Sonoma County Literary Update

October 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, October 1, 4:00-5:00 p.m. Virtual. An online conversation with #1 New York Times bestselling author Veronica Roth to celebrate the enduring legacy of her Divergent series and get an exclusive sneak peek into her upcoming novel, The Sixth Faction. Sonoma County Library. Register here: https://libraryc.org/sonomalibrary/212171/register

Friday, October 2, 1:00-3:00 p.m. Autumn Open Mic at Vintage House, a senior community at 264 1st East, Sonoma. Free. Sign up to read by emailing Ana Manwaring: anamanwaring@gmail.com. You will receive confirmation and reading time closer to the date.

Friday, October 2, 7:00 p.m. Copperfield’s Books welcomes two of America’s most celebrated poets—Pulitzer Prize winner and former U.S. Poet Laureate Robert Hass and acclaimed poet Brenda Hillman—for a rare evening of poetry, conversation, and reflection in Sebastopol. Hass and Hillman will discuss their remarkable new books, A Third Commonness and Still House in the Desert: An Eco-Contemplation, exploring the intersections of poetry, landscape, memory, ecology, and the ways language shapes our understanding of the natural world. This event is free and open to the public. Registration is recommended, as seating is limited. Details and RSVP: copperfieldsbooks.com/event/2026-10-02/robert-hass-brenda-hillman

Saturday, October 3, 2:00-4:00 p.m. Poetic Visions Reception and People’s Choice Award. Occidental Center for the Arts’ Gallery presents an invitational exhibit featuring local artists and poets. The exhibit is ongoing until Sunday, October 25. In 2025, Suze Cohan, chair of OCA’s literary arm, and Su McMurtry, director of the OCA Art Gallery, were inspired to bring artists and poets together to showcase their work and create a collaboration of talents and imagination. Free event. OCA is located at Harmony Village, 3650 Doris Murphy Way, Occidental. Details: occidentalcenterforthearts.org/upcoming-gallery-exhibits

Sunday, October 4, 1:00 p.m. Book Passage Corte Madera welcomes Suzanne Sherman, author of the memoir Living in the Long Shadow, in conversation with Brooke Warner, publisher of She Writes Press. When Sherman was four years old, her musically gifted mother was struck by sudden-onset schizophrenia—and nothing in her family would ever be the same. This is not only a story of grief. It is a story of resilience: the difficult choices that lead toward healing, the friendships and family bonds that sustain us, and the way love can reach us even after death. Details: bookpassage.com/event/suzanne-sherman-living-long-shadow

Sunday, October 4, 4:00 p.m. Author Helen Whybrow visits Point Reyes for a conversation about her National Book Award longlisted memoir, The Salt Stones: Seasons of a Shepherd’s Life, “an intimate and profoundly moving story of what it means to care for a flock and truly inhabit a piece of land.” Point Reyes Presbyterian Church, 11445 CA-1, Point Reyes Station.

Monday, October 5, 10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Writing Accountability Group. Join other writers to gather and work on your own projects in good company. The Sitting Room, 2025 Curtis Dr., Penngrove.

Monday, October 5, 6:00 p.m. Rivertown Poets will host a live reading at the Aqus Cafe. Our features will be Bob Stanley and Brian Martens. Open mic follows the features. Please sign up on the clipboard when you arrive. Reading time is 3 minutes maximum and one poem. The cafe is located at 189 H Street in Petaluma.

Tuesday, October 6, 4:00-5:30 p.m. Poetic Medicine: An Instrument for Healing with Redwing Keyssar at Sebastopol Center for the Arts. Poetry can be a salve for the heart and soul. You do not have to be a “poet” or even a “writer” to allow words and feelings to pour through your pen. $15. Pre-registration required. More details and registration: sebarts.org/classes-lectures/poetic-medicine

Thursday, October 8 to Saturday, October 24. San Francisco Litquake, a vibrant forum for Bay Area writing. Explore the festival’s schedule here: https://litquake2026.sched.com

