Greetings!

Our next board meeting is on Tuesday, February 9, 6-7:30 p.m. via Zoom. Board meetings are held 6-7:30 p.m. on the second Tuesday of each month unless otherwise noted, and are open to any member in good standing. If you would like to attend a board meeting, contact: president@redwoodwriters.org to receive an invitation.

Mark your calendars for this month's upcoming events! Keep reading the newsletter for more details about each event.

February 9: RW Board Meeting

February 10: New Member Orientation

February 17: Creative Spark Workshop with Michael Shapiro

February 20: RW General Meeting & Author Launch

February 27: RW Salon

*WHAT IS ZOOM? It's the most popular online platform for virtual presentations, meetings, get-togethers, etc. Just go to Zoom.com and download the app on your phone, iPad, or computer (camera required to participate). If you can't join us live, you will be able to download the presentation for viewing/sharing at your leisure (and don't we have plenty of that!).

If you can join us, please RSVP to Roger Lubeck, Membership Chair.

Please submit poems to: poetrynewseditor@redwoodwriters.org. Submission guidelines: single-spaced, Times or Times New Roman, 12 point font, no all caps, please. Poems are reviewed by a team of poets. We will acknowledge receipt of your work, and let you know if your poem is going to be included, or if we are requesting minor edits prior to inclusion.

Valentine’s Day Month, Let’s write about…LOVE

Email Robin Gabbert at gabbertrobin@gmail.com if you would like to attend the February Salon (Sweet Sher is handing over the reins to Rockin’ Robin). Please indicate if you’d like to read. We will have 12 readers slots and they are first come first serve. Listeners are always welcome as well! You’ll be sent the Zoom link before Salon, once registered.

Creative people have a certain spark: a brightness in their eyes, an inquisitive way of looking at the world, a desire to make things. But that spark doesn’t reside solely in people seen as creators. It’s in all of us, just waiting to break out. This workshop will talk about cultivating our creativity in whatever ways we choose to express ourselves.

This workshop is perfect for creatives, authors, poets, artists, and those want to deepen their creativity.

This workshop is open to all members of Redwood Writers, California Writers Club, and to the public.

Michael Shapiro is the author of The Creative Spark: How musicians, writers, explorers, and other artists found their inner fire and followed their dreams, published in late 2019. The book is a collection of interviews and biographical sketches that serve as inspiration for creative endeavors. Among those Shapiro interviewed: Smokey Robinson, Lucinda Williams, Francis Ford Coppola, Pico Iyer, Jane Goodall, Amy Tan, David Sedaris, and Barbara Kingsolver.

Shapiro’s first literary book, A Sense of Place, is a collection of interviews with the world’s leading travel authors including Bill Bryson, Jan Morris, Peter Matthiessen, Isabel Allende and Paul Theroux. For this book, Shapiro traveled to the authors’ houses, such as Frances Mayes’ home in Tuscany, to write about what place meant to them, not just the places to which they traveled, but the places they chose to call home. Find him at michaelshapiro.net.

This workshop is open to all members of Redwood Writers, California Writers Club, and to the public.

Indigo Moor is a former faculty member at the Stonecoast MFA Program, where he graduated in 2012 with an MFA in poetry, fiction, and scriptwriting. Three of his short plays, Harvest, Shuffling, and The Red and Yellow Quartet, debuted at the 60 Million Plus Theatre’s Spring Playwright’s festival. His full-length stageplay, Live! at the Excelsior, was a finalist for the Images Theatre Playwright Award. The subsequent screenplay was optioned as a full-length film. Indigo continues to consult for independent filmmakers as scriptwriter and advisor.

Poet Laureate Emeritus of Sacramento, Indigo Moor’s fourth book of poetry Everybody’s Jonesin’ for Something, took second place in the University of Nebraska Press’ Backwater Prize. Jonesin’—a multi-genre work consisting of poetry, short fiction, memoir pieces, stage plays—will be published in spring 2021. His second book, Through the Stonecutter’s Window, won Northwestern University Press’s Cave Canem prize. His first and third books, Tap-Root and In the Room of Thirsts & Hungers, were both parts of Main Street Rag’s Editor’s Select Poetry Series. Indigo is an adjunct professor at Dominican University and visiting faculty for Dominican’s MFA program, teaching poetry, short fiction, and introduction to stage and screenwriting. Find him at www.indigmoor.org.

