Lani Longshore will be one of the authors at the Lamorinda Arts Council’s Art Embraces
Words program on Saturday, October 28, from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the Lafayette Library, 3491 Mt. Diablo Blvd, Lafayette. This free event features readings, art, food, and a costume contest.
Linda Drattell’s poem, “Paddington Park,” was included on Viewless Wings podcast and also in the Irish podcast, Eat the Storms. (https://eatthestorms.com/2023/09/16/eat-the-storms-the-podcast-podcast-episode-14-season-7/) She also read some poetry at the Splatter Festival. The Fremont Patch interviewed Linda and that article is now published.
Nina Schuyler, award-winning novelist and short story writer, will present “Making Metaphors and Other Stylish Moves” at the Tri-Valley Writers November 18, 2023, meeting. Metaphors are like magical pleasure pills that help the reader see the world anew. The critic James Wood said metaphors float a rival reality; it’s the entire imaginative process in one move. The philosopher José Ortega y Gasset called them tools for creation which God forgot inside one of His creations.
To create metaphors, we need a different way to view the world, moving away from either/or, the binary, and finding connections and similarities between seemingly disparate things. In this meeting, you’ll do in-class writing, creating metaphors that are original, powerful, vivid, and even funny.
To augment this exploration, we’ll also consider three ways to grow sentences so they can contain metaphors and much more style. By the end, you’ll have a much firmer grasp on how to make compelling, fresh metaphors and sentences that contain them.
Constance Hanstedt’s entry, “Florian,” was awarded Honorable Mention in the Non-rhyming Poetry category of the 92nd Annual Writer’s Digest Writing Competition.
John Bluck’s novel, Death in the Holler, was featured by the New York Post on Saturday, July 22. The Post’s headline read, “20 action-packed books to bring on vacation this summer.” To read the article, visit: https://nypost.com/2023/07/22/20-action-packed-books-to-bring-on-vacation-this-summer/.
Chris Hennessy will present “How to Build Your Writer’s Platform Using Storytelling Crossover Tips” at the Tri-Valley Writers October 21 meeting . Chris has been a full-time independent filmmaker, author, and speaker in Northern California since 1990. He serves on the board of directors at California Writers Club Sacramento Branch. In the presentation, attendees will learn
How to promote your book before, during, or after writing to create buzz.
Unique, simple, stand-out social media marketing tips to get known.
How and why to incorporate film/video into your writing projects.
How to make your book into a feature film (big screen, Netflix, etc.).
How to motivate yourself and others to create, write, and perform happily at your highest ability.
Monique Richardson’s poem, “In a Field” has been selected for presentation at the 2023 Alameda County Fair.
Linda Drattell’s poetry collection, Remember This Day, is available for pre-order at https://www.finishinglinepress.com/product/remember-this-day-by-linda-drattell/. The chapbook will be released on August 11, 2023.
A. L. Kucherenko will present “Crotches, Crucks, and Crutches” at the Tri-Valley Writers September 16, 2023, meeting. Learn how to entice readers to linger in your fictional world with your imaginary characters. Most authors face the convergence of characters and readers. Characters inhabit their own skins and are shaped by their environment. They make choices, express attitudes, and bear certain responsibilities consistent with their cosmos. So do readers, who bring their experiences and expectations into our stories.
A. L. Kucherenko uses examples from her work to illustrate the delicate balance between authenticity and accuracy and how character and reader worldviews mesh to create an environment for her characters that her readers can embrace.
Pamela Pan has several successes: Her two poems, “A Song for a Strong Soul” and “My Home City,” have been accepted for publication in the Tuleburg Poetry Anthology. Her short story, “Baba’s Accordion” and poem, “Farmer’s Market,” have been accepted for publication in the Great Valley Stories anthology. Her flash memoir, “Not a Soft Persimmon,” won Honorable Mention in the Flash Memoir Contest by Writer Advice. And her poem “Summer Nights” has been accepted for publication in Redwood 2023 Poetry Anthology, Phases.
