Welcome, Steve Linder, to Kansas Authors Club!

​Steven Linder lives in Wichita, Kansas and writes novels of western history, adventure, and suspense.

Today we welcome Samantha Morrison of Topeka (D-1)to the Kansas Authors Club! 

Samantha shared a little bit about herself. 

​I am thrilled to be a part of the group. I have been writing all of my life, it seems, but am not published. I am hoping 2023 is the year. I enjoy writing poetry and short stories. I look forward to participating in the many events KAC hosts and meeting the wonderful people involved as well.

Welcome, Samantha!

Another new member! We welcome Rachel Anne Jones of Cottonwood Falls (District 4). 

We've asked Rachel to tell us a bit about herself.

I write Young Adult fiction and adult fiction. I live in the Flint Hills of Kansas. My husband and I have lived in Cottonwood Falls for 21 years, and we’ve raised three children here.

My published works are YA contemporary romance and YA contemporary romantic suspense. I have one published adult light holiday romance as well. I am published with a traditional publisher out of Minnesota, Fire & Ice Publishing for Young Adult and Melange Satin imprint for adult.

I have one self-published YA fiction work titled “Black and White” that was released in 2019. Since that time, I have released seven traditionally published works of fiction and per contracts signed, plan to release seven more traditionally published works between now and December 2023.

I work FT as a nurse at a health department in Chase County. I feel very fortunate to work in the community where I live. I thoroughly enjoy writing as a hobby and devote at least two hours each day to writing. I used to be a medical transcriptionist and so the volume is not difficult for me. Finding the right words is the challenge.

I enjoy writing fiction, but attempt to address social issues as well in my writing. I also enjoy writing poetry. One of my poems, “The Art of Preserving” was published in a Field Journal from Symphony in the Flint Hills: Volume XIV/2022/weather.

I am currently working on an adult romantic suspense story as well as a work of fiction about a family coming together for Thanksgiving after being divided by traumatic life events and the current issues that plague today’s social climate. 


facebook.com/RachelAnneJonesAuthor

https://www.bookbub.com/profile/rachel-anne-jones 

Photo credit: Dave Leiker

Today, we welcome Caryn Mirriam-Goldberg, a former Kansas Poet Laureate (2009-2013), to the Kansas Authors Club and District 2. She offers workshops and coaching services to other writers. 

My offerings to writers of late:

I invite interested writers to consider joining me in the Poetry Playhouse, a six-week writing workshop online with three Zoom sessions. We set sail Jan. 9-Feb. 26, each week exploring another room in our memories, experiences, insights, and visions, including:

• Week One -- The Playroom: Creating With Abandon: Find your creative magic and mojo through a more playful relationship with your poetry.

• Week Two -- The Living Room: Drawing From Real Life: By leaning into our life's experiences, we can find ample material for poetry.

• Week Three -- The Family Room: Writing About Families of Origin, of Choice, and of Your Own Creation: "Anyone who survived a childhood has enough material to last him the rest of his days," says Flannery O'Connor.

• Week Four -- The Kitchen: The Nourishment of Intimate Exchanges: The kitchen is often the center of any party for a good reason: food, and the making and keeping of it, draws us together.

• Week Five -- The Bedroom: Dreams, Sex, and Other Adventures in the Dark: By exploring what makes us wild and takes us beyond daytime stories about who we are, we can access new ways into our poems.

• Week Six -- The Basement, Attic, and Porch: Poetic Roots and Wings: The basements and attics are where we store a lot of stuff: what comes out seasonally or not at all, what we're inherited from our ancestors, and what possibilities we may use one day

More information here: http://www.carynmirriamgoldberg.com/workshops-readings-talks/poetry-playhouse/.

I also offer writers coaching on beginning, developing, and finishing projects, whether an essay, a novel or memoir, a collection of poetry, or whatever else is calling your name on the page. If you’re interested, we can meet for a free 20-minute discovery call. Details here: http://carynmirriam-Goldberg.com/coaching

My latest writing: I’ve been working on a memoir with the working title of The Magic Eye about my sojourn through eye cancer and my family and my 35-year odyssey saving the family land, both of which happened before and during the pandemic. It’s a story about new ways of seeing and being in this world, the healing power of the earth, and what it can mean to fall in love with a piece of land and a community for the long term. I’m also writing a lot of new poetry which will surely come together around a theme to
be determined.

