Pacific Northwest Writers Association
PACIFIC NORTHWEST WRITERS ASSOCIATION
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PNWA NEWS:
 

Fall Workshop Series:
How to Write a NEW YORK TIMES Bestseller
 
Instructor: Robert Dugoni (robertdugoni.com)
Date: Saturday, November 7, 2009
Location: Chinook Middle School Auditorium/Library
(2001 98th Ave NE Bellevue, WA 98008)
Time: 8:30 A.M. to 4:30 P.M. (Please arrive at 8:00 A.M.)
Contact: pnwa@pnwa.org  (425) 673-2665
 
The acclaimed national seminar comes to Bellevue. This one day seminar will take you from plotting to revising during an all-encompassing one day boot camp with a substantial handout for easy and frequent reference.
 
Schedule
8:30 - 9:30 A.M. Introduction of Instructor, and Executive Summary of How to Write Publishable Fiction.
9:30 - 11:00 A.M. Advanced Story Structuring
11:00 - 12:00 P.M. Character Evolution in Story Structure
12:00 - 12:30 P.M. Lunch (please bring your own)
12:30 - 1:30 P.M. Creating Memorable Characters
1:30 - 2:30 P.M. The First Three Pages
2:30 - 2:45 P.M. Afternoon Break
2:45 - 3:45 P.M. Creating and Sustaining Tension and Suspense to Keep the Reader Turning the Page
3:45 - 4:30 P.M. Power Editing Your Manuscript to Make it Better.
 
Past attendees:
"Well put together and very informative."
"Very excellent, Bob was wonderful, his comments were insightful and useful."
"I was very impressed with the time and effort he put into this workshop. I never expected as much personal attention."
"Useful, specific tools."
"Extremely helpful, not just motivational but also instructive."
"A number 1."
 
Workshop Fee:
PNWA Member = $150.00
Non-member = $200.00
 
Please visit www.pnwa.org to download the class registration form.

(Please note you can register on the day of
the event, November 7th) 



NOVEMBER MONTHLY MEETING:
Date: Thursday, November 19, 2009
Location: Chinook Middle School Auditorium/Library
(2001 98th Ave NE Bellevue, WA 98008)
Time: 7:00 P.M.
Topics: TBA

Speaker: Samantha R. Vamos
Samantha Vamos
Samantha attended Georgetown University Law Center and practiced law in Washington, D.C. and Chicago, Illinois.  In 2007, Samantha and her family moved to the Pacific Northwest.  Before You Were Here, Mi Amor (Viking Children's Books, 2009, illustrated by Santiago Cohen), a bilingual children's picture book about all the things that one family does to welcome a new child into the world, is her first book.  Her second bilingual children's picture book, The Cazuela That the Farm Maiden Stirred (Charlesbridge Publishing, illustrated by Rafael López) will be published Fall 2010. 
Please visit Samantha online at www.samanthavamos.com


 
MEMBER HOLIDAY PARTY:
A thank you to our members and all those who volunteer throughout the year.

Food and beverages provided, but you may also bring your favorite holiday treat to share.
 
Date: Saturday, December 5, 2009
Time: 6:30 - 9:30 P.M.
Location: Winters House (2102 Bellevue Way SE, Bellevue 98004
 
Directions:
From I-5 take I-90 East
From 405 take I-90 West
Take the Bellevue Way exit going north, past the South Bellevue Park & Ride and Blueberry Farm. Look for the blue Winters House sign on the right side.
 
Come join us for holiday cheer!



LITERARY CONTEST:
It's your chance to shine. Every writer knows there comes a time to send their work out into the world. Don't miss this opportunity to put your work to the test and compete with some of the best at the Annual PNWA Literary Contest. There are twelve categories with cash prizes; and each qualified entry receives two critiques. In addition, finalists' entries are read and judged by an agent or editor to determine the top three in each category. Winners are announced every year at the PNWA summer conference to an audience of writers, agents and editors.

Categories:
  1. Mainstream
  2. Historical (NEW THIS YEAR)
  3. Romance
  4. Mystery/Thriller
  5. Science Fiction/Fantasy
  6. Young Adult Novel
  7. Non-Fiction Book/Memoir
  8. Screen Writing
  9. Poetry
  10. Short Story
  11. Children's Picture Book or Chapter Book
  12. Adult Short Topics (Article/Essay/Short Memoir)

Please visit our website (www.pnwa.org) for details and contest entry form.
MEMBER NEWS:

Michael Lane:
Lane has self-published his novel, Crossroads: The Prophet (And Other Lives). It is currently available through Xlibris.
 
