Highlights and Lowlifes: An Evening with Marvin Wolf
FREE — IWOSC Members Only (RSVP Required, see below)
Wednesday, April 27, 2016 at 7:30 pm
Veterans Memorial Building
Marvin Wolf, one of IWOSC’s most successful writers shares highlights and lowlifes from a career spanning 50 years.
A recovering photojournalist, charter IWOSC member, four-time past president, adjunct college professor, and the author of 17 published books, scores of magazine articles and a feature movie for television, Wolf talks about the pitfalls, pratfalls, roadblocks and rewards of a life in letters in his last IWOSC appearance before departing for a new home in North Carolina.
The author of 17 books, including a novel, and the screenplay for Ladies Night (USA Network, 2005), Wolf is a charter member of IWOSC and four-time past president. He also belongs to the Writers Guild of America, West, the American Society of Journalists and Authors, and the USMC Combat Correspondents Association.
Marvin served in Vietnam as a combat photographer and was awarded a battlefield commission as well as the Bronze Star, the Air Medal and the Purple Heart.
Marvin Wolf in the field
Wolf’s first book, The Japanese Conspiracy (Empire Books, 1983) was an investigative exposé of the decades-long secret collusion between the Japanese government and industrial conglomerates in violation of international trade agreements.
Since then he has authored or collaborated as co-author or ghost writer to produce well-regarded autobiographies of ABC Broadcasting founder Leonard Goldenson (Beating The Odds), Native American leader Russell Means (Where White Men Fear To Tread,) and former South Vietnam Prime Minister Nguyen Cao Ky (Buddha’s Child).
Marvin’s latest book (February 2015) is Abandoned In Hell, The Fight For Vietnam’s Firebase Kate.
He also co-wrote the screenplay for Ladies Night, a feature-length movie for the USA Network based on one of his own books.
Behind The Screen: Writing for TV Today – and Tomorrow
Here are some photos from this great special event.
IWOSC President Flo Selfman reads her tribute to Pam Leven, whose photo is on table.
IWOSC President Flo Selfman (l.) and OPCC Director of Development Kait Peters
IWOSC President Flo Selfman (l.) and OPCC Director of Development Kait Peters
Thanks, Vickey Kalambakal, for doing triple duty this year: satellite coordinator, host of Westside (Santa Monica) satellite, and board member. Tablemates are Bob Birchard (behind Vickey), board member Lisa de Vincent, and Lynne Rouillard
OPCC’s Kait Peters (r.) accept IWOSC’s donation and tells us something about Sojourn, California’s second oldest shelter for women and children victims of domestic violence. (l-r) board members Lisa de Vincent, Vickey Kalambakal, Roberta Edgar, Flo Selfman (president), Gary Young, James Mills, Monika Vogl.
Gary presents Flo with a gift from the board.
IWOSC President Flo Selfman reads her tribute to Pam Leven, whose photo is on table.
IWOSC presents $2,500 to Sojourn to honor its late, longtime treasurer Pam Leven at annual IWOSC holiday party at Millennium Biltmore Hotel in downtown LA, December 3, 2014. From left: IWOSC President Flo Selfman holding presentation check and photo of Leven; Bob Geddes, Pam Leven’s husband (who also made a donation to Sojourn); and Kait Peters, OPCC (Sojourn) Director of Development. Photo credit: Libby Slate
IWOSC presents $2,500 to Sojourn to honor its late, longtime treasurer Pam Leven at annual IWOSC holiday party at Millennium Biltmore Hotel in downtown LA, December 3, 2014. From left: IWOSC President Flo Selfman holding presentation check and photo of Leven; Bob Geddes, Pam Leven’s husband (who also made a donation to Sojourn); and Kait Peters, OPCC (Sojourn) Director of Development. Photo credit: Libby Slate
OPCC’s Kait Peters (r.) accept IWOSC’s donation and tells us something about Sojourn, California’s second oldest shelter for women and children victims of domestic violence. (l-r) board members Lisa de Vincent, Vickey Kalambakal, Roberta Edgar, Flo Selfman (president), Gary Young, James Mills, Monika Vogl.