Thursday, October 8, 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Virtual. “Reinventing Postmodernism” with author and Smithsonian curator Carolyn Russo. Russo’s new book, The Ascent of Rauschenberg, explores the legacy, unexpected inspirations, and creative heights of one of America’s most influential artistic icons. Carolyn Russo is curator of the art collection at the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum. Sonoma County Library. Register here: https://libraryc.org/sonomalibrary/208736/register

Thursday, October 8, 6:00-7:00 p.m. Latinx Author Panel featuring Tomas Moniz with Max Bidasha & Aisha Rivera. The King of Aloe Vera is a story about Latinx identity, intergenerational friendship, and chosen family. Moniz’s novel journeys through senior dance classes, illegal bike trips over the Bay Bridge, and fair housing rallies. Napa Bookmine, 1625 2nd Street, Napa.

Friday, October 9, 7:00-8:00 p.m. 7MInMAX Open Mic Night at Occidental Center for the Arts. 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. 2nd Fridays of the month. Cost is $5 OCA members/$10 non-OCA members. Pay at the door. occidentalcenterforthearts.org

Saturday, October 10, 10:30 a.m. Book Signing with Middle Grade Author Jennifer Liss, author of Wide Eye, “a whimsical middle-grade adventure about a young girl, a wacky museum, and a local monster, exploring the transformative power of imagination.” Jennifer lives in Santa Rosa and is a regional coordinator for the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. Russian River Books & Letters, 14045 Armstrong Woods Road, Guerneville.

Saturday, October 10, 4:00 p.m. Pulitzer Prize winner Hernan Diaz returns to Point Reyes for a conversation about this highly anticipated novel, Ply. Bookstore owner Stephen Sparks will join Hernan in conversation. “Combining Dickensian odyssey, family drama, and scientific thriller, Ply poignantly charts the tenuous boundaries of selfhood and the distance that inevitably stands between us and those we love.” Dance Palace, 503 B St., Point Reyes Station.

Sunday, October 11, 4:00 p.m. Book Passage Corte Madera presents Cara Benson. Featured book: An Armsfull of Birds. Moving through the intensely personal and kindred terrain of love, recovery, and loss, An Armsfull of Birds is a climate memoir that tells the story of developing deeply held commitments to ourselves, to those we love, and ultimately to the ailing natural world. Cara will be joined in conversation by Neal Allen, a coach and co-author of the recent New York Times bestseller Good Writing. Details: bookpassage.com/event/cara-benson-neal-allen-armsfull-birds

Monday, October 12, 6:00 p.m. Foraging Lecture with Dr. Gordon Walker, author of Dr. Fun Guy’s Passport to Kingdom Fungi. Learn the basics of fungal biology, foraging, and identification in this in-depth illustrated introduction. Napa Bookmine, 1625 2nd Street, Napa.

Tuesday, October 13, 11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Virtual. “How Constraints Drive Genius” with author David Epstein. Break free from conventional wisdom and redefine how you approach your greatest challenges! David Epstein is the author of three New York Times bestsellers — The Sports Gene, Range, and most recently Inside the Box: How Constraints Make Us Better. Sonoma County Library. Register here: https://libraryc.org/sonomalibrary/210797/register

Wednesday, October 14, 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. September’s theme is “It Takes Two.”  Details and ticket ($21.50) purchase: davepokornypresents.com/west-side-stories

Thursday, October 15, 6:00-7:30 p.m. An Evening with Gloria Armstrong: Poetry, Film & Conversation. Join artist and poet Gloria Armstrong for an intimate evening of poetry, short films, and conversation in conjunction with her exhibition Spirit of My Homeland: Contemporary Indigenous Art by Gloria Armstrong. Laguna de Santa Rosa Foundation, 900 Sanford Road, Santa Rosa, CA. Purchase tickets here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/an-evening-with-gloria-armstrong-poetry-film-conversation-tickets-1999564443076

Thursday, October 15, 7:00-8:30 p.m. Sonoma County poet laureate emerita Katherine Hastings will read from Temple of Curiosities; a fundraiser for Many Rivers Books & Tea. Eight years ago, Katherine and her partner, Cathy Rayhill, relocated from Sonoma County to Cathy’s native home on an island in the Niagara River between Canada and Buffalo, just over 20 miles from where local poet (and Many Rivers co-manager) Karl Frederick spent much of his childhood. Karl will have the pleasure of welcoming and reading with Katherine, who will introduce her latest of five books, Temple of Curiosities, in an evening of shared and braided poems of places near and far, always close by. Many Rivers, 130 S. Main St., Sebastopol.

