Current News from the Kansas Authors Club

2024 Convention News: Call for Workshop Proposals

1/31/2024

In case you've missed the news, we are hosting our 2024 Writing Convention (the full thing this year) at Rock Springs Ranch near Junction City.

Save the dates: October 4-6, 2024.

For those who attended the 2023 Writing Retreat, we will be utilizing the same housing as last year and we will have an additional cottage which will allow private room space for couples and individuals. Attendees will also have the option of day campus attendance only and a portion of the workshops will be available to virtual ticket holders. Many details to come, but we wanted to start early sharing news and information.

Right now, we are looking for Workshop Proposals. Visit this page to review the guidelines and fill out the proposal submission form.

Deadline for proposals: April 15, 2024.

Now Taking Proposals for Convention Workshops

Convention News Page

Live on our Website: 2024 Contest Guidelines!

1/27/2024

For Immediate Release

Kansas Authors Club Announces Annual Writing Contests Opening April 1 through June 15

All residents of the state of Kansas are invited to enter the annual literary contests of the Kansas Authors Club. Entries in 18 categories of prose and poetry are accepted April 1 to June 15 with cash prizes presented at the Kansas Authors Club Writing Convention on October 6, 2024. Winners who cannot attend the awards ceremony will receive awards by mail after the event. All residents of the state of Kansas are welcome to enter, and those who are members get discounted entry fees. Members of the club may reside anywhere in Kansas and beyond.

The contest for young writers, grades 3-12, includes categories in poetry, fiction, and nonfiction. There are no fees for youth entries. The awards ceremony for young writers will take place this year at the Kansas Book Festival in Topeka on September 28, 2024.

“Words Take Flight: Choose Your Own Adventure” is the theme for 2024. In prose, theme entries can be fiction or nonfiction, with a limit of 1,500 words, any genre. In poetry, the theme entries can be of any poetic form. Full guidelines and all category descriptions for adult and youth contests can be found at www.kansasauthorsclub.org (menu – Writing Contests – All Ages).

As well as the annual youth and adult categories in prose and poetry, the Kansas Poetry Chapbook Contest has categories for Craft “Homemade” Chapbooks and Published Chapbooks, as well as five categories for published books, including awards for fiction / nonfiction / poetry, books on Kansas history, books for children, and a book design award.

Anyone with an interest in writing is invited to become a member of Kansas Authors Club. Organizations such as libraries and businesses that have services for authors may also be interested membership and monthly programs, which are available via Zoom with accessible recordings for those who are not available to attend during the live program. Learn more at www.kansasauthorsclub.org.

Please Download and Share Our Contest Press Release

Writing Contests - All Ages

Book Award Guidlines

Annual Cavalier Conference on Writing and Literature

1/27/2024

An invitation from our friends at Johnson County Community College

Hey there!

I'm writing from the English department of Johnson County Community College. This spring, we'll be hosting our annual Cavalier Conference on Writing and Literature. While the conference is mostly geared towards educators, we thought there might be plenty of members of the Kansas Authors Club who would be interested in the conference and in particular our Keynote Speaker, Dr. Stacey Waite. Dr. Waite is a poet, activist, educator, and scholar conducting research in the field of composition and the teaching of writing.

This year’s conference will be from 8 AM to 3 PM on Friday April 12th and registration is $35 including lunch. We’d really appreciate if you could pass this invitation on to Kansas Authors Club members of your district. Anyone interested in attending the conference can head to the following website to register:

https://www.jccc.edu/conferences/cavalier-writing/

Thanks so much!
Bob Sykora

January Program Recording Available to Members

1/21/2024

The recording of the January program is now available for viewing by members at this link. (Member sign-on required.) This video will be available until replaced by the February program recording.

We had a lovely program to kick off 2024 featuring three award-winning authors. K.L. Barron, Laura Lee Washburn, and D.L. Winter shared thoughts on their writing processes, entering contests, and advice they would give to authors just beginning the process of publishing.

On Writing Groups:

"Knowing that I had to show up with something new every two weeks guaranteed at least one thing, and often I would write it that morning."