IWOSC once again exhibited at the LA Times Festival of Books as we love meeting book lovers and writers. Book enthusiasts visited us there at booth 148.
2016 LA Times Festival of Books From left: IWOSC authors We Truitt, (Stealth Gambit); Lee Wilson (Rebel on Pointe); Ruth Frechman (The Food is My Friend Diet)
Saturday, April 9, 2016
from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Sunday, April 10, 2016
from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Admission: Free! General festival admission, including all outdoor programming, is free. No ticket required.
IWOSC is proud to co-sponsor the 805 Writers’ Conference.
October 31 & November 1, 2015
Crowne Plaza Hotel
Ventura, CA
The Craft and Business of Writing. 805 Writers’ Conference delivers the skills and knowledge writers need to succeed. Perfect for novelists, nonfiction, magazine, and screenwriters.
39 professionals to hear and meet, including our own Flo Selfman and Roberta Edgar.
18 Authors, 7 Literary Agents, 7 Book Editors, 2 Screenwriters, 2 Book Publishers, 7 Magazine & Newspaper Editors, 5 Book Marketers, 4 Writing Instructors, 3 Social Media Experts, and America’s most read archaeologist!
IWOSC will have a table there as well.
Conference coordinator Kate Sexton Kaiser is an IWOSC member.
Annual Literary Agents Panel: What Writers Must Know About Working With Representation Today — and Tomorrow
Monday, April 27, 2015
In a fast-changing marketplace, it’s more important than ever to have an advocate to fight for you when going the route of traditional publishing. Our annual Agent’s program this April 27 will present a panel of stellar Southern California agents who will provide a look at their world today. Topics we’ll be covering (and there will be time for Q&A from the audience) will include:
Do’s and Don’ts — how to get an agent’s attention in a good way, what agents are especially on the lookout for (and what they DON’T want to see) in cover/query letters and proposals.
How to make your cover, query, or proposal irresistible, and how to match yourself with the right agent for your “brand” and interests as a writer.
The future of the agent/author/publisher relationship in our new era of digital technology, E-books, and self- and small-press publishing. What an agent can – and can’t – do in our brave new world.
Establishing your platform – both in terms of expertise and social or magazine media visibility.
Young adult, graphic/comic book novels, and genre or series vs. “literary” stand-alone fiction, and self/small press publishing vs. mainstream – which would work best for your book?
Writing for a 21st century audience – how to make your characters or nonfiction subject matter relevant and come alive to a wired, diverse, Gen-X and Millennial audience by using up-to-the-minute techniques, styles, and genres.
We will ALSO have a top Hollywood motion picture and TV agent for those who are pursuing screenwriting rather than (or in addition to) book writing.
Our terrific lineup:
Toni
TONI LOPOPOLO is founder and president of Toni Lopopolo Literary Management. She has a book-publishing resume that began in 1970 in the publicity department of Bantam Books. As executive editor at both Macmillan and later St. Martins, she published Judy Mazel’s “Beverly Hills Diet” and popular best-selling women’s fiction by Barbara Raskin and Kate Coscarelli. Her literary agency was founded in 1991.
She has made deals for authors such as novelist/nonfiction author Sol Stein (“Stein on Writing”), novelist/nonfiction author Shelly Lowenkopf (“The Fiction Writer’s Handbook”), gritty Chicano noir mystery writer Manuel Ramos (“Brown-on-Brown: A Luis Montez Mystery”), and romance author Flo Fitzgerald (“Ghost of a Chance”), and worked with Hollywood legends like Jacqueline Susann, Hermione Gingold, and Robert Stack.
