Meeting reminder - June 1st

Just a reminder that the Oshkosh Area Writers Club will meet at 10 a.m. Saturday, June 1, in the lower level meeting room of the Oshkosh Public Library. Laurie is the Spotlight Author.

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

Jade Ring Contest

The deadline for the Jade Ring Contest, sponsored by the Wisconsin Writers Association, is June 15. Some details below:

PRIZES
First Place: $100 
Second Place: $70 
Third Place: $40 
Honorable Mention: Certificate

CATEGORIES
Fiction: For Young People: 2,000 Words For Adults: 5,000 Words
Nonfiction: Essay: 1,500 Words Memoir/Reminiscence: 1,500 words
Poetry: Formal: 1 poem no more than 75 lines
Free Verse: 1 poem no more than 75 lines

For full details, visit: www.wiwrite.org 

2013 Lakefly Literary Conference

About 90 people attended the Lakefly Literary Conference, May 10-11 in downtown Oshkosh. Speakers included poet Max Garland, screenwriter James Strauss, horror writer Mort Castle, and CNN writer/novelist John DeDakis.

The Oshkosh Area Writers Club is proud to have been a partner in this event and we look forward to assisting with the 2014 conference.

Photos highlights of the Lakefly Literary Conference are on its Facebook Page.

Go to www.lakeflylit.org to read the winning writing contest entries. Almost $1000 was awarded in cash prizes; be sure to enter in 2014!

Meeting Reminder

Just a reminder that the Oshkosh Area Writers Club will meet at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 18 in the lower level of the Oshkosh Public Library. There is no Spotlight Author. Upcoming Spotlight Authors are Laurie M. on June 1st and Chuck on June 15.

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

Meeting Reminder

Just a reminder that the Oshkosh Area Writers Club will meet at 10 a.m. Saturday, April 20th in the lower level meeting room of the Oshkosh Public Library. We will be joined by six UW-Oshkosh students to judge contest entries for the city-wide Create-A-Book contest for students in grades 3 through 5th. Sub sandwiches will be served about 11 a.m.

There is still time to register for the Lakefly Literary Conference, May 10-11 at the Oshkosh Convention Center. A newly added feature: Susan Banganz from Prism Book Group is offering free, 15-minute pitches for romance writers. For more information, visit www.lakeflylit.org

Also, tickets are on sale for Michael Perry and The Long Beds, on Friday, May 10th at the Grand Opera House; only $25! Order tickets.

Attention Romance Writers!

The Lakefly Literary Conference is pleased announce Acquisitions Editor Susan Baganz will be available for free, 15-minute pitches with potential romance authors for Prism Book Group.

Susan says she is looking for romance, romance, romance...contemporary, historical (especially Regency), Western, Comedy or Romantic Suspense (no Amish, please). She likes romances that fit the publisher’s Diamond or Inspired lines. Give her a creative happy ending and she’ll be tickled raspberry!

You can sign-up for a pitch on Saturday, May 11; first come, first served. 

The Lakefly Literary Conference will be held May 10 and 11 for beginning and established writers of all genres at the Oshkosh Waterfront Premiere Conference Center, downtown Oshkosh.

Judging Create-a-Book Contest

It's that time again! On Saturday, April 20, the Oshkosh Area Writers Club will judge entries for the Create-a-Book contest. The city-wide contest was open to Oshkosh children in grades three through five. 

This will be our 6th year judging the contest!

Meeting Reminder

A quick reminder that the Oshkosh Area Writers Club meets at 10 a.m. April 6 in the lower level meeting room of the Oshkosh Public Library. (The conference planning committee will meet at 9:10 a.m.).

There is no Spotlight Author.

The Spotlight Author for April 20 is Janet.

Author Visit - Abby Frucht

Author Abby Frucht will talk about her latest book, a collection of short stories titled "Bell at the End of a Rope."  The program begins at 6:30pm, Tuesday, April 9, in the lower level meeting room of the Oshkosh Public Library, 106 Washington Ave.

The recipient of two National Endowment for the Arts Fellowships, a New Voices Award from Quality Paperback Book Club, and several citations for notable books from The New York Times,, Abby won the Kay W. Levin Short non-fiction prize from the Council for Wisconsin Writers. A committed mentor who has taught for 16 years in the MFA in Writing Program at Vermont College of Fine Arts, she lives in Wisconsin.

