Hannah Dapogny was born and raised in China. She spent the first 13 years of her life there. Her family moved to Russell 6 years ago and now she's 19. She loves Chinese literature because it's a beautiful language, but she also likes English literature, especially prose, because it gives her a sense of freedom. She loves singing and did some lyric writing when she was younger, and she is very excited to learn about different types of writing. Glad to have you, Hannah. KAC members will be happy to share and support as you explore your new adventures in writing.
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Tracy Million Simmons provided a well-received program on the importance of reading books by local authors. This post includes links that are mentioned in the recording, as well as links that were inadvertently left out. There was some excellent discussion at the end of the approximately 1/2 hour program which is summarized below. Where to find books by Kansas Authors Kansas Authors Club Website
Washburn University's Map of Kansas Literature State Library of Kansas, Notable Books & 150 "Best" Kansas Books List Regional Presses Sign up for their newsletters & follow them on social media. If you know of a regional press missing from this list, please send us a note via "submit news" (right menu bar). Discussion Notes from the July Meeting Many local libraries have rooms or sections dedicated to Kansas literature, past and present. Examples: Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library, Mabee Library on Washburn's campus Most libraries have a process for suggesting new titles for library aquisition. Member Ruth Maus has a page on her website with instructions for posting book reviews to Amazon & Goodreads. Members are also invited to submit their book reviews to the Kansas Authors Club website. Posting reviews or even just "what am I reading now" photos on social media would work too. Kansas Authors Club maintains a Resources for Writers database. This is in the "member" section of the website. Sign-in is required. Members may add themselves if they provide services to other writers and those looking for services can view the entries. 105 Meadowlark Reader maintains a Resources for Writers document that is updated twice a year and available to download for free. IDEA: What about creating an award for members who read and/or review the most books by Kansas writers. Social Media Hashtags: Let's all use #readlocalKS and #kansasauthorsclub Additional post ideas for the Kansas Authors Club website. Posts with book lists centered around a theme. Members are encouraged and welcome to submit these to our website. Midwest Independent Booksellers maintains an Indie Road Map that includes Kansas bookstores. Ideas to add? Please feel free to share them in the comments to this post. ![]() Words in the Wind, Kansas Authors Club's monthly open mic, will feature poet Davi Nicoll
this Wednesday, July 24, at Round Table Bookstore. Davi is a poet, kink community organizer, artist of several kinds, and burlesque performer. They are also the founder of Midnight Market, an erotic arts collective and sex education initiative based in Lawrence Currently, Davi travels up and down the eastern border of Kansas, lives in the southeast corner of the state and hosts Poetry Munch, a monthly poetry reading/kink community mixer as well as quarterly Kink Nites. It’s not a sex party but it is a sexy party. They also organize the JoMo Poetry Renaissance, an offshoot of the NJ Poetry Renaissance based in Joplin Missouri. The group hosts weekly open mics. Sign-up begins at 6 p.m., and Davi will begin at 6:15 See attached flyer Help fund the KAC convention scholarship fund by eating at Chipolte in Wichita on Saturday, July 20 from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. They donate 1/4 of the event sales to our club. IMPORTANT: YOU MUST TELL THEM YOUR ARE THERE FOR KANSAS AUTHORS CLUB FUNDRAISER. Show them the flyer below or give them the code FCHF9JY You may also contribute to the scholarship fund via the following page on our website.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE EMPORIA, KANSAS: Meadowlark Press is pleased to announce the newest children’s title on the Meadowlark bookshelf. The Heights of Love, a poem by Boyd Bauman, illustrated by Onalee Nicklin is about the lengths a father will go to for a daughter. A little girl’s request for a bunkbed, so that her daddy doesn’t have to lean down so far to kiss her goodnight, leads to lofty dreams. When “she longed for a bunk bed tall enough she could nest in that tree,” her father’s love compels him to comply. Soon, the girl is sleeping among the clouds and stars. But is she satisfied? The 32-page illustrated book is a great bedtime story for daddies and dreamers. Bauman grew up on a small ranch south of Bern, Kansas, his dad the storyteller and his mom the family scribe. He has published two books of poetry: Cleave and Scheherazade Plays the Chestnut Tree Café. After stints in New York, Colorado, Alaska, Japan, and Vietnam, Boyd now is a librarian and writer in Kansas City, inspired by his three lovely muses. The book is illustrated by Onalee Nicklin, best known for her fantasy or “storybook” pencil drawings. The illustrations were done with graphite pencils and colored pencils. Onalee lives in a small cottage on a farm near Emporia, Kansas, with her husband, her cat, and numerous species of wildlife. She is the illustrator of the Kansas Notable Book (2022), Ava: A Year of Adventure in the Life of an American Avocet, story by Mandy Kern, and the author/illustrator of To Hide a Hazelnut. The Heights of Love is available through www.meadowlarkbookstore.com and wherever readers buy books. Meadowlark encourages readers to support their nearest independent bookseller by purchasing this and all books locally. ### Boyd Bauman and Onalee Nicklin are both members of Kansas Authors Club, District 2.
