Next Meeting - Jan. 5

Just a reminder that there are five Saturdays in December so our next meeting will be 10 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 5, in the lower level meeting room of the Oshkosh Public Library.

Anthology Update

For those who are curious, the Oshkosh Area Writers Club anthology, "Hearts We Know By Stories," has sold 74 copies since the book was released in June '07. The book is available from lulu.com for $7.85 plus shipping. It's 166 pages and features the writings of over a dozen club members.

2008 Writing Goals

"Public humilation is a great motivator" - Dixie J.

At the Dec. 15 meeting, each of us stated a writing goal we wanted to accomplish in 2008. Goals varied from finishing a first draft to publishing two items to organizing a collection of work. If you missed the meeting, come prepared in January to publicly declare what your goal is for 2008!

UW-Milwaukee Spring Writers Festival

UW-Milwaukee School of Continuing Education is sponsoring the sixth annul Spring Writers Festival March 7-9, 2008. The fee is $269.

The three-day conference is offering sessions on things like:


- Crafting the Short Story-- From Start to Finish

- How to Pitch Your Ideas

- What Every Author Learns from Their First Book

- Crafting An Other World

- A Visit to the Book Doctor

- Breaking In: The Basics of Writing for Magazines

- Pitch Session Workshops

- Agent and Editor Panel

- How Editors Think

- Show, Don't Tell: How to Grab Readers by the Neck

- Pathways to Publishing

- A Writer's Website

- Wiki-Whatia: Finding Credible Sources Online and Off

- How to Write Without a Muse

- Book Proposal Basics

- The Personal Essay

- Poetry Workshops

Random Daily Writing Prompts

Writingfix.com offers daily writing prompts simply by clicking the Random Daily Writing Prompt Generater.

Some sample prompts:

"How does the nose know? Invent a story where an unwelcome smell brings a character sheer happiness."

"How did you get up there? Write about something that happened on the roof."

"Why did you get involved? Write about a time you could have said: 'Oops! I should have never gotten involved!'."

New Reading Device - Kindle

Amazon has introduced a new reading device for electronic books that doesn't require a computer or internet access called Kindle. It sells for $399 and holds over 200 books; almost 100,000 titles are currently available for the product, including newspapers, magazines and blogs.

For more information and an online demonstration of how it works, click here.

Thank a Soldier

If you go to this web site, www.LetsSayThanks.com, you can pick out a Thank You card and Xerox will print it and it will be sent to a soldier that is currently serving in Iraq. You can't pick out who gets it, but it will go to some member of the armed services.

It is FREE and it only takes a second.

Wouldn't it be wonderful if the soldiers received a bunch of these? Whether you are for or against the war, our guys and gals over there need to know we are behind them.

Next Meeting

Just a reminder that the next meeting of the Oshkosh Area Writers Club is 10 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 15 in the lower level meeting room of the Oshkosh Public Library.

Please bring a WRAPPED white elephant gift (something in good condition from your home) to exchange. Donuts and beverages will be provided.

The second hour of the meeting will be devoted to the Author Spotlight. This week's author is Joyce F.

Jennifer Chiaverini

Over 100 people attended author Jennifer Chiaverini's appearance at the Oshkosh Public Library on Nov. 29th. If you'd like to see photos form the event, click here.

Writer's Digest Annual Writing Competition

Submissions are now being accepted for the 77th annual Writer's Digest Writing Competition. Compete and win in ten categories:

Inspirational Writing (Spiritual/Religious)
Memoirs/Personal Essay
Magazine Feature Article
Genre Short Story (Mystery, Romance, etc.)
Mainstream/Literary Short Story
Rhyming Poetry
Non-rhyming Poetry
Stage Play
Television/Movie Script
Children's/Young Adult Fiction

$10-$15 ENTRY FEE

Deadline: May 15, 2008. There will be 1,001 winners and more than $30,000 in cash and prizes. Top winners will be listed in the December 2008 issue of Writer's Digest.

Grand Prize: $3,000 cash and a trip to New York City to meet with editors and agents. Second Place: The Second Place Winner in each category receives $500 cash, plus $100 worth of Writer's Digest Books. The Third Place Winner in each category receives $250 cash, plus $100 worth of Writer's Digest Books. The Fourth Place Winner in each category receives $100 cash. The Fifth-Place Winner in each category receives $50 cash. The Sixth- through Tenth-Place winners in each category receive $25 cash.

For complete rules, click here.

Merton Prize For Poetry of the Sacred

Merton Prize for Poetry of the Sacred is sponsoring a contest for poetry that expresses, directly or indirectly, a sense of the holy or that, by its mode of expression, evokes the sacred. The tone may be religious, prophetic, or contemplative.

Contest Guidelines

Entry Fee: None

Deadline: must be postmarked by December 31, 2007.

Prizes: First Prize, $500; Three Honorable Mention Prizes, $100 each.

Winning Poems will be published in The Merton Seasonal, a publication of scholarly articles about noted spiritual leader Thomas Merton and will be posted on the Merton Institute web site: www.mertoninstitute.org.

Only ONE unpublished poem type written in English may be submitted.

Please limit the poem to no more than 100 lines.

Type your name, address, phone number, FAX number, email address, and the title of your poem on a cover page. Attach (1) one copy of your titled poem to the cover page.

Poetry Fireside Chat

The Barnes and Noble Bookstore in Grand Chute is hosting a Poetry Fireside Chat at 7 p.m. Monday, Dec. 17. For more information, click here or call the store at 920-831-7880.

Writing Prompt - Jan. 5

Some members have indicated they would like a writing prompt to get them started on a piece to write/read at a future meeting. The prompt may used in a poem, essay, character or description sketch.

We will not have a normal critique session at the Dec. 15th meeting due to the Christmas party and Author Spotlight but Mike N. has given the following writing prompt for the Jan. 5th meeting: "The guy's no hero."

Have fun!

Author Paul Salsini

Paper Tiger Bookstore, located in City Center, downtown Oshkosh, is hosting author Paul Salsini from noon to 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 1st, to promote his newest title, "The Cielo: A Novel of Wartime Tuscany."

Salsini is a former editor and writing coach at The Milwaukee Journal, and teaches journalism at Marquette University. His articles about Italy have appeared in The New York Times and elsewhere. He lives in Milwaukee with his wife, Barbara.

For more information on the event, you may call the bookstore at (920)231-0800.

Poetry Circle

Neenah Public Library hosts a Poetry Circle on the 2nd Thursday of the month at 1 p.m. in the first floor Shattuck Community Room, Neenah Public Library, 204 E. Wisconsin Ave. Members learn a bit about poets and their work among folks who simply like poetry and enjoy a good conversation.

If you want to check it out, the next meeting is December 13, when the discussion will be Alfred, Lord Tennyson: "The Lady of Shalott." Plumb the depths of what may appear to be a simple narrative poem. In this audio-visual, actress Charlotte Cornwell reads the complete text over illustrations by Charles Keeping.

For more information about the Poetry Circle, contact Pat at 886-6330 or email hewitt@neenahlibrary.org.

Club Christmas Party

The club will host a Christmas Party for the first half of the Dec. 15st meeting.

Interested members are asked to bring a wrapped White Elephant gift to exchange; a White Elephant gift is something you have around the house that you don't use or need. The object can be useful or totally silly; pretty much anything goes. So start digging through your closets and junk drawers now for the perfect gift for that special writer in your club.

Author Spotlight Schedule

“Author Spotlight” allows writers to bring in pieces of work that are eight or more pages, or a compilation of pieces that are best read/reviewed together.

The last hour of each Saturday meeting is devoted to discussing the works of the featured author; advance registration is required and authors must bring ten copies of their work prior to their turn in the “Spotlight.”

Those who accept a copy of the author’s work must commit to reading it and showing up for the review.

The upcoming schedule of Spotlight Authors:

Dec. 1 - JoAnn G.

Dec. 15 - Joyce F.

Jan. 5 - Ruth P.

Jan. 19 - Dixie J.

Feb. 2 - Bob B.

March 1 - Hope S.

2008 Winter Schedule

2008 WINTER SCHEDULE

Writing Critique Sessions:

10 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 5

10 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 19

10 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 2

10 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 16

10 a.m. Saturday, March 1

10 a.m. Saturday, March 15

10 a.m. Saturday, April 5

10 a.m. Saturday, April 19

10 a.m. Saturday, May 3

10 a.m. Saturday, May 17

Meetings are held on the first and third Saturday of each month in the lower level meeting room of the Oshkosh Public Library.

SPECIAL EVENTS

Story Starters

Need some inspiration? Join us for Story Starters - 5-minute writing sessions based on writing prompts to awaken your creativity and imagination!

7 p.m. Wednesday, March 26

7 p.m. Wednesday, April 23

The one-hour sessions are held in the lower level meeting room of the Oshkosh Public Library. Bring paper and pen.

Open Mic

7 p.m. Wednesday, May 21
Library Dome, 2nd Floor

Whether you want to read your own work or that of your favorite author or poet, this open mic event is open to the public. What a great opportunity to share your writing with family and friends! All ages welcome.

Members are asked to bring a snack to share; beverages will be provided.

Author Visit - Dennis Rockhill

Apple Blossom Books, downtown Oshkosh, will feature children’s author/illustrator Dennis Rockhill from 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 1, as part of the Gallery Walk. A special reception for the release of his new book, “Meadow Dance”, will be held on December 5th.

Rockhill attended Drake University, studied at the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design and is an alumnus of the University of Wisconsin–Green Bay with a degree in Art and Graphic Design. He lives in Green Bay with his wife and two daughters and works as a graphic artist and illustrator.

