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.

Meeting Reminder - Jan. 4th

Our first meeting of the New Year is 10 a.m. Saturday, Jan, 4th in the lower level conference room of the Oshkosh Public Library.

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

Oshkosh Area Writers Club FAQs

Oshkosh Area Writers Club FAQs

New year, new goals! If creative writing is one of them, the Oshkosh Area Writers Club can help!

Who can attend?
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 in the lower level conference room of the Oshkosh Public Library, 106 Washington Ave.

How many members are there?
There are about 14 core people, others come and go as life allows. Meetings can have as few as 10 and as many as 22 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 person reads their work aloud (usually 5 pages or less, 8 copies are appreciated but not required) and we critique it. We have a critique form we use so we can be sure the author gets both positive feedback and constructive criticism. Not everyone reads at every meeting; the order of readers is determined by arrival times - first person to come is the first to read. Meetings end at noon, even if there are still waiting people to read.

Tom and Dixie

We do 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?
During the year, we host free programs at the library - including author visits and National Novel Writing Month activities in November. We also co-sponsor the Lakefly Writers Conference each May at the Oshkosh Convention Center. Also, the Oshkosh public access television show, Author Showcase, was created and is hosted by two of our members.

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

Cuttyhunk Island Writers' Residency Scholarship

The Cuttyhunk Island Writers' Residency is a seven-day workshop and residency for fourteen writers on Cuttyhunk Island, off the coast of Cape Cod. In 2020, two residencies will be held from September 16-23 and October 2-9. Five days are dedicated to workshop, two to free writing time. 

There are six scholarships that cover the entire cost of residency. The application period is Dec. 1, 2019 through March 1, 2020.

To apply, click here.

Meeting reminder: Dec. 21

The Oshkosh Area Writers Club will meet at 10 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 21 in the lower level conference room of the Oshkosh Public Library. 

A reminder that we will not be doing critiques in order to hold our annual holiday party.

Please bring a wrapped white elephant gift - something you already own but don't use/need that is in great condition. Keep in mind the "gift" will be used as a writing prompt for the recipient.

Donuts and soda will be available; feel free to bring something to pass.

We will also take a group photo.

Not sure how a "white elephant gift exchange" works? Learn more >   https://www.whiteelephantrules.com 

Short Short Story Writing Contest

Are you a closet writer? Do you have a flair for brevity? Take this challenge and write a short short story using 30 words (or less).

This contest supports Reading Works, a community-based, nonprofit in Albuquerque that enriches the lives of adults and their families by increasing their literacy skills. 

The Challenge: Write a short story using no more than 30 words.

Five topics: sushi, pianos, caterpillars, Huck Finn’s mother, breakfast.

Six cash prizes

Submission deadline: Jan. 10, 2020

Submission Fee: $5 per story.

Not only is the contest great fun, it supports the cause of literacy!

You can get more information at:  
https://www.reading-works.org/short-short-story-writing-contest.html

Meeting reminder - Dec. 7

A short reminder that the Oshkosh Area Writers Club will meet at 10 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 7, in the lower level conference room of the Oshkosh Public Library.

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

NaNoWriMo Finish Line

Meeting Reminder - Nov. 16

The Oshkosh Area Writers Club will meet at 10 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 16, in the lower level conference room at the Oshkosh Public Library.

Should this or any meeting need to be canceled due to severe weather, you will receive an email no later than 8 a.m. the day of the meeting. The cancellation will also be posted on our Facebook page. You can also check the Library's website to confirm whether the facility is open. Most important: Use your own judgment regarding weather/driving conditions. 

National Novel Writing Month

Happy National Novel Writing Month - when creative writers of all ages attempt to write a 50,000-word manuscript between November 1 and November 30!

Although the Oshkosh Area Writers Club is not sponsoring any NaNoWriMo activities this month, these resources will help participants on their writing journey:

NaNo Prep 101 Workshop 

What's the best NaNoWriMo writing schedule for you? Take the quiz.

7 Writing Tips to Get You Through NaNoWriMo

Best resources for NaNoWriMo writers

Good luck, fellow writers!

Meeting reminder - Nov. 2

The Oshkosh Area Writers Club will meet at 10 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 2, in the lower level conference room of the Oshkosh Public Library.

Meetings are free and open to anyone 17 and older. 