Toni looks for well-written, well-edited fiction: mysteries/thrillers, mainstream fiction with proactive female protagonists, and ethnic writers (including Hispanic). In nonfiction, she is interested in memoir with a message, family-oriented subjects, health, coping with special problems, and topical subjects. Toni conducts workshops for novelists and memoirists, and offers coaching on creating irresistible pitches and book proposals.
JENNIFER AZANTIAN began her career over three thousand miles away from the hub of traditional publishing, in Southern California. As a teenager, she had two main loves: her love of literature and her love of children. Though she was always reading and writing, Jennifer pursued a career in clinical and developmental psychology, with a focus on young people.
In 2010, she graduated with a BS degree and honors from UC San Diego and pursued an internship with the prestigious Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency. Within three months, she had a job as an assistant to Elise Capron and Sandy Dijkstra, and a few months later, she was open to submissions.
During her years at the Dijkstra agency, Jennifer learned from the best and had the pleasure of working with some of the most prolific and talented authors around. She also developed her taste for fantasy, science-fiction, and horror that focuses on characters that feel real, the kind whose stories she can get invested in regardless of extravagance in plot or setting. She is fascinated by the basic human truths that emerge at the heart of all the greatest fantasies.
JENNIFER ROFE handles children’s fiction for arguably the most powerful and longest-established Children’s and YA agency on the West Coast, Andrea Brown Literary.
Jennifer handles children’s fiction projects, from picture books to young adult. Middle grade is her soft spot; she’s open to all genres in this category, especially the tender or hilarious. For YA, Jennifer’s drawn to contemporary works; dramatic or funny romance; and urban fantasy/light sci-fi.
For picture books, early readers, and chapter books, she’s interested in character-driven projects and smart, exceptional writing. Jennifer also enjoys how-to and sports-related nonfiction. Her clients include Laurie David, Cambria Gordon, Crystal Allen, and Barry Wolverton.
Jennifer is co-author of the picture book, “Piggies in the Pumpkin Patch.”
PAUL S. LEVINE, PAUL S. LEVINE LITERARY AGENCY, is a lawyer and a literary agent. He has practiced entertainment law for over 30 years, representing authors, writers, producers, actors, directors, composers, musicians, artists, photographers, publishers, in the fields of publishing, motion pictures, television, interactive multimedia, live stage, recorded music, concerts, and the visual arts.
Levine has sold over one hundred fiction and nonfiction books and has had many books developed as movies-for-television and feature films.
His biggest successes have been with self-published authors with impressive sales who wanted to have their books republished by a major publishing house.
TELLY DAVIDSON is author of the acclaimed media tie-in book “TV’s Grooviest Variety Shows,” cited as a Book of the Year by the TV Academy, and the forthcoming nonfiction book “What Didn’t You Like About It,” a serious (and seriously funny) look back at the politics and pop culture of the 1990s.
For two years he was senior “Culture Columnist” for David Frum’s enormously spopular FrumForum.com, and his writing has appeared in more than a dozen commercial publications and websites including AllAboutJazz, FilmStew, YahooMovies, the Los Angeles Daily News, Entertainment Today, and on the TV specials “Pioneers of Television,” “Most Outrageous Game Show Moments,” and as associate producer for KCET’s “The WRITE Environment.”
Currently, Telly works with veteran film producers’ representative Jeff Porter in acquisitions and research for his company, Porter Pictures, and he is a proud and active member of IWOSC, having hosted or served on several panels including “Books-to-Film,” “Biographies & Memoirs,” and earlier “Trends in Publishing” programs.
Annual Literary Agents Panel: What Writers Must Know About Working With Representation Today — and Tomorrow
Monday, April 27, 2015
In a fast-changing marketplace, it’s more important than ever to have an advocate to fight for you when going the route of traditional publishing. Our annual Agent’s program this April 27 will present a panel of stellar Southern California agents who will provide a look at their world today. Topics we’ll be covering (and there will be time for Q&A from the audience) will include:
Do’s and Don’ts — how to get an agent’s attention in a good way, what agents are especially on the lookout for (and what they DON’T want to see) in cover/query letters and proposals.
