Volume 17 WritersTalk Number 2 February 2009

Monthly Newsletter of the South Bay Writers Club A Valentine’s Day Special January Recap by Bill Baldwin Norman Solomon by Andrea Galvacs We are pleased to welcome two distinguished members of the Romance Writers of America to our February meeting: Esther Erman and Janet Miller. They both write The first South Bay Writers meeting of in a variety of genres under a variety of names. Romance, sex, family, love, 2009 began with President Dave death—the human experience is their scope. We look forward to hearing of their LaRoche welcoming everybody present. lives and their writing. Before and during dinner there were the Esther Erman, also known as Mardi Ballou and Meg Bellamy, is usual general announcements, those of the author of twenty-plus titles at Ellora’s Cave, Cerridwen, achievements by some of the writers Samhain, and other houses. Writing as Esther, she gathered and the introduction of guests. Raffle family stories for a novelized memoir called Just One: Connecting Lady Extraordinaire Cathy Bauer was with a Grandmother’s Life. As Mardi, Esther has concentrated on absent, so Rita St. Claire filled in for her. romance, primarily erotic—contemporary and paranormal. She’s As usual, I didn’t win anything. Oh, I currently preparing Fangly, My Dear, an anthology of three didn’t buy any tickets, either. novellas to be released in print format next autumn, and launch- Rita made a Esther Erman ing her Meg Bellamy identity, focused on women’s fiction and special an- mainstream contemporary romance. nouncement as Esther was born in Stuttgart, Germany, shortly after World War II and spent most well. First, she of her formative years in New Jersey. Growing up in a refugee family with parents related to us who were Holocaust survivors shaped Esther’s early life. Her fascination with that after language probably has deep roots in her frustration at not being able to speak writing the English when she began kindergarten in the Bronx. Deciding to abandon her first first draft of language, Yiddish, she immersed herself in English and learned with amazing her novel, speed. Learning English was only the beginning of her love of language. She went seven days a on to earn a degree in French as well as Language Education. Her doctoral studies week, eight or included a study of the impact of the Holocaust on the Yiddish language. ten or twelve Norman Solomon or fourteen Just One, based on her efforts to come to know her maternal grandmother, who’d hours a day, for six weeks, her legs died before her birth, came out when Esther herself was discovering the joy of resembled those of an elephant, they being a grandmother. had swollen so much. She sought and Janet Miller, sometimes known as Cricket Starr, is the author of received the necessary medical atten- more than twenty-one titles at Ellora’s Cave, Cerridwen, and New tion, solved her problem, and resolved Concepts publishing. These titles include the 2004 PRISM award- to do everything possible to alert fellow winning Violet Among the Roses, 2006 EPPIE award-winning All writers to what can be done to avoid Night Inn, and two Romantic Times Top Picks, Fangs for the Memo- problems because of sitting for long ries and Beloved Enemy. Janet specializes in paranormal and periods of time. As a result, WritersTalk futuristic romance under her own name and futuristic, fantasy, will publish her column “Well-Being and paranormal erotic romance under the pen name Cricket Starr. Project.” Janet Miller Her recent book A Christmas with Sarah involves a wealthy Silicon Bill Baldwin introduced author, syndi- Valley entrepreneur and father (Greg Wilcox) and a Big Sur artist (Molly Anders). cated columnist, and activist Norman How does trust blossom in a relationship? And how do strangers develop into a Solomon, our guest speaker. family? Norman believes there are two kinds of She’s been dreaming up stories for as long as she can remember. While she enjoys memory: our own and the historical. To writing about love and adventure, much of her work has comic elements. differentiate between the two it is

Continued on page 14 Continued on page 11 President’s Prowling California Writers Club South Bay Branch by Dave LaRoche —— o —— President, South Bay Writers Executive Committee President—Dave LaRoche [email protected] Our Craft Is Where We Find It— 408 729-3941 I’ve Discovered Mine in the Scenes Vice President—Bill Baldwin [email protected] e read. We read because we enjoy it—the transcendence, Secretary—Rita St. Claire Wthe adventure, the diversion. As writers, we are advised to [email protected] use a critical eye—ordinarily interpreted as “study the classics.” Treasurer—Richard Burns Moby Dick has been mentioned so often to me, I feel like I need a [email protected] harpoon. But, I submit, not all good writing is found in the literary work of our giants—DeLillo, Atwood, Doctorow, and Ford come Central Board Rep to mind, to name several favorites. So consider: Dave LaRoche (acting rep) “I went out of the restaurant and back along the beach. The Pacific lumbered in Directors toward me. The swells looked tired as they crested and fell apart . . . gathered Programs—Bill Baldwin themselves and slowly withdrew.” Robert Parker [email protected] “He had a full mane of black hair that hid a portion of his forehead and true-black Publicity and Public Relations—Edie Matthews eyes that were usually filled with mirth—but I had seen them when they were [email protected] honed down to a killing glint.” Walter Mosley. 408 985-0819 “It felt good to be lying again. It was as if I had disappeared behind a cloud of Membership—Marjorie Johnson black ink like the squid or the cuttlefish.” Walter Mosley again. [email protected] I feel it, the ocean on an overcast day, lumbering in to the shore, exhausted and Hospitality—Cathy Bauer [email protected] falling apart, or that glint in those eyes that are usually joyful but provoked into killing—scenes from less notable authors than “giants”—no disrespect to Wally or Networking—Cathy Bauer Bob. [email protected] East of Eden Conference—Edie Matthews and Here’s what I’ve come to think is the key—stories with a series of scenes, crammed Kelly Harrison, co-chairs with vivid description and telling dialog, each with an arrival, some action, and a [email protected] routing ticket to the next, the scene, the critical element. Of course we need plot and a theme—why and what’s going to happen from A through to Z. But the scenes are Open Mic—Bill Baldwin 408 730-9622 the stones in the stream that make the crossing possible, and we need consider them carefully in order to move on. Webmaster—Ro Davis [email protected] I like to stop at each scene for a while, move in, and be a part—these are my characters and they know I bring good. I like to get into their heads to know what Join With Us they’ll do, what they’ll say and what they think. I like to be them, see their world We have a membership category that fits you. through their eyes—watch their “waffle irons” work, as E. Kant has described. Dues are $45 per year plus a one-time $20 initiation fee. Contact the Membership Chair, When I visit a scene, I might stay the weekend, unpack a bag. I’ll roam about and Marjorie Johnson. study the situation, gain insight and understanding before touching a key. I find that particular scene improves in dimension, takes on more color and becomes more enticing to my reader. My “lumbering ocean” and “killing glint” of an eye emerge and titillate my muse and we may return for another warming visit. Reading or writing, I find our craft in the scenes when I occupy them for a time. Although I don’t equate myself with Parker or Mosley, and especially not Melville, I admire their work and imagine from their quality, they too have stepped into their scenes for a comfortable visit. WT

Inside Eight Ways to Break into the Romance Speech Recognition Software 9 Market 4 WOW! Skyline Conference 10 From Blog to Book 5 Critique Group Update 10 Deconstructing a Short Story 6 A Secret Lost 11 Accolades 7 A Painful End 11 Writers’ Gigs 8 View from the Board 12 A Good Walk—Anywhere 8 The Journey of a Thousand Miles: Sympathy for the Devil 13

