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Conference

NorCal Spring Forum 2026

A day of peer-to-peer bookseller education, author panels, and Rep Picks!

Wednesday, April 1, 2026

The Oakland Asian Cultural Center

388 9th St.
Oakland, CA 94607
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Join your fellow booksellers for a day of peer-to-peer education, author panels and showcases, and Rep Pick sessions! 

Breakfast, lunch, and reception bites are included with your ticket. 

Tickets are only available for Bookstore Members. 

RSVP NOW

Agenda

April 1
8:00 AM - 8:30 AM Registration Opens
9:00 AM - 9:30 AM AUDITORIUM - Keynote Breakfast Featuring Mac Barnett Join us for the kick off event featuring the ninth U.S. National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature and NYT best-selling author Mac Barnett, celebrating his new book Make Believe in Conversation with Kathryn Grantham (Black Bird Bookstore + Cafe, San Francisco).
9:40 AM - 10:25 AM AUDITORIUM - Storytime Roundtable: Creating a Better Climate for Kidlit) Mac Barnett's Make Believe urges us to respect and support children's literature the way we'd respect and support reading for adults. Following his keynote, this session lets booksellers share their best ideas for curation and displays, advice for children's events, and ways to cultivate kids' joy in reading. Roundtable led by Carol Doup Muller (Hicklebee's, San Jose).
9:40 AM - 10:25 AM BREAKOUT ROOM - Author Panel: That's My Alter Ego - Exploring Identity, Transformation, and Self A lively author panel discussion about exploring identity, transformation and self featuring Greg Sarris, author of The Last Human Bear and Sarah Gailey, author of Make Me Better. Moderated by Sarah George (Bookish Modesto).
10:35 AM - 11:20 AM BREAKOUT ROOM - Education Panel: Make and Break Rules for Buying Rules for buying & Strategic Inefficiencies. Panel led by Vanessa Martini (Green Apple Books, San Francisco), Stephen Sparks (Point Reyes Books, Pt. Reyes Station), and Grace Lane (Linden Tree Books, Los Altos).
10:35 AM - 11:20 AM AUDITORIUM - Author Panel: Telling Immigrant Stories - Voices and Histories Across Genres A lively author panel discussion about telling immigrant stories featuring Kyle Casey Chu and Andrew W. Shaffer, authors of What Kind of Queen? A Royal Biography of Drag Queen and Activist José Sarria; Aida Salazar, author of Stream; and Bora Lee Reed, author of Song for Another Home. Moderated by Ashley Mireles-Guerrero (Judging by the Cover - A Bookstore LLC, Fresno).
11:30 AM - 12:20 PM AUDITORIUM - Education Panel to Roundtable: Bookseller to Sales Rep Networking Breakout Reps will introduce themselves, their jobs and their role in the industry. Then we break out into tables or sections for them to get to meet and greet with frontline booksellers. Speakers: Kristin Rassmussen (Scholastic Press), Marissa Moss (Creston Books) and Kevin Peters (Imprint Group West).
11:30 AM - 12:20 PM BREAKOUT ROOM - Education Panel: Event P&L How to do Event P&L and why it is important. Led by Mary Williams (Skylight Books, Los Angeles). 
12:30 PM - 2:15 PM AUDITORIUM - Rep Pick Lunch Enjoy lunch & learn about the season's upcoming titles! Moderated by Zack Dubuc (Book Passage, Corte Madera).

Presenting Reps:
- Kristin Rasmussen
- Ivy Quirk
- Marissa Moss
- Jenn Ramage
- Susan Tjoflat
- Emma Mundorff
- Suzi Hough
- Vicki DeArmon
- Brittany Greenway
- Angela Engel
- Ty Wilson
- Kevin Peters
- Jordan Standridge
- Nicholas Pauley
- Andy Weiner
2:30 PM - 3:20 PM AUDITORIUM - Afternoon Author Showcase (adult/kids) Moderated by Jackson Tejeda (Christopher's Books, San Francisco)

