|
In This
Issue
From
Our Chapter
President
Announcements
From
Our Literacy
Liaison
Author
Spotlight
WNBA
National
News
Link to
Renew
Membership
(General Member
- $45)
Link to Renew
Membership
(Senior/Student
-
$25)
From our
Literacy
Liaison Dear
WNBA
Members and
Friends,
I
(Teresa)
attended
the
Project
Read
silver
anniversary
celebration
at the SF
Public
Library
on Oct.
27th.
Listening
to the
stories
from the
tutor/learner
teams
filled me
with
inspiration.
Imagine
not
knowing
how to
read job
postings,
insurance
forms,
operating
instructions,
or a book
to your
child?
Project
Read
provides
one-on-one
tutoring
to
English-speaking
adults
who want
to
improve
their
basic
reading
and
writing
skills.
On
behalf of
WNBA, I
applaud
the folks
at
Project
Read
(Randall
Weaver,
Leon
Veal,
Richard
Le,
Heather
Ellis,
Brian
Castagne,
all the
tutors,
other
volunteers,
and
learners)
for their
dedication
and
passion.
Call
(415)
557-4388
if you're
interested
in being
trained
as a
tutor.
I
(Patricia)
attended
the
Beverly
Manley
reading
at the
African
American
Museum
and
Library
in
Oakland
on
October
25th.
Mrs.
Manley
read from
her work,
The
Manley
Memoirs.
The
former
first
lady of
Jamaica
talked
about her
childhood
and
marriage
to the
former
Prime
Minister
Michael
Manley.
The venue
provided
an
intimate
setting
in a
jewel of
a
building.
The
African
American
Museum
and
Library
is
located
on 14th
Street
next to
Prospect
Park.
Readings
are held
on the
second
floor.
For
further
information
about
upcoming
speakers
contact
Veda
Silva at
the
library.
(510)
637-0200
www.oaklandlibrary.org/AAMLO/
Check
out http://wnba-sfchapter.org or
look
through
this
newsletter
for more
information
on fun
events.
What
are you
doing to
promote
literacy
in the
community?
Email us
and we'll
showcase
you in
this
column.
Please
put "WNBA
and
Literacy"
in your
subject
line. Be
well.
Sincerely,
Teresa LeYung
Ryan &
Patricia
Costello
LiteracyLiaison@wnba-sfchapter.org
******************
Author
Spotlight
Bookworm
talks to
Barbara
Gates
Barbara
Gates
is a
memoir
writer
and
editor
living
in
Berkeley,
California.
She is
the
co-founder
and
co-editor-in-chief
of the
Buddhist
journal,
Inquiring
Mind for
which
she
writes
a
regular
column.
She
also
works
as a
developmental
editor—as
a kind
of
midwife
for
people
writing
books.
Her
memoir,
Already
Home:
A
Topography
of
Spirit
and
Place, was
published
by
Shambhala
Publications
(2003).
The
Best
of
Inquiring
Mind:
Twenty
Five
Years
of
Dharma,
Drama
and
Uncommon
Insight,
the
recent
anthology
she
co-edited
with
Wes
Nisker,
was
published
by
Wisdom
Publications
(2008).
When did
you start
writing?
I
began
dictating
stories
before
I even
knew
how to
put
words
on
paper.
And
I’ve
written
ever
since.
I’ve
kept
voluminous
journals
since
I was
young,
written
women’s
studies
curricula
for
the
Feminist
Press
when
in my
twenties,
edited
the
Buddhist
magazine
Inquiring
Mind,
and
have
published
articles
(creative
non-fiction)
over
the
years.
It was
not
until
I was
propelled
by the
urgency
of a
breast
cancer
diagnosis
during
my
forties
that I
mustered
the
discipline
to
write
my
memoir
Already
Home.
Why did you
choose your
particular
genre?
It
has
felt
as if
my
genre
chose
me. My
interest
in
Buddhism
led me
to
co-found
and
co-edit
a
Buddhist
journal.
Over
the
twenty-five
years
of
editing
the
journal,
I’ve
found
myself
telling
stories
from
my
life
in
which
I’ve
explored
struggles
and
everyday
illuminations
born
of
Buddhist
practice.
In the
telling,
I’ve
learned
more
about
Buddhism,
about
myself
and
about
the
nature
of
this
zany
and
wondrous
existence—catastrophe
and
blessing
at
once.
