Oshkosh Area Writers Club

Free Poetry Workshop in Oshkosh

2012-01-27T09:09:00.002-06:00

Wisconsin's former Poet Laureate Bruce Dethlefsen is conducted a FREE poetry workshop from 2 to 4 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 28 at the Oshkosh Public Library. There is a limit of 12 people so register now by call the Oshkosh Public Library Reference Desk at 236-5205.

Can't attend the workshop? Bruce will also be hosting a Poetry Reading and then Open Mic, begins at 6:30pm the evening of the 28th. It will also be held at the library and is free and open to the public.

We're Now on Youtube

2012-01-22T16:58:00.003-06:00

Much thanks to Tom Cannon for setting up a YouTube channel for the Oshkosh Area Writers Club as venue for club members to practice their presentation skills (public author readings can be scary!) and to share their work with others. Tom started off the channel with own of his poems, you can view it here.

If you would like to participate in either presenting your work or helping with the production of a a video cast, please let Tom know.

Louis Clark - Poetry Reading

2012-01-22T16:51:00.003-06:00

Club member and PostNative American poet/story teller Louis Clark will appear Tuesday, January 24, 6:30 p.m. at Apple Blossom Books, downtown Oshkosh. You won't want to miss this entertaining presentation!

Born and raised on the Oneida reservation in northeastern Wisconsin, Louis V. Clark III turned to poetry to continue the oral tradition of his people, The People of the Standing Stone. A member of the Iroquois Confederacy, his family is of the Bear clan. His first chapbook, titled "Two Shoes," was published in the spring of 2011 by the Sequoyah National Research Center at the University of Arkansas. He has just received a Fellowship Award for his work from the Oneida Nation Arts Program and The Wisconsin Arts Board. He and his wife live in Omro where their home is filled with love from six children and the anticipation of a ninth grandchild.

Create-A-Book Judging

2012-01-21T12:47:00.002-06:00

One again, The Oshkosh Area Writers Club will be judging the city-wide "Create-a-Book" contest for Oshkosh students in grades three through five. We will judge entries in lieu of our regular meeting on Saturday, April 21, 2012. Refreshments will be provided.

2013 Oshkosh Writers Conference

2012-01-10T18:17:00.002-06:00

The Oshkosh Area Writers Club is holding an organizational meeting at 10 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 14 in the lower level meeting room of the Oshkosh Public Library for the purpose of planning a 2013 writers conference in Oshkosh

Partnerships include the Oshkosh Public Library, The Wisconsin Writers Association and Wisconsin Press Women. In addition, we will be approaching others in the community for their participation.

With monies secured for the event, we are currently working to select a date and begin booking speakers. If you would like to volunteer in the planning of this event, please attend this Saturday's meeting.

Future planning meetings will be held on the 2nd Saturday of every month, beginning at 10 a.m. Regular club meetings will continue to be held on the 1st and 3rd Saturday of each month.

For more information, email oawc@aol.com

Congrats Tom!

2012-01-07T14:01:00.003-06:00

Congrats to Tom who recently published a story in the literary journal "Midwestern Gothic." Issues are available via print, pdf or electronic formats through their website; prices vary.

Vote for Joyce!

2012-01-07T13:52:00.002-06:00

Joyce has a qualifying entry, "Dawn in the Everglades" posted at pixelhose.com as part of their writing contest where readers select the final winners.

Help her win a monetary prize by commenting on her story which you can read here.

Introduce Yourself!

2012-01-07T13:33:00.005-06:00

Janet C. has been asked to provide an introduction of our members for publication in the Wisconsin Writers Association magazine as part of our new status as a charter club.

If you would like to participate, please write a brief synopsis of your writing accomplishments (in the third person) and submit to Janet by Jan. 31 by emailing oawc@aol.com

If your not sure how much to include, error on the side of too much information, as Janet can always edit for length. In addition, Dixie is interested in keeping a running log of members' publishing credits and this will be a great start for her!

Meeting Reminder

2012-01-03T15:18:00.002-06:00

The Oshkosh Area Writers Club will meet at 10 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 7, in the lower level of the Oshkosh Public Library. Tom C. is the Author Spotlight.

Upcoming Spotlights include:

Dorothy on Jan. 21

Chuck on Feb 4

Janet on Feb. 18

Bob B. on March 3

Pat on March 17

Call for Submissions

2011-12-31T11:04:00.002-06:00

Here is a call for submissions. Young adult and otherwise

http://www.worldcastlepublishing.com/submission-guidelines.html

Joyful Holidays

2011-12-24T09:55:00.003-06:00

I hope everyone has a joyful holiday season full of wonderful surprises and miracles.

