Join The Inaugural 
Laguna Beach Literary Festival
Jan. 9 & 10, 2026

8:30 AM - 9:00 AM​

Coffee & Registration

Susi Q Main Hallway

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9:00 AM - 9:45 AM

Keynote Address: Being a Literary Citizen - Lisa Alvarez

Susi Q Community Room

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MORNING WORKSHOPS 

Choose either the Generative Writing option OR one each from the two sessions.​

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10:00 am  - 12:15 pm

Generative Writing - Dorothy Randall Gray

Your Story Matters

This expansive workshop (It spans BOTH morning workshop sessions) will have writers digging into their story and producing work that reflects their true voice. Bring your writing tool of choice - notebook or laptop. 

Dorothy Randall Gray is author of the bestsellers "Soul Between the Lines" and "Sharing the Same Sky." She's a master teacher whose workshops have inspired thousands throughout the country. She's a Hedgebrook Fellow, former board member of the International Women's Writing Guild and was twice appointed LA Poet-in-Residence. 

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10:00 AM - 11:00 AM

Breakout Session 1 - chose one

Memoir - Tracy Jones 

Family roots will provide a solid foundation for your  own story as you learn how to transform your memories into vivid, compelling narratives.

Tracy Jones is president of the International Memoir Writers Association, a writing coach, and developmental editor. She is co-editor of the Shaking the Tree Anthologies, produced annually by the IMWA and lives in the San Diego area. 

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Publishing - Holly Kammier, Barbara Pronin

Enjoy a guided walk along the publishing path by writers who've traveled it and those who create it. 

Holly Kammier is the co-founder and acquisitions editor of Acorn Publishing, the largest publishing imprint in San Diego and one of California’s leading hybrid publishers. Acorn boasts a diverse catalogue of award-winning and bestselling titles across genres. 

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Character Development - Mary Camarillo 

From those people we love to hate, to the folks who stay with us long after the last page is read, character development is critical for any writer.  This session will address how character development can be enhanced and bringing difficult characters to life in your story. 

Mary Camarillo is an award-winning writer who delves into the unique Southern California landscape with a keen eye and astute observations. Her books "The Lockhart Women" and "Those People Behind Us" have won critical acclaim. She leads workshops and discussions about writing throughout the country. 

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11:15 AM - 12:15 PM

Breakout Session 2 - chose one:

Poetry - Gustavo Hernandez

Learn how to create a sense of place, and bring heart-felt honesty into your own poetry in this session, perfect for improving the writing of existing poets, and bringing forth the passion of the poet that resides within all writers.

Gustavo Hernandez is OC Poet Laureate. He is an advocate for local and regional poetry and is a poetry teacher at Irvine Community College. His forthcoming book, Bachelor is releasing in January, 2026.

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Writing for the Stage - Christine Fugate 

Learn how to develop and enhance a plot using effective dialogue and explore all the ways a story and a setting can be created using posture, settings and cues that will make your writing come alive on stage. 

Christine Fugate is an award-winning ​filmmaker whose work has been widely screened in theaters and on global channels. Her films include Tobacco Blues, The Girl Next Door and Queen Moorea. She is an assistant professor at the Dodge College of Film and Media at Chapman University. 

 

Developing your Voice - Heather Tyson 

Get rid of the clutter in your writing and learn to focus on the authentic storytelling and voice that results in more effective, emotional pieces. 

A graduate of Northwestern University, Heather Tyson has acted on stage, TV and film in both New York and Los Angeles. She specializes in guided workshops on authentic voice and storytelling. Currently, she is touring her one-woman show, Title Pending, which explores betrayal, identity and how we make sense of the world when our foundation crumbles. 

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LUNCHEON PANEL 

12:30 PM - 1:45 PM

Telling the California Story - moderated by Andrew Tonkovich 

Featuring: Rosanna Xia, Margaret Elysia Garcia, Norberto Santana, Jr.

Susi Q Community Room

​Yes, we all live in this amazing state that is the sixth largest economy, boasts 40 million residents, has been offering the dream of prosperity from gold seekers to AI advocates. But what really is our story? What happens in the kitchens, bedrooms and boardrooms of our immediate community? How do we rebuild from earthquakes and fires and floods? What keeps us here and how do we ultimately learn to live with each other? ​

Andrew Tonkovich is editor of the Santa Monica Review and Citric Acid online magazine. He hosts Bibliocracy Radio on Pacifica radio and has authored numerous short stories, book reviews, essays. 

Rosanna Xia is an LA Times writer and co-director of the movie Out of Plain Sight. Her award-winning 2024 book California Against the Sea addresses the state's ability to adapt to the effects of climate change.

Margaret Elysia Garcia is a novelist and poet who lives in Orange County. She is co-editor of Red Flag Warning: Mutual Aid and Survival in California's Fire Country. 

Norberto Santana, Jr. is an experienced investigative reporter and founding publisher and editor-in-chief for Voice of OC. He has been recognized multiple years by the Orange County Press Club as the region’s best columnist.

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AFTERNOON WORKSHOPS 

2:00 PM - 3:15 PM

Breakout Session 3 - chose one:

Short Story - Barbara DeMarco Barrett

Delve into the craft and power within one of the most popular writing styles today. Learn to whittle away the excesses and really make your story focused and effective. 

Barbara DeMarco Barrett is one of SoCal's premier writing teachers. She is the author of Pen on Fire: A Busy Woman’s Guide to Igniting the Writer Within and has recently released her debut short story collection Pool Fishing.

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Small Press Journals: Their Role in the Writer's Journey - Andrew Tonkovich, Kristen Skjonsby

Small presses and literary journals play a vital role in the publishing process. Learn how to evaluate content, find platforms that are suitable for your work and discover best practices for submitting.

Andrew Tonkovich is editor of the Santa Monica Review and Citric Acid online magazine. He hosts Bibliocracy Radio on Pacifica radio and has authored numerous short stories, book reviews and essays. 

Kristen Skjonsby is an Assistant Professor of English at Irvine Valley College. She is also the Managing Editor of IVC's The Ear and the producer of its attendant podcast, The Eardrum. Her poetry is featured in the Bright As Life poetry exhibit at the Huntington Beach Art Center, and she has been published in Indicia and Pomona Valley Review, among others. 

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Finding and Maintaining your Artistic Badassery - Marni Freedman

Quiet your inner critic, unlock your creative flow and learn practices that will continually spark the unstoppable forces behind your writing. 

Marni Freedman is a writing coach with 25-plus years of professional experience with books, screenplays and stage plays. As co-founder of the San Diego Writers Festival, she runs year-round world-class programming
for writers. She teaches writing workshops for UCSD, conferences, and retreats across the country and internationally.

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SUNSET RECEPTION

3:30 PM - 5:00 PM

Presentation of the Laguna Literary Leader Award to Richard Bausch followed by Public Reception & Book Celebration. Local Southern California authors are invited to display and sell their novels at no charge for a table reservation, while readers are encouraged to explore and support the craft that brings them so much happiness. Admission is free, although preregistration is requested. Complimentary food and drink for all in attendance. 

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