Next Meeting: Thursday, 26 March, at 6:30 p.m.
at the Tustin Marketplace Corner Bakery (13652 Jamboree Road, Irvine)
6 Nov meeting notes; 13 Nov reading list
6 NOVEMBER MEETING NOTES
Seven people attended: Benafsha A. (a revised chapter from The Jewels of Herat), Burt, Donna R., Jo, Joanne (a short story, “The Roots of Destiny), Leighanne, and Rosie (a re-revised synopsis for In Arcadia, Ego).
NEWS & NOTES
We’re approaching the end of the year, which means our meeting schedule gets weird. We’ll have some decisions to make next meeting.
- There will be no 27 Nov meeting because we’ll be murdering turkeys.
- Should 4 Dec be Holiday Party day (more people will be able to attend)? If so, should there be a meeting on 11 Dec?
- Where should the Holiday Party be? We have a nomination for BJs Grill and Bar in the Tustin Marketplace. Any other ideas?
- The first meeting of 2026 will be on 8 Jan.
Upcoming author events for the next week:
- Saturday, Nov. 8, 2 p.m.: Robin Ray, Reveal Not Conceal (in person at Book Carnival)
- Monday, Nov. 10, 4 p.m.: Chris Epting, “Unlock Your Storytelling Potential” (at the Westminster Branch Library, 8180 13th St., Westminster)
13 NOVEMBER READING LIST
Leighanne (11/6)
Jo (11/6)
Donna R. (11/6)
Burt (11/6)
Lance (10/30)
Rosie (11/6)
Joanne (11/6)
Benafsha A. (11/6)
Ottilia S. (9/11)
30 Oct meeting notes; 6 Nov reading list
30 OCTOBER MEETING NOTES
A cozy four people attended: Jo, Lance (a chapter from Bluejay’s Riviera), Leighanne, and Rosie.
NEWS & NOTES
We’re approaching the end of the year, which means our meeting schedule gets weird. We’ll have some decisions to make next meeting.
- There will be no 27 Nov meeting because we’ll be murdering turkeys.
- 4 Dec will be the first (and perhaps last) meeting in December.
- Should 11 Dec be a meeting or the Holiday Party? If it’s a meeting, when does the Holiday Party happen (or does it)?
- Where should the Holiday Party be? We have a nomination for BJs Grill and Bar in the Tustin Marketplace. Any other ideas?
- The first meeting of 2026 will be on 8 Jan.
Upcoming author events for the next week:
- Saturday, Nov. 1, 2 p.m.: Daryl Wood Gerber, Murder by the Millions; Kim Davis, Essentials of Murder (in person at Book Carnival)
- Sunday, Nov. 2, 2 p.m.: Dennis Palumbo, “Writing Through the Hard Times” (in person for Sisters in Crime L.A. at the Radford Studio Center, Studio City)
- Tuesday, Nov. 4, 6 p.m.: Priya Krishna, Indian-ish (in person at the Crown Valley Community Center, 29751 Crown Valley Pkwy, Laguna Niguel)
- Wednesday, Nov. 5, 6:30 p.m.: David Rosenfelt, Dogged Pursuit (in person at the Clifton C. Miller Community Center, 300 Centennial Way, Tustin)
6 NOVEMBER READING LIST
Leighanne (10/30)
Jo (10/30)
Rosie (10/30)
Donna R. (10/16)
Burt (10/23)
Joanne (10/23)
Benafsha A. (10/23)
Lance (10/30)
Ottilia S. (9/11)
23 Oct meeting notes; 30 Oct reading list
23 OCTOBER MEETING NOTES
Seven people attended: Benafsha A. (a revised chapter from The Jewels of Herat), Burt, Jo, Joanne, Lance (a chapter from Bluejay’s Riviera), Leighanne, and Rosie.
