SCBWI WWA "Unconference"
May 03, 2025
Northlake Unitarian Universalist Church 308 4th Ave South Kirkland, WA 98033
Join us for our region’s first ever “unconference!” Unconferences allow participants to first propose and then collaboratively organize and lead sessions based on the experience and expertise of those who attend. Our unconference will take place at Northlake UU Church in Kirkland, WA from 1-5pm and is open to both prepublished and published authors and illustrators. Bring all the craft topics and kidlit issues you’d like to explore, learn about, and discuss! Leading a session is completely optional. We’ll be kicking the unconference off with a presentation by Mark Holtzen on The Case for Nurturing Males in Children’s Fiction. Cost: $15 members/$20 nonmembers Registration ends at midnight, Wednesday April 30th. Cost: $15 members/$20 nonmembers Registration ends at midnight, Wednesday April 30th.
Our Speaker:
Mark is a former third-grade teacher, an underappreciated personal assistant to two teenagers, and a scratcher of kitty cat chins. He writes picture books, novels for children, and personal essays. He recently earned an MFA from the Vermont College of Fine Arts and has been a longtime SCBWI member. His picture book, A TICKET TO THE PENNANT (Sasquatch Publishing, 2016) was a Washington State Book Award finalist and repped Washington State at the Library of Congress National Book Festival. He was raised in the Northwest, lives in South Seattle, and hangs out with local librarians and Northwest independent booksellers any chance he gets. Sharing his own messy creative process is one way he helps writers of all ages uncover their stories.