How to make your cover, query, or proposal irresistible, and how to match yourself with the right agent for your “brand” and interests as a writer.
The future of the agent/author/publisher relationship in our new era of digital technology, E-books, and self- and small-press publishing. What an agent can – and can’t – do in our brave new world.
Establishing your platform – both in terms of expertise and social or magazine media visibility.
Young adult, graphic/comic book novels, and genre or series vs. “literary” stand-alone fiction, and self/small press publishing vs. mainstream – which would work best for your book?
Writing for a 21st century audience – how to make your characters or nonfiction subject matter relevant and come alive to a wired, diverse, Gen-X and Millennial audience by using up-to-the-minute techniques, styles, and genres.
We will ALSO have a top Hollywood motion picture and TV agent for those who are pursuing screenwriting rather than (or in addition to) book writing.
Our terrific lineup:
Toni
TONI LOPOPOLO is founder and president of Toni Lopopolo Literary Management. She has a book-publishing resume that began in 1970 in the publicity department of Bantam Books. As executive editor at both Macmillan and later St. Martins, she published Judy Mazel’s “Beverly Hills Diet” and popular best-selling women’s fiction by Barbara Raskin and Kate Coscarelli. Her literary agency was founded in 1991.
She has made deals for authors such as novelist/nonfiction author Sol Stein (“Stein on Writing”), novelist/nonfiction author Shelly Lowenkopf (“The Fiction Writer’s Handbook”), gritty Chicano noir mystery writer Manuel Ramos (“Brown-on-Brown: A Luis Montez Mystery”), and romance author Flo Fitzgerald (“Ghost of a Chance”), and worked with Hollywood legends like Jacqueline Susann, Hermione Gingold, and Robert Stack.
Toni looks for well-written, well-edited fiction: mysteries/thrillers, mainstream fiction with proactive female protagonists, and ethnic writers (including Hispanic). In nonfiction, she is interested in memoir with a message, family-oriented subjects, health, coping with special problems, and topical subjects. Toni conducts workshops for novelists and memoirists, and offers coaching on creating irresistible pitches and book proposals.
JENNIFER AZANTIAN began her career over three thousand miles away from the hub of traditional publishing, in Southern California. As a teenager, she had two main loves: her love of literature and her love of children. Though she was always reading and writing, Jennifer pursued a career in clinical and developmental psychology, with a focus on young people.
In 2010, she graduated with a BS degree and honors from UC San Diego and pursued an internship with the prestigious Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency. Within three months, she had a job as an assistant to Elise Capron and Sandy Dijkstra, and a few months later, she was open to submissions.
During her years at the Dijkstra agency, Jennifer learned from the best and had the pleasure of working with some of the most prolific and talented authors around. She also developed her taste for fantasy, science-fiction, and horror that focuses on characters that feel real, the kind whose stories she can get invested in regardless of extravagance in plot or setting. She is fascinated by the basic human truths that emerge at the heart of all the greatest fantasies.
JENNIFER ROFE handles children’s fiction for arguably the most powerful and longest-established Children’s and YA agency on the West Coast, Andrea Brown Literary.
Jennifer handles children’s fiction projects, from picture books to young adult. Middle grade is her soft spot; she’s open to all genres in this category, especially the tender or hilarious. For YA, Jennifer’s drawn to contemporary works; dramatic or funny romance; and urban fantasy/light sci-fi.
For picture books, early readers, and chapter books, she’s interested in character-driven projects and smart, exceptional writing. Jennifer also enjoys how-to and sports-related nonfiction. Her clients include Laurie David, Cambria Gordon, Crystal Allen, and Barry Wolverton.
Jennifer is co-author of the picture book, “Piggies in the Pumpkin Patch.”
