Saturday, Jan. 21, 2023
My 10-Year Journey to Overnight Success
Alka Joshi
In a highly anticipated presentation, Alka Joshi, the bestselling author of The Henna Artist (a Reese Witherspoon Book Club pick) and The Secret Keeper of Jaipur, and upcoming release, The Perfumist of Paris, will share:
- How she went from advertising copywriter to NYT Bestselling author
- What she learned along the way
- Why she loves her villains as much as her good characters
- The process of screen adaption
- And what has changed in her life since becoming a NYT Bestseller
Born in India, Alka Joshi came to the U.S. with her family at the age of nine. She has a BA from Stanford University and an MFA from California College of Arts. Joshi’s debut novel, The Henna Artist, became a New York Times bestseller and a Reese Witherspoon Bookclub pick. It’s been translated into 26 languages and is currently in development at Netflix. The sequel, The Secret Keeper of Jaipur, released June 2021, is being translated into multiple languages and is being followed by The Perfumist of Paris, the third book in the trilogy on March 28, 2023, now available for pre-order.
Connect with Alka Joshi at alkajoshi.com.
Saturday, Feb. 18, 2023
Chair
Jeane Slone
Author Launch 2022-23
Celebrate the success of Bay Area authors at the annual Redwood Writers Author Launch event. Listen to excerpts from new books published by our members, and meet local authors.
Saturday, March 18, 2023
How to Make More Money by Selling Your Books, Products, Courses, and Events from Your Own Website
Carla King
Amazon is the biggest bookstore in the world so, by all means, embrace it! You can easily make significantly more sales "going wide" using IngramSpark, but don't stop there. Earn even greater profits by selling from your own website with an e-commerce tool like Payhip. These easy tools handle payments and digital delivery of books, courses, and events. Plus you'll get order forms for physical objects (like autographed copies, physical books, and any product) so you can mail them to your customers. You'll have more fun and make more money when readers come to you directly.
Carla King has been known as “the Self-Publishing Queen” since 2008, the year she committed to reporting the evolution of self-publishing products, tools, and services for PBS and other media outlets. With a background in journalism, travel writing, and technical writing, she has been at the forefront of the industry from all angles: author, editor, consultant, publisher, and technologist. She is the founder of Misadventures Media, the home of her Self-Publishing Boot Camp online courses, editing services, and workshops, and her Destination Published author coaching business.
Connect with Carla King at destinationpublished.com
Saturday, April 15, 2023
A Poetry Celebration with Fran Claggett-Holland and readings from special guest poets
Please join us for a special celebration of all things poetry. At our April general meeting, we will celebrate Poetry Month with poetry readings, the announcement of this year's poetry contest award winners, the presentation of our upcoming poetry anthology, and a special award for Fran Claggett-Holland from Redwood Writers for her years of service and contributions to our poetry and writing community.
Saturday, May 20, 2023
Fireside Chat with Stacy Ennis: Q&A on book writing, author platform, location independence, and more
Join this Q&A with best-selling author, coach, and speaker Stacy Ennis. Throughout more than 13 years in publishing, Stacy's coaching, trainings, and content has helped hundreds of authors uncover their unique story, stand out in a crowd, and make an impact. She's also a location independent entrepreneur living in her fourth country outside of the U.S. Come with your questions on book writing, building a powerful author platform, running a mid-six figure location independent business, and more.
Stacy Ennis is a best-selling author, coach, and speaker on a mission to help leaders clarify their ideas and harness their unique story to make an impact. Along with being the founder of Nonfiction Book School, an accelerated author program, her background includes ghostwriting for a Nobel Prize winner in medicine and leading as executive editor of Sam’s Club’s Healthy Living Made Simple, a publication that reached around 11 million readers. Her best-selling book, cowritten with Ron Price, is Growing Influence: A Story of How to Lead with Character, Expertise, and Impact. She’s also the host of Beyond Better, a podcast that explores how to create a business and life you love. Learn more at www.stacyennis.com.
