April, 2026
Join Us For Our Monthly Meeting at the Beautiful
44850 Comptche Ukiah Rd - Mendocino
Sunday, May 17 * 2:00 - 3:30pm
Please Note:
This site is under
construction and remains a work in progress.
Artwork by Janis Porter
Get Ready for Smatch Up!
Sunday, May 17 - Stanford Inn
This is one of our most popular and fun events. It's simple: two people write one story. One personstarts it and the other person finishes it.
OK, maybe not so simple: Neither writer knows
the identity of the other. Oh, and the writer who
finishes the story gets to title it.
Part of the fun is the unpredictability...what
begins as comedy may end as tragedy and
what starts as drama may end as satire.
Don't miss this one!
* Time For Something New...
* We've added two special features to our monthly meetings. Come by a
little early -- say, 1:30pm -- 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 writing in 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.
Our Meetings Are Held the Second Sunday of Every Month
(Exceptions: We meet this year on May 17, not May 10 - NO MEETING in December)
Everyone is Welcome - You DO NOT Have to Be a WMC Member to Attend
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, above. If you aren’t featured, just jot down a bit about yourself in 50 (or thereabouts) words, then email your bio and (if you'd like)
a headshot to Webmaster@writersmendocino.org. If you are featured, and your information needs to be changed, please send necessary updates to writersmendocino@aol.com
Thinking of joining Writers of the Mendocino Coast?
Please see our Membership tab, top of page
LOCAL EVENTS
Writers of the Mendocino Coast
Presents
Creative Writing at the Fort Bragg Library
Second Wednesday of Every Month
Free and Open to the Public
499 East Laurel Street - Fort Bragg
2:00 - 3:30pm
Next Creative Writing Meeting
May 13
Featuring Ericka Lutz
Fear Into Fiction
Defying Your Evil Inner Editor
Ericka Lutz is a novelist, poet,
nonfiction writer, and performer.
Her publications include eight
books plus many short stories,
poems, essays, and columns.
She’s received two fellowships
to the Virginia Center for Creative Arts, and was nominated for a 2021 Pushcart for poetry. She lives on the Mendocino coast where she writes, edits and coaches writers, rehabs an old cottage, and cooks up a storm. She hangs her virtual hat at erickalutz.com.
Upcoming Creative Writing Meetings
At the Fort Bragg Library
June 10 - Nonfiction
Telling True Stories
and Other Impossible Tasks
With Kailyn McCord
July 8 - Memoir
Writing the Hard Stuff
With Norma Watkins
August 12 - Romance
Making Them Sweat:
How to Write the Steamy Stuff
With Kailyn McCord
Famous Last Words of Equally Famous Writers
"My wallpaper and I are fighting a duel to the death. One or the other of us has to go"
- Oscar Wilde
Writers of the Mendocino Coast
Anthology Submission Guidelines 2027
Theme: Boxes in the Attic
(This may be interpreted loosely.)
Prose/Poetry submission dates:
June 1 through August 30 (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.
Prose/Poetry entry rules:
What to Submit:
-
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 before you submit.
Writer's block? Not feeling motivated? Muse go on vacation? If you're looking for a reason to start writing, here it is: Submit your work to the Writers of the Mendocino Coast 2027 Anthology
The submission deadline for poetry and prose runs June 1 through midnight August 30, and you have through September 15 to submit your vision of a cover. As noted above, the theme for the
2027 edition of our anthology, chosen out of the dozensreceived, is Boxes in the Attic.
WMC's new anthology editor, Ericka Lutz, is enthused about the theme. How enthused? Once the Board of Directors made its selection, she sent the 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 be in the box? What does it mean to be out of the box? To think out of the box? Or, boxes, the verb: Who is boxing in the attic? 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 has resulted in three of our most popular publications. We're pleased that Elizabeth will remain on our Board of Directors for the upcoming year.
MEMBER NEWS
You’re Invited to Join
Led by Ericka Lutz
· Open to members of Writers of the Mendocino Coast only.
· Every Thursday from 9am-11am via Zoom.
Writing can be lonely. This new event, a virtual write-in and guided workspace, is an opportunity for WMC members to add consistency and community to their writing practice.
Every Thursday from 9 to 11am, you’re invited to join Ericka and other WMC members in the Zoom room for guided (muted) writing sessions.