Writing Assignment for Dec. 1

Some members have indicated they would like a writing prompt to get them started on a piece to write/read at a future meeting. The prompt may used in a poem, essay, character or description sketch.

The assignment, if you choose to accept it, for the Dec. 1 meeting is to write complete story in 500 words or less.

Writer's Digest Poetry Contest

The Dec. 20th deadline is fast approaching for the Writer's Digest Poetry Awards. Any poetry style will be accepted - rhyming, free verse, haiku, etc. - but all entries must be 32 lines or fewer.

Prizes
First Place: $500
Second Place: $250
Third Place: $100
Fourth Through Tenth Place: $25
Eleventh Through Twenty-Fifth Place: $50 gift certificate for Writer's Digest Books.

Competition Rules

1. The competition is open to poems 32 lines or fewer. Entries longer than 32 lines will be automatically disqualified. Long poems may not be broken into segments and entered as separate entries. Each poem must be self-contained and must be titled. Style and subject matter are open. Judging is blind. Type the line count on a separate cover sheet along with your name, address, phone number and email address.

2. Entry fee: $10 for first poem, $5 for each additional poem. You may enter as many poems as you wish, but all poems must be entered at the same time. If you enter one poem or batch of poems and then submit another entry later, you must again pay the full entry fee of $10 for the first poem, $5 for each additional poem. You may send one check (in U.S. funds) and one entry form for a single entry or batch of entries. Entries received without an entry fee will be disqualified. Entry fees may not be sent after poems have been received. There will be a $10 fee for declined credit cards or returned checks.

3. All entries must be in English, original, unpublished, and not submitted elsewhere at the time of submission. "Unpublished" means poems may not have appeared in print or on the Internet for public consumption (i.e., poems posted on a public forum or on your Web site may not be entered).

4. If you are submitting your entry via regular mail, all entries must be on one side of 8-1/2 x 11 or A4 white paper. Unusual typefaces, colors, and graphics should not be used. Poems will not be returned so keep a copy for your records.

5. Entries must be postmarked by Thursday, December 20, 2007. Online entries will close after midnight EST on December 20.

6. Winners will be notified by March 3, 2008. If you have not been contacted by this date, you may assume that your entry is not a finalist and may be marketed elsewhere.

7. Enclose a self-addressed, stamped postcard with your entry if you want to be notified of its receipt. We cannot notify you personally of your poem's status before the winners are announced.

8. Winners' names will appear in the August 2008 issue of Writer's Digest magazine. Their names and poem titles will be posted at www.writersdigest.com.

Entry Form

To submit your entry online, visit our secure online entry form.

To enter via regular mail, use the printable form, and send it with your entries and entry fee to:

Writer's Digest Poetry Awards
4700 E. Galbraith Road
Cincinnati, OH 45236

Give the Gift of Reading

The Oshkosh Public Library and Salvation Army are again sponsoring "Give the Gift of Reading." Donate a new children's book from Nov. 12 through Dec. 11 and the Salvation Army will distribute it to an Oshkosh area child - from newborns to teens - in time for Christmas. Donations can be deposited in the Gift Box located in the lower level Children's Department at the Oshkosh Public Library, and the Salvation Army will distribute the books after Dec. 11. For more information, please call the Children's Desk at 236-5208.

R.I.P. Normal Mailer

Considered one of the greatest American authors, Norman Mailer passed away this weekend at the age of 84.

He once said, "I knew that there was one thing I wanted to be and that was a writer."

To listen to Norman Mailer speak in 2002 at the Barnes & Noble store in New York City's Union Square, click here.

Writing tips

Looking for some writing tips? Check out J.A. Konrath's website. It has many tips located here:

http://www.jakonrath.com/tips.html

This website also has a lot of other interesting information.

National Novel Writing Month

For those who haven't heard of it, National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) is held each November, with the goal of writing a 50,000-word manuscript in 30 days. It's not suppose to be good, or even pretty - the idea is to force you into the habit of writing on a regular basis, regardless of quality.

The NaNoWriMo website has lots of great resources - local contacts and events, writing tips, prompts to work with when you get stuck, and information on how to upload your work and get it counted.

Good luck!

Beth Ziarnik

Some time ago, Oshkosh Christian author/speaker Beth Ziarnik spoke to the club about all things related to writing conferences. Recently, she launched her own website that includes information on her own writing career as well links of interest to other writers.

Private Soldiers: A Year in Iraq w/Wisconsin National Guard

Sgt. Joseph Streeter, squad leader for the 2-127th Gator Battalion of the Wisconsin National Guard and one of the photographers of the book Private Soldiers, will offer a rare first-hand account of life in Iraq.

The program shares the title of the book, "Private Soldiers : A Year in Iraq with a Wisconsin National Guard Unit," and will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 10, at the Oshkosh Public Library. Area soldiers also will attend. This is a free program and open to the public.

The book chronicles the Wisconsin Army National Guard 2-127th Infantry Battalion's year-long deployment from the unique perspective of the soldiers themselves. Their mission would take them into the most dangerous regions of Iraq, where they would withstand hundreds of attacks, see dozens wounded, and lose three members killed in action.

Written and photographed by three battalion members, Private Soldiers provides a rare first-hand account of life in Iraq. Fascinating soldier interviews reveal the effects of deployment on the troops and on their families back home, and interviews with Iraqi civilians describe the Iraqis' perceptions of life, war, and working alongside Wisconsin troops. Brilliant photography illuminates the 2-127th's year, from training to "boots on the ground" to their return home, while candid photos taken by battalion members capture the soldiers' day-to-day lives and camaraderie.

The program will include a discussion of Gator Battalion’s experiences in Iraq and a display of photos from Private Soldiers. A book signing opportunity will follow the presentation; books will be available for purchase from Apple Blossom Books.

All royalties from sales of Private Soldiers will go to the 2-127th's family support groups and to funds established in memoriam of the battalion members who gave their lives in the Iraq war.

Click here to listen to Ben Buchholz and Joseph Streeter's September 24th Wisconsin Public Radio interview on the Larry Meiller Show.

Dinotophia Author James Gurney

Author/illustrator James Gurney will appear at the Oshkosh Public Museum on Saturday, Nov. 4. Gurney is best-known as the author and illustrator of the best-selling illustrated book series, Dinotopia.

Gurney will do a presentation from 1 to 2 p.m. and sign books from 2 to 3:30 p.m. Books will be available for purchase in the Museum Gift Shop. Please note: There is an admission charge to the museum.

Article on the Writers Club

Crystal Cummins, a reporter for the Oshkosh West High School Index, wrote a nice article on the Oshkosh Area Writers Club. The article is available online here.

Gotham Writers' Workshop

Gotham Writers' Workshop is the largest and most comprehensive private creative writing school in New York City and online. Ten-week, six-week, four-week, and one-day workshops are offered in more than a dozen forms of writing including fiction writing, screenwriting, nonfiction writing, and more.

For more information on online courses and how they work, click here.

For a list of online courses, click here.

Steal from the Best Contest

The Steal from the Best Contest for short stories offers the following prizes: First place: $750, Second place $150, Third place $75, 17 Fourth places $25 each

Rules:

Each submission MUST contain one of the seven phrases below. Pick one per submission.

“I didn’t know the meaning of fear until I kissed Becky.”

“Uh, we had a slight weapons malfunction, but uh... everything's perfectly all right now. We're fine. We're all fine here now, thank you. How are you?”

“Don't say that you're more sorry than I am, because I'm capable of being just as sorry as you are…”

“Murderers are the best I think; they’re so polite.”

“Just forget you ever saw it. It's better that way.”

“I'm going to rest my eyes for a moment. But go on. I am listening...”

“I hate it when someone gives away the ending.”

Length: Each submission must be between 800 and 2500 words long.

Entry fees:
$10.00 for up to two submissions.
$15.00 for 3 to 5 submissions

Deadline: March 15th, 2008.

How to submit: Original, unpublished work only. Entries may be submitted via the website using Paypal or you may email an entry directly to the judges at contest08@hazelst.com in the body of the email or email an MSWord or txt attachment.

Submissions can also be mailed with check or money order to:
Hazel Street Productions
PO Box 635
Van Nuys, CA 91408-0635

The top winning entries will be published at www.HazelSt.com. If this contest receives enough entries, each and every winning entry will also be published in an anthology.

Writing Prompt for Nov. 3

Some members have indicated they would like a writing prompt to get them started on a piece to write/read at a future meeting. The prompt may used in a poem, essay, character or description sketch.

For the Nov. 3 meeting, there are two prompts to choose from:

1. America the Great.
2. Love is the most common of emotions.

St. Louis Writers Guild Short Story Contest

St. Louis Writers Guild's decades-old annual short story contest opened for submissions on October 1, 2007. This is one of the longest running writing contests in the country. Tennessee Williams won first place in 1935 for his story, "Stella for Star." Contest seeks previously unpublished stories of 5,000 words or less. Cash prizes: $500 for first place, $250 for second place, $100 for third place. Three Honorable Mention awards. Additionally, all finalists receive award certificates and publication of their stories on the Guild's website. Deadline for entries is November 15, 2007; there is a $15 entry fee.

NPR's Peter Sagal

Peter Sagal, author of The Book of Vice: Very Naughty Things, will speak at 7 p.m.,
Tuesday, October 30, 2007. The host of National Public Radio’s “Wait Wait…Don’t Tell Me” will delve into the culture of vices: the appeal of many vices, how to indulge in them, what their inherent risks are, and how not to look completely foolish when inevitably caught. He reviews famous, infamous and heretofore under-reported incidents of people caught indulging in their vice of choice and includes how they explained themselves, if and how they apologized, and to what extent they were lying when they did so. Harry W Schwartz Bookshops, 2559 N Downer Ave, Milwaukee, Milwaukee County. Call 414-332-1181.

Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award

Submit your manuscript for the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award. It’s the perfect opportunity to become the next great novelist: the winning author will receive a publishing contract from Penguin Group, including promotional support for their book on Amazon.com, and a media suite from Hewlett-Packard. All entrants are eligible to self-publish their novel with CreateSpace and sell it on Amazon.com. Enter your manuscript for consideration by November 5, 2007!

Once the submission period ends, Amazon editors and top Amazon customer reviewers will read submissions and select authors for the semi-final round, beginning January 15, 2008. Each semi-finalist will receive a full review of their manuscript by Publishers Weekly and a book page on Amazon.com featuring a short excerpt from their novel that customers can download, read, and review. Penguin will select manuscripts to read from the semi-final round based on customer feedback and Publishers Weekly reviews and announce the Top Ten finalists on March 3, 2008. Amazon.com customers will then select the winner of the Amazon Breakthrough Award, to be announced on April 7, 2008.

Register now and break through! Only the first 5,000 submissions will be accepted. The registration deadline is November 5, 2007.

For more information, click here.

Writing Prompt for Oct. 20

Some members have indicated they would like a writing prompt to get them started on a piece to write/read at a future meeting. The prompt may used in a poem, essay, character or description sketch.

The writing prompt for Oct. 20 is: That Jack O' Lantern looks sick.

Wisconsin Book Festival

Wisconsin Book Festival will be held Oct. 10 through the 14th. The following is a sample of events, all held in Madison.

Distinctive Voices
Two distinct Midwest voices, Jean Feraca & Patricia Hampl, share their memoirs about family.
Oct. 14, 12:00-1:45 Orpheum Theater

Kevin Kling explores of the notion of happiness, and reminds us that there are two sides to everything, including ourselves.
Wednesday, October 10, 9:00 - 10:45 PM
Venue: Cafe Montmartre

Michael Perry, a perennial Festival favorite is back on the streets of Madison with his Truck: A Love Story.
Thursday, October 11, 7:00 - 8:30 PM
Venue: Borders Books & Music (West Side)

Ask A.J. Jacobs, "What would it require for a person to live all the commandments of the Bible for an entire year?"
Sunday, October 14, 6:00 - 7:45 PM
Venue: Wisconsin Studio/Overture

Bring your book club to this event featuring Jacquelyn Mitchard, Judy Merrill Larsen, and Ellen Baker.
Saturday, October 13, 7:00 - 8:45 PM
Venue: Promenade Hall/Overture

Rock n' Read: Two authors share their stories set against the backdrop of the punk and indie rock scene.
Saturday, October 13, 9:00 - 10:00 PM
Venue: Cafe Montmartre

Click here for a full schedule of events.

Jan Brett - guest author

Children’s author and illustrator Jan Brett will be speak at the Appleton Public Library on Tuesday, October 16, 2007 at 5 p.m., signing books from 5:30 -7 PM. The entire Jan Brett collection of books will be on sale, including her newest book, The Three Snow Bears. Conkey’s Bookstore will have plenty of books to purchase to accommodate everyone.

At 4:00 p.m. numbered tickets for the event will be given out next to Jan Brett’s touring bus located in the library’s parking lot. Please arrive early. The first 100 tickets in line will receive a free signed Jan Brett poster.

Each ticket guarantees that the family will get to meet Jan. She will sign a minimum of one book per ticket. If time does not permit Jan to sign every book, Conkey’s will have special signed bookplates featuring Jan’s artwork for all of the extra books. All family members may visit with Jan, and if you have a camera, you may have your photo taken with her.

Before the book signing Jan Brett will conduct a 15-minute drawing illustration and presentation. It will begin at 5 p.m. Everyone with or without a ticket is invited to come and listen to the presentation. Please arrive at Appleton Public Library by 5 p.m. to see Jan’s demonstration which will be held in the Lower Level Meeting Room of the Appleton Public Library.

Contact information: Conkey's Bookstore at 920-735-6223.

Novelist Andrew Vachss

Andrew Vachss, author of "Terminal: A Burke Novel" will speak at 2 p.m. Sunday, October 14, at Harry W Schwartz Bookshops, 2559 N Downer Ave, Milwaukee, Milwaukee County. Call 414-332-1181.

The blistering new thriller from Vachss forces Burke back in time to keep a commitment to a brother from his prison past and avenge the cold-case murder of a teenage girl. When the former shot-caller of the country’s feared white supremacist prison gang comes calling he comes with references and the possibility of a huge score. The terminally ill ex-con needs a fortune to gamble on the long-shot possibility of a cure in Switzerland. His only card is a degenerate he paid for protection in prison.

Deanna Favre booksigning

Deanna Favre, wife of Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre, will sign copies of her book, Don't Bet Against Me, her inspiring memoir about becoming a reluctant celebrity overnight when she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2004. Now cancer-free, she shares the role her faith has played in her life, from her years as a single mom to her high profile marriage to Brett, to her battle with breast cancer.

A ticket is required for the event; tickets are free with purchase of her book. This is a booksigning event only; no talk.

The booksigning will be held from 3 to 5 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 11, at Harry W. Schwartz Bookshops, 17145 W Bluemound Rd, Brookfield, Milwaukee County. Contact: Nancy Quinn, 414-270-3434 ex. 117.

Wisconsin Authors panel discussion

Love writing? Wish you knew more about the craft and what it takes to get published? Join six successful Wisconsin authors for a conversation about their work.

The free event will take place from 4 to 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 6, at the Redbird Studio, Milwaukee.

In this intimate setting, you'll be able to ask questions about style, character, genre, submissions and publication. A book signing and social gathering will follow the panel discussion. Panelists include Sharon Hart Addy, Liam Callanan, Kurt Chandler, Stacey Kannenberg, Sandra Kring and Paul Salsini.

Contact information: Redbird Studio/Marian Center, 3195 S. Superior St. #210, Milwaukee, Milwaukee County. Call 414-481-3195.

An American Girl Tea

An American Girl Tea Celebrating Women of Oshkosh will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday, October 6, under the Dome (2nd floor) of the Oshkosh Public Library.

The program is for girls in grades 1-5 only, with their adult female guest.Girls are welcome to dress up in their finest party wear and bring their favorite doll!

Program will include:
Accomplished women of Oshkosh sharing their stories of leadership.
A fun presentation on proper manners.
A style show presented by "A Little Attitude."
Book Fair by Apple Blossom Books, LLC.
Tea party refreshments.

Seating is limited, so please call the Oshkosh Public Library Children's Desk at 236-5208 to register.

Jim LaMarche Booksigning

If you missed author/illustrator Jim LaMarche's author visit at the Oshkosh Public Library, you can catch him again for a booksigning at Apple Blossom Books, downtown Oshkosh, from 7 to 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 6., as part of the Gallery Walk.

Class - Life Story Writing

The Oshkosh Seniors Center is hosting a class on Life Story Writing with instructor Margo Pontius. The class meets for four weeks on Wednesdays from 9 to 11 a.m. beginning Wednesday, Oct. 3. Fee is $4 for residents and $8 for non-residents. For more information or to register, please call the Seniors Center at 232-5300.

Wisconsin People & Ideas Writing Contest

Wisconsin People & Ideas magazine is accepting submissions for its annual short story and poetry contests, with a deadline of December 3. Prizes include cash, publication, and—new this year—a one-week stay at Edenfred, a creative arts residency in Madison. Winners are invited to read their work at the Wisconsin Book Festival and other venues.

For complete rules and entry information, click here.

Author Spotlight Schedule

The upcoming Author Spotlight schedule:

Oct. 6 - Mike N.
Oct. 20 - Carol D.
Nov. 3 - Hope S.
Nov. 17 - Ron S.
Dec. 1 - JoAnn G.
Dec. 15 - Joyce F.

“Author Spotlight” allows writers to bring in pieces of work that are eight or more pages, or a compilation of pieces that are best read/reviewed together.

The last hour of each Saturday meeting is devoted to discussing the works of the featured author; advance registration is required and authors must bring ten copies of their work prior to their turn in the “Spotlight.”

Those who accept a copy of the author’s work must commit to reading it and showing up for the review.

A list of Periodicals

Looking for a list of periodicals to submit to? Check out:

Writers' Federation of Nova Scotia

@

http://www.writers.ns.ca/periodicals.html

then click on periodicals (or check out publishers).

Glimmer Train Contests

Glimmer Train Press Family Matters
A prize of $1,200 and publication in Glimmer Train Stories is given twice yearly for a short story about family. Submit a story of up to 12,000 words with a $15 entry fee by October 31.

Short Story Award for New Writers
A prize of $1,200 and publication in Glimmer Train Stories is given twice yearly for a short story by a writer whose fiction has not been published in a nationally distributed publication with a circulation over 5,000. Submit a story of up to 12,000 words with a $15 entry fee by September 30.

Visit the Web site for complete guidelines on either contest.

Danahy Fiction Prize

Tampa Review - Danahy Fiction Prize

A prize of $1,000 and publication in Tampa Review will be given annually for a short story. The editors will judge. All entries will be considered for publication. Submit a story of 500 to 5,000 words with a $15 entry fee, which includes a one-year subscription to Tampa Review, by November 1. Send an SASE or visit the Web site for complete guidelines.

Tampa Review
Danahy Fiction Prize
University of Tampa
401 West Kennedy Boulevard
Tampa, FL 33606-1490
Phone (813) 253-3333.

Zoetrope Fiction Contest

Zoetrope: All-Story Short Fiction Contest
A prize of $1,000 is given annually for a short story. The winner and seven finalists will be considered for representation by the William Morris Agency, International Creative Management, Regal Literary, the Elaine Markson Literary Agency, Inkwell Management, Sterling Lord Literistic, and the Georges Borchardt Literary Agency. Joyce Carol Oates will judge. Submit a story of up to 5,000 words with a $15 entry fee by October 1.

