Garden Box Breakout Sessions
Welcome to the Garden Box, a cozy plot where support, resources, and friendships help every member flourish. It’s a space where we nurture growth, tend connections, and share the tools you need to thrive in your creative soil.
Our Garden Box Breakout Sessions are bursting with inspiration, featuring presentations from Illinois Published and Listed (PAL) members–our very own master gardeners! We are busy digging up this season's themes and PAL members, but you'll get to attend two Garden Box Breakout Sessions live, and have the recordings of all four for up to 30 days after the event!
Sessions take place on September 21st, 2025, at 1:45 PM CDT and 2:45 PM CDT.
1:45 PM Garden Box Sessions:
Growing a Thriving Network with Ann Zhao
Preparing the Soil for Your Story with Nicole M. Hewitt
2.45 PM Garden Box Sessions:
Planting Your Own Story with Independent Publishing with Laura Smetana
Growing Characters that Reflect the World in Story & Art with Kelly Mangan
Attendees select one session during each block to attend on Zoom, and they will receive all four recordings to watch for 30 days after the event.
Garden Box Breakout Session Faculty
Ann Zhao
Ann Zhao is the Indie-bestselling author of Dear Wendy and a contributor to the upcoming anthology Being Aro. When she’s not writing, she works in youth and teen services at a public library, where she’s always finding excuses to put her friends’ books on display. Born and raised in Illinois, she lived briefly in Massachusetts for college but now resides back in the Chicagoland area. Photo Credit: Emily Hou
Kelly Mangan
Kelly Mangan is a queer, neurodiverse author and illustrator of picture books and middle grade stories. She is the illustrator of LIKE THAT ELEANOR (written by Lee Wind, published by Cardinal Rule Press), and the author of the novel MAEVE MULVANEY HAS HAD ENOUGH (Holiday House, 2025). While originally from the South, she now resides in Vermont with her partner and two kids.