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Jean Chapman Recommends…

May 17, 2014 By Natalia Corres

Sue Monk Kidd’s latest novel, The Invention of Wings, is the compelling fictional story of real-life American heroine, Sarah Grimké. Raised in Charleston in the antebellum south, Sarah abhors slavery. Her family owns slaves and the pervading southern culture embraces the “right” to own slaves as a way of life. Sarah is given a little black girl, Handful, as a hand-maid on her eleventh birthday. The two become friends and the novel traces their life journeys over the next three decades. Sarah becomes the first American female to write positional papers on not just abolition, but on the need to give women the same legal rights as men in American society. This fictional novel will educate the reader about not just historical events in the American landscape but it will prod the conscience and current consciousness about racial tensions that still exist in our society. Highly recommend this book!

Malcolm Gladwell’s latest work of non-fiction, David and Goliath, challenges the perception of what constitutes “giants” in our lives. Perhaps, just perhaps what seems like a formidable foe rising up against us is actually at a disadvantage because of its size. Consider the childhood Sunday school version of the story of David and Goliath from the Old Testament of the Bible. The giant warrior representing the Philistine army facing off against King Saul and the Israelite army in the Valley of Elah issues a daily challenge to the opposing soldiers. Not one of the Israelite warriors, dressed in full armor with weapons, dares to go against the nine-foot giant. A slight teen-ager, however, visiting his brothers on the battlefield, hears and answers the challenge.

David and Goliath is a powerful little book about confronting the “giants” in one’s life. Is dyslexia the giant? A weaker,smaller high school girls’ basketball team? How about the challenge of getting into an Ivy League university? Challenge the odds. Perhaps, in fact, very likely, the underdog has the advantage in unique situations. Gladwell encourages the individual to face the “fear of being afraid.” Once we face a particular fear, we might very well be on the way to victory in our lives. I highly recommend this book for inspirational and encouraging true-life stories that defy traditional thought.

Writers of Kern Spring Writing Conference, March 15

March 3, 2014 By Natalia Corres

$20 members — $30 non-members
Clarion Hotel
3540 Rosedale Hwy. (Hwy. 58)
Bakersfield, CA 93308

8:00 – 8:30 Meet & Greet with continental breakfast

8:30 – 9:00 Welcome, Writers of Kern President, Dana Martin

Book sales provided by Book Hounds, hourly door prizes, Q&A with speakers

9:00 – 9:45 – CAROL SANDERS

A Writer’s Journey: In this session, Sanders will discuss the requirements of the first chapter of a novel, then proceed with a verbal tour of her journey as a creative writer. Highlights of this tour include a peek into a writer’s birthing chamber, a place of both pain and delight. Discussion will include the traits necessary for a creative writer, the helps and hindrances for writing, and the roller coaster of publishing.

Carol Sanders is a retired high school English teacher. After 30 years in the classroom, Sanders moved to Oregon and wrote Spy on Clinton Street, published in 2013 by dMon Publishing, Dallas, Texas, which followed her first book, the already-published novel Selene, retitled One Last Kiss, published by Zebra Press.

10:00 – 10:45 – ESTER SHIFREN

How to Self-Publish Successfully: Attendees will learn how to build a platform prior to self-publishing and the importance of social media as it relates to building your platform on the road to publication. Shifren will explain how to develop a theme to get speaking engagements and how to get noticed by subscribing to, and regularly commenting on, excellent blogging sites. She will also break down publishing using Createspace and Kindle (KDP) and other self-publishing engines.

Ester Shifren is a published author, artist, musician, and dynamic international speaker. In 2005, in England, she was featured in the BBC1 program “We’ll Meet Again,” and was a guest lecturer for several days at the Imperial War Museum. Ester’s book Hiding in a Cave of Trunks details all facets of Shanghai’s colorful multi-ethnic population and relates the saga of her family’s century-long existence in China.

11:00 – 11:45 – NINA AMIR

How to Blog a Book: Rather than just blogging and repurposing your posts into a book, or booking your blog, learn how to write, publish, and promote a book on the Internet using blog technology. Blogging a book is the easiest and quickest—and most efficient—way to write a book and promote it at the same time. If you can write, you can blog. That means you can blog your way to creating a successful book—one that attracts readers and publishers.

Nina Amir has 35 years of experience in the publishing field, earned a BA in magazine journalism from Syracuse University, and has edited or written for more than 46 publications on a full-time or freelance basis. She is the author of How to Blog a Book and The Author Training Manual, is a successful book editor, and speaks widely to inspire people to create books that positively impact others.

