Category: James Kenyon

Group Enjoys Zoom Open Mic

1/13/2023

Each month on 2nd Tuesdays, District 3 & 4 members have been gathering on ZOOM to share their written work.

You are invited!

The featured reader in February is Duane Johnson (Topeka member and former state president, 2020-21). Duane will be reading poems from his 2022 award-winning chapbook. After the featured reader, attendees are invited to share their own work (prepare for reading 3-4 minute excerpts, please).

Updated: This event has been moved to March
Save the date: Tuesday, March 14, 7pm

Members Nila Jean Spencer (Maryland), Tracy Million Simmons, Kris Polansky, Duane Johnson, Vickie Guillot, James Kenyon, and Nancy Julien Kopp met in January on Zoom for an Open Mic. Districts 3 & 4 began hosting this 2nd Tuesday meeting in 2021. All members of Kansas Authors Club are invited to attend.

2022 Coffin Memorial Nonfiction Book Award

11/3/2022

Note from the Judge:
Arguably, nonfiction books are more divergent than any other type of writing. The following questions provide a practical approach for judging such books: (1) Would a person interested in the subject pull the book off the shelf? (2) Would they want to look inside? (3) Would they be tempted to explore the book further? (4) If they read the book, would they find accurate, up-to-date facts and would their expectations otherwise be met? (5) Does the book provide a bonus—something unexpectedly satisfying?

If you are a cat-lover, you likely would pull A Cat Named Fatima by James Kenyon DVM from a shelf. Being a sensitive and intelligent person (as are most cat-lovers), you would be attracted to the cover art of the book—the soft, warm colors in the picture of a young girl watching a cat; the playfulness of the cat paws worked into the title; the subtitle, “Tales of 23 Cats & the People Who Loved Them;” and, on the back cover, proof the book is, indeed, written by a “DVM”—a veterinarian who obviously loves cats. Open the book, skim a few pages and be prepared to want to explore the book further. As you read, your initial impressions will be confirmed.

However, James Kenyon has not written an ordinary cute cat book. Each cat is introduced with an ode containing hints of what will follow. Kenyon slips in facts about cats and gives his readers insight into how veterinarians approach medical issues. Throughout the book he shows compassion for pets and pet owners and respect for his readers’ intelligence and their ability to handle technical terms and concepts. The cartoon-like illustrations of artist Thomas Marple add to the book’s charm. This, indeed, is a book filled with unexpectedly satisfying bonuses.

Cecilia Harris
2022 J. Donald & Bertha Coffin Memorial
Nonfiction Book Judge

Cecilia Harris resides in the historic town of Abilene where she has been a professional freelance writer for over 30 years, specializing in travel writing for the Kansas Tourism Division and other travel industry entities. In KANSAS! magazine alone, she has written over 250 articles featuring over 700 locations in the state. She also has written both state and area visitors guides, blogs about Kansas cuisine, arts, culture and heritage and Abilene attractions and events, online articles, and two books, Historic Homes of Abilene and Abilene’s Carousel. Also using her services have been the President Dwight D. Eisenhower Foundation, Meredith Corporation, Madden Media, the Kansas I-70 Association, the Kansas Society of Association Executives, and 10 regional magazines.

James Kenyon accepts the Coffin Memorial Nonfiction Book Award from Kristine Polansky

Coffin Memorial Book Award Winners

District 7 Member Publishes Book for Cat Lovers

1/12/2022

Award-Winning Author, James Kenyon, Publishes 23 True Cat Stories for the Cat Lover

Emporia, KS –James Kenyon, graduate of the Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine and a Kansas State Veterinary Distinguished Alumni recipient, has published A Cat Named Fatima: Tales of 23 Cats & The People Who Loved Them, with Meadowlark Press of Emporia, Kansas.

This is a book for people who love cats, 23 stories dedicated to those who adore their feline friends. From a three-legged barn cat to a Siamese that loved showers, from the best cat a fisherman could ever have to a veterinary clinic’s greeter, these cat stories will warm the heart, bring laughter, and perhaps a tear or two. Each story is illustrated by a delightful kitty sketch by the artist, Thomas Marple.

“Dr. Jim’s ability to tell a story about his patients and their people is unrivaled. All veterinarians have clients and patients whose stories brought us joy in our veterinary profession. I admire Jim’s ability to share those stories in a fascinating way. His gift is to make those clients and patients come to life and that makes this book so much fun to read. I can picture the patients and clients in their settings and fondly remember my patients too. Any animal lover or kind-hearted person will enjoy these stories. It’s not just about animals and their health, it’s about caring, kindness, and connections between individuals and the human-animal bond. The relationships make our lives so much more enjoyable,” writes Tom Johnson DVM Retired, Small Animal Practitioner 25 years, Director of the Iowa Veterinary Medical Association, and Director of the Veterinary Teaching Hospital at Iowa State University.

Kenyon was a veterinarian for 35 years in a mixed animal practice in Cedar Falls, Iowa. He served in the US Army Veterinary Corps and is an eight-time veterinary volunteer for the Iditarod Alaskan dog sled race. He is a past president of the Iowa Veterinary Medical Association as well as chairman of the Iowa Veterinary Medical Examining Board. Kenyon is the author of, A Cow for College and Other Stories of 1950s Farm Life and Golden Rule Days: History and Recollections of 109 Closed Kansas High Schools. Both books received commendation as Martin Kansas History Book Award winners.

A Cat Named Fatima is available in paperback (ISBN: ISBN: 978-1-956578-05-8) and hardcover (ISBN: 978-1-956578-06-5). The book can be ordered direct from the publisher (https://meadowlark-books.square.site/), the author (https://www.jamesrkenyon.com/), or through any bookstore. Bookstores, retailers, and libraries are invited to order through Ingram Distribution services or contact Meadowlark Books at info@meadowlark-books.com for bulk ordering instructions.

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Dr. James Kenyon is a member of District 7 of the Kansas Authors Club. He was born and raised in Graham County. He currently resides in Cedar Falls, Iowa, where he managed a mixed animal veterinary practice for 35 years.

Group Enjoys Zoom Open Mic

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2022 Coffin Memorial Nonfiction Book Award

District 7 Member Publishes Book for Cat Lovers

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