September 1, 2019 – Due to the The Senior Center being closed for the Labor Day holiday, the Monday morning meeting of Writers in the Grove will be held at the Forest Grove United Methodist Church in the library room, starting at the regular 9am time.
The church is located at 1726 Cedar St. in Forest Grove (corner of 17th and Cedar).
We very much appreciate the generosity of the church in letting the group meet there.
The 10th Annual Lend an Ear, Come and Hear reading event is July 20, 2019, at Plum Hill Winery in Gaston, Oregon.
It begins at 10:30AM and goes to approximately 1:00PM, and is produced by Writers in the Grove.
July 20, 2019
Saturday 10:30am-1pm
Plum Hill Vineyards
6505 SW Old Highway 47
Gaston OR 97119
The event is free and open to the public.
For ten years, writers from around Forest Grove and Washington County have submitted and read their work to dozens. Last year we had nearly a hundred attendees. This free event is held in a beautiful winery in the foothills near Hagg Lake overlooking the Tualitin Valley. Enjoy some wine from Plum Hill Winery, our fabulous hosts, and afterwards have a picnic with views of Mt. St. Helens and Mt. Adams from the covered picnic area.
Come laugh, cry, and sigh as you listen to our marvelous readers sharing their creative writing and storytelling skills at this fun family event at Plum Hill Winery.
Entry form and submission guidelines here: (more…)
For Writer’s in the Grove members who registered for the blogging class scheduled for this coming Saturday, March 30, please note that the class has been cancelled due to the instructor being ill.
The class will be rescheduled for another date.
Feb. 18, 2019 – Due to the The Senior Center being closed for the Presidents Day holiday, the Monday morning meeting of Writers in the Grove will be held at the Forest Grove United Methodist Church in the library room, starting at the regular 9am time.
The church is located on the corner of 17th and Cedar in Forest Grove.
We very much appreciate the generosity of the church in letting the group meet there.
The Forest Grove Senior Center will be closed for observance of Martin Luther King holiday on Monday, January 21st, so the weekly meeting will be hosted by Parks and Paula Adams at their home in Forest Grove at the regular time of 9am.
Afterwards there will be a short pot-luck gathering. Most people bring a small snack or some food or drink item to share. Hope to see you there!
The Forest Grove Senior Center will be closed for construction work on Monday, Oct. 15th, so the weekly meeting will be hosted by Parks and Paula Adams at their home in Forest Grove at the regular time at 9am.
Afterwards there will be a short pot-luck gathering. Most people bring a small snack or some food or drink item to share. Hope to see you there.
Bag&Baggage is proud to present a new arts and culture discussion series! B&B A&C will bring together diverse artists from a range of cultural industries to discuss their work, their challenges, and their influences.
B&B A&C is free to the public!
Our first installment is “Independent Authors,” and will feature four local authors who have made a career self-publishing their work. The first event will include short readings from the author’s works followed by a discussion and Q&A session about the independent author and publishing industry. If you’ve ever wondered if you could write and sell your own books, this is a great introduction to the industry with special insights from local writers and editors who are making the magic happen!
Run Time: 90 minutes Recommended for ages: 16+
The 9th Annual Lend an Ear, Come and Hear reading event is July 7, 2018, at Plum Hill Winery in Gaston, Oregon.
It begins at 10:30AM and goes to approximately 1PM, and is produced by Writers in the Grove.
July 7, 2018
Saturday 10:30am-1pm
Plum Hill Vineyards
6505 SW Old Highway 47
Gaston OR 97119
The event is free and open to the public.
Our first conference, the 2018 Authors Conference, on January 27, 2018, was a resounding success in so many ways, it’s hard to know where to start first. First are the thank yous.
Thank you to all the Writers in the Grove members and their families who gave up so much time, energy, feet, and backs to help us make this possible. It is amazing how much can be done with so many eager volunteers. We actually had the Center cleaned up and restored to normal in less than 45 minutes after the end of the event, which is saying plenty!
Thank you to the speakers who shared their powerful perspective on the publishing industry in workshops and open panel discussions. Chip MacGregor, Holly Lorincz, Kristin Thiel, Deborah Reed, MaryJane Nordgren, and Jessica Morrell helped many many find their footing in this new technological world of publishing and push their story ideas and characters even further. Paulann Petersen again swept away cobwebs and restraints to help writers tap into their muse to find the words to share their thoughts, dreams, and stories through the magic of her inspiration.
Thank you to the participants. Your ticket donation helped us raise about $3,000 for the Forest Grove Senior and Community Center to keep their ongoing projects and outreach programs vital, supporting our community. The feedback was amazing. Everyone was so appreciative to have such an exceptional program and group of speakers in Forest Grove. They soaked it up and are eager to get to work writing.
To the donors who gave so much to help us feed and keep our participants happy, we are so grateful.
To the Forest Grove Senior and Community Center, we are beyond grateful for your continued support and encouragement of Writers in the Grove, our activities, and now our special events. The work the staff and volunteers of the Center provide to the community continues to amaze. The senior and community services, affordable meals, Meals on Wheels, bread-baking services, outreach programs, and other social services makes the Center an invaluable resource for our community.
To Lorelle VanFossen for helping with the logistical arrangements of the event, we are very thankful. She kept everyone and everything on time, on track, and mischief managed throughout the entire process.
To Susan Field, our amazing promoter. The event was featured in newspapers, newsletters, posters, signs, and everywhere around Washington County, even in the local utility bill. The success of the sold out program is thanks to her incredible determination to spread the word in spite of life getting in the way. Thank you so much for everything you do for us.
To Diana Lubarsky, our cheerleader, we thank you. Thank you for helping us keep our heads together with your strong leadership qualities. You keep us smiling in spite of ourselves.
To MaryJane Nordgren, our fearless leader, we are eternally grateful. You had a vision for this group from the very beginning. Your determination to provide a safe and supportive environment for creative writers in Forest Grove, outlets for their work through public readings and collaborative published works, and educational opportunities for writers is a testimony to your faith as well as your legacy. You’ve changed this community, added value, and lifted us all up to be better, as people as well as writers. Thank you for believing and trusting us.
I know we’ve forgotten some people to thank. Know that you are not forgotten in our hearts. We could not have done this without you.
Thank YOU!
Thank you so much to everyone and all the companies who donated to help make the 2018 Authors Conference a success.
Donations include food, snacks, drinks, gift certificates, volunteer sweat and tears, and an amazing level of community support and encouragement.
Thank you to all! We couldn’t have done it without you.