Critique Circle

2011-12-24T09:54:00.002-06:00

CritiqueCircle.com is awesome. Someone asked me to repost this at our last meeting. You earn points by reviewing others' writing and then use the points to get yours reviewed.

Annual 100 best websites for writers

2011-12-24T09:52:00.000-06:00

http://www.writersdigest.com/101-best-websites-for-writers

Guest Speaker Dave Rank

2011-12-03T16:44:00.002-06:00

At our Dec. 3 meeting, Dave Rank of the Wisconsin Writers Association was the guest speaker. Dave congratulated us on becoming the organization's 14 Charter Club and explained the benefits of membership, including reduced fees on attending the WWA's fall conference and contest entry fees.

Dave also announced the organization has started their own book imprint. Upon acceptance, WWA will publish your book at no cost to the author, instead recouping their costs through a percentage of sales which reduce in proportion to increased sales. In addition, they publish a literary magazine, Creative Wisconsin.

Guest Author - Jim Zitzelsberger

2011-12-02T10:04:00.009-06:00

Jim Zitzelsberger, local author, has graciously agreed to read from his latest book, Clancy's Christmas Stampede and Other Christmas Story-Poems, from 6:30 pm - 7:00 pm in the Library Dome on December 7th. At 7:00 pm the Oshkosh Youth Choir will be performing.

Mr. Zitselsberger is a retired teacher/librarian and is currently writing and farming in Wisconsin. He has a quiet sense of humor and a gift for finding beauty in every Christmas.

Contest for nonfiction

2011-11-28T17:51:00.002-06:00

Deadline is Dec. 31, 2011. No Entry Fee. $1000 for first place. Submit a short original previously unpublished written response for this topic: create a list of your 10 favorite books and what they have taught you. Must not exceed 250 words. See Firstwriter.com for details.

New blog to check out

2011-11-28T17:47:00.006-06:00

Club member Bill Ramsey has just started a new blog: ConnectTheDots2011.wordpress.com

His blog features present-day analytical and historical political opinion. Check it out!

Louis Clark III at Apple Blossom in Oshkosh

2011-11-28T17:46:00.002-06:00

January 24, 2012, our own Louis V. Clark III will be reading his awesome Native American poetry 6:30 to 7 pm at Apple Blossom Books in Oshkosh.

Meeting Reminder

2011-11-15T15:28:00.001-06:00

The Oshkosh Area Writers Club will meet at 10 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 19 in the lower level of the Oshkosh Public Library. I will be out of town that day so the first person to arrive gets to run the meeting. Woot woot!

Judi is the Spotlight Author.

Upcoming Spotlights include Dixie on Dec. 3 and Janet on Dec. 17.

Free Query Letter Help

2011-11-04T19:04:00.000-05:00

Need help with that query letter? Continuing Studies at UW-Madison will comment for free on one-page query letters and answer questions. Contact Christine DeSmet at cdesmet@dcs.wisc.edu or 608-262-3447

Nov 15 deadline for contest

2011-11-01T19:07:00.003-05:00

12th annual Writer's Digest Short Short Story Competition. Prize $3000 and a trip to the WRtier's Digest Conference. 1500 words or less. Enter online at writersdigest.com/short

NaNoWriMo Month!

2011-11-01T17:43:00.000-05:00

This is a Write A Novel In a Month contest. November is the month. You must submit 60,000 words to complete your novel. Any genre is acceptable. You may prepare mentally, but do not begin writing until November 1st. Several of OAWC members have entered and won personal fame and glory. Speak to one of us and give it a try!

Meeting Reminder

2011-11-01T14:44:00.002-05:00

The Oshkosh Area Writers Club will meet at 10 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 5, in the lower level of the Oshkosh Public Library. Louis is the Spotlight Author.

Important! This is the last day I will be collecting NEW memberships for the Wisconsin Writers Association; join for $20. The price will be $35 in 2012 so take advantage of this opportunity!

Open Mic

2011-10-26T20:37:00.001-05:00

We had a wonderful open mic on Tuesday, Oct 25, with over 20 people in attendance. There was a nice mix of personal essays, short stories and poetry. Afterward, we enjoyed coffee from the New Moon, a cheese and sausage tray, and other snacks.

