Sonoma County Literary Update

Ongoing Writers’ Groups, Readings and Open Mics

FOR THE DURATION OF THE COVID-19 CRISIS, ONGOING GROUPS AND OPEN MICS ARE EITHER CANCELED, POSTPONED OR ONLINE. CONTACT FACILITATORS TO INQUIRE, IF NOT NOTED BELOW.

A list of  online open mics in the Bay Area and beyond has been compiled by poet Dan Brady at: http://www.drdan.solutions/The_Global_Open_Mic2.htm (updated 12/24/20)

SUNDAYS

Every Sunday: Rivertown Poets is partnering with Petaluma Community Access (103.3 FM in Petaluma) or live streaming at KPCA.FM. The show Rivertown Poets airs every Sunday at 4:00 p.m. We’ll be sharing audio from our Zoom readings. In the future, we’ll air some new interview shows with poets.

Second Sunday: “Poets Wanted.” Poetry critique group facilitated by Leena Prasad meets on the second Sunday of every month from 10:00 a.m.-12 noon at Copperfield’s’ Books in Montgomery Village, Santa Rosa. The cost to join the group is $2/YEAR and the monthly meetings are included in that cost. Contact: leena@fishridingabike.com

Every Second Sunday. Penngrove Market Reading Series, 8:00-9:30 p.m. Poetry, prose, CNF, acoustic music, at 10070 Main Street, Penngrove. Join our audience on the second Sunday evening of every month at 8 pm at beautiful Penngrove Market. For each event, we select two to three featured readers and host an open mic. Anyone can sign up for the open mic upon arrival, and as many people will read as time allows. Please limit your time to five minutes each. All genres welcome. Dates and featured readers: https://www.penngrovereadingseries.com. READINGS ON PAUSE DURING COVID-19 CRISIS.

Third Sundays, 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm. Literary  Open Mic: Coffee Catz Poetry Reading. Donations Appreciated. 6761 Sebastopol Ave., Sebastopol, 707 829-5643.

Third Sunday Salon. The monthly Healdsburg Literary Guild’s Third Sunday Salon meets at Bean Affair, 1270 Healdsburg Ave., Ste. 101, Healdsburg from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. every third Sunday. Open mic sign-ups start at 1:30 p.m.  See our web site at www.hbglitguild.org.

Word by Word: Conversations with Writers on KRCB 91.1 FM on the second and fourth Sunday of each month at 4:00 p.m. Round-table interviews of or about authors with host Gil Mansergh. Can be streamed live at http://radio.krcb.org/programs/word-word#stream/0 or via podcast (http://radio.krcb.org/rss).

Last Sunday of each month, 6:00-8:30 pm: Poetry, Pints, and Prose. For more information, contact Michelle at 707-326-3773 or Catherine at 707-338-1554 or e-mail them at PoetryPintsProse@aol.com.

MONDAYS

Snoopy’s Writers, May-December, 2023 “Google Meet” Virtual Meetings. Mondays, 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon. Our raison d’être is to encourage writers of all genres to discuss their writing endeavors in a pleasant, stimulating “library-like” atmosphere. We write, read, and talk about “it”! Membership is accessible to the novice, the more experienced, and the published author. The Virtual Room is not open to the general public, and a Google Account is not required to join a Snoopy’s Writers “Google Meet” session. For details, and the link to access the room, contact Georgette at ggdeb@sonic.net. Your patience is appreciated while our websites are being updated. www.snoopyswriters.com,  www.snoopyswriters.blogspot.com.

Jumpstart Mondays. Jumpstart: a writing workshop where creative prompts inspire writing. Mondays, 6:30 pm to 8:30 p.m. Petaluma Copperfield’s. Marlene Cullen and Susan Bono facilitate alternate months. Details: www.TheWriteSpot.us. WORKSHOPS ON PAUSE DURING COVID-19 CRISIS.