2 WritersTalk February 2009 WritersTalk Editor’s Perspective is the monthly newsletter of the South Bay Branch by Dick Amyx of the California Writers Club. Editor Managing Editor Richard Amyx [email protected] Across the Street and into the Library 408 297-4438 Contributing Editors n 1950, Ernest Hemingway’s novel Across the River and into the Bill Belew I Trees was published. It was so awful that it was excoriated by Una Daly critics, and no less a literary luminary than E.B. White wrote a Carolyn Donnell Andrea Galvacs (copyeditor) parody of it called “Across the Street and into the Grill” for the New Lita Kurth Yorker. Victoria M. Johnson And so there have been Hemingway write-alike contests ever since. Jackie Mutz (copyeditor) The rules for the International Imitation Hemingway Competition read “the writing sample must be no longer than one page, it must Submissions mention Harry’s Bar & American Grill (Hemingway’s favorite Italian watering Members of the South Bay Writers Club are hole), and it must sound and read like Hemingway while being side-achingly encouraged to submit their creative works for funny.” publication in WritersTalk. Suggested word limits are not absolute; query the editor. Electronic It’s really kind of a cheap shot to poke fun at poor old Papa that way—he was, after submissions should be text or attached MS Word all, awarded both Pulitzer and Nobel prizes for his writing—but his writing style is file sent to [email protected]; or easy to imitate. Hemingway got his start in writing as a reporter, and he carried a mail double-spaced, typewritten copy to journalist’s straightforward style into his creative work, a style that’s often referred Richard Amyx to as “journalese.” 994 No. 2nd Street But even if Hemingway is easy to imitate, there’s still a rub: in order to write like San Jose, CA 95112 Hemingway, you first have to read Hemingway. A lot of Hemingway. Guest Columns Few people nowadays are likely to want their writing to sound like Ernest Almost Anything Goes (400 words) Hemingway’s. But what if you wanted your writing to be comparable to, say, that News Items (400 words) of Janet Evanovich, David Wroblewski, Toni Morrison, or Richard North Letters to the Editor (300 words) Patterson? to Andrea Galvacs [email protected] One approach might be to steep yourself in your favorite author’s writing and then Creative Works try to make your writing sound just like his or hers, in the same way that art Short Fiction (1800 words) students attempt to copy works of the masters. If that approach led to success, it Memoir (1200 words) would probably be more recommended than it is, and I’d be able to write poetry Poetry (300 words) just like Dylan Thomas. I’ve tried, and I’ve never been able to do more than three Essay (900 words) or four words in a row. Accolades The more common advice given to budding writers is simply “Read, read, read!” [email protected] Read lots of writing, read all kinds of writing, read good stuff. At first, just read. Announcements and Advertisements Soak up everything on the page—the plot, the story, the meaning, the characters, [email protected] the writing, the vocabulary, and the punctuation—like a sponge, without judg- An announcement is information of interest and value to ment. After some time, you’ll be able to develop your critical eye and analyze the writers that does not provide direct economic benefit to writing while you’re reading, seeing what’s good and asking yourself why it’s its originator. Announcements are published free of good and what made it work. As your critical eye improves, you should read a charge. little bad stuff, too, and ask yourself what failed and what made it fail. Learn from Advertising is accepted on the basis of its interest and value to writers. Advertising rates for Club members, $7 other writers’ mistakes so that you don’t have to make them. per column inch; non-members, $10. We will assist or Of course, while you’re doing all this reading, you’ll be writing, too, and as time insist with layout. goes by, you should see an improvement in your writing, the result of practice as Authors retain all rights to their works; WritersTalk gratefully acknowledges the authors’ permission to well as everything you’ve been soaking up while reading. Your narrative will flow publish their works here. Contact individual authors for more smoothly, your action will become more gripping, and you won’t even have permission to reprint. to think about where to put commas and quotation marks. Well, okay, maybe Change of Address: Send changes of address to the you’ll have to think about commas. They can be tricky little devils sometimes. Membership Chair at [email protected] Reading is an essential part of writing, even for well-practiced writers. Time Subscriptions: Nonmember subscriptions are $20/year; magazine recently published an article entitled “What Writers Are Reading.” First send a check payable to South Bay Writers Club to the up on the list is Jane Smiley, Pulitzer Prize winner and keynote speaker at last Membership Chair. year’s East of Eden conference (Justine). That issue is online—take a look and see Circulation: 200 what Joyce Carol Oates, Janet Evanovich, and the others are reading. Then take a Copyright © 2009 California Writers Club South Bay walk across the street and into the library. WT Branch.

February 2009 WritersTalk 3 40,000 words, or as long as 80,000 she writes the Max Starr sensual Eight Ways to Break words, depending on the publisher mystery series available from into the Romance and the line. Liquidsilverbooks.com. She’s been • Mainstream Women’s Fiction—big published for six years and has twenty- Market novels where the romantic relation- one books under her belt. Her next by Victoria M. Johnson ship is a significant part of the story. book, Fair Game, is a June 2009 Berkley Heat release. Know that within the first seven genres Have you always listed above there are category romance Does the romance genre have too many thought that romance novels, those that are part of a series, options? How does a writer choose the writing isn’t your which are published monthly by subgenre? thing? Well, think Harlequin, Silhouette, Steeple Hill, and Culver has a quick answer: “I pick the again. Romance Mills & Boon. And there are single titles, genres that are actively acquiring novels have evolved those novels that are released as books.” But then she explains, “Single so much over the standalones and have a shelf life of titles are longer, more characters, more years that several Victoria M. Johnson longer than one month. complex plots, more freedom from subgenres have Contributing Editor rules. Young Adult can be edgy, funny, emerged. Today’s With all these books and series and paranormal, light, lots of freedom there, readers can easily find the romance markets, how does a writer break in? too. Category romance follows certain novel subgenre that suits their tastes— Author Carol Grace Culver wrote short rules that are important to follow. In a and writers can, too. stories for the confessions magazines way, it makes writing them easier.” According to the Romance Writers of and Woman’s World before she broke For Mallory, “Regency historical America (RWA) website, approximately into the romance market in 1989 by romance is what I love to read! There is 8,090 romance titles were published in selling a book about a single dad and a a definite fantasy aspect to historicals. 2007, accounting for $1.375 billion in nanny to Silhouette Romance. Since The world is familiar, but just different sales. In fact, one of every five persons then, more than thirty-three of her enough to give the reader more of an who read books in 2007 read a romance romance novels have been published. escape.” novel! Among the 43 RWA recognized “I am currently under contract with romance publishers, Harlequin Enter- Harlequin-Mills & Boon; my July 2009 And Haynes says, “My voice is pretty prises is by far the largest, bringing out book is called His Sicilian Bride, under humorous, but I also love having a 120 titles a month in 29 languages for my pen name Carol Grace. I wrote a mystery to solve. So both light myster- 107 international markets on six conti- series of young adult books for Berkley ies by Jennifer Skully and the grittier nents. in trade paperback last year (the first is Max Starr series came out of discover- called Manderley Prep) under my name ing my voice. I didn’t pick the genres as If you’re wondering how to get in on Carol Culver. As Carol Grace, I also much as they picked me. I did specifi- the romance action, consider focusing wrote a couple of single-title romances cally decide to write erotic romance, on one of these popular eight for Pocket Books that took place in though, because I saw that it was a subgenres: Greece and Italy.” growing market. However, I found that • Inspirational—novels where faith Historical Romance author Anne also fit my voice, too. I’ve always and religion are integral to the story. Mallory broke in in a different way. written very sensual books, and erotic • Paranormal—novels may include romance was an outlet for that without “I entered the RWA Golden Heart having to figure out who I was going to werewolves, vampires, ghosts, and contest and became a finalist. My editor kill (lol). I have found the more erotica I more. read the entry in the finals and con- write, though, the more humor slips in.” • Mystery & Suspense—women-in- tacted me about buying the book!” jeopardy stories. Mallory writes Regency romances for It sounds like these writers have found • Young Adult—books feature teen Avon/HarperCollins, and has pub- their niche in romance. protagonists, written for readers lished seven books since her debut in “I like writing romance, inserting it into from 12 to 19 and incorporate all the 2004. Her upcoming release, For the whatever genre I’m working on,” elements of adult fiction—character, Earl’s Pleasure, set in 1822, is due out in Culver says. “I’m writing a mystery plot, setting, theme, and style. July 2009. now and sure enough, the sleuth has a • Erotica—sexually explicit stories Jasmine Haynes, also known as Jennifer boyfriend. It just makes life more where the character growth occurs Skully, followed yet another path: “I interesting to have some romance in it.” through the sexual scenes. joined Romance Writers of America, Mallory adds, “It’s been wonderful! I • Historical—historically accurate attended many craft seminars, and started writing full time and love the stories where the setting plays a part utilized their networking opportuni- work and flexibility.” ties.” As Jasmine Haynes, she writes of the book. Haynes’s experience is equally positive. erotic romance for Berkley. Jennifer • Contemporary—novels can be funny, “Romance writing has been good to me, Skully’s publications are light, humor- emotionally intense, spicy but not but I’m still building my career. I do ous, romantic suspense novels pub- explicit, or sweet traditional ro- have freedom to write the stories I want lished by Harlequin HQN; as JB Skully, mances. They can be as short as and I do this full time, so I don’t have to

