Alexander Stuart

Blade Runner, 1982, courtesy of artist  Gavin J Rothery. Just a brief note to remind people that there is now a pre-Real World Writing Workshop lunch this Saturday, January 7th 2012 at 12pm until 2pm at the Diamondback Grill , 93 S. Washington Street, Sonora. The Real World Writing Workshop will follow directly after the lunch at the Central Sierra Arts Council , 193 S. Washington Street, Sonora. Many thanks also to Yvonne, the manager at the Starbucks at The Junction (my local haunt), for her continued support in providing coffee for everyone at the workshop. It is much appreciated! Also, the time for the Noir Writing Workshop on Saturday January 21st 2012 is now 2pm - 4pm, the same as the Real World Writing Workshop.  More details will be posted on this blog soon.  There may also be a pre-workshop lunch before the Noir Workshop, if that proves a popular option, as it seems to be. If you need to contact me for additional information, please either email me at: t

This is to confirm that the time for the Real World Writing Workshop on January 7th 2012 will be from 2pm - 4pm (and NOT 12pm - 2pm). From the responses I have received, everyone seems to prefer the afternoon timeslot - and it works well for me, too. As usual, the workshop will be at the Central Sierra Arts Council , 193 S. Washington Street, Sonora, CA 95370 - opposite the Bank of America building on the corner of Stockton. Details of the workshop are in the post directly below this one. Hope to see you there - and in the meantime, have a wonderful New Year's Eve...and a fantastic 2012! Warmest wishes, Alexander

Photograph: Alexander Chow-Stuart. Since the publication of Lisa Millegan Renner's very kind article about me in The Modesto Bee , I have had many email and phone inquiries about hosting a workshop that focuses on the practical, "real world" aspects of writing:  ▪  Creating a successful outline. ▪  Finding the inspiration and energy to write. ▪  Seeing a project through to completion. ▪  Editing your book. ▪  Finding an agent and publisher. ▪  Exploring self-publishing and electronic publishing options. ▪  Negotiating contracts. ▪  Helping oversee the cover art for your book. ▪  Promoting and marketing your book. Also I will in the future be offering the opportunity to have me advise on a one-page outline of the project you are working on, and give any tips or comments that I hope you will find helpful. As you know, we have a Noir Writing Workshop set for Saturday January 21st 2012 - and a second Pixar Writing Workshop (since the first was so p

The Malteste Falcon, 1941. For those of you wishing to keep up to date on my writing workshops at the Central Sierra Arts Council , the most efficient way is to sign up in the "Follow This Blog By Email" box in the right sidebar beneath the Buddha. You will then receive an email update every time I post to the blog, including any changes in times or dates or other details of the workshops (although I shall try not to mix things around). I would also greatly appreciate it if you would "Like" this blog on Facebook , by clicking on the "Like" button also beneath the Buddha. This lets you follow the Facebook page associated with this wesbite, AlexanderStuart.com , which frequently has additional content not included in the blog. Blade Runner, 1982, courtesy of artist Gavin J Rothery. In the meantime, the first Writing Workshop of the New Year will be on Saturday January 21st 2012 , at the Central Sierra Arts Council, 193 S. Washington Str

Miso, our much-loved lovebird, photographed by Alexander Chow-Stuart. This is just one of the most fabulous nights of the year....The Night Before Christmas. I still love everything about it...the lights on the tree, maybe the occasional lovebird named Miso on the tree (photographing him sitting there is now an anual tradition), the baking smells from the kitchen, the sense that somewhere outside in the mysterious darkness, even in California (and certainly around Wall Street domiciles or in DC), there's still a Victorian street where Ebenezer Scrooge is about to clutch his door handle and see the ghostly face of his late business partner, Jacob Marley... ...But also the stockings hung by the fire, the sense of magic in the air, the images of snowy rooftops and white-clad gardens, even if the weather hasn't cooperated...the original Charlie Brown Christmas Special playing in the DVD player (with that fabulous Vince Guaraldi score)...and those endless songs on the Christmas