The recording of the November program is now available for viewing by members at this link. (Member sign-on required.) This video will be available until replaced by the January 2025 program recording.
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Member Barbara Brady, Topeka, recently had two stories re-published in Chicken for the Soul books: Chicken Soup for the Young at Heart and Devotional Stories of Resilience and Positive Thinking.
 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 Connlyn Sinclair, Lawrence, shares the following book news: My post apocalyptic novella Age Of Travelers is now on Amazon. Age Of Travelers which follows a young couple who go on a road trip after the world has ended was originally serialized in The Kraken Lore but is now available in this extended addition from Alien Buddha Press out of Arizona.    L U C KHello Friend!
We are currently collecting true stories for the LUCK issue of 105 Meadowlark Reader. You have until December 31 to get your stories submitted. Guidelines below. Happy Holidays from 105 Meadowlark Reader! What we’re looking for, in general: Your true stories about Kansas told in an engaging way. Pull us in, make us feel something. Make us laugh or make us cry. Be creative. Use dialog. Careful word choice and fresh imagery is valued. Write your stories in any of the persons (first, second, third). Eligible writers: We are looking for true stories about Kansas written by Kansans, therefore you must be a Kansas resident or have lived in Kansas at some point in your life. Theme for Issue #9 (November 1 - December 31, 2024 Submission Period): Luck Word count: Let’s say 100 - 3,000 words, give or take. How many words does it take for you to tell your story? We want original, never-before-published pieces. No simultaneous submissions, please. 105 Meadowlark Reader does not accept AI-generated stories. Have fun: When a writer enjoys the process, that positive energy comes through to the reader. Publishing rights: We are asking for First North American Serial Rights. Payment: Payment is currently $10 per story and one contributor copy of the journal. How to submit: File types accepted: .doc, .docx, .rtf Manuscript Preparation: Use standard formatting for your entry. This means:
Include your author bio at the end of your entry. Your name as printed in this bio is how we will refer to you in the rest of the journal. (Exception: Feel free to use titles and degree designations in the bio, but those titles will not be included in the byline, per Meadowlark style.) Your bio should include:
Author Photos:
Limit: you may enter up to two (2) stories per submission period. Submit via Submittable - Meadowlark Press Submission Manager It is with great sadness we report the passing of Ronda Miller on December 10, 2024. Ronda was many a poet's first introduction to Kansas Authors Club. She served our organization in many capacities, including State President from 2018-2019. Ronda will be greatly missed. Please share your memories of Ronda via our submit form. We will add them to this page.  Ronda Miller Member (D2) 2011-2024 State President 2018-2019 State Vice President 2016-2017 District 2 President - 2014-2017 State Poetry Contest Manager - 2012-2015 Poetry Books Going Home: Poems from My Life MoonStain (Meadowlark, 2015) WaterSigns (Meadowlark, 2017) Winds of Time (Kellogg Press, 2019) I Love the Child (Kellogg Press, 2019)
  I met Ronda when I volunteered to help with the registration desk when attending my first KAC convention which was held in my hometown of Lawrence. She had seen our ad in the local newspaper where she was employed as a blogger, and we immediately became friends. Of course, I had to encourage her to become a member too. At the first meeting she attended, our connection deepened when she tearfully described recently losing her ex-husband, the father of her children, with whom she still had a soul-bond and obviously still loved. I related immediately since I had lost my husband and soulmate just a few years prior. Later, we discovered that we both had M.S. My symptoms were more prevalent than hers, but it was another commonality of our lives. During our friendship, we shared many experiences such as representing KAC at the annual holiday event in downtown Lawrence, selling books at the same holiday fairs, and then having her contributing stories in two of my anthologies. What I learned about Ronda was that she was an independent, very intelligent and loyal friend who always encouraged others. She bought our books, commented on our Facebook posts, offered help before it was asked, could never say no when needed, and never complained. She was a very spiritual person who valued everyone, with the ability to forgive which kept her positive and able to see the world as it could be. I know she must have been a wonderful asset as a Life Coach to her clients. Due to both of our physical constraints, I had not seen Ronda for a while, but we still made occasional contact. When I saw the simple subject line that said “Ronda Miller,” tears welled in my eyes because I knew, even before reading its content, what the email would say. She was doing so well and her passing was a shock. I could only pray that God would hold her in His arms and give her the blessings and joy that she deserved for the wonderful legacy she left for others. -Vicki Julian "I will forever miss her kindness, her love of words, her love of people, the way she always brought snacks, and the way she always encouraged me. Until we meet again, my friend!" -Curtis Becker "When I first met Ronda I was more than a little intimidated! She is a force. After we met more personally and she did my final edits on Sunshine, we connected. Her photo’s were beautiful and her poetry was inspiring." -Deb Irsik "I've worked and rode and wrote and explored with Ronda for so long in so many ways, I can only start to grasp this loss while