11:45 – 12:30 Q&A, discussion, book signings, books sales, closing

Pitch Session

February 4, 2014 By Guest

I’d flown 3,000 miles to New York City for one thing – the Writer’s Digest Pitch Slam. For three minutes at a time, I would have an agent’s undivided attention. I could pitch as many agents as the 90-minute session would allow.

For weeks, I had devoured “how-to” books on publishing. I’d even spoken a few times with David Sterry, co-founder of The Book Doctors. He, like so many other resources, told me the fate of my novel and writing career lay in a 250-word script called the pitch. David explained that a pitch was the back cover of a novel, the hook that tempts us to dive into the story.

A man with an official WD badge chuckled as he opened the doors and started the clock. I stood petrified. The terror of impending rejection froze me firmly in place. Kristin Nelson, owner of Nelson Literary Agency, smiled widely and waved us into the room. I walked slowly to the chair opposite her.

Without so much as an introduction, I vomited the words I had memorized, “Unsanctioned love is punishable by death…”

I delivered the pitch in one breathless rant and now waited for Kristin’s response. She smiled, and slid a card with her query instructions across the table. “Nicely done, I’m interested. Query me with the first fifty pages and the synopsis.”

“Really?” I asked, clearly shocked.

A ginormous line had formed behind me while I received a coveted query card. Kristin chuckled and nodded her head as an official came to move me along.

I collected nine more cards, receiving no rejections. Later that night at the closing social, I spoke with Kristin again. She confessed that too many authors were unprepared. They hadn’t honed the craft of pitching. Being nervous or shy was forgiven so long as the pitch was stimulating.

Today, with a polished manuscript, I am now querying the Pitch Slam agents. This next year I will be traveling to other conferences in hopes to receive more query invitations.

Wish me luck.

Homage to My Critique Sisterhood

January 20, 2014 By Guest

I was welcomed first by Annis then one by one so many others. Had I been a shy person I know that Annis gentle yet encouraging hug would had pushed my fears aside. As it was, my extrovert self said: I am where I need to be.

Our critique group was formed that first meeting. Nan, our group leader, and I laughed because Nan and Nancy were the first members. The sense of comeraderie was prophetic, had we but known. Bethanne and Dawna joined and then Mikie. And so we began. First we shared our stories, then ourselves. Nan opened her home for the Tuesday meetings and Dawna opened her home for our critique meeting/lunch after the Sat. WOK meeting, for you see one of our sisters came from Tahachapi and we felt we should make her trip down the mountain a major accomplishment. Jacque joined us and we were complete. Then Fate stepped in when Nan announced that she was moving to the East Coast, because Mikie had a friend and neighbor, Sharon, who wanted to join WOK and our group. So as we sadly loose one member we joyfully embrace another.

Our group, in my humble opinion, can be compared to a master chefs menu. Did I say humble?

Sharon and Mikie are the appetizer. Appealing, complimentary, leaving you wanting more of their company.

Bethanne is my perfect foil for the main course. She sits so quietly, speaks so softly, that I try so hard not to be so acerbic and blunt (maybe not that hard). And so she softens my excess spice.

Jacque and Dawna are our dessert. They sweeten the palate at the end of the meal.

In truth, we have no leader. While I have been chosen to represent us at the Jan. leaders meeting, we all take turns starting the meeting, depending on who’s present, and once it starts, it develops it’s own momentum. While we are all grown women, each at a different place in our lives, when we come together we’re like a well practiced team, each stepping up to fill whatever position needed.

At our last meeting, our sister Dawna said: “I feel like I really belong.” As she opened her arms to figuratively embrace us all, knowing I was a part of the reason for her feelings was in truth humbling.

I came to WOK and the critique group to become a better writer, to learn how to get my work published, to learn more about the writing business. There was always the expectation that I would read something by someone that would move me. I did not expect to join a writing group that would touch my heart, as I keep it well guarded. Is our connection because we’re all women? Possibly. I like to think that there is a reason why I was guided to read the paper that day and joined with Nan to start our group. I was blessed that day and hope you are all as lucky in your writing critique groups.

Stand In Line or Pay Online?

January 5, 2014 By Joan Raymond

Last November, Writers of Kern launched a new feature “Paying Meeting Fees Online” to help with the pre-meeting sign-ins. Several people responded, allowing them to breeze by the check-in table instead of standing in line, waiting… waiting… waiting…

Beginning this month, you again have the option of paying online – either for the current month’s meeting fee ($10) or for the quarter: January – March ($30). Of course the quarterly option goes away after January, but you can still pay each month in advance for the remaining two months. OR, you can arrive at the meeting and stand in line, waiting… waiting… waiting…

Don’t wait until the last minute, click here to pay your meeting fee online today.