June Member Meeting

Thursday, June 16 @ 7pm

Location: Issaquah Library Service Center

960 Newport Way NW
Issaquah, WA 98027 

Speaker: Jason Black

Topic: "Conflict and Drama Demystified"

"Keep conflict in every scene" is well-worn advice for novelists.  But what does that really mean, and how do you do it?  Conflict is much more than fights and arguments.  In this lecture, book doctor Jason Black will explore the many facets of conflict novelists can draw upon and show how they relate to the writer's ultimate goal of creating compelling drama.

PNWA Literary Contest update

We are currently contacting finalists for the 2011 contest!  With nearly 1000 entries from across the globe, the competition this year was fierce.  A full list of the finalists in all 12 categories should be posted on our website by the end of this week.  All entrants, including non-finalists, will be receiving their critiques by mail in the next week or two.  Thank you to all who entered this year!   

July 1 author event

The city of Issaquah is hosting its 10^th annual ArtWalk event on the first Friday of every month until September, and PNWA will be participating this year.  We are looking for PNWA authors to join in a booksigning event on Friday, July 1, at our Writers' Cottage location in Issaquah's Gilman Village.  Each author will bring copies of their book(s) to sign and sell during the afternoon/evening.  Space is limited, so sign up soon!  For further details, email Trevor Barnes: trevor@pnwa.org, or give our office a call at (425) 673-2665. 

PNWA member Robert Dugoni, New York Times bestselling author of the David Sloane series, will be signing copies of his latest thriller, Murder One, this week around the Seattle and eastside areas.

Tuesday, June 7 @ 7:00pm: Kirkland Parkplace Books (348 Parkplace Center, Kirkland, WA 98033)

Wednesday, June 8 @ Noon: Seattle Mystery Bookshop (117 Cherry Street, Seattle, WA 98104)

Wednesday, June 8 @ 7:00pm: Third Place Books (17171 Bothell Way NE, Lake Forest Park, WA 98155)

As a special bonus, anyone who purchases a book at one of these signings will have their name entered in a drawing to be a character in the next David Sloane adventure (out June 2012).  

www.robertdugoni.com

PNWA member Tamara Kaye Sellman announces that her post-apocalyptic short story, "Blood Tunnel," appeared in the new anthology, LIKE WATER FOR QUARKS: Science Fiction meets Magic Realism, which was released in April 2011 by MVP Publishing of Salem, OR. Also, two of her surrealist flash fictions, "Morpheus Does Some Spring Cleaning" and "Napoleon Makes The Cover Of The National Enquirer," have been accepted by and will appear soon in the literary journal, Diagonal Proof.

www.tamarasellman.com

PNWA member Kaki Warner is pleased to announce the Berkley release of book 1 of her new Brides Trilogy, HEARTBREAK CREEK, which will be available in trade paperback and e-book formats on July 5th.  For a summary and excerpt of this western historical romance set in 1870s Colorado, please visit her website.

She is also delighted to announce that her debut book, PIECES OF SKY, is a First Book Finalist in both the RITA Awards and the National Readers Choice Awards, and her second book, OPEN COUNTRY, is a RITA Finalist for Best Historical.

For more information, excerpts, book trailers, or to sign up for her e-newsletter, please visit her website at http://www.kakiwarner.com.

PNWA member Benita Nelson announces that she is a contributing author in the book, AN ECLECTIC COLLAGE, a collection of short stories, poems, and life essays.  The book is available in paperback and Kindle edition on Amazon.com and in paperback from Freundshippress.com.

Benita's suspense short story , The Savior of Poplar Grove, follows elderly Poplar Grove resident, Ethel Chase, through a harrowing visit one morning to her local grocery store.  Once a crown jewel of Pax Americana, the suburb of Poplar Grove has fallen to the criminal element in recent years.  Gangs now rule where the post-war, middle-class emerged, and graffiti plagues the cityscape once adorned by manicured yards and lemonade stands.  Ethel's quick trip to the supermarket nets her much more than anyone bargained for -- and it's not even double-coupon Wednesday.  

Benita will hold a book signing at SoulFood Books and Organic Coffee House in Redmond (15748 Redmond Way, next to Ben Franklin ) at 3:00 on Saturday, June 11th.  Stop in to say "hi" and pick up a signed copy of the book!

PNWA member Jared J. Smith, Oregon author, has been contracted for his first novel Why We Fall with a Winter 2011-2012 release date. You can follow his current online poetic-prose experiment, "Numbers" at http://jaredjohnsmith.wordpress.com. You can also follow his twitter: @jaredjohnsmith.

