Next Meeting: Thursday, 3 February 2022, at 6:30 p.m.
on the PFL Slack workspace
27 Jan meeting notes; 3 Feb reading list
27 JANUARY MEETING NOTES
Six people attended: Benafsha, Casey, Donna R. (revised back-cover copy for Running with Hounds…), Glenda, Lance ( chapter from Bluejay Rises), and Rosie.
NEWS & NOTES
Benafsha told us about the UCI Illuminations event with Pulitzer Prize-winning author Viet Thanh Nguyen (The Collaborator) on Thursday, February 3, at 5 p.m. It’s online via Zoom. The UCI website is broken, but you can register on Eventbrite.
Our next meeting will be on 3 February starting at 6:30 p.m. on the PFL Slack workspace. If you have something for the group to read, please put in your bid on the #feb03-meeting channel by Friday, 28 January, at 8 p.m. The two bidders who are highest on the reading list (below) will be our primary readers, while the third (if there is one) will be our backup.
3 FEBRUARY READING LIST
Glenda (1/27)
Leighanne (11/18)
Dennis P. (11/4)
Scott B. (11/18)
Burt (11/18)
Joanne (12/2)
Rosie (1/27)
Benafsha A. (1/27)
Casey (1/27)
Donna R. (1/27)
Lance (1/27)
20 Jan meeting notes; 27 Jan reading list
20 JANUARY MEETING NOTES
Six people attended: Benafsha (the first chapter of a YA novel, Dancing Words)(her first PFL reading!), Casey (welcome back!), Donna R., Glenda, Lance, and Rosie (query letter and synopsis for The Lion and the Eagle).
NEWS & NOTES
Rosie’s in print in a bestseller (unfortunately, not hers): she’s named in the acknowledgements for The Collector’s Daughter, a historical novel involving the discovery of King Tut’s tomb by bestselling author Gill Paul.
Our next meeting will be on 27 January starting at 6:30 p.m. on the PFL Slack workspace. If you have something for the group to read, please put in your bid on the #jan27-meeting channel by Friday, 21 January, at 8 p.m. The two bidders who are highest on the reading list (below) will be our primary readers, while the third (if there is one) will be our backup.
27 JANUARY READING LIST
Glenda (1/20)
Leighanne (11/18)
Dennis P. (11/4)
Scott B. (11/18)
Burt (11/18)
Joanne (12/2)
Donna R. (1/20)
Lance (1/20)
Rosie (1/20)
Benafsha A. (1/20)
Casey (1/20)
13 Jan meeting notes; 20 Jan reading list
13 JANUARY MEETING NOTES
Four people attended our first 2022 virtual PFL meeting: Donna R. (a revised blurb for Running with Dogs…), Lance (a new chapter in Bluejay Rises, the long-untitled Kate DeWitt project), Rosie, and the return of Benafsha A. (welcome back!).
NEWS & NOTES
Our next meeting will be on 20 January starting at 6:30 p.m. on the PFL Slack workspace. If you have something for the group to read, please put in your bid on the #jan20-meeting channel by Friday, 14 January, at 8 p.m. The two bidders who are highest on the reading list (below) will be our primary readers, while the third (if there is one) will be our backup.
20 JANUARY READING LIST
Glenda (12/2)
Leighanne (11/18)
Rosie (1/13)
Dennis P. (11/4)
Scott B. (11/18)
Burt (11/18)
Joanne (12/2)
Donna R. (1/13)
Lance (1/13)
Benafsha A. (1/13)
6 Jan meeting cancelled; PFL goes virtual (again)
Because of the skyrocketing infections brought about by the current wave of COVID, and with an eye toward our more medically vulnerable members, we’ll be temporarily going back to our virtual format on Slack.
The 6 January meeting is cancelled — there wasn’t enough time to switch formats. Our first meeting for 2022 will be on 13 January starting at 6:30 p.m. on the PFL Slack workspace.
I’ve already sent out the how-to sheet to remind you how this works. If you have something for the group to read, please put in your bid on the #jan13-meeting channel by Friday, 7 January, at 8 p.m. The two bidders who are highest on the reading list (below) will be our primary readers, while the third (if there is one) will be our backup.
