When I began blogging the reason was because I decided that I wanted to write. I wanted to do something that would compel me to write. I wanted to pursue my passion and write in my retirement. My passion will supplement my retirement check with a little extra. I am on my way. I am one of the panelists.

My writing coach is one of the panelist. http://writingcoachteresa.com..

And the first person who gave me the chance to try spoken word is the producer. http://artsinthevalley.wordpress.com/.

Ain't God good!! Thank you my sisters!! Thank you!!!!!

The Oakland Public Library and the Women's National Book Association Presents

"Writers on Writing" Saturday, July 14th, 12 pm - 2pm, Oakland Public Library, Rockridge Branch
Please join the Women's National Book Association (WNBA), and the Oakland Public Library on Saturday, July 14th from 12 pm - 2 pm at the Oakland Public Library Rockridge Branch, 5366 College Avenue in Oakland, for the free Writers' workshop, "Writers on Writing." Playwright, and radio host Kim McMillon will moderate this panel of writers, which includes: Award-winning Australian author and journalist Stephanie Dale, who will help writers find their inner voice; poet and composer Judith Cody discussing how to write for and publish an anthology; Teresa LeYung-Ryan, on the process of creating your writing platform and building your brand as a writer; author and columnist Yolande Barial demonstrating the importance of finding your passion; and author and educator Joan Gelfand deconstructing the process of getting published. This workshop is for anyone with a desire to find their voice, and write and promote their work. A reception and booksigning will follow the presentation. For more information on the workshop, contact Kim McMillon at (510) 681-5652, or the Rockridge Branch Library at (510) 597-5017.
In 2007, Award-winning Australian journalist and author Stephanie Dale walked across Italy, through the Balkans and into the Middle East with her adult son, Ben. Ben was on a pilgrimage, a 7000 km epic journey from Canterbury to Jerusalem. Stephanie flew to Rome to join him for the middle leg of his journey, with the intention of walking with him to Istanbul. My Pilgrim's Heart is the story of that journey. Stephanie Dale has been awarded the Australian Journalist Association Prodi Award for best feature in 1990, the Sir Harry Budd Memorial Award in 1992, and a gold medal IPPY award for Hymn for the Wounded Man for best fiction in 2011. Stephanie will incorporate her "Song of the Soul" writing motivation workshop into her presentation. All participants will need is a paper and pen. To learn more about Stephanie's journey, visit: http://stephaniedale.net/.
Joan Gelfand's poetry, fiction, reviews, essays and letters have appeared in national and international anthologies, literary journals and webzines. Joan teaches writing for Poetry Inside Out and coaches writers in San Francisco. She is a member of the National Book Critics Circle, a contributing Poetry Editor to the "J" and the Past President of the Women's National Book Association. Her work has been nominated for Pushcart and Carver Prizes. Joan blogs regularly for the Huffington Post. As the Poetry Liaison for the San Francisco Writer's Conference, Joan speaks on publishing in a variety of workshops. She has also addressed groups at Mills College, the public library in San Mateo, BAIPA, California Writer's Club, Story Circle Network in Austin, TX and the Women's National Book Association in Los Angeles and San Francisco. Her books are: "A Dreamer's Guide to Cities and Streams" (SF Bay Press, 2009.) "Here & Abroad," a chapbook of short fiction (winner of the 2010 Cervena Barva Fiction Award) and "Seeking Center," Two Bridges Press, 2006. "Transported," a spoken word CD with original music can be found on iTunes & reverbnation.com http://joangelfand.com/. When discussing the difficulty of getting published, Joan Gelfand states "It might be hard to believe, but the word on the street is that Kay Ryan (recent United States Poet Laureate) and Jane Hirshfield, renowned poet and author of five collections of poetry, sat together at their kitchen tables submitting hundreds of packages of poems. When asked why the extreme volume, they reportedly answered 'We wanted to get the editors used to our voices.' If an editor rejected one package of poems, they would send another." This workshop is geared to helping writers understand that they are not alone, and the importance of continually working at their craft, and submitting work for possible publication.
Teresa LeYung-Ryan helps clients identify themes, universal archetypes, front-story and back-story in their manuscripts. As author of Build Your Writer's Platform & Fanbase In 22 Days: Attract Agents, Editors, Publishers, Readers, and Media Attention NOW, she says: "Make your name synonymous with the issues you write about." Teresa has built her own platform happily; her novel Love Made of Heart (used in colleges and universities) and her short play Answer Me Now (produced by Redwood Writers & 6th Street Playhouse) carry the themes closest to her heart: mother-daughter relationship; YES! to education on mental health and illness; NO! to domestic violence and child abuse. Teresa created the annual "Immigrant Experience Writing Contest" and cheers for all courageous contestants. http://writingcoachteresa.com.

Yolande Barial currently writes a column for the Tracy Press newspaper and for the Examiner; an on line newspaper, edits the youth newsletter for her church and has her own blog site http://just-a-mom.us/. She is an inspirational and spiritual writer and a published poet. She has 3 fabulous children. Her life-long journey is to encourage and empower all sisters, young and seasoned, to become on-purpose. She uses her unique voice to express the reality that all things are possible with God. In 2006 she was invited to meet and have coffee with Magic Johnson, during one of his promotional visits to one of his Starbuck locations, in Oakland, CA. Yolande hosted Spoken Word in downtown Oakland at Kimball's Carnival and at Magic Johnson's Starbucks from 2003 - 2006. In April of 2007, Yolande's 'Your Words Project' organized created and facilitated a Woman's Retreat in Oakland, CA. In 2012, she facilitated and created a Vision Workshop for youth. She is in the process of organizing a youth book club and is writing her first play for children, which will be performed this Christmas Season.
Judith Cody, a poet and composer, has won national poetry awards from Atlantic and Amelia magazines as well a national award in music. A poem is in the Smithsonian Institution's permanent collection. Her poems were quarter-finalists in the Pablo Neruda Prize in Poetry, were put forward for Lyric Recovery Award's Carnegie Hall reading, and were cited for honorable mentions by the National League of American Pen Women, and others. Cody's poetry is published in over sixty journals. She is currently the editor of the PEN Oakland anthology "Fightin' Words," and she is the editor for a NASA division history. She wrote the internationally notable biography of a composer, Vivian Fine: A Bio-Bibliography, Greenwood Press, and Eight Frames Eight, poems. See more at http://www.judithcody.com.
The Women's National Book Association (WNBA) is a nonprofit professional association of women and men who work with and value books. The organization was founded in 1917. http://www.wnba-books.org/.