Do you remember the 21st night of September?
Love was changin’ the minds of pretenders
While chasin’ the clouds away
So sang the great Earth, Wind & Fire on “September,” the joyful R&B affirmation released in 1978. September 21, 2019, Saturday evening special guest speaker Kali Wallace (Dead Space) joined the SCWC in Irvine to share her affirmation of purposeful being as a writer. Now, two years later and barring any major setbacks, California is on track to re-open and we will return to Irvine for our annual in-person fall event.
There’s much to report, but we’re waiting until June 15th to assess what tweaks might be needed regarding hotel accommodations. In the meantime…
Good “Muse” Galore
Since February’s San Diego wrap update, there are so many new SCWCer books to report now out or coming soon that I’m simply going to do so alphabetically:
Ryka Aoki’s LGBT sci-fi novel Light from Uncommon Stars drops September from Tor … Simone Berkowitz’s (writing as Simone De Munoz) debut medical thriller Manflu is now out … Matt Coyle’s eighth Rick Cahill mystery, Last Redemption, arrives in November … Gene Desrochers’ second Caribbean noir murder mystery, Sweet Paradise.
Tiffany de Vos’ (writing as T.D. Fox) debut YA fantasy The Walls of Orion … Marie Estorge’s latest memoir, Then There Was Larry, “a razor-sharp look at duplicity and betrayal among friends and lovers” … Jide Familoni’s novel about a struggling immigrant scientist, The Rachel Project … Kelley Gusich’s (writing as Kelley Kaye) Strangled by Simile, book three in her Chalkboard Outlines cozy mysteries.
Joe Jablonski (writing as J. John Nordstrom) sold his debut novel, A Thing with Feathers, to British indie The Writing Collective … Bethany Lopez’s two most recent novels, Unwoven Ties and Starter Wife … Pamela McCord’s The Problem at Wisteria Gardens, third in her Pekin Dewlap Series.
Reina Lisa Menasche’s spooky The Spirit of Shy Moon Lake … Mike Murphey’s Killing Time, third in his Physics, Lust and Greed Series, as well as the nonfiction chronicle of the Chad Mitchell Trio, We Never Knew Just What it Was (out August) … Elisabetta Panzica children’s picture book Butterfly.
Evan Ramspott’s (writing again as Better Hero Army) Archraven, Hollow Mountain Butterfly Book 3, and Soldierina … Suzanne Redfearn’s Hadley and Grace, a crime fiction … Michele Scott’s The Archangel Agenda: An Evangeline Heart Thriller.
Two young adult novels from Russ Thompson, Never Wanted and All Alone … Janet F. Williams’ (as Zoe Amos) LGBTQ+ romance, Talk to Me … and Thomas Wing has a story appearing in the new collection Phobia!: An Anthology of Fear, “Please Don’t Let Me Fall!”
Best of success to all!
Pre-registration Now Open
Discounted Early “Bard” Pre-registration is open. Do so now to save on Full Conference participation. We introduced several new workshops at San Diego 35 and will do so again in September. With the SCWC community, it’s about the writers in the room, not the person behind the podium; getting writers to the level of commercially viable craft; helping writers find that one passionate advocate so often crucial to publication success. Regular updates resume next month. Here’s what you need to know now…
SCWC*LA/IRVINE 18 LOCATION: The conference will likely return to Sonesta Irvine Hotel (formerly Wyndham Irvine), located at 17941 Von Karman Avenue, Irvine, CA 92614. Dates are September 17-19, 2021. Lodging discounts will be available to SCWC conferees. Phone (949) 863-1999 to book your reservation, or do so online (when available). Deadline for discounted hotel registration is pending until June 15.
SCWC*LA/IRVINE 18 SCHEDULE: Rest assured that plenty of craft- and business-centric sessions, read & critique workshops, one-on-one consultations and more will fill up the weekend. Though we won’t begin plugging things in until later, you can get an idea of the overall shape of the conference on the schedule page.
SCWC*LA/IRVINE 18 STAFF: In addition to our select roster of returning workshop leaders, agents, editors and other publishing professionals, several more will be joining us for the first time. Be sure to subscribe to our periodic .COMmunity updates to find out who, along with all timely SCWC news.
Until next time, give yourself permission to write even bad words.
–Michael Steven Gregory
Executive Director, SCWC/SWS