If your Slack account doesn’t get you into the PFL workspace, let me know and I’ll re-invite you. If you don’t have a Slack account, either ever or not now, please create one and tell me about it so I can invite you to the workspace.
This isn’t a welcome development, but we have to deal with the situation head-on. We got through it once; we’ll manage again. See you on the 13th!
13 JANUARY READING LIST
Glenda (12/2)
Donna R. (12/2)
Leighanne (11/18)
Rosie (11/18)
Dennis P. (11/4)
Scott B. (11/18)
Burt (11/18)
Lance (11/18)
Joanne (12/2)
2 Dec meeting notes; 6 Jan reading list
2 DECEMBER MEETING NOTES
A cozy three people attended the final meeting for 2021: Donna R. (who filled in as Imperator), Glenda, and Joanne (a short story, “Sexual Suffrage 60s: The Yellow Cab Ride”).
NEWS & NOTES
The first PFL meeting of 2022 will take place at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, 6 January at Panera Bread, 13205 Jamboree Rd., Tustin (at Irvine Blvd. on the west side of Jamboree).
2021 stats: we averaged 4.9 attendees and 1.7 readings per meeting, down from 6.5 and 2.2 respectively for 2020. However, we welcomed three new members since going live on 24 June and hope to build up our numbers in the new year. If you haven’t attended a live PFL meeting for a while, come back to the fold soon!
6 JANUARY READING LIST
Glenda (12/2)
Donna R. (12/2)
Leighanne (11/18)
Rosie (11/18)
Dennis P. (11/4)
Scott B. (11/18)
Burt (11/18)
Lance (11/18)
Joanne (12/2)
18 Nov meeting notes; 2 Dec reading list
18 NOVEMBER MEETING NOTES
Seven people attended the penultimate meeting for 2021: Burt (a revised chapter from The Spirit of 1942), Donna R., Joanne (a very short story, “Carrying Water”), Lance (one revised and one new chapter of the still-untitled Kate DeWitt Adventure), Leighanne, Rosie, and Scott B.
NEWS & NOTES
The final PFL meeting of 2021 will take place at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, 2 December at Panera Bread, 13205 Jamboree Rd., Tustin (at Irvine Blvd. on the west side of Jamboree). Note the non-standard starting time — this is to accommodate Panera’s planned early closing that night.
2 DECEMBER READING LIST
Glenda (11/11)
Donna R. (11/18)
Leighanne (11/18)
Rosie (11/18)
Dennis P. (11/4)
Scott B. (11/18)
Burt (11/18)
Joanne (11/18)
Lance (11/18)
LIT UP! A Conversation between OC Writers & Readers, 16 November 2021
The next virtual installment of LIT UP! A Conversation with Orange County Writers and Readers happens at 6:30 p.m. on 
Tuesday, 16 November, on Facebook Live.
The indefatigable Maddie Margarita will lead three local authors through a discussion of their latest works, readings, and whatever else crops up. The lineup:
- Dot Caffrey (fantasy)
- Lance Charnes (crime thriller)
- Leonard Szymczak (satirist/self-help)
Sign up for a Zoom link on the Lit Up OC Facebook Page, or catch it on Facebook Live.
11 Nov meeting notes; 18 Nov reading list
11 NOVEMBER MEETING NOTES
Five people attended: Donna R., Glenda, Joanne (a very short story, “‘Tis No Season For the Elders”), Lance (a revised chapter of the still-untitled Kate DeWitt Adventure), and Rosie.
NEWS & NOTES
The penultimate PFL meeting of 2021 will take place at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, 18 November at Panera Bread, 13205 Jamboree Rd., Tustin (at Irvine Blvd. on the west side of Jamboree).
We’re approaching the end of the year. The last two PFL meetings of 2021 will be on 18 Nov and 2 Dec. There are no plans afoot for a holiday party as of now.
The Thanksgiving edition of LIT UP! will be held online on Tuesday, 16 Nov, at 6:30 p.m. Dot Caffrey, Lance Charnes, and Leonard Szymczak will be the featured authors. Watch the action on Facebook Live.