It was great to meet members of the newly formed Oshkosh poetry club and future collaborations are likely!

Meeting Reminder

2011-10-11T19:30:00.002-05:00

The Oshkosh Area Writers Club will meet at 10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 15 in the lower level of the Oshkosh Public Library. Kristen is the Author Spotlight; her piece is titled "Dark Avenger."

Note: I will be sending in a group membership for the Wisconsin Writers Association (the word 'regional' has been dropped). If you want to join or renew on Saturday, you will get a $5 discount. If interested, please bring a check for $20 payable to the Wisconsin Writers Association.

A weekend with your Novel

2011-10-09T12:35:00.002-05:00

Continuing Studies at UW Madison is hosting a Weekend with your Novel on Nov. 11-13, 2011. This includes workshops and critique groups as well as guest speakers. Get more information online at 222.dcs.wisc.edu/lsa/writing/weekend.htm.

Are You a Real Writer?

2011-10-05T12:26:00.000-05:00

A provocative essay: "Are you a real writer or a pretend writer?" by Corey Mandell http://bit.ly/RealWriter

Why You Should Join WRWA

2011-10-04T11:14:00.002-05:00

A great article on the benefits of joining the Wisconsin Regional Writers Association by Greg Peck that appeared in the Green Bay Press Gazette. Click here to read it.

Sheboygan Book Festival

2011-09-30T21:52:00.003-05:00

2nd Annual Sheboygan Children’s Book Festival

http://sheboyganchildrensbookfestival.org

October 14-16, 2011. The theme for this year’s Sheboygan Children’s Book Festival is Memory. Our memories are an intrinsic part of who we are and how we view the world. Ever wonder how a writer or artist uses the rich universe of memory? Be a part of the Sheboygan Children’s Book Festival and listen to authors and illustrators talk about their work and the role memory plays in their craft.

2011 Authors and Illustrators:

• Jerry Pinkney

• Candace Fleming

• M.T. Anderson

• Liz Garton Scanlon

• Tom Lichtenheld

• Catherine Gilbert Murdock

• Francisco X. Mora

• Stacey Williams-Ng

Meeting Reminder

2011-09-28T08:01:00.000-05:00

The Oshkosh Area Writers Club will meet at 10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 1 in the lower level of the Oshkosh Public Library. Chuck and Joyce are sharing the Author Spotlight.

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

New Poetry Club!

2011-09-27T17:57:00.000-05:00

Apple Blossom Books, downtown Oshkosh, has started a local a Poetry Club. The club meets at 6:30 p.m. the fourth Monday of every month. For more information, call the store at 230-3396 or visit their website at http://www.appleblossombooks.com

Meeting Reminder

2011-09-13T17:52:00.001-05:00

The Oshkosh Area Writers Club will meet at 10 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 17 in the lower level of the Oshkosh Public Library. Janet is the Author Spotlight.

In honor of our 9th anniversary this month, everyone is invited to bring a snack to share!

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

Spotlight Schedule

2011-09-12T15:17:00.001-05:00

Upcoming Author Spotlights:

Oct. 1 - Chuck
Oct. 15 - Kristen
Nov. 5 - Louis
Nov. 19 - Judi
Dec. 3 - Dixie
Dec. 17 - Janet

Meeting Reminder

2011-08-30T17:25:00.002-05:00

The Oshkosh Area Writers Club will meet at 10 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 3, in the lower level conference room of the Oshkosh Public Library.

Pat K. is the Spotlight Author, her piece is titled "The Cougar Chronicles."

Also, a reminder that member John Bauernfeind is doing an Author Talk on his new book, "The Road to Mindo," at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 31st, at the library. Please attend and show your support!

Short Story Magic

2011-08-21T16:17:00.002-05:00

Fox Valley Technical College is offering "Short Story Magic."

Description: Discover effective techniques for portraying a lot, quickly, in a short story! The short story is experiencing renewed popularity, and its techniques are also excellent for novels, screenplays and biographies. Learn to engage readers; use dialogue, action, and emotional “turnovers,” have settings mirror them; and build scenes that lead to a memorable climax.

Class meets from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 1, at the Neenah Regional Center. Cost is $21.88 or $5.10 if you 62 or older.

