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Nov. 21st- Holiday Storytelling Fest: True Stories of Grace and Gratitude

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Thursday, November 21, 2024, 5:00 – 6:00 pm/ PST

Holiday Storytelling Fest – FREE Virtual Event!

True Stories of Grace and Gratitude

All are welcome to the WNBA-SF Chapter’s virtual storytelling fest to celebrate the holidays as only book women writers can! Five brilliant, talented writers will share their personal stories of grace and gratitude to bring us cheer during this wonderful season of thanksgiving and joy.

After our five presenters tell their true stories, we’ll open it up to our virtual audience—that’s you! We want to encourage the sharing of stories during the holidays with friends and family in the spirit of deep gratitude this year.

Celebrate with us in sharing joy and gratitude with stories for the holidays. Bring a glass of wine or cup of tea and gather ‘round our virtual fire. Bring a friend!

Storytellers:

Karen Wang Diggs, Storyteller – “A Death, A Dream, A Continuance” An Autumn Day on Mount Koya
Kate Farrell, Emcee and Storyteller —“The Shoemaker’s Apprentice” A Holiday Miracle and Family Legend, Bavaria, Germany
Mary Mackey, Storyteller — “Brazil’s Best Taxi Driver” Burning palm trees? Machine gun fire? Riots? Relax. João will get you to the airport on time.
Ellen McBarnette, Storyteller — “Ghosts of Fifth Avenue” Holiday memories come when they come.
Sheila Smith McKoy, Storyteller — “That Last Christmas”

BIOS

Karen Wang Diggs is a chef and nutritionist by day and a history hound and writer by night. She is passionate about sharing the injustices faced by women throughout history, with the aim of empowering girls and women today to change the future by striving for absolute gender equality. Her work is dedicated to sharing those lesser-told stories to show the world that strong females always have been and always will be crucial to humanity’s progress.

Currently, Karen is finishing The Book of Awesome Asian Women, which will be released in March of 2025 (just in time for Women’s History Month) by Mango Publishing.

Kate Farrell, storyteller, author, librarian, founded the Word Weaving Storytelling Project and published numerous educational materials on storytelling. She has contributed to and edited award-winning anthologies of personal narrative. Farrell’s award-winning recent book is a how-to guide on the art of storytelling, Story Power: Secrets to Creating, Crafting, and Telling Memorable Stories; she offers workshops on storytelling for groups live and online. Kate is the founder of Woven: Telling the Heroine’s Journey based on her work with storytelling and as an educator-librarian; she shares her process in workshops and on Substack. http://katefarrell.net/ https://woventales.net/

Mary Mackey became a writer by running high fevers, tramping through tropical jungles, being swarmed by army ants, dodging machinegun fire, and reading. She is the New York Times bestselling author of 14 novels including The Year The Horses Came, which describes how the peaceful goddess-worshiping people of Prehistoric Europe fought off patriarchal invaders. She is also the author of three prize-winning screenplays and 8 poetry collections, including Sugar Zone, winner of a PEN Award, and The Jaguars That Prowl Our Dreams, winner of a 2019 Eric Hoffer Award for Best Book Published by a Small Press. Visit her website at https://marymackey.com

Ellen McBarnette is an award-winning writer/storyteller and had her earliest tales transcribed by her mother when she was a toddler. An active participant in the San Francisco literary community, Ellen has led the Afrosurreal Writers Workshop of Oakland for five years. Her novella, “Negrita” is in Midnight and Indigo Speculative Fiction Volume II.  She lives in Hayward with her partner Ben and their cat Java.

Sheila Smith McKoy, PHD is an award-winning poet, fiction writer, and filmmaker. She is the recipient of the 2020 Muriel Craft Bailey Memorial Prize in poetry. Her poetry collections include The Bones Beneath (Black Lawrence Press, 2024) One Window’s Light: A Haiku Collection, a collaboration of five Black poets; the collection won the 2017 Haiku Society of America’s Merit Book Award for best haiku anthology. In addition to her poetry and fiction, Smith McKoy has authored and edited numerous scholarly works. She focuses on vital conversations about equity, inclusion and the Black speculative. A native of Raleigh, NC, she lives in the San Francisco Bay Area.

To register, please fill out the form below!

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Nov. 14th- Social Justice Poetry

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Social Justice Poetry Event
Thursday, November 14, 2024
12:00 to 1:00pm /PT

A FREE Virtual Event

Unable to attend? Sign up for the replay! 

Zoom link provided upon registration

Poetry gets at the truth more so than any other form of the written and spoken word. And, of course, it is those poetic truth-tellers who help us see and hear what is so often hidden from us and what we must know. This event is timed and designed to be on the other side of the election, after what is likely to be a brutal political season, when we will need social justice poets and their vital truths, more than ever. Hope you can join us for this special night of community! 

