We will be posting contest results, the "pro" pictures by Kevin Rabas, recordings for attendees as quickly as possible. In the meantime, enjoy this slideshow of highlights pulled from our FB feed. If you have any to add to the collection, feel free to email to kansasauthorsclub AT gmail DOT com. 

2022 CONVENTIon SCHEDULE

Note: Saturday and Sunday meals, including breakfast, are included in the full convention ticket price.
Friday, October 21
4:00-7:00 pm              Check In / Authors Check Books in to Book Room
                                    Photo Booth – Visit Vendor Tables
7:00-9:00 pm             Book Room Open for Shopping!

7:00-7:45 pm              Coffee House – Show & Tell Book Stories

7:45 – 9:00 pm           Read-athon – 1 poem or 1 prose page (no exceptions)
Saturday, October 22
7:00-9:00 am              Check In / Authors Check Books in to Book Room

​8:00-10:00 am              Buffett Breakfast (included in your ticket)
9:00 am                      Welcome by Micki Carroll and Deb Irsik, our District 2 Co-Hosts

9:10­-10:00 am            Keynote Speaker, Max McCoy

Keynote: The Write Way to the Future

Max McCoy is an award-winning journalist and author. A native Kansan, he started his career as a police reporter for the Pittsburg Morning Sun and was soon writing for national magazines. He's written more than twenty novels, including four original Indiana Jones adventures for Bantam/Lucasfilm and the novelization of the Steven Spielberg epic, Into the West. His most recent book is American Odyssey, a historical novel set in the fur trade era of the far west. As a journalist, his investigative stories on unsolved murders, serial killers and hate groups have earned him first-place awards. His most recent nonfiction book is Elevations: A Personal Exploration of the Arkansas River, which was named a Kansas Notable Book by the state library and also won the National Outdoor Book Award in history/biography. In addition, Max won first place in humor writing in the National Society of Newspaper Columnists annual contest last year and placed third in crisis commentary this year. He is a professor of journalism at Emporia State University.
10:00 - Noon          Book Room Open for Shopping

10:15 – 11:00 am
PRESENTATION BLOCK 1 – EXPANDING VIEWS AND PERSPECTIVES

Gretchen Eick
Countering Censorship by Writing
 
Carey Gillam
Getting to the Story Behind the Spin
 
Lindsey Bartlett
Writing Rural: The Importance of Rural Voices in Writing Today
11:15 – noon
PRESENTATION BLOCK 2 – ENHANCING WRITING SKILLS      
 
Julie Sellers
Forging Your Writing Future with Purpose and Inspiration
  
Renee La Viness
Editing: Less Equals More (tips for cutting word count)
 
Kim Horner McCoy
You Jump, I Jump: Vulnerability and the Line Break
12:10 – Seating for General Membership Meeting and Lunch: Baked Potato Bar (included in ticket)

12:30-1:15 pm             General Membership Meeting
                                    Quick Overview of Year / trivia format
                                    Introduction and Thanks to Elected and Appointed Officers
                                    Member Awards – Presented by Bill Karnowski
                                    Merit Awards – Presented by Anne Shiever
                                    Business Before the Club
                                    Election/Induction of 2023 Officers
1:15-1:30 pm              Afternoon Energy Launch

​1:15 - 6:00 pm            Book Room Open for Shopping
1:30 – 2:00 pm                 ½ hour presentations
PRESENTATION BLOCK 3 – WRITING IN OUR TECHNICAL WORLD   
 
Cat Webling
Succeeding as a Freelance Writer in the Digital World
  
Amber Fraley
Writing for Fun and Money on Medium (cultivating a blog audience and blogging platform)
  
Danielle Ramirez
Kickstart Your Book
2:15-3:15 pm                        
PRESENTATION BLOCK 4 – YOUTH AWARDS & TABLE TALK 
 
Outstanding Memories - ½ Hour Workshop for Youth (adults welcome too) with Jared Vaughn, Karis Ens, and Shoshanna Aaliyah
 
Youth Awards Presentation
Jolene Haas, Youth Contest Manager
 
 
“Table Talk” with Presenters (speed dating style)
 
and
 
“Ask Us”—meet with experts in the Bookroom
3:30 – 4:30 pm
PRESENTATION BLOCK 5 – WRITING ABOUT SELF        
 
