Moderator: SBWC faculty member, Trey Dowell, is a novelist and a short story aficionado. His expertise in writing effective query letters has helped numerous writers get their projects reviewed by agents and publishers.

Margaux Dunbar Hession is a funny, off-beat, award-winning writer of dark humor stories that balance darker subjects with audacious wit and off-the-wall scenarios, many inspired by her own escapades. Her first novel, Soaring to New Lows springs from her life as former wife of Journey Rock & Roll Hall of Fame drummer, Aynsley Dunbar. Her writing has appeared in multiple journals and publications. She resides in Kailua Hawaii, where she paddles on a 6-person, co-ed, outrigger team.

David Starkey, served as Santa Barbara’s 2009–2011 Poet Laureate. He is founding director of the Creative Writing Program at Santa Barbara City College, co-editor of the California Review of Books, and the publisher and co-editor of Gunpowder Press. Over the past thirty-five years, he has published 11 full-length collections of poetry with small presses and more than 500 poems in literary journals. His novel Poor Ghost was released March 2024.

Candi Sary graduated from the University of California, Irvine. Her novel, Black Crow White Lie (2012), won Reader Views Literary Award, a CIBA, and was first runner-up in the Eric Hoffer Book Award and made into a short film by Chase Michael Wilson. Her latest, Magdalena (2023), also won a CIBA. A mother of two adult children, she lives in Southern California with her husband, a dog, a cat, and several ducks. She can often be found surfing and paddle boarding in the waters of Newport Beach.

James Darnborough grew up in London, UK, before spending 30 years in the media business in South Africa, Australia and the USA. He resides in LA. His historical saga, The Gambler’s Game, is set in the twilight of the 19th Century, as the Old West collides with the opulence of the Gilded Age. One man embarks on a journey that redefines his life. His audacious spirit leads him from dust-chocked plains to the refined ambiance of English garden parties and the allure of Belle Epoque Monte Carlo.

Nancy Klann-Moren was raised in North Hollywood. Her novel, The Clock of Life, is an award-winning story of friendship and struggle at a time in our history when American protests changed the status quo. In her short story collection, Like the Flies on The Patio, she brings us fallible and human characters who live on the page and gently break your heart. Her new novel, Love and Protest, begins with the chance discovery of a diary. This is a coming-of-age-story about two young women’s paths toward becoming activists.

Matthew J. Pallamary, moderator, is an award-winning writer, musician, and sound healer who’s been studying shamanism all his life. He has books covering several genres. His latest story collection is The Thinning Veil: 13 Twisted Tales. He explores how art imitates life and reflects our human condition.

G. Brian Kurtz is an intuitively-guided medical empath, energy healer and author of Access the Real You: Touching Your Divinity and Applying its Wisdom to Your Life. As a speaker and teacher, he has brought his message to more than 2,500 people from six countries. He lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where he works with groups and individuals toward personal growth and healing.

Kelly Giles obtained his Juris Doctor Degree from Pepperdine University School of Law. He practiced U.S. immigration law for twenty-three years and continues to practice Canadian immigration law. He’s written a trilogy of poetry books. Killing Justice is his debut memoir. He currently lives in Culver City, California. He’s passionate about raising awareness about mental illness and the criminal justice system and encouraging others on their healing journey, especially through the arts.

Lorissa Rinehart is an author, cultural producer, and public speaker. Her writing explores women’s history, politics, war, and their points of intersection. Her debut book, First to the Front: The Untold Story of Dickey Chapelle, Trailblazing Female War Correspondent (St. Martin’s Press) has received rave reviews. She’s a TEDx speaker who’s appeared at the National Press Club, Friends of the National World War II Memorial, the Women’s National Press Club, and the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation among other prestigious organizations. She’s been featured on numerous podcasts.

Marianne Dougherty whose latest is Dye: a memoir of art, music, faith, family and hair color, based on the life of celebrity hairdresser Brad Johns, is an award-winning writer and former beauty editor and publisher. In 2017 she received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Beauty Bus Foundation, which provides grooming services to seriously ill people and their caregivers. In 2019 and 2022, she was a finalist for a Golden Quill Award for journalistic excellence. She lives in Santa Barbara and is author of the novel, What We Remember.

Diana Raab MFA, PhD, is an award-winning memoirist, poet, and thought leader. She’s been writing personal stories and memoir for more than 5 decades. She’s author of 14 books, including 3 memoirs. Her latest, Hummingbird: Messages from My Ancestors, a memoir, has writing and reflection prompts. She speaks and writes about writing for healing and transformation. Many of her talks are based on her books, Writing for Bliss: A Seven-Step Plan for Telling Your Story and Transforming Your Life, and Writing for Bliss: A Companion Journal.

Demystifying Publishing Options with Patricia Marshall, Rick Shaw, and Holly Kammier. This session offers a working understanding of the range of publishing options, a useful checklist as to what you’ll need in any route to publication, and how to decide if self-publishing a good choice for you.