Deadline for getting your entries submitted:
June 15, 2026 @ Midnight!
June 15, 2026 @ Midnight!
 Ava: A Year of Adventure in the Life of an American Avocet by Mandy Kern illustrated by Onalee Nicklin Observing birds in their natural habitat is brought to life in Ava: A Year of Adventure in the Life of an American Avocet. “Kansas Wetlands Education Center Program Specialist Mandy Kern is passionate about helping others appreciate the natural resources around them. She enjoys making opportunities for children to connect with the outdoors, away from electronics and screens.” Host to almost half a million shorebirds annually, the Cheyenne Bottoms Preserve is an essential migration point in the Western Hemisphere, a wetlands home of the Central Flyways. Unfortunately, “unregulated hunting, predators, human disturbance, habitat loss, and climate change threaten these birds' survival.” Although numerous plants and animals face conservation challenges, the beauty of the diverse wildlife population remains etched in the reader’s mind. Ceremonial courting and instinctive and protective behaviors are evident in this story geared for various ages, interests, and abilities. Complete with science literacy, accurate descriptions, a helpful glossary, and authentic photography, Ava is accented with personification, onomatopoeia, energetic vocabulary, and inviting color. The distinct plants and animals of the freshwater marsh and upland grass captivate birds in their journey from Mexico through Texas and Oklahoma to Kansas then onward north as far as Canada. Onalee Nicklin’s precise and artistic depiction of animals in their thriving reservoir enhances the story. Her detailed illustrations engage the reader with a creative complexity. Kern and Nicklin’s combined efforts portray shorebirds in their remarkable environment. “More than a bird’s eye view,” Ava is recommended for those intrigued by ecosystems, estuaries, flora, fauna, and migration. This important nature story compels respect for all living landscapes. Respectfully submitted, Carmaine Ternes Librarian, Author, Editor, Presenter “A child who reads will be an adult who thinks!” Carmaine Ternes is a member of Kansas Authors Club from Wichita.  What are you reading? Help us lift and share the good news about Kansas literature. Tag your book loves and reviews on social media with #ReadLocalKS and submit here to be posted on the Kansas Authors Club website.
Amanda Votava is a recent college graduate with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology who resides in a little city called Peculiar, Missouri. She acquired a passion for words and fictional worlds as a small child, having been raised in a house full of avid readers. In school, Amanda was known as the reserved girl who always had her nose in a book or a notebook and pencil in her hand. Despite the many characters and stories in her head and on paper -- and poems in her notes app -- Amanda has shared little of her work outside of her family and classes. She has decided to take a leap of faith and pursue writing as a more serious, professional endeavor. Knowing first hand what comfort a poem, story, or novel can be, Amanda hopes to contribute her own comfort to other readers, both as commiseration and escapism.
Amanda primarily writes free-verse poetry and fantasy, but she has also dabbled in realistic fiction and horror. When she isn't writing or daydreaming about writing, Amanda can be found reading or spending time with her family. Tuesday, June 2 at 6:30 PM: KAC member and western Kansas native Melanie Bonner Thomas will deliver a presentation on her book Old Man of the Fossil Beds in Bonner Springs to kick off their multi-library summer reading program, One Book, Many Neighbors. The presentation and reading take place at the Alden-Harrington Family Event Center, 218 Oak St., Bonner Springs, KS at 6:30 pm. More information about the reading program: https://www.onebookmanyneighbors.org/   Robert W. Phillips, member from Lawrence, will be presenting a program on his new book, Big Boys Don't Cry; a memoir of his growing up in the Flint Hills, 1940-50s, near Virgil, Kansas. The presentation will take place at the Greenwood County Historical Society, Eureka, Kansas, June 6, 2026, 1:30 pm The public is invited.   Congratulations to member Mary L. Schmidt on the publication of book # 64! That's a lot of books! SIXTY-FOUR!