About Me: I’ve been writing for close to 50 years, starting with poetry and branching out to fiction,
memoir, songs, and essays.

I’m the past Kansas Poet Laureate and the author of 24 books or anthologies, all of which you can find at my website (http://carynmirriamgoldberg.com).

I live south of Lawrence with the deer, turkeys, a loud tiny cat, a neurotic border collie, and a long-time husband on land we’ve been restoring to tallgrass prairie.

​

Welcome New Member Angee Barcus! 

I was a member of KAC when I lived in Lawrence, KS a few years ago. We moved to Cape Coral, Fl about 2 1/2 years ago, after living in Lawrence for 22 years. I have searched for a writer's group in Florida, but never joined because I didn't feel it was right for me. I wrote and self-published 3 books which are on Amazon. (mistakes and all). My reason for writing those books was that I wanted others, especially family and friends, to know what it is like to raise a child who has Down Syndrome. (Our youngest child Lisa, now 42, has Down syndrome.) In three years, I had all three of those books written and published. I used a mix of humor and honesty in my writing, to show that there can be a positive end in sight when raising a child with Down syndrome. The books offer positive answers and I relay true stories about Lisa and our family that hopefully will help others. When raising children, we parents all share similar situations but we do not all share the same opportunities when help is needed. 


About 2 1/2 years ago, I started writing about people with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities who have experienced loss and grief in their life. A lot of research and tenacity gave me the boost I needed to write about this difficult subject. I conducted a survey which helped tremendously and now I am in the process of fine-tuning the information. I have one publishing company that will be my first try at getting it published because I don't want to self-publish. I look forward to having seasoned writers help with any questions I might have.  

As far as my work history, after having four children, I pursued a nursing degree and worked in a K-12 school system that offered special education classes for those with intellectual, developmental, and physical disabilities. It was a very rewarding career, but being retired is great, too!

While I was still in the nursing profession, I also wrote a monthly newspaper column for a local newspaper. Some articles highlighted experiences in raising a child with Down syndrome. Other articles were about different organizations that helped those with disabilities in many different settings. I received the 1993 Outstanding Feature Writing Award for one article entitled "People find Hope and Help at the Victory House." The award mentioned that "she continually strives to educate and promote disability awareness issues, advocating that each and every individual can learn a vocational skill, secure meaningful employment, develop interpersonal relationships and most importantly, to live successfully and independently."

For more information, Visit Angee Barcus' facebook page. 
​https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100030703376865

Today we welcome Robert Lofthouse of Kansas City, Kansas, to District 2 and to the Kansas Authors Club. 

Robert is a guest speaker, sports journalist, bestselling and award-winning book author, book reviewer, genealogist, self-trained historian, Chiefs fan, former one-design racing sailor and budding screenwriter.
 
The NIEA, National Indie Excellence Awards, has invited him to join their 2023 Speakers Bureau, and he frequently speaks at Rotary Clubs throughout the Midwest as well as at other organizations around Kansas City Metro, does radio and podcast interviews.
 
He most recently received a Bronze Medal from the Military Writer’s Society of America for Honor Through Sacrifice, his inaugural book. The biography of Gordon Joseph Lippman, who married a Kansas woman from Council Grove, Lucille Meyer. After serving in various assignments domestically and overseas, Gordon briefly held the position of Post Commandant at Fort Riley before accepting a preferred field command with the 1st Infantry Division in Vietnam during late 1965. Now ranking as the Executive Officer of the 3rd Brigade/Big Red One, Colonel Lippman was first and foremost, a warrior and not a desk-man.
 
This book chronicles Gordon’s 22-year Army career from an 18-year old buck private paratrooper through two battlefield commissions simultaneously earning the respect and admiration of his superiors, peers, troopers and family members. He earned some of the most prestigious combat medals and recognition awarded by the US Army, receiving honors from 5 separate countries for his courage and leadership under fire.
 
Amazon recognized this book as a best-seller within two weeks of release in late October of 2021.

Robert and his wife of 42 years, Patricia, live in Kansas City, KS. He grew up in Chanute and after working internationally as an IT consultant, returned to Kansas half-a-dozen years ago. He recently completed a nation-wide speaking and book tour, as well as a journey to Southern France where he visited the same battlefields, bridges, towns and drop zone where Gordon, as a Tech-Sergeant, led his men against Hitler’s Fortress Europe 78 years ago.
 
