WARNING! LAST YEAR'S INFORMATION!

SCBWI Orange County/San Bernardino/Riverside

8th Annual Spring Retreat

SOLD OUT!

You are invited to join us for our Eighth Annual Spring Retreat on March 28th thru March 30, 2008. Picture yourself strolling along a serene path through a tranquil vineyard. Our retreat location is tucked in the heart of Temecula’s Wine Country: The South Coast Winery Resort & Spa (www.wineresort.com). It is the perfect setting to work on creating memorable characters and winning plots.

March 28 - March 30, 2008

Friday VIP Reception: 7:00PM

Saturday Registration 8:30 am - 9:00 am

Saturday Program 9:00 am - 5:00 pm

Saturday Evening Program 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm

Sunday Program 8:30 am - 12:00 noon

at
The South Coast Winery Resort & Spa
34843 Rancho California Rd
Temecula, CA 92591
951.587.WINE (9463) • 1.866.9.WINERY (994-6379)

Join our award-winning faculty for exciting hands-on workshops, manuscript critiques, skill-building activities, giveaways, prizes and games. It’s a great way to give your career a jumpstart while you pamper yourself in California’s legendary wine country.

Stacy Cantor – Associate Editor: Walker & Company

Nancy Conescu – Associate Editor: Little, Brown Books

Melissa Manlove – Assistant Editor: Chronicle Books

Ellen Hopkins – New York Times Best Selling Author

Davida Wills Hurwin – Award-Winning YA Author and Actress

Merrily Kutner – Award-Winning PB Author

Q.L. Pearce – Co-Author Best Selling MG Scary Stories

Jacqueline Sullivan – MG Author – Cybil Award Nominee

CLICK HERE to be put on the waiting list

EDITOR BIOS

Stacy Cantor – Associate Editor, Walker Books for Young Readers:

Stacy Cantor edits contemporary young adult fiction and picture books. She is an Associate Editor at Walker Books for Young Readers. She has previously worked at Bloomsbury Children’s Books and as a writer for a book packager in Chicago, Illinois. She also spent a summer as an intern for Viking Children’s Books, where she honed her skills reading the slush pile. Stacy’s interests lie primarily in literary, contemporary young adult fiction and vibrant read-aloud picture books. Her favorite projects thus far have been the novels First Kiss (Then Tell), edited by Cylin Busby; Teen, Inc. by Stefan Petrucha; and The Ultimate Teen Book Guide. Forthcoming projects include novels Undone by Brooke Taylor, Abigail Iris: One of Many by Lisa Glatt and Suzanne Greenberg, and a picture book called Sophie and the Monster Move-In by Chris Case.

Nancy Conescu – Associate Editor, Little Brown Books for Young Readers:

Nancy Conescu is looking for literary and commercial middle-grade fiction, edgy YA fiction, inventive and non-traditional picture books, and projects that test the creative boundaries of their respective genres. She is intrigued by dark humor, satire, and the supernatural. She has worked on books by Holly Hobbie, Julie Anne Peters, Todd Parr, and Stephenie Meyer. Her most recent acquisition is The Prophecy of the Sisters trilogy by Michelle Zink and her upcoming titles include Ghostgirl by Tonya Hurley, Suddenly Supernatural: School Spirit by Elizabeth Cody Kimmel, and Ignatius McFarland: Frequenaut! by Paul Feig. Her recently published titles include the Vampirates series by Justin Somper. Before joining Little, Brown, Nancy interned at Golden Books and worked in the paperback and mass market divisions of Penguin Books for Young Readers.

Melissa Manlove – Assistant Editor, Chronicle Books:

Melissa Manlove is passionate about all age groups and genres of children’s books, with the exception of religious topics. She has been with Chronicle for four years. Some of the books that Melissa has edited are: Emily’s Balloon by Komako Sakai, Tools by Taro Miura, Tales from the Brothers Grimm by Cooper Edens, and Make a Wish by Roseanne Thong, illustrated by Elisa Kleven. When acquiring, she looks for fresh takes on familiar topics as well as the new and unusual. More important than topic, however, is an effective approach and strong, graceful writing. She is a member of the SCBWI and has 10 years of children’s bookselling experience.

