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/ Policy and Procedures C0-editor
Chairs and Editors
Les Bernstein
, Poetry Anthology Editor
Skye Blaine
, Newsletter Poetry Editor
Fran Claggett-Holland
, Poetry Anthology Editor
Robbi Sommers Bryant
, Hot Summer Nights, Contests
Sher Gamard
, Writers Salon
Pamela Heck
,
Historian
Marie Judson
, Critique Groups
Jeanne Jusaitis
, Author Support
Crissi Langwell
, 2020 Prose Anthology Editor
Margarite Olmos
, PR Internal
Linda L. Reid
, Writers Circle
Deborah Taylor-French
, Author Support
Redwood Writers 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, November 10
2:00-4:30 PM
Booby Traps and Blessings of a Writer's Life
with Frances Rivetti
Arrive at 2:00 p.m. to register
and network
before the general meeting, which runs from 2:30-4:30.
NEXT MONTH'S MEETING
Sunday, December 8
Using Travel to Enhance Research for Your Writing
with Linda McCabe
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An easy way to support Redwood Writers. . .
BOARD NOTES AND NEWS
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A Fire in the Belly
Roger C. Lubeck
The Kincade Fire has put people living in Sonoma County through an emotional roller coaster. Fire on the ridges, smoke in the air, cinders on our cars, darkened homes lit by candles, destroyed landmarks, and 190,000 evacuations.
On Sunday, 101 was bumper to bumper with cars stuffed with clothes, pets, and “essential” electronics while leaving family photos and a lifetime of memories behind. For folks fleeing to shelters or the homes of friends, the question was, “What will I find when (if) I return?”
Fortunately, in Cloverdale, we did not have to leave our home. However, being powerless and without gas, we weren't able to cook, use the dishwasher, or do laundry. At twilight, candles, flashlights, and packages of batteries adorned out kitchen table, an area we now call “light central.” Tuna sandwiches were followed by candlelit games of gin rummy. At sunrise, our neighbor cooked bacon and eggs on an outdoor grill.
Without television and 24-hour news, I had time to read and time to listen to music, and become more introspective and appreciative of all that life offers. Still, the absence of the internet made me feel lonely and isolated, a condition that is perfect for writing an essay or a poem.
As a fiction writer, I seldom write essays and usually need a reason to write poetry – a strong reaction, a new experience, or a life-changing event. The fires have shoved me over that cliff. My guess is that once you are safe at home with your power restored, you will want to write, too.
In November we have two writing opportunities. One is the
I Can Almost Taste It
recipe contest – the other is creating poetry for the
2020 Redwood Writers Poetry Anthology
. Information is below and on our website. And when you are ready, write a poem or two expressing how you feel. As they say, sharing is caring.
Board Meeting Agenda for November 10, 2019
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
- Contests in 2019: Robbi Sommers Bryant
- Conference: Shawn Langwell
- New venue for RW meetings
- Rules for electing a VP
1:30 p.m. New business
1:45 p.m. Adjourn
General Meeting Agenda for November 10, 2019
1:00 p.m. Author Support
Writers Focus Group (Mystery with Deborah Taylor French)
2:00 p.m. Networking
2:30 p.m. Welcome: Roger Lubeck
Chair announcements:
- Membership - Judy Baker
- Writers Circle - Linda Reid
- Poetry Anthology (reminder about submissions) - Linda Reid
- Contest reminder - Harker Brautighan
- 2020 Prose Anthology - Crissi Langwell
- Member announcements
Next Month's Meeting:
Using Travel to Enhance Research for Your Writing
- Linda McCabe
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
Friday, November 1
NaNoWriMo begins (see below for details)
Sunday, November 10
New Member Orientation 11:00 am–12:15
Flamingo Hotel
Redwood Writers Board Meeting 12:30-2:00
Flamingo Hotel
A
uthor Support Group 1:00-2:00
Writers Focus Group 1:00-2:00
MONTHLY MEETING
Booby Traps and Blessings of a Writer's Life
- with Frances Rivetti
2:00-4:30
Flamingo Hotel
Friday, November 15 at 9:00 p.m.
