children about letters, numbers, and the planets in the solar system. The show is in its second season. Her website is DernGoodBooks.com.
- MICHELLE MARKEL has penned "Gracias, Rosa" (nonfiction); "Cornhusk, Silk and Wishbones: A book of Dolls from Around the World" (nonfiction); "Dream Town" (creative non-fiction); and "Dreamer from the Village: The Story of Marc Chagall" (biography). Her book on Chagall was a 2005 New York Public Library Best Title for Reading and Sharing and was recognized as a 2006 Notable Children’s Book of Jewish Content from the Association of Jewish Librarians. Her website is MichelleMarkel.com.
- ANN WHITFORD PAUL has written nearly a score of books including "Little Monkey Says Good Night" and "All by Herself: 14 Girls Who Made a Difference." It took Paul five years of submitting 18 different stories a total of 180 times before she made her first sale.
Her second book "Eight Hands Round: A Patchwork Alphabet" was distinguished as one of the outstanding social studies books of 1991 and was selected as a New York Times Notable Children’s Book.. Several of Paul's books have won awards including "Shadows Are About" (Outstanding Science Trade Book Citation) and "The Seasons Sewn" (Carl Sandburg Award for Children’s Literature, and The New York Times Best Illustrated Books selection). Her website is AnnWhitfordPaul.com.
- APRIL HALPRIN WAYLAND has written several award-winning books including "Girls Coming in for a Landing: A Novel in Poems." It won the Myra Cohn Livingston Award for Poetry, the Children’s Literature Council of Southern California Award, and was named a Lee Bennett Hopkins Honor Book for Children’s Poetry. The book is also a Junior Library Guild Selection, and was nominated for a Best Book of the Year for Young Adults (ALA) and ALA’s Quick Picks for Reluctant Readers List.
Her website is AprilHalprinWayland.com.
- GRETCHEN WOELFLE’s books include "Katje the Windmill Cat" (picture book), "The Wind at Work: An Activity Guide to Windmills" (nonfiction book, which won the Children’s Literature Top Choice List of 1998), "Jeanette Rankin: Political Pioneer"(biography); “Stories from Where We Live” (literary anthology series), and "Animal Families, Animal Friends." Her website is GretchenWoelfle.com.
- BARNEY SALTZBERG is an award-winning writer and songwriter whose books for very young children include "Crazy Hair Day," "The Soccer Mom From Outer Space" (Parents Choice Award), and "Mrs. Morgan’s Lawn." He is a composer and performer of music for children whose compositions have been featured on several children TV programs, including "Arthur." His website is BarneySaltzberg.com.
Moderator
ANNE MOSBERGEN writes promotional materials and manages presentations for businesses. Previously, she was a manager of employee communications at Ticor, a real estate and financial services corporation, and a sales communication manager at Nestle. She is an IWOSC Board member, part of its Professional Development Committee and organized the May slate of programs. She also serves as the IWOSC Jobline Coordinator.
Location: Veterans Memorial Building, 4117 Overland Avenue, Culver City
(Corner of Culver Boulevard. Parking entrance on Culver) Map of location. Parking is free.
Admission: IWOSC members - free; Non-members - $15
RESERVATIONS REQUIRED — Call 877-79-WRITE (that's 877-799-7483) or
for reservations and information. Reservations will be honored up to ten minutes before the meeting begins.
Please note: The reservation deadline is 12:00 noon on Monday, the day of the meeting.
If you reserve and can not attend, please
to let us know.
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IWOSC Saturday Seminar
Saturday, May 17
10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The Seminar:
Once Upon A Time: Writing Children's Literature
To write for kids, you have to think like a kid. There are nuances and approaches that children’s authors use frequently. It is not just the words, but also the images that the words create, which draw children into reading a story.
Join two award-winning children’s book authors and illustrators Kathryn Hewitt and Deborah Nourse Lattimore as they present practical tips and guidance on how to turn your kernel of a book idea into one ready to sell to a children’s book publisher.
Between them, Hewitt and Nourse Lattimore have written and illustrated nearly 50 children’s books, many of them award-winners and library picks. They will examine the making of books and inspirational writing from words and drawings. For those who don’t draw, don’t worry. Publishers supply illustrators and collaboration between writers and artists is common.
During the seminar, the two authors will focus on story structure, plot, character development, research, and dialogue. They will discuss editing, building drama and tension, “show-don’t-tell,” what to write and what to expect an artist to illustrate. Query letters, marketing and resources for children’s book writers will also be covered. Hewitt and Nourse Lattimore will provide pointers about what authors can do to help a book sell well.
HEWITT''S titles include the award-winning “Lives of …” series (Musicians, Writers, Artists, Athletes, Presidents, and Extraordinary Women), "Sunflower House," and "Flower Garden." Hewitt’s musician series has been awarded The American Booksellers Association Pick of the Lists, International Reading Association Teachers’ Choice, New York Public Library Book for the Teen Age, and Southern California Council on Literature for Children and Young People Award.
Her series on writers was awarded School Library Journal Best Book of the Year, International Reading Association Teachers’ Choice, and American Library Association Best Book for Young Adults. Hewitt also won the Association of American Publishers award in Excellence in Design for the J. P. Getty Museum publication "Marguerite Makes a Book."
