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Newsletter of North State Writers (NSW), a Branch of the California Writers Club
NSW promotes the art and craft of writing across genres, connecting writers, editors, illustrators, publishers, reviewers, agents, and others interested in the continual renewal of creative thought and the written word.
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NSW member Jim Henson has volunteered to take over as President. His first message is below.
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Dear friends,
May I first join all of the North State Writers(NSW) members and the board in honoring the person and her work as our retired President Cathy Chase.
Cathy Chase made the position as President look very easy with her welcoming smile and gracious hospitality. Always open to speaker requests, and always making sure that we all had a chance to make announcements of our upcoming or published works. With that same vitality and mission to our branch, I’m excited to continue her work as the new President of the North State Writers!
The reason I’m excited about being the new President is because it’s not the end of NSW. Instead, it’s about continuing the mission of the branch and to accelerate its membership across our entire region north of Sacramento to the Oregon border.
Although we will need to keep our meetings on Zoom for awhile longer to keep us safe and healthy, we are preparing for when we can all get together in the same building once again.
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One major goals that I would like to achieve as President is to ensure the satisfaction for present and future generations the availability of a better quality of life through our quills for all to express their freedoms as readers to be builders, explorers, scientists, community organizers, medical professionals, oceanographers, and so much more.
In short the foundation of the California Writers Club(CWC), which we are one of 22 branches and 1,700 members strong, was built on legends named Jack London, George Sterling, John Muir, Joaquin Miller, and the first California poet laureate, Ina Coolbrith.
Now, in the 21st Century, it’s our time as women and men in NSW to enrich our society and our region with every genre and writing style, except that of pornography, and make a legacy of our own in the North State of California.
Our next meeting starts with you being a part of our meeting on Zoom, Monday, April 19, 2021 at 6pm. A link to the meeting is below.
In solidarity,
Jim Henson
President NSW
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Promoting Your Book: Building a Successful Marketing Strategy
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With the availability of the Internet, print-on-demand technology and electronic book formats, there has never been a better time for authors to publish their work. Andrew Benzie (publisher, designer, author and owner of Andrew Benzie Books) will discuss steps involved to effectively brand for your work and how to build a successful marketing strategy to promote and sell your book.
Topics covered will include:
• How to establish a powerful brand for your book
• How to increase visibility of your book
• How to successfully promote your book to maximize sales
• How to design and implement a successful marketing strategy
• Discover marketing tips used by professional authors
• Learn new avenues to promote and sell your book
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BOARD ELECTIONS
Board elections are coming soon, we thank everyone that participated in our survey and stepped up to help.
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Candidates are:
President
James Henson
Vice-President
Lynn Tosello
Dave Ivy
Secretary
Ruben Martinez
Elizabeth Porter
Eric Miller
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Treasurer
Nick Hanson
Membership Chair
Ken Olson
Gwen Willadsen
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A link to a ballot will be sent by email in May.
if you are interested in serving or would like additional information, please email the club at northstatewriters@gmail.com.
BOARD ELECTIONS
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Newsletter Editor needed. After six years, our current Editor has decided to step down from her role and a new editor is needed. She will provide training. This is your chance to participate on the board and advance the future of the club. We have several members who have stepped forward to provide content. If you are interested, please contact President Jim Henson. |
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April is Poetry and Autism Acceptance Month so celebrate with Joan Goodreau's new poetry book, Where to Next? Available on Amazon and Kindle.
Dan Barnette states in the Chico Enterprise Record: "From facing wild fires and a pandemic to life with her son, Ian, on the Autism Spectrum, Chico poet Joan Goodreau asks a profound question in her new book that points to a hopeful, though still mysterious future."
Joan will read her poetry on Nancy's Bookshelf on April 7 and in the Artist and Author's "Light through Darkness" event on April 29.
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Press Release:
Perry Lake's second installment of his Legend of Dracula series is now out! DRACULA: HIS WOMEN is now available in the Kindle store. Ranging from the year 1575 to 1747, these twenty short stories of seduction and terror feature the most evil of all monsters, Count Dracula! This time we focus on the bevy of beauties in his court: Addhema who found she could not drink blood, Elizabeth Báthory who was said to bathe in the stuff, Clarimonda who used her wiles to become the mistress of the most powerful man in Europe, and the novella-length tale of Mircalla Karnstein.