NEWS & NOTES
Upcoming author events for the next week:
- Saturday, Oct. 25, 10 a.m.: Lee Goldberg, Fallen Star (in person for Mystery Ink at Studio 14 in Old World Village, 7561 Center Ave, Huntington Beach) (launch party)
- Saturday, Oct. 25, 2 p.m.: Jennifer Chow, Star-Crossed Egg Tarts; Lorie Lewis Ham, One of You (in person at Book Carnival)
- Sunday, Oct. 26, 3 p.m.: Veronica Bane, “The Scary Art of Ghostwriting” (in person for Sisters in Crime OC at Book Carnival)
- Monday, Oct. 27, 6:30 p.m.: Coltan Scrivner, Ph.D, Morbidly Curious: A Scientist Explains Why We Can’t Look Away (in person at the Foothill Ranch Branch Library, 27002 Cabriole Way, Foothill Ranch)
30 OCTOBER READING LIST
Leighanne (10/23)
Jo (10/23)
Rosie (10/23)
Donna R. (10/16)
Burt (10/23)
Joanne (10/23)
Benafsha A. (10/23)
Lance (10/23)
Ottilia S. (9/11)
Glenda (8/21)
16 Oct meeting notes; 23 Oct reading list
16 OCTOBER MEETING NOTES
Seven people attended: Burt (a revised chapter from The Class of 1942), Donna R. (a chapter from Monster Book), Jo, Joanne (a short story, “Diet Plan”), Lance, Leighanne, and Rosie (a synopsis for In Arcadia Ego).
NEWS & NOTES
Upcoming author events for the next week:
- Saturday, Oct. 18, 10 a.m.: Eric Beetner, “Dark Laughs: Humor, Irony, and the Writer’s Long Con” (in person for SCWA at 19 Restaurant, 24122 Moulton Pkwy, Laguna Hills; $25-35)
- Sunday, Oct. 19, 2 p.m.: Tim Reuben, Tequila (in person at Book Carnival)
23 OCTOBER READING LIST
Leighanne (10/16)
Jo (10/16)
Benafsha A. (10/9)
Lance (10/16)
Rosie (10/16)
Donna R. (10/16)
Burt (10/16)
Joanne (10/16)
Ottilia S. (9/11)
Glenda (8/21)
9 Oct meeting notes; 16 Oct reading list
9 OCTOBER MEETING NOTES
Five people attended: Benafsha A. (a revised chapter from Jewels of Herat), Burt, Joanne (a short story, “The Loss of a Friend”), Lance (a chapter from Bluejay’s Riviera), and Rosie.
NEWS & NOTES
Upcoming author events for the next week:
- Saturday, Oct. 11, 10 a.m.: Jane K. Cleland, “Tell Your Story to Beat the Bots: A Writer’s Guide to Thriving and Surviving in the Age of AI” and “Mastering Plot Twists” (in person and virtual for OC Romance Writers)
- Saturday, Oct. 11, 2 p.m.: Eight authors from the Hollywood Kills anthology (in person at Book Carnival)
- Sunday, Oct. 12, 4:00 p.m.: Walter Mosley, Gray Dawn (in person for Huntington Beach Friends of the Library)
- Thursday, Oct. 16, 6 p.m.: Steve Sando, The Bean Book (in person at the Donald Dungan Branch Library, 1855 Park Ave, Costa Mesa)
16 OCTOBER READING LIST
Leighanne (9/18)
Rosie (10/9)
Ottilia S. (9/11)
Donna R. (9/25)
Jo (9/25)
Burt (10/9)
Joanne (10/9)
Benafsha A. (10/9)
Lance (10/9)
Glenda (8/21)
2 Oct meeting notes; 9 Oct reading list
2 OCTOBER MEETING NOTES
Four people attended: Benafsha A. (a revised chapter from Jewels of Herat), Joanne, Lance (a revised chapter from Bluejay’s Riviera), and Rosie.
