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WIWA NEWSLETTER
News from the Whidbey Island Writers Association
Vol. 6, No. 3 June - July, 2006
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CONTENTS
Letter from the Editor, by Achaessa James
Powerful Podcasting, by Penny Sansevieri
Articles on Motivation, from Martha Martin and Otis V. Goodwin III
Recent Releases
Cheers
Contests and Market Requests
WIWA Member Services
WIWA Wish List
WIWA Seeks Reporters
Quotations
CyberSurfing
Letters to the Editor
Readers Ask
To Contact Us or Submit an Article
To Subscribe or Unsubscribe
To read past issues of the newsletter visit: http://www.writeonwhidbey.com/Publications/
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While traveling in
The obvious hit me like a bolt – my husband is a storyteller. And a vision of him on the phone with his daughter giggling and taking turns composing a spooky-tale, seeing him in the camping video instructing the kids how to set up fairy rock pyramids to guard against the enchanted night wolves, remembering our years together recounting childhood stories, told me that, however unconscious, our relationship has been formed by this mutual calling and all of our adventures have been used to give our stories the texture and fullness employed by storytellers everywhere.
So, of course, I wanted to know how other writers and storytellers have been called or used that motivation or had their lives shaped by this ephemerous calling. I hope you are motivated by the results of my inquiry. As luck would have it I am, once again, fortunate enough to enlist willing participants for this edition. WIWA’s own Martha Martin was motivated by a natural disaster to respond in a uniquely writerly way (okay, I know that’s not a word, but if folks can do things in “painterly fashion” then we ought to be able to respond in writerly ways and you’ll see what I mean when you read Martha’s piece below). One of our most beloved conference presenters, Penny Sansevieri, has written a particularly motivating piece about breaking into a new and increasingly popular style of publishing (think here of publishing in the very earliest pre-paper sense of the word but with an electronic Zap). And just in time for the extended submission deadline for the 14th Annual Writer's Digest International Self-Published Book Awards, a WIWA self-published author, Otis Goodwin, gives us a little insight into his motivational process.
On other fronts, you’ll remember that my last letter was as your Interim Editor with regrets that later this year a move to
There still is the issue, however, of giving all of our
And, finally, I’ve included a brief report on the WIWA Annual Meeting which I hope will motivate those newsletter recipients who are not WIWA members to join our fruitful group and benefit from even more support in fulfilling your own writerly destiny (there’s that word again!). And I’ll close with my quote of the month
“Ability is what you’re capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it.” Lou Holtz
Keep in touch.
Warmest regards, Achaessa
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2007 WIWC Image Art Competition
The Whidbey Island Writers Conference is sponsoring an art competition for a picture that will be used as the main image for conference advertising and marketing materials. Any kind of 2-D visual art would work: painting, photograph, acrylic drawing, etc. The competition is still in the planning stages, but we wanted to get the announcement out because the submission and judging are tentatively scheduled to take place during June and July with the winner to be announced in August. Other ideas include making a limited number of signed copies available for sale at our WIWA store and perhaps presenting signed and framed copies as thank you gifts to our fireside chat house hosts. The prize for the winning entry will likely be a conference registration. This has some publicity opportunities and a chance to do something good for both a local artist and the conference. For submission guidelines or general information about the competition, please contact our Conference Director, Elizabeth Guss at writers@whidbey.com.
Last Call for Presenters
The eighth Annual Whidbey Island Writers Conference was, as usual, a resounding success. Advance planning is always a factor in achieving excellence. The ninth annual conference is scheduled for March 2-4, 2007, and the Call for Presenters is already posted for those interested in applying as faculty. Deadline for submissions is June 10, 2006. Please see the Call for Presenters link on the Writers’ Conference home page for further information.
New Membership Levels
WIWA has a stated mission is to create and support an extended community of established and aspiring writers by providing communication, encouragement and access to professional literary resources. At the Annual Meeting in May, the Board announced that it has created two new levels of membership to further this mission – a $10 Student Membership and a Sponsored Membership for those who would like to be members but have restricted financial resources. If you would like to take advantage of one of these new memberships, or are able to donate to the Sponsored Membership fund, please contact us at wiwa@whidbey.org.
