| WIWA Publications | Newsletter | Newsletter Archives |
| Soundings Review | Critique Mania | Critique Mania Authors |
WIWA NEWSLETTER
News from the Whidbey Island Writers Association
Vol. 8, No. 2, April 2008 – May 2008
Letter from the Editor, by Dalia Monterroso
April with Poets, by Sue Ellen White
Results Not Typical, by Nancy Boutin
WIWA Web Site News and Member Services
Loss of a Story Teller, by Nancy Ruff, EdD.
To Contact Us or Submit an Article
**************************************************
Welcome all WIWA Newsletter readers!
As many of you have probably heard by now, there’s a new newsletter editor in town. It’s me, Dalia Monterroso. I am absolutely delighted at the opportunity to get to know all of you.
Scanning through our archives, it has become very apparent to me that I have some big shoes to fill. I just met my predecessor, Achaessa James, a few weeks ago and I could tell instantly what a motivated and industrious individual she is. I want to personally thank her for all the help and encouragement she has given me on my first edition. I couldn’t have done it without you, Achaessa.
Now for a little about me.
I’m a newbie to the Northwest area. My husband and I moved to Bellingham about a year ago to escape the raging mass of insanity known as Hollywood, California. No, we did not come to create more traffic or develop Chuckanut Ridge. We’re here to live a life more focused on the things that really matter: family, marriage, and for me, the development of my writing craft.
As veterans of the entertainment industry (my husband John Trapman is an aerial cinematographer and I am an ex-assistant at the endearingly sappy Lifetime Television), relocating to a creative community was of great importance to us. So far, we have found the Northwest area unique, in that it possesses an undeniably magical feel in terms of self-expression. My inclinations were affirmed a few weeks ago when I experienced my first Whidbey Island Writers Conference.
For me, it seemed the overall theme of the conference was the writer’s instinctive drive to reach out to others. I learned that even though we all have different stories to tell in a variety of ways, for most of us the intention is the same: we wish to communicate to others that they are not alone, whatever their experiences may be.
I identified strongly with this sentiment, for like many of you I am a struggling writer with a burning need to share the stories I believe will reflect my hopes and dreams for the world. As I write these words I know all of you out there know what I mean. Because of the WIWA
Conference and the open arms of the Whidbey writing community, I know now that I am not alone.
I look forward to our journey together.
Dalia Monterroso
I’m always on the lookout for new stories and exciting happenings in the writing community! Keep me in the loop at NewsletterEditor@writeonwhidbey.com.
**************************************************
WIWC 2008 CONFERENCE NEWS
The conference was a great success this year! WIWA would like to thank all of our supporters, sponsors, and presenters for creating such an exciting learning atmosphere for everyone involved. Thank you to all those who attended, and special thanks to our tireless volunteers. We couldn’t have done it without you!
WIWA would also like to thank photographers Candace Allen, Bob Richardson and Nancy Ruff for capturing special moments and helping to document the history of various conferences over the past nine years. In celebration of the 10 anniversary of the Whidbey Island Writers Conference, a collage of their photos was displayed at this year’s conference. To view, click here.
To revisit the magic of the 2008 Whidbey Island Writers Conference, click here.
For a list of this year’s contest winners, go to the Cheers! section of this newsletter or click here.
*************************************************
April with Poets: Whidbey’s Burning Word Festival a Draw for All
Written by Sue Ellen White for the WIWA Newsletter
A day among poets with good food, wine tasting and spectacular scenery is a menu to feed any writer’s soul.
The fifth annual Burning Word poetry festival is Saturday, April 26 at Whidbey Island’s Greenbank Farm. Admission for the day, including all workshops, an open-mic and a small press fair, is $15 for adults and $8 for those under eighteen.
And since Burning Word is a festival dedicated to creative expression, it’s not just for writers.
“
Poetry embodies the creative principle,” contemporary American poet David Henderson said of the art form. “That’s why the study and practice of poetry is so important. Not necessarily to turn out poets, but to develop creative and critical approaches to problems and technique that can be brought to bear on every profession, job and activity people engage in.”
Anne Waldman, Internationally-known poet, teacher and performer, heads up the festival. Co-founder of the Jack Kerouac School of Disembodied Poetics at Naropa University, she is the author of more than forty books and small press editions of poetry.
