An Evening with Short Story Writers

If you're able, I hope you'll join us for the Pen on Fire Speakers Series on Sat., May 15, when other contributors to Orange County Noir will join me at Scape Gallery. We'll be talking about writing short stories, and about noir, and it should be a generally raucous time. There will be wine, nibbles, and cake--yes, cake! with the book cover embedded in the icing. Yum. You can meet Gary Phillips, the editor; Martin Smith, editor of Orange Coast magazine; writers Mary Castillo, Patricia McFall, and C.J. Bahnsen (moderating), and this time I'll be a panelist. Fun!

We'll talk about writing short stories, writing dark fiction, setting in short stories and in noir, and more.

Laguna Beach Books will be on hand to sell books.

Seats are $20, but for students, $15. What a deal. The event would be free if I didn't rent the gallery, chairs, buy food and drink, etc., etc.

I hope to see many of you there! And if anyone's going through hard times and wants to bring someone, both of you can come for $15 each. (Go directly to PayPal and send the payment to penonfire@earthlink.net.)

More info here.

An Evening with Susan Straight and Sarah Shun-Lien Bynum

I hope you'll join us for the next event scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 27, from 7 - 9 p.m. at Scape Gallery, here in Corona del Mar.

It will be a night of talk about writing fiction with two National Book Award nominees. Read more here. I hope to see you there!

Pen on Fire: A Speakers Series features Merrill Markoe on 4/14

Join Merrill Markoe and me in conversation. Merrill is a novelist and former David Letterman show comedy writer and producer where she won a bunch of Emmys. More here. She's one of the funniest comedic novelists that I know. Her latest is Nose Down, Eyes Up. We'll talk, she'll read, then take questions. And hang around afterward to talk one-on-one with Merrill and the other writers in attendance.

This event will take place on April 14 at 7 p.m. Reservations are required as there's limited seating available. No walk-ins, please. The event costs $15 and includes light snacks. A full bar is available.

If you'd like to make reservations, please email me at barbara@barbarademarcobarrett.com. And feel free to pass this on to your friends.

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May 19: Carolyn See is author of Making a Literary Life, novels and memoirs. A generous, experienced, and funny author and sage.

June 6: Lisa See, daughter of Carolyn See and author of many bestselling novels. This will be a launch for her latest novel, Shanghai Girls.

Each event is $15, which includes light snacks.