SPARKS: News & Notes from
Tiny Lights: A Journal of Personal Narrative
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Greetings!,
The subject for Searchlights this month is priorities. Mine have been more about family than writing these days, what with weddings and birthdays, our youngest son moving out and my oldest relative moving on. But whatever your focus is this summer, I hope you have time to check out the latest offerings at Tiny Lights, including a wonderful article for Guiding Lights by Caroline Arnold, author of more than 140 children's books. This woman has her priorities straight!
I also wish you the kind of experience at your keyboard that is captured in the video below!
| The Typewriter |
Happy Summer & Keep writing! |
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Petaluma ReadersTheatre
&
Tiny Lights Publications
Present:

July 5, 6, 7
8 P.M.
Murray Rockowitz Studio @ 128 Petaluma Blvd., Petaluma
Stories about those moments we never forget; when our decision to act or not act impacted the rest of our lives. Touching, disturbing, moving, and funny... Join us as we share these wonderful stories which were prize winners in Tiny Lights: A Journal of Personal Narrative.
The Authors: Cynthia A. Cady, Patricia Bingham, Nancy Colvin, Cynthia Patton, Ken Rodgers, Robin Beeman, Kathleen McCormick, Andy Gloege, Patti Murphy, Amy Miller The Readers: Ronda Black, Ken Burgess, Roger Marquis, Leslie Scatchard, John Ton Murray Rockowitz Photography Studio is an open and yet cozy space, perfect for an intimate performance but with plenty of room for a great audience experience. |
The Speakeasy Literary Saloon Summer Confab
Mark Your Calendars!
Foundry Wharf August 29 7-9 p.m. Food, wine and words! The perfect night out! Featuring: Robin Beeman,Rob Kroese, Shana Mahaffey and Kenna Lee
Don't miss the chance to win 5 minutes at the open mic! Bring something to read and put your name in the hat!
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Searchlights & Signal Flares Tiny Lights' Online Writers' Exchange 
What do you mean you don't have time to write? Maybe you need to read the responses to this month's question:
Read what Dan Coshnear, this month's featured writer, has to say on the subject, along with our other contributors: This Month's Featured Writer: Dan Coshnear

Daniel Coshnear - coshn@sonic.net- lives in Guerneville, California, works at a group home for men and women with mental illnesses, teaches in a variety of SF bay area university extension programs, and is author of Jobs & Other Preoccupations (Helicon Nine 2001), winner of the Willa Cather Fiction Award. He hopes to publish a new collection of short fiction in 2012 with Kelly's Cove Press, tentatively titled You Can Put Your Name On It If You Want To. He has also been a judge in numerous contests, including the Tiny Lights annual personal essay contests.
How do you write dialog? (Deadline 7/15/12)
Send Searchlights submissions with bio (and title!) to editor@tiny-lights.com
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Flash in the Pan
Online Quarterly @ Tiny Lights
Time to send more Flashes.
Guidelines
What is a Flash in the Pan? It's life caught in the blaze of a match, a beam of moonlight, the glare of a home-made explosion. These pieces of first-person non-fiction prose (500 words or less) are like potato chips--you won't be able to stop with just one. Our gems are posted quarterly in January, April, July and October on the Tiny Lights website. A select few appear in the hard copy editions of the magazine. Send your jewels to editor@tiny-lights.com.
Go to:Flash in the Pan
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Sheila Bender's Writing it Real Summer Reading Contest
Does the World Inspire You? Contest Reading Period May 30 to July 30, 2012 Do you have an essay or poems inspired by your observations of the world around you? Perhaps we can challenge you to write one especially for this contest. Like some of our past contests, this one includes the opportunity for revision because Sheila believes in second chances. She will read and respond to your essays of up to 1500 words or three poems. A reading fee of $15 for members (it's easy to join). Revised work my be resubmitted for final judging by a guest judge (to be announced) at no extra cost. The guest judge will choose three winners who will receive free consults with Sheila as well as publication of their winning essay. Sheila wants everyone to be a winner and by receiving her detailed response to your submitted writing, you get a head start in making your writing sing.
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Read issues at www.echapbook.com See www.echapbook.com/submissions.htm for submissions guidelines. Contact Publisher Jo-Anne Rosen: echaps@wordrunner.com |
Writers Forum of Petaluma
presents
Amy Rennert, literary agent
"Secrets of Getting Published"
July 19, 2012 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Petaluma Community Center, 320 No. McDowell Blvd.
$15 at the door
Literary Agent Amy Rennert demystifies the publishing process for fiction and nonfiction writers. She will address the process of finding representation and offer a primer on the realities in today's publishing world.
Amy Rennert, a former award-winning writer and editor-in-chief of two magazines, is one of the country's leading literary agents. With more than a dozen books on the New York Times bestseller list in recent years, The Amy Rennert Agency specializes in books that matter and represents quality fiction and nonfiction writers.
For Info: www.thewritespot.us
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Wisdom Has a Voice: Every Daughter's Memories of Mother
25 diverse and compelling memoirs about Mother Edited by Kate Farrell A Perfect Gift! Amazon.com or special order at your bookstore Paperback $14.99, e-Book $7.99 www.wisdomhasavoice.com |
Tiny Lights Recommends: Sonoma County Free Bookmobile Help bring free books to Sonoma County residents.
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For reservations, or more information call: OCA 707 874 9392. OCA is located in Harmony Village in downtown Occidental at 4008 Bohemian Hwy.
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Since 1995, Tiny Lights has been celebrating the power of personal voice with a biannual journal devoted to short essay. The annual essay contest, which offers $1500 in prizes, provides the material for the summer issue, while the winter issue is by invitation only.
The online component of Tiny Lights is designed to catch what can't be contained in the pages of the newsstand editions. Lights Online provides a venue for additional voices, information about Tiny Lights and resources for writers of personal essay. Sparks: Email News & Notes is our free monthly electronic newsletter.
Subscriptions to the print edition of Tiny Lights, which includes original art: $10 per year (2 issues) Current issue: $5 each Back issues: $3 each Checks payable to Tiny Lights Publications, P.O. Box 928, Petaluma, CA 94953 Or take advatage of our new PayPal feature!
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Susan Bono, Editor Tiny Lights Publications P.O. Box 928, Petaluma, CA 94953
(707) 762-3208 www.tiny-lights.com |
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