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We're pleased to announce that nominations are NOW OPEN for the Executive Board of CWC-Berkeley.
Kristen Caven (President) and Henry Hitz (Treasurer) will run again for their current positions. The vacant slots we need to fill are for Secretary/co-Secretary, and Vice President, and nominations (and self-nominations) are welcome for all positions. The term is from July 1, 2018 to June 30, 2019. Help us continue to make our organization vibrant and impactful.
Please email your nomination to: Christine E. Volker, christineevolker@gmail.com, or contact her if you have questions. Thank you!
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In Every Issue
Member News
Club News
State News
Articles
Features
Members Only
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Member News
Edited by Carolyn Doyle
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Have you got news? Let us know! Send a short description with particulars, plus links and images if you have them, to writeangles@gmail.com!
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 Happy Birthday Bobbie!
Bobbie Kinkead celebrates a milestone with creativity.
Bobbie Kinkead celebrated her 75th birthday with an Art opening at Daredevils & Queens in Santa Rosa.
 Bobbie's art exhibit will be up through March 31st... Click the image for details! Bobbie is a professional storyteller and the author of Rhyonna's Fright. Learn more at www.bobbietales.com
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Christine Volker
Great news from a great writer
 Christine Volker's debut novel, Venetian Blood: Murder in a Sensuous City, is a finalist in contemporary fiction for the Sarton Women's Book Award. An excerpt from her unpublished manuscript, Jaguar Moon, was a finalist for the 2018 an Francisco Writers Conference contest. The Venetian Blood audiobook, narrated by Gabrielle de Cuir, will become available in late March. "I can't believe how lucky I was to find Gabrielle," Christine said. "In addition to having a lovely voice, she grew up in Rome and can perfectly pronounce the Italian sprinkled through my book."
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3 Club Authors Celebrate Endings & Beginnings
Join us for dinner and a reading this week.
For six months, Kristen Caven's Writing Spa was an inspiring, serene writing room where four serious writers produced great independent work writing for change and healing.
Join us for a reading and convivial celebration of the closing of this space and the positive new beginnings that it has created.
RSVP for dinner reservations at 6pm, or come at 7pm for a glass of wine, a tour of the space, and readings by Kristen Caven, Lyndsey Ellis, Linda L. Brown and Laurie Panther.
Say you’re coming on Facebook!
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Sheryl Bize Boutte
a positive review & a poetry reading
Sheryl Bize-Boutte submitted this review of her new book, Running for the 2:10, by writer and teacher JD DeHart:
 "... Running for the 2:10 by Sheryl J. Bize-Boutte packs much experience in for the reader. Each chapter is a kind of reflective essay from the author. What I appreciated most here is the way Bize-Boutte shares her true-to-life narrative in what Amazon calls a series autobiographical short stories. For its exploration of culture along with personal story, I probably enjoyed "Little Girl Gone Under in the Jambalaya Sea" best...and what a great title for a chapter!"
Sheryl will again be hosting the poetry month reading at Montclair Library, featuring Cristina Deptula, another CWC writer. Don't miss it! Tuesday, April 24, 6-8pm at the charming Montclair Library.
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Ruth Weisman
Member & Author of How the Moon Became Dim
Ruth Weisman would like to share some exciting news about her 90-year old mother. See the press release HERE.
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Did you know the CWC-BB website hosts a list of published members? Check under the "Our Members" tab on the website!
If you have published books, short stories, articles, etc. and are a current member of CWC-BB, you are eligible for a listing. Especially if there are links to your work!
To be included, fill out this form.
ALSO send a headshot (100dpi width min.) to jsa@joannsmithainsworth.com.
— JoAnn Ainsworth, PM Page Webmaster
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REVIEWS OF OUR MEMBERS BOOKS
One of the best parts of a writers club is trading books, meeting new minds, being in awe of your new friends. Make the commitment to read and review at least ONE book by a fellow member each year. Send a copy of your review to writeangles@gmail.com... show how we are all in the presence of greatness!
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One member describes our club as "a great home base for all kinds of writers." This is what's happening in our branch.
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~ CLUB EVENTS ~
Past & Future
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Bookstore Owners Panel Discussion 3/18/18
Meet the owners of Laurel Bookstore, A Great Good Place for Books, and Walden Pond
This is an Event You Won’t Want to Miss!
No matter what kind of writing you do, you want to be in bookstores. But how do the buyers for those book stores decide what to carry? There are 100,000 new books published every year, that’s an enormous amount of competition for a limited amount of shelf space.
