Monday, June 30, 2008
NEWS and
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Monday, June 30, 2008
JUNE ANNOUNCEMENTS
* Read the guidelines posted on the CONTESTS page for SW 7th Annual Short
Story Contest.
* Bios posted on MEMBERS page for Sara Hock, Camille Subramaniam
and Kelly Oliva
* Visit EVENTS page to read workshop speakers'
bios.
* Children's author JODY FELDMAN will be the speaker at our December
meeting. Read the EVENTS page for details.
* AGENT
KRISTEN NELSON will
give a special presentation for Saturday Writers the week of August 11. Details will be
posted on our EVENTS page in July.
*
Visit our MEMBERS page to read about Doyle Suit's latest publishing credit.
*
Check out the REVIEWS page for member reviews of THE HOST by Stephenie Meyer
and DEVIL MAY CARE by Sebastian Faulk.
****
MAY ANNOUNCEMENTS
New bios posted for Dianna Graveman and Dan Neill.
Cuivre Kids anthology mailed or hand-delivered to schools today.
To find out how to order copies of Cuivre Kids, visit our ANTHOLOGY
page.
Check out our Members page to read bios for Steve Ortwerth and Stan Wilson.
Doyle Suit and Louella Turner win in Oklahoma! See MEMBERS page for details.
Winners of our one-page poem contest Posted on CONTESTS page
*****
APRIL ANNOUNCEMENTS AND PHOTOS
Bios posted for: Nancy Hausner, Jerry Swingle, Margo Balinski, Jeanette Hollman,
Lee Lumpkins, Joy Wooderson, Sheree
Nielsen, D.M. Wilmes, and
Virginia (Carolyn) Stone
Lou Turner, Mary Horner, Kathleen Kaiser and Patsy Zettler, Troy Windom, Dianna Graveman, Barbara Hodges, Mary
Ann Kohenskey, and Judy Moresi.
*High Hill Press, a small Missouri-based publishing house, will be issuing a
collection of David "Kirk" Kirkland's short stories titled The Yesteryear
Tales, in July. To learn more about Kirkland's works, visit
www.davidleekirkland.com
Photos and News from the 2008 MWG Conference in Columbia
Changing of the Guard at the Missouri Writers' Guild
Incoming
President Patsy Bell Hobson thanks Outgoing President Margo Dill Balinski
for her vision, leadership, and hard work
(notice the look of relief on
Margo's face)
***
Saturday Writers kick up their heels at the MWG Conference in
Columbia on April 12
Mary Horner, Alice Betz, Mary Ann
Kohenskey, Tricia
Grissom, Tricia Sanders, Dianna Graveman, Donna Volkenannt, and Margo Dill
Balinski
***
A Happy Group of Saturday
Writers after the Banquet
From left to right: Alice Betz, Mary Horner, Mary Ann
Kohenskey, Margo Dill Balinski, Tricia Sanders, Tricia Grissom, Dianna
Graveman, and Donna Volkenannt
***
Missouri's Poet Laureate Walter Bargen graciously poses with
SW members
Mary Horner, Dianna Graveman, Walter Bargen, and Donna
Volkenannt
***
A Couple of Winners!
Tricia
Sanders
Dianna Graveman
Saturday Writers took home a total of nine Missouri
Writers' Guild awards. Winning writers are: Dianna Graveman (2 President's Awards), Tricia Sanders (2 Chapter/Sponsor Awards), Donna
Volkenannt (2 President's Awards and 1 Chapter Award), and Patsy Zettler (2
Chapter Awards).
*******
Steve Weinberg, long-time Missouri Writers'
Guild supporter and teacher at the University of Missouri Journalism school,
has announced publication of two new books:
The first is the centennial history of the University of Missouri Journalism
School. It is for sale at local bookstores or through the
University of
Missouri Press. Profits go directly to the Journalism School treasury.
The second is a biography of Ida Tarbell, the inventor of investigative
journalism. The biography comes from
W.W.
Norton, based in New York City.
