Fall/Winter 2014 California Writers Club Bulletin T H E B U L L E T I N R Vol
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Fall/Winter 2014 California Writers Club Bulletin T H E B U L L E T I N R Vol. 2014 No. 2 California Writers Club Fall/Winter 2014 Fremont’s Bob Garfinkle Earns CWC’s Highest Honor By Nancy Curteman, Fremont Area Writers R At the July 20 CWC Central Board meeting, President Dave The Bulletin is the official publication of George and I presented the Ina California Writers Club, an educational Coolbrith Award to Fremont nonprofit 501(c)3 corporation. Area Writers’ Bob Garfinkle. OFFICERS Bob is a long time member President — David George of California Writers Club and Mt. Diablo Branch is currently a lifetime member. Vice President — Margie Yee Webb He’s dedicated a tremendous Sacramento Branch amount of his time and talent Secretary — Joyce Krieg to CWC and certainly has met Central Coast Branch the standards for the Ina Cool- Treasurer — Sharon Svitak brith award. Tri-Valley Branch Like California poet Ina Cool- brith who encouraged new writ- Bob Garfinkle is the latest recipient of the Ina Coolbrith Award THE BULLETIN ers through her literary salons, for outstanding service to California Writers Club. With Bob is EDITOR Bob encourages new writers at Nancy Curteman, Central Board Representative for Fremont Joyce Krieg (Central Coast) club meetings. Area Writers, and CWC President Dave George. PROOFREADER Like Ina Coolbrith, who was image, and unsnarled a tangle with the IRS Laura Emerson (Central Coast) President of the Congress of Authors and over our nonprofit status. CIRCULATION Journalists, Bob was president of Fremont • He started the Annual CWC picnic, and has Ray Malus (San Fernando Valley) Area Writers and California Writers Club. chaired it every year from 2009 to the PRINTER Like Ina Coolbrith, who was a celebrated present. ProColor — Los Gatos, CA poet and author, Bob is an internationally • He served on the staff of South Bay CHANGE OF ADDRESS known author of astronomy books and sci- Writers’ East of Eden Conference from entific journal articles. Contact Your Branch Membership Chair 2004 to 2008, one of the best writers Like Ina Coolbrith, who was active in her conferences in California community as an Oakland librarian, Bob When asked why he dedicated so much of Copyright 2014 by the California Writers Club. The was active in the community as a Union City contents may not be reproduced in any form without his busy life to CWC, his response was to the Council Member. prior written permission. The Bulletin is published by point. “I enjoy the camaraderie of working the California Writers Club, Incorporated, on behalf Like Ina Coolbrith, Bob has demonstrated with other writers. I guess I just like writers.” of its members. The California Writers Club assumes his love of writing through his active support One more special note: This fall, Springer no legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy of of CWC. Here are a few of his achievements: any information, process, product, method, or policy Publishing released Bob’s chef d’oeuvre on • Central Board Representative for South Bay described herein. astronomy, Luna Cognita, (Known Moon). from 2003-2007. OUR MISSION Ina Coolbrith would be proud of Bob • Founder and president of the Fremont Area Educating writers of all levels of expertise Garfinkle and so are we. in the craft of writing and in the marketing Writers branch. of their work. • During his Presidency of CWC, he lead a legal battle to protect CWC’s name and California Writers Club Bulletin Fall/Winter 2014 With Apologies to Clement Clarke Moore Twas the night before the deadline and all through Manhattan Not an editor was slashing, not one single red pen; JOYCE’S VOICE The press kits were sent by publicists so slick, In hopes that St. Oprah would soon make her pick. The agents were schmoozing, many hands they did shake, With visions of auctions and hot deals they would make; While I, the mere author, a new book to begin, Had just settled in with a fresh bottle of gin. From out on the keyboard there came not a clatter, The words would not come, I knew not what was the matter. By Joyce Krieg The deadline was looming and I needed the cash, Bulletin Editor If I asked for more time, my name would be trash. My adjectives – how florid! My adverbs – how vivid! The glow from the screen of my old Pentium D Those snarky reviewers with envy would be livid! Seemed to mock my slow output with devilish glee. I threw caution to the wind and cried, “Anything goes!” When, what to my bleary eyes should appear, As I continued to crank out more purple prose. But a digital goddess – could