 President's Letter
Dear WNBA members,
On June 11, WNBA President Mary Grey James passed the gavel to me at the annual meeting of the Women's National Book Association. What a humbling experience to be taking the reins from Mary Grey, whose grace, professional experience, and insight set a civilized, sophisticated, and thoughtful tone to an organization I know she cherishes so much. Because of Mary Grey--who couldn't imagine moving to a city that didn't have a WNBA chapter--we now have a chapter in New Orleans, one of the great book communities in the country. Of course, life and work affected Mary Grey's decision not to move back to her hometown, but New Orleans, our youngest chapter, is going strong without her close by. (I am delighted to announce that Mary Grey has just accepted the post of national Communications Chair. Read more about her appointment here.)
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Passing the Gavel
Valerie Tomaselli & Mary Grey James
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This leads me to my main point. In accepting the gavel from Mary Grey, I was not only humbled: I was exhilarated. I'm thrilled to be at the helm of the Women's National Book Association at such an exciting time for the organization. October 2012 marks the 95th year of the WNBA's existence. And as arithmetic would have it, in five more years, we will celebrate our centennial. As New Orleans proves--as does her next youngest sister, WNBA-Charlotte, established in 2009--word of the WNBA is reaching more places across the country and our programs are gaining more visibility than ever...all done in the service of our mission: to support and promote the community of the book.
Other examples of this can be found right in this issue of The Bookwoman:
The 2012-2013 WNBA Award--the biennial award given to a bookwoman who goes above and beyond the call of her profession--has been given to author Ann Patchett, whose support of literature, the world of books, and bookselling is celebrated by many. See below for the full story.
We've launched a nationwide writing contest to honor emerging authors. We hope that, not only will we spread the word about the WNBA, but that we will offer another potential avenue toward recognition for our member authors. See below for more details.
The New York City chapter hosted a group of women from Kazakhstan in an informal exchange about the book world in June. The Cultural Visitors Program, run by the U.S. State Department, contacted the chapter about setting up the program early in May and we jumped at the chance to talk to our counterparts across the globe. See the article below for the full story.
This issue of The Bookwoman itself--our first delivered electronically directly to your inbox--is another way we aim to extend our mission. Not only will it allow us to reach you more effectively and frequently, it will allow us to spread the WNBA word across wider swaths of the online book community. Help us do that: if you think the organization or the content in a specific issue would appeal to a colleague or friend, please pass it on with the "forward this e-mail" link at the bottom of the newsletter.
These special programs and new initiatives help mark this 95th year as one of growth and vision. And in the coming year, we'll be establishing a special planning committee for the centennial celebration. Stay tuned for news on that--and of course, drop me a line if you have any ideas or observations you'd like to share.
Stay in touch,
Valerie Tomaselli
vtomaselli@mtmpublishing.com
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Submission Guidelines for The BookwomanWNBA members, download guidelines here. Bookwoman correspondents, download guidelines here.
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WNBA's National Board Meeting
The LA chapter was proud to host the annual WNBA national board meeting during the weekend of June 9-10. We had 20 participants, one dinner on the 3rd St Promenade, one Judy Lopez Memorial Award dinner at the UCLA Faculty Center, and one catered dinner for the national executive committee. The catered dinner was provided by longtime member, Holly Shaffer, whose culinary skills have now become part of WNBA legend, and the chapter members who were able to attend parts of the meeting were Liora Mendeloff, Doreen Chen, Helen Ross, Jovita Jenkins, and Ruth Klein.
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Gloria Toler (Nashville), Bebe Brechner (Nashville),
Jill Tardiff (NYC), Annette Marie Haley (Detroit)
at the Judy Lopez Memorial Award dinner
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Vice-president Rachelle Yousuf and treasurer Suzanne Kleinbub provided handmade and chock-full goodie bags for everyone, and the meeting went smoothly from daytime productivity to nighttime conviviality and celebration!
The Judy Lopez Memorial Award dinner has been our chapter's signature event for 27 years, and we were very pleased that the entire national board was able to attend it this year. The medalist this year was Icefall by Matthew Kirby, and the honor books were Close to Famous by Joan Bauer, Bird in a Box by Andrea Davis Pinkney, and Breaking Stalin's Nose by Eugene Yelchin.
For more photos from the National Board Meeting, please click here for downloadable pdf.
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Ann Patchett is the 2012-2013 WNBA Award Recipient!
Ann Patchett is an award-winning and bestselling author of several works of fiction, among them, Patron Saint of Liars, named a New York Times Notable Book of the Year; Taft, winner of the Janet Heidinger Kafka Prize for best work of fiction; Bel Canto, which won both the PEN/Faulkner and Orange Prize in 2002; The Magician's Assistant; and her latest, State of Wonder. Among her nonfiction titles are Truth and Beauty and What Now?
 Ms. Patchett has also written for numerous publications, including The New York Times Magazine, Harper's Magazine, The Atlantic, The Washington Post, Gourmet and Vogue. In 2011, Ann Patchett opened a bookstore, Parnassus Books, in Nashville with publishing veteran Karen Hayes, bucking the trend of the rising tide of closures among independents, the growth of "big box" outlets, and internet buying. She has become a powerful advocate for independent bookselling throughout the country, having been interviewed by NPR and The New York Times, appearing on The Colbert Report; and was named one of Time Magazine's "100 Most Influential People in the World" for 2012.
The WNBA Award has been presented continuously since 1940. Previous recipients have included Doris Kearns Goodwin, Carolyn Heilbrun, Barbara Bush, Eleanor Roosevelt, Perri Klass, and Kathi Kamen Goldmark. For more information, please visit our national website.
