A literary and arts support center for writers, artists, historians and the public

Manzanita Writers Press is a 501(c)3 literary publisher and nonprofit arts organization located at 325 Lewis Avenue in San Andreas. We offer author and writer support meetings, Voices of Wisdom free writing classes for seniors, writing classes and workshops for the general public, and more, live and via Zoom.

We bring writers, readers, and artists together through workshops, anthologies, book publishing, classes, lectures, and events in the Mother Lode region of California. Our location in the scenic and rural Sierra Nevada foothills of Calaveras County is inspirational to the many writers who reside here and in adjacent rural counties.

Manzanita Writers Press has published over 40 books, with several more in the works for 2023 and 2024. We host author readings, workshops, events, publish books, and promote the literary and visual arts in Calaveras, Amador, and Tuolumne counties, as well as network with writers from nearby counties.

Monika Rose will co-direct with Antoinette May in presenting the Gold Rush Writers Conference in Mokelumne Hill, May 3-5, 2024. Sponsored by Manzanita Writers Press and hosted by the Historic Hotel Leger. goldrushwriters.com

For early registration in January, contact goldrushwritersconference@gmail.com

Manzanita publishes works by regional writers and those with a connection to the Mother Lode and Sierra, but we are not limited in that scope. MWP also prints a series of literary community anthologies that represent writers representing this region. The Voices of Wisdom Anthologies reflect the senior memoir writing project, collecting the stories of the elders and archiving and sharing them. Over 50 writers and artists participate in publishing, coming from work that has been written the prior year.

One anthology, Out of the Fire, reflects poignant and inspirational writing and photography based on the 2015 Butte Fire, which began a run of several destructive fires in California.

Office Location by appointment only:

325 Lewis Avenue, San Andreas, CA 95249 – mailing PO Box 215, San Andreas, CA 95249

Business phone: 209-728-6117

Email: manzanitawp@gmail.com

Web: manzapress.com and manzanitaartsemporium.com

See our Facebook and Instagram pages for Manzanita Writers Press and Manzanita Arts Emporium!

Special thanks to our major program sponsor of the Manzanita Arts Emporium and Manzanita Writers Press for their dedication to the arts in Angels Camp and Calaveras County:

Signal Service

Angels Camp, CaliforniaAnd special thanks to the Calaveras Community Foundation for supporting Voices of Wisdom, free writing classes for seniors, and especially their funding the Voices anthologies for 2018 through 2020. Their grant for funding in 2022 provided much-needed camera and electronic equipment plus accessories for videotaping and editing footage.  For 2024 and 2025, CCF is funding the Miwok cultural book of language and stories, featured at the new Miwok museum that will be built in Angels Camp on Highway 49 – funded by MACT. 

Thank you, Ironstone Vineyards, for generous support of donations of wine for our monthly events and use of your beautiful facilities. 

Thank you to California Humanities for their generous support of 2019 Voices of Wisdom Senior writing classes and for funding our new Oral History of Gold Country project with funding for creating videos that document the stories of the elders and more.  Visit calhum.org

Mission Statement of Manzanita Writers Press & Arts Emporium:

Manzanita Writers Press nurtures and sustains the literary and arts community of Calaveras County and the foothill region of the Mother Lode and Sierra.

PURPOSE

The Manzanita Writers Press offers a dynamic community organization for arts, education, literature, benefiting the rural culture of Calaveras County and local foothill region. It operates exclusively for charitable and educational purposes, including but not limited to:

1. Operating an online center for the arts;
2. Conducting and hosting educational, cultural, artistic, literary, historic, and community programs;
3. Engaging in all activities that will further, and are consistent with, the mission of the Corporation, including, but not limited to, lectures, workshops, events, exhibits, conferences, presentations to groups, panel discussions, education, publishing projects, and public relations.

        MWP Services:

• Facilitate several writer support and manuscript feedback groups. Organize readings, events, and workshops. Network with writing communities across the state.
• Publish local, regional, and other area writers, whether in launching a career or nurturing a more experienced writer.
• Assist selected project writers in procuring funding, editing and promotional services, and other needs of the publishing process.
• Train/Mentor Volunteer Editors and staff members.
• Sponsor and host Writing Workshops and Conferences in our region
• Maintain a Writers Network with organizations across the country to assist our members
• Conduct writing classes and provide educational lectures, workshops, and classes for the public
• Present art activities, classes, events, and workshops in all art forms
• Sponsor and facilitate the Gold Rush Writers Conference.