AUTHOR BIOS

Ellen Hopkins – New York Times Best-Selling Author:

Ellen Hopkins has written more than 20 nonfiction children’s books and the edgy YA Novels, Crank, Burned, Glass and Impulse. Crank was nominated for a 2005 Quill Award and Burned was nominated for the National Book Award in 2006. Crank, Impulse, and Glass hit the New York Times Best Seller List in 2007. Burned hit the New York Times Best Seller list in January, 2008. Ellen is a Regional Advisor for the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. Her fifth YA novel, Identical is set for August ’08 release. You may visit this talented author at www.EllenHopkins.com.

Davida Wills Hurwin – Award-Winning Author & Actress:

Davida Wills Hurwin is the author of three acclaimed novels for young adults. A Time for Dancing is an ALA best book for young adults, has won numerous awards, and was made into a movie starring Larisa Oleynik, Peter Coyote, and Amy Madigan. The sequel, The Farther You Run, is a New York Public Library “Best books for the teen age” and was nominated for ALA 2004 Top Ten Teen books. Circle the Soul Softly has received positive attention from teen bloggers and YA Book Central. Originally trained in dance and theater, Davida has taught both at Santa Monica's Crossroads School for Arts and Sciences since 1981, and continues full time there as teacher and director. She is a workshop leader at the Santa Barbara Writers' Conference each June.

Merrily Kutner – Award-Winning PB Author:

Merrily Kutner is not only an award-winning picture book author she is also an instructor for The Institute of Children’s Literature as well as a teacher for The UCLA Extension Writing Program online course: Writing and Structuring Picture Books for Children, Spring 2008. Merrily’s picture books include Z Is for Zombie (an IRA/CBC Children’s Choice selection), Down On the Farm (Please Touch Museum Picture Book of the Year 2005), and Zombie Night Café (Moonbeam Children’s Holiday Picture Book of the Year 2007). Her latest book, Alphabet Magic, will be released by Roaring Brook Press in 2009.

Q. L. Pearce - Co-Author of Scary Story Series – Over One Million Copies Sold!:

Q began her career as a writer and editor with Lowell House/Roxbury Press in Los Angeles. She has since published more than 140 nonfiction books for children on the subjects of science, literature, and values; more than a dozen collections of scary stories and mysteries; and film tie-in books for the Fox animated film Titan AE and the Universal animated series Land Before Time. Q is an Assistant Regional Advisor and currently serves on the Board of Advisors for SCBWI.

Jacqueline Levering Sullivan - Cybil Award Nominee MG Author:

Jacqueline Levering Sullivan is the Director of the Writing Center at Pitzer College in Claremont. Her first middle grade novel, Annie's War (Eerdmans Books for Young Readers) was inspired in part by her own experiences as a child in Walla Walla, Washington. Annie’s War is a Cybil Award nominee. She is currently working on her next novel.

Details

Retreat gift certificates are available upon request! Treat someone special (like yourself) for Valentine’s Day!

How do I register? CLICK HERE to be put on the waiting list

Special Note: To get the most out of the retreat, we will limit enrollment.

Tell me about attending as a Daytripper (no accommodations provided, $120 for the two day conference plus many extras): Our retreat location is tucked in the heart of Temecula’s Wine Country: The South Coast Winery Resort & Spa. It is the perfect setting to attend as a Day Tripper. You will be able to work on creating memorable characters and winning plots all against a scenic backdrop of rolling hills. Picture peaceful walks along a serene path through a tranquil vineyard during your conference breaks or lounging on the stone terrace surrounded by lush flowers and spring foliage. In the conference room you will be seated comfortably at a table with plenty of room to spread out and take notes. Each morning you will be greeted with a delightful continental breakfast and on Saturday night you are invited to join our editors for our Saturday Night Fright Workshop with Q. L. Pearce. She will guide you into putting the mystery and shivers into your writing. All conference opportunities will be available to you as well including; roundtable critiques, first pages, manuscript critiques, manuscript contest, lunch or dessert with the editors and the Friday Night VIP Reception. Some of these extras may require an additional fee.