“Anne Waldman represents three of the most important strains of post-World War II poetry - new American poetry, the New York School and the Beat movement,” said Paul Nelson, President of the Washington Poets Association. “We believe Northwest poets and readers will agree that [Burning Word is] very fortunate to feature Waldman.”
Waldman will share the program with Cuban-born expatriate José Kozer; Canadian poet, essayist and Professor Lionel Kearns; and New York poet and publisher Mark Weiss.
Regional favorites David Ossman and James Bertolino will also read, as will Washington’s first State Poet Laureate Samuel Green, who teaches at Seattle University.
Four Hedgebrook poets will perform in a special “don’t miss” afternoon session.
Attendees can enjoy a free screening of indie feature film Beat Angel, which tells the fictional story of Jack Kerouac’s poetry-slam resurrection in the abandoned body of a street bum.
“Intertwining both narrative and documentary elements, [Beat Angel] contains the best description of Kerouac’s writing philosophy I’ve ever heard,” said Gregory Pleshaw of the Santa Fe Film Festival.
At least a dozen literary small presses will be showcased, including Port Townsend’s Copper Canyon Press, which many regard as the premier poetry-publishing house in the nation. The well-known poetry publication Poetry Northwest will also be on hand, as well as the Bellingham Review, Blue Begonia Press and Wood Works Press. The Whidbey Island Writers Workshop will have a booth and the book fair will offer full-length collections for sale.
Burning Word is a smorgasbord where poetry shoppers come to feast,” said Ed Stover, head of the small press fair and board member of the sponsoring organization, the Washington Poets Association.
Free workshops include a cordial evaluation class with Jose Kozer; inspiration using the work of William Blake; a look at today’s diversity of poetic form; an opportunity to hone skills in working with young people by Samuel Green; and poetry writing using updated ideas that originated with the Surrealist movement presented by Whidbey Writers Association member Lorraine Healy.
Food will be available from Whidbey Pies Café and Greenbank Cheese & Specialties. Burning Word will also offer a Mediterranean lunch plate. Attendees can sample Puget Sound appellation wines, which can be purchased in the onsite wine shop.
Burning Word is looking for volunteers, prior to and the day of the festival. Volunteers receive free admission. Contact Angel Latterell at angellatterell@gmail.com.
Burning Word is underwritten by Hedgebrook, Whidbey Telecom and Puget Sound Energy.
For more information and tickets to Burning Word, go to burningword.org.
Sue Ellen White is a freelance journalist, editor and organizer of Burning Word. She lives on Whidbey Island, in the border region between Langley and Clinton. She currently serves on the governing board of the Whidbey Writers Workshop.
**************************************************
Results Not Typical: Whidbey Student Choice Contest a Refreshing Opportunity
Written by Nancy Boutin for the WIWA Newsletter
As the Whidbey Writers Workshop MFA Program’s Student Choice Contest celebrates its first anniversary, the judges have just one request: "Send us a piece that will knock our socks off!"
It may seem unconventional, but that’s just how the students of the first Master of Fine Arts program unaffiliated with an established college or university like to hold a writing contest. They are the proud sponsors of this unorthodox event.
Following few of the accepted rules embraced by most contest designers, the contest welcomes all genres, even sonnets and haikus, as long as the word count does not exceed 1,000.
After only one year, more than 250 contestants from all over the world have submitted stories and poems from as far away as Mumbai, Glasgow and Malaysia. Others have come from as near as Oak Harbor on Whidbey Island.
Anyone on the planet with access to the Internet can enter, including JK Rowling or Jean Auel (if they can manage the word count).
Entries are accepted on the first day of each month and the website mailbox remains open until that month’s judge discovers the winning submission. Since the judge differs each month, individuals can send the same story multiple times.
The contest represents a win-win situation. Writers get an opportunity to submit work painlessly and at no cost. Winners earn $50, an online publication and a publishing credit. Judges see that our guest editors tell the truth: you really can tell the quality of a piece in the first paragraph, few people follow submission guidelines and there is a huge spectrum of talent in the slush pile.
