Writing Classes

Time to Write! A Prompt Writing Workshop with Britta Stromeyer Esmail

Saturday, May 4, 2024 - 1:30pm


Time to Write! A Prompt Writing Workshop

Saturday - May 4 • 1:30pm- 3:30pm Pacific Time

Corte Madera Store & Online via Zoom

$80

 

 

* Note that for all classes held on Zoom, registration closes at noon the day before the class begins. Same-day registrations are not available, so please plan ahead. Classes will be recorded and video replay will be available for a limited time.

 

Let's make time to write together. Britta will share a brief writing craft lesson and a piece of another author’s work to inspire you. She will then offer a prompt related to that lesson and you will have time to sit and write. During this two-hour workshop Britta will inspire you to stay connected to your creative mind as you work on a new prompt every 10-15 minutes. It's like speed-dating for writers (without the date!) There will be plenty of time for sharing at the end. Time to write!

 

Britta is the author of award-winning children’s books. Her flash fiction appears in Bending Genres Journal. She was a finalist for the Bellingham Review Tobias Wolff Award for Fiction 2021. She is a teaching artist at Marin School of the Arts, CA, a member of the National Writing Project Council, Page Street, LitCamp, & PEN, and SCBWI. She has been a reader for the Firecracker Awards. A former editor for Tuxedo Literature & Arts & FastForward Magazine, she holds an MFA from Dominican University, CA, a Masters in International Communication from American University, and a Certificate in Novel Writing from Stanford University. www.brittastromeyer.com

 

What students are saying about Britta: 

Britta was thoughtful and full of wisdom. This class was inspiring and thought provoking.  I left inspired and full of possibility!
- Rebecca R.

As the first writing class I ever took, Britta’s workshop was an excellent way to kickstart my writing efforts. The rapidly paced and diverse prompt-writing exercises were challenging, thought-provoking and fun at the same time.
- Laurie W

51 Tamal Vista Blvd
Corte Madera, CA 94925

Art & Architecture of Northern Spain with Kerrin Meis

Wednesday, April 10, 2024 - 1:00pm


Art & Architecture of Northern Spain

Two Wednesdays - April 10 and 17, 2024
1PM-3:00PM PT

Corte Madera Store

$120 for both, $65 for one session

 

 

 

 

From Barcelona to Santiago de Compostela, discover the fantastic art and architecture of this diverse and captivating area. We will explore:

  • Paintings from the prehistoric to the Modern including Pablo Picasso,
  • Architecture from the Pre- Romanesque churches of Oviedo to the Post Modern masterpieces of Frank Gehry in Bilbao,
  • Renzo Piano in Santander and Antoni Gaudi in Barcelona and beyond!

We will also spend some time in Navarra. There is much art there beyond the Running of the Bulls in Pamplona. A major focus on the Basque region: San Sebastian's museums and the Santuario de Loyola. In Castile we visit the spectacular Gothic Cathedral of Leon and some surprises. The Asturias residence of the first Kings is home to the marvelous city of Oviedo and Covadonga where the Reconquista began The Heir or Heiress of the Spanish crown is the Prince/Princess of the Asturias. We shall learn why. Great museums here!

We will also travel for a distance on the pilgrimage route visiting spots of real interest along the way. The Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela is worth some time as are some other places in this originally a Celtic city. We will visit some festivals in various cities and learn why the Basque area is considered the gastronomic capital of Europe. Perhaps we will even learn a few words of the several different languages spoken in Northern Spain!



Kerrin Meis taught art history at SFSU for ten years and has led study tours in Europe. Her Book Passage classes have been favorites for years.

Book Passage Corte Madera
51 Tamal Vista blvd
Corte Madera, CA 94925

Less is More! Writing Micro Fiction with Britta Stromeyer Esmail

Saturday, April 20, 2024 - 1:30pm


Less is More! Writing Micro Fiction

Saturday - April 20, 2024
1:30pm-3:30pm Pacific Time

Corte Madera Store & Online via Zoom

$80

 

 

* Note that for all classes held on Zoom, registration closes one day before the class begins. Same-day registrations are not available, so please plan ahead. Classes will be recorded and video replay will be available for a limited time. 

 

Dive into the world of flash fiction, where every word matters and every sentence packs a punch. Welcome to the universe of micro fiction, where the power of storytelling meets the art of brevity. In this class, you will:

  • Learn to create vivid, compact narratives that captivate readers in just a few hundred words. 
  • Discover the art of telling big stories in small spaces. 
  • Explore the beauty of condensed storytelling and discover how to convey emotion, character, and plot in the blink of an eye.
  • Learn the essential techniques, structures, and stylistic elements that set exceptional flash fiction apart. 
  • Hone your editing skills and discover how to make every word count. 
  • Refine your prose, and transform your rough drafts into polished gems. 
  • Explore opportunities to submit your flash fiction to literary magazines and anthologies, and learn the ins and outs of sharing your stories with the world. 

