Jefferson Fish, PhD will be speaking about his e-book and paperback THE MYTH OF RACE at Watchung Booksellers Thursday, May 23, 2013, at 7pm. The book debunks many myths about race.

http://www.watchungbooksellers.com/event/2013/05/23/day

54 Fairfield Street
Watchung Plaza
Montclair, NJ 07042
973.744.7177

Jefferson M. Fish, PhD is Professor Emeritus of Psychology at St. John’s University, New York City, where he served as department chair and also as director of the PhD Program in clinical psychology. He is the author or editor of twelve books dealing with race, culture, therapy, and drug policy.

The Writers Circle is looking for a working screenwriter to conduct a week-long workshop for teens and gifted younger writers during the first week of its Summer Creative Writing Intensive, July 29 – August 5.

The screenwriter will facilitate a 2-hour workshop each day, Monday through Friday, from 10 AM – 12 noon, at MONDO Summit, 426 Springfield Avenue, Summit, NJ. S/he will teach up to 10 students with strong interest in screenwriting, helping them understand the basics and critiquing work-in-progress in a supportive, constructive environment. This is a great summer opportunity to help young writers develop their craft.

Please email CV and letter of interest to info@writerscircleworkshops.com with “Screenwriting Teacher” in the RE line. For more information about The Writers Circle, go to www.writerscircleworkshops.com.

PJ Storytime with Special Guest Author Melissa Guion.
Join us as Melissa reads her book, Baby Penguins Everywhere! in honor of Children’s Book Week 2013. Books will be available for sale.
Wednesday, May 15
6:30 pm – 7pm
Glen Ridge Library
240 Ridgewood Avenue | Glen Ridge, NJ | 07028
REGISTER ONLINE at http://www.glenridgelibrary.org/#!__children

Tuesday, May 28
7pm to 8:30pm

@ The Fine Grind Coffee Bar
101 Newark-Pompton Turnpike, Little Falls
Farnese Plaza, just minutes from Willowbrook Mall and the Wayne Costco

Hank Quense, science fiction author of the acclaimed Zaftan Trilogy, will lead a “Self-Publishing Chat” for all experienced and amateur writers at This event is free and open to the public. RSVPs can be sent to lynne@thefinegrindcoffeebar.com and walk-ins are welcome.

Self-publishing a book is a complex undertaking, one that may take several months. The self-publishing author has to be prepared to take on all the tasks, large and mundane, normally performed by the traditional publishing companies.

During the chat, Quense will touch on several main topics regarding self-publishing including publication options, packaging concerns, marketing and book costs and the consequences of publishing.

The format is open in that questions are entertained throughout the lecture.

Hank Quense is an author and lecturer and lives in Bergen County. He has published thirteen books to date.

Jump Start the Summer with a Gift That Takes You from Dreamer to ePublished Author.

This four-hour Workshop Intensive prepares first time and seasoned authors for the world of ePublishing. You’ll leave with the tools to take your book from in-your-head to on-the-Web!

Topics: Exploring ePub options and choosing the one right for you; Prepping your manuscript for upload – formatting text, graphics, cover creation, fees and sales; Self-Marketing – getting seen and getting sold (PR, Promotion, Social Media).

Workshop leaders Virginia Cornue, PhD and Linda Lombri, M.S. (a.k.a. Crystal Sharpe, e-book co-authors of SANDRA TROUX MYSTERIES) will take you through an easy step-by-step process to unlock your creativity, jump into e-publishing and become the author you always dreamed of being.

WHEN: Saturday, June 15 from 1:00 – 5:00 p.m.
WHERE: 129 Lincoln Street, Montclair, NJ (corner of Maple and Lincoln)
FEE: $99
REGISTER: sandratrouxmysteries@gmail.com or call 973-464-2804

Join Deb Levy for a reading, Q&A and signing of BURY THE HOT – the true story of a boy who hid from Hitler, but could never escape the memories.

Deb grew up with Sal’s family. She trick-or-treated with his daughter. Sal and his wife attended her wedding. Yet Deb knew nothing about Sal’s past until he asked her to write about it.

There was a reason she didn’t know. He hadn’t even told his wife the details of his childhood.

BURY THE HOT is the Holocaust story few have the tenacity or courage to share, and explores both a traumatized childhood, and how the repression of it impacts a marriage. It is the heartbreaking account of evading murder, and a brutally honest reflection of a life lived trying to escape the memories.

