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Fiction

February Featured Speaker – Robert Petersen

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Workshop Title: Turning Local History Into Compelling Storytelling

What if some of your most compelling story ideas are already waiting where you live?

Notorious Bakersfield began as a passion project fueled by Robert Petersen’s love of true crime and local history. In this talk, he’ll explore how revisiting forgotten headlines became a way to tell meaningful stories, preserve local memory, and find a unique narrative voice by writing about the place he knows best.

Attendees will learn how real events—especially those drawn from history and true crime—can be shaped into responsible, engaging stories without sensationalism. The session also offers a practical look at how personal curiosity can become an ongoing creative project, developed one story at a time.

Perhaps most importantly, this talk gives writers permission to begin. You don’t need special credentials, a large platform, or a perfect plan to tell meaningful stories. You just need curiosity, attention, and the willingness to start—right where you are.

Robert’s Bio:

Robert Petersen is a Bakersfield native who spent much of his childhood living abroad after his family moved overseas when he was five. Though he lived in several countries, Bakersfield was always home, with summers spent returning before his family resettled permanently in the mid-1980s. During the COVID pandemic, Robert began reading archived issues of The Bakersfield Californian, discovering forgotten stories about his hometown. That curiosity led to the launch of the Notorious Bakersfield podcast in June 2021 and the publication of two companion books in 2023 and 2024.

Notorious Bakersfield website: https://www.notoriousbakersfield.com

Meeting on Saturday, February 21, 2026
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.

January Featured Speaker – Baylie Jett Mills

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Workshop Title: The Stories We Carry – Turning Memory into Creative Fiction and Nonfiction

Our memories hold powerful stories. At this meeting, we will explore techniques for using personal memories to craft compelling creative fiction and nonfiction.

Many of us love to tell stories based on our memories, so why not use those memories to craft compelling creative fiction and nonfiction? Using your own memories as fuel for stories can help guide you toward realistic dialogue and actions while providing you with the basis for plot ideas. There is no rule that you have to use your experiences to write nonfiction; thus, memories can be a great springboard to write autobiographical fiction.

In this discussion, I will be providing techniques to utilize memories for creative story writing. I have been a creative writer my whole life, but as an undergrad and graduate student, I have studied creative writing and participated in various creative writing workshop groups that have helped me hone my technique as a writer of both fiction and nonfiction. Through my discussion and upcoming Levan Institute class, I hope to help others discover seeds for stories using their own life experiences. Be sure to bring a pen and paper to the discussion so you can take part in some writing activities!

Baylie’s Bio:

Baylie Jett Mills graduated summa cum laude from Texas Tech University, earning a BA in English with a concentration in creative writing and minors in communication studies and legal studies. She recently earned an MA in English with an American literature concentration and is currently pursuing a PhD in English literature and criticism. Baylie is the author and illustrator of The Adventures of Max children’s book series. She has also had work published in Western American Literature, Sigma Tau Delta Review, WORDY by Nature, Harbinger: A Journal of Art and Literature, and the Chicken Soup for the Soul book series. 

In addition, later in January, Baylie will be teaching a course at the Levan Institute. The class name is: WRITING: HARNESSING MEMORIES FOR CREATIVE STORY WRITING
Levan Institute Class Description: Many of us love to tell stories based on our memories, so why not use those memories to craft compelling creative fiction and nonfiction? This class will teach you how to utilize a variety of craft techniques using your own memories as fuel. Each class will begin with a discussion of creative writing craft concepts. There will be short in-class writing exercises, breakout room activities, and short take-home readings and writing activities that will be discussed during class. Students will receive instructor feedback on their writing and, in the spirit of a workshop setting, students will share constructive feedback with one another. Registration for Spring 2026 will open Monday, January 12, 2026 at 10 a.m.  Register here: https://levan.asapconnected.com/#CourseID=321168

Writers of Kern Meeting on Saturday, January 17, 2025
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.

November Featured Speaker – Beth Brookhart

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Workshop Title: The Long Journey – From Journalist to Published Fiction

How does a journalist with “no clue what she was doing” end up as a published novelist? In this session, Beth Brookhart will share her winding path—rookie missteps, the classes and workshops that launched her forward, and how she wove some of life’s craziest moments into fiction. She’ll also touch on the querying process (which she calls as “archaic as a rotary-dial phone”) and why, despite it all, she refused to give up. Writers will come away encouraged by one author’s candid, and often humorous, road to publication.

Beth’s Bio:

Beth Brookhart has been a storyteller since childhood in Colorado, beginning with a book of poems written for her mother. A journalism graduate of Colorado State University, Beth spent two decades reporting on agricultural news, often found tromping through farm fields in pursuit of a story. Later, her career shifted to communications roles with several agricultural organizations in Bakersfield, CA. In 2010, she embarked on her fiction-writing journey, leading to the completion of The Book Project, a prestigious two-year program at the Lighthouse Writers Workshop in Denver. An avid volunteer, Beth was inspired by her seventeen years of service on the board of her local museum to pen The Four Queens of the Buttonbush Museum.  

