Southern Sampler Redux

Studio Art Chair John Hull, Historic Preservation and Community Planning Director Robert Russell and Left Coast Writer Greg Fuller

In April some of our writers return to the South again for a week-long workshop at the Southern Sampler Artists Colony on Sullivan’s Island, led by Left Coast Writers® Founder, Linda Watanabe McFerrin.
It’s been an annual pilgrimage for years, one that always includes integration with the arts and literary community of Charleston, South Carolina.SSAC_logo_sm
It’s fun to look back. Greg Fuller and SSAC Founders Mary Brent Cantarutti and Martha Greenway mix and mingle, along with our other writers, with College of Charleston professors and administrators at this arts celebration. Our Founder’s favorite: the painting in the last photo. Check it out here.

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Community and the Crossroad: A Southern Sampler April 16-23 2013

Sharing the Creative Journey …

SSAC is proud to offer a Writing and Creative Retreat with award-winning author Linda Watanabe McFerrin

Sample the language of the South, weave collective stories to be embellished in time, discover the layers, textures and hues of historical Charleston, wander in enchanting gardens, swing low to a sweet jazz beat, picnic under a canopy of live oaks, break bread with local writers, artists and musicians.

One-on-one direction on your literary and creative projects: renew your spirit—stir the creative juices — walk the beaches — daily prompts designed to foster life-enhancing experiences.

How It All Started . . . (more…)

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Business/Legal Side of Writing with Daniel Riviera

Notable News: Daniel Riviera has a new class at Book Passage in Corte Madera that we recommend for all writers. He will cover many of the business and legal issues that writers face. Topics include source materials and potential liability; collaboration agreements; protecting and submitting your work; agency and management agreements; option/purchase agreements; crowd-funding; self-publication; electronic rights. Q & A session to follow presentation. (more…)

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Paris Like You’ll Never See It Again: One Spot Left

ParisInvitation!_sPOTENTIAL WANDERLANDERS …

PARIS ALERT!!!!!

Chers Amis,

The rumor is true … this year’s writing adventure will be our own “September Song” in Paris.

Please join us for the week of September 9-15 in one of three spacious apartments in a charming Left Bank neighborhood.

Join us for walks among the falling leaves along the Seine, for soulful sits in famous literary cafés, for sumptuous dining, for exploring Paris’s varied and magical arrondissements by Métro, bus and on foot.

Come with us for literature, both to create it through our own writing, honed during five workshops and individual one-on-one sessions, and through connecting with great writers who have lived and worked there before us and some who live and play there today. (more…)

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Great reviews for Riding Fury Home

As we all know our very own Left Coast Writer Chana Wilson has recently put out an amazing new book, Riding Fury Home.  Of course it has received many glowing reviews, and we’d like to share some with all of you.  Click the titles of the publication for the full review:

“As a work of socially relevant art, this memoir is above reproach. As a historical document, it is both lamentation of a shameful past and evidence of how far we’ve come.”
-Elizabeth Kenndedy, SF Chronicle

“It quickly becomes clear from the beginning pages of this memoir that although Chana Wilson is a first-time author, she is a masterful storyteller. This book is almost impossible to put down…”
-Rachel Pepper, The Bay Area Reporter

There are also great reviews in The Advocate, SF Weekly, and Seattle’s The Stanger, among others.

You can also read more about Chana’s book on her website, Facebook page, or buy a copy on Amazon or at a bookstore near you!

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New Left Coast Writers Monthly Workshop

Linda Watanabe McFerrinThird Monday of the Month for 12 months – 6:30-8:30 pm
For the whole year: Only $200 / $150 for Left Coast Writers® members
$40 Drop-in fee

Finally, the writing group everyone has been asking for … and it’s only around $10 a month for Left Coast Writers® members! Get in on the latest Left Coast Writers® literary adventure: The Left Coast Writers® Monthly Writers Group.

