SLO NightWriters - Board Members

The Premier Writing Organization
On California's Central Coast

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Board Members

Dennis Young - President, Photographer and Art Director: Dennis is a writer and professional photographer living in Shell Beach. Though he photographs everything, he specializes in portraits and commercial photography, and works on his stories and novels between photography sessions. Dennis began his photography in New York City in 1969, with magazine and advertising assignments. He is a genuine people person and enjoys being a member of SLO NightWriters as both a writer and as staff photographer. Website: www.DennisEamonYoungPhoto.com; email him at: photodennis44@gmail.com; or write to him at PO Box 3438, Shell Beach, CA 93449

Contest Committee:

Anita Hunt -

Anita Hunt is a native Californian and lives in Avila Beach with her husband, Terry. She has been journalling for over 40 years and is presently writing a novel based on a few of those journals. Her goal is to be published in 2013! She is retired, travels extensively with her husband and is thrilled to be a part of SLO Nightwriters.

Judith Bernstein -

Judith Amber relocated to sunny California from rainy but lushly green Oregon about seven years ago. After working for non-profits and government for more than 30 years, she is semi-retired and so has more time for writing. Her articles have appeared in The New Times, Edible SLO, The Tribune, Oregon Coast Magazine and her poetry in Talus and Scree Literary Review and Fishtrap Anthology.

Sharyl Ann Heber - Sharyl is also the Critique Group Coordinator for NightWriters. Please see her bio below.

Judythe Guarnera - Tolsoa Press Editor and Submission Manager :

Judythe, who is our Tolsoa Press Submission Manager, declares that, at age 73 she is “too old to die young. " She has been writing all her life--newsletters, reports, grants, letters to the editor, Viewpoints and love letters. Her first official newsletter was published when she was a Sophomore in college. It was a playful gossip column for a church young adult group. Her identity remaines a secret to this day, the secret part probably accounting for the fact that she reached the age of 73.

A graduate of the “Breaking Into Print” Writing Program, Judythe now has time in retirement to write fiction, short stories and novels. She continues her volunteer work as a mediator. Her volunteering and much of her writing is focused on connection through communication. Judythe’s essays and short stories have been featured in local publications, in an anthology and in a number of online literay journals. She is a 4-time winner of the Lillian Dean Writing Competition at the Annual Central Coast Writer’s Conference. The fourth time was a charm as she snagged a first place trophy.

Managing the submissions for the NW column in the Tolosa Press publications has been an exciting experience. Visit the home page of the NW website to access the submission guidelines so you can and add your essay, interview or story to the long list of NightWriters who have been published in the NW column during the last four years. Submit to j.guarnera@sbcglobal.net

Carol Schmidt - Secretary:

Andrea Chmelik - Board Member-at-Large:

Andrea's role is to convey members suggestions or concerns to the board, to listen to members and bring their issues, needs and interests to the board; to identify potential problems and possibilities; to survey the members at least once a year to determine the degree of satisfaction experienced by the members and to identify concerns and problems; to write a monthly column for the newsletter.

Please don't hesitate to contact her at chmelik.andrea@gmail.com.

Andrea is a blogger and a stay at home Mom. She was born in Slovakia and came to the Central Coast two years ago with her husband, son and two cats. Andrea mainly blogs about challenges of motherhood, but also comments on other topics, ranging from identifying home to dealing with death. She was honored to be chosen a featured member at BlogHer.com. Andrea's current book and blogs can be found at:

http://andreachmelik.blogspot.com/
http://cheerstothesecondtime.blogspot.com/
http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/3410822 Emails to Daddy (print book)
http://store.blurb.com/ebooks/293938-e-mails-to-daddy Emails to Daddy (e-book)

Susan Vasques - Membership Director - Bio to come.

Sharyl Ann Heber - Vice President, Critique Group Coordinator: Sharyl lives on the Central Coast of California. She is a member of the San Luis Obispo Night Writers and has been scribbling out fiction for fifteen years. Both screenwriter and novelist, her first two tales, Keepers of the Dream and As Beauty Does emerge from her love of fantasy and inspirations from trips to her favorite country, England. She is both self taught from a case full of books on writing, and formally taught by attending classes and writer’s workshops. Contact her by email at sheber@charter.net.

Steve Kliewer - Backup Webmaster: Steve Kliewer's writing is focused on grants, newsletters and websites. He is the back-up person for the SLO NightWriters WebMaster. Steve joined SLO NightWriters to support his wife, Judythe Guarnera. He can be seen setting up and taking down at general meetings, helping the Welcome Committee, or taking photos for President Dennis Eamon Young when Dennis is busy. Another way Steve supports Judy is by critiquing her work and acting as a sounding board when she is in the middle of a project. When he's not doing any of these things, he is busy as the Director of the Endeavour Institute, a private non-profit dedicated to promoting STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) Education in the schools. Find the Endeavour Institute at: endeavourinstitute.org.

Janice Konstantinidis - Webmaster, Kudos Reporter, and Assistant Photographer: Janice joined SLO NightWriters with the goal of developing her writing skills. She is Australian by birth and has lived on California's Central Coast seven years. She is currently writing her memoir. She has been writing shorter pieces, prose, poetry most of her life. Janice's memoir will focus on her life in and as the result of institutionalized life as a child.

http://www.nma.gov.au/exhibitions/inside_life_in_childrens_homes_and_institutions/home

Judy Salamacha - Program Director: Judy, the Director of the Central Coast Writers' Conference, has been writing since 4th Grade, but she didn't consider herself a writer until moving to the Central Coast eight years ago. Now a writer/journalist, she's published in Travelhost, The Bay News, Sun Bulletin and currently her column "By the Bay" in Monday's Tribune. She's working on an circa-1869 Middle School Chapter Book. Become a Facebook fan and join us at the 2010 conference.

Publicity Director:

Susan Tuttle - Vice President, Treasurer and Newsletter Editor: Susan is a native of Buffalo, New York, Susan moved to the Central Coast in 2004. She is the author of the suspense novel, Tangled Webs. She continues to win awards for her short stories, novels and, recently, her creative non-fiction. Susan writes sci-fi, fantasy, suspense, paranormal suspense and spiritual meditations. She is also a professional editor/writing coach. You can find her on Facebook, or contact her through her websites: www.susant-creations.com and www.susant-writer.com or email her at aim2write@yahoo.com.

Anna Unkovich - Welcome Committee: Anna retired from teaching for 31 years in Michigan, and moved to California in 2001. She had her own newspaper column titled “Classroom With A View” and is co-author of Chicken Soup For The Soul In The Classroom. She teaches part-time at Hancock College and continues to write poetry and short stories.

Kalila Volkov - Sunshine Chair: Kalila loves being in the Hi Hopes workshop. She's the author of Fishing for Equilibrium: The Power of a Diary (self-published in 2008), and she enjoys writing poems, several of which have appeared in Women's Press and the local Sierra Club newsletter. She works as a clerical sub for the school district and sings with Cuesta Master Chorale. See her listing on the Members' Books page.