DEADLINE FOR POETRY ANTHOLOGY SUBMISSIONS
Saturday, November 16
10:00 - 1:00
WRITERS CIRCLE
(see details below and on the website)
Sunday, November 17 at 9:00 p.m.
DEADLINE FOR
I CAN ALMOST TASTE IT
RECIPE CONTEST
Sunday, December 8
MONTHLY MEETING
2:00-4:30 Flamingo Hotel
Using Travel to Enhance Research for Your Writing
with Linda McCabe
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SUNDAY, November 10
2:00-4:30
Arrive at 2:00 to register and mix and mingle.
FLAMINGO HOTEL
Santa Rosa
CLICK ON THE IMAGE AT LEFT TO ENLARGE.
All are welcome. Just $5 for members; $10 for non-members.
PLEASE JOIN US!
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SAVE THE DATE!
May 2nd, 2020
Sonoma County
Writers Conference
Finley Center, Santa Rosa
Photos from 2018 Conference
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Cooking Up Another Great Contest
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I Can Almost Taste It
Redwood Writers Contest
DEADLINE November 17, 2019
Everyone has an interesting, funny, tragic, or dramatic story that involves a food or drink. The question is whether to write the story as a fiction, memoir, or essay? Harker Brautighan and Roger DeBeers chair.
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2020 POETRY ANTHOLOGY
CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS
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The 2020 poetry anthology IS OPEN FOR SUBMISSIONS.
DEADLINE IS NOVEMBER 15.
The title for the 2020 Redwood Writers poetry anthology is
...And Yet
.
This theme is open to any interpretation.
For your inspiration, the art for the cover is at left. We had many beautiful selections from which to choose following the “blind” submission process. In the end, we chose
a painting called “Party Girl” by Linda Loveland Reid. The back cover is a beautiful work by Rebecca Smith called “Abstract.”
We hope the title and cover will inspire you to submit 5 poems by November 15
th
. We wish you all the very best, --
Les and Fran
FOR COMPLETE DETAILS AND INFORMATION,
CLICK HERE
.
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2019 PROSE ANTHOLOGY
ENDEAVOR: Stories of Struggle and Perseverance
The forty-four works of fiction and memoir contained in the 2019 Redwood Writers anthology reflect the volume’s theme and title,
Endeavor: Stories of Struggle and Perseverance.
Each story provides an uplifting example of how the human spirit can prevail against all that nature, man, and circumstances can throw against it.
Price: $12.00 if purchased at a Redwood Writers meeting ($10.00 for 5 or more copies) and $15.00 from
Amazon.com
.
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Skye Blaine, Poetry Editor
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Thoughts on Aging, on the eve of turning 62
by
Kate Magdalena Willens
I feel myself aging like a wine deepening,
Like a petal crinkling,
Like a dimming star.
The sweetness is rising to the surface,
But so's the detritus, the pain now old
And lived with long,
I know it now better than before.
The old faults are still with me,
But I see them more clearly as I fade,
Their contours are emboldened, saying
This is part of what I am.
The time of night is nearer, and I contemplate
The vastness of its space, as I smile past
A neighboring star.
And I know really that age is only an illusion of this world
And in the next, we get to choose the age we truly are.
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Silent Stone
by Karen Hayes
A voice comes from the silent stone she holds
and the drop of water it bleeds
She grinds it to powder
makes a gritty paste
paints words in the sand
with clay-glopped finger
Pulls algae from the river
wraps it around trees
marking passage
tucks leaves like messages in cracked bark
Turns over rocks and sticks
searching for pieces of herself under them
knowing she must
be here
somewhere
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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, December 8
2:00-4:30
Using Travel to Enhance Research for Your Writing
with Linda McCabe
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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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