D6 Secretary and Treasurer Karis Ens worked recently with D6 President Melody J. Cole to help bring her newest book - the latest installment in her A Girl and Her Cat series - to the world. Cole worked as an editor for Ens, who shared more about their working relationship and experiences in a recent YouTube video.
Member, Duane L. Herrmann, submits the following publications in January:
Reiter's Block, Stick Figure Poetry, and Zona i Nari (Croatia) posted/published a total of seven poems. Adirondack Center for Writing and Carrot Ranch posted/published three responses to prompts. I Write Her posted/published six pieces of flash fiction, one of which was partially re-posted by Vixen of Verse (England) One article, in English and in Afrikaans, was posted/published in South Africa. And one fictional story was posted/published by: MasticadoresUSA Congratulations, Duane! Josie Posey and her posse of Mahjong Mavens are at it again, in this cozy mystery where the retired big city crime reporter turned small town crime solver uncovers another murder in picturesque English Village. When the clockmaker’s daughter returns home for a visit, reporter Josie Posey is assigned the task of interviewing the talented watch designer. That very afternoon the young woman falls from a ladder while inventorying antique clocks. At first, Josie is certain the fall was an accident. Everyone loved Ella McGregor Benjamin. But Ella’s deathbed statement is a mysterious riddle that can’t be ignored. With her Old English Sheepdog Moe by her side, and an ever-growing list of suspects, Josie scrambles to identify the killer before anyone else gets hurt. The local police chief wants Josie to help solve the puzzle, but stay out of his murder case. The editor of The Village Gazette wants an in-depth story for the next edition. And somebody wants Josie to stop asking questions. Deadlines loom. In this fast-paced rollercoaster ride of a mystery, the clock is ticking as Josie vows to find the killer before time runs out. A Note from the Author I’m thrilled to announce that book two in my Josie Posey Mystery Series, CLOCKED OUT, releases February 6, from Level Best Books. You’ll find this cozy mystery under my pen name, Anna St. John, online at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and other booksellers. Or, you can check with your local library or request it from your favorite independent bookstore. CLOCKED OUT will be available in paperback, ebook, and audiobook versions. As a new author, I’m working to build my Facebook page and newsletter list, so I invite Kansas authors to join me there. I would be honored to follow you in return. Facebook: @cozyauthor Website: www.anna-stjohn.com 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. I felt honored today to see my former essay in Spillwords about the Hundermark family republished in their January newsletter as the featured piece representing Kansas Day, Jan. 29. I hope you'll give it another look!
Herrmann's accomplishments in November 2023:
Congratulations, Duane! 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. New to District 6 and the Kansas Authors Club this month is Rebecca Neely, who goes by RL Neely in her writing. Rebecca writes adult epic fantasy in her Witega series, which currently has two books. Per her books' descriptions: "Little Witega" is an enthralling first installment young adult fantasy series that transports readers to a richly imagined world torn apart by war, where a courageous young girl finds herself ensnared in the clutches of captivity. This captivating tale weaves together elements of adventure, romance, and self-discovery, creating a spellbinding narrative that will leave readers on the edge of their seats. In "Soldier Witega," the captivating saga continues as Mylah awakens to a reality she never could have imagined. Captive and torn from the world she once knew, Mylah eventually finds herself in the hands of the Wlite. An enigmatic race fighting for freedom and justice in the war-torn land of Banloca or are they? You can find Rebecca's books on Amazon and Thriftbooks. In October 2023, three prose pieces and one poem by Duane L Herrmann were posted by Adirondack Center for Writing in response to their weekly writing prompts. Carrot Ranch blog posted three of his 99-word stories in response to their weekly writing prompts. Eight poems of his were posted/published in three publications:
Plus, one poem, Flames in Green, in the anthology, Poetry of the Wild Flowers, from Tiny Seed, that had been posted eariler on their site. He discovered a balance to all that. Since January 2010, he received at least 1,360 rejections of his literary submissions (most consisting of more than one piece), some pieces rejected by more than one publisher, some rejected then accepted by a different publisher (sometimes even in the same week!). Betty Berney has been a member of the Kansas Author’s Club since 1983. Betty is a lifelong resident of Phillipsburg, Kansas. She is a gifted writer and musician and among her many honors are winning first prize in the 5th Anniversary National Country Music Songwriter Contest in 1981; the Golden Poet Award presented at the 3rd Annual Poetry Convention at the Las Vegas Hilton in 1987, and the Female Country songwriter of the year by the Lumpkin Music Corporation in 1988. Her 375 plus extensive writings include poetry and songs on the following topics: Kansas, Religion, History, Local Phillipsburg Friends and Family, Patriotic, Political, love and loss. Her years of creative writing have inspired and touched many hearts.