So whether you are a high school student or a college professor, live in New Jersey or the UK, keep submitting. With your participation, the MFA enjoys a steady stream of traffic at the student website and WIWA receives some well-deserved attention for its programs.
And you may just get a chance to knock some socks off.
Nancy Boutin was a presenter at the 2008 Whidbey Island Writers Conference and is a published author of several nonfiction pieces. Though she has now turned her attention to fiction, she continues to contribute nonfiction work to various publications.
Visit whidbeystudents.com/WSContest for more information.
[return to top]
**************************************************
The debut of Soundings Review , WIWA’s first literary magazine, is scheduled for September 2008! If you are not yet a subscriber, click here to find out how you can receive it. Soundings Review publishes poetry, fiction, prose, essays and interviews. We are dedicated to showcasing different types of styles and voices, so please check out our writers guidelines for an opportunity to submit your work. For consideration in our first issue, manuscripts must be received no later than July 1. Soundings Review is currently holding three contests with opportunities for publication and cash prizes (deadline June 15). To find out how you can be a part of this exciting new venture, click here !
Help the MFA Scholarship Fund with a Hopping New T-shirt! The first graduating class of the Whidbey Writers Workshop has produced its third commemorative t-shirt, which depicts the charming illustration of a toad from the journal of writer and artist Susan Zwinger. All proceeds go to the scholarship endowment fund. For more information, contact WIWA at 360-331-6714 or e-mail wiwa@whidbey.com.
WIWA Member Links. Are you a WIWA member with a writing-related Web site? For an opportunity to link your site to the WIWA resources page, click here. And be sure to check out our latest additions.
WIWA Member Publications List. WIWA is creating a list of our authors and their publications to be used in advertising and other related writing activities. If this list should include you, please send your list of publications to wiwa@whidbey.com.
**************************************************
Check out the WIWA Web site for the most current listing of our spring classes and workshops !
Marian Blue will be teaching American Literature, Focus on Fantasy After 1900 on Fridays, April 4 – June 13. The class, held at Skagit Valley Community College , The South Whidbey Center , can be taken as either a five-credit course or a Senior Lit class. Discuss how and why the American culture was ready for the Harry Potter phenomenon, reading literature from throughout the last century. Class will meet at Kens Korners from 1-4 p.m. For more information, call 360-341-2324.
Skylark Writing Studio has three upcoming Saturday workshops that you won’t want to miss: Writing a War Story on April 5, The Inspiring Garden on April 26 and From the Mind’s Eye to the Page on May 10. All classes are beginner friendly and reasonably priced. Teacher Molly Larson Cook has been writing and helping writers for over 25 years. Click here for more information.
WIWA's Advanced Poetry Class is doing a reading on April 15 at the Clinton Community Hall from 7-9 p.m. The event is sponsored by the Clinton Library. Presenters will read their works and talk about motivation in writing poetry. For more information, contact Pat Brunjes at 360-341-2910.
Author Peggy Schumaker will be at the Freeland Library on the evening of April 18 for a reading and signing of her books, plus a brief open-mic. On April 19, Peggy will conduct a WIWA sponsored workshop titled Exploring Language (location to be determined). Designed for writers of all genres, workshop proceeds will be donated to Soundings Review , the new WIWA magazine set to debut on September 2008. Go to Workshops or contact Marian Blue at blueyude@whidbey.com for more information.
Burning Word: The Festival of Poetic Fire returns to Greenbank Farm on April 26. Check out the feature article by Sue Ellen White or visit washingtonpoets.org/burning_word.php for details.
The Novel Writer’s Workshop at the beautiful Saratoga Inn in Langley will be held November 6-9. NY Times Best-selling author and presenter at this years WIWA Writers Conference Bob Mayer hosts this intimate retreat designed to provide what all writer’s are looking for: individualized feedback. For registration guidelines and other information, or to inquire about Bob’s Advanced Writer’s Workshops, go to bobmayer.org.
WIWA is seeking writing teachers! If you have the qualifications and are interested in helping this community’s gifted writers, please forward a class description and bio to wiwa@whidbey.com. We are looking for a wide variety of 10 weeks classes and workshops.