WIWA Local Classes – Summer Quarter 2006
As of press time, summer classes have not yet been announced. Be sure to check the Classes & Groups home page for up-to-date information. Of course, WIWA members receive discounted registration fees for all WIWA sponsored classes.
The Annual Meeting for the Whidbey Island Writers Association was held on May 18. Jerry Mercer chaired the meeting in the President’s stead. Reports were received from the Treasurer, Linda Beeman, the 2006 Whidbey Island Writers Conference Director, Elizabeth Guss, the Membership and Member Services coordinator, Erika Sanders, the MFA Program Director, Nancy Ruff, and the 2006 Local Programs and Contests coordinator, Jerry Mercer, along with a report from Marian Blue on the progress of WIWA’s literary magazine, Soundings, and some upcoming events announcements. Summaries of the program reports follow. Bill Russell and Ned Goodhue were elected as new board members and Susan Wilmoth was re-elected.
Delectable snacks and refreshments were provided for the 30 plus attendees. A fundraising raffle was held with imaginatively selected and desirable prizes, including one free 2007 conference registration, one free 2007 pre-conference workshop and lunch, and one agent or editor consult. The winners were all tickled pink – except for the winner of the consult because now she’s got a real deadline to meet. The meeting was concluded with select readings by the Pulitzer Prize winning poet David Wagoner. You should’ve been there. He was, quite frankly, amazing and worth the ferry ride and the gas to attend (and that’s saying a lot in this day of high gas prices).
Treasurer’s Report Summary
WIWA, WIWC and WWW (the MFA program) all ended the fiscal year in the black. If you’d like more detail, come to next year’s annual meeting. Just kidding. If you’d like more detail, please give us a call at the office and we’ll get you a copy of the report.
2006
Thanks to the hard work of the conference planning committee, the many volunteers, fireside chat home sponsors, and local sponsors, 2006 WIWC had approximately 260 well-pleased attendees with 47 presenters. By the time of the annual meeting, 29 people had pre-registered for the 2007 conference and
Membership and Member Services Report Summary
WIWA currently has 208 members. In support of WIWA’s mission to create and support an extended community of established and aspiring writers by providing communication, encouragement and access to professional literary resources, we have created two new levels of membership to further this mission – a $10 Student Membership and a Sponsored Membership. Any donations for the Sponsored Membership fund will be much appreciated.
Another of our newer member services projects is Soundings, WIWA’s literary magazine. Soundings will start off as an annual publication and be modeled after the journal Ploughshares. Soundings will support WIWA’s mission and values, without being a commercial- or academic-focused publication. Soundings will promote WIWA events and will present local writers with publishing and editing experience, with youth internships and at least one youth publication in each magazine. The plan is to be able to pay writers and staff as soon as possible and self supporting from subscriptions and sales. To that end, the Soundings planning committee is also exploring future plans for a small press or cooperative press. As with all of WIWA’s projects, financial responsibility and economic stability are key components. The Soundings planning committee has set a pre-publication funding goal of $10,000 and has already received $7,200 through donations and fundraising activities.
Editor’s note: Though this newsletter has a distribution of over 2,000 people, WIWA counts 208 official members. Where are all the rest of you? You don’t need to live in the
MFA Program Report Summary
As with the annual conference, the MFA Program has become a magnet for motivated and motivating writers. We have been approached by well-known and respected members of the writing community asking to teach our amazing student body. Our innovative two-year, low-residency program, with twice yearly residencies that are also open to non-residents, has provided a level of connectivity and bonding among participants that was quite unexpected. The currently enrolled nine students have already created their own student association, established an endowment fund and raised $1,500 for the fund, all on their own initiative. Our first graduating class will be in 2007 and we’ll be hoping for a big turnout among WIWA members to support and encourage our alumni as they move forward in their writing careers.
