By Heidi Simmons
The Palm Springs Writers Guild held its annual Desert Writers Expo last week at the Rancho Mirage Library with 41 authors showcasing and selling their work. The guild has 270 members from beginners to professionals in all writing genres.
“The Desert Writers Expo is part of our total set of programs to help writers,” said James McFarlin, President of the Palm Springs Writers Guild. “We can take writers from the beginning all the way through publishing. This is a unique event for up-and-coming writers as well as professionals in the valley. You don’t have to be a name author to participate.”
The majority of those participating in the Expo were guild members. Following is a small sample of the talent and their titles.
Besides being the PSWG President, McFarlin is also the author of Aftershock (Darryl James, 470 pages). His novel is a political thriller about cyber terrorists who plunge Northern California into darkness and the daring plan of a female security entrepreneur who must risk everything to stop them from wreaking further havoc.
Dwight Halvorsen first came to the PSWG with notes on scraps of paper. With the guild’s help, Halvorsen wrote a 3,500 word, rhyming story with psychedelic illustrations he did himself called, A Tale of a Different Color (CreateSpace, 46 pages). For years Halvorsen was a heroin addict, homeless in Palm Springs. “I went from a very successful artist to pushing a shopping cart,” said Halvorsen. Now sober for 16 years, his whimsical story is about recovery as told by five animal caricatures on a trip from Palm Springs to England.
From Bagels to Buddha: How I Found My Soul and Lost My Fat (Central Recovery Press, 262 pages) by Judi Hollis, PhD. It’s her fourth book. “Thirty-eight years ago I weighed 222 pounds and was an expert in alcoholism, but I couldn’t help myself,” said the therapist and now slender Hollis. “I adapted the treatment that works for alcoholics and created the nation’s first eating disorder clinics. I went all around the country educating counselors about treating overeaters and anorexics.” Hollis has been a member of the PSWG since the 80s. After three self-help books, Bagels to Buddha is her memoir.
C.L. Hoang lives in San Diego, but is a member of PSWG. His work of fiction, Once Upon a Mulberry Field (Willow Stream, 392 pages), is a love story set during the Vietnam War. “It’s based on real life anecdotes,” said Hoang. “I tried not to write another war or history book, so I focused on the human aspect and its impact on both the Americans and the Vietnamese.” An electronic engineer, Hoang started the project as a gift for his nieces and nephews who were born and raised here and knew very little about their heritage. Hoang’s protagonist is an American doctor.
Wade Rouse has written five published books and has been featured on the “Today Show” and “Chelsea Lately” on E! He has four humorous memoirs, but his latest book is a collection of essays about rescue dogs called, I’m Not the biggest Bitch in This Relationship: Hilarious, Heartwarming Tales About Man’s Best Friend from America’s Favorite Humorists. (NAL Trade, 272 pages.) Fifty percent of the books net royalties benefit the Humane Society. “Most of the stories have lessons in them, but I believe if you can get people to chuckle, it’s better than preaching at them.” Rouse does memoir workshops for the PSWG.
Roots of the Vine (Arleron Press, 248 pages) by Arlene Morgan and Ronald Krivosha is a fictional love story written in collaboration. The novel concerns an orphan girl who journeys to the vineyards of Italy where she discovers the tangled secrets of her past. “Although we wrote with two voices, our characters took over and made it one voice,” said Morgan. She joined the PSWG at the beginning of the writing process for the support it provides.
A charming children’s picture book, Hans & Wolfgang (CreateSpace, 32 pages) written by Linda Hodsdon and illustrated by Alex Mankiewicz is a story about a sauerkraut eating cat named Hans who makes friends with Wolfgang, a mouse. Hodsdon recently went to Australia where Mankiewicz lives. “It was fun to meet her face-to-face after working together for two years over the Internet,” said Hodsdon.
Reruns: Poetry and Prose by D. Marie Fitzgerald is a collection of short stories and poetry that focus on the adventures of her life that include family and lovers. As a child of the 1950s and 60s, the content reflects that time period. Fitzgerald taught creative writing at Palm Desert and Cathedral City High Schools. “It’s really a memoir told through short fiction and poetry,” said Fitzgerald.
Actor Michael Dante shares his life and experience in his book, From Hollywood to Michael Dante Way (BearManor, 306 pages). “I lived, worked and was a part of an electrifying period in Hollywood’s history with many great and talented people who enriched my life,” said Dante.
“The room is full of stories. For people who like stories there are stories on everything,” said McFarlin. “Many are personal and true. Many are fictional. There are all genres represented here.”
Besides all the stories, there was a camaraderie, friendliness and creative spirit that permeated the gathering of authors and their work.
The Palm Springs Writers Guild meets the first Saturday of every month, October through June. Besides the Desert Writers Expo, the guild provides critique groups, writing workshops, mentoring groups, service providers, manuscript review, writing contests, speakers and more. Membership is $58 the first year and $48 thereafter.