Tim Bascom
Formed by Family: Writing About Those Who Shape Us
  
Max McCoy
--title to come-- 
 
Anne Shiever
Daily Journaling Motivational Writing 
​5:00 – 6:00 pm            Cash Bar – Music by Kevin Rabas and the Petroglyphs
 
6:00 pm                       Banquet (included in ticket)
 
6:30 pm                      Book Awards – presented by Kris Polansky

7:00-7:30 pm              Evening speaker – Rachel Berbiglia from Uncovering Kansas

7:30-7:45 pm              Group Table Writing Activity – to be announced

7:45-8:15 pm              Activity Sharing Time
Storytelling Through Podcasts
 
Share your authorial stories and the written works you create through podcasts. In this presentation, we will cover podcasting basics from tactics to strategy. We'll start off by going behind the scenes to understand the tools and steps involved in creating, editing, and publishing episodes. Then, we'll talk about content planning, the effort involved, and budgting for a podcast. Finally, we'll work in groups to brainstorm ideas you can turn into your own podcast.
 
Rachel is the founder and host of Uncovering Kansas, a podcast that elevates and amplifies Kansas people, places, events, culture, and enterprise. Rachel's passion for highlighting and sharing stories about Kansas and Kansans has been recognized and rewarded by attracting subscribers from all over the world who tune in monthly for their dose of the Sunflower State. After finding success with Uncovering Kansas, Rachel leveraged her corporate leadership experience to create a second podcast that focuses on professional skill development.
 
She has also written books to complement both podcasts, which have sold internationally. As a lifelong reader with a passion for fiction and nonfiction, Rachel understands the benefit of literacy and co-founded Building a Bookshelf, a children’s literacy outreach charity, in 2010.
Uncovering Kansas Podcast
Hear the latest episodes here
Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, and other major podcast services
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/uncoveringkansas/
Sunday, October 23
​
7:30-9:30 am   “Classic Continental” Breakfast Buffet (included in ticket)

8:00-11:00 am   Book Room Open for Shopping
 
8:15-9:15am      Morning Wake Up Exercise and Story Slam 
​9:30 – 10:15 am
PRESENTATION BLOCK 6 – EXPLORING COMMUNITY AND INSPIRATION
 
Janice Northerns
Writing Poetry Book Reviews for Publication
  
Stephen Johnson
Subject, Transformation, Joy (Exploring an Idea from Spark to Publication for children’s books)
 
Renee La Viness
How to Find Critique Groups and Survive Them Until You Love Them
10:30 – 11:30 am
PRESENTATION BLOCK 7 – BLENDING THE ARTS
 
Join artists Stephen T. Johnson, Louis Copt, Yangfei Gao, and Perry Shepard for a discussion.
 
How do authors find artists for cover illustrations? What does a book cover designer do? What can a new artist do who is seeking to produce in more than one area?
 
Our panel of artists-authors will give practical information on blending the arts. Join us for this opportunity to learn from the experts.

Moderator: Micki Carroll 
11:45 am-12:30 pm  Lunch Buffet (included in ticket)
 
12:30-1:00 pm Literary Awards Presentation
                        Linzi Garcia – Poetry Contest Manager
                        Lindsey Bartlett – Prose Contest Manager
 
1:00 pm (or end of awards presentation)
                        Thank you for coming – 2023 State President
                        Invitation to Attend 2023 Event
“We live in an era of spectacular change. During these exciting times, with civilizations’ phenomenal growth in knowledge and achievement, we cannot afford to remain static. We must attune ourselves to the age in which we live.”

-Virginia L. Reichert, 39th State President of Kansas Authors Club
1966 Kansas Authors Club yearbook

2022 Convention Advertising Packages

  • Ads will be displayed on the Kansas Authors Club website throughout the year (home page and convention page with links through to the advertiser’s website).

  • Ads will be featured individually on Kansas Authors Club social media pages at least three times.

  • Ads will be printed in the 2022 Convention Program (virtual and print edition).
​
  • Ads will be printed in the 2023 Kansas Authors Club yearbook and remain a part of the 2022 convention online archives.
2021 Convention Closing & Invitation to the 2022 Convention

Anne Spry, D1 President & 2021 Convention Chair
Duane Johnson, 2020-21 State President
Tracy Million Simmons, 2022 State President & Part Time Manager
​