"Different lives are intertwined as Michael R. Lane presents Crossroads: The Prophet (And Other Lives), a novel about life and love's philosophy.
Crossroads is a reflective novel told in short story form. It is a book that encourages readers to ask existential questions and search for the answers. Is it for the youth of America who may view the world through jaded eyes - and for parents and grandparents, educators and counselors who struggle to keep whole a humane patchwork within deteriorating society.
 
Readers will witness various individuals questioning themselves and their futures through the pages of this book - bringing forth realizations that there are more common threads that bind us than there are differences that divide."
 
 
C. Russell Monaghan:
Monaghan will have her short story, "Monster World," published in the October online issue of Slow Trains literary journal.
 
 
Seeking Critique Group:
Looking to start critique group for YA, chick lit, and literary fiction in Skagit County, WA.  I live in Anacortes and have a book forthcoming in the spring.  Please contact Hilary:  smith.hilary@gmail.com
 
 
Seeking Critique Group:
I am hoping to form a critique group near Hood Canal (between Hoodsport and Brinnon, intentionally in the middle of nowhere).  I would like to hook up with thriller genre novelists and poets.  I figure a fair drive is anywhere between Hoodsport and Port Townsend. I am also open to a totally virtual group.
Please contact Jim Boldt
DuckabushCommunications@gmail.com
CONTEST/SUBMISSIONS:

Bona Fide Books seeks Literary Essays about U.S.
National Parks:
Bona Fide Books seeks literary essays about experiences living and working in any US National Park for a collection about life in our parks. Some seek to commune with nature, others to escape.

Diverse park experiences are desired. Although we enjoy tree-hugging epiphanies, we also want to read about day-to-day life, and the societal, environmental, and existential implications of life in the park. What happened there, and how did it influence your life? (Humor also welcome.) Writers will receive $100 for their essay and one copy of the collection, Permanent Vacation: Living and Working in our National Parks.

Deadline: January 5, 2010

Manuscripts should be typed, double-spaced, and with 12 point Times New Roman or Courier font with standard formatting applied. Word count is limited to 5,000.
Send to submissions@bonafidebooks.com with "Permanent Vacation" and the title of the work in the subject line.

For more information, please go to www.bonafidebooks.com.
 


Drash: Northwest Mosaic Seeking Prose, Poetry,
and Photography:
The fourth volume of Drash: Northwest Mosaic, albeit a slenderized version due to the current economic climate, is scheduled for publication in May 2010.

Deadline for prose, poetry and photographs is December 15, 2009.

The literary review tilts towards Jewish, Northwest, and universal themes. Writers and poets of all persuasions welcomed.

Guidelines available at www.templebetham.org.



The Choosing America Project: Immigration Stories:
The Choosing America Project is looking for true short stories that express the essence of being an immigrant in America -=- gripping human interest stories that reflect the diversity of the American immigrant experience, past and present.

The final goal of The Choosing America Project is to create a series of short films directed by a variety of directors who will choose from the pool of stories we are now collecting. For more details please go to our website www.choosingamerica.com.  


 
(11th Annual) 2010 Northwest Perspectives Essay Contest: Entries should be nonfiction and address ideas that affect the Northwest. The judge for the 2010 contest will be Tom Hager, award-winning author.
  • Three winners in each category
  • Cash prizes and publication
  • All finalists will be invited to participate in a writing workshop with the contest judge on the day of the reading

The student contest is open to any student currently enrolled and pursuing a graduate or undergraduate degree at a college or university.

One entry per person. Postmark Deadline: January 31, 2010.

Click for details: www.oregonquarterly.com/essay.php
 


Do It Yourself (DIY) Book Festival Contest for Independent Authors and Publisher:
The 2009 DIY Book Festival has issued a call for entries for its eighth annual program celebrating the success of independent authors and publishers.

Please note that print-on-demand (POD) authors with iUniverse, PublishAmerica, Infinity Publishing and other outlets are eligible for the competition.