2006 Local Programs and Contests Report Summary
Participation in WIWA’s local programs and contests continues to increase as the word about our events gets spread ever wider. The youth contests have been especially well received by the local schools. New programs in the works include monthly readings on the third Tuesday of each month co-sponsored by WIWA and Bayview Arts and the initiation of Barbara Moran’s Special Species Project which was a resounding success in
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Whidbey Children¹s Theater¹s adult troupe of actors Stories On Stage presents A Year With Frog and Toad, based on the book by Arnold Lobel, presented by special arrangement with Music Theater International. Show times are: June 2, 3, 9, 10 at 7:30 and June 4, 11 at 2:00 (June 9 is Dad¹s Night out with the kids Surprises for Dads and Grandads!) At the WCT Mainstage Theater
WIWA Sponsors Four Fantastic Workshops in June & July
Barbara Moran, journalist, environmental writer and founder of the Special Species Project has relocated from the California Coast to Whidbey Island and will be offering two workshops in June - The Art of Freelance Writing, on Saturday, June 3rd, and Nonfiction Writing and the Web on Saturday, June 17. For more information about Barbara, please visit http://www.writeonwhidbey.org/Classes_Groups/InstructorBios.htm.
In July, Gloria Kempton, popular 2006 Whidbey Island Writers Conference presenter, is returning to Whidbey to present two workshops - The Art of Storytelling on Friday, July 14, and Survivor Skills for Writers on Saturday, July 15. To find out more about Gloria visit her Web site at: www.writersrecharge.com.
For more workshop details, http://www.writeonwhidbey.com/Classes_Groups/Workshops.htm.
These workshops will fill quickly, so if you are eager to participate don't wait to sign up. Call 360-331-6714 or e-mail wiwa@whidbey.org as soon as possible and reserve your spot. Also be certain to check WIWA's Web site, www.writeonwhidbey.org, often for the most up to date events being offered.
Be a Part of the Next MFA Residency
We've added an exciting new focus to our August, 2006, intensive residency. In addition to our usual workshops, craft courses, and directed readings in fiction, poetry, nonfiction, and children's literature, we're presenting a special Focus on Writing for Children and Young Adults, with children's author Jane Kurtz, illustrator Richard Jesse Watson, and young adult author Brent Hartinger, as well as our regular Children's Literature faculty members Kirby Larson and Stephanie Bodeen.
The 10-day residencies held at
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WIWA-Sponsored Writing Groups
Oak Harbor Writers' Group meets twice a month on Tuesday evenings at
The Central Island Writers' Group is a multi-genre writers' group that meets the second and fourth Wednesday of every month at Anna's Tea Room on
The South Whidbey Writers' Group meets the first and third Wednesday of each month, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., at
Children’s Writing Group. Have you written a children's book? Do you want to write one? WIWA plans to sponsor a writers group for children's book writers in the central Whidbey area. Writers of all levels of experience are invited to join this group for review of their work, to see what others are doing, and to investigate the possibilities of being published. The exact times and place have not yet been established, but if you are interested, please contact Jerry Mercer at 678-4813 or lamont1040@earthlink.net.
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Pagdiriwang Festival - Filipino Poets and Writers
On Saturday, June 10, 2006, beginning at noon at Seattle Center's Center House, the Pagdiriwang Festival will host a colloquium titled Words Expressed: Filipino Pinoy & Ameripino Writers and Poets. Filipino America Poets and Writers will read their works. A panel will follow during which there will be a discussion of works, influences and the tradition of poetry and writing in the Filipino community. The colloquium will provide a sampling of Filipino works in
For further information, contact Robert Francis Flor at florbob@aol.com or 206-933-0833.
Take Your Writing to the Next Level at June Writers Conference in Port
Join Sheila Bender, Susan Rich and Jack Heffron for the second Writing It Real in Port Townsend Conference, to be held June 22-26 on Port Townsend's colorful waterfront. The conference, limited to 40 participants at all levels of experience, offers hands-on guidance in creating, shaping and publishing creative non-fiction, fiction and poetry. Conference curriculum includes morning lectures, afternoon workshops, breakfast panels and evening readings. For more information call Alicia Wills at 360-715-1259 or click on the conference banner at www.writingitreal.com.