The Featured Poets:

Zoë Flowers is a versatile artist, advocate, poet, and healing practitioner with a body of
work that encompasses various mediums with a diverse body of work featured in numerous anthologies, journals, and interviews. In 2004, she embarked on a transformative journey, interviewing survivors of domestic and sexual violence, which led to the publication of her books, From Ashes to Angel’s Dust: A Journey Through Womanhood and In Praise of The Wytch.

Zoë is a sought-after speaker, lending her powerful voice to platforms such as National Public Radio, WGBH Boston, and various articles and online publications. With over 300 conference appearances, she captivates audiences with her expertise on racial equity, reaching underserved communities, art as a healing methodology, gender-based violence, and a range of other vital topics.

As a skilled healer, Zoë facilitates transformative individual and group sessions, retreats, and workshops in locations spanning from New York to Ecuador. Her unique approach integrates holistic practices that foster deep healing and personal growth.

Zoë’s artistic talents extend to the realms of film, theatrical productions, and books, inviting audiences to explore social issues, healing, and spirituality. Her compelling work has been showcased at renowned events and institutions, including The Black Women’s Arts Festival, Alternate ROOTS, The White House’s United State of Women Summit, prestigious universities like Yale and Brown, and community-based organizations across the United States.

With a rich tapestry of experiences and an unwavering commitment to social change and healing, Zoë Flowers continues to inspire and uplift individuals and communities on their path to empowerment and transformation.

Christopher Marmolejo, MA, Is A Brown, Queer, And Trans Writer, Diviner, And Educator. They Use Divination To Promote A Literacy Of Liberation.

They Were Born And Raised In San Bernardino, California, Among The Pines, In Community With The Yuhaaviatam Clan Of The Maara’yam (Serrano).

With Nine-Plus Years Of Experience As Trained Educator Focused On Cultivating Classrooms Of Emancipatory Possibility, They Work With Students Around The World To Plant And Nurture The Seed Of A Divinatory Practice, Finely Weaving Tarot, Astrology, And Curanderismo With Critical, Decolonial Black Queer Feminist Epistemology.

Granddaughter Crow (Dr Joy Gray) holds a doctorate in leadership. Internationally recognized as a medicine woman, she comes from a long line of spiritual leaders as a member of the Navajo Nation.

She is an international award-winning author and poet. Her books include The Journey of the Soul, Wisdom of the Natural World, and Belief, Being, & Beyond. In 2024, she gives respect to her lineage as she is an Honored Listee in Who’s Who in America.

Additionally, she is a member of the Delta Mu Delta Honor International Society in Business due to her academic achievements. Voted in as Woman of the Year 2015 by the National Association of Professional Women.

She truly is a conduit for wisdom and transformation between the western and native worlds. More than that, she has dedicated her life to inspiring, encouraging, and empowering individuals to be their authenticity.

Joan Gelfand is the author of three collections of poetry, a chapbook of short fiction and a novel set in a Silicon Valley startup, Joan has taught for California Poets in the Schools, The Writing Salon and the San Francisco Writer’s Conference. In January, 2024 Outside Voices: A Memoir of the Berkeley
Revolution, published by Post Hill Press won the International Book Awards for US History.

Joan’s work has appeared in national and international publications including The Huffington Post, The LA Review of Books, The “J,” and The San Francisco Chronicle. Joan’s bio can be found in “Who’s Who in America.” http://joangelfand.com

To register, please fill out the form below!

Sorry, the virtual event is now closed!

Sign Up Now for Pitch-O-Rama 2025!

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Virtual Pitch-O-Rama 2025
8AM to 1 PM PDT on Saturday, April 5, 2025
SIGN UP HERE (Zoom link provided upon registration)

Are you developing a concept for a new book? Do you have a manuscript in progress? Have you always wanted to publish that book you’ve been working on for years? If this sounds like you, we would love to invite you to Pitch-O-Rama 2025!

We are happy to announce we will be hosting the next Pitch-O-Rama as a virtual event on April 5th, 2025, where writers will be given the opportunity to pitch their works to agents and editors for publication.

Everyone is welcome to participate!

Register below to pitch your book idea to agents and publishers!

New to Pitch-O-Rama? Pitch-O-Rama is an annual event where we bring in a set of publishing professionals to share their knowledge of the publishing industry. During the event, you will be able to practice your pitch with coaches and fellow writers, and then share that pitch with an expert who will provide advice on taking your writing project to the next level.

A chance like this is an invaluable learning experience that could put you on the path to publication. We hope to see you there!

