Visitors Always Welcome!

Sunday, April 21st
2:30 - 4:30 p.m.
Community Center of Mendocino
​998 School Street, Mendocino, CA
​
Monica Wesolowska


​Each time we remember something, we are rewriting that memory. For memoirists, that fact can be liberating. In this workshop, we’ll start by focusing on small, vivid details. We’ll press on those details to see how much more they can release. From there, we’ll move into the terrain of speculation, talking about the ethics of writing about what you don’t fully remember and how to
make meaning out of the chaos of life. This workshop will include time for writing exercises and a Q & A. Bring your curiosity and something to write with.

Monica Wesolowska is the author of the memoir Holding Silvan: A Brief Life (named a “Best Book” of the year by The Boston Globe and Library Journal) as well as two children’s picture books: Elbert in the Air and Leo + Lea (winner of an SCBWI Crystal Kite Award). Her short fiction and essays have been widely published, including in the “Modern Love” column of The New York Times. A long-time teacher of creative writing at Stanford Continuing Studies and elsewhere, Monica also works with clients as an independent editor.
The club has a new Facebook page. We Facebook Live our in-person meetings.
People who cannot attend will be able to tune in. Please Log into Facebook to Like and Follow
You can also follow us on Instagram! @writersofthemendocinocoast

Thanks to the Anthology Readers, and to Elizabeth Vrenios, Editor, for an inspirational afternoon from a beautiful collection

Members, Please check your Member Bio​, above.
​If you aren’t there or up-to-date, please send a brief bio (50 words) and a headshot to Membership: [email protected].
UPCOMING EVENTS
Picture
Come by WMC's booth at the 15th Annual Earth Day
Hosted by Noyo Food Forest at Fort Bragg High School
(300 Dana Street)
Saturday April 20, 12:00pm to 4:00 pm
For more info, check out the event, here!
The 2024 Mendocino Coast Writers Conference
August 1 - 3, in the town of Mendocino
General Registration Open on March 15th
​Find out more here!
Redwood Writers is celebrating Poetry Month with a special poetry reading with our club's poets!

Where: The Finley Center, Santa Rosa
When: Saturday, April 6
Time: 2:00–4:30 p.m.
Potluck: bring something to share

Redwood Writers will provide water, plates, and utensils

Come early as we will start on time
Come to schmooze and bring your friends!
Call for Submissions
Anthology of Women Poets of Mendocino County, Volume II

Submissions are open March 1st, 2024 to June 1st 2024.

We welcome all themes that respond to the "Spirit of Place" by women poets who have lived, are living or have participated in the writer’s community of where we live with poems that respond to the Spirit of Place focus.

1 to 3 poems, max two pages per poem,Times New Roman, 12 pt., single space. Submit as a word doc to [email protected], or send via snail mail to:

Spirit of Place
Post Office Box 287
Mendocino, California 95460
POETRY AT THE COBALT
2nd Sunday in April, 4-6 PM
 
THIS IS AN INVITATION TO ALL POETS, WRITERS, READERS, AND LOVERS OF LITERATURE, YOUNG, OLD, IN BETWEEN, KNOWN, UNKNOWN, SUBMERGED, EMERGED AND EMERGING:
Rhyming, free verse, expensive or expansive verse, reverses, metered, learned, unlearned, experimental—all varieties, styles and non-styles are welcome.
     The new reading series, Poetry At The Cobalt, formerly Poetry On The River, has relocated to the beautiful Cobalt Gallery on Main Street in downtown Fort Bragg.
​Michelle Blackwell, host, encourages members to listen to the most recent podcasts featuring Jean Hegland, Kim Bancroft, Tansy Chapman, Laura Marie Censabella and Maureen Eppstein. New episode coming in May - Listen here!
Point Arena Third Thursday Poetry and Jazz
    In person and Zoom, 7pm p.m. 
    THINK VISUAL, 240 Main Street
Downtown Point Arena, CA
[email protected] 
Rhythm Running River (Poetry) on KZYX&Z
    Alternate Sundays  3-5 p.m.
    Dan Roberts: [email protected]
​Cartwheels on the Sky ~ Poets, Poems & Discovery
Saturdays 7-7:30 KGUA - FM Gualala
FORT BRAGG LIBRARY
First Thursdays Open Mic 6-8 p.m.
    Dan Hess: [email protected]

UKIAH LIBRARY
Loba Poetry Series
Open Mic for teen & adults, Third Saturdays 3 p.m.
      Melissa Carr: [email protected]

Writers Reading Ukiah 
     Last Thursday, 7 p.m Reading, 8 p.m. Open Mic
    Poetry, Spoken Word, Short Stories, Songs & Expository Prose.

