PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
Dear Redwood Writers,
As we turn the page on another year, I find myself reflecting on the incredible community we’ve built together and the memorable moments we’ve shared in 2024. Throughout the year, we’ve enjoyed many highlights:
- The always fun “Coffee with the Prez” gatherings, where we had the chance to share ideas and deepen our connections.
- The publication of our anthologies, Transitions (prose) and One Day (poetry), showcasing the passion and talent within our club.
- Our engaging general meetings, from our fantastic speakers to our opportunities to connect with each other.
- The excellent craft fair we held at the December meeting that highlighted the well-rounded talent of our members.
- And so much more!
Looking ahead, there is much to be excited about in 2025! First, our website is getting a new look! We are still a few months out before we can unveil the new website, but it’s sure to make navigating our club’s offerings so much easier.
We’re also introducing in-person orientations for new members, designed to help everyone feel welcome and get better connected to the resources and camaraderie our club offers. Stay tuned for dates and rotating locations in a local town near you.
We’re seeking members to step into a few key volunteer roles:
- Contest Chair
- Meeting Announcements Chair
- Meeting Greeter Committee
- Hot Summer Nights Chair
- Website Manager
These positions are wonderful opportunities to contribute to our club’s success and bring your unique talents to the table. If you’re interested or want to learn more, email me at president@redwoodwriters.org.
As we step into the new year, I wish you inspiration, perseverance, and joy in pursuing your writing goals. Here’s to a new year filled with creativity and connection!
Until the next chapter,
Crissi Langwell
President, Redwood Writers
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What Writers Need to Know about Traditional Publishing and Working with Agents and In-House Editors | Long-time publishing professional Georgia Hughes, editorial director at New World Library, will talk about the pros of working with traditional agents and publishers and give tips on how to best present your writing to them. We'll discuss what's different about self-publishing and the trends and patterns we're seeing in publishing, including what publishers are looking for; what will be expected of you as an author; contracts; and answer questions you have about the process. | | | |
REDWOOD WRITERS CIRCLE
We were bursting at the seams with authors at the Writers Circle on November 23. Linda Reid, ever the gracious host, cooked up a feast of chili, pumpkin pie, and hot coffee. What a treat.
The Next Circle is on January 25, 2025. To register, go to our club website: https://redwoodwriters.org/redwood-writers-circle/ or send an RSVP email to Linda Reid rwcircle@redwoodwriters.org
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Heartbeat / Heartbreak Contest
Here are 10 twisted prompts to challenge writers and explore darker or more unconventional takes on Heartbeat/Heartbreak:
- “When you fall in love in our town, you must give your heart—literally. I thought I could survive without mine, but I was wrong.”
- “Their heartbeat was the first sound I fell in love with. It was also the last thing I heard before I buried them.”
- “Every person I’ve ever loved has vanished—completely erased from existence. And now, I’ve fallen in love again.”
- “My partner left me, but their heartbeat didn’t. It’s been following me ever since, growing louder every day.”
- “I always hear my heartbeat twice—once in my chest, and once coming from the locked room I’m too afraid to enter.”
- “Our hearts were once connected by an invisible thread. I cut it, thinking I’d be free. But now, I can feel it tightening around my throat.”
- “I broke their heart, and they left. But I didn’t expect to wake up the next morning with their heartbeat inside my chest.”
- “Every time my heart breaks, it splits in two—and I lose a part of myself forever.”
- “The doctor told me the irregular rhythm in my heartbeat was someone else’s. The strange part? I’ve never had a transplant.”
- “We were warned not to fall in love. It wasn’t because of heartbreak—it was because when we love, something dark awakens in us.”
CWC members: tell us your story in 1,500 words or less.
Deadline: January 18, 2025.
Winners revealed February 15 (don’t worry, we’ll supply the applause).
Visit www.redwoodwriters.org for details or email Judy M. Baker at editor@redwoodwriters.org. Time to flex those writing muscles!
Prizes!
- First place: $100
- Second place: $50
- Third place: $25
- Honorary Runner-Up: Certificate
We will feature winners in the Redwood Writers newsletter. The stories will be published on our website (with permission).
General Guidelines
- Submissions will be accepted until January 18, 2025, on the Redwood Writers website.
- Submission fee: $10 for CWC members, and $15 for non-members.
