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Fall Writing Contest

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The Fall Writing Contest is upon us!  This year’s prompt is Joy and Sorrow.  You may write about either one or both.  

Word count is up to 1,200. Fiction or nonfiction. Please use a Word document with no names or other identifying marks. Use Times New Roman, 12pt font, double-spaced, and use the attachment function to send your submission. 

Submissions will be blind judged on the setting, originality, style (including grammar and spelling), voice, character development, and storyline. The rubrics that Writers of Kern uses to judge the Fall Writing Contest can be found on our Rubrics page.

Submissions will be accepted October 1, 2024 through October 31, 2024. Submissions received before or after those dates will not be accepted.  

Prizes are $200 first place, $100 second place and $50 third place.

Prizes, if applicable, will be awarded at the December meeting

October Featured Speaker – Jenna Brandt

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Workshop Title: Writing to Market

Jenna Brandt

Jenna Brandt has been a bestselling author on Amazon for 7 years.

Jenna Brandt, international bestselling and award-winning author who writes historical and contemporary romance, will be speaking at the Writers of Kern meeting October 19 at Hodels. Come at 9:00am for breakfast and visiting. At 10:15, Jenna will speak to us on how she started in the industry, why she chose to self-publish, her writing process and how she established and maintains her readership. Her historical books span from Victorian to Western eras and all of her books have elements of romance, suspense and faith.

She has her own best-selling historical series, as well as contemporary series. Additionally, she’s created two best-selling multi-author series, The Lawkeepers and Disaster City Search and Rescue based off the life of her husband in law enforcement. Her books, Waiting on the Billionaire and Lawfully Treasured, were voted into the Top 50 Indie Books of 2018 and her book, The Billionaire’s Birthday Gift, was a finalist in the “Best Book We’ve Read All Year” Contest in 2020.

She’s been an avid reader since she could hold a book and started writing stories almost as early. She graduated with her Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Bethany College where she was the Editor-in-Chief of the newspaper. Her first blog was published on The Mighty website, Yahoo Parenting and The Grief Toolbox as well as featured on the ABC News, CNN Health, and Good Morning America websites. She’s also a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) Association.

Writing is her passion, but she also enjoys date nights with her hubby and  activities with her three young daughters. She summers on the Central Coast where she finds endless inspiration for her romance books. She’s also active in her local church where she volunteers on their first impressions team and operates as the story curator for their media team.

You can connect with Jenna here:

Website: www.jennabrandt.com
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JennaBrandtAuthor
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/jenna-brandt
Instagram: www.instagram.com/jennnathewriter/
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/JennaBrandtAuthor/
Jen’s Joyful Page Turners Reader’s Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/844819802336835/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16847426.Jenna_Brandt

Come join us for our breakfast meeting at Hodel’s (5917 Knudsen Dr., Bakersfield) on October 19. The meeting is 9:15-10:45 a.m., but come early for breakfast and conversation. Members are $20, non-members $25.

Meeting on Saturday, October 19, 2024
Breakfast begins at 8:30 am
The general meeting begins at 9:15 am
Hodel’s at 5917 Knudsen Dr, Bakersfield

Writers of Kern Monthly Meeting and Workshop Fee. Breakfast is included.

September Featured Speakers – Carla Stanley and Jennette Green

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Workshop Title: Git’er Done – Brainstorming
the Writing Process

Carla Stanley
Jennette Green

Procrastination a problem? Lacking motivation? Afraid to face the blank page?

The Writers of Kern have some tips for you. Our board listened to multiple writers, both new and seasoned, and heard the same recurring situations. After much research and discussion, we have created an interactive workshop to discuss and facilitate different approaches to writing that might help you to the next step in your writing process. Panel leaders Jennette Green and Carla Stanley have years of experience and unique life experiences that meld together to create this morning event: Jennette has published 18 books–fiction, historical nonfiction and non-fiction; Carla is a retired high school English and theater teacher and has written and shared hundreds of memoirs and some short plays.        

Come join us for our breakfast meeting at Hodel’s (5917 Knudsen Dr., Bakersfield) on September 21. The meeting is 9:15-10:45 a.m., but come early for breakfast and conversation. Members are $20, non-members $25.