Friday, October 16, 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, October 16, 7:00 p.m. Copperfield’s Books welcomes Gemma Hartley to Petaluma in celebration of her spellbinding new memoir No One Loves an Angry Woman: An Exvangelical Coming-of-Rage Story! She will be joined in conversation by Savala Nolan, local author, essayist and professor. Details and RSVP: copperfieldsbooks.com/event/2026-10-16/gemma-hartley-savala-nolan

Saturday, October 17, 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Sonoma County Writers Conference. Presented by Redwood Writers Club, at Finley Community Center, Santa Rosa. A full day of craft, publishing, and marketing sessions, plus a keynote from award-winning indie poet, historical novelist, and forensic historian Gini Grossenbacher. Details and registration: redwoodwriters.org/sonoma-county-writers-conference

Saturday, October 17, 6:00-8:00 p.m. Poetry of Remembrance, Petaluma Historical Library and Museum, 20 4th Street, Petaluma. Hosted by Sonoma County Poet Laureate Claire Drucker.

Saturday, October 17, 7:00 p.m. Rumi’s Caravan performance fundraiser for the “Saturday Morning Breakfast for our (unhoused) Neighbors” weekly program at the Glaser Center, 547 Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa.  rumiscaravan.com. Contact revert@sonic.net. EVENT IS BEING RESCHEDULED due to the National No Kings march and events the same day.

Sunday, October 18, 11:00 a.m. Book Launch with Sonoma County Author Karen Gebbia, author of the children’s book Waiting for Iced Tea. “Sometimes the sweetest things in life are the things we have to wait for, and learning to savor them slowly is a joy all its own.” Russian River Books & Letters, 14045 Armstrong Woods Road, Guerneville.

Sunday, October 18, 3:00-5:00 p.m. Celebration of Life for Phyllis Meshulam, at the Sebastopol Center for the Arts, 282 South High Street, Sebastopol. RSVP to Jerry Meshulam: jerrym@sonic.net

Sunday, October 18, 4:00 p.m. Artist and activist Katie Holten visits to discuss The Language of Trees (Special Edition): How Trees Make Our World, Change Our Minds, and Rewild Our Lives. How Trees Make Our World is an illustrated collection using Holten’s original tree alphabet to translate and illuminate beloved lost and new, original writing in praise of the natural world. Dance Palace, 503 B St., Point Reyes Station.

Tuesday, October 20, 3:00-4:30 p.m. North Bay Poetics on Zoom. Free. This month featuring Lorette Luzajic with Karen FitzGerald MC and an ekphrastic open mic. Please contact info@Northbaypoetics.net for open mic information. Lorette C. Luzajic is the founding editor of The Ekphrastic Review, the flagship journal of literature inspired by visual art. Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us

Tuesday, October 20, 6:00 p.m. Book Passage Corte Madera presents Alexander Masik in conversation with Anthony Marra. Featured book: Passengers. A taut, emotionally gripping, and surprisingly funny novel about a father and daughter stranded in an airport at the end of the world, Passengers is a story of loving across gaps—between parent and child, between things said and unsaid—and what happens when the outside world finally mirrors the chaos within. ​Details: bookpassage.com/event/alexander-maksik-anthony-marra-passengers

Wednesday, October 21, 10:30 a.m.-Noon. Percolations. A drop-in generative writing group, guided in a supportive environment, no experience necessary, at Occidental Center for the Arts’ Studio, 3rd Wednesdays of the month (also, Nov. 18, Dec. 16).  Facilitated by Jessica Morell and/or Julie Gieske. $10 members/$15 non-members. Details: occidentalcenterforthearts.org

