6th Annual Pleasanton Poetry, Prose & Arts Festival Workshop Leaders

Kim Addonizio

Kim Addonizio's poetry books include Tell Me (finalist for the National Book Award), Jimmy & Rita, The Philosopher's Club and What Is This Thing Called Love. She authored a collection of short stories, In the Box Called Pleasure, and with Dorianne Laux co-authored The Poet's Companion: A Guide to the Pleasures of Writing Poetry. Kim co-edited Dorothy Parker's Elbow: Tattoos on Writers, Writers on Tattoos with Cheryl Dumesnil. Little Beauties and My Dreams Out in the Street (2007) are her two novels. With poet Susan Browne, Kim produced Swearing, Smoking, Drinking & Kissing, a word/music CD. Among her awards and honors are fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts, a Pushcart Prize and a Commonwealth Club Poetry Medal. Her poetry and fiction have appeared widely in prestigious anthologies and literary journals.

For more information about Kim, visit www.kimaddonizio.com.

Martha Alderson, M.A.

Martha Alderson is an international plot and story consultant for writers. Her clients include best-selling authors, screenwriters, writing teachers and fiction editors. As the author of Blockbuster Plots Pure & Simple, she created a unique line of plot tools for writers, including the Scene Tracker Kit and the Plot Planner DVDs. Martha teaches plot workshops privately through University of California Santa Cruz, Learning Annex and at writing conferences.

To sign up for Martha's free monthly plot eZine — Blockbuster Plots for Writers — full of plot tips, contests, resources and inspiration, visit www.blockbusterplots.com.

Maureen Boyd Biro

Maureen Boyd Biro has twenty-five years experience in writing and publishing and is the author of two children's books, Walking with Maga and Blueberries Make Good Cannonballs (forthcoming in 2008). Her articles, essays and stories have appeared in national and regional magazines including Glamour, Redbook and Woman's Day. A former editor and Associate Publisher for Manfit Press, Maureen does consulting work for small presses and is a frequent speaker at writers' conferences and schools. Maureen's current projects include a young adult novel, When Stars Are Brightly Shining, nominated for the Sue Alexander Award at the national SCBWI conference in Los Angeles, and a memoir, Rosemary is for Remembrance, about Alzheimer’s Disease.

For more information about Maureen, visit www.maureenboydbiro.com.

Kevin Hearle

Kevin Hearle, a 49'ers descendant, has been described as a "genuine poetic talent connected to California in a most powerful way." His book, Each Thing We Know Is Changed Because We Know It and Other Poems, was a finalist for the National Poetry Series with poems published in California Poetry: From the Gold Rush to the Present, Unfolding Beauty: Celebrating California's Landscapes and in U.S. and British anthologies. A graduate of Stanford University, the Iowa Writers' Workshop and UC Santa Cruz, Kevin has extensive teaching credentials that include the University of Iowa and UC Santa Cruz. He served as poetry co-editor of Quarry West for four years and is one of the original voices of the California Legacy Series Radio Anthology. As a respected Scholar of California Literature, he received the Burkhardt Award for Outstanding Steinbeck Scholar of 2005 and editing The Essential Mary Austin.

For more information about Kevin, visit www.kevinhearle.com.

Kathleen Lynch

Kathleen Lynch

Kathleen Lynch's collection Hinge (2006) won the Black Zinnias Press National Poetry Book Competition. Her chapbooks include How to Build an Owl, No Spring Chicken, Alterations of Rising and Kathleen Lynch — Greatest Hits. Her poems have been anthologized and appear in many literary journals, including Poetry, Nimrod, Spoon River Poetry Review, Chariton Review, The Laurel Review, Poetry Northwest, The Midwest Quarterly, Two Rivers Review, Slipstream, Quarterly West and The Midwest Review. Among her awards are the Spoon River Poetry Review Editor’s Choice Award, the Salt Hill Poetry Award, Two Rivers Review First Prize, Peregrine and Sow’s Ear prizes and a 2007 month-long residency at Ucross Foundation. Kathleen also publishes fiction and essays, and is a free lance editor.

For more information about Kathleen, visit www.kathleenlynch.com.

Martha Meltzer

Martha Meltzer, Poet Laureate of Pleasanton, CA

Martha Meltzer has more than 15 years experience working with children to encourage their poetic and literary development, mostly in her capacity as a librarian. Martha began writing poetry at age eight with her first poem published in 3rd grade. As a librarian she has been a leader in developing and implementing writing activities such as Poetry in Your Pocket Day, Alisal Poets Corner and Say It Like Seuss Poetry Challenge. Martha currently facilitates 3rd-, 4th- and 5th-grade writing groups and a student-written newspaper. She has been published in a variety of California anthologies and has contributed poems for community projects.

Connie Post

Connie Post, Poet Laureate of Livermore, CA

Connie Post is the first and current Poet Laureate of Livermore, CA. During her term, she created two new popular readings series in Livermore. Connie has been a published poet for twenty five years. Her work has appeared in many anthologies, including White Pelican Review, Monterey Poetry Review, Carquinez Poetry Review, California Quarterly, Midwest Poetry Review, Hardpan, Song of the San Joaquin and forthcoming in Kalliope and The Comstock Review. Connie has earned over sixty poetry awards, including first and grand prizes in local and state contests. Author of five published collections, in 2005 she presented her poetry on then nationally syndicated radio program "West Coast Live."

For more information about Connie, visit www.poetrypost.com.

Nina Schuyler

Nina Schuyler is the author of the award-winning novel The Painting. It was named by the San Francisco Chronicle as a Best Book for 2004 and was a finalist for the Northern California Book Awards. Nina's short stories, poetry, and essays have appeared in Watchwordpress, 580 Split, Fugue, Flashquake and other literary publications. She was a finalist in the Lewis "Buddy" Nordan Fiction Contest. Two of her short stories have been nominated for Best New American Voices. Her nonfiction has appeared in Health, Geezerjock, Newsday and Stanford Magazine. Nina attended Stanford University, earned a law degree at Hastings College of the Law, an MFA in fiction with an emphasis on poetry at San Francisco State University and she teaches creative writing at San Francisco State University and University of San Francisco. Currently she is working on a second novel.

For more information about Nina, visit www.ninaschuyler.com/author.htm.

Click here to download a PDF of the Festival Registration Form.
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For further festival information, contact:

Michelle Russo: 925-931-5350 / mrusso@ci.pleasanton.ca.us
David Wright: dawright@sbcglobal.net
Kirk Ridgeway: PleasantonPoetry@comcast.net

For further contest information, contact:

Martha Meltzer, Pleasanton's Poet Laureate: 925-417-6679 / m.meltzer@comcast.net