Scribbles 

California Writers Club — Central Coast Writers Branch centralcoastwriters.org

July 2020

 

Tuesday, July 21 Chris Fox Marketing is Farming, Not Hunting 

Farmers begin by selecting the right soil, and planting the right crop. They don't haphazardly scatter seeds. They plan. They visualize their crop and know what they want their harvest to look like before they even get started. For writers this means writing the correct book. Chris Fox will share how to make sure there's an audience for what you're writing, and that you're writing it in such a way that your target audience recognizes that it was written for them. Chris Fox has published over 20 novels and written a series of non-fiction books that teach writers how to achieve publishing success. He is best known for the Write Faster, Write Smarter series and has spoken all over the country about writing to market, making your writing a habit, and quitting your day job to become an author. His true writing love is science fiction and fantasy. Please visit Chris Fox's website: chrisfoxwrites.com

Tuesday, August 18 (No annual BBQ this year.) Jim Azevedo The Secrets of Bestselling Ebook Authors While there is no such thing as a single magic bullet to suddenly catapult your ebook onto the best seller lists, Jim Azevedo will reveal the best practices of the most successful self-published ebook authors. Simple, yet important, strategies--including how to craft an effective "elevator pitch"--will be uncovered to help make your ebooks more accessible, more discoverable, and more desirable to readers. Jim Azevedo is the marketing director at Smashwords, the largest distributor of self-published ebooks. Since 2008, Smashwords has helped more than 146,000 authors, publishers and literary agents around the world release over 526,00 titles and distribute their work globally to top ebook retailers, subscription services and public libraries. Jim, a convert from Silicon Valley's tech industry, earned his "indie cred" from 18+ years of drumming, recording and touring with an indie punk rock/metal band. In his spare time, Jim is a certified nutrition coach. Follow Jim on Twitter: @Smashwords or @jazzervedo.

WHAT’S INSIDE

Announcements 4-5

As the Pen Flows (Michelle Smith) 8

CCW President’s Letter 2

Contests and Conferences 9

If the Shoe Fits 10

Member Profile 6

Speaker Report 3

The Last Word 11

The Poetry Corner 7

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CCW President’s Letter By Laurie Sheehan

 

Moving On 

This is a difficult letter for me to write. It’s time for me to move on, words that conjure up thoughts of separation and departure. But, I’m not really going anywhere. (No one should be going anywhere these days, but that’s not what I’m talking about). This will be my final, and 61st, submission to this newsletter. And, come to think of it, I don’t think I’ve tendered even one of them on time—newsletter editors have the patience of saints. But, I digress. Anyway, I keep thinking that this missive should somehow round out my time at the helm, and to get a grasp of the happenings of the past five years, I skimmed my past 60 submissions. My first letters, starting in July of 2015, were rather pedestrian, focusing on upcoming club events. Quite boring actually. But, at some point my writing became a little more chatty. I’d pick a theme, find a quote, tell a tale, share something from my own life. I was surprised to find that I really liked some of what I’d written. In many instances the inspiration came from you—the members of our club—people that I consider friends. For instance, in November of 2015 I wrote about Father Harry Freiermuth’s contribution to that year’s Booktoberfest. His reading came replete with what he referred to as a “flatulation device.” He punctuated his whole reading with fart noises—how joyous to see a retired Catholic priest laughing with abandon. It was exactly one year later that I eulogized him in my president’s letter. He was 89 when he died, and I still often think of him. That’s just one instance of how I’ve been touched by my interaction with our members. I’ve written about Fear (Jun ‘17), Perspective (Nov ’17), Optimism (Feb ’18), Balance (Oct ’18), Inspiration (Nov ’18), Respect and Inclusiveness (Oct ’19), Culture (Nov ’19), and Life Lessons and Levi’s 501 Button-Fly Jeans (Jan ’20). I’ve used proverbs and quotes by Anne Frank (Feb ’18) and Buddha (Dec ’17), just to name a few. I’ve included words on Thankfulness in my November letters, a concept that might serve us all well at this time. In fact, take a moment to focus on some part of your life that you can truly control right now, amidst all the uncertainty—draw a deep breath and smile. A simple act of thankfulness and centering can do your soul a world of good. After reading through all of these letters I realized the capacity our club has to encourage and energize our members. How could I leave all that? Well, when it comes right down to it, I’m not moving on at all. I’m moving forward and hopefully toward some goals I’ve had on hold. But, I’ll remain an active member of CCW for years to come, and for the next year I’ll hold my honorary position on the board as Immediate Past President, which is likely similar to being the Queen Mum or a Dowager Countess. All the fun with less responsibility. I’m thrilled that I’ll be around to see all that our club will offer over the next year. The incoming Board is energized and excited to craft wonderful events, experiences, education, and entertainment for our members. Thanks to all of you for your support during my time as President of Central Coast Writers. It’s an experience I’ll never forget.

