Schedule:

9:00am - 9:30am: Coronado Performing Arts Center: Main Stage Theater

Gill Sotu Kicks Off the Festival with Spoken Word – Naruwan Taiko Drummers Kick Up the Beat and Ring in Our 6th Annual Year!

Don’t miss this opportunity to see Gill Sotu kick off this year’s festival! He’ll rock your world. He’s that good! Then, enjoy an incredible performance by the energetic and impressive Taiko Drummers Troupe.

9:30am - 10:30am: Coronado Performing Arts Center: Main Stage Theater

Mind Games: Creating Wickedly Unforgettable Psychological Thrillers

Hank Phillippi Ryan, Lee Goldberg, Rachel Howzell-Hall
Moderated by Annie Moose

Coin join in a conversation with multiple award-winning authors (think Anthony, Emmy, LA Book Prize, Poirot, Sarton) as they discuss dark, twisty books they can’t stop writing and readers can’t put down.

9:30am - 10:30am: Coronado Public Library: Winn Room

Building a Following: How to Create Meaningful Connections

PANELISTS: Anneliese Judge, Michelle Glogovac, Jill G Hill, Judy Reeves
MODERATOR: Elizabeth St. John

Ever since we began circling a fire to tell tales and pass along traditions, humans have longed to gather to share their stories, struggles, and successes. Here and now, in the digital age, how can readers and writers build authentic connections that provide more than likes? Join actor Anneliese Judge, podcast host and advisor Michelle Glogovac, author Jill G. Hall, and writer, teacher, and local legend Judy Reeves for a lively, tip-filled conversation about turning clicks and shares into a real sense of community and belonging.

9:30am - 10:30am: Multipurpose Room

Ready, Set, Slow with Lee Holden

Come learn about the power of slow and the energy is can bring to achieve more of the things you long for in life—peace, love, vitality, and connection. With a unique blend of Eastern philosophy and practices and Western science, Lee will give you the tools to transform your life for the better.

9:30am - 10:30am: Black Box Theater

Documenting the Lives of Women Marginalized, Maligned, and Misunderstood with Leslie Zemeckis

Actor, Author, Documentarian, and Winner of the 2023  Ellis Island Medal of Honor, Leslie Zemeckis is dedicated to restoring the stories of women often marginalized, maligned, and/or misunderstood. Join her for a partial screening of her latest documentary, Grandes Horizontales. Winner of the Hollywood Independent Film Festival, Grandes Horizontales explores the history of a circle of 19th-century French courtesans “that turned high society upside down by leveraging [their] wit, wisdom, and sexuality.”

9:30am - 10:30am: Theatre Arts Room 101

Deciphering the Code: Writing Spy Fiction that Rings True

Channel your inner Smiley, Ludlum, and Clancy. Join a former paramilitary officer with the CIA and a US Marine Corps combat veteran, Adam Sikes, as he discusses the unique elements and techniques for writing spy fiction. Opening with a discussion about the real world of espionage and intelligence agencies, the focus of the workshop is to examine the components of spy fiction, how to develop characters and character arcs, how to create intrigue and conflict in an espionage context, and the various writing styles that comprise spy fiction.

9:30am - 10:30am: ROOM 503

Create A Sense of Place: Travel Writing Panel

Come learn from award-winning travel writers how to captivate, and immerse your readers by creating a sense of place with your words in books and articles.

This prominent panel includes Sivani Babu, journalist, AFAR, BBC Travel, founder of HiddenCompass.net; David Swanson, journalist, Travel+Leisure, The Washington Post, National Geographic Traveler, Lenore Greiner, author/journalist, The New York Times, San Francisco Chronicle, Fodor’s guidebooks; Ligaya Malones, author/journalist, New York, Condé Nast Traveler, Lonely Planet; moderated by Elaine Masters, Edible, National Geographic Atlas, HiddenCompass.net

9:30am - 10:30am: ROOM 504

Marketing for Introverts: A Workshop with Dennis Crosby

In this presentation, you will learn your introvert type and identity, and how to use your natural strengths to ease anxiety about marketing. Award-winning urban fantasy writer Dennis Crosby will lead you through this workshop, sharing the tools that exist and the most effective ways to use them based on your introvert type. Open to writers at all levels, the tips and techniques can be applied for any genre or style of writing.