Memoir
writing
with a
philosophic
slant
has
gradually
allowed
me to
take
my own
‘troubles’
with
more
of a
sense
of
humor
and to
see
the
underlying
commonality
of my
own
ups
and
downs
with
those
of
everyone
else.
What
inspired
you to
choose your
subject
matter?
Mostly
I
write
about
something
because
I
don’t
understand
it and
it has
become
a kind
of
obsession
(a rat
which
showed
up in
my
refrigerator,
a
garbage
dump
which
reminded
me of
my own
mind).
Often
I
write
about
something
that
is
hurting
(the
death
of my
step
dad, a
sister
who
won’t
talk
to me)
or
that
is
confusing
me (a
dilemma
like
whether
to
kill
snails,
whether
to
drive
on
freeways).
Usually,
when I
write
about
something,
the
central
theme
takes
on
metaphoric
resonance.
I play
with
the
theme,
ventilate
it a
bit,
maybe
laugh
at my
self-preoccupation.
More
often
than
not, I
gain a
little
clarity
and
find
some
freedom
to
loosen
my
grip
on
that
theme,
to
notice
more
of the
world
around
me and
maybe
to
think
creatively
about
something
new.
How
difficult/easy
has your
experience
been as a
published
writer?
I
have
been
lucky
to be
the
editor
of a
journal
in
which
I can
regularly
publish
my
own
essays.
When
I’ve
published
my
work
elsewhere,
I
have
sometimes
been
disgruntled
by
the
way
the
work
has
been
edited.
That’s
not a
problem
when
I’m
my
own
editor!
As to
publishing
women’s
studies
curricula
with
the
Feminist
Press
when
I was
young
or
publishing
with
Shambhala
and
Wisdom
in
recent
years,
again,
I
think
I was
lucky.
These
small
publishing
houses
more
or
less
came
my
way
without
a lot
of
effort
on my
part
because
of
the
work
that
I was
doing.
But I
should
add
that
when
my
agent
(who
I met
through
a
fellow
writer)
had
tried
to
get
Already
Home published
with
a
mainstream
press,
many
editors
said
they
liked
it
but
no
one
wanted
to
take
the
“risk.” Once
a book
is
published,
of
course,
there’s
the
challenge
of
selling
books.
Although
I got
some
excellent
reviews
and
interviews
for
Already
Home, sales
have
been
minimal.
And
now,
alas,
there’s
a
diminishing
number
of
independent
booksellers.
Who is
going
to
carry
the
book?
Now,
Already
Home is
only
available
through
Shambhala
Publications
or
through
me.
What advice
would you
give other
aspiring
authors?
Don’t
give
up.
Keep
writing.
Write
every
day,
whether
or not
what
you
write
on any
given
occasion
seems
of
particular
value
or is
expressed
with
particular
grace
or
flare.
Just
write,
and
out of
the
act of
writing
a
serendipitous
story
or
image,
an
insight
or a
fresh
and
sensuous
series
of
words
may
well
arise
unbidden,
as if
out of
nowhere….
to
surprise
you.
When
you’ve
completed
a
book,
try to
find
an
agent
or a
publisher.
But if
that
doesn’t
work
out,
don’t
give
up.
Self-publish
your
own
book
and
sell
it on
line.
Most
of
all,
try to
remember
not to
take
your
own
trials
personally.
Anything
else you
would like
to share
with the
WNBA?
Keep
reading.
When
you
read
beautiful
prose,
its
rhythms
and
metaphors
may
well
seep
into
your
own
writing.
I just
read
Ann
Patchett’s
Bel
Canto and
I find
that
my
thoughts
and
dreams
are
permeated
by the
elegance
and
imagination
of
Patchett’s
language
and
imagery.
********************
**********************
Did
you
know?
WNBA
MEMBER
ADVANTAGES:
Do
you
have
a
new
book
or
service
you
would
like
to
promote?
Here
are
the
ways
WNBA
can
help:
1:
Link
your
website
to
our
SF
chapter
site
2:
List
your
book
on
our
National
Site
–
under
Author
books.
The
site
gets
approximately
4,400
hits/month
(password
required)
3:
List
your
name
in
our
national
database
of
members
4:
Have
your
book
reviewed
or
noted
in
our
National
Magazine,
The
Bookwoman.