Meet the authors:
- June Cohen
- Portia Elan
- Sabrina & Eunice Moyle
- Brianna Heath
- Vincent Chu
- Ama Ofosua Lieb
- Eric Scot Tryon
- Emily Lloyd-Jones
- Tamiko Nimura
3:30 PM - 4:20 PM BREAKOUT ROOM - Education Panel to Roundtable: Hiring + Onboarding, Performance and Retention A short introduction from panel about different stages of employee management to a breakout groups with panelists leading discussions for space to ask specific questions. Led by Eileen McCormick (Green Apple Books, San Francisco), Camden Avery (Booksmith, San Francisco, and Amy Davis (Banter Bookshop, Fremont).
3:30 PM - 4:20 PM AUDITORIUM - Author Panel: Rebuilding Community - Found Family in Fiction A lively author panel discussion about rebuilding community featuring Tomas Moniz, author of King of Aloe Vera; Cheri Radke, author of An Accident of Dragons; and Daniel Lavery, author of Meeting New People. Moderated by Susan Peck (Banter Bookshop, Fremont).
4:30 PM - 5:20 PM AUDITORIUM - Evening Author Showcase Moderated by Claire Bone (Wild Sisters Book Company, Sacramento).

Meet the authors:
- Jasmine Guillory
- Tiffany D. Jackson 
- S.E. Smith
- Elisa Sunga
- Sharon Rose
- Jonathan Weber
- Mike Chen
- Jean Gordon Kocienda
- Sheryl Lister
5:20 PM - 5:50 PM Mix & Mingle Enjoy small bites while chatting with fellow booksellers and the authors from the Reception. 

Download Agenda

Click on the Reps' Names Below to Access Their Lists 

Rep Picks Lunch:

Keynote: Importance of Storytelling

Author Panel: That's My Alter Ego - Exploring Identity, Transformation, and Self

Author Panel: Telling Immigrant Stories - Voices and Histories Across Genres

Afternoon Author Showcase

Author Panel: Rebuilding Community - Found Family in Fiction

Evening Author Showcase

The Oakland Asian Cultural Center

HISTORY

The Oakland Asian Cultural Center (OACC) was founded in 1984 by a coalition of volunteers who recognized the need for a strong artistic and cultural force in the Chinatown area.  Since opening its own facility in 1996 in the heart of Oakland’s Chinatown district, the OACC has presented countless high-quality cultural programs including performances, workshops, festivals, school tours, classes, and exhibitions.

MISSION

OACC builds vibrant communities through Asian and Pacific Islander arts and cultural programs that foster inter-generational and cross-cultural dialogue and understanding, collaboration, and social justice.

VISION

OACC envisions vibrant, healthy, and just communities where diverse Asian and Pacific Islander identities and heritage are affirmed and celebrated through cross-cultural exchange, intergenerational dialogue, and educational programming.

For our group rate, book a room at the Courtyard Oakland Marriott via this link by March 9th.

Address: 988 Broadway, Oakland, CA 94607

This hotel is walking distance from the Oakland Asian Cultural Center

If you're coming from outside of the Bay Area, we recommend flying into the Oakland Airport or taking the Amtrak Train to Oakland/Jack London Square station.

If you're in the Bay Area, you can take Bart and exit at either the 12th St. Station or Lake Merritt Station.  

If you are interested in carpooling, fill out this Carpool form. Already filled out the form and want to find a carpool buddy? Click here to access the carpool buddy list.

There is a parking garage underneath the Oakland Asian Cultural Center for $4 an hour.  Other alternative parking locations include:

Street Parking: $3 hour. 

Garage 1000 Broadway (Entrance is on 11th, between Broadway and Franklin)
Public parking is $8/hour, $24max - 4 stories of parking 
(weekday only) - hours: 7am til 9pm 
Call to reserve/ pre-pay: 510-444-7412 

If you're coming from outside of the Bay Area, we recommend flying into the Oakland Airport or taking the Amtrak Train to Oakland/Jack London Square station.

Since you're coming all this way, you might as well explore our host city! 

Local Bookstores:
Local Restaurants:
Local Attractions:

For More Information:

Hannah Walcher
Hannah Walcher
Executive Director (415)561-7686x101
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