Next Meeting: Thursday, 29 January, at 6:30 p.m.
at the Tustin Marketplace Corner Bakery (13652 Jamboree Road, Irvine)
14 Sep meeting notes; 21 Sep reading list
14 SEPTEMBER MEETING NOTES
Eight people attended: Casey (read the opening chapter from Super Duper Love Story), Glenda, Jo, Lance (read 1.5 chapters from Stealing Ghosts), Leighanne, P.J, Rosie (read a chapter from The Lion and the Eagle), and Sarah K.
News and Notes
The Southern California Writers Conference will happen 22-24 September at the Wyndham Irvine Hotel, 17941 Von Karman Avenue, Irvine. Full-conference registration is $375.
Lance will be the featured speaker for the 21 September Muzeo Open Book Author Series, at the Carnegie Gallery on 241 S. Anaheim Blvd. in Anaheim. He’ll read from The Collection and talk about art crime. The event is free, but the museum would like you to RSVP.
The next LIT UP! will be on 19 September at Kean Coffee in Tustin. You can download posters here (1-up and 2-up). This month’s lineup:
- Contemporary and historical romance writer Chris Lentz.
- Inspriational author Kristen Mai Pham.
- Writer of Latina YA Sandra Lopez.
As always, be sure to check the LIT UP Facebook page for more details on the authors.
21 SEPTEMBER READING LIST
JoAnne (8/31)
Donna (8/17)
Marianna (8/24)
Leighanne (9/14)
Glenda (9/14)
Burt (8/17)
Bob R. (8/31)
Sarah K. (9/14)
Lisa W. (8/31)
P.J. (9/14)
Maddie (9/7)
Shari (9/7)
Jo (9/14)
Steve J. (9/7)
Casey (9/14)
Rosie (9/14)
Lance (9/14)
7 Sep meeting notes; 14 Sep reading list
7 SEPTEMBER MEETING NOTES
Nine people attended: Casey, Glenda, Jo (read a revised query for Moonspell), Lance (read two chapters from Stealing Ghosts), Leighanne, Maddie, Rosie, Shari (read a revised synopsis for Raised to Win) and Steve J. (read two chapters from Bè).
News and Notes
It’s All in the Story: California: An Anthology of Short Fiction, the SCWA short-story anthology, is now available for preorder on Amazon. The official launch will be at Book Carnival on 2 November.
The next LIT UP! will be on 19 September at Kean Coffee in Tustin. You can download posters here (1-up and 2-up). As always, be sure to check the LIT UP Facebook page for more details on the authors.
14 SEPTEMBER READING LIST
JoAnne (8/31)
Casey (9/7)
Donna (8/17)
Marianna (8/24)
Leighanne (9/7)
Glenda (9/7)
Burt (8/17)
Bob R. (8/31)
Sarah K. (8/31)
Rosie (9/7)
Lisa W. (8/31)
P.J. (8/24)
Maddie (9/7)
Shari (9/7)
Lance (9/7)
Jo (9/7)
Steve J. (9/7)
31 Aug meeting notes; 7 Sep reading list
31 AUGUST MEETING NOTES
Ten people attended: Bob R., Casey, Glenda, JoAnne, Leighanne, Lisa W., Maddie (read a revised chapter from Hit Me), Rosie, Sarah K. and Steve J. (read five chapters from Bè).
News and Notes
PJ will be the guest author at the Foothill Ranch Public Library for their “First Thursday Book Discussion and Guest Author Visit” on Thursday, 7 September, 10:30-12:00. The library is located at 27002 Cabriole Way, Foothill Ranch.
The next LIT UP! will be on 19 September at Kean Coffee in Tustin. You can download posters here (1-up and 2-up). As always, be sure to check the LIT UP Facebook page for more details on the authors.
7 SEPTEMBER READING LIST
JoAnne (8/31)
Casey (8/31)
Donna (8/17)
Marianna (8/24)
Leighanne (8/31)
Glenda (8/31)
Burt (8/17)
Bob R. (8/31)
Sarah K. (8/31)
Shari (8/24)
Rosie (8/31)
Lance (8/17)
Lisa W. (8/31)
Jo (8/24)
P.J. (8/24)
Maddie (8/31)
Steve J. (8/31)
24 Aug meeting notes; 31 Aug reading list
24 AUGUST MEETING NOTES
Eleven people attended: Casey, Jo (read a proposed query letter for Moonspell), Leighanne, Lisa W., Maddie, Marianna, PJ (read a short story, “Airline Eavesdropping”), Rosie, Sarah K., Shari and Steve J. (read three chapters from Bè).
