Board of Directors
Roger Lubeck
,
President
Robbi Sommers Bryant
,
Vice President
Marilyn Lanier
,
Vice President
Shawn Langwell,
Vice President
Malena Eljumaily
,
Treasurer
Adele Layton
,
Secretary
Judy M. Baker
, Membership Chair
Skye Blaine
, Newsletter Poetry Editor
Joelle Burnette
, Website Editor
Pamela Heck
,
Historian
/
Conference Volunteers
Shawn Langwell,
Conference Chair
Marilyn Lanier
, Speaker Chair
Jeane Slone
, Author Launch
Deborah Walton
, PR External/ Newsletter Editor
Tommie Whitener
, Member at Large/ Policies and Procedures
Chairs and Editors
Les Bernstein
, Poetry Anthology Editor
Fran Claggett-Holland
, Poetry Anthology Editor
Robbi Sommers Bryant
, Hot Summer Nights
Tina Deason
, Contests
Sher Gamard
, Writers Salon
Marie Judson
, Critique Groups
Jeanne Jusaitis
, Author Support
Crissi Langwell
, 2020 Prose Anthology Editor
Linda L. Reid
, Writers Circle
Deborah Taylor-French
, Author Support
Monthly meetings
are held the second Sunday of the month at the
2777 Fourth Street,
Santa Rosa
Board meetings take place beginning at 12:30
before the general meeting. You are welcome to join us at any time.
THIS MONTH'S MEETING
Sunday, March 8
2:00-4:30 PM
Writing Character
with
Constance Hale
Arrive at 2:00 p.m. to register
and network
before the general meeting, which runs from 2:30-4:30.
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NEXT MONTH'S MEETING
Sunday, April 19
NOTE NEW DATE BECAUSE OF EASTER
Children's Book Authors Panel
with
Natasha Yim
Innosanto Nagara
Mae Respicio
Mitali Perkins
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An easy way to support Redwood Writers. . .
BOARD NOTES AND NEWS
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ATTENTION!
Beginning in June, Redwood Writers meetings are moving to the
FINLEY CENTER
in Santa Rosa on
THIRD SATURDAYS
from 2:00-4:30!
The move is to better accommodate all of our members with more parking, more meeting space, and less cost for the club. For questions, please contact president@redwoodwriters.org.
When Opportunity Knocks
EVEN LOUDER!
by Roger Lubeck
We told you last month about the
California Writers Club (CWC)
Literary Review
and its imminent deadline. Well...
THE DEADLINE HAS BEEN EXTENDED TO MARCH 31!
One of the primary reasons to be a member of the CWC and the Redwood Branch is the opportunity to have your work published and read by a large audience of writers and readers.
The annual review represents the best writing submitted from members in the 22 branches of CWC. This year you can submit up to three prose pieces and/or six poems.
The deadline for submissions is now MARCH 31.
Redwood Writers 2020 Anthology “Sunset Sunrise” due March 13
. In January, we opened submissions for our 2020 Anthology “Sunset Sunrise.” This member-only publication is accepting up to two short stories or memoirs--one on the theme Sunset and one on the theme of Sunrise. More information is available on our website
here
.
The submission deadline is March 13
.
The Long and Winding Road
contest due March 27
. Have fun with the Beatles song title in this first contest of 2020. Contest chair Tina Deason has outlined all the rules which you can find
here
.
The submission deadline is March 27
.
By the way, if you are very observant, you'll notice our new Redwood Writers logo in the newsletter masthead and soon to be seen everywhere! Our branding committee--Joelle Burnett, Judy Baker, Pam Heck, and Deborah Walton--developed this exciting, contemporary look for our club with the volunteer help of artists Tim Schaible and Deb Viola. We hope you like it!
