SAN FERNANDO VALLEY WRITERS - Key Persons
Andrea, or "Andi" as she prefers, still lives where she grew up on the family property. Her parents and paternal grandparents built two homes in 1951, on a treeless, three-acre wheat field in the San Fernando Valley. This land was soon filled with fruit trees, vegetable gardens, and lots of animals. She and her two brothers grew up there and later she and her husband raised their two children in her grandparents' home. Currently, she is writing about her life during the San Fernando Valley's transition years, 1951-1960. In addition, she writes short stories and is writing a depression-era novella.
Upon graduation from what is now California State University, Northridge, (CSUN) in 1969, with a degree in history, Andi worked as a proofreader specializing in bibliographies and footnotes for publications by the Office of the Chancellor of The California State Colleges (later Universities). Additionally, she was assigned various research projects, which ultimately led her into the Human Resources field.
After working within the full range of personnel functions, she moved to CSUN and expanded her administrative work in supervisory and management training and staff development.
My teacher Bernard Sellings, inspired me to reach back to my earliest recollections. I wrote, "My Daddy." He suggested writing in the first person present tense. This technique brought me into the situation emotionally. From Bernard's class I heard about the California Writers club and was invited to join. I submitted "My Daddy," for the CWC anthology entitled "Childhood Memories."That child was given a voice, and the beginning of my memoirs.
Since the 6th grade there has been within my nature an affinity for the appreciation of good writing. I wanted to express noble thoughts with my own pencil. I soon realized that there were rules for good writing, it wasn't just conversation put on paper. It took me years to polish my writing ability to where I was happy with it, and most of the credit goes to a wonderful Professor at LA Pierce College. She was full of ideas, and gave me new insight into my writing. In 1981 I received an AA Degree from LA Pierce College, and then completed two semesters at CSUN.
I tried to publish a 150 page Fantasy Adventure in the early 1990's without success. It has just been in the last year that I have tried to publish a short story. In all my writing: Poetry, Short Stories, and Fiction Novel, I have tried to spice it up with a little Spirituality usually as a conclusion, moral, or pick-me-up.
I have been a member of Self-Realization Fellowship since 1983. I enjoyed services at the SRF Lake Shrine Windmill Chapel for a few years then attended regular services at the Fullerton Temple in Orange County for eighteen years. SRF plays a big part in my life today.
As far as work goes, I have worked for various companies at different skill level and always managed to get by. For volunteer work, I enjoyed the Treasurer's office at the City of Anaheim for ten years. Also, for over a year, I did volunteer work on a phone help line for the LA Free Clinic.
In conclusion, I like to write it gives me a tremendous sense of freedom, putting my ideas on paper, so they are not fleeting thoughts, but become tangible.
Job Titles:
- Life Member of the California Writers Club
A Life Member of the California Writers Club, Diana has served the San Fernando Valley Branch, as president and treasurer, as well as a delegate to the State Board of Directors, and State Treasurer. In 1995 she received CWC's prestigious Jack London Award for service to the writing community. In 2006 she became the founding president of the West Valley Branch of CWC.
Ethel Ann was born in a small town in Ohio where she lived three doors from the public library. She credits Edna Ferber with introducing her to a love of literature.
After moving to California with her two daughters, Ethel Ann worked as a paralegal for over 20 years. She returned to college after her daughters were raised, graduating magna cum laude with a B.A. in English Literature from Cal State Northridge. Soon thereafter, her essays and short stories were published in the now defunct Los Angeles Herald Examiner (where she won the Saturday Story Contest), Woman's World, Dog Fancy, Cat Fancy, Valley Magazine, and Lady's Circle. In addition, she had over fifty humorous essays published in the Ventura County Star. Her quirky essays have also won numerous writing contests. Secret Torment, her first novel, was published in 2004.
Ethel Ann is serving her second stint as President of the SFV Branch of CWC. Her first stint was in 1998-2000 when she was also program chair and a columnist. In 1999 she received the Jack London Award for meritorious service. She is also a member of Romance Writers of America.
For the past ten years, Ethel Ann's moody Himalayan cat, Moxie, has allowed her to live with him as his caregiver/slave.
Gagik Melikyan is a Professor of Chemistry in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at California State University Northridge (CSUN) in Northridge, California. Being a highly cited author, his research has culminated in 85 papers, reviews, and book chapters on organic, organometallic, and hormone chemistry, as well as 130 presentations at scientific conferences, academic institutions, and public forums. For the last decade, on behalf of the consumer groups, Dr. Melikyan has been protecting the American public against harmful chemicals present in foods, supplements, beverages, cosmetics, and household items.
Gagik Melikyan is the author of "Guilty Until Proven Innocent: Antioxidants, Foods, Supplements, and Cosmetics," (2010, 368pp), a book that has received awards from The USA "Best Books 2011" and the 2012 International Book competitions, both in the "Science" category. The book criticizes the public's obsession with supplements, antioxidants, and natural extracts. In laymen terms, the author explains why - despite public beliefs - green tea, red wine, coffee, sunscreen lotions, hair colors, and women's cosmetics can cause irreparable damage to vital body systems. Melikyan's book is available for purchase at URL imaginethetruth.com, and also from the Matador bookstore on the CSUN campus ($29.99).
Isabell C. Robertson - Born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona, I was interested in writing the day I learned to read. My early writings include poetry and short stories. I graduated from the University of Phoenix with a bachelor's degree in Business Management and a Public Accounting Degree as well. Even though my career is "counting beans", my passions include writing short stories, reading crime novels, an occasional romance novel, cardio workouts, and wood burning. I met my husband twenty years ago at a friend's wedding and moved to California six months later to be with him and to raise his two daughters. With the kids grown and moved away, I have a little more time to dip into my passions. I'm currently working on two short stories, one is about my best friend and the good times we once shared, and the other is a story about a man I once dated that had mental challenges. I'm hoping to retire in the next couple of years and look forward to writing a screen play.