Many of Betty’s writings remain on display at Fort Bissell in Phillips County. This note was received from Betty in April 2023. “Now hanging in the living room of my home is the framed, typed poem of Jacqueline Kennedy on colored paper with inserts of pictures of a candle and an ink bowl and pen. The frame is of walnut wood and wired to a stand. A fine picture of a graceful woman and wife of our president of the United States. I have been asked to send it near The White House for hanging in an area for pictures of Presidents wives, etc.” I nominate Betty Berney for a Lifetime Achievement in Writing Award. Nomination by Tracy Million Simmons The following service awards were presented at the Annual Meeting of the General Membership on Saturday, October 20, 2023. Nomination #1 I nominate Nichole Snyder of District 5 for an Award of Merit for Service to the club. Nichole stepped in faithfully before joining D5 to help us with our computer and Zoom issues. She agreed to serve in 2023 in a newly-created position as Technology Manager and has excelled in her gracious service. I appreciate Nichole because I know how difficult it is to listen to the speakers while trying to run club issues simultaneously, and the computer "glitches" and malfunctions have often taken considerable time over a meeting. Nominated by Connie Rae White Nomination #2 I nominate Ann Christine Fell for the KAC Service Award. Ann dedicates herself to promoting Kansas authors in her community and in the state. Currently she serves as the Writers in Community Liaison for District 5. She especially champions authors' involvement with libraries. Ann organized a small group for writers in the Winfield area. Ann was a moving force for the first D5 Writers Retreat. She found the speaker and provided the venue for the retreat. She was a gracious hostess. Working with Ann is a pleasure because of her competence and service mindedness. D5 is blessed to have her as a member. Nomination by Sandra Taylor Nomination #3
I nominate Lindsey Bartlett for the Kansas Authors Club Service Award. Lindsey joined KAC in 2021 after serving as a judge for our literary contests. In 2022, she agreed to become the prose contest manager and served in this position for two years. This year, she introduced and co-sponsored the Rural Voices category to our prose and poetry contest, a contest, bringing in a total of 51 entries, making it one of the larger categories in our contest. Lindsey is an active member of the Emporia Writers Group and has become a KAC leader serving as Co-Chair of District 2 in 2023. She has also worked as the assistant editor on our new publication, The Write from the Center Zine. Lindsey is a generous friend and an actively publishing writer. Her efforts to grow as a writer and as a KAC community builder are inspirational. Nomination by Tracy Million Simmons I entered the "Stories that need to be told," contest sponsored by Tulip Tree publishing. My story, "Stories from the un-homed," was a semifinalist. 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 Southern Arizona Press has just released their newest poetry anthology, Bedtime Verses for Children. I submitted 6 poems, and all 6 were accepted. It's a lovely book with perfect nursery rhyme kind of illustrations. 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. On September 23, 2003, Marilyn Hope Lake received two awards at the Missouri Writers Guild (MWG) Annual Conference held in Columbia MO. The MWG Presidents Contests awards are only open to MWG members and are statewide. Marilyn received a 3rd Place award in Best Nonfiction Book Category for her memoir Stories From My Life, 2022. Lake received Honorable Mention in the Best Poem Category for The Right Thank You, also published in 2022. Marilyn is a Kansas Authors Club member now residing in Missouri. Marilyn lived in Hutchinson, Kansas, from 2002-2017, was a facilitator of the 2014 Annual Conference, and remains an active member. 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. "A Family of Quilters" (I call it a mini-memoir) was published in the Aug/Sept 2023 issue of The Country Register, a quilters tabloid distributed "across the USA & Canada". Congratulations, Peg!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. My personal essay, "Touching the Lives of Others", won an Honorable Mention in The Cisco Writing Club Contest in Cisco, Texas. One of the best parts of placing in this contest was a half page of comments from the judge. Congratulations, Nancy!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 next issue of 105 Meadowlark Reader includes essays by the following Kansas Authors Club Members.
The theme of this issue is Landmarks, and expected ship date for this publication is early November, 2023. Congratulations writers! Lindsey Bartlett, Emporia Boyd Bauman, Overland Park Linda Cook, Manhattan Ann Christine Fell, Winfield Monica Graves, Emporia Carolyn Hall, Lenexa Cheryl Heide, Baldwin City Thomas Holmquist, Smolan Nancy Julien Kopp, Manhattan Marilyn Hope Lake, Columbia, MO Caryn Mirriam-Goldberg, Lawrence Julie A. Sellers, Atchison Julie Stielstra, Ellinwood Sandee Lee, El Dorado Barbara Waterman-Peters, Topeka Jon Kelly Yenser, Albuquerque, NM Sept. 16, 2023 Wichita's Chester I Lewis Park will be dedicated. It honors the Black lawyer who was nationally known for his work to bring full enforcement of the 14th Amendment to Kansas and the nation.