4 WritersTalk February 2009 From Blog to Book written anything before?” I could show can know about their readers, eh? him my archives. I have written more Do I have a following? I can tell a by Bill Belew than 10,000 posts at an average of 200 publisher how many people have words per post. That comes to about The days of receiving a signed up to receive updates to every- 2,000,000 words. I have done that in the sizeable advance, thing I write. The number is more than past 30 months, averaging 60,000– going to a secluded 1,000. That’s a very small number 70,000 words per month. When the space, pounding out a compared to the 72,000+ who have NaNoWriMo people say they have to novel, sending it to a signed up to receive stuff from the sites write 50,000 words in a month, I think publisher, receiving a of a friend of mine. Still, there have to to myself, “I wish that’s all I had to do.” check, and waiting for be 1,000 subscribers before there are It reminds me of the story of the farm the next advance seem 2,000, right? A blogger who knows his boy who joined the military. During to be far behind us. tools has the means to answer the Bill Belew basic training he was up at reveille Now publishers want question “Who follows your writing?” every morning at 6 a.m. Upon comple- an advance from their writers. They I can also tell a publisher how many tion of training, his dad called him and want to know who’s going to buy your others have referred to my writing in asked how things were. He responded book; whether you have a market, a theirs. In the blog world, that’s called “Great, Pop. The best part is we get to following, and a history of readers; authority. I have some. Publishers will sleep in every morning.” If a publisher whether you’ve written something want to know about it. wanted to know if I could write 50,000 before and it was read. words in a month, or in three months, I Is there a market for a book if I write it? As a blogger I can answer all those could show him that I have done it, Who’s going to buy it? I can answer questions and then some. again and again . . . and again. Bloggers those questions, too. I am not the only I write about goings-on in Asia on one have a history and it’s readily available person who writes about the things I do. of my blogs. Just a week ago, I wrote to see. I am not the only person who has taken subject material similar to what I write about an underwater restaurant that Do I have a history of readers? For and turned it into a book. I can see how opened in the Maldives. As I write this, every post I write, I get one comment on well they have done and show a pub- some 50,000 people have come to see it. average. I might not share this with a lisher those statistics as well to possibly I am writing a series on facts about publisher, but just between you and me, predict how well my book would do. countries in Asia. I have written a few not all of them are nice comments. posts on Afghanistan, Israel, the Gaza Readers take a look and tell me what I Clearly, a blogger can supply the Strip, Iran, and more than 20,000 people said that was good and bad. They even information a prospective publisher have come to take a look. There are correct mistakes for me when I get a fact wants about the prospects of a potential tools bloggers can use—Sitemeter, wrong. I could tell a publisher how book. Not only that, but while the Omniture, Google Analytics, and the many people came, how often they blogger is learning these things, he has like—to prove to a prospective pub- turned a page, and how many pages been busy pounding out material, likely lisher that what they write gets read. they turned. I could even tell what in a secluded place, and if he has done Publishers want to know. A blogger can countries my readers came from and his work well, he will have made some show and prove, not just guess. what types of topics which readers are money in the process, an advance of a If a publisher were to ask “Have you most interested in. The things bloggers different kind. So what about me? Gee, I Wish I Had Been Drinking at the work another job. I have worldwide Look into your local RWA chapter for Time was my first attempt at moving distribution, but that could be im- specific help and camaraderie and the from blog to book. I pitched it to three proved. No movie deals, though! national organization for consolidated publishers. Two publishers came back While we do hear about those overnight publishing information.” expressing interest, and I chose one. It sensations, building a writing career Haynes concurs, “Join Romance Writers can be found on Amazon.com. How are takes a long time for most of us.” of America and become active with sales? About what I expected. If you’re interested in pursuing this your local chapter. There is a huge support system in addition to so many Your blog can become a book, too. But versatile genre, Culver offers this first you have to start blogging. WT advice: “I’d say an aspiring romance workshops, online classes, and confer- writer has to read and read and read ences where you can learn your craft some more. Then get into a class or a and make the contacts you will need to critique group for support. It can be get published. RWA helped me learn Feb. Find such a lonely life, writing, so you need how to write and once I’d done that, Fly by, February, other writers who understand and will they gave me the resources to sell my Bye bye debts we carry, help getting over the bad times as well work.” Day-job hello to you. as to share and celebrate the good For more information on each of these We write by night till two. times.” authors, visit their fabulous web sites at (Both art and grind Mallory agrees, “Write, write, write, carolgracebooks.com, annemallory.com, Are necessary.) WT and read, read, read! And join RWA. and skullybuzz.com. —Pat Bustamante

February 2009 WritersTalk 5 Deconstructing a experience. mother’s death, so it comes up in many Once I’d finished making the tuna fish ways in my everyday life. Short Story salad, I went to my desk and typed the Now I added details: Suzie’s final sight by Meredy Amyx first line. I knew Suzie was getting all of her mother at the airport. My mother sad because of some thought about last had not been in San Jose in twenty All fiction is in some times, and I chose the language “getting years, and she never wore sweats of any way drawn from life all sad” to keep it colloquial and a little kind. But an airport is an evocative because we have no bit light. This was not about the depths place for a last glimpse, and a barefoot other model. But of true grief, although grief might be figure in purple sweats is just comical autobiographical? Not beneath it. This was about sad thoughts enough to be poignant. necessarily. In fact, brought on oneself, almost as a kind of When son Scott arrives, Suzie is weep- even the best personal self-indulgence. ing, and not just over the mayonnaise anecdote is going to Not knowing what came next, I put in a but over the deliberately lite mayon- need some work Meredy Amyx little action about starting to prepare the naise, again for the gentle absurdity. I before it will make a good short story, salad. That led to the idea of taking the needed a second person to reflect Suzie and in the process it will lose factuality. character through the steps of making and reinterpret her thoughts. Suzie is How does personal experience blend the tuna fish, interspersing them with entirely caught up in her imaginary with invention to create a story? As an her thoughts, to keep an anchor in grief by now, and so she blurts what’s example, here’s the process of composi- external reality and show that the rest on her mind. Scott is understanding. tion of my 327-word story “Tuna Fish,” was going on in her head. He knows the story of her mother’s captioned “A Zen Story,” which ap- I gave her tears and onions at the same death, and he puts it together at once. peared in the January WritersTalk. time to let the reader know that Suzie Up to this point the story just seemed to It began with one of my own running was a faintly foolish figure, but that we flow naturally from the situation I had themes, that of the last time: when we were not going to laugh unkindly at created, but now I did not know what to do something for the last time, we often her. do. I had no conclusion in mind. don’t know it’s the last time. This is just Why was she sad, and what did it have That’s when I switched sides. one of the notions that lurk in my head. to do with last times? I made the I think such habits of thought, conscious Until then I had been identifying with connection directly: this could be her Suzie, using myself and my own view or not, serve as a filter for our percep- last time at performing some simple act, tions so that we don’t constantly have to of things as a starting point and select- just as it could be for anyone, anytime. ing, exaggerating, pulling and pushing exhaust ourselves processing every- Now I was beginning to see Suzie. She thing from scratch. a little this way and that to mold a was middle-aged, matronly, and feeling character not quite a caricature but As so often happens when I am per- a little sorry for herself. In fact, she was surely a very simplified sketch of a forming a routine task, my mind ruminating on her own mortality and person situated in real space and time wanders. This despite years of Zen pondering all those last times. Here I on an ordinary day. Now I looked at study and practice from which I should listed some of the kinds of things that I her through Scott’s eyes. And this is have learned to give myself wholly and think about when I get onto this theme, when it became a Zen story. mindfully to every action. So it just not unaware that it can get a little bit happened that while I was making tuna absurd to dwell on it. As a touch of Those years of study and meditation fish salad for sandwiches, the habitual self-deprecating humor, I exaggerated changed my perceptions. There came a thought about last times stopped idling her thoughts, making them slightly moment when I realized that things in and went into gear. maudlin and contrasting them with the themselves have no meaning at all; the practical, matter-of-fact, and (not meaning is in my mind. It’s a simple Because seeing life in narrative terms is idea with profound implications. Scott part of my practice as a writer, it was a incidentally) life-sustaining steps of short step from standing in the kitchen preparing food. with some canned tuna and a glass But Suzie is not an idiot. There is a real mixing bowl, getting ready to chop, to association with tuna fish that brings up Mid-Life Crisis thinking about a character who was this emotional state. It was easy to Were the years wasted? making tuna fish salad and having a think of tying the activity to thoughts of Dreams never tasted. thought about last times. As soon as I a personal loss. This led to an image of Could I have done more, turned it into the third person—“Suzie her mother doing something for the last if focused before? was in the kitchen making tuna fish time. The connection made itself: the Caught up in a role salad for sandwiches and getting all last thing her mother did was make Not hearing my soul sad.”—it started to become a story. tuna fish. Ignoring my guides, Here’s a hypothesis: maybe one of the This was all made up. My mother died along for the ride. things that enable writers to depict life last spring in a hospital, unconscious, of Tried writing, but then, as seen through their eyes is an awareness everything-failure, and I have never Never had a pen. of those lurking notions and how they heard of anyone dying while making act as a lens for viewing their tuna fish. But I am still processing my —Suzy Paluzzi

