Gold Country Writers

August Programs
2024-08-21 10:00 - 12:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Auburn City Hall – Rose Room, 1225 Lincoln Way, Auburn, CA 95603, CA, 95603, United States
August 21, 2024 @ 10:00 am – 12:00 noon, PDT
Join us for two Special Programs
The Mentorship Presentation — with moderator Kathryn Shields and mentees Tzeli Triantafillou, Pat Snelling, and Mary Mohs.
The Self-Publishing Presentation — with moderator Susan Korn and panelists Phyllis Kalbach, Barbara Young, Kathryn Shields, and Michael O’Haver.

September Speaker Meeting
2024-09-18 10:00 - 12:00 | Auburn City Hall – Rose Room, 1225 Lincoln Way, Auburn, CA 95603, CA, 95603, United States
September Speaker – EJ DeBrun
September 18, 2024 @ 10:00 am – 12:00 noon, PDT
Our speaker will be EJ DeBrun
Her subject will be
“THE PRINCIPLES OF NARRATIVE BELIEVABILITY:
How to Make Your Fiction Realer Than Real.”
This meeting will be held in the Rose Room at Auburn City Hall.
The public is invited. The meeting is free to attend.
Click here for Rose Room address, map, and directions. Also, info on Rose Room parking, now offsite only.
EJ DeBrun is a former animator with a Master’s degree in Animation from Savannah College of Art and Design. During her time in the film and television industry, she worked with many veteran industry professionals at studios such as Nickelodeon and Lucasfilms Animation. She has also written for television at an independent studio. Having left the industry, she now uses her creative experience to write fiction in the science fiction and fantasy genre. https://www.ejdebrun.com/

Halloween Costume Contest
2024-10-30 10:00 - 12:00 | Awful Annie’s Restaurant, 13460 Lincoln Way, Auburn, CA, 95603, United States
GCW is planning a Halloween Contest and Party on October 30 at Awful Annie’s Restaurant. Text Barabara Young if you want to reserve a seat at the Restaurant (Awful Annie’sDutch treat breakfast!).
Read more here!

November Speaker - Danna Wilberg
2024-11-20 10:00 - 12:00 | Auburn City Hall – Rose Room, 1225 Lincoln Way, Auburn, CA 95603, CA, 95603, United States
November Speaker
Danna Wilberg
November 20, 2024 @ 10:00 am – 12:00 noon, PDT
Our speaker will be Danna Wilberg
Her subject will be
“How Script Writing Can Enhance Your Novel Writing Experience”
This meeting will be held in the Rose Room at Auburn City Hall.
The public is invited. The meeting is free to attend.
Click here for Rose Room address, map, and directions. Also, info on Rose Room parking, now offsite only.
Dänna Wilberg has written, produced, and directed multiple award-winning short films. She produced and hosted TV programs in Sacramento for over a decade and was one of the first people inducted into Access Sacramento’s “A Place Called Sacramento” Hall of Fame. She is the author of a romantic-suspense trilogy — The Red Chair, The Grey Door, and The Black Dress; and a 3-book paranormal-suspense series “Borrowed Time” — Book 1 – Broken Promises, Book 2 – Missing, and Book 3 – Mind Game.

www.dannawilberg.com/

No Wednesday Meeting on November 27
2024-11-27 10:00 - 12:00 | CA
There will be no Wednesday Meeting on November 27, since Thanksgiving is the next day and many people are busy or traveling. Thanks! See you next time.

Holiday Party
2024-12-11 10:00 - 13:00 | CA
Holiday Party 10:00 AM
Wednesday, December 11, 2024
The Rose Room, Auburn City Hall
Join Gold Country Writers for our Holiday Party! Entertainment will include music, storytellers, and our GCW Poet. All those receiving book awards for 2023-2024 will be recognized. (To be included send Sudan Korn the info about the book award that you received by 12/04/24.)
The party will include the Author’s Holiday Book Sale as well as a POTLUCK to share holiday treats. Bring your favorite finger food, hors d’oeuvres, and holiday desserts. Everyone always how much to bring — we recommend enough for 8.

Business Meeting January 8
2025-01-08 10:00 - 12:00 | Auburn City Hall – Rose Room, 1225 Lincoln Way, Auburn, CA 95603, CA, 95603, United States
Gold Country Writers will hold our next business meeting on January 8, 2025, from 10 am to noon in the Rose Room of the Auburn City Hall. No Business meeting will be held on Wednesday, December 25 or on Wednesday, January 1.

