The Write Stuff
Newsletter of the Columbia Chapter –
Missouri Writers’ Guild
September 2013 Issue
Edited by – Judy Stock
"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do... And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others."
—Marianne Williamson
The President’s Message
Everyone.
Our annual writers’ conference is just around the corner and yes, there are still
things you can do to help. First, register NOW. Second, tell your writing friends
about the conference and urge them to register NOW. That way all the people
involved with the conference can sleep at night because people will actually be
coming to the darn thing!
Seriously, there will be enough great speakers to make it a great time. You
will learn a lot, make new friends, and, hopefully, improve your writing skills.
There will be wonderful food to eat and everything. Got you excited! I hope so!
On another note. Last meeting we elected new officers for the coming year.Lori Younker has accepted the position of President and, with the help of the
other incoming officers, she will do a great job. I congratulate all the new officers.
Finally, I want to thank all of you for your help and kind words as I finish three
non-consecutive terms as your President. It has been challenging and rewarding.
See you at the meeting October 5th.
See you at the conference October 19th.
Larry Allen
President — 2013
Upcoming Meeting
Sunday, October 6, 2013 — 2 - 4 p.m.
Unity Center, 1600 W. Broadway
Tie up loose ends in preparation for
The Write Direction
Conference, October 19, 2013.
***
Officers of CCMWG 2013
PresidentLarry Allen
Vice-President Linda Fisher
SecretarySarah Briggs
TreasurerSuzanne Pautler
MembershipLiz Davis
Admin. Asst. Judy Stock
Member-at-LargeLori Younker
Officers of CCMWG 2014
PresidentLori Younker
Vice-President Linda Fisher
SecretaryBob Ackerman
TreasurerSuzanne Pautler
MembershipAlice Reese
Admin. Asst. Liz Schulte
Member-at-LargePresidential Appointee
Brag Board
Show Me the Murder Now on Kindle
Show Me the Murder, the first book in Carolyn Mulford’s new mystery series, came out in hardback ($25.95) in February. In September, Five Star/Gale, Cengage Learning released the Kindle edition ($3.19).
In this book a wounded former CIA covert operative returns to her hometown to recover and relax. She arrives as her old friend, a civic leader, buries her husband. Everyone except the widow believes he shot his mistress and then himself. The international spy and the small-town politician use their diverse skills to uncover the truth about the deaths.
Kirkus Reviews said, “The first in Mulford's planned series explores the unsettling rise of crime in rural areas and provides an amusing and touching look at the reunited gal pals.”
Five Star will release the hardback edition of the second book, Show Me the Deadly Deer, December 18.
~~~
A Real Friend of Boonslick Regional Library
“Historically Yours,” a history column by Liz Davis, has been sponsoring a number of projects to raise funds and awareness for a new library building in Boonville. Collection jars, a monthly lecture series, and a booth at Your Money's Worth Antique Mall have raised over $1,300.00 and a lot of local awareness so far in 2013.
Twice a month, Davis writes “What's Happening at the Library” on behalf of the Boonville Friends of the Library to promote the library and their many community programs.
Davis is currently writing the questions (and answers) for an All-You-Can-Eat Spaghetti Dinner and Trivia Night. This is another library awareness event, which will take place Friday, September 27, at Cooper's Oak Winery on Main Street in Boonville.
~~~
Blog post gives tips on assessing your own book manuscript
Carolyn Mulford has posted a handout she passed out at the Be Your Own Editor panel at Killer Nashville in August. The handout recommends starting with the whole and going to smaller and smaller elements until you focus on individual words.
Go to
~~~
Contributing Editor for New Magazine
Marilyn Smith is a contributing editor for the new magazine, Journal of the Ozarks, past, present and future.
~~~
Has Presented, Shall Present
Donna Volkenannt presented a seminar at UMSL in September on "Write to Win: Tips from a Contest Judge." In October she will be a presenter at the MSTA Creative Retreat at the retreat center in Bunker Hill, where she will discuss writing short stories and personal essays. In November she will participate in a panel discussion at the St. Louis Writers Guild meeting.
~~~
Several Articles Under Her Belt
Sylvia Forbes announced the publication on the following articles:
“Bar Hopping” (8/13) St. Louis Homes & Lifestyles; “Pigs in the Parlor” (6/29/13) and “The Goodness of Garlic” (8/17/13) Missouri Farmer Today; “Many-Faceted Milan” (6/13), “Hiking the Himalayas” (7/13), and Dancing Across Southern Spain? (9/13) Prime Magazine; “Bodacious Basil” (8/13) Missouri Gardener - online.
Forbes Freelance hosted the Pamela Foster Writing Workshop in Fayette, MO on 7/13/13
~~~
Crossing Artistic Lines
Marilyn Hope Lake, the painter, won a 1st at the KS State Fair for a small impressionistic water color painting of wild flowers, a 2nd for an abstract watercolor painting, and a 3rd, for another impressionistic water color landscape called "Mystic Mountains.
We know Marilyn better for her poetry and prose which has appeared in Well Versed.
~~~
Interpretations Show Opens
The Columbia Art League opened their show Saturday, August 24, at their gallery at 207 South Ninth Street. Several members of CCMWG had work accepted for the show.
