Fox Cities Book Festival

The Fox Cities Book Festival kicks off April 11. There are over 90 presentations at over a dozen locations, you are sure to find something that interests you!


Authors include inspirational author Beverly Lewis; mystery writer Carol Higgins Clark, young adult novelist John Coy, as well as numerous state writers and poets.


For a complete schedule of events, please click here.

Upcoming Events

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


Also, on Wednesday, March 21, we're going to tape members reading their works to be potentially posted on our youtube page. If you would like to participate, join us from 6:30 to 8 p.m. in the Lower Level Meetings Room A/B at the library. Feel free to bring props -- and it's okay to attend even if you don't want to be taped!


As always, both the meeting and the podcast event are free and open to the public.

Contest Deadline Extended!

The deadline for the Wisconsin Writer's Association "Jessica Nelson Poetry Book Contest" has been extended.


Qualifying Topic: Poetry presented in a book-length collection of a single author’s work. Entries must be an unpublished manuscript of a single author’s original poetry. It is acceptable for some of the poetry to have been published before, so long as the author retains the copyright and gives credit where the items have been previously published, but the manuscript should include a substantial number of poems that have not been previously published. The first prize winner will be given strong consideration for publication by the WRWA Press if the author meets our requirements for participating energetically in book promotion.


For more information or the enter online, click here.

Join our Podcast Project!

Tom has set up a YouTube account for the club and we’d like to film people reading their work and put it up on the internet. There is no monetary reward but this a great opportunity to practice real-life readings, review the video and perhaps see where you need improvement. Nothing will go on the internet without your approval.

If you would like to participate, please wear clothes that are a single color - stripes and patterns don’t film well. You’re welcome to read from a notebook, etc. but please rehearse a few times before the event so you can get down the pace / tone you want to convey.

Much thanks to Tom for leading us on this new project! Like everything else we’ve ever done, I imagine this will be a learning experience but if Tom is involved, we know it will be fun!

Wisconsin Writers Newsletter

Don't miss all the great contests offered by Wisconsin Writers Association. Submissions due dates are coming up!

Christmas novella submissions

Pelican Book Group is looking for 15000-25000 word novella with a Christian Christmas theme. Submissions due May 1, 2012.

"Power of the Pen"

The 8th annual "Power of the Pen" will be held Saturdays, March 10 and 17, at a new location: Oshkosh Riverside Campus.

Sessions include Adventures with a Short Story, Character Development, Unearthing the Poem, Writing for Kids, Microfiction, and others. Classes are $16.29 each or $5.20 for those 62 and over.

For more information, or to register, visit Fox Valley Technical College or e-mail thull@fvtc.edu for a brochure.

Free Poetry Workshop in Oshkosh

Wisconsin's former Poet Laureate Bruce Dethlefsen is conducting 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

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

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

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

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!

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!

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!

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

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

Here is a call for submissions. Young adult and otherwise

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

Joyful Holidays

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

Critique Circle

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

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