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Pannell Award Winners 
at Book Expo America
By Rachel Weiss-Feldman (NYC)
By 7:30AM on Day Two of Book Expo America 2012, the main event hall was already full and buzzing with excitement. Attendees were there for the Children's Book and Author Breakfast, a sold-out panel event, which included Emmy Award-winning Glee cast member and author, Chris Colfer; bestselling YA author and 'vlogger' John Green; renowned Newberry winner, Lois Lowry; and illustrator/author, Kadir Nelson. There was additional excitement for members of the Women's National Book Association who were in attendance, as we opened the program with the presentation of the 2012 Pannell Awards!
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Book Beat's Cary Loren, Colleen Kammer
with WNBA National President, Valerie Tomaselli
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WNBA National President, and Pannell Award Chairperson, Valerie Tomaselli, gave a brief background to the award and the history and mission of the Women's National Book Association. She thanked the outstanding work of the award judges, and Penguin Young Readers Group, whose generous gift helped underwrite the awards. This year's winning bookstores were Book Beat in Oak Park, MI and Monkey See, Monkey Do in Clarence, NY.  | |
Kathleen Skoog and Kim Krug of Monkey See, Monkey Do.
Photo credit: Publishers Weekly
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Check out Publishers Weekly's, 'Pannell Award Honors Two Bookstores at BEA'. See a video of the event. (Click on the large tab on the top right hand corner that says 'Author Breakfast and Editors' Buzz,' and then choose 'Children's Book and Authors' from the Latest Videos below, with the time stamp 01:07:26.) Rachel Weiss-Feldman is WNBA-NYC's membership chair and recording secretary and has enjoyed working in book and non-profit marketing since 1990. Back to top |
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WNBA THANKS OUR 2012/2013 SPONSORS AND SUSTAINING MEMBERS:
National Reading Group Sponsor:
HarperCollins Publishers
Pannell Award Sponsor:
Penguin Group USA/Penguin Young Readers Group
Sustaining Member:
Dancing Chiva Literary Arts, S.C. |
WNBA's Executive Officers
For further information on the National Board, Chapter Presidents, Committee Chairs, please go to the WNBA website. You may also download a pdf of the information here.
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New Board Appointment
Communications Chair
Mary Grey James (Nashville), immediate past president of WNBA and store manager at Parnassus Books, has accepted the position of Communications Chair. Mary Grey will oversee communications for the national organization, including event announcements, publicity, and social media. Carin Siegfried (Charlotte) is temporarily running our Facebook page and Jill Tardiff (NYC) will continue running our national LinkedIn and Twitter accounts while Mary Grey searches for members to take over these responsibilities. Please contact her at mgjames8@comcast.net if you are interested in assisting. To help jumpstart our efforts to broaden the WNBA's national recognition, please "like" our new Facebook page and join the WNBA's national LinkedIn group.
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First Annual WNBA National Writing Contest!
After years of celebrating published authors, WNBA has decided the time is right to celebrate emerging writers!
The judges are Valerie Martin, an award-winning author (Kafka Prize, Orange Prize) and Julie Kane, Poet Laureate, Louisiana, 2011-2013.
Submission period June - November 1, 2012. Fiction up to 2,500 words, and poems of up to 35 lines. Previously unpublished work only. For full details, please go to the contest page on our national website or download this pdf.
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What WNBA
Means to Me
By Judy Leaver (DC)
In 2010, Carla Danziger, WNBA-DC member and past president, told me about hearing Joyce Maynard speak at the San Francisco chapter of WNBA. Carla wrote an article, "Two Hours with Author Joyce Maynard" in the Nov/Dec 2010 edition of
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Judy Leaver |
WNBA-DC's newsletter Signature. Time passed and another link in this connection chain between Carla, Joyce Maynard, and me was forged. This one was at Lake Atitlan in Guatemala, where I visited this past March, not realizing that I was probably within a few hundred feet of Maynard's home.
When I saw that Maynard was to address "Landscapes of the Mind" at a National Geographic presentation, I had to be there. On May 8, Maynard was interviewed by Don George, contributing editor for National Geographic Traveler magazine. In ways, her life is one that I envy. She has written seven novels, raised three children, and owns homes in both California and the village of San Marcos la Laguna on Lake Atitlan. See her National Geographic presentation on YouTube.
Many thanks to WNBA for being the "matchmaker" that has allowed me to meet Carla who introduced me to Joyce Maynard, expanding my personal "landscape" of women writers.
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Cultural Exchange With Women
 Writers and Illustrators from the Republic of Kazakhstan!
By Susannah Greenberg (NYC)
At the invitation of the U.S. Department of State's Cultural Visitors Program, the Women's National Book Association of New York City held a cultural exchange roundtable at Books of Wonder, an independent children's bookstore in NYC, June 12, 2012. Our guests were four children's book writers and illustrators from the Republic of Kazakhstan: illustrator Evgeniya Kan, who designed Irbi, the mascot of the 2011 South Asian Winter Games; author Helena Kozlova; illustrator Dameli Sabitayeva; and author, musician, and journalist Zara Yessenaman, who were accompanied by two gifted and lively interpreters, Yves Franquien and Varvara Olson.
 | Dameli Sabitayeva, Zara Yessenaman, Valerie Tomaselli, Evgeniya Kan, Helena Kozlova
Photo by Susannah Greenberg Public Relations |
WNBA National President Valerie Tomaselli and WNBA-NYC President Jane Kinney-Denning opened with remarks describing the WNBA to the visitors. Books of Wonder store manager, Scott Wong, spoke briefly about the history and mission of the children's bookstore where the event took place. Speakers from NYC's children's book world were: Elizabeth Bird, New York Public Library's Youth Materials Collections Specialist, who blogs for A Fuse#8 Production; Nancy Mercado, Executive Editor at Roaring Brook Press (Macmillan); Lily Malcolm, Associate Publisher and Executive Art Director for Dial Books for Young Readers (Penguin); and Leanna Renee Hieber, author of the YA novel Darker Still: A Novel of Magic Most Foul.