To register, go to www.fvtc.edu

Meeting Reminder

2011-08-17T20:28:00.002-05:00

The Oshkosh Area Writers Club will meet at 10 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 20. We will be meeting at the chapel of Riverside Cemetery on Algoma Blvd. for some free writing. Bring writing tools, maybe a towel or blanket to sit on, water and wear sunscreen if it's hot/sunny. In case of rain, the event will be canceled. Should be an interesting time, hope to see you there!

"Writing from the Heart"

2011-08-12T20:53:00.002-05:00

The Oshkosh Seniors Center has a "newcomer" writing workshop, "Writing from the Heart," on Tuesdays, Aug. 23 to Sept. 27, from 1:30 to 3:30. Fee is $1.00 - yes, one dollar!

The facilitator is Roger LeBouton, who taught literature and writing for over 40 years. For more information, call the Center at 232-5300.

Author Visit - New Date

2011-08-03T11:38:00.003-05:00

The John Bauernfeind author visit has been rescheduled to Wed., Aug. 31 at the author's request. The event will begin at 6:30 at the Oshkosh Public Library. John is a member of the Writer's Club so please show your support and attend!

Meeting Reminder

2011-08-02T18:51:00.003-05:00

The Oshkosh Area Writers Club will meet at 10 a.m. Saturday Aug. 6 at the Oshkosh Public Library. Dixie is the Author Spotlight.

And a heads-up that the library will closed Aug. 20 so we will be meeting at 10 a.m. at the chapel at Riverside Cemetery, Algoma Blvd. for a free writing session.

Quote of the Day

2011-07-08T16:26:00.000-05:00

“Writing is a way of talking without being interrupted.” Jules Renard

Author Visit - John Bauernfeind

2011-07-07T09:23:00.000-05:00

Oshkosh author (and club member) John Bauernfeind, will speak at the Oshkosh Public Library, 6:30, Aug. 30th. His book titled The Road to Mindo will be available for sale. Congrats John!

Sheboygan Children's Book Festival

2011-07-03T09:10:00.003-05:00

The 2nd Annual Sheboygan Children’s Book Festival will be held October 14-16, 2011.

This year's authors include M.T. Anderson, Liz Garton Scanlon and Tom Lichtenheld will be appearing along with Jerry Pinkney, Candace Fleming, and Henry Cole.

More authors and illustrator announcements will be coming soon!

Sign up for e-mail updates to receive the latest author announcements and festival news, and follow on Facebook and Twitter.

8 Good Writing Practices

2011-06-30T14:55:00.001-05:00

1. Write.

2. Put one word after another. Find the right word, put it down.

Click here for the rest of Neil Gaiman's 8 Good Writing Practices.

Camp NoNoWriMo

2011-06-29T18:47:00.004-05:00

Camp NaNoWriMo has opened! It is the latest creative adventure from the Office of Letters and Light, the same folks who bring you National Novel Writing Month (@NaNoWriMo). Join at

http://campnanowrimo.org or follow on Twitter at @CampNaNoWriMo

They just posted a new camp video: http://t.co/8daYepB This should help you prepare for the adventure ahead!

Meeting Reminder

2011-06-28T15:44:00.002-05:00

The Oshkosh Area Writers Club will meet at 10 a.m. Saturday, July 2, in the lower level of the Oshkosh Public Library. Chuck is the Spotlight Author.

As always, meetings are free and open to the public. Note that parking may be limited due to traffic for the Farmer's Market.

Congrats Louis!

2011-06-26T20:54:00.001-05:00

Lewis Clark has received copies of his book of Native America poetry, "Two Shoes." A copy will be available for preview at the next meeting.

Meeting Reminder

2011-06-14T09:49:00.000-05:00

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

Please note that due to the Farmer's Market, you may want to leave home a littler earlier than usual.

Also, the Buckstaff group will meet at 9:15, prior to the club meeting.

Author Spotlight Schedule

2011-06-09T21:12:00.002-05:00

“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.

Upcoming Author Spotlights:

June 18 - Janet

July 2 - Chuck

July 16 - Tom

Aug. 6 - Dixie

Announcements

2011-06-07T21:03:00.004-05:00

At our June 4th, meeting, Pat K. announced that Random House has made on offer on her novel about a female fugitive. The deal would require a sequel and with one offer on the table, Pat's agent is shopping for a competing bid.

Dixie and Joyce reported on the WisCon feminist science fiction writer's conference held recently in Madison.