Whidbey-poets@googlegroups.com is an online poetry critique group open to all members of WIWA. To subscribe, e-mail a request to wiwa@whidbey.com. Each month features a suggested topic for writing, though subscribers are encouraged to circulate poems on any topic at any time. April’s topic: political commentary.
WIWA-Sponsored Writing Groups. WIWA sponsors a wide variety of writing groups on the island and online. Check out details for your particular locale or genre at WIWA Writers Groups.
Haven’t found the writing group that fits? We encourage our members to form groups that meet their genre’s special needs. If you have an idea for a group and wish to make it a reality, go to new group proposal on the WIWA Web site. Remember, you don’t have to be a WIWA member to join a group, but you do have to become a member to remain in the group once you’ve joined!
**************************************************
Check out literary-arts.org for a list of upcoming Literary Arts events and lectures in Portland, Oregon. April happenings include Lucille Clifton on April 6, Marjane Satrapi on April 7, and Blessed Unrest: An Evening with Paul Hawken, Barry Lopez and Rebecca Solnit on April 14.
Richard Hugo House offers a variety of writer’s events on an ongoing basis. For a complete list of upcoming happenings, go to hugohouse.org/events . This month includes:
Stage Fright reads work from the Pongo Teen Writing Project
This teen open-mic honors poetry by Seattle teens in juvenile detention, foster care and the state psychiatric hospital. Admission is free.
Cabaret
April 9, 7:00 p.m.
Cheap Wine and Poetry
Admission is free and wine is only $1 a glass at this special “Cheap Wine and Poetry” night celebrating National Poetry Month. Featured readers are Elizabeth Austen, Rebecca Loudon and Cody Walker. Hosted by Charla Grenz. More details at cheapwineandpoetry.com.
Cabaret
April 24, 7:00 p.m.
Mr. Thoreau Tonight
This staged reading of a new one-act play by David Wagoner features Todd Jefferson Moore and follows a night in the life of Thoreau as he prepares for a lecture. $12 ($10 members)
Theater
April 24, 7:30 p.m.
The Hugo Huts Residency Program is an arts residency program that provides two writers with the rare chance to reside in subsidized housing at Seattle’s historic Belltown Cottages , plus an opportunity to teach a Hugo Writing Class. They are currently accepting applications, so get cracking; the deadline is April 11. Click here for more information.
The Mount Sequoyah Writers Conference on April 11-12 features readings and workshops from Ellen Gilchrist , winner of the National Book Award for Fiction and three-time recipient of the Thomas Wolfe Award. Other special guests include: Roger Armstrong, Clayton Scott, Robert Ford, Barbara Youree, and Radine Trees Nehring. For more information, click here , call 800-760-8126 or write to mail@mountsequoyah.org
Writing in the Garden of the Gods has a name that alone is reason to attend this Field’s End conference! The one-day event will be held at the beautiful Kiana Lodge on April 26. Owned and operated by the Suquamish Tribe , Kiana Lodge is a waterfront conference center overlooking Agate Passage between Bainbridge Island and Poulsbo, Washington. To register and for more information, click here .
Western Washington’s 17th Annual SCBWI Children’s Writers & Illustrators Conference takes place April 26-27 at Meydenbauer Center in Bellevue, Washington. The two-day event offers writers and/or illustrators the opportunity to learn from esteemed literary professionals as well as award-winning authors and illustrators. For complete details and to register, click here.
Richard Hugo House presents Write-o-Rama on June 17. The day features more than 30 workshops for anyone who wants to write. The event includes prizes, free food & drink, open-mics and a party finale. Write-O-Rama is a benefit for Richard Hugo House. To find out more visit hugohouse.org/giving/writeorama, call 206-322-7030 or e-mail Development Director Chris Leasure at development@hugohouse.org.
Youth Speaks Seattle knows how to throw fundraiser! Located at the Langston Hughes Performing Arts Center , this front-lawn barbeque features hip hop artists, local bands and the spoken word. There will be an open-mic, plus a feature by the 2007 Seattle Youth Slam Team. Benefiting Youth Speaks Seattle programming, this party-style event takes place on June 22, from 3 p.m. until dark.
For more information contact Program Director Angela Martinez at 206-661-2036.