Did you know that stores like Barnes and Noble charge a fee to be featured on a table, or even to have your book facing out on the shelf? Learn how the Indie bookstores do it! How do you get into the local authors shelf? What sorts of things are book buyers looking for? These questions and more will be addressed at our monthly meeting on March 18th at Preservation Park.
The Panel Discussion begins at 2:45, but come at noon to take advantage of our group discussions, improve your craft and marketing, and fill up on coffee, snacks and good conversation.
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Spring Speakers
Watch for these exiting upcoming events!
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Art in the Park with CWC 5/12
Save the date for a spectacular retreat!
 Writers & artists, come for a day of quiet creativity in Joaquin Miller Park to celebrate Oakland’s Art Month. We will meet informally at our “home base” and generate new work with inspiration from the “minister of the woods.”
- Who: Sketch artists, painters, literary and performing artists living in or visiting Oakland
- What: A generative gathering in community ~ includes a short briefing on the history of “The Hights,” Joaquin Miller’s arts retreat in the Oakland Hills, an optional Literary History Hike, and a picnic lunch.
- When: Saturday, May 12, 2018, 10am – 3pm Come all day, come early and stay for lunch at 12, or come for lunch at 12 and stay the afternoon.
- Where: Joaquin Miller Park ~ Meet at the Ranger Station*, 3540 Sanborn Drive, Oakland (94602). Note: The Community Center (3594 Sanborn Dr.) often comes up on a Google search. Same entrance: across the parking lot from the Ranger Station
Bring paper and pens, easels and paints, something to drink and something to share, a serving utensil and a $5-15 donation. The Berkeley Branch of the California Writers Club will provide napkins and paper plates.
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 Are there local writers you would like to hear speak to our club?
Do you know any amazing writers who might like to speak to our club?
Please send suggestions or make introductions to our Speaker Chair, Kymberlie Ingalls, via email at speakers.cwc.berkeley@gmail.com.
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Half Year Member Drive!
Only $42.50 for January thru June
Please tell your friends it's time for our half-year membership special! Send them to our website's About>Membership page for all the information. They need to fill out an application AND submit payment.
Welcome New Members!
Kermit Heartsong,
Sarah Wilson &
Dorothy (Dot) Edwards!
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Win Books by Members!
Donate to get your book SEEN! Every month!
Our member raffle has become quite the thing! Published authors, please donate something from your frontlist or backlist to our next meeting ("hurt" books are fine). Using raffle proceeds, the club will be the first one to purchase your next new book when it is published! Get raffle tickets for $1 each or 6 for $5. ALSO... now every meeting attendee receives a FREE raffle ticket! We also welcome donated bottles of wine and gift certificates.
One of these fine books could be YOURS! Buy more raffle tickets!
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Submit to LitQuake
Be part of the action!
Since 1999, San Francisco's annual Litquake literary festival has drawn booklovers of all types to enjoy words and ideas, straight from the artists' mouths. This year's festival dates will be October 11-20, 2018.
Submissions are now open for San Francisco's annual LitQuake festival! You are more than welcome to apply to be included on a potential panel or to do a reading from your work sometime during this weeklong series of events throughout the city in October. Submissions are open until May and the festival organizers will let you know whether they have room for your presentation this year by August.
LitQuake focuses on authors who are connected in some way to the Bay Area, who have had something published within the past two years, and who can speak well in public. They ask for a cover letter, short bio, and a writing sample, which you may send them here: https://litquake.submittable.com/submit
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“How To CWC”
Here are some TIPS for getting the most out of the CWC:
Add the CWC Calendars to your digital calendar! Put each of these links in the “Insert from URL” or equivalent box in your program:
 Members only events:
https://calendar.google.com/calendar/ical/berkeley.cwc%40gmail.com/public/basic.ics
Public events:
https://calendar.google.com/calendar/ical/web.cwc.berkeley%40gmail.com/public/basic.ics
You can show and hide these calendars on your device, and copy events to your own calendar as well.
This is also on the website at https://cwc-berkeley.org/programs-events/calendar-of-events/
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Here's what's happening at the state level, and/or in other branches.
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Marin Writers Conference
The Marin Branch is hosting Marin Writers Conference 2018 on April 22, featuring a keynote by (Berkeley CWC Branch member) Michael Larsen, a first-page editing workshop by editor Mary Rakow, a self-publishing panel with David Kudler and Ruth Schwartz from Bay Area Independent Publishers Association (BAIPA), and pitching sessions with agents. We have Kimberly Cameron, Dorian Maffei, Peter Beren, Carlise Weber, and Jennifer March Suloway.