6 WritersTalk February 2009 contributor to Erika Mailman’s blog. Travel Writers list. Registered Accolades Erika is the author of the novel The members of the site vote on submit- by Jackie Mutz Witch’s Trinity. ted travel stories, which will be published by Facebook. January started with a • Bill Belew’s blog readership number slow “rumbly in my has reached the 7,500,000 mark. Way • Steve Wetlesen has been paid for tumbly” to quote to go, Bill! another WW2 memorial commission Winnie the Pooh’s • Maureen Griswold just had a short . . . a new writing genre for him? thoughts of honey. story titled Wordplay published/ Make 2009 yours. Not just in writing but Only this rumbly had posted on the ken*again webzine, in other ways as well. As we move into to do with the anxiety Winter 2008–2009 edition. Go to the month of February and beyond, of sitting at my www.kenagain.freeservers.com/ keep up your writing schedule, what- computer and writing. Jackie Mutz prose.html to read her story. ever it is. Each time you reach a mile- Sound familiar? Contributing Editor • Colin Seymour, author of a memoir stone on your writing journey, you There is symbolism in new beginnings. and novel, had no clients for his succeed. Send me your success stories And since 2009 is a signal of change in obituary writing business, but has at [email protected]. been blogging about boxing on Can’t you hear the applause already? the world as we know it, why not apply WT it to our own writing experience? Make Examiner.com and “making a 2009 yours—a friend’s salutation struck living.” me to the core. How did I want to make • Bob Garfinkle had an astronomy a new writing beginning, to start anew book review published in the Febru- The Gift of Maturity in my writing process? For starters, ary 2009 issue of Sky and Telescope throwing the word should out of my magazine, and signed a contract to Holidays bring gifts from family vocabulary and replacing it with can write two additional book reviews Gifts that go straight to the heart (note the present tense). The act of for the same magazine. Like darts on a dart board sitting down in a chair in front of a • Jacksverse.com, Jack Hasling’s web- Always hitting the mark right in the computer, curling up on the couch, site, has had no requests to be drop- center breathing fresh air outdoors, lying ped from his email list, a good sign Where we shriek with joy loudly under a tree or at the beach with a people like what they are reading. or with pain usually silently. notebook and writing is the first step. • Marjorie Johnson, as a NaMoWriMo The pain is never meant to hurt The second step is doing it again— “winner”—more than 50,000 words It is given in jest or in love writing with consistency and keeping written in the month of November— As a way to connect the rhythm, that hum as your brain was invited to read for 20 minutes Even if sometimes awkward. whooshes those words onto the page from her new novel, The Jaguar Codex, The gift this year of the exercise ellipti- with a creative intensity only a writer on KFJC, the Foothill College radio cal machine can imagine. By the fifth step you are station. Her novel is about a Mayan He takes her to the store to try them out walking and in some cases, running the woman who finds a priceless trea- She tries them all, raising her heart rate, writer’s path. One step follows another, sure, a Mayan codex (fan-folded Feeling proud that her new year is and so it goes. book), and learns to translate the starting off I missed this month’s meeting but ancient Mayan glyphs. With action, conviction, and focus. received these announcements: • June Smith was rated second on She says, “My thighs feel thinner • Bill Baldwin became the first guest Facebook’s “iGo iWrite” Top Ten already.” He smirks, “You have a big imagina- tion!” here is the voice of Zen wisdom as I Now I had a complete story, and the Deflated, her heart sinks, her feelings understand it. little red STOP light went on in my head. are hurt, All that was left was some polishing How dare he be so rude! Scott is loving and kind. He does not and tuning. My longer works of fiction But wait . . . The gift of maturity ap- tell his mother she is being ridiculous. take a tremendous amount of rework pears. He is mature enough to know that a from first draft to last, but the flash A switch of perspective, A light bulb glass bowl can contain the death of a stories are usually done in one sitting, in moment! parent. He sympathizes and comforts an hour or two. This was one of those. “Why, yes, I do have a big imagina- her. But he also wants her to see that Nothing like this small incident has ever tion!” she is creating her own experience of Einstein and other geniuses share the grief through the loading she places on happened to me or to anyone I know. Nonetheless it is made honestly, com- vision: the act she is performing. So he asks “Imagination is more important than her to look inside herself for the answer. posed of pieces of things I have experi- enced, broken down, selected, and knowledge.” And then he does not underscore the recombined into a tiny story that is She graciously accepts the comment point but simply does the next thing, in wholly fictitious and yet is truth as I after all. a very practical way. know it. WT —Vicki Wynne

