Friday, December 23, 2005

Author John Saul

In the early 1970s, John Saul lived in Oshkosh, where he worked on his first horror novel, "Suffer the Children." Here's what he had to say:

When you're as suggestible as I am, it's probably smarter to sit in a
closed and locked room with bright lights and no windows, than in an airy room on Bayshore overlooking a broad expanse of lawn and the shores of Lake Winnebago. I can say this from bitter experience, given that I was happily writing one of the more frightening scenes of "Suffer The Children" in that airy room, and doing my best to convince myself that the dire events of which I was writing existed only in my imagination, when suddenly a very real and terrifying animal leaped at the window, sending me out of the room and into the safety of the hall in less than a second.

When I finally regained my wits and courage (both often sadly lacking in me) I realized that the fearsome beast that had nearly caused me to go into cardiac arrest was nothing more than a squirrel looking for his daily handout of peanuts. Feeling utterly foolish, I found his rations, returned to my desk, opened the window, and offered the little fellow the treat for which he'd come.

He took it.

Then he bit me.

I should have stayed in the hall, but of course if I had, "Suffer The
Children" would never have been finished....


Saul writes like Stephen King, minus the first 100 pages. His official web site is here and he published two books this year: Black Creek Crossing and Perfect Nightmare. Enjoy!

City Editor

Former Oshkosh Northwestern Editorial Editor Larry Peterson has written a novel rumored to be based on his work experience in Oshkosh.

“City Editor” revolves around Mike Donahue, a South Carolina city editor who sends his staff out to investigate a possible cover-up regarding the construction of a prison unit for sexual offenders. Peterson was on the Northwestern staff about the time a similar facility was added to the Oshkosh Correctional Institute.

Published in 2003 by PublishAmerica, the book is also available at the Oshkosh Public Library.

Thursday, December 22, 2005

Apple Blossom news

Apple Blossom Books, downtown Oshkosh, is now accepting book reviews for their newsletter and website. To read current reviews, click here.

Also, starting January 2nd, 2006, Apple Blossom Books will offer a new program called “Bookseeds”. The Bookseeds program allows patrons to sell their books for cash and trade credit at the bookshop and is intended to expand the selection of quality used books available at the bookshop. For more information, visit the store at 513 North Main Street, Oshkosh, WI 54901 or phone 920.230.3395

Humor Contest

The Wisconsin Regional Writers Association has announced the Florence Lindemann Humor Contest. The contest opens Jan. 15, 2006. Submissions must be original, unpublished work; 800-word limit. Participants must be a member of WRWA ($25/yr. and a good value!). Cash prizes will be awarded to the winners. For more information, click here.

Thursday, December 15, 2005

Author Jeannette Walls

Author and MSNBC correspondent Jeannette Walls will speak at 1 p.m. Saturday, January 28th at the Neenah Public Library, 240 E. Wisconsin Avenue.

Walls is the author of "The Glass Castle: A Memoir," that recounts her youth meandering around the U.S. with her parents and siblings living in cars and abandoned homes, often on the run from the authorities, until the family ends up living in abject poverty in a shack in West Virginia. A side of homelessness and child neglect that’s never been told so explicitly, the book is impossible to put down.

"The Glass Castle" has been chosed as the book selection for Neenah Reads!.

For more information about Wall's appearance or Neenah Reads!, please call the library at (920) 886-6315.

Next Meeting

The Oshkosh Area Writers Club will meet at 10 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 17 in the lower level meeting room of the Oshkosh Public Library, 106 Washington Ave.

The meeting is free and open to anyone age 17 or older.

For more information, please call 231-6182.

Thursday, December 08, 2005

Discount Magazines

Anyone considering a subscription to "Writer's Digest" may want to order from Discount Magazines. They offer a one-year subscription for $14 - that's $10 off the normal rate.

In addition, Discount Magazines offers many popular women's, men's and entertainment magazines for only $5.95/year - no catches or gimmicks! Titles include Reader's Digest, Glamour, Rolling Stone, Shape, House and Garden, Self, Utne, Women's Day, Field and Stream, Golf Digest and many others.

Subscriptions are renewable and your personal information is not sold to others.

(Thanks to Chris K. at Berlin Public Library for passing along this information.)

Saturday, December 03, 2005

POV

Are you telling your story through the right character? What are the advantages to writing in first person? Third person?


"Point of View" will be the discussion topic at the 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 8 meeting of the Oshkosh Area Writers Club. Meetings are held in the lower level meeting room of the Oshkosh Public Library. The event is free and open to anyone age 17 or older. For more information, please call 231-6182.