Published
3x
/year
The
Bookwoman
is
sent
out
to
all
chapters
and
members
(700+)
and
industry
professionals
for
a
total
circulation
of
3,000
5:
Ask
to
present
your
book
at
our
Author’s
Showcase
–
contact
Elisa
Southard
/WNBA/SF
6:
SIGN
UP
to
read/present
your
book
at
our
local
sponsoring
bookstore:
Bookshop
West
Portal.
7:
Work
with
all
of
our
8
chapters
to
network
for
readings/mailings,
etc.
Have
fun!
Make
new
friends
and
acquaintances!
Sign
up
or
renew
(only
$45!)
on
our
website:
www.wnba-sfchapter.org
and
Use
PayPal
**********************
History
The
Woman's
National
Book
Association
is
a
national
organization
of
women
and
men
who
work
with
and
value
books.
WNBA
exists
to
promote
reading
and
to
support
the
role
of
women
in
the
community
of
the
book.
The
San
Francisco
Chapter
of
WNBA
was
founded
in
1968
by
Effie
Lee
Morris,
then
coordinator
of
Children's
Services
for
the
San
Francisco
Main
Public
Library.
Membership
has
ranged
from
sixty
to
one
hundred.
Our
members
are
writers,
booksellers,
agents,
editors,
publishers,
publicists,
librarians,
graphic
designers,
career
coaches,
marketing
specialists,
conference
planners,
aspiring
authors
and
avid
readers.
The
San
Francisco
branch
of
WNBA
is
one
chapter
in
a
vibrant
organization
with
over
800
members
across
the
county.
Each
branch
has
its
own
flavor
and
lively
events
to
honor
books,
the
creation
of
books,
the
world
of
books,
and
allied
arts.
The
Women's
National
Book
Association
has
been
a
Non-Governmental
Organization
member
of
the
United
Nations
since
1959.
An
NGO
is
defined
as
"any
non-profit,
voluntary
citizens'
group
which
is
organized
on
a
local,
national
or
international
level.
Task-oriented
and
driven
by
people
with
a
common
interest,
NGOs
perform
a
variety
of
services
and
humanitarian
functions,
bring
citizens'
concerns
to
governments,
monitor
policies
and
encourage
political
participation
at
the
community
level."
In
effect,
WNBA
members
are
to
be
ambassadors
for
the
UN.
Our
organization
disseminates
information
about
the
United
Nations
through
all
the
means
at
our
disposal,
especially
through
our
national
and
chapter
publications
and
monthly
programs.
|
|
From
Our
Chapter
President
Dear WNBA-SF
Friends,
November is a
time where we
count our
blessings and I
am grateful for
my health, my
family friends,
their health, a
warm place to
sleep and
dream, enough
food to eat and
tea to sip, and
of course, time
to write and
read.
I’m grateful to
be part of this
dynamic
organization
with so many
exciting
programs
planned.
However, those
plans are
in
jeopardy
without
your help. As
part of the
WNBA-SF board
you will be in
a position to
help shape the
future of
WNBA-SF.
If you are
knowledgeable
with numbers,
we are
in
need
of
a
Treasurer.
We also
have two very
popular and
important
programs coming
up
March 28,
Meet-the-Agents
and
on
April 16, the
Author
Showcase
which
need bright,
capable
volunteers to
assure their
success. If you
have a
manuscript
ready to be
pitched to an
agent, or a
polished pitch,
being a part of
the
Meet-the-Agents
committee would
get you one
step closer to
that all
important
introduction to
an agent! If
you have
successfully
brought your
project to book
form,
participating
on the Author
Showcase
committee is an
opportunity for
you to learn
valuable tips
about Marketing
as the
committee
chair, Elisa
Southard,
author
of
Break Through
the
Noise,
is a
seasoned
pro!
I realize we
are all busy
and have many
responsibilities,
but if you gave
a few hours to
just one of our
programs, it
could make all
the difference
in making our
programs
spectacular
successes.
Contact either
Linda Lee or
myself
at
president@wnba-sfchapter.org
about
volunteering
for a WNBA-SF
position or
program
today!
Be
well,
Mary
P. S. Don’t
forget to go to
our web
site
www.wnba-sfchapter.org
to sign up for
an program
with
Christine
Comaford,
New York
Times
best-selling
author
of
Rules of
Renegades
,
on Dec. 2,
5:30-7:30 p.m.
at Sinbad’s
Pier 2
Restaurant in
San
Francisco.