February 2009 WritersTalk 7 pure, consummate scam.” Writers’ Gigs cutewriting.blogspot.com/2008/03/ A Good Walk— (A New Feature) blogit-pure-consummate-scam.html Anywhere None of the Shaycom blogs are in the by Lita Kurth public domain, so guess what? “Search by Rita St. Claire Making a living by writing is a lot like engines don’t index them.” That must All truly great thoughts are making a living by acting or playing make your blog a bit hard to find, huh? conceived by walking. music. Very few are able to do it. As a Hmmm, craigslist.com is looking better —Friedrich Nietzsche result, writers are often looking for a gig all the time. They list writing jobs in two To write, we sit. whether that be teaching, editing, or places. First choose your city or SF Bay (gasp!) actual writing. Once you’ve Area and then under Jobs, look for —WritersTalk, Nov. 2008 exhausted craigslist.com, here are some Writing/Editing. Under Gigs, you’ll also Do you have writer’s block once in a others to try or not, as the case may be: find Writing, which offers some interest- while? Have you experienced a growth WritingforDollars.com ing fare: giving a private screenwriting spurt, especially This is a free online newsletter provided class to a filmmaker, and writing around the middle or by the owner of AWOC books (avail- features (if you’re a San Francisco-area where bottom meets able to buy on the site). The most recent parent) about family activities for kids chair? Perhaps your issue included “Eight Ways to Become a in SF. Or if integrity isn’t your strong ankles swell after a Creative Strategist” and “16 Paying suit, you can ghost write college essays! day’s work at the Markets—High, Medium, and Low.” (That posting was removed and computer while The second article looks good, but in roundly criticized.) inspired poetry or fact, it’s a rather crazy list containing The angel award goes to Craigslist, the prose sails through Rita St. Claire five or six items in each category devil award to blogit. WT your fingers onto keys ranging from very exclusive literary and screen? If any of this sounds like journals (in your dreams!) to Boy Scout you, it’s time to start walking. You magazines and trade journals. Some already know that exercise can set you information is better than nothing, of on the path to better health, but do you course. You can always google these Gems of Spring realize that it can spark your creativity names, but no websites, contacts, Every Spring, the Flowers Get More as well? Research and testimony deadlines or guidelines are given. Beautiful— support Nietzsche’s claim—just google around and you’ll fine a plethora of The owner also offers Frontiers in Pearl white dream, winter’s still heart longs articles and studies on exercise and Writing conferences, which one of our well-being. Medical science has learned editors, Carolyn Donnell, attended in Awakening buds, dazzling colored fronds that we receive physical and mental 2007 in Amarillo, Texas, and recom- goodies by walking most days of the mends. Barry Eisler was a speaker and Emerald green, ruby red, carnelian throngs week. Even for only ten minutes each there were story contests (one of which day. Carolyn won). Sapphire-winged birds sing sweeter songs Here’s a tip: go on the Internet, to Caveat Scriptor: a “writing Every Spring, the Flowers Get More www.walkscore.com. This new site has opportunity” to avoid Beautiful. checked out more than 2,500 neighbor- is blogit.com, a venture that positions —Sally A. Milnor hoods in America’s forty largest cities. itself as practically a charity for writers You can enter an address somewhere in and assures you that for only $12.95 per the Silicon Valley and get the environs’ month, you can have a blog (although instant walkability score, along with a blogs are free at blogspot.com and Change Unchained map of locations such as parks, coffee many other sites) and somehow they’ll shops, theatres, markets, etc.—even guarantee a readership while you write His head held high fitness centers—the types of things you whatever you want. However, the fine He advances to the podium. might want to enjoy during your walk. print mentions that you’ll only get paid A smile lurks on his lips. This is useful whether you’re shopping, any month that you make more than $5 He knows the enormity of the tasks that visiting, or aimlessly roaming. You can from readers who subscribe. And await him. check out the neighborhood’s walking readers pay $9.95 per month to read all Yet he is willing. potential before you’re even out the blogit blogs. If they read 50 blogs, He walks alone, with no one at his side. door. Going out of town for a vacation th including yours, you’ll get 1/50 of But he is not alone. or a writing conference? Use $9.95 or nada if that comes to less than Millions await him walkscore.com to find a place to walk $5. In fact, I’m not sure I understand With arms outstretched, while you’re away from home. how it works, but whether or not you With minds open, Here’s another quote to ponder, by Ray- get paid, Shaycom, the owner, gets Hoping and praying for a restoration mond Inmon. If you are seeking creative paid. And a little research reveals a true For change unchained. . . . red alert! Read this site called “Blogit: a ideas, go out walking. Angels whisper to a —Jill Pipkin man when he goes for a walk. WT

8 WritersTalk February 2009 “period” cannot always be distin- I Remember Speech Recognition guished as the punctuation mark rather Software than content. I remember the boy you must have been by Suzy Paluzzi In reviews, consensus is that the head- all sweetness and sweat, phones included in the original package blond curls nestled in your neckline, In January, I made the need to be upgraded. Also, it seems to and later, when you first picked up the trip to Macworld Expo take more time to use the device and the guitar? in San Francisco and software than typing in test because so when the love affair began . . . paid $25 to enter the much editing is needed. Only if one has pictures of you playing young and Exhibit Hall strictly to physical impediments is the use of fresh, learn about products MacSpeech is beneficial. One user joy registered everywhere, that might be of use. compromises and uses the program your body lit with every note you My biggest interest only when he needs to write more than played. was in MacSpeech, Suzy Paluzzi 300 words. Others suggest that if you I remember you as I first saw you, speech recognition software for the are trying out MacSpeech to save time, not quite the young man, but boyish, Macintosh Computer. it is in need of more improvement. not quite filled out, but firm to the Consumers are interested in speech SBW member Diana Richomme bought touch, recognition software for two primary the PC application Dragon or so I imagined, even then. reasons, it seems. One purpose is for NaturallySpeaking. She says, “It comes How quick your fingers were, the bass speed. The other is if the writer has with a set of headphones that works alive, physical limitations, which can range OK, but I bought another one because it an extension of you. from common arthritis and carpal wasn’t very comfortable for hours at a I remember many nights watching you tunnel syndrome to more serious time.” That seems to be a common as you moved with your music, impairment. Speech recognition soft- complaint. I did ask the Macworld engrossed and oblivious ware converts spoken words to ma- representative about a more direct way to my adoring looks— chine-readable input, according to to download voice notes into the I felt full every time Wikipedia. In other words, the writer computer, like from a voice recorder, I watched you play. either reads the text or dictates it into a and he said that has been requested I remember even now how you were microphone, in this case, and the quite a bit, so it may be done soon. with me, gentle, soft yet firm, computer writes the content. Richomme also offers, “You have to your touch electric, my body, MacSpeech Dictate sells for $199.95 slow down a little because your voice no my soul on fire at your nearness . . . including the microphone-headphone can’t get too far ahead of the program even now I remember and wait, unit. It works with Microsoft Word, or it will stop you.” That may depend want and desire ever present for Adobe Photoshop, QuarkXPress, and upon which version of Dragon what it is I remember. Apple applications iChat, Mail, and NaturallySpeaking you use, and also Even now. Keynote. The system requirements are how much memory is on your com- —Jacqueline Mutz an Intel Core Duo processor and Mac puter. I must say I did not see any OS X. Reviews indicate that it is easy to difficulty with the speed of talking on install and does not require training for the MacSpeech demonstration. Call for Poetry Submissions use. At the core of MacSpeech Dictate is Dragon NaturallySpeaking also lists at the speech recognition engine: Dragon $199.99 but the newest version 10 is on When the going gets tough... the tough NaturallySpeaking, according to the sale at Amazon.com with a rebate of take a new look at the world around specifications. $95.49. As Diana Richomme remarks, them. It is impressive that voice recognition “Sometimes it’s nice just to talk and get That's the theme of The Light in Ordinary technology exists. However, I was the software to correct my spelling.” Things, the first volume of the new, disappointed in the performance of this MacSpeech offers helpdesk customer biannual Fearless Poetry Series. Submis- particular software at Macworld, and support, but the reviews of the service sions are being accepted now through my analysis seems to be accurate, after are mixed. May 30 for this thematic anthology, having seen online reviews of the which will be made available to the product. For more information, see public in August via the Fearless Books store.apple.com/us/product/ website and Amazon.com. Poets may For one thing, when the supplied TR284LL/A or google Dragon headset is used for input, the accuracy submit 1 to 3 poems and/or prose NaturallySpeaking and click on the poems about any ordinary thing, place, of the software's conversion of speech to Amazon sale link. text is different depending on whether event, or living being looked at in a new the user is reading from printed mate- Be sure to check the system require- light. The subject matter should be rial or speaking conversationally. In ments before you buy speech recogni- common, but the insights extraordinary. tion software. I’ve decided to wait for addition, the program cannot always Complete submission guidelines are more software improvements before distinguish between correction com- online now at fearlessbooks.com/ making my purchase. WT mands and text. For example, the word Poetry.htm

