Sonoma County Literary Update

April 2026 Calendar of Literary Events

The monthly calendar reflects announcements that literary folk from the area have sent to us. To get a more complete list of author-events and workshop schedules, addresses and directions to the event locations, as well as bios of the presenters, you can use the links below.   Please send your calendar announcements, text only (no attachments or PDFs please), no later than noon on the last day of each month. Calendar entries are easier to include if they follow the format you see here (Day, date, time: event, cost, location, contact). Events should be within an hour’s drive of Sonoma County. Send your announcements to editor@socolitupdate.com. NOTE: Lengthy announcements will be edited. Where possible, please provide a link to a web page with complete details.

Book Passage www.bookpassage.com*
Copperfield’s Books www.copperfieldsbooks.com*
Petaluma Writers’ Forum and Jumpstart Writing Workshops: www.thewritespot.us
Readers’ Books www.readersbooks.com
Redwood Writers www.redwoodwriters.org
Sebastopol Center for the Arts www.sebarts.org
Sitting Room Library www.sittingroomlibrary.org

*NOTE: Book Passage and Copperfield’s Books have archived their virtual events. For Book Passages Conversations With Authors, go to: https://bookpassage.extendedsession.com/archive/ Copperfield’s Books’ Virtual Event Library may be found on YouTube.

Thursday, April 2, 11:00 a.m.-.12:00 p.m. Sonoma County Library presents a virtual author talk with Valerie Neal—On a Mission: The Smithsonian History of US Women Astronauts. Sally Ride became a household name as the first American woman in space, but scores of equally impressive women have also left their mark in space. On a Mission spans 45 years and 61 astronauts to share the epic journeys of women who made space for themselves in a male-dominated field. More details and registration: events.sonomalibrary.org/event/author-talks-history-us-women-astronauts-smithsonian-curator-105179

Thursday, April 2, 7:00 p.m. Book Passage welcomes Michael Pollan in celebration of his new work, A World Appears: A Journey into Consciousness. Michael will be joined in conversation with Avram Kosasky, a regular contributor to Book Passage’s online content. From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of How to Change Your Mind, this book offers a panoptic exploration of consciousness—what it is, who has it, and why—and serves as a profound meditation on the essence of our humanity. Ticketed event at Dominican University of California, Angelico Hall. Details and tickets: bookpassage.com/event/michael-pollan-world-appears

Thursday, April 2, 7:30 p.m. Readers’ Books, 2000 Broadway, Sonoma hosts Ada Limón as she launches Against Breaking: On the Power of Poetry. An extension of her final lecture as Poet Laureate, this slim but impactful book explores the importance of poetry and its ability to soothe and transform. For more details and to join the event waitlist: eventbrite.com/e/ada-limon-launches-against-breaking-on-the-power-of-poetry-tickets

Friday, April 3, 6:30 p.m. Bestselling author Suzanne Simard visits Point Reyes to discuss her new book, When the Forest Breathes: Renewal and Resilience in the Natural World (Knopf). Miriam Golding, who serves as Point Reyes National Seashore Association’s Biological Science Technician, will join Suzanne in conversation. Dance Palace, 503 B St., Point Reyes Station. Purchase tickets at: eventbrite.com/e/suzanne-simard-when-the-forest-breathes-tickets

Saturday, April 4, 3:30 p.m. Found Poets! At the Big Easy in Petaluma. Entertainment of the spirit through performance poetry, featuring: Bernice Espinoza (headliner) with Jordan Ranft, Joseph Jason Santiago LaCour and N’Game’ Gray. Hosted by Josh Windmiller + Original Giotis. $15. Details: bigeasypetaluma.com/event/found-poets-poetry-month-featuring-bernice-espinoza

Monday, April 6, 6:00 p.m. Rivertown Poets, live at Aqus Cafe (189 H Street, Petaluma). Features are Louise Moises and Diane Frank. Open mic follows the features. One poem of under 3 minutes, please. No advance sign-ups—there will be a clipboard at the cafe. Info: rivertownpoet@gmail.com

Wednesday, April 8, 7:30 p.m. Dave Pokorny presents West Side Stories: Every month there is a theme, hopefully that sparks a memory for you. You put your name in a hat and 10 people’s names are drawn at random. When your name is pulled you get 5 minutes to tell your personal true story. At the end of the evening, everyone votes by text for their favorite story of the night. The winner gets $50. April’s theme is “Too Many Irons in the Fire.”  Details and ticket ($21.50) purchase: davepokornypresents.com/west-side-stories

Thursday April 9, 6:00 p.m. Reading at Sausalito Books by the Bay, 100 Bay Street, Sausalito. Dominican MFA students, alumni, and faculty will share new writing at the seaside bookstore in Sausalito. Readers will be announced and updated on the registration page. Registration recommended, but not required. Register Here.