Wednesday, October 21, 6:00-9:00 p.m. Out Loud Writers Hour. OUT LOUD is a curated, one-hour performance showcase where poets, flash fiction writers, comedians, and monologists each take the stage for five minutes. Hosted by Cheryl King. $15. The Astro Motel Lounge, 323 Santa Rosa Ave., Santa Rosa. Learn more and purchase tickets here: eventbrite.com/e/out-loud-writers-hour-tickets-1998653402128

Thursday, October 22, 5:30-7:30 p.m. Aqus Community presents Written Word Mixer, at Life on Art, 133 Copeland Street, Petaluma. An annual networking mixer for written word professionals followed by hosted conversations. For authors, journalists, screenwriters, playwrights, publishers, self-publishers, copywriters, poets, columnists, illustrators, bloggers, travel writers, technical writers, children’s authors, lyricists, printers. $20. Refreshments included. Details and ticket: aquscommunity.org/event/written-word-mixer

Saturday, October 24, 1:00-4:00 p.m. Occidental Center for the Arts:  A Memoir Writing Workshop for Women. Crafting Your Life Story. An immersive memoir writing experience designed to help you uncover, shape, and share the stories that have defined your life. Open to all levels of writing experience. Alaura O’Dell MFA, an memoir author and writing instructor, has led women’s workshops and classes for over 30 years, including with her company, Sacred Journeys for Women, facilitating retreats to world sacred sites. The workshop is limited to 8 participants and will be held in the OCA Studio. To register, contact: email us at: info@occidentalcenterforthearts.org

Saturday, October 24, 1:00-4:00 p.m. Write Your Own Obituary, at the Sitting Room with Marie Thomas McNaughton. It’s fun and easy when you imagine your story, organize its chapters, and communicate what makes you wonderful. Learn the form, then forget it if you like—or—make the whole thing up and imagine a life as yet undiscovered. Sign up here: eventbrite.com/e/write-your-own-obituary-marie-thomas-mcnaughton-tickets-2000319255741

Sunday, October 25, 3:00-4:30 p.m. Wine & Words. Dan Evans will interview Paul Wagner about his book, A Murderous Vintage, set in the Napa Valley. Select wines will be poured, including wines from Napa Valley College. Napa Valley College Wine Education Center, 2277 Napa Vallejo Highway, Napa. Purchase tickets here: eventbrite.com/e/sunday-special-wine-words-tickets-1993494555880

Saturday, October 24, 6:00 p.m. Book Passage Corte Madera presents John Timpani. Featured book: Poetry for Dummies. An eye-opening and exciting guide for anyone interested in poetry, Poetry For Dummies, 2nd Edition is also a must-read for aspiring poets, practicing writers, people who already love poetry, and English teachers everywhere. Details: bookpassage.com/event/john-timpane-poetry-dummies

Sunday, October 25, 3:00-6:00 p.m. Poetry Lives! Open Mic and Costume Party at the Hangout, 12060 Pocket Canyon Hwy., Guerneville (1.5 miles east of the new bridge). Sign-ups for open mic at 3:15 p.m. Featured reading: jaz sufi. Bring your own costume, poem and drinks. Details: facebook.com/events/1080646154515465

Monday, October 26, 5:00 p.m. Virtual. Author Emily Ogden is joined by bookstore owner Stephen Sparks for a conversation about her new book, Darkness Becomes Bright: On the Brief Life and Immortal Art of Edgar Allan Poe, which explores the life and work of Poe and why we are drawn to darkness in art. Register here: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_AU011dNkQAOiejqPR_i7TQ#/registration