Fred Fanning and his wife Tammy are returning to Salina after living in Arkansas for three years. He is also returning to the Kansas Authors Club. Fred wrote part-time while he was employed; now that he is retired, he writes full-time. Fred writes primarily on Occupational Safety and Health. He has authored first and second editions of peer-reviewed books and chapters published by the American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP). He self-published another five non-fiction books and two novels using Kindle Direct Publishing. Fred has authored over fifty technical articles in various publications and received awards for his writing. He received two finalist awards for his book Essential Safety Programs. The first award was from Reader’s Favorite and the second was from Book Excellence Awards. Fred also received a BRAG Award for his book Mystery at Devil's Elbow.
Saturday, July 20, 2024, 1:30 p.m. Join us on Zoom for this month's program: The Case for Reading Local, by Kansas Authors Club Executive Director, Tracy Million Simmons. We are excited to bring monthly programs to our members across the state (and beyond) via Zoom. Some of our members combine this programming with monthly in-person meetings. Some attend from the comfort of their own homes. Membership in Kansas Authors Club is open to anyone with an interest in writing. All members will also receive the link for attendance in the monthly email newsletter. The Case for Reading Local Presenter: Tracy Million Simmons, Executive Director of Kansas Authors Club Location: Zoom Presentation Category: Inspiration As the owner of a small regional press, Tracy has spent the last ten years working with authors to bring books of prose and poetry to the public. As 24-year Kansas Authors Club member, she has learned the stories of hundreds of local authors. Tracy will give us an overview of the realities of the world of book publishing today, with a focus on the state of regional and small presses and independent authors. This program will focus on the power of readers to shape and influence and make an impact. Please join us, and feel free to invite your book-loving friends. Tracy Million Simmons had a twenty-year freelance career spanning work with entrepreneurs on newsletters, marketing materials, and website design, and published more than 500 articles and essays in niche to national publications. During that time she worked as an editor and on layout and design for assorted small press publishers and book packagers. She is currently the owner/publisher of Meadowlark Press, celebrating ten years in business in 2024. Meadowlark has published more than 70 titles, including six Kansas Notables. Meadowlark books have been recognized by the High Plains Book Awards, Midwest Book Awards, and every category of Kansas Authors Club book awards.
Tracy is the author of Green Bike (with Kevin Rabas and Michael D. Graves), A Life in Progress and Other Short Stories, and Tiger Hunting, the 2013 J. Donald Coffin Memorial Book Award winner from the Kansas Authors Club. Tracy currently serves as the Executive Director of the Kansas Authors Club. His poem: "Words and Wind" was accepted to be part of the written word exhibition at the Arts Connect gallery in Topeka entitled: "Blooming in the Noise of the Whirlwind" for the months of June and July.