News and Notes
PJ will be the guest author at the Foothill Ranch Public Library for their “First Thursday Book Discussion and Guest Author Visit” on Thursday, 7 September, 10:30-12:00. The library is located at 27002 Cabriole Way, Foothill Ranch.
The 22 August LIT UP! was a success, with a near-capacity crowd hearing from crime writer Tyler Dilts,comic mystery author Jo Perry, and in a last-minute swap, thriller author Steve Jackson.
The next LIT UP! will be on 19 September at Kean Coffee in Tustin. As always, be sure to check the LIT UP Facebook page for more details on the authors.
24 AUGUST READING LIST
JoAnne (7/27)
Casey (8/24)
Donna (8/17)
Marianna (8/24)
Leighanne (8/24)
Glenda (8/10)
Maddie (8/24)
Burt (8/17)
Bob R. (8/17)
Sarah K. (8/24)
Shari (8/24)
Rosie (8/24)
Lance (8/17)
Lisa W. (8/24)
Jo (8/24)
P.J. (8/24)
Steve J. (8/24)
17 Aug meeting notes; 24 Aug reading list
17 AUGUST MEETING NOTES
Ten people attended: Bob R., Burt, Casey, Donna, Lance (read a chapter from Stealing Ghosts), Leighanne, Lisa W., Marianna, Rosie (read 1.5 chapters from The Lion and the Eagle), and Steve J. (read two chapters from Bè).
News and Notes
Casey mentioned the website BetaBooks, a new service that manages your beta-reader process. It provides a way to upload chapters and have invited beta readers comment in one place. BetaBooks appears to be free during its beat-test period.
The next LIT UP! will be on 22 August at Kean Coffee in Tustin. You can download posters here (1-up and 2-up). This month’s lineup:
- Crime writer Tyler Dilts.
- Comic mystery author Jo Perry.
- Writer of medical thrillers Kelly Parsons.
As always, be sure to check the LIT UP Facebook page for more details on the authors.
24 AUGUST READING LIST
JoAnne (7/27)
Casey (8/17)
Donna (8/17)
Jo (8/10)
Marianna (8/17)
Leighanne (8/17)
Glenda (8/10)
Maddie (8/10)
Burt (8/17)
Bob R. (8/17)
Sarah K. (8/10)
Shari (8/10)
P.J. (8/10)
Rosie (8/17)
Lance (8/17)
Steve J. (8/17)
Lisa W. (8/17)
10 Aug meeting notes; 17 Aug reading list
10 AUGUST MEETING NOTES
Twelve people attended: Burt, Casey, Donna, Glenda, Jo, Leighanne, Maddie, P.J., Rosie, Sarah K. (read a short story, “Against Nightfall”), Shari (read a revised query for Raised to Win) and Steve J. (read three chapters from Bè).
News and Notes
The next LIT UP! will be on 22 August at Kean Coffee in Tustin. You can download posters here (1-up and 2-up). As always, be sure to check the LIT UP Facebook page for more details on the authors.
17 AUGUST READING LIST
JoAnne (7/27)
Casey (8/10)
Donna (8/10)
Jo (8/10)
Marianna (8/3)
Leighanne (8/10)
Glenda (8/10)
Maddie (8/10)
Burt (8/10)
Bob R. (8/3)
Rosie (8/10)
Lance (8/3)
Sarah K. (8/10)
Shari (8/10)
Steve J. (8/10)
P.J. (8/10)
3 Aug meeting notes; 10 Aug reading list
3 AUGUST MEETING NOTES
Ten people attended: Bob R. (read two chapters from The Devil’s Heart), Burt, Casey, Jo, Lance (read a revised chapter from Stealing Ghosts), Leighanne, Mariana, Rosie (read a new first chapter for On Thin Ice), Sarah K. and Shari.
News and Notes
The next LIT UP! will be on 22 August at Kean Coffee in Tustin. You can download posters here (1-up and 2-up). As always, be sure to check the LIT UP Facebook page for more details on the authors.
Mariana and her husband attended ThrillerFest in New York City.
10 AUGUST READING LIST
JoAnne (7/27)
Casey (8/3)
Sarah K. (8/3)
Donna (7/6)
Jo (8/3)
Marianna (8/3)
Leighanne (8/3)
Glenda (7/27)
Maddie (7/20)
Shari (8/3)
Burt (8/3)
Steve J. (7/27)
Bob R. (8/3)
Rosie (8/3)
Lance (8/3)
27 July meeting notes; 3 Aug reading list
27 JULY MEETING NOTES
Eleven people attended: Burt (read the first four chapters of Beyond the Wire), Casey, Glenda, Jo, JoAnne, Lance, Leighanne, Rosie, Sarah K., Shari (read two chapters from Raised to Win) and Steve J. (read three chapters from Bè).