rescue be near? “No plot? No problem!” The Muse chanted like an elf, She carried a notebook, a pen, but no booze, And I laughed as I typed, in spite of myself; I knew in a moment she must be a Muse. Rejection slips be damned, dare to be bold, More rapid than eagles the words they did pour, She gave me to know my book would be sold. As she whispered and sang, my creativity did soar. I spoke not a word, just continued to work, “Now Random House! Now Hachette! Now Bantam Dell! At last typed “The End” and hit Control-P with a jerk. On Henry Holt! On St. Martin’s! On Knopf and Little Brown! Laying page after page inside a FedEx pack, To the top of Amazon! To the top of The Times! No SASE for me – this baby’s not coming back! You can do it! Do it! Do it!” Her voice rang like the chimes. I sprang to log off and gave thanks to the Muse; As dry wit from the pens of reviewers flow mean, She gave me a smile surely meant to enthuse; When they meet with bound galley from an author still green, And I heard her exclaim as she faded from sight, So my manuscript I did revise all a-new, “Happy Holidays to all, and to all a good write.” With a pocketful of doubts, and a hangover, too. But still, as before, I heard from the Muse, Spreading the Word about CWC Inspiration and encouragement, stuff I could use. As I continued to write, the keyboard to pound, I realized my creativity had at last come unbound. Contacting The Bulletin Editor Joyce Krieg [email protected] Submissions of branch news and pho- tos are always welcome. Send text as Word docs. Photos should be The organizers of the annual writers conference at Cuesta College in San Luis Obispo in JPEG format and sized between invited CWC to appear on a panel about the benefits of belonging to a writers club and to 100K and 1M. Short stories and host a table. The result may be a brand-new branch in the Santa Maria area. Above, PR/ poetry should be submitted to the Publicity Chair Donna McCrohan-Rosenthal chats up the club with a couple of prospective CWC Literary Review. new members. 2 Fall/Winter 2014 California Writers Club Bulletin Embracing Your Inner Techie CWC Leadership Are you a Technophile or a Technophobe? the iPhone-6 is announced. But as frequently for 2014-15 Or Neither? I spent years of my life present- as we long for the good old days, would slow- The CWC Central Board elected by ac- ing the Next Great Thing to sceptics, often ing or reversing this pace be acceptable? No! clamation the slate of officers for 2014-15 with success. We now seem surrounded, per- Our venerable Club has new technology presented by Nomination Committee Chair haps buried, in Next Great Things. I hear that available to it also. I’ve noticed more and Jeanette Fratto (Orange County) at the July you can even purchase hi- more branches exploit- 20 meeting: tech coffins that play sur- PRESIDENT’S ing the various social President: David George, Mt. Diablo round sound and a loop media tools to get the Vice President: Margie Yee Webb, Sacra- of your favorite digital MESSAGE word out about meet- mento photos into the afterlife. ings, workshops, and Secretary: Joyce Krieg, Central Coast I hope the batteries last! events. Yeah! They Treasurer: Sharon Svitak, Tri-Valley Consider our dizzy take payments through The four officers, plus member-at-large technological days in per- their web sites using Ray Malus (San Fernando Valley) serve as spective though. Ballpoint PayPal and other online voting members on the CWC Executive pens were the Thing of options. Super! And Committee. PR/Publicity Chair Donna the 1930s, light bulbs of one by one, they are McCrohan-Rosenthal (East Sierra) serves the 1890s, and flush toi- discovering the ease as a non-voting member of the Executive lets of the 1770s. Do you of use and value of Committee. think of these marvelous By David George our new Membership The President made the following ap- devices as complicated CWC President Records Management pointments: technology every time System (MRMS). Bulletin Editor: Joyce Krieg (Central Coast) you click the pen, flick the Updating member Forum Moderator: Bob Isbill (High Desert) light, or flush the potty? contact information Finance: Sharon Svitak (Tri-Valley) Once a society learns to accept new Things and posting payments is a breeze with Friends of Joaquin Miller Park: Linda Brown into our lives, they cease to be pains in the MRMS. It made my life easier as branch (Berkeley) neck and grow to be indispensable – yes, treasurer and can make your job easier, too. Literary Review Editor: Dave LaRoche (South even to writers. Every member of the Club has access to Bay) One Thing that has changed is the accel- their own membership record.