Meeting on Saturday, September 21, 2024
Breakfast begins at 8:30 am
The general meeting begins at 9:15 am
Hodel’s at 5917 Knudsen Dr, Bakersfield

Writers of Kern Monthly Meeting and Workshop Fee. Breakfast is included.

August Featured Speakers – Larry Hanson and Gay Chambers

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Workshop Title: My Writing Journey

Writers of Kern asked a couple of our members to share their writer’s journey with you. We all have a story to tell about how and why we write. Being in a community of writers helps us understand we are not alone. Just coming to a meeting and talking is often a confidence booster.

If you would like to participate too, we are offering you a chance. If you have one, bring your book or your story. If not, share your writing journey as it exists. There will be a 5-10 minute limit, and up to six people can speak. It will be suggested that participants include something we can learn from their process, such as what they have struggled with and what they have overcome. They could include a handout, if they’d like. Email interest to [email protected] by 8/15 to reserve a spot. Otherwise, we will take volunteers at the August meeting.

Gay Chambers: What made me think I could become a writer?  As a librarian first in a junior high then later in an elementary school, I delighted in helping children enjoy reading. But I soon realized that many struggled to comprehend what they were reading. The Lord encouraged me to find a solution, which was learning to visualize what they were reading. In my series “It Takes a Pond” I dove into setting scenes through descriptive words. I wanted the children to feel like they are right there in the story. But that was only the beginning of my journey. I now have 6 books and they are Tadpoles on the Loose, Beyond the Pond and Back, Life at the Pond, Trouble at the Pond, and New Friends at the Pond. Book 6 Winter at the Pond , which will be out in a few weeks. My books are available on Amazon. How did I get to this point? Come and find out.

Larry Hanson: Artificial Intelligence, does it keep you up at night? It should!!! My first book is ARE YOU READY FOR IT? Artificial Intelligence in Politics. This political fiction satire pokes fun at the current political system while raising some concerning questions. I followed that up with my CREAGER Adventure Sagas. CREAGER The War Paint Killer Saga and the recently released CREAGER The Van Joe Parker Saga. Both are action-adventure books with crime, suspense, human relations, and plenty of humor. I have used Book Baby and Amazon KDP to produce soft copies as well as Kindle versions. ACX produced the audio version of CREAGER, the War Paint Killer Saga.

      L. Hanson, a relativity new writer, believes that to be a good writer, you must first be a good reader, have an appreciation of life situations, and be able to convey those situations to paper. “I’ve never been accused of being shy, and I believe that everyone has an interesting situation or story in their life, either current or past. My friends wonder, when they speak with me, if I am evaluating them for the next character in my book. Don’t worry, friends, the villains are always named after humans I don’t know.”

Website – https://www.lhansonbooks.com   

Meeting on Saturday, August 17, 2024
Breakfast begins at 8:30 am
The general meeting begins at 9:15 am
Hodel’s at 5917 Knudsen Dr, Bakersfield

Writers of Kern Monthly Meeting and Workshop Fee. Breakfast is included.

July Featured Speaker – Andrew Roth

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Workshop Title: Audiobooks and the Western Genre

Award winning author Andrew Roth will cover the process of moving a completed manuscript to a pitch before agents and publishers at various writer’s conferences as well as the steps required to move a published novel into audio.

After serving in the US Army, attending California State University at Bakersfield, and teaching American History for 22 years Andrew Roth began his writing career. After writing a number of novels he began attending numerous writer’s conferences up and down the state. He also sent over 200 submissions and queries during that time, seeking a traditional publishing house. Finally, he landed a contract in Nov. of 2018 with Elk Lake Publishing Inc. with his first novel being released in June of 2019.

Married for 35 years, with 2 children and 3 grandchildren Andrew has published 8 Christian Historical novels with Elk Lake Publishing and is currently moving two of them into audio. Last year, two of his books were finalists for the coveted “Selah Award” in Christian Westerns and one of those two also won the “Will Rogers Gold Medallion Award” for Inspirational Western.

https://www.andrewrothbooks.com/books

https://www.facebook.com/andrewrothbooks

Meeting on Saturday, July 20, 2024
Breakfast begins at 8:30 am
The general meeting begins at 9:15 am
Hodel’s at 5917 Knudsen Dr, Bakersfield

Writers of Kern Monthly Meeting and Workshop Fee. Breakfast is included.