MONTEREY BAY WRITER
January
2006
E-Newsletter produced by
Chapter 7 of the National Writers Union
Happy New Year!
We're a little overdue for a newsletter, but
here is the first one of 2006, and one of our resolutions is to make sure they
come out more regularly!
There is a lot already scheduled for this year,
and we know already there is going to be a lot more. Just look at the list
below! It's going to be a very active year for this chapter. And if you would
like to help -- you would be very welcome. We still need a Treasurer, and there
are plenty of fun opportunities for volunteering ...
We have:
* National News
* A wrap-up of recent
successes, with special Thank-You's to those who did all the hard work
* A new idea -- Dinner
and a Movie, anyone?
* An extensive
Calendar
But first, a reminder of two very timely items:
* National Tax
Planning Workshop -- You should all have had an email from the
National Office about this. It's a Teleconference Workshop, on January 19th, led by Susan Lee, EA,
CFP, a tax and financial planner who specializes in advising freelancers.
Registration is limited to 95, so you need to move fast. To register, or for
more information, contact Juliet Sandford, NWU Operations Manager at operationsmgr@nwu.org.
* Central Coast
Writers, our friends in Monterey, are having a meeting
on January 17th, with an outrageous
door prize -- an overnight stay for two, with dinner, at the Post Ranch Inn.
The featured speaker, in the run-up to the 100th anniversary of the Great
San Francisco Earthquake and Fire, is James
Dalessandro, a screenwriter and author of the bestselling historical novel 1906. 5:30pm. Optional
Buffet--$15. 7pm. Program--free to CCW members, $5 to non-CCW members.
Casa Munras Garden Hotel, 700 Munras Ave. Monterey. Info: 831-626-2632. You
must be present to enter the raffle.
******
National News
As you know, there is a Special Election going on. In the first round, Jack Rasmus (of San
Francisco) won an outright victory to become our First Vice President, but the
other three races have all gone to run-offs. Please VOTE! Check out the candidates' statements that come with the
ballot, ask around, make up your mind, and send in your vote.
There are also encouraging signs that National
may be getting closer to expanding health
insurance coverage. Pamela Vossenas (pvnyc@earthlink.net), the VP for Internal Organizing, sent round a request for
information about Aetna. If you didn't respond before, and you have experience
with them, good or bad, do please tell her directly; she'd love to hear from
you.
******
Special Thanks ...
... to Barbara
Graves, for putting together the Adam
Johnson event in October -- a wonderful dinner at Gabriella's (and thanks
to them too!), followed by a reading, talk and discussion at the SEIU Hall in
Santa Cruz.
... to Laura
Cameron, for conducting the Kickstart
Your Creativity workshop in Monterey on January 8th, drawing in some new
prospects and helping everyone there to start the new year right. Maybe we can
persuade her to do one up North later on ... but we haven't asked her yet!
... to Susan
Heinlein, for facilitating an Evaluation & Planning (E&P) session,
at which we set out goals for the new year, including quarterly events as well
as the regular monthly ones -- see the Calendar section below.
... to Kaki
Rusmore, for loaning us her house to hold the E&P
... to Phil
Wagner, for running the Santa Cruz Roundtables through 2005
... to T.
Mike Walker, for helping Phil and taking over the responsibility for 2006,
in addition to the Independent Readings at the Art League
... to Angel
Look, for stepping up to host the monthly Carmel Readings
... to John
Laue, for years and years of consistently wonderful work
... to Lori
Kearney for her work on the Holiday Party -- and there are photos to prove
it, posted at http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=kcwqy3y.7tmyc4mq&x;=1&y;=-acigis (you have to log in, but it's easy and free).
... to Catherine
Shevenell for letting us use her lovely home for the party
... to Jim
Kruger, who donated the wine!