Meeting Reminder: Oct. 19

The Oshkosh Area Writers Club will meet at 10 a.m. Saturday, Oct 19, in the lower level meeting room of the Oshkosh Public Library. 

Meetings are free and open to anyone 17 and older. 

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

Wisconsin Book Festival

The Wisconsin Book Festival will take place October 17-20, 2019, in and around Madison Public Library’s Central Library in downtown Madison.

The festival will feature more than 60 events over four days with plenty of opportunities to meet authors, discover new books or favorite writers, and have books signed. See the full festival lineup at wisconsinbookfestival.org

Book Signing with Avi

Join award-winning author Avi for a meet and greet, and book signing! The event will take place at 4:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 11, at Elisha Smith Public Library, Menasha, as part of the Fox Cities Book Festival.

Books will be available for purchase from The Book Store in Appleton.

Author Showcase - Sally Cissna

A great interview with Oshkosh author Sally Cissna.  The story of John, Ida, and their German immigrant families is told through narration, actual newspaper accounts from The Woodstock Sentinel and The Racine Times Journal, and letters sent over the years. Join Sally with Author Showcase hosts Dixie Jarchow and Tom Cannon as they talk writing, publishing and Wisconsin circa 1900.

Fox Cities Book Festival

Don't miss the The Fox Cities Book Festival Oct. 7 through Oct. 13!

Fox Cities residents will be treated to a wide array of writing topics and a host of talent. Presentations vary from poetry readings, to panel discussions, to storytelling, and many more. If you have a passion for reading, writing, and learning, check out the complete schedule listed here.

Featured authors include Wisconsin historian Jerry Apps, children/teen author Avi, Canadian poet Stuart Cole, mystery writer Hank Phillippi Ryan, Wisconsin Poet Laureate Margaret Rozga... and OAWC member Louis Clark!

Author Showcase: Kimberlee Bastian

Madison-area author Kimberlee Bastian has a unique love affair with American nostalgia, mythology, and endless possibilities. Find out more about her historical fiction with a fantasy twist as she talks with Author Showcase hosts Dixie Jarchow and Tom Cannon.

Author Showcase: Barry Perlman

Retired UW-Oshkosh professor Barry Perlman chats with Author Showcase hosts Tom Cannon and Dixie Jarchow about how his hobby of collecting antiques led to a book!

Free Writing/Publish Classes

Your Oshkosh Public Library card now gives you free access to writing/publishing classes through Online Gale Courses. The interactive classes are six-weeks long and led by an experienced instructor. 

The next set of courses begin on Sept. 11th!


Courses include:

• Romance Writing
• Publish and Sell Your E-Books
• Creating WordPress Websites
• Writeriffic: Creativity Training for Writers
• The Keys to Effective Editing
• Introduction to Internet Writing Markets
• Travel Writing
• Writing Young Adult Fiction

Meeting Reminder - Sept. 7

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

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

Southeast Wisconsin Book Festival

The place to be on Friday and Saturday, Nov. 1-2 is at UW Waukesha for the 10th annual Southeast Wisconsin Book Festival.

This two-day event features national and local authors who present sessions about their work including children’s and young adult authors; features include book readings and signings, cookbook stage with demonstrations and special programming.

Keynote novelist is Andre Dubus III, and Wisconsin Poet Laureate Margaret Rozga is the Keynote Poet.

Visit their website for a complete schedule of speakers, parking information and more!

Meeting Reminder - Aug. 17

The Oshkosh Area Writers Club will meet at 10 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 17, in the lower level conference room of the Oshkosh Public Library. 

Just a reminder that if you have something to read, you will want to arrive a few minutes early. We read in the order of arrival; the first person to arrive is the first to read, etc.

See you Saturday!

Lakefly Writers Conference - Call for proposals

The Lakefly Writers Conference Planning Committee is now accepting speaker proposals for their May 8-9, 2020 conference at the Oshkosh Convention Center:

The committee is looking for instructional programs related to writing, publishing and marketing. They are not interested in author book talks (i.e. “let me tell you all about my book”)



In your proposal, please include the following:

– Whether your proposal is for a 50-minute or 90-minute session.
– Which day(s) you are available to speak.
– Links to any video or audio clips that you’re featured in; and/or previous public speaking engagements/experiences.

*Speakers receive a small honorarium and one night’s stay in a hotel. Travel expenses will not be reimbursed.

* Email proposals to: LakeflyWriters @ gmail.com 

* For a list of past presenters, please click here.