January Speaker - Randy Landenberger
2025-01-15 10:00 - 12:00 | Auburn City Hall – Rose Room, 1225 Lincoln Way, Auburn, CA 95603, CA, 95603, United States
On Wednesday, January 15, 2025, from 10am to noon, our speaker will be Randy Landenberger
His subject will be “Turning Your Story into an Audiobook: Here’s the Reality.”
This meeting will be held in the Rose Room at Auburn City Hall.
The public is invited. The meeting is free to attend.
Click here for Rose Room address, map, and directions. Also, info on Rose Room parking, now offsite only.
Randy Landenberger is an audio engineer and author. Doing business as Randco Studio, Randy has a home recording studio for audiobook narration, voice-over work, and music. Writing under the pen name Randy L Scott, he is a master of psychological suspense with each book revealing many intricate layers. He has written a trilogy of psychological action-adventure-drama novels entitled “The Dream Messiah.” The three books are entitled “Freedom,” “Into the Fire,” and “Awaken.”

For more information: https://www.randco.me/

Read & Review
2025-01-17 10:00 - 12:00 | Depoe Bay, 893 High Street, Auburn, CA, 95603
Our first Read and Review for 2025 will meet Friday, January 17 at Depoe Bay Coffee Roasters, 893 High Street, Auburn. Please join us from 10 a.m.to noon.
Tales from a Rogue Ranger, by Rosanne S. McHenry, and Mother’s Pearls, by Barbara Young, are available for checkout in our GCW library and on amazon.com.
Ms McHenry gives readers a fascinating peek into the world of a park ranger with humor and wit, about the pains and joys of her job.
Ms Young shares heartwarming personal stories from her mother’s life, metaphorically likened to the characteristics of pearls. She invites the giver and receiver of this gift book to share pearls (memories) of their own on the provided pages.
For more information please email GoldCountryWriters1849@gmail.com

Drop-in Critique - Rose Room (Special Day #1)
2025-01-22 10:00 - 12:00 | Auburn City Hall – Rose Room, 1225 Lincoln Way, Auburn, CA 95603, CA, 95603, United States
SPECIAL Wednesday is our Drop-in Critique. This event will be held in-person.
Members may bring five pages of their work, double spaced, to read and receive feedback.
For information please email goldcountrywriters1849@gmail.com
To be held in the Rose Room at Auburn City Hall. Click here for address, map, and directions.

Drop-in Critique - Rose Room (Special Day #2)
2025-01-29 10:00 - 12:00 | Auburn City Hall – Rose Room, 1225 Lincoln Way, Auburn, CA 95603, CA, 95603, United States
SPECIAL DAY Wednesday is our Drop-in Critique. This event will be held in-person.
Members may bring five pages of their work, double spaced, to read and receive feedback.
For information please email goldcountrywriters1849@gmail.com
To be held in the Rose Room at Auburn City Hall. Click here for address, map, and directions.

Business Meeting - 1st Wednesday
2025-02-05 10:00 - 12:00, 2025-03-05 10:00 - 12:00, 2025-04-02 10:00 - 12:00 | Auburn City Hall – Rose Room, 1225 Lincoln Way, Auburn, CA 95603, CA, 95603, United States
Gold Country Writers Board and Leadership holds a business meeting on the FIRST Wednesday of each month, from 10 am to noon in the Rose Room of the Auburn City Hall.
Members are welcome to attend.

Drop-in Critique - 2nd Wednesday
2025-02-12 10:00 - 12:00, 2025-03-12 10:00 - 12:00, 2025-04-09 10:00 - 12:00 | Auburn City Hall – Rose Room, 1225 Lincoln Way, Auburn, CA 95603, CA, 95603, United States
The second Wednesday of each month is our Drop-in Critique. These events are in-person only.
Members may bring up to five pages of their work, double spaced, to read and receive feedback.
For information please email goldcountrywriters1849@gmail.com
To be held in the Rose Room at Auburn City Hall. Click here for address, map, and directions.

February Speaker - Rina Wakefield
2025-02-19 10:00 - 12:00 | Auburn City Hall – Rose Room, 1225 Lincoln Way, Auburn, CA 95603, CA, 95603, United States
Wednesday, February 19.2025 @ 10:00 am – 12:00 noon, PDT
Our speaker will be Rina Wakefield.
Her subject will be “Intertwining the Oral Tradition with Spoken Word Poetry Performance.”
This meeting will be held in the Rose Room at Auburn City Hall.
The public is invited. The meeting is free to attend.
Click here for Rose Room address, map, and directions. Also, info on Rose Room parking, now offsite only.
Rina Wakefield is a Spoken Word Poet. As a cultural and literary event producer, she facilitates and hosts poetry events for her community, including one that featured California Poet Laureate Lee Herrick. Rina has been a featured performer at numerous events, including the El Dorado County’s Poet Laureate program and Placerville’s International Human Rights Day celebration. She has been published in literary journals, including Lantern Magazine and Coalesce. She was also published in Arts and Culture El Dorado’s chapbook Poets of the Firehouse Sessions (2023). Currently, she is working on a prose poetry chapbook.