Whether you aspire to craft standalone micro-stories or use this form to enrich your longer works, this course will equip you with the skills to create concise, impactful narratives that leave a lasting impression.

 

Britta Stromeyer is the author of award-winning children’s books. Her flash fiction appears in Bending Genres Journal. She was a recent panelist on "Writing Trauma" at the 2024 AWP Conference & a finalist for the Bellingham Review Tobias Wolff Award for Fiction 2021. She is a teaching artist at Marin School of the Arts, CA, a member of the San Francisco Writer’s Grotto, Page Street, NWPC & SCBWI & PEN and a frequent reader for the CLMP’s Firecracker Awards. A former editor for Tuxedo Literature & Arts & FastForward Magazine, she holds an MFA from Dominican University, CA, a Masters in International Communication from American University, and a Certificate in Novel Writing from Stanford University. Read more at: www.brittastromeyer.com

 

What students are saying about Britta: 

Britta was thoughtful and full of wisdom. This class was inspiring and thought provoking.  I left inspired and full of possibility!
- Rebecca R.

As the first writing class I ever took, Britta’s workshop was an excellent way to kickstart my writing efforts. The rapidly paced and diverse prompt-writing exercises were challenging, thought-provoking and fun at the same time.
- Laurie W

51 Tamal Vista Blvd
Corte Madera, CA 94925

Jewelry Making Workshop with Silverwork Studios

Sunday, April 28, 2024 - 12:00pm

 

Jewelry Making Workshop

Sunday, April 28, 2024
12pm-3pm 
Corte Madera Store
$125 includes all materials

REGISTER HERE

 

 

 

Learn to create and solder a stunning sterling silver ring from dozens of designs and gemstones. No prior experience necessary. Participants will choose a stone and be guided through light metalsmithing and soldering to produce a ring uniquely their own. You will leave with a new piece of jewelry to wear or give as a gift. Students will also learn to custom stamp their own leather bookmark, a special offering just for Book Passage book lovers. Join us for this fun, creative afternoon!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Silverwork Studios is a partnership between co-founders, Amy Fitzgerald and Kelly Konis, both of Marin. Amy and Kelly have been best friends since they met on the high school swim team in Amarillo, Texas. They share a passion for art and showcase artists both young and old in their gallery-like studio. Silverwork Studios donates 1% of profits to art programs for local school children. Learn more at silverworkstudios.com.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photos credited to Silverwork Studios.

51 Tamal Vista Blvd
Corte Madera, CA 94925

Italian: Elementare 1 with Valentina Medda

Friday, April 5, 2024 - 10:30am


Italian: Elementare 1

with Valentina Medda

Eight Fridays
April 5 - May
 24, 2024

  10:30am – 12:00 pm PT

Corte Madera - $350

 

 

For students who have completed all beginner classes at Book Passage, or for new students with previous basic grammar knowledge of the Italian language. New students: It is recommended that you reach out to the instructor before registering for a free language assessment via Zoom to ensure proper class placement.

In Elementare 1, students will further develop their Italian language skills, focusing on the following:

  • Engaging in social interactions in Italian.
  • Topics this term will focus on shopping, family, celebrations, food recipes, and more.
  • Weekly acquisition of new vocabulary and common expressions.
  • Reading simplified Italian short stories to improve pronunciation, comprehension, and to review grammar

Textbook: Dieci A1 (Alma Edizioni). Texts can be ordered online, by phone (415) 961-7860, or purchased in person at:
Libreria Pino
1501 Grant St.
San Francisco

 

Valentina Medda was born and raised in the beautiful island of Sardinia. She holds an honors degree in Japanese studies from Ca’ Foscari University of Venice and also earned a master’s degree in Italian Language and Literature Teaching Methodology from the International University of Siena. Valentina is a certified CELI examiner and holds preparation courses for Italian citizenship applicants. 

Valentina is very passionate about her job and truly loves being part of her students’ progress. She lives in Marin with her husband, son, and their beloved Milo rescue senior dog, Roscoe. 