News and Notes
The next LIT UP! will be on 22 August at Kean Coffee in Tustin. You can download posters here (1-up and 2-up). As always, be sure to check the LIT UP Facebook page for more details on the authors.
3 AUGUST READING LIST
JoAnne (7/27)
Casey (7/27)
Sarah K. (7/27)
Donna (7/6)
Jo (7/27)
Marianna (6/15)
Bob R. (6/29)
Leighanne (7/27)
Glenda (7/27)
Maddie (7/20)
Rosie (7/27)
Lance (7/27)
Shari (7/27)
Burt (7/27)
Steve J. (7/27)
20 July meeting notes; 27 July reading list
20 JULY MEETING NOTES
Seven people attended: Burt, Casey, JoAnne, Lance (read a chapter from Stealing Ghosts), Maddie (read a revised query for Hit Me), Rosie (read two chapters from The Lion and the Eagle), and Sarah K.
News and Notes
The 18 July LIT UP! was another success, with readings by Nancy Klann-Moren, Dirk Sayers and Casey Pope. The next LIT UP! will be on 22 August at Kean Coffee in Tustin. As always, be sure to check the LIT UP Facebook page for more details on the authors.
27 JULY READING LIST
JoAnne (7/20)
Casey (7/20)
Sarah K. (7/20)
Shari (6/29)
Donna (7/6)
Jo (7/13)
Marianna (6/15)
Burt (7/20)
Bob R. (6/29)
Leighanne (7/13)
Steve J. (7/6)
Glenda (7/13)
Maddie (7/20)
Rosie (7/20)
Lance (7/20)
Jack didn’t inherit any superpowers from his world-renowned superhero mom, and he is not happy about it. Obsessed with obtaining the powers that he feels have been wrongly denied him, Jack tries and fails at every turn to become a superhero. On top of that, it’s been foretold by Aunt Mags, a.k.a. the Oracle, that Jack is supposed to save the world, which he has no idea how to do without superpowers.
Meanwhile, he’s tormented by “V,” a self-professed nemesis, and also a mere mortal, who has aspirations of world domination with the help of super-villains and giant robots and an all-powerful weapon designed to eliminate any and all superheroes.
The survival of humanity hinges on whether Jack can get his faculties together before V ends the world. Maybe Jack can pull it off with an assist from his peeps, including: his sister, the sibling who actually inherited superpowers; the Japanese exchange student turned JumboPanda (a 175-feet tall hybrid of panda and dolphin); a former hate-sex buddy he met at work; and his ex-high-school-sweetheart who may hold the key to everything (or not).
The Boy Who Couldn’t Fly is a superhero story that’s not a superhero story, if that makes any sense. Even if it doesn’t, who cares! Live a little and take the wild ride!
Available for Kindle on Amazon US/AU/BR/CA/DE/ES/FR/IN/IT/JP/MX/NL/UK
Trade paperback available at Amazon US/BR/CA/DE/ES/FR/IN/IT/JP/MX/UK
Casey Pope writes novels in the mainstream/upmarket category, i.e., literary/commercial hybrid.
13 July meeting notes; 20 July reading list
13 JULY MEETING NOTES
Ten people attended: Burt, Casey, Glenda, Jo, JoAnne, Lance (read two chapters from Stealing Ghosts), Leighanne, Maddie, Rosie, and Glenda’s guest, Hunter.
News and Notes
The next LIT UP! will be on 18 July at Kean Coffee in Tustin. You can download posters here (1-up and 2-up). This month’s lineup:
- Contemporary fiction writer Nancy Klann-Moren.
- Visionary romance author Dirk Sayers.
- Contemporary fantasy writer (and PFL member) Casey Pope.
As always, be sure to check the LIT UP Facebook page for more details on the authors.
The SCWA anthology California: It’s All in the Story will launch on 2 November at Book Carnival in Orange. Since six PFL members have stories included in the book, the regular PFL meeting will be canceled so everyone can help celebrate.
Casey’s The Boy Who Couldn’t Fly launched last week. Congratulations! Watch for the book post here.
20 JULY READING LIST
JoAnne (7/13)
Casey (7/13)
Maddie (7/13)
Sarah K. (7/6)
Shari (6/29)
Donna (7/6)
Jo (7/13)
Marianna (6/15)
Burt (7/13)
Bob R. (6/29)
Leighanne (7/13)
Steve J. (7/6)
Rosie (7/13)
Glenda (7/13)
Lance (7/13)
Lisa W. (5/25)
6 July meeting notes; 13 July reading list
6 JULY MEETING NOTES
Nine people attended: Burt, Casey, Donna, Jo, Lance, Leighanne (read a chapter from The Karma List), Rosie (read two chapters from The Lion and the Eagle), Sarah K. and Steve J. (read two chapters from Bè).