$75 for WNBA-SF members, $115 for non-members, with the Early Bird Special of $10 OFF for WNBA-SF Members and non-members using the code POR 2025, which expires 12/31/2024.

After 12/31/2024, registration is $85 for WNBA-SF members, $125 for non-members.

To register, please visit the event page and fill out the form at the bottom of the page!

 

Cooking & Food Writing Panel
Thursday, September 19, 2024
12 to 1 PM PDT
Zoom link provided upon registration

Join WNBA-San Francisco for an upcoming food and cookbook writing panel, where writers/podcasters/food professionals will delve into the art of blending culinary expertise with captivating storytelling. This includes articles, cookbooks, and social media.

During this Lunch N Learn, you will:

  • Explore how to craft irresistible recipes that resonate with audiences online
  • Gain valuable tips on creating engaging content that goes beyond the plate
  • Make new food-loving friends

Whether you’re an aspiring writer, seasoned chef, or food enthusiast, this virtual event is your gateway to the intersection of food, writing, and social media. Join us and our panel—Katie Chin, Dianne Jacob, Faith Kramer, and Amy Kritzer Becker.

To register, please visit the event page and fill out the form at the bottom of the page!

How to Get a Book Deal
Thursday, September 26, 2024
12 to 1 PM PDT
Zoom link provided upon registration

GET A BOOK DEAL WITH A PUBLISHER
There’s the book you want to write and the book a publisher – and readers – will buy: Are they the same book?

Literary agents receive 1500+ manuscripts a month. Publishers receive 10,000+ manuscripts a year. If you want to get a publishing deal and more readers, you’ve got to know what publishers (and readers) buy and how to make your book stand out from the pack.

Publishing coach, Randy Peyser, pitches books to agents and publishers after her company edits or ghostwrites them through her company, Author One Stop, Inc.
(www.AuthorOneStop.com)

Randy will tell you exactly what you need to know to get an agent or publisher to offer you a contract.

You will find out:

  • What topics are hot and what’s not.
  • The most essential sales tool you need in order to sell a manuscript to a publisher.
  • The quickest way to get an agent or publisher to stop in their tracks.
  • The 1 thing to absolutely not do if you are serious about getting a publishing contract.
  • How to get cover endorsements when you don’t know anybody who’s famous.
  • The biggest mistakes authors make.
  • The things you absolutely must do to make your book stand out.
  • Details about your writing that publishers always look for.
  • The biggest questions publishers ask before they make a buying decision.
  • How to title your book to maximize your sales potential
  • The pros and cons of traditional publishing versus self-publishing
  • Converting a book to a screenplay that actually gets considered

To register, please visit the event page and fill out the form at the bottom of the page!

 

TOMORROW: Sept 12 – Stranger Fiction: The Art of Crafting Speculative Fiction and World-Building With Words, 6PM

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Mechanics Institute Library 2nd-floor (epic reads)

Happy Wednesday!   

REMINDER and CORRECTION-Stranger Fiction: The Art of Crafting Speculative Fiction will take place Thursday night, September 12, from 6-7:30PM NOT 12pm-1pm as previously announced!

Sign up HERE and use the code WNBA for free admission!

Author Panel, Mechanics’ Institute Library
Thursday, September 12, 2024, 6pm-7:30pm
57 Post Street, San Francisco, CA 94104
4th Floor, Chess Room
Free admission for Mechanics’ Institute and WNBA members, $10 tickets for the public

The Women’s National Book Association San Francisco Chapter is thrilled to present this exciting member panel at the Mechanics Institute Library! As our home planet Earth grows ever hotter, crowded, and more polluted, we look to other realms for new hope and relief from our terrain concerns. Thankfully, brilliant minds and bold thinkers have already created places and spaces to which we can journey in books and take armchair travels to new worlds beyond our wildest imagining. These creative writers will discuss their craft and the art of world-building through fiction.

Sign up HERE and use the code WNBA for free admission!
 

Ellen McBarnette is a lifelong writer whose nonfiction work has been published as testimony, fact sheets, and opinion pieces for organizations that include the Sierra Club and the American Bar Association. A professional storyteller, she is a recent transplant from Washington, DC where she ran the Arlington Creative Nonfiction Writers Group. She now runs the Beta Readers and Writers Group and is an active participant in critique groups in the Bay. She lives in Hayward with her partner Ben and their cat Java.

 

 

Mary MackeyMary Mackey is the New York Times bestselling author of fourteen novels, including The Earthsong Series—four novels which describe how the peaceful Goddess-worshiping people of Prehistoric Europe fought off patriarchal nomad invaders (The Village of Bones, The Year The Horses Came, The Horses at the Gate, and The Fires of Spring). They have made The New York Times and San Francisco Chronicle Bestseller Lists, been translated into twelve foreign languages, and sold over a million and a half copies. She has published several collections of poetry, including Sugar Zone and The Jaguars That Prowl Our Dreams. You can get the latest news about Mary’s books, public appearances, newsletter, and writing advice at marymackey.com.

