|
In This Issue
From Our Chapter President
Announcements
From Our Literacy
Liaison
Member
Profile: Bookworm talks to...
WNBA National News
Link to Renew Membership (General Member - $45)
Link to Renew Membership (Senior/Student - $25)
"To climb steep hills requires a slow pace at first."
~Shakespeare
Announcements
Call
For Submissions!
Do you have a favorite SF WNBA memory
you’d like to share with current and future members? For the SF Chapter’s 40th Anniversary
party next May, we’ll be producing a memory book and you’re all invited to participate. Please
send in your entries as soon as you can. Earlier than the deadline is much
appreciated!
Here’s what we need:
Contact
Data:1. Your full
name
2. What year you joined
WNBA
3. Your phone number (this will NOT be
published and is only needed if we need to call you to clarify anything you’ve
submitted)
4. Your current position (board position,
committee member, etc) with WNBA (if you have one)
5. Your former position (board position,
committee member, etc) with WNBA (if you had one)
Submission Requirements
(Note: You may submit as many entries as you like!):1. Theme of your entry. Please indicate which of
the following as your entry theme: Success, Friendship, Humor, Volunteerism, Networking, or
Inspiration.
2. Word Count: Maximum 150
words
3. Email your entry to Debbie
Gisonni via email (debbie@goddessofhappiness.com) no later than 2/13/07.
4. If you have a WNBA photo to
share, please send via email or regular mail with a description and your contact info (if you
need it back) to Lisa Meltzer Penn; LCMeltzer@pacbell.net,
650-610-0831, 1010 Notre Dame Ave,
Belmont, 94002.
5. Deadline: Feb 13, 2007
Debbie Gisonni, former SF Chapter
President, and Lisa Meltzer Penn, former SF Chapter Vice President, will be co-editors in charge
of this project, with Dorothy Santos leading the graphics and printing.
We look forward to hearing from
you!
Debbie, Lisa, and Dorothy
*********************
Creativity and
Vitality
a workshop
sponsored by
THE WOMEN’S
NATIONAL BOOK ASSN - SAN FRANCISCO CHAPTER
Sat., Jan. 5, 10
a.m-1 p.m.
San Mateo Public
Library, Oak Room
If you did not make it to the workshop, you missed a fun and creative event! Those of us
who ignored the bad weather and attended, were rewarded with "permission to play".
Luisa Adams took us through several physical exercises that reminded me of yoga moves, and
certainly helped me relax and "open up to my creativity" We did several writing exercises
and as I looked out the wall of glass, there was a lull in the storm, it was like looking at a
piece of art.
The green trees framed by the window, and the soft steady fall of the rain was beautiful.
It made me take a breath and remember to focus on my creative side, rather then my task oriented
side.
Then Mary lead us through the process of not editing ourselves and creating collages. I came away
with a piece of my own art, and have placed it in my work area at home.
Thanks Mary and Luisa for a great day.
*********************
Positions on WNBA-SF Board Still OpenMeet interesting people, learn new skills
and be a part of the guiding force shaping WNBA-SF! Were you always to kid at school chosen
to be the secretary of the group? Or were you known as a guaranteed "go to" person
when schoolmates forgot their milk money? We are in
need of detail oriented people to fill the secretar and treasurer board positions, as well
as a calendar coordinator. Each position will be mentored by the previous secretary,
treasurer, and vice president while you learn the responsibilities. Being a part of the
Board is a rich and rewarding experience, filled with networking possibilities and the
chance to really make an impact on the careers of authors and the lives of readers.
Questions? Contact Mary at president@WNBA-SFchapter.org to talk about the
positions, or come to the next board meeting on January 3rd. to see what it’s all
about.
********************
California Writers Club Monthly
Meeting
Creating the "Readable" Non-fiction
Book
Saturday, January 19,
2008Belmont Library from 10:00 AM to
noon
Writer and best selling author of Rules for Renegades, Christine Comaford-Lynch will
discuss Creating the "Readable" Non-fiction Book" published by McGraw-Hill #3 on
the New York Times Best Seller list.
