Calling all local writers! San Mateo County Libraries is thrilled to present our first ever Indie Author Fest (IAF), aimed at fostering creative community and celebrating the work of independent writers across the Peninsula and beyond. 

Interested in connecting with your fellow writers? Want to learn more about Bay Area writing groups like Golden State Romance Writers, Mystery Writers of America NorCal, Horror Writers Association SF, and Women Who Submit? Maybe you’re hoping to find a writing accountability buddy. Or it might be you want first dibs on the Local Author Book Fair.

Indie Author Fest welcomes all local independent writers, aspiring and seasoned alike. To participate in the opening Writers’ Hour, you must register here. Writer registration ends on Friday, September 1st. NOTE: Registration has closed for the Writer’s Hour. Feel free to attend the rest of the Indie Author Fest: Book Fair and Reading from 2:00 PM to 4:30 PM. 

Indie Authors Fest Event Schedule

• 12:30 PM: Writers’ Hour: Socializing

  • Get to know other local writers and writing organizations while exploring our book fair.

• 1:00 PM: Writers’ Hour: SMCL Resources Presentation

  • This presentation will highlight Indie Author Project and Biblioboard, two of SMCL’s tools for indie writers. Bring any questions you might have for a brief Q&A.

  • Note: Registration Is Required for Writers' Hour Events

• 2:00 PM: Doors Open to the Public

• 2:05 PM: Readings and Book Fair

  • The rest of the afternoon will be open to all, with ongoing readings, book sales, signings, and more opportunities to get to know the writers around you. Come when you can and stay as long as you’d like! While our reading schedule and waitlist is currently full, stay tuned for more opportunities to share your work with the SMCL community.

  • Reading Schedule

    • 2:05: Women Who Submit

    • 2:25: Horror Writers Association SF

    • 2:45: Golden State Romance Writers

    • 3:05: Mystery Writers of America NorCal

    • 3:25: 5-Minute Intermission

    • 3:30-4:30 Readings from Individual Writers (Order TBA)

• 4:30 PM: Book Fair Clean-Up! Last Chance for Sales, Signings, and Networking

• 5:00 PM: The Inaugural SMCL Indie Author Fest Is Closed!

GSRW First Annual Virtual Holiday Party

What’s Your Celebration? Pretty much everyone celebrates some kind of holiday at the end of the year, but be it Christmas, or Hanukkah, Kwanza or just having a few days off from work, we all have traditions on how we “do the holidays”. So for this year, Esther and Janet ask you: How do you do it?

Do you light candles, travel, bake cookies, or plant a sign saying “Bah Humbug” on your front lawn? Did you have a remote party with family during the pandemic? Tell us about it!

We want to collect your stories, and recipes, pictures, and videos from holidays present and past. Stories and recipes we’ll put in an anthology to share, pictures and short videos will be put into a video we’ll play at the party.

Sound simple?

Send pictures and video to janet@miramontes.com
Send stories and recipes to eerman821@gmail.com

There will be no business meeting or speaker.

About the program:

Mission statements, five-year-plans, progressive career development...there's a lot to be overwhelmed by when taking your author business to the next level, but it doesn't need to be that complicated. Thirteen-time USA Today bestselling author Zoe York will guide you through looking at what you have already written, and what you want to have written down the road, to figure out the books that will connect those two catalogues and achieve your true writing goals. Romance writing goals we can get excited about, that's the first step!

About Zoe:

Thirteen-time USA Today bestselling author Zoe York has written more than 70 romances across three pen names. She is also the author of three non-fiction books about publishing business craft, because it's her favourite thing to talk about, and it seemed like a good idea to write some of those thoughts down on paper in order to share them more effectively. She lives in London, Ontario with her family.

Find Zoe here!