Jumpstart your career! Join past WIWA conference presenter Sheila Bender at the Writing It Real In Port Townsend Writers Conference. This conference focuses on professional guidance in writing and publishing memoir, nonfiction, fiction, and poetry. Held at the Harborside Inn in Port Townsend , WA, June 26-30. For more details, click here .
Attend the Seattle Author-Editor Clinic and get that novel, memoir, or nonfiction manuscript in shape! This clinic has helped authors revise and polish their books-in-progress since 2004. For information on the fall clinic, check out authoreditorclinic.com, or contact Session Manager Kyra Freestar at kyra@bridgecreekediting.com or 206-300-2601. Application deadline is August 29.
Authorlink offers convenient online classes. 2008 WIWA Conference presenter Doris Booth is the Editor-in-Chief of Authorlink.com, a resource for online writing workshops taught by top New York editors and award-winning authors. For a current list of classes, click here.
**************************************************
Congratulations to friend of WIWA and past WIWA conference presenter Elizabeth Lyon, whose sixth book is being released this month. She describes her new work Manuscript Makeover: Revision Techniques No Fiction Writer Can Afford to Ignore as her "magnum opus" on revising novels. She poured twenty years of experience as a book editor into the 360-page how-to.
Elizabeth Lyon is owner of Editing International. She currently resides in Springfield, Oregon.
Are you a WIWA member or past WIWA conference presenter with a new release or publishing contract? Let us know at NewsletterEditor@writeonwhidbey.com. We want to celebrate your success!
**************************************************
A big cheers to all 2008 Candace Allen & Bob Richardson Benefactors' Award Winners!
Fiction Winners:
First - Gail Madden, Finding Out
Second - Rowena Williamson, Charlie Is My Darling
Third - Dick Warwick, The Sandwich Shop
Children’s Winners:
First - Penny Holland, Sam and the Sunflower Thief
Second - Carolyne Ruck, Snake Song
Third - Cassondra Brewster, My Mommy Wears Combat Boots
Nonfiction Winners:
First - Ron Rhinehart, View from Europe
Second - Dot Read, Before the War
Third - Roger Cannon, Goodwill Has No Price
Poetry Winners:
First - John Paxman, It Happens That I Am Tired
Second - Sharon Nicholson, Cowgirl from Genoua
Third - Susan Gradzielewski, Blind Faith
Are you a WIWA member who has placed in a competition or has your submission been accepted for publication? Let us know at NewsletterEditor@writeonwhidbey.com. We want to celebrate your success!
**************************************************
The annual competition Portia Steele Awards for Excellence in Poetry and for Excellence in Prose seeks to recognize women writers 50 years of age and older. Entry deadline is April 15. Visit portiasteeleaward.org/contest.htm for more information.
West Branch, a twice-yearly journal of literature published at Bucknell University's Stadler Center for Poetry, is welcoming submissions of poetry, fiction and creative nonfiction. They are currently reading unsolicited manuscripts with a deadline of April 15. For submission guidelines, click here.
Sol Books Poetry Series grants one annual award for a book-length collection of poetry. The winner will receive a standard royalty contract, including a $500 advance, and be published as an e-Book with the possibility of a printed version at a later date. Finalists may also be offered a publishing contract. Entry deadline is April 30. Details and guidelines can be found here.
The 2008 Mid-American Review Fineline Competition for Prose Poems, Short Shorts, and Anything-In-Between offers a first prize of $1,000 plus publication. Entry deadline is May 1. For more information and guidelines, click here.
The 16th Annual Writer's Digest International Self-Published Book Awards is on the lookout for the best self-published books of the past few years. This contest is open to professional writers, part-time freelancers, and self-starting students. The deadline for entries is May 1. For more information, click here.
If you love to write about the environment and all concerning issues, check out KNOCK magazine’s Ecoliterature contest. KNOCK is a literary arts magazine published by Antioch University Seattle. Click here for more information. Deadline is May 1.
The Third Annual Rising Star Competition for High School and College Writers is Central Oregon's premier literary event. For more information and guidelines click here. Entry deadline is May 10.
The 77th Annual Writer's Digest Writing Competition is known for rewarding writers on their finest work. Grand prize is $3,000 and a trip to New York City to meet with editors or agents. Entry Deadline is May 15. Click here for more information.
