PACIFIC NORTHWEST WRITERS ASSOCIATION
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APRIL 2010 E-NOTES:
E-Notes
is your monthly electronic newsletter full of the latest news about the
literary world. Our newsletter is a PNWA Member Benefit.
Please send us an email if you would like to place an announcement in next month's E-Notes: enotes@pnwa.org
(Announcements must be received by the 19th of
the previous month to be included).
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PNWA NEWS:
MONTHLY SPEAKER MEETING: Thursday, April 15, 2010
Chinook Middle School Auditorium/Library @ 7:00 P.M.
(2001 98th Ave NE, Bellevue, WA 98004) Presenter:
Nathan Everett, Managing Editor of Long Tale Press, LLC
Topic: The Dark
Side of Publishing - Using the
force of small press, self-publishing, and eBooks
Everyone
wants to land a contract with a mainstream publisher and get that six-figure
advance. But only a tiny fraction of the books that are written and submitted
ever see print-even if they are good books. There are other ways to see your
book published, and with the changes that have been occurring in the industry
and technology, one of them might be right for you. In this session, we'll take
a look at the publishing world and especially at the options of local and small
press publishing (including on-demand), on-line publishing, eBooks, and
self-publishing. What are the things to consider about your book that might
make one of the alternative publishing routes a positive experience for you?
Nathan has
been involved in nearly every aspect of the publishing industry over the past
thirty years and has seen it change dramatically. He is a partner and managing
editor of Long Tale Press, LLC and is a nationally known eBook designer and
consultant. His new book, "How to Design and Make eBooks" will be out this
summer.
PNWA Members please bring your membership card.
MEMBER NEWS
PNWA Member Darlene Cox announces two novels.
Web of Deceit
Joanne Moore is a young woman who moves to Chicago
to pursue a career in publishing. She grows up very quickly when she marries
David, who becomes her worst nightmare. Not even a divorce can protect her from
his constant harassment and threats to kill her. However, before her problem
with David can be solved, she learns that her friend and mentor, Miss
Crittendon, an old-maid librarian, has died-mysteriously. A note left by her
friend presents an even greater problem than David-a multi-million dollar one.
Along with the mystery of her friend's death is a fortune stashed in several
safe-deposit boxes. How did her friend really die, and how did she amass such a
fortune? Joanne soon finds out when a "Mr. Smith" calls to inform her
that the contents of the safe-deposit boxes belong to his employer, who wants
them back-or else. To unravel the mystery, she must read the journals left by
her friend. Not only do they reveal a woman Joanne does not recognize, but they
also provide the answers to the contents of the safe-deposit boxes. Once Joanne
gets over her surprise and fright, she gets angry and fights back. She'll have
to employ everything she knows-hints from Miss Crittendon's journals, long
hidden secrets, and help from her friends-to deal with David, Mr. Smith, and
her friend's legacy. It will require more than cunning; it will involve a
little bit of larceny.
A Little Bit of Larceny
Peter
Brock is a man to be envied. He is young, handsome, intelligent, a founding
partner of one of New York's most prestigious law firms, and a respected member
of the International Community of Currency Traders. But, that isn't enough to
fulfill his goal in life. When he meets James Campbell, a very wealthy New York
diamond dealer who would like to keep more of his wealth out of the hands of
the IRS, Peter starts weaving a web of deceit to divert the bulk of Campbell's
wealth to his own account. As a co-conspirator, how can Campbell yell "foul" at
the risk of spending his remaining days in a Federal prison? But, Peter needs a little help. He enlists Delilah, a strip-club dancer, to
learn, through pillow talk, the extent of Campbell's wealth; and Jenny, a
flight attendant for a major airline, to smuggle loose diamonds to Europe on
international flights. The perfect plan-so Peter thinks. Unfortunately, his law
partner, Jack Morrison, gets wind of the plan and decides to toss in his
ante. Now the game gets interesting-a
case of diamond cut diamond. When two people wind up dead, Jack says "enough,"
leaving Peter hopelessly entangled in his own web. As Jack says: "That's what happens when
little fish try to swim with the predators."
Praise for A Little Bit of Larceny:
"Ah! Now
this is a true mystery story. Too often authors rely on gore to carry a
mystery, not Darlene Cox. A Little Bit of
Larceny reads like a classic." -
Debra Gaynor, Review Your Book
"A murder
mystery with a conundrum in the middle, sort of like a cookie with a soft
chocolate surprise in the middle. Suspenseful. A bang-up first mystery." - Shelley Glodowski, Midwest Book Review
"A classic
caper; good plotting and characterization; a perfect gift for someone who wants
to skip the gore and appreciate the puzzle."
- Kathleen Kettner, Author, Sweet
Talkers
Darlene Cox
resides in Seattle, Washington.
You may
visit her at www.outskirtspress.com/darlenecox, or email her at darco@qwest.net
PNWA Member Goldie Silverman
Good news! Backpacking with Babies and Small Children,
which has been out of print for many years, has been re-issued as an Authors
Guild Back-in-Print Edition by iUniverse. Look for it from iUniverse, Amazon,
or Barnes & Noble. And Camping with
Kids (Wilderness Press) is still available.
