Meeting reminder - Jan. 2

The Oshkosh Area Writers Club will meet at 10 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 2, via Zoom. New members welcome; meeting details below.

If you have something to share, please upload it to Basecamp or email it to me at oawc at aol dot com by 9 a.m.the day of our meeting. See you Saturday! ~ Ruth

Topic: Oshkosh Area Writers Club

Time: Jan 2, 2021 10:00 AM Central Time

Join Zoom Meeting

Meeting ID: 835 6067 8439

Passcode: 942387

One tap mobile

+13126266799,,83560678439#,,,,*942387# US (Chicago)

+19292056099,,83560678439#,,,,*942387# US (New York)

Dial by your location

        +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)

  

Meeting ID: 835 6067 8439

Passcode: 942387

Annual Gift Exchange - Dec. 19th

The Oshkosh Area Writers Club will meet at 10 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 19th via Zoom. Meeting details are in the Comments section.

Reminder: This is our annual gift exchange so we will not be doing any readings. Rather than give a physical gift, please be prepared to share a a link to a product or service. You will NOT actually purchase the gift, so you're only limited by your imagination.

Please note: the gift you "give" will be used as a writing prompt for the recipient, so be creative!

Editing By Listening

The Oshkosh Area Writers Club emphasizes reading one's work aloud. Your ears are able to pick out missing words that your eyes miss. If you get winded reading a single sentence, that might be a sign you need to shorten it. If your tongue trips over a phrase, you might want to reconsider your word choices. Reading aloud also helps establish a rhythm or flow - especially important when writing poetry! 

Most likely you will pick out things as you read your work to yourself, and then again as you read it to the group. 

Don't have a group to be your audience? The latest version of Microsoft Word has an option to read your text aloud. If you do not have that option, there are apps and websites that will also convert text to speech. Natural Readers.com is one of those sites.  While it is not truly a natural voice, it is better than most computer generated voices, and has setting for type of voice and rate of speech.

~ T. Cannon

Meeting reminder - Dec. 5

The Oshkosh Area Writers Club will meet at 10 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 5 via Zoom. Invite is below.

If you have something to read for critique, please upload it to Basecamp or email it to Ruth at oawc at aol.com by 9 a.m. the day of our meeting.

New members welcome!

Topic: Oshkosh Area Writers Club

Time: Dec 5, 2020 10:00 AM Central Time (US and Canada)

Click Here to Join Zoom Meeting

Meeting ID: 835 6067 8439

Passcode: 942387

One tap mobile

+13126266799,,83560678439#,,,,,,0#,,942387# US (Chicago)

+19292056099,,83560678439#,,,,,,0#,,942387# US (New York)

Dial by your location

        +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)

Meeting ID: 835 6067 8439

Passcode: 942387

Meeting reminder - Nov. 21

The Oshkosh Area Writers Club will meet at 10 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 21 via Zoom. 

Meetings are free and open to the public; new members are welcome. 

For the Zoom link, please email Ruth by 9 a.m. the day of the meeting at oawc at aol dot com

Linda Babcock, 1958-2020

I’m sad to announce the passing of long-time member Linda Babcock. 

Linda primarily wrote paranormal mysteries, but was known to share a poem on occasion. She regularly participated in our National Novel Writing Month events and was always the first one to hit 50,000 words. She looked forward to the club’s annual White Elephant gift exchange, which will not be the same without her creative contributions. 

Linda was as serious as she could be fun, and nothing was more important to her than her family. We offer them our heartfelt condolences during this difficult time. ~ Ruth

Meeting reminder - Nov. 7

The Oshkosh Area Writers Club will meet at 10 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 7 via Zoom.

If you have something to read for a critique, please upload it to Basecamp or email to oawc at aol dot come by 9 a.m. the day of our meeting.

As always, new members are welcome!

Join the Zoom meeting by clicking here.

Meeting Reminder - Oct. 17

The Oshkosh Area Writers Club will meet via Zoom at 10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 17. 

