Hope, Humor, and the Power of Words: a Conversation with 2024 Poetry Collection of the Year winner, Jane Muschenetz
Interview by Diane Gottlieb Diane: Congratulations on your wonderful book “All the Bad Girls Wear Russian Accents” and on your winning the 2024 San Diego Writer’s Festival Poetry Collection of the Year! You’re a woman of several countries and languages. In the...
The Five Steps of Writing-With-Nature Julie Brams, LMFT
As an Earth-centered psychotherapist, writer, and Nature lover, I’m often asked about writing in nature. It occurred to me that this question is another perfect opportunity to shift our thinking about our relationship with the other beings we refer to as nature. Many...
CREATING A DIGITAL AUTHOR PRESS KIT: Five Things To Know by Laura Segal Stegman
We authors have it tough, don’t we? Challenges range from writers block to rejections, and there’s always something to, well, write. So when some “expert” recommends putting together a digital author press kit, many of us tune out. That’s a mistake. The media is drawn...
American Confidential, Tennessee Williams, and the Role of Place — By Deanne Stillman
American Confidential, Tennessee Williams, and the Role of Place By Deanne Stillman My books are generally place-based stories of war and peace in the real and mythological West. In my view, the personal isn’t just political, as the saying goes, it’s geographic as...
The Writer’s Kit Bag — Rules for Confident Writing by Neal Allen
1. Use strong verbs. Question every appearance of the verbs “to be,” “to do,” or “to have.” 2. Substitute an Anglo-Saxon (shorter, punchier) word for a Latinized (longer, more abstract) one, when possible. 3. Question all transitional phrases. Is it...
Inner Critic Getting in Your Way? I am a Therapist for Creatives, and I have a Tool to Help You Tame That Beast
"Where are you now?" "Honestly? Laura said, I'm on the floor, staring at the ceiling. I’m convinced I will never have another original thought in my brain. Laura was a highly sought-after creative professional with a fierce inner critic. As an advertising exec,...
Local Author Spotlight – T. Greenwood
T. Greenwood, author of SUCH A PRETTY GIRL, interviewed by Leslie Ferguson, for the San Diego Writers Festival, April 2023: 1. What inspired your historical novel, SUCH A PRETTY GIRL? I grew up in the 1970s and have wanted to write a story about what it was like for...
Interview with 2022 Kowit Award Winner Julia B. Levine
Interview with 2022 Kowit Award Winner Julia B. Levine by Tania Pryputniewicz 1) Congratulations on your beautiful 2022 Kowit Award winning poem, “The Extra Angels.” Can you tell us about the poem and your process of writing it? Thank you for the congrats and support...
Interview with San Diego Poet Laureate Ron Salisbury
Interview with San Diego Poet Laureate Ron Salisbury by Tania Pryputniewicz 1) Congratulations on serving as San Diego’s first Poet Laureate. What did you find the most challenging and rewarding about being San Diego’s Poet Laureate? There is no instruction...
Interview with San Diego Poet Laureate Jason Magabo Perez
Interview with San Diego Poet Laureate Jason Magabo Perez by Tania Pryputniewicz 1) Congratulations on being chosen as San Diego’s second Poet Laureate! Can you tell us about the poetry journey that brought you to this role? How did you fall in love with poetry?...
Q&A with 2022 Festival Sponsor- Author Sherrie Miranda
Why did you choose to sponsor the San Diego Writers Festival? I chose to sponsor the San Diego Writer’s Festival because of my history with Marni and my gratitude for all she and her workshops have done for me. When I put my wishes and dreams out there, they came to...
LOCAL WRITER SPOTLIGHT: NEIL KENDRICKS
Interview with writer/artist Neil Kendricks and composer/musician Mike Mare on Temple of Story by Caroline Gilman I didn’t know what to expect as I drove down the coast to the Oceanside Museum of Art. I was pleasantly surprised by the museum and the impressive...
2021 San Diego Festival Award Recipient, Chris Baron
We are excited to present San Diego Festival Award Recipient, Chris Baron. Here is our interview with him: Q1:Tell us a little bit about your books (All of Me and The Magical Imperfect) and what inspired you to write these stories. A1: In so many ways they are...
Herman and The Princess Gull by Captain Lew Maurer
When two unlikely characters find each other they decide that friendship is better than instinct. Remember that wonderful, feel-good moment when, for the first time, we see a tender, loving exchange between two animals? In Herman and the Princess Gull, it is...
Grief Hack by Madonna Treadway
Grief Hack, A Creative Process for Coping with Everyday Loss, written by award-winning author, Madonna Treadway, is a short, inspirational guide that walks readers through a unique creative process that can transform the pain of grief and loss into profound,...
Falling Into All by Ben Teeter
Falling into All, by poet Ben R. Teeter, details the essence of knowing, and the seeking out of truth, inspired by the author’s study of spiritual teachings across cultures and the ages. Falling into All was written in the morning quiet, meditated on, and is sprung...
A Place Like This by Sally Buffington
When newly engaged Sally Buffington is introduced to Craigville, she meets an expansive Cape Cod cottage that is virtually a family member itself. She quickly finds herself competing for airtime among the talkative, assured band of brothers and her new...
Book of Leaves by Will Cooper
In this contemporary drama, Walter’s grown children don’t know he’s dying of cancer, and they have secrets of their own. Over the course of a long weekend at his tree-shrouded home, many truths come to light, including what happened to his wife, their mother, who died...