Send an SASE or visit the Web site for complete guidelines.
Zoetrope: All-Story, Short Fiction Contest
916 Kearny Street, San Francisco, CA 94133.
Krista Halverson, Managing Editor.
contests@all-story.com

University of Wisconsin Press Poetry Contest

University of Wisconsin Press offers the Brittingham and Felix Pollak Prizes:
Two prizes of $1,000 each and publication by the University of Wisconsin Press are given annually for book-length poetry collections. An additional $1,500 is given to the winners for participation in a reading held on the Madison campus. Submit 50 to 80 pages of poetry with a $25 entry fee by September 30. Send an SASE or visit the Web site for complete guidelines.

University of Wisconsin Press, Brittingham and Felix Pollak Prizes, Department of English, 600 North Park Street, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53706. Ronald Wallace, Series Editor.
rwallace@wisc.edu

Prompt for Oct. 6

Some members have indicated they would like a writing prompt to get them started on a piece to write/read at a future meeting. The prompt may used in a poem, essay, character or description sketch.

Hope has chosen the following prompt for the Oct. 6 meeting: How could you do that?

Cartridge refills free at walgreens

Walgreens is offering one free cartridge refill today, September 12.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,296453,00.html

Author signing - Jerry Apps

Wisconsin historian and humorist Jerry Apps will do a book signing for his latest novel, "In a Pickle: A Family Farm Story" from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 13, at Apple Blossom Books, downtown Oshkosh.

2007 Wisconsin Book Festival

The 2007 Wisconsin Book Festival, Oct. 10-14, in Madison, has released the schedule of events. The event features dozens of speakers and workshops; a few are highlighted below.

The Dog Says How: NPR essayist, Kevin Kling
9 to 10:45 p.m. Wednesday, October 10; Cafe Montmartre

Many of the autobiographical tales in this first collection by NPR commentator Kevin Kling reflect a typical American boyhood in an idyllic Midwestern rural setting. But Kling conducts a far more in-depth exploration of the notion of happiness, reminding us that there are two sides to everything, including ourselves.

Michael Perry: Truck
7 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, October 11; Borders Books (West Side)

Wisconsin author Michael Perry is an engaging storyteller with tales that are sure to make you laugh, and sometimes cry.

FOUND Magazine Event
9 to 11 p.m., Friday, October 12; Orpheum Theatre: Stage Door

For the sixth consecutive year, Davy Rothbart and the FOUND magazine crew return to Madison as one of the Wisconsin Book Festival's most popular, most irreverent, and most hilarious traditions. The man with a plan and a van, Rothbart collects the discard, detritus, and dross of people's lives--old postcards, shopping lists, break-up letters, erotic scribblings, receipts, warnings, hate mail, hidden photos--and gives them meaning. If you've never been to the Festival's FOUND magazine party, you've never really been to the Festival. (May contain some language and themes not suitable for young audiences.)

10th Annual Charlotte Zolotow Lecture Featuring Patricia MacLachlan
7:30 to 9 p.m., Thursday, October 11; Memorial Union Theater

Ms. MacLachlan is the critically acclaimed author of over twenty books for children and teens, including the Newbery-Award winning novel "Sarah, Plain and Tall" and its sequels.

Hop Open Mic: Hosted by First Wave, featuring the Midwest Youth Slam All-Stars
9 p.m. Friday, October 12; UW Memorial Union

A special kickoff celebration of Madison's freshest monthly open mic. This Spoken Word & Hip-Hop event is hosted by First Wave and DJ Pain1 and features the Midwest Youth Slam All-Stars. Come hear the youth poetry slam champions from Madison, Milwaukee, Chicago, Indianapolis, and the Twin Cities. Bring your own piece to share, get on the mic, and just bust!

The Romance Writer's Guide to Domestic Bliss: How to Snag the Hunk and Solve Your Problem in 200 Pages or Less
9:30 to 10:45 a.m. Saturday, October 13; Mount Horeb Public Library

A vampire hero has got a totally different perception of bliss than a 12th century knight. Romance writer Meagan Hatfield discusses the different genres of romantic fiction, and explores the lure of the romance novel for today's readers.

Apparent Tranquility: Looking Beneath the Surface
11 a.m. to noon, Saturday, October 13; Mount Horeb Public Library

Appearances can be deceiving. In fiction, the true story consists of so much more than the specifics spelled out in the action, description and dialogue. What's really going on? The meat of the story may lie in the subtext. Learn how to read (and write) between the lines by giving subtext the same amount of attention that you give to other story elements. Presented by Bob Curry.

Book Club Night Club -- A Gala Celebration: Featuring Jacquelyn Mitchard, Ellen Baker, and Judy Merrill Larsen
7 to 8:45 p.m. Saturday, October 13; Promenade Hall/Overture

Bring your whole book club to this event featuring three dynamic and eminently discussable new books, as well as their fabulous authors -- or, just stop by to see what the book club buzz is all about. Welcome Judy Merrill Larsen, whose much-praised debut "All the Numbers" deals with the aftermath of a tragedy that befalls an annual Wisconsin lakeside vacation, as well as Ellen Baker, whose superb first novel begins in small town Wisconsin during the conformist 1950s, then reaches back to span two world wars, unraveling the secrets woven through the generations of a family. Keynoting this gathering is Madison's own Oprah's Book Club author, Jacquelyn Mitchard, author of "The Deep End of the Ocean" and other favorites. In her brand new book, "Still Summer," Mitchard offers the suspenseful story of four women stranded at sea, pitted against nature and a cohort of contemporary pirates: not to be missed!

Rabbi Harold Kushner: Overcoming Life's Disappointments
4 to 5:45 p.m. Sunday, October 14; Orpheum Theatre: Main

When life does not unfold as planned, Rabbi Harold Kushner (author of "When Bad Things Happen to Good People") strongly but sympathetically urges his readers to take inventory, learn from their experiences and move on with an open heart. Kushner does not shy away from difficult issues and awkward dilemmas, and his years of rabbinical experience in dealing with congregants' troubles make him well-suited to offer advice. This readable and sensitive discussion of "Life is tough; let's be strong enough not to be broken by it" should appeal to anyone who has ever been disappointed.

Michael Cunningham
6 to 9 p.m. Sunday, October 14; Orpheum Theatre: Main

As a novelist known for his poetic explorations of domestic tranquility as it relates to home, family, and lovers, Michael Cunningham offers an ideal grand finale for the 2007 Wisconsin Book Festival. His most popular work, the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel The Hours, masterfully explores the quiet, private moments of domestic life. His other novels include the acclaimed A Home at the End of the World, Flesh and Blood, and Specimen Days. Cunningham's writing, beloved for its original characters and depth of feeling and vision, has made him a Hollywood favorite. The film versions of The Hours and A Home at the End of the World received major accolades, and his adaptation of Susan Minot's novel Evening, which he co-wrote with Minot and which stars Vanessa Redgrave, Claire Danes, Toni Colette, Patrick Wilson, and Meryl Streep, was released this year. He lives in New York City.

Author Spotlight

Tom C. is the Author Spotlight for Saturday, Sept. 15. For those who did not get a copy of his work, it can be downloaded from the OAWC Yahoo! Group.

Writing Prompt for Sept. 15

Some members have indicated they would like a writing prompt to get them started on a piece to write/read at a future meeting. The prompt may used in a poem, essay, character or description sketch.

Jane D. has chosen the following prompt for the Sept. 15 meeting: Help is near.

Anniversary Party

The Oshkosh Area Writers Club will celebrate its 4th Anniversary at 10 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 1 in the lower level meeting room of the Oshkosh Public Library. Members are asked to bring a snack to pass; beverages will be provided. Hope to see you there!

Reading - A Lost Art?

According to a poll by the Associated Press-Ipsos, one in four Americans didn't read a single book last year. Of those who did read, the average number of books read last year was seven; The largest number of readers were women and older people. Non-readers tended to be less educated, lower income and live in rural areas. ABC has a complete story here.

Reminds me of a bumper sticker I saw the other day that went something like "People who don't read have no advantage over those who can't read."

started a blog

Well, I started a blog to chronicle my writing efforts. You can laugh along or sympathize at http://edix.blogspot.com/. Perhaps I am hoping the embarrassment of having to pen, "I didn't write again today!" will make me write more.

I got the idea from Maggie Stiefvater who not only has one but two extremely witty blogs. One is for her awesome art work and the other is for her newly, accepted- for-publishing, novel. I thought I'd better start one now so that when my novel gets accepted, I would have experience with this blogging stuff!

check hers out:

http://www.portraitswithcharacter.com/

http://greywarenart.blogspot.com/

Cheap Printer Refills

Hope S. recommends the Printer Filling Station for ink cartridges and inkjet ink refills kits. They carry supplies for Brother, Canon, Compaq, Dell, Epson, HP, Lexmark and Xerox. Prices are very reasonable and shipping is free on orders of $50 or more.

Author Visit – Jennifer Chiaverini

Breaking news: Madison author Jennifer Chiaverini will speak at 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 29, in the lower level meeting room of the Oshkosh Public Library. The event is free and open to the public.

In addition to the nine volumes of the Elm Creek Quilts series, she is the author of two volumes of quilt patterns inspired by her novels, as well as the designer of the Elm Creek Quilts fabric lines from Red Rooster Fabrics.

The Writers Club may be asked to assist with the event and/or an author dinner; details will be forthcoming.