Christine
has had an
unconventional
career path and
you won’t want
to miss hearing
how she turned
her book into a
best seller.
Whether you’re
a
Renegade
or not,
this is a story
you’ll want to
hear!
The
December
WNBA-SF Board
meeting
will be
held
Dec. 2 at
4
p.m
. at Sinbad’s
Pier 2
Restaurant
prior to our
December
program. Please
contact
president@wnba-sfchapter.org
to add anything
to the meeting
agenda.
********************
Announcements
'Tis
the
Season!
Celebrate
the
holidays
surrounded
by
books
and
book
lovers
in
a
cozy
and
intimate
setting
with
your
fellow
WNBA
members
on
Tuesday,
Dec.
16th,
5:30-8pm.
Our
hosts
will
be
Literary
Agents
Michael
Larsen
and
Elizabeth
Pomada.
The
location
is
1029
Jones
St,
between
California
and
Pine
streets
and
parking
is
available
on
Pine
before
6pm.
Come
share
holiday
stories
from
seasons
past
and
create
new
ones.
This
is
a
marvelous
annual
tradition.
Please
bring
a
nosh
to
share
and
a
wrapped
book
to
exchange.
********************
Reading
Round
the
World
Series
Jana
McBurney-Lin,
author
of
My
Half
of
the
Sky
,
will
be
among
the
panel
of
authors
on
Saturday,
Nov.
22,
1:00pm
at
the
South
San
Francisco
Public
Library
in
the
Reading
Round
the
World
Series.
Main
Library
Auditorium
at
840
West
Orange
Ave.,
So.
S.F.
(650)
829-3876
Refreshments
provided
by
Friends
of
the
Library.
********************
California
Writer's
Club
Events
On
Saturday,
November
15,
developing
effective
narrative
voice
will
be
the
topic,
and
editor
and
writer
Christopher
Wachlin
will
be
the
speaker.
The
CWC
meets
at
the
Belmont
Public
Library
at
10
a.m.
The
cost
is
$15
for
members
and
$18
for
non-members,
and
you
may
pay
by
cash
or
by
check
made
out
to
CWC.
As
always,
reservations
are
recommended.
Reply
at
cwachlin@hotmail.com
After
the
main
meeting,
this
month’s
group
mentoring
session
will
be
“Where
are
you
going
on
your
writer's
journey?”
led
by
Group
Mentoring
co-chair
Teresa
LeYung
Ryan.
Bring
your
questions,
your
willingness
to
share
leads,
and
your
calendars.
To
reserve
your
spot,
email:
Mentoring@sfpeninsulawriters.
com and
Joyce
or
Teresa
will
email
back
confirmation
or
put
your
name
on
the
wait
list.
Put
"November
CWC
Group
Mentoring"
in
the
subject
line.
For
more
information
about
Christopher
Wachlin,
the
CWC,
and
this
month's
meeting
and
mentoring
session,
visit
the
website
at
http://www.sfpeninsulawriters.
com/
As
the
site
is
updated,
additional
details
will
be
available
there.
Also,
don’t
forget
that
this
month
you
can
win
a
big,
beautiful
holiday
gift
basket
simply
by
attending
the
main
meeting.
Enter
the
CWC
Gift
Basket
Raffle!!!
Rules:
1.
Everyone
who
brings
a
guest
receives
a
raffle
ticket
toward
winning
this
month's
basket.
2.
Everyone
who
has
passed
out
flyers
this
month
automatically
receives
a
special
prize.
********************
Teresa
LeYung
Ryan,
author
of
the
mother-daughter
novel
Love
Made
of
Heart,
says:
“In
the
fiercely
competitive
arena
of
the
publishing
world,
how
does
one
stand
out
in
a
crowd?
Building
relationships
is
one
key
to
success
in
this
business.
Another
key
is
to
map
out
your
career
plan.
I
want
to
see
all
hardworking
writers
realize
their
dreams.”
Teresa
is
a
past-president
of
CWC
Peninsula
Branch,
current
Literacy
Liaison
for
Women's
National
Book
Association,
a
presenter
at
writers'
conferences,
manuscript
editor,
and
a
career
coach
for
writers.