If you'd like to read something at the meeting for critique, please upload it to Basecamp by 9 a.m. the day of our meeting. Or, you can email it to Ruth at oawc at aol.com.

As always, meetings are free and open to the public.

Topic: Oshkosh Area Writers Club

Time: Oct 17, 2020 10:00 AM Central Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85698308715?pwd=bVRvOGNDWjB0a1p0MmROcTk1SW9wUT09

Meeting ID: 856 9830 8715

Passcode: 942387

One tap mobile

+13126266799,,85698308715#,,,,,,0#,,942387# US (Chicago)

Dial by your location

        +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)

Passcode: 942387

Fox Cities Book Festival

The Fox Cities Book Festival has gone virtual for 2020, but the schedule of speakers is still terrific! Speakers include Sonala Dev, r.r. campbell, Stephanie Feuerstein, Allen Eskens, Leslie Kagen, Jerry Apps and others!

There's something for everyone during the event that ends Oct. 18!

WWA Fall Conference

The Wisconsin Writers Association Fall Conference is happening virtually on Saturday, Oct. 3. 

Speakers include:

Jennifer Lee Goloboy, Agent, Donald Maass Literary Agency

Panel: Writing Scene that Work 

Dasha Kelly Hamilton, Milwaukee Poet Laureate

Program: Why We Write

Erin Celello, author, Miracle Beach and Learning to Stay

Panel: Writing Scenes that Work 

Ann Garvin, author, I Like You Just Fine When You’re Not Around

Program: First Five Pages

Register today and expand your writing skills from the comfort of your own home!

Meeting Reminder - Sept. 5

The Oshkosh Area Writers Club will meet at 10 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 5 via Zoom. 

Meetings are free and open to the public. 

New faces are always welcome! Please email oawc at aol dot com for a Zoom invitation.

Randomize This!

Bored with your writing? Feeling blocked? One of my favorite things to do is play around on Master Generator, a portal of various writing generators.

Plot Twist will ask some questions about your story (they will provide random answers if you don’t have any), and spit out up to 50 plot twists.

Another option, 10 Opening Line Ideas, produced some interesting lines like “I have two things on my mind: bowling and my iminent death” and “People trust me with their pets; they shouldn’t.”

The Band Name Generator analyzes information about the band and generates over 20 band names. A sample of band names using the words hamster, Oshkosh, books, hot, poor and rock:

Hamstersica

Poor Division

Undercover Books

Oshkosh Panic

Hamster Head

The Rock Hamsters

Bashing Books

Hot Hamster Brigade

The Oshkosh Rock Experience

The generator also includes song titles and will generate song lyrics in the style of popular musicians.

You can also create characters, drabble and dating profiles and more. A fun way to pass an hour - or three!

I will leave you with my soon-to-be written paranormal romance, thanks to Master Generator. They even created a cover for me! Who would not want to read this?

Kiss of a Ghost

A Paranormal Romance

by Ruth Percey

Zach Blunder suspected something was a little off when his bald grandpa tried to kiss him when he was just six years old. Nevertheless, he lived a relatively normal life among other humans.

It wasn't until he bumped into the devilishly Moody ghost, Wenna Blast, that his life finally began to make sense.

However, Wenna proved to be thin and seemed to have an unhealthy obsession with reading. Zach soon learnt that Wenna had taken an oath never to hug a human being.

When Zach's bald grandpa is injured in a bike accident, Zach realises his own life is at risk.

Despite Wenna's nasty wounds and inherent evilness, Zach finds himself falling for the ghost. Only fate will decided whether she kills or protects him.

One night, a dragon appears before Zach and warns him of a darkness within Wenna. The dragon gives Zach the shiny sword - the only weapon that can defeat a Moody ghost.

Will Zach find it in himself to kill the only creature who has ever made him feel truly dubious? (Hint: yes!)

