STATE Programs
|
3rd Saturdays of each month
Program Start Time: 1:30 p.m., expected to take approximately one hour per program (30- to 40-minute presentations followed by 15-20 minutes Q&A and announcements. Next State Program:
February 21, 2026, 1:30 p.m. |
Kansas Authors Club Social (a Zoom meet up)
2nd Tuesdays, 7:00pm CST
|
2026 PROGRAMS
|
Sign-on Required.
Link has also been emailed to all members. |
|
February 21, 2026 - 1:30 p.m.
Program: Writing Letters & Using the Letter Form in Your Creative Work
Presented by Kevin Rabas
This session will explore how to use letters (and emails, posts, and texts) not only as their own creative art form, but as material and fuel for more formal creative works. We will also explore the "epistolary" (the letter form) as a structure in the poem, the narrative (fiction or nonfiction), as well as other genres and mediums, including film.
Past Poet Laureate of Kansas (2017-2019) Kevin Rabas teaches at Emporia State University. He is a seventh generation Kansan. He has sixteen books, including Lisa’s Flying Electric Piano, a Kansas Notable Book and Nelson Poetry Book Award winner. He is the recipient of the Emporia State President’s and Liberal Arts & Sciences Awards for Research and Creativity, and he is the winner of the Langston Hughes Award for Poetry. His plays and films have shown across the Midwest and on both coasts.
Presented by Kevin Rabas
This session will explore how to use letters (and emails, posts, and texts) not only as their own creative art form, but as material and fuel for more formal creative works. We will also explore the "epistolary" (the letter form) as a structure in the poem, the narrative (fiction or nonfiction), as well as other genres and mediums, including film.
Past Poet Laureate of Kansas (2017-2019) Kevin Rabas teaches at Emporia State University. He is a seventh generation Kansan. He has sixteen books, including Lisa’s Flying Electric Piano, a Kansas Notable Book and Nelson Poetry Book Award winner. He is the recipient of the Emporia State President’s and Liberal Arts & Sciences Awards for Research and Creativity, and he is the winner of the Langston Hughes Award for Poetry. His plays and films have shown across the Midwest and on both coasts.
March 21, 2026 - 1:30 p.m.
Program: Topic: House of Morrow / Children's Programs
Presented by Linzi Garcia
Linzi Garcia is the poetry editor and publicist of Meadowlark Press. Bringing together her Meadowlark role with her role as vice chair of House of Morrow, an arts-based services nonprofit, she serves as the program director for the Diverse Voices Literacy Program. During the program, Linzi and other facilitators teach creative writing, reading, and public speaking to local fifth graders, and, at the end of each school year, Meadowlark publishes an anthology of work by the students. Linzi is the author of two poetry collections, Cravings and Thank You, as well as the co-author of While Away: Travel Poems and Live a Great Story. She is a recipient of a NextGen Under 30 Kansas award.
Presented by Linzi Garcia
Linzi Garcia is the poetry editor and publicist of Meadowlark Press. Bringing together her Meadowlark role with her role as vice chair of House of Morrow, an arts-based services nonprofit, she serves as the program director for the Diverse Voices Literacy Program. During the program, Linzi and other facilitators teach creative writing, reading, and public speaking to local fifth graders, and, at the end of each school year, Meadowlark publishes an anthology of work by the students. Linzi is the author of two poetry collections, Cravings and Thank You, as well as the co-author of While Away: Travel Poems and Live a Great Story. She is a recipient of a NextGen Under 30 Kansas award.
April 18, 2026 - 1:30 p.m.
Program: To be Announced
Presented by Ken Spurgeon
Ken Spurgeon serves as assistant professor of history at Friends University. He received his Bachelor of Art and Master of Art degrees in History from Wichita State University, while also completing hours in Secondary Education Social Studies. He has taught at Central High School in Burden, KS, and at Northfield School of the Liberal Arts and has been a director of instruction and education at Cowley College. His master’s thesis, “A Kansas Soldier at War,” later became a book published by the History Press in 2013. In 2004, he founded Lone Chimney Films Inc. and has written or co-written and directed three documentaries and a docudrama. Two of his films have earned the Western Heritage Award (Wrangler), and three have aired on PBS stations.
Presented by Ken Spurgeon
Ken Spurgeon serves as assistant professor of history at Friends University. He received his Bachelor of Art and Master of Art degrees in History from Wichita State University, while also completing hours in Secondary Education Social Studies. He has taught at Central High School in Burden, KS, and at Northfield School of the Liberal Arts and has been a director of instruction and education at Cowley College. His master’s thesis, “A Kansas Soldier at War,” later became a book published by the History Press in 2013. In 2004, he founded Lone Chimney Films Inc. and has written or co-written and directed three documentaries and a docudrama. Two of his films have earned the Western Heritage Award (Wrangler), and three have aired on PBS stations.