 

Sheila Smith McKoy, PHD is an award-winning poet, fiction writer, and filmmaker. She is the recipient of the 2020 Muriel Craft Bailey Memorial Prize in poetry. Her poetry collections include The Bones Beneath (Black Lawrence Press, 2024) One Window’s Light: A Haiku Collection, a collaboration of five Black poets; the collection won the 2017 Haiku Society of America’s Merit Book Award for best haiku anthology. In addition to her poetry and fiction, Smith McKoy has authored and edited numerous scholarly works. She focuses on vital conversations about equity, inclusion and the Black speculative. A native of Raleigh, NC, she lives in the San Francisco Bay Area.

 

Vanessa MacLaren-Wray writes science fiction and fantasy about people—human and otherwise—connecting in our complex universe. She’s the author of the Patchwork Universe series: All That Was Asked, Shadows of Insurrection, and Flames of Attrition. She also writes for the Truck Stop at the Center of the Galaxy shared-world series and guest-hosts for the podcast Small Publishing in a Big Universe. She’s an active member of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association, the California Writers Club, and (of course) the WNBA. When not arguing with her cats, she works on new stories, her email journal, Messages from the Oort Cloud, and her website, Cometary Tales.

You’re Invited! Early Bird Discount for Pitch-O-Rama 2025 & Other Fabulous Fall Events

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Virtual Pitch-O-Rama 2025
Saturday, April 5, 2025
8AM to 1 PM PDT
SIGN UP HERE
Zoom link provided upon registration

Are you developing a concept for a new book? Do you have a manuscript in progress? Have you always wanted to publish that book you’ve been working on for years? If this sounds like you, we would love to invite you to Pitch-O-Rama 2025!

We are happy to announce we will be hosting the next Pitch-O-Rama as a virtual event on April 5th, 2025, where writers will be given the opportunity to pitch their works to agents and editors for publication.

Everyone is welcome to participate!

Register below to pitch your book idea to agents and publishers!

New to Pitch-O-Rama? Pitch-O-Rama is an annual event where we bring in a set of publishing professionals to share their knowledge of the publishing industry. During the event, you will be able to practice your pitch with coaches and fellow writers, and then share that pitch with an expert who will provide advice on taking your writing project to the next level.

A chance like this is an invaluable learning experience that could put you on the path to publication. We hope to see you there!

To register, please visit the event page and fill out the form at the bottom of the page!

Mechanics Institute Library 2nd-floor

Stranger Fiction: The Art of Crafting Speculative Fiction and World-Building With Words
Thursday, September 12, 2024
6-7:30PM PDT
Mechanics’ Institute Library
57 Post Street, San Francisco, CA 94104
4th Floor, Chess Room

The Women’s National Book Association San Francisco Chapter is thrilled to present this exciting member panel at the Mechanics Institute Library! As our home planet Earth grows ever hotter, crowded and more polluted, we look to other realms for new hope and relief from our terran concerns. Thankfully, brilliant minds and bold thinkers have already created places and spaces to which we can journey in books and take armchair travels to new worlds beyond our wildest imagining. These creative writers—Ellen McBarnette, Mary Mackey, Sheila Smith McKoy, and Vanessa MacLaren-Wray—will discuss their craft and the art of world-building through fiction.

To register, please visit the event page!

Cooking & Food Writing Panel
Thursday, September 19, 2024
12 to 1 PM PDT
Zoom link provided upon registration

Join WNBA-San Francisco for an upcoming food and cookbook writing panel, where writers/podcasters/food professionals will delve into the art of blending culinary expertise with captivating storytelling. This includes articles, cookbooks, and social media.

During this Lunch N Learn, you will:

  • Explore how to craft irresistible recipes that resonate with audiences online
  • Gain valuable tips on creating engaging content that goes beyond the plate
  • Make new food-loving friends

Whether you’re an aspiring writer, seasoned chef, or food enthusiast, this virtual event is your gateway to the intersection of food, writing, and social media. Join us and our panel—Katie Chin, Dianne Jacob, Faith Kramer, and Amy Kritzer Becker.

To register, please visit the event page and fill out the form at the bottom of the page!

How to Get a Book Deal
Thursday, September 26, 2024
12 to 1 PM PDT
Zoom link provided upon registration

GET A BOOK DEAL WITH A PUBLISHER
There’s the book you want to write and the book a publisher – and readers – will buy: Are they the same book?