Meeting Reminder - Aug. 15

The Oshkosh Area Writers Club will meet at 10 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 15 via Zoom. 

Meetings are free and open to the public. 

New faces are always welcome! Please email oawc at aol dot com for a Zoom invitation.

Virtual Author Talk With Tracy Phillips

Click here to register!

Meeting reminder - Aug. 1

Oshkosh Area Writers Club will meet at 10 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 1st via Zoom.

Meetings are free and open to the public. 

New faces are welcome! Please email oawc at aol dot com for a Zoom invitation.

Oshkosh Area Writers Club: FAQs - Covid-19 Edition

Oshkosh Area Writers Club FAQs
Covid-19 Edition

Meetings are open to anyone 17 and older. We get a mix of people writing in various genres at different skill levels. 

Is there a membership fee?
No. But it would be appreciated if you like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter!

When/where does the club meet? 
We meet at 10 a.m. the first and third Saturday of each month via Zoom. 

Zoom meeting details are included in a meeting reminder email sent out prior to each meeting. If you'd like to be on our email list, please contact Ruth --> oawc at aol dot com

How many members are there?
There are about 8 core members, others come and go as life allows. Meetings can have as few as 8 and as many as 20 people. Some are beginning writers, others have been published, and a few have agents/book contracts.

How do the meetings work?
Meetings start with short introductions and general announcements. Then we begin critiques - a writer reads their work aloud (limit of 5 pages or less) and members critique it, focusing on two things that were well done and two things that need improvement. Meetings end promptly at noon.

Note: We make special arrangements for people with completed manuscripts or compilations - anything that is too long to read during a meeting. 

What else does the club do?
Prior to Covid-19, we hosted free programs at the library - including author visits and National Novel Writing Month write-ins every November. We also co-sponsor the Lakefly Writers Conference each May at the Oshkosh Convention Center and have a public access television show called Author Showcase created by two of our members. All of these events are currently suspended indefinitely.

Still not sure if we're right for you? You best bet is to attend a meeting and see how we fit!

Bedford Competition

Sharing this announcement from The Bedford Competition:

The Bedford Competition (international short story and poetry awards) is a not for profit organisation, based in the United Kingdom, which runs international writing competitions that should appeal to anyone with an interest in creative writing.

All the entries we receive are entered in the main story and poetry competitions which have prizes of £500 first place, £150 second and £100 third. In the past it has not been unusual for overseas entrants to be amongst the prize winners.

We recognise that it is important to encourage young people to exercise their literary talents and in addition to the above prizes we give what it referred to as our Young Writers' Award for the best poem and short story received from a person in the age group 17 to 25, inclusive. 

The stories or poems may be something completely new, or something that has been worked on already. There are no theme or genre restrictions but it must be original, unpublished fiction. An entrant may submit more than one story or poem.

Inspired by the affects of the current covid-19 pandemic which is affecting every country throughout the world, there is, for this year only, a special Rainbow Prize for short story entrants aged 70 or over. We have chosen this age group for this one-off prize as they are not only deemed to be the most vulnerable, but are most likely to be suffering lockdown blues as they have been prevented from pursuing social activities and interacting with their children and grandchildren.

The twelve shortlisted stories and poems plus the prizewinners of the Young Writers' Award and the Rainbow Prize will all be published in a paperback and electronic anthology, providing an opportunity to send their work into the outside world.

More detail and how to enter can be found on our website: The Bedford Competition.

Meeting Reminder: June 20

Oshkosh Area Writers Club will meet at 10 a.m. Saturday, June 20, via Zoom. 

NEW: If you plan to share any writing at the meeting, please submit the document into our Dropbox by 5 p.m. Wednesday, prior to the meeting. This will give readers Thursday and Friday to read the pieces that we will discuss on Saturday. You are obligated to only read the first five pages, though authors may submit longer pieces and you are free to read further.