9:30am - 10:30am: ROOM 509

Writing Spirituality and Otherworldly Realms

PANELISTS: Tara Deliberto, Tim Shields, Alan Steinfeld, Thomas Brophy and Daniel Branco

An out-of-this-world panel of experts discusses science, spirituality, and metaphysics. Here, you will learn about getting out of your ego, connecting with your higher self, and discovering what other messages and intelligence await you. The panelists will also discuss their secrets to getting their evocative and thought-provoking works published.

9:30am - 10:30am: Coronado Public Library: Ruby Room

Nature: The Writer’s Unexpected Ally: An Immersive Sensory Workshop

Reconnecting with Nature can transform your writing in significant ways. Julia de’Caneva and Julie Brams are both published authors. Each of these dynamic women have experience partnering directly with Nature as a way to cultivate authenticity, learning deep listening, finding stillness, which promotes insight and creativity. Additionally, as a Gallup Certified Strengths Coach, Julia has helped countless creatives identify and lean into their natural strengths as a way to find their voice and flow on topics such as overcoming writing block, imposter syndrome, and other common obstacles that writers face. Participants will learn how to apply these strategies to their own process.

11:00am - 12:00pm: Coronado Performing Arts Center: Main Stage Theater

Hank Phillippi Ryan in Conversation with Anastasia Zadeik

As News7Boston puts it, “Hank Phillippi Ryan changes laws and changes lives.”

Come listen in as Hank Phillippi Ryan discusser her career as a journalist, author, and activist with festival program director, Anastasia Zadeik.

Winner of 34 Emmy awards and 14 Edward R. Murrow awards for investigative reporting, Hank Phillippi Ryan began writing novels in her late 50’s. Since then, while still reporting for News 7 in Boston, she has written sixteen psychological thrillers, for which she has won the most prestigious mystery awards, including ​​Agathas, Anthonys, the Daphne, Macavitys, and a Mary Higgins Clark. She is also an extraordinarily active member of the literary community, serving as a board member for the ITW, the host of three popular online events, and a sought-after panelist, moderator, and keynote speaker.

11:00am - 12:00pm: Coronado Public Library: Winn Room

How to Unblock and Become a Creative Force of Nature: A Mindful Approach to Artistic Badassery

Join Marni Freedman in a dynamic workshop that challenges our current approach to creativity, entrenched in the Western’ hustle and comparison’ culture, and provides a practical remedy through the ancient wisdom of mindfulness. The research shows that mindfulness is the foundational step missing in our modern creative process. More than two hundred studies show that mindfulness can calm the mind, enhance focus, reduce anxiety, and help develop self-compassion, all of which increase our ability to think and act creatively. Learn tips and techniques to be creatively joyous, prolific, and resilient.

11:00am - 12:00pm: Coronado Public Library: Grand Room

Crises or Opportunity? Writing While “Other” in Today’s Political Climate

PANELISTS: Levy Lee Simon, Greg Mania, Dr. Willie Parker, Reema Zaman MODERATOR: Laura Cathcart-Robbins

During this discussion, five authors share their experiences navigating potential challenges faced due to race, nationality, gender, sexuality, ability, and profession in the current political climate. They will also discuss strategies for presenting their work authentically, the growing rejection of “other” voices in literature, and the importance of finding supportive agents and publishers who value diverse representation.

11:00am - 12:00pm: Multi-Purpose Room, Bldg 400

Weaving Fact and Fiction: How to Bring History to Life

PANELISTS: Jennifer Coburn, Elizabeth DeLozier, Stephen Kiernan, Trisha Thomas

MODERATOR: Jeniffer Thompson

Where does truth stop and fiction begin, and why is historical fiction so compelling? Four NYT and USA Today bestselling and award-winning authors discuss books covering history from Provence in 1347 to Europe during WWII to 1954 in Oklahoma. Come learn about the art, craft—and research—that makes stories about long-ago yesterdays into popular books today.