Literary agents receive 1500+ manuscripts a month. Publishers receive 10,000+ manuscripts a year. If you want to get a publishing deal and more readers, you’ve got to know what publishers (and readers) buy and how to make your book stand out from the pack.

Publishing coach, Randy Peyser, pitches books to agents and publishers after her company edits or ghostwrites them through her company, Author One Stop, Inc.
(www.AuthorOneStop.com)

Randy will tell you exactly what you need to know to get an agent or publisher to offer you a contract.

You will find out:

  • What topics are hot and what’s not.
  • The most essential sales tool you need in order to sell a manuscript to a publisher.
  • The quickest way to get an agent or publisher to stop in their tracks.
  • The 1 thing to absolutely not do if you are serious about getting a publishing contract.
  • How to get cover endorsements when you don’t know anybody who’s famous.
  • The biggest mistakes authors make.
  • The things you absolutely must do to make your book stand out.
  • Details about your writing that publishers always look for.
  • The biggest questions publishers ask before they make a buying decision.
  • How to title your book to maximize your sales potential
  • The pros and cons of traditional publishing versus self-publishing
  • Converting a book to a screenplay that actually gets considered

To register, please visit the event page and fill out the form at the bottom of the page!


Register for Virtual Pitch-O-Rama 2025

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Saturday, April 5, 2025, 8:00 A.M. – 1:00 P.M. PT

22 Years of Pitch-O-Rama Success!

Are you developing a concept for a new book? Do you have a manuscript in progress? Have you always wanted to publish that book you’ve been working on for years? If this sounds like you, we would love to invite you to Pitch-O-Rama 2025! 

We are happy to announce we will be hosting the next Pitch-O-Rama as a virtual event on April 5th, 2025, where writers will be given the opportunity to pitch their works to agents and editors for publication. 

Everyone is welcome to participate!

Register today to secure your spot to pitch your book idea to agents and publishers! Check out this year’s lineup of literary agents and join us at the Pitch-O-Rama Prep Workshop & AMA on March 20, 2025, free for participants registered for Pitch-O-Rama 2025!

New to Pitch-O-Rama? Pitch-O-Rama is an annual event where we bring in a set of publishing professionals to share their knowledge of the publishing industry. During the event, you will be able to practice your pitch with coaches and fellow writers, and then share that pitch with an expert who will provide advice on taking your writing project to the next level. 

A chance like this is an invaluable learning experience that could put you on the path to publication. We hope to see you there!

 

Testimonials from Past Participants

“Pitch-O-Rama was not only helpful, but fun, with lots of laughter, networking, and relevant information. As a newbie, I felt at home and am pitching the WNBA to my friends and colleagues. Go women writers! WNBA, you rock!” – Susan Allison

“I participated in the WNBA-SF Pitch-o-Rama in 2021. At the time, I’d almost completed my memoir, From Junkie to Judge: One Woman’s Triumph Over Trauma and Addiction. I worked hard on my pitch and three of the agents asked me to submit to them. Several months later, with the manuscript polished and ready to go, I did so. Even though other agents were interested, I signed with Anne Marie O’Farrell, whom I had met via the WNBA event. Working with both Anne Marie and Caroline Fanelli at her agency, I added an appendix to the manuscript, and they started submitting. Less than three months later, I signed with HCI (Health Communications Inc.), which specializes in recovery and self-help books.” – Mary Beth O’Connor

“I will always be incredibly grateful to WNBA for the Pitch-O-Rama. Several years ago, I was struggling to get an agent. I had a toddler at home, and I was sure I had missed the boat. Here in the Bay Area, there are many talented writers, but very little access to literary agents. There were big pitch conferences in New York and other parts of the US. But at the time, I couldn’t travel because I had such limited time and money as a new mom. I was pining away on my computer, querying agents and drowning in the isolation. I found out about the Pitch-O-Rama, and immediately registered.” – Aya De Leon

 

$85 for WNBA-SF members, $125 for Non-members

For tips on pitching your work: CLICK HERE!

Stay tuned! We will reveal the list of attending agents and editors in early 2025. 

Your registration is fully refundable before midnight Tuesday, March 25th, 2025. Send your request for a refund to: registrar@wnba-sfchapter.org

Please register for POR 2025 using the form below:

Thank you for your interest in Pitch-O-Rama. The event is now closed.

The 43rd Annual Northern California Book Awards

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43rd Annual Northern California Book Awards
Saturday, September 7, 2024, at 2 PM
Koret Auditorium, San Francisco Main Library,
100 Larkin Street, Civic Center, San Francisco
Free admission

Northern California’s vibrant literary scene is celebrated annually at the Northern California Book Awards, this year honoring published works of 2023 by Northern California authors and California translators. The Awards are selected by the Northern California Book Reviewers, and presented by Poetry Flash (http://poetryflash.org), the San Francisco Public Library, and our community partners Mechanics’ Institute Library and Women’s National Book Association-San Francisco Chapter. Nominated books will be available for sale and signing. A reception at the Library’s Latino/Hispanic Community Room will follow the ceremony. 