Read about the event in Publishers Weekly.
Read Susannah's account in Publishing Perspectives.
Susannah Greenberg, President of Susannah Greenberg Public Relations, a book publicity firm
http://bookbuzz.com, is past president and publicity chair of the Women's National Book Association New York City Chapter. Follow her blog:
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Boston News
Boston's Anne Ipsen hosted an event at her home with author-member Randy Susan Meyers as guest of honor. Meyers has just  published The Murderer's Daughters, a novel that has received excellent reviews and has been chosen by the Massachusetts Center for the Book as a "must-read" fiction title. The Boston Globe calls it "a gripping tale of sisters struggling for 30 years to find their way in the world, one devoted to their imprisoned father, the other enraged at him." http://www.randysusanmeyers.com/. An event on May 12 addressed one of the most urgent concerns in the book world: How do you get an agent and what does an agent do for you? The program was cosponsored with the Boston chapter of the National Writers Union and featured Caroline Zimmerman from the literary agency Kneerim and Williams.  Members and guests took a tour of the art and architecture of the Boston Public Library on May 19. Later that month, the chapter held its annual dinner at a local restaurant, which was highlighted by a talk by member, Margot Livesey, whose latest book, The Flight of Gemma Hardy, was published in February by HarperCollins. http://www.margotlivesey.com/.
Member News
Nicole Bouchard's literary magazine The Write Place at the Write Time was featured in The Review Review. Read the interview with Nicole at www.thereviewreview.net/. Ann Kingman, a district sales manager at Random House, was named Publishers Weekly Rep of the Year, along with her sales partner Michael Kindness. Kingman is also copublisher of the Books on the Nightstand podcast.  Amy Kwei's A Concubine for the Family was published in August. (Purchase a copy for an organization or book group, show Amy the receipt, and she will refund or donate $5 per paperback and $3 per electronic version to WNBA.) Tats Publishing.
Margot Livesey's latest novel, The Flight of Gemma Hardy, is now out in paperback from HarperPerennial. http://www.margotlivesey.com/.  Edith Pearlman's fiction collection Binocular Vision won the National Book Critics Circle Award. Publishers Weekly described it as "A finely tuned collection by writer's writer Pearlman combines the best of previous collections (How to Fall; etc.) with austere, polished new work." www.edithpearlman.com.
 Lloyd R. Prentice's new thriller, The Gospel of Ashes, was released on June 1. Set in Boston, the story involves a massive conspiracy and two characters framed as terrorists who must each relive painful history to save the lives of millions. http://thegospelofashes.com.
 Rosie Sultan's novel Helen Keller in Love was released by Viking. "Sultan's sensibility is consistently contemporary, a wise choice given Keller's distinctly modern views." - Boston Globe. www.rosiesultan.com/.
Boston members, please send your news to Daphne Kalotay: daphne.wnbaboston@gmail.com. |
Detroit News The WNBA Detroit membership kicks off another year at an All Members Brunch in September at the home and in the gardens of president Annette Marie Haley. In addition to a lavish buffet and dishes to be provided by members in attendance, two members who served on the Great Group Reads committee will be there to answer questions about this years selected books. In anticipation of our October 10 NRGM event at Birmingham Baldwin Library, members are planning a gathering to discuss and review the featured authors' books post-NRGM event. In lieu of the Board and Program committee planning the year, the direction is being taken from the members who attend. A year of member-driven events awaits the Detroit membership. 
At the May annual meeting, Margaret Auer was awarded the WNBA Detroit Distinguished Chapter Member Service Award and presented with an engraved Beatriz Ball piece. This is only the third time in our chapter's history that this award has been granted--it is that special--the awardee is that special, too. Margaret has served the Detroit chapter well with her precise, organized, and responsible ways she deals with most problems. In 2005 she completely revised the chapter bylaws. She also sorted through and organized decades worth of chapter records. Margaret coordinated the development of the chapter website, put together our chapter listserv, and served as webmistress to both. Margaret is a longtime leader in the WNBA national organization as well. She has served as national president, vice president, and treasurer. She redesigned the national bylaws, created timelines for projects and chaired them, created working documents of action items for chapter presidents, and developed an online handbook for chapters. She consistently and enthusiastically supports the ideals and values of the Women's National Book Association in every way.
Detroit members, please send your news to Annette Marie Haley: annettemariehaley@gmail.
com.
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Nashville is looking forward to the Southern Festival of Books, October 12-14. Authors from around the country flock to town for this annual festival, and WNBA Nashville will help provide transportation, host author sessions, assist with book sales, and man the WNBA booth promoting the organization. The chapter will host the National Reading Group Month's Signature Event on Saturday morning, which has become one of the biggest draws of the festival. In fact, Breakfast with Authors has grown so popular that they're changing the format to Coffee with Authors to ensure adequate time for our multi-author panel discussion.
Lipscomb University hosted the 75th Southern Literary Festival March 30-April 1, 2012. Mark Richard, Tina Howe, Mark Jarman, and Eric Powell were among the writers who read poetry, discussed songwriting, held classes and panel discussions, and hosted a Talk-Back. This is the first time Nashville has hosted the free festival, the culmination of hard work by WNBA members Dana Carpenter and Carolyn Wilson.