More than 1,350 writers from 18 countries and all 50 states (plus Washington,
D.C.) entered the 2008 Erma Bombeck Writing Competition sponsored by the
Washington-Centerville Public Library and the University of Dayton. The annual
writing competition pays tribute to Erma Bombeck, one of America's great
humorists, and encourages aspiring writers to submit previously unpublished
personal essays of 450 words or fewer. Saturday Writers
member Patsy Zettler's humorous essay,
"Garbage Anyone?" was awarded
HONORABLE MENTION in the writing competition. Click on Members page and
scroll down to Member Accomplishments for a link to Patsy's essay.
******
MARCH ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Membership chair
JOY WOODERSON will be traveling to Los
Angeles in April and New York City in May to read her creative nonfiction piece
"Bougainvillea
and Barbed Wire: A Former Citizen Looks at the New South Africa." Joy's
essay has been
selected for inclusion in the The Truth About The Fact literary journal,
published by Loyola Marymount University. Click on MEMBERS page for details.
During our Feb 23 meeting, KMOV Channel 4 Writer and Producer
Dan Dillon, gave a
humorous and informative presentation on the good, the bad, and the ugly of
collaborating and making the most of a failed project. Dan also took us on
a trip down memory lane through the City of St. Louis by giving us a Trivia
Challenge, reminiscing about Prom Magazine and spotlighting some St. Louis
high schools.
Okay, St. Louis trivia buffs. Here are Dan's questions from Saturday.
The answers can be found in his fascinating book,
"So, Where'd You Go to High
School" published by Virginia Publishing in St. Louis.
For those who don't have a copy of the book, you can check your answers
on this web site after March 1:
1. What St. Louis high school boasts of the largest collection of
billiard and pool tables in its basement?
Answer: St. Louis University High School
2. What diner/restaurant was a favorite hang-out for the boys who
attended McBride High School on Kingshighway Blvd? (Hint: there are or were six
of them in the St. Louis area.)
Answer: The "Northside" Parkmoor
3. What is the name of the school that the following celebrities
attended: Vincent Price, Joe Buck, and John Danforth?
Answer: Country Day
4. Which high school was named after a famous surgeon? (Hint: It's on
the city's northside.)
Answer: Beaumont
5. How many schools does Dan include in his book? (Okay, you'll
have to get to find a copy of the book to answer this one, but to give you a
hint, it's an even number greater than 99 and less than 101).
Answer: 100
For the curious who want to know where Dan went to high school: St.Thomas
Aquinas, Class of 1972.
*********
WEBSITE EDITOR
LOOKING FOR QUOTES
Members of Saturday Writers are invited to submit their favorite quote about
writing for posting on our web site. Send your quote, along with the name of
the person you are quoting and a source to verify the quote, to our website
editor, Donna Volkenannt
donna@saturdaywriters.org If your quote is used, your name and your
favorite writing quote (with attribution to the original writer) will be
featured for one month during 2008.
********
MYSTERY WRITER WOWS MEMBERS AT JANUARY MEETING
Local mystery writer Laura Bradford wowed members of Saturday Writers during
her presentation at the January 26 meeting. During Bradford's "Tricks of the
Promotion Trade" discussion, members got tips on how to: put together a
professional-looking press kit, grab an editor's attention to get a press
release in local papers, and approach editors and agents at conferences. She
also talked about the importance of having a personal website and a blog to
connect with your readers. Bradford's professional, personal, and
"not-too-pushy" approach to the business of writing has helped her meet some
top-notch mystery and thriller writers, such as
Harlan Coben and Mary Higgins
Clark. Click here
Laura Bradford / Mystery Author
to learn more about Laura.