Visit her blog:
www.goldiesilverman.com
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CONTEST/SUBMISSIONS:
Transitions Literary Art Submissions
Call
to writers: a virtual event of literary,
visual, and performing arts
Open
to all women writers and artists
Juried
by: Bina Sarkar Ellias, editor of International
Gallerie Magazine www.gallerie.net
Entry
Deadline: April 16th, 2010
Works
to be presented on PenandBrush.org, Spring - Summer 2010
Transitions
Theme Details
The experience of a transitory state is prominent on
both personal and global levels in these unstable times. Transitions, the
virtual event, will consist of works that deal with any transition expressed
through content or form. The following definition can be used as a guideline.
Transition: A passage or movement from one state, condition, or place to
another. Change; movement; development. Evolution from one stage, form, or
style to another.
Literary
Arts Guidelines:
A
literary work may be a poem, a play (one act or full length), short story, or
chapter of a novel.
All
submitted literary works must be available for publication and/or distribution.
Entry
format: Adobe PDF
Please
visit www.penandbrush.org
for more details and to enter work.
Scare the Dickens Out of Us - Ghost
Story Contest
The
second annual "Scare the Dickens Out of Us" ghost story contest
offers $1000.00 first place, $500.00 second place and $250.00 third place prize
money this year for a new, original ghost story up to 5000 words.
Any genre is welcome.
This
literary contest is a fundraiser for the Friends of the Dr. Eugene Clark
Library in Lockhart, Texas, the oldest continuously in-use library in
Texas. Entry fee is $20.00. The contest is privately funded; all entry fees go to the Friends to use for
library projects.
Full
rules are available at www.clarklibraryfriends.com
Entries will be accepted from July 1 to October 1, 2010.
We
are also supporting a "Junior Scare the Dickens Out of Us" ghost
story contest with a $250.00 first prize. This is for ages 12-18 and
requires a $5.00 entry fee.
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CLASSES/WORKSHOPS:
PNWA 2010 CONFERENCE: JULY 22 - 25
SEATTLE AIRPORT HILTON & CONFERENCE CENTER
OPPORTUNITY TO ALL WRITERS:
- Expand
your writing craft in fiction and nonfiction.
- Understand
the publishing industry and current marketplace trends.
- Learn how
to market your work.
- Find an
agent and/or editor.
- Network with other writer colleagues.
AGENTS & EDITORS:
CONFERENCE RATES & REGISTRATION DEADLINES:
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Member's |
Non-Member
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| Regular Registration Fee (postmarked by May 15th)
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$395.00
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$495.00
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| Late Registration Fee (postmarked after May 15th)*
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$495.00
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$595.00
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*Online Registration will be closed July 9th but will be available at
the hotel, July 22nd
SPECIAL EVENTS:
- Don't miss this year's KEYNOTE SPEAKER, Andre Dubus III, Thursday evening.
- FEATURED SPEAKERS: Friday evening Lisa Gardner, Saturday evening C.C. Humphreys and Elizabeth Lyon
CONFERENCE MEALS:
- Included with registration: Thursday: dessert reception. Friday
& Saturday: continental breakfast, daily refreshments, afternoon
snack, and evening dinners. Sunday: continental breakfast.
- Lunches are NOT included - lunch concessions will be available in conference center.
HOTEL ACCOMMODATIONS:
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER ONLINE
Two Opportunities to Learn with Robert
Ray
Join
Robert J. Ray for a workshop on rewriting the novel, using tools and techniques
from his recent book The Weekend Novelist Rewrites the Novel, on
Saturday, April 17, 2010 at friendly Park Place Books in Kirkland. Come ready
to write.
Time:
2-4 P.M.
Tools:
Pen and Paper
Place:
Park Place
Books
Address:
348 Parkplace Center
Kirkland, WA 98033
Phone: 425-828-6546
Join
Robert J. Ray for a 6-week course in rewriting your novel at Hugo House on
Saturday mornings, starting on April 3, 2010 from 10-12. See hugohouse.com
for details.
Write of Passage: The Transformative Journey of
Developing and Publishing a Nonfiction Book
With authors
Shoshana Alexander and Alissa Lukara
· Get the inside story
on how to develop your nonfiction book into a publishable product.
· Discover the avenue to
publication that's right for you.
· Get clear about the
value of building your platform and marketing.
· Explore how this
process will change you and your life.
Interactive
presentations and exercises, positive feedback and support, and opportunities
for additional individual consultations.
Ashland, Oregon. Friday, April 16, 7:00
- 9:30 P.M.. Saturday, April 17, 9:30 to 5:00. $175 by March 21. After that,
$195.
For more
information: info@ridinggrace.com, www.ridinggrace.com, 541-324-6370
or 541-201-0353. Pre-registration required.
