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NORTH COAST - JANUARY 12, 2017 - PAGE B7
Local poet Patricia Dugger to read works at event BY BRITTANY WOOLSEY ot long after losing her husband in 1998, Patricia Dugger found a new calling in life — poetry. Just prior to his death, her husband would drive his wife to late-night poetry meetings with the Carlsbad City Library Magee Park Poets. Shortly after, Dugger was published for the first time and her husband got to see the work before he died. “I found [poetry] as sort of a new focus in my life,” Dugger, 87, said. “It’s like my husband introduced me to my new life.” The longtime Cardiff-by-the-Sea woman has since joined multiple local poetry clubs — including being one of the first members of the Full Moon poetry group, which will hold a reading Jan. 14 with Dugger and three other local poets. Dugger, who was named Encinitas’ poet laureate in
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2005, said she enjoys reading poetry often, but she doesn’t write her own poetry every Patricia day. Dugger But when inspiration hits, she’s hard to stop, said the author of three poetry books. “I write about everything,” she said, adding that she’ll look for prompts by hearing or seeing something interesting that might be included in a poem. Cardiff, where Dugger settled with her family in 1952, has inspired her because of how long she has lived in her home and how close she is to the ocean, she said. When asked whether her writing tended to be fiction or non-fiction, Dugger, who is influenced by poets like Tony Hoagland and Ted Kooser, said she believes “fiction
doesn’t relate to poetry.” “Once, my granddaughter asked me, ‘Nana, is this true? Did this really happen?’” she said. “I told her, ‘Honey, it’s somebody’s truth.’ I do make up stuff. Once in a great while, I’ve had maybe five poems that have been gifts that sort of just slid out of my mind.” The most important criteria of a successful poem is that it evokes emotion, she said. For Saturday’s reading, Dugger said each poet will have about 20 minutes to read their work. Patrick Brady, Darius Degher and Jim Babwe will also read. Dugger expects to read about a dozen poems and offer background information for each one, which is something she said she has never done before. The free event, presented by 101 Artists Colony and taking place at 540 Cornish Drive, will begin at 6 p.m., with seating starting at 5:30 p.m.
33rd annual SDSU Writers’ Conference runs Jan. 20-22 Get one step closer to becoming a published writer by attending the 33rd annual SDSU Writers’ Conference, Jan. 20-22, at the San Diego Marriott Mission Valley. Each year, more than 300 attendees from all over the world pursue their literary dreams and get direct feedback on their writing in 1:1 appointments with editors and agents. The three-day SDSU conference was among the first to pioneer these 1:1 appointments, giving writers unprecedented access to top-tier publishing professionals — many of whom interact with unpublished authors only through conferences. Award-winning, bestselling, and keynote speakers: •R.L. Stine – One of the best-selling children’s authors in history • J.A. Jance – Top 10 New York Times best-selling author •Jonathan Maberry – Best-selling author and
five-time Bram Stoker Award-winner •Sherrilyn Kenyon – International and New York Times #1 best-selling author of fantasy, horror, and more New features this year include: 1 p.m. starting time on Friday opening with keynote speaker Maberry, and a hosted dinner. There will also be more than 40 concurrent workshops – the most ever – facilitated by top publishing professionals. The conference takes place 1-9 p.m. Friday, Jan. 20; 8:30 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 21; and 9 a.m.-12 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 22. On-site registration begins at 11 a.m. on Friday, with the first breakout session at 2:15 p.m. Registration is $499 from Jan. 4-17 and $549 at the door, if space allows. For complete information, visit neverstoplearning.net/writers, email sdsuwritersconference@mail.sdsu.edu, or call (619) 594-2099.
Award-winning cookbook author to appear at Jan. 29 Good Earth/Great Chefs event in RSF Good Earth /Great Chefs series recently announced its first event of the new year with San Diego-based food journalist Carolynn Carreño, and the launch of her new cookbook Bowls of Plenty: Recipes for Healthy and Delicious Whole Grain Meals. A festive, outdoor book-signing will be held Sunday, Jan. 29, from 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. at The Chino Farm in Rancho Santa Fe. The event will feature live music and complimentary “market bowl” tastings using fresh, picked-that-morning vegetables from The
Chino Farm. Bowls of Plenty brings one-dish meals to the home cook, offering more than 75 recipes that layer flavorful vegetables with delicious sauces and optional meats on a foundation of whole-grain staples. Chino Farm is located at 6123 Calzada del Bosque, Rancho Santa Fe, 92091. Carreño is a James Beard Award-winning journalist and co-author of 12 cookbooks. Visit carolynncarreno.com. For more information, visit www.goodearthgreatchefs.com.