LGBTQ+ PRIDE Panel: Queer Voices in Literature
Thursday, June 4 at 12 pm PDT
A FREE Virtual Event
Unable to attend? No worries. Register anyway and receive the replay!
Join award-winning queer authors for an inspiring PRIDE panel discussion on the joys, challenges, and power of being a queer writer today.
Duncan MacLeod, MBA from USC Marshall, is a writer, advocate, and founder of Jim Dandy Publishing. Through personal finance books and young adult/mental health fiction, he champions authentic storytelling and visibility.
Kathleen Archambeau, celebrated journalist and longtime LGBTQ+ rights advocate since 1992, co-founded the James Hormel LGBT wing of the San Francisco Public Library. A same-gender ballroom dancer who competed in the Gay Games, she has raised significant funds for queer mental health services and shared inspiring profiles in the SF Bay Times while teaching at the University of San Francisco.
Together, they explore identity, representation, resilience, and the transformative role of queer narratives in literature.
About the Moderator and Panelists
Jodie Anders is a multi-hyphenate artist whose work spans the mediums of acting, writing, videography, editing, and graphic design. As a Jewish bisexual creator who struggled with acceptance as a teen, Jodie focuses on connections across divides, celebrating diversity and promoting youth empowerment. She currently serves as the Publicity and Communications Director for the youth nonprofit CAIORG, where she’s spent over two decades mentoring and guiding teens in confidence and leadership. She also produced “Let’s Talk about Leadership, Service and Sisterhood,” a podcast by and for teens, and is the co-author of Queer Cheer: Activities, Advice, and Affirmations for LGBTQ+ Teens.
Duncan MacLeod received his MBA from University of Southern California Marshall School of Business. In addition to his work as a personal bookkeeper and finance coach, he’s a writer, advocate, and publisher of financial self-help books, young adult and mental health fiction. He is the owner and publisher at a new press called Jim Dandy Publishing.
Native San Franciscan, Kathleen Archambeau, is an award-winning writer and LGBTQ activist. She is author of four nonfiction works, Climbing the Corporate Ladder in High Heels (2006), “Seized,” an essay in The Other Woman (2007), edited by Victoria Zackheim, Pride & Joy (2017), and We Make It Better (2019), with gay dad, Eric Rosswood. Academy Award-winning screenwriter, Dustin Lance Black wrote the Foreword to Pride & Joy and endorsed We Make It Better. Archambeau’s work has been favorably reviewed in global and national literary publications and she has been a featured speaker at national and global Pride literary events. Her book was included as part of the Oakland Museum of California store’s Queer California Exhibit, and she is a founding member of the James Hormel LGBT wing of the SF Public Library. Most recently, she released The Book of Awesome Queer Heroes (2024).
Dr. Kim Makoi is a queer trans man, mind-body chiropractor, and author of Booze to Balance: A Chill 30-Day Liver Healing Program. With nearly 30 years in practice and a PhD in Pastoral Counseling, he helps people unlock the full potential of their life’s voyage — starting with the physical vessel. Dr. Kim designs personalized luxury healing retreats and delivers daily wit and wisdom through his micro-newsletter, The Daily Nugget, at drkimsf.com/dailynugget.
To register, please visit the event page and fill out the form at the bottom of the page!
Remember to follow WNBA-SF on Instagram @wnba_sanfrancisco to stay connected and current on our events, interviews, and other activities!
Podcasting Strategies for Authors
Thursday, June 25 at 12 pm PDT
A FREE Virtual Event
Unable to attend? No worries. Register anyway and receive the replay!
Join the Women’s National Book Association – San Francisco Chapter on June 25 for a Lunch N Learn focused on how authors can use podcasting to support their writing and publishing goals.
Whether you’re hosting a podcast, appearing as a guest, or both, podcasting is an essential tool for building your author platform. It offers opportunities to share your expertise, connect with readers, expand your network, and increase visibility for your brand … before, during, and after you write your book/get published!
The panel will explore the benefits of podcasting from both sides of the microphone, including:
- Why or when to start a podcast
- What it takes to launch and sustain a podcast
- How authors can become great podcast guests
- Strategies to get the most of your podcast appearances
- And more!
Our Panel
Debra Eckerling is a goal strategist, author, and book proposal expert who helps writers, entrepreneurs, and consultants transform their ideas into sellable books. The founder of The DEB Method for goal-setting simplified, Debra specializes in guiding clients from concept to proposal with clarity, confidence, and direction. Debra is the author of Your Goal Guide: A Roadmap for Setting, Planning and Achieving Your Goals and 52 Secrets for Goal-Setting and Goal-Getting, and hosts GoalChat, The Book Proposal Podcast, and Book Proposals Simplified on Substack. She is also a regular contributor to and speaker for WritersDigest.com. Learn more at TheBookProposalExpert.com a
Julie Migliacci is the co-owner of Revent Consulting, a hybrid and virtual event planning company. The Revent teams provides support for small to large organizations globally assisting in internal communications, webinars, conferences and online conversations. Julie has over 17 years of high touch customer service and event planning under her belt. There isn’t an event type she hasn’t planned before, from large celebrity fundraisers, virtual conferences and premier cooking shows. She is always up for a new challenge and creating unique experiences for clients and their guests. Hailing from France, Julie has lived in 4 countries and considers herself a global citizen. She currently resides in Boston, MA and is always looking for an opportunity to jump on a plane to do something new. If left on a deserted island, Julie would bring her sourdough starter (named Steve) and her cats. learn more at revent.consulting.
Kandas Rodarte is a veteran podcast host and digital content strategist who has been producing the Gratitude Geek podcast since 2014. With over 300 episodes published, she specializes in helping Gen X women solopreneurs build sustainable businesses through strategic podcast guesting, content repurposing, and authentic visibility strategies. As the creator of the Gratitude Geek Lab community and founder of the Creator Collab Mixer, Kandas facilitates practical, experiment-driven guidance for women navigating business growth. She also co-hosts the Sci-Fi Book Pod and brings hands-on experience with podcast production workflows, SEO optimization, and community building to every conversation about podcasting. KandasRodarte.com.
To register, please visit the event page and fill out the form at the bottom of the page!
Perfect your book pitch with expert guidance!
Your Pitch. Perfected.
In this interactive Pitch Clinic, publisher Brenda Knight (Books that Save Lives) and book proposal strategist Debra Eckerling (TheBookProposalExpert.com) team up to help authors refine and strengthen their pitches in real time. Whether you’re preparing for a conference or Pitch-O-Rama; a meeting with an agent or publisher; or an email submission, this session will give you the tools and confidence to make your pitch stand out.
Brenda Knight, Publisher, Books That Save Lives, and President of WNBA-SF Chapter, is a longtime publisher and industry veteran, who draws on decades of experience acquiring and publishing bestselling and award-winning titles. She offers an insider-perspective on what agents and publishers are really looking for — and what makes a pitch irresistible.
Debra Eckerling, TheBookProposalExpert.com, brings her talent for helping writers clarify their ideas, define their audience, and communicate their book’s value with confidence. The author of Your Goal Guide and 52 Secrets for Goal-Setting and Goal-Getting, Debra helps writers, entrepreneurs, and consultants turn their compelling book concepts into strong, strategic proposals that sell.
Together, Brenda and Debra provide practical feedback, actionable advice, and professional insights designed to help you pitch your book like a pro.
To learn more about Pitch Clinic, please visit the event page!
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