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Members who wish to submit a blog entry should send it to sandiegowriterseditorsguild@gmail.com. A review committee will consider each submission for membership interest and may suggest edits before publishing the submission to the blog. For more information, see Blog or Be Blogged.

  • 19 Jul 2021 11:30 AM | Anonymous


    The debut novel “Down Under” by  Georgia Faye launched on Amazon in July.  This  romantic  summer read is set in Australia, where a free spirited girl finds herself in a love triangle between two suitors. 

    Amazon is offering it free on Kindle on Wednesday, July 21 only.

  • 9 Jul 2021 2:44 PM | Andrea Glass (Administrator)

    Bio: I had an extremely satisfying and productive 35-year career as a university professor. During 24 of those years I also held the position of public information officer for my local fire department.  My significant writing accomplishments have included four college textbooks, 39 refereed journal articles, and 20 workbooks and learning kits for high school students. Until now all my publications have been nonfiction. My husband and I love living in San Diego. We enjoy the weather, our friends, the cultural opportunities, and the awesome beaches—especially clothing-optional Blacks Beach. Travel is always high on our to-do list. In addition to writing I do a significant amount of volunteer work in our community.

    Contact:  stuauthor@gmail.com.  

     Link to Amazon: There's a direct link on each page of my website as well.

     What aspect of writing are you involved in? 

    My current writing involves two projects:  my next novel and writing a monthly column.  The working title of the novel I'm now working on is I’ll be Naked at Six This is fully outlined and much of it is in draft form.  The story follows Eddie Saul, the main character in my first novel, Lights On – Clothes Off, from graduate school to present day, as he reveals all his exhibitionist adventures. The column is called “Sans Clothing” and it appears in Diversity Rules Magazine.  I’m hoping to find other homes for my column and currently I’m in discussions with two other monthly publications.

     What first attracted you to writing? 

    As a professor at a publish or perish university, writing and being published was a requirement. However, that wasn’t a chore for me as I enjoyed research and sharing my results in professional publications. All my university writing was quite satisfying as I always felt I was sharing information that would help college and high school students with their careers. And I must admit that much of my professional writing was quite lucrative.

    How long have you been writing?

    As a child I liked writing for fun.  I became serious about my writing when I was a college student in the late 60s. 

    As a writer, what kind of books do you write? Any published?

    All the following have been published:  Four college textbooks, 39 refereed journal articles, and 20 educational materials for high school students.

    What are you working on now?

    I have a couple of writing ideas brewing but I’m not ready to share those. 

    How long have you been a member of SDWEG and why did you join?

    I’ve been a member since 2017.  I joined because I was embarking on a new writing adventure, a first for me, a novel. I had a lot to learn and an author friend of mine suggested that I would benefit from the classes and workshops offered by the Guild.

    What benefits have you gained as a member? 

    At just about every formal presentation and at every marketing program I’ve learned techniques for writing and marketing. In addition, I’ve met quite a few accomplished authors who’ve been willing to answer my questions and give me advice.  That’s always greatly appreciated.

    What’s something unique or special about you, that you’d like others to know? 

    Because of the topic of my current writing I’m often asked if I’m an exhibitionist. I let everyone know that my first college job in 1964 was posing for art classes.  Those were the days when male models were in high demand and those who were willing to pose nude were paid at a significantly higher rate than those who posed in underwear or a bathing suit. I needed the money and became instantly comfortable standing sans clothing in a room full of artists. In fact, I still pose for art classes. So, when I’m asked, I share my posing experience and remind everyone that the rest of my book’s story is a novel. They have to decide what’s fact and what’s fiction.

    What request do you have of other members? (joint venture promotions, launch team, referrals, reviews, advance readers…)

    My only request is to continue with the valuable programming. I still have lots to learn. And, of course, I’m hoping members offer suggestions to help me improve my writing and that they post reviews on Amazon.

  • 8 Jul 2021 3:30 AM | Deleted user
    This year’s event features an amazing line-up of authors and speakers. Headlining the first day of the 2-day festival (July 17th) will be former SNL original cast member, Laraine Newman, to talk about her recent memoir, May You Live in Interesting Times. Also featured that day will be world’s bestselling author James Patterson with co-writer First Sergeant (ret) Matt Eversmann discussing their new book, Walk in My Combat Boots: True Stories from America’s Bravest Warriors. A member of 75th Ranger Regiment, Eversmann was immortalized in the epic film Black Hawk Down.