The WNBA/Beaman Library Willodene Scott Summer Reading Series was a resounding success. Carolyn Wilson chose race relations as her theme, and "Reconciliation: Friends or Enemies?" drew large audiences at all six sessions: The Tiger's Wife ; The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao; Behind the Beautiful Forevers: Life, Death and Hope in a Mumbai Undercity; Left to Tell: Discovering God Amidst the Rwandan Holocaust; Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet ; and Brother, I'm Dying. Carolyn has been organizing this popular series for over twenty years, but there was a name change this year to honor beloved WNBA member and longtime Summer Reading Series supporter, the late Willodene Scott.
Joanne Slaughter has put together a stellar lineup for the chapter's 2012-13 Book Discussion Series : Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter: A Novel (P.S.); The Budda in the Attic; Nothing Daunted: The Unexpected Education of Two Society Girls in the West; Russian Winter; and A Good Hard Look: A Novel of Flannery O'Connor. The chapter's free meetings at the West Nashville branch of the Public Library are one of its most popular outreach opportunities.
Member News
Tracy Barrett's The Missing Heir, Square Fish, August 7, 2012 is the fourth book in Barrett's Sherlock Series. "A strong start to what will undoubtedly remain an enjoyable series."- Kirkus Reviews.
 J. T. Ellison's A Deeper Darkness, Mira, April 2012, is the first installment in the best-selling author's forensic investigator Dr. Samantha Owens series; a compelling thriller and meditation on grief and loss.
Janis Ian hosted her annual online fundraiser, "Christmas in August," benefiting the Pearl Foundation. Named after Janis's mother, the nonprofit provides scholarships to returning students and has distributed over $560,000, with perpetual scholarships at several colleges including Pearl's alma mater, Goddard College. 
Veera Rajaratnam is displaying works of photography and poetry in an art show cosponsored by the Arts Council of Williamson County. Visit her artist profile in the "Artist/Member" directory of the Arts Council's website.
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New York City News
The chapter will officially start its new season with its annual Networking and Get-Together Party at the Association of American Publishers offices at 71 Fifth Avenue, September 27. Questions and RSVPs to programs@wnba-nyc.org.
NYC's National Reading Group headline event will take place at the legendary Strand Bookstore. Confirmed panelists include David Maine,
Ben Ryder Howe, Elizabeth Nunez, and Alix Kates Shulman. (The first 30 WNBA paid-up members to rsvp and attend the program will receive a $10 Strand gift card when they arrive at the Strand.) RSVP to programs@wnba-nyc.org.
Member News
Diana Altman, author of the novel In Theda Bara's Tent, speaks about the creation of the Hollywood studio system at the Harvard Club, October 24 at 6.45pm. Come see rare footage of Ava Gardner, Bob Hope, Henry Fonda screen tests inherited from Diana's father, a famous MGM talent scout. 27 West 44th St.
Julia E. Antoine was interviewed on the Mom's Choice Award.
Gabrielle Barnes held Poetry Performance and Publishing workshops for high school poets at Northeastern Academy. The resulting poetry has been published as a part of the Northeastern Academy Not The Average Thinker Anthology.
Linda Epstein, Associate Agent at The Jennifer De Chiara Literary Agency announces the sale of Openly Straight, a YA manuscript by her Lambda award-winning client, Bill Konigsberg, to Cheryl Klein at Arthur A. Levine/Scholastic, for a June 2013 publication. Linda also contributed to the October issue of Writer's Digest as one of the 25 Agents Who Want Your Work (pgs. 26 and 31).
Susan C. Finelli's announces publication of her novel, Fading Shadows, by PublishAmerica. Get a 20% discount on the book online at www.publishamerica.net, with the coupon code: Discount20.
 Amy Hill Hearth's debut novel, Miss Dreamsville and the Collier County Women's Literary Society, has been chosen as the January 2013 Main Selection of the Pulpwood Queen's Book Club, the largest "meeting and discussing" book club in the world, with more than 500 chapters.
Lucine Kasbarian's pieces read at the WNBA's Open Mic Night at the KGB Bar appear in the Green Briar Review Literary Journal and the Alzheimer's Poetry Project Blog. Her essay, Elixir in Exile, is published in r.kv.r.y. Literary Quarterly. Her folktale was named an Honor Book by Storytelling World Resources Awards. www.lucinekasbarian.com
Joshua Kornreich's debut novel, The Boy Who Killed Caterpillars, originally published by Marick Press in 2007, will be reprinted in e-book format by Dzanc Books in September 2012. His second novel, Knotty, Knotty, Knotty, is set for release by The Black Mountain Press in March 2013. www.joshuakornreich.com
Roz Reisner presented a webinar titled "Fresh Lit: New and Forthcoming Literary Fiction for Readers and Book Groups" hosted by LibraryLink, the New Jersey Library Cooperative. www.areadersplace.net.
Barbara Seiger is a published writer with a wide experience editing fiction and non-fiction for major publishers--Random House, Macmillan, McGraw Hill and Holt--as well as private clients.She bases her success on two principles: respect the writer's voice and when it comes to editing, less is often more. Contact Barbara: bdss1@aol.com.
Rachel Slaiman has officially completed her job search and is currently working as an Editorial Assistant for medical journals at JFK Medical Center. She also won the contest from Fogs.com and her article was published on the website. Further, a variety of publications from her freelance work can be found at latintrends.com.
Donna Baier Stein's stories have appeared in Forge and Green Hills Literary Lantern, with poems upcoming in Soundings East and Paterson Literary Review. She received Honorable Mention in the Allen Ginsberg Poetry Awards and a Scholarship to the Summer Literary Seminars. Her poetry chapbook is forthcoming from Finishing Line Press. www.donnabaierstein.com
Peggy Strack's debut novel, A Stop in 
the Park, will be released on September 20. Touching, romantic, and deeply provocative, A Stop in the Park, follows the story of a man and a woman who yearn to escape the trap
of the modern American dream. www.peggystrack.com.