-Laura Lee Washburn
Author of The Book of Stolen Images

Support a Kansas Author! Read a book. Buy a book. Recommend your local library buy the book. Leave a review for the books you love!

A stunning betrayal forces a young woman to flee a relationship and forge a new life in one of the most brutal landscapes on earth. Gradually adapting to her new surroundings, she becomes aware of the impending dissolution of an entire culture. A diverse cast of displaced Westerners, local nomads, and djinn converge as everyone scrambles to survive and everything comes undone. Winner of the 2023 J. Donald Coffin Memorial Book Award in Fiction.

K.L. Barron is a writer of place: poetry and prose. Her prize-winning fiction, poetry, and creative non-fiction has been published in New Letters, The Bennington Review, Little Balkans Review, terrain.org, ChickenBones (Library of Congress), among others, and in several anthologies. She earned an MFA from Bennington in 2005 and taught writing and literature at Washburn University in Topeka, Kansas for nearly 20 years. She lives and writes in the Flint Hills.
Her debut novel Thirst came out in November 2022 from Sea Crow Press.

In a fantastical neo-classical sense, The Book of Stolen Images speaks novelly toward culture, politics, and collective humanity. This poetry collection recognizes personal yet relatable ordinary and existential experiences, particularly in a timely contextual fashion regarding modern social issues--what makes us feel alive, imperfect, concerned, and inspired to do better. Unique imagery and diction flavor each poem and set this collection apart from other offspring of fairy tales and social commentaries. Winner of the 2023 Nelson Poetry Book Award.

Laura Lee Washburn is the Director of Creative Writing at Pittsburg State University in Kansas, and the author of This Good Warm Place: 10th Anniversary Expanded Edition (March Street), Watching the Contortionists (Palanquin Chapbook Prize), and The Book of Stolen Images (Meadowlark Press, 2023). Harbor Review’s chapbook prize is named in her honor, and she’s the president of Small Harbor Publishing’s Board of Directors. Her degrees are from Old Dominion University, where she interned for the Associated Writing Programs Newsletter, and Arizona State University. Born in Virginia Beach, Virginia, she has also lived and worked in Arizona and in Missouri. From her home in Pittsburg, Kansas, she edits The Coop: A Poetry Cooperative.

Armed with his trusty birch wand and protective shield, young apprentice wizard Alistur Grimaldi believes he can wield his powers with the same determination and results as his beloved mentor, his Great-grandfather Balthazar. His amusement quickly turns to anguish when his inexperience triggers a chain of disastrous events, putting him-and others-in dire circumstances. Mere hours after the most important event in his fourteen years, Alistur must find the courage to face the catastrophic proof of his foolish actions and make things right . . . if he can. From the coast of the Azlyn Sea to the depths of the Crystal Caverns-befriending magical and mystical creatures along his way-Alistur must learn the journey to becoming a wise and responsible wizard will not be walked alone. Winner of the 2023 "It Looks Like a Million" Design Award.

D.L. Winter was raised in Kansas and spent her adult life in Northern California. Many years ago, on her first trip abroad, inspired by the nostalgic allure of legends, lore, and architectural wonders of the Mediterranean region, the concept for Alistur’s story was born. However, crafting the fable would have to wait. Plotting adventures in the fictitious Kingdom of Fleurbania would be among the creative projects of her retirement. After a corporate career, D.L. now resides in her home state of Kansas once again, telling tales and enjoying life with family members.

New Poetry Book by Member Thaddeus Dugan

1/20/2024

A Record of Change, Thaddeus Dugan, Anamcara Press, 2024

Thaddeus Dugan’s debut collection explores the evolution of the soul. These poems reflect the rigorous self-examination it takes to reinvent yourself. Through love, grief, and loss, he does this, while never losing sight of his collective humanness.

Dugan resides in Topeka, Kansas, and is a junior at Washburn University studying English/Writing. He has two cats, one named Araya and the other Eliot, who supervise all his writing endeavors. In his spare time he likes to read, write, and observe all the conditions of the human experience.

Thaddeus joined Kansas Authors Club in 2023.