Thursday April 9, 7:00-9:00 p.m. Opening reception for the Time and Tide Exhibition at the Petaluma Historical Library and Museum located at 20 4th St, Petaluma. Poet laureate Dave Seter’s two poems “Encounter With American Bittern” and “Night Heron Flyover” are part of the exhibition.

Friday, April 10, 7:00-8:00 p.m. Occidental Center for the Arts 7minutesMax is expanding to 7MinMAX Open Mic Night. Bring your original poems, prose or storytelling to our open mic night. We’ll pick 7 performers from the hat. Come share your work: Read aloud or memorized. Just keep it to 7 minutes or less. On 2nd Fridays of the month. Cost is $5 OCA members/$10 non-OCA members. 3850 Doris Murphy Way, Occidental. OCA’s facilities are accessible to people with disabilities. For more info: occidentalcenterforthearts.org. Nota Bene: Friday, May 8th Cancelled. Resumes Friday, June 12th.

Friday, April 10, 7:00 p.m. Copperfield’s Books welcomes Santa Cruz author Victoria Tatum to Petaluma in celebration of her captivating new eco-fiction novel More Than Any River. She will be joined in conversation by Jennifer Mygatt, Sonoma County-based visual artist. For those tied to the western landscape who wonder whether we might find redemption in the story of its water during a time of increasing climate extremes, a based-on-true-events tale of family farmers fighting to save the land they steward. At 140 Kentucky Street, Petaluma. More details and RSVP: copperfieldsbooks.com/event/2026-04-10/victoria-tatum-jennifer-mygatt

Saturday, April 11, 1:00 p.m. Book Passage Corte Madera author event celebrating Ada Limón’s empathetic and profoundly caring new book, Against Breaking: On the Power of Poetry. 24th Poet Laureate of the United States Ada Limón inspires us to see poetry as much more than just words—as a powerful force for healing, a call to action, and a vibrant celebration of humanity’s many voices. More details: bookpassage.com/event/ada-lim%C3%B3n-against-breaking-power

Saturday, April 11, 1:00-3:00 p.m. The Sitting Room Library (2025 Curtis Drive, Penngrove) presents An Afternoon with Emily Van Duyne who will be reading from her book, Loving Sylvia Plath. Books will be for sale. If you’d like to attend, please sign up on at Eventbrite. 

Saturday, April 11, 2:00-3:30 p.m. Celebrate National Poetry Month with Sonoma County authors: Sonoma County Poet Laureate Dave Seter, Sonoma County Poet Laureates emeriti Gwynn O’Gara and Bill Vartnaw, and Shawna Swetech  and Kurt Schweigman. Each poet will share original work, followed by a Q&A. At Santa Rosa Northwest Library, 1331 Guerneville Road, Santa Rosa. More information: https://events.sonomalibrary.org/event/poetry-reading-106400

Sunday, April 12, 3:00-5:00 p.m. Occidental Center for the Arts Literary Series, in celebration of National Poetry Month, presents West County Spring, featuring five well-known and loved West County poet friends. William Greenwood, Shawna Swetech, Raphael Block, Tamsin Smith and Larry Robinson will read from their recent collections. with musical accompaniment by David Field. Readings, Q&A, book sales and signing. This is a free event, all donations happily accepted. Refreshments for sale. OCA: 3850 Doris Murphy Way, Occidental, CA. OCA’s facilities are accessible to people with disabilities. For more info: occidentalcenterforthearts.org

Monday, April 13, 6:30 p.m. Mill Valley Library presents an in person author talk with Robert Moor and Manjula Martin (375 Throckmorton Ave., Mill Valley). From the acclaimed author of the New York Times bestseller On Trails comes In Trees, a wondrous new journey through the wilds of nature and the gnarls of history, exploring how trees—from the mightiest sequoia to the tiniest bonsai—can teach us to grow wise. Registration required: millvalleylibrary.libcal.com/event/16211537

Tuesday, April 14, 4:00pm–5:00 p.m. Sonoma County Library presents a virtual Author Talk: On Writing Suspenseful Spycraft with Brad Taylor. Acclaimed author Brad Taylor discusses his latest work, Shadow Strike, book 20 of the bestselling Pike Logan series. For details and registration: events.sonomalibrary.org

Friday, April 17, 11:15 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Online Literary Open Mic. Share a short story or poetry. Email johnnybodega1@gmail.com for Zoom link. Hosted by John Christian, flyingchairproductions.weebly.com.