Monday, October 26, 6:00-7:30 p.m. Book Passage Corte Madera presents Pitchapalooza with Arielle Eckstut and David Sterry. Twenty writers will be selected at random to pitch their book. Each writer gets one minute—and only one minute! Dozens of writers have gone from talented amateurs to professionally-published authors as a result of participating in Pitchapalooza.  At the end of Pitchapalooza, the judges will pick a winner. The winner receives an introduction to an agent or publisher appropriate for their book. Eckstut and Sterry are co-authors of The Essential Guide to Getting Your Book Published. Details: bookpassage.com/event/pitchapalooza-arielle-eckstut-and-david-sterry-event

Tuesday, October 27, 5:00-7:00 p.m. Join Barrel Proof Lounge and Timothy Williams as they celebrate their 17th Poetry Salon. In downtown Santa Rosa, 501 Mendocino Avenue at 7th Street. Dust off a cobwebbed costume, dress as your favorite character, and read a poem in the Theater for Poetry, Prose, and Music. Bring Edgar Allan Poe poems, your own spooky poems and howling dogs, and sign up for open mic with Shawna Swetech. Featured readers include Jonah Raskin, Ed Coletti and Robin Gabbert. A special reading of The Haunted Palace will follow. Guirarristas Nico Stuart Diaz and Julio Licea. Always free poetry and popcorn at Barrel Proof Lounge. For more information contact Timothy Williams: jaxonspress@gmail.com

Tuesday, October 27, 7:00-8:00 p.m. PoeticLicenseSonoma reads the 4th of our quarterly Zoom readings, featuring Amrita Skye Blaine, who has published two poetry collections: every riven thing from Finishing Line Press, and strange grace—the ending season from Berkana Publications. A third collection, Bird Rising, is coming out from Aldrich Press Spring 2027. The theme this month is Aging. PLS poets include Steve Trenam, Jaime Zukowski, Judith Vaughn, Leo McCloskey, Kusum Jain, Susanne Arrhenius, Joseph Cutler, and Joan Osterman. Join Zoom Meeting: santarosa-edu.zoom.us/j/89657130934

 

Mark Your Calendar for November 2026

Sunday, November 1 through Monday, November 30. NaNo 2.0—a FREE, community-led endeavor that’s keeping the spirit of National Novel Writing Month alive. Whether you’re chasing your first-ever draft or returning for another wild month of literary abandon, NaNo 2.0 has the pep talks, resources, and camaraderie to get you across the finish line. More information and sign-up here: nano2.org

Sunday, November 1, 2:30-5:30 p.m. AND THEN…. 2026 Redwood Writers Poetry Anthology Launch Party. At Main Hall, Sebastopol Community Cultural Center, 390 Morris St, Sebastopol. Contact Les Bernstein at lessieb13@yahoo.com with any questions.

Monday, November 2, 6:00 p.m. Rivertown Poets features Molly Fisk and Mary Eichbauer, via Zoom. Open mic follows the featured poets. This month, we’re trying something new. We’ll reserve spots for the first 15 respondents and leave the last 5 spots for new-to-us readers. Please time your share to three minutes of poetry or less. Email rivertownpoet@gmail.com to be added to the list. Join Zoom Meeting: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/6508887879, Passcode: 2241991.

Friday, November 6, 6:00-7:30 p.m. North Bay Letterpress Arts (925-D Gravenstein Hwy., Sebastopol) presents An Evening of Poetry: Tim Hunt in Conversation with Pat Nolan. Light refreshments and fantastic poetry served in equal measure. Beautiful letterpress broadsides of poets’ work available with a donation to NBLA ($25 each). Please reserve your space as our seating to this free event is limited. More details and RSVP: northbayletterpressarts.org/events-calendar/2026-tim-hunt

Tuesday, November 3, 11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Virtual. “Reclaiming Your Inner Wisdom: Sacred Indigenous Teachings.” Join us for a transformative virtual conversation with Indigenous Medicine Woman Asha Frost as she explores her groundbreaking book, You Are the Medicine: 13 Moons of Indigenous Wisdom, Ancestral Connection, and Animal Spirit Guidance. Asha Frost (she/her) is an Indigenous Medicine Woman and a member of the Chippewas of Nawash First Nation. Sonoma County Library. Register here: https://libraryc.org/sonomalibrary/216863/register