Gretchen Eick wrote the information accessed via QR codes on each of the beautiful tall glass panels painted with images of Lewis' work for access to equal public accommodations, housing, swimming pools, education, and employment. The paintings on glass are the work of artist Ellamonique Bauccus. Visit the park with her work and Gretchen's background information when you are in Wichita and bring the whole family. Lewis was a great and courageous man about whom all Kansans should know. Opulenece, Kansas, by Julie Stielstra (district 6), was selected as First Runner-Up in the Legacy Fiction category, which is fiction of any type published more than two years ago - because "unlike many in the industry, [they] think good books last more than a single season."
The spring 2023 issue of 105 Meadowlark Reader features the following essays by Kansas Authors Club members: A Cryptid Sighting in Kansas by Denise Low (D2) Love Bears All Things by Amy D. Kliewer (D5) Nocturnal Nuisance by Elizabeth R. Schmidt (D5) The Right Man for the Job by Brenda L. White (D2) Little Owl by Lindsey Bartlett (D2) My Heron by Michael D. Graves (D2) You Dirty Bird by Jerilynn Jones Henrikson (D2) Blessed is the Peacemaker by Cheryl Suzanne Heide (D2) Introducing the Black Tornado by Cynthia Schaker (D5) Buddy the Bookstore Beagle by Linda Crowder (D6) Princess With an Attitude by Thomas N. Holmquist (D4) Skiing in Kansas by Boyd Bauman (D2) Not a Playmate by Carolyn Hall (D2) Broken Heart by Ann Vigola Anderson (D2) I Did. I Saw a Camel! by Marilyn Hope Lake (D2) Invaders Via My Pre-vet Roommate by Annabelle Corrick (D2) Somewhere Over the Rainbow by Pamela Yenser (D7) This Is Not About Dogs by Julie Ann Baker Brin (D5) Congratulations to our members! 105 Meadowlark Reader is currently (through June 30, 2023) taking submissions on the theme of Landmarks.
Awards for achievement in writing, service to Kansas Authors Club, or a special accomplishment are presented to deserving Kansas Authors Club members at the Annual Conference. Nominations should be sent no later than July 1st of the year to be considered. Forms may be sent either by e-mail or by regular postal mail. Award winners will be selected by ballot by a committee of Kansas Authors Club members chosen by the Awards Chair. The Awards Chair will present the names of those members nominated to a selection committee before reporting final results to the KAC board as soon as possible after the deadline for nomination. Please give careful consideration to your reasons why the nominee is worthy of an award. If this person is to be considered for the achievement in writing award, then please list publications of the person’s writing, either published and/or self-published. For the service award, list what services were done both on the district and state level, how long the person held an office, etc. For the special accomplishment award, list when, where, and what this was, and describe the accomplishment. Contact the Awards Chair, Anne Shiever, if you have questions. Nominations may be made by any individual member of the Kansas Authors Club, by a group or a district. Note: This is a district-sponsored contest, not to be confused with the state contest. Entering one contest does not preclude a member from entering the other. ADULT CONTESTDistrict 7 of the Kansas Authors Club is sponsoring a writing contest for all writers, 18 and older, living in Kansas or members of KAC living in another state. The contest runs from May 1 to August 15, 2023. You do not need to be a member of District 7 to enter the contest. Writers should follow the Literary Contest rules on the website www.kansasauthorsclub.org and click on contests. The theme of the contest is “A Moment to Write.” Writers of prose or poetry are encouraged to follow the theme but do not have to adhere to it. There are only 4 categories for this contest: Prose Theme and Non-Theme, Poetry Story-form and Non-Story-form. Writers may not enter more than two entries in any one category. The fee for each entry is $5.00 and only typed copies will be accepted; do not send e-mail. Prizes in the amount of $25, $15 and $10 will be awarded to first, second, and third place winners in each of the 4 categories. Honorable Mention in each category will receive certificates. Mail entries to: Sheryl Brenn, 892 Country Road O, Levant, KS 67743. YOUTH CONTESTDistrict 7 of the Kansas Authors Club is sponsoring a writing contest for all children from Grades 5 through high school. The age categories are grades 5-6, 7-8, 9-12. The contest runs from May 1st through August 15th. Writers should follow the requirements for the Youth Literary Contest on the website www.kansasauthorsclub.org and click on contests.
The theme of the contest is “A Moment to Write.” Entries should be separated into these categories in each age group: Poetry, Fiction and Non-Fiction. Any youth should have no more than 3 entries. There is no charge for entering but prizes in these amounts will be awarded $25, $15 and $10 will be awarded to the first, second and third place and Honorable Mention winners in each category. Only typed copies will be accepted. Do not send entries by e-mail. Mail entries to: Sheryl Brenn, 892 Country Road O, Levant, KS 67743. |
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