The DIY Book Festival will consider self-published or independent publisher non-fiction, fiction, biography/autobiography, children's books, teenage, how-to, cookbooks, science fiction, audio/spoken word, photography, art, comics, 'zines, fan fiction, poetry and e-books published on or after Jan. 1, 2006. All entries must be in English and self-published or issued by an independent publishing house.

Our grand prize for the 2009 DIY Book Festival Book of the Year is $1500 cash and a flight to the awards ceremony, held in February 2010 as part of the annual DIY Convention: Do It Yourself in Film, Music & Books in Los Angeles.

Submitted works will be judged by a panel of industry experts using the following criteria:
  1. General excellence and the author's passion for telling a good story.
  2. The unique use of guerilla marketing tactics to reach a wider audience. This includes innovative marketing, merchandising, publicity tactics and other innovative methods of reaching an independent audience.

Entries: Please classify your book and enter it in the following categories. Multiple entries must be accompanied by a separate fee for each book.
  1. General Nonfiction
  2. General Fiction
  3. Children's Books
  4. How-to
  5. E-books (word or .pdf file acceptable)
  6. Comics
  7. 'Zines
  8. Photography
  9. Fan Fiction
  10. Poetry
  11. Art
  12. Teenage
  13. Biography/Autobiography
  14. Audio/Spoken Word
  15. Compilations/Anthologies
  16. Best Unpublished Short Story
  17. Cookbooks
  18. Science Fiction

In addition to honoring the top selections in these categories, the DIY Book Festival will award the following honors to chosen entrants:
  1. DIY Author of the Year -- Honors the outstanding book of the competition.
  2. DIY Book Design of the Year -- Honors outstanding and innovative design.
  3. DIY Independent Publisher of the Year -- Honors the top publisher based on materials displaying excellence in marketing and promotional materials, as determined by our judges.

Festival Rules
DIY Book Festival submissions cannot be returned. Each entry must contain the official entry form, including your e-mail address and contact telephone number. All shipping and handling costs must be borne by entrants.

Notification and Deadlines
We will notify each entrant of the receipt of their package via e-mail and will announce the winning entries on our web site (www.diyconvention.com). Because of the anticipated high volume of entries, we can respond only to e-mail inquiries.
Deadline submissions in each category must be postmarked by the close of business on November 25, 2009. Winners in each category will be notified by e-mail. Please note that judges read and consider submissions on an ongoing basis, comparing early entries with later submissions at our meetings.

To Enter
Entry forms are available online at www.diyconvention.com or may be faxed or e-mailed to you. Please contact our office for fax requests. Applications must be accompanied by a non-refundable entry fee of $10-$50 (see entry form drop-down menu for specific category prices) in the form of a check, money order or PayPal online payment in U.S. dollars for each submission. Multiple submissions are permitted but each entry must be accompanied by a separate form and entry fee.

Entry fee checks should be made payable to JM Northern Media LLC. We're sorry, but entries must be mailed and cannot be delivered in person or by messenger services to the JM Northern Media offices.

Entry packages must include:
  1. One copy of the book;
  2. Your official entry form or a copy;
  3. The entry fee or receipt for online payment;
  4. Any marketing materials you wish to send. Marketing is used as a tie-breaking consideration by our judges.

Entries should be mailed to:
JM Northern Media LLC
att'n: DIY Book Festival
7095 Hollywood Boulevard
Suite 864
Hollywood, CA 90028-0893
Phone: 323-665-8080

Eligibility
The DIY Book Festival selection committee reserves the right to determine the eligibility of any project.
The 2009 DIY Book Festival is part of the DIY Convention: Do It Yourself in Film, Music & Books, which also produces the DIY Film Festival and the DIY Music Festival. The 2009 DIY Book Festival is sponsored by the Larimar St. Croix Writers Retreat, The Hollywood Creative Directory; eDivvy, Shopanista, Westside Websites and TheDIYReporter.com.

CLASSES/WORKSHOPS:


 The 16th Annual Cat Writers' Association (CWA) Conference
Got the itch to write about cats, dogs or pets in general?  Already doing some writing but want to refine your promotional skills?  Need an editor or publicist? This conference is for you.  The 16th Annual Cat Writers' Association (CWA) Conference will be held November 19-21, 2009 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, White Plains, New York.  This will be the first time that the CWA conference is held in conjunction with the Westchester Cat Show, November 21-22 at the Westchester County Center, Bronx River Parkway, White Plains, New York.

