(Ventura, CA – September 27, 2011) The Ventura County Book & Author Fair has announced speakers and sessions for its first four seminars to be held November 5th at the Pleasant Valley Community Park Auditorium in Camarillo, CA.  Speakers are top literary professionals from Ventura, Los Angeles and Santa Barbara counties. The Fair is produced by the Pacific Institute for Professional Writing, a CA nonprofit, and co-sponsored by the Ventura County Writers Club, Small Publisher, Artist and Writer Network (SPAWN), and the Book Publicists of Southern California.  The event is open to the public.

“We are pleased with the high caliber of speakers joining us this year,” states Kate Sexton, Festival Coordinator. “The educational sessions will cover a broad spectrum of subjects that are of interest to both the reading and writing communities. We will have extensive autograph areas for people to purchase the speakers’ book and have them signed in our Book Expo.”

        The Book Expo is free but for those who register online, they will receive a coupon worth 20% their first book purchase at the Expo. There is a $25 fee per session for attending the educational seminars. Seminars will run between sixty to ninety minutes. Several will have one instructor/speaker and others will be comprised of panel discussions. The fee for sessions will offset costs and proceeds will benefit PIPW’s youth writing programs, workshops, and other projects. There will be eight sessions in total. A full list of speakers and sessions will be available on the event’s website as of October first. A growing list of Book Expo exhibitors is available on the website.

        Registration is now open for seminar sessions and advance Book Expo admission. The website is: www.VCBookAndAuthorFair.com.

The first four educational sessions will be:

5 THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW TO GET PUBLISHED
Time: 10 to 11 am
Learn the five key elements you must master to be signed by an agent and get your book published. Seminar will be lead by a legendary editor who saw over 700 books to publication, and who has published 30+ titles. There will be an extensive Q&A following presentation.
Speaker: Shelly Lowenkopf, Editor, Author and Writing Mentor

YOUR LIFE, YOUR STORY: WRITING THE NEW MEMOIR
Time: 11:30 to 1 pm
Many believe today’s memoirs are more personal and revealing than the autobiographies of the past. Learn about the status of memoirs today from a leading professor, author and writer’s coach. There will be an extensive Q&A following presentation.
Speaker: Tristine Rainer, Author and Director of the Center for Autobiographic Studies

PLOTTING THROUGH CHARACTERS
Time: 1:30 to 3 pm
This bestselling author will help you plot your way from basic story idea to the end by putting your characters first. Learn how to use character development to move your story forward. There will be an extensive Q&A following presentation.
Speaker: Margaret Brownley, Award-winning author of over 28 books 


AUTHOR-PROMOTE THYSELF!
Time: 1:30 to 3 pm
You’ve written your book, had it edited, got an agent and sold it. How the real work begins-promoting yourself and your book. Learn what steps you can begin now and what you must do once you are holding that book in your hand. There will be Q&A following discussion.
Speakers:
Flo Selfman, Publicist and President of the Independent Writers of Southern California
Julia Callahan, Marketing and Publicity Director, Rare Bird Lit Los Angeles
Kristin Alcorn, Social Media Manager, WriteWorks Publishing
        Other regional writing groups are welcome to co-sponsor the event. Any author or book publisher interested in exhibiting should contact Ms. Sexton at 805-633-1506. For more details or how to participate, visit www.VCBookAndAuthorFair.com.

        To learn more about PIPW visit: www.PacificInstituteforProfessionalWriting.com.