Pacific Northwest Writers Conference at the Hilton Seattle Airport and Conference Center in Seattle, WA: The Nonfiction Book Proposal: What the How-To Books Don't Tell You, Saturday, July 15, 10:30 - Noon (Rm. Orcas B); Co-Authoring: The Art of Collaboration, Saturday, July 15, 3:30 - 5:00 (Rm. Orcas B). According to Craig English and James Rapson (see their newly published book announcement below), this is THE writers conference to attend in
Willamette Writers Conference in Sheraton Portland Airport Hotel in
2006 International Congress of Poets. Please consider joining Puget Sound poet Bob Ness and his friend, Mendo-yoo, the National Poet of Mongolia and Board member of the Arts Council of Mongolia at the International Congress of Poets that will be meeting in
The Alviogut Foundation in Austria is looking for a journalist/writer to join us on our Medieval Dracula Tour in September to write about the participants, and journal the happenings of the tour. Comments of how we can make the tour even better for our people are appreciated. The chosen writer will have the tour half price, have a link on our Web site if desired, and the opportunity to post some articles in our site- Romanian Journal. Send writing samples to: bynumbooks@yahoo.com. For more information, visit www.alviogut.com.
Christopher Vogler, author of The Writer's Journey, will be presenting his inspiring workshop on
October 27-30, 2006 - Victoria Conference Centre, Royal Theatre and McPherson Playhouse,
Check out these sites for events of interest:
Richard Hugo House, Seattle; http://www.hugohouse.org/events/
-- June 2-24, SIS Productions presents "Sex in Seattle, Episode 13: Risking It All For Love"
-- June 4, Dennis Rea Presents "Live at the
-- June 5, Mélange on Monday. Drop in to share a piece of your writing and get leads on writers' groups.
-- June 5, Giddens School Fourth and Fifth grade students present a poetry slam
-- June 7, Subtext, co-sponsored by Richard Hugo House, presents a reading with Ethan Fugate and Daniel Comiskey
-- June 8, from the ground up presents "A Night of Cheap Wine and Poetry"
-- June 19, Richard Hugo House InPrint series presents
-- June 28, Stage Fright. Open mic for writers 14-24. Read your work or just hang out and listen!
And these are just the June events – check out their very full summer schedule on their Web site.
Benaroya Hall Seattle; http://www.lectures.org/current.html Nothing listed for June or July, but keep checking back for updated listings.
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By Penny C. Sansevieri
If you’re looking for a shortcut to get your consumer to buy, it might be through their ear. Auditory response is one of the strongest senses we possess. Have you ever wondered why you can remember the tune of a song (“It’s a small world…”) but can’t remember an article you read in the paper just this morning? That’s the power of audio. Sound is invasive, intrusive and irresistible. That’s one reason why I’m always telling authors about the power of speaking engagements: sound sells. Many of us incorporate sound into our marketing plans through radio, but there’s something even more powerful for you to consider and it’s called podcasting.
If you’ve always dreamed of having your own radio show, your dream is about to become a reality. It seems only yesterday we were telling you about the power of blogging, but today we’re looking at something equally, if not more, powerful. In its simplest term, podcasting is an audio blog and it’s another exceptionally powerful way to spread the word about your book and message. Several years ago when Internet Radio came on the scene authors were vying for airwaves on the Net. But while Internet radio is still going strong, it’s also very expensive. Most shows cost upwards of $800 a month, plus show hosts need to obtain their own program sponsors. Podcasting, on the other hand, is a fraction of the cost. Here’s how it works.
Podcasting, just like blogs, sits on the internet but instead of sitting in a written file, it’s saved in an MP3 format that can be transferred to any mobile music device like an iPod. A podcast can also be subscribed to through RSS or syndication feeds. If this seems complicated, it’s not, the entire process will take you about an hour to set up, if that, and once you do, you’re off and running.
Most podcasts require an external mic on your computer, but I’ve started using a system through Audio Acrobat (http://bookmkr.audioacrobat.com/) that will allow you to call into a pre-assigned number and record your podcast from anywhere: your office, your car or while on a trip! Then the audio file is saved into the system and sent via their publication tools out to a variety of "feeds," which in essence sends the audio blog out onto the internet.
Now you might wonder how someone will find you and your podcast. Well, you might be surprised. While your first recording might go unnoticed, your second and third will not. Here are some tips for getting the right podcast for you and then getting the world to beat a path to your audio blog door!
Topic: First, you want to find a niche and ideally one that ties into your book or message. While topics on religion and gambling are two of the hottest podcasts right now, if your topic doesn’t tie into these it’s best to stay away from them. Go online to iTunes, iPodder.org, or Podcast.net and see who’s talking about your topic and what they’re saying, then plan to be different!