The Writer Magazine Writers' Exchange Contest is a chance for writers to show their sense of humor by sharing their favorite faux pas from their writing career (and we all have them). Deadline for entry is May 31. The most entertaining entries will be published in a future issue of The Writer and/or WriterMag.com. For more information, click here.
The Robert A. Heinlein Centennial Short Story Contest will grant three prizes for the best original short stories communicating the spirit, ideas and philosophies of Robert Anson Heinlein. For more information, visit heinleinsociety.org/contest.html. Deadline for entry is June 1.
Many Mountains Moving Press 2008 Poetry Book Contest offers a prize of $1000 plus publication. Entry deadline is June 1. View details at mmminc.org.
Ruminate Magazine, a new literary magazine published in Fort Collins, CO, is holding its first annual contest for poetry and short story. Winners will receive $300 for first place and $150 for runner-up. Deadline is June 1. There is a $15 entry fee. Visit ruminatemagazine.com for more details.
Soundings Review, WIWA’s first literary magazine, is currently holding three contests with opportunities for publication and cash prizes. Deadline for entry is June 15. For more information, click here.
Ruminate Magazine is currently seeking short stories, poetry, creative nonfiction and visual art for their fifth issue themed "flux." The deadline for submission is June 15. For more information, go to ruminatemagazine.com.
Raving Dove, an online literary journal that focuses on themes of peace and human rights, is currently accepting submissions for their 2008 edition to be posted online June 21. For more information, go to ravingdove.org or click here.
Lunch Hour Stories Annual Short Story Contest welcomes any theme or genre as long as the narrative is 4000-8000 words and appropriate for a general audience. At least three winners will be selected for publication during their 2009 literary season. Entry deadline is June 30. For more information, click here.
The 2008 Omnidawn Poetry Prize is Omnidawn Publishing’s first annual contest for a first or second full-length collection of poems by a poet writing in English. Submissions accepted until June 30. Go to omnidawn.com/contest.htm for details.
Soundings Review, WIWA’s first literary magazine, publishes poetry, fiction, prose, essays and interviews. We are dedicated to showcasing different types of styles and voices, so please check out our writers guidelines for an opportunity to submit your work. For consideration in our first issue, manuscripts must be received no later than July 1.
The Writer Magazine 2008 Short-Story Contest welcomes mystery stories. All winning pieces will be posted on Writermag.com. Deadline for entry is September 30. There is an entry fee of $10. Click here for guidelines and additional information.
LaChance Publishing and its "Voices of" anthology series seek personal essays on a variety of topics, including childhood cancer, depression and individuals affected by the war in Iraq. Deadlines vary. Visit lachancepublishing.com/guidelines.html for guidelines and additional information. Pay is up to $200.
Check out Glimmer Train’s submission calendar at glimmertrain.com/writguid1.html.
Stay updated on Poets & Writers deadlines for grants, awards and submissions at pw.org/mag/grantsawards.htm.
Absey & Co. accepts mainstream fiction, nonfiction, poetry and educational books (especially those dealing in language arts). For submission guidelines, click here.
Carnifex Press is proud to announce the formation of their new imprint, which focuses exclusively on Young Adult Fantasy and Horror novellas. For details and guidelines go to carnifexpress.net/guidelines.htm.
Coffee House Press publishes emerging and mid-career authors. They are looking for literary novels, full-length short story collections and essays. Details at coffeehousepress.org/resources.asp.
ColumbiaKids is the Washington State Historical Society’s new online children's magazine set to launch in August 2008. Written for kids up to age 12, ColumbiaKids will feature amazing people, places, and objects from the Pacific Northwest's history. Writers and illustrators interested in receiving submission guidelines should email columbiakids@wshs.wa.gov.
Dreamriver Press is a freshly launched publishing house that prints books contributing to the positive change taking place on the planet. They are interested in works on topics of spirituality/mind-body-spirit and the environment. For more information, go to dreamriverpress.com.
Leaf Press – Monday's Poem selects four poems each month for publication. For more details go to leafpress.ca/guidelines.htm.
Main Channel Voices: A Dam Fine Literary Magazine seeks eclectic, accessible poetry. Rolling submission periods. Find details at mainchannelvoices.com.