Virtual meetings on first Monday of each month via Zoom. Rivertown Poets (Poetry Night at Aqus). At 6:15 p.m. Featured readers with open mic signups at 5:45 p.m. Sign in at aqus.com/rivertownpoets. No need to tell us about yourself unless you are new to us! (One sentence is enough!) For more information, see: https://www.facebook.com/RivertownPoetsAMuseingMondays. Rivertown Poets’ YouTube channel is at: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJGhlRyK54dc7M_fn7fs_CA. Contact: Sande Anfang: wrdpntr51@gmail.com. See Sunday listing for KPCA-FM show. 

Second Monday of every month, 6:00-8:00 p.m. Dine with Local Authors at Gaia’s Garden International Vegetarian Buffet, 1899 Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa, Santa Rosa. Call 544-2491 or email info@jeaneslone.com to request dining at a specific authors table. $5 minimum food purchase. Dining With Authors is looking for authors who have not presented their book there before. Please contact Jeane Slone, info@jeaneslone.com. For info on specific events, see: http://jeaneslone.com/dine-with-authors

Fourth Monday. Redwood Writers Open Mic. The FREE Monday Open Mic Series meets at Gaia’s Garden, 1899 Mendocino Ave, Santa Rosa, 6:00-8:00 p.m. Signup at 5:30 p.m. For further information, see http://redwoodwriters.org/events/openmic. OPEN MIC ON PAUSE DURING COVID-19 CRISIS.

TUESDAYS

Jumpstart Tuesdays. Jumpstart: A writing workshops using creative prompts to inspire writing. Bring a notebook and a fast-moving pen, as we travel on a journey of exploration and experience meaningful writing. Tuesdays 10:00 am to 11:30 a.m. Copperfield’s Books, 140 Kentucky St., Petaluma. Marlene Cullen facilitates. WORKSHOPS ON PAUSE DURING COVID-19 CRISIS. Details: www.TheWriteSpot.us

Poetry Club at the Napa Bookmine meets the first Tuesday of the month at 6:30 p.m. We talk about one book of poetry, a must-read that we skipped or want to read again. Facilitator is Napa Poet Laureate Jeremy Benson, who tries to pick diverse books. Don’t usually read poetry? Awesome. Didn’t like the book, and want to figure out why not? Great. Books can always be found at the Napa Bookmine, though purchase isn’t necessary to participate. Napa Bookmine, 964 Pearl St, Napa. Contact: Jeremy Benson, jer.benson@gmail.com.

Fourth Tuesdays, virtual readings by Poetic License Sonoma, sponsored by Sebastapol Center for the Arts. In 2023, Poetic License Sonoma will be reading quarterly instead of monthly, in January, April, July and October. Though often a solitary pursuit, the writing of poetry, like all artistic forms of communication, is nurtured through the collaboration and support of others. Poetic License Sonoma, a group of 8 poets, encourages and celebrates this form of artistry in our region, and beyond, through poetry readings, like this one; the publication of their work; and a steady stream of new writing. To receive the Zoom link for the Fourth Tuesday Series, please register at: https://sebarts.org/current-events. For information about Poetic License Sonoma: https://poeticlicensesonoma.com

Last Tuesday of the month from January to June, Copperfield’s Books Presents Redwood Writers Fiction. Authors will discuss their books and entertain questions about writing. Past discussions have proven to be interesting and informative for both those who have read the book and those who just want to listen and learn. The event is FREE and no reservations are required. From 6:00-7:00 p.m. at the Montgomery Village store, 775 Village Court. EVENT ON PAUSE DURING COVID-19 CRISIS. The events are facilitated. For more information, go to http://redwoodwriters.org/copperfields-presents-redwood-writers-fiction-2017/.

WEDNESDAYS

Every Wednesday: June 2022–December: Mondays, Snoopy’s Writers. Virtual Meetings. Mondays 11:00 a.m.-12:00 noon, and Wednesdays 10:00-11:00 a.m. See Monday listing above for details.