LOBA POETRY SERIES at Ukiah Branch Library
Reading and Open Mic
Second Saturdays, 3 pm
Picture
HAVE A MINUTE?
See the current schedule.  
Mendocino Theatre Company's One-Minute Radio Theatre is a two-minute spot broadcast bi-weekly on ​KZYX. Collaborate by submitting an original one-minute play. 
 All voices to be heard! Plays can be in English or Spanish. No fee for submission nor cash award if your play is chosen; all actors and directors give their time free of charge. 
Submit your one-minute play* (app. 150-170 words, for 1-3 actors) in the body of an email (no attachments) to [email protected] with the subject MTC One-Minute Play: [Title of your play]. Include your full name, contact information, and a brief, 50-word bio. You may submit as many one-minute plays as you wish, but only one submission per email, please. 
*Play may not contain the "seven dirty words" prohibited by the FCC. Play must be totally original and the author's work.
​Listen now:
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
Videos of previous meetings on WMC’s Facebook Page.
M E M B E R   N E W S
Writing newly published, receives a nomination or award, or other notable exposure? Please send a short announcement to [email protected]
Ginny Rorby’s gripping new novel comes out May 21st! Girl Under Glass is the story of a rootless, rebellious young girl sinking deeper into juvenile delinquency. Given one more chance to avoid juvenile hall, a judge assigns her to community service with a cranky botanist studying plant communication. When he is beaten and left for dead, Kelsey must convince the lead detective that an entire greenhouse full of plants is witness to the crime, and she knows how to prove it.

Pre-order from Black Rose Press, here.
Phil Zwerling's latest book, “In Search of the Thin Man:” A complete history of The Thin Man series. Dashiell Hammett, wrote The Thin Man in 1933 and launched the fun-loving, booze-swilling, mystery-solving couple Nick and Nora Charles into American culture. MGM sold millions of movie tickets casting William Powell and Myrna Loy as this classiest of romantic couples. Get your copy here.
The famous poet Audre Lorde has said "Poetry is not only dream and vision; it is the skeleton architecture of our lives. ”

The Redwood Writers 2023 Poetry Anthology, Phases, is out. Several of our members had poems accepted. If you would like to purchase a copy, you can find them here.
Member Kailyn McCord has a personal essay out in the current issue of Alta Magazine. "Chop Wood. Start Fire. Have Baby." chronicles Kailyn's experience with pregnancy and delivery here on the Coast, in light of the recent closure of MCDH's L&D department. The essay features local interviews and history. Read it for free for a limited time, here.
Maureen Eppstein has reason to be pleased this month. Her poem "Coming to Dust" has been selected to represent WMC in the CWC anthology, she has a poem forthcoming in Grey Sparrow Journal. Finishing Line Press is also taking pre-publication orders for her latest chapbook, Daughter. Order here!
Member Rob Hawthorn is giving sold-out Haunted Mendocino Walking Tours for Kelley House. 
Beginning in January 2024, this will become a monthly event. If you would like to participate, please contact Kelley House Museum 
https://www.kelleyhousemuseum.org, or Rob at [email protected]
Picture
Give yourself permission to write
at least 3-minutes a month by joining The WMC Prompt Group. Instructions and three to four topics are delivered to your email address by moderator, Earlene Gleisner, a self-confessed Prompt Geek. The goal is to inspire and create, while supporting each other. Send your name, phone number, and email to [email protected].
Elizabeth Kirkpatrick-Vrenios was recently nominated for the Best of Net for her poems: Still flying over Lockerbie and Cairn.  
Her third chapbook is out this month from Kelsey books: A
Concerto for an Empty Frame: Music for Survival. You can order it from Kelsey Books or from our own Gallery Bookshop.
Age Brings Them Home to Me by windflower
​
Please buy from Gallery Bookshop or order
online at www.finishinglinepress.com
NEWS FROM THE BOARD
WMC has it's very own Instagram account!
Head over to Instagram for weekly flash prompts, discussions of process, and upcoming events.

NEW THREE-YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN
The Writers Club is Reaching Out with all sorts of ideas for
future programs. Check it out in our Strategic Plan 2024-2027, available for download below, or on the About section of the main menu.
wmc_strategic_plan_2024-27.docx
File Size: 15 kb
File Type: docx
Download File
SCHOLASTIC ART AND WRITING CONTEST
Thanks to all the patient judges who participated in the Scholastic
Writing Contest. If all goes well, we have raised almost $4,000 for WMC.

WHY WE HAVE A DONATION JAR
WMC is committed to keeping our membership renewal fee low. Almost half of our dues go to the state club, and expenses have increased. We no longer have a free space to meet. In order to attract quality speakers, we provide them with a stipend to cover travel costs, a stipend we raised post-COVID. Your donation helps WMC continue to offer quality programs.
Questions? contact: [email protected]
WMC, P O Box 762, Fort Bragg, CA 95437
Do you have a topic on the craft of writing to teach at an upcoming meeting for forty-five minutes?
​Contact [email protected]
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/.
WELCOME TO THE 
CALIFORNIA WRITERS CLUB
 - ​FOUNDED in 1909 -
The Mendocino Coast branch is proud to share in this legacy. Our intention is to expand the network
​and provide publishing opportunities for writers.​
MENDOCINO WRITERS MEET 
The THIRD SUNDAY of the month
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
The Spring CWC Bulletin is here!
SUBSCRIBE TO THE MONTHLY NEWSLETTER
Email [email protected]
Your email address will never be shared or sold. 
MEMBERSHIP
See information on the Membership page.

Picture
KELLEY HOUSE CALENDAR
Call for Writers
There are so many stories yet to tell, and they welcome your voice. Articles are 400 to 700 words and can be paired with photos or illustrations usually discovered in their database of 10,000 images. Call the Kelley House curator, Karen McGrath, at 707/937-5791 or email her at [email protected].