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In This
Issue
From Our Chapter
President
WNBA-SF
News
Announcements
From Our Literacy
Liaison
Bookworm Talks To
Lucille Lang
Day
WNBA National
News
Patricia McKissack, ELMCLS Guest
Lecturer
Link to Renew Membership (General
Member - $45)
Link to Renew Membership (Senior/Student -
$25)
WNBA-SF
News
Your presence
is requested.
Your input is necessary.
Your suggestions are welcome!
Memo to: All WNBA-SF Members
Re: Long range
planning meeting
Date: Sun., July 13
(10 a.m.-3:30 p.m.)
Where: Coastside
location at the home of co-president Mary E. Knippel (delicious
lunch & snacks provided)
RSVP: Mary at
president@wnba-sfchapter.org
by July 10
We’re looking for a
few good women (and men) who would like to shape the future of
WNBA-SF!
On Sun., July 13 (10 a.m.-3:30 p.m.) we will be holding our annual
Long Range Planning meeting to determine what programs we will
offer, when we will offer them and what other benefits we can
provide the membership.
We know you have lots of great ideas, and all your suggestions are
welcome. Of course, we will feature traditional offerings:
Meet-the-Agents and the ever-popular Author Showcase.
Everyone, brand new or seasoned WNBA-SF member, has a voice in how
we present ourselves to the world of words. Would you like to see
us hold an event in your neighborhood bookstore or at your local
library? Come to the planning meeting so we can discuss it. We want
to offer brand new bits and many collaborative endeavors. You won’t
want to miss a minute of what’s coming up!
*WNBA-SF members who attend this Long Range Planning meeting will
be eligible for a drawing – but you’ve gotta come to the coastside
to win!
Mark your calendars for Dec. 2 when Christine
Comaford-Lynch, author of Rules for Renegades,
former Buddhist monk, geisha trainee, software
engineer, and entrepreneur will be our guest
speaker. Watch the web-site and newsletter for
more details!
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********************
New Book
Release Sneak Preview/Reading!
Dark Card by Rebecca
Foust
(winner of the 2007 Robert Phillips Poetry Prize)
Poetry about raising a son with Asperger’s Syndrome
Saturday, June 21, 4:00-6:30 pm
REBOUND BOOKSTORE
1541 4th Street, San Rafael
Order books at:
http://www.tamu.edu/upress/BOOKS/2008/foust.htm
(800) 826-8911
********************
WNBA-SF Holding
Elections
WNBA-SF
still holding elections!
Here’s your chance to meet
interesting people, learn new skills and be a part of
the guiding force shaping WNBA-SF. Being a part of
the Board offers a rich and rewarding experience,
filled with networking opportunities and the chance
to really make an impact on the careers of authors
and the lives of readers.
Please go to the web site to submit nominations and to read
job descriptions for the open board
positions.
Contact
Mary at president@WNBA-SF chapter.org if you have any
questions.
Slate
of Officers so far…
Linda Lee and Mary E. Knippel co-presidents
Vice-President:
Secretary:
Treasurer:
***********************
From our Literacy
Liason Dear WNBA-SF Chapter
Members,
I love what I do
for WNBA. Being Literacy Liaison gives me the
opportunity to learn how you're promoting literacy.
Member Patricia Costello, who
teaches English-as-a-Second-Language at City
College of San Francisco makes reading a fun
experience for her students. Patricia says: "I love
to
see students transformed by American Literature.
The themes by authors such as Arthur Miller or
Sandra Cisneros are universal. Everyone comes
away with an enriching experience."
There's more. Patricia Costello has offered
her time and energy to be Asst. Literacy Liaison
for our chapter. I am grateful beyond
words.
Our Literacy
Partnership list is growing:
REACH OUT AND
READ
Email:
Roya Yasharpour
BRING ME A
BOOK
BAY
AREA LITERACY
PROJECT READ—SF CHAPTER
If you are
involved with these or other literacy advocates,
please email Patricia Costello and me and we'll
showcase you in this Column. Please put "WNBA
and Literacy" in your subject
line.
Be
well.