 Theasa Tuohy read from her novel, The Five O'Clock Follies, Calliope Press, Oct. 15, 2012 at the Paris Writers Workshop, which she attended in late June.
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Why a Blog is an Aspiring 
Author's Best Friend
By Nina Amir (SF)
Like a best friend or writing buddy, a blog supports aspiring and published authors' efforts to write, publish and promote their books. Yet, many writers refuse to blog. They don't want to learn new technology, don't want to promote themselves, or believe blogging will take them away from daily writing. However, a blog offers writers a host of benefits, such as:
- An author platform.
- A way to promote themselves and their work.
- A creative outlet.
- A way to get their work read.
- A way to connect with readers.
- A targeted critique group.
- A way to write a book.
- A way to attract a publisher.
- A way to gain buyers for your book.
- A way to become a published author.
These days, writers--published writers--don't just write, they blog. Why? Because a blog is, indeed, a writer's best friend. Let me explain how you can use your blog to gain these benefits I've mentioned.
How to Build an Author Platform with a Blog -- To build an author platform with a blog, simply blog often and consistently. Continue reading here.
Nina Amir inspires people to combine their purpose and passion so they Achieve More Inspired Results. Through CopyWright Communications, Nina motivates writers to create publishable and published products and careers as authors. Her newest book is How to Blog a Book, Write, Publish and Promote Your Work One Post at a Time. (Writer's Digest Books).
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Four Free Ways to Drive
Traffic to Your Website
By Linda Lee
(San Francisco)
PDF of full article here.
Starting a website to sell yourself as an author and speaker, your books, or your information products is like starting a business--it requires hard work. The great thing about selling and promoting online is you can start with a small investment and "grow as you go."
Once you have a product or service to sell, it's time to create a website with a payment system and an e-mail list. With this in place, you need to generate traffic. Many people can create a website that is set up for selling online, but they may not know how to drive traffic to that site. Without people showing up at your website (called visitors), you won't get speaking gigs, requests for guest blog posts, orders for your book, or sales of your products or services.
Getting traffic to your site takes hard work and is not accomplished overnight. There are many methods to bring traffic to your website. I am going to discuss the free methods I have used successfully.
Article Marketing--It's completely free and writing articles is easy. You do not have to be a professional writer. You can submit an article to one of the many e-zine article services and include information about you, your services, and a link to your site. Usually, these articles are free for others to use on their websites--as long as they keep your information intact--which will help drive traffic to your site.
Forums--When you join a forum, you can use a signature file that has your logo, your name, and a tagline for your business, and link this back to your website. When you leave a comment, you can select "use signature file" and it will show up at the bottom or side of your comments. This is free advertising for your business or book and allows people to click the link and see your website. Continue reading here.
Linda Lee, co-president of WNBA San Francisco, is a writer, speaker, educator, and website designer. She is the owner of AskMePc-WebDesign.com, Wordpressbootcamp.net, and WordpressCentral.org.
Contact Linda for a free 30 minute consultation: lindalee@askmepc.com.
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WNBA Charlotte is looking forward to our fall meetings, which offer opportunities to network, meet authors, and sample new cookbooks and wines. We are continuing to grow our relationships with other book-related groups in Charlotte--the Charlotte Writer's Club, the Friends of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library, and more. For more information, check our website. Charlotte will partner with Friends of the Library at their annual Fall Social Networking meeting on September 10, tying in their Dine Out for Books event with our gathering. This meeting gives members an excellent opportunity to launch their promotion of National Reading Group Month and other upcoming events. The third annual BIBLIOFEAST Book & Author Dinner in celebration of National Reading Group Month will take place on October 22. BIBLIOFEAST is a "moveable feast" event with eight to ten featured authors, which means that the authors themselves are the "moveable" part of the dinner, going from one table to another to talk about their books and themselves. BIBLIOFEAST is a ticketed event, so it's an important fundraiser for this, one of WNBA's youngest chapters. Both members and nonmembers attend, with a number of people joining the association in connection to coming to the dinner. Book club groups are strongly encouraged to attend together. Six featured authors are confirmed, with up to four more to come: Judy Goldman Losing My Sister; Mark de Castrique The 13th Target; Mary Glickman One More River and Home in the Morning; Debra Dean The Mirrored World; and The Madonnas of Leningrad; Elena Passarello Let Me Clear My Throat; Wendy Welch The Little Bookstore of Big Stone Gap.     
Other chapters interested in learning about Charlotte's BIBLIOFEAST and how to set up a "moveable feast" author event are welcome to contact Charlotte president Susan Walker susan.walker.books@gmail.com. A new program on November 12 offers advice on delicious new cookbooks for cooking for the upcoming holidays and for giving as gifts. A potluck supper is planned and members are encouraged to bring dishes made from recipes in the featured cookbooks. This event will take place in a local wine store, so we're including an optional wine-tasting. WNBA Charlotte is hoping to launch a book club that will read books from the 2012 NRGM Great Group Reads list, and a couple of "book versus movie" discussion events, during which they'll attend a movie based on a book, followed by a lively conversation about the relative merits of the printed and film versions. The chapter also hopes to encourage members to get together informally every month or so for Friday happy hour social time. WNBA Charlotte welcomes all members from other chapters to connect with the chapter if they're visiting, or are moving to the area. Contact chapter president Susan Walker at susan.walker.books@gmail.com. Charlotte members, please send your news to Jessica Daitch: jessicadaitch@yahoo.com. |
Los Angeles News
www.wnba-books.org/la/ The LA chapter hosted the WNBA national board meeting during the weekend of June 9-10. Twenty participants, one dinner on the 3rd St Promenade, one Judy Lopez Memorial Award dinner at the UCLA Faculty Center, and one catered dinner for the national executive committee. The catered dinner was provided by longtime LA member, Holly Shaffer, whose culinary skills have now become part of WNBA legend, and the chapter members who were able to attend parts of the meeting were Liora Mendeloff, Doreen Chen, Helen Ross, Jovita Jenkins, and Ruth Klein. Vice-president Rachelle Yousuf and treasurer Suzanne Kleinbub provided handmade and chock-full goodie bags for everyone, and the meeting went smoothly from daytime productivity to nighttime conviviality and celebration!  The Judy Lopez Memorial Award dinner has been the chapter's signature event for 27 years. This year's medalist was Icefall by Matthew Kirby, and the honor books were Close to Famous by Joan Bauer, Bird in a Box by Andrea Davis Pinkney, and Breaking Stalin's Nose by Eugene Yelchin.