With great fondness, Laurie Attention: June is when you usually receive your membership renewal notice. Due to Covid-19, payment of your dues is temporarily postponed. The Board will keep you posted. Be assured your membership is intact and your club is strong. [—Ed.]

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Speaker Report Nancy Middleton

 A Spoonful of Sugar:  

Using Fiction to Address Serious Issues June speaker Dan Linehan 

Scientist-turned-writer Dan Linehan became interested in writing while working on his master’s thesis in engineering. He began taking as many writing classes as possible, from creative writing to journalism to poetry to technical writing to screenwriting. Being a self-professed “science nerd,” he was inspired by The X-Files and even wrote a spec episode, which he then turned into a screenplay. After working for a time as a microchip process engineer, he left that career in 2000 to write full time about science and environmental issues. “I felt I could make a bigger difference in changing the world for the better by being a writer,” Linehan said.

Becoming an environmental activist helped define him as a writer. The pivotal moment for him was a NASA report in 2002 about the Larsen B Ice Shelf in Antarctica. At 1,255 square miles (larger than the state of Rhode Island), Larsen B had disintegrated in a mere 35 days. This catastrophe redefined Linehan's path and reprioritized his writing to focus more on wildlife and environmental issues. Having a science background, he said, has helped him immensely when writing about these complex topics.

Linehan’s multimedia serial novel, The Princess of the Bottom of the World , chronicles his travels to Antarctica and other remote regions to study science issues that severely affect our planet. The series was inspired by Carl Sagan’s Cosmo s and John Steinbeck’s fiction, works that bring to light difficult environmental issues and make them more approachable for general audiences. “The Grapes of Wrath is really about an environmental disaster,” Linehan said. “And Cannery Row is more than a novel about a bunch of guys hanging out at the waterfront; it’s about overfishing.”

Linehan sees several advantages to using fiction (rather than nonfiction) when writing about scientific and environmental issues. For example, it allows you to merge science and art for the best of both worlds, lets you incorporate real-life experiences, serves up some “sugar” (entertainment) along with the “medicine” of difficult issues, reaches people’s heads through their hearts, and attracts new audiences.

When asked what advice he would give aspiring science writers, Linehan stressed the importance of simply knowing your science. Really knowing your stuff, he said, can give you an advantage—even over more experienced writers. He also encouraged young science writers to volunteer or take on writing projects that may not pay but could positively influence their work. “Giving back and paying it forward through volunteerism and outreach has played a significant role in my work over the years,” Linehan said.

Get Dan’s novel series here for $5 (or free with coupon TF45P): https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/988659?ref=DSLinehan Dan Linehan’s webpage: https://www.dslinehan.com Multimedia Traveling Companion: https://www.dslinehan.com/princess Book video trailer: https://youtu.be/w3TYh6IG5dY How to make a book video trailer: https://youtu.be/w-aIzZHA9l4

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Announcements 

New CCW members Angela Reed

Member Congratulations From member Alka Joshi : Not to be outdone by The New York Times , USA Today , Toronto Star , and Publishers Weekly , The Los Angeles Times lists The Henna Artist as #7 on its Bestseller FICTION List (Sunday, June 7, 2020). latimes.com/entertainment-arts/books/story/2020-06-03/bestsellers-list-sun-june-7-2020 (for subscribers)

Nancy Swing has added a new page to her website with monthly posts of edited excerpts from journals and letters home during her life overseas. The first one, “The Summer that Changed My Life,” is now online and can be read by visiting nancyswing.com and clicking on WHERE IN THE WORLD? in the upper right corner. Thanks, Nancy!