Abby will read from her book and talk about the writing life. There is will be a Q&A session at the end.

The event is free and open to the public.

Billie's Blog

Club member Billie Jean Dierson has a blog at www.theuncommonblonde.com.

Her latest entry is about the CLIO awards and television commercials.

Saturday, March 16 "Book Bash"

The theme for the Saturday, March 16,  Oshkosh Saturday Farmers Market is Winter is "Book Bash."  They will be featuring local authors to sell and/or sign their books. 

The winter farmers market is held in Becket's Atrium in the City Center, 2 Jackson St., from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

There are a few spots available for local authors to sign and sell their books. Contact Kathleen Witman at 920//379//3741 for more info.

Meeting, Conference and Prizes!

The Oshkosh Area Writers Club will meet at 10 a.m Saturday, March 16 in the lower level of the Oshkosh Public Library. Billie D. is the Spotlight Author.

Reminder: The early-bird registration fee of $45 for the Lakefly Literary Conference, downtown Oshkosh, ends March 31! Scheduled authors include horror writer Mort Castle, Wisconsin Poet Laurette Max Garland, local author Jess Riley, CNN writer John Dedakis and others. You can NOT go wrong for $45...and that includes lunch! For more information, go to www.lakeflylit.org

If you like cash prizes, be sure to check out Lakefly's writing contests as well. Top prize is $400; no entry fee. Deadline is March 31st.

Lakefly Literary's Flash Fiction Contest

The Lakefly Literary Conference is sponsoring a flash fiction writing contest: 

This is an opportunity to attempt what is one of the most difficult and rewarding tasks - to create, in a tiny fragment, a completely resolved and compelling story in 500 words or less. No entry fee. A prize of $100 will be awarded for the well-written story that is the most memorable.

FLASH FICTION CONTEST RULES:

1.  Authors must reside in, attend school in Wisconsin, or register for the
Lakefly Literary Conference May 10-11, 2013.

2.  Stories must be no more than 500 words in length.

3.  Authors are encouraged to submit an entry via email. Embed it in the body of the email or send it as a pdf to Lakeflylit [at]aol dot com. Authors may also submit
by sending their manuscript to the following address:

          Lakefly Conference
          C/O Oshkosh Public Library
          106 Washington Ave.
          Oshkosh, WI 54901

4.  Writers should include a 100 word or less biography written in third person.
Include your website if you wish.

5.  One entry per author.

6.  Entries must be postmarked on or before March 30th, 2013 or received
electronically by 12:00 am by March 30th, 2013.

7.  Previously published stories (in print or online) are not eligible.

8.  Each manuscript must be typed, double-spaced, in standard 10- or 12-point
font.  Each page must include the title of the story as a header.  All pages must
be numbered with both an individual page number and the total number of
pages (e.g., Stormy Night, page 1/15, Stormy Night, page 2/15, Stormy Night,
page 3/15, etc.).

9.  The author's name, address, telephone number, and e-mail address (if
available); and the story word count must be included. These will be
obscured before judging.

10.  Keep a copy of your manuscript! Manuscripts will be recycled, not returned.
Do not send an SASE.

11.  Contest winner and runner up will be contacted via email (or phone number)
before they are announced at The Lakefly Literary Conference.

Jean Nelson Award Writing Contest

The Lakefly Literary Conference is sponsoring the Jean Nelson Award.

A prize of $400 dollars will be awarded for the best essay with the theme of the impact a library has made on your life or your family.  An honorable mention prize of $100 will also be awarded.  We are looking for a moving, well-written original work of nonfiction. The contest is open to authors residing in, attending school in Wisconsin, or attending the Lakefly Literary Conference May 10-11, 2013.  There is no fee to enter.