Teresa
has
a
"Resources"
page
and
"Tips
for
Success"
for
writers
on
her
website:
LoveMadeofHeart.com************************
EDITCETERA
Workshops
EDITCETERA,
an
association
of
freelance
publishing
professionals,
presents
the
following
workshops.
For
registration
and
more
info:
www.edicetera.com;
510-849-1110;
also
learn
about
other
educational
programs
and
freelance
editorial
services.
•
Proofreading
A to Z,
with
Robyn
Brode
Orsini
When:
Three
Saturdays,
November
1 to
15;
9:00
a.m. to
4:00
p.m.
Where:
First
Presbyterian
Church,
2407
Dana
Street,
Berkeley
Cost:
$320
through
October
24;
$340
thereafter
Details:
Learn
the
skills
you
need to
proofread—whether
your
project
is a
trade
book or
textbook,
computer
manual,
newsletter,
or
advertising
brochure.
• The
Art of
Querying,
with
Zipporah
Collins
When:
Tuesday,
November
18;
6:30 to
9:30
p.m.
Where:
First
Presbyterian
Church,
2407
Dana
Street,
Berkeley
Cost:
$75
through
November
11; $85
thereafter
Details:
Learn
how to
build
rapport
with an
author
while
using
queries
to
obtain
missing
information,
resolve
contradictions
and
ambiguities,
and
explain
editorial
changes.
•
Grammar
That
Only an
Editor
Could
Love,
with
Susan
Ledford
When:
Saturday,
December
6; 9:00
a.m. to
4:00
p.m.
Where:
First
Presbyterian
Church,
2407
Dana
Street,
Berkeley
Cost:
$145
through
November
28;
$165
thereafter
Details:
With a
focus
on
understanding
rather
than on
memorization,
resolve
the
questions
that
plague
even
the
experts.
•
Electronic
Editing,
with
Melissa
Stein
Improve
your
efficiency
and
effectiveness
as a
copyeditor
with
the
help of
a
computer.
Watch
for
details
at
www.editcetera.com.
**********************
WNBA-National
News
One
of
the
benefits
of
being
a
WNBA-SF
member
is
that
you
are
connected
to
seven
chapters
nationwide.
Here
a
few
benefits
the
National
organization
has
for
you:
1:
Permanent
Collection
of
WNBA
member
books.
In
2007
the
Boston
Public
Library
set
aside
a
section
for
a
permanent
collection
of
all
WNBA
authored
books.
Please
contact
Katherine
Dibble
to
have
your
book
included
in
the
collection:
kdibble@att.net
2:
Have
your
book
listed
on
our
National
Web
site/WNBA
Author's
page.
National
web
site
member
password
is
included
in
your
membership
kit.
3:
Get
published
in
WNBA's
National
Newsletter,
The
Bookwoman.
Send
us
a
short
article
on
a
favorite
book
you
read
while
traveling
for
our
"Have
Book
Will
Travel"
section.
Contact
Joan
Gelfand
for
more
information
about
The
Bookwoman:
joangelfand@pacbell.net
4:
Nominations
for
our
bi-annual
WNBA
award
are
due
in
May.
Please
nominate
your
favorite
'bookwoman'
for
the
award.
See
www.wnba-books.org
for
more
information
on
the
WNBA
Award.
Lastly,
tell
us
about
your
successes
with
WNBA
for
our
endorsements
page.
Joan
Gelfand
National
Women's
Book
Association
joangelfand@pacbell.net
Blog:
http://jg.typepad.com/ciel
WNBA:
http://www.wnba-books.org
********************
WNBA-SF
Chapter
Board
Members
Co-Presidents:
Mary E.
Knippel
and
Linda
Lee
president@wnba
-sfchapter.org
Treasurer:
Allegra
Harris
treasurer@wnba-sfchapter.org
Literacy
Liaisons:
Teresa
LeYung
Ryan
and
Patricia
Costello
literacyliaison@wnba-sfchapter.org
Membership
Chair:
membership@wnba-sfchapter.org
Newsletter
Editor:
Sara
Cassella
newsletter@wnba-sfchapter.org
Publicity
Chair:
Barbara
Whittaker
Hospitality
Chair
:
Vicki
Weiland
Founding
Member:
Effie
Lee
Morris
WNBA
National
Board
Members
President:
Joan
Gelfand
joan@joangelfand.com
Past
President:
Laurie
Beckelman
lbeckleman@aol.com
|
The Bookworm