Blog Archives

A Sneak Peek at the State Writing Retreat Program

8/28/2023

Kansas Authors Club is trying something entirely new this year. Instead of hosting a big hotel-based convention in October, we are gathering for "A Moment to Write" at Rock Springs Ranch near Junction City, Kansas.

This is the All-Inclusive Writing Vacation You've Always Dreamed of!

JOIN US FOR

A MOMENT TO

WRITE

THE 2023 FALL GATHERING
OF THE
KANSAS AUTHORS CLUB

—A WRITING RETREAT--

Click Below to learn more:

Retreat Program (in progress)

Place an Ad in our Program

Priming the Pump

8/28/2023

“The writing retreat was encouraging to me. A much needed opportunity to “prime the pump” as well as meet writers in this area.” Judie Miller commented at the end of the retreat.
D5 sponsored a writing retreat Saturday, August 26. It was the first in my association with D5, and I’m sure it will not be the last. The writing activities stretched our skills and resulted in new friendships.
Mary Coley, not only a gifted author but also a gifted writing instructor, led us through four exercises. Each of the exercises challenged us to stimulate our creativity when describing place, humans, nonhuman objects, and emotions. She gave a short instruction with handouts, sent us off to our corners to write, brought us back, critiqued our efforts, gave new instructions, and sent us off to write again.
For me, the most challenging exercise involved writing emotions as metaphor. The group’s efforts often turned out to be a simile or personification. Here is an example.
Disappointment is a canary that escaped from its cage. It flits into the sunshine through an open window. But when dusk arrives, the window has closed. The bird collides with invisible glass and falls to the ground, stunned, but whole. It will fly again tomorrow.
Teaser: At the D5 meeting in December, we will explore writing emotions as metaphor after our election of officers and business meeting.
The retreat attendees ended up being an eclectic group in age, writing experience, and genre. The pieces we wrote and shared included young adult, poetry, memoir, contemporary fiction, historical fiction, and mystery.
Our venue was at a rural property three miles north of Winfield owned by Ann Fell. If you as an individual or as a small group desire a writing get-away location, I suggest you contact her. The beautiful setting and peaceful atmosphere primed our writing pumps.

Sandee Taylor
D5 president

Welcome New Member Conlan Murphy

8/26/2023

This is a picture of my desk where I just finished a collection of stories about Bigfoot.

Today we welcome Conlan Murphy of Lawrence to District 2 and to the Kansas Authors Club.

My name is Conlan Murphy under the pen name Connlyn Sinclair. I write children’s fantasy stories. My book of fairy tales based on the works of Francis James Child is currently being published by Anamcara Press, I also am teaching myself to write detective stories for adults.

August Presentation Now Available for Viewing

8/24/2023

The presentation by Catherine Hedge and Nancy Julien Kopp is now available on the member pages of our website for viewing. It will remain available until replaced by the October presentation.

Members must have a sign-on to view from this page.

Memoir — The Long and Short of It

8/14/2023

August 19, 2023, 1:30 pm

Presenters: Catherine Hedge and Nancy Julien Kopp

This presentation will take place at the Manhattan Public Library, 629 Poyntz Ave. All members and guests are welcome to attend this presentation in person.

The presentation will also be broadcast via Zoom.

Since the beginning of time, humans have told stories. Whether painted on cave walls, etched on soft clay, or tapped on a cell phone, we try to share our unique lives. For a lasting transcription, it is valuable to go beyond the diary or journal. Crafting our stories by using strategies of good writing and rewriting opens our memoirs and life stories to be accessible for all. Not just for those who love us. A good story told well is a gift to humanity. It’s time to get started.

Join Nancy Kopp, writer and blogger, and Cathy Hedge, writer and editor, to explore the scope of memoir writing. We will share techniques to bring your stories to life and publication strategies. Cathy and Nancy are co-leaders for the Prairie Star Writing Group at Meadowlark Hills in Manhattan. This group was begun by the late Charley Kempthorne, founder of the LifeStory Institute.

Members should receive the Zoom link via their monthly news email or from their district president. The link is also available via the member pages of our website.

KAC Represented at Wichita Library Event

8/12/2023

Several Kansas Authors Club members participated in the Wichita Public Library's annual Local Author Day. Our authors took advantage of an opportunity to sell their books, talk to readers, and visit with author friends from across the area. Sandee Taylor, D5 president, set up a table to answer authors' questions about our organization. Ray Racobs assisted her.