—submitted by (Berkeley Branch member) John Byrne Barry, author of Wasted: Murder in the Recycle Berkeley Yard and Bones in the Wash: Politics is Tough, Family is Tougher (winner of the 2015 Best Book Award from Bay Area Independent Publishers Association)
greennoir.com bonesinthewash.com
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Central Board Nominations
A letter from the Mother Ship
At the January 28, 2018 Central Board Strategic Planning meeting, President Joyce Krieg appointed me, Bob Isbill, as the Nominating Committee Chairman. I am therefore in the process of putting together a slate of CWC members to stand for election this coming July for a one year term. Those interested in running for any of the Central Board offices are encouraged to contact me at risbill@aol.com or phone 760.221.6367.
Those offices to be elected are: President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer. Any CWC member in good standing is eligible to run for Secretary or Treasurer. Eligibility to stand for President or Vice-President requires that the person be on Active status within their own branch, and that the nominee be a member of the Central Board for one year out of the last five years. Therefore, there are members who are not presently on the Central Board who wold be eligible to stand for those offices.
The person elected to any of the four offices except for the office of President would automatically become the home branch's Central Board Representative.
Please refer to the CWC Policies & Procedures which can be found at www.calwriters.org for further information on job descriptions and election rules.
The Central Board is also considering an appointed position as Executive Director who would assist the President in gathering information from the branch representatives to complete timely reports. AT this point in its formative stages, the position would not require travel away from home, but mostly communication over the Internet via emails and the collection of necessary reports.
If you would be interested in such a position, please contact Bob Isbill at risbill@aol.com.
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Thank you to Berkeley Branch members Tim Jollymore and Lynn Fraley for representing the CWC booth at the San Francisco Writers Conference!
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Submit articles about craft, business, opportunities, or writing advice to writeangles@gmail.com!
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Strike a Pose
Optimizing Your Goodreads Author Profile Picture
 One of the last things writers probably think about when publishing their books is their author photo, and yet it's one of the most important things about your author brand after your name. Check the back flap of any published book and you'll likely find a headshot of the author, and you'll see a similar one used online. Readers want to find out what authors look like, if only to satisfy their own curiosity.
You don't need to hire a professional photographer to take your portrait—a cell phone camera and some good lighting will do.
Here are a few tips for putting your best face forward...
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Are You Self-Sabotaging your Creative Career?
Watch for these warning signs...
By Leanne Regalla, Making Creativity Pay
 You’ve probably wondered if you have what it takes.
You love creating, whether it’s plucking out a story or a song, producing a new show, capturing a sunrise to preserve a moment forever, or crafting that silver into wearable art.
But when it comes to making good money at what you do? That’s a different story.
There are so many things that you’re juggling, and they’re all important.
It’s easy to let things the things you don’t like to do slide, to rationalize or make excuses, or to tell yourself you’ll get around to them someday.
On top of that, you have to deal with all those nagging fears and doubts –
- “I’m not good at business,”
- ”I don’t think I can ever learn to manage all this,”
- “There’s just no money in music/photography/poetry,” or the big one,
- “Does it really matter what I do? Would anyone even notice if I quit?”
We’ve all been there.
The hard truth? You can’t know for sure
I can’t tell you if you have what it takes to reach whatever success means to you. No one can. But the reality is that there arewarning signs that your dream business is on shaky ground, and it wouldn’t be fair for me to lie and tell you otherwise.
These are some of the most common mistakes creative entrepreneurs make. Many of these are traps I fell into myself at one time, and some I still work on.
The good news is that none of these signs are a death sentence and all are fixable – but don’t fool yourself. They are critical. If you ignore any of these areas long enough, they’ll cause a great deal of pain and heartache – and maybe spell the end of your dream.
As you read through these points, understand that none of these make you a failure personally. They just mean that your business could fail if you don’t take them seriously.
Signs you’re sabotaging yourself
Do you ever feel like you’d do just fine if you could only get out of your own damned way? Here are just a few ways you might be holding yourself back.
Continue reading here...
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This section honors Oakland's lively literary scene with clips of fresh writing by members. Send a short short (500 words max), an excerpt and a link, or a poem to writeangles@gmail.com!
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Petals and Posies
by Stephanie Polanco
Rip, Rip
Yellow tumbles down
As the girls all grin
Staring down at it.
Rip, Rip
Remove all of the leaves
So that they aren’t seen
They’re unnecessary
Rip, Rip
Peel apart the stem
Its clear liquid stains
The palms of all their hands
Rip, Rip
Drop the veins, acid
As if that’d revive it
Rip, Rip
Squeeze the broken head
Dry, save it for display.
RIP, RIP
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 Mailing list etiquette? What are your rules, your manners, your preferences and your peeves?
Reply with an emoji or an opinion on our Facebook page!
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