Around Town Community
Carquinez Review
Writings from the Carquinez Strait shoreline communities Benicia's Literary Society and book publisher, Benicia Literary Arts have launched a new book of short stories, Carquinez Review, encompassing selected prose writers from Benicia and throughout the North Bay region. Benicia Literary Arts' editor in chief, Mary Eichbauer describes the collection as “26 introspective pieces set in disparate places, from Vermont and Oklahoma, to Mars and beyond.”
There were many submissions and the stories selected by a panel of six judges represent the best of the region's growing community of talented writers. "Benicia's poets and authors, as well as our artists, are familiar names at open mics, in bookstores and at exhibits throughout the Bay Area," says Jim White, Carquinez Review's Project Editor in his introduction. Great writing is nothing new for the North Bay and Carquinez Review is following in the footsteps of a precursor. "If this book were a ship, it would be on its second sailing, not its maiden voyage," Jim adds. An earlier edition, published in 2000 by Dave Badtke, showcased Benicia and the North Bay region’s artists and writers with an eclectic mix of memoir, fiction, poetry, photography, and art. Carquinez Review will be available for purchase on Amazon and at local bookstores, such as Bookshop Benicia. Benicia Literary Arts encourages reading and writing in the community by producing events, creating a community of writers and readers, encouraging their development, and publishing works of high quality in all genres. Previous Benicia Literary Arts publications include, The Book of Joel, Late Harvest Green, poetry anthologies and collections by Benicia poets.
Wildflower, A Tale Of Transcendence Local author Dr. Teresa Van Woy’s new book Wildflower, a Tale of Transcendence will also be released in November. It is a memoir that begins in 1974, when Teresa's much anticipated summer vacation falls apart when 5 of her 8 siblings board a Greyhound bus in California headed back to their home in Florida. Teresa demonstrates that her survival in overcoming poverty and abuse leads to finding a life of abundance, meaning, and inspiration. Dr Teresa Van Woy currently lives in Benicia, California with her husband and three daughters. She is a board certified podiatrist with a passion for world travel, writing, photography, martial arts, and woodworking.
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