18 NOVEMBER READING LIST
Glenda (11/11)
Donna R. (11/11)
Leighanne (10/14)
Rosie (11/11)
Burt (11/4)
Dennis P. (11/4)
Scott B. (11/4)
Joanne (11/11)
Lance (11/11)
4 Nov meeting notes; 11 Nov reading list
4 NOVEMBER MEETING NOTES
Six people attended: Burt, Dennis P. (a chapter from Angeltown), Donna R., Glenda, Lance (a revised chapter of the still-untitled Kate DeWitt Adventure), and Scott B. (the opening chapter of a dystopian novel, ReForm).
NEWS & NOTES
The next PFL meeting will take place at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, 11 November at Panera Bread, 13205 Jamboree Rd., Tustin (at Irvine Blvd. on the west side of Jamboree).
We’re approaching the end of the year. The last three PFL meetings of 2021 will be on 11 Nov, 18 Nov, and 2 Dec. There are no plans afoot for a holiday party as of now.
Lance will appear live at Book Carnival in Orange on Saturday, 6 Nov, at 2 p.m. Joining him via Zoom will be Gregory Galloway, author of the new crime novel Just Thieves. You can watch on Zoom (get the code from the Book Carnival website), or if you’re in the area, you can attend the event in person and support a local indie bookshop.
11 NOVEMBER READING LIST
Glenda (11/4)
Donna R. (11/4)
Leighanne (10/14)
Rosie (10/21)
Burt (11/4)
Joanne (10/28)
Lance (11/4)
Dennis P. (11/4)
Scott B. (11/4)
Upcoming author events, November 2021
The following author events will take place online in November. Click on the venue links for more information and for registration or access codes. Events pop up unpredictably, so return to your favorite venues during the month to see if anything new has surfaced.
- Monday, Nov 1, 6 p.m.: Spencer Quinn, It’s a Wonderful Woof (virtual & in-store)
- Saturday, Nov 6, 2 p.m.: Gregory Galloway, Just Thieves; Lance Charnes, Engaño (virtual & in-store)
- Sunday, Nov 7, 3 p.m.: Wendall Thomas, Fogged Off (virtual)
- Saturday, Nov 13, 10 a.m.: Lynne Truss, Psycho by the Sea (virtual)
- Saturday, Nov 20, 2 p.m.: Thomas Perry, The Left-Handed Twin; Jo Perry, Pure (in-store)
- Sunday, Nov 21, 11 a.m.: Robert J. Lloyd, The Bloodless Boy (virtual)
HUNTINGTON BEACH FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY
- Thursday, Nov 18, 12 p.m.: Naomi Hirahara, Clark and Division; Julia Walton, Just Our Luck
- Saturday, Nov 13, 1 p.m.: Ellen Byron, Cajun Kiss of Death; Jenifer Chow, Mimi Lee Cracks the Code
- Saturday, Nov 20, 1 p.m.: Deanne Stillman, Mustang: The Saga of the Wild Horse in the American West; David Rensin, All For a Few Perfect Waves
- Saturday, Nov 13, 10 a.m.: S.L. Hannah, “Three Months to Launch”
SISTERS-IN-CRIME ORANGE COUNTY
- Sunday, Nov 28, 3 p.m.: Program not yet announced (check website)
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA WRITERS ASSOCIATION
- Saturday, Nov 20, 10 a.m.: Lee Matthew Goldberg, “Writing A Reliable Unreliable Narrator—Or Not!”
28 Oct meeting notes; 4 Nov reading list
28 OCTOBER MEETING NOTES
Seven people attended: Burt (modified excerpts from Act II of When the Shvitz Hits the Fan), Dennis P. (2.5 chapters from Angeltown), Donna R., Glenda, Joanne (a short story, “The Nebshit and the Martyr”), Lance (a revised first chapter of the still-untitled Kate DeWitt Adventure), and Scott B.
NEWS & NOTES
The next PFL meeting will take place at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, 4 November at Panera Bread, 13205 Jamboree Rd., Tustin (at Irvine Blvd. on the west side of Jamboree).
Lance will appear live at Book Carnival in Orange on Saturday, 6 Nov, at 2 p.m. Joining him via Zoom will be Gregory Galloway, author of the new crime novel Just Thieves. You can watch on Zoom (get the code from the Book Carnival website), or if you’re in the area, you can attend the event in person and support a local indie bookshop.