News and Notes
The next LIT UP! will be on 18 July at Kean Coffee in Tustin. You can download posters here (1-up and 2-up). As always, be sure to check the LIT UP Facebook page for more details on the authors.
13 JULY READING LIST
JoAnne (6/22)
Casey (7/6)
Maddie (6/1)
Sarah K. (7/6)
Shari (6/29)
Donna (7/6)
Jo (7/6)
Marianna (6/15)
Burt (7/6)
Lance (7/6)
Bob R. (6/29)
Leighanne (7/6)
Steve J. (7/6)
Rosie (7/6)
Glenda (5/4)
Lisa W. (5/25)
29 June meeting notes; 6 July reading list
29 JUNE MEETING NOTES
Nine people attended: Bob R. (read the first two chapters of The Bermuda Connection), Burt, Casey, Donna, Lance (read two chapters from Stealing Ghosts), Leighanne, Rosie, Sarah K. and Shari.
News and Notes
The next LIT UP! will be on 18 July at Kean Coffee in Tustin. You can download posters here (1-up and 2-up). As always, be sure to check the LIT UP Facebook page for more details on the authors.
6 JULY READING LIST
Glenda (5/4)
JoAnne (6/22)
Casey (6/29)
Lisa W. (5/25)
Leighanne (6/29)
Maddie (6/1)
Sarah K. (6/29)
Shari (6/29)
Donna (6/29)
Jo (6/15)
Steve J. (6/8)
Marianna (6/15)
Burt (6/29)
Rosie (6/29)
Lance (6/29)
Bob R. (6/29)
Zoey Young leads a typical teenage life, fighting with her parents’ ideas for her future and their fear of her dependence on her best friend, Laura Simmons. When their fears become reality, Zoey’s world is capsized and she struggles to regain any semblance of control in her life. Through sessions with her therapist she is able to discuss her fears without feeling judged, however she remains isolated from the rest of the world. Not until she meets mystery boy, Tristan Wright, is she able to open herself up to fuller, richer experiences and develop a newfound confidence. But as she gets caught up in a whirlwind romance filled with uncertainty and fervor, she begins to blindly follow him down a destructive path.
Journalist Deirdre Hart is struggling through her own hardship, with her estranged husband asking for a divorce after three years of burying their problems. Her work proves an adequate escape, until her research into a string of teenage suicide shootings causes her past to creep back into her present. Despite cautioning from family and friends about her unhealthy obsession, she searches for the one answer she desperately hopes will bring her peace.
As Zoey’s relationship with Tristan takes a drastic turn, Deirdre discovers a dangerous secret, and both women are put to the test when their paths converge in a violent climax. But after mastering their fears and learning to listen to their intuition, they realize when faced with any adversity, there’s always a choice between letting go and holding on.
Available for Kindle on Amazon US/AU/BR/CA/DE/ES/FR/IN/IT/JP/MX/NL/UK
Trade paperback available at Amazon US/BR/CA/DE/ES/FR/IN/IT/JP/MX/UK
D.M. Roberts, originally from Adams, MA, worked as a reporter for the North Adams Transcript from 2001 to 2004. Among her daily articles she also wrote a weekly column, “From Donna’s Desk”. She left the position to pursue a career in writing, which currently includes one completed novel, a second draft of a women’s fiction/comedy manuscript, and the early chapters of a science fiction novel. She worked as a copy editor/paginator for GateHouse Media and is currently a proofreader for a healthcare ad agency. She lives in Orange, CA with her boyfriend of 12 years.
22 June meeting notes; 29 June reading list
22 JUNE MEETING NOTES
It must be summer — five people attended: Burt (read two revised chapters from an as-yet unnamed Tony Bravo novel), Casey, JoAnne, Leighanne and Rosie (read two revised chapters from The Lion and the Eagle).
News and Notes
The 20 June LIT UP! was a success, with the crowd hearing Matt Coyle, Don Westenhaver and Greta Boris. The next LIT UP! will be on 18 July at Kean Coffee in Tustin. As always, be sure to check the LIT UP Facebook page for more details on the authors.
29 JUNE READING LIST
Glenda (5/4)
JoAnne (6/22)
Casey (6/22)
Lisa W. (5/25)
Leighanne (6/22)
Maddie (6/1)
Sarah K. (6/8)
Shari (6/8)
Donna (6/1)
Jo (6/15)
Lance (6/8)
Steve J. (6/8)
Marianna (6/15)
Bob R. (6/15)
Burt (6/22)
Rosie (6/22)
Pure Fiction League 