If you would like to receive a meeting invitation or need instruction on using Dropbox, please email oawc at aol dot com

Meeting reminder: June 6

The Oshkosh Area Writers Club will meet via Zoom at 10 a.m. Saturday, June 6.

The meeting is free and open to the public. If you would like an invitation, please email Ruth at: oawc at aol dot com no later than 6 p.m. Friday, June 5th. 

Next meeting - May 16

Deb Martin has kindly set up a Zoom meeting for us at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 16. This will NOT be a regular meeting; just an opportunity to test out the software and say hello to everyone. I'd specifically like to talk about how the virus has impacted your creativity, and set up some ground rules for future virtual meetings.

My understanding is that anyone can join a Zoom meeting via phone, tablet, computer, etc. You do not need to create an account and the service is free of charge.

This is a difficult time for everyone as we navigate our way through the pandemic, and I know some may not be ready to attend meetings. That's okay! Participation has always been voluntary; join us when your life allows.

If you have not yet received an email invitation, please email oawc @ aol dot com and have the log-on information sent to you.

UPDATE: 2020 Lakefly Writers Conference

The health and safety of community members is our number one priority. For that reason, we have decided to cancel the 2020 Lakefly Writers Conference.

We are working on issuing full refunds to all who registered but please note it may take 8 to 10 weeks. Checks will be mailed to the address you provided at the time of registration; if you have since moved or would like the check mailed to a different address, please email lakeflywriters at gmail dot com

If you registered for a hotel room at the Best Western Premiere Waterfront Hotel adjacent to the convention center, your room reservation has automatically been canceled.

The writing contests are still moving forward! Winners will be notified by mail. Once we verify the addresses of the winners, checks and certificates will be mailed.

Save the dates: Our next conference will be May 7-8, 2021 at the Oshkosh Convention Center.

Be safe and keep writing! ~ Ruth

Meeting reminder - March 7

The Oshkosh Area Writers Club will meet at 10 a.m. Saturday, March 7, in the lower level conference room of the Oshkosh Public Library. 

Also, a reminder that the deadline for the Lakefly Writing Contests is March 13. No entry fee; cash prizes. Click here for complete contest rules and submission guidelines.

2020 Lakefly Writers Conference: More Recommended Reads!

Check out these titles from the upcoming Lakefly Writers Conference speakers:

Death Rides the Ferry
A Dave Cubiak Door County Mystery)
Patricia Skalka 

It’s a sparkling August day on Washington Island and the resonant notes of early classical music float on the breeze toward the sailboats and ferries that ply the waters of Death’s Door strait. After a forty-year absence, the Viola da Gamba Music Festival has returned to the picturesque isle on the tip of Wisconsin’s Door County peninsula. Sheriff Dave Cubiak enjoys a rare day off as tourists and a documentary film crew hover around the musicians.

The jubilant mood sours when an unidentified passenger is found dead on a ferry. Longtime residents recall with dismay the disastrous festival decades earlier, when another woman died and a valuable sixteenth-century instrument—the fabled yellow viol—vanished, never to be found.

Cubiak follows a trail of murder, kidnapping, and false identity that leads back to the calamitous night of the twin tragedies. With the lives of those he holds most dear in peril, the sheriff pursues a ruthless killer into the stormy northern reaches of Lake Michigan.

Imminent Dawn
  
(EMPATHY Series, Book 1)

R. R. Campbell

Art-school dropout Chandra would do anything to apologize for her role in her wife’s coma—including enroll in the first round of human trials for an internet-access brain implant.

At first, the secretive research compound is paradise, but a dark wave of uncertainty soon crashes down on the study, pitting Chandra against ruthless tech magnate Wyatt, a man whose own secrets compel him to press on with his work at all costs. Beyond the complex’s walls, horrifying rumors about the EMPATHY brain implant reach the desk of investigative journalist Meredith, who strives to verify her mysterious source’s veracity—until threats of unknown origin force her to choose between her sleuthing and her life. All the while, advancement-hungry administrative assistant Ariel eagerly does the bidding of her higher-ups, woefully unaware they might not have the best interests of the compound’s patients in mind.

