Previous Events
Dec 17, 2022
Book Launch of Leave the Night to God
Mark your calendar, circle the date, hire the babysitter. Why you ask? Because you don’t want to miss the book launch of my new novel, Leave the Night to God. Follow the link for all the details. Hope to see you and your friends there.
Question: Can you have a successful book launch without any books? (Leave the Night to God was released Nov 8, but I have only three salable copies.)
Answer: Yes, you can have a fantastic book launch without a stack of actual books, if you have the participation of other top writers, such as YA Author, Tanya Ross. Her two novels, Rising up and Facing Off have won a whole raft of prizes including California Writer's Guild Best Young Adult novel 2021.
It's also helpful to have a top Jewish writer, Clive Aaron Gill who has been published 60 times, including 9 novels. His latest, Mother's Courage, A Holocaust Survivors Story of Love, Strength and Resilience is a haunting work by a true master.
Then there's MIchelle Ivy Davis, who has been published over 400 times, including 10 Chicken Soup for the Soul appearances.
Add in poets Saba Nourollahi, and Kristin Chemistruck and mystery writer Jolie Tunnell and you have a well rounded representation of local published writers.
Held at the Escondido Public Library and hosted by Azar Katouzian, we had outstanding attendance and a whole lot of fun.
Leave the Night to God is available now at all major book retailers
Upcoming Events
The Long and Short of Short Story Writing - Escondido Public Library
June 5, 12, 19, 26 from 1:00 - 3:00
There's been alot going on while my beloved St. Louis Cardinals suffer their worst season in my memory.
Short story acceptances...
Leatherneck-Sea Stories: Where the Real Marines Are, coming out in Sept. issue. Meat for Tea- Valley Review: Consequences, also coming out in Sept. (they had it for 17 months), Twin Bill: Speed and Forty-Five (Gibson, not Trump).
While attending the Mendocino Writers' Conference, my work in progress, working title Black Robes Red Rage won the top novel prize.
Congratulations! Judge Nayomi Munaweera chose your piece “Black Robes, Red Rage” as First Place in the 2023 MCWC Novel Contest. Nayomi had this to say about your story:
"This first chapter was uniquely exciting and intriguing. The authorial voice in this piece was powerful from the first riveting sentence to the last. The set up of a young narrator telling the story of their previously abusive but now diminished father who is entranced by a charlatan preacher and the road trip that will ensue to meet this charlatan preacher was exciting enough to keep me wanting to read much more. Well-written, fast paced and with a distinct narrative voice, this submission was a clear winner to this reader."
Workshops, workshops, workshops!
I presented a 4 session, The Long and Short of Fiction Writing at Escondido Library in June. We started with 16 enrollees and ended with 14.
I will facilitate the same workshop at the inaugural Pauma Valley Writer's Conference, Oct. 19-21. Thank you Rhonda Hayes. Workshopn link if interested. www.PVWritingRetreat.com
Pauma Valley Writers’ Retreat
I recently was honored to be a faculty member for Pauma Valley inaugural Writers' Retreat. Unexcelled site for a writer's retreat. Eager to learn participants and a knowlegable faculty made for a remarkable weekend retreat.
I was joined by:
Dr. Elizabeth McNeil, MFA, PhD., author editor, writing coach
Cherie Kephart, author, poet, developmental editor and mindfulness authority
Rhonda Curtis, retreat founder and host, author and wrting instructor
Judith A. Habert, publisher, San Diego Women's Magazine, writing coach and editor
I was there to present on the Long and Short of Short Stories and to provide one on one consultations along with Cherie Kephart.
Below is a picture of the participants of the inaugural Pauma Valley Writers' Retreat.
