Mendocino Writers Blog

RONNIE GILBERT PRESENTS "A RADICAL LIFE WITH SONGS" addendum

Although the event sponsored by the Mendocino Music Festival featuring Ronnie Gilbert is billed as "A Radical Life with Songs"and under the aegis of the Village Chamber Concert series, this will be a largely a spoken word performance. Whenever Ronnie performs it is a special experience. Tickets may be purchased at the door or ordered online through The Mendocino Music Festival website.

http://mendocinomusic.com

Please read the comment to the previous post on this topic.

RONNIE GILBERT PRESENTS "A RADICAL LIFE IN SONG"

Ronnie Gilbert, an esteemed member of our advisory board will present a concert as part of The Mendocino Music Festival. Ronnie will present "A Radical Life with Songs" at the Evergreen Methodist Church in Fort Bragg at 3:00 pm on Wednesday, July 22, 2009. Ronnie is a singer, actor and playwright, known as a social activist but more commonly remembered as a member of The Weavers, a folksinging group which included Pete Seeger. She has presented at the conference leading a session on reading one's own work and general public presentation.

THE CONFERENCE IS FAST APPROACHING--THERE ARE 13 DAYS REMAINING TO REGISTER. DON'T WAIT ANY LONGER--GO DIRECTLY TO OUR WEBSITE  http://www.mcwc.org

A PLAGUE OF SECRETS-- NEW BOOK BY JOHN LESCROART

I just finished John Lescroart's latest book--A Plague of Secrets. What fun to read such a well written and classy "thriller". I recommend it to everyone who enjoys exploring San Francisco, and appreciates good dialogue and complicated plots. Not only is John a member of our advisory board but has presented at past conferences and was a popular teacher.

THERE ARE STILL 14, YES, FOURTEEN DAYS, LEFT BEFORE THE TWENTIETH MENDOCINO COAST WRITERS CONFERENCE. THAT'S PLENTY OF TIME TO REGISTER. VISIT THE WEBSITE http://www.mcwc.org

New Yorker article featuring the Dickman Twins

The current New Yorker Magazine (April 6) features an article about twin poets from Portland Oregon. Matthew and Michael Dickman are accomplished, rising young poets who have been mentored by Dorianne Laux, an advisory board member of our conference. She was a popular presenter a few years ago and attended the conference with her husband, Joseph Millar, also a poet. Both of them are quoted in this very interesting article. Dorianne says, after one of their first meetings together, "They talked about poetry the way that young people used to speak about rock and roll, or surfing or cars. The enthusiasm was not the intellectual enthusiasm of a professor or a critic. It is the enthusiasm of a practitioner." That quote alone may spur you search out this article.

John Lescroart in Narrative Magazine

John Lescroart, an Advisory Board Member and very popular past presenter, has an article in Narrative Magazine this month. Check out the interview and read an excerpt from John's new novel  A Plague of Secrets which will be realeased in July 2009. Also take a look at the video.

The Bellwether Prize: A Literature of Social Change

MCWC Advisory Board member Barbara Kingsolver established the Bellwether Prize, which 2008 MCWC Presenter Gayle Brandeis won in 2002, to recognize literature addressing issues of social justice. Being a topic close to the heart of our conference, it's interesting to note how "a literature of social change" is defined by this Prize:
    "Socially responsible literature, for the purposes of this award, may describe categorical human transgressions in a way that compels the readers to examine their own prejudices. It may invoke the necessity for economic and social justice for a particular ethnic or social group, or it may explicitly examine movements that have brought positive social change. Or, it may advocate the preservation of nature by describing and defining accountable relationships between people and their environment... 'Social responsibility' describes a moral obligation of individuals to engage with their communities in ways that promote a more respectful coexistence."

The Bellwether Prize includes an award of $25,000 and guaranteed publication by a major publisher, and is open to U.S. citizens who have not already published a book that sold more than 10,000 copies. It is awarded in even-numbered years.

If you're interested in submitting, the next prize cycle will accept submissions during September 2009. Full applicant requirements are available on their web site at www.bellwetherprize.org at and submission forms can be downloaded there, too.