Robert has a passion for biographies and history, served in the US Marine Corps as a Corporal in the early 70’s and is actively working on several writing projects from theology to sports and back again to histories/biographies. Robert works for Brainstorm Labs in his day-job, is a member of Lenexa Baptist Church and Vice President of Village West Rotary in KCK. He is also a member of the Henry Leavenworth Sons of the American Revolution and the Commemorative Air Force Heart of America Wing.


https://holdthelinepress.com/

Photo credit: Steve Rasmussen

We have another new member to welcome to the Kansas Authors Club. Susan Armstrong is from Haysville and is part of District 5. 

Susan Armstrong began her career as a journalist and spent a few early years in public relations and political consulting. She founded her own advertising agency, which she ran for 40 years. Now, Susan writes cozy mysteries under a pen name, Anna St. John. Her debut novel, Doomed by Blooms, features a former big city crime reporter as a small town amateur sleuth. 

The first of the Josie Posey mysteries will be released in February 2023. Susan is under contract for four additional books, and audio books, to complete the series. She's a member of Sisters in Crime and Mystery Writers of America. Find her author page here: Website Or, visit her on Twitter: @AuthorStJohn or Facebook: facebook.com/cozyauthor

Welcome, Susan! 

Today, we have the pleasure of welcoming Christine Compo-Thompson of Manhattan (D-4) to the Kansas Authors Club. 

Here's a little about Christine in her own words: 


Greetings all!  Although I am not native born I am a Kansas girl!  I began writing as a student as we all did and wrote a short novel in middle school as well as some poetry. 
 
Life and college took me into a different direction and although I've journaled and have gone through stints of writing, I've never submitted my work for review.  After having to make significant life changes in 2019, I decided to explore other creative areas besides my chosen field.  I am currently prepping a memoir and am considering fiction although fiction will be probably not be my genre.  

Welcome, Christine!

Today, we welcome Kristy Nerstheimer of Overland Park (D-2) to the Kansas Authors Club!

Congratulations also go to Kristy as her book, The Greatest Thing: A Story about Buck O'Neil, is a 2022 Kansas Notable Book Award winner! Nice job, Kristy! 

Today, we welcome Paul Lamb, a new KAC member from Overland Park (D-2). 

As is our custom, we'll let Paul tell us a bit about himself: 


I have a cabin in Missouri, at the edge of the Ozark Mountains. The cabin waits most of two hours away from my home in suburban Kansas City, and while I visit every chance I can, it is an undertaking to get there, engage in chores or foolishness, and then get home in a single day.
I can’t remember when the seed was planted to have a cabin in a forest, but I suspect it was during my summer nights at Scout camp, when I was first serenaded by whippoorwills.

When the cabin became a reality, it dismayed some of my friends. One in particular was baffled by how I could profit from rocky, scrub forest too thick to plow and too thin to timber. I told him I intended to write at my cabin. “You can’t pay your bills with writing, Thoreau,” he had scoffed. This exchange made it into my first novel.

The irony is that I don’t write there. The setting seems ideal, doesn’t it? A one-room cabin with a shady porch overlooking a sparkling lake, at the end of a road no one needs to come down, deep in a trackless forest. The only sounds that intrude are the occasional lowing of cattle from the ranch to the east or maybe a distant chainsaw. I have a chair and a table and pencils and notebooks there. I have uninterrupted solitude. I have everything a writer needs, and yet I cannot write at my cabin.

I’ve tried. Repeatedly. I’ve schlepped out there many times with my laptop and back-up battery and installed myself at my table. Notes at hand. Rested and ready. And all I feel is a desire to go outside, into the forest, down to the lake, along the paths. I want to see what bird is calling, whose shadow is floating across the ground, what I heard scampering through the leaf litter. I want to feel the sun on my skin or listen to the rain on the roof. Stare into the orange flames of a campfire. I want to throw a line in the water or watch for a beaver emerging from the lodge across the lake.

In short, when I’m there I want to do all these things that keep me from entering the fictional universe where my characters go about their lives and let me observe them.
Instead, I write at home. I’ve been doing this for a long time, so I call it a win. Originally, I was writing freelanced feature articles for newspapers and magazines. Sometimes it paid, but mostly it paid in bylines. I developed a rapport with several editors who regularly took my work, but they’d move on, and the new editors brought their own writers. My work grew unfocused; I would write about anything that would get me published. But during this feature work I was also quietly writing fiction, practicing my craft, and wondering when I would dare try submitting a story.

