(subject to change)
Click HERE for more info on the Breakouts Sessions!
8:10-8:30 | Welcome (Tahoe)
8:30-9:00 | Keynote - New York Times best-selling author, Dashka Slater! (Tahoe)
9:10-10:00 | Session 1
- Beginnings and Endings: Intriguing Hook + Surprise = Reader Satisfaction - Jennifer March Soloway (Tahoe)
- The Art of Crossover: Exploring New Kidlit Formats to Refresh Your Creativity - Dashka Slater, Mae Respicio, Meera Sriram (Tenaya)
- Managing Your Newsletter for Kidlit Creators - Kerry Aradhya, Nicole Chen, Susan Cabael, Maritza Ruiz-Kim (Shasta)
- Researching and Writing a Nonfiction Book to Stand the Test of Time - Susan B. Katz (Trinity)
10:10-10:40 | Community Connections (various activities TBD)
10:50-11:40 | Session 2
- An Author, Agent, and Editor Talk About How to Recognize a Good Idea - Ian Lendler, Mae Respicio, Marissa Moss (Tahoe)
- What Finding a Dream Team with Totally in Sync Art Director, Editor, and Artist Can Look Like - Amelia Mack, Ariel Richardson (Tenaya)
- Hot and Cold: How to Control POV in Your Fiction - Michael Carr (Shasta)
- Creating Amid Chaos: Juggling Parenting, Publishing, and Professional Responsibilities - Nicole Chen, Steph Lau, Sandra Salsbury, Seina Wedlick, Monica Wesolowska (Trinity)
11:50-12:40 | Session 3
- Parallel Play: How Picture Book Writers and Illustrators Work Together - Monica Wesolowska, Kenard Pak, Deborah Underwood, Cindy Derby, Maritza Ruiz-Kim (Tahoe)
- Making Something: From Animation to Graphic Novel - Bobby Podesta (Tenaya)
- Using Mentor Texts to Tell a Better Story - Nadia Salomon (Shasta)
- The Picture Book Pipeline: How to Create a Smooth Self-Publishing Flow! - Will Wolfe (Trinity)
12:45-1:25 | Lunch (Juniper Atrium)
1:30-2:20 | Session 4
- Fresh Air in a Crowded Room: Picture Book Submissions That Catch Our Attention - Karly Dizon, Marissa Moss, Summer Dawn Laurie, Ariel Richardson, Ian Lendler, Meera Sriram - Moderator (Tahoe)
- First Ten Pages That Pop, Not Flop: Hook Us From the Start, and What to Avoid (MG/YA) - Michael Carr, Irene Vázquez, Jennifer March Soloway, Dean Gloster - Moderator (Tenaya)
2:30-3:20 | Session 5
- A Tapestry of Voices: Still Seeking Authentic, Diverse, Underrepresented Stories - Karly Dizon, Irene Vázquez, Raelene Van Horn - Moderator (Tahoe)
- Crafting Your Logline to Catch Agent/Editor Interest (MG/YA) - Jennifer March Soloway, Michael Carr, Dean Gloster - Moderator (Tenaya)
- Stage Fright to Spotlight: Navigating School Visits and Anxiety with Confidence - Nadia Salomon and Natasha Yim (Shasta)
3:30-4:20 | Session 6
- What I Wish Everyone Knew (or Did) Before Submitting to Me - Sally Kim, Rachel Kent, Marissa Moss, Summer Dawn Laurie, Ariel Richardson, Amelia Mack, Maritza Ruiz-Kim - Moderator (Tahoe)
- Traditional Illustration Behind the Scenes: From Sketch to Finished - Shirley Ng-Benitez, Zu Gong - Moderator (Tenaya)
4:25-4:45 | Conclusion (Tahoe)
Announcement of EQI awards, portfolio judging, prize drawings, and inspiring farewell!
4:50-5:45 | Faculty Book Signing Event