Wednesday, November 4, 6:00 p.m. Book Passage Corte Madera presents Mark Danner in conversation with Adam Hochschild, New York Times bestselling author of American Midnight. Featured book: Crossing the Rubicon. Essays on fascism, the war on terror, Abu Ghraib, Dick Cheney, the Iraq War, the Bush-Gore and Trump elections, and many other subjects from one of America’s foremost political thinkers. These provocative pieces have been gathered from the early 2000s to the present and chronicle America’s slide away from democracy to a new era of barbarism. More details: bookpassage.com/event/mark-danner-crossing-rubicon

Thursday, November 5, 6:00 p.m. Book Passage Corte Madera presents Chad Harbach. Featured book: The Brightness. From the bestselling author of literary sensation The Art of Fielding comes an urgent, deeply felt story of friendship, art, love, and grief, following two young women on the brink of irrevocable change. Details: bookpassage.com/event/chad-harbach-brightness

Thursday, November 5, 7:00-9:00 p.m. A Conversation in Poetry: Elizabeth Herron and Gwynn O’Gara. At Many Rivers Books and Tea, 130 S. Main St., Sebastopol.

Friday, November 6, 7:00 p.m. Copperfield’s Books in Montgomery Village, Santa Rosa welcomes author, psychotherapist, and spiritual teacher Rosanne Annoni to Santa Rosa in celebration of her moving debut memoir — Unfolding the Heart: One Woman’s Quest for True Nature! Rosanne will be joined in conversation by Sandra Maitri, Santa Rosa author, teacher, and longtime practitioner of the Diamond Approach. Registration recommended for seating. Details and RSVP: copperfieldsbooks.com/event/2026-11-06/rosanne-annoni-sandra-maitri

Saturday, November 7, 10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. 2026 Sonoma County Finding History Day. The Sonoma County Historical Society’s annual celebration of local history brings together dozens of historical societies, museums, archives, libraries, genealogical groups, and cultural organizations from across the county and surrounding region. Held each year at the Veterans Memorial Building in Santa Rosa. Find more information here.

Sunday, November 8, 2:00-4:00 p.m. An Afternoon with Queer Writers: Reading/Workshop, at the Sitting Room, 2025 Curtis Drive, Penngrove. Join three local queer writers: Claire Drucker, Nicole Zimmerman, and Redwing Keyssar as they share their writing, offer inspiring writing prompts, and create an opportunity to write collectively. More details and signup: eventbrite.com/e/afternoon-with-queer-writers-readingworkshop-tickets-2003236167302

Sunday, November 8, 3:00-5:00 p.m. Occidental Center for the Arts Literary Series presents a debut book launch of Heart Stories: An Inner Exploration of Heart Disease and Human Consciousness, by Dennis von Elgg. Dennis, an acupuncturist, educator, and author, has spent more than three decades exploring the intersection of traditional Chinese medicine, modern medical science, and the human experience. Heart Stories weaves together clinical insight, contemporary research, Eastern philosophy, patient stories, and reflections from his own life to offer a fresh perspective on the heart—not only as an organ, but as a center of physiology, emotion, and consciousness. This free event features selected readings by the author, audience Q&A, book sales and signing. Refreshments available. OCA is located at 3850 Doris Murphy Way, Occidental.

Tuesday, November 10, 11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Virtual. “A City on Mars: The Science and Absurdities of Space Settlement” with authors Zach Weinersmith, a cartoonist, and Dr. Kelly Weinersmith, a scientist and co-host of the podcast Daniel and Kelly’s Extraordinary Universe. Sonoma County Library. Register here: https://libraryc.org/sonomalibrary/218261/register

Wednesday, November 11, 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. September’s theme is “Grit.”  Details and ticket ($21.50) purchase: davepokornypresents.com/west-side-stories

Friday, November 13, 7:00-8:00 p.m. 7MInMAX Open Mic Night at Occidental Center for the Arts. 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. 2nd Fridays of the month. Cost is $5 OCA members/$10 non-OCA members. Pay at the door. occidentalcenterforthearts.org

Saturday, November 14, 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon. Write & Collage with Marlene Cullen. At Petaluma Arts Center, $40 for PAC members, $45 for non-members, includes a Write Spot book. More details on Workshops page or TheWriteSpot.us.