Executive Committee Elections We can’t say enough to thank Laurie Sheehan and Clarissa Conn for five years of outstanding service to our club. And of course, to Sharon Law Tucker, who now moves into the president’s role. Attendees at the June Zoom meeting voted for the nominees of three open positions. And the winners are:

President: Sharon Law Tucker

Sharon Law Tucker has served on the CCW board for 5 years as Vice President and Workshop Chairperson. She is a member of American Writers and Artists, Inc., and Professional Writers Alliance. She is a published author of two non-fiction books and is currently working on a murder novel inspired by true events. Sharon is a well-known advocate for non-profit organizations having served on the board of Carmel High School Foundation, Monterey Ski and Social Club, and Women’s Council of Realtors. She currently serves on the board of Harry Singer Foundation focusing on education pre-K through 12. Sharon is especially proud of the term she served on the board of Daughters of the American Revolution, Pacific Grove Chapter, serving as their regent for two years and as their delegate to Continental Congress in Washington D.C. Sharon is the co-founder of Carmel Literary Festival. During the day, she is a mortgage consultant and has spent the last 15 years focusing on reverse mortgages to better the lives of seniors.

First Vice President: Susann Thon

Susann ran her own conference planning company in Silicon Valley for over 25 years. She co-produced events like the California Governor’s Conference for Women, Professional Business Women's Conference (PBWC), Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing, Dare to be Digital - Silicon Valley, and many others. Susann wrote marketing collateral for conference brochures and programs, including event highlights, workshop descriptions, and speaker bios. She now spends her time traveling with husband David, volunteering with the World Affairs Council of the Monterey Bay Area, writing short stories and poetry, and overcoming her nomination as "Worst Watercolorist of 2014" at Santa Clara University.

Treasurer: David Spiselman

My experience working in finance includes teaching finance and banking at NYU Stern Graduate School of Business, treasurer at three non-profit organizations, treasurer at three corporations, and over twenty years as a management consultant. And, as a writer, I have been published over twenty times in both non-fiction and fiction, highlighted by my ten-book bestselling Spies Lie series under the name "DS Kane."

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Secretary: Joyce Krieg (Sincere thanks to Joyce for agreeing to stay in this position!)

Continuing Branch Secretary Joyce Krieg is the author of the Shauna J. Bogart Talk Radio Mystery Series: Murder Off Mike, Slip Cue, and Riding Gain, all from St. Martin’s Minotaur. Murder Off Mike was the winner of the St. Martin’s Press “best first traditional mystery” contest and was nominated for an Agatha award. A native of Dayton, Ohio, Joyce grew up in the South Bay area “before it became Silicon Valley.” She attended San Jose State and was a member of the editorial board of Spartan Daily back when it was an unusual day not to have some sort of demonstration happening on Seventh Street. After careers as a daily newspaper reporter, television announcer, radio reporter and newscaster, Joyce settled in as promotion director for Sacramento’s KFBK News/Talk 1530. The latter experience served her well as background material when she started to write a mystery about a crime-fighting, mystery-solving talk radio host. January 26 saw the release of her book, Pacific Grove at Your Feet: Walks, Hikes, and Rambles—14 walks weaving through natural beauty, history and culture—along the Recreation Trail, parks and open spaces, Ghost Rails, Historic Downtown, Steinbeck, Candy Cane Lane, and more. Joyce’s full-time job is serving as head of staff to her royal cat Topaz.

Congratulations to all. We look forward to a vibrant year!

Steinbeck Center Virtual Festival The National Steinbeck Center is hosting a 2-day virtual festival August 1–2. You can participate in their Virtual Vendor Marketplace and Expo (an opportunity to market your books). In addition, you will enjoy:

Cultural and literary panels, interactive writing workshops, musical performances by well-known artists, a virtual cocktail hour, and live auctions.