Sincerely,
Teresa LeYung Ryan
LiteracyLiaison@wnba-sfchapter.org
********************
Bookworm Talks To Lucille Lang Day,
author of God of the Jellyfish
Lucille Lang Day's poetry collections are vast and impressive. Her
writing has been selected by Robert Pinsky, David Littlejohn, and
Michael Rubin for the Joseph Henry Jackson Award in Literature. She
is also a co-author of How to
Encourage Girls in Math and Science: Strategies for Parents and
Educators (Dale Seymour), and the author of the libretto for
Eighteen Months to Earth, a
science fiction opera with music by John Niec.
Lucy received her M.A. and M.F.A. in creative writing from San
Francisco State University, and her M.A. in zoology and Ph.D. in
science and mathematics education from the University of California
at Berkeley.
Click
here for more information
highlighting Lucy
's past
and present endeavors.
(Interview questions posed by Sara Cassella, WNBA-SF Newsletter
Editor to author, Lucille Lang Day.)
When did you start
writing?
One way of answering is to say I
started in 1971, during my senior year of college, when I started
taking myself seriously enough as a writer to enter my poetry in
contests. Another is to say I started writing at age 6, when I
first wrote a poem spontaneously, simply because I felt like
it.
Why did you choose your particular
genre?
I would say that poetry chose me.
Poems have always arrived, invited or not, on the doorstep of my
brain, and when this happens, I invite them in to see what they
have to say. I’ve been a goner for poetry since I was in fifth
grade, when I first read Emily Dickinson, but I also enjoy reading
and writing in other genres. In addition to poetry, I’ve published
science journalism, feature articles, essays and book reviews, a
short story, a children’s book, a textbook, and several personal
essays, some of which are from a book-length memoir for which I’m
now seeking an agent. Poetry, of course, keeps sticking its nose in
the door, no matter what else I’m
doing.
What inspired you to choose your
subject matter?
A lot of my writing, both poetry
and prose, is concerned with science. My academic background is in
science as well as English and creative writing, and I’m interested
in bridging the gap between science and literature. What can poetry
reveal about science? What does science reveal about human nature?
How does spirituality fit into a universe driven by the laws of
science? These are some of the questions I explore in my poetry.
I’m also drawn to autobiography, both in poetry and prose. Everyone
has an interesting life story. Mine includes having gotten married
at 14 and having given birth to my first child at 15.
How difficult/easy has your
experience been as a published writer?
I feel that I’ve received a warm
welcome in the world of literary magazines and small presses,
although I certainly have received my share of rejections too. My
eighth poetry collection will be published in 2009 by Cervena Barva
Press. I’ve also found that there is a market for science
journalism and feature articles. The difficulty lies in getting an
agent and a commercial publisher for a literary book, and I am
still working my way up that hill.
What advice would you give other
aspiring authors?
Never give up either on creating
your work or on trying to publish it. Don’t let rejections get you
down. Someone facing 500 manuscripts overlooked your work of
genius. This is no more personal than the rain.
Anything else you would like to
share with the WNBA?
WNBA is a source of friendship,
support, and inspiration. It’s great to be affiliated with so many
talented writers!
**********************
**********************
Kepler's Books and
Magazines
Menlo Park
named winner of
Women's
National Book Association
Pannel
Award
Kepler's Books and Magazines, a popular Bay Area book
store located in Menlo Park, was selected by the
Women's National Book Association (WNBA) as the winner
of the 2008 Lucile Micheels Pannell Award.
Established in 1981 to honor Lucile Micheels Pannell, a
model book woman and children’s bookseller, the Pannell
Award recognizes retail bookstores that excel at
inspiring the interest of young people in books and
reading. A jury of five book industry professionals
selected the award winners based on the store's
demonstration of creativity, responsiveness to
community needs, passion and a genuine understanding of
making the connection between books and young
readers. Each award recipient will receive a
check for $1,000 and a framed piece of original art by
a children's book illustrator. WNBA presented the Award
at BookExpo America 2008 in Los Angeles.
"We feel like Kepler’s has won the equivalent of the
Oscar for Children’s Booksellers. Each of
us on the Youth and Children’s Team has put our heart
and energy into creating exciting opportunities in our
community to bring young people together with great
books and great authors," said Vivian Leal, Kepler’s
Youth and Family Programs Director. "We love what
we do. This recognition from the WNBA is a huge honor
at the national level, and our team is thrilled and
inspired by it."