************
ANTHOLOGY SEEKS SUBMISSIONS ABOUT PARANORMAL PHENOMENA IN MISSOURI
MWG Member Rose Marie Kinder, editor of
Sweetgum Press (www.sweetgumpress.com),
is seeking non-fiction anthology submissions based on real-life mysterious
and paranormal phenomena in Missouri (marsh lights, hauntings, and the
like): Anecdotes, essays, interviews or other appropriate genre from 500
words (anecdote) to 8000 words. Contributors whose work is selected will
receive a small cash payment, the amount depending on the length of the
piece, and copies of the publication. Anticipated date of publication is
fall 2008. Submit your best work, in standard professional format, to
Sweetgum Press, P. O. Drawer J, Warrensburg, MO 64093. Queries only to:
rmkinder@sprintmail.com. See
general guidelines at
www.sweetgumpress.com.
********
FORMER SW PRESIDENT, AMY-WILLOUGHBY, NOMINATED FOR PUSHCART PRIZE
It's a bittersweet time for members of Saturday Writers as we say farewell
to our immediate past president, Amy Willoughby-Burle. Amy, her husband RJ,
and beautiful daughters Miranda and Delia are relocating to her home state
of North Carolina. We will miss Amy's smile, enthusiasm, and playful sense
of humor. Amy is not only a wonderful writer, to many of us she has also
been a cherished friend.
Now for the sweet: The exciting news is that Amy recently received
notification from the managing editor of
MacGuffin
magazine that the staff has nominated her story "Stone Jesus in the Front
Yard" for a 2008 Pushcart Prize.
Isn't that a delightful parting gift?
Congratulations and Bon Voyage, Amy. We wish you well!
SATURDAY WRITERS
MENTIONED IN THE ST. LOUIS REVIEW
The St. Louis Review, the
newspaper of the Archdiocese of St. Louis, mentioned Saturday Writers on
page 5 of its Dec 21, 2007 issue. Under the headline, "Write On," the
newspaper reported the names of the children and young adult winners in the
Saturday Writers Contests from St. Peter School in St. Charles.
***********
* EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1, 2008 -Please note changes in membership dues:
Current Members - Annual Renewal $15.00 (due January 1)
Current Members - Late Renewal $20.00 (after March 1)
New Members - $20.00 (New members who join after September will have the
following year included)*
*Members who joined after Sep 07 are paid up until Dec 08
****
***Here are some comments our incoming president received
from Troy Windom, who drove all the way from Tennessee to attend our October
workshop with Gail Galloway Adams:
"Allow me to
say thank you for making me feel so welcome, and they said all the
hospitality was in the south, well you Northern Belles prove them wrong
this time. Happy Writing, hope to stay in touch." Troy
************
October 2007 news:
* Winners of 2007 Short Story Contest posted.
* Photos of Susan Kirkpatrick's talk about writing query
letters in September posted.
* Cuivre River Anthology (Vol III) now available. Limited copies of CRA Vol II still available. (Ordering
info below).
* December meeting will feature award-winning author and
former teacher, Barri Bumgarner, who will talk about "Get Real: UsingLife
Experiences to Craft Fiction Stories for Readers of All Ages."
***********
Each month, we learn more about writing.
Here's Susan Kirkpatrick, editor of Ozark Magazine.
In September, Susan pointed out ways to catch an editor's
attention with a query letter.
(photo by Tricia Sanders)
Sep 29, 07 Meeting: Susan Kirkpatrick, Editor of Ozarks
magazine
************
DIANNA GRAVEMAN receives award from Catholic Press
Association for Best Short Story in a Magazine. Click on MEMBERS link
for details.
DUSTY RICHARDS wins two SPUR awards from Western Writers of
America. Click on MEMBERS link for details.
*******
Copies of the Cuivre River Anthology (Vol II), edited by Pushcart
Prize nominated writer Louella Turner, are available for only $10 per
copy, plus $2 shipping and handling. Send check made out to
Saturday
Writers to: Cuivre River Anthology, 2731 Cumberland Landing, St. Charles, MO
63303 Quantities limited.
****************
Photos from our March 2007 meeting
Writer and teacher Will Donnelly shares tips for
overcoming writer's block
(photo by Donna Volkenannt)
Saturday Writers President Amy Willoughby-Burle looks on
as Kathleen Kaiser talks about her business
(photo by Donna Volkenannt)
*******************
The
Western Writers of
America recently announced winners of
their 2007 Spur Awards Contest. Dusty Richards, Saturday Writers
honorary member and mentor to several local writers, won two Spur Awards.
