There is a call for someone to teach girls at The Indio Family Justice Center. They are looking for someone to teach a creative writing class for one week to girls aged 13-18. They are offering a stipend for the week. If interested go to https://womenwonderwriters.com.

On June 17th at Koffi in Rancho Mirage, located at 71-380 Highway 111, featured authors are as follows: Ulrike Maria and David Cat Cohen. The program begins at two o’clock and an open mic is also included.

Ulrike writes primarily about her metaphysical findings. She has published five books; some of the titles are Modern Thought Theories and Better Living through Right Thinking. Her presentation is sure to be inspiring.

David Cat Cohen has published eight books on food, travel, and music. Some of his titles include Chicken Soups From Around The World and Road Stories Southwest. He is a gregarious presence and his recipes are tempting!

So, come and enjoy, listen, participate, and even buy a book! These should promise to be good summer reading.

On May 13th at our regular featured reading series at Koffi in Rancho Mirage two accomplished authors debuted their books.

Rose Baldwin’s upcoming novel is entitled Mike’s Magic Burgers. It is about a restaurant where the burgers transport a diner to another realm. For example, the tropical burger transports a new customer to a tropical island where she relaxes on a white sand beach while enjoying a massage. The novel will be out in June and available on Amazon. It promises a delightful read.

Our next featured reader was Patty Farmer whose book Playboy Swings chronicles the contribution Playboy made to jazz artists, many of whom got their start at The Playboy Clubs and The Playboy Jazz Festivals. Many only think of Playboy as a magazine with naked ladies, but Hugh Hefner gave exposure to so many jazz greats. In addition, Hef broke racial barriers by having both black and white performers in the clubs,  and on Playboy After Dark.

Playboy Swings is the first in a trilogy. In September Patty will return to Koffi to debut her next in the series Playboy Laughs which traces the evolution of the jokes and cartoons in Playboy. The last of the series is Playboy Talks which focuses on the articles. Remember the catch phrase, “I read Playboy for the articles.”

Patty is a thorough researcher. In her first book The Persian Room she brought to light the many singers and musicians who performed at the famous Persian Room at The Plaza Hotel.

Join us September 10th at Koffi in Rancho Mirage when Patty will debut Playboy Laughs. And don’t forget to order Rose Baldwin’s Mike’s Magic Burgers on Amazon come June.

A very special reading at Koffi in Rancho Mirage this Saturday May 13th beginning at two o’clock. Author Patty Farmer and her book Playboy Swings which chronicles Playboy’s contribution to the music scene, and Rose Baldwin debuting her upcoming novel Mike’s Magic Burgers. Don’t miss this exciting reading!

This weekend, April 22nd and 23rd at USC. So many vendors and lectures and readings. Some of the lecturers this year are: Joyce Carol Oates and George Saunders. Poets Luis J. Rodriguez and Laurel Ann Bogen. Google LA Festival of Books for info on speakers.

This is what I have been experiencing lately. I have many writer friends and I am so thankful for a supportive community of like-minded people. But this is what I have lately been experiencing. Whenever I am around my writer friends the discussion is always what people are working on and how many are getting published. Well, of course, what else would writers talk about? I am writing regularly, but I haven’t been published in awhile. I have been sending out submissions and receiving regular rejections. It kind of amazes me because back in the 1980s and 1990s I got published often. I think I am a better writer now, so the constant rejections have me a bit baffled. But no matter, I have developed a thick skin over the years. My present real concern is that I feel a sense of competition amongst myself and my fellow authors, and this feeling is taking away the fun of writing. I feel I have to keep up with my colleagues, and I don’t like this feeling. Does anyone else feel like this?

Sunday March 12th at Koffi in Rancho Mirage two o’clock. Author Judith Fabris will share excerpts from her new novel. Carol Mann and Lynn Centeno will share their collaborative project All Ways A Woman featuring poetry from Carol and artwork from Lynn. An open mic is also included. Come and enjoy, listen, participate, buy a book! As always, your host: moi.

Seven months ago I took on a part-time job just to earn some extra money and supplement my pension. I like the job, don’t get me wrong, but boy oh boy, does it cut into my writing time. I have been hearing for years that most writers get up early in the morning and write. Well, I have never been an early bird, in fact, I hated getting up at 5:30 when I was a teacher. But, this job has afforded me a blessing. Because I was experiencing less and less time to write, I finally said to myself: “Okay, self, you are getting up earlier and going to the computer!” Why am I doing this to myself? Because if I don’t write I feel that I’m not accomplishing anything. Even though I do tons of stuff, writing is the only thing that makes me feel like I am fulfilling my purpose. My writing doesn’t even have to get published; I just have to write in order to follow my bliss.

So, I have been doing just that this week, getting up earlier and sitting down to write. The brain is so much clearer in the morning, before all the things of the day pile up. It has worked! I wrote a poem this week that I am sort of satisfied with and I sent off a submission to a journal. I am no longer feeling that my Monday, Wednesday, and Friday (the days I work) are just filled with work and not anything else.

Do you realize people, that if you  wrote just one poem a week you would have fifty-two poems by the end of the year? Enough for a manuscript.

Keep writing my friends!

Next featured reading at Koffi in Rancho Mirage is Feb. 12th at two o’clock. The featured authors this month are poet and non-fiction writer Anita Harmon and graphic novelist Guy Rowley. They will have books for sale. An open mic is included.

Many of us find it difficult finding the time to write, especially if you have a job. I started a part-time job last August; it’s only 15-18 hours a week but it really cuts into my writing time. Lo and behold! The topic of our general meeting of The Palm Springs Writers Guild yesterday addressed this subject. Three speakers addressed the issue of time management. We were even given time sheets so that we could better organize our week, making sure we set aside time for writing. The time sheets break down the day into one hour slots. I just finished making our my time sheets for the upcoming week. Let’s hope it works! Let me know if it works for you.