    Featured on the second day of the festival (July 31st) will be Award-winning NYT bestselling author, Tayari Jones, to talk about the craft of writing and in a later program, her most recent book, An American Marriage. Also featured will be multi-award winning and bestselling author of the Jack Reacher series [that have been adapted for film starring Tom Cruise], Lee Child, discussing the art of mystery writing. In addition will be bestselling author, Rabbi Steve Leder, discussing his book The Beauty of What Remains in conversation with Dean Nelson about life, death, and grief.

     


    WE WILL BE LIVE STREAMING THE ENTIRE FESTIVAL ON FACEBOOK FROM ONE CONVENIENT LINK: 
    You don’t need to have a fb account to watch - just click on the link below.

    Facebook Live Link (SDWF):

    https://www.facebook.com/sandiegowritersfestival/live/

     


  • 7 Jul 2021 3:59 AM | Deleted user
    The San Diego Union-Tribune Festival of Books
    Virtual Event Series

    Join us this Thursday, July 8 at 11 a.m. PDT for a reading of
    “Pokko and the Drum” on Facebook

    Pokko and the Drum by Carrie Hasler

    Children’s storytime with professional surfer,
    Rob Machado. 

     

    About the book: 
    "Pokko and the Drum" is written and illustrated by
    Carrie Hasler and illustrated by Jan Smith.

    Pokko takes the drum gifted by her parents into the deep quiet forest to play. Before she knows it, she is joined by a band of animals. Soon the entire forest is following her. Will Pokko hear her father’s voice when he calls her home?


    For more info, visit sdfestivalofbooks.com.

    Photo courtesy of Todd Glaser.

    Upcoming Virtual Events 

     

    July 15 at 12:30 p.m. PDT - Author Q&A with Kelly Senyei, “The Secret Ingredient Cookbook” and Sam Zien, “Sam the Cooking Guy: Recipes with Intentional Leftovers”

    July 22 at 11 a.m. PDT – Children’s storytime with Taylor Knox

    July 29 at 11 a.m. PDT - Children’s storytime with Kristina Audencial

    Aug. 5 at 12:30 p.m. PDT - Author Q&A with Viet Thanh Nguyen, “The Committed”


    For more info, click here

    SAVE THE DATE FOR OUR
    FIFTH ANNUAL FESTIVAL OF BOOKS!

    AUG. 21, 2021


  • 4 Jul 2021 2:41 AM | Deleted user


    San Diego Writer's Guild Life Member and Odin Award Winner Richard Lederer announces that his new book Richard Lederer's Ultimate Book of Literary Trivia (Waterside Productions) will be published on July 15. 

    • What fictional detective survived an attempted murder by his creator? 
    • Whose gravestone bears the inscription "The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated"?
    • Who was the single mother, living on state benefits, whose series of fantastic novels made her the richest writer in England?

    Richard Lederer's Ultimate Book of Literary Trivia lives up to its title by offering a treasure chest of amazing facts, curiosities, and quizzes about your favorite authors and their works. Looking back at the Bible, mythology, and Shakespeare and moving up to a library of contemporary writers. Literary Trivia promises bright days of entertainment and enlightenment for the  passionate book lover.

    Answers: Sherlock Holmes, Mark Twain, J.K. Rowling.

    Richard Lederer - in his own words

    Not long ago, I visited a nearby progressive elementary school and chatted for about forty-five minutes with the sixth graders about the joys of language and the writing life. One of the boys in the class asked me, “Dr. Lederer, where do you get your ideas for your books?”

    Photo by Kim Treffinger

    Ever since I became a writer, I had found that question the most difficult to answer and had only recently come up with an analogy that I thought would satisfy both my audience and me. Pouncing on the opportunity to unveil my spanking new explanation, I countered with, “Where does the spider get its web?”

     

    The idea, of course, was that the spider is not aware how it spins out its intricate and beautiful patterns with the silky material that is simply a natural part of itself. Asking a writer to account for the genesis of his or her ideas is as futile as asking a spider the source of its web and method of its construction. The young man, in response to my question, appeared thoughtful for a moment. Then he looked me squarely in the eye and shot right back, “The spider gets its web from its butt!”