... to Bonnie
Thomas, our Coordinator, who is taking a well-deserved (but probably rather
strenuous) break in Argentina
... to everyone involved in this year's
Poetry Competition, whose results will be announced in our next newsletter, to
the Steering Committee, and to all the members, who make this chapter what it
is. Bless us, each and every one!
******
Dinner and a Movie:
Writers Potlucks + Films
about Writing
After our holiday party, several members
expressed a desire to have more social activities where the agenda is simply to
get to know one another better. What better way to start than to have
monthly pot lucks sharing good food, good company and viewing one of the many
films about about writing available on VHS or DVD?
If you are willing to host such a potluck at
your home, pick a Friday or Sunday evening date between now and June 30th, pick
a movie from the following list or add one we haven't come up with, and let Pat
Hanson (pat_hanson@csumb.edu or 883-4486) know, along with pertinent details about the number
of people your home can handle, your address for mapquests, and then we
will share a calendar for the next six months with members only. Of course you
can invite your own friends. Looking forward to eating, imbibing and
discoursing with you!
-Finding Forrester
-The Man From Elysian Fields
-The Hours
-Alex and Emma
-Adaptation
-Mistress
-Stone Reader
-Naked Lunch
-Henry & June
-Dash & Lil (HBO)
-My Brilliant Career
-The Mystery of Rambo
-The Whole Wide World
******
Save the Dates!
March 31-April 2 -- National Grievance and Contract Training to be held right here in Chapter 7. Details are
still being worked out, but this should be a wonderful opportunity to prove to
people just how valuable the Union is!
Sunday June 17th • 10-4pm • Submission Success Teams: Steps to Winning
Proposals, with Pat Hanson at CSU Monterey Bay, Building 45a-127,
Seaside/Marina
Sunday October 29th • 10-4pm • Fiction from the Heart, with T.Mike
Walker and Jim Kruger, Santa Cruz (address to be confirmed)
******
Calendar
* The Santa Cruz Round
Tables, first Thursday of every month at the downtown
library, 6 p.m.-7 p.m., free, open to all. For more info, tmw@townscribe.com.
February 2nd -- Mary Karlton and Peter
Sternbach, speaking about self-publishing, plus Berta Heese reading from her recently published memoir The Narrow Gate.
March 2nd -- to be confirmed
* The Monterey Round Tables will be re-starting at Bay
Books on Alvarado Street in downtown Monterey, the second Wednesday of
every month at 6pm beginning on February
8th with Beth Roybal author of five self-health
books and one novel, who will speak on "Using Fiction Techniques in Compelling Non-Fiction." Stay
tuned for a list of forthcoming speakers. If you've a writing success story or
tips you'd like to share with members about, e-mail pat_hanson@csumb.edu with a short description of your talk.
* The Independent Voices
Book Readings and Signings every month at the
Santa Cruz Art League:
Monday February 13th -- Raymond Lee Zager, diary: Window
of Self, A diary is forever; This book combines many aspects of diary
writing; offering numerous techniques, examples of diary writing, and insights
AND
Virginia Merrill, fiction: "I
Believe in Guardian Angels"; "An inspiring story told from the point
of view of a young child ... lively, well written." Joyce Keller
Monday March 13th -- Dane Cervine and Randy
Peyser
Monday April 10th -- Mel Bowen and Ellen Damon
* Carmel Readings, 2nd Friday of every month at the Sunset Center, Dolores St, in
Carmel by the Sea
Feb. 10---John Laue and Angel Look
Mar. 10--Laura Bayless and Jennifer Lagier
******
And finally -- the next Steering Committee Meeting will by on January 25th at 6 p.m. at the Aptos Fire Station (thanks are due to
them too, for hosting it!). All members are welcome -- tell us ahead of time
and we'll give you directions and an agenda!
In Solidarity,
Pete Shanks & Pat Hanson
Co-Chairs,
National Writers Union, Chapter 7
UAW Local 1981/AFL-CIO
pete@wordsontheweb.com, pat_hanson@csumb.edu