FOR THE SECOND TIME, Invisible Memoirs has selected a Bakersfield author’s story as its centerpiece, even naming the California-wide anthology after a local memoir.

Why I am I excited about this? As the workshop instructor and initial editor of everyone’s submissions, I’m just so happy all of my students’ hard work paid off.

Twelve local writers, including me because instructors could submit too, were selected from the more than two dozen statewide workshops and will be reading excerpts from their works on Friday, Dec. 13 at 8 p.m. at “Reading Invisible Memoirs” at the Gate, part of Random Writers Workshop’s ongoing reading series.

Named after a poem by local writer Veronica Madrigal, “Invisible Memoirs: Lionhearted” (2013) follows up “Invisible Memoirs: I Speak From My Palms,” released earlier this year.

Yes, that means Madrigal kicked serious tail with her poem, Girl Scar. She works as a technical assistant for a major oil company was shocked a line from her memoir story inspired the book’s title. “I couldn’t have received a better compliment,” she said. “I felt honored and proud. I even thought, ‘Hey maybe my stuff is pretty good after all.’”

“The Bakersfield workshops sent in a heaping pile of submissions,” said Rachel Reynolds, who edited both anthologies for Memoir Journal. “The diversity of the writers and the subject matter was a real testament to why community-based writing workshops are important. I think some folks assume that everyone within a community has more or less the same story to tell, but as the submissions from Bakersfield showed time and again, that’s simply not true!”

Madrigal said she joined the memoir workshop to develop her writing skills as well as get input from other writers. She said her experience was liberating. “There I was pouring the deepest secrets of my heart with other writers, pretty much strangers. I wanted to run right out of the room. When I was done I only saw acceptance in the eyes of my fellow writers.”

Jane Hawley, of Bakersfield, said, “Not only do we write memoir to know we’re not alone, we join workshops to experience lives other than our own.” Hawley, who inspired the title of the first anthology, is an MFA student in fiction and teaches writing at Texas State University. Her graphic memoir, Grand Mal, is published in the second anthology.

According to Reynolds, readers of memoir develop a kindredness with writers. “It is so intensely validating to realize we’re not alone.” She adds, “On the flip-side, though, for a writer I think writing memoir is a self-legitimizing practice. It is a moment of ownership, of bravery, or refusal to be discounted. That’s intensely powerful.”

Kimberly Navarro is a local legal assistant. She said the project allowed her to go back in time and revisit some of her most vivid childhood memories. “I got to dig deep and explore the experiences that shaped who I am.”

Of all of my students this go-around, Navarro’s writing in The Visitation, probably impressed me the most. Her writing is solid, thematic and layered. She’s going places. Mark my words. She’s also the host of the evening at the event.

While Navarro said taking the class was like sharing a secret, Maria Mercado, who works for the City of Bakersfield, said her experience gave her a sort of permission. “Permission to tell a story completely from my point of view without invalidating another’s perspective/take on the same event or day.” Watch for her tale about familial attire: Rebozos.

Invisible Memoirs stories from the second anthology include the beating death of a Bakersfield inmate at the hands of law officials by Shannon Carter Choate, a tale of diamond rings by Melinda Carroll, the story of a traveling religious statue, humorous childhood tales from an Oildale trailer park, and more.

There’s also condensed chapters from my novel Anhinga, a memoir-based fiction. I’m really stoked to see part of that work in print. It’s a book about twelve years in the works.

Memoir Journal, who published “Invisible Memoirs” from their home office in Emeryville, Calif., advances the art of memoir by publishing established and emerging authors and artists and by providing community outreach and education.

Bakersfield memoir workshops were coordinated with Random Writers Workshop and held at the Society for Disabled Children in spring of 2013.

Navarro said she hopes more memoir series will be held. “I would like to see Random Writers Workshop extend the reach of its influence and include more members of our community. These stories are amazing and the human experiences within our community need to reach a broader audience.”

Although the workshop series is over for now, and sadly, Memoir Journal and The Invisible Memoirs Project has come to an end, students can still workshop materials at Random Writers Workshop (www.randomwritersworkshop.com) each week.

“Random Writers Workshop is a refuge,” said Mercado, “Not unlike AA or Weight Watcher’s, for writers and apprentice writers alike. It keeps us meeting, thinking and editing both our works and our worldview.”

My son Landen Belardes from the band Burn The Ships will be performing an acoustic set. You can follow him on Twitter.), including Christmas songs, prior to the event at 7:45 p.m.

Cost for the event, located at the Gate at 2010 O Street, is $12. Random Writers Workshop will be on hand to sell copies of “Invisible Memoirs: Lionhearted.”
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