Evening of Poetry with David Starkey

Screenwriters Association
of Santa Barbara

Presents an evening of poetry with Santa Barbara Poet Laureate

David Starkey

"Poems About Writing & Reading"

Thursday, February 11, 7 pm*
*Come a half hour before our usual time (7:30 pm) to join in interactive discussion, get to know each other, and network with local talent.
FREE and open to the public
Downtown Borders (Upstairs)
900 State Street
(805)899-3668
Email Us

David Starkey directs the creative writing program at Santa Barbara City College. Among his poetry collections are Starkey's Book of States (Boson Books, 2007), Adventures of the Minor Poet (Artamo Press, 2007), Ways of Being Dead: New and Selected Poems (Artamo, 2006), David Starkey's Greatest Hits (Pudding House, 2002) and Fear of Everything, winner of Palanquin Press's Spring 2000 chapbook contest. A Few Things You Should Know about the Weasel will be published by the Canadian press Biblioasis this year. Over the past twenty years he has published more than 400 poems in literary journals such as American Scholar, Antioch Review, Beloit Poetry Journal, Cutbank, Faultline, Greensboro Review, The Journal, Massachusetts Review, Mid-American Review, Nebraska Review, Notre Dame Review, Poet Lore, Poetry East, South Dakota Review, Southern Humanities Review, Southern Poetry Review, Sycamore Review, Texas Review, and Wormwood Review. He has also written two textbooks: Creative Writing: Four Genres in Brief (Bedford/St. Martin's, 2008) and Poetry Writing: Theme and Variations (McGraw-Hill, 1999). With Paul Willis, he co-edited In a Fine Frenzy: Poets Respond to Shakespeare (Iowa, 2005), and he is the editor of Living Blue in the Red States (Nebraska, 2007). Keywords in Creative Writing, which he co-authored with the late Wendy Bishop, was published in 2006 by Utah State University Press.


Santa Barbara Poet Laureate David Starkey reads his inaugural poem at his installation at City Hall on April 7, 2009.

President's New Baby

If you were at our January meeting, you probably noticed that our President Rashi Bahri was expecting a new baby. Well, two days after that meeting she delivered! Ayush Chitnis arrived on the morning of Jan 16th. He is 6 pounds 14 ounces and 19.5 inches tall. Congratulations to Rashi, her husband and her whole family! We always welcome new people at our meetings, but we are glad Ayush didn't arrive during the meeting.

Meeting minutes for Thursday, January 14, 2010

Meeting called to order approximately 7:30 pm

Rashi Bahri welcomed returning and new attendees.

Lisa Angle made the following announcements:

• If attendees want to be added to our list, please send your email address
  to screenwriterssb@gmail.com.
• Next month’s meeting will be an evening of poetry with Santa Barbara’s
  Poet Laureate David Starkey.
• Santa Barbara poetry series takes place on February 6 at the public library.

Tonight’s speaker: Catherine Ann Jones

• Began her career in New York, pursing acting. Moved on to writing when she didn’t like the way she saw how modern women were portrayed, as either housewives or whores. Thought there must be something in between.
• She enjoys writing strong female roles.
• She likes to think of writing as a process, not product. Warns that commercial influence of art can be a very negative thing.
• Encourages writers to stay true to your own vision.
• “When you write what you think they want, you lose. Fashion is ever changing. Write from yourself, it makes it unique.”
• Thinks of writing as a marriage. Once you really commit, it’s a long process.
• Maya Angelou: “I write in order to discover myself.”
  Virginia Wolfe wrote every single day.
• “The unconscious writer is always working.”
• Catherine teaches “The Way of Story” workshops every six months in Ojai and around the world.
• Screenplays that work/sell—write about ONE thing. “If it’s
  about everything, it’s about nothing.”
• Suggests on the first draft of anything—let yourself run. Second draft-be ruthless!
• “The most important part of dialogue is what you don’t say.”
• “Most important part of teaching is when you see the light go on in a student.”
• Works as a consultant, two tier levels: Story structure—before the writer sits down to write. If there is a first draft—she will edit and provide writer with notes.
• New contact email: catherinejones@wayofstory.com or through: www.wayofstory.com

Meeting adjourned at 8:30 pm

Catherine Ann Jones "The Way of Story"

Screenwriters Association
of Santa Barbara

Presents an evening with actress, playwright, and screenwriter

Catherine Ann Jones

"The way of Story: The Craft & Soul of Writing!"

Thursday, January 14, 7 pm*
*Come a half hour before our usual time (7:30 pm) to join in interactive discussion, get to know each other, and network with local talent.
Downtown Borders (Upstairs)
900 State Street
(805)899-3668
Email Us

Catherine Ann Jones has played major roles in over fifty productions on and off-Broadway, as well as television (Great Performances, etc.) and film. Disappointed by the lack of good roles for women, she wrote a play about Virginia Woolf (On the Edge) which won a National Endowment for the Arts Award. Ten of her plays, including Calamity Jane (both play and musical) and The Women of Cedar Creek, have won several awards and are produced both in and out of New York. Her films include The Christmas Wife (Jason Robards & Julie Harris), Unlikely Angel (Dolly Parton), Angel Passing (Hume Cronyn & Teresa Wright) which played at Sundance and went on to garner fifteen awards here and abroad, and the popular TV series, Touched by an Angel. A Fulbright Scholar to India, she has taught writing at The New School University, University of Southern California, Pacifica Graduate Institute, and the Esalen Institute. Ms. Jones lives in Ojai, and leads "The Way of Story" workshops throughout the United States, Europe, and Asia.