Join us for Write Night at SPAM, an evening of creative writing and artistic reflection with works by local artists John Robertson, Lynn Hanson, and Kay Zetlmaier serving as inspiration! Special guests Mary Kay Rummel, Poet Laureate Emerita of Ventura County, and Santa Paula artist and author Anita McLaughlin will share expert guidance and ideas to get you started, followed by writing time and socializing. Light refreshments, paper, and pencils will be provided. The event is free for everyone.

About Mary Kay Rummel:

Mary Kay Rummel’s ninth poetry book, Nocturnes: Between Flesh and Stone, has just been published by Blue Light Press of San Francisco. Previous books have won awards from New Rivers Press, Bright Hill Press and Blue Light Press. She is a former faculty member of the University of Minnesota and California State University, Channel Islands. She is Poet Laureate Emerita of Ventura County and a founding member of the Ventura County Poetry Project. Mary Kay has performed her poetry in many venues in the US, Ireland, and England, and has taught poetry classes and led workshops for all ages.

About Anita McLaughlin:

Anita McLaughlin works at Blanchard Community Library and lives in Santa Paula on the edge of the Santa Clara River. She writes about life in the Heritage Valley in the shadow of South Mountain. Anita’s poems have been published in SMC Emeritus Chronicles, Askew, Canyon Chronicle and the VCWC anthology, Nuance. McLaughlin previously taught a digital art workshop at the Santa Paula Art Museum’s Cole Creativity Center.