Learn more about how this book came to be on Tuesday, May 21st, 7:30 pm at Bnai Keshet – 99 South Fullerton Ave in Montclair.

Is the next Great American Novel sitting unfinished on your desktop?

I’ve put together a eight-session workshop that welcomes artists in all genres -writers, filmmakers, performers and visual artists and will provide you with the support you need to set and achieve your professional goals. The classes will also create a community among artists, and everyone is invited to share and expand resources around their work.

Some of the topics to be addressed in the workshop:
Getting clarity about your creative path. Letting go of negativity and limiting beliefs that hold you back. Making your creative work a priority in your life. Getting your work out in the world. Effective networking with the right people. Making a living from your creative work. Supporting yourself while breaking through. Balancing your creative life with the rest of your life

Dates: May 2,16, 30, June 13, 27, July 11, 25, August 8 (Every other Thursday: from May 2nd- August 8th)
Time: 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Location: 12 South Mountain Avenue #27. Montclair, NJ
Cost: $525 *or two payments of $262.50

For more information or to register go to zipcreative.net/about/events/, call Joanne Zippel at 973-809-4920 or email her at joanne@zipcreative.net. To learn more about Joanne Zippel and Zip Creative, please visit zipcreative.net.
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With all good wishes,
Joanne Zippel

We at Watchung Booksellers invite you to join us for a series of fabulous author events this April!

APRIL 17 AT 7:00 PM – Ron Kaplan, “501 Baseball Books Fans Must Read Before They Die”

Ron Kaplan, sports and features writer for New Jersey Jewish News, has chosen 501 of the best books ever written about baseball. A reviewer raves: “Kaplan provides a stimulating and informational tour through what could be the ultimate baseball library this side of Cooperstown.”

APRIL 18 AT 7:00 PM – The Irish American Writers Salon presents Terrence McCauley, “Prohibition”

Terrence McCauley has whipped up a fast-paced pulp thriller ripe with Tommy-gun blasting hoods, corrupt cops and deadly dames. Ron Fortier, managing editor of Airship 27, cheers: “McCauley captures the feel and atmosphere of those rambunctious outlaw days when the mobs were battling each other for control of the Big Apple.”

APRIL 19 AT 5:00 PM – World Book Night Launch Party

Volunteers who signed up to be Book Givers on World Book Night (coming up on April 23rd) are invited to join us and other book givers in a toast as we share in the excitement of this amazing worldwide event. Oh, and, of course, don’t forget to pick up your carton of books!

APRIL 25 AT 7:00 PM – The Art of the Novel: Panel Discussion and Workshop

David Sterry celebrates the publication of his latest novel, “Mort Morte”, with this panel-style presentation featuring a discussion about the often complex process of writing and selling a novel. At the end of the presentation, three audience participants will have the chance to do a brief presentation of their own pitch/query, which the panelists will then critique. Featuring: David Henry Sterry (“Mort Morte”), Alice Elliott Dark (“Think of England”), Liza Dawson (founder of literary agency Liza Dawson Associates), and Emily Bestlery (founder of Emily Bestler Books, former senior editor at Random House).

APRIL 27 AT 10:30 AM – Author/Illustrator Storytime – Corey Rosen Schwartz, “The Three Ninja Pigs”

Why do wolves think they can come to town and blow all the houses down? These three pigs just aren’t going to take it from that bully anymore! Corey Rosen Schwartz’s fun combination of smart-aleck dialogue and tongue-in-cheek rhymes will have kids howling!

APRIL 21 AT 4:00 PM – Third Sunday Poets – Annabel Lee and Joel Lewis

The Third Sunday Poets series presents new work by local poets, while offering a forum for discussion and information exchange. This month we feature Annabel Lee and Joel Lewis. Ms. Lee is the author of “Basket”, a collection of original poems dealing with quotidian objects, and “At the Heart of the World”, her translations of Blaise Cendrars. Mr. Lewis is the author of original collections “Surrender When Leaving Coach” and the forthcoming “North River Rundown”. Contact Marina Cramer (marina@watchungbooksellers.com) for more information.

APRIL 24 AT 7:00 PM – Tracey Beckerman, “Lost In Suburbia”

When syndicated columnist Tracy Beckerman trades in her TV job and cool NYC existence for the New Jersey suburbs, she doesn’t expect to also trade in her entire identity. But her new life as a stay-at-home mom knocks her for a loop in more ways than one. In “Lost In Suburbia”, Beckerman shares her struggles with self-deprecating humor as she endeavors to reclaim her cool.