    I checked out the boy’s assertion, and, sure enough, spiders do produce their silk from glands located in their posteriors. The glands open through tiny spinnerets located at the hind end of the abdomen. Well, it may be that for lo these many years I’ve been talking and writing through my butt, but that doesn’t stop me from being an unrepentant verbivore.

     I was the kind of child who, almost as soon as he could talk, saw a butterfly and cooed, “Oh, goody. A butterfly will flutter by.” Even as a high-school student, I knew that Elvis Presley, born three years before me, would become immortal because I saw that “Elvis Lives” is a two-word anagram.Still, I entered Haverford College as a pre-medical student but soon found that I was reading the chemistry books for their literary value. I became an English major and then attended Harvard Law School, where I found that I read the law cases for their literary value. So rather than fighting my verbivorous instincts, I switched into a Masters of Arts and Teaching program at Harvard. That led to a position at St. Paul’s School, in Concord, NH, where I taught English and media for 27 wonderful years. I would have gladly served them all their days, but my earning a Ph.D. in English and Linguistics from the University of New Hampshire inspired me to write my books on language. The enthusiastic popular response to these books, beginning with Anguished English, gave me the opportunity to leave the St. Paul’s community to extend my mission of teachership.

    That’s what I do now, as a fly-by-the-roof-of-the-mouth user- friendly English teacher, Wizard of Idiom, Attila the Pun, and Conan the Grammarian.

    Photo by Hoffman Photographic

    More than a million of my books have been sold, most with Pocket Books, Bantam Doubleday Dell, St. Martin’s Press, Gibbs Smith, and Marion Street Press. My books have been Book-of-the-Month Club and Literary Guild alternate selections, and my work has appeared in  the New York Times, Sports Illustrated, AARP, National Review, and Reader’s Digest. I have appeared in the likes of Plexus,  The ToastmasterFarmers’ AlmanacMensa BulletinLanguage, Annals of Improbable ResearchWord Ways: The Journal of Recreational Linguistics, and Journal of Court Reporters.

    As a San Diegan, I am button-burstingly proud to announce that my column, “Lederer on Language,” appears weekly in the San Diego Union-Tribune.

    I have broadcast regularly on a number of major market public and clear-channel commercial radio stations, including KPBS in San Diego and KSFO in San Francisco. I have appeared a number of times on just about every major radio station in the U.S., including Larry King radio, the Osgood Files, G. Gordon Liddy, Tom Snyder, Roy Leonard, Dave Maynard, David Brudnoy, and Jordan Rich, and television shows, such as the Today Show, and CNN Prime Time. I have been elected International Punster of the Year and Toastmasters International’s Golden Gavel by Toastmasters International winner.

    For those organizations that need a brief biography about me for an introduction, please go to the statement I have prepared under the Public Speaking tab.

    Visit Richard's website at verbivore.com

  • 2 Jul 2021 2:27 AM | Deleted user


    Most important—Don’t be fooled into thinking there is only one way.

    There is no single guaranteed path to producing a best selling book. Asking yourself a few questions before you start, after you start, once you finish your first draft, after your book is published, and in the years that follow may help you find the right starting point for you at that moment in time. You might even find more than one place to start.

    Here I offer 16 questions to get you to start thinking, with links to more information. All of them are suggestions, not ingredients in a book-making recipe.

    Caveat: I list resources here that I know of, but including a resource is not an endorsement. Do your own research into writing coaches, for example, by checking their references before making a commitment.

    Sixteen questions to ask and answer if you want to be a writer. Subsequent posts on the dates indicated below will provide links to resources based on your answers to these questions.

    Questions requiring research to answer

    1. Do you have a story or idea in mind? July 2
    2. Do you know who your audience is? July 5
    3. Does your audience want books? July 6
    4. Is your book idea fiction, memoir, or creative nonfiction based on history? July 8

    Questions regarding writing

    5. Do you have an outline, summary, or synopsis for your story? July 9
    6. Have your written a first draft? July 12
    7. Have you had your draft edited by a developmental editor? July 13
    8. Have you had your draft reviewed by beta readers or manuscript reviewers? July 15

    Questions regarding book production

    9. Do you want to publish your book through a traditional publisher? July 16
    10. Do you know what indie authors must do for themselves? July 19
    11. Do you have an agent? July 20

    Questions regarding marketing and publicity

    12. Has your agent sold the publishing rights for your book? July 22
    13. Do you have a marketing plan for the lead up to the launch of your book? July 23
    14. Has the book been published? July 26
    15. Do you have a marketing plan for the continued promotion of the book? July 27

    Nonfiction research

    16. Do others consider you an expert on the topic of your nonfiction book? July 29


    Sandra YeamanSandra Yeaman retired from the US Department of State in 2007 after 23 years as a Foreign Service Officer. As a management officer, she served at US embassies in Qatar, Barbados, Moldova, the United Arab Emirates, Yemen, Madagascar, Zambia, and Eritrea. In addition, she served in consular positions in Germany and Barbados and previously taught English as a Foreign Language in Iran and Romania.