- Open to the public
- Maximum of 1500 words per submission
- Limited to 1 submission per person
- Format: Microsoft Word document, Times New Roman 12-point font, double-spaced, 1-inch margins
- Each piece must have a title
- Pieces may be part of a longer work and could be published by the author in other forms.
- Work may not have previously appeared in any CWC or Redwood Writers publications.
The author’s name or other identifying information cannot appear in the Word document (work will be judged blind).
Winners will be asked to provide a 50-word bio and headshot.
Questions?
Please contact the contest chair, Judy M. Baker, at judyb@buzzworthybooks.com
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Looking for a Writing Group? | |
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Marie Judson keeps an ongoing list of members interested in joining or creating a writing group. If you would like to find a critique group, or add more members to an existing group, send your genre(s) and contact information to mariejudson@gmail.com.
You'll receive an email with the subject line, "Writers seeking writing groups." You can then either reply to all or select specific writers to contact. This has been an ongoing free service for Redwood Writers members for nine years.
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Contained
we never talked about it, he and I
not then, not over the decades since then
but when I witnessed my quiet contained brother
his face contorted purple, hurl his tennis racquet
with rocket force across the net at his gloating opponent
I recognized that he, like his older sister
concealed a deep rage neither of us dared reveal
in a home where that emotional eruption
was reserved for our mother
he says I had it harder than he - maybe
but the compassion I feel for him these days
comes from the recognition I rarely acknowledged
when we were growing up - we both paid a price
in the die-casting days of our childhood
innocence corrupted is not easily reclaimed
and emotions exploited blur their meaning
we learned to love, but cautiously
to be open, but guarded – curious, but compliant
and ultimately, we forgave ourselves
for believing when we were helpless that survival
meant the secrets we held were essential
Jo Ann Smith’s career in public education culminated as a high school Superintendent. In that capacity, her writing relied on the orderly left side of her brain. She now finds herself drawn to the reading and writing of poetry—a creative journey that continues to be challenging and liberating. Jo Ann’s recently published chapbook Curveballs is available on Amazon.
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Available for Pre-order: Ghost Matinee poetry collection
In Ghost Matinee, Cathryn Shea’s second full-length poetry collection, she delves into the haunting influence of memories that shape both the present and the future. Her poems weave together the personal, political, and global, revealing the hidden and overlooked amid the ordinary. With a keen eye on the fleeting beauty of our world, Shea offers a profound meditation on time—where "the past is a frontier" of uncharted memories, and "the future is a sanctuary" of hope and refuge. Rather than yearning for "the good old days," these poems look forward, even as the ghosts of the past cast shadows over the matinees of our lives. Ghost Matinee presents a deeply reflective exploration of how we carry the past while seeking solace and possibility in what lies ahead.
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For more about this remarkable artist, go to
www.pamelareitman.com
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My debut novel, Charlotte Salomon Paints Her Life is forthcoming from Sibylline Press on April 15, 2025.
This novel is inspired by a young German-Jewish artist sent into exile on the Côte d’Azur, where she creates "Life? Or Theater?” a masterpiece of 850 paintings that tells about a coming-of-age during Hitler’s rise and a coming-to-terms with a legacy of familial suicide.
The story explores the creative process behind this unique work, illustrating the power of art to transform trauma. Haunted by the Third Reich and the threat of psychological disintegration, Charlotte is determined to become a serious modernist painter and risks her life to turn her project over to a trusted steward before capture by the Nazis.
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Historical Fiction Wins 2 Awards | |
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Journey to Duncans Mills received a 5-star finalist award for book of the year from Historical Fiction Company and a notable indie award from Shelf Unbound Magazine.
The historical fiction traces Alexander Duncan's travels from Northern Ireland to Sonoma County, where he established the largest lumber mill in the area. Along the way, he rises against the racist writings and vigilante actions of Thomas Thompson, editor of Santa Rosa's Press Democrat.
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Confidence-Building Bootcamp for Self-Published Authors & Entrepreneurs | |
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Writers Block? Afraid of Marketing and Self-Promotion? Learn inside secrets to silence your inner critics and start promoting like a pro.
Be Bolder and Thrive in 2025!
This could be the best 90-minutes you invest in yourself this year!
Learn five truths and seven tips about how to become bolder and more self-confident at work, in relationships, and for your own personal goals.