NEWS & NOTES
Upcoming author events for the next week:
- Saturday, Oct. 4, 2 p.m.: Maggie St. Thomas, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (in person at Book Carnival)
- Sunday, Oct. 5, 2 p.m.: Sisters in Crime LA presents Nicholas Meyer, “From the Page to the Stage” (in person at the Radford Studio, Studio City)
9 OCTOBER READING LIST
Leighanne (9/18)
Joanne (10/2)
Rosie (10/2)
Ottilia S. (9/11)
Donna R. (9/25)
Jo (9/25)
Burt (9/25)
Benafsha A. (10/2)
Lance (10/2)
Glenda (8/21)
25 Sep meeting notes; 2 Oct reading list
25 SEPTEMBER MEETING NOTES
Seven people attended: Benafsha A. (a chapter from Jewels of Herat), Burt (a chapter from The Class of 1942), Donna R., Jo, Joanne, Lance (a chapter from Bluejay’s Riviera), and Rosie.
NEWS & NOTES
Upcoming author events for the next week:
- Friday, Sep. 26, 12:00 p.m.: Historical Fiction Luncheon: Jennifer Coburn and Kristina McMorris (in person for Huntington Beach Friends of the Library)
- Saturday, Sep. 27, 2 p.m.: Poetry reading by Diosa Xochiquetzalcóatl, West of the Santa Ana and Other Sacred Places (in person at the Seal Beach Branch Library, 707 Electric Ave, Seal Beach)
- Sunday, Sep. 28, 3 p.m.: Barbara DeMarco-Barrett, “Writer’s Survival Camp” (in person for Sisters in Crime OC at Book Carnival)
- Wednesday, Oct. 1, 6:30 p.m.: Carolyn Huynh, The Family Recipe (in person at the Foothill Ranch Branch Library, 27002 Cabriole Way, Foothill Ranch)
2 OCTOBER READING LIST
Leighanne (9/18)
Glenda (8/21)
Joanne (9/25)
Rosie (9/25)
Ottilia S. (9/11)
Donna R. (9/25)
Jo (9/25)
Burt (9/25)
Benafsha A. (9/25)
Lance (9/25)
18 Sep meeting notes; 25 Sep reading list
18 SEPTEMBER MEETING NOTES
Four people attended: Benafsha A. (a chapter from Jewels of Herat), Jo (two chapters from Dandelion Seeds), Lance (two chapters from Bluejay’s Riviera), and Leighanne.
NEWS & NOTES
Upcoming author events for the next week:
- Saturday, Sep. 20, 10 a.m.: Barbara DeMarco-Barrett, “Short Story Structure: The Secret to Writing Transformative Fiction” (in person for SCWA at 19 Restaurant, 24122 Moulton Pkwy, Laguna Hills; $25-35)
- Saturday, Sep. 20, 10 a.m.: Kaira Rouda, Jill is Not Happy (in person for Mystery Ink at Studio 14 in Old World Village, 7561 Center Ave, Huntington Beach)
- Thursday, Sep. 25, 6:30 p.m.: Alka Joshi, Six Days in Bombay (in person at the Laguna Hills Community Center, 25555 Alicia Pkwy., Laguna Hills)
25 SEPTEMBER READING LIST
Leighanne (9/18)
Glenda (8/21)
Joanne (8/7)
Rosie (9/11)
Ottilia S. (9/11)
Donna R. (9/11)
Burt (9/11)
Jo (9/18)
Benafsha A. (9/18)
Lance (9/18)
11 Sep meeting notes; 18 Sep reading list
11 SEPTEMBER MEETING NOTES
Seven people attended: Benafsha A. (a chapter from Jewels of Herat), Burt (reworked chapters from The Class of 1942), Jo, Lance (a chapter from Bluejay’s Riviera), Leighanne, Ottilia S., and Rosie.