THE JEAN NELSON AWARD CONTEST RULES:

1.  Authors must reside in, attend school in Wisconsin, or regiser for the
Lakefly Literary Conference May 10-11, 2013.

2.  Essays need to have the theme a library's impact on you or your family.

3.  Limit your essay to 2500 words or less.

4.  Authors are encouraged to submit an entry via email.  Embed it in the body of the email or send it as a pdf to Lakeflylit [at]aol dot com.  Authors may also submit
by sending their manuscript to the following address:

          Lakefly Conference
          C/O Oshkosh Public Library
          106 Washington Ave.
          Oshkosh, WI 54901

5. Writers should include a 100 word or less biography written in third person.
Include your website if you wish.

6. One entry per author.

7. Entries must be postmarked on or before March 30th, 2013 or received
electronically by 12:00 am by March 30th, 2013.

8. Previously published works (in print or online) are not eligible.

9. Each manuscript must be typed, double-spaced, in standard 10- or 12-point
font.  Each page must include the title of the story as a header.  All pages must
be numbered with both an individual page number and the total number of
pages (e.g., Stormy Night, page 1/15, Stormy Night, page 2/15, Stormy Night,
page 3/15, etc.).

10. The author's name, address, telephone number, and e-mail address (if
available); and the story word count must be included on a cover sheet.  Do
not include personal information on subsequent pages.

11.  Keep a copy of your manuscript! Manuscripts will be recycled, not returned.
Do not send an SASE.

12.  Contest winner and runner up will be contacted via email (or phone number)
before they are announced at The Lakefly Literary Conference.

Lakefly Literary's Short Story Contest

The Lakefly Literary Conference is sponsoring a short story contest:

Have an unpublished short story?  Send it in today.  Any genre.  No entry
fee.  Winner of the contest receives $100.  One honorable mention will
receive $75.  Results announced at the Lakefly Literary Conference May
11th, 2013.  Please see contest rules below:

SHORT STORY CONTEST RULES:
1.  Authors must reside in, attend school in Wisconsin, or register for
Lakefly Literary Conference May 10-11, 2013.

2.  Stories must be no more than 2,500 words in length.

3.  Authors are encouraged to submit an entry via email. Embed it in the body of the email or send it as a pdf to Lakeflylit [at]aol dot com. Authors may also submit
by sending their manuscript to the following address:

          Lakefly Conference
          C/O Oshkosh Public Library
          106 Washington Ave.
          Oshkosh, WI 54901

4.  Writers should include a 100 word or less biography written in third person.
Include your website if you wish.

5.  One entry per author.

6.  Entries must be postmarked on or before March 30th, 2013 or received
electronically by 12:00 am by March 30th, 2013.

7.  Previously published stories (in print or online) are not eligible.

8.  Each manuscript must be typed, double-spaced, in standard 10- or 12-point
font. Each page must include the title of the story as a header. All pages must
be numbered with both an individual page number and the total number of
pages (e.g., Stormy Night, page 1/15, Stormy Night, page 2/15, Stormy Night,
page 3/15, etc.).

9.  The author's name, address, telephone number, and e-mail address (if
available); and the story word count must be included. These will be
obscured before judging.

10.  Keep a copy of your manuscript! Manuscripts will be recycled, not returned.
Do not send an SASE.

11.  Contest winner and runner up will be contacted via email (or phone number)
before they are announced at The Lakefly Literary Conference.

Lakefly Literary Conference

Registration is now open for the Lakefly Literary Conference May 10-11, at the Oshkosh Convention Center. Early bird registration fee is $45; $70 at the door. If booking a hotel room, remember to ask for the group discount rate of $99.

More information is available at www.lakeflylit.org

Meeting Reminder - March 2

The Oshkosh Area Writers Club will meet at 10 a.m. Saturday, March 2 at HARDEE'S on Jackson Street, Oshkosh. (The library will be taken over by Dr. Suess birthday events from 11 to 3.)

Janet is the Spotlight Author. Everyone was e-mail her manuscript last week in both pdf and rich text formats. Please email oawc @aol.com if you need it to re-sent.

Meeting reminder

The Oshkosh Area Writers Club will meet at 10 a.m Saturday, Feb. 16 in the lower level meeting room of the Oshkosh Public Library. Laurie is the Spotlight Author.

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

Meeting Reminder

Oshkosh Area Writers Club will meet at 10 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 2 in the lower level of the Oshkosh Public Library, 106 Washington Ave.

Laurie M. is the Spotlight Author.

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

Jan. 19 meeting reminder

The Oshkosh Area Writer's Club will meet at 10 a.m. Saturday, Jab. 17 in the lower level of the Oshkosh Public Library. Tom is the Author Spotlight with his piece titled "Wayne."

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