Upcoming Releases

2011-06-01T22:02:00.006-05:00

The First 50 Pages: Engage Agents, Editors and Readers, and Set Your Novel Up For Success by Jeff Gerke (Nov 25, 2011)

Write-A-Thon: Write Your Book in 26 Days (And Live to Tell About It) by Rochelle Melander (Oct 18, 2011)

The Plot Whisperer: Secrets of Story Structure Any Writer Can Master by Martha Alderson (Oct 15, 2011)

Ready, Set, Novel!: A Workbook by Lindsey Grant, Tavia Stewart-Streit and Chris Baty (Sep 21, 2011)

Meeting Reminder

2011-05-31T17:36:00.005-05:00

The Oshkosh Area Writers Club will meet at 10 a.m. Saturday, June 4th, in the lower level of the Oshkosh Public Library.

Please being your favorite book(s) on the craft of writing to pass around and share. One of my faves? "Bird by Bird" by Anne Lamott.

There will be no Author Spotlight.

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

Quote of the Moment

2011-05-31T10:45:00.000-05:00

A bird doesn't sing because it has an answer, it sings because it has a song. ~ MAYA ANGELOU

Writing From the Heart

2011-05-27T08:47:00.000-05:00

The Oshkosh Seniors Center is a writers workshop, "Writing from the Heart," on Wednesdays, June 1 to June 22. Fee is $1.00 - yes, one dollar!

The facilitator is Roger LeBouton, who taught literature and writing for over 40 years. For more information, call the Center at 232-5300

Quote of the Moment

2011-05-21T22:29:00.007-05:00

Writing a novel is like driving a car at night. You can only see as far as your headlights, but you can make the whole trip that way.

~ E. L. DOCTOROW

Jade Ring Writing Contest

2011-05-21T22:22:00.005-05:00

The Wisconsin Regional Writer's Association is now accepting entries for their Jade Ring Contest.

Jade Ring Entries must be postmarked no later than June 15th.

PRIZES for all contest categories:

First Place: $150

Second Place: $100

Third Place: $80

Honorable Mention: $15 (two maximum)

JADE RING CONTEST CATEGORIES:

Nonfiction: essay, nostalgia

Fiction: Adult short story, juvenile short story

Poetry: Serious, Humorous

First Chapters: First chapter from a completed first draft of a book- length manuscript

Download complete contest rules. For more information contact WRWA Contests Workgroup Coordinator Sarah White at 608-347-7329 or ctwg@wrwa.net.

Meeting Reminder

2011-05-19T14:22:00.002-05:00

The Oshkosh Area Writers Club will meet at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 21, in the lower level of the Oshkosh Public Library, 106 Washington Ave. Janet is the Author Spotlight.

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

Meeting Reminder

2011-05-04T09:53:00.003-05:00

The Oshkosh Area Writers Club will meet at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 7, in the lower level of the Oshkosh Public Library. We will spend the entire meeting judging entries for the children's Create-a-Book Contest. Snacks will be provided.

Author Visit - Jerry Apps

2011-04-27T16:44:00.004-05:00

Jerry Apps will be at Apple Blossom Bookstore at 1 pm on Saturday, May 7th for a signing for his new books, “Horse-drawn days” and “Barns of Wisconsin” along with his fiction series set in Ames County. Pick up your copies early for great gifts for Mother’s Day and Father’s Day too!

Buckstaff Observatory History Project

2011-04-19T16:26:00.004-05:00

Mark Ferguson is collaborating with other members on creating a history of the Oshkosh Buckstaff Observatory. To learn more or volunteer please click here.

Author Visit - Kathleen Corley

2011-04-15T11:27:00.002-05:00

UW-Oshkosh Professor Kathleen Corley, will talk about her latest book, "Maranatha : Women's Funerary Rituals and Christian Origins," a book about women's funeral rituals in the early Christian Church at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 20, at the Oshkosh Public Library.

The event is free and open to the public.

Meeting Reminder

2011-04-12T12:18:00.001-05:00

The Oshkosh Area Writers Club meets at 10 a.m. Saturday, April 16, in the lower level of the Oshkosh Public Library. Pat K. is the featured author.

