Next Meeting July 12, at 1:30,
our guest speaker is Patti Diener.
Patti’s presentation will be on how to
“Write with Courage: Telling the Truth in Fiction.”
She is a retired public-school librarian turned author who writes primarily women’s fiction and romance. She’s the author of the best-selling, After the Fire, a novel based on the true events from the 2015 Valley Fire in Lake County, California and Wildflower, a captivating story about a young woman's tenacious journey on finding love, acceptance, and a sense of home, in a world that constantly tries to tear her down.
Our meetings are held the second Sunday of every month at the Stanford Inn and are open to members and non-members.
Exceptions
June [members only]
and December [no meeting])
Our Next Open-to-Everyone
Meeting is July 12 at the beautiful
44850 Comptche Ukiah Rd. - Mendocino
* Time For Something New...
* We've added two special features to
our meetings. Come by a little
early -- say,1:30 -- and see for yourself.
We think you'll enjoy these.
Let's Talk About Writing
We'll sip a beverage, enjoy fine Stanford Inn
snacks, get to know one another, and talk
about our writingin a small-group setting.
The Little Free Library
Members, lend a book you've written.
Borrow one,too,then return it
with comments for the author.
Can't get to the meeting? Join us live on our
Facebook page! Just Log into Facebook
to Like and Follow. We are also on Instagram! @writersofthemendocinocoast
Members, please check your Bio at the top
of this page. If you aren’t featured, just jot
down a bit about yourself in 50 (or
thereabouts) words, then email your bio
and (optional) aheadshot to Webmaster@writersmendocino.org.
If you are already featured, and your information needs to be changed, please send necessaryupdates to writersmendocino@aol.com
Thinking of joining Writers of the Mendocino Coast? Please see our Membership tab
at the top of this page.
CONGRATULATIONS
Award winning author Ginny Rorby has released her ninth book,
Time After Time
The book is set at the Point Cabrillo Light Station in 1934 and the village of Mendocino in 2012. The two main characters -- Theo, a lighthouse
keeper's daughter, and more modern-day Daniel, who is neurodivergent -- become friends.
"In a different time and place, Daniel finds a safe haven and a friend, but when her life is in danger, he ricochets through
time trying to save her."
Ginny volunteered in a number of
capacities at Point Cabrillo Light Station
for two decades. She'll donate royalties from sales of the book to the
Point Cabrillo Lightkeepers Association.
For more information, see
GinnyRorby.org.
Time After Time is available at
Gallery Bookshop in Mendocino.
WMC Presents
Creative Writing at
the Fort Bragg Library
Second Wednesday of the Month
Free and Open to the Public
499 East Laurel St., Fort Bragg,
Wed. July 8, 2:00 to 3:30
Memoir:
Writing the Hard Stuff
with
Norma Watkins
Norma Watkins has a Ph. D. in English and an M.F.A. in Creative Writing. Her memoir, The Last Resort: Taking the Mississippi Cure, won a gold medal as best non-fiction published in the southeast by an independent publisher.
Top High School Writers Honored at June 3rd and June 4th Ceremonies
Fort Bragg High School
Creative Writing Awards
for reading and creating
a dystopian world.
Honors English 10 - 3rd Period Class
Winner
Leila Templer
Runners-up
Amari Fishman - Brynn Stornetta
Nova Wall
Honors English 10 - 5th Period Class
Winner
Mackenzie Hannon
Runners-up
Drake Felicich - Miriam Moreno
Abigail Ries - Onnaleigh Sowers
From Alicia Abuliak, Fort Bragg High
School Instructor of Honors English 10,
"That was an absolutely wonderful day in
the sun listening to the students' read their
words and celebrating their work and creativity.
Leslie (Wahlquist) did a beautiful job talking
to the students and it was truly elevating on
every level. I am so grateful to you for this
experience and collaboration!"
Winners of the
Noyo Alternative
High School Graduation
Creative Writing Awards for
exceptional work on a memoir:
Elena Hernandez
Vivian Loretz
Adriana Sastre
Fort Bragg High School
First place winner Leila Templer, runners-up: Brynn Stornetta, Amari Fishman, and Nova Wall, Honors 10 Instructor "Miss Alicia" Abuliak.
Fort Bragg High School
We gave the runners-up new $50 bills and the winner a crisp $100 bill. Winners for this group were: First place: Mackenzie Hannon. Runners-up: Abigail Ries, Miriam Moreno, Onnaleigh Sowers, Drake Felicich
Ekphrasis 2026
This event is for Writers of the Mendocino Coast members in good standing only. There are 20 slots open
from now until July 12: 10 slots for writer initiators (artists will respond to writers) and 10 for art responders
(writers responding to the artwork). Slots are filled on a first-come basis.
Email Nona (nonarenee1@gmail.com) stating whether you want to be an initiator or responder. Please put Ekphrasis in the subject line.
Art Initiators
Start now writing your one-page story or poem. There is no theme, so the world is your oyster.
STRICT MARGINS: 1 ½ inch top and sides so the piece can fit into a frame.
Must be 12 pt. font or larger. Writing can be single or double-spaced. You can title it and put your name
on it. Nona will remove your name and title when it’s sent to the artist so the pairing remains anonymous and unnamed until October.
Send your piece to nonarenee1@gmail.com by midnight July 20 th . Document must be formatted in .doc
or .docx. Ensure you edit carefully—lots of eyes will be on this.
Once you submit, you can’t revise.