In Earth’s Last Hope by Mary L. Schmidt, an overnight volcanic threat throws the whole country into chaos, forcing the government to trigger top-secret emergency protocols. General James Tilson has to completely ditch his quiet retirement and put his uniform back on to run a crucial underground sanctuary operation. With a deadly storm moving in fast, Tilson helps rush local doctors, teachers, and kids down into a massive, 36-floor secret bunker hidden right under the Denver Federal Center. Outside the steel gates, the air turns into a toxic nightmare of heavy snow and glass ash that suffocates life on the surface. The whole situation gets turned on its head when military leadership reveals that human survival is actually tied to crashed UFO tech hidden away since 1947. Can Tilson successfully team up with an ancient, telepathic alien named Kryonn to stop the volcano before the remaining food reserves run out? "Earth’s Last Hope by Mary L. Schmidt is a really fascinating sci-fi disaster book that takes a total left turn halfway through the plot. It starts off feeling like a traditional prepper story, but quickly escalates into a deep-state military thriller. I appreciated the grounded, everyday tone the author uses to show what life would actually be like inside an underground bunker. I especially loved the focus on training the teens to take over complex operations because it adds a smart, long-term layer to the survival strategy, showing that the community is actively planning for the future instead of just waiting around. The casual, easy-flowing dialogue makes it feel like you are overhearing genuine families navigating a global disaster. By blending the harsh truths of an environmental collapse with uplifting, relatable moments, the book actually transforms into an unexpectedly touching story of survival. It’s an engaging read that avoids a ton of tech jargon while keeping the stakes high. I recommend it to fans of military sci-fi, intense environmental doomsday stories, or anyone who loves a good government conspiracy twist." The recording of the May program by Leslie Von Holten is now available for viewing by members at this link. (Member sign-on required.) State programs remain online for viewing by members for approximately one month. Take a moment to watch today so that you don't miss it! SAVE THE DATE Program: Write for Your Life: How to Create Your Ideal Writing Routine
Presented by Laurie L. Dove Wondering how to get to “there” from “here”? You’re in the right place! We’ll explore the surprising challenges well-known authors have faced, and we will complete personalized exercises that will help you create an ideal writing routine — one that works with, and is supported by, your daily life. Plus, we’ll map out those Big Dreams too! I’ll share my (almost) unbelievable story of turning a short story into a novel that was then published by Penguin Random House and became an instant national bestseller. Laurie L. Dove is an award-winning journalist and the national bestselling author of MASK OF THE DEER WOMAN (Berkley/Penguin Random House). This suspenseful mystery was chosen as a The New York Times “best new release” and reviewed as a “powerful read…rooted in justice and resilience” by The Seattle Times. Recently, MASK OF THE DEER WOMAN was nominated for a prestigious Lefty Award by the Left Coast Crime Convention. The next book in this series, CRY OF THE RAIN CROW, will release in December 2026, followed by a third installment in 2027. Dove is currently writing a nonfiction book, TWICE GONE: THE VANISHING INDIGENOUS WOMEN OF THE HEARTLAND, which will be published in November 2027 by University Press of Kansas. Dove is a national keynote speaker fond of cheering “it’s never too late!” She earned a graduate degree in Creative Writing and Literature at Harvard University, offers consulting services to writers, has an always-free newsletter at LaurieDove.com, and is on all the socials at @LaurieDoveAuthor. The Chiawaukas (key-a-wau -kas) was released in January 2026, the prequel to the Fantasy/Sci-fi/Christian series I am writing. I am currently working on the next book in the series. My other rebook came out February 2026 I am thankful and very pleased to say To Love, Finding its Way is making a big splash!  Member Melanie Bonner Thomas has released the second book in the Bonner fossil story. Fossils of the Rock Chalk, published April 19, 2026, is a guidebook that introduces young and old readers to the fantastic fossils of western Kansas. Available from Ingram/Spark, online booksellers, and from the author at chalklilybooks.com.  April Pameticky's poetry collection book release party will be held at Harvester Arts in Wichita, The Lux @ 1st & Market, 120 E. 1st St N., Ste 115, June 7, 2:00-4:00 p.m.   Member Barbara Twarog (Lawrence) is writing at Medium. Check out her offerungs in short fiction and science communication. https://medium.com/@bjatwarog 
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. Member Julie Stielstra is pleased to announce that WordRunner eChapbooks has published her essay “We Will Sing” in their latest (and last) anthology on the theme of “Endings.” It honors the memory of her long-lived and well-loved father, and how she found comfort in the face of his loss. The piece can be read online here: https://www.echapbook.com/anthology/2026/we-will-sing.html 
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. Herrmann's short story: Victorious Pen is posted on Lothlorian Poetry Journal, joining several other short stories and poems of his.  Image linked from Lothlorian Poetry Journal
