BLA sponsors two Memoir Writing Groups that each meet twice a month. Having a BLA membership is required to attend. To inquire about joining the Memoir Writing Group, please email  lois@requist.com

GOING THE DISTANCE—NOT THERE YET  brings together writings that offer strength, hope, and solidarity in this time of ongoing viral pandemic, embedded racism, economic hardship, climate crisis, and threats to democracy. This column of poetry and short prose is published weekly in the Benicia Herald and is posted at Going The Distance. Due to space limitations, prose pieces of fewer than 350 words, or poems of fewer than 30 lines, with a maximum of 30 characters per line work best. Send your writing to msgast45@gmail.com

Benicia Literary Arts is seeking volunteers

Benicia Literary Arts is now part of Amazon's Smile charities donation program.

Shop at smile.amazon.com and use this link to direct your donation  Benicia Literary Arts. Amazon will donate to us 0.5% of your eligible purchases with no fees or extra cost. Choose Benica Literary Arts as your charity. 

Benicia First Tuesday Poets’ Group


Who: Anyone who writes, reads, or is even a little intrigued by poetry.
What: Read your poetry for a supportive community; listen to others; take part in conversation.
(The first and third choices are optional.)
When: 7 p.m. on the first Tuesday of every month from September through June

For more information see: 


https://www.benicialibrary.org/poet/events

Welcome! What we do:
  • Read, edit, and work with authors on their manuscripts
  • Publish works of literary merit
  • Hold events that inform and educate writers
  • Sponsor ongoing writing groups who help each other
  • Sponsor workshops on writing, publishing, social media
We started a blog! We invite you to join the conversation on the blog page. 

We are thrilled to announce that Carolyn Plath’s memoir, Glenn’s Sister, published by Benicia Literary Arts, has been selected as a finalist in the Next Generation Indie Book Awards competition, the largest not-for-profit book awards for indie authors and publishers. Carolyn, who passed away in December 2022, was a member of one of BLA’s Memoir Groups. With vivid descriptions and wry wit, Plath, a native of Tulsa, Oklahoma, brings the 50s and 60s alive in this story of a family united by love but torn apart by an unspoken secret. At the book’s center lies the deep bond between Glenn and his sister Carolyn, who uses multiple points of view to tell the tragic story of her brother’s brief life with insight, understanding, and wry humor.

To all members;
I’d like to invite you to visit and perhaps join the board of Benicia Literary Arts. Why would you do that? Well, you get to know more members, learn what we do and why and influence the future of the organization. You can bring ideas to the board. You can also participate in committees and planning activities. You’ll feel very much a part of the organization! Any member can attend a board meeting at any time, but you do need to let me know so I can send you the link. The March board meeting will be Tuesday, the 12th at noon. It lasts about an hour. My email is lois@requist.com


Lois Requist
President Benicia Literary Arts


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Benicia Literary Arts Features Four Local Poets Reading from their new book, "Love’s Meditation".
Four accomplished local poets will read from an anthology, "Love’s Meditation", on Saturday, March 30th at 2 p.m. at the Benicia Library. Mary Eichbauer, Johanna Ely, Deborah Schmidt, and Laurie Hailey will read poems from their work in "Love’s Meditation", answer questions, and sign copies. The public is invited. Read more about it here. 


This book is available on randomlanepress.com