February 2009 WritersTalk 9 WOW! Skyline of Healing” — Sharon Bray Student ID.) • “The World Split Open: Finding Your At the door (space available) $100 Poetry’s Truths” — Elline Lipkin Conference Call (650) 738-4324 or visit by Carolyn Donnell • “Your Life as Story (Part 2)” — smccd.net/accounts/skywow/ Tristine Rainer Skyline College is located in San Bruno “Now is our festival; • “A Primer on Publishing” — Amy at 3300 College Drive now we are together.” Rennert and Pat Walsh Virginia Woolf, The • “From Script to Screen: Writing the Parking is available in Lot 7. Additional Waves parking and parking for special needs is Movie of Your Dreams” — Laurel available in Lot 1. This year’s one-day Minter WOW! Conference, • “Weaving Fact and Imagination: WOW! is going green this year. The celebrating Interna- Carolyn Donnell college has pledged this year to “either Contributing Editor Using Historical Characters” — tional Women’s Day, James Tipton greatly reduce or eliminate our use of will be held on March 21. Participants disposable water bottles. Instead, we • “The Language of Landscape: Poem- come to Skyline College from all around may use water coolers and biodegrad- Making for Fun and Fulfillment” — the Bay Area and beyond and include able cups, or we may simply reduce the Pamela Michael ages from 11 to 90-something. Last year number of disposable water bottles we more than 300 people attended. • “Passionate Attention: The Art and use by providing them only at lunch Practice of Writing from Our Every WOW! celebrates and honors women’s time and in limited quantities.” But Day” — Katharine Harer achievements, presenting noted women WOW! needs your help to honor this writers as well as Skyline faculty. The Afternoon Workshops pledge. Please bring your own, filled, 2:30 –4:00 p.m. reusable water bottle to the conference! conference gives participants the chance WT to hear from writers in several genres • “Launching Your Writing: Savvy and attend workshops focusing on Strategies to Promote Your Work” varied subjects ranging from writing • Panelists: Sandy Boucher, Linda your life story, writing to heal, Watanabe McFerrin, Calvin Crosby, screenwriting, poetry and more to hints Critique Group Update Susan Bono. Moderator: Kathleen on finding an agent, getting published, by Cathy Bauer McClung and self-promotion. • “Slow Down, Fast Forward: Working I had my first meeting with people Saturday Schedule with Narrative Time” — Kathleen de interested in starting critique groups. 8:00–8:55 Registration and continental Azevedo Six people attended and we got one group formed with the possibility of a breakfast • “High-Tech Storytelling” — Ellen second. Valerie Wong will be hosting a 9:15–10:10 Keynote address followed by Lee group that will meet on the 2nd and 4th a book signing • “Inspiration Comes from the Most Keynote speaker—Julia Whitty, author Mondays of the month at 10:00 am. If Unexpected Places/This Isn’t the of The Fragile Edge you are interested, please contact her at Story I Planned to Write” — Wild 10:30–12:00 Morning workshop [email protected] or call 408-873- Writing Women: Jacqueline Harmon 12:00–1:00 Lunch (included in the 7070. Preeti Misra has also volunteered Butler, Pamela Michael, Lisa Alpine, registration fee) in the cafeteria to host a group in Sunnyvale. We will Carla King, Cathleen Miller, 12:40–1:00 Book signing — workshop have more information on her group Suzanne LaFetra authors later on. David Breithaupt is looking • “What’s the Plot? Finding the Heart 1:00–2:10 Book Talk—the afternoon for a writing buddy or buddies who live panel will feature: of Your Play” — Joan Holden on the the East Side of the Valley. If you are interested, please contact him at • Nona Caspers, Heavier Than Air • “The Art of Memoir Writing” — Maureen Murdock [email protected]. WT • Micheline Aharonian Marcom, The • “Women in Transition: The Power of Mirror in the Well Writing” — Marcy Alancraig • Yiyun Li, A Thousand Years of Good • “WOW! Open Poetry Slam” — Prayers 2:10–2:30 Break—Books signing on Meliza Bañales stage Attendance at workshop sessions is on a 2:30–4:00 Afternoon workshops first-come, first-served basis. 4:00 p.m. Reception Building 6 It is possible that the Early Bird dead- Morning Workshops line will be extended beyond January 30 10:30 am–12:00 p.m. for SBW members. Ask by phone or email before registering. Critique group planning: around the table • “Freeing Your Life with Words” — from Marjorie Johnson (foreground), General by Feb 24 $85 Susan Wooldridge Preeti Misra, Cathy Bauer, Valerie Wong, th • “When Life Hurts: Writing as a Way Student by Feb 24 $24 (Copy of Dina Olsen, who’s hiding behind David Breithaupt. Photo: Carolyn Donnell

10 WritersTalk February 2009 SHORT STORY The pain was blinding, except for an A Painful End extraordinary panorama of glittering A Secret Lost by Dave LaRoche lights, which immediately displaced any embarrassment. I thought my by Karen Sweet I fell on my butt while skiing at Dia- lowest lower back was surely broken. I mond Peak. No, no, not on the slopes Katherine turned the key in the old could not move and didn’t want to and but traversing a few feet to The View, a wooden chest and pushed up the lid. wondered why I had insisted on this snack shop on the ridge of the moun- Her movements became as ragged as dangerous sport. tain—skis off, boots open, clomping the beat of her heart when she heard forward displaying what I hoped was An attractive EMT—a fabled snow-lady Uncle Herk’s feet pounding up the my best skier’s composure. Oh, I may wearing Gore-tex and a white cross— stairs. She sobbed as she tossed pic- have been intending a little show as the appeared. With sun-bleached hair, tures and costume jewelry to the floor. vision of supping with other “black- golden tan, and a dazzling blue in her Where was it? Why couldn’t she find it? diamond nuts” had nurtured me eyes that surely spoke to the purity of A thud, followed by a groan, ended in through several brutally cold and the mountains, she had responded to silence in the hall, just as her shaking windy plunges. my silent cry. Bestowing a grand smile, hands found the carved wood grip. Out which warmed my perspective, she Beneath my line of sight—head up, jaw of the folds of an old linen table cloth knelt over me—her sympathetic blues tightened (I assumed angular), eyes came a derringer. She cuddled the gun, brushing mine. And, with kindly voice, steely and to the horizon in a search of a prohibition relic, in her palm. It had she led me through reassuring tests. Did life’s meaning—The View’s wooden been her mother’s; its barrel and history I know my name, where I was from, my deck emerged wet with sun-melted dark with age. She sagged to the floor, age (another ouch) and move this way snow, and my boots found its slickness. her back scraping against the key and that way, did it hurt or did it ache, Suddenly they were in the air in a sort protruding from the chest’s lock. Pain and soon her lovely hands were explor- of floundering dance while the rest of burning her spine, she gasped. Yet, it ing my bare, bruised, and badly mis- me came down hard on my tail— somehow lent her strength. Just let used bottom. Now there seemed a whomp! My entire weight, not inciden- Uncle Herk breathe his dirty, alcohol- reason to continue with skiing—another tal, hammering on my poorly cushioned drenched whispers on her now. encounter with those magnificent sacrum—ouch! (Karen had always re- hands. Perhaps her mother had suspected this. ferred to my butt as a “bitt,” and while I The gun had been an odd present for a had paid little heed to this wifely exag- Of course, I got better, and after weeks fifteen year old girl. Katherine knew geration, here was proof of her observa- of therapy had passed, I experienced something haunted the woman—the tion and my rump’s insufficiency). only a little loneliness now and then. constant flinching, the tight-strung lips, WT eyes that never met anyone else’s. Her mother, a bruised, slow-rotting apple whose drinking finished what an unnamed something had begun. Recap, continued from page 1 Trembling, Katherine recognized that necessary to realize that we are con- seems, is adept at differentiating she was stronger than her mother. The stantly bombarded by ads that tell us between what memory is and what we day her cruel grandfather taunted her what or how to think. Even though we are told it should be, and believes that once too often, she coolly challenged have a limited capacity to absorb “all I need to know I learned when I him. He read the rage in her eyes and everything, we have a responsibility to skipped school.” backed away. Now, her mother’s retain our own experiences and come to Susan Sontag said, “All memory is brother stalked her. When would it terms with them as well as the historical unique and dies with the individual.” end? ones. “So much of our lives is memory,” Norman agrees, adding that progress he said, but if we stay in touch with From the time she’d been forced to live has been made in literature by women’s ourselves, the false ones can be cast voices. We want to hear their powerful with her mother’s family, Katherine aside. vowed to protect herself. Her mother message as long as it can be enforced as had submitted, and only dementia What are we left with if we cannot use true memory. If memory has degrees of relieved her of the dark memories. our own experiences? Editors dictate falsity it controls the past; being true, it what is the right memory, the news controls the future. Katherine prayed for freedom; Uncle media teach us what childhood is Herk shadowed her soul. According to some pundits, technology supposed to be and we believe it. But will bring democracy, but Norman says His stumbling hands scratched the facts are not always true and don’t this is false. “No technology will bring door. Threading the trigger with her always reflect the truth of society’s democracy, we will have to do that finger, she leaned forward, pointing the feelings or what society wants to see. ourselves,” he explains. gun. One family secret was about to die. WT Pundits are a good example, as they Two of Norman’s books—War Made offer mass media opinions and com- Easy and Made Love, Got War—were mentary making reality better by available for purchase following the painting a nicer picture. Norman, it meeting. WT

