SCOTTY CORNFIELD
I am a lifelong writer but when I joined the CCW, I was completely new to writing prose (does that make me a prose amateur? My head hurts just thinking about that!). My first two books, FAST FICTION: 101 Stories of 101 Words Each (Vol. 1), and the cleverly titled, FAST FICTION, Vol. 2: Man Vs. Machine, showcased my journey into the world of flash fiction. Next up: My first novel, which will be based on real (and made up) stuff from my days as an undercover cop in San Jose. Stay tuned. Find me at: www.scottycornfield.com or https://www.facebook.com/scotty.cornfield
NICKI EhRLICH
Nicki’s debut novel, Ellis River, won a Benjamin Franklin Award from the Independent Book Publishers Association, was a semi-finalist for the Publishers Weekly Booklife Prize, a finalist for the Eric Hoffer First Horizons Award, and received an Honorable Mention for the Eric Hoffer Grand Prize. She holds a B.A. in Philosophy/English, and earned a Certificate in Creative Writing from Monterey Peninsula College. She has won awards for her poetry and creative writing, including the Writer’s Digest Annual Poetry Awards and the Ray Fabrizio Memorial Award. She is a member of the Independent Book Publishers Association and a certified copyeditor. https://nickiehrlich.com
MICHAEL LATTA
Michael Latta is an ex-Navy brat, ex-Marine Corps, ex-NYC ad agency Mad Man, ex-husband(s), ex-Peace Corps and life-long sailor. His current home port is Monterey Harbor Marina where he happily lives aboard his traditional sailing cutter Narwhal and sails (and writes) wherever and whenever he feels the urge. He has sailed extensively in the Atlantic, the Caribbean, and the South Pacific, most recently spending a dozen years exploring the Sea of Cortez and the Mexican Riviera. He writes magazine articles and newspaper columns in addition to creating short stories, books and novels (See MichaelLattaBooks.com). Michael continues to write his Deep Salt novels, articles and screenplays.
Nancy Middleton
Nancy Middleton’s short fiction has appeared in The South Carolina Review and her author interviews have been published at undomesticatedmag.com and in Glimmer Train, one of which was anthologized in the Writers Ask series. She has also won two Solas Best Travel Writing awards and been a featured writer at The Clemson Literary Festival. Nancy has worked as a freelance editor for organizations such as The Brookings Institute and currently teaches English at California State University, Monterey Bay. She is nearing completion of a historical novel and is represented by Cassandra Rodgers of Five Otter Literary.
Linda Mutty
A career educator, Linda M. Mutty retired in 2012 after forty years both as a teacher and principal. Her career spanned elementary through high school, finally resting comfortably in middle school. Born in Massachusetts, raised in the Santa Clara Valley and now living in Carmel, CA with her husband, Linda has returned to her first love, fiction writing. Since retiring, she has published six novels and is working on her seventh. Her first, Cadences as well as A Stone’s Throw Away, An Accurate Account, Not To Be Believed, A Fortuned Life and Spheres are available on Amazon.
GARY PARKER
Gary Parker is a retired military officer, engineer, physicist, and government researcher. Gary and his wife moved to the Monterey area in 2007, and he became a member of the Central Coast Writers in 2016. He has four decades of writing experience, specializing in communicating technical subjects to non-technical audiences in a way that facilitates decision-making. Gary is working on his first mystery novel set in the near future when NASA robotic exploration on Mars discovers something that shakes the roots of the scientific and political establishments. Gary has been the CCW Publicity Chair and is currently the CCW Treasurer.
wanda sue parrott
WANDA SUE PARROTT has been published under at least 18 pen names since debuting as a performer/writer in 1960 as a Hollywood actress on "A Day in Court as Wanda Sue Childress," in FATE Magazine and performing poet of Venice West. Six-plus decades later she produced 55 books, ran the National Annual Senior Poet Laureate Competition for American Poets over 50 for 21 years, won awards as a journalist, taught writing, and learned to live by her favorite salutation: "May the Muse be with You", which is also the title of her poetry anthology.