The Malahat Review is aggressively seeking creative nonfiction for publication in their Summer 2008 and future issues. Click here for more information. And if you are a writer of poetry or short fiction, click here for information regarding additional opportunities.
Mid-List Press is a nonprofit literary press dedicated to the survival of the mid-list, those quality titles that are being neglected by the larger commercial houses. Their focus is on new and emerging writers. Details and guidelines can be found here.
Narrative Magazine welcomes submissions of previously unpublished manuscripts of all lengths, from short stories to complete book-length works. They regularly publish fiction, poetry, and nonfiction. More details and submission guidelines at narrativemagazine.com/shared/submit.php.
No Record Press is a new press specializing in literary and experimental fiction and poetry titles. They also publish The Red Anthology and Poetry Flyer. Someone on their staff reportedly said, "We accept only previously unpublished writers who have neither obtained, nor are in the process of obtaining, an MFA in fiction." More details at no-record.com.
River City Publishing publishes books of national appeal, with an emphasis on Southern writers and Southern stories. Details at rivercitypublishing.com/contact/submissions.html.
SNReview is looking for short stories of less than 7000 words, creative nonfiction of less than 7000 words, and poetry. Details and submission guidelines at snreview.org.
The Sylvan Echo online literary journal is accepting electronic submissions of fiction, nonfiction, poetry, editorial works, book reviews and artwork. Check out submission guidelines at sylvanecho.net.
Unbridled Books is dedicated to publishing high-quality works that are moving, beautiful, and surprising. Details and guidelines at unbridledbooks.com.
The Wellesley Centers for Women Women’s Review of Books is looking for writers to be considered for reviewing assignments. Click this link for more information and guidelines.
The Whidbey Student Choice Award for Short Forms is open to writers of all genres, locations, and levels of professional attainment.
Check out this newsletter’s Whidbey Writers Workshop News or go to whidbeystudents.com/WSContest for more information. And for editing suggestions, click here.
Wolf Pirate Publishing specializes in genre fiction: Contemporary Fantasy, Horror, Mystery, Paranormal, Suspense, and Thriller. Details and submission guidelines can be found at wolf-pirate.com.
*************************************************
WIWA WEB SITE NEWS AND MEMBER SERVICES
Keep Up With Your Favorite WIWC Presenters!
The WIWA Web site, writeonwhidbey.org, links to the Web sites of past conference presenters as a convenient way to find out where they’re reading and what they’re publishing. To view our list of past presenters with links to their Web sites, click here.
If you’re a past WIWC presenter and your link doesn’t appear on our page, please let us know so we can make it happen. Our only request is that you provide a reciprocal link to WIWA and/or the conference Web site at: writeonwhidbey.com.
**************************************************
WIWA is on the look-out for individuals or groups interested in donating any of the following items:
The Chicago Manual of Style, University of Chicago Press to be ordered through Amazon.com and shipped to us at WIWA, P. O. Box 1280, Langley, WA 98260
Phone cards
Copy paper
New books on writing to be used as prizes in the annual youth writing contest
Your generous contribution assists the WIWA in our constant effort to offer outstanding programs to local writers and readers like you. If you are interested in making a donation, please contact us at 360-331-6714 or wiwa@whidbey.com. WIWA is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and donations may be tax deductible.
**************************************************
The WIWA is seeking writing teachers! If you have the qualifications and are interested in helping this community’s gifted writers, please forward a class description and bio to wiwa@whidbey.com. We are looking for a wide variety of 10 weeks classes and workshops.
Looking to volunteer for an exciting publishing opportunity? Expose your writing to approximately 2,000 writers, agents and publishers by becoming an event-specific or beat reporter for the WIWA Newsletter. WIWA does not pay for articles published in the newsletter, but two of our contributing reporters have already been contacted by outside publishers as a result of their WIWA articles.
Reporters will work with the newsletter editor to report on current events. For publication details and other information please contact the Newsletter Editor at NewsletterEditor@writeonwhidbey.com.
**************************************************
For this first newsletter, I chose to use the following quote because I believe it embodies the feelings that all writers battle when embarking on a new creative journey.