Christine says it took a while to find her literary direction
and called upon multiple writer friends to help evaluate her work. Her greatest
challenge was over chapter structure and order, trying to cut the fat from early
drafts.
Reservations in advance are advised.
Please either call our club hotline (650) 615-8331or send an E-mail to Reservations@sfpeninsulawriters.com.
You may mail your check in advance to the reservations chairman, or pay at the door.
Sorry, we do not take credit cards. Send checks made out to CWC ($15 for CWC members,
$18 for non-members) to our reservations chair:
Chris Wachlin
173 Wheeler Ave.
Redwood City, CA 94061
Following
each month's meeting, we hold a Group Mentoring Session from 12:15 to 1:15
pm. The group is open to 10
individuals with a passionate interest in writing. We meet to support each other, discuss
mutual triumphs and challenges and learn about the craft and business of writing. See
details below.
********************
California Writers Club-San Francisco Peninsula
Branch
GROUP MENTORINGJanuary 19, 2008 12:15-1:15
"Your New Year Writing Resolutions!"
After the general meeting, Geri
Spieler will lead a dynamic session for fiction and non-fiction writers seeking advice on:
• Relentless research skills;
• Using research nuggets to excite your work;
• Translate work into dynamic speaking skills
Please bring your concise questions to Geri. She will facilitate round-table-style mentoring. May
all your New Year Writing Resolutions be a reality!
Geri Spieler, 2006-2008 branch president, is a speaker, author, researcher, who has a wealth of
knowledge and experience to share.
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 "January CWC Group
Mentoring" in the subject line.
Priority is given to members of the CWC SF/Peninsula branch members and members who didn't
get to attend the December 2007 session. Tell Teresa and Joyce which branch of CWC you're
with. Not a member? Non-members can attend one group mentoring session per year.
More information can be found at www.sfpeninsulawriters.com.
*********************
5th Annual San Francisco Writers Conference
February 15 - 17, 2008
The 2008 Conference will feature more than 100 agents, authors, and editors.
Attendees will have access to more than forty "how to" sessions, panels, and workshops taught by
authors you know and love. Speed Dating for Agents and Speed Dating for Editors are unique
one-on-one opportunities to pitch your work directly to these publishing professionals. Celebrity
book signings and social gatherings with other writers add to the excitement of the event.
From start to finish, the San Francisco Writers Conference is designed to help you Build Bridges
To Better Tomorrows. We've sold out early four years in a row.
Remember to register early for this year's conference.
To register or find out more please visit: www.sfwriters.org.
Volunteers are needed! Please email Linda Lee at
vicepresident@wnba-sfchapter.org for more
information.
*********************
CWC Writer's Forum Open Mic Night: 10 Writers Read, for 10 minutes
each
Moderator: Jim Hanna
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.
To reserve a slot, contact OpenMic@sfpeninsulawriters.com
Tips: For a list of speaking tips for writers, click here.
If you would like a free one-hour speech coaching lesson to prepare for our Open Mic, contact
Geri through CWC.
*********************
WOW! Women on Writing Conference
Rachel Naomi Remen, M.D., author of
Kitchen table Wisdom and My Grandfather’s Blessing, will be the keynote speaker. Featured writers
include: Tristine Rainer, Adair Lara, Cara Black, Samina Ali, Tess Uriza Holthe, and Carol
Lem. Workshops throughout the day will include topics ranging from fiction, memoir, writing for
children and young adults, script-writing, and poetry as slam performance.
When: Sat, March 1, 2008, 8 a.m. to 4:30
p.m.
Cost: $60 before Jan 31, $85 by Feb. 22,
$100 at the door
Where: Skyline College, San
Bruno
More information: www.skylinecollege.edu,
650-738-4324
Please be sure to check our website event page for what your fellow members are offering in their
area.
|
|
From Our Chapter President
 Dear WNBA-SF Friends,
January brings thoughts of new beginnings, brand new
possibilities, and opportunities. Calendars with lots of open spaces. Journal pages beckoning to
be filled. On the heels of writing to Santa, New Years Resolutions fervently pledge new behaviors
and attitudes. With the Courage and Grace I asked Santa for this year, I’m going to tackle my
pesky tendency towards procrastination and develop strategies to write, submit, and publish in
2008.
