by Nate Hoffelder | Jul 23, 2025 | Events
What Librarians Want Local Writers to Know: A Panel of Marin Librarians in Conversation with Author Michael J. Coffino
Saturday, Sept 20
3:00 – 4:30 pm
Mill Valley Public Library
FREE, but seating is limited!
How do authors get their books onto library shelves? How do librarians choose books and manage their budget? How do you pitch a library event? What can the public do to support local libraries? A panel of Marin librarians take time from their busy schedules to answer these questions and more. Author Michael J. Coffino will lead the discussion with time afterwards for your questions. The panel features Jenn Hooker (Mill Valley Library Adult Services Supervisor), Pamela Klein (San Rafael Library Adult Reference Librarian), Katrina Sadler (Marin County Free Library Services Manager,) and April Harper (Marin County Free Library Adult Collections).
by Nate Hoffelder | May 12, 2025 | Events
Members-Only Summer Salon
July 13 (Sun), 4-6 pm
Mill Valley
SORRY! July is FULL.
Aug 17 (Sun), 5-7 pm
San Rafael
SORRY! We’re Full!
Registration Closed
Join us for an evening of socializing and sharing creative work. If you’re feeling shy, this is the place to build your confidence. It’s hard to ‘put yourself out there’, but we are supportive! Summer Salons are always popular so register soon to hold your reading slot.
- Free
- Members Only (any CWC branch). The first ten Members who renew their membership (2025-26) ahead of the event will be guaranteed a reading slot.
- Not a Member yet? Join today!
- We can accommodate up to twenty readers per session
- Readers have the floor for five minutes each (about 750 words). We use a stopwatch and a cowbell, so practice ahead.
- Any original work is welcome (essay, excerpt, poem, etc.)
- When you register, please provide your name, email address, and whether you will read or not. You are welcome just to listen.
- Members may bring one guest (please let us know). Only Members may read but we encourage guests to join!
- Potluck – please bring a drink or hors d’oeuvre to share
- Mill Valley and San Rafael residential addresses will be provided just prior to the event to registered guests only
by Nate Hoffelder | Apr 29, 2025 | Contests
Left Behind
A Flash Fiction Contest
The California Writers Club Marin is accepting short-short story submissions! Winners will receive certificates of excellence and will appear on our website and the statewide website. External expert judges will be announced soon.
Theme: Left Behind
Prompt: Craft a gripping 500–1000 word short-short story that explores leaving something-or-someone behind or being left behind. Capture a powerful moment in a brief burst of storytelling. Show us what’s left behind—and what lingers on.
Flash fiction features short-short stories with high impact.
Important Dates: Winners will be announced in the November newsletter!
Submission Guidelines:
ELIGIBILITY: Current California Writers Club Members, any branch. (Exception: Board Members of CWC Marin and volunteers working on the Contest are ineligible.)
Format: Word document (.doc or .docx)
- Font: Times New Roman, 12-point, double-spaced, with page numbers
- File Name: StoryTitle.FlashContest.Date
- Cover Sheet: Include your full name, mailing address, phone number, email, and CWC branch.
- Story Pages: No author’s name should appear on any story page, only the cover sheet.
How to Submit:
Submissions now closed
Scoring Criteria:
✔ Story length between 500-1,000 words (deductions for outside limits)
✔ Opening immediately engages with tone, setting, or conflict
✔ Well-developed characters through action, voice, or vivid detail
✔ Clear beginning, middle, and end with story progression
✔ Resonance of deeper meaning, emotion, or universal truth
✔ Satisfying and memorable ending
✔ Fresh, original voice and concept—no clichés
✔ Crisp, polished prose appropriate to genre and mood
✔ All entries will be screened for plagiarism and AI generation
by Nate Hoffelder | Apr 13, 2025 | Events
Pros and Cons of AI for Writers
Wed., June 11
5:30 – 7:30 pm PT
Online (Zoom)
$5 for CWC Members
$10 for non-members
In a world increasingly shaped by AI-driven innovation, how do authors navigate the complexities of copyright law? This presentation explores the intersection of artificial intelligence and intellectual property, addressing pressing questions about authorship, ownership, and accountability.
CWC Marin President Jean Gordon Kocienda will start with a basic “AI for Dummies”-style demo of tools such as Chat GPT and Canva, generating a short story, a query letter, artwork, and a bio in a matter of minutes.
Next, Dan will examine the ethical issues and legal challenges AI brings to writers and artists. Plenty of time will be left for Q&A as we discuss strategies you can put to work in this rapidly evolving landscape.
Dr. C. Daniel Miller is a co-founder and co-owner of Integrated Writer Services, LLC, which provides copyright consulting and clearance service. He formerly served as president of the Collective of Independent Publishers and Authors (CIPA), previously known as the Colorado Independent Publishers Association. Dr. Miller regularly speaks and conducts workshops on “Copyright Basics” and “Copyright in the Age of Artificial Intelligence.” These presentations are designed for authors, independent publishers, and other creative professionals.
In addition to his consulting work, Dr. Miller is working on a second edition of the award-winning Copyright Clearance for Creatives, which serves as a guide to copyright issues for the creative community. The new edition will include a section on copyright and artificial intelligence (AI).
Through his various roles, Dr. Miller contributes to the copyright literacy of individuals needed to help them ethically create and use copyrighted materials in the digital age.
https://thecopyrightdetective.com
(Disclaimer: Dr. Miller’s bio was created using an AI platform.)
by Nate Hoffelder | Mar 2, 2025 | Events
Bringing the Past to Life
Sat., May 10, 2025
1:00 – 2:30 pm
Mill Valley Public Library
RESERVE MY SEAT
Rhys Bowen is the New York Times bestselling author of the Molly Murphy mysteries, set in early 1900s New York City and the lighter Royal Spyness mysteries featuring a minor Royal in the 1930s. She also writes internationally bestselling historical novels.
Her latest is The Rose Arbor, currently nominated for the Mary Higgins Clark award. Her books have won ten awards to date and are translated into over thirty languages.
Rhys is a transplanted Brit who divides her time between Marin and Arizona.
Rhys will talk about how she does her research and how important it is to feel the places she writes about so that she can transport a reader to a time and place, not merely tell them about it.
RESERVE MY SEAT
