Writers-helping-writers Salon meets the third Monday of each month via Zoom for the foreseeable future from 5 to 7 PM.


To attend please RSVP to lois@requist.com


Benicia Literary Arts is a $40 annual membership

BLA sponsors two Memoir Writing Groups that each meet twice a month. BLA membership is required to attend. To inquire about joining, 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



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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

Author Talk Event at Bookshop Benicia

Sunday, March 26, 5pm

Have you ever wanted to find out how an author gets ideas for a book?
Here is your chance.


Benicia Literary Arts is excited to announce a talk with Benicia author, Jim White, in conversation with

Ben Lit President, Lois Requist, at 5pm on Sunday, March 26th. The topic of this "book chat" will be

Jim’s latest book, Helen And Her Brothers. Light refreshments are included.


The event will be held at Bookshop Benicia, located at 636 1st Street, Benicia. Jim is the author of several

critically acclaimed books, including Borders In Paradise, Carp Cafe, and an anthology of short stories,

Made Up Stories. Jim and Lois will also converse about topics such as authoring techniques, the publishing

business, and Jim’s personal take on writing.
Readers and writers alike will enjoy a lively exchange of opinions and impressions about Helen And Her Brothers and Jim’s experience as an author. Attendees will have the chance to participate with questions and comments and have their copy signed by the author after the talk.

About Jim White: Jim is a California-based writer of historical, literary and science fiction. He and his prize-winning poet wife enjoy Benicia’s small-town lifestyle and its vibrant literary and visual arts community. Jim is an active participant in his community’s literary activities, hosting prose workshops and mentoring writers. Jim's stories have appeared in Datura Literary Journal, The Wapshott Press, Remington Review, Adelaide Books, and Rochak Publishing.


Helen and Her Brothers ©2023 James W. WhiteAvailable from Barnes & Noble, Amazon, and your local bookshop

Future events:
April, date undetermined, Debbie Weiss and Lois Requist will talk about memoir writing.
May--a workshop on screen writing
June--a social event
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