"Over the past three years Kepler's Youth and
Children’s Department has endeavored to ignite
excitement into our youth author events, and to reach
thousands of young people every month," added
Leal. "To do so, we have redefined our
boundaries beyond the confines of the store and out
into our schools and communities. The response
has been fantastic, and the renewed enthusiasm for
books amongst our young customers is contagious!"
For fifty-one years, Kepler's Books has been one of the
Peninsula's premier independent bookstores and is now
one of its last. Part of the heart and soul of Menlo
Park, Kepler's is known for its knowledgeable staff,
outstanding author events, broad selection and its
commitment to the community. The bookstore was founded
by Clark Kepler's father, the late Roy Kepler. In 2005
the bookstore, suffering from financial constraint,
closed its doors for good. Or so they thought. The love
affair between the community and Kepler’s created a
furor that brought the bookstore not only back, but
bigger and better than ever.
Kepler's is located at 1010 El Camino Real, Menlo Park,
CA, 94025. Visit them on the web at
www.keplers.com.
Comments from Mary…When I moved to the Bay Area 12
years ago, Kepler’s was an anchor in my learning to
navigate around my new surroundings. I have attended
many book readings and spent many hours browsing among
the shelves. I’m so glad we are able to give this jewel
the recognition it deserves. I was happy to go to
Kepler’s to meet with Vivian and tell her that in
person.
**********************
WNBA-National
News
One of the benefits of being a WNBA-SF member is that you
are connected to seven chapters nationwide.
Here a few benefits the National organization has for
you:
1: Permanent Collection of WNBA member books. In 2007 the
Boston Public Library set aside a section for a permanent
collection of all WNBA authored books.
Please contact Katherine Dibble to have your book included
in the collection: kdibble@att.net
2: Have your book listed on our National Web
site/WNBA Author's page. National web site member password
is included in your membership kit.
Please contact Shyne Lunning for more information:
lunni8@aol.com
3: Get published in WNBA's National Newsletter, The
Bookwoman. Send us a short article on a favorite book you
read while traveling for our "Have Book Will Travel"
section. Contact Joan Gelfand for more information
about The Bookwoman: joangelfand@pacbell.net
4: Nominations for our bi-annual WNBA award are due
in May. Please nominate your favorite 'bookwoman' for
the award. See www.wnba-books.org for more
information on the WNBA Award.
Lastly, tell us about your successes with WNBA for our
endorsements page.
Joan Gelfand
Vice President, National Women's Book Association
joangelfand@pacbell.net
(510) 757-5626
Blog: http://jg.typepad.com/ciel
WNBA: http://www.wnba-books.org
********************
History
The Woman's National Book Association is a national
organization of women and men who work with and value
books. WNBA exists to promote reading and to support
the role of women in the community of the book. The San
Francisco Chapter of WNBA was founded in 1968 by Effie
Lee Morris, then coordinator of Children's Services for
the San Francisco Main Public Library.
Membership has ranged from sixty to one hundred. Our
members are writers, booksellers, agents, editors,
publishers, publicists, librarians, graphic designers,
career coaches, marketing specialists, conference
planners, aspiring authors and avid readers.
The San Francisco branch of WNBA is one chapter in a
vibrant organization with over 800 members across the
county. Each branch has its own flavor and lively
events to honor books, the creation of books, the world
of books, and allied arts.
The Women's National Book Association has been a
Non-Governmental Organization member of the United
Nations since 1959. An NGO is defined as "any
non-profit, voluntary citizens' group which is
organized on a local, national or international level.
Task-oriented and driven by people with a common
interest, NGOs perform a variety of services and
humanitarian functions, bring citizens' concerns to
governments, monitor policies and encourage political
participation at the community level."
In effect, WNBA members are to be ambassadors for the
UN. Our organization disseminates information about the
United Nations through all the means at our disposal,
especially through our national and chapter
publications and monthly programs.
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Promote your business
and support WNBA-SF at the same
time!