feeling how much I love her. I can't remember when we met exactly, but she was central to my efforts when I was Kansas Poet Laureate and we did many a road trip and lots of meetings and meals and figuring things out together. She also co-chaired the Power of Words conference from the Transformative Language Arts Network with me and was very involved for years." -Caryn Mirriam-Goldberg "Ronda will be missed for her words, her photographs and her beautiful spirit. Condolences to her family and many writing friends." -Anne Spry "Ronda was a person who put her hands together and gave you a lift. I barely knew her when I came to her event at The Raven. She asked me to read one of her poems and I was honored. When she was not having a good day one time, I got small cherry pies and we sat in her backyard, eating them and watching her cat, Timothy." -Ann Vigola Anderson  "Ronda Miller was a beautiful, creative, kind, giving, supportive and talented human. When I got news yesterday that she had passed, it felt a bit like a gut punch. Early on in this writing adventure of mine, she was an ever-present support, whether it be through her kind words, or helping me get hooked into cool experiences as a writer/ poet. Ronda was the reason I was able to go on the television program, Absolutely Kansas, to talk about my first book. It wasn’t because they were looking at me, but Ronda saw something in me that she wanted to help promote. She asked me to be a part of one of her book launches at the Raven Bookstore in Lawrence, and this was another example of her wanting to promote and support other poets. "Ronda was always willing to share the stage-so to speak. The William Stafford: living a poetic life event at the Watkins Museum is an annual poetry reading that I look forward to every year. She had poets from all over the state come and read out at that event, and I was able to be a part of that as well. I got a kick out of the fact that Ronda described my poetry as “Staffordy” "So, Ronda did all of that. That event was her creation. I’m one of many who benefited personally and professionally from having Ronda as a friend, and support in their life. In terms of her body of work, she was an accomplished and gifted poet. I always enjoyed hearing her read out her work, and I know she took great pleasure in hearing other poets read out their work as well. Her footprint on the Lawrence poetry scene, and the Kansas scene as a whole, is one of substance. "Ronda loved beautiful things, whether it be flowers, or words, or a warm hug before or after a poetry reading. Actually, Ronda just loved. "I know so many people that were touched by her, and I can venture to guess that I am not the only one feeling the void right now. "Ronda’s legacy will live on, through her written work, and her contributions to our greater writing world. It will also live on because many of us will remember the loving and caring human being that she was. "My deepest condolences to her family, all of her friends, and damn if we weren’t lucky to have been able to spend time with her, and love her. "She will be greatly missed." -Kerry Moyer I remember Ronda Miller on the day she joined our club. I believe at the point I was president of our district. We asked everyone to give their name and a short summary of what they wrote. Ronda got up and recited one of her recent poems. At another time she visited our home to find out how I was doing and just chat. Prior to that she wanted me to recite some of my poems in her back yard, and at another time she invited me to a Slam where local poets were reading their poetry out loud. Ronda and I were admirers of each other's poetry. -Tom Mach  I don't remember when Ronda Miller and I met through KAC, but I have no doubt that she would, because she was sweet like that. We weren't in the same KAC district, but she kept up with the news of the district I'm in and kept me "in the know" of news in her district and KAC at the state level. She was always so supportive! She always treated me as a best friend although we didn't know each other for a long time. In 2023, I responded to an email request she sent out for help with a rather large editing project she was doing for a friend of hers who was writing his memoir. She and I kept in contact even after the project. She and I wrote often as friends on Facebook. She would sweetly end many messages with "I love you!" Later that same year we ended up attending the same book signing for local authors at the Winfield Public Library in my hometown of Winfield, KS. In true Ronda-like fashion, she greeted me warmly and asked if we could get our picture taken together. We continued connecting on Facebook after that. I was especially inspired by her beautiful pictures of nature. Often the pictures were of sunrises, sunsets, and other moments in nature that she sought out in order to help her heal throughout her terrible illness. I was honored that she shared some intimate details about that illness with me and I was glad to offer empathy where I could. I was saddened and shocked to hear of her passing, but I do believe she is now healed. I can still picture her enjoying beautiful sunrises and sunsets. She is missed. -Melody Cole Thank you to Roy Beckemyer, Curtis Becker, and Meadowlark Press for sharing photos.
New member D.A. Chadwick participated in the Holiday Extravaganza at the 4H Building in El Dorado. She had a booth selling her books. She reminds us that "Craft shows provide good exposure for authors."   "This is a book that is not only beautiful, but also uplifting. Even though the author does not consider herself a photographer or poet, she has an eye for capturing the small day-to-day things about life in 2020. This all comes together in a well-designed book." - Judge Randi Stones, Washburn Rural HS Journalism Teacher  Anne Garrett Spry was selected as the 2024 "It Looks Like a Million" Book Award recipient.