Register today! https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1079291573149?aff=oddtdtcreator
Use code CWC to save $10.
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Future Factory Podcast
On the move.... in November, Past President Shawn Langwell was asked to do a spontaneous podcast interview. It dropped just in time for Christmas and has already led to 6 book sales!
In a private coaching group he posted that he is "so grateful for all the good that keeps happening amidst the madness. I've known for a while that 2025 is my year to thrive. Who else feels the same?"
Have a look if you wish...
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THE BUZZWORTHY BOOK EXPERIENCE | |
THE BUZZWORTHY BOOK BISTRO GOES MONTHLY in 2025
Judy M. Baker invites you to the BUZZWORTHY BOOK BISTRO. We meet once a month on Monday via Zoom. It's an hour of marketing honey for authors focused on building an audience without dependence on social media.
Dates: January 13, 2025 and February 10
Time: 2:00-3:00 PM
Q&A office hours where you can celebrate wins, and brainstorm solutions for book marketing challenges. Invite a friend.
Register:
https://bookmarketingmentor.com/cafe-sign-up-page
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Author Brand Camp (ABC's)
A new way to approach your author brand and book marketing. Spend two days and build the foundation for your book marketing year.
Enjoy a customized one-to-one experience. You'll have what you need to grow your author brand, promote your books, build your email list, and be ready to grow your impact.
Founder Pricing ends January 17, 2025.
Don't wait to book a 15-minute call with Judy M. Baker for details. There are a limited number of spots available.
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Twenty-one Days of Magic
Lady Luck flashed her light on me when I opened my email on November 25 to learn my book, The Magic of Yes, was a Finalist of the 2024 American Writing Awards. This was particularly surprising since the book won't be released for another six weeks!
A week later, excellent reviews from Kirkus and Publisher's Weekly/Booklife came in. Whew! I was worried about what those tough reviewers would say. (If you want to publish any part of the review, you have to agree that they can publish the review in entirety on Amazon, etc.)
Last week, I received word that six relevant podcasts are interested in profiling me and The Magic of Yes - and two podcasts are already booked: The Deconstructed Woman, hosted by Elisa Marie and Jojy, and Real Talk Real Woman, hosted by Gemma Serenity.
Truthfully, this wasn't magic - my publicist and I have spent the past six months building my author platform and brand.
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Let's Celebrate Launching a New Career at 75 Open House | |
Tall Tales
Finishing Line Press will publish Briahn Kelly-Brennan's chapbook, Tall Tales. Wahoo! The Poet Laureate of the Known Universe (at least in my mind), Fran Claggett-Holland says "This is the most outrageously unique collection of poems you have ever met..." It takes a while. The launch will be sometime next summer. So hang in there, folks. It's worth waiting for!
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Have you published a new book? Have you got a book deal? Received media coverage, earned an award? We want to share your good news.
Please include your name and contact information: 50 words or less about book events, publications, awards, and classes of interest to our members. Photos, jpegs, or pngs are welcome.
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REDWOOD WRITERS LEADERS & VOLUNTEERS | |
Volunteers make Redwood Writers possible. Thank you to our wonderful leaders and chairpeople who generously give their time and efforts. We appreciate you!
Board of Directors
Crissi Langwell, President
Mara Lynn Johnstone, Vice President
Shawn Langwell, Vice President
Barb Cottrell, Secretary
Malena Eljumaily, Treasurer
Judy M. Baker, Immediate Past President
Tommie Whitener, Vault Master, Policies & Procedures
Roger Lubeck, Membership Chair
Karl Kadie, Member at Large
Janice Rowley, Member at Large
Chairs and Editors
Judy M. Baker, Newsletter Editor
Amrita Blaine, Newsletter Poetry Editor
Les Bernstein, Poetry Anthology Editor
Robin Gabbert, Writers Salon
Pamela Heck, Conference Volunteers Chair
Laura McHale Holland, Social Media
Marie Judson, Critique Groups
Crissi Langwell, Website Editor
Shawn Langwell, Speakers, Communications & PR Director, and Conference Chair
Linda L. Reid, Writers Circle, Poetry Anthology Party
Board meetings are held 6:30-7:30 p.m. on the third Monday of each month unless otherwise noted and are open to any member in good standing. Contact president@redwoodwriters.org to receive an invitation.
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