In February I attended the San Francisco Writers Conference. I met other writers, presenters, editors, and agents. Everyone gave us their best advice and did it with kindness. This conference would not exist without the many volunteers who gave their time before, during, and after the conference. Their smiles and friendly attitude added to the …
San Francisco Writers Conference 2016 by Neva Hodges Read More »
Look for Patricia Boyle’s byline in articles publicizing Livermore-Amador Symphony concerts in the Arts and Entertainment sections of the Livermore Independent and the Pleasanton Weekly. After writing anonymously for two seasons, both publications began including her byline last season. Stacey Gustafson’s story “For Your Eyes Only” and Camille DeFer Thompson’s story “Prank’d in Produce” are included …
Join us February 20, 2016, at 2:00 p.m. at the Four Points by Sheraton, 5115 Hopyard Rd., Pleasanton, as Joel Friedlander presents “How to Create Book Covers that Work” as the guest speaker for the California Writers Club Tri-Valley Branch. Book cover design, at its best, is an amazing commercial art. The best book designers continue to …
February 20, 2016: Creating Book Covers That Work Read More »
There’s an old saying in the writing business: “Kill your darlings.” Some famous writer said it. I thought it was a charming insight into the importance of revising, rewriting and revising again, and cutting. Cuts are required, of course. Sacrifices must be made in the interest of the literary masterpiece flying across the screen on …
Don’t Kill Your Darlings – Put Them in Foster Care by Dan Hobbs Read More »
Stephanie Bolanos’s short story, “Shades of Regret”, is now available online at The Literary Nest. Erika Gardner’s The Dragon in The Garden, is currently available for preorder on Nook, Kindle, Apple, Smashwords, and Kobe. The book will download to your device/go live on February 19th. See more about the book at Tirgearr Publishing. …
I belong to several critique groups, and I’m also a beta reader. The process of taking another writer’s words and seeing if I have a moment of inspiration that might make a good piece better is exhilarating. I often benefit as much if not more by the analysis. I have also discovered that I’m becoming …
Enough time has passed that I’ve evaluated my writing resolutions list and wondered what I was thinking at the end of December. Usually I toss my list away, but this year I want to encourage us all to add one more item to it. Let’s resolve to make 2016 the year we get more training. …
This morning I remembered what I had forgotten. Yesterday I made a note to self to check an old to-do list. What I had forgotten was not on that list, but now I’ve remembered, so it’s okay (or will be, as soon as I do what I remembered I had forgotten). The point is, I …
Like Rose Petals, or Why the Paperless Society Is a Terrible Idea by Lani Longshore Read More »
Stacey Gustafson’s book, Are You Kidding Me? My Life With an Extremely Loud Family, Bathroom Calamities, and Crazy Relatives, reached #1 Amazon Best Seller in Parenting & Family Humor and Motherhood for the second time in December 2015. Stacey was guest speaker at the Author’s Tea and Auction in Pleasanton for the Philanthropic Educational Organization, …
Join us on January 16, 2016 as we celebrate Voices of the Valley: Word for Word, the third anthology of the Tri-Valley Writers. Sample the joys and sorrows, the inevitable highs and lows, the truths and deceptions in the indelible scenes of life. Share in the readings as we journey through the stories and poetry crafted by the …
