"There are two kinds of writers: those that make you think, and those that make you wonder." —Brian Aldiss

• Board Secretary: Responsible for minute taking at Board meetings and being part of the Executive committee (composed of President, Vice President and Treasurer). This position requires attention to detail and the commitment to attend board meetings.
• BookWorm Editor: Responsible for coordinating and editing the WNBA-SF's e-newsletter "BookWorm." This position will receive and compile information from members and the president, and compose the newsletter in a word processing format for delivery to the BookWorm layout person.
• Hospitality Chair: A fun and rewarding way to become involved in WNBA, and to get to know the members. Responsibilities include: 1) Coordinating RSVP responses and answering questions about events; 2) Making reservations at restaurant and/or venue, and supplying headcount; 3) Attending Board Meetings as able.
• Traveling Book Display: This is a new position (and previously connected with the Hospitality Chair). It can be divided, if someone is interested in taking it over. WNBA has a roll-cart filled with two plastic bins of our members' books and collateral! It is terrific. We showcase members' books at every event we attend, and hand out collateral so that visitors to the table can order books directly from our authors. The cart fits neatly into a closet or storeroom, and can be transported directly to your car's trunk.

What differentiates the WNBA from other wonderful local writing groups like Left Coast Writers, California Writers Club and Wild Writing Women is that we are a national organization with nine chapters around the country. What this means to our members is that you have a connection to all chapters. When you are planning a speaking or book tour, make sure to get in touch with the chapter presidents (all are listed on the back of the BookWoman). They can help you reach their membership, make suggestions about local bookstores, and help with leads to the larger book community and media.

Speaking of promoting yourself: our PR/Media Chair, Lin Lacombe will be offering a book publicity workshop in June, which has been re-scheduled from this month due to conflicts with our choice of locale. Please mark your calendars for an inspired evening.

Lastly, during the next two months we will be transitioning to a new board. Please let us know in which area you would enjoy volunteering: Planning & Programs, Webmaster, Newsletter, or Membership. We even have one spot open on the Executive Board.
—Joan Gelfand

Now, the Putting Your Passion Into Print Pitchapalooza is coming to you. The Pitchapalooza is the brainchild of Arielle Eckstut and David Henry Sterry, authors of Putting Your Passion Into Print (Workman 2005). She's an agent who runs the West Coast office of Levine Greenberg Literary Agency. She has also authored three books, including The Lost Sex Scenes of Jane Austen. David's a bestselling author who has had four books published in five years, with another two contracted for, ranging from memoir to sports to reference to Young Adult. He's also a professional actor, a pitch consultant and a book doctor. Plus, they're married. With them will be bestselling author, writing-workshop-running plot maven, and all-around wit Tamim Anssary, plus a special guest editor from a big-time publishing house.

Here's your shot. Are you going to take it?

WNBA-SF member and best-selling Bay Area novelist Ellen Sussman (On a Night Like This) is offering a summer weekly fiction workshop and another year long monthly fiction workshop.
The summer weekly fiction workshop runs for 8 weeks. Students will meet once a week on Thursday evenings in July and August. There are currently three openings available for this workshop. Class begins July 13 and runs til Aug 31. Cost: $400. Meetings are in Los Altos Hills from 6:30—9:30 PM.

The year-long Monthly fiction workshop begins in July and runs until June of 2007. Students meet once a month, on the third Wednesday evening of the month. There are currently seven openings available for this class. Cost for 12 sessions is $600.

If you want more information on either of these please email Ellen below. These classes fill quickly—let her know as soon as possible if you're interested.

E-mail Ellen at: www.ellensussman.com

Writer's Journey Retreat with best-selling author Laura Davis
This is a powerful, inspiring, and transformative experience to be able to share so intimately in an environment that is utterly safe and to be part of a writing community that is deeply accepting and supportive. All this in a gorgeous, serene setting designed for deep introspection, relaxation and peace, highlighted by scrumptious, organic meals prepared from only local farmers. Held at the breath-taking Commonweal retreat center in Bolinas, California, near Point Reyes. http://www.commonweal.org. Held August 9-14, 2006

Price: The total cost of the retreat, including room and board, is $1250 (US) for a double occupancy room. A limited number of single rooms are available for $1500 (US). Rooms will be assigned on a first-come, first-served basis. A $300 non-refundable deposit is required to reserve a space in the workshop. For more information and a registration form, go to: www.lauradavis.net/writing-retreats.asp.

Northern California Book Publicity and Marketing Association
May Program -- Sony Reader
Thursday, May 4, 12:30 to 2:30pm
MacArthur Park Restaurant, 607 Front Street at Jackson, San Francisco CA, 415-398-5700
Publishers often wonder what the future holds for the printed page. How soon will readers leave behind printed books for electronic ones? What format will they use? How can we be ready? Coming on the heels of a sold-out presentation to New York publishers, representatives from Sony are in town to present the new Sony Reader for books. Roughly the size of a paperback novel, but thinner than most (about .5 inches thin), the device can store hundreds of books in internal memory. A beautiful lunch will be served promptly at 12:40pm. Please RSVP by Tuesday, May 2nd to ncbpma@ncbpma.org Members: $35.00, Non-members: $40.00, Street Parking. Payable at the event by cash or check made out to NCBPMA.

Wild Writing Women Literary Salon
Wednesday, May 3, 2006, 5:30 PM to 7 PM
Monticello Inn, 127 Ellis Street, San Francisco, CA, 866-778-6169 toll-free.
Admission: Free.

Guest: Danny O. Snow Topic: Two Roads, One Destination: a workshop on self-publishing courtesy of Lulu.com

Danny O. Snow, an author, publisher and journalist specializing in new publishing technologies, will do a live, hands-on demonstration of how to turn your manuscript into a real book in one hour at Lulu.com with no fees or minimums. Sponsored by Lulu (Lulu.com), it's not a gimmick or a hoax, but a new kind of 'print-on-demand' self-publishing technology that's available to anyone." About Lulu, as reported by the BBC: news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/4782018.stm. For more details, please go to www.wildwritingwomen.com.

Got Plot? Plot Workshop for Writers, presented by WNBA-SF member and Blockbuster Plots author, Martha Alderson.
Saturday, May 13th, 10am-3pm
5-HOUR SCENE TRACKER WORKSHOP: 7 Essential Elements of Scene.
Learn the elements of scene and you'll understand the essence of plot. A Scene Tracker is a visual representation of your story and helps you interweave all the plot threads for a successful narrative. Maximize your scenes by tracking them side-by-side from the beginning to the end.

Time to develop a Scene Tracker for your individual project, lunch, and a private consultation of your project are included.
www.BlockBusterPlots.com
Place: Los Gatos
Registration: limited to 8 writers Email: martha@BlockBusterPlots.com.

Martha Alderson, M.A., is the author of Blockbuster Plots Pure & Simple. She is a long-standing member of CWC SF/Peninsula branch and a past board member. She teaches plot workshops privately and through UCSC-X, Learning Annex, and at writers' conferences. She offers plot consultations to writers anywhere in the world.