We offer custom ads created
just for you with bronze or higher sponsorship.
This offer is good year round and your ad will
be placed on our website with a link to yours.
These ads are yours to keep.
Please Contact Linda Lee if you are
interested.
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From Our Chapter President
 Dear WNBA-SF
Friends,
Ah June, a time of achievement for grads, fantasies fulfilled for
brides and accolades for doting dads. It is also the time of year
when the scent of fresh mown grass, the crack of a baseball bat,
and the sight of a hammock reminds me it is officially the start of
summer! When I was little our summer vacations did not resemble the
frenzied pace of today. We had time to sit under a tree with a
book, or practice our interview techniques on the patient ears of
corn standing solemnly in the fields. I am delighted to be
living in a place where every day I have the opportunity to
vacation where I live. A trip to the beach involves grabbing a
blanket, my hat, reading material, a bottle of water and a
five-minute drive. May I suggest to you that although a
standard issue two-week vacation of rest and relaxation may not be
on your summer agenda, you do have the option of carving out little
pockets of time to enjoy our beautiful Bay Area. So, go take a
hike, go ocean exploring, visit a museum or an art gallery,
discover a neighborhood park, attend a play, lecture, or
concert.
Wishing you lots of sunny summer experiences to write about!
Be
well,
Mary
********************
Announcements
Patricia McKissack to present The
12th Annual Effie Lee Morris Lecture
Storytelling, the Heart of
Literacy
Guest lecturer: Patricia
McKissack
12th Annual Effie Lee
Morris Children’s Lecture
Series
June 6 at San Francisco
Main Library, Koret
Auditorium
(3:30 p.m. reception, 4:30
p.m. lecture)
Please join us Friday, June 6 at 3:30 p.m., for our 12th
Annual Effie Lee Morris Children’s Lecture featuring
Patricia McKissick at the San Francisco Main Library. Ms.
McKissick will discuss how she brings the past to life
through the stories she tells of African American
historical characters. Ms. McKissick has received the 1993
Coretta Scott King Author Award and Newbery Honor Award
for The Dark Thirty: Southern Tales of the
Supernatural 2002 WNBA Award 2007 ALA Notable Books
For Children for Porch Lies: Tales of
Slicksters,Tricksters, and Other Wily Characters.
The WNBA Award is presented by the members of the Women's
National Book Association to "a living American woman who
derives part or all of her income from books and allied
arts, and who has done meritorious work in the world of
books beyond the duties or responsibilities of her
profession or occupation." Ms. Effie Lee Morris received
the WNBA Award in 1984.
WNBA-SF established this lecture series in 1996 as a
tribute to our founding president. During her long career
at the San Francisco Library, Ms. Morris was instrumental
in taking aside books from the children’s collection that
portrayed racist stereotypes and placing those books in a
separate historical collection. Not only did she help to
bring an awareness of racism to the public, but The
Children’s Historical and Research Collections Ms. Morris
began in 1964 exists today as an incredible resource for
authors, historians and librarians to use in their research
and writing.
Previous series participants:
2007 - Javaka Steptoe
2006 – Tommie dePaola
2005 – Pamela Munoz Ryan
2004 – Nikki Grimes
2003 – Daniel and Robert San Souci
2002 – Milly Lee
2001 – Thacher Hurd
2000 – Alma Flora Ada
1999 – Ashley Bryan
1998 – Laurence Yep
1997 – Linda Geistlinger, Karey Wehner and Toni
Bernardi
********************
WNBA
Members Get to Read Their Works-in-Progress or
Published Works at
BookShop West
Portal
We've been having such good times at this beloved
bookstore that Pam Reitman, our new Open Mike Liaison,
suggested having our next event on
Thursday, July 10, 7:00-9:00 pm.
The first 6 members to
email Pam will get to read their
works-in-progress or published works. Each
reader will get 7-10 minutes at the
microphone. After the readings, we will
have time to network. So, email Pam
immediately if you'd like to be in the
line-up at pamreitman@california.com.
If you don't get in
this time, Pam will add your name to the
waiting-list.Take a look at our
April newsletter at wnba-sfchapter.org to see
who the
stars were in
March.