Bring your work and your imagination as well as humor, honesty, and attention to an evening of sharing recent writings, discussion on craft, and fabulous literary prompts. Either author/instructors Linda Watanabe McFerrin or Joanna Biggar will be on hand to contribute editorial direction and orchestrate sessions. This is a chance to get feedback on your work and hone your skills in a stimulating, supportive, and highly professional environment.

This workshop is designed to help writers across genres get their creative juices flowing and to hone and polish their craft. Each workshop will focus on a particular writing skill, for example: vivid writing through evoking the senses, structuring a piece from opening to close, the all-important nutgraph, finding a voice, “making it sing.”

Each class will include using a prompt, followed by in-class writing time, followed by a discussion of the participants’ work. These sessions will be tailored to the aims and goals of the students once we know better what they are.

Bring paper, pens, laptop and bring your imagination.

JoBiggar_sLeft Coast Writers® are well known for their books, essays, articles and blogs, so you will be in super company. The group will meet the third Monday of every month at Book Passage in Corte Madera. Don’t miss out. Call them up (415 927 0960) and sign up before the doors close on this one!

Upcoming Workshops:
Mon., Mar. 19 – 6:30-8:30 pm
Mon., Apr. 16 – 6:30-8:30 pm

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Our V-Day Recommendation!

Eve and Isabel_s

For V-Day! Here’s an event we think everyone should attend:

Eve Ensler and Isabel Allende in conversation, for one evening only!

If you live even remotely near the Bay Area, it is well worth coming to hear these two inspiring women talk about activism, women and girls, and the power of stories.

Eve is the Tony Award-winning author of The Vagina Monologues and founder of V-Day, the global movement to end violence against women and girls. Eve will blow you away and Isabel will get you through it. Together they will fill you with hope. (more…)

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Judith Horstman Reads in Corte Madera

Judith_Horstman Also on February 11th Judith Horstman will be reading from her newest book, The Scientific American Book of Love, Sex, and the Brain: The Neuroscience of How, When, Why and Who We Love. She will be at Book Passage at the same time as the Left Coast Writers Pre-Valentine’s Day Lovefest, and we hope she will stop by for a toast.

In her third enthralling book about the brain, Judith Horstman takes us on a lively tour of our most important sex and love organ and the whole smorgasbord of our many kinds of love-from the bonding of parent and child to the passion of erotic love, the affectionate love of companionship, the role of animals in our lives, and the love of God.

“This wonderful and accessible book will definitely make you rethink what you thought you knew about love. It does an outstanding job making a tremendous amount of data about such an important topic easy and fun to understand.”
—Andrew Newberg, MD, director of research, Myrna Brind Center for Integrative Medicine, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital; coauthor, How God Changes Your Brain

Judith Horstman is an award-winning journalist who writes about health and medicine for doctors as well as the general public. She has been a Washington correspondent, a journalism professor, a Fulbright scholar, and has written and edited in just about any medium including newspapers, newsletters, special health publications, radio, video, the Internet, annual reports and books.

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Left Coast Writers: Hot Flashes Pre-Valentine’s Day Promotion

Hot Flashes 2 CoverHot Flashes: more sexy little stories and poems is having a pre-Valentine’s Day Promotion at Book Passage!

In the spirit of pairs, Book Passage is offering this special deal:

From January 2nd to February 14th, there is a “buy one, get one free” Hot Flashes: more sexy little stories and poems pre-Valentine’s Day Promotion at Book Passage (415-927-0960). Just let them know that you want a free copy when you purchase!

So buy the book for yourself, give the free copy to friend or lover, and join the editors for a lovely in-store party on 2/12/12 with a reading, entertainment, a sexy raffle and more!

There will be wine and chocolate and … who knows? … you might win a super special prize.

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Read at Garagiste Healdsburg

Garagiste Healdsburg, 439 Healdsburg Avenue,  Healdsburg, CA 95448, is a lovely winery and venue in Healdsburg that has asked if any Left Coast Writers would like to come and read during one of their Friday “Artist Evenings”.  You can read for a crowd and sell books at the venue afterwards any Friday night from 6:00-7:30!  Contact them here.

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