Also recognized:  "This is a book for everyone. Young and old alike. "The illustrations are vivid and bright. I could have looked at the pictures forever. Even my teenage son thought it was a beautiful book and that is high praise." - Judge Randi Stones, Washburn Rural HS Journalism Teacher
This past week, District 7 members were able to gather in Colby to present the Merit Award for Service to Sheryl Brenn in person. Sheryl's nomination: Sheryl Brenn has been the spark plug for Kansas Authors Club, District 7. Since joining the club in 2014, she has carried multiple offices, many times fulfilling the duties of Secretary, Treasurer, President, and Contest Manager all at the same time. She currently serves as District 7 Secretary and Treasurer, while also being the Representative to the State Board. Sheryl works hard to make sure that our western Kansas members are notified about meetings and events. She has coordinated countless meetings. To Sheryl, we owe a debt of gratitude for making sure our western Kansas members stay on the map of Kansas Authors Club Nominated by Howard John Sanders & Tracy Million Simmons  Sheryl Brenn, District 7, receives her award at the Pioneer Memorial Library in Colby. Pictured here with members Howard John Sanders and Millie Horlacher. (photo credit: Melany, Pioneer Memorial Library) Awards are presented annually to members for achievement in writing (A), service to the club (S), and special award for particular accomplishment (SP). Nominations are due each year by July 1.
Sheryl's award was presented virtually at the Annual Meeting in October. I was deeply honored to have my poem "Soldier's Christmas" given the featured spot on Spillwords.com today. I'm so grateful to the editor Dagmara K. for giving my work this exposure. Here's the link:
https://spillwords.com/soldiers-christmas/ Hope you are all having a blessed holiday season. Warmest wishes, Mark https://www.pw.org/directory/writers/mark_scheel author of The Potter's Wheel author of Star Chaser author of And Eve Said Yes: Seven Stories and a Novella author of A Backward View: Stories and Poems former prose editor Kansas City Voices magazine recipient of the J. Donald Coffin Memorial Book Award recipient of the Nostalgia Poetry Award November Writing News A memoir, entitled "Gift Conspiracy" was published in 105 Meadowlark Reader, #8. Three short stories: "Devon Tried," "The Family House," and "Foreign Found Home," were published online in: Chewers, MasticadoresUSA and the anthology: Catching Lightening Bugs in a Jar. And six poems were published in five places: "We Are All God's Poems," in an anthology of the same title; "Farm Work" in Craigardan #9, "Homestead Reflections" in Poetry Festival, "That One Night" was reprinted on the site: Truth Power Telling, and Wishbone Words posted "Mind vs Brain" and "Swinging Time." And, Duane learned an anthology, entitled: Cadence, in which he has three poems, is a finalist for the American Writing Awards. His short story: "Missing Mother," has been nominated for Best of the Net, and his poem: "Standing Alone," published in Trees and Me, has been nominated for a Pushcart. He is amazed!!! Congratulations, Duane!
A note from member John Queen, D2: One is now available on libro.fm, Spotify, Google Play to name a few. Lots of fun and work! Rosalie Krenger took my narration and produced a professional audio. Google play has a different free sample than Spotify. Listen to both if you wish. Now can I concentrate on a sequel?! Congratulations, John!   The Writers Place 31 W 31st Street KCMO December 13, 2024, 7:00 p.m. Amber Fraley is a native Kansan, journalist, essayist, storyteller, and wife and mom to the two greatest people in the world. She's the author of the darkly humorous essay collection Kansas GenExistential, the viral essay "Gen X Will Not Go Quietly," the new adult novel The Bug Diary, as well as numerous human-interest articles in regional magazines like KANSAS! Growing up in Lawrence and Wichita, Amber spent her formative years with her face in a book or at the mall with her friends. She loves Kansas with all her heart, is frequently awkward in public, and desperately wishes to see a tornado and live to tell the tale.
Tammy Hader's review of Ann Fell's memoir: If you're looking for inspiration, this is the book for you. I recognized Ann’s strength the moment she knocked on Marvin Swanson’s door. It took gut-wrenching tragedy and Mother Nature’s adversarial power to convince Ann she had the fortitude to rise from grief and focus on life. Have a tissue handy. You’ll share smiles and tears with Ann from start to finish. You may even catch a glimpse of your own inner strength along the way. #readlocalks  Mary-Lane Kamberg is a professional writer / editor / speaker and co-leader of the Kansas City Writers Group. Her books include The "I Don't Know How to Cook" Book and more than thirty nonfiction books for middle school and high school libraries. Her books for young writers include The I Love to Write Book, The I Love to Write Stories Book, and The I Love to Write Poetry Book and are available on Amazon. Her work has also appeared in Chicken Soup for the Soul, Better Homes and Gardens, The Christian Science Monitor, Kansas City Star, and more. She graduated from KU and roots for the Jayhawks during March Madness and football season. She has swum with dolphins, ridden an elephant, and been kissed by a camel.   |
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