APRIL 27 AT 1:00 PM – Casey Barber, “Classic Snacks”

A cream-filled chocolate cupcake for dessert. Caramel popcorn while watching a movie. What could be better than indulging in your favorite treats? In “Classic Snacks”, Casey Barber faithfully reproduces beloved snacks and nostalgic vending machine classics like Nutter Butters, Animal Crackers, and Cinnamon Pop Tarts®. Yum!

Please contact Watchung Booksellers at 973 744 7177 for more information. All events are free and will be held at the store (54 Fairfield St, Montclair, NJ) unless otherwise noted.

http://www.watchungbooksellers.com/

Publisher Emily Bestler, Agent Liza Dawson, Novelists Alice Dark & David Henry Sterry

3 lucky writers get to present their pitch/query!

It’s the greatest time in history to be a novelist. From the traditional approach of finding an agent and getting a big splashy six-figure advance with one of the Big Six (or Big 5, with the merger of Penguin and Random House into Penguin House), to partnering with a cutting-edge independent publisher, to taking matters into your own hands and DIYing it with e-books and print-on-demand, there are revolutionary new avenues for writers to reach his or her audience. But first, of course, you have to write a book that people want to read. You have to learn how to pick the right idea, develop deep fascinating characters, write believable dialogue, build a world, create suspense, hone your voice, craft a plot with a satisfying beginning, middle and ending, edit edit edit, rewrite rewrite rewrite, and use beta readers wisely. To celebrate the publication of Sterry’s Mort Morte, novelists, a publisher and agents will discuss how to write and sell a novel successfully. At the end of the presentation, we will randomly pick three writers who will get 90 seconds to present their pitch/query, which the panelists will then critique. So, all you novelists, come prepared to listen and learn, and maybe get a chance to kickstart your writing career!

David Henry Sterry is the author of 14 books, a performer, muckraker, educator, activist, and book doctor. His first memoir, Chicken, was an international bestseller, and has been translated into 10 languages. His anthology, Hos, Hookers, Call Girls and Rent Boys was featured on the front cover of the Sunday New York Times Book Review. He authored The Essential Guide to Getting Your Book Published with his ex-agent and current wife. He has been featured everywhere from National Public Radio to the London Times to Playboy, and he is a regular contributor to the Huffington Post. His new illustrated novel is Mort Morte, a Diary of a Wimpy Kd as told by Travis Bicle from Taxi Driver coming-of-age black comedy about gun violence and children, and a boy who really loves his mother. www.davidhenrysterry

Emily Bestler attended Barnard College, graduating Phi Beta Kappa with a Bachelor’s degree in English, and received her M.A. in English from Columbia University. After attending New York University’s Publishing Program, she began her career at Macmillan Books and then moved to Random House where she became a Senior Editor. Emily was named Editorial Director of Pocket Books and became Executive Editorial Director at Atria/Pocket Books. Last year she founded Emily Bestler Books, where she is a Senior Vice President and Editor-in-Chief.

Liza Dawson is the founder of owner of Liza Dawson Associates. Last year, she had three # 1 bestsellers in the US and the #1 bestseller in Germany. The agency represents women’s fiction, thrillers, mysteries, literary fiction, fantasy and science fiction, YA, picture books, history, parenting and humor. She has also e-published a mixture of reprints of authors and originals and has participated in several panels at Digital Book World as an expert on matters electronic. She is on the board of the Association of Author Representatives and is a member of the Women’s Media Group. She spent the first fifteen years of her career working for major NY publishers.

Alice Elliott Dark is the author of the novel, Think of England, and two collections of short stories, In The Gloaming and Naked to the Waist. Her work has appeared in, among others, The New Yorker, Harper’s, Redbook, DoubleTake, Best American Short Stories, Prize Stories: The O. Henry Awards ,and translated into many languages. “In the Gloaming,” a story, was chosen by John Updike for inclusion in The Best American Stories of The Century and was made into films by HBO and Trinity Playhouse. Her non-fiction reviews and essays have appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, and many anthologies. She is a past recipient of a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship, and has been awarded Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation Fellowships for residency at The Virginia Center for the Creative Arts, and a fellowship at Yaddo. She is an Assistant Professor at Rutgers-Newark in the MFA program and English Department.

A stick figure demonstrates exactly how to not pitch your book.