Herrmann Poetry Titles Launch at Words on the Wind Open Mic

8/11/2023

On Wed, Aug 16, at 6:15 p.m. beginning the monthly open mic, Words on the Wind, sponsored by KAC - District 1, at Round Table Bookstore, 826 N. Kansas, in Topeka, will be a brief launch of Duane L Herrmann's three most recent collections of poetry. The newest title is: I Sing of Open Spaces. The others are: Zephyrs of the Heart and No Known Address. The last is his response to the Holocaust and the personal connection of his Great Grandfather's hometown in Bavaria.

Lori Stratton Featured Reader at Johnson County Library's Open Mic Night

8/11/2023

District 2 member Lori Stratton was a featured reader at the Johnson County Library's Open Mike Night on Friday, July 28, 2023. Lori read her poem "Seasons," a contest winner in the "Cycles" poetry contest sponsored by the library.

The Johnson County Library hosts an open mike night to feature writing contest winners and drop-in writers from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. the fourth Friday of each month at Bear Necessities Coffee Bar, 9609 W 87th St, Overland Park.

Local Author Day returns to Wichita Public Library

8/9/2023

Wichita Public Library’s Local Author Day returns Saturday, August 12 at the Advanced Learning Library, 711 W. 2nd St. Local Author Day celebrates local writing talent and invites local authors to meet new fans and for readers to learn about authors in Wichita.

“Wichita has a vibrant writing community and this annual program helps bring their talent to the spotlight,” said Sara Dixon, Adult Programming Manager at Wichita Public Library. “One of Wichita’s hidden gems is its community of talented writers.”

A writer’s panel will take place from 10:30-11:30 a.m. From 2-4 p.m., an author expo featuring dozens of local authors will provide an opportunity for the public to meet authors and purchase their work.

The writers participating in the panel discussion include Sarah Henning (Lawrence, Kansas), Amy Avery (Kansas) and Danielle Ramirez (Wichita, Kansas).

The Library has made significant efforts to give local writers space to develop and share their work. The “Community Writing Workshop” meets the first Thursday of each month and includes a craft lesson applicable across genres, a writing prompt for fresh writing opportunities, and workshop time to receive feedback on writing. The Library also participates in National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) each November and hosts several programs to support writers during the month. And recently, the Library hosted “Celebrate Writing” which provided an open mic-like space for writers to share their work in front of an audience.

More information about Local Author Day can be found at www.wichitalibrary.org.

Welcome New Member Peggy Phillips

8/8/2023

Today we welcome Peggy M. Phillips of Valley Center to District 5 and to the Kansas Authors Club.

Peggy M. Phillips is an author writing in the Christian Fiction-Metaphysical genre. Peggy debuted her first work of fiction in November 2022 with the poignant and powerful epistolary novella, “Letters to the Little Flower The Gift of Spiritual Companionship with St. Therese of Lisieux.”

Born in Wichita, KS, United States, Peggy grew up in a large Catholic family in a small Kansas town. Formerly a staff writer for the Salina Journal, Peggy is a Registered Nurse who works in mental health services. Her Catholic formation, along with her healthcare vocation, inform her writing. In her free time, Peggy enjoys hiking the beautiful nature trails of Kansas, watching Kansas sunrises and sunsets, and spending time with her family.

CU

Now taking member literary entries for 2024 Yearbook

8/3/2023

Due Between August 1 and October 31, electronic receipt or postmark

Every Member having paid current dues is invited to submit ONE literary contribution for the yearbook. That submission can be either prose or poetry. Prose is limited to one printed page (no more than 500 words). Poetry is limited to one printed page (no more than 40 lines including spaces between verses).

All literary contributions remain the property of the individual authors. Authors may continue to use or distribute their work without requesting permission from the Kansas Authors Club. No work printed in the KAC yearbook may be copied or distributed in any form without explicit permission from the author.
Yearbook Submissions are preferred via the online site, Submittable. There is NO CHARGE to submit a yearbook entry.

Submit via Submittable

Wichita Public Library - Local Author Day - August 12 - 2-4pm

8/1/2023

Local Author Day is back for another year! Meet Wichita's diverse array of local authors at Wichita Public Library's Local Author Day. Authors will be on hand with copies of their books available for sale, including both adult and children's titles. This event showcases the talents of our literary community and fosters dialogue between authors and their readers.

Local Author Day @ Wichita Public Library

Schedule of Events
Writer's Panel - 10:30-11:30 am
Featuring D5 member, Danielle Ramirez!

Local Author Day - 2:00-4:00 pm

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