Twitter

Facebook

Instagram

Website

Schedule (Pacific Time)

9:00 a.m. Zoom link will open for casual chat and networking
9:30-10:30 a.m. Business Meeting
10:30-12:30 p.m. Presentation

I made many decisions when writing my novels, Behind the Lens and Double Exposure, but three of them governed all the others. First, my main character is a war photographer, which means I needed a war zone. Second, I set the stories primarily in Afghanistan despite never having been there. Third, I intentionally blurred the lines of fiction and nonfiction—my novels are most definitely fiction, but I want my readers to believe they’re in Afghanistan. In short, I faced a mountain of research—everything from what Afghan cities and villages look like, to Afghan literature and culture, to Pashto and Dari languages, to cuisines, to military slang—because “setting” involves so much more than sticking a pin in a map. Then, to make sure I got everything right, I vetted my work. I’ll describe the world-making decisions I made and the kinds of sources I used as well as the advisors I consulted.

A former English professor, Jeannée Sacken is a photojournalist who travels the world documenting the lives of women and children. She published Behind the Lens, her first novel in the Annie Hawkins series, with Ten 16 Press (traditional contract) in 2021. American Writing Awards named Behind the Lens 2021 Best Book of the Year (Fiction), Best Women’s Fiction, and Best Mystery/Suspense. Firebird Awards recognized Behind the Lens as Best Debut Novel and as a Finalist for Women’s Fiction and Suspense. Shelf Unbound recognized Behind the Lens as a Notable Book. The audiobook, narrated by actress Nicole Swanson, released on Audible in March 2022. Double Exposure, the second Annie Hawkins novel will launch in September 2022.

Find Jeannee here!

https://www.jeanneesacken.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jeanneesacken
Instagram: Jeannee Sacken (@authorjeanneesacken)
Linktr.ee: https://linktr.ee/JeanneeSacken

Schedule (Pacific Time)

9:00 a.m. Zoom link will open for casual chat and networking
9:30-10:30 a.m. Business Meeting
10:30-11:30 p.m. Presentation, followed by Q&A

With in-person author events such as conferences, in-store launch parties, and book club gatherings returning to the stage slowly, how can authors do the best job in marketing to engage existing, new, and potential readers? What’s the difference now (versus before the pandemic) in publicizing and promoting your book whether traditionally or indie published? Or has this line blurred? This presentation will address how a 2022 marketing plan can look. We will also share ideas and have a frank discussion about what it takes to get the most out of social media platforms and basic marketing strategies that will enhance your presence and ability to influence readers!

About Denny

Denny S. Bryce is an author, professor (MFA program at Drexel University), book critic (NPR), and freelance writer. She is also a public relations and marketing professional who spent more than 20 years running a marketing and public relations firm that specialized in event management, and online and onsite registration, as well as hotel contract negotiations. She is the author of the bestselling historical novel, WILD WOMEN AND THE BLUES. Her latest novel, IN THE FACE OF THE SUN, is literary historical fiction, from Kensington Books.

Find Denny here!

https://dennysbryce.com/

https://www.facebook.com/dennysbryceauthor

https://twitter.com/#!/dennysbryce

https://pinterest.com/dennysbryce/

https://instagram.com/dennysbryce/

http://dennysbryce.tumblr.com/

Schedule (Pacific Time)

9:00 a.m. Zoom link will open for casual chat and networking
9:30-10:30 a.m. Business Meeting
10:30-12:30 p.m. Workshop

Gail Carriger brings her cheeky comedic tone and over a decade of making her living as a fiction author to this fascinating look at one of the most popular yet neglected narratives of our time. In this hour long presentation Gail will be giving an overview of the Heroine’s Journey. She will briefly cover what it is, how it works, one source myth, one pop-culture example, and then how it can be activated. Based on her popular book The Heroine’s Journey.

About Gail

Gail Carriger writes comedies of manners mixed with steampunk and urban fantasy (plus sexy queer joy as G. L. Carriger). Her books include the Parasol Protectorate, Custard Protocol, Tinkered Stars, and San Andreas Shifter series for adults, and the Finishing School series for young adults. Also nonfiction: The Heroine’s Journey: For Writers, Readers, and Fans of Pop Culture. She is published in many languages, has over a million books in print, over a dozen New York Times and USA Today bestsellers, and starred reviews in Publishers Weekly, Booklist, Kirkus, and Romantic Times.