Join us for the Friday Night VIP Reception (no host bar), $12.50 per person. All conference attendees (including Day Trippers) are invited to meet with our editors and authors in the beautiful wine tasting room. Please note if you are staying at the Villa with a guest, your guest is welcome as well.

** Please note: continental breakfast(s), snacks and drinks only will be provided.

Our current block of Villas are sold out for the retreat but you may book a villa directly with the Winery Resort at: 866-994-6379 (you will still need to register as a Day Tripper) or for other Temecula accommodations check out:

Embassy Suites
29345 Rancho California Rd
Temecula, CA 92591
951-676-5656

Ramada Inn
8980 Old Town Front Street
Temecula, CA 92590
951-676-8770

Hampton Inn & Suites
28190 Jefferson Avenue
Temecula, CA 92590
951-506-2331

Best Western
27706 Jefferson Avenue
Temecula, CA, 92590
951-676-7378

Schedule:

Manuscript Critiques (Attendees Only):
Speaker critique fee is $45. Limit to ten pages (double spaced) and a one-page synopsis (full ms for PB). Manuscripts must be postmarked no later than February 20, 2008. Please write “Critique” at top of manuscript and include your name, address, email address and phone number. One manuscript per person. Your critique will be returned at the retreat. If you would like to send your registration to secure your place, you may mail your manuscript later (as long as it is by the stated deadline).

Free Contest:
Follow critique guidelines for submission. Please write “Contest” at the top of the manuscript. You may submit a different manuscript from your critique submission. Prizes will be awarded at the retreat. A copy of the winning manuscript will be given to our guest editors.

Workshops:

• Three Author-Led Workshops targeting age range (PB, MG, YA) led by New York Times Best Selling YA Author Ellen Hopkins, Award-Winning Picture Book Author Merrily Kutner and Cybil Award Nominee MG Author Jacqueline Levering Sullivan. You are invited to sign up for the genre that most interest you.

• “Be Your Character” Workshop with Davida Will Hurwin.

• After Hours Saturday Workshop: Making a Mystery/Scary manuscript deliciously shivery! led by Q. L. Pearce, co-author of million-seller series Scary Stories for Sleep-Overs.

Extras

* Friday Night VIP Reception – no host bar: ($12.50 per person)

* Round table critiques: Faculty led. Bring your manuscripts!

* First Pages: Send your first page for the editors to critique!

* Saturday lunch or dessert at an editor’s table

* Engaging writing exercises and much more

Special Opportunity:
Twelve attendees from a random drawing will share either a morning or afternoon coffee break with an editor of their choice.

First Pages:
Does your first page work? Will it get an editor's attention? Will your opening line make you stand out from the rest? Send a copy of the opening page of your manuscript for our Panel. Prepare the page as you would for submission. First Pages will be chosen at random, read aloud and critiqued by our guest speakers.

Meals:
Continental breakfast will be provided in the meeting room. To savor the atmosphere of the Temecula wine country, you are also invited to join the faculty for a fixed menu lunch buffet at the beautiful Baily Vineyards, Carol’s Restaurant. The cost is $26 (tax and tip included). Only forty seats are available so sign up soon. The menu will be emailed to participants.

Any questions email Regional Advisor Francesca Rusackas: CLICK HERE to e-mail Francesca or call 909-860-8536. You may also e-mail the Assistant Regional Advisor Q. L. Pearce: CLICK HERE to e-mail Q. Directions to the Retreat will be sent by email along with your confirmation.