Heron Clan, anthology eleven, contined two of his poems: "Book Launch" and "My Slave Brothers." No Country Literary Journal posted his poem: "Grieving For..." The Adirondack Center for Writing posted his poem: "My Children I See." Poetry Market Ezine posted a review of "No Known Address," his poetic response to the Holocaust. Kansas Authors Club Yearbook published his short story: "Finding Sister Ad," about a family's attempt to find an enslaved sister who had been sold off before the Civil War. Spillwords posted his poem: "Bones Waiting." Cadence (an anthology) published four poems of his while Fevers of the Mind posted five. Additional work was accepted for future publication. So that makes a total of 14 poems published in some way, plus a very short, short story, and one book review. It was a good month. Paul Lamb (D2) was recently interviewed at Whispering Stories about his new novel, Parent Imperfect, and his writing life.
Franklin C. Powers December 2, 1936 - June 24, 2024 Member 2017-2024 District 7 President and member of Kansas Authors Club since 2017, passed away on June 24, 2024. Though a relatively new member of the club, Frank stepped into a leadership role and enjoyed documenting stories from his life and of the history of Gove County. He published memories in Reminisce Magazine and enjoyed reading stories each year to the children at Quinter Elementary where his grandchildren attended school. Members who would like to share memories of Frank, please feel free to add them in the comments section of this post or email them to KansasAuthorsClub AT gmail DOT com.
WATERCOLORS by Holly Friesen Every watercolor painting tells a story with warm colors of yellow, orange, pink- soothing colors of green, blues, violet-starry nights, mountain scenes, flower expressions, a Dream Cottage and more. Added to the collection are two other works of art: Happy Tulips rendered in pastel and Before Christmas Morning, drawn with India ink and a stick. Hours for Holly’s Hallway Show at the Manhattan Arts Center are: Noon to 5:30pm Tuesdays through Fridays JULY 2nd - JULY 26th 1500 Poyntz, Manhattan, KS PURCHASE CARDS, MINI POSTERS, PRINTS of the ORGINAL PAINTINGS
Send a special message to your friends, family and those who need some encouragement with a cards, prints and mini-posters in your home. THREE ORIGINAL PAINTINGS and ONE PASTEL are for SALE- Spring Rose, Butterflies, Gus-Gus the Goldfish and Happy Tulips BONUS: TWO Beautiful Children's Books written by Holly: 1. Janey Olsen, Famous Artist of the Beach which won the Kansas Authors Club Children’s Book Award in 2022. 2. Five True Rusty Stories, as told to our children growing up by Holly's husband Rob. These are adventures of his beagle puppy Rusty while growing up in the '70s in Tampa, Florida, will become a treasure to your whole family. Mark Landon Jarvis is a professor of Children’s Literature. He holds a Bachelor’s in education and a Master’s in English from Kansas State University. His novels in the Endless Tempest series are set in the Midwest but span the world. They are near-future, soft science fiction stories of characters overcoming crushing corporate control. Jarvis, a native Kansan, continues to thrive with his family on a hobby farm outside of Whitewater, Ks. He adds: "I am an award-winning author! When I was young, I won my one and only trophy from the Kansas Authors Club for a short story titled "Nomad." I'd say I owe it all to this organization!" Delighted to have you, especially since KAC obviously set you on the right road!
Barbara A Meier recently moved back to her childhood home of Lincoln, KS. Before that she lived in Southern Oregon for over 35 years and 3 years in Colorado. She likes to explore the different environments in her writing. She is enjoying reliving her memories and reacquainting herself with the prairies. She is a retired teacher who now works in a second grade classroom as a paraprofessional in Lincoln, KS. Her recent publications include: The Gentian, LIT eZINE, Pure Slush, The Mersey Review, Antler Velvet Arts, Piker Press, Linked Verse, Ars Sententia, Cafe Haiku, Bare Hill Review, Ephemeras Literary Magazine, The Green Silk Journal.Upcoming publications include Anomaly Poetry Anthology Series, Blood & Bourbon, DarkWinter Literary Magazine, Minute Musings, Hog River Press and The Cost of our Baggage Anthology. She has three chapbooks published: “Wildfire LAL 6," from Ghost City Press, “Getting Through Gold Beach,” from Writing Knights Press, and “Sylvan Grove,” from The Poetry Box. She loves all things ancient. Welcome back to Kansas, and to the Authors Club!