At a writers conference, the editor of a literary journal turned to me and, completely unbidden, asked what kind of writing I did. I told him about a story I had recently finished full of introspection and regret. He said to send it along, so I did. And he took it. I had finally become a published fiction writer.

About this time I had completed a master’s degree in English and Writing from the University of Missouri at Kansas City. I had pursued this purely as an indulgence for myself, still reeling from my misguided and soulless undergrad degree in business administration. I didn’t get the master’s to make myself more employable but to immerse myself in what I liked best and what two prescient high school English teachers had told me I should aspire to. I’m glad I did.

I continued to write features, and get them published, but the personal satisfaction that came from fiction grew, and I eventually abandoned feature work altogether. In my short stories I controlled the universe. I could write about whatever I wanted, go in any direction I wanted, and reach my own conclusions.

Most of my published fiction is what would be considered literary. Character focused, with human emotions at stake. I’ve dabbled a little in very light fantasy and even some speculative stuff, but I’ll leave that to the professionals and continue to write what seems to be my calling.

Among these stories was one I wrote about a little cabin in the Ozarks. It was supposed to be a one-off, a sort of guide for what my children might do with my cabin when I was gone. I thought the story worked well – it was eventually published – and I certainly knew the setting thoroughly. Then I thought maybe I could write another story about the cabin. That one worked well too and was also published. These stories brought a momentum with them, and soon I had a half dozen set at the cabin or about the characters connected to it. I began to wonder if I had the beginnings of a story cycle, though a friend told me that no, it was a novel. That novel became One-Match Fire.

I’m retired now from being a wage slave in the vulgar business world where I had worked to pay my bills but had never sought a career. My children are grown and flown, leading fulfilling lives. I am free to pursue writing my stories as much as I want, and so I do.

​​Welcome, Paul! 

Today, we welcome Elaine McAllister to the Kansas Authors Club. We've asked her to tell us a bit about herself and her writing.

Meet Elaine: 


I'm excited to be a part of the Kansas Authors Club, and look forward to meeting some of you at some point.

My 'short' bio is I'm an award-winning writer, author, speaker, columnist, and blogger who is the wife of one, mom of two, and BFF Gramma of eight!

I am Elaine "York" McAllister on FB. I'm intentionally not on Instagram and Twitter. I'm not very active at all on Linked In. Seems I keep busy enough without trying to keep up with every social media outlet that's OUT there!

If you want a longer version of my bio, here goes:

I'm a Midwestern gal, having lived in six states between kindergarten and high school, but I love that I have friends from all over. Though not fun at the time (to leave friends) our adventurous family life helped me to be the person I am today. I learned to adjust to new surroundings and make friends with new people to survive! It's all good. No regrets.

I'm a recent retiree. I've always loved to write, but until I retired, I really didn't pursue it other than on-the-job and/or occasional freelance articles for local newspapers. 

Since retirement, I've been quite busy! 

My debut book (Celebrate Grandparenting: 101 Ideas to Intentionally Connect with your Grands) was published (self-published) in June 2019. Book #2 was a ghostwritten memoir (Harvest of Joy) for a lady I'd never met in Arizona; published in December 2019. My first children's book was published in January 2020 (The Road to Explode). Then, ghostwriting gig #2 came along for another out-of-state lady (Lost Child of Greece: One Orphan's Incredible Journey Home); published in August of last year - 2021. My fifth book was published in January 2022 (My Brain is Amazing). 

I'm attaching the front and back sides of my newest Promo Card, which will have more about each book, plus some fun pics. 

As you can tell, my writing isn't confined to one genre. I do prefer non-fiction to fiction, but the two children's books are truly fictional (but they're 'self-help' and educational for kids who struggle, whether with explosive temperaments and strong wills OR learning difficulties because of their brains not working as they should).

My husband and I live in Hillsboro KS; lived north of McPherson for 35 years, previously. We have a son (in Hutchinson) and a daughter (in Galva), four biological grands, and four bonus grands; plus a dog named Shotgun (because he rides shotgun w/Jim) and a cat named Mufasa (who rules the house but allows us to live here, too).