Diary of an Ex-Mad, Ex-Desperate, Ex-Housewife by Valerie Sussman
Every Picture Tells a Story At the age of fifty, I found myself facing down the dual demons of divorce and midlife. I unexpectedly reawakened the sleeping giant of my crazy-ass creativity and thus rediscovered the healing power of play. (And glue.) DIARY is a...
Don’t Let the Kids Bite the Dog by Kathy Pease
With the victorious campaign slogan “I Like Ike!” ringing in your ears, journey back in time with Kathleen Holstad Pease to a less complicated time and place. It was the fifties, that prosperous decade following a tragic war. Experience life in a small town in North...
Called by Authors Marlena Fiol and Ed O’Connor
A handsome physician. A devout Mennonite nurse. And an Argentinian activist. Welcome to CALLED… Against the backdrop of World War II, Nazi uprisings, political unrest in Argentina and Paraguay, and the scourge of leprosy left untreated, Dr. John and Clara Schmidt are...
#WritersLift Feature: The Scent Of A Man Series by Veralyn Keach
Hey, writing community! Happy Monday! We are excited to announce our final #WritersLift author, Veralyn Keach. @Veralyn_Keach posted their novel series, The Scent of a Man, to our Twitter feed last week in response to our #WritersLift. Books are chosen at random....
#WritersLift Feature: The Nine Finger Revolution by Brennan Harvey
We are excited to announce this week's WritersLift author, Brennan Harvey. @Brennanharvey posted their novel, The Nine Finger Revolution, to our Twitter feed last week in response to our #WednesdayWritersLift. Our last #Writerslift is this week, so be sure to...
#WritersLift Feature: The Stone Mermaid by Aisha Urooj
Hey, writing community! We are excited to announce this week's WritersLift author, Aisha Urooj posted their novel, The Stone Mermaid, to our Twitter feed last week in response to our #WednesdayWritersLift. We'll be featuring a new writer every week (on Mondays), so be...
#WritersLift Feature: Gone to the Movies by Ethan Hunt
Hey, writing community! Happy Monday! We are excited to announce this week's WritersLift author, @ethanhuntwriter posted their novel, Gone to the Movies, to our Twitter feed last week in response to our #WednesdayWritersLift. We'll be featuring a new writer every week...
#WritersLift Feature: Paper Castles by B. Fox
Hey, writing community! Happy Monday! We are excited to announce this week's WritersLift author, B. Fox posted their novel, Paper Castles, to our Twitter feed last week in response to our #WednesdayWritersLift. We'll be featuring a new writer every week (on Mondays),...
#WritersLift Feature: Caroline and Mordecai The Gand: A Fantasy Novella by Jeff Gunhus
Caroline and Mordecai The Gand: A Fantasy NovellaBy Jeff Gunhus Hey, writing community! Happy Monday! We are excited to announce this week's WritersLift author, Jeff Gunhus. Westveil Publishing posted his fantasy novella Caroline and Mordecai The Gand to our Twitter...
Local Author Spotlight: Robin Kardon interviews Mikel J. Wilson
LOCAL AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT MAY 2021 “A LIGHT TO KILL BY,” by Mikel J. Wilson Millionaire entrepreneur and real estate magnate Blair Geister dies under bizarre circumstances in her sprawling home, Geisterhaus. That same night, a ball of light pops out of a television and...
Interview with Festival Sponsor Helga Conklin
Q & A with Summer Festival Sponsor Helga Conklin and San Diego Writers Festival SDWF: What inspired you to write The Trinity Knot? HC: I became curious about my ancestry and started reading about the UK. I already loved European fairy tales and Greek...
Interview with Festival Sponsor Jim Moreno
Q & A with Summer Festival Sponsor Jim Moreno and San Diego Writers Festival SDWF: Please tell us about the inspiration behind your collection of poetry Dancing in Dissent. JM: Over a period of time, I found myself becoming more alarmed about...
Interview with Festival Sponsor Linda Griffin
Q & A with Summer Festival Sponsor Linda Griffin and San Diego Writers Festival SDWF: What inspired you to write Guilty Knowledge? LG: As often happens with me, two different subjects I had been considering fit together for the plot. In this case one...
Interview with Festival Sponsor Chris Vannoy
Q & A with Summer Festival Sponsor Chris Vannoy and San Diego Writers Festival SDWF: Please tell us about The Rest of It. CV: "The Rest Of It" is a mix of performance prose poetry and storytelling. It is the second book in the series of three...
#WritersLift Feature: Melody by David Hoffer
Hey, writing community! Happy Monday! We are excited to announce this week’s WritersLift author, David Hoffer. David posted his science fiction novel Melody to our Twitter feed last week in response to our #WednesdayWritersLift. We’ll be featuring a new writer every...
#WritersLift Feature: Wider than the Sky by Katherine Rothschild
Hey, writing community! Happy Monday! We are super excited to announce this week's WritersLift author, Katherine Rothschild. Katherine posted her YA novel Wider Than the Sky to our Twitter feed last week in response to our #WednesdayWritersLift. We'll be featuring a...
Local Author Spotlight: Robin Kardon interviews Carlos de los Rios
LOCAL AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT, March 2021 “Kids in Cages,” by Carlos de los Rios What does a Mexican American man see and feel when he’s raised in two worlds? Carlos de los Rios grew up in the affluent California suburb of Pebble Beach, but his parents’ roots, and much of...
Local Author Spotlight: Robin Kardon interviews Richard Farrell
Local Author Spotlight: “The Falling Woman,” by Richard Farrell (interviewed by Robin Kardon) LOCAL AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT JANUARY, 2021 “The Falling Woman,” by Richard Farrell Imagine what it must be like—there you are, strapped into your passenger seat on an airplane...