Saturday, November 14, 7:00 p.m. Copperfield’s Books in Petaluma welcomes local author Teri Roche Drobnick in celebration of her deeply moving new memoir, Our Long Goodbye: A Daughter, a Father, a Best Friend, and the Journey Through Alzheimer’s. In this deeply emotional memoir, a grieving daughter bonds with her father’s best friend of eighty years—and reconnects with her father—through the stories her unlikely new friend shares with her. She will be joined in conversation by her father’s best friend Bob Kahl. Details: copperfieldsbooks.com/event/2026-11-14/teri-roche-drobnick 

Sunday, November 15, 2:00-4:00 p.m. Autumn Muses: An Afternoon with Four Poets: Claire Drucker (Sonoma County Poet Laureate), Todd Melicker, Marjorie Stein, and Kathleen Winter. Join us for a relaxed Autumn afternoon of poetry from our four esteemed poet friends, with tea and cookies!  This free event will include selected readings by each poet, with handpan interludes from Judith Lerner, followed by audience Q&A, book sales & signing, Refreshments available. The Occidental Center for the Arts, 3850 Doris Murphy Court, Occidental. Details: occidentalcenterforthearts.org

Sunday, November 15, 2:00 p.m. Book Passage Corte Madera hosts a reading by LeeAnn Pickrell from her new book, Tsunami. This event is organized by the Left Coast Writers. The story explores the tsunami through a lens of separation, reunion, and the psychic shifts of such an experience. It is a moving account of coming home, letting go of outdated faith, and discovering the connections forged through the stories we tell. Details: bookpassage.com/event/left-coast-writers-leeann-pickrell-tsunami

Tuesday, November 17, 2:00 p.m.-3:00 p.m. Erasure Poetry Workshop. create erasure poems from various texts such as dictionaries, field guides, novels, or materials of your choosing with the guidance of Melissa Eleftherion, a writer, visual artist, former poet laureate of the City of Ukiah, and manager of the Ukiah Branch Library.  Rincon Valley Regional Library, 6959 Montecito Boulevard, Santa Rosa. Register before November 17 here: events.sonomalibrary.org/event/erasure-poetry-workshop-118591

Wednesday, November 18, 10:30 a.m.-Noon. Percolations. A drop-in generative writing group, guided in a supportive environment, no experience necessary, at Occidental Center for the Arts’ Studio, 3rd Wednesdays of the month (also, Nov. 18, Dec. 16).  Facilitated by Jessica Morell and/or Julie Gieske. $10 members/$15 non-members. Details: occidentalcenterforthearts.org

Friday, November 20, 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

Saturday, November 21, 11:00 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Redwood Writers 2026 Holiday Book & Craft Fair will be held in Room 5 (Senior Wing) of the Finley Center in Santa Rosa. FREE. Details: redwoodwriters.org/redwood-writers-2026-holiday-book-craft-fair

Saturday, November 28, 1:00 p.m. Book Passage Corte Madera hosts a reading by Nicole Nelson from her novel Family Language. In this striking debut, an ambitious academic faces difficult choices when confronted with overnight motherhood. Family Language explores the misogyny behind the question of whether women can “have it all” as Mona balances her career with new responsibilities. Details: bookpassage.com/event/nicole-nelson-family-language

 

Mark Your Calendar for December 2026

Monday, December 7, 6:00 p.m. Book launch for Ode to Petaluma, A Rivertown Poets Anthology. This book is a compilation of 60 poems by 47 poets, all about Petaluma. Celebrate at Aqus Cafe, 189 H Street Petaluma, where poets whose work is in the book will be the featured readers. Details about the anthology on Sonoma County in Print.