Her debut made Audible’s Best list, was a Publishers Weekly Best Book, an IndieBound Notable, and a Locus Recommended Read. She has received the ALA’s Alex Award, the Prix Julia Verlanger, the Elbakin Award, the Steampunk Chronicle‘s Reader’s Choice Award, and a Starburner Award. She was once an archaeologist and is fond of shoes, cephalopods, and tea.

Find Gail on her website at: https://gailcarriger.com/

Schedule (Pacific Time)

9:00 a.m. Zoom link will open for casual chat and networking
9:30-10:30 a.m. Business Meeting
10:30-11:30 a.m. Presentation

Dealing with negative book reviews is an unavoidable part of publishing your stories, but any author can master the art of spinning reader angst into story gold. Even—and especially—unpublished and inexperienced writers. Protecting your creative spirit from crushing fear and disappointment is vital, so the way you handle criticism can make or break your career as an author. When you know exactly what clues to look for, you can transform crippling release-day anxiety into a pragmatic, confidence-building approach.

In this 2-hour hands-on workshop, developmental editor Sue Brown-Moore shares her 4-step strategy for filtering through the noise of harsh reader feedback to cut straight to the heart of a story’s problems. Using real-life examples, she’ll demonstrate how to analyze a review, interpret reader reactions, and strategize a solution that jives with your brand. In the hands-on part of the workshop, you’ll learn professional techniques for copy, line, and story editing, then put your new skills to the test in a side-by-side comparison with Sue’s own exercise answers. 

Every attendee will receive the RAVE Reviews Playbook, a comprehensive guide with Sue’s step-by-step review analysis strategy and bonus resources, including a quick-reference list of research keywords and editing fixes for common problems. So print out your playbook in advance, and get ready to take back your confidence and level up your writing chops. (Workbooks will be emailed out several days before the meeting).

About Sue

Sue Brown-Moore is an award-winning developmental editor who specializes in character-driven fiction. In her work with both traditionally and independently published authors, Sue helps writers spot the emotional gaps in a story to craft transformational character journeys that resonate with readers. She is passionate about empowering authors to write stories that level up their skills and set them apart in their niches. 

Visit Sue’s website to learn how she helps authors pursue their personal Happily Ever Afters: https://www.suebrownmoore.com/about/
https://www.instagram.com/suebrownmoore/
https://www.facebook.com/suebrownmoore
https://twitter.com/davincikittie

Schedule (Pacific Time)
9:00 am Networking
9:30-10:30 am Business Meeting
10:30-12:30 am Workshop

We’ve all heard it, that our strong heroines are “unlikeable.” Romance author Angelina M. Lopez’s novels about strong women and worthy men “thrum with desire, while still delivering knockout twists and turns” (Entertainment Weekly) and are “sexy, emotional and pitch-perfect” (NPR). Angelina will break down how to create unique alpha heroines – regardless whether she kicks ass or not -- that your readers will root for. She’ll discuss what makes an alpha heroine (it’s not what you think), tips for bumping up the “alpha” in your female characters, and how to wrestle the “unlikeable” elephant in the room.

About Angelina

Angelina M. Lopez has been writing professionally her whole life: first as a journalist for an acclaimed city newspaper, then as a freelance magazine writer, and now as a romance author. She writes sexy, Latinx-inspired stories about strong women and the worthy men lucky to love them. Her debut book, Lush Money, was named a Top 10 Romance Debut of 2020 by ALA’s Booklist. Lush Money and Hate Crush, received rave reviews from Entertainment Weekly, NPR, and Booklist. Her first book in a new high-heat, small town, Latinx series, After Hours on Milagro Street, will be available July 2022. Follow Angelina on TikTok, Instagram, Goodreads, and Twitter. Visit her website: http://www.angelinamlopez.com

Schedule (Pacific Time)

9:00 am Networking
9:30-10:30 am Business Meeting
10:30-12:30 am Workshop