For more information: https://www.rinawrites.com/

Poetry Contest Submissions Open
2025-02-19 12:00 - 2025-04-02 00:00 | CA
Poetry Contest AND 100-word story contests both start on February 19 and end on April 2.
POETRY CONTEST GUIDELINES 2025
GCW members only may enter – enter only one poem per person
Poems must not have been previously published.
Gold Country Writers reserves the right to publish the winning poems.
Any topic is acceptable — any form is acceptable.
Maximum number of lines is 42 — use 12pt Times New Roman font.
Proofread for accuracy and send the best copy.
No changes may be made once the poem is entered.
Email the entry from noon February 19 to midnight April 2
Enter by email with the words “2025 Poetry Contest” on subject line.
Include the title, authors name and contact info in the body of the email.
EMAIL your Poetry Contest Entry as an attachment without the author’s name to GCWPoetryContest2025@gmail.com

100-Word Story Contest Submissions Open
2025-02-19 12:00 - 2025-04-02 00:00 | CA
Poetry Contest AND 100-word story contests both start on February 19 and end on April 2.
Both contests are open to GCW MEMBERS ONLY.

Celebrations for both contests will be held on April 30.
EMAIL your 100-Word Story Contest Entry to contest@goldcountrywriters.com

Poetry Contest Submissions OPEN
2025-02-19 - 2025-04-02 | CA
Gold Country Writers is excited to announce a contest for nonfiction stories of 1,500-words or less. The contest aims to give local authors the opportunity to gain experience and build their credentials. All three winning stories will be published on the Gold Country Writers website and in the Gold Country Media newspapers and online issues.
Winners will be awarded the following prizes:
First Place $100
Second Place $75
Third Place $50
Entries will be accepted between Wednesday, August 6, 2025, and midnight (PT) Wednesday, September 24, 2025.
Guidelines

The contest is open to the general public who live in any one of these California counties: Placer, Nevada, Yuba, Sutter, Sacramento, and El Dorado.
All Gold Country Writers members in good standing are eligible, regardless of their place of residence.
Limit ONE entry per person.
Entrants must be at least 18 years of age.
Stories must be no more than 1,500 words in length with no images.
Stories must be original, unpublished works of nonfiction. Furthermore, the author must be the sole creator and attest that no AI software was used. The author must be the sole owner of the work.
Entries must be in the standard manuscript format: double-spaced, Times New Roman 12-point font, one-inch margins.
Stories are judged anonymously. Include a cover sheet with your name, email, phone, and story title. Do not include your personal information on any other page of your manuscript.
No erotica, racist content, or expressions of excessive violence will be accepted.
Author will retain the rights; however, entry into the contest permits the story to be published on the GCW website, in GCW’s future publications, and in Gold County Media newspapers and online issues.
Stories will be judged by the criteria listed here: https://goldcountrywriters.com/short-story-criteria
Winners will be announced at a celebration hosted by Gold Country Writers on Saturday, October 25, 2025.

Entry fee $15 for non-members, $10 for GCW Members.
Entry process will be posted closer to the date, consisting of an online form and payment on the GCW Website, plus an email to submit the story.

Drop-in Critique - 4th Wednesday
2025-02-26 10:00 - 12:00, 2025-03-26 10:00 - 12:00 | Auburn City Hall – Rose Room, 1225 Lincoln Way, Auburn, CA 95603, CA, 95603, United States
The fourth Wednesday of each month is our Drop-in Critique. These events are in-person only.
Members may bring up to five pages of their work, double spaced, to read and receive feedback.
For information please email goldcountrywriters1849@gmail.com
To be held in the Rose Room at Auburn City Hall. Click here for address, map, and directions.