Structure: So how will your podcast be structured and how much time should you plan to spend on a podcast? Truthfully, I’d recommend only 10 to 15 minutes. Unless your podcast is truly compelling or in an interview type format, listeners don’t usually have the attention span to listen longer. Don’t force people to listen to long-winded audios, cut right to the chase, share your information in tip-like, informative nuggets and you’ll find listeners subscribing to your podcast like crazy!
Make a plan: If you decide to do this, try mapping out a few podcasts in advance and plan to offer your information on a daily or, at the very least, a weekly basis.
Setting up your podcast page: When you utilize Adobe Acrobat for your podcast, you’ll be able to include a link to your Web site. Remember the idea behind the podcast is promotion, so the URL you send them to should reflect this. Ideally you won’t want to send them to your home page but rather a page just for your podcasts. You can include a listing of prior “shows” as well as a way for them to sign up for future updates, your newsletter or perhaps a link to your book or store.
Chicklets and other geek terms: So what’s a “chicklet?” Well, it’s that little orange square that has the letters XML on it. You will click on that to subscribe to a feed. If you obtained your podcast through Adobe Acrobat, these chicklets are created for you and you can just cut and paste the HTML into your Web site or have your web designer do it for you. I copied the HTML language into my blog and let visitors subscribe that way. If you use another podcasting service, they should supply you with the language to create this on your own.
Syndicating your podcast: So if you’re going to do a radio show you’ll want listeners, right? Now I mentioned that if you use a service like Audio Acrobat the system will send the feeds for you to about 16 services, which is great, but there’s still more work you can do. First, you should consider getting a syndication link on Feedburner.com. This way people can copy your link into their feed reader (we’ll cover this in a bit) and get updated every time you add a new podcast. You can access this feed service at: http://www.feedblitz.com/
Feed readers: If you’ve spent *any* time on the Net you’ve no doubt seen those little XML chicklets we mentioned earlier. When you click on them it takes you to a page of confusing text, but it’s the link that you want to copy and paste into your feedreader. When we talk about syndicating a blog, this is what we mean. The reader you have really doesn’t matter and there are quite a few to choose from, if you Google “Feed Readers,” you’ll pull a bunch of them up for you to try. I use SharpReader http://www.sharpreader.net/ and love it.
Podcasting, besides being a great promotional tool, is a terrific way for you to verbalize the passion you have for your topic. Go an inch wide and a mile deep with your message, offer helpful advice or spout your opinion. Be creative or controversial or a little of both. The bottom line is this: podcasting is not only fun but it’s a great way to spread the message about you and your book. Use it correctly and you’ll see even more readers beating a path to your door.
Ready to hear our podcast? You can either subscribe to it on our blog at http://www.amarketingexpert.com/blog.html or check us out on iTunes: Powerful Book Promotion Made Easy.
Wishing you Podcasting and Publishing success!
Penny is President and CEO of Author Marketing Experts, Inc., a full service publicity and marketing firm serving authors at all stages of book writing and promotion. She also coaches authors on projects, manuscripts and marketing plans and instructs a variety of courses on publishing and promotion. She is also an author: The Cliffhanger was published in June of 2000. After a strategic marketing campaign it quickly climbed the ranks at Amazon.com to the #1 best selling book in
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By Martha Martin
Imagine being a school age child who loves to read. A huge storm sends filthy water and mud and covers everything inside your school library. After it gets cleaned up, you go looking for something to read. But there are no books. NO BOOKS! Nothing to read. All destroyed. Never to be seen again. Empty shelves. Imagine how deflated you’d feel.
I know how I felt, reading about the havoc brought on by the storm known as Katrina. I couldn’t imagine not having books to read. How utterly frustrating.
Growing up in a small community with only four businesses, (one was a dance hall) I escaped by reading. By the time I was twelve, I’d read every book in the general store/library/post office. I traveled with Gulliver, went to Oz with Dorothy, rode with Zane Grey, became friends with the daughter of Dr. Fu Manchu, swung through trees with Tarzan, and put my brother in his place with the phrase, “Elementary, my dear Watson.”
