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
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, February 9
2:00-4:30 PM
Humor as a Writing Hook
A panel moderated by Deborah Taylor-French with
Dan Coshnear, Deborah Walton,
and Jean Wong
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, March 8
Writing Character
with Connie Hale
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Winners of the
I Can Almost Taste It
Contest
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(Pictured left to right)
First Place “Grandma Labauve and Her Glorious Gumbo” by Terri Pischoff Wuerthner
Second Place “Angel Soup” by Pamela Heck
Third Place “1964 Soiree”
by Linda Loveland Reid
Runner-up “Pot Roast vs. Pasta” by Kim McGrath
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An easy way to support Redwood Writers. . .
BOARD NOTES AND NEWS
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When Opportunity Knocks
by Roger Lubeck
One of the primary reasons to be a member of the California Writers Club (CWC) and the Redwood Branch is the opportunity to have your work published and read by a large audience of writers and readers.
In February and March, you have a number of new opportunities to see your work shine. This time of year, when it rains, it pours!
CWC Literary Review due February 29
. In December, CWC announced they were accepting submissions for the 2020 Literary Review. The annual review represents the best writing submitted from members in the 22 branches. This year you can submit up to three prose pieces and/or six poems. The $10 fee covers ONE prose piece. For poetry, TWO poems of up to 30 lines each may be submitted for each $10 payment. Limit of three prose pieces at $10 each, or six poems ($10 for each of two poems). The review is accepting excerpts from previously published work provided that they conform to the guidelines, that the author holds the copyright, and that s/he indicates the initial source and date. The deadline for submissions is February 29.
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. The submission deadline is March 13.
The Long and Winding Road
contest due March 27
. In February, we will announce the first contest for 2020. Contest chair Tina Deason will announce the rules for The Long and Winding Road contest at the February meeting. The submission deadline is March 27.
This list of opportunities looks like some exciting reasons to kick start your writing. However, you might be saying “I’m too busy, I have nothing to write about, or What’s the use--I submitted before and was rejected.” To this, I like to quote Ray Bradbury who wrote, “Write a short story every week. It’s not possible to write 52 ‘rejected’ stories in a row.”
In the next four weeks, I am committed to writing two new poems, revising and polishing one of my unpublished short stories for the Review, and starting a new story for the anthology. To keep me honest, I will post my progress on my blog
rogerinblue.com
and on Facebook.
Why not join me? Make the commitment. Start writing today and keep me posted on your progress. In 2020 it is my goal to see that Redwood Writers creates a setting, an environment, a culture in which writing and the other creative arts thrive and grow. At every meeting, I see evidence of individual “writers helping writers.” This year I hope to see even more evidence of Redwood Writers helping members and the larger community of writers.
Board Meeting Agenda for February 9, 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
- Branding: Joelle Burnette
- Website: Joelle Burnette
- Speakers committee: Marilyn Lanier
- Conference: Shawn Langwell
- Contests: Robbi Sommers Bryant
- Conference: Shawn Langwell
- CWC update: Roger Lubeck
1:30 p.m. New business
1:45 p.m. Adjourn
General Meeting Agenda for February 9, 2020
1:00 p.m. Author Support
Writers Focus Group (Mystery)
2:00 p.m. Networking
2:30 p.m. Welcome - Roger Lubeck
Chair announcements:
- Membership - Judy Baker
- Salon - Sher Gamard
- New contests for 2020 - Robbi Sommer Bryant
- 2020 Prose Anthology - Crissi Langwell
- Member announcements
3:00 p.m. Break
3:15 p.m. Speaker:
Humor as a Writing Hook panel
with Dan Coshnear, Deborah Walton, and Jean Wong
4:30 p.m. Adjourn - Next meeting March 8
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, February 9
Redwood Writers Board Meeting 12:30-2:00
Flamingo Hotel
MONTHLY MEETING
A panel on Humor as a Writing Hook
2:00-4:30
Flamingo Hotel
Saturday, February 15
9:30-11:30
Flamingo Hotel
Prose Anthology Workshop "Sunset Sunrise"
Registration required
Sunday, February 16
WRITERS SALON (see details below and on the website)
Saturday, February 29
DEADLINE for CWC Literary Review
UPCOMING:
March 8 RW meeting 2:00 - 4:30 Flamingo Hotel - Speaker: Connie Hale on Writing Character
March 13 Submission deadline - 2020 prose anthology, “Sunset Sunrise.”
March 21 Writers Circle - Saturday 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Location TBD.
March 27 Submission deadline -
The long and winding road
contest.
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SUNDAY, February 9
2:00-4:30
HUMOR AS A WRITING HOOK
A panel on craft moderated by Deborah Taylor-French
What’s so funny?
Lots of things, as it turns out. This month we will explore various tools writers use in creating humor–hyperbole, irony, self-deprecation, quirky characters and entertaining plot twists.
The panel discussion will explore a wide range of topics dealing with humor, such as: What is humor? How does it help us in the quality of our life? What part does it play in different genre: plays, poetry, prose? What can we learn about how other cultures treat humor? What does it mean to lack a sense of humor?
Panelists are
Daniel Coshnear, author of two story collections and a soon-to-be-published third,
Deborah Walton, Redwood Writers PR director/newsletter editor, and
Jean Wong, award-winning author and poet. For more details,
click on the flyer.
Come enjoy an afternoon all about humor!
All are welcome. Just $5 for members; $10 for non-members.
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REDWOOD WRITERS SALON
Saturday, FEBRUARY 16
1:00-4:00 p.m.
Location: Sebastopol
It is indeed a leap year! So let's get into it.
Join your fellow writers for an inspiring afternoon sharing your writing and seeking inspiration.
To attend, sign up for a reading, and receive directions, please
click here
.
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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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2020
PROSE ANTHOLOGY
WORKSHOP: SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 15 9:30-11:30
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.
For more information, tips, techniques, and fun, come to the
anthology workshop on Saturday, February 15 from 9:30-11:30 a.m. at the Flamingo Hotel. Cost is $25.
Moderated by Linda Loveland Reid, presenters are Linda Loveland Reid on
dialogue, Amanda McTigue on story, Skye Blaine on judging, Roger Lubeck on
THE DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION is Friday, March 13
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The Long and Winding Road
WRITING CONTEST
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Contest Opens:
Sunday, February 9
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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Stones
by Leiah Bowden
From the northern River you drew me,
from the flowing water dropped
from the tear in the clouds.
To the western ocean you will bring me,
to the western sea.
You can keep me all your life
or give me away.
In the drawing forth was our bond.
When you search for the place
your life brought you when we met,
I will sing to you.
I will tell you stories of our becoming
and stories of the planetary journey
from the stars to your pocket.
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River II
by Karen Hayes
River
part of my life
not forsaken
Loss of our language
feels like death
A shadow of your smell
whispered on the breeze
quickens my heart
Beneath the moon
too many changes
Your garden was my playground
My tiny will
boils sorrow
at your gate
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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, March 8
2:00-4:30
Writing Character
with Constance (Connie) Hale
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NEWS OF INTEREST TO OUR MEMBERS
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Writers Forum
February 20, 2020
6:30 pm to 8:30 pm
Copperfield's Petaluma
Free
Presenter: David Templeton
Topic: Going “Off-Script.” Insights Gained, Rules Broken, and Lessons Learned From A Life Of Play-Watching And Playwriting
Writers Forum meets the third Thursday, February through July.
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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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