For more information, visit steinbeck.org/event/virtualfestival or email: events@steinbeck.org

StoryCenter Offers New Collection of Online Workshops As the world moves further and further into the many unknowns of what it means to adapt to life with COVID-19, StoryCenter is offering a supportive, online space where personal struggles and moments of courage can be shared and a virtual community is cultivated. The facilitators draw on their years of experience with trauma-informed methods as they support the work of documenting everyday stories. During these one-hour free sessions , participants are invited to express moments of daily experience which have challenged them deeply or have uplifted their spirits, in the time of COVID-19. Read more on storycenter.org. This Webinar, offered on three dates July 10, August 7, and August 21, includes:

Writing prompts to elicit reflective stories (shared with participants in advance) An opportunity to share short, written pieces online Support and encouragement via verbal comments and the Zoom chat With your permission, publication by StoryCenter

CCW Member Harriet Lynn ’s story, “From Historical Pageant to Zooming Tai Chi,” is published on StoryCenter. You can read it here: storycenter.org/covid-stories-1//from-historical-pageant-to-zooming-tai-chi

June 3 at San Carlos Park/Beach, where the Monterey 250 Mosaic Community Celebration was to occur

Writers of Kern—Writers Conference: From Dreaming to Doing The Writers of Kern, the Bakersfield chapter of CWC, had to postpone their annual conference in March this year, and are now holding it online on Saturday, July 18, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The cost is $20. They will provide a schedule (as well as breaks!), so you don’t have to sit for 8 hours. Check it out the speakers here: writersofkern.com/2019/11/17/28-march-2020-wok-spring-conference.

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Member Profile By Michelle Smith

“Six Golden Rules” 

Terry McHenry 

 

 Avid race car driver Terry McHenry enjoys life to its fullest by following six golden rules: 1) Always be positive; 2) Never get angry; 3) Never pass up an opportunity; 4) If things don’t work the way you expect, there’s probably something better; 5) Do things for other people; and 6) Make a difference. Life wasn’t always rosy for Terry, now 82, whose family lived on top of a hill in San Mateo out of reach of friends and neighbors. Though he had a brother five years his junior, Terry says he never knew him. Left to his own devices to entertain himself, he found his isolation nearly intolerable. “I grew up alone and negative with an Irish temper,” says Terry who ultimately found a brighter path forward. “In the middle of high school, I decided [my negativity] was not productive, and I wasn’t getting anywhere. So I sat down one day and developed a philosophy of six points.” Terry did well after high school, earning a B.A. in aeronautical engineering and a master’s in management from the Stanford Sloan Master’s Program. His first job after college was as a technical writer, evaluating and documenting defense satellite flights. As CFO of a large county agency, he wrote operating procedures and various correspondences. He held management positions in several school districts, including Pajaro Valley where, as Superintendent, he oversaw the education of 20,000 students. Between careers, Terry and his wife published a biweekly 28-page sports car magazine. “I wrote, and she typed.” After a year, he decided “it was way too much work.” They ended up selling their 2500 subscription list to a national magazine for which he worked as regional and technical editor. Now in his second year with CCW, Terry says he’s been a writer all his life. “I don’t talk much, so I write.” Two years ago, he self-published his autobiography titled Making a Difference. Someday, he may write an account of his 25 wins at car racing, which mostly took place at Laguna Seca Raceway. Meanwhile, he continues race car driving and enjoys his ranch on Highway 68, where he and his wife shelter four alpacas, three dogs, three cats, two parrots, two koi, a burro, and a pony. This year they picked 2000 pounds of olives from their olive orchard, producing 40 gallons of virgin olive oil. Terry still makes use of his extensive consultant and management experience with his company, Castle Ridge Consultants (Castleridgeconsultants.com). The company analyzes and updates websites for home improvement companies.

Michelle Smith’s articles have been published in a variety of magazines. Her website is theebonyquill.com .

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The Poetry Corner By Nancy Jacobs