Follow Thaddeus Dugan on Facebook

Order A Record of Change at Barnes & Noble

Kansas Authors Club Executive Director, Tracy Million Simmons

1/19/2024

Tracy Million Simmons has been a member of Kansas Authors Club since 2000 where she joined as a D7 member from her then-home near Dodge City. She has been an active member of D1 (while residing in Topeka) and D2 (while residing in Emporia) and has served the club on the district and state level in a variety of capacities, starting with prose contest chair in 2004. She was the yearbook editor from 2006-2016, produced the newsletter for several years, became Assistant Financial Secretary 2017-2019, Financial Secretary 2018-2020, State Vice President in 2021, and State President in 2022. Tracy became the club's first (quarter-time) paid manager in 2022. In short, Tracy believes in the power of the literary community of Kansas and is proud to be associated with this 120 year-old organization.

Tracy celebrates a twenty-year freelance career spanning many aspects of the written word, from helping entrepreneurs with newsletters, marketing materials, and website design, to publishing more than 500 articles and essays in niche to national publications. She worked as an editor and on layout and design for assorted small press publishers and book packagers.

She is the author of Tiger Hunting, the 2013 J. Donald Coffin Memorial Book Award winner from the Kansas Authors Club, and A Life in Progress and Other Short Stories.

As the founder of Meadowlark Press (established 2014), Tracy has worked with more than 40 authors publishing books of poetry and prose, including five Kansas notable titles. Meadowlark is the home of the Birdy Poetry Prize and 105 Meadowlark Reader, a Kansas journal of creative nonfiction.

Visit Meadowlark Press Bookstore

Follow Meadowlark Press on Facebook

Learn About 105 Meadowlark Reader

Follow 105 on Facebook

Learn More: Birdy Poetry Prize

Welcome to Ann Vigola Anderson, State Board Secretary

1/18/2024

Ann Vigola Anderson, Secretary of Kansas Authors Club (2023-24)

Ann Vigola Anderson is Secretary of the Kansas Authors Club Board of Directors (2023 and 2024), served as Assistent Secretary in 2021, and is a member of District 2 since 2020.

Ann writes heartwarming stories of her childhood in the 50s and 60s and of her experiences on her grandparent’s farm. She shares the joys of an ordinary life and how she has taken on life’s challenges.

Her first book, Posts of a Mid-century Kid, tells of her days hunting for roly poly bugs to make butter brickle ice cream, riding her bike with playing cards clipped to the spokes of her wheels, and a first kiss under the street light.

Her second book, The Adventures of Bottle Calf, shares the story of her childhood on her grandparent’s farm, raising a bottle calf and learning about caring for others.

Ann's essays have appeared in 105 Meadowlark Reader, a journal of creative non-fiction, highlighting Kansas authors and places. Her writing was featured in the National Geographic article by Sarah Smarsh (Heartland) “America’s Postal Service is a Rural Life-line-and it’s in Jeopardy.”

You can follow Ann's writing on the Facebook sites Topeka History Geeks and Friends of the Flint Hills.

She spends her days writing and teaching tennis at the Jayhawk Tennis Center. She and her husband, Vann, and their three kitties, live in Lawrence, Kansas.

Follow Ann on Facebook

Visit Ann's Website

Welcome to Tyler Henning, our 2024 Financial Officer

1/17/2024

Tyler Henning works remotely as a Treasury Analyst for Community Choice Financial in Dublin, Ohio. Having joined District 5 in the Summer of 2023, Tyler enjoys writing humorous and horrifying short stories about Kansas, farmlife and anything else that pops into his head. He lives in Wichita with his wonderful wife, beautiful baby girl and rather rambunctious golden retriever.

Welcome to Lindsey Bartlett, 2024 State Vice President

1/16/2024

Lindsey Bartlett, Kansas Authors Club Vice President (2024)

Lindsey Bartlett grew up on a dilapidated old farmstead in west-central Kansas. At eighteen, she moved to Emporia for college and never looked back. Bartlett earned both her BA and MA in english at Emporia State University. She has spent over a decade teaching composition and literature to first-year writing students at her alma-mater. In addition to teaching, Bartlett has worked as Assistant Editor of Flint Hills Review, Emporia State University’s literary journal. She is currently one of the sponsors for the student literary journal, Quivira.