NEWS & NOTES
Upcoming author events for the next week:
- Saturday, Sep. 13, 9:45 a.m.: Jill Lublin, “How to Use Publicity to Boost Leads, Visibility and Profits: For Authors”; Frances Amati, “Microsoft OneNote—Another Notch in Your Tool Belt” (virtual for OC Romance Writers)
- Tuesday, Sep. 16, 5 p.m.: Dr. Ericka Kim Verba, Thanks to Life: A Biography of Violeta Parra (in person at the Cypress Branch Library, 5331 Orange Ave, Cypress)
- Wednesday, Sep. 17, 5:30 p.m.: the Literary Guild of Orange County’s Fall Literary Salon with Sophie Stava, Anne Hillerman, and Nicola Harrison (in person at the Mission Viejo Country Club)
- Thursday, Sep. 18, 6 p.m.: Jeffrey Eisner, Super Shortcut Instant Pot (in person at the Donald Dungan Branch Library, 1855 Park Ave, Costa Mesa)
18 SEPTEMBER READING LIST
Leighanne (9/11)
Glenda (8/21)
Jo (9/11)
Joanne (8/7)
Rosie (9/11)
Ottilia S. (9/11)
Donna R. (9/11)
Burt (9/11)
Benafsha A. (8/28)
Lance (9/11)
4 Sep meeting notes; 11 Sep reading list
4 SEPTEMBER MEETING NOTES
Seven people attended: Burt, Donna R. (the first chapter of Monster Book), Jo, Lance (a revised chapter from Bluejay’s Riviera), Leighanne, Ottilia S., and Rosie.
NEWS & NOTES
Upcoming author events for the next week:
- Saturday, Sep. 6, all day: 44th anniversary of Book Carnival’s opening (cake and beverages!)
- Saturday, Sep. 6, 11 a.m.: Bailey Gaddis, Customized Parenting: Creating Easy, Intuitive Parenting Plans for Evolving Families (in person at the Tustin Branch Library, 345 E. Main St, Tustin)
- Sunday, Sep. 7, 2 p.m.: Sisters in Crime Los Angeles presents George Fong, “From FBI Agent to Author” (in person at the Radford Studio, Studio City)
11 SEPTEMBER READING LIST
Leighanne (9/4)
Glenda (8/21)
Jo (9/4)
Joanne (8/7)
Rosie (9/4)
Ottilia S. (9/4)
Burt (9/4)
Benafsha A. (8/28)
Donna R. (9/4)
Lance (9/4)
28 Aug meeting notes; 4 Sep reading list
28 AUGUST MEETING NOTES
Six people attended: Benafsha A. (a chapter from Jewels of Herat), Burt (chapters from The Class of 1942), Jo, Lance (a revised chapter from Bluejay’s Riviera [formerly the KDA Riviera Project]), Ottilia S., and Rosie.
NEWS & NOTES
Upcoming author events for the next week:
- Thursday, Sep. 4, 6 pm.: Curtis Chin, Everything I Loved, I Learned in a Chinese Restaurant (in person at the Donald Dungan Public Library, 1855 Park Av, Costa Mesa)
4 SEPTEMBER READING LIST
Donna R. (8/7)
Leighanne (8/21)
Glenda (8/21)
Jo (8/28)
Joanne (8/7)
Rosie (8/28)
Ottilia S. (8/28)
Burt (8/28)
Lance (8/28)
Benafsha A. (8/28)
21 Aug meeting notes; 28 Aug reading list
21 AUGUST MEETING NOTES
Seven people attended: Benafsha A. (a chapter from Jewels of Herat), Glenda, Jo, Lance (a revised chapter from Bluejay’s Riviera [formerly the KDA Riviera Project]), Leighanne, Ottilia S. (the first chapter of a romantic suspense novel, Hong Kong Shadows), and Rosie.
NEWS & NOTES
Jo brought in the paperback edition of the new SCWA anthology, California is a State of Mind, in which she has a short story. The anthology is now available on Amazon and the other usual places to buy books online.
Upcoming author events for the next week:
- Friday, Aug. 22, 6:30: Louis Sachar, The Magician of Tiger Castle (in person at the Laguna Hills Community Center, 25555 Alicia Pkwy., Laguna Hills)
28 AUGUST READING LIST
Donna R. (8/7)
Leighanne (8/21)
Glenda (8/21)
Jo (8/21)
Joanne (8/7)
Rosie (8/21)
Burt (8/14)
Lance (8/21)
Benafsha A. (8/21)
Ottilia S. (8/21)
14 Aug meeting notes; 21 Aug reading list
14 AUG MEETING NOTES
Seven people attended: Burt (chapters from The Class of 1942), Glenda, Jo, Lance, Leighanne, Rosie (a short story, “The Man in the Tin Mask” [or perhaps not]), and returning new member Ottilia S.
