Writers

The writers are ordered chronologically, by the date they joined San Diego Professional Writer’s Group

Chet Cunningham

Since his first novel was published in 1968 Chet Cunningham has written and had published nearly 300 works of fiction and 15 non-fiction books. He is equally adept on horseback, in the techno-thriller arena, or recounting military history. His output includes 125 westerns and 50 men’s action/adventure novels. He founded the San Diego Professional Writer’s Group in 1962 as an offshoot of an adult education class at Hoover High.

Lee Polevoi

Lee Polevoi is the author of the novel, The Moon in Deep Winter (2008). His short fiction has appeared in Witness, Sonora Review and elsewhere. He is a graduate of Amherst College and the Warren Wilson College MFA Program for Writers. He has received a Breadloaf Writers Conference scholarship and a $20,000 Chesterfield Writer’s Film Project screenwriting fellowship (based on chapters from The Moon in Deep Winter), an award sponsored by Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment, Steven Spielberg’s production company. He was one of 10 writers chosen for the prestigious fellowship from a field of more than 3,000 applicants across the U.S. He started with the group in mid 1980s, drifted away, and then came back in the late 2000s.

Peggy Lang

Peggy Lang served as editor for Silver Threads, a memoir service, and previously as an English and art teacher. She founded, ran, and/or judged the unpublished manuscript contests for novels and memoirs for San Diego Book Awards for five years. Peggy ghost co-authors material ranging from political memoirs–The Maverick and the Machine, Governor Dan Walker Tells His Story, SIU Press–which SDBA named Best Memoir of 2007and which received an honorable mention by the Illinois State Historical Society–to lighter material–Diary of a Beverly Hills Matchmaker/Marla Martenson–to novels–a Silhouette Athena Force adventure. She also teaches memoir writing and literary craft at UCSD Extension and elsewhere. She enjoys writing as a non-ghost whenever possible. She joined the group in 1991.

Tim Kane

Tim Kane grew up watching monster movies—vampires, werewolves, and the giant creatures from Toho. He’s always been attracted to the dread they inspire, all the way back to the boogeyman hiding behind his sliding door closet. He focuses his writing on genre fiction, mostly horror, as well as middle grade and YA writing. His non-fiction book, The Changing Vampire of Film and Television, was published by McFarland. His short fiction has appeared in Legendary Horrors, and Necrography among others. He graduated from UCSD with a creative writing degree, and earned his Masters in English from National University. He first joined the San Diego Professional Writer’s Group in 2008. Tim also edits and updates this blog.

James R. Riffel

A longtime San Diego journalist, James R. Riffel covers politics and government for City News Service, a regional wire service based in Los Angeles. Prior to his current assignment, he covered the criminal courts, where he wrote about the Chelsea King/Amber DuBois murder cases and the trial of David Westerfield, convicted in the killing of Danielle Van Dam. Riffel was previously assignment editor at KUSI and executive producer at Airwatch Traffic. A graduate of San Diego State University, he has also found plenty of extra time for sports writing. He belonged to the group in 1990 and 1991 and found his way back in 2009.

Leo Dufresne

Leo Dufresne is an engineer who secretly dreamed of using the other half of his brain. He started his serious pursuit of writing in early 2009.  Buoyed on by a second place finish in a writing contest late that year (100 Words or Fewer Writing Contest No. 3), he recently won a conference choice award at the prestigious SDSU Writers’ Conference.  Leo was selected as one of the upcoming new voices at 15th Annual Literary Arts Festival at Grossmont College.  He is nearing completion of his first novel which has already gained the attention of an agent at a large literary agency. He joined the group in 2009.