May 16, 2026 - 1:30 p.m.
|
Program: PsychoGeography and the Landscapes of Kansas
Presented by Leslie VonHolton Psychogeography is a writing approach that explores physical landscape and the writer's imagination in ways that bring readers along in the act of discovery. This talk will journey across the varied and beautiful lands and waters of Kansas and imagine the stories within. Leslie VonHolten writes about art and the environment of the prairie and Great Plains regions. She is co-editor of Kansas Matters: 21st-century Writers on the Sunflower State with Thomas Fox Averill, published by University Press of Kansas. |
June 20, 2026 - 1:30 p.m.
Program: To be Announced
Presented by Laurie L. Dove
Author, MASK OF THE DEER WOMAN (Jan. 2025) Berkley / Penguin Random House
* Instant USA Today Bestseller * No. 1 Amazon Hot New Release * Amazon Editors’ Pick * Goodreads’ Books Recommended by Readers * New York Times Book Review: “a sensitive exploration of the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women” * Seattle Times Book Review: "powerful for fans of dark, riveting reads and those seeking stories rooted in justice and resilience” * Washington Post Audiobook Review: “audiobooks to whisk you away to other times and places” * BookBub Best New Mysteries, February 2025 * Library Journal * Publishers Weekly * B&N Reads Blog * Criminal Element
Laurie L. Dove is a reporter and editor whose work has appeared in numerous publications and garnered several honors for outstanding journalism. She graduated with a master’s degree in Creative Writing and Literature from Harvard University. She is an adjunct professor who currently lives and writes in Kansas.
Presented by Laurie L. Dove
Author, MASK OF THE DEER WOMAN (Jan. 2025) Berkley / Penguin Random House
* Instant USA Today Bestseller * No. 1 Amazon Hot New Release * Amazon Editors’ Pick * Goodreads’ Books Recommended by Readers * New York Times Book Review: “a sensitive exploration of the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women” * Seattle Times Book Review: "powerful for fans of dark, riveting reads and those seeking stories rooted in justice and resilience” * Washington Post Audiobook Review: “audiobooks to whisk you away to other times and places” * BookBub Best New Mysteries, February 2025 * Library Journal * Publishers Weekly * B&N Reads Blog * Criminal Element
Laurie L. Dove is a reporter and editor whose work has appeared in numerous publications and garnered several honors for outstanding journalism. She graduated with a master’s degree in Creative Writing and Literature from Harvard University. She is an adjunct professor who currently lives and writes in Kansas.
July 18, 2026 - 1:30 p.m.
|
Program: Social Media for Authors
Presented by Catherine Menefee Social media is becoming an increasingly valuable tool for authors—but with so many apps to choose from and so much conflicting advice, how can you best spend your time and effort online? This session will explore the benefits social media offers to authors, the options for building a social media presence, and the practice of incorporating social media as an effective tool for community building, networking, and marketing. Perfect for any writer who wants to make better use of social media, either to expand their network or to find new writer friends. Catherine Menefee is a poet and fiction writer who lives in Bel Aire with her husband, kids, and pets. After completing her MFA in Creative Writing: Poetry at Wichita State University, she spent several years teaching at a variety of local colleges and universities before leaving academia to homeschool her kids. In the past fwe years, she has leveraged social media to stay connected to other artists and writers, and her debut poetry book, Witness: One American Year, took inspiration and subject matter from her online community. |
|
August 15, 2026 - 1:30 p.m.
|
Program: Classics Inspired Writing
Presented by Deborah Linn McNemee Reimagining of classics literature is having its day, and why not? The great writers pen the story of humanity. Those stories educate us and inspire us. It’s no wonder readers and writers want to revisit those worlds over and over. This session will explore specific approaches to classics inspired writing for poetry and prose. Come with your favorites in your head and you’ll leave with tools to reimagine, retell, and reintroduce those stories to yourself and to your readers in meaningful and unique ways. Classics inspired writing goes beyond regurgitating characters and plots and encourages writers to grow our own stories from the best parts of classic literature. Deborah Linn McNemee’s poem, “Jem Touches the Wall”, was published in Kansas English and retells an iconic scene from To Kill a Mockingbird. Her young adult novel, Just Daisy: A Gatsby Retelling, explores for a modern audience why women stay in toxic relationships. She does her part to keep classics relevant at her blog, KeepingClassics.com. |
September ___, 2026
No State Program - Join us in person at the Kansas Book Festival, Washburn Campus, in Topeka. 2026 date to be announced
Convention - October 2 - 4, 2026
Bonus "add on" writing retreat day - October 1, 2026
Kansas Authors Club Writing Convention complete with workshops and speakers at Rock Springs Ranch, Junction City, Kansas
1:30 pm -- October 17, 2026
Annual Meeting of the
General Membership
Annual Meeting of the
General Membership
This meeting will take place on Zoom. All members are encouraged to attend.
No State Meeting in November
Check with your nearest City Chapter for local schedules
No State Meeting in December
Check with your nearest City Chapter for local schedules
2026 Programs completed
Program: Q&A With Award Winning Authors
Program Location: Zoom
Join us in conversation with Kansas Authors Club 2025 book award winners:
We will discuss writing, entering contests, and best practices for producing an award winning book. Panel moderated by Tracy Million Simmons.