Kay Henden is a retired attorney/educator turned novelist, an avid amateur historian, and a peripatetic researcher.
She practiced law in northern California, specializing in the intricacies of taxation and trust law. That led in time to the study of property transfers and the rights of married women in the 19th century, topics that produced some surprising insights into the daily life of women of that time.
Larry Levine is a political consultant, editor and publisher of an online food magazine and restaurant recommendation web site, and a freelance contributor to newspaper op-ed sections.
Levine lives in Van Nuys CA with his wife, Jennifer. They have two sons, three grand daughters and a grand son.
"I don't know for how many key strokes I've been responsible," Levine says. "But it started when I was 13-years-old and took my first journalism class in junior high school. It's 62 years later, now, and he's still at it."
Levine has been a political consultant since 1970, having overseen election campaigns for candidates and ballot measures in California and six other states. His firm, Larry Levine & Associates, is headquartered in Sherman Oaks CA.
In 2009 Levine turned his passion for all things food into the restaurant web site atLarrys.com - http://www.atlarrys.com. The site does not do restaurant reviews, just recommendations of places at which great food and unique dining experiences can be found. atLarrys.com now lists more than 200 restaurants in California and hundreds more throughout the rest of the world.
In 2010 Levine took his love of food to another level when he founded the online magazine Table Talk atLarrys.com - http://www.tabletalkatlarrys.com. The magazine has published nearly 300 articles and essays and has been read in some 145 countries.
Before turning to politics, Levine was a political reporter and editor for Copley News Service, with an office in Los Angeles and Sacramento. His 14 years in the news business also included stints as a sports writer and editor, a city editor, a special assignment reporter and an investigative reporter.
While working fulltime as a reporter, he wrote lyrics for three published songs and turned out story lines for several Warner Bros. TV dramatic series. He currently is working on several book-length projects.
Mary Freeman (aka Mary Rubio) was one of the founding members of the California Writers' Club San Fernando Valley branch in 1986. She served one term as the Branch President, several years as Newsletter Editor and Central Board Representative (CBR).
A few years later, when she became a divorced mother of two teenagers, Mary took a hiatus from the CWC to attend to "real-life." During that time multiple careers ensued, wherein her writing talents were utilized: legal administrator, live-stage concert producer, non-profit coordinator, all in conjunction with a second marriage and a bonus-baby. Altogether inspirational life-changing experiences.
She returned to CWC-SFV in 2011 as Treasurer, Board Member, CBR and Anthology Coordinator.
Nevertheless, Mary's "write-life" has continued unabated throughout the years.
Michael Rains was often commended by teachers for creative writing, even to having an award category created for him at a school graduation.
"When drawing, I can never make a straight line," he says. "I guess I write the same way."
After living on a hill at the end of Sylmar for nine years, he has learned to write books in the same way that a cactus finds water. If he found three wishes, one would be to see his favorite white cat that ran off.
I grew up in a Chicago suburb and moved to California in 1968 to attend Pitzer College for a BA in psychology. Once in mountainous California I had no interest in returning to the dull flatlands of the Midwest. After a few years of entry-level jobs I entered UCLA for my masters in social work.
As a therapist at Foothill Family Service, a private non-profit agency, I provided treatment to numerous families, individuals and children. I advanced at the agency from supervisor to program director and finally to Chief of Clinical Service. I retired in 2014 after thirty-five years at the agency.
As head of services I was instrumental in writing many successful proposals to fund new and continuing social service programs. I enjoyed proposal writing, figuring out how to provide new services, the camaraderie of editing and finally receiving a funding reward to implement our plans.
Retirement allows me to enjoy more time with my husband, children, grandchildren and to travel. I am determined to continue writing, while breaking out of the mold required by grantsmanship. Since retiring I have written a number of vignettes from my childhood, taken creative writing classes and joined CWC. I look forward to learning from my fellow CWC members as I develop and practice my writing skills.
Education: Michigan State University, Major: English, Minor: French, Art..cum laud, LMU School Counseling, Cal Lutheran, MFT…
I grew up the youngest of six children in Nebraska and came to California to go to UCLA majoring in Music, with a minor in English. My first year of college was at Northwestern University in Chicago. Arriving here in the sunshine, palm trees, one wardrobe for the year, ocean to snow in an hour or so, I decided I had shivered and shoveled my last and was never going to leave. That still is my goal. Following a career in music - performing as a soloist on the marimba - I married and raised six children of my own. This led me into careers in education and business. I feel like I have now finally found out what I want to be when I grow up - a writer.
I like to write nonfiction. I have written a biography of a Chinese man who was sold as a young child telling of his search for his true identity. This book is titled A Pawn of Fate. Another book soon to be available is entitled Good Luck, Mrs. Brown. It is a memoir of our family life when my husband became mentally ill. It tells of our family experience in dealing with this tragedy. I have also written many short stories and poetry and am still studying all aspects of this wonderful craft of writing. Several articles and stories have appeared in our newsletter In Focus such as:
Stephany Spencer is a retired teacher on her endless summer, a "creative" and poet.
Born in Chihuahua, Mexico of American parents, she spent most of her life in the Western U.S., married young and was widowed at twenty-one. Left with a three-year old daughter, she raised her while putting herself through the University, graduating from East LA College in 1970 with an AA in Music, UCLA in 1973 with a BA in Sociology; did Post-graduate work in Liberal Arts at California State University, Northridge, obtaining a Teaching Credential in 1976.