Introducing Simple Abundance
Close to-Home
Workshops
Are you stressed? Is the closest you get to a luxurious
bubble bath that TV commercial while you are making peanut
butter sandwiches for the kids? Is the last time you had 15
minutes to yourself when you arrived early at the
dentist? Would you like to change that?
Simple Abundance Close
to-Home Workshops offer an opportunity
for women who find themselves hurdling thru each day as if
it were an out of body experience to slow down, take stock
of their world and perhaps make changes in their
lives.
In a community of like-minded women who share your
challenges, dreams and hopes we’ll explore each of the six
guiding principals (Gratitude, Simplicity, Order,
Harmony, Beauty and Joy) of Simple Abundance through
creative and playful encounters.
Workshop fee:
$389 Fee includes a copy of Simple Abundance , a Daybook of
Comfort and Joy, Simple Abundance Companion
workbook, other materials, refreshments,
and membership at www.SimpleAbundance.com (a
$75 value). This on-line community offers a monthly on-line
magazine, member forum, classes and on-going tips on how to
live an authentic life.
Community Connections and Buddy Discounts:
$350—Sign up with a friend
and save 10% for two or more people registering
together.
Mothers
& Daughters—this includes you!
$350—Members of
service/professional organizations receive a 10% affiliate
discount (i.e. The Women’s National Book Assn,
California Writers Club, AAUW, e-Women or BNI).
Workshop dates:
(Coastside locations)
* Once a week for three weeks (7-9
pm): July 8, 15 & 22, or Sept. 10, 17 &
24
* One-day retreat just steps from the
Pacific Ocean (10 am-4:30 pm):
July
12, Aug. 31, Sept. 21, or Nov. 8
Classes are limited so sign up today. The first 10 to
register for a July session will receive a free
gift.
Register on-line at www.openuptoyourcreativity.com
using PayPal or send a check to Creativity Mentor, PO Box
244, Half Moon Bay, CA 94019.
A portion of the proceeds from every workshop will be
donated to breast cancer research.
As your Simple
Abundance Close-to-Home Certified
Workshop Leader it will be my privilege to be your guide as
you embark on this grand adventure. I have been on this
journey with Sarah since first discovering
Simple
Abundance while on retreat over ten years
ago and continue to delight in finding
myself reflected in Sarah’s
words.
Mary E. Knippel, maryeknippel@simpleabundance.com,
www.openuptoyourcreativity.com
********************
California
Writers Club—San Francisco Peninsula
Branch
Saturday, June 21, 10 am
Guest
Speaker:
Kevin Smokler
Topic:
The Rest of
2008,
the rest of your
Writing Projects
Kevin Smokler is the editor of
Bookmark Now: Writing in Unreaderly Times (Basic
Books) which was a San Francisco Chronicle Noteable
Book of 2005. His writing has appeared in the LA
Times, the San Francisco Chronicle, Fast Company and
on National Public Radio. He lives in San Francisco
and is the co-founder of BookTour.com, the world's
largest directory of author and literary events.
Topic: The Rest of 2008, the rest of your Writing
Projects. Kevin Smokler takes you through a mid year
literary assessment. We're six months into 2008. How are
your writing project going and what will you need to make
2008 your most productive literary year yet? Local author
Kevin Smokler will take us through laying out a "plan
for productivity" for the rest of the year. How will we
organize and prioritize our writing projects? Where and
when will we get our best work done? And how can we help
each other? Find out this Saturday.
Meeting Time: 10am
to noon
Cost: $15 members,
$18 non-members
Location:
Belmont Library
1110 Alameda De Las Pulgas, Belmont, CA
Reservations are advised
Call our hotline at 650-615-8331 to leave a message or
email Chris
Wachlin with your name and the meeting date.
Mentoring Session immediately follows the general
meeting.
*********************
CWC
Group Mentoring Session
June 21, 2008 12:15-1:15pm
Guest Mentor:
JOAN GELFAND
Topic:
Building Your Writer's Resume
Sign up for this session and learn how to:
* Refine your work. How to work with early readers, trusted
mentors, people who do not know you personally, and editors
before pitching to agents/publishers.
* Submit, submit and submit again. How to sustain
momentum.