 

 

Book Passage Corte Madera
51 Tamal Vista blvd
Corte Madera, CA 94925

Writing Picture Books with Monica Wesolowska

Sunday, April 14, 2024 - 2:00pm


Writing Picture Books:
The Rules (and How to Break Them) 

Sunday, April 14, 2024
2:00PM - 5:00PM

$115

Corte Madera Store

 

 

How hard can it be to write for children? As it turns out, children’s picture book writing has rules that can be challenging. Fortunately, constraint can actually foster creativity. (Look at what Dr. Seuss did. When asked to write a book using 100 simple words, he found “cat” and “hat” and wrote The Cat in the Hat. And with that subversive book, he transformed reading for generations of children!) 

 

In this class, you will learn some of the rules for writing a picture book for publication today. You will also be encouraged to play around with those rules, unleashing your own unique creativity. 

 

Here is what the class will cover: 

  • A brief history of picture book writing 
  • The expectations of the publishing world today 
  • Craft elements including characterization, point of view, and plot 
  • Writing exercises to practice what you learn 
  • A chance to share what you are working on 

 

This class can be followed by Monica’s 6-week picture book class, Writing Picture Books: Drafting and Deepening, starting in fall 2024.

 

Monica Wesolowska is the author of two recent children’s picture books. Leo + Lea (illustrated by Kenard Pak) won an SCBWI Crystal Kite Award. Elbert in the Air (illustrated by Jerome Pumphrey) was praised by The New York Times as being “effervescent…whimsical and relatable.” She’s also written for adults, including the memoir Holding Silvan: A Brief Life (named a “Best Book of the Year” by The Boston Globe and Library Journal). For over two decades, Monica has taught creative writing around the Bay Area and she works one-on-one with clients as an independent editor.

 

Book Passage Corte Madera
51 Tamal Vista blvd
Corte Madera, CA 94925

Italian: Beginner 1 with Valentina Medda

Friday, April 5, 2024 - 12:30pm


Italian: Beginner 1

Valentina Medda

Eight Fridays
April 5 - May 24, 2024

  12:30pm – 2:00pm PT

Corte Madera - $350

 

Join Valentina for a fun and communicative introduction to the Italian language. You will start from the basics, learning and practicing in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere.

Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:

  • Communicate in Italian at a basic user level.
  • Engage in simple social interactions in Italian - ask and answer simple questions about familiar topics.
  • Use classroom language, greetings, expressions of salutation and courtesy, basic commands.
  • Pronounce Italian words correctly and speak with the right intonation.
  • Learn about Italian culture and the ways Italians communicate.
  • Order a cappuccino or a spritz like a pro, impressing the locals while vacationing in Italy.

Textbook: Dieci A1 (Alma Edizioni). Texts can be ordered online, by phone (415) 961-7860, or purchased in person at:
Libreria Pino
1501 Grant St.
San Francisco

 

Please contact us at classes@bookpassage.com if you have questions about which level class is best for you.
 

Valentina Medda was born and raised in the beautiful island of Sardinia. She holds an honors degree in Japanese studies from Ca’ Foscari University of Venice and also earned a master’s degree in Italian Language and Literature Teaching Methodology from the International University of Siena. Valentina is a certified CELI examiner and holds preparation courses for Italian citizenship applicants. 

Valentina is very passionate about her job and truly loves being part of her students’ progress. She lives in Marin with her husband, son, and their beloved Milo rescue senior dog, Roscoe. 

 

Book Passage Corte Madera
51 Tamal Vista blvd
Corte Madera, CA 94925

Nina Schuyler - Building a Story: Plot

Sunday, April 14, 2024 - 10:30am

Building a Story: Plot

Two Sundays, April 14 and 21
10:30AM -12:30PM

$125

Hybrid: Corte Madera store and via Zoom
Classes will be recorded and video replay will be available for a limited time. 

 
* Note that for all classes held on Zoom, registration closes at noon the day before the class begins.  Same-day registrations are not available, so please plan ahead.

 

In this two-day workshop, students will explore a different approach to plot each session: the causation plot and braided or episodic plot structure.

Session 1: At our first meeting, we’ll focus on causation plot. George Saunders calls this approach “the preferred, most efficient, highest-order form of energy transfer.” Causation plot resembles how we tell a story about ourselves. We string together events to create coherence and meaning. After reading and discussing a published short story that exemplifies causation, we’ll do in-class writing, using this plot’s energies to build a story.

Session 2: Sometimes the causation plot isn’t the right form. In the second session, we’ll explore the braided or episodic plot. This plot consists of discrete events not connected causally but loosely by imagery, theme, or something else. For this session, we’ll read and discuss examples of published stories using this plot, which will prepare you for in-class writing and building your own braided story.