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

Fox Cities Book Festival

2011-04-11T10:12:00.003-05:00

I hope you get a chance to attend one or more events sponsored by the Fox Cities Book Festival , which begins today. Speakers include children, teen and adult authors, illustrators, poets, non-fiction writers and representatives from the publishing industry. For a schedule of events throughout the Fox Cities, please go to:

http://www.foxcitiesbookfestival.org/schedule/2011

Fox Cities Book Festival - Neenah Events

2011-03-30T09:36:00.002-05:00

Fox Cities Book Festival Events at the Neenah Public Library, April 11-17, 2011:

Keynote events:
* Fox Cities Reads author, Luis Alberto Urrea (Wednesday, April 13, 1 p.m.)

* WLUK’s Amy Hanten with a cooking demo, talk & book signing (Wednesday, April 13, 6:30 p.m.)

* Book Festival headliner, Annie Barrows, author of the Ivy + Bean children’s books and co-author of Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society (Sunday, April 17, 2 p.m. for children; 6 p.m. for adults)

Monday, April 11, 7 p.m.: Book Babes - Margo Hammond & Ellen Heltzel, authors of Between the Covers: The Book Babes’ Guide to a Woman’s Reading Pleasures.

Tuesday, April 12, 2 p.m.: Tech Talk Tuesday - Online Tools for Readers with Librarians Nicole Hardina-Wilhelm and Cheryl Neuwirth.

Tuesday, April 12, 7 p.m.: Gordon Grice, author of Deadly Kingdom: The Book of Dangerous Animals. Stories of humans and other animals in conflict.

Wednesday, April 13, 1 p.m.: Luis Alberto Urrea, “Fox Cities Reads” author of The Devil’s Highway (non-fiction) and Into the Beautiful North (fiction).

Wednesday, April 13, 6:30 p.m.: Amy Hanten, WLUK’s Living with Amy show and author of the just-published cookbook, The Cooking Mom. Cooking demonstration, talk, book signing.

Friday, April 15, 2 p.m.: Sara Rath, author of H. H. Bennett, Photographer; His American Landscape (a biography on the early Wisconsin Dells photographer).

Saturday, April 16 10 a.m.: Nancy Carlson, accomplished author and illustrator of more than 60 children’s books, including I Like Me and the Loudmouth George books.

Sunday, April 17, 2 p.m.: Annie Barrows, author of the beloved Ivy + Bean series of children’s books. For children, parents, teachers & those who love Ivy + Bean!

Sunday, April 17, 6 p.m.: Annie Barrows, co-author of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. For adults. (A special after-hours event!)

Events at the Neenah Public Library are free and open to the public. Free refreshments. Books available for purchase and signing at most events.

More events at venues throughout the Fox Cities! See www.foxcitiesbookfestival.org for information or call the Neenah Public Library adult information desk at 920-886-6315.

How to find an Agent

2011-03-23T09:34:00.001-05:00

Pat K. recommends the following site to find an agent: agentquery.com

Meeting Reminder

2011-03-16T19:24:00.000-05:00

The Oshkosh Area Writers Club will meet at 10 a.m. Saturday, March 19 in the lower level of the Oshkosh Public Library. Author Spotlight: Chuck and Janet.

"The role of a writer is not to say what we all can say, but what we are unable to say." ~Anaïs Nin

Meeting Reminder

2011-02-15T21:58:00.001-06:00

Just a reminder that the Oshkosh Area Writers Club meets at 10 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 19 in the lower level of the Oshkosh Public Library. There is no Author Spotlight but upcoming Spotlights include Chuck on March 5th and Tom on March 19th.

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

"The Power of the Pen" Writers Conference

2011-02-12T20:03:00.003-06:00

"The Power of the Pen" Writer's Conference will be held Saturdays, March 19 and March 26, 2011, at the Fox Valley Technical College, Neenah. This conference is DIRT CHEAP ($15.65 per class) with talented, reputable instructors.

Course offerings include:

Creating Imagery In Poetry
Discovering Your Creativity
Mastering Social Media: For Writers
Self Publishing: A Whole New World
The Power of Brochures and Ads
Writing the Story Only You Can Tell
Writing the Historical Novel
Writing Dialogue in Fiction
Writing to Transform Your Life

For more information and to register, please click here.

Congrats to Tom!

2011-02-11T09:39:00.000-06:00

Tom recently had a short story and a poem accepted for publication. You go, guy!