Awards will be presented in Fiction, General Nonfiction, Creative Nonfiction, Poetry, Translation, and Children’s Literature. 

FRED CODY AWARD FOR LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT & SERVICE
Jane Hirshfield
The Asking: New and Selected Poems, Knopf
Poet, essayist, and “one of American poetry’s central spokespersons for the biosphere”

NCBA GROUNDBREAKER AWARD
Transit Books
A nonprofit publisher of international and American literature, committed to the discovery and promotion of enduring works that carry readers across borders and communities.

NCBA RECOGNITION AWARD
Dear California: The Golden State in Diaries and Letters, edited by David Kipen, Redwood Press

NOMINEES

POETRY
Light and Clay: New and Selected Poems, Maxine Chernoff, Madhat Press
In the Cities of Sleep, Elizabeth C. Herron, Fernwood Press
Eggtooth, Jesse Nathan, Unbound Edition Press
The Disordered Alphabet, Cintia Santana, Four Way Books
Leviathan, Michael Shewmaker, Louisiana State University Press
Songbirds of the Nine Rivers, Joseph Zaccardi, Sixteen Rivers Press

FICTION
North Woods, Daniel Mason, Random House
The Dog of the North, Elizabeth McKenzie, Penguin Press
Wildflowers, Beverly Parayno, PAWA Press/Philippine American Writers and Artists
Forget I Told You This, Hilary Zaid, University of Nebraska Press
Land of Milk and Honey, C Pam Zhang, Riverhead Books

CREATIVE NONFICTION
What You Don’t Know Will Make a Whole New World, Dorothy Lazard, Heyday
Secret Harvests: A Hidden Story of Separation and the Resilience of a Family Farm, David Mas Masumoto, Artwork by Patricia Wakida, Red Hen Press
Starstruck: A Memoir of Astrophysics and Finding Light in the Dark, Sarafina El-Badry Nance, Dutton
Unraveling: What I Learned About Life While Shearing Sheep, Dyeing Wool, and Making the World’s Ugliest Sweater, Peggy Orenstein, Harper
Most Delicious Poison: The Story of Nature’s Toxins—From Spices to Vices, Noah Whiteman, Little, Brown Spark

GENERAL NONFICTION
Inflamed: Abandonment, Heroism, and Outrage in Wine Country’s Deadliest Firestorm, Anne E. Belden, Paul Gullixson, Lauren A. Spates, Permuted Press
Immeasurable Outcomes: Teaching Shakespeare in the Age of the Algorithm, Gayle Greene, Johns Hopkins University Press
The Hungry Season: A Journey of War, Love, and Survival, Lisa M. Hamilton, Little, Brown and Company
Going Infinite: The Rise and Fall of a New Tycoon, Michael Lewis, W.W. Norton
Freedom to Win: A Cold War Story of the Courageous Hockey Team That Fought the Soviets for the Soul of Its People—And Olympic Gold, Ethan Scheiner, Pegasus Books

CALIFORNIA TRANSLATION
California Translation in Poetry
A Cha Chaan Teng That Does Not Exist, Derek Chung, translated from Chinese by May Huang, Zephyr Press
Through the Walls of Solitude, Álamo Oliveira, translated from Portuguese by Diniz Borges, Letras Lavadas Edições/Bruma Publications
Whoever Drowned Here, Max Sessner, translated from German by Francesca Bell, Red Hen Press
Columns, Nikolai Zabolotsky, translated from Russian by Dmitri Manin, ARC Publications

California Translation in Prose
The Short End of the Sonnenallee, Thomas Brussig, translated from German by Jonathan Franzen and Jenny Watson, Picador
Blue Hunger, Viola Di Grado, translated from Italian by Jamie Richards, Bloomsbury Publishing
Whale, Cheon Myeong-kwan, translated from Korean by Chi-Young Kim, Archipelago Books

CHILDREN’S LITERATURE
Younger Readers
How Does Santa Go Down the Chimney?, Mac Barnett, illustrated by Jon Klassen, Candlewick Press
To Boldly Go: How Nichelle Nichols and Star Trek Helped Advance Civil Rights, Angela Dalton, illustrated by Lauren Semmer, Harper
The Shape of You, Mượn Thị Văn, illustrated by Miko Sato, Kids Can Press