Does this sound like too much fantasy for you? Not quite ready to share your hopes and dreams
with the rest of the world? Well, that’s OK. Just as long as you know what’s important to you and
what you’ll be doing to make those illusive wisps of imaging become reality. Come play with us at
the Jan. 5 WNBA-SF Creativity & Vitality for the New Year to get your juices flowing in 2008.
We’ll have lots of fun, and learn new techniques to help us in every aspect of our day-to-day
lives. Check out the pictures from last year’s event to see what’s in store for you. This event
puts exercise in a whole new light! The collage and journaling will give you new tools to access
your Creativity gene.
I’m looking forward to a year full of wonderful encounters, meeting new friends, sharing
experiences, and learning new skills. Oh, and lots of time to talk about the magic that happens
when words are woven together into story. I can’t wait to hear your story…
Be Well, Mary
From our Litaracy
Liason
Dear WNBA-SF Chapter
Members,
I wish all WNBA
fellow members and friends and colleagues at California Writers Club, Project Read, and
Bay Area Business Woman the loveliest holiday
season.
Looking for a way to
make a different in today’s world? Project Read is a nonprofit raising literacy rates in
San Francisco. In just an hour a week, you can help a fellow adult learn to read. For
members who live or work in SF and are interested in helping adult-learners through Project Read,
please call 415-557-4388 or click here for
more information.
If you're interested in other
Project Read locations or other agencies, email me. Please put "WNBA
and Literacy" in your subject line.
Happy New Year!
Sincerely,
Teresa LeYung
Ryan
LiteracyLiaison@wnba-sfchapter.org
Bookworm talks Janey Caravallo author
of Gilbert C. Hurry Home! I Just Want To
Say I Love You…,
Gilbert C. Hurry Home! I Just Want To
Say I Love You…, by Janey Lee Caravallo is written straight from the heart. The personal
family tragedy presented in the novel, reminds readers to never take loved ones for
granted. Emotional and raw, this novel reveals the internal struggles and emotional
breakthroughs caused when loved ones simply disappear. Janey hopes that her story will help
guide those who find themselves in similar situations. More information can be found at
www.gilbertc.net.
When did you
start writing?
I’m not what you would call an “author” by trade; however, I’ve always loved writing, and feel
that it is very important to be able to communicate with words. Most importantly, is to be able
to project your thoughts with writing.
Why did you
choose your particular genre?
The completion of my book is extremely bittersweet! Unfortunately, my brother, Gilbert Paul
Caravallo, has been missing since October 6, 2004. I woke up one morning in May of 2007 with a
burning desire to write a book for my brother to help me cope with my grief and to hopefully help
others out there who have missing loved ones. The utmost reward would be to ultimately find
Gilbert. With the grace of God I completed my book in two months. Believe it or not, writing the
book was the easiest part of the publishing process/struggle.
How
difficult /easy has your experience been as a published writer?
Having my book published has been the proudest moment of my life. Within weeks of release, the
first publication to write about my book was The Santa Clara Weekly. I was very grateful for
their article and publicity! Most of my experiences have been positive. Many people some who I
don’t even know have told me, “How proud they are of me.” This has been extremely overwhelming
and emotional. All in all, I am absolutely thrilled to be a published author!
What advice
would you give other aspiring authors?
I would encourage anyone who has the yearning to write a book, to DO IT! I challenge everyone to
reach for your dreams. I know that it may sound so cliché, but as I look back on the ending of
2006, I had absolutely no idea that I would write and have a book published within a four month
time frame in the year 2007.
Anything
else you would like to share with the WNBA?
I really hope that people take interest in my book. The whole concept of my book is not about
missing people. I really urge people to cherish their families, as you never know how much time
you actually have together in this lifetime. Please check out the book’s Web site,
WWW.GILBERTC.NET and also the original site that I created for my brother, WWW.FINDGILBERT.COM.
If I were granted one wish, it would be for the safe return of my brother, Gilbert Paul
Caravallo. There isn’t a day that passes without him on my mind.