You can connect with Beth here:

Website: https://bethbrookhart.com/

Meeting on Saturday, November 15, 2025
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 Speaker – Lisa-Behrens Smith

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Workshop Title: Pull It Out of Your Life – Overcoming Writer’s Block

When writer’s block freezes your pen, when your ideas flow like mud, when you can’t find the perfect words to start your best excuse for not writing, the answer isn’t in journaling or doodling or reworking a piece you’ve already discarded. It’s in your life. Period.

All writing–all good writing–reveals what it means to be human, and that means “you”. Your simplest musings about a stain on your table, a frustrated cry, or your worst burnt dinner can be the story you’ve been struggling to begin, the beginning of the book you’ve been meant to write. You just need to notice it. Then the writing “becomes”!

This presentation, from a California teacher and independent writer, can show anyone how to begin writing the pieces that present life in its most authentic way. Group participation and discussions will highlight the hour and leave all participants inspired as they learn how to pull those ideas out of their lives.

Lisa’s Bio:

Lisa-Behrens is a two-time award winner at the Santa Barbara Writers Conference and an active member of Writers of Kern.  She has just released her novella Mulberry Seeds, and the memoir of her college life at 40 in the dorms of Isla Vista, including selected fictional work, is in progress.

You can connect with Lisa here:

Website: https://lisa-b-smith.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lostiniv402/
Buy her book, Mulberry Seeds: https://a.co/d/bcFZf7z

Meeting on Saturday, September 20, 2025
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.

Peggy Connelly Scholarship 2025

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The Peggy Connelly Scholarship honors children’s author Peggy Connelly, a founding member of Writers of Kern, who encouraged and supported new writers. Just as her books encouraged young readers, this scholarship continues her legacy by helping writers of children’s literature.

This year, one scholarship will be awarded for a children’s book author, and one scholarship will be awarded to a general fiction author.

One $500 scholarship* has been established by Writers of Kern to provide financial support to Kern County writers of children’s literature which can be used for materials, education, promotion, publication, or expenses related to a children’s writing project. Children’s writing includes fiction, nonfiction, and verse ranging from board book, picture book, chapter book, middle grade novel and young adult novel. We invite all aspiring and established children’s authors who are members of Writers of Kern to apply.**  

One $500 scholarship* has been established by Writers of Kern to provide financial support to Kern County writers of general fiction literature which can be used for materials, education, promotion, publication or expenses related to the fiction writing project. We invite all aspiring and established authors who are members of Writers of Kern to apply.**

Application requirements are as follows:

Questionnaire

In two (2) pages or less, please answer the following questions:

  1. What do you consider your strengths as a children’s or fiction writer?
  2. What obstacles do you face as a writer?
  3. What goals have you set for yourself as a writer?
  4. If you are awarded the grant, how will you use the money to further your writing and achieve these goals? (Be specific: include details and prices)
  5. Have you ever received the Peggy Connelly scholarship in the past?

Style Guidelines

Please address each question in a Word document, double-spaced, 12-point font (Arial or Times New Roman), 1-inch margins all around. Submit two (2) copies: copy 1 with identification; copy 2, blind. Judges will read for clarity as well as creativity. Applications that do not comply will not be considered.

Writing Sample

Please submit a sample of your work in progress as described below:

Full text of a picture book (fiction or nonfiction); OR

First five (5) pages of your children’s work-in-progress project; OR

First ten (10) pages of your fiction book.

Writing Sample Guidelines:

Submissions must be correctly formatted in a Word document, double-spaced, 12-point font (Arial or Times New Roman), 1-inch margins all around. Only works in progress that have not been previously published will be considered. Do not send illustrations. Format as a manuscript; do not format as book pages or spreads. Submit two (2) copies: copy 1 with identification; copy 2, blind. Judges will read for clarity as well as creativity. Applications that do not comply will not be considered.

Application Period

The application period is from April 1 – 30, 2025. Applications will not be accepted after 11:59 p.m., April 30, 2025.

*Judges reserve the right to make no award if the number or quality of entries is insufficient.

**Current membership in Writers of Kern is a requirement to apply. You can apply to become a member of Writers of Kern here.

Please email the following documents with the subject line: [Title of Your Manuscript] – PC Children OR [Title of Your Manuscript] – PC General Fiction (depending on which scholarship you are applying for) to: sm@sandymoffett.com 

  1. Questionnaire (Identity Copy)
  2. Questionnaire (Blind Copy)
  3. Writing Sample (Identity Copy)
  4. Writing Sample (Blind Copy)

You will receive an email confirming receipt of your application.

All application materials must be received no later than 11:59 p.m., Wednesday, April 30, 2025. Submissions after this time will not be accepted or recognized.

TIPS:

  1. Be specific when answering the questions and include how you will use the money to further your writing goals. General answers such as “I plan to attend a workshop” won’t score as high as specific answers such as “I plan to use $400 of the grant money to attend the Highlights middle grade novel writing workshop in June, 2025. The remainder of the money will go towards paying for a substantive edit of my middle grade novel with freelance editor Karla Writewell.”
  2. Polish your writing sample and have a friend proofread it prior to submitting.
  3. Don’t wait until the last minute to submit.
  4. The Fiction Rubric used to judge the Peggy Connelly Scholarship submissions can be found on our Rubrics page.

Please direct any questions to Sandy Moffett at the email above. (Do not wait until the last day to ask questions.)

Winners will be recognized at the WOK Honors Event in May!