Martin Smith, editor-in-chief of Orange Coast Magazine, will speak about “Writing and Publishing the Personal Essay” on Saturday, October 15, at 11 a.m. (doors open at 10:30). The free event takes place at the Orange Public Library & History Center, 407 E. Chapman Ave., Orange, CA 92866. Sonsored by California Writers Club, Orange County branch, the event celebrates California Writers Week, designated as the third week in October. For more information: www.calwritersorangecounty.org.

I’ll be there, moderating a memoir panel with Emma Forrest, Dan Fante, Matthew Logelin and Amy Ephron.  11:45.  A fun literary day, free, free parking….colorful…. Make a memory.  Join us!

Here’s a video…. for your viewing pleasure….and to get you to the fair!

Travis, setting up before the event

Danzy reads from You Are Free

In the background, Heidi talks with author Lynda Zussman. In the foreground, Danzy talks with poet Tina Lustig

Danzy, Heidi, and me

Tina, CJ Bahnsen, Heidi, Danzy, Debra Cross

What a great night with two brilliant authors and an intelligent crowd of writers, and readers.  If  you were there, and would like to hear them talk more about their books and writing, each will be on the show–Danzy next week and Heidi at the end of October. Stay informed by getting on the elist. Email penonfire at earthlink dot net and ask to be put on the elist.

Photography: C.J. Bahnsen

Here’s the link to the UCI class I’ll be teaching this fall. Writers of novels and memoirs…if you’re looking for a critiquing workshop, here’s a good place to start.

Marrie Stone interviews Justin Torres, author of We the Animals, and Helen Schulman, author of This Beautiful Life.

Download audio.

(Broadcast date: Aug 31, 2011)

Marrie Stone interviews Traci Foust, author of Nowhere Near Normal: A Memoir of OCD, and Christina Shea, author of Smuggled.

Download audio.

(Broadcast date: Aug 24, 2011)