Friday, April 17, 7:00 p.m. Copperfield’s Books welcomes Peter Richardson to Petaluma in celebration of his illuminating new book Brand New Beat: The Wild Rise of Rolling Stone. How the iconic publication’s unruly first decade rewrote the rules of journalism. Peter will be joined in conversation by Tim Lynch, host of KPFA’s Dead to the World. At 140 Kentucky Street, Petaluma. Details and registration (required for seating): copperfieldsbooks.com/event/2026-04-17/peter-richardson-tim-lynch

Saturday, April 18, 11:00 a.m. Redwood Writers Club presents Robbin Gabbert on The Magic of Ekphrastic. You’ll learn how to use artwork to inspire your creative writing, both poetry and prose. This session is suited for any writer interested in empowering creativity, finding ways to battle writer’s block, exploring new perspectives, and fostering a deeper appreciation of the visual arts. At the Finley Center, Santa Rosa. Details: redwoodwriters.org/robin-gabbert-the-magic-of-ekphrastic

Sunday, April 19, 1:00 p.m. Sixteen Rivers Press North Bay Book Launch at Book Passage in Corte Madera. Featuring: Carolyn Miller, Dane Cervine, and Lenore Myers. The event will showcase Miller’s Random Universe, which explores a wide range of subjects through a fierce and tender poetic gaze; Cervine’s Children of Obscura: This Mysterious Human, which blends scientific facts with enigmatic stories of physical life; and Myers’s Afterimages, a collection of “galleries” exploring various artworks. Details at: bookpassage.com/event/sixteen-rivers-press-north-bay-book-launch-2026-corte-madera-store

Sunday, April 19, 3:00-5:00 p.m. Favorite Poems with Dave Seter. Sonoma County Poet Laureate Dave Seter will lead an inspiring afternoon of poetry, tea and cookies with shared voices and meaningful connections. Join us for a heartwarming afternoon celebrating the power of poetry, benefiting SebArts’ Literary Arts Program. Your ticket includes a beautifully handmade ceramic mug from our ceramic studio! Sliding Scale: $35/$45/$55. More details and tickets: sebarts.org/classeslectures/p/favorite-poems-with-dave-seter

Monday, April 20, 6:00pm. Point Reyes Books presents Camille T. Dungy via Zoom reading from her new collection of poems, America, A Love Story (Wesleyan UP). Dungy is the author of Soil: The Story of a Black Mother’s Garden (2023). She has also written Guidebook to Relative Strangers: Journeys into Race, Motherhood, and History (2017), a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award, and four collections of poetry. Registration required: us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_bnMuD2ZyQsqOtmxIAFqB2g#/registration

Tuesday, April 21, 3:00-4:30 p.m. Free on Zoom. North Bay Poetics presents an afternoon of poetry, “Of the Body,” featuring Shawna Swetech, reading from her newly published collection of medical narrative poetry, based on her 35-year career as a registered nurse, Standing in Their Fire: Poems from a Hospital Nurse. She will be joined by Dr. Catharine Clark-Sayles, reading from her poetry collection based on her 45-year medical practice, The Telling, The Listening. Following is an Open Mic, where poets are invited to read one of their own pieces, based on their interpretation of the event’s theme. Sign-ups for the Open Mic will be take place during the Zoom reading. For zoom link email info@northbaypoetics.net.

Wednesday, April 22, 11:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. Sonoma County Library presents a virtual Author Talk: Lush Lyricism with Miranda Cowley Heller. Award-winning and bestselling author Heller takes us on an intimate journey through the life stages of a woman in her new poetry collection, What the Deep Water Knows. Delicate, yet exceedingly raw, these poems will transport you as vividly as any work of fiction. Details and registration: events.sonomalibrary.org/event/author-talks-lush-lyricism-miranda-cowley-heller-105198

Thursday April 23, 6:00 p.m. Girl in a Box Book Launch with author Jean Gordon Kocienda. In-Person Dominican Campus Event. Author Jean Gordon Kocienda will discuss her new book Girl in a Box, in conversation with Judy Halebsky. Register here.