 Linzi Garcia (Kansas Authors Club), Amber Jackson (Kansas Press Association), and Tracy Million Simmons (Kansas Authors Club) at the 2nd annual Battle of the Books, May 8 in Emporia, Kansas. Members Linzi Garcia and Tracy Million Simmons were delighted to attend Battle of the Books on Friday, May 8, as volunteer time keepers and questioners. "Battle of the Books is a competition based on the love of literacy. Students compete by forming teams, reading the selected books, and then answering questions about them." -kspress.com Participants are 3rd through 6th grade. This year 45 teams competed bringing 144 students, plus teachers and volunteers, to Emporia State University from across Kansas. The day-long event utilizes the William Allen White Reading List for quiz material. The event is sponsored and coordinated by the Kansas Press Association. "This was so much fun! To be in a room with 150 kids who ADORE reading! Yes! More, please. The energy was contagious. From their matching team shirts to the bookish hair clips and mascot bookworms, this is a competition I would have loved to have been a part of as a child. I was delighted to be able to take part as a reader of questions this year and look forward to returning. Many thanks to the Kansas Press Association for instigating this bookish fun!" --Tracy Million Simmons   The ACTRK Readers were one of 44 teams at this year's competition, and champions of the 5th -6th grade division.  Linzi Garcia serves at timekeeper for the final round of the Battle of the Books.  Pauline Fecht July 19, 1931 - May 3, 2026 Pauline Fecht joined Kansas Authors Club in 2000 and almost immediately began her time serving as the president of far western Kansas (D7). She contributed regularly to CAPPER's Weekly Readers' series, My Folks. Memories from Members:
"Pauline was the leader of the Kansas Authors Club chapter that met in Dodge City four times a year when I joined the club. She was so friendly and encouraging. She went out of her way to make me feel at home and welcome from my first meeting. When she learned that was writing "on the world wide web" (to date myself a little) she was so excited and asked me to speak at a meeting because she thought it was an important subject (the internet) that members needed to learn about. As a member from western Kansas, I worked with Pauline and her team on my first convention, which was held in Hutchinson. Our group was in charge of the bookroom while the folks from Hutchinson were in charge of the location and the speakers. Pauline made sure I was introduced to members even though I immediately fell in love with working in the bookroom and would have been happy to station myself there for every convention from that point on. Years later, after I had moved away from western Kansas, I ran into Pauline quite by accident in Dodge City. She recognized me immediately and asked about my writing. I will always be thankful to Pauline for the kindness she showed to me when I was young and looking for a group of writers to hang out with." Tracy Million Simmons, 26 year member of Kansas Authors Club, former District 7, District 1, and District 2 member Current Executive Director  Margaret "Peg" Nichols November 28, 1927 - April 20, 2026 Peg Nichols, a member from Olathe, joined Kansas Authors Club in 2005 and served as a convention committee member and host for many conventions that were held in Lawrence.
Peg worked as a journalist, starting with the Upland News in California when she was a young adult. In Kansas, she worked for a brief time at The Kansas City Star and she was a reporter for The Olathe Mirror. Peg's books include:
Peg was an active writer and frequent contributor to publications such as The Write Bridge (Anamcara Press), 105 Meadowlark Reader (Meadowlark Press), and Coal City Review.  Tom Mach June 16, 1940 - February 24, 2026 Tom Mach joined Kansas Authors Club in 2002. As a member from Lawrence, he served as president of the Lawrence (D2) chapter and served multiple temrs on the state board.
Tom won the J. Donald Coffin Memorial Book Award in 2003 for his book, Sissy!, the Nelson Poetry Book Award in 2008 for The Uni Verse, and received a Lifetime Achievement Award from Kansas Authors Club in 2014. Two of his books, Sissy! and All Parts Together were listed by the Kansas State Library as among the 150 best Kansas books. He wrote for Senior Monthly as a monthly columnist. For the love of his grandchildren, Tom started a free newsletter called Grandpa's Memories. He enjoyed many years of presenting workshops for Kansas Authors Club and other organizations, meeting with book clubs and speaking at church and social service organization meetings. Tom published 6 novels:
A collection of short stories:
Children's Stories
Five Collections of Poetry
Nonfiction
And a Play
 Sandra J. Schumm has lived in Missouri or Kansas most of her life, except for sojourns, studies, and sabbaticals in other countries. The only time she ever skipped school was at age twelve when she sneaked back into her house through an unlocked window to hide in a closet and finish reading a novel. Fiction and creative writing have always been a keystone of her life. After three of her four children were born, she entered graduate school at the University of Kansas to attain her MA and PhD in Spanish with a concentration on twentieth-century Spanish and Latin American narrative. She taught university Spanish classes for more than twenty-five years and is now Professor Emerita of Spanish at Baker University. As a certified yoga instructor, she also teaches yoga classes. Previous publications include two books of literary criticism--Reflection in Sequence: Novels by Spanish Women, 1944-1988 (Bucknell University Press) and Mother and Myth in Spanish Novels: Rewriting the Maternal Archetype (Bucknell University Press). In 2020, she published Girl in a Cage: A Novel and, in 2025, The Mermaid Necklace. Captivating the Unicorn: Stories Infused with Magic and Wonder will be finished in 2026. Sandra lives in Lawrence, Kansas with her husband, Robert, and cat, Arjuna.  The recording of the April program by Ken Spurgeon is now available for viewing by members at this link. (Member sign-on required.) SAVE THE DATE May 16, 2026 State Program  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.   Join us at the Raven Bookstore at 4pm on Sunday, May 3rd for the Prose Keynote of the Free State Book Festival, given by Lawrence sci-fi author, editor, and educator Christopher McKitterick. Chris McKitterick will read from his new short-fiction collection, Visions of Space & Time, and a collector's edition reprint of his novel, Transcendence, created especially for this festival. Books will be available for sale and signing.     |
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