11:00am - 12:00pm: Black Box Theatre

Crafting Compelling True Crime

PANELISTS: Sara DiVello, Faith Phillips, Courtney Lund O’Neil, Caitlin Rother

MODERATOR: Richard Carrico

Join four true-crime writers as they discuss the research, interviews, puzzle-unraveling, and structuring that go into constructing books that bring readers along as crimes are presented, solved, or frighteningly left unresolved.

11:00am - 12:00pm: THEATRE ARTS ROOM 101

Promptapalooza with Kristen Fogle

A perennial favorite for writers and those who don’t yet identify as such, this prompt-driven free-writing workshop will help silence your inner critic (and editor) and get your creative juices flowing. Bring paper and pen, iPad, or computer—and let the words pour out.

11:00am - 12:00pm: ROOM 503

The Perfect Pitch: How to Get Your Work into Magazines, Newspapers, and Online Outlets

PANELISTS: Lisa Deaderick, Sharon Rosen Leib, Javier Ortega-Araiza

MODERATOR: TBD

Pitching is a game of wins and losses. Pitching is a sport that includes a string of joyful wins (acceptances) and stinging losses (rejections). In this workshop, you’ll be coached by experienced journalists who will teach you the tips & tricks to get your work into magazines and newspapers.

11:00am - 12:00pm: ROOM 504

Commercial Fiction: What It Is and Why It Sells

PANELISTS: Dennis Crosby, Sarina Dahlan, Samantha Mills, Shelly Page, Leanne Schwartz, and Elle Jauffret

Want to learn how to write a novel that will attract agents, publishers, and readers? This panel of successful novelists will share what they’ve learned about the craft, market trends, and strategies for writing novels that appeal to a broad audience while maintaining strong narrative quality. You’ll come away with a better understanding of the books you see everyone reading and how to write one.

11:00am - 12:00pm: ROOM 509

Tips for Writing Impactful Books for Children

Zoe Ghahremani and Virginia Loh-Hagan

With more information at their fingertips than ever before, it can often seem like kids today aren’t really kids. Writing books that acknowledge the changing landscape of their world, are age-appropriate, and appeal enough to be read over and over can be challenging. But it can be done, and when it is done successfully, it can impact a child’s life in immeasurable ways.

11:00am - 12:00pm: Coronado Public Library: Ruby Room

Mindfulness into Writing with Puja Shah

Looking for a space to stop and reflect before launching into the day? This workshop will include an introduction to the concept of mindfulness and how its effects on the body can unleash creativity, a guided mindfulness exercise, time to write, time to share, and a brief Q&A. You’ll leave feeling refreshed, connected, and ready to absorb new information in a thoughtful way.  

12:45pm - 1:45pm: Main Stage Theatre

Tembi Locke with Marni Freedman

Tembi Locke is a New York Times best-selling author, TV producer, actor, and screenwriter. Tembi served as co-creator and executive producer for the adaptation of her Reese’s Book Club-pick memoir, FROM SCRATCH, for Netflix.

12:45pm - 1:45pm: Coronado Public Library: Winn Room

PANELISTS: Megan Beatie, Dawn Tripp

MODERATOR: Mandy Jackson-Beverly

From how books are written and distributed to how they are reviewed, marketed, and absorbed by readers, the publishing industry is changing faster and faster. Listen in as these renowned writers, podcasters, reviewers, and book messengers talk about what’s happening now and what might come next.

12:45pm - 1:45pm: Coronado Public Library: Grand Room

PANELISTS: Matt de la Peña, Minh Le, Katie Manning, Grant Oliphant, Ted Washington

MODERATOR: Adam Greenfield

A federal early childhood policy expert. The Conrad Prebys Foundation CEO. A poetry professor. A musician, playwright, and comic book creator. Join in on a conversation with four incredible local writers who’ve found their way to leading a meaningful, sustainable, creative life. Filled with insights and advice, this session will leave you feeling inspired, motivated, and seen.