Thursday, April 23, 7:00 p.m. Copperfield’s Books welcomes bestselling local author Jane Smiley to Santa Rosa in celebration of her exhilarating new novel Lidie: The Further Travels and Adventures of Lidie Newton. From the bestselling, Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist, a rousing novel that follows two young women fleeing a divided America: one running toward a dazzling future and the other running from a troubled past. At Montgomery Village, Santa Rosa. Registration required due to limited seating. Details: copperfieldsbooks.com/event/2026-04-23/jane-smiley

Thursday, April 23, 7:00 p.m. Book Passage in partnership with Dominican University presents Kate Bowler with Anne Lamott. Featured book: Joyful, Anyway. For anyone who has ever felt stuck or achy for meaning or who believes that joy is just out of reach and wants, simply, to have more fun, Joyful, Anyway is an insightful tour through the questions that sit in the deepest part of our souls. At Dominican University, Angelico Hall. Details and registration ($40 includes signed copy of book): bookpassage.com/event/kate-bowler-joyful-anyway-dominican-university

Saturday, April 25, 4:00-6:00 p.m. Book launch and reading at Sausalito Books By the Bay. Authors include: Kara Vernor, Because I Wanted to Write You A Pop Song, stories, Split Lip Press; Shawna Swetech, Standing In Their Fire, poems from a hospital nurse, Kelsay Books; Robert Rubino, Vanity Unfair and other poems, Cathexis Northwest Press; Guy Biederman, Here’s Where We Get Off, micro fiction, Blue Light Press; Musical guest, Mamadou Badji. At Sausalito Books By The Bay, 100 Bay Street, Sausalito. For more information: sausalitobooksbythebay.com

Saturday, April 25, 7:00 p.m. Join Feather Press for the launch and reading of Tender Hearts Club: Volume One, an anthology gathering love in all its forms—erotic and everyday, revolutionary and quiet, love that refuses to disappear. Featuring: Alexandria Giardino, Anne Marie Wenzel, Jennifer Barone, Jonathan Siegel, Joseph Voth, Lynn Light, Kary Hess, Luisa Giulianetti, Maggie La Rochelle, Michelle Patton, and Ruth Crossman. At Copperfield’s Books, 140 Kentucky St, Petaluma. Readings followed by a celebration and book signing. Details: featherpressbooks.wordpress.com

Sunday, April 26, 1:00-3:00 p.m. CalPoets Marin Anthology 2026 Reading & Celebration featuring readings from student poets & Youth Poet Laureates of Marin. At Book Passage in Corte Madera. Details: bookpassage.com/event/calpoets-marin-anthology-2026-reading-celebration-corte-madera-store

Sunday, April 26, 1:30-3:00. Thinking Like a Mountain: A Nature Writing Workshop. Aldo Leopold’s essay “Thinking Like a Mountain” was published in 1949 in his book A Sand County Almanac. Join poet laureate Dave Seter at this workshop, which will include a brief introduction to Leopold’s ideas followed by a writing exercise. People of all ages and all levels of writing experience are welcome. Location: Rohnert Park Regional Library, 6250 Lynne Condé Way, Rohnert Park.

Sunday, April 26, 2:00-4:00 p.m. Celebrate National Poetry Month in a Poetry Erasure and Collage Workshop with Claire Drucker and Iris Jamahl Dunkle at the Sitting Room in Penngrove.  Erasure is the art of writing on top of another text in order to reclaim it. Collage poetry is a technique that juxtaposes, cuts, and rearranges words, phrases, or images from magazines, newspapers, books, emails, texts, etc. into a new, often fragmented, poetry with interesting and surprising meanings. If you’d like to attend, please RSVP to JoAnn Borri at sittingroomlibrary@gmail.com. Limit 15. More details: sittingroomlibrary.org

Tuesday, April 28, 5:00-7:00 p.m. Book Festival and Poetry Salon Series FREE at Barrel Proof Lounge. Hosted by Timothy Williams. Featured Readers: Claire Drucker, Shawna Swetech, Brian Martens. You are welcome to read or recite from any book you have ever published at the Open Mic for a five-minute spot (sign up early at the event). In the Theater for Poetry, Prose, and Music, Barrel Proof Lounge, 501 Mendocino Avenue, Santa Rosa at 7th Street.