February 2009 WritersTalk 11 would take pages. Let’s just say that she and disallowing the use of the CWC View from the Board has been and remains a mainstay in this name and logo) has been made and by Dave LaRoche rig, holding taut in both storm and seconded. This action is due to reported calm. irregularities with membership and May I begin this “View” with an dues, and the subsequent related announcement: your board of directors Edie Matthews is synonymous with “South Bay,” and while her current fallout. During the suspension, should it is pleased and proud to be serving your pass, CB efforts are planned to rectify club, an enthusiastic, engaged, and interest is PR and publicity, she is the grease on our SBW gears. With her the situation. Our board voted to integrated group. We find it gratifying exercise a “no” vote on the motion. to work on your behalf. experience and reach into the “artisan community” she helps keep our ship Marilyn Fahey will stand in for Dave at Now, within the board are individuals sailing and even-keeled (to continue the the next CB meeting, scheduled for Jan who work pretty hard at building and metaphor) and let’s not forget her EOE 25. promoting and before I go on with the Conference—run beautifully. “View,” I’d like to mention them. Membership at SBW has raced past the Kudos to these folks—we laud their 200 mark. PR for meetings and work- First there is Dick Amyx, managing efforts and applaud their accomplish- shop exceeds thirty mailings to various editor, who, with his team, puts out our ments with sincere appreciation. media, and seven open mic readings at newsletter every month, and is respon- Our first board meeting of this year was Santana Row, four at Almaden, enter- sible for our anthology (out to you this tained listeners and honed readers’ month). held on January 7 and began at 7 p.m. President Dave noted: skills—the number down due to Richard Burns, our treasurer, keeps holidays. • Member and author Rick Brost is track of the gold, organizes and submits Press run for the 16-page January seriously ill. our quarterly reports, collects dues, WritersTalk was 238, with 223 mailed for workshop and dinner fees, integrates • Congratulations to the board for the a total cost of $257.66. Preorders for the receivables from myriad places, and good work in the past year. anthology have topped 71. pays out to our purveyors of service. • Corbett workshop, coming along A website service agreement for the Marjorie Johnson manages our member- with 25 signed at that time. calendar year 2009 has been completed. ship and, with a light touch, encourages • Nominations solicited for the A Young Writers Conference, approved those new to the rolls and resolves Matthews-Baldwin Service Award to in the previous meeting, moves along related problems for our more seasoned be offered in February. hands. She maintains a roster and with two venues in mind—a commu- Previous meeting minutes were cor- updates the Central Board. nity center on the west side of San Jose rected and approved. the likely choice. Volunteer presenters Bill Baldwin, our VP, is responsible for VP Bill announced upcoming presenters are requested from the membership; programs, may be lauded for success, as follows: Norman Solomon in Janu- contact Marilyn Fahey or Jamie Miller. and never blamed for a flop, though in ary, Esther Erman and Janet Miller, memory there have been few. Bill No new business items were presented romance writers, in February. March selects and schedules presenters, and the meeting adjourned at 9:00 p.m. will bring Ellen Sussman, author, and in arranges their attendance and hono- Any member wishing a copy of minutes April, agent April Eberhardt may raria, writes up their intros for Writers- (from any meeting) may contact Dave speak. Michelle Richmond is May’s Talk and sees to their comfort at meet- LaRoche. WT speaker and, down the line, others are ings. tentatively planned. Secretary Rita St. Claire records our Secretary Rita gave details on her activities and publishes minutes (impor- upcoming “Writers Well-Being Pro- San Francisco Writers tant to nonprofits), runs her “powder gram”—designed to counteract the puff” action-item list, and keeps us all Conference Announces an sedentary nature of writing—approved on our toes with a unique and com- Expanded Poetry Track for 2009 at the previous meeting. manding perspective. Treasurer Rich reported excruciating The 6th San Francisco Writers Confer- Ro Davis offers refreshing candor at efforts on preparing Q2 reports for the ence, to be held at the Mark Hopkins board meetings and maintains our Central Board, increasing PayPal Hotel this February 13–15,2009, has website (which speaks for itself). She activity for both the Corbett workshop announced an expanded poetry track participates fully in other activities such and our anthology, and stability of the befitting a writers conference in a city as production assistant for the anthol- treasury with adequate funds for the known for extraordinary poets and ogy and her popular pre-East of Eden programs envisioned for this year. poetry. workshop: Getting the Most From a Rich’s report was approved. The poetry track will include sessions Conference. Central Board Rep Dave reported that a on craft and becoming a successful poet. Cathy Bauer supports all things in their CB motion to suspend the SFV Branch Attendees will meet editors who work time and is currently running hospital- from the CWC (eliminating their with poets and they can participate in ity and networking. To go even slightly nonprofit status, insurance coverage, readings and open mics. into Cathy’s willingness and work Full information: sfwriters.org

12 WritersTalk February 2009 The Journey of a Thousand Miles: Sympathy for the Devil by Lita Kurth

For Christmas I received (by request— anyway) approach. Rather than “warts simplicity. He also puts a lot of dialogue the best way to get books I like!) Greg and all,” they give us warts alone. At on the page without guiding or com- Sarris’s wonderful book Grand Avenue, a the end of such a book, not infrequently menting: novel about modern-day Native Ameri- a memoir, I find myself distanced from A few days after mother’s funeral, cans living in Santa Rosa. It’s one of the characters, shaking my head and Grandfather said, “Alexei, you’re those books that never saying, “Wow, are these people f—ed not a medal. You’re only hanging sanctifies its protago- up. I’m glad I don’t know them.” round my neck. You must go out nists—who do harm- Though fascinating in a gory way, some into the world.” ful and stupid things of Dorothy Allison’s stories and Run- at times—yet always ning with Scissors, for example, left me And so I went out into the world. harbors sympathy and with such an impression.* It’s a cliché of That is how volume one of My Childhood treats their experi- writing, of course, that characters ends—utterly without self-pity and ences as significant. I should have flaws, even tragic flaws, equally without literary revenge. The found myself rooting Lita Kurth but what makes us see a flaw as tragic grandfather is not as sympathetic as the for the bumbler, the Contributing Editor rather than pathological? grandmother, but, despite some mon- loser, the character Let’s consider some books that avoid strous actions, he is not a monster. caving in to weakness, and asking both hazards. Grand Avenue is one. Yes, Can sympathy for characters be con- myself, “How did the writer keep me we witness dysfunction, but the camera cocted and rendered on the page if one allied with this character?” To be both shows us more than one photo. A doesn’t feel it? I don’t think so. Maybe truthful and compassionate is one of the woman who paints crosses on her walls part of the writer’s journey involves great difficulties of dramatic writing. with pink fingernail polish “to keep traveling to the limits of our compas- Some writers (and film makers) settle poison away,” and says, “I must kill sion. The reward is an unforgettable for a work that is ninety percent com- Frances. . . . She’s full of poison” also character. WT passion and ten percent truth; the good provides a refuge for her niece, making * Other readers may find the same charac- guys are heroic beyond parallel. If they her three healthy meals a day, and ters sympathetic, of course. have a flaw, it’s some cute little thing struggling to keep her demons at bay. that’s also construable as a virtue, like Though “The Magic Pony” is not a long wearing old ripped clothes. The result is chapter, it shows us the long view, a a too-sweet candy that we eat anyway if history of mistakes, self-knowledge, the good guys are our flavor. It allows expiation, suffering, and attempts to us to join forces with the saints without cope that make the character Faye and scent of eucalyptus sacrificing more than fifty cents (for a her difficulties poignant rather than trail dust and warm cedar oils used book) or seven bucks (for a disgusting, her life complex and sad jogger scuffles by matinee). But those books and movies rather than revolting. —Jamie Miller tend to be labeled “politically correct” Is there a way writers can encourage (if liberal) or “rightwing propaganda” readers to have this response? I wonder (if conservative). Worse, they may be if part of the method for creating this plain hokey and forgettable. Bob effect is the simplicity and concreteness Mondello, an NPR reviewer, com- of the language Sarris employs. He plained that several recent Nazi-related describes Grandma Zelda’s apartment Garibaldi films suffered from “protagonists who plainly, what happens there, what the Swimming oranges, aren’t very interesting . . .” young narrator thinks, yet doesn’t opine oceanic tangerines (www.npr.org) or lead the reader on a leash. This is ripening amidst But I understand writers who don’t how things are, he seems to say. Maybe the gently undulating want to be mistaken for fascist sympa- that approach promotes acceptance in kelp forests, thizers or racists and who worry that if the reader too. as though they tell the whole truth, readers will Another writer who is brilliant at a species of fish balk at the imaginative leap into an describing the mystery and wonder of were an elevated form of unfamiliar race, class, or culture, and characters who are often violent, unfair, fluidic realm instead stand outside, judging and and plain crazy is Gorky. His descrip- forbidden fruit. condemning. Then the vista that writers tion of his grandmother pulls no To Avalon, had hoped to unveil becomes a peep punches and yet draws us closer: “She enchanted capital and only city show instead. was a fat, round woman with a large of the Channel Islands. Other writers don’t worry about that. head, enormous eyes, and a funny, They take a much more hardboiled puffy nose. All black and soft, she was —Stephen C. Wetlesen though equally unsatisfying (to me, terribly fascinating.” Again, great Copyright © 2009 by Stephen C. Wetlesen