All this reading motivated me to become a writer. I wrote stories and poems for the
In January, I shipped off a box of books. In March, I opened a large envelope containing a thank you letter from Ms. Richard, Librarian at
“I like how the chipmunk saved all the people.”
“Thank you for the really great books! I liked it because the squirrel saved the day!”
“I am eight years old. I have a brother and three sisters. Thank you for reading about me and for the supplies.”
“Thank you for the books. I liked it when the boat was on fire.”
“I really liked the book because it is a funny story!”
“Thank you for the books. We appreciate it. I really liked the book because I thought it was very good and it is my favorite.”
“I liked it when the children arrived to see the chipmunk.”
“Thank you for the books because I really like to read.”
Then there was the non-reader. “I like to hear the book.”
Yes, I am. Motivated, that is, to reply to these sweet little children.
Motivated to continue writing stories for these, and all children.
If you would like to be part of this effort to revitalize New Orleans and Louisiana school libraries, please contact: Jacob Rakovan 412 Travis St. Lafayette, La. 70503 American Public School/Books XYZ.
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Motivation
By Otis V. Goodwin III
A story line rattled about in my head for over 30 years. It wasn’t until the kids reached responsible adulthood, three careers completed and retirement settled onto a firm foundation that I was compelled to write the Great American Novel. Having done that, I sit in my writing studio, waiting for the publisher’s check to arrive and watching Mother Nature and the
Nothing comes to mind. Motivation to begin a new writing project is sometimes elusive, reminiscent of a Rube Goldberg machine. You know about Rube Goldberg, of course.
A bright red, black spotted, ladybug is sleeping quietly, nestled in the crotch of a leaf’s stem. The ladybug awakens, feels a hunger pang and decides to move to the outer edge of its resting place to a herd of aphids quietly sucking their dinner from the tiny veins of new leaf growth. The ladybug’s movement changes slightly the center of gravity of the leaf and it shudders as it slips past an adjacent touching leaf. The sudden motion of the leaf causes a resting bird to notice the ladybug. The bird leaps past the leaf and, in mid flight, grabs the ladybug, now holding an aphid in its tiny jaws.
The bird’s flight lightens the load on the small limb on which it was resting; the limb’s upward movement opens a line of sight, allowing a bright beam of sunlight to enter the window. The sunlight passes through a magnifying glass leaning on a desk and focuses on a wadded piece of discarded writing paper with a pencil leaning on it. A spot on the paper browns, then flames, burning a hole in the paper water cup beside it. The leaking water extinguishes the flame, but washes the pencil over the edge of the desk, to the floor.
The clatter of the pencil on the wooden floor awakens me from my stupor, induced by the beautiful day and trying to find motivation within myself to write something wonderful. Subconsciously, I had observed (or did I dream?) the sequence leading to the clattering pencil, while realizing that a deadline is approaching.
I place the pencil on the paper, and give it a push. Great American Novel number 2 is underway.
But, I don’t use pencils! I realize that now that my nap is over, I can’t wait any longer to write an article about motivation. I turn the computer on.
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RECENT RELEASES
Anxious to Please: 7 Revolutionary Practices for the Chronically Nice, by Craig English and James Rapson (Sourcebooks, Inc. April 14, 2006) is now available in bookstores.
For more information about the book and workshops, please visit their Web site at www.anxioustoplease.com.
Ethan - Site 39, by Otis V. Goodwin III (Inkwater Press, March 30, 2006). While exploring a mesa near his farm, Ethan MX163, a young geologist and farmer finds a tiny artifact from Old Earth civilization. The artifact is the first tangible evidence of civilization found since a small colony of Alpha Centaurian humans landed on Earth three generations ago, 5,000 years after near-complete devastation of the planet by impact of a giant iron asteroid-like object. Otis says, “Ethan - Site 39 is but the first volume. To set the entire story in a single cover would make a volume requiring wheels to move it about.”
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CHEERS !
Macmillan /
Author Tom Snyder will research and write a unique road book. His work will cover enchanting vineyards, charming inns, and superb but little-known restaurants along wine trails from Southern California and
"Students and professional writers who keep an eye on the publishing world know that the industry has been in difficulty for some time," Snyder says. "Yet, despite the staggering rejection rates, St. Martin¹s immediate interest in a proposal demonstrates that manuscripts can be sold. And WIWA members are well positioned to bring their work to what may be a recovering industry."