Sarah E. pruitt
Sarah E. Pruitt privately produced a couple of family histories. One day it occurred to her that she could fictionalize the stories and not have to search out those pesky facts to prove the twists and turns of her narratives. She has published a short story in Woven Tales and contributed articles to Angles in Disguise and What's in a Name. She is currently working on a novel taking place in the mid 1800s.
JENNIFER SCHMIDT
Jennifer Schmidt works in both novel and short story formats. She is the recipient of the 2017 Parents Fellowship from Martha’s Vineyard Institute of Creative Writing, long-listed for the Masters Review Spring Small Fiction Awards 2023 and holds an AA in Creative Writing. She is currently working on a fiction novel with elements of suspense and mystery set in New Mexico. Jennifer also volunteers as the CCW webmaster.
PETER SERCHUK
Peter Serchuk was born and raised in New York, attended college and graduate school in the Midwest and had a long career in advertising including 28 years in Los Angeles. His poems have appeared in a variety of literary journals including Poetry, Atlanta Review, Denver Quarterly, Paris Review, Hudson Review and others. His published collections are: Waiting for Poppa at the Smithtown Diner (University of Illinois Press), All That Remains (WordTech Editions) and The Purpose of Things (Regal House Publishing). Peter lives in Carmel, CA.
CHRISTINE SLEETER
Christine Sleeter is an author, speaker, teacher, and activist whose creative work sparks insight into the diverse people who inhabit classrooms, schools, and communities. Her novels explore the relationship between past and present issues of equity and justice as her protagonists dig up surprises in their family histories. Her novel Family History in Black and White, which won an International Impact Book Award and the Firebird Award for Multicultural Fiction, asks what happens when descendants of slaves and descendants of slave owners accidentally discover their shared history. Learn more about her work at https://christinesleeter.org.
MICHELLE SMITH
Michelle Smith’s novel excerpt was a top-10 finalist for the 2019 She Writes Press and SparkPress Toward Equality in Publishing (STEP) competition. Her humor piece titled “Bitch Wings” won First Place in the 2021 SouthwestWriters Competition’s annual anthology. Her essays/articleshave appeared in numerous print and online publications, and she writes the member profile column for CCW’s newsletter, Scribbles. Michelle is currently writing memoir and poetry. Additional writing society memberships: The Authors Guild; The National League of American Pen Women, Inc.; San Diego Writers, Ink; and the Central Coast Writers Branch of the California Writers Club.
Website: www.theebonyquill.com. Instagram: @thequillster.
JASON WARBURG
The son of a writer and an architect, Jason Warburg was building worlds in his imagination before he learned to ride a bike. His 2011 novel Believe in Me finds political operative Tim Green stumbling headlong into the rock and roll universe of his music-writer father. Next came My Heart Sings the Harmony, a non-fiction collection of writing about music, followed by Never Break the Chain, a sequel to Believe in Me. His current book is The Remembering: Reflections on Love, Art, Faith, Heroes, Grief and Baseball, an essay collection that’s also a memoir of sorts. Visit Jason at www.jasonwarburg.com
Judy Zhu
As a Chinese language professor at the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center (DLI), Judy Zhu believes that raising cultural awareness is a necessity and should be an ongoing effort regardless of how much one already knows about a foreign language. Her Modern Chinese Cultural Encounters aims to provide Westerners, especially Americans studying or traveling in China, with a unique Chinese perspective and reference.
T.C. ZMAK
T.C. Zmak is a novelist, beach enthusiast, craft beer drinker, oenophile, foodie, and dog parent. She is the award-winning author of the Dark Surf series. Her debut novel, Dark Surf, and the sequel, Rising, have earned critical acclaim and national & international awards. T.C. graduated from the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) with a Bachelor of Arts degree in communication. She now lives in Marina, Calif., on the picturesque Monterey Bay. Learn more at TCZmak.com.