Bartlett joined Kansas Authors Club in 2021 after serving as a literary contest judge for two years. She was the prose contest manager from 2021-2023. Bartlett presented at the 2022 Kansas Authors Club convention on the lack of rural voices in writing (and other forms of media), and from this presentation a new contest category was created called, Rural Voices. Additionally, Bartlett has served as the co-chair for District 2. Bartlett along with fellow KAC member, Curtis Becker, rolled out the first-ever KAC Zine, Writing from the Center. She somehow nominated herself for vice-president, despite telling Tracy she didn’t want to take on that role.

As a writer, Bartlett has published a poetry collection, Vacant Childhood, with Kellogg Press in January of 2020. In November of 2023, she published a chapbook, Between Belonging and Brokenness. Her work has appeared in Flint Hills Review, 105 Meadowlark Reader, The Write Bridge, and The Milk House: A Rural Writing Collective. In fall of 2023, her essay, “Reframing My Rural Past” was nominated for Best of the Net.

She is an active member of the Emporia Writers Group, which has become an integral part of her life. Bartlett credits her involvement with EWG for much of her writing successes over the last several years.

Follow Lindsey on Facebook

Subscribe to her at Substack

Introducing Our New Welcome Wagon Chair

1/15/2024

We are pleased to introduce Julie Stielstra, our 2024 Welcome Wagon Chair. Thank you for sharing your time and talent with Kansas Authors Club, Julie!

Julie Stielstra, 2024 Welcome Wagon Chair

Julie Stielstra (District 6) has been a KAC member since 2019. After a few years as a long-distance member based in the Chicago area, she is now (finally!) happily settled in an old Kansas farmhouse on seven acres with partner Forest, six cats, two dogs, and a whole lot of visiting birds. The state has nourished many of her several dozen published stories and essays, and an award-winning youth novel (Opulence, Kansas from Meadowlark Press). Now she is buckling down to finish a historical novel inspired by a World War One-era drama in her adopted town of Ellinwood.

Visit Julie's Website

Welcome to 2024 State President, Anne Spry

1/15/2024

Anne Spry, Kansas Authors Club President (2024)

Anne Spry joined the Kansas Authors Club soon after moving from Kansas City to Topeka and immediately found a group of like-minded friends who loved reading and writing. She became president of District 1 and helped coordinate and host the 2021 virtual state convention. She served as head of District 1 through 2023 when she was elected state KAC president.

Anne arrived in Kansas as a so-called retiree, having spent 27 years as a weekly newspaper editor and publisher. Upon selling her newspaper in Hamilton, MO, she started helping authors publish their books after compiling her own memoir in 2014. In 2016, following the death of her second husband, she formed Personal Chapters LLC to promote memoir writing products developed with her business partner. That expanded into a hybrid publishing company that has now published more than two dozen titles and is growing each year.

Her own titles include Letters from Home: A Newspaper Column and a Memoir (by Anne Tezon); Tripping Down Main Street: The Fun and Funny of Community Journalism; Rebuilding Your Life After the Death of Your Spouse (with Craig Battrick); Searching for Summer: A Solved but Unresolved Missing Persons Case (with Brandy Shipp Rogge); and Finally Noticing: Poems and Photos Prompted by a Pandemic.

Anne and husband Wayne live south of Topeka near Wakarusa on land that has been in her father’s family for many generations.

Personal Chapters LLC

Gail Martin Family Contributes to Martin Kansas History Book Award Fund

1/14/2024

Gail Lee Martin
1924 - 2013

Kansas Authors Club
State Archivist, 1995-2005
Member, 1992-2013

Family members of Gail Lee Martin have provided futher funding for the Martin Kansas History Book Award. With the additional funding, this book award is assured (at current rates) to take place for the next 37 years!

Gail's daughter, Cynthia Ross, remains an active member of Kansas Authors Club. Gail's granddaughter, Chhaya Kolavalli, has been instrumental in supporting this book award.

Many thanks to Gail's family. She will long be remembered for documenting and contributing to Kansas history and the Kansas Authors Club.