* Network - How to find groups.
The first ten to sign up will get to participate.
Email Teresa LeYung Ryan and Joyce Robins, CWC's Group
Mentoring Co-Chairs at Mentoring@sfpeninsulawriters.com
and they will email back confirmation or put your name on
the wait list. Put "June 21 CWC Group Mentoring" in the
subject line.
Priority is given to members of the CWC SF/Peninsula branch
members, then other CWC branch members, then non-members.
Tell Teresa and Joyce which branch of CWC you're with.
Non-members can attend one group mentoring session per
year.
*********************
CWC Writer's
Forum Open Mic Night: 10 Writers Read, for 10 minutes
each
When: Third
Wednesday of every month
Hosted by: Borders Books and Music, 2925 El Camino Real,
San Mateo, CA (On El Camino Real, 1 mile south of Highway
92, across from the Hillside Shopping
Center.)
Time: 7:30
pm
Cost:
Free
Details: This
is a great opportunity for authors to get exposure and to
practice public speaking skills. Open to all writers
and listeners, including CWC members and non-members.
Each reader is given a choice of whether or not they wish
to receive feedback.
If you would like a free one-hour speech coaching lesson to
prepare for our Open Mic, contact Geri through
CWC.
************************
Central Coast Writers
Club
Registration Now Open for
June 7th Screenplay Workshop
Event
Date/Time: Sat. June 7, 2008 11am
to 5pm
Contact: Deanne
Gwinn, (831) 678-0632, salistas11@hotmail.com
A Hollywood producer will join forces with a former script
development executive to share the tools aspiring screen
writers need to get past procrastination to the finished
script. Cari-Esta Albert (in photo), and Monika
Skerbelis will visit the Central Coast Writers Branch of
the California Writers Club from 11am to 5pm on Saturday,
June 7, 2008, at the Casa Munras Hotel in Monterey to
present an interactive screenplay workshop "From Idea to
Finished Script."
The day will include two sessions, "Finding and Developing
New Ideas" and "Navigating Hollywood." Some of the
topics to be covered include loglines, theme, major turning
points, creating characters, and "everything in the
middle," as well as the dynamics of relationships with
agents, managers, producers, executives, publishers and
editors.
Cari-Esta Albert is the producer of The Truth About Cats
and Dogs (20th Century Fox), executive producer of Heart
and Souls (Universal Studios), and Love is Strange
(Lifetime Network.)
Monika Skerbelis is the co-author of I Liked It, Didn't
Love It: Screenplay Development from the Inside Out and a
co-founder of ESE Film Workshops Online. She is a
former Vice President of Universal Pictures' story
department. She currently teaches feature film
development at UCLA Extension.
To register write a check payable to: "CCW Branch CWC"
(public - $125, CCW members - $95) and send it to:
CCW June 7th Workshop, 735 Bayview Avenue, Pacific Grove,
CA 93950. Lunch is included in the registration
fee. For more information call (831) 678-0632 or
(831) 333-1989, or visit www.centralcoastwriters.org.
************************
EDITCETERA Workshops
EDITCETERA, an association of freelance
publishing professionals, presents the following
workshops in May. For registration and more
info: www.edicetera.com; 510-849-1110; also learn about
correspondence courses and freelance editorial
services.
************************
WNBA-SF Chapter Board
Members President: Mary E. Knippel
president@wnba-sfchapter.org
Vice President: Linda Lee
vicepresident@wnba-sfchapter.org
Treasurer: Allegra Harris
treasurer@wnba-sfchapter.org
Literacy Liaison: Teresa LeYung Ryan literacyliaison@wnba-sfchapter.org
Membership Chair: Mary "Shyne" Lunning membership@wnba-sfchapter.org
Newsletter Editor: Sara Cassella
newsletter@wnba-sfchapter.org
Publicity Chair: Barbara Whittaker
Hospitality Chair:
Vicki Weiland
Founding
Member: Effie Lee Morris
WNBA National
Board Members
President:
Laurie Beckelman
lbeckleman@aol.com
SF Chapter Correspondent, National Book Woman:
Joan
Gelfand
secretary@wnba-sfchapter.org
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