Forced to confront conspiracies stretching from the highest levels of the North American Union government to the lowest dredges of its shadowy hacking collectives, all four characters are set on a collision course that will leave them fighting to reclaim that which they value most: their loved ones, their freedom, their lives.

A twistedly delightful clockwork of intrigue and suspense, Imminent Dawn is an electrifying sci-fi debut from author R. R. Campbell.

Almost Crimson

Dasha Kelly

From a young age CeCe copes with her mother's crippling depression, their severe poverty, an absentee father, and her own insecurities. With gorgeous language, a vivid cast of characters, and an eye for poignant detail, Dasha tells the story of CeCe's struggle to break free from the grips of codependency and poverty to find confidence and success in her career and her personal life, finally becoming the strong woman she's always dreamed of being.

 Enjoy these books? Meet the authors at the 2020 Lakefly Writers Conference, May 8 and 9 at the Oshkosh Convention Center (WI). Save $15 if you register before March 31st. 

The Lakefly Writers Conference in sponsored by the Oshkosh Public Library in partnership with the Oshkosh Area Writers Club.

2020 Lakefly Writers Conference: Recommended Reads

Looking for something to do until the Lakefly Writers Conference in May? Check out these titles by a few of our 2020 speakers:

Needled to Death

(The first book in the Helping Hands Mystery series)

Beth Amos writing as Annelise Ryan

As a colleague of deputy coroner Mattie Winston, social worker Clothilde "Hildy" Schneider is no stranger to unsolved murders at Sorenson General Hospital. Except this time, it's up to her to crack the case.... 

Motivated by her own difficult past, Hildy has an unparalleled commitment to supporting troubled clients through grief and addiction in Sorenson, Wisconsin. But when a distraught group therapy member reveals disturbing details about her late son's potential murder, Hildy goes from dedicated mental health professional to in-over-her-head amateur sleuth.... 

Alongside her loyal therapy Golden Retriever, Hildy stumbles through incriminating clues - and an unlikely partnership with Detective Bob Richmond, the irresistibly headstrong cop who shares her passion for helping others. With signs of foul play surfacing all over town, can Hildy and Detective Richmond pinpoint the deadly traits of a sharp-witted killer before another seat gets filled at grief therapy?

Weepers
 

Nick Chiarkas

The 1957 murder of an undercover cop in a New York City housing project has unexpected ties to the unsolved disappearance of a young father walking home in those same projects with his son, Angelo, on Christmas Eve six years before. The only witness to the cop killing is Angelo, now 13, while on his way to seek his own revenge in the early morning hours. The killers know he saw them. A series of gripping events forge a union between a priest, a Mafia boss, a police detective, and Angelo, a gang member. In the end, Weepers shows us that the courage of the underdog despite fear and moral ambiguity will conquer intimidation.

Weepers has received finalist status for the Best Novel of 2016 by the Public Safety Writers Association(PSWA), the Midwest Independent Publishers Association (MIPA) best mystery/thriller novel of 2015, the Best Young Adult Novel for 2016 by Bookvana, and the Best Crossover (Mystery & Young Adult) for the 2017 Best Books Award.

Pride, Prejudice and Other Flavors
(The Rajes #1)
Sonali Dev


Dr. Trisha Raje is San Francisco’s most acclaimed neurosurgeon. But that’s not enough for the Rajes, her influential immigrant family who’s achieved power by making its own non-negotiable rules:
·  Never trust an outsider
·  Never do anything to jeopardize your brother’s political aspirations
·  And never, ever, defy your family

Trisha is guilty of breaking all three rules. But now she has a chance to redeem herself.

Up-and-coming chef DJ Caine has known people like Trisha before, people who judge him by his rough beginnings and place pedigree above character. He needs the lucrative job the Rajes offer, but he values his pride too much to indulge Trisha’s arrogance. And then he discovers that she’s the only surgeon who can save his sister’s life.

