Peg Alford Pursell

A woman speaking to an audience in an elementary classroom

“We never end up with the book we began writing.” Wise words from @pegalfordpursell.bsky.social at @mcwconf.bsky.social that feel especially relevant as my project shapeshifts thanks to stellar feedback from my workshop crew. #mcwc25 #mendocino #books #writing #thelostartist

That’s a great question! Where do I begin? Syntax. Sometimes quirks I was unaware of detracted from the overall tone and flow.

Looking forward to this. @mcwconf.bsky.social Still time to register. Join us!

Afternoon Events — MCWC “The whole process, sitting at your desk, focusing your mind like a laser beam, imagining something out of a blank horizon, creating a story, selecting the right words, one by one, keeping the whole f...

Hey, #Californiawriters! WTAW Press and Betty Books founder and EIC @pegalfordpursell.bsky.social will be teaching a seminar at the Mendocino Coast Writers' Conference in July! Registration ends on June 30 or whenever spots are filled, so register now.
mcwc.org/afternoon-ev...
#writersconference

A packed house at @booksonthepark.bsky.social for @anitafelicelli.bsky.social's amazing story collection: "How We Know Our Time Travelers" from @wtawpress.bsky.social. In convo w/Nayomi Munaweera and hosted by @karjohnson.bsky.social. HIGHLY recommend this book!

If I vowed to organize 100 notable small press books for 2025, who's in as reviewers? All genres, all small & micro presses.

(Does this already exist? If no, why not? If yes, disregard everything to this point.)

What a joy it was to speak with @hannahbae.bsky.social about publishing (@wtawpress.bsky.social ) How We Know Our Time Travelers by @anitafelicelli.bsky.social for the @sfchronicle.com. The feature is wonderful!

In our latest newsletter, @pegalfordpursell.bsky.social celebrates the launch of Betty’s first title, TAKE ME WITH YOU NEXT TIME by @janishubschman.bsky.social! We’re so grateful to our incredible community—every reader, supporter, and team member—for making this dream a reality!

Sad Grownups a book by Amy Stuber For those who've been sad and tried not to be, seventeen stories about the absurdity of searching for joy in a dying world. A neighborhood of picturesque content-creation houses perched on too-green l...

when I signed with Stillhouse, they told me a good outcome for an indie collection=selling 1000 books over the life cycle of the book. This is my goal! If you're looking for a readable, sad/happy, humane collection, SAD GROWNUPS may be for you tinyurl.com/4warnpbr (Please share if you don't mind 💙)

Brand new work! I can’t wait to hear it!

Excited to be part of this lineup for @wtawpress.bsky.social virtual Summer Salon on Aug. 1!

I’m so excited for this event tomorrow with Molly Giles. Long before I moved to the Bay Area, and could have imagined publishing her debut memoir, I revered her short story collections, especially her flash stories. And we’ll be at this gorgeous bookstore in Guerneville. If you can, join us!

Happy Summer Solstice! Our newsletter is fresh off the press with authors' thoughts about the season. tinyurl.com/2uyhup8u

@wtawpress.bsky.social & @bettybooks.bsky.social had an amazing reading at the Sonoma Community Writers Festival. Can’t wait to get these authors together again @olgaz.bsky.social @anitafelicelli.bsky.social @lillianhowan.bsky.social @joannackalbus.bsky.social #michellecruzgonzales #genannewalsh

I’m thrilled that this is happening! I know there has to be such a huge, rich history. I’m not sure I can be of much help, but I recall at the reading series, WTAW, several people sharing thoughts about the workshop when they were part of it with Tamim.

You look great! I’m so excited for your book and your tour!

If you missed this in all the fun last week have a look! I wrote one too. Why not sign up for Betty’s new newsletter? wtawpress.eo.page/pxr1w

I loved this evening together with my compatriots at WTAW!

Relive the gloriousness!

A blue and pink and purple starry sky with shooting stars. Trees in the foreground.

Heads up, friends, my FREE monthly Art of Flash Fiction newsletter drops tomorrow. I have added paid content into the mix as well, but subscribers to the free version will continue to your monthly article. artofflashfiction.substack.com Photo by Michał Mancewicz on Unsplash

The Best Books We Read in 2023—And What We're Looking Forward to in 2024 - Words Without Borders WWB staff members share their favorite translated books of the year and the titles they're most looking forward to in 2024.

Wrote a bit about Victor Heringer - one of my favorite discoveries of the year - and Elisa Shua Dusapin for WWB's year end list, which is full of great books: wordswithoutborders.org/read/article...

Thrilled to be working with @jnnyl.bsky.social !

Two books, one by me and one by my father, held up against the guard tower at Minidoka.

I couldn’t be with my dad this weekend at Minidoka, the American concentration camp in Idaho for Japanese Americans during WWII, so I brought his poems instead.

Title card: Tips for Choosing Your Perfect Ghost Outfit dialog bubble says “This is as close as I get to giving fashion advice!”

Text: “A simple wrap feeds never goes out of style.” Image: very fashionable mummy

Text: Remember that even covering your whole rotting corpse won’t stop catcallers, so just wear what makes YOU happy. Image: zombie saying “you’d be scarier if you scowled more”, girl in ghost costume saying “Ugh. This is why I never dress for the zombie gaze.”

Text: Remember that sometimes less is more! Image: a skeleton

Today, in my newsletter, some tips for choosing the perfect ghost outfit! Read the whole thing for free here: aubreyhirsch.substack.com/p/tips-for-c...

Congratulations!

Celebrating ‘Freeman’s’ and Saying Goodbye In this newsletter, we ask CBC host John Freeman about his luminous literary journal, which draws a curtain this autumn with a final issue, which is themed Conclusions.

In our latest newsletter, @anitafelicelli.bsky.social talks with our host, John Freeman, about his luminous literary journal, drawing to a close this autumn with a final issue, themed “Conclusions.”

www.altaonline.com/california-b...

So very excited for this one! Please join in!