Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: Can I attend the poetry evening and not the all-day conference?
A: Yes. The poetry evening is a cost-effective $35 per person option AND can be paid by check or money order and sent to our PO Box:
Redwood Writers
P.O. Box 4687
Santa Rosa, CA 95402.
An anonymous donation of $1,000 – our 2010 Ina Coolbrith sponsor – helped offset the costs for this evening event.
Q: What is the dinner menu for the ‘evening of poetry’?
A: A wonderful Italian Buffet is planned, featuring your choice of four different salads, entrée selections of Chicken Scaloppini with lemon/garlic sauce and Vegetable Lasagna. A special eggplant parmesan is also on the buffet bar. The desserts are tiramisu or chilled zabaglione. A no-host bar is also available throughout the evening and coffee and tea service are available during and after dinner.
Q: I noticed that lunch is provided during the all-day conference. What about breakfast?
A: Breakfast is not included. However, bagels, petite croissants, assorted muffins, with butter and preserves, as well as coffee and tea will be served prior to the formal start of the conference.
Q: What is being served for lunch?
A: A hearty Flamingo Cobb Salad will be served.
Q: I can’t eat or meat or milk products. What can I do?
A: At check-in in the morning, be sure to ask for a special vegetarian, non-dairy lunch to be made available. The Flamingo Hotel will accommodate your dietary needs.
Q: Are there any snacks during the breaks provided?
A: Yes, mid-morning, coffee, tea and water service will be available. In the afternoon, soft drinks and cookies will be provided.
Q: Is there food at the post-Conference networking event?
A: Yes. Assorted cheese and crackers, vegetables and dip as well as a no-host bar is available. As an added bonus, each conference registrant receives one free refreshment ticket in his or her registration kit. Be sure to join us for some food, drink, and fun with fellow writers, agents, and editors.
Q: Can I pay for the Conference by check instead of credit card?
A: Of course, make the check or money order payable to ‘Redwood Writers.’ The online PayPal was provided as a convenience. About half of our attendees registered online with credit cards during the 2009 Conference.
Q: Can I still see an editor for a 1-on-1 session?
A: Yes. We began with 40 slots offered by five editors. Please register and submit your six pages before the August 15th deadline.
Q: When is the last day I can register for the Conference?
A: October 19th. The final head count is being submitted to the hotel.
Q: I have to cancel owing to a last minute trip. Can I get a refund?
A: The refund policy states “Requests postmarked prior to September 15, 2010 at fee paid less $50. Requests postmarked after September 15, 2010 receive no refund.” However, you may choose to send a substitute. This has worked well in the past for both people involved.
Q: Can I bring friends to the Poetry event?
A: Yes. Poetry dinner event attendees may register for the “Evening of Poetry,” even if they cannot attend the all-day Conference. Registration deadline for the $35.00 “Evening of Poetry” is also October 19th.
Q: Can I just attend the Conference for the keynote addresses?
A: Sorry. This is not an available option
Q: I can only go to the morning sessions of the conference. Is there any chance of a discounted admission price?
A: Sorry. This is not an available option
Q: Can I just pay for the one or two sessions of immediate interest to me?
A: Sorry. This is not an available option. We don’t have fees established for partial attendance/sessions or for single workshop sessions. These may be options we can consider for a future Conference, however, we cannot offer partial fees for this year’s event. An alternative is to keep an eye on our web site and join many of the individual workshops we conduct year round.
Q: Does the Flamingo Hotel have WiFi?
A: Yes, the hotel has WiFi, however, there is a charge for access to the Internet. WiFi fees are $4.95, $7.95, and $9.95 for 4, 8, and 24-hour windows, respectively. That means that if you use your credit card for 4-hours of WiFi to check e-mail, and you started at 7:30 am, then the WiFi access will only last until 11:29am. WiFi access is offered in windows across a fixed time period, NOT as a cumulative use of time.
Q: Is there a charge for parking?
A: No. Parking is offered at no charge. Due to the number of attendees expected for the Saturday conference, overflow parking is provided by the Long’s (now CVS) Drugstore across the street.
Q: Will the presenter’s have their books for sale?
A: Yes. Be sure to come to the Vintage Voices Shoppe where the bookstore will be in operation, managed by our exclusive bookseller, Copperfield’s Books.
Q: How do I qualify for a free conference pass?
A: There are no free conference passes available.
Q: Can I stay overnight at the Flamingo Friday night at a special rate?
A: Yes, since our 1-day conference starts early (7:30 am check-in) and people may be attending the “Evening of Poetry” or driving for over an hour to arrive from the Bay Area, we have special hotel rates established at the Flamingo Hotel for the Friday night:
“Special rates of Deluxe King or Double/Double $99, Executive King $119, and Suites $199 have been arranged for the conference eve. Please call the Flamingo hotel directly at 800-848-8300 or 707-545-8530 and mention the Redwood Writers for the discount. ?You may wish to enjoy a great evening of poetry on the 23rd, relax at the hotel and be up early for the all-day conference on the 24th.”
Q: How much wine does Sonoma County produce?
A: Sonoma County’s 260 wineries produce eight percent of California’s total wine output. Sixty thousand of the county’s one million acres are planted with wine grapes. More than 50 grape varieties are planted here. Sonoma County is the largest wine producing region in the world, in both quantity and revenue.
Q: What Hollywood movie was filmed, in part, at the Flamingo Hotel?
A: Bandits, starring Bruce Willis and Cate Blanchett was filmed at the Flamingo Hotel as well as rural county roads in Bloomfield and Valley Ford. Astute locals will also pick up on the Clover milk truck featuring Sonoma County icon Clo the cow.
For more information email: conference@redwoodwriters.org