Board Meeting Agenda for March 8, 2020
12:30 p.m. Call to Order – Roger Lubeck
·
Approval of minutes from prior meeting
12:35 p.m. Board Reports
·
Treasurer’s Report: Malena Eljumaily
·
Membership Report: Judy Baker
12:45 p.m. Committee Reports
·
Website: Joelle Burnette
·
Speakers: committee: Marilyn Lanier
·
Conference: Shawn Langwell
1:30 p.m. New business
1:45 p.m. Adjourn
General Meeting Agenda for March 8, 2020
1:00 p.m. Author Support
2:00 p.m. Networking
2:30 p.m. Welcome: Roger Lubeck
·
Chair announcements:
·
Membership: Judy Baker
·
Contest reminder for 2020: Robbi Sommers Bryant, Tina Deason
·
2020 Prose Anthology reminder: Crissi Langwell
·
Member announcements
3:00 p.m. Break
3:15 p.m. Speaker:Connie Hale on Writing Character
4:30 p.m. Adjourn: Next meeting April 19, 2020
As always, we welcome your comments and suggestions to make our meetings and our club more relevant to you. Just email
president@redwoodwriters.org
. See you on Sunday!
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IMPORTANT DATES
See more details below
Sunday, March 8
Redwood Writers Board Meeting 12:30-2:00
Flamingo Hotel
MONTHLY MEETING
Writing Character with Constance Hale
2:00-4:30
Flamingo Hotel
Friday, March 13
SUBMISSION DEADLINE for Prose Anthology "Sunset Sunrise"
Saturday, March 21
WRITERS CIRCLE
10:00-1:00 Sign up
here for location details
Friday, March 27
SUBMISSION DEADLINE for
The Long and Winding Road Contest
Tuesday, March 31
SUBMISSION DEADLINE for CWC Literary Review
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SUNDAY, MARCH 8
2:00-4:30
WRITING CHARACTER
with Constance Hale
How do you capture the physicality of a person so that a reader would recognize your character in the line at a grocery store? How do you get at the person’s inner life, which takes a different set of skills? What’s the secret of nailing both at once? And how do you treat yourself—author, narrator, first-person voice—as a character?
All are welcome. Just $5 for members; $10 for non-members.
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SONOMA COUNTY WRITERS CONFERENCE IS SATURDAY, MAY 2
Here's the news you've been waiting for! Our Redwood Writers biennial writers conference--now officially the SONOMA COUNTY WRITERS CONFERENCE--will be held on
Saturday, May 2.
Whether you want to learn more about narrative voice, plot, structure, mastering emotion for fiction, or how to publish and market your work — perhaps even roll up your sleeves and get some hands-on experience with poetry or memoir—this one-day conference offers a little something for every writer. It is our hope that you walk away inspired and encouraged to take your writing to the next level.
Sample topics include:
- Emotional Mastery for Fiction
- Memoir: You Have Your Story…Now what?
- Poetry: Know where you’re going
- Less is More and More is More
- Overcoming Writers Block and Fear of Rejection
- Writing Romance
- Self-publishing Success
- And much more.
For more information, volunteer signup, and early bird tickets,
click here.
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WRITERS CIRCLE
Saturday, March 21
10:00-1:00 p.m.
Location: TBD
The Circle's mission is to offer members a constructive and enjoyable environment in which to read their works, among the warmth and support of fellow writers, and to include brief evaluations and short talks on craft and other writing-related subjects.
To attend and receive directions, please
click here
.
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2020
PROSE ANTHOLOGY
DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION: FRIDAY, MARCH 13
We’re inviting Redwood Writers members to submit TWO pieces of writing this year! Usually, we only allow for one submission in the anthology, but because there are two parts to this year’s theme, we are allowing you to send in two stories–
but only if one of the submissions tells the story of a beginning, and the other tells the story of an ending.
Double your chances to be published! One Sunset-themed prose or memoir piece and one Sunrise-themed piece! But hurry...the deadline is setting soon! For more information and to submit,
click here.
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CALIFORNIA WRITERS CLUB LITERARY REVIEW
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The Literary Review. published by the California Writers Club, has extended the 2020
deadline for submissions to Tuesday, March 31.