   Member News Lisa-Catherine Cohen is host and producer of WNBA/READS ITS OWN (RIO) to be held at the Mystic Journey Bookstore in Venice, CA, on Sunday, October 7. WNBA/RIO is the "daughter" of the Independent Writers of Southern California (IWOSC)/RIO.  A.G.S. Johnson's debut novel, The Sausage Maker's Daughters, has won seven awards for fiction excellence in less than six months since its launch, including one gold medal first for Regional Fiction from the Independent Publisher Book Awards 2012 and one silver in the same category from the Next Generation Independent Publishing Awards 2012.
Editors Sharmagne Leland-St. John and Rachelle Yousuf, have put together a beautiful anthology on motherhood entitled, Cradle Songs: An Anthology of Poems on Motherhood. Featuring over 100 talented poets and over 200 moving poems on all aspects of motherhood, the anthology, published in April by Quill and Parchment Press, is the result of over two years of hard work. Check out their Facebook page and order the book at Quill & Parchment. The bookstore, Books and Cookies, welcomed Book Buddies, a group of local authors promoting childhood literacy. On July 14, Book Buddies provided story times and fun activities for children. Among the authors who read, sold, and autographed their books was WNBA member Alva Sachs. 
Barbara Schiffman hosted a book signing at Mystic Journey Books in Venice on July 5. She read from one of her two chapters included in the anthology book: 2012: Creating Your Own Shift and shared insights from the Akashic Records about the 2012 Shifts now in progress. Back to top |
New Orleans News
In April, secondhand booksellers Elizabeth Barry Ahlquist (Blue Cypress Books) and Maggie McKeown (McKeown's Books and Difficult Music) gave us a very entertaining look behind the scenes of their work. In June, the chapter hosted a program by literacy activists Kelly Harris of STAIR, Start the Adventure in Reading, and Shannan Cvitanovic of YMCA's program for adult literacy at New Orleans Public Library.
That was followed in July by a program at the Tulane University  Bookstore. Hostess Peg Kohlepp gave a good overview of the role of the college bookseller, Dianne de las Casas provided a fine introduction to social media, and guests were treated to refreshments from her daughter, Kid Chef Eliana, who now has her own web radio show and a forthcoming cookbook.
Member News
Two NOLA members were recently honored by the Louisiana Endowment of the Humanities: Dr. Patricia Brady was named Humanist of the Year, and Freddi Williams Evans' Congo Square: African Roots in New Orleans was named Humanities Book of the Year. Further details here.
 Constance Adler's My Bayou: New Orleans through the Eyes of a Lover, published by Michigan State University Press, offers a memoir of transformation that takes place along the banks of Bayou Saint John in New Orleans.
Dianne de las Casas' Dinosaur Mardi Gras, a children's read-aloud about dinosaurs in the Mardi Gras.
Joyce Corrington's Fear of Dying (ebook), the fifth book in a series of New Orleans mysteries.
 Carol Gelderman's
A Free Man of Color and His Hotel: Race, Reconstruction and the Role of the Federal Government. A tale about how key Supreme Court decisions hindered African Americans' successes after Reconstruction.
 Sally Kenney's Gender and Justice: Why Women in the Judiciary Really Matter. Intended for use in courses on law and society, and women's and gender studies.
 Susan Tucker (coeditor, with Beth Willinger) of Newcomb College, 1886-2006: Higher Education for Women in New Orleans. 
Chris Wiltz's Shoot the Money (ebook), a novel of suspense, comedy, and sisters-in-crime.
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San Francisco News wnba-sfchapter.org/wnba-sfchapter.org/blog/ Nina Amir's How to Blog a Book, explains how writing a book in cyberspace allows writers to get their book written easily while promoting it and building an author's platform at the same time.
 Catherine C. Robbins' All Indians Do Not Live in Teepees (or Casinos), published by Bison Books/University of Nebraska Press, is in its second printing. Publishers Weekly called it "a marvel" and Indian Country Today said it was "inspiring."
 Lynn Henriksen's TellTale Souls Writing the Mother Memoir: How to Tap Memory and Write Your Story Capturing Character & Spirit published by Indigo Roads Press. Winner of "Best Books of Spring" by San Francisco Book Festival 2012, the guidebook takes readers on a journey through emotional terrain to access the deepest spiritual truths of intimate relationships.
Elisa Sasa Southard, author of Break Through the Noise: 9 Tools to Propel Your Marketing Message, is expanding her platform to include travel writing. Sasa is a licensed tour guide by the District of Columbia and will conduct an April DC-New York Smithsonian Student Travel tour. Joan Gelfand coached Abigail Schott-Rosenfield, the SF County student winner of Poetry Out Loud, a national program that teaches high school students the art of recitation. The program is funded by the NEA and the California Arts Council. Dana Goia addressed the state final in Sacramento.  Teresa Le Yung Ryan and Joan Gelfand were interviewed for "Bay Sunday" KPIX/CBS TV. Teresa spoke about her new book Build Your Platform in 22 Days. "As editor/story consultant, Teresa LeYung-Ryan identifies themes, universal archetypes, front-story & back-story in clients' manuscripts."
