Our next meeting is
Saturday, March 8, 2025
10:00 am – 2:00 pm
Check-in opens at 9:30 a.m.
Debbie Weiss is the author of the award-winning memoir Available As Is: A Midlife Widow’s Search for Love about creating a new life after losing her husband and high school sweetheart of 32 years. It was the gold medalist in the 2024 Independent Publisher Book Awards in the category of Aging, Death and Dying, bronze medalist in the 2023 Reader’s Favorite Awards in Nonfiction-Grief/ Hardship and a finalist in Grief in the 2024 National Indie Excellence Awards and 2024 IAN Book of the Year Awards. It has been on the Amazon Bestseller list in the Grief and Midlife Management categories.
Debbie’s essays have been published in The New York Times , Huffington Post, Woman’s Day, and other publications. She teaches memoir writing classes for local organizations and has taught essay writing classes for Writing Pad. She is the President of the Benicia Literary Arts. A former lawyer, she earned her Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing in 2020 from Saint Mary’s College of California. Find her at https://debbieweissauthor.com/.
Cost
- Members: $50 Guests: $55
- Includes buffet lunch. Pay online or at the door
Finding Your Voice in Memoir
Memoir is deeply personal, yet its appeal comes from the universal, allowing the reader to connect with the narrator. The writer’s voice is paramount to creating this relatability. I will discuss craft elements specific to memoir writing. Along with voice, we will focus on creating transformative story arcs, incorporating back story, tackling emotionally difficult topics, incorporating deeper themes, and how to find resonance in the personal. I will provide writing exercises designed to help develop the writer’s voice, generate story ideas, and gain distance and perspective.
Writers will learn about:
- Creating a compelling voice and story arc.
- Writing difficult characters who happen to be family.
- Adding depth with themes and historical context.
- Avoiding author/narrator convergence.
Schedule
- 9:30 – Sign-in table opens
- 10:00 – Workshop Begins
- 12:00 – Buffet Lunch
- 1:00 – Workshop Continues
Scroll Down to Register
Writers Table
Our Next Writers Table is April 12, 2025
Cost
CWC Members (all branches): $50.00
Guests: $55.00
The price includes a buffet lunch
Deadline to Register
March 5th at 12:00 p.m. (for the lowest price).
Please register by this time so we can give the restaurant an accurate count.
If you register between noon on March 5 – noon on March 7, the cost is $55.00 for members/$60.00 for guests.
If you register after noon on March 7, the cost will be $60.00 for members/$65.00 for guests.
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For Members: Early Bird Registration
Save $5.00 when you register before noon on the Wednesday before our meeting.
Our Meeting Schedule
- 9:30 – Sign-in table opens
- 10:00 – Workshop Begins
- 12:00 – Buffet Lunch
- 12:35 – Business Meeting
- 1:00 – Workshop continues
Guest Vouchers
Give a friend $10.00 off a General Meeting or Workshop
- Invite a guest who has never attended a Mt. Diablo meeting
- Request a voucher for your guest for $10.00 off a meeting or workshop.
- We will email your guest a voucher number and the link to register for the meeting.
- Your guest registers for the meeting, enters the voucher number, and receives a $10.00 discount.
Covid-19 Guidelines
- CWC-Mt. Diablo Branch will abide by all state and local guidelines to ensure attendees’ safety.
- If you are not fully vaccinated, not feeling well, or are uncomfortable with in-person meetings, please do not attend.
- Proof of vaccination may be required at the entrance to the restaurant.
- Masks are optional.
For complete information, see Contra Costa Health Department for new local health orders.
Meeting Policy for Guests under Age 13
While CWC-Mt. Diablo strives to ensure our meetings, whether in-person or online, are safe for all, participant views are their own. Youth under 13 years old must have their adult join them for this event. By registering you are acknowledging that you are over 13, and that you intend to participate in this program. If you are under 13, please ask your adult to help you sign up. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of every third-party website or service that you visit or use, including those third parties with whom you interact through our meetings.
Cancellation Policy
We accept cancellations up to 24 hours in advance of the meeting. If you paid with PayPal, you will receive a refund. If you cancel after the deadline, no refund is given. In that case, if you choose to pay at the door, we will bill you for the payment.