 Board of Directors

Monika Rose . . . Director, Editor-in-Chief, President

Patty Grant . . . Secretary/ Treasurer

Mary Sexton . . . Gallery Director, Vice-President

Linda Toren . . . Voices of Wisdom Director, Editor

Joyce Dedini–Runnels . . . Graphic Designer, Book Designer

Don Urbanus . . .  Distribution Manager

Kathy Boyd Fellure . . . Amador Writers Network/Liaison

Lydia Cameron . . . Oral History Project

Aaron Cameron . . . videographer and editor/layout design assist

Nonvoting:

Starlin Patrick . . . General Board Member

Jackie Rogers . . . General Board Member/Accounting

Manzanita Writers Press is a 501(c)3  nonprofit literary publisher located in Angels Camp, Calaveras County, California. Our mission is to generate regional publishing projects that reflect our rural foothill/Sierra environment and to publish local and regional authors, but we are open to proposals that fit our sensibilities and those of our readers. We generally publish 5-7 titles per year (FEIN # 81-2622826).

Contact us for more information about our authors and book titles, and visit us on Amazon as well as our Bookstore online.

If you are an author interested in publishing your book, we advise reading about the submission process first. We assist writers in seeking publishing support for their projects, but we do not fundraise for particular authors. Potential authors are asked to pursue funding and sponsorships to help finance the basic costs of their publishing project, which are basically editing and layout, printing, and assistance with the final publishing product and a small literary press promoting regionally, statewide, nationally through either Amazon or Ingram, or both, and through social media.

We support authors with expertise and advice and provide free support writing groups where local and regional writers meet to hone their work and assist each other.

MWP assists authors primarily with low-cost editing, layout & design, and title setup, with some marketing and promoting of authors in our region and beyond. We house books in our gallery bookstore and promote the books at events and community entities. We do not pay out royalties at this time but assist authors in becoming autonomous and independent in their publishing projects and sales of their books.

Authors have a great deal of autonomy and participate in most aspects of the publishing process, including cover and book design input and decisions, as well as the editing process. Contact us with a query if you live in Calaveras, Tuolumne, Amador, Alpine, Mariposa, El Dorado, Sacramento, Placer, Stanislaus, and San Joaquin counties:  manzanitawp@gmail.com

Now Showing in the Online Gallery

Manzanita Arts Emporium is filled with the works of these fine artists . . .

Jan Alcalde, Murphys, Acrylics, photography, watercolors

Shay Baker, Sheep Ranch, Oil pastels, Acrylics

Sherri Bloomer, Arnold, Fine Jewelry, Silver metalwork, and more

Kevin Brady, Mokelumne Hill, Watercolor framed paintings, cards, prints

Bobbette Budworth, Arnold – Fused glass artist with fine-crafted plates, pendants, suncatchers, and more

Ty Childress, Mountain Ranch – Photography – framed and matted prints- scenic, landscape, rural whimsy, regional and national sites, cards

Peter & Barb Conroy, Angels Camp – photography and art photorealism

Rory Erbeck, Vallecito – handcrafted, artistic, hardwood cutting boards, one-of-a-kind designs, food-ready

Victoria Fout, Angels Camp – mystical and magical acrylic paintings, multimedia

Angela Harmon, Arnold, Multi-media, acrylics, watercolor

Vickie Mannix, Angels Camp – handcrafted finely-knitted shawls, wraps, hats, and more from a variety of wools – alpaca, bamboo, camel, and more —  acrylics and acrylic/wool blends

Chrys Mollett, Murphys – Aeolian Harp  – Acrylics and oils – Piano and music lessons, ukuleles, guitars, violins, strings, music, CDs, art, and more

Twyla Olsen, Sonora – acrylics and mixed media, abstracts, florals, landscapes, and more

Patty Payne, Sheep Ranch – Equestrian, bovine, pigs, and wolves framed art – large canvas/acrylic, natural frames from Mother Lode wood, constructed by her husband Don Payne, prints, cards

Gary Rose, Mountain Ranch – California Hard-edge movement & Design, acrylic wall sculptures – dynamic, contemporary, large geometric abstracts – canvas and wood

Mary Sexton, Murphys – Acrylic, watercolor, oils – prints and framed pieces

Shelley Thorene, Angels Camp, Photography & art