San Francisco members, please send your news to Joan Gelfand: joan@joangelfand.com. |
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The Seattle chapter will be represented at this year's Northwest Bookfest, September 22-23, by a panel of Seattle chapter WNBA authors from 4:00-5:30 p.m., Sunday, September 23.
The panel's subject: How much truth is in fiction? Three WNBA authors share their truths while weaving history, intrigue, and reality of current events into fiction. Whether it's taking a step back in time, an author's past life sharing dirty little details of the drug industry, or current events of airline crashes and pilots going crazy, from an insider's perspective--we all want to know where these stories come from. How much is truth? Why the genre of fiction? How much writer's license is taken?
Judy Solberg, Seattle chapter president, will moderate. Member authors include Louise Marley, award-winning historical author; Karlene Petitt, international commercial airline pilot who writes aviation thrillers; and Linda Gray, previously a health care executive, who writes suspense and contemporary fiction and is in the process of finding a publishing venue.
For National Reading Group Month, the Seattle chapter is sponsoring an author panel at Parkplace Books in Kirkland, Washington (just outside Seattle) on October 24 at 7:00 p.m. The panel members include authors Heather Barbieri, Maria Semple, and Gregory Spatz, as well as others to be named. There will be baskets of books for door prizes and light refreshments for guests.
Seattle members, please send your news to Linda Gray: WNBASeattleChapter@gmail.com. (Please put 'Bookwoman Submission' in subject line.)
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Washington, DC News
www.wnba-books.org/wash/
The Washington, DC chapter has risen to the challenge of lacking a president: four members have banded together to shepherd the chapter through the coming year. Since programs are the lifeblood of chapter health, WNBA-DC is holding not only its usual three social programs - Fall Brunch, Holiday Party, and Spring Brunch - but it has also has recruited members to organize public programs. In October, Arts Club of Washington will co-sponsor a National Reading Group Month program at their downtown venue.
Collaborations also promise to simplify putting on programs for African American History Month in February, and National Poetry Month in April. Membership Chair Tabitha Whissemore has planned outreach among students, at a September graphic novel launch and among journalists. Signature, WNBA-DC's newsletter, has gone electronic, but copies of the Sept/Oct 2012 issue will be printed for distribution at events likely to attract WNBA members.
Member News
Ellen Compton, Mid Atlantic Regional Coordinator of The Haiku Society of America, has received a 2012 international award for her haiku manuscript Gathering Dusk. Publication is planned for November.
Judy Leaver's April 25 blog post states: "My college girlfriend, Cheryl Acton Harbour, has founded Intelligent Women Dialogue, a web 'arena' in which women can, with objectivity, read about and comment on topics in today's headlines." www.iwdialogue.com
Rachel Moir, website guru and chapter newsletter graphic designer, has relocated to Americus, Georgia, where her husband has taken a position with Georgia Southwestern State University.
Emily Sachs, WNBA-DC outgoing president, was honored at the chapter's May Spring Brunch with a Groupon gift card and a necklace of a woman reading. Newsletter editor NC Weil Skyped in from Denver to read a poem she composed about Emily's service.
Tabitha Whissemore resorted to her "End of the World" bookshelf as her alternative to electricity-
based activities during DC's summer power outage following a severe storm. (Tabitha will expand on her "End of the World" bookshelf in a special article in December's issue of The Bookwoman.)
Washington, DC members, please send your news to NC Weil: ncweil2@gmail.com.
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The Real Presidents of WNBA
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Annette Marie Haley
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Annette Marie Haley (Detroit) interviews NYC's President, Professor Jane Kinney-Denning
Why did you join WNBA?
One of the first events I attended was a National Reading Group Month panel. I met a lot of great WNBA women; they were so gracious and hosted such an impressive evening that I was hooked. I met Valerie Tomaselli there, president of the NYC chapter at the time and now the national president. We later met for lunch; soon I became a member and began actively working with the organization. Valerie has truly been a mentor to me and I admire her smart business sense, her enthusiasm for the WNBA, and strong work ethic. If you are a writer or a reader you gain a sense of community by attending NRGM events; and if you work in the publishing industry, you have the opportunity to share ideas, network, and be reminded why a career in publishing is so rewarding.
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Jane Kinney-Denning
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What other positions in WNBA have you held? What did you enjoy in that job?
I served on the WNBA-NYC board as the Young Publishing Professional Outreach Coordinator. It dovetailed nicely with my position at Pace and was a wonderful opportunity to involve our students in the WNBA. I also talked to everyone I could about our organization--be it an alum or someone I met while commuting or at publishing-related events. My successor, Andrea Baron, will be working to expand our reach to other publishing programs in the city and to young professionals working in New York.
Why did you take on this leadership role? What have you gained from it?
I was honored to take on the presidency; I know it was a good step for me professionally, that the women on the board are extremely committed, and many of them are very experienced with the organization. In June I attended the national meeting in LA and was inspired by the WNBA women working across the country to keep this organization vital and strong. It is a very established, well-run organization filled with creative and committed people; and I was impressed with how professionally the meeting was run and how much we accomplished in a short time.
What is your best life short story?
I would have to say that traveling and being an activist. I spent my junior year of college in Italy and while I was there I traveled all over Europe--including a fascinating trip to Russia. I was completely hooked on seeing countries, meeting people from other cultures, and just exploring. When I came to New York, I spent my free time volunteering for a nonprofit organization called AMANAKA, which was a Rainforest Action Network organized on behalf of the Guaraní tribe in Brazil whose lands and lives were being seriously impacted by deforestation. I spent a number of years volunteering as an editor for the organization's newsletter and working with them on events they sponsored in New York. Every year they hosted an "Amazon action week" that brought together representatives from the Guaraní tribe, activists, academics, lawyers, and interested lay people. There was so much work to do raising awareness about rainforest issues, as there still is today. Through my work and connections, I was able to travel to the Amazon. It was by far the most incredible place I have ever been. We were a group of writers, photographers, artists, doctors, and activists; and each of us were there to see for ourselves just how important the Amazon rainforest is for all humanity.