Call For True Stories

HERO SERIES CALL FOR TRUE STORIES

Adams Media is publishing a new anthology series featuring uplifting, true stories about the experiences and relationships that inspire and enrich our lives — namely those with our mothers, our fathers, and ourteachers (also mother-figures, father-figures, and mentors). These slice-of-life stories will be written by people from all walks of life and provide unique personal insights into powerful universal truths, as well as honor the "everyday hero" in their lives. Each anthology in the series will be divided to highlight the variety of ways mothers, teachers, and fathers go beyond the call of duty to heroism.

We are now seeking submissions for the following volume: "MY TEACHER IS MY HERO." For this collection, we seek original and compelling testaments to the deep connection between teachers and their students, particularly heartwarming and humorous tales about truly amazing teachers who have made a significant impact on your life, or your children's lives. Wea re seeking people of all ages and backgrounds to write a moving story in appreciation of the teachers who inspired, motivated, and educated them. A teacher could also be a mentor or workshop leader, someone with whom you have had a moving experience that enriched your life and illustrates why this particular teacher is heroic.

Submission Deadline: SEPTEMBER 5, 2007

Payment: $100 per story, plus one copy of the book. Grand Prizes of $250, $150, $100 will be awarded for the three best stories accordingly.

Please carefully review the "Hero Series Guidelines" for complete details and submission guidelines.

Shakespeare on the Fox

The Oshkosh Public Library joins with Shakespeare on the Fox in September to celebrate the work of William Shakespeare with the two following programs:

Shakespeare and Ellington: The Bard and The Duke
7 p.m. Monday, Sept. 10
It’s a glorious marriage of music and literature as Dr. Marty Robinson, Associate Professor of Jazz at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, showcases Duke Ellington compositions based on works of William Shakespeare. The multimedia presentation will focus on one of jazz’s most unique albums, Such Sweet Thunder, an entire big-band jazz album dedicated to Shakespeare.

What? The Magic in Words in The Tempest
7 p.m. Monday, Sept. 17
Shakespeare’s language can be daunting for those of us who no longer live “where t’is spoken.” In this interactive program, the Renaissance Repertory Shakespeare Company of the Rebel Alliance Theatre presents a lighthearted evening of scenes from and discussion of The Tempest, which is one of this year’s Shakespeare on the Fox selections. Leave your books at home; bring your loudest voice and a sense of adventure to find out what makes Shakespeare “the best of them that speak this speech.”

The programs are free and open to the public. For more information call the Oshkosh Public Library at 236-5205 or visit www.oshkoshpubliclibrary.org.

Science Fiction\Fantasy Writing Prompt Contest

Every quarter the Electric Dragon Cafe holds a writing contest. They provide a topic and items, characters, or places that you must include in your story.

Entries are judged on adherence to the topic, originality, and sheer entertainment value. The winning story will be published on their site, and the author will receive a $25 gift certificate to Borders or Barnes and Noble. They may also publish any number of other entries that exemplify the spirit of the contest.

There is no entry fee. Deadline: September 10, 2007. Click here for the prompt and more info.

Writer's Digest Short Short Story Contest

Writer's Digest is accepting entries in the 8th Annual Short Short Story Competition. Stories must be 1500 words or fewer; entry fee is $12 per submission. Entries must be in original, unpublished, and not submitted or accepted elsewhere at the time of submission. The deadline for submissions is Dec. 3, 2007.

Click here for guidelines, an entry form or to enter online.

Winners will be announced in the June 2008 issue of Writer's Digest. Winners awarded cash and prizes including the First place prize of $3,000.

Free Word Processor

For those of few of you that use Word Pad or a word processing program that you do not like, you may want to try Open Office, which can be found at http://www.openoffice.org/index.html. This a free program that is compatible and similar to Microsoft Office. This writer ordered a CD of OpenOffice several years ago, and it worked well. I paid for the shipping. However, look their website over and use at your own risk.

Cliches

A cute column by Gregory Pence, titled Let's Think Outside the Box, appears in Aug. 6, 2007 issue of Newsweek on the use of cliches.

Ventura County Writers Club Contest

The Ventura County Writers club is seeking entries for a short story contest. The deadline for submittals is September 1.

Submissions may be in any genre, but must be an original short story and may not have been previously published in any newspaper, magazine, or book, whether for pay or not.

First, second, and third prizes are $500, $250, and $125. The story of the first place winner will be published in the Arts & Living section of the Ventura County Star in a November weekend edition. All three winners’ stories will appear in the on-line edition of the Star.

For contest rules and other information, please click here.

Podiobooks

It used to be, that novels were often distributed one chapter at a time.

Podiobooks.com distributes audiobooks in a similar way, using podcasts as the medium. The site features a small but growing collection of titles, most of them indie works read by their authors. After registering (it's free), just click subscribe to download chapters using your preferred podcatcher. (You can also download individual chapters directly from the site.) If you like a particular book, you can make a donation to the author, who keeps 75 percent of the proceeds.

Thanks!

Thanks to members for allowing Jim Stevens to film the July 21st meeting and for those who came early or stayed late to be interviewed. Jim is creating a documentary of the club to be aired on Channel 10, Oshkosh Community Access Television (OCAT). And we thank him for choosing our club as the subject of the documentary!

Cup Of Comfort Calls For Submissions

Here are some calls for submission for upcoming Cup of Comfort books. There are'nt even on the Cup Of Comfort website yet. This is your chance to get published, tell your story, and share with others going through a difficult time.

CALL FOR INSPIRING TRUE STORIES: ALZHEIMER’S, BREAST CANCER, DIVORCE

The bestselling Cup of Comfort book series is seeking submissions for publication consideration in three new books. Stories must be true, uplifting, and 1000 to 2000 words. For writer’s guidelines: www.cupofcomfort.com/share.htm.

A CUP OF COMFORT FOR CHILDREN AND SPOUSES OF PEOPLE WITH ALZHEIMER'S

What happens when the person who raised you or the person with whom you raised your children slowly becomes a child who doesn’t know you? What if that loved one changes so drastically that he or she is virtually a stranger to you? What if that person is difficult to deal with and requires substantial assistance? How will the reality of having a spouse or parent with Alzheimer’s affect you and your family—emotionally, financially, physically, socially, personally, professionally? The inspiring stories in this collection will answer those questions and more—and will show how love prevails and how lives thrive when a spouse or parent has Alzheimer’s.

$500 grand prize; $100 each, all other published stories; plus copy of book.
Submission Deadline: October 1, 2007

A CUP OF COMFORT FOR DIVORCED WOMEN

Divorce in the 21st century should come with an instruction manual, a release valve, and a support system. This anthology will serve essentially those three purposes, in the form of comforting, insightful, and inspirational stories about surviving and thriving during and after divorce. We seek uplifting, contemporary stories on a wide range of topics of importance to divorced women—including but not limited to: dating, children, relationship with ex, in-laws, finances, friends, solitude, personal transformation, healing, revenge, mending fences, the ex’s new wife or lover, empowerment, rediscovery of self. The majority of stories will be written by women who are or have been divorced. Stories can be poignant, irreverent, humorous, witty, or wise.

$500 grand prize; $100 each, all other published stories; plus copy of book.
Submission Deadline: November 1, 2007

A CUP OF COMFORT FOR BREAST CANCER SURVIVORS

It has been said that “stories are medicine” and that “one of the most valuable things we can do to heal one another is to share our stories.” This collection will include compelling, inspiring, and uplifting personal essays about the experiences and emotions of living with—and living after—breast cancer. Possible story themes include but are not limited to: diagnosis, treatment, emotional impact, support systems, healthy lifestyle practices, emotional healing, coping mechanisms, impact on loved ones, effect on friendships, effect on career/work, effect on romance/intimacy, life lessons learned, personal transformation, silver linings, gratitude, triumph over trials, body image, and more. All themes and writing styles considered, as long as the story is positive.

Exclusively for the Breast Cancer Survivors volume, Adams Media is working in partnership with Redbook Magazine and will award a $5,000 grand prize, a $5,000 donation to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation in the grand prize winner’s name, and bonus prizes to three runner-up stories.

Submission Deadline: December 31, 2007

Flash Fiction Contest

Whim's Place holds quarterly flash fiction contests; the next contest ends Nov. 1, 2007.

Stories must be 500 words or less. Any story exceeding the 500-word limit will automatically be disqualified. The work must be your own; if your submission is a reprint, the original publisher must be given credit.

Each entry fee is $5 USD, and you may enter as many stories as you like. Payment method: PayPal, check or money order.

Entries will be judged based on style, originality, technical skills, and content.
Write about any topic, any genre. Judging will be done by the Whim's Place editors and one special judge.

For complete rules, click here.

Personal Essay Contest

Memoirs, Ink. is holding their fourth annual Personal Essay Contest. They are looking for original, well-written personal essays, memoirs, or stories that are based on autobiographical experiences. The narrative must be in first person, other that that, the contest is open to any type, genre or style of story.

Entry fee is $15; deadline is Aug. 1, 2007.

For complete contest rules and entry form, click here.

Family Circle Fiction Contest

"Family Circle" magazine is sponsoring a short story fiction contest. The deadline is Aug. 31; one grand prize and two runners-up will be awarded.

Authors must be 21 or older. Submissions must be original short stories of no more than 2,500 words, typed on 8.5 x 11 paper. Include your name, address, daytime telephone number and e-mail address (optional) on each page and send to:

Family Circle Fiction Story Contest
c/o Family Circle Magazine
375 Lexington Avenue, Ninth Floor
New York, NY 10017.

Complete rules are here.

Writing Scams

At the July 7th meeting, we talked about writing contests that are actually scams. Listed below are some of the resources that were mentioned in the discussion:

Writer Beware - Located on the website of Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, Inc., one of the best sites to check on writing scams and literary fraud, including contests, print-on-demand publishers and literary agents.