Middle Grade
The Eyes and the Impossible, Dave Eggers, illustrated by Shawn Harris, published simultaneously by Knopf Books for Young Readers and McSweeney’s
Farther Than the Moon, Lindsay Lackey, Roaring Brook Press
Boomi’s Boombox, Shanthi Sekaran, Katherine Tegan Books

Young Adult
The Coldest Winter I Ever Spent, Ann Jacobus, Carolrhoda Lab
All the Yellow Suns, Malavika Kannan, Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Accountable: The True Story of a Racist Social Media Account and the Teenagers Whose Lives It Changed, Dashka Slater, Farrar Straus Giroux Books for Young Readers

Northern California reviewers and editors, members of Northern California Book Reviewers, select the awards. Membership is open to all eligible Northern California reviewers and editors. All nominated books, the Recommended Reading List, will be acknowledged and celebrated at the ceremony. Juror statements will be available in the event program and on the NCBA page at https://poetryflash.org/programs/?p=ncba_2024. This event is sponsored by the Women’s National Book Association-San Francisco Chapter.

Sept 26th- How to Get a Book Deal

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How to Get a Book Deal

Thursday, September 26th at 12 – 1pm PDT 

A FREE Virtual Event

Unable to attend? Sign up for the replay! 

 

 

GET A BOOK DEAL WITH A PUBLISHER
There’s the book you want to write and the book a publisher – and readers – will buy: Are they the same book?

Literary agents receive 1500+ manuscripts a month. Publishers receive 10,000+ manuscripts a year. If you want to get a publishing deal and more readers, you’ve got to know what publishers (and readers) buy and how to make your book stand out from the pack.

Publishing coach, Randy Peyser, pitches books to agents and publishers after her company edits or ghostwrites them through her company, Author One Stop, Inc.
(www.AuthorOneStop.com)

Randy will tell you exactly what you need to know to get an agent or publisher to offer you a contract.

You will find out:
 What topics are hot and what’s not.
 The most essential sales tool you need in order to sell a manuscript to a publisher.
 The quickest way to get an agent or publisher to stop in their tracks.
 The 1 thing to absolutely not do if you are serious about getting a publishing contract.
 How to get cover endorsements when you don’t know anybody who’s famous.
 The biggest mistakes authors make.
 The things you absolutely must do to make your book stand out.
 Details about your writing that publishers always look for.
 The biggest questions publishers ask before they make a buying decision.
 How to title your book to maximize your sales potential
 The pros and cons of traditional publishing versus self-publishing
 Converting a book to a screenplay that actually gets considered

 

Randy Peyser sells non-fiction manuscripts in all genres and speaks nationally about how to earn book deals. She also serves as faculty for CEO Space International, where she teaches about writing book proposals. She is the author of The Write-a-Book Progra; Crappy to Happy as featured in the move Eat, Pray, Love; and The Power of Miracle Thinking.

Her clients’ books have appeared in Oprah, Time Magazine, the bestseller lists of the Wall Street Journal and USA Today, in airport bookstores, Office Max and FedEx stores, and on Hallmark TV. Her work is featured in: Healing the Heart of the World, The Marriage of Sex and Spirit, Secrets of Shameless Self-Promoters, and the national bestsellers, Networking Magic Guerilla Publicity and The Profit of Kindness.

 

To register, please fill out the form below: 

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Sept 19th- Cooking & Food Writing Panel

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Thursday, September 19 at 12 – 1pm PDT 

 A FREE Virtual Event

Unable to attend? No worries. Register anyway and receive the replay!

Cooking & Food Writing Panel

Join WNBA-San Francisco for an upcoming food and cookbook writing panel, where writers/podcasters/food professionals will delve into the art of blending culinary expertise with captivating storytelling. This includes articles, cookbooks, and social media. 

During this Lunch N Learn, you will:

– Explore how to craft irresistible recipes that resonate with audiences online

– Gain valuable tips on creating engaging content that goes beyond the plate

– Make new food-loving friends

Whether you’re an aspiring writer, seasoned chef, or food enthusiast, this virtual event is your gateway to the intersection of food, writing, and social media.

Meet the Panel:

Celebrity chef Katie Chin, Wok Star Catering, is an award-winning cookbook author, caterer, and playwright.

Her books include “Katie Chin’s Global Family Cookbook,” “300 Best Rice Cooker Recipes,” and “Everyday Thai Cooking,” and her one-woman show is called, “Holy Shitake!  A Wok Star is Born.” ChefKatieChin.com

 

 

 

 

Dianne Jacob is a writing coach, editor, and the author of the multiple award-winning book, “Will Write for Food: Pursue Your Passion and Bring Home the Dough Writing Recipes, Cookbooks, Blogs, and More.” Subscribe to her free food writing newsletter at https://diannejacob.substack.com/.”