As the two clash, their assumptions crumble like the spun sugar on one of DJ’s stunning desserts. But before a future can be savored there’s a past to be reckoned with…

A family trying to build home in a new land.
A man who has never felt at home anywhere.
And a choice to be made between the two.

Enjoy these books? Meet the authors at the 2020 Lakefly Writers Conference,

May 8 and 9 at the Oshkosh Convention Center (WI). Preregistration fee of $60 ends on March 31st.

The Lakefly Writers Conference in sponsored by the Oshkosh Public Library in partnership with the Oshkosh Area Writers Club.

Lakefly Writers Conference - Featured Authors

USA Today Bestselling author Sonali Dev writes Bollywood-style love stories that let her explore issues faced by women around the world while still indulging her faith in a happily ever after.

Sonali’s novels have been on Library Journal, NPR, Washington Post, and Kirkus’s Best Books of the year lists. She has won the American Library Association’s award for best romance, the RT Reviewer Choice Award for best contemporary  romance, multiple RT Seals of Excellence, is a RITA® finalist, and has been listed for the Dublin Literary award. Shelf Awareness calls her “Not only one of the best but one of the bravest romance novelists working today.”

She lives in Chicagoland with her very patient and often amused husband and two teens who demand both patience and humor, and the world’s most perfect dog.
Find more at sonalidev.com. 

Beth Amos is a USA TODAY bestselling author who is also published under the pseudonyms of Annelise Ryan and Allyson K. Abbott.  Beth has enjoyed a varied writing career that included a stint as a book reviewer and several years of nonfiction freelancing. Now she writes only fiction, and in stark contrast to her "day job" as an ER nurse, the one common factor in her fiction, is that someone always dies.

As Annelise Ryan she writes a mystery series featuring the wry, and often politically incorrect, nurse-turned-coroner, Mattie Winston. As Allyson K. Abbott she writes a mystery series featuring bar owner, Mack Dalton, who uses her neurological disorder, synesthesia, to help solve crimes. As Beth Amos she wrote three thrillers: Cold White Fury, Eyes of Night, and Second Sight. In addition, she has self-published two additional thrillers: Nick of Time and Face of Death. Find more at bethamos.com.

The Lakefly Writers Conference is May 8 and 9, 2020 at the Oshkosh Convention Center (WI). These and more speakers can be found at Lakefly Writers Conference. Early bird registration fee of only $60 ends March 31.

2020 Lakefly Writers Conference

The 2020 Lakefly Writers Conference preliminary schedule is up!

Featured speakers are Bollywood writer Sonali Dev and murder mystery author Beth Amos. 

Write mystery romance, speculative fiction, middle grades? We've got you covered! Need to brush up on plot development, story structure, setting scenes? We've got that too. Plus, enjoy the musical stylings of Literary Cabarets, sponsored by the Wisconsin Writers Association.

All this and more for only $60 through March 31st; register today by clicking here.

The Lakefly Writers Conference is also accepting contest entries through March 13. The categories are flash fiction, short story, poetry; and for teen writers, a short story category.

No entry fee! Cash prizes are $100 for first place; $75 for second; and $50 for third.

Winners must be able to attend the awards ceremony on Saturday, May 9, at the Oshkosh (WI) Convention Center.

For details and submission guidelines, please click here.

The Lakefly Writers Conference is sponsored by the Oshkosh Public Library in partnership with the Oshkosh Area Writers Club and the Wisconsin Writers Association.


The writing contests are supported by the Oshkosh Public Library in partnership with the Oshkosh Community Foundation and the Wisconsin Arts Board. 

Meeting Reminder - Feb. 15

The Oshkosh Area Writers Club will meet at 10 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 15, in the lower level conference room of the Oshkosh Public Library. 