These women will love you to death!
Find it here: DRACULA: HIS WOMEN: The Legend of Dracula, Book II: Lake, Perry: 9780998308685: Amazon.com: Books
www.perrylakeproductions.com
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Do you have a milestone you would like to share? Send it to northstatewriters@gmail.com using "Newsletter" in the subject line. |
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2021 LITERARY REVIEW DEADLINE EXTENDED
We are extending the submission deadline from March 15 to APRIL 15, 2021. CWC members, send in your best work for consideration for the 2021 Literary Review. Click here.
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Would you like to be featured in our author spotlight? Send your bio, photo, and book cover image to northstatewriters@gmail.com using "Newsletter" in the subject line. |
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A Good Read
By Brian Marshall
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David Wroblewski
There are great books about animals; Watership Down comes to mind. And when it comes to great books about humans, there are a few those out there too. But you’ll rarely find a book that attempts to be both, and succeeds so brilliantly, as The Story of Edgar Sawtelle.
The novel revolves around two families sharing life on a New England farm. The first are the Sawtelles, a rough-spun clan who have been breeding, training and selling dogs for multiple generations. But within those generations, there has always been conflict and strife, forces now playing out in young Edgar, a sensitive boy with an uncanny gift, a deep empathy for his wards. As Edgar slowly comes of age, those same tensions reach almost Shakespearean heights, with intrigue and incest and sexual betrayal, death by poison and by flame.
And the second family? This one consists of the dogs themselves, and it is every bit as intriguing, as nuanced, as that of their two-legged companions. There’s always a risk, when portraying animals, to overreach or become patronizing. To assume that we as humans know depths that they can never achieve. But through Wroblewski’s crystalline prose we see each dog as a unique person. A character as complex, as flawed, as any of the Sawtelles. And soon enough, like Edgar himself, we discover an essential truth. That whenever we set out to teach a dog, the dog, in fact, teaches us.
One of the marks of a truly great book is how much it transforms us. How it shows us a glimpse of another world every time we crack its spine. If you want to get lost in that other world, and perhaps find yourself in the process, I can’t think of a better way to do it than by spending some time with Edgar Sawtelle and the animals that he loves.
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HOW TO EDIT YOUR OWN WORK |
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This month's recommended article is from Writers Digest. Bestselling author Rebecca Yarros coaches writers on how to create believable emotion in this article.
Gary Carter
Membership Chair
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No matter what genre we write in, we all have the same goal—we want to bring our readers along for the journey. How do we get there? By reeling them in with their emotions. Think about your novel as a roller coaster. Sounds odd, but trust me.
1. Give them someone to root for
It all starts with our protagonists. We need our readers to feel connected—to care. Struggling with a difficult hero or heroine? Don’t despair. Even the most unlikeable character can be relatable with a quick “save the cat,” moment early in the plot. Think about who they are as they’re waiting for the coaster to begin and why they’re there. A little backstory can work wonders.
2. Use deep POV
By using visceral emotions, we can bring our readers right into our character’s head. Does their heart quicken as the coaster clicks up the first hill? Does their stomach rise into their throats as the coaster drops? Giving physical cues to the reader takes them out of the spectator position and into the seat with your character.
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3. Up the ante
Where are your stakes? What is your protagonist going to lose if they don’t succeed? Is this your character’s only chance to overcome their fear of roller coasters? The bigger the stakes, the more your reader will be invested in the outcome.
4. Go along for the ride
If you’re strapped in with your character on that roller coaster, then it’s far easier to nail those same emotions in your writing. Ride with your characters, instead of watching them ride. The golden rule is golden for a reason—show, don’t tell.
5. Twist the plot
Drop the bottom out of your roller coaster, throw in a loop no one saw coming, and your readers will never forget the journey.
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President: Jim Henson
Vice-President: Brian Marshall
Secretary: Joan Goodreau
Treasurer: Nick Hanson
Director of Membership: Gary Carter
Newsletter Editor: Linda Sue Forrister
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Central Board Rep: Jim Henson
NorCal Group Rep: Jim Henson
Events Coordinator:
Social Media: Nick Hanson
Publicity:
Critique Group: Cathy Chase
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