Writers Beware also has a companion blog hosted by A.C. Crispin and Victoria Strauss.

"The Street-Smart Writer: Self-Defense Against Sharks and Scams in the Writing World," by Jenna Glatzer (2006) is also a great resource; available at the Oshkosh Public Library.

Elite Skills provides a list of poetry contests to avoid. Most of these are poetry contests sponsored by publishers, where winners (everyone who enters) are then solicitated to buy a copy of an anthology in which their poem will appear.

Next Meeting

The next meeting of the Oshkosh Area Writers Club is 10 a.m. Saturday, July 7 in the lower level meeting room of the Oshkosh Public Library. Dixie J. is the spotlight author; her novel can be downloaded from the OAWC message board. Also, copies of the club anthology, "Hearts We Know By Stories," will be available for $9.

Northwest Children's Book Conference

The Northwest Children’s Book Conference will be held Sept. 27-28, 2007, at the Telemark Resort and Conference Center in Cable, WI.

The conference offers 16 workshops and includes subjects such as writing for children and teens, storytelling techniques, and illustrating for children. Author Faith Sullivan, author of "Cape Ann" and "Gardenias" will be the keynote speaker.

For registration information call Deb Malesevich at 715-798-3999 Ext. #547, email deb@telemarkeducation.com or go to www.telemarkeducation.com and download a registration form.

Women's Writing Retreat

Judy Bridges, founder of Redbird Studio writing center in Milwaukee, will host a Women's Writing Retreat September 9- 15 at The Clearing in Door County, WI. Mornings will be spent writing, afternoons will be devoted to writing critiques and discussions, and evenings are open to spend as you wish.

The program is open to writers of all levels. Fees start at $425; meals and lodging are extra.

Writer's Dictionary

Kid-jep, headhopping, skipstream - these are just some of the terms defined here. Compiled by Predators and Editors, the online dictionary of writing and publishing terms includes legal language, publishing abbreviations and literary terms.

Author Spotlight Schedule

Author Spotlight allows writers to bring in pieces of work that are eight or more pages, or a compilation of pieces that are best read/reviewed together. The last hour of each Saturday meeting is devoted to discussing the works of the featured author; authors must registration in advance.

Upcoming Author Spotlights:

Saturday, July 7 - Dixie J.

Saturday, July 21 - Hope S.

Saturday, Aug 4 - Tom C.

Haunted Wisconsin

Chad Lewis will present "Haunted Wisconsin," at 1:30 p.m. Friday, July 13, 2007, at Ripon Public Library.

Paranormal researcher and author Chad Lewis will take the audience on a ghostly journey to some of the most haunted places in Wisconsin - from the wandering highway ghosts of the North Woods to haunted B&B's in Milwaukee. From phantom creatures prowling the forests to graveyard apparitions located in your own backyard, no place in Wisconsin is without its own haunting. Complete with photos, case history, eyewitness accounts, ghost lore, and directions, this presentation encourages you to visit these places for your own ghost story.

Lewis holds a Master's of Science degree in Applied Psychology from the University of Wisconsin-Stout, and has trekked across the world in search of the paranormal. He is also the co-author of "The Road Guide to Haunted Locations" series.

The event is free and open to the public.

Another Name Generator

What would your name be if you were monkey? Find out here.

Free Writing Contests

Writers often are deterred from entering contests because of a required entry fee or reading fee. However, writer-online-line.com nows offers a list of nearly 50 writing contests that don't require an entry fee; many award cash prizes. To view the list, click here.

Club Anthology, Party

The club's anthology, "Hearts We Know By Stories: The Collected Works of the Oshkosh Area Writers Club," is now available for purchase from lulu.com.

In celebration, we're holding a reading/booksigning at 7 p.m. Wednesday, June 13, at the Oshkosh Public Library, under the 2nd floor Library Dome. Limited copies will be available for purchase ($9) and members are asked to bring a snack to share.

Note: Jim Stevens is creating a documentary about the writers club to be aired on OCAT and may be filming the night of the event.

Shawano Area Writers' 2007 Fiction Contest

The Shawano Area Writers Club is sponsoring a fiction contest that is open to Wisconsin writers only. Cash prize awards: $400 for 1st Place; $200 for 2nd Place; $100 for 3rd Place; two Honorable Mentions will be awarded.

There is a $10 entry free; deadline is June 30. For complete rules, click here.

Writers Place Anthology Contest

The Writers Place announces a new literary contest focusing on poetry, fiction and non-fiction about women in mid-life. They are seeking short fiction (up to 7,500 words), non-fiction (up to 7,500 words) and poetry (up to 5 pages) about menopause, women in mid-life, female mid-life crises, and families, businesses, partners and children dealing with women in mid-life. Novel excerpts are acceptable. Authors can be male or female, any age, nationality or sexual orientation. Our aim is to present various views of women in mid-life through the lens of our 21st century writers.

Winners and finalists, in addition to awards and prizes, will be published as a TWP Book Selection, online and in hardcover. Deadline is July 15; For more information and submission form, click here.

Random name of subdivisions

This may be more cute than useful, but if you are trying to come up with a fictional name of a subdivision, or nursing home, try the A random subdivision/housing development/rest home name generator at:

http://adrian.gimp.org/cgi-bin/sub.cgi

Michael Perry

Wisconsin author Michael Perry will do an author visit and booksigning at 6 p.m. Wednesday, June 20, at the 1910 Sausage Company, 204 E. College Ave. His appearance is sponsored by Conkey's Bookstore.

"Hearts We Know By Stories"

It's official! Members have chosen the title "Hearts We Know By Stories: Collected Works of the Oshkosh Area Writer’s Club," for the club’s self-published anthology that features over 15 members’ works and includes non-fiction, fiction and poetry.

A galley of the manuscript will be available for viewing at the next meeting, 10 a.m. Saturday, May 19, in the lower level meeting room of the Oshkosh Public Library.

In anticipation of a June publication date, the club will host a celebratory party at 7 p.m. Wednesday, June 13, under the 2nd floor Dome of the Oshkosh Public Library. Books will be available for purchase (price to be determined) and refreshments will be served.

Ruth would like to thank club members for the numerous proofreading sessions, with a special thanks to Tom Cannon for serving as co-project coordinator and to Nicky Lee Hoffman and Nichole Smith for assisting with editing, design and layout.

Booksigning - Jerry Apps

Wisconsin Author Jerry Apps will speak about his upcoming book, “Living a Country Year: Wit and Wisdom from the Good Old Days.”

In his signature warm-hearted style, Jerry Apps traces the wisdom gained in living a country year, chronicling each month with a tale about growing up on a Midwestern dairy farm in the 1940s. Wearing his hard-earned wisdom lightly, Apps accompanies each month’s tale with farm country aphorisms and the occasional recipe for good measure.

Apple Blossom Books is hosting the signing from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Saturday, June 23, at the Oshkosh Public Museum, in honor of the new Pioneer Living exhibit.

Booksigning - P.C. Hodgell

Oskhosh author P.C. Hodgell, one of the finest fantasy writers to ever grace the streets of Oshkosh, will be at Apple Blossom Books, downtown Main Street, to sign her latest release, “To Ride a Rathorn”, as well as the re-release of “Dark of the Gods” and “Godstalk”. The event will be held from 1 to 3 p.m., Saturday, May 19. For more information, visit Apple Blossom Books.

Attn: Shakespeare Fans

Dr. Heather Dubrow, a distinguished scholar and professor at UW-Madison, will deliver a lecture about William Shakespeare and the popularity of his works. The event will be held at 7 p.m. Monday, May 21, in the lower level meeting room of the Oshkosh Public Library. The event is free and open to the public.

Dr. Dubrow's appearance is one of many events taking place as part of Shakespeare on the Fox, a unique partnership linking the cities and towns of the Fox River Valley in northeast Wisconsin, with the goal to enrich and enliven the communities of the Fox River Valley through experiencing Shakespeare.

Click here for a schedule of other events celebrating the life and works of William Shakespeare.

Author Visit - Greg Pahl

Author Greg Pahl will do a book talk/booksigning at 2 p.m., Friday, June 15, in the lower level meeting room of the Oshkosh Public Library.

Pahl's newest book is "The Citizen-Powered Energy Handbook: Community Solutions to a Global Crisis." [Chelsea Green Pub. Co., 2007, 347 p.]

In the late 1970s, Pahl began writing on a part-time basis for a wide range of publications, and eventually became a full-time freelance writer and journalist. Over the years, he has written hundreds of articles and commentaries on the arts, business, finance, farming, and environmental issues.

Whether you're interested in energy/environmental issues or how to break into magazine writing, Pahl is an engaging, knowledgeable speaker.

Author Visit - Lesley Kagen

Top Milwaukee restauranteur and debut author Lesley Kagen will do an author visit/booksigning from 10 a.m. to noon, Saturday, June 9th, in the lower level meeting room of the Oshkosh Public Library.

Kagen will be promoting her novel, "Whistling in the Dark," which was selected as a BookSense Pick for the month of May, as well as a Featured Alternate by Double Day Book Club, The Mystery Guild and The Literary Guild

The event is co-sponsored by The Oshkosh Public Library and Apple Blossom Books. Support Wisconsin authors!

Power of the Pen Summary

Summary of The Power of the Pen Writers Conference, April 20-21, 2007, at FVTC
submitted by Jessica Collins


The Fire Within-An Evening with Ellen Kort

Elen Kort used the image of fire as a basis of her talk on Friday night, April 20th. She explained her own ritual for burning a candle throughout her writing time. This unique habit creates a start/stop ritual for the practice of writing. In her writing, Ellen also practices “spilling,” or free association writing where the fire burns hot. She expressed the necessity of using the fire while it’s hot and getting these ideas into form before the ideas dissipate. The practice of consistent “spilling” is also important to keep the coals burning.