Neenah Public Library - Events

2011-02-07T16:47:00.001-06:00

Neenah Public Library is hosting the following events at part of Fox Cities Book Festival:

Monday, April 11, 7 p.m.: The Book Babes, Margo Hammond and Ellen Heltzel, authors of Between the Covers: The Book Babes’ Guide to a Woman’s Reading Pleasures.
Tuesday, April 12, 7 p.m.: Naturalist Gordon Grice, author of Deadly Kingdom: The Book of Dangerous Animals, a unique survey of animal behavior; a darkly funny, highly personal take on virtually every encounter with an animal that might pose bodily harm to humans.
Wednesday, April 13, 2 p.m.: Luis Alberto Urrea, this year’s Fox Cities Reads author. Urrea is the author of the national bestselling nonfiction work, The Devil’s Highway and fiction work, Into the Beautiful North.
Friday, April 15, 2 p.m.: Sara Rath, author of the biography of H.H. Bennett, the photographer famous for his early, dramatic photos of the Wisconsin Dells.
Saturday, April 16, 10 a.m.: Nancy Carlson, children’s author and New York Times bestselling author, Annie Barrows!
Sunday, April 17, 2 p.m.: Annie Barrows’ children event – Ivy and Bean!
Sunday, April 17, 6 p.m.: Annie Barrows’ special after-hours event for adults to talk about the international bestseller, Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

Other authors appearing at venues throughout the Fox Cities: Philip Gulley (Quaker minister/humorist), Will Allen (urban farmer), Lynda Barry (cartoonist), Jerry Apps, Michael Perry, poet Todd Boss, Hilary Jordan (author of Mudbound) and Elizabeth Cunningham (author of the Maeve Chronicles).

See www.foxcitiesbookfestival.org for more information about the Fox Cities Book Festival.

Meeting Reminder

2011-02-01T16:20:00.000-06:00

Just a reminder that the Oshkosh Area Writers Club meets at 10 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 5th in the lower level of the Oshkosh Public Library.

We will start with guest speaker Mark Ferguson, who is looking for area writers/researchers to help him compile a history of the Buckstaff Observatory. For more information on his project, go to: http://tinyurl.com/5uml3g7

Because Mark's project has been widely publicized, I'm not sure what to expect but we will begin the Author Spotlight at 11:15; Pat K. is the featured author.

Community Civility

2011-01-26T11:45:00.012-06:00

Dr. P.M. Forni, a recognized expert and author on the subject of civil behavior in society, will talk about the principles outlined in his books which are the basis for the UW-Oshkosh conference, “Civility in Everyday Life,” held Feb. 22-24. Dr. Forni is the author of "Choosing Civility: The Twenty-five Rules of Considerate Conduct" and "The Civility Solution: What to Do When People Are Rude."

He will appear at the Oshkosh Public Library at 6 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 24.

Immediately following Forni, there will be a panel discussion, "Be a Good Sport: Civility On and Off the Field."

A panel of local coaches, sports journalists and youth sports coordinators answer questions and share their experiences related to sportsmanship on the field, on the sidelines and in the stands.

Panelists include:
Mike Woods – Appleton Post-Crescent
Lester Millette – Senior Youth & Family Director, Oshkosh YMCA
Chris Kujawa – Head Football Coach, Oshkosh North High School
Chris Guido – President, Oshkosh Youth Soccer Club
Chris Mehring, Director of media relations and radio broadcaster, Wisconsin Timber Rattlers

For more information, please contact the Oshkosh Public Library at 236-5205.

Guest Speaker on Feb. 5

2011-01-21T09:04:00.001-06:00

Mark Ferguson, former owner of the Buckstaff Observatory property in Oshkosh, would like to compile a history on the facility and is seeking area writers, who may be interested in helping out. He will be our guest speaker at the Feb. 5 meeting to discuss the project.

The Observatory is currently in the news because it is being dismantled and moved to Illinois. You can read about it here.

Congrats Tom!

2011-01-20T10:51:00.001-06:00

Tom Cannon’s story "Mornings with AJ & Jen" (the story of two morning deejays taken hostage) was accepted for publication by “On the Premises” magazine. The story and short author bio will appear in March, Issue 13.

As an aside, the story was initially on hold until Tom made some recommended change. In accepting the story upon second review, co-publisher Tarl Kudrick noted:

“You are, by far, the easiest guest writer we've worked with to date. You cleared up all of our concerns in one rewrite. I wish I was better at picking writers like you out of the rejection pile, as opposed to writers who aren't good enough to fix their story's problems, or who fight us over every suggested comma. If you ever need a reference to convince some other editor that you're easy to work with, just ask.”

To paraphrase Stephen King in “On Writing,” the only hard rule in writing is to do whatever your editor asks.