I am reposting this message on my blog on behalf of my friend Verna Dreisbach. If you live in Northern California or if you know any writers, both young and mature writers, who live in Northern California, please spread the word.
I would love to see this conference be a rousing success.
Linda
Dear Colleagues and friends:
As some of you may know already, this summer Capitol City Young Writers will be having a writers conference on JULY 17, from 9:00 - 5:00 p.m. at San Domenico School in Marin Count, CA, which features the keynote speakers, philanthropist/screenwriter, James Redford (Robert Redford's son), Jane Friedman (publisher at Writers Digest), and author of The Last Unicorn (and more) Peter S. Beagle.
I am pleased and honored to be a part of this conference, which was originally intended for middle school and high school pupils only. However, we’ve recently discovered that a number of interested pupils cannot afford the conference fee. Though CCYW would love to sponsor all of those aspiring writers, we are a non-profit. And the purpose of this conference was not only to give young writers an opportunity to meet and learn from these terrific speakers, but also to raise money for scholarships and future activities for them.
Therefore, we have decided to open up the conference to other interested adult writers in this way: Anyone who sponsors a student gets to attend the conference for free, on a first-come, first-serve basis. In other words, for 100 dollars (cost of registration) you get to attend the conference and break-out sessions, have lunch with the speakers, and also allow us to sponsor a high school or middle school child to attend. (All high school and middle school pupils who attend also get a free book)
(If you cannot attend the conference, but would like to sponsor a student, you may purchase a gift registration for another person to attend for 100 dollars, or sponsor a pupil alone for 100 dollars.)
In addition to our three keynotes and the following writers, screenwriters, filmmakers, journalist and other arts professionals will be speaking:
Authors David Corbett, Deborah Grabien, Seth Harwood, Gil Mansergh, and Patricia V. Davis.
San Francisco Chronicle journalist, Leah Garchik
Marin IJ journalist, Vicki Larson
Peabody-winning director, Paul S. Kaufman
Radio show host, Michael Krasny
Literary agents, Peter Beren and Verna Dreisbach
Stanford University acting professor, Kay Andreas
Books Inc. manager, Nick Petrulakis
Song writer for the ‘Jefferson Starship’ (and more), Jeannette Sears
Senior editor of Redroom.com, Huntington Sharp
Litquake organizer and author, Ransom Stephens
WordJourneys.com editor-in-chief, Bob Yehling
California Film Institute Producer of indy film, ‘Touching Home’, Jeromy Zajonc
More information about our speakers is at: http://www.capitolcityyoungwriters.org/Writers__Conference.html
A complete list of break-out session topics will be listed by June 14. Registration information is also available on the same conference page of the Capitol City Young Writers website
I hope I have been able to capture your interest and support for this wonderful organization and conference. It’s the first of its kind, and we hope to make it a success so that it becomes a yearly opportunity for young people.
Please help support this worthy endeavor!
Don’t delay ─ come register for Capitol City Young Writers First Annual Conference at: http://www.capitolcityyoungwriters.org/Writers__Conference.html
Thank you all kindly for your attention,
Verna Dreisbach
President and Founder
Capitol City Young Writers
Showing posts with label Verna Dreisbach. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Verna Dreisbach. Show all posts
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
East of Eden Writers Conference - Wrap Up
This past weekend I was in Steinbeck Country and attended the East of Eden Writers Conference that was organized by the South Bay Writers branch of the California Writers Club.
I find going to writers conferences to be invigorating since I am surrounded by creative minds who are just as obsessed with the written word as I am.
It is also a great opportunity to meet, schmooze and network with other writers. That is only the first part. The follow through after the conference is over is just as important.
For example, four years ago at the East of Eden Conference, I met Lee Lofland. He's a retired detective with over twenty years experience in law enforcement. He is now the proud author of the Macavity nominated book Police Procedure and Investigation: A guide for writers.