PAUL S. LEVINE, PAUL S. LEVINE LITERARY AGENCY, is a lawyer and a literary agent. He has practiced entertainment law for over 30 years, representing authors, writers, producers, actors, directors, composers, musicians, artists, photographers, publishers, in the fields of publishing, motion pictures, television, interactive multimedia, live stage, recorded music, concerts, and the visual arts.
Levine has sold over one hundred fiction and nonfiction books and has had many books developed as movies-for-television and feature films.
His biggest successes have been with self-published authors with impressive sales who wanted to have their books republished by a major publishing house.
TELLY DAVIDSON is author of the acclaimed media tie-in book “TV’s Grooviest Variety Shows,” cited as a Book of the Year by the TV Academy, and the forthcoming nonfiction book “What Didn’t You Like About It,” a serious (and seriously funny) look back at the politics and pop culture of the 1990s.
For two years he was senior “Culture Columnist” for David Frum’s enormously spopular FrumForum.com, and his writing has appeared in more than a dozen commercial publications and websites including AllAboutJazz, FilmStew, YahooMovies, the Los Angeles Daily News, Entertainment Today, and on the TV specials “Pioneers of Television,” “Most Outrageous Game Show Moments,” and as associate producer for KCET’s “The WRITE Environment.”
Currently, Telly works with veteran film producers’ representative Jeff Porter in acquisitions and research for his company, Porter Pictures, and he is a proud and active member of IWOSC, having hosted or served on several panels including “Books-to-Film,” “Biographies & Memoirs,” and earlier “Trends in Publishing” programs.
IWOSC, Independent Writers of Southern California
co-sponsored this event.
Our members received a discount.
Pacific Institute for Professional Writing Writer’s Weekend
July 20 & 21, 2013
Glendale College
Two Days of Education for Writers of Fiction, Narrative Nonfiction, and Memoir.
Eight information-packed seminars over two days will feature leading Southern California publishing professionals discussing today’s hot topics.
Speakers include: literary agents, publishers, book publicists, published authors, social media experts, editors, writing instructors, and more.
Day One — Saturday, July 20:
The Business of Writing
Book promotion today—what’s working best
How to build your Author’s Platform
Why some books sell and others don’t
Learn how to write the perfect pitch
Day Two Sunday, July 21:
The Craft of Writing Master self-editing skills — a workshop
Write the selling memoir
Women writing about women for women
How to avoid the 3 Big Rejections – a workshop with Shelly Lowenkopf
View all sessions and speakers at: PIPWWritersWeekend.com
The Los Angeles Times Festival of Books started in 1996 with a simple goal: to bring together the people who create books with the people who love to read them. The largest and most prestigious book festival in the country, it attracts more than 150,000 book lovers each year — and IWOSC was proud to once again be a participant.
IWOSC booth
Saturday, April 20, 2013: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Sunday, April 21, 2013: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Admission is free as are most events.
See the official site for details.
Location: USC university park campus,
near LA’s historic Exposition Park area
Official “Getting there” page
Booth #131 — on the main concourse, Trousdale Parkway, as before.
Parking:
USC parking structures are $10
If you attended the LA Times Festival of Books and weren’t yet a member of our writer’s group, we hope you came meet us.
If you are a member of IWOSC, we hope you came and said hello.
Roberta Edgar, IWOSC Chair
Los Angeles Times Festival of Books
Twice a year IWOSC holds a special FREE event — “IWOSC Reads Its Own” — a spellbinding afternoon of eclectic, eccentric, and exemplary works — from poems to true stories to hilarious monologues and beyond, read aloud by distinguished IWOSC scribes. We’ll be regaled with their wit, have our emotions stirred, or be plunged into deep thought at the beautiful independent bookstore, Vroman’s Bookstore in Pasadena.
Some IWOSC’s talented member writers will read short excerpts from their published, unpublished, or in-progress works.
IWOSC loves participating in this great LA Times book festival tradition. Our members volunteer. Attendees get to meet some of our members and learn about us from them.
