Jun 26, 2021 presented by Dennis Conrad Have a story worth telling? Consider a children’s book. Dennis will introduce Guild members and guests to the world of writing for children. Learn about appropriate language for different levels of children’s books. Open the poet’s treasure chest to discover found poetry and how to avoid rhyme crimes. Write more. Find out where to publish. Explore the resources available for continuing education. As a professor of Speech Communications for sixteen years at Barstow Community College, Dennis taught both public speaking and English. Dennis is represented by Dr. Sharon Norris Elliott of AuthorizeMe Literary Agency. She is in the process of finding a traditional publisher for his series of children’s books. He is a Fellow of the National Writing Project and a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI). He has a certificate in Teaching English as a Foreign Language from the University of California, Riverside. He and his wife, Diane, taught speech and English ten summers overseas. His first published articles on business and politics appeared in the 1980’s. Since then he has been published in regional and international journals, anthologies of personal essays including three Short and Sweet Books, and Straitjackets Magazine. Dennis served on the Diamond Valley Writers' Guild Board of Directors as the recording secretary.

Apr 24, 2021 presented by Robert Martin KDP, IngramSpark, and a Trad Publisher all walk into a bar: Changes in Content Distribution and Publishing will have lasting effects. Robert Martin outlines what authors can expect. After years working in marketing and editorial for small presses and magazines, Robert lost his job as the Chief Editor of a travel magazine during the 2020 COVID Pandemic. Striking out on his own, he founded City Limits Publishing. In one year, he has grown City Limits to include over 70 authors, 14 full-time staff members, and over 100 titles with a full editorial calendar into Q3 of 2022. Robert holds multiple degrees in English, Visual Communications, Marketing, Business Admin, and Organizational Leadership. He’s authored nine books ranging from theatrical to poetry, children’s books to photography and travel. Born and raised in Nashville, a place he now calls home again after almost a decade in Miami and New York City, Robert splits his time between Nashville and Vienna, Austria with his husband and their dog, Theo.

Oct 24, 2020 facilitated by JoLynne Buehring Following in the footsteps of our Great Poetry Bash, we introduce our first annual Prose Readaround. This is an event not to be missed! Both published and unpublished authors will read and discuss their work. Also contains the annual election of officers for three positions on the Board of Directors of the Diamond Valley Writers' Guild: Vice President, Secretary, and Member-at-Large.

Aug 27, 2022 hosted by Howard Feigenbaum Poetry is often overlooked in the mad dash for literary fame and fortune. Instead, the Guild has developed a tradition of devoting our August meeting to a contemplation of poetry. That tradition continued this year. At the gathering, Howard Feigenbaum, poet, photographer, and author, will again lead a discussion about the beauty, history, and importance of poetry in modern life. Audience members were invited to read a poem or two, written by themselves or others, and share why the selection was meaningful to them. Attendees were invited to ask questions, make observations, or simply relax and enjoy the experience of hearing poetry read as the writer intended for it to be heard.

Oct 22, 2022 hosted by Jessica Bruce We’re wrapping up another amazing year with our annual prose reading event. Come support those Guild members and participants brave enough to share short samples of their work. Offerings range over a variety of genres presented as flash fiction, essays, short stories, or excerpts from books and memoirs. Readings will commence immediately after the election of officers.

After a brief hiatus, Straitjackets Magazine has been restored. We're also in the process of transitioning Straitjackets AWAY from it's current hosting platform and into something that will be more economically feasible. One option is moving it into Wix, the same platform we host the DVWG site on. Another option is importing the content directly into the DVWG site, so the articles themselves could be linked directly to your Member Profile, which will further bolster the value of your guild membership.

Want to learn about the author's TEN (!) husbands? Similarities in mating habits of birds and humans? Techniques (traps, trickery) for getting your "Honey-Do" list done? Descriptions of an "Old Folks Date Night?" Reminders of the joys of growing old together? These clever poems and other short selections will bring smiles, laughs, knowing nods, and even a sentimental tear or two. Covering a wide variety of topics all about relationships, this book is filled with both humorous and touching, thought-provoking words to provide for discussions and warm memories.

In God We Trust Series--Book Two Marcus and the Emperor’s Coin is an exciting adventure in the ancient Roman Empire at the time of Christ. Eight-year-old Marcus and his father are on a mission for the emperor and visit a mine and a mint where coins are made. Marcus himself makes a denarius, a coin with the emperor’s image. Marcus goes to Jerusalem where he sees Jesus hold a denarius saying, “Give to the emperor the things are the emperor’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” What will seeing Jesus mean for Marcus, and will he ever be the same again?

The Jessie Files Book 4 Jessie always manages to find a scoop―even when she's in the woods. When Jessie and her friends decide to go camping as part of the Weekend in the Woods event, it doesn't take long for them to start discovering strange clues that could have something to do with a hiker who went missing years ago. Soon after they begin their investigation, they start receiving threatening messages from someone who wants them out of the woods―immediately. Could someone be trying to cover up what really happened to the missing hiker? It's up to Jessie to dig up the truth.

Lana’s peaceful new life in Helena is shattered when, Jack, a dangerous man from her past finally tracks her down. She’s tempted to run again, but Tuper convinces her to stay and fight. Unfortunately, Jack knows Lana’s secrets—and weaknesses. When Jack kidnaps her dear friend Clarice, Lana feels like she has no choice but to use her hacking skills to help him commit devastating cybercrimes. Tuper has other plans though and calls his friends JP and Ron from San Diego to join the investigation. Using Lana as bait, they search for Clarice and hatch a plan to entrap Jack. But when the kidnapper is shot and killed, it leaves Clarice confined in an unknown location, and they discover Jack is not the only one stalking Lana. The crew races the clock—but can they find Clarice before it’s too late? And save Lana from her past—or will she have to keep running?

FINDING THEIR MISSING GRANDMA WILL BE NO SMALL FEAT! Rubi and her much more daring--and skateboard-obsessed--brother, Quinn, are visiting their grandmother on beautiful Vashon Island for the weekend. It's the first time they've taken the ferry from Seattle by themselves. But weirdly, when they arrive, Nana is nowhere to be found! Then their Uncle James lets them in on a little secret: Bigfoot may have been spotted! And their Nana isn't any old grandma--she's the most famous Bigfoot hunter around! Trouble is, Nana should've returned by now. And nobody in all of Puget Sound has seen her! At least . . . nobody human . Rubi and Quinn will have to follow the footprints (and scat!), crack the clues, and rely on each other to find their Nana and bring her home . . . that is, unless Bigfoot finds them first !!

Inspirational short stories.