We chatted, I made a few networking suggestions for him and we exchanged business cards. He followed up later with an email to me and we have kept in contact ever since.
Whenever I see something that reminds me of what one of my friends is working on, I pass that information on in the hopes of helping them.
With that in mind, a few months back I saw a post about agent Verna Dreisbach on the Guide to Literary Agents blog. All I needed to see was a mention of Verna having a background in law enforcement for me to immediately forward that post to Lee. I knew Lee should get in contact with Verna. She might not become his literary agent, but I was certain they could work together in some capacity.
They are.
Both will be participants in the upcoming Police Writers Academy to be held in April 2009. Lee has the details of that conference on his blog.
So at the East of Eden Conference, Lee returned the favor and introduced me to Verna. He then told her that I was the one responsible for him knowing about her.
After talking with Verna I discovered that she worked in the Sonoma County Sheriff's Department and lived in the town where I now work. 'Tis a small world indeed.
At the first workshop session, I attended Hallie Ephron's discussion about POV and different ways it can be done.
I wound up making a comment in that venue which she liked. Later I ran into her in the hall and she saw me and said, "you seem to know what you are doing." That comment thrilled me as it meant that a published author thought I made a cogent point. Yay, me!
We exchanged business cards and later on, I tried to introduce Lee to Hallie. I did not realize that they were friends already. They both live in the Boston area, and have been friends for awhile.
After dinner and keynote speakers there were late night sessions held at a nearby hotel. I attended one about mystery writing. Lee and Hallie were on a panel with David Corbett and Terri Thayer.
One aspect that I love about the California Writers Club is that we are open to writers of all genres. That means we interact and learn from writers who are working on different styles and conventions of writing. I look at it as cross-pollination of ideas and as the lines of genres blur, I think it is even more important to learn whatever we can from other creative people.
So even though I do not currently write mysteries, I enjoyed hearing this panel of speakers.
Here is Ana Manwaring and David "watch his hands" Corbett.
David gave a wonderful and rousing speech the next morning as a keynote speaker about the importance of respecting the genre.
The next morning my new friend Molly Dwyer and I started chatting with people who sat down at our table for breakfast. We soon realized they were "techies" and the conversation was soon on the topic of using the internet to publicize yourself and your writing.
And here is Kendra Bonnett explaining about why she Twitters.
At lunch Hallie Ephron spoke about what it was like to have grown up in a family of writers and how that impacted her own confidence in writing.
Now just some pictures of writing friends. Here is Jana McBurney-Lin author of My Half of the Sky.
Here is Dionne Obeso and Charlotte Cook of KOMENAR Publishing.
Here I am with Jordan Rosenfeld. This was her first major literary event for Jordan since she became a mother in June.
Then at the gala banquet that night I schmoozed with Martha Alderson.
Hallie Ephron then came over to share with us how giddy she was to have met the banquet's keynote speaker Jane Smiley. It is nice to know that everyone can become giddy at meeting someone they admire.
Then here is Hallie posing with me and my "peeps" from my writers club.
Hallie Ephron and Lee Lofland
from left to right: Karen Joy Fowler, Edie Mathews, Kelly Harrison, Jane Smiley, Hallie Ephron
Write on!
I find going to writers conferences to be invigorating since I am surrounded by creative minds who are just as obsessed with the written word as I am.
It is also a great opportunity to meet, schmooze and network with other writers. That is only the first part. The follow through after the conference is over is just as important.
For example, four years ago at the East of Eden Conference, I met Lee Lofland. He's a retired detective with over twenty years experience in law enforcement. He is now the proud author of the Macavity nominated book Police Procedure and Investigation: A guide for writers.
We chatted, I made a few networking suggestions for him and we exchanged business cards. He followed up later with an email to me and we have kept in contact ever since.
Whenever I see something that reminds me of what one of my friends is working on, I pass that information on in the hopes of helping them.