“To live a creative life, we must lose our fear of being wrong.”
Feel free to send your favorite quotes about writing to NewsletterEditor@writeonwhidbey.com.
**************************************************
PNWA has launched its new online magazine Author, which offers writing articles, book reviews, and video interviews from new and best-selling authors. The magazine is free to everyone, but in months to come a pay portion of the site, Writer’s Corner, will be available, which will include additional how-to articles, databases of media contacts, up-to-date industry news, and much more.
This month’s issue of Author includes interviews with Clive Cussler (The Chase), Doug Preston (The Wheel of Darkness), Nassim Assefi (Aria) and more. Check out this exciting new resource at authormagazine.org.
Need a break from all the seriousness? Click here.
If you know of a Web site you think other writers would find useful, let us know at NewsletterEditor@writeonwhidbey.com. And don’t forget to send any writing-related funny you may have found on the Web. Even serious writers need a laugh sometimes!
*************************************************
WRITERS ASK / WRITERS RESPOND
Do you have a question on writing or publishing that could use additional input? Do you have writing or publishing resources, information or experience that you’d like to share with our readers?
Questions and responses can be sent to NewsletterEditor@writeonwhidbey.com and may be published in upcoming editions of the newsletter for the benefit of all readers.
*************************************************
PASSAGES
Loss of a Story Teller, Grey Eagle (Kenneth M. Jackson)
April 27, 1923 - March 4, 2008
Written by Nancy Ruff, EdD. for the WIWA Newsletter
The March 16 Seattle Times noted that Grey Eagle (Kenneth M. Jackson) passed away recently. Some of you associated with WIWA and the Whidbey Island Writers Conference may remember that for a number of years, Grey Eagle told stories for the introduction and conclusion of the conference.
Most of us knew little about him, except that he was an Ojibwa (Chippewa) storyteller; however, from his obituary, we now know that he earned a Purple Heart in World War II and was devoted to helping veterans heal from emotional wounds suffered in war. He was a graduate of Washington State College (now WSU), earned a PhD from the University of Washington and was an Associated Press correspondent. He taught for over 20 years at the University of Washington before retiring on Whidbey Island, devoting his last years to the continuation of the Native American oral tradition.
His stories were well-suited to our mission at the conference and he amazed us with his ability to link the openings and closings so effectively and to impress upon all of us the importance of storytelling, both oral and written. We are fortunate to have had his association with us in our early days.
Grey Eagle died peacefully and surrounded by loved ones in his winter home in Patagonia, AZ.
Nancy Ruff has been associated with WIWA since its inception. She has served on the writers conference team for 10 years as the first Chair of the Governing Board of WIWA's MFA in Creative Writing program and on the WIWA Board.
*************************************************
TO CONTACT US OR SUBMIT AN ARTICLE
Attention Readers: We Want to Hear from You!
Have you been to a recent book fair, heard a favorite author speak, or gained valuable tips from a writing class? Are you a professional willing to share your expertise?
Perhaps you have discovered interesting markets, contests and cyber sites that others should know about. Or maybe you have an inspirational quote to share (we all need a little up-lifting sometimes).
The WIWA Newsletter is on constant lookout for all types of writing-related information, so send us your articles, news of your recent publications, contest wins, or anything you think our readers would want to hear and we will consider it for publication.
To submit content or contact the WIWA Newsletter, e-mail NewsletterEditor@writeonwhidbey.com.
For information about the Writers Conference, e-mail writers@whidbey.com.
Check out the WIWA Web site at writeonwhidbey.com.
Remaining 2008 Newsletter Submission Dates:
May 15 for June 1 edition
July 15 for August 1 edition
September 15 for October 1 edition
November 15 for December 1 edition
**************************************************
TO SUBSCRIBE OR UNSUBSCRIBE
The WIWA Newsletter is published approximately every two months and is available on our Web site at writeonwhidbey.com/Publications. If you wish to receive an email announcing when each new edition of the newsletter is posted, please send an e-mail with SUBSCRIBE WIWA in the subject line to wiwa@whidbey.com. If you wish to unsubscribe please reply to the announcing e-mail with UNSUBSCRIBE in the subject line to be deleted from our records. WIWA does not share or sell your name or e-mail address.