Morgan O.H. McCune recently retired from Pittsburg State University in southeast Kansas. Now based in Topeka, her home town, she holds an M.F.A. in Poetry from Washington University in St. Louis (1991) and an M.L.S. from Emporia State University (2002). Her poems have been published in River Styx, Flint Hills Review, and other places. She is co-editor of The Coop: A Poetry Cooperative (https://150kansaspoems.wordpress.com/) and Assistant Poetry Editor of The Midwest Quarterly. She is currently working on her first book. Always glad to have another poet (and librarian!) join us. Welcome, Morgan!
In partnership with The Daily Yonder, The Milk House is glad to announce the second annual Best in Rural Writing Contest.
Judged by Dr. Chea Parton, the competition is open to fiction and nonfiction entries under 6,000 words. Deadline: September 30th, 2024 The winning entry will receive $500, and the runner up $200, as well as significant exposure. For more details, go to https://www.themilkhouse.org/contest/ SAVE THE DATE Words Take Flight: Choose Your Own Adventure Kansas Writing Convention October 4-6, 2024 Rock Springs Ranch 1168 KS-157 • Junction City, KS 66441 We are pleased to announce that Jenn Bailey, an award-winning children's book author, will be our keynote speaker for our 2024 convention. Jenn comes highly recomended and we look forward to hearing what she has to say about choosing our own writing adventure! Lots of convention details have been added to the website. Please take a moment to review and share with your writing friends. We will be opening for registration on Monday, July 1!
Friday evening, starts the convention with dinner, followed by ice breakers, show and tell, and s’mores for those who want to gather by the firepit. After a day of informative sessions, Saturday evening allows authors time to process what you learned, write, meet with friends, enjoy the grounds, or gather at the firepit. Saturday daytime and Sunday morning sessions cover many areas of the writing journey: storytelling, creativity, nonfiction, description, story starters, playwriting, journaling, blogging, poetry, historical fiction, dual timelines, revising, writing believable Kansas characters, and a panel discussion on the topic of collaboration. New in 2024: This year we will offer an add-on ticket to arrive Thursday afternoon. This is an unscheduled time for attendees to use as a writing retreat day. Tickets and Housing: Both on-campus and off-campus tickets will be available, as well as virtual tickets for those who prefer to experience the convention from the comfort of their own homes. In addition to the lodge housing that attendees of the 2023 writing retreat enjoyed, private cottage rooms will be available for individuals and couples. Housing space on campus is limited and will be assigned in order that the registrations are received. The registration form will be loaded to the "Ticket Details" page on Monday, July 1, 2024. 2024 Convention Advertising Packages Final Deadline for 2024 Ads: August 31, 2024 Deadline to be included in Writing From the Center Zine: August 1, 2024 Quarter page book ads for members start at $25.00 Seeking $1000, $500, and $250 level convention sponsors, and currently taking donations to build a convention scholarship fund.
Seeking Nominations for Awards of Merit, Service Awards, and Lifetime Achievement Recognition.
Nominate members for service and achievement awards. The nomination form is now online. Deadline: July 1 ![]() Member Linzi Garcia coordinated a five-week writing program with fifth-grade students as a board member of House of Morrow. Member Kevin Rabas was one of the classroom guests. House of Morrow is excited to announce the inaugural launch of the Diverse Voices/Voces Diversas Literacy Program with the fifth-grade students at Walnut Elementary School!