Developing and Presenting Powerful Poetry-John Lehman

John Lehman spoke about the importance of the basic elements of poetry. As I listened, I became aware that these simple ideas can somehow be forgotten when writing, and returning to them made me aware of how I could be more deliberate with them. The tools are movement (rhythm, structure, flow), drama (heightened reality, tension), and meaning (leave something to interpretation).

Be Published More Quickly-John Lehman

The keynotes for this discussion were the importance of networking and persistence. It really makes a difference if you attend groups such as the writer’s club, go to book signings, and sign up for conferences to build new relationships and skills. You never know what sort of connections you can make with those around you. Persistence is also key. There’s no need to beat yourself up when you receive rejection notices. Simply slip your manuscripts in a new envelope and send them off to another publisher.

Writing the Breakout Novel

"Writing the Breakout Novel" summary
submitted by Tom Cannon

Donald Maass of the Donald Maass Literary Agency taught a workshop this weekend at the 18th Annual Writer’s Institute in Madison. His goal was to teach attendees how to write a breakout novel--a novel that propels an author to be a leader in the industry. His presentation was interactive, entertaining, and powerful. He described how nothing is more important to selling books than word-of-mouth and that this comes from providing a powerful story. As he autographed in his books, “Tension on every page.”

But how do you do this? Mr. Maass put the audience through exercises that taught strategies such as: add heroic qualities right away, build inner conflict, add quirks, and raise the stakes for the characters. All of these and many more skills are explored further in his book "Writing the Breakout Novel," and his workbook of the same name.

Mr. Mass leads weeklong workshops on writing and is leading one the third week of June Nashville, Indiana (information can be found at http://www.free-expressions.com/). If you are looking for a weeklong workshop, this writer would recommend one of Mr. Maas’. It sounds like a lot of work with workshops, 1:1 meetings, evening programs, and homework, but it also sounds like a tool to take your writing to the next level.

However, you may want to be prepared that Mr. Maass will be honest. He was polite and positive, but did not shy away from being honest. One of his suggestions to improve writers groups was to ask the people to critique your work and identify any passages where they did not feel tension. That would be hard to listen to, but it is tension that makes people turn the page.

Is our anthology"published"?

I sent an email to Miss Snark (an agent in NY who has a blog). Here is my question and her reply. I guess if I enter something I will explain the situation to the contest.

Question: Previously published and contests
Our writing club is self publishing an anthology this summer. It does not have an ISBN number. Are these short stories considered published? Some of us would like to submit our stories to contests that say “no previously published” stories. Your thoughts are appreciated.

Answer: Contests that say "no previously published" stories pretty much mean no stories that have seen the light of day: no blogs, no websites, no ezines, and no anthologies published on Lulu.The industry standards on this are not exact, they're in flux. You may be confused because I've previously said that publishing things on the web or at Lulu doesn't count as "published" as far as book publishers are concerned. That still holds.The answer to "is this published" really depends on who's making the rules. In this instance the contest is writing the rules for material they will consider and yours doesn't qualify.

AlphaSmart Word Processors

At a recent meeting, we were discussing the inexpensive laptop options sold by AlphaSmart of Wisconsin Rapids, WI. One member brought in an slightly older model he purchased on E-bay for less than $50; new models start at $249.

The word processor capabilities vary by model but they all offer instant on/off power (no waiting for it to boot up), autosave, file storage, spell check, and easy uploading to your PC or Mac. Of the newer models, the Neo can run for 700 hours on alkaline batteries; the Dana comes with a wireless option. Both can hold hundreds of files and weigh less than two pounds.

AlphaSmart products have gotten great reviews from school teachers, writers and numerous computer magazines. Durable and light, they're a great way to write anywhere, anytime.

Author Spotlight Schedule

The upcoming Author Spotlight schedule:

May 5 - Dixie
May 16 - Anthology workshop
June 2 - Mike N.
June 16 - Bob B.
July 7 - Dixie
July 21 - Hope

Write for the Daily Prophet

Do you want to write for the Oshkosh Daily Prophet? One edition of the newspaper is being printed in conjunction with Harry Potter's Oshkosh Main Street Magic, Oshkosh's two-day celebration, July 20-21, of the release of the last Harry Potter Book.

You can be part of it by:

1. Contributing a letter to the editor on "What Harry Potter means to me/The impact of Harry Potter in my life.

2. Submitting a classified ad appropriate to The Daily Prophet.

3. Writing a feature article.

Click here for ideas!

To make a submission or for more information, please call Sandy at 312-0191 or e-mail joseph@oshkoshpubliclibrary.org.

Talk the Talk

Writing about a punk rocker, tattoo artist, trucker or gambler? Then you need "Talk the Talk: The Slang of 65 American Subcultures" by Luc Reid. Written in an organized, concise manner with examples of word usage, Reid gives you the jargon you need to make your writing more authentic. A fun read, the book is available from the Oshkosh Public Library.

Next Meeting

The next meeting of the Oshkosh Area Writers Club is 10 a.m. Saturday, April 21.

Guest speaker is creative consultant Jeanne Williams who speak on Mindmapping for Writers. The presentation will last about an hour and then we'll have open reading. There is no author spotlight scheduled for this meeting.

Meetings are free and open to anyone age 17 and older. For more information, please e-mail oawc@aol.com

R.I.P. Kurt Vonnegut

Science fiction writer Kurt Vonnegut passed away April 11 at the age of 84 at his home in Manhattan.

Polk Library 3rd annual Book Sale

Forest R. Polk Library on the UW-Oshkosh campus is holding their 3rd annual book sale.

Used books priced at 50 cents each or three for $1, including fiction as well as non-fiction subjects of nursing, political science, social science, economics, general reference and more. There will also be specially priced videos and book sets. Tuesday’s sale will include surplus desks, chairs and other items.

Book sale hours:
Monday April 16 from 7:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Tuesday, April 17, from 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The sale will be held on the first floor of Polk Library across from the Circulation Desk.

The Power of the Pen

The third annual "The Power of the Pen: Writer’s Conference" will be held April 20 – April 21, at Fox Valley Technical College Neenah Regional Center 2320 Industrial Drive, Neenah, WI. The workshops are only $13.20 each - hard to beat!

Workshops include:

The Fire Within, with Ellen Kort
Showing vs. Telling: The Lively Art of Writing, with Judy Bridges
Memoir Writing: Getting Started, with Joanne Flemming
Developing & Presenting Powerful Poetry, with John Lehman
Building Characters in Fiction & Plays and Writing Dialogue, with Robert Vaughan

The fee for each class is $13.20; $4.50 for those 62 & older. For more information or to register, click here or contact Lisa Bell – belll@fvtc.edu or (920) 720-6820

David Sedaris in Appleton

Tickets are still available for best-seller author writer David Sedaris's appearance at 8 p.m. Tuesday, April 17 at the Appleton Performing Arts Center.

Annual Writer's Digest Competition

The deadline of May 15 is fast-approaching for writers interested in the Writer’s Digest annual contest. There are 10 categories, each offering cash prizes and other honors.

The categories are:
• Inspirational Writing (Spiritual/Religious)
• Memoirs/Personal Essay
• Magazine Feature Article
• Genre Short Story (Mystery, Romance, etc.)
• Mainstream/Literary Short Story
• Rhyming Poetry
• Non-rhyming Poetry
• Stage Play (* submission by mail only)
• Television/Movie Script (* submission by mail only)
• Children's/Young Adult Fiction


For complete rules and submission guidelines, click here.

Next Meeting

The next meeting of the OAWC is 10 a.m. Saturday, April 7, in the lower level meeting room of the Oshkosh Public Library. This will be a two-hour proofreading session of pages for the upcoming club anthology.

Club meetings are free and open to anyone age 17 or older. For more information, e-mail oawc@aol.com.

Don't Murder Your Mystery Contest

Deadline: April 25, 2007

Type: Name a forthcoming nonfiction book

Theme: Companion volume to DON'T MURDER YOUR MYSTERY, this one for all genres.

Eligibility: United States resident, 18 or over

Prizes: A professional edit worth over $800 by Chris Roerden, an editor in niche publishing for more than 40 years and the author of DON'T MURDER YOUR MYSTERY, of the first 200 pages of a novel-in-progress or one or more complete short stories, plus credit in the forthcoming book for the winning title.

Entry Fee: none

Description: Entries will be evaluated for creativity and ability to interest intended readers of the forthcoming book, the purpose of which is the same as for DON'T MURDER YOUR MYSTERY, though more inclusive. Contest details; reviews of original book.

Wake Up Writing

If you're looking for writing ideas or want to take a break from a long-term writing project, check out Wake Up Writing, a website that offers daily writing exercises.

Author Visit Lauren Myrackle

Lauren Myracle, best-selling author of “ttfn”, “ttyl”, and now “l8r g8r” has added a stop in Oshkosh for her national book tour. She’ll be at Apple Blossom Books, downtown Oshkosh, from 3 to 4pm on Thursday, March 29th. Don’t miss her or her new books, “Twelve” and “l8r g8r”!

Lauren Myracle holds an MA in English from CSU and an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College. Her first novel, "Kissing Kate," was selected as one of ALA's "Best Books for Young Adults" for the year 2004. It was named by Booklist as one of the "Top Ten Youth Romances" of the year, as well as one of the "Top Ten Books by New Writers." Her next novel, "Eleven," was called "lighthearted and well-observed" by Publisher's Weekly, and "ttyl" (Talk to You Later), was praised in a starred review by School Library Journal for being "fully realized and wonderfully realistic."

