Gold Country Writers

Drop-in Critique - 2nd Wednesday
2025-10-08 10:00 - 12:00, 2025-09-10 10:00 - 12:00, 2025-08-13 10:00 - 12:00, 2025-07-09 10:00 - 12:00, 2025-06-11 10:00 - 12:00, 2025-05-14 10:00 - 12:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | 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.

Nonfiction Short Story Contest CELEBRATION
2025-10-04 14:00 - 16:00 | Auburn City Hall – Rose Room, 1225 Lincoln Way, Auburn, CA 95603, CA, 95603, United States
Winners of the 2025 Nonfiction Short Story Contest will be announced at a celebration hosted by Gold Country Writers on Saturday, October 4, 2025, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., at Auburn City Hall.
Guest speaker is best-selling author Joan Griffin, on the topic, “Unleash Your Inner Storyteller: Turning True Events to Stories.”
The event will begin at 2pm in the Council Chambers theater and will be recorded by ACTV Auburn Community Television.
From 3 p.m. to 4 p.m., we will gather for refreshments downstairs in the Rose Room.
Public Welcome.
Click here for Auburn City Hall address, map, and directions.

Business Meeting - 1st Wednesday
2025-10-01 10:00 - 12:00, 2025-09-03 10:00 - 12:00, 2025-08-06 10:00 - 12:00, 2025-07-02 10:00 - 12:00, 2025-06-04 10:00 - 12:00, 2025-05-07 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 - 4th Wednesday
2025-09-24 10:00 - 12:00, 2025-08-27 10:00 - 12:00, 2025-07-23 10:00 - 12:00, 2025-06-25 10:00 - 12:00, 2025-05-28 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.

September Speaker - Bob Stanley
2025-09-17 10:00 - 12:00 | Auburn City Hall – Rose Room, 1225 Lincoln Way, Auburn, CA 95603, CA, 95603, United States
Our speaker will be Bob Stanley on “Why Is This a Poem?”
Bob Stanley, Sacramento Poet Laureate Emeritus, taught English and Creative Writing at Solano College, Sacramento City College, and Sacramento State University before retiring in 2021. He was President of the Sacramento Poetry Center from 2007 to 2019. He was selected as Sacramento’s fifth Poet Laureate, serving from 2009 to 2012. Bob’s books include Walt Whitman Orders a Cheeseburger(2009), Miracle Shine (2013), and Language Barrier (2024). Bob and his wife Joyce live in Sacramento and organize online poetry seminars that help support nonprofit organizations.

Speaker meetings are held in the Rose Room at Auburn City Hall.
Public Invited – Free
Click here for Rose Room address, map, and directions. Also, info on Rose Room parking, now offsite only.

Nonfiction 1,500-Word Short Story Contest CLOSES at MIDNIGHT
2025-09-17 | CA
Gold Country Writers is excited to announce a contest for nonfiction stories up to 1,500-words. 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 starting Wednesday, August 6, 2025, until midnight (PT) Wednesday, September 17, 2025.
Contest Entry Form available starting August 6.
Click for the 2025 Nonfiction Short Story Contest Rules.
Click for the Short Story Contest Judging Rubric Overview.
CELEBRATION!
Winners will be announced at a celebration hosted by Gold Country Writers on Saturday, October 4, 2025, from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m., at Auburn City Hall in the Council Chambers theater. After that, from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m., we will gather for refreshments downstairs in the Rose Room.
We appreciate our 2025 contest sponsors!

Special Event - Let's Talk About Mentoring & Spin-Off Groups
2025-08-20 10:00 - 12:00 | Auburn City Hall – Rose Room, 1225 Lincoln Way, Auburn, CA 95603, CA, 95603, United States
Let’s Talk about Mentoring and Spin-Off Groups
Wednesday, August 20, 2025, from 10am to noon
Learn from members who’ve benefited from the Mentoring Program. Hear about our active Spin-Off Groups and tell us what else you’d like to see. We need your input!

NOTE: No Speaker Meeting in August or December.

Nonfiction 1,500-Word Short Story Contest Submissions Open Aug 6 - Sep 17
2025-08-06 - 2025-09-17 | CA
Gold Country Writers is excited to announce a contest for nonfiction stories up to 1,500-words. 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 17, 2025.
Entry fee $15 for Public, $10 for GCW Members.
Stay tuned for details and entry information.
We appreciate our 2025 contest sponsors!