There will be a gala event at the Artists’ Coop, 10400 Kasten Street in Mendocino, in October for the
unveiling of artwork and framed writing, side-by-side. Details coming later. Also, be ready to read at our
WMC October meeting.
Art Responders
You can pick up the artwork at the Artists’ Coop in August. You will not have the title of the piece nor
the artist’s name. That will be revealed in October.
You have until August 31st to write a one-page story or poem in response to the art.
STRICT MARGINS: 1 ½ inch top and sides.
Must be 12 pt. font or larger. Writing can be single or double-spaced. You can title it and put your name
on it, but the pairing remains anonymous until the October reveal.
Send your response to nonarenee1@gmail.com by midnight August 31st. Document must be formatted
in .doc or .docx. Ensure you edit carefully—lots of eyes will be on this. Once you submit, you can’t revise.
There will be a gala event at the Artist’s Coop, 10400 Kasten Street in Mendocino, in October for the
unveiling of artwork and framed writing, side-by-side. Details coming later. Also, be ready to read your
part of the ekphratic pairing at our WMC October meeting.
Artwork by Janis Porter
MORE CONGRATULATIONS
TO WMC MEMBERS
Maria Ashford of Book-Shelfie.com says this book is "A gripping yet at times unsettling collection of short fiction that moves fluidly between myth and history..."
Find Residents of the Deep at Gallery Bookshop.
What Kirkus Reviews says about Dot Brovarney's Mendocino Refuge: " … prose dotted with flights of vivid lyricism." The book is available at Gallery Bookshop
The Waiting is Over!
The submission period has begun for the
2027 Writers of the Mendocino Coast Anthology
The theme, chosen from the dozens of suggestions received, is
Boxes in the Attic
(Loose interpretations accepted)
Prose/Poetry submission deadline: August 31 (midnight)
Photo/Cover art deadline: September 15 (midnight)
Who can submit:
Any member of Writers of the Mendocino Coast,
in good standing at the time of submission.
Submission guidelines for prose and poetry:
Prose (fiction, nonfiction) or poetry, two pieces maximum.
The two pieces, combined, may not exceed 4,000 words.
Send only publishing-ready pieces.
Edit yourself for spelling, grammar, punctuation, and development
Submit your work to the 2027 Writers of the Mendocino Coast Anthology
2027 Full Submission Guidelines
Ericka Lutz is the new editor of the anthology. Once the Board of Directors
made its theme selection, Ericka sent members an email. Here's part of it:
"I think [the theme is] evocative: Things stuffed away, old,dusty,but also things to be
revealed. What does it mean to bein the box?What does it mean to be out of the
box? To thinkout of the box? Or, boxes, the verb: Who is boxing in the attic?
Or...What’s in your boxes?"
As Ericka takes the helm of Boxes in the Attic, we wish her well in what promises to be a busy several months. At the same time, we offer our sincere thanks to Elizabeth Vrenios,whose untiring devotion to editing our anthology for the past three years resulted in three of our most popular publications.We're pleased that Elizabeth will stay with us as a member of our Board for the upcoming year.
Fran Schwartz'
novel, Mila Eclipsed, is the riveting story of a woman just beginning to learn the shocking truth about
her family and herself.
Mila Eclipsed is available for purchase at Gallery Bookshop.
Elizabeth Vrenios' poem
AT THE OPEN WOUND
OF THE WORLD
has been published in the
Vallejo's Poets Laureate Anthology
A New Season: Poems for a World in Flux
You can find more of Elizabeth's work at
Writers of the Mendocino Coast Policy
Regarding Use of Artificial Intelligence
The WMC Board of Directors has established an official policy regarding the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in members' writing. It is as follows:
Writers of the Mendocino Coast does not and will never accept work that was written, created, or developed, in whole or in part, using generative AI. This includes prose, poetry, and all mediums of art and photography. The policy extends across all our activities including our annual anthology, Ekphrasis, Smatchup, and public readings and workshops.
AI may have its place, but that place is not within the creative fields. At Writers of the Mendocino Coast, we value human creativity and expression, abhor plagiarism, and are keenly aware of--and deeply concerned about--the writers, artists, editors, and other creators whose copyrights and livelihoods are increasingly compromised by the use of artificial, non-human, intelligence.
By submitting your creative work and/or participating in our club activities, you pledge that no AI was, or will be, used.
Comments About Writing...From Writers, For Writers
"It is not possible for any thinking person to live in such a society as our own without wanting to change it." - George Orwell
-
All members receive one complimentary copy of our 2026 anthology; additional books are $12.00. If you need them mailed, contact Elizabeth Vrenios at evrenios1@gmail.com.
Listen now to our members read their one-minute plays!
i am from the ocean by windflower Townley
I Could Not Stop for Covid by Holly Tannen
Something New & Murder She Wrote by Philip Zwerling
THE
KELLEY HOUSE
NEEDS YOU!
There are so many stories yet to tell, and they welcome your voice. Articles of 400 to 700 words can be paired with photos or illustrations from the Kelley House database of 10,000 images.
Contact Kelley House curator, Averee McNear, at 937-5791 or at curator@kelleyhousemuseum.org.
The CWC website includes a calendar of monthly meetings for all state branches. Any of our members can attend the meetings of any other branch for free or for the same fee as their membership pays. To view their meeting topics (many are still on Zoom), click on
https://calwriters.org/events/.
Writers of the Mendocino Coast is Proud to be a Branch of the California Writers Club