4 NOVEMBER READING LIST
Glenda (10/28)
Donna R. (10/28)
Leighanne (10/14)
Rosie (10/21)
Lance (10/28)
Burt (10/28)
Joanne (10/28)
Dennis P. (10/28)
Scott B. (10/28)
21 Oct meeting notes; 28 Oct reading list
21 OCTOBER MEETING NOTES
Eight people attended: Burt, Dennis P. (three chapters from Angeltown), Donna R., Glenda, Joanne (a short story, “I’m a Lawyer”), Lance, Rosie, and potential new member Scott B., who just published his first cyberpunk novel, ReStart.
NEWS & NOTES
The next PFL meeting will take place at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, 28 October at Panera Bread, 13205 Jamboree Rd., Tustin (at Irvine Blvd. on the west side of Jamboree).
Dennis P. just published his third Red Car Noir novel, The Society for the Complete Extermination of Ethan Frome, which is now available on Amazon. Congratulations, Dennis!
The recorded Halloween edition of LIT UP! featuring DP Lyle, Dana Hammer, and PJ Colando, is now watchable on the LIT UP Facebook page.
28 OCTOBER READING LIST
Glenda (10/21)
Donna R. (10/21)
Leighanne (10/14)
Lance (10/21)
Rosie (10/21)
Burt (10/21)
Joanne (10/21)
Dennis P. (10/21)
Ken S. (8/26)
Dan O. (8/26)
14 Oct meeting notes; 21 Oct reading list
14 OCTOBER MEETING NOTES
Six people attended: Burt (a revised first chapter from The Spirit of 1942), Dennis P. (two chapters from a historical novel, Angeltown), Glenda, Lance, Leighanne, and Rosie.
NEWS & NOTES
The next PFL meeting will take place at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, 21 October at Panera Bread, 13205 Jamboree Rd., Tustin (at Irvine Blvd. on the west side of Jamboree).
The Halloween edition of LIT UP! will be held online on Tuesday, 19 Oct, at 6:30 p.m. DP Lyle, Dana Hammer, and PJ Colando will be the featured authors. Watch the action on Facebook Live.
21 OCTOBER READING LIST
Glenda (10/14)
Donna R. (9/30)
Leighanne (10/14)
Lance (10/14)
Rosie (10/14)
Joanne (9/30)
Burt (10/14)
Dennis P. (10/14)
Ken S. (8/26)
Dan O. (8/26)
7 Oct meeting notes; 14 Oct reading list
7 OCTOBER MEETING NOTES
Four people attended: Dennis P. (welcome back!), Glenda, Lance, Rosie. Alas, nobody brought anything to read.
NEWS & NOTES
The next PFL meeting will take place at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, 14 October at Panera Bread, 13205 Jamboree Rd., Tustin (at Irvine Blvd. on the west side of Jamboree).
The Muzeo Virtual Open Book Author Series will feature LIT UP! on Sunday, 10 October, moderated by PFL’s own Maddie Margarita. The featured authors are Quan Huynh (memoir/inspirational) and James L’Etoile (crime). The Muzeo Museum and Cultural Center sponsors the Open Book series. This event will take place on Zoom and requires pre-registration. The program runs 1-2 p.m.
14 OCTOBER READING LIST
Glenda (10/7)
Donna R. (9/30)
Leighanne (9/30)
Lance (10/7)
Rosie (10/7)
Joanne (9/30)
Burt (9/30)
Ken S. (8/26)
Dan O. (8/26)
Dennis P. (10/7)
30 Sep meeting notes; 7 Oct reading list
30 SEPTEMBER MEETING NOTES
Eight(!) people attended: Burt (the finale of When the Shvitz Hits the Fan), Donna R., Glenda, Joanne (a very short story, “The Boy in the Bar”), Lance, Leighanne, Rosie (the revised prologue and first chapter of The Lion and the Eagle), and potential new member Benafsha A., a writer of contemporary YA.
NEWS & NOTES
The next PFL meeting will take place at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, 7 October at Panera Bread, 13205 Jamboree Rd., Tustin (at Irvine Blvd. on the west side of Jamboree).
7 OCTOBER READING LIST
Glenda (9/30)
Donna R. (9/30)
Leighanne (9/30)
Lance (9/30)
Rosie (9/30)
Joanne (9/30)
Burt (9/30)
Ken S. (8/26)
Dan O. (8/26)
Pure Fiction League 