Featured Events
Upcoming events
July Member Meeting
“Less is More and More is More”
with
Amanda McTigue
Wednesday, July 10, 2024, 7-9 p.m.
Napa Valley Writers will feature Amanda McTigue whose debut novel Going to Solace was named a Best Read of 2012 by public radio KRCB’s “Word by Word.” In this lecture, Amanda will share some terrific examples of minimalism and maximalism in fiction and non-fiction, across multiple genres, asking, “When it works, why?” And, “How can I use it?” She’ll explore rhythms of revealing and concealing that enhance reader engagement, widening one’s library of literary approaches to include every trick in the book.
Amanda’s published short stories have earned her a Pushcart Prize nomination, and a semi-finalist nod from the American Literary Review Fiction Contest. Amanda’s written works for the stage have been produced at Carnegie Hall, the Minnesota Opera, and Sonoma County’s Green Music Center. Amanda wrote and produced plays in New York City and wound up as a producer in commercial entertainment at Paramount. She’s written for Hello Kitty™ and more recently, she’s been staging operas at Sonoma State University, and coaching acting for singers. She’s currently completing her second novel, The Cautionary Tales.
Napa Valley Writers, a branch of the California Writers Club, holds meetings at:
Napa Valley Unitarian Universalists, 1625 Salvador Avenue, Napa. Cost is $5 for members, $10 for non-members.
Students with ID, free.
For more information, contact napavalleywriters@gmail.com.
June Member Meeting
“Creating a Writing Practice”
with
Donna Levin
Wednesday, June 12, 2024, 7-9 p.m.
Napa Valley Writers will feature Donna Levin, an almost-San Francisco native, since she was born in Oakland. She’s the author of four previous novels (Extraordinary Means, California Street, There’s More Than One Way Home, and He Could Be Another Bill Gates), as well as two books on the craft of writing, Get That Novel Started and Get That Novel Written. Her papers are part of the Howard Gotlieb Research Center at Boston University, and the California State Library’s collection of California novels. In April of this year, Skyhorse Publishing released her latest novel, The Talking Stick, which Karen Joy Fowler called a “A thoroughly engaging, completely entertaining novel by the great Donna Levin,” and Kirkus described as a “Funny and occasionally touching novel about rebuilding your life after a crisis.” She has been teaching fiction writing for more years than she cares to admit to, at the University of California Extension, at various Bay Area bookstores, and now online at Writers on the Net.
Napa Valley Writers, a branch of the California Writers Club, holds meetings at:
Napa Valley Unitarian Universalists, 1625 Salvador Avenue, Napa. Cost is $5 for members, $10 for non-members.
Students with ID, free.
For more information, contact napavalleywriters@gmail.com.
Recent events
May Member Meeting
“To Publish or Self-Publish? That is the Question!”
with
Paul Wagner
Wednesday, May 8, 2024, 7-9 p.m.
Napa Valley Writers will feature Paul Wagner, an instructor for Napa Valley College's Viticulture and Winery Technology Department for nearly thirty years. Paul has worked with six different publishers and has also self-published some of his books. He will share his experiences and advice on the pros and cons of each. And he hopes you will share some of your own stories as well. Plan on an interactive session! Paul has been a guest lecturer at many universities, including the Wintour MBA program in Europe, OIV Wine Marketing Master Class at UC Davis, and the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone. He has spoken at more than eighty conferences throughout the world on wine and has published a total of twelve books, both non-fiction and fiction.
Napa Valley Writers, a branch of the California Writers Club, holds meetings at:
Napa Valley Unitarian Universalists, 1625 Salvador Avenue, Napa. Cost is $5 for members, $10 for non-members.
Students with ID, free.
For more information, contact napavalleywriters@gmail.com.
April Member Meeting
“The Idiot’s Guide to Inspiration” with
Kevin Fisher-Paulson
Wednesday, April 10, 2024, 7-9 p.m.
Napa Valley Writers will feature Kevin Fisher-Paulson, a weekly columnist for The San Francisco Chronicle. Kevin will discuss creativity and how to leave the door open. He will discuss inspiration, and the fact that you don’t have to look for it. You just have to open your eyes. Kevin will provide practical in-class exercises in how to live a creative life, and he will suggest out-class exercises to change the direction of our lives.
Kevin’s work has appeared in three books: A Song for Lost Angels, a finalist in the Benjamin Franklin Awards and the Next Generation Indie Book Awards; When Love Lasts Forever; and the recently published How We Keep Spinning. During the course of this writing, Kevin has discovered a few truths about foster care, adoption, gay marriage, interracial families, rescue dogs and cupcakes. He studied Writing and Communication at the University of Notre Dame, with subsequent coursework at the University of Iowa Writer’s Workshop. He also studied writing with Dorothy Allison, Kat Mead and Jessica Hagedorn. He contributes irregularly to National Public Radio.
storytelling.
Yvonne Baginski will be April’s Member Reader.
Napa Valley Writers, a branch of the California Writers Club, holds meetings at:
Napa Valley Unitarian Universalists, 1625 Salvador Avenue, Napa. Cost is $5 for members, $10 for non-members.
Students with ID, free.
For more information, contact napavalleywriters@gmail.com or visit https://napavalleywriters.org. Always open to the public.
March Member Meeting
“FROM LENSES TO LETTERS: THE JOURNEY OF NAPA VALLEY FEATURES AND THE FUTURE OF COMMUNITY JOURNALISM”
with Tim Carl
March 13, 2024, 7pm to 9pm
Napa Valley Writers will feature Tim Carl, a photojournalist, the founder and editor of Napa Valley Features, a small business owner, and a NVW member. Tim will present a realistic yet optimistic perspective on local storytelling and digital publishing. As a photojournalist, he focuses on capturing compelling human stories. Tim’s work involves writing, photographing, and sharing local content, emphasizing the Napa's rich narratives. Launched in May 2023, Napa Valley Features is a subscription-based, ad-free platform delivering in-depth stories that resonate with the Napa Valley community. Tim’s diverse experiences, including teaching scuba diving to meditation, have shaped his approach to storytelling.
Antonia Allegra will be March’s Member Reader.
Napa Valley Writers, a branch of the California Writers Club, holds meetings at:
Napa Valley Unitarian Universalists, 1625 Salvador Avenue, Napa. Cost is $5 for members, $10 for non-members.
Students with ID, free.
For more information, contact napavalleywriters@gmail.com or visit https://napavalleywriters.org. Always open to the public.