NEWS & NOTES
It looks like the Marketplace Corner Bakery will be PFL’s new home for the foreseeable future. It’s at 13652 Jamboree Road in Irvine (at the corner with El Camino, in the former Romano’s building).
Jo reports that last Saturday’s SCWA Book Launch Party for California is a State of Mind was successful, with several PFL alums in attendance. The anthology is now available on Amazon and the other usual places to buy books online.
Ottilia highly recommends William Kent Krueger’s mystery novel Ordinary Grace.
Upcoming author events for the next week:
- No events scheduled
21 AUGUST READING LIST
Donna R. (8/7)
Leighanne (8/14)
Glenda (8/14)
Jo (8/14)
Lance (8/14)
Joanne (8/7)
Benafsha A. (8/7)
Rosie (8/14)
Burt (8/14)
Ottilia S. (8/14)
7 Aug meeting notes; 14 Aug reading list
7 AUG MEETING NOTES
Seven people attended: Benafsha A. (a chapter from Landed), Donna R., Joanne (a short story, “Life’s Stage Coach”), Lance, Leighanne, Rosie, and potential new member Ottillia S. (welcome!).
NEWS & NOTES
It looks like the Marketplace Corner Bakery will be PFL’s new home for the foreseeable future. It’s at 13652 Jamboree Road in Irvine (at the corner with El Camino, in the former Romano’s building).
Upcoming author events for the next week:
- Saturday, Aug. 9, 10 a.m.: Jennifer Griffith, “Seven Big Publishing and Marketing Mistakes Jennifer Made—So You Don’t Have To” (virtual for OC Romance Writers)
- Saturday, Aug. 9, 2 p.m.: Nolan Knight, The Gorgon of Los Feliz (in person at Book Carnival)
- Saturday, Aug. 9, 2 p.m.: SCWA Book Launch Party for California is a State of Mind (at the Knolls Restaurant, 29971 Alicia Parkway, Laguna Niguel)
14 AUGUST READING LIST
Donna R. (8/7)
Leighanne (8/7)
Glenda (7/31)
Jo (7/31)
Rosie (8/7)
Lance (8/7)
Burt (7/31)
Joanne (8/7)
Benafsha A. (8/7)
31 July meeting notes; 7 Aug reading list
31 JULY MEETING NOTES
Eight people attended: Benafsha A. (a chapter from Landed), Burt (chapters from The Class of 1942), Glenda, Jo, Joanne (a short story, “An Old Stage Show Revisited”), Lance, Leighanne, and Rosie.
NEWS & NOTES
It looks like the Marketplace Corner Bakery will be PFL’s new home for the foreseeable future. It’s at 13652 Jamboree Road in Irvine (at the corner with El Camino, in the former Romano’s building).
Upcoming author events for the next week:
- Saturday, Aug. 2, 10 a.m.: Cassidy Krug, RESURFACE: A Guide to Navigating Life’s Biggest Transitions (in person at the Clifton C. Miller Community Center, 300 Centennial Way, Tustin)
- Saturday, Aug. 2, 2 p.m.: Jeri Westerson, The Misplaced Physician (in person at Book Carnival)
- Sunday, Aug 3, 2 p.m.: Sisters in Crime LA presents Ellen Byron, Jeri Westerson, Terry Shames, and Daryl Wood Gerber, “The Ups & Downs of Publishing in Today’s Marketplace” (in person at the Radford Studio, Studio City)
- Wednesday, Aug. 6, 5 p.m.: Audrey Lee, The Mechanics of Memory (in person at Book Carnival)
- Wednesday, Aug. 6, 6:30 p.m.: Kaira Rouda, Jill is Not Happy (in person at the Norma Hertzog Community Center, 1845 Park Ave, Costa Mesa)
7 AUGUST READING LIST
Donna R. (7/10)
Leighanne (7/31)
Glenda (7/31)
Jo (7/31)
Rosie (7/31)
Lance (7/31)
Joanne (7/31)
Benafsha A. (7/31)
Burt (7/31)
Pure Fiction League 