Nina Schuyler’s short story collection, In This Ravishing World, won the W.S. Porter Prize and the Prism Prize for Climate Literature and will be published on July 2, 2024. Her novel, Afterword, was published in 2023 and was named a Top 100 Notable Book by Shelf Unbound and a Top May Book by Alta Journal.

Book Passage Corte Madera
51 Tamal Vista blvd
Corte Madera, CA 94925

Corte Madera Class: Britta Stromeyer Esmail - Expressing Your Truth: Connecting with Your Authentic Voice

Saturday, March 30, 2024 - 1:30pm


Expressing Your Truth: Connecting with Your Authentic Voice

Saturday, March 30, 2024
1:30pm-3:30pm Pacific Time

Corte Madera Store and live via Zoom

$80

 

* Note that for all classes held on Zoom, registration closes one day before the class begins. Same-day registrations are not available, so please plan ahead. Also, this particular online class will not be recorded and needs to be streamed live in order to attend.

 

Your voice is the essence of your writing, the key to making words come alive, and the signature that sets you apart. Authentic voices connect us. 

This class is a haven for anyone seeking to unearth and refine their genuine writer's voice, take creative risks, and witness their writer’s soul flourish. This is not just a workshop; it’s discovery and growth. 

Inspired by literary examples, you will explore a variety of styles - from narrative to poetry, enter uncharted territories of your mind and heart, and bask in the supportive embrace of fellow writers. You will learn techniques to infuse your writing with depth and emotion. Discover the freedom to express your ideas and emotions in your unique way. Watch your writing evolve and make meaningful strides. 

This class is suitable for writers of all levels and genres. It will equip you with the skills and confidence to express yourself authentically on the page.

 

Britta is the author of award-winning children’s books. Her flash fiction appears in Bending Genres Journal. She was a finalist for the Bellingham Review Tobias Wolff Award for Fiction 2021. She is a teaching artist at Marin School of the Arts, CA, a member of the National Writing Project Council, Page Street, LitCamp, & PEN, and SCBWI. She has been a reader for the Firecracker Awards. A former editor for Tuxedo Literature & Arts & FastForward Magazine, she holds an MFA from Dominican University, CA, a Masters in International Communication from American University, and a Certificate in Novel Writing from Stanford University. www.brittastromeyer.com

 

What students are saying about Britta: 

Britta was thoughtful and full of wisdom. This class was inspiring and thought provoking.  I left inspired and full of possibility!
- Rebecca R.

As the first writing class I ever took, Britta’s workshop was an excellent way to kickstart my writing efforts. The rapidly paced and diverse prompt-writing exercises were challenging, thought-provoking and fun at the same time.
- Laurie W

51 Tamal Vista Blvd
Corte Madera, CA 94925

Corte Madera Class: Kerrin Meis - Art Lovers’ Lisbon: Three Museums Not to be Missed

Friday, March 15, 2024 - 1:00pm


Art Lovers’ Lisbon: Three Museums Not to be Missed

Friday - March 15, 2024
1PM-3:00PM PT

Corte Madera Store

$75

 

 

Tour guides and guide books direct you to a predictable menu of sites: St. George Castle, Fado in the Alfama, Belem Tower and San Jeronimos Monastery, as well as the ubiquitous pastries on offer next door, and perhaps including a harrowing trip on the elevator to the upper town.  

But wait! You have missed the  three most important spots in Lisbon: 

  • The Calouste Gulbenkian Museum, one of the finest museums in Europe. It is encyclopedic, housing top quality works from Egypt to the early 20th century. Sculpture, paintings, tapestries, porcelains and jewelry. You will meet Ghirlandaio, Rubens, Manet, Monet and other masters. 
  • The National Museum of Antique Art - NAMA - which  houses not Ancient Art as we perceive it but art from the far flung places of the age of Exploration, as well as an outstanding collection of Portuguese and European Art from 1500 to 1700. Ask to see the Namban screens from Japan, the salt cellar from West Africa and the sensational St. Vincent panels. Enjoy the garden and cafe of this 17th century Palace. 
  • The Museu Nacional do Azulejo is housed in the monastery of Madre de Deus, the building alone worth a visit. Study the history and culture of Portugal from  tiles borrowing Arab decorations to tiles decorating modern buildings. A workshop demonstrates the art of creating these "polished stones,"  a decoration unique to Portugal!

 



Kerrin Meis taught art history at SFSU for ten years and has led study tours in Europe. Her Book Passage classes have been favorites for years.

Book Passage Corte Madera
51 Tamal Vista blvd
Corte Madera, CA 94925

Pages

Subscribe to RSS - Writing Classes