Sylvia Forbes entered “Sonoran Spring,” a Shakespearian sonnet, and “Lessons from Nature,” a flash fiction work, in the show. She was paired with Hannah Hollister Ingmire, who did a painting and a multimedia work.
Judy Stock was paired with photographer, Kenneth Logsdon. Judy entered “Canadas,” a double Haiku, and “Reflection,” a free verse poem.
The show will be open through November 1.
~~~
Getting in the Spirit of Things
Donna Volkenannt’s short story, "Ghost in Celestial Blue," has been selected for inclusion in the anthology "Spirits of St. Louis: Missouri Ghost Stories" from Rocking Horse Publishing.
~~~
Consider This for the Fun of It
Judy Stock has a new column in the Boonville Daily News. Most of the time “Consider This” will cover little known facts and memories of the Boonville area. The title does allow the writer to jump to other items of interest if and as they surface.
She is working very hard to get several columns ahead as she is having surgery on her right (the
dominant hand, of course) shoulder on Tuesday, September 24. Judy asks you send “happy thoughts” her way.
***
Upcoming Events
The Missouri Review invites people to help congratulate this year's Peden Prize winner, Rose Whitmore, by attending a reception at Orr Street Studios, 106 Orr Street, Monday, September 30, at 6:30 p.m.
***
Classes
Bufford Announces November Workshops
New writing workshop sessions begin the first week of November!
-Write in response to a variety of exercises
-Identify strengths in your writing
-Build trust in your unique voice
-Share skills in a supportive setting
Wednesday evenings 7:00 – 9:30 pm
Friday mornings 10:00 am – 12:30 pm
Eight week sessions $140
For more information, contact
Bridget Bufford
573-864-9326
~~~
Forbes Freelance to Host Leigh Michaels Writing Workshop
Leigh Michaels Writing Workshop will be held Saturday, October 5, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Maison on Main B&B in Fayette, MO.
Michaels will be presenting two workshops in one day, the first on Writing Between the Sexes, which looks at writing true to gender characteristics, and Plotting Without a Net, which looks at creating believable plots. Cost of $25 allows participants to attend both workshops - and lunch is included. For more info or to sign up, email Sylvia Forbes, host of the workshops, at .
***
Contests
Well Versed
Deadline - October 31, 2013
CCMWG is accepting fiction, nonfiction, and poetry entries for Well Versed ~ 2014. You can find Guidelines online at
~~~
Mighty River Sort Story Contest
Deadline - October 1, 2013
Submit a maximum of 30 pages. Prize is $500 and publication in an issue of Big Muddy: A Journal of the Mississippi River. More info at
~~
Wilda Hearne Flash Fiction Contest
Submit a maximum of 500 words. Prize is $500 and publication in an issue of Big Muddy: A Journal of the Mississippi River. Contest Rules at
Contests/WHFF.htm .
~~~
Jeffrey E. Smith Editors’ Prizes in Fiction, Essay and Poetry, the Missouri Review.
Deadline - October 1, 2013
Submit up to 25 pages of fiction or nonfiction, or up to 10 pages of poetry. Prize is $5,000 plus publication. Deadline is October 1, 2013. Details at
tmrsubmissions/editors-prize-contest/.
~~~
The Chariton Review Short Fiction Prize
Deadline - September 30, 2013
Submit short stories under 5,000 words. For Guidelines go to
chariton/guidelines.asp
~~~
The T. S. Eliot Prize for Poetry
Deadline - October 31, 2013
Submit Poetry manuscripts of 60 to 100 pages.
For Guidelines go to
TSEliotPrize/guidelines.asp
The Chariton Review is out of Truman State University.
***
News—Wanted and Needed
Thank you to everyone for being so good about getting news to me for the newsletter. I have enjoyed being able to do the newsletter for the
CCMWG during 2013.
I’m not sure who will be doing the newsletter next year. I do request you pass news along to them as it happens, so they can have it to work on throughout the quarter. It makes it easier.
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
***
BCHS Montminy Gallery Book Talks
Saturday MorningBook Talks:
June-September 2013
At 9:30, Hot coffee and pastries
by The Flour Girls Bake Shop.
Talks Begin at 10 a.m.
At the Boone County Museum and Galleries, at 3801 Ponderosa Drive, Columbia (across Hwy. 63 from Lenoir)
2013
October 5:William Claassen, Journey Man: A World Calling (2012)
(Sponsors: Margaret Sayers Peden & Robert Harper, Columbia)
November 2:Howard Marshall, Play Me Something Quick and Devilish (2013)
(Sponsor: Louise Martin, Ashland)
December 7:Peter Altschul, Breaking Barriers: Working and Loving While Blind
(2012) Sponsor: Jane Duncan Flink, Ashland)
~~~
2014
In Draft Form as of 9/15/13
January4 :Laura McHugh, The Weight of Blood (2013)
Sponsors:
February 1:Susan Finley, [Mystery choice not yet determined]
March 1:Wayne Anderson, Living History Museums OR Travels into America’s Past
April 5:Gladys Swan, [Poetry or novel, not yet determined]
May 3:James Austin, MD, Meditation
June 7:Open
July 12:Bryan Haynes, New Regionalism: The Art of Bryan Haynes
August 2:Open
***
Did you have
some NEWS
capable
of filling
this spot
in the
Newsletter?
Don’t you wish
you had
sent it in?