Do you have valuable writing tips to share? Have you learned something about marketing that could help other writers? Perhaps you know the secrets to finding an agent or gathering reader interest on social media. This section is dedicated to sharing writing-related wisdom with our fellow writers. If you would like to contribute to this section of the newsletter, please send your 300-word or less article plus a bio to the editor at editor@redwoodwriters.org for possible publication.

One of my favorite things about my writing career is marketing through social media. It can also be the most frustrating part. Some days, the content writes itself. Other days, the last thing I want is to be social.

However, there are some important reasons to keep with social media. For one, it helps readers know who the writer is behind the words. Two, it is a great place to lead people to your work. And three, it’s where most people are, and where you’ll find a community who cheers you on.

Building a platform takes time and consistency, and a little bit of strategy. Before I share what to post, let me first go over the guidelines for effective posting practices.

With that out of the way, here are 10 things you can post on social media:

Crissi Langwell writes romance, magical realism, and women’s fiction novels that often tell the story of the underdog. She is also the social media coordinator for Redwood Writers, and the marketing coordinator at her day job. Find her books and social media links at crissilangwell.com.

Each month, the Redwood Writer will feature an exercise to help inspire your writing. This month, the focus of our exercise is on poetry, specifically Haiku. Note: this can be an exercise you do on your own, or you can send them to editor@redwoodwriters.org for possible publication in the newsletter.

Haiku is a type of short form poetry originally from Japan. Traditional Japanese haiku consist of three phrases in a 5, 7, 5 pattern. Similar poems that do not adhere to these rules are generally classified as Senryu.

In a Japanese haiku, a Kireji or cutting word, typically appears at the end of one of the verse's three phrases. In English, since kireji have no direct equivalent, poets sometimes use punctuation such as a dash or ellipsis, or an implied break to create a juxtaposition intended to prompt the reader to reflect on the relationship between the two parts.

Senryū tend to be about human foibles while haiku tend to be about nature, and senryū are often cynical or darkly humorous while haiku are more serious. Unlike haiku, senryū do not include a Kireji (cutting word), and do not generally include a Kiro (seasonal reference).

Exercise 3

For each poem, revise the poem using different word choices that do not change the meaning but change the tone of the poem. In choosing words, consider this guide at poetrysociety.org.

Note: To help you adhere to the 5,7,5 syllable format, an app that could help is syllablecounter.net.

The CWC Literary Review is now accepting submissions for their 2021 issue. Deadline to submit is March 15, 2021.

To quote a luminary of the Literary Review:

The Literary Review is looking for excellent writing. Light themes and humor are always welcome. Unacceptable are pieces that proselytize, are libelous, or contain gratuitous vulgarity. They will accept excerpts from previously published work provided that you hold the copyright.

P.S. If you would like to be part of the acquisition team, please contact the managing editor at elisabethtuck@yahoo.com. Judges are allowed to submit their own writing, and are welcome to read as little or as much writing in any preferred category.

If you have news to share about your writing, an award, an appearance, or other writing-related news, send a 100-word or less announcement to editor@redwoodwriters.org. Photos encouraged. Deadline for consideration in next month’s newsletter is the 15th of this month.

Natasha Yim’s new math-concept picture book, LUNA’S YUM YUM DIM SUM, was released by Charlesbridge Publishing on Dec. 22, 2020, as one of the books in their Storytelling Math series. 

Thurs., Feb. 11, 5:00 pm. - Books, Inc. - Join Natasha Yim and illustrator Violet Kim for a virtual Chinese New Year presentation of Luna’s Yum Yum Dim Sum (Charlesbridge Publishing 2020), with a book reading and some virtual activities. Natasha will read the book and Violet will show some of her early illustrations. www.booksinc.net

Sat., Feb. 13, 11:00 am. - Walt Disney Family Museum - Celebrate Chinese New Year with Natasha Yim as she reads her picture book Mulan’s Lunar New Year (Disney Press, 2018). Join this virtual story time to find out how Mulan helps her family prepare for this all-important Chinese festival. www.waltdisney.org