 

 

Faith Kramer is the author of  the award-winning “52 Shabbats: Friday Night Dinners Inspired by a Global Jewish Kitchen.”

She is a long-time recipe developer and food writer for print and online publications. Her newsletter, Newish, debuts soon. More info at faithkramer.com.

 

 

 

 

Amy Kritzer Becker is the founder of the award-winning cooking blog What Jew Wanna Eat, author of the cookbook Sweet Noshings, co-owner of the cool online Judaica store ModernTribe, and Food Network contributor. Her recipes and writing have also been featured in numerous publications and websites, including The Today Show, Cosmopolitan, and Bon Appetit and she competed on an episode of Guy’s Grocery Games.

 

Moderator:

The networking ambassador for WNBA-SF, Debra Eckerling is an award-winning author and podcaster, food writer, and workshop leader. She is the author of Your Goal Guide: A Roadmap for Setting, Planning and Achieving Your Goals, creator of The DEB Method for goalSetting simplified, and host of the Goalchat and Taste Buds with Deb podcasts. TheDEBMethod.com 

 

 

To register, please fill out the form below: 

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Featured Member Interview – Christina Vo

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How would you describe your writing style? Tell us about who you are as an author/writer. 

(CV): My writing style is introspective and evocative, weaving together personal narratives with broader cultural and historical contexts. I strive to create a deep connection with readers by sharing raw and honest reflections on my experiences. As an author, I am dedicated to exploring the complexities of identity, memory, and healing, often drawing from my own life to illuminate universal themes. 

What is the message/meaning behind your memoir The Veil Between Two Worlds: A Memoir of Silence, Loss, and Finding Home? Are there any personal stories you would like to share? 

(CV): The Veil Between Two Worlds delves into the profound journey of navigating silence, loss, and the search for a sense of belonging. The memoir captures a very specific period of my life — turning forty — and realizing how unhappy I was with the life that I had created in San Francisco. There’s a lot of backstory in the book and reflections about the early loss of my mother. While there isn’t one specific story I would like to share, I would recommend it to women who are at a turning point and seeking solace and healing in their lives—this is what I delve into in this memoir, the paths that I ventured down to find healing. The memoir is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the transformative power of facing one’s deepest fears and wounds.  

 

I noticed you co-wrote a second book My Vietnam, Your Vietnam with your father. How was the process and experience collaborating with him?

(CV): Collaborating with my father on My Vietnam, Your Vietnam was an incredibly enriching and emotional experience. But interestingly enough, the nature of my relationship with my father is that we actually don’t speak very much, although there’s a deep bond and respect between us. Interestingly, the process didn’t involve much communication, but that doesn’t mean there wasn’t a lot of healing, particularly when I spoke about the book at events, mostly on the West Coast. I wove my father’s writing with my own and created a book that tells two stories of Vietnam.  

Many of the themes within your work surround loss, healing, intergenerational trauma, and the meaning of home. What inspired you to write about these themes in particular? 

(CV): These themes have been central to my life and personal journey. Growing up as a Vietnamese American, I experienced the lingering effects of war, displacement, and cultural disconnection. Writing about loss and healing became a way for me to process my own trauma and make sense of the world around me. Intergenerational trauma is a crucial aspect of my work, as it highlights the silent burdens carried by families and the importance of breaking cycles through understanding and compassion. The concept of home is also deeply personal, representing both a physical place and a state of being where one feels truly accepted and whole. 

Do you have any tips or practices in regard to writing/healing? 

(CV): Writing can be a powerful tool for healing. Here are a few tips and practices that have helped me: 

  • Journaling: Regularly writing down thoughts and feelings can help process emotions and gain clarity. 
  • Mindfulness and Meditation: These practices can ground you and create a calm space for reflection and creativity. 
  • Authenticity: Write from the heart and be true to your experiences. Authenticity resonates with readers and fosters deeper connections. 
  • Storytelling: Share your stories with others. Writing groups or workshops can provide support and different perspectives. 
  • Self-Compassion: Be kind to yourself throughout the writing process. Healing takes time, and it’s okay to feel vulnerable. 

Tell us about your hobbies aside from your writing journey. 

(CV): Outside of writing, I love doing anything creative. For some time, when I wasn’t writing I delved into floral design—and that was really rewarding as well. I also love walking, which I try to do as often as possible during the week. Walking and writing go hand-in-hand to me. I find that walking helps me think through many of my ideas. I also love to explore various coffee shops and restaurants, and spending time with loved ones.  

Is there anything you would like to add or things we can look forward to in the future? 

(CV): I hope to share more personal stories and insights that can inspire and empower readers. While I am not currently working on anything right now, I honestly can’t wait to delve into the writing process again—I am truly my best self when writing!