Tuesday April 28, 6:00-7:00 p.m. Lacandona Speed Book Launch with MFA Faculty Claudia Morales. Online via Zoom. MFA faculty author Claudia Morales will discuss her new short story collection Lacandona Speed, in conversation with Tomas Moniz. Conversation about the book will be in English. The author will read from the book in Spanish and also read a section translated into English. Lacandona Speed won the Latin American Voices international literature award from Literal Magazine. This cross-genre prize celebrates literature written in Spanish by authors living in the United States and Canada. Register here.

Tuesday, April 28, 7:00-8:00 p.m. PoeticLicenseSonoma quarterly reading via Zoom, featuring Sonoma County Poet Laureate Emerita Gwynn O’Gara. The theme this month is Love. No registration fee; readings are free. The PLS poets include Steve Trenam, Jaime Zukowski, Judith Vaughn, Leo McCloskey, Kusum Jain, Susanne Arrhenius, Joseph Cutler, and Joan Osterman. Readings take place on the fourth Tuesday of January, April, July and October, 2026. Join Zoom Meeting: santarosa-edu.zoom.us/j/81949482589

Wednesday, April 29, 6:00-7:00 p.m. Book launch at Napa Bookmine for Julia Wertz’s Bury Me Already (It’s Nice Down Here) (comics/graphic memoir). Wertz also authored Impossible People: A Completely Average Recovery Story, and Tenements, Towers & Trash: An Unconventional Illustrated History of New York City. Napa Bookmine, 1625 2nd St., Napa. RSVP appreciated: napabookmine.com/event/2026-04-29/author-event-bury-me-already-its-nice-down-here-julia-wertz

Thursday, April 30, 5:30-6:30 p.m.  Art, Craft, Color with Lisa Solomon at Napa County Library, 580 Coombs St., Napa. Join artist and author Lisa Solomon as she shares her new book and guides a fun, air-clay bead craft from its pages. All supplies provided. napabookmine.com/event/2026-04-30/author-talk-craft-art-craft-color-lisa-solomon.

Mark Your Calendar for May 2026

Friday, May 1, 6:00 p.m. Blue Light at the Gallery: New book Showcase. On Zoom. Featuring: Monica Volker, Senryu for the Soul; Shawna Swetech, Standing in Their Fire; Tobey Hiller, DESCENT IN FIVE (motions);and Brian Martens, Three Raven Gate. More details: bluelightpress.com/events.php. For the Zoom link, e-mail: Bluelightpress@aol.com

Saturday, May 9, 4:00 p.m. Book Passage Corte Madera presents Fernwood Press Poetry Readings featuring: Patricia Nelson (Monster Monologues), David Kann (​Ishmael on the Farm), Suzanne Maxson (Movement), and Dan Alter (Hills Full of Holes). More details at: bookpassage.com/event/fernwood-press-poetry-readings-corte-madera-store

Friday, May 15, 11:15 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Online Literary Open Mic. Share a short story or poetry. Email johnnybodega1@gmail.com for Zoom link. Hosted by John Christian, flyingchairproductions.weebly.com.

Sunday May 17, 6:00-7:30 p.m. Comics and Visual Story Telling: Occidental Center for the Arts Literary Series hosts two award winning graphic novelists, Paige Braddock and Mary Shyne. Paige and Mary will discuss creating graphic novels for young adults, including character and story development, followed by a Q&A forum with the audience. Book sales and signing in lobby. Free admission, all donations gratefully accepted.  Refreshments for sale. OCA: 3850 Doris Murphy Way, Occidental. OCA’s facilities are accessible to people with disabilities. For more details and bios: occidentalcenterforthearts.org

Wednesday, May 20, 7:30 p.m. Dave Pokorny presents West Side Stories: Every month there is a theme, hopefully that sparks a memory for you. You put your name in a hat and 10 people’s names are drawn at random. When your name is pulled you get 5 minutes to tell your personal true story. At the end of the evening, everyone votes by text for their favorite story of the night. The winner gets $50. May’s theme is “Good Things Come to Those Who Wait.”  Details and ticket ($21.50) purchase: davepokornypresents.com/west-side-stories