Program Location: Zoom
Join us in conversation with Kansas Authors Club 2025 book award winners:
- Jim Gilkeson (2025 Coffin Nonfiction)
- Robert Rebein (2025 Coffin Fiction)
- Denise Low (Nelson Poetry),
- Abbi Lee (Children's Book)
- Ashley Donegan (Design for Children's Book).
We will discuss writing, entering contests, and best practices for producing an award winning book. Panel moderated by Tracy Million Simmons.
This program will remain available on our website and our YouTube Channel.
Ashley Donegan - 2025 Kansas Authors Club Book Design Award, Children's Category
|
|
Ashley Donegan lives in her childhood home in small-town Kansas, surrounded by family and a lively assortment of farm animals that inspire her storytelling. For Ashley, these animals are more than pets—they’re the heart of the sweet, imaginative tales she creates to make children feel safe, loved, and entertained.
Her creative journey is a true family affair, as she collaborates closely with her daughter—the real spark behind their stories. Together, they enjoy creating different kinds of art and dreaming up new ideas for future children’s books.
Ashley has self-published two titles, including their latest adventure, Pirate Chickens Under Attackkkkk!!!, co-written and illustrated by her 10-year-old daughter. The award winning book has been featured on KidLitTV, and was showcased at the prestigious Frankfurter Buchmesse book fair in Germany this past October. Pirate Chickens has currently been the proud recipient of two different awards.
One Mama's Heart
Instagram
Facebook
Her creative journey is a true family affair, as she collaborates closely with her daughter—the real spark behind their stories. Together, they enjoy creating different kinds of art and dreaming up new ideas for future children’s books.
Ashley has self-published two titles, including their latest adventure, Pirate Chickens Under Attackkkkk!!!, co-written and illustrated by her 10-year-old daughter. The award winning book has been featured on KidLitTV, and was showcased at the prestigious Frankfurter Buchmesse book fair in Germany this past October. Pirate Chickens has currently been the proud recipient of two different awards.
One Mama's Heart
Jim Gilkeson - 2025 J. Donald & Bertha Coffin Memorial Book Award in Nonfiction
|
|
Jim Gilkeson is a native of Wichita. He is the author of five books, two of which have received the Coffin Memorial Award for Non-Fiction. Stories and articles by Jim have appeared in Memoirist Quarterly, Invisible City, Meadowlark Reader, and Massage & Bodywork Magazine. After lengthy periods in Europe and the American Wild West, he lives, now for the third time, in Lawrence, Kansas.
Abbi Lee - 2025 Kansas Authors Club Award for Best Children's Book
|
|
Abbi Lee taught high school English and Social Studies before turning her full attention to writing. She now works as a copywriter for a marketing agency and has been published in multiple magazines. Her next book, Hometown Treasure Hunt, is the second novel in the Geocache Club trilogy and releases March 3rd, 2026. Outside of reading and writing, Abbi also enjoys making (and eating) no-bake cookies, geocaching for hidden treasures, and going on adventures with her husband and two daughters.
Website & Socials:
Website: abbileebooks.wordpress.com
Twitter/X, Facebook, Instagram: @abbileebooks
Website & Socials:
Website: abbileebooks.wordpress.com
Twitter/X, Facebook, Instagram: @abbileebooks
Denise Low - 2025 Nelson Poetry Book Award
|
|
Denise Low, former Poet Laureate of Kansas, is author of Jigsaw Puzzling: Essays in a Time of Pestilence (Meadowlark Press, Coffin Non-Fiction Award); House of Grace, House of Blood, Nelson Poetry Book Award (University of Arizona Press); the memoir The Turtle's Beating Heart, and other books. Her other awards include a Red Mountain Press Editor’s Choice Poetry Award and four Kansas Notable Book Awards. The Academy of American Poets chose her as an editor for the 2026 Poem-A-Day series. Board memberships include Indigenous Native Poets (In-Na-Po), Write On Door County advisory board, and former AWP board member and president. She programs the Indigenous Voices series for The 222, an arts organization in Sonoma County, CA. and teaches online for Baker University. www.deniselow.net Her Ph.D. is in literature and MFA in Creative Writing.
Robert Rebein - 2025 J. Donald & Bertha Coffin Memorial Book Award in Fiction
|
|
Robert Rebein grew up in Dodge City, Kansas, where his family has farmed and ranched since the late 1920s. A graduate of the University of Kansas and Washington University in St. Louis, as well as Exeter University in England, Rebein teaches fiction and creative nonfiction writing at Indiana University Indianapolis. He is the author of Dragging Wyatt Earp: A Personal History of Dodge City, Headlights on the Prairie: Essays on Home, and The Last Rancher (2025 J. Donald & Bertha Coffin Award and 2025 Kansas Notable)
Website
Website