SCBWI CenCal's 2025 Writers & Illustrators Day - CATCHING THE CREATIVE WAVE
Sep 20, 2025
Day 1 Writers & Illustrators Day is in-person at the Camarillo Community Center << AND >> Day 2 Sunday 9/21/25 is the optional online Pitchfest via Zoom.
Join us for CenCal's Writers & Illustrators Day on Saturday 9/20/25 at the Pleasant Valley Recreation and Park District Auditorium, 1605 E. Burnley St. in Camarillo (same location as last year). *** Our theme this year is Catch the Creative Wave! Our logo artwork is courtesy of local CenCal artist Gela Kalaitzidis. You’ll hear a wave of great information from agents Sallie Kim of Andrea Brown Literary and Jim Averbeck of East West Literary as well as Kristen Choi, editor at Simon and Schuster. Plus, you’ll be inspired to create by authors Harshini Vankineni (What Color is the Baby? A Celebration of Skin Tones), Farah Shaw (Sherlock Academy), Joan Bransfield Graham (Awesome Earth), Lee Wardlaw (My Book of Firsts). There will be prizes, morning coffee, catered lunch, photo opportunities, first pages (chance drawing to get feedback on your anonymous first page), a Writing Contest, an Illustrators Portfolio table, Author Display Table and a wonderful opportunity to connect with other writers and illustrators. Everyone who registers also gets to attend our “How to Pitch” webinar on Saturday, September 6 from 10am to noon (included free in your registration).** SCBWI members registered for the 9/20/25 conference have the option to add up to ONE Written Critique (handed out at the end of the day on 9/20/25—no in person meeting) PLUS ONE live Pitch at the pitchfest online the following day Sunday, 9/21/25. Critiques and pitches offered while supply lasts. *** See FAQs and other info below.
In this section: (1) Keynote & Spotlight Speakers at CenCal's 9/20/25 In-Person 2025 Writers & Illustrators Day, (2) Agents/Editors/Publishers Offering Written Critiques, (3) Agents/Editors/Publishers Offering Pitches at our online 9/21/25 Zoom Pitchfest
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List of Keynote & Spotlight Speakers (9/20/25 In-Person Conference):
Agent JIM AVERBECK of East West Literary “Let’s Get Banned”
Jim Averbeck works, plays, and evades the law in Colorado, eight miles west of the continental divide. His first book, In a Blue Room, was a Charlotte Zolotow Honor book. His popular books Except If and Oh No, Little Dragon! feature charming protagonists with pointy teeth. His book, The Market Bowl and his middle grade novel A Hitch at the Fairmont were Junior Library Guild Selections. His most popular book, One Word From Sophia, was an IndyNext Top 10 for Summer 2015. Jim is also an agent for East West Literary Agency, where he loves to help authors with books that foster critical thinking and anti-authoritarian attitudes get their books in print.
Spotlight Author FARAH SHAW “Fill Up Your Well”
Farah Shaw is a middle-grade author, playwright, and poet. Her four-book mystery series Sherlock Academy held the number one spot for best Children’s Mystery on Amazon. She has written six plays that have been produced at high schools across the nation. For a year she wrote a poem a week and self-published the collection. In her spare time, she trains for runs, her favorite being the races at Disneyland. She’s a big Sherlockian, mega Star Wars fan, and Starbucks regular. She lives with her husband and four children in Santa Maria in a house they call Shawgwarts.
Editor KRISTIE CHOI of Simon and Schuster "Cinematic Storytelling: Craft Principles for Writing an Immersive Novel for MG/YA Readers."
Kristie Choi works on a range of YA/MG novels, picture books, graphic novels, and select nonfiction. The books she’s edited have won numerous accolades, awards, and hit bestseller lists. Kristie is looking for high-concept character-driven and voice-driven stories with an original and timeless feel that young readers of all backgrounds can get lost in. Regardless of format, she's drawn to stories that are inventive, creatively ambitious, and amplify traditionally marginalized voices. Many of the stories she's fallen in love with have been the kind she would never have thought to ask for with a MSWL. Find her on Bluesky @kristiechoi.bsky.social
Spotlight Author HARSHINI VENKINENI “Picture Books for Conversations and Empowerment.”
Harshini Vankineni is a writer, and a perpetual student of literature and languages. She is an immigrant from India and lives in Southern California with her children and husband. Harshini writes picture books, young adult and new adult fiction. What Color is the Baby? : A Celebration of Skin Tones is her debut picture book by Candlewick Press. She is a member of SCBWI and loves writing conferences, retreats and coffee. In her spare time, you can find her snuggled with her Kindle E-reader or binging a web series.
Spotlight Author LEE WARDLAW “From First Book to my 31st: I Knew I Shoulda Taken that Left Turn at Albuquerque.”
Lee Wardlaw swears her first word was ‘kitty.’ Since then, she’s shared her life with 31 cats and published 31 books for children, ranging from picture books to YA novels. She is best known for Won Ton – A Cat Tale Told in Haiku which garnered 50 awards and honors, including the Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award, the Myra Cohn Livingston Award for Poetry, SCBWI’s Crystal Kite Award, and the Fancy Feast/Purina “Love Story” Award. Her newest title is My Book of Firsts – Poems Celebrating a Baby’s Milestones. Lee lives in Santa Barbara with her husband and two former shelter cats.
Agent SALLY KIM of Andrea Brown “Query Me! A Closer look at one agent’s wishlist”
Based in San Francisco, California, Sally M. Kim is an associate agent with Andrea Brown Literary Agency. She represents a wide range of children’s book authors, illustrators, and author-illustrators of picture books through middle grade. Sally is drawn to stories with a distinct voice, unexpected wit, aggressive pacing, punchy and/or emotionally resonant endings. When it comes to illustration, she gravitates to traditional mediums and is always on the lookout for versatile artists with a unique take on color, texture, perspective, and thoughtful details. Sally is especially eager to see authentic explorations of underrepresented cultures, relationships, and identities.
Spotlight Author JOAN BRANSFIELD GRAHAM ”The Shape of Language, the Language of Shape.”
Award-winning author/poet Joan Bransfield Graham has been widely published in anthologies, including National Geographic & The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Her books Splish Splash and Flicker Flash—concrete poems about water and light—inspire students to write their own poetry. Both books were SLJ Best Books of the Year and NCTE Notables. In The Poem That Will Not End: Fun with Poetic Forms and Voices, Ryan O’ Brian can’t stop writing poetry in unique ways! Poem is a NCTE Notable, winner of the Myra Cohn Livingston Poetry Award, and recipient of a Eureka! Silver Award for Excellence in Nonfiction. Her 2025 book is Awesome Earth.