First Wednesdays, 7:30-9:00 p.m. West Side Stories. At Sonoma Valley Portworks, 613 Second Street, Petaluma. West Side Stories believes that everyone has a story. Our goal is to give those stories a forum. Following the success of stand-up comics telling their stories, Dave Pokorny sought to accommodate all the people who asked, “When can I tell my story?” And to encourage those who doubted they had a story worth telling. Sonoma Valley Portworks provides a stage and a microphone. A theme inspires and shapes the evening and Dave Pokorny hosts the festivities. West Side Stories are limited to five minutes, and ten stories are heard. The stories are scored by a random audience-member, and a winner is announced who wins $50 cash. Cost: $5.00. More information at www.westsidestoriespetaluma.com.

Random Acts Open Mic on Third Wednesdays , 6:30-8:30 p.m. via Zoom. Random Acts showcases local performers and writers of poetry and verse, fiction and non-fiction prose—including essay and memoir. Singers, comedians, and storytellers take the stage for five minutes each to share their talents with a receptive audience. If time permits, performers have a second chance at the mic. See Random Acts facebook page for zoom link: www.facebook.com/groups/203264823114726. More info: Gary Angell or Meta Strauss, sonomarandomacts@gmail.com.

THURSDAYS

The Sitting Room “Pen and Ink Club,” a writing group for new and experienced writers, meets on Thursdays, 7:00-9:00 p.m., beginning February 21, at the Sitting Room, 2025 Curtis Drive, Penngrove. All genres are welcome: poetry, fiction, creative non-fiction, drama. The emphasis will be on the collaborative nature of writing, learning from reading published writers and from reading each other’s work. We will meet for 8 weeks with a concluding open reading tba. The “Pen and Ink Club” is FREE and open to all. Please contact Sheila Bare (salbare@yahoo.com; 707-537-6835) for more information and to reserve your seat. There will be more sessions in the future, check the Sitting Room Events page for updates. SITTING ROOM EVENTS ARE CANCELED FOR DURATION OF STAY-AT-HOME ORDER.

The Speakeasy Cafe’s Sound of Ink, open-mic poetry show airs every Thursday at 4:00 pm.  Hosted by Nyla Alisia and Q, this show offers non-stop poetic entertainment where it is all about YOU the POETS! The Speakeasy Cafe is an eclectic, supportive, passionate and inspiring place to come share your words, listen to other poets, inspire and be inspired! Poets write because they have something to say. Come take the mic and say it! You are always welcome at the Speakeasy Cafe! www.blogtalkradio.com/speakeasycafe. Suggestion: When you call in to voice your poem, use SKYPE. Otherwise the cost is prohibitive. POSTPONED.

Second Thursdays, 7:00-8:30 p.m. Why Poetry: The Poetry Project. Hosted by Fran Claggett-Holland, Les Bernstein and Linda Loveland Reid, via the Sebastapol Center for the Arts. The Poetry Project is not just for people who write or read poems, but it is designed to allow people to think about what poetry could mean to them, an opportunity to discover new and familiar poets. We explore how poems are created, edited and critiqued. Poetry can throw sideways light on the miraculous ordinary, or as Ted Kooser says, “a chance to see the life play in everything.” More info and zoom links: www.sebarts.org/literary-arts

Second Thursdays. Speakeasy Poetry and Singers/Songwriters, 7:00-9:00 p.m. Featured readers followed by poetry and prose Open Mic and light refreshments. At Santa Rosa Arts Center, 312 South A Street, Santa Rosa. See: https://santarosaartscenter.org/index.php/speakeasy/. 