March Speakers – Susan M. Osborn & Sarah Michie Pressler
2025-03-19 10:00 - 12:00 | Auburn City Hall – Rose Room, 1225 Lincoln Way, Auburn, CA 95603, CA, 95603, United States
Our speakers will be Susan M. Osborn and Sarah Michie Pressler. Their subject will be
“LETTUCE LAUGH: Adding humor to your writing.”
This meeting will be a workshop. Please bring pen and paper.
Laughing is good for the body and soul. We all turn to humor in our lives, as a natural part of communication. With humor, a writer lightens the mood of a story and the mood of the reader. Susan M. Osborn and Sarah Michie Pressler will provide examples and tips to bring humor to one’s writing. Participants will have an opportunity to work together in small groups.
This event will be held in the Rose Room at Auburn City Hall. The public is invited. The meeting is free to attend.
Click here for Rose Room address, map, and directions. Also, info on Rose Room parking, now offsite only.
Susan M. Osborn, Ph.D., M.S.W., is the creative nonfiction author of “Awful Bosses Coloring Book.” It contains 26 limericks. She listens to David Sedaris’s podcast at night so she can go to sleep laughing. Susan is having fun writing a book about coincidences.
Sarah Michie Pressler is the author of “Jambo Mama” and “The Little Askari,” both about the thrills of growing up in Kenya. That experience along with decades of teaching elementary school and singing semi-professionally have given her miles of material when it comes to funny stuff. Sarah is writing a book about a favorite time in her life, childhood.

Poetry Contest CLOSE
2025-04-02 23:59 | CA
The 2025 Poetry Contest AND 100-Word Story contests both end on April 2.
Both contests are open to GCW MEMBERS ONLY.
For submissions guidelines, see Feb 19 event Poetry Contest Submissions Open
Celebrations for both contests will be held on April 30 Poetry Contest AND 100-Word Story Contest Celebration

100-Word Story Contest CLOSE
2025-04-02 23:59 | CA
The 2025 Poetry Contest AND 100-Word Story contests both end on April 2.
This contest open to GCW MEMBERS ONLY.
For submissions guidelines, see Feb 19 event 100-Word Story Contest Submissions Open
Celebrations for both contests will be held on April 30 Poetry Contest AND 100-Word Story Contest Celebration

Read & Review
2025-04-11 10:00 - 12:00 | Depoe Bay, 893 High Street, Auburn, CA, 95603
Read and Review will meet Friday, April 11 at Depoe Bay Coffee Roasters, 893 High Street, Auburn. Please join us from 10 a.m.to noon.
We will be discussing two books.
Mission to Brimstone by Bill Baynes
Memoirs of a Track Nut by Michael O’Haver
All books chosen for the program are available for GCW members to check-out in our GCW library and for purchase on Amazon.com.
More information about Read and Review sessions can be found in our newsletter, The Dispatch.
For more information please email GoldCountryWriters1849@gmail.com

April Speaker - Donna Levin
2025-04-16 10:00 - 12:00 | Auburn City Hall – Rose Room, 1225 Lincoln Way, Auburn, CA 95603, CA, 95603, United States
April Speaker
Donna Levin
Wednesday, April 16, 2025 @ 10:00 am – 12:00 noon, PDT
Our speaker will be Donna Levin on the topic of “DIALOGUE: the rules, the revelations, and the room to experiment“

This meeting will be held in the Rose Room at Auburn City Hall.
The public is invited. The meeting is free to attend.
Click here for Rose Room address, map, and directions. Also, info on Rose Room parking, now offsite only.
Donna Levin is the author of two books on the craft of writing: Get That Novel Started and Get That Novel Written. Her five acclaimed novels are Extraordinary Means, California Street, There’s More Than One Way Home, He Could Be Another Bill Gates, and The Talking Stick — published by Skyhorse in April 2024. She is a longtime facilitator of fiction-writing workshops, and a frequent speaker at conferences. Donna’s work is included in the Howard Gotlieb Archival Research Center at Boston University and in the California State Library’s collection of California novels.
For more information: https://www.donnalevin.com/

April Speaker Flyer

Drop-in Critique - 4th Wednesday - at NEW AUBURN AIRPORT
2025-04-23 10:00 - 12:00 | Barnstormer Room, Auburn Municipal Airport, 13626 New Airport Road, Auburn, CA 95602, CA, 95602, United States
***NOTE SPECIAL LOCATION***
The fourth Wednesday of each month is our Drop-in Critique. These events are in-person only.
Members may bring up to five pages of their work, double spaced, to read and receive feedback.
For information please email goldcountrywriters1849@gmail.com
Click here for Barnstormer Room directions, map, and parking info.

Poetry Contest AND 100-Word Story Contest Celebration
2025-04-30 10:00 - 13:00 | Auburn City Hall – Rose Room, 1225 Lincoln Way, Auburn, CA 95603, CA, 95603, United States
WEAR A HAT!
The Hats Off Celebration for the 2025 Poetry Contest AND 100-Word Story Contest will be held on Wednesday, April 30 at Auburn City Hall.
Awards ceremony will be followed by a potluck reception.
Public Welcome.
Click here for Hats Off event poster.
Click here for Auburn City Hall address, map, and directions.