  Mary Oliver  

Mary Oliver said, “I had a very dysfunctional family and a very hard childhood so I made a world out of words. And it was my salvation.” Oliver was born September 18, 1935, in Maple Heights, Ohio, a suburb of Cleveland. Oliver is considered to be one of America’s finest poets—in the same league as Ralph Waldo Emerson. She was a keen observer of the quiet happenings in nature, where she found many of her subjects. Since her family life was dysfunctional, she would often visit the woods near her home, where she built small huts out of sticks, grass, and rocks. Writing poetry in these huts was her escape. Oliver attended Vassar and Ohio State University, but did not graduate from either. Her most rewarding time was spent at Edna St. Millay’s house sorting papers. It was here that she met her life partner Molly Malone Cook. The couple moved to Provincetown, Massachusetts, where the Cape Cod area influenced her work. Oliver was a prolific writer, publishing a book every one or two years. She received the Pulitzer Prize in 1984 for her fifth book American Primitive . Bruce Benneten of The New York Times Book Review said, “American Primitive insists on the primacy of the physical.” Dream Work (1986) continues Oliver’s search to “understand both the wonder and pain of nature,” according to Holly Prado in a review for The Los Angeles Times . Oliver’s New and Selected Poems (1992) won the National Book Award. She held the Catharine Osgood Foster chair for Distinguished Teaching at Bennington College until 2001. Among the honors that Oliver received during her life were fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts. She died at age 83 on January 17, 2019.

 

 Wild Geese By Mary Oliver  You do not have to be good. You do not have to walk on your knees For a hundred miles through the desert repenting. You only have to let the soft animal of your body Love what it loves. Tell me about despair, yours, and I will tell you mine. Meanwhile the world goes on. Meanwhile the sun and the clear pebbles of the rain Are moving across the landscapes, Over the prairies and the deep trees, The mountains and the rivers. Meanwhile the wild geese, high in the clean blue air, Are heading home again. Whoever you are, no matter how lonely, The world offers itself to your imagination, Calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting— Over and over announcing your place In the family of things.

—Dream Work (1986)

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As the Pen Flows... By Michelle Smith

 

 

  “Melanin Blues”  

As I considered my next blog topic, I found it difficult to think about anything other than our current political, cultural, and public health crises. More than 115,000 Americans are confirmed to have lost their lives to the Covid-19 pandemic. We witnessed, in broad daylight, life slowly drain from an unarmed, handcuffed African American man who was murdered beneath the knee of a White police officer while begging for his life and deceased mother. Our government saw fit to send armed active duty military forces to intimidate Americans peacefully exercising their First Amendment right. How can we not be affected?

The families of George P. Floyd and many others have suffered immeasurable grief at the killing of their loved ones by those entrusted to protect and serve the American people. In the wake of this latest tragedy, widespread peaceful protests against police brutality have taken place against a backdrop of mourning and civil unrest as portrayed day after day on social media and across our TV screens. Amid the devastation of the Covid-19 pandemic and the lack of a coherent national strategy to address this health crisis, the perfect storm was brewing. As a woman of color who navigates day in, day out the landscape of institutionalized racism, I know firsthand what it feels like to get up in the morning and step out of my home, sporting a coat of melanin beneath my clothes. Whether I'm escorted out of a Cal Berkeley fraternity house by two White males who advised that Blacks weren't allowed (to the surprise of my fellow White freshwomen) or attempting to board a plane with other first class passengers and being questioned by an airline employee about the validity of my presence in that section (unlike the White woman ahead of me), I don't exhale until I step back inside my home.

Around the second day of protests, however, I noticed something strikingly different from other protests against racism and police brutality: the presence of multiracial crowds pushing for the same cause. A week ago, I saw a White woman standing on a busy street corner of a predominantly White neighborhood, waving a large sign that read, “#BLM Black Lives Matter.” The horns of several passing cars blared in support. Email notices from businesses and corporations that usually tout merchandise discounts or privacy policy updates have focused, instead, on what can be done to improve the lives of African Americans who’ve suffered institutionalized racism for as long as we've had institutions. Additionally, some of my writers organizations have asked members to document their sentiments in light of massive and unrelenting protests against injustice, whether for posterity, venting, or both. It's unfortunate that it took another brutal killing to catalyze a movement yearning for enduring resolutions to injustices that stem from centuries of deep-rooted overt, covert, and systemic racism perpetuated by the silence of those who tolerate it. I am hopeful that change is coming and that Mr. Floyd's death and the deaths of countless other victims of police brutality did not happen in vain. We are weary. We are humans. We are Americans.