With that in mind, a few months back I saw a post about agent Verna Dreisbach on the Guide to Literary Agents blog. All I needed to see was a mention of Verna having a background in law enforcement for me to immediately forward that post to Lee. I knew Lee should get in contact with Verna. She might not become his literary agent, but I was certain they could work together in some capacity.
They are.
Both will be participants in the upcoming Police Writers Academy to be held in April 2009. Lee has the details of that conference on his blog.
So at the East of Eden Conference, Lee returned the favor and introduced me to Verna. He then told her that I was the one responsible for him knowing about her.
After talking with Verna I discovered that she worked in the Sonoma County Sheriff's Department and lived in the town where I now work. 'Tis a small world indeed.
At the first workshop session, I attended Hallie Ephron's discussion about POV and different ways it can be done.
I wound up making a comment in that venue which she liked. Later I ran into her in the hall and she saw me and said, "you seem to know what you are doing." That comment thrilled me as it meant that a published author thought I made a cogent point. Yay, me!
We exchanged business cards and later on, I tried to introduce Lee to Hallie. I did not realize that they were friends already. They both live in the Boston area, and have been friends for awhile.
After dinner and keynote speakers there were late night sessions held at a nearby hotel. I attended one about mystery writing. Lee and Hallie were on a panel with David Corbett and Terri Thayer.
One aspect that I love about the California Writers Club is that we are open to writers of all genres. That means we interact and learn from writers who are working on different styles and conventions of writing. I look at it as cross-pollination of ideas and as the lines of genres blur, I think it is even more important to learn whatever we can from other creative people.
So even though I do not currently write mysteries, I enjoyed hearing this panel of speakers.
Left to right: Terri Thayer, David Corbett, Hallie Ephron, Lee Lofland.
I had a great time listening to the panelists and their freewheeling style. It was informative and entertaining.
David Corbett has a wicked sense of humor and I look forward to reading his book Blood of Paradise which has been nominated for the following awards:
The Edgar
Anthony
Macavity
Shamus
David Corbett has a wicked sense of humor and I look forward to reading his book Blood of Paradise which has been nominated for the following awards:
The Edgar
Anthony
Macavity
Shamus
I wish him well and hope that he wins at least one of those awards. David was cracking so many jokes that after the session ended when I had a chance to talk with him, he got a little friendly with me. While Ana Manwaring was trying to figure out how to work my camera, David was grabbing my side. Hence the huge grin on my face.
Here is Ana Manwaring and David "watch his hands" Corbett.
David gave a wonderful and rousing speech the next morning as a keynote speaker about the importance of respecting the genre.
The next morning my new friend Molly Dwyer and I started chatting with people who sat down at our table for breakfast. We soon realized they were "techies" and the conversation was soon on the topic of using the internet to publicize yourself and your writing.
And here is Kendra Bonnett explaining about why she Twitters.
At lunch Hallie Ephron spoke about what it was like to have grown up in a family of writers and how that impacted her own confidence in writing.
Now just some pictures of writing friends. Here is Jana McBurney-Lin author of My Half of the Sky.
Here is Dionne Obeso and Charlotte Cook of KOMENAR Publishing.
Here I am with Jordan Rosenfeld. This was her first major literary event for Jordan since she became a mother in June.
Then at the gala banquet that night I schmoozed with Martha Alderson.
Hallie Ephron then came over to share with us how giddy she was to have met the banquet's keynote speaker Jane Smiley. It is nice to know that everyone can become giddy at meeting someone they admire.
Then here is Hallie posing with me and my "peeps" from my writers club.
Left to right: Me, Hallie Ephron, Ana Manwaring, Kerry Granshaw.
Hallie Ephron and Lee Lofland
Here are the conference organizers as well as keynote speakers.
from left to right: Karen Joy Fowler, Edie Mathews, Kelly Harrison, Jane Smiley, Hallie EphronI will leave you with one of my favorite pictures from the conference. It is of me and Lee.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)