The author¹s advice: "Keep building on your strengths through WIWA classes. A weekly commitment to excellence and marketing guidelines can do wonders."
At least one of Snyder's classes is planned for WIWA’s summer session.
WIWC Presenter Nominated for Pulitzer Prize
Sidney Kirkpatrick, a 2005 Whidbey Island Writers Conference presenter, has been nominated for a Pulitzer prize for his new book The Revenge of Thomas Eakins (Yale University Press, March 2006), the biography of a controversial American artist who lived in the 19th century. For more information about the book, please visit the publisher’s Web site at http://yalepress.yale.edu/yupbooks/book.asp?isbn=0300108559
Publishing Contract Signed
Another 2005 WIWC presenter, Katherine Kirkpatrick, has recently signed a contract with Holiday House for the publication of The Snow Baby: The Arctic Childhood of Admiral Robert E. Peary's Daring Daughter. Katherine is a widely-praised author of historical fiction for children. She has written several novels including Escape Across the Wide Sea (Holiday House, 2004) which was praised as a “strong historical novel” by the School Library Journal. We look forward to the release of Snow Baby, currently scheduled for October 23, 2006.
For more information about the author, please visit her Web site at http://www.katherinekirkpatrick.com/
WIWC Presenter Garners More Awards
Decade of the Wolf: Returning the Wild to Yellowstone by Gary Ferguson and Doug Smith (The Lyons Press, 2005) is the winner of the fourth annual Montana Book Award. This award recognizes literary and/or artistic excellence in a book written or illustrated by someone who lives in
A performance of the winning poems and a reading by each of the participating judges will take place in
William
First: Ronda Broatch,
Second: Todd Davis,
Third: Elaine Malone, Colma, Ca
HM: Heather Hummel,
HM: Dina Moreno,
HM: Barbara Bowen, Port
Carlin Aden Award (form)
First: Pieter Zilinsky,
Second: Shira Richman,
Third: Janet Knox,
HM: A.B. Hursey,
HM: Shira Richman,
HM: Jeanne Lohmann,
Charlie Proctor Award (humor)
First: Glen Turner,
Second: Jane Paige,
Third: Dave Cryan,
HM: Glen Turner,
Francine Porad Award (haiku)
First: Ernest Berry,
Second: John Barlow,
Third: Christopher Herold, Port
HM: Mara Mills, Somerville, Ma
HM: Marie Summers,
The WPA is also proud to present the 2006 Faith Beamer Cooke Award to Judith Roche. This annual award is given in recognition of outstanding service to the poetry community of
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NOTE: When you place in a competition or get a submission accepted for publication, please let us know. We love to celebrate your successes in our CHEERS section.
The Deane Wagner Poetry Contest
An annual tradition of the St. Louis Writers Guild for decades, the Deane Wagner Poetry Contest is held every spring with First, Second, and Third Prizes and Honorable Mention awards presented in mid-summer. The contest seeks to discover exceptional, unpublished poems and to encourage poets through recognition and rewards. You do not need to be a member of the St. Louis Writers Guild to enter this contest. Submission deadline is June 17, 2006. For more information, visit http://stlwritersguild.com/calcontestpoetry.html.
Lunch Hour Stories
Lunch Hour Books is seeking short-story submissions for the 2007 season of Lunch Hour Stories, a monthly literary magazine. Stories should be literary in nature. Submission deadline is June 30, 2006. For more information, visit http://www.lunchhourbooks.com.
Literary Arts is accepting applications for its annual competition: Oregon Literary Fellowships for writers and publishers. Guidelines and entry forms on the Web site www.literary-arts.org or by sending a SASE to Literary Arts
For further information, contact Barbara Verchot or Kristy Athens 503.227.2583 or barbara@literary-arts.org or kristy@literary-arts.org.
Poetry Request For The Moon Viewing Festival
The Washington Poets Association and the
See The Voice: Visible Verse 2006 call for videos
Pacific Cinémathèque and curator Heather Haley are seeking videopoem submissions from around the world for the annual Visible Verse screening and performance poetry celebration. Visible Verse is