During this period of my life I also took an extended trip to Indonesia and again learned a great deal about the world and myself, but as things changed for me (marriage, children, and job responsibilities), I became less involved and unfortunately my writing was sidelined. I am still busy with family and career but I am starting to actively write. My favorite is to conduct interviews with activists or people who are making a difference and to write about environmental issues.
What/who would you hate to be without? Why?
I would hate to be without my immediate and extended family. To me that is what life is all about--having a great partner to share adventures, to get through the ups and downs of life and children to nurture, to laugh with, and to share wisdom. I also could not imagine not having books in my life!
You are happiest in what situation?
I am happiest when I am with my family at home, at our lake house, in the Adirondacks, or in Wisconsin visiting my parents and siblings and their families. I am also happy with so many aspects of my career and professional life; it is rewarding to see my students successfully launching their careers and my friends and colleagues flourish in theirs. The WNBA is a big part of my happiness these days; it is just so darn interesting and inspiring to be a part of this organization!
Do you have hobbies or enjoy sports and other free time pursuits?
I love to swim and hike with my family. I also love collecting antiques--mostly pottery and ephemera. I have lots of amazing vintage books and magazines!
Contact Annette at: annettemariehaley@gmail.com.
Contact Jane: president@wnba-nyc.org.
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UN Corner
Annual Town Hall Meeting, June 28, 2012 By Marilyn D. Berkman (NYC) WNBA UN DPI/NGO Second Alternate The main part of the agenda of the Town Hall Meeting was to launch the newly redesigned DPI/NGO website. This website is now fully modern. It contains a membership page through which all members can find a full directory of over 1,300 DPI-related NGOs as well as links to UN department programs and other organizations In addition, on the new website there are answers to frequently asked questions, hours of DPI office availability, instructions on how to request publications and information on programs. There is a calendar for events in and around the UN, including upcoming Thursday briefings. There will be no NGO/DPI conference in 2012 but there may be a series of one-day briefings, information to come. Member NGOs may suggest themes for future conferences at futureconfthemes@g.mail.com. The conference is slated to be back in New York City at the UN HQ in 2015, the target year for the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). There is now a press section through which NGOs can generate press and also access UN-generated articles. NGO Reporter sends out e-mails. As part of the double DPI initiatives to make NGOs more fully "the third arm of the United Nations" and to encourage all NGOs to add youth representatives, there will be a blog site for youth representatives from NGOs all over the world. Posts will be each Monday. Guidelines for posting these blogs are supposed to be available at the website in the near future. There is also a Facebook page: DPINGOYouthreps. It is a WNBA goal to assign a youth representative in 2012 and another in 2013. In addition, on Facebook there is UNDPINGOS: partners4change, and on Twitter, UNDPINGO. The hash-tag for the meeting was the same, #UNDPINGO. There were closing remarks and an election of incoming committee members. Anne-Marie Carlson, who promotes teaching about the UN and literacy and education through the Committee on Teaching About the United Nations (CTAUN), is leaving as head of Outreach, with new members on that committee, Katherine White and Mary Norton coming in. Kelly Roberts remains as head of the Youth committee. There is an NGO pilot program that matches students to organizations. Information can be found through the website link to the Secretary of the NGO/DPI Executive Committee. *****
It's Time to Order your Trick-or-Treat Boxes!
By Nancy Stewart (Nashville) WNBA UN DPI/NGO Second Alternate 
WNBA has a special partnership with UNICEF--the United Nations Children's Fund. WNBA has made it a priority to help this organization in its fundraising for the needs of children around the world. Our particular interest is in UNICEF's Afghanistan Education Alliance--literacy advocacy of women and girls. Each October, WNBA participates in the TOT--Trick or Treat--campaign, which features the familiar little orange boxes. Chapters may order boxes and use to collect funds. We have had some notable success, collecting over $500 for UNICEF at the National Reading Group Month Signature Event last year.  Please go now to www.unicefusa.org and order free boxes for your chapter. This is an easy and meaningful way to help fulfill WNBA's mission.
For any questions, please contact Nancy Stewart, Alternate UN Representative: nancy.stewart@ingramcontent.com.
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From the Editors
From Gutenberg to Hyperlinks!
We are delighted to be able to bring you the first digital online edition of The Bookwoman!
For those who prefer to read it on paper, we have designed it so that it may be easily printed and enjoyed the old-fashioned way too. Because it is packed full of news, you may find that some e-mail programs truncate the document, and it may appear that some items are missing. If this happens, all you need to do is click on the 'full message' button at the end of the e-mail, or better still, click on the link we've provided at the top of the e-mail, and you'll find all the content on your screen, complete with active links.
If you have news you'd like to share in the next newsletter, please contact your chapter's Bookwoman correspondent who will forward your chapter and member news to us, and whose contact details you'll find on your chapter's website. If you have an article you would like considered for publication, please e-mail your proposal to us at the address below. (Full guidelines for all contributions are available above.)
Next month we will be publishing a special edition of The Bookwoman to coincide with WNBA's
National Reading Group Month. In the meantime, we look forward to hearing your comments and suggestions on this issue.
Happy reading!
Gloria Toler & Rhona Whitty
The Bookwoman Coeditors
Annette Marie Haley
The Bookwoman Copyeditor
newsletter@wnba-books.org
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