I've attended several writers conferences over the last few years. A couple, even before I retired. And, I've taught at a few smaller events; I've also spoken at women's retreats, genealogy groups, and family heritage conferences. I've been published in several magazines, and for several years was a monthly columnist for an area newspaper (on the topic of senior living and grandparenting).

I've served on planning teams, and advisory boards for a few writers groups; have been involved in online (and in-person) critique groups and am a regular on online writers groups.

In my spare time (ha!) I (and my hubby) follow our grandkids' sports schedules as often as we can. I enjoy gardening (flowers) but NOT in this year's heat. I took up motorcycle riding when I was past 50, and have been across much of the nation on three wheels (I didn't try on two! Not as an almost senior citizen at the time. Jim rides on two, I ride on three, Shotgun rides shotgun!) 

​
We're happy to have you with us, Elaine! 
[cu]

Karis Ens - Welcome to District 6 and to the Kansas Authors Club!

Here's a bit of information about her: 

Karis Ens studied and graduated from Friends University in Wichita KS. with a Bachelor of Arts in Music in Piano Performance and Music Composition in 2016. She teaches piano, classical guitar, violin, sewing lessons, and does clothing alterations at her home.

She published her first book "God is Real (So is the Devil)" in 2016. In 2020, she returned to her laptop to write a children's series entitled "Piano Boy." As of now, there are three books in the series: "Neighborhood Hero," "Teacher's Hero," and "Sidetrack Mission."

Her newest children's book "A Girl and Her Cat" is about her beloved cat, Pepper, whom she had for eighteen years. Purchase her books on Amazon.com by searching "Karis Ens" in the search box.

Welcome, Karis! 

[cu]

Today we welcome Michael Durall of Salina to D-4 and the Kansas Authors Club. 

We asked Michael to share a little bit about himself: 

I was the champion sentence diagrammer in my 6th grade English class and majored in English at Fort Hays State. But I never imagined myself as a writer. That changed in the 1990s when I began publishing a newsletter for my nonprofit consulting practice. I had never felt so energized. Over a 15-year period, I wrote nine books about my work.

I currently write a weekly column for the Salina 311 newspaper which focuses on Kansas people, culture, and history. The greatest compliment I ever got was from a reader who said, “Your text is so clear — you take me by the hand, lead me down the path, and don’t let me get lost.”

Welcome, Michael! 

[cu]

Today we have the honor of welcoming Stacey Kielhorn to the Kansas Authors Club and to District 3. 

Stacey Kielhorn's pen name is Lady Daisy. Here's a little information about her. 

Lady Daisy is a retired Chief Warrant Officer 2 with over 20 years of combined service in the United States Army, Minnesota Army National Guard, and Kansas Army National Guard. She is a nurse at a Veteran’s Home and works with precious Residents in long-term care.

Lady Daisy has been blessed with a loving husband and enjoys spending time with her family and friends. She suffered many years with debilitating social anxiety and one day decided to act and quit living in fear. With professional help, life experience, and stubborn perseverance, she went from avoiding almost all social settings, to giving presentations to as many as 100 people during her military career.

Her goal is to write and illustrate whimsical children-style books with a meaningful message for adults. The goal of the messages is to recognize the humanity of other people, help people with social anxiety overcome obstacles, and increase emotional freedom. Lady Daisy is not a mental health professional. Her messages are based on her observations, personal struggles with social anxiety and desire to reach out to others.

Welcome Stacey Kielhorn, aka Lady Daisy! We're happy to have you with us. 

​[cu]

Book illustrations by Stacey Kielhorn/Lady Daisy. 

Today we welcome Sara Neiswanger of Topeka, D-1. to the Kansas Authors Club.

Sara Neiswanger is an aspiring picture book author. She is currently developing her first picture book that combines lessons from the history of her hometown, Topeka, KS, with true characters that reflect timeless qualities to instill in our youth. What will result is a pride in where we came from and where we live, along with a boost of ‘anything is possible’.

Sara has a bachelor of business administration degree from Washburn University and works full-time for a non-profit trade association advocating for its mission and cultivating a sense of belonging.
​
When not writing or working, Sara stays active playing tennis and riding her bike on the local trails. She also enjoys expanding her palate, trying new recipes and sampling microbrews.

Welcome, Sara! 

​[cu]