LATTIMORE enjoys creating picture books that take young people on amazing journeys back through time. Her works re-tell myths and fairytales from ancient civilizations. Her titles include "The Winged Cat: And Other Tales of Ancient Civilizations," "Arabian Nights: Three Tales," and "The Sailor Who Captured the Sea: And Other Celtic Tales." Both presenters will have some of their books available for sale.
If you have a kid lit work-in-progress, bring it to the seminar for an interactive discussion on how to hone it for your target audience. Due to time constraints, not all works-in-progress may be critiqued.
Where: Veterans Memorial Building, 4117 Overland Avenue, Culver City
(Corner of Culver Boulevard. Parking entrance on Culver. Parking is free.) Map.
Cost: IWOSC members: $15; Non-members: $35
Reservations Required — Space is limited.
Reservation deadline: 4 p.m. the Friday before the seminar.
For reservations and information,
or call 877-79-WRITE (that's 877-799-7483).
NOTE: If you reserve and can not attend, please
to let us know.
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IN ORBIT: UPCOMING SATELLITE MEETINGS
IWOSC's monthly drop-in satellite sessions are open to all writers. Bring your writing, your ideas, problems, questions, and complaints. Receive support, laughs, juicy controversy, and plenty of networking. You don't have to be an IWOSC member to attend.
San Fernando Valley Satellite
Writers in the San Fernando Valley meet on the second Wednesday of most months.
The Valley Satellite offers writers a chance to participate in a free-flowing exchange of ideas about their work and the writing business.
Meeting pattern: Second Wednesday of most months
Next meeting:
Wednesday, May 14
Wednesday, June 11
Time: 10 to 11:30 a.m.
Location: Barnes & Noble Booksellers, 16461 Ventura Blvd., CA, Encino
Free parking in the shopping center
Here's a map to Barnes & Noble for you.
Our San Fernando Valley Satellite has two new co-hosts, Ron Vazzano and Midi Berry. Grab a snack from Starbucks next door or Gelson's across the street before the networking begins. For any questions, Ron can be reached at
and or
Westside Satellite
The Westside Satellite is orbiting at warp speed with host Melissa Kelly.
Meeting pattern: second Thursday of every month.
Next meeting:
Thursday, May 8
Thursday, June 12
TIme: 10 to 11:30 a.m.
Location: Dolores Restaurant, 11407 Santa Monica Blvd., West Los Angeles (at Purdue).
Restaurant and street parking
Here's a map to Delores Resaurant for you.
Dolores has 24-hour service, if hunger engulfs you during the meeting.
So we can have an idea of attendance, please
Pasadena Satellite
Writers in the San Gabriel Valley meet on the second Friday of every month. This gathering is a joint meeting hosted by the IWOSC Pasadena Satellite and the Alameda Writers Group Special Interest Group (SIG). Jane Neff Rollins is our IWOSC contact for the Pasadena Satellite.
Meeting pattern: second Friday of every month.
Next meetings:
Friday, May 9
Friday, June 13
Time: 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m.
Cost: Free, but we'd like you to purchase coffee or a snack.
Location: Coffee Gallery, 2029 N. Lake Ave, Altadena 91001
626-398-7917
Here's a Map to the Coffee Gallery for you.
For more information about this satellite,
or call her at (818) 957-3405.
Orange County Satellite
John Janda, author of American Spirit and head of Academy Press CA publishing, hosts IWOSC's Orange County Satellite. Read about Janda's novel at ArizonaTerritory-1878.com. Click on Postscript to the Writing of American Spirit.
Meeting pattern: Third Wednesday of every month
Next meetings:
Wednesday, April 16
Wednesday, May 21
On hiatus beginning in June
Time: 7:30 to 9 p.m.
Location: Tustin Branch Library (in the Tustin Civic Center) 345 E. Main St., Tustin, CA 92780
Here's a map to the library for you.
If you have any questions about this satellite,
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Intensive Writing Workshop
For more than two years, IWOSC has held an Intensive Writing Workshop with Oliver Mayer, Ph.D., associate professor of Dramatic Writing at USC. While Mayer develops two theater projects this winter, he leaves the group in the capable hands of co-moderator Alice Campbell Romano, immediate past president of IWOSC.
Mayer plans to resume his role as moderator for the workshop in the spring.
Moderator Romano has worked closely with Mayer from the workshop's inception. Her career as a translator for Italian cinema saw her collaborating on screenplay adaptations, English language dialog, and subtitles with some of the greats, including Federico Fellini. She writes an interview column for the City of Hope Board of Governors newsletter.
For the last four years, Romano has been writing poetry, and is preparing her first book. "The workshop is a terrific high for all of us," she says. "It's so supportive: critiques are intelligent, well-reasoned, professional, and above all, constructive. We have the impetus to keep going, to finish our projects, to send our work out. The workshop has a few openings right now: some of our authors are taking a break to concentrate on placing completed works. We are eager to hear new writing from new members."
The group welcomes new members and usually meets on 2nd and 4th Tuesdays at 7:30 p.m. in Westwood. Tuition is $15 a month for IWOSC members, and $25 for non-members. Space is limited to between 12 and 15 men and women who may produce non-fiction in their daily lives, but who may present in the workshop as playwrights, poets, novelists, short story writers, essayists, and most recently, bloggers. To inquire about attending, or for additional information, please
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Some of Our Past Events
Wondering what other events and types of events we've had? See our past 2006 events and 2007 events and this year's past events.
This page was last updated on Saturday, May 10, 2008 at 3:12 AM
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