Follow this link for details.
Members! Do you have newly published writing? Have you received a nomination, award or other notable exposure? Send a short announcement and we’ll add it to our Website to help spread the word! president@writersmendocino.org
On May 28, Gallery Bookshop's Author's Showcase will feature readings from three fine authors, one of whom is WMC member Marianne Villanueva.
CONGRATULATIONS
to these WMC Members
Residents of the Deep is the latest book by Marianne Villanueva.
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 ... a work that feels like a chorus of fractured, forgotten voices."
Residents of the Deep is available for purchase at Gallery Bookshop.
"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."
Time After Time is the exciting ninth novel from author Ginny Rorby. Learn more at GinnyRorby.org, and buy the book at Gallery Bookshop.
Fran Schwartz' new novel, Mina,
is the riveting story of a young woman just
beginning to learn the shocking truth
about her family and herself.
Mina is available for purchase at Gallery Bookshop, and online at Amazon.
Audrey Wells' play
SO MANY ZEROES
has been accepted for performance at the
Festival of New Plays at Mendocino College in Ukiah. Performances will be held onMay 14th, 15th, and 16th.
Tom Simons will direct this comedy about a teenager and
her grandmother competing to raisefunds for their local senior center lunch program.
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
National Poetry Month
Join Ukiah Branch Library staff as we host poetry events in-person on the third Saturdays of each month at 3:00pm. This free event is open to both teens and adults. All are invited to share poems in any form or style or just listen to others.
Mes Nacional de la Poesía
Únase al personal de la biblioteca de Ukiah mientras organizamos eventos de poesía en persona el tercer sábado de casa mes a las 3:00 p.m. Este evento gratuito está abierto para adolesentes y adultos: todos están invitados a compartir poemas en cualquier forma o estilo, o simplemente escuchar a otros.
Questions? Comments? Like to Subscribe
to our free monthly newsletter? Email info@writersmendocino.org or write
WMC, P.O. Box 762 - Fort Bragg, CA 95437
We will never share or sell your personal information.
Comments About Writing...
From Writers, For Writers
“The most important things are the hardest to say. They are the things you get ashamed of, because words diminish them -- words shrink things that seemed limitless when they were in your head to no more than living size when they're brought out.
But it's more than that, isn't it? The most important things lie too close to wherever your secret heart is buried, like landmarks to a treasure your enemies would love to steal away. And you may make revelations that cost you dearly only to have people look at you in a funny way, not understanding what you've said at all, or why you thought it was so important that you almost cried while you were saying it. That's the worst, I think. When the secret stays locked within not for want of a teller but for want of an understanding ear.”
― Stephen King
California Writers Club’s
Vision & Verse: A Fusion of
Art, Photography, Prose and
Poetry is available on Amazon.
Seaworthy
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.
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.
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
Yep...Still under construction. But behind the scenes we're working on a NEW LOOK.
Patience...
Do You Have Your Copy of
WRITING OPPORTUNITIES
FOR MEMBERS?
Do you have a topic on the craft of writing to teach at an upcoming meeting? Contact info@writersmendocino.org
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.
Ongoing Events
The Ukiah Branch Library offers a
Walking Any-Book Book Club for Adults 21 and Older
Contact carrm@mendocinocounty.org or 463-4490
Poetry at the Cobalt Art Gallery
Second Sunday of the Month
430 Main St Fort Bragg 5:00-7:00pm
Open mic follows.
Fort Bragg Library
First Thursdays Open Mic 6:00 - 8:00pm
Dan Hess: hessd@co.mendocino.ca.us
Rhythm Running River (Poetry) on KZYX&Z
First and third Sundays 3:00 - 5:00 p.m.
Dan Roberts: outfarpress@saber.net
Cartwheels on the Sky
Poets, Poems & Discovery
Saturdays 7:00 -7:30pm KGUA FM Gualala
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
The CALIFORNIA WRITERS CLUB is a 501(c) (6) educational nonprofit dedicated to educating members and the public-at-large in the craft of writing and in the marketing of their work.
California Writers Club: https://calwriters.org/
California Writers Club calendar for other branch's events:
https://calwriters.org/events-month
Website Copyright 2026 Writers of the Mendocino Coast