12:45pm - 1:45pm: Multi-Purpose Room, Bldg 400

PANELISTS: Allison Brennan, Matt Coyle, Joe Ide, T. Jefferson Parker

MODERATOR: Carl Vonderau

Constructing a believable and compelling character arc over one book can be challenging. How do series successfully do not only this but also build an even longer arc across three, four, five—or more—books? Four award-winning authors share tips, techniques, and secrets for keeping their characters evolving over time in ways that are both inevitable—yet entirely surprising

12:45pm - 1:45pm: Black Box Theatre

Daughters of Memoir: Healing Intergenerational Trauma

PANELISTS: Leslie Ferguson, Bridey Thelen-Heidel, Sarah LaBrie, Brittany Means

MODERATOR: Ronit Plank

As memoirists, we often write most effectively about our traumatic experiences after examining our pain, fear, and confusion to understand ourselves and others better. As daughters writing about imperfect mothers, we must grapple with our visions of reality, excavate one of the most emotionally wrought relationships a woman can have, and bleed it onto the page. Join this panel of women whose memoirs center on familial trauma, loss, and rebuilding after things fall apart. Discussions will include mental illness, intergenerational trauma, and how sharing difficult family truths can heal the body, mind, and spirit, paving the way toward a better world—one memoir at a time.

12:45pm - 1:45pm: Theatre Arts Room 101

Brazen. Short. Memoir. Shaking the Tree Readings

The International Memoir Writers Association presents readings from What Just Happened?, the sixth volume in its Shaking the Tree anthology series. Listen as Hannah Andrews, Laura L. Engel, Saadia Esmail, Lenore Greiner, Melissa Jordan Grey, Ruth Hargrove, Mary Ann Horton, Davey Smith, and Janell Strube share their bold and compelling five-page true stories. You can’t make this stuff up!

12:45pm - 1:45pm: Room 503

Warrior Words: Writing, Editing, and Marketing Military Narratives

PANELISTS: George Galdorisi, Lynn Jackson, Isaac Lee, Susie Schaefer, Laura Taylor

MODERATOR: Matthew Pallamary

San Diego, a proud military town, is home to countless stories of service, sacrifice, and resilience. This panel explores the powerful intersection of military experience and storytelling, featuring authors, editors, and advocates who work to bring these narratives to life. From memoirs to gripping historical and contemporary fiction, join us as we delve into the process of writing, editing, and marketing military stories that inspire, inform, and connect us all.

12:45pm - 1:45pm: Room 504

You Deserve to Write: Tame Your Inner Critic with Neal Allen

Are you tired of arguing with yourself about whether you’re a good enough writer or have the perseverance to finish your projects? Join this hands-on workshop where you’ll meet your own personal inner critic, engage in dialogue with it, and start a process that can relieve the pressure and anxiety that seems to come from within. Neal’s eye-opening workshop is fun, extremely engaging, and easy, too.

12:45pm - 1:45pm: Room 509

Not Just for Kids: All I Really Need to Know I Learned From Middle Grade Books

PANELISTS: Chris Baron, Ernesto Cisneros, Lori Polydoros, Lori Snyder, Laura Stegman

MODERATOR: PJ Gardner

So often, we think we’ve outgrown lessons from childhood and that we’re living vastly different lives as adults, but in truth, those lessons continue to serve us throughout our lives. Books for young audiences teach all readers the language with which to understand the world and to express our own experiences. Six middle-grade authors share secrets of why every adult should be reading middle-grade books to help make sense of new environments and changing friendships, deal with big emotions, remember to stand up for what’s right, and rediscover joy.

12:45pm - 1:45pm: Ruby Room

Outside the Box: Neurodiversity and Creativity in Today’s World with Sally Pla

Educators have long realized there are different styles of learners—auditory, kinesthetic, visual, verbal—and that each has their own advantages. Recognition continues to grow that there are also different kinds of perceivers, thinkers, and processors—and there are advantages to those differences, too. Neurodiversity promotes these differences, acknowledging them not as disabilities but as unique perspectives and abilities. Come join in the conversation about how thinking outside the box is linked to creativity and how maybe we should be embracing it instead of fixing it.