Dusty's novel The Horse Creek
Incident (published by Jove Books) won Best Original Paperback Novel.
Dusty's short story "Comanche
Moon" (published on Amazon Shorts/Amazon/com) won for Best Western Short
Fiction.
****
Photos from our December 2 meeting, courtesy of Donna
Volkenannt.
Guest speaker Sheila Wood Foard
(on stage in red) and her husband Bob
smile for the camera with Publicity
Chair and Teen Writing Contest Judge,
Mary Horner (in jacket), and
Children's Program Chair, Margo Dill Balinski
(in green Saturday Writers
shirt).
Outgoing President Amy Harke-Moore
shows her appreciation to our
treasured Treasurer, David
Kirkland, for his hard work and support.
Board members Lou Turner, Doyle
Suit, and Margo Dill Balinski
take a break from their meeting
duties to smile for the camera.
With their renown efficiency
and hospitality, Membership Chair, Joy Wooderson
(seated and wearing green SW shirt), and
Treasurer, David Kirkland
(seated and
wearing plaid shirt), take care of members and visitors during our meeting.
Walt Volkenannt (profile in white cap)
checks out Emily Moore's
first-place certificate in our
annual
teen writing contest, and congratulates Emily's
proud parents, Mike
Moore and Amy Harke-Moore.
Children's Contest Judge, Doyle
Suit, shares a laugh with
St. Peter Catholic School
teachers, Mrs. Kaye Hartweger
(wearing red blouse) and Mrs. Mary Jeanne Elek
(holding certificates).
Check out our MEMBERS page for the names of our newest
members.
**********
An Afternoon of Comfort
(Photo by Jerrell Swingle)
Members Joy Wooderson, Donna Volkenannt,
and Candace Carrabus Rice
sign copies of their A Cup of Comfort books at
Barnes and Noble in St. Peters, MO
***************************
"Gone to Kansas City"
". . .they got some pretty,
witty women there . . ."
Lou Turner, Amy Willoughby-Burle,
Marcia Putnam, Candace Carrabus Rice, Joy Wooderson, Donna Volkenannt and
Margo Dill are "dressed to the nines" at the 2006 Missouri Writers' Guild
Conference banquet in Kansas City, MO
**********************
SW
Children's Program Coordinator Launches New Business
Editor 911--"Your words are
my Emergency"
Do you
have
to write, edit, or type a term paper, thesis, or dissertation?
Maybe you’ve written a book or short story that needs to be edited or
critiqued?
Contact
EDITOR 911*Personal,
friendly, creative and professional service*
Services
include typing, editing, critiquing, and organization/research help.
Prices Vary but FAIR and REASONABLE
Call Margo at 217-714-8582 Email
margodll@aol.com or Check
www.margodill.com
Credentials include: *B.S. English, Truman State University (TSU), *M.A.E.
Elementary Education, TSU, *Special Reading Certificate K-12
*Five
years critiquing experience, *Twelve years teaching experience, *Two years
as a writing specialist, *Award- winning author,
*President of the Missouri Writers’ Guild
**************
WELCOME YOUNG WRITERS!!!!
The board of Saturday Writers recently approved membership
for writers age 15-17. When applying for membership, writers ages
15-17 just need to include a consent statement signed by their parent or
guardian. Writers over age 18 have always been welcome to become
members.
**********************************
Here are some winners from
our 3rd annual children's writing contest and their teachers.
Jeff Noonan (red shirt), Nick Thro (white around neckline),
Maggie Michalak, and Dan Oleson (stripe on chest.) Teachers are: Mrs. Kaye
Hartweger (plaid shirt), Mrs. Mary Jeanne Elek (glasses), and Mrs. Carol
Arns (black and white shirt.)
***********