Shoshana
Tembeck Alexander is the author of Awakening
Joy with James Baraz, Bantam, 2010; In
Praise of Single Parents, Houghton Mifflin, 1994; Women's Ventures, Women's Visions, Crossing Press, 1997;and, with
the Findhorn Community, The Findhorn
Garden (Harper & Row, 1975). As developmental editor and writing coach,
she has guided more than sixty books into print with publishers ranging from
major East Coast houses to print-on-demand. She is currently working on Standing Tall, a book about conscientious
objectors, and she facilitates fiction and non-fiction writing groups in
Ashland, Oregon, where she lives.
Alissa Lukara is the author of the memoir, Riding
Grace: A Triumph of the Soul, Silver Light Publications, 2007; and offers "Writing
Grace: Writing as a Path to Transform Your Life" workshops. She hosted the
award-winning community television program, "Transcending Life
Challenges" and was creator and content management editor for
Lifechallenges.org, a website reaching 110 countries that offered self-help
tools for people facing adversity. Her writing has appeared in numerous
publications. A former PR executive and media coach, she has implemented
national publicity campaigns for individuals and companies. She is currently
writing a novel.
Alissa and Shoshana have both written in several
genres and have appeared on radio and television and in news media around the
country.
2010
Pen to Press Writers' Retreat IS LOCKED AND LOADED!
For
those of you asking, "What is a Pen to Press Writers' Retreat?" allow
me the honor of enlightening you . . .
Pen
to Press Retreats are five intense, hands-on, inspiring days that teach
participants how to shape and present a saleable manuscript. You'll learn in a
variety of settings, from workshops to one-on-one mentoring sessions to
seminars. To that end, you will write and revise, have portions of your
manuscript critiqued, and revise some more. This is a remarkable opportunity to
transform your writing!
To
top it off, throughout the last two days of each retreat, all of our
participants are given exclusive, one-on-one time with agents and editors to
whom they can pitch their work.
This is a one-of-a-kind
writers' retreat you simply can't pass up! Come excited and leave
inspired, ready to improve your writing and get that manuscript published!
Activities
Participants will be
assigned to a class of 20 and a team instructor. Our instructors are all
successfully published authors and excellent teachers, and many are New
York Times and U.S.A. Today bestselling
and award-winning authors. With this
group, you will spend five days working on specifics to improve your
manuscript.
During classes and panel discussions, you'll learn details about
characterization, plot, dialogue, pacing, voice, marketing, pitching, contract
negotiations, etc., all of it geared around your specific work.
Agents
and editors will be on hand the last two days of the retreat, and they'll be
there to spend one-on-one time with you, our participants . . . writers who now
have a polished pitch for a promising work!
Join Us
The
dates for the 2010 Pen to Press Writers Retreat are May 25-29, 2010, and the
location will be in beautiful downtown New
Orleans, Louisiana.
Interested
writers must submit a two-page synopsis of a completed novel or novel in
progress along with the first five pages of that novel. From those
submissions, a maximum of 160 participants will be selected.
To
find out more about the 2010 Pen to Press Writers' Retreat, visit our website
at www.pentopressretreat.com. There you'll
find in-action videos and testimonials from past participants. So jump on over
to the website and have a look. And we hope to see YOU at the 2010 PPW
Retreat!
www.pentopressretreat.com
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EVENTS/SPEAKERS:
The Marketing Conference for Creative Freelancers:
Finding and Keeping Work in a Tough Economy
The event will be held Saturday, March 27, at Bastyr University. All proceeds will be donated to Northwest Harvest ( www.northwestharvest.org), a Washington state hunger relief agency.
Four speakers will give presentations:· - Michelle Goodman, "Diversify or Starve! How to Stay Busy in a Tough
- Freelance Market"·
- Jeff Barlow, "Price Negotiations and Personal Brand Value"·
- Ed Marshall, "Effective Job Search Techniques for Social Networking"·
- Cheryl Landes, "Working with Contract Agencies"
In addition to these presentations, there is time set aside to network with peers and share ideas on starting and maintaining a freelance business.
King County Library Systems
Covington Library
27100 164th Avenue SE, Covington
253.630.8761
Romance Extravaganza:
Meet the Authors Saturday, May 1, 11 A.M. -4 P.M.
Meet some of your favorite
bestselling romance authors on a day dedicated to romance readers and book lovers.
11:15 A.M.: Keynote Address
by Cherry Adair 12:00 P.M.: Book Signing Party with all
participating authors 12:30 P.M.: Paranormal Panel
featuring Katie MacAlister, Cherry Adair and Shannon McKelden 1:30 P.M.: Historical Panel
featuring Julia Quinn, Elizabeth Boyle and Margaret Mallory 2:30 P.M.: Contemporary
Panel featuring Susan Anderson, Gina Robinson and Ann Roth
Books will be available for purchase.
Seattle Free Lances MeetingJeanie James, graphic designer, and Patrick Swenson, author and editor, will discuss "How a Book is Made" when Seattle Free Lances meets Tuesday, April 6, 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 P.M. and the program at 7.
Reservations are required at least one week prior to the event. For reservations, Email freelancesinfo@aol.com. |
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