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Contests and Conferences By Patricia Watson

CONTESTS The Coronavirus Isolation Challenge Deadline: July 31, 2020, 10 p.m. GMT Entry Fee: Free Website: judgify.me/CoronavirusIsolationCreativeWritingChallenge Prizes: 1st Prize Short Story: 7 nights’ accommodation at “Pew with a View” cottage in Phingask Coast of Moray Firth in North-east Scotland, plus publication in the contest anthology. 1st Prize Poetry: 7 nights in the hamlet of Pitullie to enjoy “eco-pod glamping” accommodations at “Door to the Shore,” plus anthology publication December 2020. Guidelines: See website for full guidelines. Online submissions only. Submit a short story of up to 10,000 words or a poem on the theme of Coasts & Waters in either English, Doric, or Scots. Entries must be unpublished and not under consideration for any other publication. The Comstock Review Muriel Craft Bailey Award Deadline: July 15, 2020 Entry Fee: $5.00 per poem by mail, $27.50 for up to 5 poems Website: http://comstockreview.org (not a secure site) Prizes: 1st Prize: $1,000, The Muriel Craft Bailey Memorial award. 2nd Prize: $250.00. 3rd Prize: $100.00. Honorable mentions receive a one-year subscription to The Comstock Review. Guidelines: See website for complete guidelines. Poems must be original and unpublished in any medium. No poem may exceed forty lines starting with the line below the title. The NoWhere Magazine Spring 2020 Travel Writing Prize Deadline: July 15, 2020 11:59 p.m. EST Entry Fee: $15.00 per submission; no submission limit. Website: https://nowheremag.com/contests/ Prizes: 1st Prize: $1000 plus publication in NoWhere magazine; up to 10 finalists. Guidelines: See website submission page for complete rules and guidelines. Fiction, non-fiction, poetry or essay, 800-5000 words, poetry any length. Several poems themed together may be sent as one entry. All work needs a strong sense of people, place, and time .

WORKSHOPS AND CONFERENCES

The Roxan McDonald/ Jane Edberg Thursday Writer's Group Location: Online via Zoom. Conference headquartered in Moss Landing, CA Date: June 28–August 06, 2020. Contact: Roxan McDonald-info@roxanmcdonald.com Cost: $400.00 for an eight-week session. Sessions are ongoing. Call to find if space is available. About: Jane Edberg and Roxan McDonald team up to give you everything a writer needs to create new work, move writing projects to completion, polish existing writing and develop sustainable writing practice. Each week the group will meet for a craft talk followed by smaller groups to share your writing and receive feedback.

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If the Shoes Fits… By Jonathan Shoemaker

 

“Perfection” “If I waited for perfection, I would never write a word.”

― Margaret Atwood

I am a perfectionist; but I’m not perfect. It drives me crazy! My wife used to proofread everything I wrote. Now my children do it for me. It then seems ready. But just to be sure, I also read it to our Saturday critique group at Juice and Java. It’s a fun group of talented writers who are able to notice areas where I can improve my work regarding grammar, punctuation, syntax, indefinite antecedents, and confusing comments that don’t pertain to the topic. Sometimes they come up with a really great related idea or a perspective that I hadn’t even considered; and sometimes they correct me regarding a fact. I finally submit my column knowing that both our newsletter editor Lana, and proofreader Leslie, have always advised me well, as have many other editors and proofreaders over the years. After all this help, I do manage to produce something once a month that might benefit some of my writing friends. If it does, great! If not; well, if the Shoe fits… One of the reasons I come to meetings is to get ideas about how to improve. (And to enjoy the pleasure of seeing our fellow club members.) I feel the urge to learn; to improve. I write to enjoy the sheer creative pleasure. If I choose to share it with people, I will often make changes to be sure it’s worth reading and might interest them. Or I can adapt it to fit some situation that arrives at a later date. If I do decide to publish a piece I’ve already written, it seems like I spend more time polishing it for others to view than I originally spent when I was just writing it for my own pleasure. Often it distracts me, while typing, that the computer will autocorrect. If I hit the wrong key, I start glancing between screen and keyboard to avoid that problem. Plus, my muse gets bored and wanders off when I start using Word Search. I can avoid all that by ignoring technology. When a thought or feeling attacks me, I just get paper and pencil and “go with the flow,” unconcerned about mistakes, or the perfect adjective. I’m giggling, or sighing, giving in to a memory (or carried away by a crazy idea). I’m having fun—and nobody cares if I’m even making sense. If it’s worth saving, I can grit my teeth and perfect it later. Or not. So, when you feel like writing, just go ahead and enjoy creating, without worrying about if it’s perfect, or if it has any real value. Ignore the impulse to avoid mistakes. Let the pleasure of writing flow through your fingers straight from your heart. “Better a diamond with a flaw than a pebble without.”―Confucius Louis L’Amour said, “Start writing, no matter what. The water does not flow until the faucet is turned on.”