Amy Shojai, one of the founding members of the organization, has returned this year as president.  "We are thrilled to be hosting the conference for the first time in the New York area this year," said Shojai.  "It will allow New York area aspiring and established cat writers and cat lovers to learn more about writing and publishing, network with agents and editors, see a great cat show and lovely cats, and help celebrate the best of the best in cat-writing.  I hope many will also consider joining this great organization."

The conference features as its Friday dinner speaker Dr. Kevin Fitzgerald, a practicing veterinarian, writer, and published author who appears on Animal Planet's "Emergency Vets" and is also a talented stand-up comedian.  The Saturday lunch speaker, Leslie A. Lyons, Ph.D., is associate professor at the University of California Davis and will speak about using genetic research to improve pet health.  Her recent work has included the analysis of cat breeds and the sites of cat domestication which resulted in a documentary for National Geographic.

The conference will also feature eighteen seminars to help writers explore new topics, identify good sources, pitch to editors, learn new social media and interviewing skills and more. Editor/agent appointments will also be available on a first-come, first-serve basis.  A pet book autograph party will take place on Saturday afternoon at the Westchester Cat Show, just in time for holiday gift buying.  The conference will include the annual awards dinner featuring the prestigious Muse Medallion winners and more than $10,000 in prizes.  Conference registration can be made online at www.catwriters.org/annual-info.html.

Hotel reservations can be made online at www.crowneplaza.com\whiteplainsny, under the International Cat Writers' Association, or by phone at 914-682-0050 or 800-227-6963. 

For more information please visit www.catwriters.org.   
EVENTS/SPEAKERS:

Storytellers Campfire CircleStorytellers Campfire, (a radio and internet show, will soon launch their fall/winter program.)
The show will feature guests from all over the world who have contributed to the world of literature with both published and unpublished work. "Storytelling in ancient traditions has been utilized to preserve history, teach, explain and entertain and we need to keep the campfire circle going and we intend to do that with the program," commented Lady Selah SuJuris; director of the program.

The one hour program has seven segments that weave throughout the show. Published authors will be interviewed during the Authors Voice segment. The Writers Circle will host authors of unpublished and soon-to-be-released books, and professionals in the publishing industry, including journalists and professors. 

The main part of the program is the Storyteller; this is "Where Literary Art Comes to Life"; the slogan for the show. Misho's Library features a talented theatrical reader sharing his rendition of excerpts from classical literature. The Poetry Wheel will feature guests who want to read their published or unpublished poetry. Ms. Mavis, an animated character who is an animal behavior specialist, shares humorous stories about her cases. Bookworm Trivia will be hosted by a long-time radio personality who provides trivia questions. Listeners who can email answers through instant messenger or call in to win gift certificates and prizes from national companies sponsoring the program. The Campfire Music segment features a musician who opens and closes the campfire.Featured guests will encourage literacy by donating books during the show to children and families, as well as to various organizations, including Read Aloud, Ronald McDonald House, and Seattle Children's Hospital.

The show, which begins airing in November, is accepting submissions and interviewing authors, writers, storytellers, folk musicians and professionals in the literary world to be guests on the show.

You can visit the website at www.storytellerscampfire.org.



Seattle Free Lances next meeting:
Terri Farley and Suzanne Morgan Williams, authors of books for children and young adults, will speak at the next meeting of Seattle Free Lances Tuesday, Nov. 3, at Lake City Elks Club, 14540 Lake City Way NE, Seattle.  A social hour will begin at 5:15 p.m. with dinner at 6:15 p.m. and the program at 7.  

Reservations are required at least one week prior to the event. 

For reservations, Email freelancesinfo@aol.com.
MISCELLANEOUS:

Book-It Repertory Theatre Presents the Center House Theatre Production of Emma
 
Emma
by Jane Austen
Adapted by Rachel Atkins
Directed by Marcus Goodwin
October 20 - November 22, 2009
Previews: October 20, 21, 22
Opening night: Friday, October 23
In the Center House Theatre

Later in our 20th Anniversary Season:

The River Why
by David James Duncan
February 9 - March 7, 2010

The Cider House Rules, Part One: Here in St. Clouds
by Peter Parnell, adapted from the novel by John Irving
June 9 - July 11, 2010
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