    She is familiar with Arabic, Farsi, German, Romanian, Russian, and Spanish. Her experiences overseas brought her in touch with underserved minorities and religious groups out of favor with the current government. These experiences provide her with a sensitivity in her writing and editing not easily attained by others.

    These changes in environment and cultures challenged her notion of what success is. What made it possible for her to thrive in the midst of the change is the solid foundation she received in her childhood years in northern Minnesota.

    Since retirement, Sandra has been writing her story and her journey from a young woman seeking adventure to a mature woman who found her mission. She hopes to complete her novel in 2021 and looks forward to gaining the expertise in the full range of pre-publication book preparation and marketing.


  • 30 Jun 2021 9:33 PM | Anonymous


    The 2021 NILA Writers Cider Toast writing conference will take place on August 7 and 8, 2021.

    The conference is a favorite of NILA alumni and is open to authors around the world, 

    There is a $60 fee to join the conference, and we suggest you go to the EventBrite page to learn more.

    To find links to the live Zoom events featuring Noah Lukeman, Geraldine Woods, Eric Witchey, Deb Lund, and more, visit:

    https://www.eventbrite.com/e/nila-writers-cider-toast-2021-tickets-152928008791

    You can also find updates, community content, documents from speakers, insider scoops, and more at the their Facebook group linked below:

    https://www.facebook.com/groups/274035497609514

  • 30 Jun 2021 3:49 AM | Deleted user
    The San Diego Union-Tribune Festival of Books
    Virtual Event Series

    Join The San Diego Union-Tribune this Thursday, July 1 at 12:30 p.m. PDT with author Kawai Strong Washburn on Facebook. Moderated by Phyllis Pfeiffer of the La Jolla Light. 

    Kawai Strong Washburn

    Kawai Strong Washburn was born and raised on the Hamakua coast of Hawaii’s Big Island. His work has appeared in Best American Nonrequired Reading, McSweeney’s and Electric Literature’s Recommended Reading, among other outlets. He now lives with his wife and daughters in Minneapolis. “Sharks in the Time of Saviors” is his first novel.

    Purchase “Sharks in the Time of Saviors” on bookshop.org/shop/sdfob.

    For more information, visit sdfestivalofbooks.com.
    Kawai Strong Washburn's Sharks in the Time of Saviors

    Upcoming Virtual Events 

     

    July 8 at 11 a.m. PDT – Children’s storytime with Rob Machado

    July 15 at 12:30 p.m. PDT - Author Q&A with Kelly Senyei, “The Secret Ingredient Cookbook” and Sam Zien, “Sam the Cooking Guy: Recipes with Intentional Leftovers”

    July 22 at 11 a.m. PDT – Children’s storytime with Taylor Knox

    July 29 at 11 a.m. PDT - Children’s storytime with Kristina Audencial


    For more info, click here

    SAVE THE DATE FOR OUR
    FIFTH ANNUAL FESTIVAL OF BOOKS!

    AUG. 21, 2021


    For more information, visit sdfestivalofbooks.com

    Sign up for our newsletter!

    Brought to you by

    The San Diego Union-Tribune
    Stats Digital


  • 28 Jun 2021 3:40 AM | Deleted user

    Ready to make a new friend? What about a little good, old-fashioned pen-pal friendship? SDMWA is inviting members to get to know each other through the art of snail mail. If you would like to participate, BEFORE JULY 1, please fill out this Google Form:

    https://forms.gle/PJLzGA8R7DWjuWHe7

    We will be matchmaking before July 1 based on your interests and responses. By participating, you commit to sending one letter or postcard a month to your Pen Pal, though we're sure you'll be inspired by your new friendship to send more!


    Thank you all,

    Marni

    -- 


      Marni Freedman 



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