2:00pm - 3:00pm: Grand Room

Reclaiming Women’s History

PANELISTS: Elizabeth Cobbs, Gioia Diliberto, Elizabeth St. John, Dawn Tripp

MODERATOR: Tracy J. Jones

Without women, there would be no history, and they are often the ones making it, yet they are often left out of recorded accounts or treated as secondary characters to men—from Lady Elysabeth Scrope (godmother to the Princes in the Tower) to Abigail Adams to Mabel Walker Willebrandt (the prosecutor charged with enforcing Prohibition) to Jackie Kennedy. Listen in as four authors discuss the inspiration and research behind works that give women the voice they have long deserved.

2:15pm - 3:15pm: Coronado Performing Arts Center: Main Stage Theater

Ed Begley Jr. in Conversation with Marni Freedman

“We, who have so much, must do more to help those in need. And most of all, we must live simply, so that others may simply live.”

Actor Ed Begley Jr. is known for his long career, appearing in hundreds of television shows and films, from his Emmy-nominated role in St. Elsewhere in the 1980s to movie roles in An Officer and a Gentleman and Pineapple Express to more recent television roles in Better Call Saul, Modern Family, and Young Sheldon. He has also become equally known for his environmental activism, dating back to the 1970s. His green views have been the topic of a reality show, media appearances, and two books. He famously took public transportation to the Academy Awards in 2023 and 2024.

Ed talks about all of this—and more–in his memoir, To The Temple of Tranquility…and Step On It!, which he will discuss with SDWF co-founder Marni Freedman. Come listen in and bring your questions.

2:15pm - 3:15pm: Winn Room

Publishing While Black

PANELISTS: Lisa Deaderick, Tamela Julia Gordon, Trisha Thomas, Justin C. Key, Vanessa Walters

MODERATOR: Laura Cathcart Robbins

2:15pm - 3:15pm: Multipurpose Room

Branding and Social Media for People Who Don’t Like Branding and Social Media With Sara DiVello

We’ve all been there, wondering why we need a digital calling card and online presence. Many of us have stalled out, balking at creating a personal brand or joining social media. In this workshop, marketing expert Sara DeVillo will break it down, providing tips and tools that will make even the most hesitant user ready to tackle branding and social media. You may even come away liking it.

2:15pm - 3:15pm: Black Box Theatre

Fear Factor: Getting to the Heart of Horror and Thrillers

PANELISTS: Luke Dumas, KC Grifant, Jonathan Maberry, Scott Sigler

MODERATOR: Henry Herz

Haunted spaces, terrifying places, and Mephistophelean plots featuring murderous spirits, shape-shifting spacecraft that can only be piloted by the dead, malevolent forces lurking unseen in civilization’s shadows, and giant flying scorpions. Why do humans crave books that leave us shaking? Where do writers come up with these ideas? And how do they bring their imaginings to life in horrifyingly believable ways?

2:15pm - 3:15pm: Theater Arts Room 101

Episodes: The True Story of Two Friends and One Diagnosis

Kat Alexander and Mara Altman in conversation wtih Jeniffer Thompson

In their Audible Original, Episodes: The True Story of Two Friends and One Diagnosis, lifelong friends Mara Altman and Kat Alexander take us on a journey of friendship tested by crisis. From the taboos of infertility, incest, and domestic violence to navigating PTSD and bipolar disorder, we witness the authors untangle the trauma with love and fortitude, emerging on the other side to tell the tale.

2:15pm - 3:15pm: Ruby Room

Waves into Words: An Experiential Sound Bath with Shelly Reef

Take a gently guided journey to the sanctuary of your high-self, then observe what creative writing flows from your sub-conscious.
Accompanied by live harps, monochord and crystral alchemy bowls, Shelly Reef expertly leads you to the ultra-present realms of your own Theta awareness, and then sets you free to explore what is wanting to be written. Upon return, you will be given the tools by which you can access this state of creative

3:45pm: Coronado Performing Arts Center: Multipurpose Room

SDWF Featured Poets Reading

Join us for two inspiring events hosted by Michael Klam and Carly DeMento. This year’s Featured Poets include 2024 Pulitzer Prize in Poetry winner, Brandon Som, Kumeyaay Nation and American Book Award winner, Tommy Pico, outgoing and incoming San Diego Poet Laureates, Jason Magabo Perez and Paola Capó-García, and powerhouse, multiple award-winning local poets Katie Manning and Shadab Zeest Hashmi.