The Martin Kansas History Book Award was created in 2018 as a tribute to Gail Lee Martin, who was KAC State Archivist from 1995-2005. Gail joined Kansas Authors Club in 1992 and was a member of District 5. She enjoyed writing fiction, nonfiction, stories for children, journalism, history, and poetry. Martin’s work was published in numerous magazines. She also published two books: Clyde Owen Martin Family Memories of His Life and Times, and My Flint Hills Childhood, which was a winner of the Ferguson Kansas History Book Award in 2010. The funding for the Martin Kansas History Book Award comes from the Gail Lee Martin Memorial established in her name. This book award is open exclusively for Kansas history.

Learn More about the Martin KS History Book Award

Martin KS History Book Award Winners

click here to purchase

Kansas Authors Club is tax exempt as a public charity under IRS code 501(c)(3). All donations made to Kansas Authors Club are tax-deductible.

Donate to Kansas Authors Club

Techniques of Navaho Weaving, by new member Mardel J. Esping

1/13/2024

Mardel J. Esping is half of the family membership Mark & Mardel Esping. This year she finished a project she started when she was employed by the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Mardel taught weaving at Fort Wingate, New Mexico, a high school for Navajo students.

Techniques for Navajo Weaving started as a way to continue instruction when one of her students was not able to attend school. Mardel put heavy emphasis on step by step visual examples for a student to use. This also made a difference in the classroom as Navajos are more at ease with visual prompts rather than written explanation.

Mardel started the weaving classes at Fort Wingate, after being hired to teach European art forms. She considered the program to be a success when one of the student’s mother’s commented that Mardel taught weaving like a weaver not like a teacher.

The weaving classes were expanded to include using natural dyes and carding and spinning. Techniques of Navajo Weaving includes a list of natural dye plants and hints on spinning.

Techniques of Navajo Weaving has 81 illustrations and a bibliography of over 100 publications. Traditional weaves are drawn as patterns to follow. Mardel included seven illustrations of her contemporary wall hangings, which use Navajo techniques.

Mardel generously enclosed her recipe for Navajo Fry Bread, which originally came from one of the women attending the rug auction held monthly at Crownpoint, N.M.

Techniques of Navajo Weaving retails for $26.00 + $4.50 shipping and can be ordered by mailing a check to 8811 West 66th Terrace, Merriam, KS 66202.

KAC Welcome Wagon Founder Passes the Reins

1/12/2024

The Welcome Wagon was started in 2020 thanks to the efforts of Cheryl Unruh, D2 member. Cheryl saw a need and made a plan. She volunteered to connect with each new member, offering them the opportunity to introduce themselves via our "News for All Members" page.

Thank you, Cheryl, for taking the initiative to create this perk for Kansas Authors Club members. We appreciate the time and energy you have shared with our literary community. I'm sure we'll be seeing you around!

Meet a New Member Archive

Meet Cheryl!

Cheryl Unruh, Welcome Wagon, Kansas Authors Club (2020-2023)

As a child, Cheryl Unruh always had pen pals, so writing letters has always been a fun way for Cheryl to connect with others. Perhaps that’s why she has enjoyed sending letters of welcome to new KAC members. She also writes essays, poems, and memoir pieces about small-town life and the Kansas experience. And she works with Tracy Million Simmons to publish 105 Meadowlark Reader, a Kansas journal of creative nonfiction. She hopes you’ll submit your true Kansas stories!

105 Meadowlark Reader Website

Follow 105 Meadowlark Reader on Facebook

Who is taking over the Welcome Wagon duties?

Tune in here on Monday for an introduction!

Thank you to our 2023 Officers!

1/12/2024

Before 2023 gets too far behind us, we wanted to take a moment to thank the individuals who make our community possible. Starting with those who serve on our Kansas Authors Club State Board of Directors, we are thankfulf for the time and talents that each of you have shared with the Kansas literary scene.