Program Description: House of Morrow is a local arts fund within the Emporia Community Foundation. It focuses on providing programs and services, primarily focused on the arts, to Emporia youth. House of Morrow Board Member Linzi Garcia, as well as specially invited local guest authors and artists, are currently leading a creative writing program designed to engage the fifth-grade students at Walnut Elementary in the art of creative writing using language in conventional and experimental ways, including with poetry, music, and visual art. This program emphasizes nurturing creativity, enhancing writing skills, fostering self-expression, and promoting personal and peer acceptance. Each student has been gifted a notebook and custom pen, provided by local printer, Chester Press, to use during this program and beyond. Classroom guests included Poet Laureate of Kansas Emeritus Kevin Rabas, artist Deon Morrow, and theatre teacher Kacie Hastings. At the end of this five-week program, an anthology of the students’ creative works from this time will be published by local book publisher, Meadowlark Press. This means each student will be a published author! Chester Press will print the book and partner with a Wichita company to bind it. House of Morrow and Walnut Elementary will also host a book launch and reading event to celebrate the students’ creation. The event is free and open to the public. More details to come. Copies of the book will be gifted to students. The books will also be available for purchase, serving as a fundraiser for Walnut Elementary School and House of Morrow. Funding this program is made possible in part by the United Way United for Racial Equity Grant. The grant, as well as House of Morrow funds, cover the cost of notebooks, pens, guest speaker compensation, book printing, and event supplies. House of Morrow extends a hearty thank you to United Way and to everyone who has donated to House of Morrow. House of Morrow Mission: Our goal is to assist underserved communities in Emporia through the cultivation of public art and services. We aim to positively impact the community by creating innovative programs for the youth and providing them with tools to make a difference in their lives. We strive to empower those in need and foster a sense of community through public service and art projects. Working together will create a better future for Emporia and its residents. Linzi Garcia Bio: Linzi Garcia lives in Emporia, where she serves as the publicist and poetry editor for Meadowlark Press and as a board member for House of Morrow. While earning her MA in creative writing from Emporia State University, she worked as the graduate assistant to Poet Laureate of Kansas Emeritus Kevin Rabas and as an editorial assistant with Bluestem Press and Flint Hills Review. During that time, she also worked as a composition professor at the university and a reporter for The Emporia Gazette. Linzi has facilitated over 50 community writing workshops and poetry readings across Kansas. She is the author of Thank You (Spartan Press, 2018) and co-author of Live a Great Story (Analog Submission Press, 2019) and While Away: Travel Poems (Spartan Press, 2022). Linzi is a recipient of a 2023 NextGen Under 30 Kansas Award in the arts category. Deon Morrow Bio: Deon Morrow, a passionate advocate for education, brings a wealth of experience and dedication to our literacy program. As an integral part of our school community, Deon is committed to creating an environment where students not only excel academically but also discover the joy of reading. With a background in educational leadership, Deon understands the importance of instilling a love for learning in our students. Deon is also a recipient of a 2024 NextGen Under 30 Kansas Award in the arts category. Paul Lamb (D2) had one of his short stories performed at the Liars' League event in London this month. The story, "Back of the Pack," is Paul's love letter to all of the runners, like him, who finish at the back of the pack. You can go to the link here to watch the performance. ![]() If you have news of writing events that would be of interest to all Kansas Authors Club members, or if you are a member (dues current) who would like to announce an achievement, please submit your news via this form. The Kansas Association of Teachers of English will host its annual conference on November 1 and 2 in Wichita. This year their theme is “Voices from Our Backyard.” In light of the theme, they are looking for local authors who might be interested in exhibiting their books. Here is a link to the proposal site.
Call for local authors: Creativity and expertise thrive in our own backyard, but too often we're looking at the grass on the other side of the fence. We learn from our colleagues, our students, local authors and artists. This year, the Kansas Association of Teachers of English would like to highlight experts and creatives from the Midwest. If you don't think of yourself as an "expert," don't worry! We'd still love to hear from you. We are looking for local/KS/Midwest authors whose works are geared towards students, teachers, and classrooms across the education spectrum (pre-K - post-secondary). Proposal acceptance guarantees authors will be given table space to vend and sign their works, as well as network with educators from around the state. For each day at the conference, KATE requests one book be donated for the conference door prizes. |
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