Stay for the San Diego Poetry Annual Open Mic immediately following the reading and help us close out the festival as a community. Space is limited, sign up at [email protected] Let the transformative power of poetry tickle your funny bone, open your heart, and lift your spirit!

3:45pm: Coronado Performing Arts Center: Main Stage Theater

HypnoBreathwork with Francesca Sipma

Join author and high-performance coach Francesca Sipma for an immersive HypnoBreathwork® session at the San Diego Writing Festival! This session is designed to activate creativity, sharpen intuition, and get you into flow state — fast! Through guided breathwork and visualization, you’ll gain mental clarity, dissolve subconscious blocks, and spark fresh ideas. Whether you’re finding your voice, or seeking a creative breakthrough, this session will shift your energy and unblock your purpose in ways you never imagined.

3:45pm: Winn Room

West Coast Launch of I See You’ve Called in Dead: A Novel

John Kenney, in conversation with Anastasia Zadeik

“Bud Stanley is an obituary writer who is afraid to live. Yes, his wife recently left him for a “far more interesting” man. Yes, he goes on a particularly awful blind date with a woman who brings her ex. And yes, he has too many glasses of Scotch one night and proceeds to pen and publish his own obituary. The newspaper wants to fire him. But now the company’s system has him listed as dead. And the company can’t fire a dead person. The ensuing fallout forces him to realize that life may be actually worth living.”

3:45pm: Blackbox Theater

Netflix #1 Show The Night Agent Screening and Talkback with author Matthew Quirk

There’s something special about watching a #1 show with the guy who wrote the underlying story and then getting to hear what he thinks about the adaptation. Here’s your chance to do just that. Join Matthew Quirk, author of The Night Agent, for a viewing of the first episode of the second season of the hit Netflix show—and then listen in on talkback with director, writer, and UCLA film professor Gabe Bologna.

3:45pm: Room 503

The Almost Right Word with Stephen Kiernan

As Mark Twain wrote, “The difference between the almost right word and the right word is really a large matter—’tis the difference between the lightning bug and the lightning.” Join award-winning journalist and author Stephen Kiernan for an interactive workshop on language and writing with precision. You’ll call out words, learn, and come away thinking about how to create your own lightning.

3:45pm - 4:45pm: ROOM 504

Voices of Change: Memoirists on Redefining Their Lives

PANELIST: Lisa Cheek, Bridey Thelen Heidel, Deborah Rudell

MODERATOR: Jessica Keith

For many authors, writing a memoir is a cathartic and healing experience, learning from where we have been so we can consciously choose where we want to go. For many readers, following the memoirist can lead to taking a journey of one’s own, for, as the saying goes, “the personal becomes universal.” From living in a cult to living on a sailboat, editing commercials for Toyota in LA to working on the original Cinderella story on location in China, to finally getting a correct diagnosis after decades of struggling with suicidal depression

3:45pm - 4:45pm: ROOM 509

Your Guide to Getting Published: Exploring Today’s Top Options with Holly Kammier

The road to publication involves understanding what your publishing options are. Writers often have a single-minded dream of selling their projects to traditional publishers and becoming bestselling authors. In reality, there are many other options, and it can be overwhelming to understand where your book would find its best fit in the publishing spectrum.

4:45pm: Coronado Performing Arts Center: Multipurpose Room

SDPA Open Mic! With Michael Klam and Carly Demento

Stay for the San Diego Poetry Annual Open Mic immediately following the reading and help us close out the festival as a community. Space is limited, sign up at [email protected] Let the transformative power of poetry tickle your funny bone, open your heart, and lift your spirit!