Newsstand
Members: Got news? Submit a short blurb about your accomplishments as a writer using the Newsstand form:
This may include awards, nominations, achievements, interviews, recent publications,
and anything else pertaining to your accomplishments as a writer.
Read through the Newsstand Submission Guidelines for best practices. And for more tips, read previous announcements sent in by your fellow CWC members below.
Audrey Kalman offers a FREE ten-week creativity/mindfulness program
Audrey Kalman, co-creator with Jennifer Browdy of the Birth Your Truest Story online writers’ community, is offering “Gather at the Oasis,” a FREE ten-week creativity/mindfulness program beginning September 2. Participants will receive weekly affirmations, writing prompts, and guided meditations, along with an invitation to attend online community writing sessions. Join here for free or send questions to info@birthyourtrueststory.com.
Jim Hanna’s novella available on Kindle
Jim Hanna’s novella Lights Out Lizzie is available on Kindle. Gertie McDowell from backwoods Kentucky joins Sister Sue and her Christian Ladies of Wrestling. Their mission is to bring folks to Jesus by having women posing as Christians beat the daylights out of women pretending to be sinners.
The show becomes a sensation, and Gertie, now known as Lights Out Lizzie, is recruited to entertain American forces in Afghanistan.
Packed with zany humor, bruising bouts, and a couple of Biblical allusions, Lights Out Lizzie is rated a five-star must-read by Book Viral.
Laurel Anne Hill Interviewed
"Gab Talks", an Independent Press Award podcast, recently interviewed Laurel Anne Hill about Fault Zone: Detachment, her three novels, (Heroes Arise, The Engine Woman's Light, and Plague of Flies: Revolt of the Spirits, 1846) and her philosophy about writing. To listen to the thirty-five-minute podcast, click here.
Carole Goes Global
All six of Carole Bumpus’ books published by She Writes Press are now being distributed through Simon & Schuster. Open up that link to read her bio and see all of her books for sale there. This is a very big deal because of S&S’ reputation and clout in the industry plus its vast global outreach. Carole says that, while her bio on S&S is “old and needs to be updated, it does acknowledge all of my connections with the CWC and the anthology connections.” What a great achievement, Carole!
Pat Obuchowski Rules!
Pat Obuchowski’s poem ‘She Who Rules’ has been selected for publication in the 2024 One Day CWC Redwood Writers Poetry Anthology.
Lawrence’s Latest
Lawrence Sherman Cohn announces the publication of three ekphrastic poems in the new release of Redwood Writers’ “Visions and Verse”. Plus, his hilariously creepy story can be found in the CWC’s Best of the Best (SF/Peninsula) and a poem submitted by Redwood Writers.
Poetry by Claudia Hyslop
“The Redwood CWC has chosen one of my poems, ‘The Lake’,” writes Claudia Hyslop, “to be published in their upcoming poetry anthology! I got very excited when I received their email, and I continue to be excited! Thanks for everyone's support!”
Kate Adams on Writing Poetry
Writers Helping Writers September session at the San Mateo Public Library will be held on Sept 12 at 6:30 PM. Kate Adams will present more on writing poetry. For poets who want to submit their work to this year's Fault Zone, Kate's advice will be worth your time. But it’s open to anyone.
Vanessa Will Speak
On August 25th, Vanessa MacLaren-Wray will be a featured author at the San Jose Woman's Club ice cream social and book fair. The free entry ticket delivers access, music, dance, author panels, and readings. And ice cream. Click here for a free entry ticket.
Also the very busy Vanessa and member Ellen McBarnette will join two other Bay Area authors at the Mechanics Institute Library in San Francisco on September 12 for a roundtable discussion on speculative fiction and worldbuilding, sponsored by the Women's National Book Association. Admission is free, and refreshments are provided. Sound interesting? Here’s a link for admission.
David’s Angels Speak of Love
David Harris' short story "When Angels Speak of Love" has been accepted for publication by the online and print journal The Opiate in late October. The story revolves around a character in his early thirties who discovers his recently deceased mother may have been planning to adopt a child when she was married to her first husband, who died unexpectedly. She later married the man who is the protagonist's father. This discovery and questions it raises about his mother's life occurs at the same time he is considering adopting a child as his own marriage is coming apart. The story was rejected sixteen times before it was accepted.
Geri is On a Roll!
Geri Spieler held a book launch party for Regina of Warsaw: Love, Loss and Liberation under the pear tree in her yard for an audience of a few friends and colleagues. The story based on her grandmother’s life has already received a five-star award from Literary Titan. It was just announced as the 2024 New York Book Festival winner. She’s had three radio/TV interviews about Regina of Warsaw in the UK, one with the BBC. She’s appeared in an interview on NPR-QUED. And if all this isn’t enough, she just added, “I've had 16 media and print publications pick up on Regina.”Whoot, Geri! And get this, folks! She still has time for her chickens!
James Hanna
Ever the irrepressible storyteller, humorist James Hanna’s story, “The Silent Stalker,” appears in Bewildering Stories, “a journal that likes the quirky stuff,” Jim adds.
David Harris on Lit Mag Publishing
David Harris’ presentation at our June monthly meeting received such praise that the Central Coast branch of the CWC has invited him to give the same one in November. Out-a-sight, David!
Darlene Frank celebrates big turnout for her online event, "Writers Read and Celebrate Their Work”!
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.
Ida J. Lewenstein rhymes again with her latest children's book
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?
CWC members featured in Best of the Best: 2024 Literary Review
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 “Ordinary Ways” available in new journal
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’s Super Holly Hansson is back in action!
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.
Geri Spieler interviewed by the BBC
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.
James Hanna’s Lights Out Lizzie now in Literally Stories
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.