2023 Kansas Authors Club Officers
President, Kristine A. Polansky
Vice President, Anne Spry
Secretary, Ann Vigola Anderson
Financial Officer, Chuck Warner (not pictured)

Departing from the Board this year:

Kristine A. Polansky
Manhattan, Kansas

As a writer, Kris Polansky, is best known for her poems, four of which were published in Tallgrass Voices edited by Gary Lechliter. She experiments with various poetic forms, studying how content and form shape each other. She grew up in Western Kansas (short grass country), writing puppet plays and short stories. She took a fiction writing class from James Gunn at the University of Kansas and went on to teach middle school English and social studies ten years before returning to school, the Washburn University School of Law in Topeka, Kansas, where (she jokes) she learned to write creative nonfiction. She has been named KAC Poet of the Year three times, most recently October 2021. Her poem, “Turning Points” won the 2016 Martin Luther King, Jr. Art and Writing Contest, adult division, Manhattan, Kansas. She has served KAC for four years (2010-13) as Youth Contest Manager, 2021 & 2022 as KAC Financial Secretary, 2023 as State President, multiple years as District 4 Treasurer, and continues as coordinator of Manhattan KAC Writing Group and host of KAC's 2nd Tuesday Open Mic (via Zoom). She also serves as a frequent judge for our annual youth contest.

Kristine has a how-to write poetry book as well as a collection of poetry coming out in 2024.

Chuck Warner
Lawrence, Kansas

Chuck Warner is a lifelong Kansan. After growing up in Wichita, he has lived in Lawrence since first attending the University of Kansas in the 1960s. With business and law degrees, he embarked on a nearly forty-year career in business and banking. After he retired in 2008, he began writing about his maternal grandfather and in 2019 Birds, Bones, and Beetles: The Improbable Career and Remarkable Legacy of University of Kansas Naturalist Charles D. Bunker was published by the University Press of Kansas. In 2020 his book was recognized as a Kansas Notable book, and also won awards for the best Kansas history and best book layout from the Kansas Authors Club, and was a finalist in the High Plains Book Awards.

Chuck joined Kansas Authors Club in 2019, and agreed to serve on the State Board as our first Financial Officer under the restructuring changes. Chuck's contributions to our financial picture have been much appreciated as he used his time and talent to help us streamline and bring more efficiency to our practices.

Adventures in Copyrighting, by Paul Lamb

1/5/2024

Member Paul Lamb has an article about copyrighting his book that would be of interest to publishing authors.

Read it here.

One-Match Fire, a novel by Paul Lamb (Paul Lamb's stories have appeared in dozens of literary magazines, including The Adroit Journal, Aethlon, Foliate Oak, MOON Magazine, Halfway Down the Stairs, Magnolia Review (nominated for a Pushcart Prize), Little Patuxent Review, Platte Valley Review, and others.) For David the cabin evoked memories of his father. For his son it was family and sanctuary. All that was wrong was fixable when they were at the cabin. But would this weekend change everything? A story of fathers and sons and the work of loving despite profound differences.) Oct. '22
Blue Cedar Press
ISBN: 978-1-958728-04-8 (paper) $20
ISBN: 978-1-958728-03-1 (ebook) $6.99
LCCN: 2022945368

Member Essay Published at Women Writers, Women['s] Books

1/5/2024

Nancy Julien Kopp had a personal essay published January 2, 2024 at www.booksbywomen.org. This is an international website with around 58,000 followers. The website would be of interest to both writers and readers. The essay won third place in the Theme Category of the 2023 KAC Writing Contest.

Read Nancy's Essay at Women Writers Website

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.

2024 Convention News: Call for Workshop Proposals

Live on our Website: 2024 Contest Guidelines!

Annual Cavalier Conference on Writing and Literature

January Program Recording Available to Members

New Poetry Book by Member Thaddeus Dugan

Kansas Authors Club Executive Director, Tracy Million Simmons

Welcome to Ann Vigola Anderson, State Board Secretary

Welcome to Tyler Henning, our 2024 Financial Officer

Welcome to Lindsey Bartlett, 2024 State Vice President

Introducing Our New Welcome Wagon Chair

Welcome to 2024 State President, Anne Spry

Gail Martin Family Contributes to Martin Kansas History Book Award Fund

Techniques of Navaho Weaving, by new member Mardel J. Esping

KAC Welcome Wagon Founder Passes the Reins

Meet Cheryl!

Thank you to our 2023 Officers!

Adventures in Copyrighting, by Paul Lamb

Member Essay Published at Women Writers, Women['s] Books

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