February 2009 WritersTalk 13 Mathematics: Teaching and Directory of Experts History; Fibonacci Sequence CWC Do you have specialized knowledge that Marjorie Johnson Around the Bay might help a writer bring authentic detail to [email protected] a scene? If you are willing to share your Philosophy, Religion, Evolution, These are the published meeting times expertise, send a message to Construction, Crafts, Norse and locations for the CWC branches in [email protected] or to the Darwin Mathison the greater San Francisco Bay Area. If club post office box. We will add your [email protected] you’re thinking about attending one of listing to our directory of experts. 510-471-8944 their meetings, be sure to check the website first for details. Asia, Japan, China, Russia Police Procedures Bill Belew John Howsden Berkeley: Meetings are held from 10 [email protected] [email protected] a.m. to noon on the third Saturday of each month, except for July and August. Astrology, Singing Profile Writing Unless otherwise noted, our meetings Sara Aurich Susan Mueller are held at Barnes & Noble bookstore, [email protected] [email protected] in Jack London Square, Event Loft, Astronomy, History of Astronomy Real Estate, Horses, Remodeling, Oakland. Bob Garfinkle Southwest History berkeleywritersclub.org [email protected] Reed Stevens San Francisco/Peninsula: Meets on the Character Development [email protected] ; 408-374-1591 third Saturday of each month from 10 ArLyne Diamond, Ph.D. Teaching and the Arts a.m. to noon at the Belmont Library, [email protected] Betty Auchard 1110 Alameda De Las Pulgas, Belmont. Character Traits [email protected] sfpeninsulawriters.com Jeannine Vegh, M.A. M.F.T.I. Television Production Central Coast: Meets on the third [email protected] Woody Horn Tuesday of each month except Decem- Computer Dingus and 408-266-7040 ber at the Casa Munras Hotel, 700 Full-Time Nerd Munras Avenue, Monterey. The dinner Jeremy Osborne hour begins at 5:30 p.m. and the pro- [email protected] gram begins at 7 p.m. Counseling centralcoastwriters.org Dr. Audry L. Lynch How I make myself happy Mount Diablo: Meets the second [email protected] Saturday of each month, except July Observing the beauty of the world and August, at 11:30 a.m. at the Hun- Engineering: Mechanical, And knowing that one day gry Hunter Restaurant, 3201 Mount Aero, Aerospace surely Diablo Boulevard, Lafayette (corner of Jerry Mulenburg I will die Pleasant Hill Road and Highway 24). [email protected] I see three choices: Growing Great Characters mtdiablowriters.org Heaven or hell from the Ground Up Tri-Valley: Meets the third Saturday of Nothing Martha Engber each month, except July and August, at Something else marthaengber.com 11:30 a.m. at the Oasis Grille, 780 Main marthaengber.blogspot.com I pick number three. Street, Pleasanton. Hiking, Backpacking, Scuba, —Reed Stevens trivalleywriters.com Bicycling, Classic Cars, Running Sacramento: Meets at 11:00 a.m. the Rick Deutsch third Saturday of every month, except [email protected]; 408-888-4752 July and August, at Luau Garden Hospital and Nursing Environment Chinese Buffet, 1890 Arden Way, Maureen Griswold Sacramento 95815. [email protected] Valentine’s, continued from page 1 sacramento-writers.org Internal Medicine/Addiction Disorder/ Recently she has created an alter ego for Marin: Meets on the fourth Sunday of Psychology her more sensual writing, which is every month at 2 p.m. at Book Passage Dave Breithaupt published at Ellora’s Cave, the premier in Corte Madera. [email protected] erotic romance publisher. cwcmarinwriters.com Library Science In addition to writing, Janet works as a Redwood: Meetings are held on the Molly Westmoreland software engineer for a major company first Sunday of the month (except for [email protected] in California. holiday weekends), from 3-5 p.m. at the Marketing and Management Don’t miss this Valentine’s Day Special Star Restaurant, 8501 Gravenstein Hwy, Suzy Paluzzi, MBA on Tuesday, February 10, at 6:00 p.m. at corner of Old Redwood Hwy and Hwy [email protected] the Lookout Inn. WT 116, in Cotati. redwoodwriters.org

14 WritersTalk February 2009 Sunday Myonday Tyuesda Wyednesda Tyhursda Fyrida Saturda 1234567 7:30p Open Mic Barnes & Noble Almaden Plaza, San Jose

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6P Monthly Dinner 7:30P Open Mic 10:30A Editors' Meeting Borders Books Powwow Lookout Inn, Santana Row, Sunnyvale San Jose Esther Erman and Janet Miller 165 17181910212

WritersTalk deadline 7P Open Mic 7:30P Open Mic Barnes & Noble Barnes & Noble 3900 Mowry, Pruneyard, Fremont Campbell

232 24252627282

7:30P Open Mic Borders Books Sunnyvale February 2009

Tuesday, Mar. 10 Future Flashes Ellen Sussman

SBW Poets San Jose Poetry Slam Stay Informed! (Est. 1998) The San Jose Poetry Center is turning its 8:00 p.m., $6.00 Sign up for the SBW Email List to eyes toward SBW with an interest in receive meeting and event showcasing our poets at its monthly First Tuesday: Open Mic with music by announcements. readings. PCSJ’s host and member of Rebelskamp South Bay Writers Linda Lappin is www.southbaywriters.com Second and Fourth Tuesdays: Poetry making a personal request. Are you a Slam with music by Jay Rush poet? Would you like to read your work? If your answer is yes, contact Third Tuesday: Head-to-Head Poetry Linda by email at Bouts with special guests. South Bay Writers [email protected] and have a At The Britannia Arms Open Mic look at PCSJ’s website, www.pcsj.org 173 W Santa Clara Downtown San Jose Read from your own work, from your www.sanjosepoetryslam.com favorite authors, or just come to listen. See calendar for schedule. SBW Writers’ Forum Poetry Center San Jose Readings Contact Bill Baldwin Events (408) 730-9622 or email Conferences [email protected] Contests First Gallery downtown Willow Glen Books For Fremont Open Mic contact Networking Cosponsored by the Jeannine Vegh Resources Creative Writing Department at [email protected] SBW Author Events San José State University or and News at Free admission. Bob Garfinkle southbaywriters.com See www.pcsj.org for featured guests [email protected] and details.

February 2009 WritersTalk 15 California Writers Club South Bay Branch P.O. Box 3254 Santa Clara, CA 95055

www.southbaywriters.com

MAIL TO

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Next Monthly Meeting Tuesday, February 10, 6:00 p.m. Lookout Inn 605 Macara Avenue, Sunnyvale At the Sunnyvale Golf Course A Valentine’s Special Romance Writers Esther Erman and Janet Miller See front cover for details.

February Release! Who Are Our Friends? South Bay Writers Anthology Order copies online at southbaywriters.com or purchase at meetings beginning in March.