Writing the Breakout Novel Workshop

Early-bird registration for The Writers Institute in Madison (WI) ends April 6. The annual conference, held April 27-29, features top-notch speakers as well as opportunities to meet one-on-one with agents and authors.

The keynote program options include an all-day seminar on Saturday, April 28, with Donald Mass, author of “Writing the Breakout Novel.” Cost for the single program is $135 if you register before April 6.

The intensive workshop is designed to bring a novel-in-progress to breakout level. This is a hands-on brainstorming and writing workshop. Participants should bring the manuscript of a novel-in-progress, plus writing materials.(Of course, if you're at the idea stage for your next novel, that's fine, too.)

Each segment involves character and story development exercises that focus directly on a novel-in-progress.

Some of the topics covered:
• Adding heroic qualities right away
• Opening extra character dimensions
• Constructing inner conflict
• Creating larger-than-life qualities
• Raising personal stakes
• Deepening the antagonist
• Secondary character development
• Raising public stakes
• Building plot layers
• Weaving layers together
• Combining roles
• Heightening turning points
• Building high moments
• Measuring change (the secret behind telling not showing)
• Backstory placement
• Tension on every page
• Theme development
• First lines
• Pitch (synopsis) reduction

For a complete schedule of workshops and activies, click here.

Tom in the News

OAWC member Tom over at Persistent Ambivalence had an article in the Sunday, March 18 issue of the Oshkosh Northwestern regarding his story in Cup of Comfort. While some of the details are wrong, (click here for details) the article is available online for a limited time here.

Harry Potter Party in Oshkosh

Come and join in the fun as downtown Oshkosh transforms into the world of Harry Potter for Harry Potter: Oshkosh Main Street Magic from 4 p.m. to midnight, Friday, July 20, 2007.

Main Street will be closed for the big event while fans countdown to the release of the final Harry Potter book. There will be entertainment and activities for all ages. The Business Improvement District, sponsor of the event, is still finalizing the details but activities in the works include:

• A Marauder’s Map (including a scavenger hunt)
  
• Hogsmeade Passes
  
  N.E.W.T ($50) which includes:
  
  • 10% discount for participating Downtown stores
    
  • Oshkosh Main Street Magic activities
    
  • Character Dinner—an end of term feast featuring Dumbledore and other Hogwarts professors! Your ticket includes a free photo.
    
  • A raffle ticket for a trip for 4 to London to ride the Hogwarts Express, etc.
    
  • A trip through the Shrieking Shack and a short presentation before you receive . . .
    
  • A copy of the book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows—to be given out at midnight.
  
  
  O.W.L. GUEST PASS ($25) includes everything above except a copy of the book—to be purchased by N.E.W.T Pass holders for those families who do not want multiple copies of the book.
  
  
  Gringotts Goblin Pass ($28) includes a copy of the book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows—to be given out at midnight; a 10% discount to participating Downtown stores; Oshkosh Main Street Magic activities.
  
  
  Muggle Pass (FREE) includes 10% discount to participating Downtown stores; Oshkosh Main Street Magic activities.
  
  
  
• The Weird Sisters (band)
  
• HP Movie in the Park
  
• Street Vendors
  
• People in costume
  
• Crafts / games / activities for kids
  
• “Get a sock for Dobby” and support the Winnebago County Literacy Council – $1

Watch for more details!

Call for Submissions

The publisher of Chicken Soup for the Soul inspirational book series is accepting submissions (guidelines) for the following subjects:

Soul in Love
A collection of stories about that one special person with whom you share a connection. These stories will leave an imprint on your heart and inspire you. The deadline date for story submission is March 31, 2007.

Tea Lover's Soul
The deadline for story submissions for this title is March 31, 2007.

Christmas Collection
A timeless collection of stories that celebrate the magic of the season. The deadline date for story submissions is March 31, 2007.

Coffee Lover's Soul
The deadline for story submissions for this title is March 31, 2007.

Chocolate Lover's Soul
The deadline for story submissions for this title is March 31, 2007.

American Idol Soul
Some people can't understand why we love American Idol! Here's your chance to share your story of how an American Idol moment touched your heart and transformed your life. The deadline for story submissions is April 15, 2007.

Adopted Soul
A collection of stories that share the unique experiences of adoption from the points of view of the birth family, the person who has been adopted and the adopting family. The deadline date for story submissions is May 31, 2007.

Divorced Soul
Stories of hope and encouragement for divorced people or people going through a divorce to let them know that they are not alone. The deadline for story submissions is May 31, 2007.

Father and Son's Soul
A collection of wonderful and inspiring stories that celebrate the special relationship between a father and a son. The deadline date for story submissions is August 1, 2007.

Football Lover's Soul
Stories of inspiration and resilience from football players and from the fans who love football. The deadline date for story submissions is August 31, 2007.

Author Visit - Daniel San Souci

Children's author/illustrator Daniel San Souci will speak at 7 p.m. Monday, April 2, at the Oshkosh Public Library.San Souci is the author of the popular children's series, "The Clubhouse Books."

Daniel San Souci is the author and illustrator of nearly 50 children's books including Two Bear Cubs, illustrated for the National Parks System & coauthored with his brother, Robert San Souci & his series of Clubhouse books including Space Station Mars, based on his own childhood adventures.

Books sales/signing will follow the presentation. The event is free and open to the public. For more information, please call 236-5208.

Congrats Dixie!

Congratulations to Dixie Jarchow for taking top place in the Curtis L. Brown Writing Challenge, sponsored by the Fox Valley Writers’ Club.

Nelligan Short Story Contest

The Colorado Review is currently accepting entries for the Nelligan Short Story Contest.

Submission guidelines:

* $1,000 will be awarded for the best short story, which will be published in the Fall/Winter 2007 issue of Colorado Review.
* This year’s final judge is Charles Baxter; friends and students (current & former) of the judge are not eligible to compete, nor are current Colorado State University employees, students, or alumni.
* Fee is $10 per entry, payable to Colorado Review; there is no limit on the number of entries you may submit.
* Stories must be previously unpublished.
* There are no length or theme restrictions.
* All manuscripts must be typed and double-spaced.
* No submissions via e-mail.
* Include two cover sheets: on the first, print your name, address, telephone number, and the story title; on the second, print only the story title. Your name should not appear anywhere else on the manuscript.
* Provide SASE for contest results.
* Manuscripts will not be returned.
* Contest opens January 15, 2007.
* Deadline is the postmark of March 15, 2007.
* Winner will be announced in July 2007.
* All submissions will be considered for publication.

Entries must be clearly addressed to:
Nelligan Prize
Colorado Review
Department of English
Colorado State University
Fort Collins, CO 80523

Wisconsin Publishers - Poetry

WisconsinPoet.com has a great UPDATED link on their website of Wisconsin magazines and publishers that print poetry.

Mind Mapping with Jeanne Williams

Creative consultant Jeanne Williams will do a one-hour presentation on mind mapping at the 10 a.m. Saturday, April 21 meeting, at the Oshkosh Public Library.

Mind mapping involves the use of key ideas or steps that are arranged around a single idea or task in diagram form. Jeanne will show how writers can use mind mapping as an effective way to plot or outline stories, poems, etc.

The presentation is free and open to the public.

Author Spotlight Schedule

“Author Spotlight” allows writers to bring in pieces of work that are eight or more pages, or a compilation of pieces that are best read/reviewed together. The last hour of each Saturday meeting is devoted to discussing the works of the featured author; advance registation is required and authors must bring ten copies of their work prior to their turn in the “Spotlight.” Those who accept a copy of the author’s work must commit to reading it and showing for the review.

The upcoming Author Spotlight Schedule:

Saturday, March 17 - Bethany (?)

Saturday, April 7 - Bob B.

Saturday, May 5 - Dixie

Saturday, June 2 - Mike N.

New Books

New books available from the Oshkosh Public Library (or any library in
the Winnefox Library System):

Extraordinary Poetry Writing
Ryan, Margaret

The Write-Brain Workbook: 366 Exercises to Liberate Your Writing
Neubauer, Bonnie

Writing to Change the World
Pipher, Mary Bray.

See Jane Write: A Girl's Guide to Writing Chick Lit
Mlynowski, Sarah.

Writing Tools: 50 Essential Strategies for Every Writer
Clark, Roy Peter.

How to Get Ideas
Foster, Jack

How to Get a Literary Agent
Larsen, Michael

Jeff Herman's Guide to Book Publishers, Editors, & Literary Agents
The Writer Books

The Legacy Guide: Capturing the Facts, Memories, and Meaning of Your
Life
Franco, Carol

Bonding: A Journal to Bring You Closer to Your Mom
Lauer, Teresa M.

Janet Evanovich's How I Write: Secrets of a Bestselling Author
Evanovich, Janet.

A Writer's Coach: An Editor's Guide to Words that Work
Hart, Jack

Write: 10 Days to Overcoming Writer's Block: Period
Peterson, Karen E.

How to Build a Great Screenplay: A Master Class in Storytelling for Film
Howard, David.

Street-smart Writer: Self Defense Against Sharks and Scams in the
Writing World
Glatzer, Jenna.

Reading Like a Writer: A Guide for People Who Love Books and For Those
Who Want to Write Them
Prose, Francine

Ray Bradbury Interview

Ray Bradbury has some great writing advice in "Zen in the Art of Creative Writing," some of which he repeats in an interview with Janet Wellington. The interview appeared in the March 1999 issue of Romantically Speaking; you can read it here.

Congrats Tom!

Tom Cannon has a story titled “24/7” in the ezine Long Short Story. Tom also has a story in the new "Cup of Comfort for Parents of Children with Autism." Way to go!