Second Thursday PoetryPlus, 7:15 – 8:30 p.m. at Friends House, 684 Benicia Drive, Santa Rosa. On the second Thursday of every month, outstanding poets are invited to present their works, together with a musician or other genre artist, to entertain and inspire in a program of “poetry-plus.” Free and open to the public. Sorry, no open mic at this time. Contact co-hosts Clare Morris (foolwise@me.com), and Vilma Ginzberg (vilmaginz@aol.com, Ph. 707-433-7119).

The Get Lit reading series at Aqus Cafe is on hiatus, whether permanently or temporarily is not yet know, Dani Burlison and Kara Vernor regretfully announced on September 6, 2018. Check the Get Lit facebook page for updates.

Why There Are Words, curated by founder Peg Alford Pursell and named Best of the Bay for Literary Events 2012 in its second year, draws a full house of Bay Area residents every second Thursday of the month. Studio 333 is located at 333 Caledonia Street, Sausalito. Phone Studio 333 at 415-331-8272. More info at: http://whytherearewords.com

Books on Stage, an every-other-month reading series featuring one poet and one prose writer, each with 30 minutes to read. An alliance with the Cloverdale Performing Arts Center (CPAC), the 99-seat theater where the event is held. Free. CPAC is located at 209 North Cloverdale Boulevard, Cloverdale, 707-894-2214; www.cloverdaleperformingarts.com.

Last Thursday of the month (beginning March 25, 2021), 7:00-8:00 p.m. LOBA Poetry Series at Ukiah Library. Live, virtual open mic readings on Zoom. Join in to read or just listen to great poetry ! This free event is open to both teens & adults – all are invited to share poems in any form or style. Registration is required. Please contact Melissa at the Ukiah Library for the Zoom link: carrm@mendocinocounty.org

FRIDAYS

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

SATURDAYS

NEW! Russian River Books and Letters Open Mic, first Saturday of the month at 7:00 p.m. Music, readings, and more. Performers must arrive by 6.30 to sign up. Beer, wine, food and books. In Coffee Bazaar next to the bookstore, 14045 Armstrong Woods Road, Guerneville. See:www.booksletters.com/events/open-mic-night

Bay Area Independent Publishers Association (BAIPA) meets the Second Saturday of the month, 9-12:15 at the The Key Room at the Next Key Center, 1385 North Hamilton Parkway, Novato, CA 94949. Free to members, $15 for non-members. For more information go to www.baipa.org.

Redwood Writers general meetings are held on the Third Saturday of the month, from 1:00-2:30 p.m. at The Finley Community Center, 2060 W. College Ave, Santa Rosa, 95401). A small fee of $5 for members, $10 for nonmembers is asked to cover costs. Redwood Writers is a branch of the California Writers Club. For more information and updates on virtual meetings, see www.redwoodwriters.org. 

Central Open Mic. Third Saturdays, 3:00-5:00 p.m. in the Santa Rosa Central Library Forum Room. Music, poetry, comedy, spoken word, and more. All ages welcome. Slots are 5-10 minutes long and space is limited, so please register in advance. Event details and registration can be found by searching for “central open mic” at https://sonomacounty.libcal.com.

Intermittently Scheduled Events

Haiku Poets of Northern California. Join us for our free quarterly readings & workshops. A featured reader, often longtime HPNC members, will present a short reading of haiku and/or other Japanese genre poetry. Each meeting also offers a lengthier program (usually a presentation or workshop related to one of the Japanese forms). There will be one or more round-robin readings, where all attendees have an opportunity, open-mic style, to read and share one or more haiku and tanka. Also news and announcements, including upcoming events, submission calls and brief introductions of any new books of interest, as well as time for socializing and refreshments. A book table is set up for the sale and purchase of HPNC and other books (you may bring your own publications if you have some to sell). Our meetings and special events, which are open to both members and nonmembers, are held quarterly at San Francisco’s Fort Mason, building C, room 235, from 1 to 5 pm. For more information, or to become an HPNC member (which includes a subscription to our renowned semiannual journal Mariposa and a quarterly newsletter) go to the HPNC website at www.hpnc.org.