Nonfiction 1,500-Word Short Story Contest OPENS TODAY
2025-08-06 | CA
Gold Country Writers is excited to announce a contest for nonfiction stories up to 1,500 words. The contest aims to give local authors the opportunity to gain experience and build their credentials.
Winners will be awarded the following prizes:
First Place $100
Second Place $75
Third Place $50
Entries will be accepted starting Wednesday, August 6, 2025, until midnight (PT) Wednesday, September 17, 2025.
Contest Entry Form available starting August 6.
Click for the 2025 Nonfiction Short Story Contest Rules.
Click for the Short Story Contest Judging Rubric Overview.
CELEBRATION!
Winners will be announced at a celebration hosted by Gold Country Writers on Saturday, October 4, 2025, from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m., at Auburn City Hall in the Council Chambers theater. After that, from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m., we will gather for refreshments downstairs in the Rose Room.

Writer's Retreat at "The Ranch" in Penryn
2025-07-30 10:00 - 23:59 | CA
Attend a Writers Retreat hosted by Terry Wick at her beautiful ranch in Penryn, CA.
Wednesday, July 30, 2025, from 10am to ?
Bring a sack lunch & swimwear. Drinks will be provided.

Email Terry at terryshenhouse@gmail.com for more details and to RSVP.
NOTE: No Meeting in the Rose Room at Auburn City Hall.

July Speaker - Jennifer K. Morita
2025-07-16 10:00 - 12:00 | Auburn City Hall – Rose Room, 1225 Lincoln Way, Auburn, CA 95603, CA, 95603, United States
Our speaker will be Jennifer K. Morita on “Querying A to Q — Pitching to Literary Agents.”
A former newspaper reporter, Jennifer K. Morita is the author of Ghosts of Waikiki released by Crooked Lane Books in November 2024. Her debut novel won the Lefty Award for Best Debut Mystery Novel in 2025, and was nominated for an Agatha Award for Best First Novel. Jennifer is a past president of Capitol Crimes, her local Sisters in Crime chapter, and also a member of Crime Writers of Color, Mystery Writers of America, and International Thriller Writers. For more info, visit her website: www.jenniferkmorita.com.

Speaker meetings are 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.

Read & Review
2025-07-11 10:00 - 12:00 | Depoe Bay, 893 High Street, Auburn, CA, 95603
Read and Review will meet Friday, July 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.
Create Your Own Closure Map: Avoid an End-of-Life Scavenger Hunt by Heidi Struve Currey
Maddie’s in the Middle by Mariah Clark Skewes (pen name for Mary Boyle)
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

July 2 Indoor Potluck Picnic - No Business Meeting - 1st Wednesday
2025-07-02 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 will not be holding a regular business meeting on the FIRST Wednesday in July.
Instead, join us for a fun indoor Potluck Picnic Celebration.

June Speaker - Jennifer Basye Sander
2025-06-18 10:00 - 12:00 | Auburn City Hall – Rose Room, 1225 Lincoln Way, Auburn, CA 95603, CA, 95603, United States
Our speaker will be Jennifer Basye Sander on the topic “Digging for Factual Treasure.”
Former Random House Senior Editor, Jennifer Basye Sander worked in the acquisitions end of the publishing industry for twenty years. She is a New York Times bestselling author and has written more than sixty books. As a literary historian, Jennifer has presented research papers at four International Hemingway Conferences, most recently in San Sebastián, Spain. Her most recent book is Churchill: A Drinking Life, Champagne, Cognac, and Cocktails.

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.

May Speaker - Chris Hennessy
2025-05-21 10:00 - 12:00 | Auburn City Hall – Rose Room, 1225 Lincoln Way, Auburn, CA 95603, CA, 95603, United States
Our speaker will be Chris Hennessy on the topic “WRITE IT, FILM IT, SHARE IT – The power of video for authors.”
As a filmmaker, Chris Hennessy marketed, sold, and produced over 1,500 professional projects for clients including Google, eBay, the SF 49ers, Deloitte, Office Max, and The American Cancer Society from 1990 to 2018. As a speaker, he regularly presents at writers’ conferences and clubs. Currently, he is working on his memoir, Touched by Hannah — about a man with cancer, his one-pound newborn, and their fight for life — and produced a film to promote it.
For more info, visit https://www.henchris.com.

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.

Special Event - An Afternoon with the GCW Authors
2025-05-10 13:00 - 16:00 | CA
Saturday, May 10
1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. – “An Afternoon with the GCW Authors.”
President Susan Korn will be hosting a special event for Gold Country Writers authors.
This will include a book festival, book signings, entertainment, socializing, refreshments, fun, and networking.
Contact Susan Korn for more information.
