Portland

October 6th
Diana Jordan

Radio Show Host and author

Diana is a News Anchor and Reporter. She is an Interviewer for radio, TV, print, the web. She is the author of BookMark: Life-Changing Secrets I've Learned From Interviewing Authors

Diana speaks about the meeting on this video posted on YouTube.

November 3rd Caroline Miller is the author of the recently published Heart Land. Miller has also published several short stories in such magazines as Children's Digest, Grit and Tales of the Talisman. Her short story, 'Under the Bridge and Beneath the Moon,' was dramatized for radio in Oregon and Washington. Miller’s second novel, Gothic Spring, was released in September.

She will speak about what to do after a book contract is signed.

Oregonians may be familiar with Caroline Miller’s work in local politics. She served two terms as Multnomah County Commissioner and another term as Metro Commissioner. She also headed the Portland Federation of Teachers and won Oregon’s Labor Hall of Fame.

December 1st
Writer's Faire

All Portland meetings are held at the Old Church, SW 11th and Clay (1422 SW 11th). Doors open at 6:30 pm; the speaker or panel starts at 7 pm. Meetings are free to members of Willamette Writers and students; guests of WW members are $5. Non-members pay $10 to attend meetings. Refreshments are served.

Young Willamette Writers

YWW meets on the same date as the regular monthly Willamette Writers Portland meeting, except over the summer. For more information, call Joni Heyman at 503-697-9593.

Salem Chapter

Salem meetings will be held upstairs at the West Salem Roth's 1130 Wallace Rd. NW with entrance and parking in rear. Social half hour begins at 6:30pm, meeting from 7-8pm. We have set up a website www.SalemChapter.com and have a specific e-mail address for interested parties, SalemChapter@aol.com.

Monthly meetings are held the second Thursdays at the West Salem Roth's store--1130 Wallace Road NW. Parking and entrance are in the back.

Networking begins at 6:15pm. Meetings are from 7- 8pm. Interactive meetings run from 7-8:30pm.

Meetings are FREE to Members. $5 for Guests of Members. $10 for Non-Members.

Thursday, October 8th

Miguel Loredo is a musician, poet, word-slammer, and inspirational speaker with degrees from both Portland State University and Eastern Oregon University. He will be speaking to Salem Chapter to inspire and renew our love for the art of writing. Hopefully with this renewed passion, your work will shine and you can take yourself and your writing to the next level.

Oregon Coast Chapter (Newport)

The Oregon Coast chapter of Willamette Writers offers Writers-on-Writing workshops the first Tuesday of each month, 7-8:30 p.m. in the McEntee Room of the Newport Public Library, 35 NW Nye St. Admission is free. The Writers-on-Writing series is also sponsored by the Newport Public Library and the Sylvia Beach Hotel. Contacts: Sue Lick, 867-4692, suelick@casco.net; Dorothy Blackcrow Mack, 765-2383, dmack@centurytel.net.

2009 Speakers Schedule

Take Down the Scaffolding

If you’re a writer or even a wannabe, Willamette Writers Coast Chapter can help you zero in turning ideas into art. Salado poet Marianne Klekacz will conduct a workshop on Tuesday, October 6, at 7-8;30 pm at the Newport Public Library, 35 NW Nye St., Newport.

In “Take Down the Scaffolding,” Klekacz will help participants explore ways to create new material and then extract the art from what they’ve generated. Although Klekacz is primarily a poet, she says the techniques work for both poetry and prose.

The workshop is designed for writers at all levels of their craft, even those who are just thinking about writing. Participants will learn some techniques for finding new material and then explore how to extract the real creation from a rough draft.

Together, participants will explore the evolution of original writing from the first rough draft through finished copy. The workshop will include practice of these techniques. Attendees should bring paper and a pencil or pen to write with, but no computers, please.

The workshop is free and open to the public.

Marianne Klekacz says she is an “accidental poet” who cam to the craft entirely by chance. She lives and writes off the grid in the Big Elk valley west of Mary’s Peak. She earned a B.A. in English and Writing from Marylhurst University and an M.F.A. in Writing from Pacific University. Her first chapbook, Life Science, won the Edna Meudt Memorial Award in 2003. Her first full-length collection, When Wirds Fail, was published by Dancing Moon Press in June, 2009. Klekacz will be one of the featured readers at the Nye Beach Writers Series on October 17.

Nov. 3 Ellen Urbani – Memoir Workshop. Her memoir, When I Was Elena, intersperses her experiences in rural Guatemala with the voices of seven Guatemalan women.

Dec. 1 Cheryl Strayed – Nonfiction Workshop. Although adept at both fiction (Torch) and creative nonfiction (“The Love of My Life”), her newest books is a memoir, Wild.

Mid-Valley Chapter (Eugene)

The Mid-Valley Willamette Writers Speakers Series is on the first Thursday of the month (unless it conflicts with a holiday, usually Sept. and/or Jan.) from September-May (no meetings in the summer), starting with a social half hour at 6:30 (hot tea, coffee and cookies provided), followed by the speaker at 7:00 p.m. and is open to the public. Location, Tsunami Books , 2585 Willamette, Eugene, OR 97045. Free to members of Willamette Writers, suggested $10 donation for non-members.

For more information contact: JoJo Jensen [jojo.jensen@yahoo.com]

To have your name put on the Eugene Chapter email list or have brochures sent to your group: JoJo Jensen [jojo.jensen@yahoo.com]

Mid-Valley Willamette Writer’s Presents:

November 5
Kay Porter, Ph. D.
Learn how to conquer pitching anxiety, rejections and negative self talk

Southern Oregon Chapter (Medford)

The southern Oregon chapter of Willamette Writers meets the first Saturday of the month at City Hall, City Council Chambers, in Central Point, on the corner of 3rd and Oak Street, one black off the main street, Pine. Meetings are 10 a.m. to noon. Parking is down the street. This speaker series is presented by Willamette Writers, a non-profit organization founded to help published and aspiring writers. Meetings are free to members, $5.00 for non-members. For information about Willamette Writers of Southern Oregon, call 503-452-1592.

Join us for networking at 9:30 a.m.

Membership dues: $36.00/year includes a monthly newsletter and discounted rate for the annual conference in Portland and other WW sponsored workshops.

SOUTHERN OREGON Saturday, November 7th

Eric Witchey


Please call, or email, Valerie Foster for comments or questions: 541-621-8587 or valerie62@charter.net.