PNWA member Donelle Knudsen announces the release of her first published memoir: Through the Tunnel of Love, A Mother's and Daughter's Journey with Anorexia.

In this compelling book you'll read touching details of an international adoption, learn possible causes of anorexia, steps for intervention, the cost of healing, how anorexia affects the entire family, and what difference faith, fathers, friends, and most especially, unconditional love make. A must-read for the individual who wants to know more about eating disorders or self-destructive personalities. Tunnel of Love is also ideal for use in a small study group setting.

To order your copy visit  www.amazon.com 
Author's website:  www.authorsden.com/donelleknudsen

CONTESTS/SUBMISSIONS:

The Writer's Workshop Review is accepting submissions.

We publish narrative nonfiction, personal essays, short stories, short shorts, as well as travel, food and wine writing. We encourage established and emerging writers to submit. We love strong narratives, compelling characters, stories told with style, verve and wit. We prefer submissions of 1000 to 2500 words, with the exception of short shorts, and occasionally we will consider something longer. We also publish one interview per issue on the art and craft of writing. We pay per story and per interview. We only accept online submissions.

http://www.thewritersworkshopreview.net/submissions.cgi

Whispering Prairie Press

2011 Poetry, Flash Fiction, and Essay Writing Awards

Postmark Deadline: June 30,2011

Polish your favorite poems, short fiction, and essays for the 2010 Whispering Prairie Press 2011 Poetry, Flash Fiction, and Essay Writing Awards!

Prizes in Each Category:  1st place $100, 2nd place $50, 3rd place $25, plus one honorable mention for every 10 entries.

Eligibility:  Open to all writers age 18 and up, except members of the Board of Directors of Whispering Prairie Press and the editorial board of Kansas City Voices. All work must be the author's original work.

Poetry: Any style, any subject. Limit: 36 lines

Flash Fiction: A complete fictional short story with a beginning, middle and end. 1,000 words or less

Non-fiction Personal Essay:  1,000 words or less

Submissions:  All entries must be unpublished at the time of submission.

1.    No limit on number of entries.

2.    Submit hard copy with no name on manuscript.

3.    Put word count for fiction or line count for poetry in the top right corner.

4.    Include a cover sheet with name, address, e-mail, telephone number with area code, category, and title of entry. If author is a full-time college student, add the name of the school

5.    Prose must be double-spaced in 12-point Times New Roman or Courier. Poetry may be single spaced.

6.    Enclose SASE for next year's guidelines. Entries not returned.

Entry fee:  $5 for each entry or 3 entries for $10. (nonrefundable)

(Full-time college students: 2 entries for $5.) May mix categories. 

Address:       Whispering Prairie Press Writing Awards

2128 E. 144th St.

Olathe, KS 66062-2355

Postmark Deadline:  June 30, 2011

Pam Binder, President of PNWA, was selected as the 2010-2011 recipient of the Award for Teaching Excellence for Arts, Writing, Humanities and Law at the University of Washington Extension. Pam is teaching the following classes for the 2011 - 2012 school year.

For information please contact the following:

Phone: 206-897-8939

Toll-free: 800-506-1325

Email: info@pce.uw.edu

Apply online: www.keeplearning.uw.edu

If you have questions you can also contact Pam directly: Pbinder183@aol.com

Popular Fiction I

Starts in Autumn and Winter Quarters

Explore the backbone of the commercial fiction industry: popular fiction, which includes several genres such as mystery, romance, science fiction and thriller. Examine the art of captivating readers through strong plots, powerful scenes and three-dimensional characters. Learn how to construct a suspenseful and complex storyline, write believable dialogue and hone your craft. Master the development of the beginning, middle and end of your novel during three different courses dedicated to each section's development.

Courses:

Popular Fiction I: The Beginning

Popular Fiction I: The Middle

Popular Fiction I: The End

Popular Fiction II

Starts in Autumn Quarter

Build on your previous popular fiction writing experience. The course emphasis is on editing your first draft and preparing it for submission. It is recommended that you complete Popular Fiction I before taking this course, or speak to the instructor for clarification on the requirements. Synthesize and strengthen your existing fiction writing skills and marketing techniques, collaborate on a class anthology and prepare to submit your manuscript to agents and publishers.

Courses:

Popular Fiction II: The Critical First Impression

Popular Fiction II: Conflict in Action

Popular Fiction II: Wrapping Up Your Story