It's time to submit your best work — fiction, poetry, memoir, and essay, including excepts from previously published writing. Submissions are open to current members of California Writers Club (that includes Redwood Writers) and will be accepted from December 15, 2019 through March 31, 2020. Works will be reviewed and selected for possible publication by a panel of acquisition editors through a blind judging process.
For more details information and to submit,
click here.
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The Long and Winding Road
WRITING CONTEST
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OPEN NOW!
Deadline:
Friday, March 27 at 9:00 PM
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Inspired by the Beatles song, this contest seeks your fiction or memoir submission that uses the exact title phrase “the long and winding road” in it.
One submission per entrant. Word count: no more than 1500 words. Details and submission form
on our website here
.
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Skye Blaine, Poetry Editor
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A SONNET FOR EURYDICE
by Jon Johnson
Recall the time we swam beneath the wave. We never thought of air as something we might need, and never lived in time. The sea
was all we breathed, and all that Nature ever gave.
And then we went our sep’rate ways. Oh, woe!
Yes, you to Hades’ secret lair, and I, while playing lyric songs, consumed, did die a thousand deaths, each one another low.
But, when I came, at last, my life so gone, and you fell back along our trek, you sang
out Hermes’ name! Oh, he it was who turned
to look! And, as he fell, we then moved on together to the light. Then strings did hang above the fire…oh, where they nicely burned!
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Too young to die
by Shawn Langwell
Too young to die
I’ll never forget the day Dave called
That Wednesday morning when Seth ended it all
Life was too much for him to bear
Gave up too soon
his passing there
Asleep at the wheel
crashed into a tree
Why? Oh Why,
I cried.
Why did he have to
die?
Perhaps he’s better,
Perhaps he’s free.
Time it’s said heals all wounds
Bullshit is what I really think
I’m sad and don’t know what to do.
I cried myself to sleep last night
Prayed for my brother,
To see the light.
Perhaps he’s in a better place,
Above the swaying redwoods
In heaven,
Or,
at least,
I hope,
in a sacred space.
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Submission guidelines:
single-spaced
, Times or Times New Roman, 12 point font, no all caps, please. Poems are reviewed by a team of poets. We will acknowledge receipt of your work, and let you know if your poem is going to be included, or if we are requesting minor edits prior to inclusion.
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Sunday, April 19
(note a week later because of Easter)
2:00-4:30
CHILDREN'S BOOK AUTHORS PANEL
with
Natasha Yim
Innosanto Nagara
Mae Respicio
Mitali Perkins
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NEWS OF INTEREST TO OUR MEMBERS
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RANDOM ACTS OPEN MIC
Second Wednesdays each month
6:30 TO 8:30 PM
Sonoma Community Center
276 E. Napa Street, Gallery 2
nd
floor
Attention readers, writers, poets, storytellers, singers, musicians, comedians, & listeners! Everyone is invited to entertain or be entertained. Fee: $5. For information,
please contact Meta Strauss.
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The
Oakmont Village Library, which is not part of any government system, would appreciate the donation of your work so that we can promote local authors. The community is filled with readers—readers of fiction (all genres), non-fiction (biography, memoir, history, and most other NF categories), as well as poetry and plays. We even have shelves for children’s books. We accept both hardback and paperback. To learn more,
please
contact Jan Rowley.
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Want to join a writing group but don't know how to find one?
If you're wanting to form or join a writing group, contact Marie Judson at
mariejudson@gmail.com
. This is a
free member service
of Redwood Writers.
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Our mailing address is The Redwood Writer, P.O. Box 4687, Santa Rosa, CA 95402
a
5
01(c)(3) non-profit organization.
Redwood Writers Meetings
General membership meetings are held on the second Sunday of each month (moves one week ahead if a holiday) from 2:00 to 4:30 p.m. at the Flamingo Conference Resort and Spa, located at
2777 Fourth Street, Santa Rosa, CA 95405.
Registration starts at 2 p.m.
Copyright © 2019 Redwood Writers. All rights reserved.
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