Saturday, June 17, 2023, 1 p.m.
Rosie Battista ~ The Card Deck Connection: How a card deck connects to business, client and revenue growth
About the presentation:
In this presentation, Rosie Battista will show you:
- what a card deck is
- why you would want one to go along with your book
- how a card deck is the perfect combo to your book - the jelly (your card deck) to your peanut butter (your book)
- the 3 questions every card deck creator must ask
- ten ways you can use a card deck to grow your business, community and bank account.
About Rosie Battista:
Rosie helps heart-centered authors & coaches envision & execute beautiful distinguished card decks that express their message, teach their knowledge, and enhance their clients transformational journey.
Her card deck creation experience helps participants gain the confidence to show up as the woman they were intended to be. They embrace their unique area of expertise, understand their value and use their God-given voice and Card Deck as a transformational tool to help others.
With over 15 years of helping entrepreneurs create products, Rosie has seen that a Card Deck is the gift that keeps on giving for your business, your clients and your own personal growth.
Learn more about Rosie at rosiebattista.com.
Saturday, July 15, 2023, 1 p.m.
Shana Bull ~ Publishing in 2023: Creating Connections with Social Media Marketing, and What Not to Do with Hybrid Models, or AI
About the presentation:
Have you ever found yourself struggling to navigate the ever-changing world of publishing? Shana Bull, a children's book author and speaker, understands this feeling all too well. In this informative session, she will discuss the challenges faced by authors in today's rapidly evolving industry, which is greatly influenced by technology, marketing, and PR trends. Shana will share her personal experience of navigating the hybrid and self-publishing landscape, highlighting the ups and downs, and will also explore the impact of AI on the writing process. By the end of this session, you will feel confident and equipped with the knowledge and tools needed to navigate your own publishing journey.
About Shana Bull:
Shana Bull is a communications director, children's book author, and freelance writer who is passionate about normalizing the discourse around social media & mental health. She enjoys culinary adventures with her family and can be found at @sharayray and ShanaBull.com/daily-checklist.
Saturday, August 19, 2023, 1 p.m.
Bret Ridgway~ Mistakes Authors Make: Essential Steps for Achieving Success as an Author
About the presentation:
Non-fiction writers often think that if they write a great book, the marketing will take care of itself. Positive word of mouth will spread the news far and wide and their book will rocket to NY Times #1 bestseller status. Yeah, nice dream, but let’s come back to reality.
While writing a great book is important, there are so many other things that go into becoming a successful author. In this fast-paced training, Bret Ridgway will talk about critical mistakes he’s seen authors make in several areas.
This includes:
#1 Before You Write
#2 The Business of Your Book
#3 Writing Your Book
#4 Marketing Your Book Before It’s Written
#5 Marketing Your Book After It’s Written
About Bret Ridgway:
Bret Ridgway is an 8-time author with his efforts focused on the world of speakers, authors, information marketers and event promoters. He got his start managing the back sales table at Internet marketing conferences way back in 1999 and has witnessed nearly 2000 different speakers in person. In 2003 he formed a company called Speaker Fulfillment Services and has worked with some of the biggest names in the industry. His titled include #1 Amazon bestsellers "Mistakes Authors Make" and "ABCs of Speaking" and his latest book "How to Build a Profitable Speaking Business" will launch this Fall.
Saturday, September 16, 2023, 1 p.m.
ASK US ANYTHING! A Roundtable Discussion on Writing & Publishing
About the presentation:
On Saturday, September 16, immerse yourself in an enlightening gathering of writers united by their passion for storytelling. Engage in an insightful Q&A session focused on the art of writing and the intricacies of the publishing process. This dynamic roundtable discussion will offer practical advice, and will also shed light on the challenges and triumphs of the writer’s path. Wherever you are at in your writing journey, this event will offer a rare opportunity to connect with the minds behind stories and poetry, explore the craft, and gain valuable insights into the world of literature and publishing.