Wed., Feb. 17, 3:30 pm. - San Leandro Public Library - Help author Natasha Yim ring in the Year of the Ox as she reads her picture book Goldy Luck and the Three Pandas (Charlesbridge Publishing, 2014), a multicultural re-envisioning of a classic fairy tale set amidst the colorful festivities of Chinese New Year. www.sanleandro.org

Sun, Feb. 28, 11:00 am. - Mendocino Book Company - Join Natasha Yim for a virtual book launch of her math-concept picture book Luna’s Yum Yum Dim Sum. Enjoy a reading of the book and create a Chinese red “lucky” envelope with the author. Swing by the bookstore and pick up an activity kit with craft templates and coloring pages before the event, or request to have it emailed to you. lu.ma/kik84uzw

Writers Forum is sponsored by Aqus Community Foundation, a non-profit organization whose mission is to bring people together. 

Forum details and Zoom URL:  www.thewritespot.us/forum.php

With Kate Farrell, Waights Taylor, Jr., and Bev Scott

Kathleen Torian Taylor presents her debut novella, Death by Arrangement

Death by Arrangement is available for pre-sale on Kindle, Amazon. Paperback to soon be released. Publish date, February 1st.

Tiffany Yates Martin has spent nearly thirty years as an editor in the publishing industry, working with major publishers and New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling, award-winning authors as well as indie and newer writers, and is the author of the Amazon bestseller Intuitive Editing: A Creative and Practical Guide to Revising Your Writing. She leads workshops and seminars for conferences and writers' groups across the country and is a frequent contributor to writers' sites and publications. Under the pen name Phoebe Fox, she's the author of the Breakup Doctor series and her most recent release, A Little Bit of Grace (August 2020, Berkley). Visit her at www.foxprinteditorial.com or www.phoebefoxauthor.com.

Because of social distancing, most events are now held virtually. This presents a unique opportunity to attend events, workshops, and meetings held by other CWC branches that would have been difficult to attend in person. To keep up to date with upcoming events, be sure to check the CWC NorCal calendar at the button below.

Coming soon to the Redwood Writers website is your opportunity to find the perfect critique group. Marie Judson will be helping to pair members with other writers of the same or similar genres, and help groups expand their membership. Details coming soon in the newsletter, and at redwoodwriters.org.

We're not just writers, we're readers, too! Have you read a book you think others should read? Send your 100-word book review and a photo of the book to the editor at editor@redwoodwriters.org for possible publication in the newsletter.

Shantaram, by Gregory David Roberts

I haven't finished this book yet, but so far it's been an absolute delight to read. Shantaram follows an escaped felon who runs to Bombay, and ends up on a journey of self. It's a story of the human condition, both of self and of life in Bombay, and the writing is exquisite. So many friends have recommended this book to me, and I'm glad to finally be reading it.

Redwood Writers extends a warm welcome to our newest members! Since we can't meet in person, we're sharing a little about each new member here in our newsletter. Be sure to say hello at our next general meeting!

Did you forget to renew your membership? Or are you still on the fence about joining? January is the perfect opportunity to make the leap and join Redwood Writers.

Our 2021 calendar is a full schedule of inspiring speakers, fun writing contests, valuable workshops, and publishing opportunities through our anthologies. Join in January to receive the reduced rate, and to take advantage of all the Redwood Writers branch has to offer.

I always love February, since it's the month of LOVE! But it's not just love for couples; it's love for friends, family, pets, and most important, yourself.

If your writing has been taking a backseat to all the other things in your life, love yourself by spending time with your writing. Maybe self love means an afternoon reading a good book ("If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot." - Stephen King). Or self love can be stepping out on a limb and sharing your writing with other people. A great place to do this is at this month's Salon, where the theme is LOVE!

However you celebrate love, I hope you feel the love all month long. Happy writing!

In case you missed it, here are some of the events and information we shared in this newsletter:

I hope you have a wonderful month. Much love to you all!

Crissi Langwell

Redwood Writer Editor

Want to be a part of the newsletter? Here's the cheat sheet to the different sections of this newsletter and the word count requirements:

Please do your best to adhere to word count limits! Send your articles and news to the newsletter editor at editor@redwoodwriters.org. Send your poems to the poetry editor at poetrynewseditor@redwoodwriters.org. Submission guidelines may apply, read section for requirements.