The Oshkosh Area Writers Club meets the 1st and 3rd Saturday of every month. 

As always, meetings are free and open to anyone 17 and older.

Author Visit: Lisl Detlefsen

Wisconsin children’s author Lisl Detlefsen will do an author visit at 1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 22, in the First Floor Reading Room at the Oshkosh Public Library.

Lisl H. Detlefsen is the author of a growing number of picture books. Her first, Time For Cranberries, was a Junior Library Guild selection, a 2016 Notable Social Studies Trade Book for Young People (K–2), and the 2017 Wisconsin Ag in the Classroom Book of the Year.

If You Had A JetPack was a Spring 2018 Kids’ Indie Next pick, an ALA LITA 2019 Excellence in Children’s and Young Adult Science Fiction Notable Picture Book and listed on the 2019 Edition of the Bank Street College Best Children’s Books of the Year.

She has two new titles out for 2019: Right This Very Minute and 1, 2, 3, Jump!

Lisl lives on a family-owned cranberry marsh near Wisconsin Rapids, WI with her husband and two sons. When not in her office or on the marsh, you can find Lisl on the web at www.lislhdbooks.com, on Twitter @lislhd, or on Facebook @lislhdbooks.


Detlefesen’s visit part of the Oshkosh Public Library Wild Winter Read Off.

Lakefly 2020 Writing Contests

The Lakefly Writers Conference is accepting contest entries through March 13. The categories are flash fiction, short story, poetry; and for teen writers, a short story category.

No entry fee! Cash prizes are $100 for first place; $75 for second; and $50 for third.

Winners must be able to attend the awards ceremony on Saturday, May 9, at the Oshkosh (WI) Convention Center.

For details and submission guidelines, please click here.

The contests are supported by the Oshkosh Public Library in partnership with  the Oshkosh Community Foundation and the Wisconsin Arts Board.

Meeting reminder - Feb. 1

The Oshkosh Area Writers Club will meet at 10 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 1, in the lower level conference room of the Oshkosh Public Library.

Also, the Lakefly Writing Contests is taking submissions - no entry fee, cash prizes! Details and submission guidelines are here. 

A Weekend for Writing with Nick Butler

Nickolas Butler

Spend a special weekend by the lake being inspired to write that story, book, memoir, or whatever else! The event is Feb. 21-23 at Paradise Shores 4 resort in picturesque Chippewa County, WI.

Weekend package includes:

• Two-night stay at Paradise Shores 4
• All meals
• Ticket to "Confessions of a New York Accompanist" Friday evening - see Paradises Shores 4 Facebook Events for more details
• Full day workshop with Nickolas Butler, internationally best-selling and award-winning author of Little Faith.
• Actor-lead readings of works on Sunday

Package cost: $500 / person


Nickolas Butler was raised in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, and educated at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the University of Iowa Writer’s Workshop. He is the recipient of many literary prizes and commendations and has published articles, reviews, short stories, and poetry in publications such as: Ploughshares, Narrative, and The New York Times Book Review, to name a few.

He is married, and lives with his wife and two children on 16 acres of land adjacent to a buffalo farm in rural Wisconsin.

To sign up, please email me at generalmanager (at) paradiseshores4 (dot) com, or visit  www.paradiseshores4.com

Meeting Reminder - Jan. 18

The Oshkosh Area Writers Club will meet at 10 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 18, in the lower level meeting room of the Oshkosh Public Library.

Meetings are free, and open to anyone 17 and older.

Lakefly Writing Contests Open For Submissions

The Lakefly Writing Contests open on Monday, Jan. 6th.

Categories include flash fiction, short story, and poetry. There is also a short story contest for teens.

No entry fee; cash prizes. 

Winners must be able to attend the awards ceremony on Saturday, May 9, in Oshkosh WI.

For complete rules and submission guidelines, please click here.

The writing contests are sponsored by the Oshkosh Public Library in partnership with the Wisconsin Arts Board.