Are you a published WNBA member who would like to be featured as
our Author Spotlight? Please email Sara at newsletter@wnba-sfchapter.org
Announcements (cont.)
Calling All Young Writers Ages
5-17!
The CWC-SF/Peninsula Young Writers
Program
is getting ready to blast off!
Starting in February, the Young Writers' Program will be offering writing workshops,
author readings, and much more.
Are you or do
you know of an interested young writer? Help us provide our young writers with
grade-aligned workshops and age-appropriate authors on days and times that work best for
you! Please complete this minute long
survey to help us
plan future eventsby visiting
the following link:
Survey for Young
Writers
Help our program thrive! We are seeking volunteers to guide our young writers through the
exciting universe of writing. Whether you can sit and be an editor at a writing workshop,
would like to volunteer an hour to read and discuss your published book, or have a fantastic idea
for your own workshop, please complete our survey by visiting this link: Survey for Potential
Volunteers
Questions?
Please visit the CWC-SF/Peninsula Young Writers
Program Website or contact Sara Cassella at sfyw@sfpeninsulawriters.com.
Happy
Writing!
********************
Bad Girl
Salon Are you a Bad
Girl?.....Join us Feb
26, 7 p.m. at the if you dare. Want to hang out with some admittedly bad girls? Join
Ellen Sussman, editor of BAD GIRLS: 26 WRITERS MISBEHAVE, for a reading and discussion of
the best-selling and provocative book. We'll consider these questions: Are bad girls are
born or made? Is the bedroom our battlefield? Do bad girls grow up to be good girls? How
does religion bring out the bad girl in us? Is acting out a way of looking in? Do we strike
out against the rules of society that still doesn't give us the freedom we
need?
BAD GIRLS was
a San Francisco Chronicle Best Seller and a New York Times Editors' Choice. It was featured
in Vanity Fair, Elle, More, and other top magazines and received rave reviews in the New
York Times, the LA Times, The Seattle Times and many other papers. Come and find out why
everyone's talking about Bad Girls!
Because Bad Girls don’t care about calories, we’ll be serving
dessert and cordials. For those who want traditional spirits, there will also be wine, coffee and
tea.
Space is
limited so sign up using PayPal on line at www.wnba-sfchapter.org. $15 for members and $20 for guests. We
will be gathering at a private home in San Francisco and once you have registered, we will
give you full details for the evening.
Questions?
E-mail Mary at President@wnba-sfchapter.org.
*********************
LA Book Launch Party!
Support your fellow members while mixing and mingling with industry
professionals. Rita Lakin invites all
members who happen to be in Tinseltown later this month to
herbook launch party for
Getting Old is to Die For.
When: January, 24, 2008 from 7-9 pm
Where:
The Mystery Bookstore
1036-C Broxton Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90024
phone: 310/209-0415 or 800/821-9017
fax: 310/209-0436
*********************
Writing Workshops with Ellen Sussman
Winter Fiction Workshop
Meets at Ellen Sussman’s house in Los Altos Hills on Thursday evenings from 6:30 - 9:30. Cost is
$500 for 10 sessions. Begins Jan. 3 and runs to Mar. 20 (skipping the first two Thursdays in
Feb). Please RSVP to email below. Craft of Fiction One-Day Workshop
Ellen will be offering a one day workshop on Sat, Feb 23 to explore the foundation of fiction
writing -- character development, plot, point of view, style, rewriting. This class is
recommended for individuals who are new to writing fiction or who have not written in a while and
want some skill-building exercises. Cost: $125 including lunch. We meet from 9am - 4pm with an
hour break for lunch.
Spring Fiction Workshop offered beginning in late March and Best American Short Story Seminars
later this spring. Look out for notices about these classes in late
winter.
RSVP: Ellen Sussman
www.ellensussman.com
WNBA-National
News
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.
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
WhittakerHospitality Chair:
Vicki WeilandFounding Member: Effie Lee
MorrisImmediate Past President and
Secretary: Joan
Gelfand
WNBA National Board
Members
President: Laurie
Beckelman
lbeckleman@aol.com
SF Chapter Correspondent, National Book Woman: Joan
Gelfandsecretary@wnba-sfchapter.org
|
The Bookworm