Over 60 people attended the June 26 online event where ten writers read from their works in progress. Compliments flowed into the chat: “Moving, meaningful, heart-opening, soulful.” Featured readers included CWC members Sue Barizon, Korie Pelka, Cheryl Ray, Alisha Willis, and Donna Wocher. Megan McDonald was co-host. Watch the replay here.

With renewed interest in planet Mars, Ida J. Lewenstein announces the publication of her 11th children’s book, Little Green Men from Mars. Two adventurous Martians journey to Earth and are amazed at what they find. There’s nothing like that on rock-strewn Mars! What will they tell their fellow Martians when they get home?

Congrats to Bradley Hoge, Lawrence Cohn, Jo Carpignano, Sue Barizon, Tim Flood, and Vanessa MacLaren-Wray for the selection of their writing for publication in the Best of the Best: 2024 Literary Review by the California Writers Club.

Marianne Brems’s poem "Ordinary Ways" was published on July 7 in the inaugural issue of Symphonies of Imagination. To order, click here.

Dave M. Strom has just released his latest book Super Holly Hansson: The Rise of the Stumpfinger! Comic book writer, geek girl, and mightiest superhero on Earth, Super Holly faces off against orange-topped, power-hungry Billington Stumpfinger, who has risen from failed casino owner to President of the USA. Super Holly’s body-armored soulmate, Cal “The Intellectual” Critbert assists in combating Stumpfinger and other villains in this comic-book style collection of short stories.

On July 8, Geri Spieler was interviewed on radio and TV by the BBC about her latest book, Regina of Warsaw. Geri’s book, Housewife Assassin: The Woman Who Tried to Kill President Ford, has received an award from the Independent Publishers Association for best nonfiction.

An excerpt from James Hanna’s novel, Lights Out Lizzie, appears in Literally Stories. In this excerpt, Gertie and her tag team partner Cocheta wrestle a bruising behemoth of a woman named Samoa Moa. A “Polynesian Priestess,” Moa is determined to punish the two girls for their sinful lifestyle. The match is held in Houston before a crowd of cheering Christians.  

On June 24, Laurel Anne Hill attended the Independent Press Awards ceremony in New Jersey and accepted the first place award (anthology category) that Fault Zone: Detachment won earlier this year. Pictured with Laurel Anne is Ted Olczak, marketing manager for IPA.

Wowie Zowie! While she’s all wrapped up with the release of her latest, Regina of Warsaw, Geri Spieler was awarded finalist in the True Crime division of the Indie Book Awards for Housewife Assassin.

Dr. Jeanne Powell was one of the featured readers at a Juneteenth event at the Medicine for Nightmares bookstore in the SF Mission district. On June 20, Dr. Jeanne participated in a Writers Lunch panel discussion, a monthly Zoom event of the Mechanics Institute Library. In August, she will attend the Anaphora Arts writing retreat in Tuscany, Italy, for nine days. Her writing submission earned her a $1,200 scholarship!

Editors Kate Adams and Laurel Anne Hill are excited to announce that in June 2024 Fault Zone: Detachment won its second award: the National Indie Excellence Award in the Anthology category. One winner and three finalists were chosen. Fault Zone: Detachment placed as one of the finalists. Please give a round of applause to all our authors, editors, and Paper Angel Press. On June 24th, Laurel will attend the Independent Press Awards dinner in New Jersey to celebrate the first-place award (Anthology category) Fault Zone: Detachment won earlier this year.

Marianne Brems invites all poetry enthusiasts to a salon and poetry reading celebrating the publication of her first full-length poetry collection Stepping Stones, published by Kelsay Books.

This is an in-person event at a residence in Redwood City on Sunday, June 30, 4:30–6:00 p.m. Come socialize with the author and other poetry enthusiasts, listen to a short selection of poems, have your book signed, and enjoy light refreshments.

If you would like to attend, please visit her website for her contact information (email address).

Whether you’re a new or established writer or poet, figuring out how to get your work published in literary journals can be confusing and, at times, overwhelming. How do you evaluate which publications are likely to publish your work, and how do you keep track of your work when submitting multiple stories to different publications? When does it make sense to enter a contest? Perhaps most important: how do you keep going after receiving multiple rejections? 

Learn from David at our next CWC meeting on Saturday, June 15.

Interested in finding a publisher for that book you’ve labored over for so long? On Thursday, June 13, at 6:30 p.m. at Writers Helping Writers in San Mateo, Tim Flood will present “Finding a Publisher: A Dating Game — and More.” Tim will discuss the game of publishing, an author’s mental preparation, and how to get organized during this complex search. Learn more here.

David Harris’s “The Top of His Game” has been accepted for publication in the winter 2024 issue of Valparaiso Fiction Review. In Harris’s short story, an aging American entrepreneur who owns a winery in the former Soviet republic of Georgia is pressured to work with that country’s mafia. The story was rejected by nearly 20 other publications. 

Geri Spieler’s story “The Family I Never Knew” has been accepted for publication in an upcoming CWC North State Writers’ anthology.

She also reports that she has a kickoff date for her new novel, Regina of Warsaw, on Monday, June 3, and a publishing launch date of June 17!

Miera Rao’s essay is one of the winners in the 4th annual Writer’s Digest Personal Essay Awards. The 2023 winners were formally announced earlier this May. Among over 800 submissions, Miera’s “30 Trillion Reasons” placed 24th out of 30. The award is doubly special to Miera, because it honors her late mother to whom the piece is a tribute and an apology. 

You’re invited to a free online event celebrating twelve writers who will read brief excerpts from their works in progress. They’ve been working together for many months on memoirs, fiction, poetry, and essays. Some are CWC members! I’m proud to present their work! Wednesday, June 26, at 5:30 p.m. Register here.