Be well, and let it flow.   

Jonathan 

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The Last Word Lana Bryan 

June, 2020 

Memorial Day changed everything. I doubt that anyone in the U.S.—or indeed in the world—did not see the televised murder of George Floyd at the pressing knee of the Minneapolis police. The tragedy was quickly followed by protests, speeches, interviews, appeals, and, incredibly, the deaths of at least two more black men by police.

Like you, I watched numerous interviews with the NAACP’s Legal Defense Fund’s leader Sherrilyn Ifill; Black Lives Matter founders Alicia Garza, Patrisse Cullors, and Opal Tometi; the Reverend Al Sharpton, and many others. I watched the late night comedy show hosts sober up and interview black and brown people to hear their reactions and their difficult stories. I watched Covid-19 (which will go away eventually) take second chair to protesters of all skin shades in the streets over systemic racism (which will not go away in our lifetimes).

I puzzled over what I can do to be an ally. Both an ex-co-worker and my daughter sent me ideas about things to read and things to see that can help me—a privileged white northerner —understand. The first three on one list are:

1. Read White Fragility by Robin DiAngelo. 2. Read How to be an Antiracist by Ibrim X. Kendi. 3. Watch the documentary “13th” by Ava DuVernay.*

I am halfway through White Fragility and have learned about the “good/bad binary” and that “white solidarity” is real. DiAngelo quotes our own member Christine Sleeter as describing “racial bonding,” where whites affirm “a common stance on race-related issues, legitimizing particular interpretations of groups of color, and drawing conspiratorial we-they boundaries.”**

So I’m one iota closer to being more aware, probably not yet closer to being an ally. If, as DiAngelo asserts, one can think of one’s position as on a continuum, we can “continually seek to move along it.” It’s a start.

If anyone wants to see the lists I received, I’m happy to share them. *Note : You can see the documentary “13th” on Netflix.

**Christine E. Sleeter, Multicultural Education as Social Activism (Albany, NY: SUNY Press, 1966), 149.

CCW EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

President New! Sharon Law Tucker Vice President New! Susann Thon Secretary Joyce Krieg Treasurer New! David Spiselman Programs Chair Nancy Middleton CCW Workshops Sharon Law Tucker Membership Maria Skyttä Publicity Jason Warburg Hospitality Sarah Pruitt Newsletter Lana Bryan Webmaster Ken Jones Assistant Webmaster Kemberlee Shortland Writing Contests Dennis Hamilton Central Board Representative (acting) Joyce Krieg NorCal Representative New! AdriennMendonca-Jones

Scribbles is the official monthly publication for members of Central Coast Writers, a branch of the California Writers Club, a registered non-profit corporation. All material is copyrighted ©2020 by California Writers Club and may not be reproduced without permission. Opinions expressed under individual bylines do not necessarily represent an official position of, or endorsement by, Central Coast Writers or California Writers Club. Scribbles is published by: Central Coast Writers, Post Office Box 997, Pacific Grove, CA 93950 Editorial Staff Lana Bryan Editor Nancy Middleton Speaker Report Nancy Jacobs Poetry Corner Michelle Smith Member Profiles C. Jonathan Shoemaker If the Shoe Fits Patricia Watson Contests and Workshops Leslie Patiño Proofreader

CCW Website centralcoastwriters.org

Click Scribbles Newsletter for archived copies.

For anything Scribbles related: Contact Scribbles editor Lana Bryan

lana.bryan@writeteam.com

Not yet a member of CCW? You can join at a monthly meeting or online at:

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Back to the book, Lana

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California Writers Club Central Coast Writers Branch Post Office Box 997 Pacific Grove, CA 93950  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tuesday, July 21 On Zoom at 6 p.m. Chris Fox speaks on

“Marketing is Farming, Not Hunting”

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